Rabbi Moshe Rivkin Nominated for Sainthood

Pope Leo issued a Motu Proprio four days ago to initiate the canonization of recently deceased Rabbi Moshe Rivkin. The Pope admits the act is controversial but is permissible under Pope Francis’ Maiorem hac dilectionem which allows a fourth path to Sainthood for non-Catholics.

The arcane processes used for such an unusual canonization require that the Pope also apply the rarely used Implicit Baptism of Desire.  This doctrine states the rabbi’s holiness had aligned his soul with the Almighty’s grace, negating the need for a physical baptism and allowing for the eventuality of a Saint Moshe Rivkin.

Catholic leaders the world over were originally surprised by Leo’s actions, which will make the rabbi the first Jewish saint in the Catholic Church

The legend goes that a mother in the Rabbi’s congregation had a son that was headed down the wrong path. The teen’s mother prayed to the rabbi for help. Rabbi Rivkin heard her plea and met with the boy in what witnesses say was nothing less than a “Come to Jesus Moment.” Miraculously the boy turned his life around, went to Hebrew School, got Bar Mitzvah and went on to become a doctor – the holy grail for a Jewish mother. The congregation declared that this indeed was a miracle.

In a press release, the Vatican announced, “as with other Saints, once confirmed, we will assign a Feast Day in his honor. A cathedral outside of Paris will place a statue of the rabbi in an unused side chapel where worshipers can leave knishes and rugelach before praying for wayward children.”