Are Canonizations Infallible? Yes and No

The discussion around the infallibility of canonizations comes up from time to time, and with the approaching canonizations of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII we see it naturally being revisited.

I think that a canonization conveys two elements:

1) The person is in heaven.
2) The person lived a heroic life of virtue for their state in life and is to be emulated.

I think element 1 is an infallible statement. Via EWTN The 1967 New Catholic Encyclopedia discusses the theological foundation for the infallibility of canonization: "The dogma that saints are to be venerated and invoked as set forth in the profession of faith of Trent (cf. Denz. 1867) has as its correlative the power to canonize. ... St. Thomas Aquinas says, 'Honor we show the saints is a certain profession of faith by which we believe in their glory, and it is to be piously believed that even in this the judgment of the Church is not able to err' (Quodl. 9:8:16).

So yes, in this respect I think it is impossible for the Church to err with respect to the individual being in Heaven. I think element 2 is prudential judgement and subject to possible error.

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