On the move to canonize the founding father of the EU
A gangly ascetic, he lived on eggs and lettuce, taking the Eucharist each morning at the chapel of Servants of Sacred Heart near his home. He never married. German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer dubbed him "a saint in a business suit."
The Metz investigators, after poring over his private letters and taking testimony under oath from more than 200 witnesses, have confirmed that the French statesman was indeed a saintly man who sought to live by scriptural guidance.
However, the inquiry failed to find any evidence of miraculous healings or visions — a prerequisite for beatification.
A sealed chest containing 66 stacks of documents has been shipped to Rome for a final decision by the Congregation of the Saints.
Schuman supporters lobbied hard for a favorable interpretation of the rules, arguing that Franco-German reconciliation in the bitter aftermath of World War II was miraculous. Pope John Paul II has responded coolly.
While embracing Mr. Schuman as an "authentic Catholic" and an "eternal example" who highlights the value of piety in public life, the pope sternly instructed the bishop of Metz "to proceed with the greatest rigor in demanding a miracle in the case of political figures."
