Cause for Beatification
Servant of God Bishop Vincent J. McCauley, C.S.C.
First Bishop of Fort Portal, Uganda, missionary to three continents and a founding architect of the Catholic Church in Eastern Africa.
- Born 1906 · Iowa
- Died November 1, 1982
- Cause opened 2006
The Cause
The Cause for Beatification began in the Diocese of Fort Portal, Uganda, where an ecclesiastical tribunal was established to collect the testimonies and documentation required to prove Bishop McCauley's heroic virtue. The diocesan phase has been completed, and the positio, the formal record of his life, virtues and reputation for holiness, has been submitted to the Holy See for examination by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
Approximately one hundred people from across East Africa and Bengal, where Bishop McCauley served his first mission, gave formal testimony about the Christian virtues they witnessed in his daily life. Their accounts, gathered over years, form the evidentiary heart of the Cause.
Those who worked alongside him call him the "Father of AMECEA." He was a prime mover in organising gatherings of African bishops during Vatican II, was elected first chairman of AMECEA in 1964, and served as Secretary General from 1973 to 1979.
Whatever unity we bishops in Eastern Africa have, we owe it to Bishop McCauley.
Cardinal Maurice Otunga of Nairobi
For most of his adult life, Bishop McCauley battled a facial skin cancer requiring more than fifty surgical procedures. He bore all of it with characteristic quietness, never allowing suffering to become an excuse for slowing down. He died on November 1, 1982, the Solemnity of All Saints, and was buried in the Holy Cross community cemetery at the University of Notre Dame.
On All Saints Day, November 1, 1982, a valiant man of God died, but a saint was born.
Fr. John Croston, C.S.C.
Canonization Inquiry
Five Heroic Virtues
The pillars of his holiness, drawn from one hundred testimonies across East Africa and Bengal.
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Multiple pilgrimages to Lourdes. His motto, Mariam sequens non devias. He named Virika Cathedral "Our Lady of the Snows." She was his inseparable companion.
"He saw a woman with whom he spoke person to person."
Fr. Arnold Fell, C.S.C.
Missionary Zeal
From Bengal to Uganda: "This is where I should be." First Bishop of Fort Portal in 1961, convinced the Church in Africa must be led by Africans.
"He fell in love with the people the moment he stepped off the boat."
A fellow missionary
Service of Others
His greeting: "What can I do to help you?" Care for refugees, relief for 60,000 earthquake victims, and an office door that was never closed.
"Ever gentle and generous, ready to receive with sincere love every rank of people."
Bishop Serapio Magambo
Acceptance of Suffering
Fifty surgeries for facial cancer, yet he never complained. He endured great pain with hope, never losing his joyful heart or his hearty laugh.
"Invariably enthusiastic, kind, and cheerful even during serious illness."
His contemporaries
Simplicity & Availability
Simple rooms, common dining and time for everyone. Free of attachment to material things, he was a bishop who lived as one among his people.
Canonical Process
How the Cause Moves Forward
From the diocesan tribunal in Fort Portal to a declaration by the Holy Father.
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Completed
Diocesan Tribunal
Established in Fort Portal. Witnesses gathered and testimonies recorded under canonical norms.
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Completed
Witness Testimonies
About one hundred witnesses from East Africa and Bengal gave formal testimony.
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Completed
The Positio
Formal documentation compiled by the Postulator and submitted to Rome.
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In progress
Vatican Review
Theologians and Cardinals of the Dicastery review the positio. A declaration of Venerable may follow.
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Awaited in hope
Beatification
Upon verification of a miracle, the Holy Father may declare him Blessed.
Key Milestones
A Life Without Borders
Iowa → Bengal → Uganda → Eternity
- 1906
Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa
- 1929
Final vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross
- 1934
Ordained priest
- 1936
Begins missionary service in Bengal
- 1958
Leads the new Holy Cross mission to Uganda
- 1961
First Bishop of Fort Portal
- 1962–65
Attends the Second Vatican Council
- 1964
Elected first chairman of AMECEA
- 1982
Dies on All Saints' Day, November 1
- 2006
Cause for beatification opened
Join the Faithful
Support the Cause for Beatification
The faithful are encouraged to pray for his intercession and to report any graces received to the Office of the Vice Postulator. Your witness is part of the living evidence the Church considers in its examination of a Cause.
- 01Pray the official prayer for his beatification daily
- 02Report favours received through his intercession
- 03Join a devotional prayer group in your parish
- 04Spread devotion to Bishop McCauley in your community
- 05Share testimonies of his life and virtues with others
Official Prayer
Prayer for the Beatification of Servant of God Bishop Vincent J. McCauley, C.S.C.
Grant that the Church may recognize the holiness of Servant of God Bishop Vincent Joseph McCauley for his Veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Missionary Zeal and his Service of others.
God, our Father, you sent Vincent J. McCauley to be our Pastor and Bishop. Grant, we pray you, that his soul may enter eternal life in heaven. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.
Imprimatur: + Serapio B. Magambo, Bishop of Fort Portal, January 27th, 1983
Pray for His Beatification
Bishop McCauley bore the Cross in body and spirit for nearly fifty years. The faithful of Uganda, Bangladesh and the wider Church continue to seek his intercession.
About the Cause
Diocese of Fort Portal & Congregation of Holy Cross
The Cause for Beatification of Servant of God Bishop Vincent J. McCauley, C.S.C. is administered by the Diocese of Fort Portal, Uganda, in collaboration with the Congregation of Holy Cross, Province of East Africa. Inquiries should be directed to the Office of the Vice Postulator.
- Servant of God
- Beatification
- Fort Portal
- Holy Cross
- AMECEA
- Marian Devotion
- Bangladesh