The cause for canonisation of Argentine business leader and Christian Family Movement founder, Enrique Shaw, has taken another step forward after the alleged miracle attributed to his intercession passed the medical stage.
The alleged miracle will now be evaluated by a commission of theologians of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Catholic News Agency reports.
The vice postulator of the cause and the military bishop of Argentina, Santiago Olivera, informed the Argentine news agency AICA of the development.
The prelate explained from Rome that the miracle “has passed the medical consultation, but we must be very cautious because the process continues with the commission of theologians and then with the bishops and cardinals.”
“Once this happens, if everything goes well, Cardinal [Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints] will present to the Holy Father the permission to announce the decree of his beatification,” Olivera added.
Although there are still several steps to take, the vice postulator indicated Thursday that “today was a very important day. It passed the medical phase regarding what was presented about the healing.”
“We continue to pray,” he said and encouraged the faithful “to wait and be very respectful of the following stages.”
Enrique Shaw Tornquist was a layman, businessman, husband, and father. He was born on 26 February, 1921, in Paris. Shortly after, his family moved to Argentina.
He belonged to the Naval Military School, where he carried out an apostolate with great dedication.
In 1943 he married Cecilia Bunge, with whom he had nine children. In 1945 he asked to be discharged from the Argentine Navy for the purpose of becoming a worker and carrying out an apostolate among the working class.
He promoted the creation of the Christian Association of Business Leaders and died on 27 August, 1962, at the age of 41 from cancer.
In 1997, the preliminary stage for the opening of the canonization process began, and 10 years later the formal opening of the cause was presented.
The diocesan phase was concluded in 2013, and in 2014 the documentation was sent to Rome.
In 2020, documents were submitted in Rome for the diocesan investigation into the alleged miracle attributed to the intercession of Shaw.
On April 24, 2021, Pope Francis approved the decree that recognizes Shaw’s heroic virtues, declaring him “venerable.”
Writing in Aleteia, Larry Peterson noted that Shaw wanted to become “Christ in the business world.”
Enrique and a few friends had gone to Buenos Aires a few times when they were given leave. It was on one of these visits that he met Sara. They fell in love and were married October 23, 1943. They would go on to have nine children together, with one of them becoming a priest. Enrique taught them all the importance of the Rosary and made a point of taking them to church every week. He set a fine example as a Catholic father.
At the end of World War II, Enrique started his business. By 1952, he established the Christian Association of Business Executives. He did this with help from Archbishop Joseph Cardijn of Belgium, who would later become a Cardinal. Enrique also became a prolific writer, publishing many books dealing with justice and honor in the workplace. He promoted intense evangelizing aimed at the business class in Argentina and Latin America. His goal and calling was to be “Christ in the business world.”
He was one of the founders of the Christian Family Movement in Argentina and was president of the Argentine Catholic Action.
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Argentine businessman Enrique Shaw moves closer to beatification (Catholic News Agency)
Enrique Shaw, un paso más cerca de ser declarado beato (ACI Prensa)
Potential miracle connected to saintly businessman (Aleteia)
Enrique Ernesto Shaw (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)
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Crédito: Cortesía ACDE