What happens when a little ol' nun in France says she is cured of her Parkinson's?
You get one step closer to being a saint!
Pope John Paul II has been working his magic from beyond the grave and chose
to cure a woman who dedicated hours of prayer to him after he died.
This process to becoming a saint baffles me.
One 'miracle' - and you are
beatified.
Two and bingo, you're a saint.
Pearly
Now it's not because I don't believe in miracles, but surely to goodness, it
makes sense that a saint is decided on what someone did while they were
alive, rather than what happened when they were dead?
The reason the
miracles are part of the sainthood process, it seems, is to make sure they
are in Heaven and not just hanging around somewhere between here and the
pearly gates.
I've worked around the area of miracles.
Cocktails
I once filmed a documentary about a healer in Limerick. She claimed she could
cure people by praying over them.
I spent time with her and although her
intentions were good and people had faith in her, to me it was absolute
nonsense.
When I heard about the little nun, (I don't know why I presume she is little,
she could be a huge big nun) saying that she was cured, my cynical antennae
stood to attention.
She says that her Parkinson's left her body as a result
of John Paul, but the evidence has not been examined by an independent
doctor.
Only the Vatican doctor has given the thumbs up for a miracle.
Hmm, now there's a thing.
The Vatican is desperate rushing this through.
They are under pressure as they
have planned a big ol' beatification party on May 1 in Vatican City to
celebrate the Pope being one miracle away from sainthood.
It is going to be the biggest event since Pope JPII died.
Beatification
balloons, beatification streamers, who knows, maybe even a beatification
cocktail - the 'Miracle Mojito'?
The fact that this man chose not to take what I and many others would deem
appropriate action over much of the child abuse allegations is being swept
under the Vatican carpet.
Last Monday night the RTE documentary Unspeakable Crimes revealed Rome under Pope
John Paul II urged bishops not to report clerical abuse as a criminal
offence.
Honchos
Add this to the fact that Pope John Paul's ban on condoms left millions having
to cope with an AIDS epidemic without assistance and he's hardly worthy of
sainthood, in my opinion.
I've no doubt he was a charming man who won the world over with his endless
travelling to many countries.
But it would be interesting to ask a victim of
priest sexual abuse whether they think he should be a saint.
Or perhaps someone who contracted AIDS in Africa.
Ask them if he should be put
up there with the head honchos whose life works assured them front row seats
in Heaven.
Now just one more miracle stands between John Paul II and sainthood.
Well, here's a suggestion.
Maybe if Brian Cowen actually listened to what the
country needed and resigned it would be a miracle we'd all find useful.
Nah, there are miracles and then there's the downright far fetched.
SIC: EH/IE