Chronology of the Cause
for Canonisation of Pierre Goursat

PRELIMINARY PHASE OF THE CAUSE

25 March 1991

Pierre Goursat dies on La Péniche, on Holy Monday. His funeral is celebrated on 27 March in Paris in the Church of the Holy Trinity.


The following day, Holy Thursday, Pierre Goursat is buried in the cemetery of Paray-le-Monial.

September 2007

The Councils of the Emmanuel Community and the Brotherhood of Jesus unanimously decide to request the opening of the Cause for the Canonisation of Pierre Goursat.

22 December 2007

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints authorises the transfer of jurisdiction for the Cause of Pierre Goursat from the Diocese of Nanterre to that of Paris.

6 March 2008

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints grants the nihil obstat for the Cause for Canonisation of the Servant of God, Pierre Goursat and informs Cardinal Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris.

17 October 2008

Dominique Vermersch, Moderator of the Emmanuel Community, appoints Mgr Francis Kohn, Postulator of the Cause.

8 November 2009

Cardinal Vingt-Trois promulgates the decree for the introduction of the Cause for Canonisation of the Servant of God, Pierre Goursat, and orders the Diocesan Inquiry to be opened.

18 November 2009

Cardinal Vingt-Trois forms the Diocesan Inquiry Tribunal, chaired by his Delegate, Mgr Georges Soubrier, as well as the Historical Commission.

THE DIOCESAN PHASE

7 January 2010

Opening session of the Diocesan Inquiry Paris in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Paris, chaired by Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, representing Cardinal André Vingt-Trois.

The members of the Diocesan Inquiry Tribunal, with the notaries, the expert historians, the Postulator and the Vice-Postulator.
From left to right: Mgr Xavier Rambaud, Promoter of Justice; Mgr Georges Soubrier, Episcopal Delegate of Cardinal Vingt-Trois for the Cause for Canonisation of Pierre Goursat; Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, Auxiliary Bishop of Paris; Mgr François Fleischmann, Chancellor of the Diocese of Paris, and Fr Joseph Choné, Promoter of the Causes for Saints.
In the first row, from left to right: Jean-Paul Mordefroid, Pierre Goursat’s nephew and godson; Martine and Hervé-Marie Catta; Dominique Vermersch, Moderator of the Emmanuel Community; Élisabeth Baranger and Marie-Nicole Boiteau.
Mgr Francis Kohn, Postulator, takes his oath on the Bible.
Élisabeth Baranger, Vice-Postulator, takes her oath on the Bible.
Mgr Georges Soubrier celebrate Mass and gives a homily after the opening session of the Cause of Pierre Goursat.

19 December 2015

Closing session of the Diocesan Inquiry in Paris at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Paris

The members of the Inquiry Tribunal with the boxes containing the Acts of the Diocesan Inquiry.
Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, representing Cardinal Vingt-Trois, chairs the Closing Session of the Diocesan phase, with Mgr Georges Soubrier and Mgr Jean-Marie Dubois, Chancellor of the Diocese of Paris.
Mgr de Moulins-Beaufort, Mgr Soubrier, Mgr Dubois, and in the background, Laurent Landete, Moderator of the Emmanuel Community, Martine Catta, and the three expert historians.
The Chancellor of the Diocese of Paris and the notaries place the seals on the boxes containing the Acts of the Diocesan Inquiry, which will be sent to the Vatican in Rome.
The sealed boxes of documents.
The Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Mgr de Moulins-Beaufort, with Mgr Soubrier, Father Dominique-Marie David, Father Philippe Christoy, priest of the parish of the Holy Trinity, Bruno Pouzoullic, deacon, and Mgr Francis Kohn, Postulator.
Mgr de Moulins-Beaufort, with Bruno Pouzoullic, Mgr Francis Kohn and Mgr Jean-Marie Dubois, during the Thanksgiving Mass at the Church of the Trinity.
The sealed boxes of documents are placed in a car.

21 December 2015

Laurent Landete, Moderator of the Emmanuel Community, appoints Mgr Francis Kohn Postulator for the Roman phase.

8 January 2016

The Postulator hands over the Acts of the Diocesan Inquiry (around 12,000 pages) to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in Rome.

THE ROMAN PHASE

15 November 2016

Opening of the Acts of the Diocesan Inquiry in Rome, at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

On 15 November 2016, Mgr Giacomo Pappalardo, Chancellor of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, opens the sealed boxes containing the Acts of the Diocesan Inquiry in the presence of the Postulator, Mgr Francis Kohn.
The Chancellor of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Mgr Pappalardo, with Mgr Francis Kohn and members of the Emmanuel Community in Rome, on 15 November 2016.

2 June 2017

Opening of the Acts of the Diocesan Inquiry in Rome, at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

14 July 2017

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints appoints the Reporter charged with assisting the work of the Postulator and approving the drafting of the Positio, a dossier with information on the life, virtues and reputation of holiness of the Servant of God Pierre Goursat.

October 2017-November 2020

Drafting of the Positio by the Postulator.

3 February 2021

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints receives the Positio (a 950-page dossier weighing 2.86 kg), which is to be studied by nine theological experts, then by a commission of 14 cardinals and bishops appointed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.