Vatican II emphasized the truth that all of us are called to be holy; it is not something reserved for priests and religious. Pope John Paul II realized that an effective way to demonstrate this reality is to canonize more lay Catholics. The percentage of lay Catholics who have been canonized throughout the centuries is quite small if you consider how much they make up the membership of the Church.

Married couples especially have not fared well; only two have been beatified: Ludovico and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi (2001), and the parents of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin (2008). As a Catholic, I know I am called to sainthood, and as a married man, I think it would be great to have more models of married couples to follow.

Well, just last month the cause for canonization was opened for another married couple ^[1], Paquita Dominguez and Tomas Alvira, a Spanish couple who were members of Opus Dei and had eight children (all of whom are still living). I pray that many more married couples are recognized for their saintly lives in the years to come.

All you holy men and women, pray for us!