A ceremony is planned for 5:00 p.m. Friday.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Thousands of documents got the final stamp of approval from a group in charge of overseeing the cause for sainthood for Father Emil Kapaun.

"It's significant both for us in the diocese and it's also significant for the entire Catholic Church because, hopefully, if the Church deems to name him a saint, it will mean that his life is worthy to be followed," said Father John Hotze, Episcopal delegate for the cause.

In 1993, Father Kapaun received the title "Servant of God" by the Roman Catholic Church, one of the first steps toward possible canonization. In 2008, the Catholic Diocese of Wichita officially opened the cause for sainthood for Father Kapaun. On Friday, the process will come to a close.

"It makes me feel very humbled to be a small part of this process for such a wonderful man," said Ann Maley, Notary for the cause.

About 8,000 pages of material will be sent to Rome, hoping that the evidence will make Father Kapaun the third saint to be born in the United States.

"That's what I'm counting on, the third saint in the United States coming from Pilsen, Kansas," said Hotze.

On Friday, they will realize the culmination of all their work. The documents will be sealed off in Wichita, only to be opened halfway around the world, inside the Vatican. The group hopes that Father Kapaun may someday be Saint Kapaun from Kansas.

"It truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity when you think there's only been two saints that have been born in the United States," said Hotze.

The mass and closing ceremony will take place inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita on Friday at 5 p.m.

You can watch the live stream of the ceremony on Catholic Diocese of Wichita website by CLICKING HERE..