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Fri 8 Apr, 2005 10:23 pm
I guess you have to strike while the iron is hot - but it seems so soon.
Saint...? Pray TO him...?
I get off at this stop.
Lol - wonder if Lash's response sort of sums up why people mostly get sainted long after they are dead.
Like - praying to (DO Catholics still pray to saints? - anyhoo) someone you have known, to some extent, as a real human, is going to seem odd to most of us:
"Pray to the blessed St John."
JOHN?
"Yes, to the blessed St John."
Was he John Smithers?
"Yes, the blessed one was known as that in his earthly life."
From Wapping?
"Yes, he was born in the holy Wapping, site of his shrine."
But he used to pull my hair.
"Even saints have sinned."
He used to fart in the bath!
"Indeed, he, too was human - may we all hope for his grace."
No, but seriously - he used to get drunk on the communion wine when he was an altar-boy!
"May we all be able to rise above our human frailty as the blessed St John did."
And then go looking for goats.....
Anyhoo - to argue against myself - I imagine millions of semi-crazed people worldwide would have wanted Pricess Di sainted just after her death...
People are odd.
Anyhoo - to argue against myself - I imagine millions of semi-crazed people worldwide would have wanted Pricess Di sainted just after her death...
Well has she been canonised yet then?
Our beloved Pope Paul was the very person who decideded not to change the law of waiting 5 years before declaring sainthood. However, he is already a saint in my eyes.
Yes, I pray to saints, to Mary, to Jesus, to my parents and to my family who are long gone.
Nobody has ever come back to tell me to stop, but the results have been remarkable!
They're getting ready I think. I heard a story on the radio this morning that a couple believes that Pope John Paul II performed a mirace in healing their very sick child. I'm not sure of the process but I think they need to find evidence of more than one miracle. Of course the quicker they move the best chance of finding miralces.
But if there others who have been Beatified, the Blessed, already waiting wouldn't it be a bit of an affront to push them aside? Or is it done differently these days?
goodfielder wrote:They're getting ready I think. I heard a story on the radio this morning that a couple believes that Pope John Paul II performed a mirace in healing their very sick child. I'm not sure of the process but I think they need to find evidence of more than one miracle. Of course the quicker they move the best chance of finding miralces.
But if there others who have been Beatified, the Blessed, already waiting wouldn't it be a bit of an affront to push them aside? Or is it done differently these days?
The Christian Century Foundation reported the following on January 25, 2005..... Pope John Paul II is reported to be considering a proposal to abolish miracles as requirements for sainthood. Perhaps he was preparing the way? I do not know the outcome of this proposal. It really doesn't concern me one way or the other since I am not Catholic.
Having said that, Pope John Paul II was one of the most popular men on earth. I am sure he will be criticized for many things, but he was a good man who truly cared for the faithful.
I'm sure there are those who didn't find Pope Paul II to their liking, but I am also sure they are few and far between.
If it were up to me, I would make Pope Paul II a saint this very moment.
Yes he will be criticised for many things Intrepid. But of course criticism of his failings -for example his refusal to countenance the use of condoms by Catholics to try to preven the spread of AIDS - is probably more a criticism of Catholic doctrine than the man himself. If he called it like he saw it then at least he was consistent to the doctrine of his church. Can't knock that too hard. I suppose Christians of a more progressive social bent can always leave the Catholic Church and find succour in another denomination that accords more closely with their secular beliefs, just as some have left socially progressive denominations to join the more conservative Catholic Church.
Anyway, as you indicate, the Catholic Church is unto itself so if they beatify and canonise Pope John Paul II before next weekend it's none of my business.
Since I am not a Catholic and do not believe in sainthood I couldn't care less whether he was declared a Saint or not. They would however, have to ignore miracle requirement or at least bend it to fit. But than IMO there is no such thing as miracles so what the heck.
Can someone explain when someone is made a saint what exactly does that mean. What for instance is a saint supposed to do or be.