Opening of the Roman Phase

Roman Phase

On October 9, 2025, Bishop Francis Malone of the Diocese of Shreveport and Episcopal Delegate Father Peter B. Mangum met with officials of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome to formally open the documentation for the Servants of God of Shreveport, marking the official opening of the Roman phase of inquiry. This historic moment represents the culmination of years of research into the heroic virtue and sacrificial witness of the five martyrs to their charity who gave their lives during the 1873 yellow fever epidemic. The Cause has now entered its next stage of investigation by the Holy See, where the evidence will be further examined. If the Shreveport Martyrs are recognized as “Venerable,” it then opens the way for the process to continue further towards Beatification and Canonization.