Who are saints who have made a difference?

Answer 1

a good saint is one who cares for others and put people in need first then keeps on going. A saint is some one how is close to god and has to perform miracles

Roman Catholic Answer

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

i. One whose holiness of life and heroic virtue have been confirmed and recognized by the Church's official processes of beatification and canonization, or by the continued existence of an approved cultus and feast. To such only may public veneration and liturgical honour be given; but the Church also produces numerous other saints who remain unknown and unrecognized (cf., the feast of All Saints, whereon those also are honoured). In the Catholic economy the departed saints have not simply ethical significance as patterns of virtuous life, but also religious significance as living and functioning members of the Mystical Body of Christ, who by prayer are in vital contact with the Church militant (on earth) and suffering (in purgatory). The canonized saints form a microcosm of the church; among them are to be found representatives of all forms of human life, activity and temperament. They manifest exteriorly the hidden life of our Lord whom they have hidden in their hearts; the inner man being filled with his spirt, exterior and corresponding action flows form it as from its true source. Nor are their activities and greatness directed in strictly religious channels only; besides so many priests and monks and nuns the Church has canonized emperors and kings and queens, soldiers, artisans, domestic servants, beggars, housemaids, lawyers, merchants, society dames, farmers and their labourers, artists, physicians, a retired hangman - sanctity is an order for which all are eligible. It must not be supposed that the actions of a saint must always appear good to everyone; he is immune neither from faults nor from errors of judgement; moreover, the "ordinary person" may be the least good judge of a saint's actions. The Church does not officially honour the sanctity of those who in good faith are separated from her visible unity.

ii. The word "saint" is rarely used as a title in the liturgy, such being ordinarily referred to as "the blessed N . . .," e.g., in the collects. In the Byzantine rite it is "the holy father N . . .," the holy martyr M . . .," "The holy, glorious and illustrious apostles the princes and first leaders, Peter and Paul," etc. . . . In the New Testament the word "saints" is often used to designate all Christians of a place, as we should say "the faithful".

Thus a saint is anyone who has done God's Will in his life, whatever that may be. Followed the Ten Commandments and the virtues, followed the counsels of the Church, prayed regularly (without regular prayer, one can not know the Will of God), and loved Him above all and his neighbor as himself.

Answer 2

Only the person himself, working with God, can make a saint. However, the Catholic Church screens individuals who may be saints to determine if they were indeed holy, in Heaven, and would make good role models for the living. If the Church determines that the person meets the criteria, the pope will then make the final decision to canonize that person.

Answer 3

First, you have to die. Once you have been dead at least 5 years a cause
for sainthood can be opened. The local bishop or other religious leader
will assign someone to collect all sorts of documents and conduct
interviews about the life of the candidate. Once they have all the
information, the file will be sent to the Sacred Congregation for the
Causes of Saints in Rome. They will study the file and, if it seems the
person exhibited some form of heroic virtue, that person will be declared
a ''Servant of God'' and an official Cause for Sainthood will be opened.

More investigations and interviews will be conducted and if the person
passes all favorably, they will be named as ''Venerable''.

Next, more investigations and at least one miracle must be confirmed and
verified due to the intercession of the candidate. If all goes well, the
candidate will then be Beatified by the Pope and receive the title of
''Blessed''. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is at this stage right now.

In the final stage, more investigations and at least one more miracle must
be verified. Once all that has been done, the file is turned over to the
pope who will make the final decision. It will be up to the pope to
declare a person a ''Saint'' and then arrangements are made for the official
canonization ceremonies.
This process can take many years, even centuries.

Of course, the person became a saint the moment they entered heaven. The
Church just needs to investigate to make sure the candidate is worthy of
emulation and makes a good role model for future generations.

Answer 4

All saints have made a difference to one extent or another.