what is canonization?

The word "canon" means "rule". To canonize something is to settle all disputes about something and make a "rule" out of it. The Christian scriptures were canonized when the councils of the Fourth Century made the final decision about what books qualified for inclusion. A saint is canonized, after a process of investigation, by a solemn proclamation that the person is recognized as a saint by all the Church. (And there are plenty of unrecognized saints too.) And Canon Law refers to the organized body of rules under which the Catholic Church runs its administrative affairs. "Canonical" basically means "official".

when someone is made a saint by the catholic church.

Definitions of Canonization on the Web:

* The process by which a Christian becomes a saint.

www.translationdirectory.com/glossaries/glossary007_c.htm

* The formal enrolling of a deceased and beatified person in the Roman Catholic canon, or calendar of saints

www.innvista.com/culture/religion/diction.htm

* A solemn definitive act by which the Pope admits a candidate into the calendar of saints.

www.ichrusa.com/saintsalive/glossary.htm

* (Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church) the act of admitting a deceased person into the canon of saints

wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

* Canonization is the act by which a Christian Church declares some deceased person to be a saint, inscribing that person in the canon, or list, of recognized saints.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonization

"Canonization is the act by which the Catholic Church declares a deceased person to be a saint"

Alternatively do a search on Google "define: canonization"

To declare (a deceased person) to be a saint and entitled to be fully honored as such.

To include in the biblical canon.

To include in a literary canon.

To approve as being within canon law.

To treat as sacred; glorify.

When after weeks of debate a person is created a Saint, by the Catholic Church.

this site will help you understand canonization better:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02364b.htm