Saint Anthony Pantin of Port of Spain

Trinidad aims for it's first saint. The Newsday Newspaper reports that the Church here is Trinidad has been given the go ahead to begin the process for the beatification of former Archbishop Anthony Pantin.
H
ere is the article dated Monday, December 2 2013

IN WHAT has been described as ‘unprecedented and historic’ by Archbishop of Port-of-Spain Joseph Harris, the local Catholic Church has been given the go-ahead by the Holy See to proceed with opening the Diocesan Inquiry for the cause of Beatification of late Archbishop Anthony Pantin.

According to an article in yesterday’s edition of the Catholic News, Archbishop Harris said the local church has written to the Vatican to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints asking that the Nihil Obstat be granted. The Congregation for the Causes of the Saints is a department responsible for the investigations which lead to the beatification and canonisation of holy men and women.

Catholics have been invited to celebrate a special Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Curepe, on December 9, where members of the Diocesan Tribunal, who will conduct their investigations, will receive their mandates and take oaths of secrecy.

At the Mass, anyone with information on the life and holiness of Archbishop Pantin will be asked to provide such information to the Tribunal.

The Catholic News admitted that the process of beatification was lengthy. Judicial Vicar Fr John Persaud was quoted as saying the first phase, which begins next week, is the gathering of all the relevant evidence.

After all the evidence is collected it will be sent to Rome for the next phase in the beatification process.