Sigrid Undset's Cause for Canonisation To Open This Fall

One of the most amazing novels I've ever read is her Kristin Lavransdatter, set in medieval Catholic Norway. She was a convert and a shining example of the Faith in a Lutheran country.

From Aleteia

By Theresa Civantos Barber

"She is far more than an author and Nobel Prize laureate," said local bishop; she is "a model of Christian faith."

The Catholic Bishop of Oslo, Norway, His Excellency Fredrik Hansen, has begun preparations for a canonization cause for the Catholic writer Sigrid Undset. 

Undset, a Catholic convert and lay Dominican, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928 and is considered one of the foremost writers of the 20th century. Hansen's announcement means the Catholic Church will begin a formal investigation to determine if Undset lived a life of heroic virtue in such a way that she can be declared a saint officially.

After examining Undset's life and finding clear signs of devotion, Bishop Hansen presented the case to the Nordic Bishops' Conference and to experts on the life of Sigrid Undset. He said the formal process will begin this fall.

Sigrid Undset jako młoda dziewczyna | Sigrid Undset as a young girl

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The announcement was made July 8 during an annual pilgrimage Mass for the feast of St. Sunniva on the island of Selja, where hundreds of Catholic pilgrims were gathered.

Norwegian Catholics gathered for Mass on the island of Selja in monastery ruins, where the opening of Undset's canonization cause was announced.

Courtesy of Mathias Ledum

Speaking from the ruins of an ancient monastery where the annual Mass is celebrated, Bishop Hansen described the famed writer, saying:

She is far more than an author and Nobel Prize laureate. For us, she is a model of Christian faith, of a life lived in virtue, and of the pursuit of holiness.

She showed a constant and practical concern for the poor. She gave of herself in caring for her daughter, in her commitment to life and to the sanctity of life. 

Through her many books she has shaped countless believers, inspired them to live in Christ, and borne witness to our medieval saints.

Local community rejoices

Aleteia reached out to Fr. Mathias Ledum, who is the first priest to come from Undset’s home parish in 500 years, and is known for his popular #MakeScandinaviaCatholicAgain social media campaign.

Bishop Hansen, Fr. Ledum and other clergy in the monastery ruins on Selja

Courtesy of Mathias Ledum

Ledum feels a strong connection to Undset and already asks her to pray for him. He said:

I regard Sigrid Undset almost as a godmother. I have actively prayed for her intercession for two years already, and I know that others have been doing the same. 

Undset paved the way for the Catholic community of my home area in Gudbrandsdalen and specifically formed a prayer group that prayed for Norwegian vocations. We can assume that she even prayed and hoped for a priestly vocation from this area that she held so dearly.

Fr. Mathias Ledum with a photograph of Sigrid Undset

Courtesy of Mathias Ledum

Given his history with Undset and her beloved status among the Norwegian Church, Ledum said the local Catholic community received the news “with great joy and enthusiasm!”

While cautioning that the process is in its very earliest stages, he said, “I agree with the bishop that it's the right time to look into this, and for all of us to rediscover the person of Sigrid Undset and what she has to offer us Catholics today, through her brilliant authorship and through the strong testimony of her life.”

A bridge-building writer

Ledum is something of a local expert on Undset. “The last couple of years I have grown in my knowledge of her and friendship with her,” he said.

Because of his personal connection to her, local organizations, both Catholic and secular, frequently invite Ledum to speak about Undset. He has given talks at the Undset museum, in parishes and churches, and at local history associations. He even celebrated Mass at the parish in Lillehammer where Undset lived, wearing vestments she had donated to the parish more than a century before.

Fr. Mathias Ledum and other Norwegian Catholics pray at the grave of Sigrid Undset

Courtesy of Mathias Ledum

Ledum told Aleteia of a recent incident that seems almost uncannily prophetic in hindsight:

During the celebration of Olsok (solemnity of St. Olav, which was her favorite feast!), I got to speak to a huge crowd about her devotion to St. Olav and why he was her favorite saint. 

So many Lutherans and non-believers were there and they listened with great attention to what was basically an explanation of Catholic theology on the saints, through the lens of Undset. 

I even proposed that we might have Undset herself as one of our canonized saints one day!

The non-Catholic attendees’ reaction is consistent with something he’s seen repeatedly: “Everywhere I go and speak about Undset, she seems to have a huge impact on many Protestants. Her writings often help them in understanding better the Catholic faith, and even in being received into full communion with the Church.”

Undset herself was an adult convert to Catholicism, entering the Church the same year she won the Nobel Prize.

Undset is a “bridge builder,” he said, among the different Christian denominations in Scandinavia. Her life and witness are strengthening the Christian faith in Norway and helping many to rediscover its Catholic roots—and “how we can still connect with those roots for the benefit of our country and our culture.”

Undset is a meaningful force in Ledum’s campaign to “Make Scandinavia Catholic Again,” and no doubt this fresh attention through the opened cause for canonization will bring her personal witness and powerful writings to many more Scandinavians—and people around the world.