Michelle Duppong, a woman from western North Dakota, died on Christmas 2015 at age 31 after a harrowing journey with cancer. As Michelle suffered, her devoted family began to notice the extraordinary ways she carried that cross, evidenced in part by the medical personnel who were drawn to her while in the hospital. The Duppong family soon came to know that the wider Church had been noticing her extraordinary qualities, too, and in June of 2022, they received word that Michelle, a woman of humble countenance and beginnings, was being investigated for one of the Church's greatest anointings: canonization. On November 2022, at a special Mass, Bishop Kagan of the Bismarck Diocese declared Michelle a Servant of God, prompting the first step in the canonization process, involving extensive investigation surrounding the person's life to prove the depth of their demonstration of heroic virtue. There's a lot to unpack here about the Church's understanding of what makes a saint, praying to the dead, and other matters of life and death. Lisa Gray, one of Michelle's sisters, has been pulled into this conversation in a personal way, but is her sister Michelle a saint? Lisa will weigh in on her sister's virtues as we celebrate All Saints Day. SHOW NOTES: Roxane's article for The Forum on Michelle from her siblings' perspectives: https://roxanesalonen.com/2022/09/04/faith-conversations-north-dakota-siblings-reflect-on-saintly-sister-michelle/ Roxane's article for The Forum on the Mass initiating canonization process: https://roxanesalonen.com/2022/11/27/faith-conversations-servant-of-god-title-bestowed-on-michelle-duppong-at-cathedral-mass-initiating-the-canonization-process/ In Michelle's own words: "Abide in Christ": https://www.mixcloud.com/BismarckDiocese/talk-1-abide-in-christ/ Opening cause for canonization Mass for Michelle, Nov. 1, 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyajoROYd2o Article on the process of becoming a saint: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/how-does-a-person-become-a-canonized-saint Article on praying to the "dead": https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252694/why-do-catholics-pray-for-the-dead-and-other-questions-about-purgatory-answered What is FOCUS? (Fellowship of Catholic University Students): https://focus.org/

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