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January 31, 2006
JPII's First Miracle?
(Michelle Arnold)
In the aftermath of the death of Pope John Paul II, there was a lot of speculation about his "first miracle." One cleric, commenting on CNN during the Pope's funeral, said it was when Israeli and Arab leaders shook hands during the sign of peace. Many faithful Catholics said that it must have been when Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected as Pope Benedict XVI. These are miracles in the looser sense and don't count toward sainthood.
Now, though, the Vatican may have found a miracle that could count in the process of canonization for JPII: a nun miraculously cured of Parkinson's Disease after praying to him for his intercession:
"Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the Catholic Church official in charge of promoting the cause to declare the late Pope a saint of the Church, told Reuters on Monday that an investigation into the healing had cleared an initial probe by doctors.
"Oder said the 'relatively young' nun, whom he said he could not identify for now, was inexplicably cured of Parkinson's after praying to John Paul after his death last April 2.
"'I was moved,' Oder said in a telephone interview. 'To think that this was the same illness that destroyed the Holy Father and it also kept this poor nun from carrying out her work.'"
It looks like those who suffer from Parkinson's Disease now have someone on the fast-track to becoming their patron saint.
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Comments
Also check out here (CBS.com, Pope John Paul II documentary) for an story about an alleged instance of a throat cancer healing. I can't vouch for it but I see no reason to doubt it.
"Once, when a Cardinal visited the Vatican and revealed that he had throat cancer, the Pope gently massaged the Cardinal’s neck for fifteen minutes. We later learned that the Cardinal’s cancer disappeared.
While you're on that page, click "Memories of the Pope" for a nice short video. I can't link that one as it's a javascript popup, so just find it on the right menu.
Posted by: Karen | Jan 31, 2006 4:14:40 AM
I mean the left menu. Oops.
Posted by: Karen | Jan 31, 2006 4:15:22 AM
When you say that, I can't help but think of my grandma. I never thought of asking in that quarter before. But you know, it couldn't hurt....
Posted by: Maureen | Jan 31, 2006 7:15:04 AM
Like, we need a miracle to know he's a saint? Imagine having any doubts about JP2 and, for that matter, Mother Teresa. Whatever happened to the charism of acclamatio populi?
Posted by: Ed Peters | Jan 31, 2006 9:21:28 AM
I wish more precise language would be used for the benefit of our protestant brothers. It seems more clearly true to say that one has prayed to God to allow the intercession of JPII. I know guys who have left seminary citing this old misunderstanding (the idea that Catholics deify saints), no reason to purpetuate it.
Posted by: GregC | Jan 31, 2006 10:47:28 AM
"I wish more precise language would be used for the benefit of our protestant brothers. It seems more clearly true to say that one has prayed to God to allow the intercession of JPII."
Perhaps Jimmy will correct me if I'm mistaken, but I see no need to split the hair that fine. When I pray to the saints, I pray to them, knowing that God is the one who makes the communication possible and answers the saints' and my prayers.
As an analogy: If I asked you to pray for me, I'd ask you, knowing that God is the one who allows such communication and intercession. Death doesn't separate me from you (cf. Rom. 8:38-39, 1 Cor. 15:54-58) because we are one in the mystical body of Christ, who allows us to intercede for each other.
Praying to saints doesn't "deify" them; rather, it glorifies God who makes it possible to commune with them.
Posted by: Mia Storm | Jan 31, 2006 11:14:51 AM
So I'll remember to say that I don't email you; I email the Internet, which delivers the datapackets to you for me. Same with the post office. 'Cause to say I'm mailing or emailing you would be to deny the power of the US Post Office and the Internet. Yuppers. :)
No, I understand your argument. And when I'm hanging out with people I'm afraid might be scandalized, I am careful to say that I'm asking for a saint to be my prayer partner, or whatever. But sheesh, do I have to do that all the time? On a Catholic site?
If so, please let me know what other Catholic idioms are now to be forbidden. Am I still allowed to say Our Lady? Or Mother of God? I mean, some Protestants take that wrong, too.
*bad mood*
Posted by: Maureen | Jan 31, 2006 2:43:50 PM
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