Ireland's first beatification takes place as former Kildare-based priest is one step closer to sainthood

The first ever beatification in Ireland, that of Father John Sullivan SJ (1861 – 1933), took place today during the celebration of Mass in Saint Francis Xavier Church on Gardiner Street in Dublin.

Fr Sullivan was a teacher at Clongowes Wood College outside Clane and many people from Kildare have regularly prayed to him after he was said to have miraculously cured a woman cancer more than 60 years ago.

Beatification, which confers the title ‘Blessed’, means that a man or woman is considered to be truly holy and worthy of veneration by the faithful.  The next stage after beatification is canonisation to sainthood and this takes place in recognition of this holiness by the universal Church. 

The principal celebrant and homilist at today’s Mass was Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and he was assisted by the Primate of Ireland Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin.  Concelebrants included the Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh; Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly of Cashel & Emly; Bishop James Moriarty, Bishop Emeritus of Kildare & Leighlin; Father Leonard Moloney SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Ireland; and, Father John Dardis SJ, General Counsellor for Discernment and Apostolic Planning and many Jesuit priests.  The Church of Ireland’s Archbishop Michael Jackson of Dublin, and Bishop John McDowell of Clogher, were present on the sanctuary.

Music during the liturgy was provided by students from Clongowes Wood College SJ.  Soprano Rachael Croash sang Ave Maria and Panis Angelicus.  At the beginning of Mass, Cardinal Amato read the following Apostolic Letter from Pope Francis in Latin, and this was followed by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin who read the text in English: