Could Christopher Columbus be a saint?

In the final installment of our three-part Columbus series, we consider that question through his own writings and an account of the petition for his canonization signed by a number of bishops at the First Vatican Council.

We also read Columbus describing his suffering, poverty, and separation from the sacraments. Those passages deserve some attention, especially from anyone who has read his history only through the lens of ambition and cruelty.

We begin by finishing our textbook reading, then turn to the Douay-Rheims Bible on human sacrifice, humiliation, and humility. From there, we read Columbus’s reflections from his fourth voyage and Chris Jackson’s article, “Saint Christopher Columbus?”

One connection I especially like is with his namesake, St Christopher: the image of a man carrying Christ across the water.

The question of sainthood also gives us a reason to examine how we judge people. What do we make of suffering, repentance, and perseverance? Do we allow those things to matter when the person is someone we’ve been taught to dislike? And do we apply the same standards to ourselves?

It all returns us to where the last episode ended. If we condemn slavery and exploitation in the past, we ought to recognize and condemn them in the present, too—including the spiritual bondage we may be less willing to examine, particularly in the world of politics.

Columbus has not been canonized, no, and this discussion isn’t saying he should be. That isn’t the point. But there is a distinction worth remembering: Canonization means the Church recognizes someone as a saint, but everyone in Heaven is a saint, whether or not we remember the name.

SOURCES

Textbook: https://ckbooks.org/wordpress/product/united-states-history-a-traditional-catholic-perspective/

Columbus’s writings: https://archive.org/details/cu31924028668865/page/n7/mode/2up

All images and video fall under Fair Use Laws. Thank you.

LINKS

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXDBD2kFCOA&list=PLMrKQANDiZHo&index=2&pp=iAQBsAgC

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSliiEbO9J4&list=PLMrKQANDiZHo

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCS5ut7d7c&t=7s

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09maaUaRT4M