Posted on 12/15/2010 6:48:19 AM PST by marshmallow
Over 150 years ago, a Belgian immigrant woman saw a vision and built a shrine. Believers have reported healings and answered prayers. A Catholic decree declares the site 'worthy of belief.'
Amid a patchwork of Wisconsin farmland half an hour's drive northeast of Green Bay is a modest shrine with a brick chapel, a school and a flow of pilgrims speaking of profound healing power.
The power is said to come from the Virgin Mary, who appeared to a Belgian immigrant 151 years ago where the shrine now stands. But all believers had to show for it were years of anecdotes — and the canes, wheelchairs and crutches left behind in the chapel's crypt by those who claimed they had been healed.
Now, the Roman Catholic Church has issued a decree: The apparition in 1859 was authentic.
Or as the Most Rev. David Laurin Ricken, bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay, said last week, the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is "worthy of belief."
With the bishop's approval, the landmark known mostly by locals has been elevated to the level of Marian apparitions in Mexico City, Fatima in Portugal, and Lourdes in France.
It is the first of its kind in the United States.
"This is an affirmation of the spiritual fruits the people of God have received for 151 years," Father John Doefler, the shrine's rector and the vicar general and chancellor of the diocese, said of the bishop's decree. "It opens the door for future spiritual growth."
The process to verify the apparition began in January 2009, when Ricken began an investigation. The diocese commissioned theologians to pore over the journals of the young woman who claimed to have been visited by Mary, as well as other records and accounts.
The researchers examined the woman's character........
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The Church is never in a rush to confer approval on these events. They are thoroughly studied from all angles before any sort of endorsement is given.
Mary has NEVER appeared ANYWHERE, she was a human who died almost 2 thousand years ago.
Anyone who worships her dead rotting corpse needs to get their head examined, because the only person anyone should be praying to is God.
“Anyone who worships her dead rotting corpse needs to get their head examined”
I don’t believe anyone worships her dead, rotting corpse.
It would be nice to be able to have a rational discussion of this matter.
***... because the only person anyone should be praying to is God. ***
You’re quite right. And that’s the reason all our Hail Marys end with, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, PRAY for us.” We ask her to intercede for us.
ROFL.........oh good.............thanks for clearing that up for us!!
Seriously though.......Moses and Elias appeared to Jesus and the three Apostles on Mt. Tabor.
An angel appeared to Mary.
An angel appeared to Peter when he was in prison.
The entire last book of the New Testament is the account of a mystical vision experienced by the Apostle John.
Did apparitions suddenly stop when the New Testament was completed?
That’s because God is a God of the dead, not of the living, right?
It is like leftists talking about tax cuts and race. Mention the Name Mary and fireworks go off as reason shatters. There is no God but God and Jack Chick is his Prophet.
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My questions are fairly simple -- and merely beg rational answers...
(1) Where in the canon of Biblical Scripture do we find:
(a) Examples of an extraordinary dispensation of post-testamental transcendent & divine (healing) power given to the human mother of Jesus??
--OR--
(b) Find Biblical accounts of her manifesting healing gifts in the New Testament accounts -- (as we read about Peter, Paul, Ananias, and others manifesting spiritual gifts in the book of Acts)??
--OR--
(c) Find prophecy or prophetic promises directing believers to the holy expectations of these "appearances" and works of healings??
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(2) How does any congregation or organization assert the privilege of "affirming" testimonies or events that are clearly extra-biblical in their basic nature and plain description--
(thereby inviting pilgims to the sites and memorials of these questionable events??)
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(3) Have we disregarded the clear warnings and prohibitions given in both Old & New Testaments for "adding to..." OR "taking away..." from the inspired revelations??
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(4) Are we not clearly warned against the manifestation of spurious works and counterfeit miracles in trhe last days?
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Merely looking for the rational (Biblical) reasoning here....
Thanks in advance--
1) the protestant doctrine known as "sola scriptura"?
So after Christ died, did he not appear to the Apostles and other believers? According to your post....he has a rotting corpse too, which is a lie according to the account of the Ascension in the Bible.
Are you not aware that God has no timeline. That the saints in heaven — the church triumphant — are as alive as you and me — only we can’t see them becuase of our lack of faith.
"Never apologize for the
Blessed Virgin Mary!"
~~Mother Angelica
BTW, Catholics do not worship the Blessed Virgin Mary. We ask her to pray for us. Got it?
There are clear and direct Biblical teachings and prophecies and promises regarding the ongoing works, gifts, and power of the Holy Spirit in and through the entire church--as the living Body of Christ.
These are clearly delineated by Christ's example and His instructional impartations of the Holy Spirit in the Gospels, and later--permanently-- after Pentecost... in the book of Acts...
These are clearly constructed by Christ himself teaching the disciples to EXPECT the promise of the Father -- the beloved Holy Spirit (John 14-16)
-- And especially reminding us that all the manifest glory and power will be Christo-centric ( John 15:26)
None of these Biblcal teachings, examples, prophecies or fore-telling promises describe the appearances of Mary ( or anyone else), or the expectation of any miracles given as gifts or rewards for the testimony of her(/their) apparition.
(The holy angels remain active as messengers--commissioned only by God-- as we see in the book of Acts)
None of the promises tell us that glory will/should be given to Mary... or any one else... (Isaiah 42-44 are worth a look!)
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For your info & perspective--
Sola Scriptura is only the first of five pillars of sound doctrine: (as follows)
(1) Sola Scriptura: the Bible is the only inspired and authoritative word of God -- FIRST... FOREMOST... and FINAL
(2) Sola Fide: Salvation is by faith alone -- not by works (Eph 2:9-10)
(3) Sola Gratia: By grace alone -- the favor of God given to Christ-- and those found in Him
(4) Solo Christo: IN Christ alone... (Acts 4:12)
(5) Soli Gloria Deo: For God's glory alone--presently and ultimately
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I cannot find the Biblical instructions to pray to Mary, or attempt to speak with her... or any other natural person presently living or passed on.... ??
I do find prohibitions in the holy law against necromancy--talking with the dead...
--AND--
Jesus telling us that there exists a great chasm between the eternal states....
--- And further the (Biblical) Scriptures written by "Moses and the Prophets" remain sufficient to warn the unrepentant. (Luke 16)
I do find many instructions and encouragements to pray directly to "Our Father...." -- in the Name of the only Begotten Son.
--That God knows His Own.... hears us... and answers according to His Will.
Our identity as "new creations" and adopted children in Christ gives us all the access we need --
Why spend money on long distance--
.... When it's really just a local call??
No, it is not providing answers.
It is setting grounds for rational discussion.
Sola Scriptura is only the first of five pillars of sound doctrine: (as follows)
So you say. I say it is itself an unscriptural absurdity, and a guarantee of false doctrine.
What is the "pillar and ground of the truth"?
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Then we shall agree to disagree...
I will remain within "God's matrix"--
...The LOGOS of God-- (Strongs G3056)
...the precepts, paradigms, principles, patterns, prophecies, prayers, and promises sent to us in God's love letter-- the Holy Bible...
The testimony that leads us to the Holy Person--
--Who created us....
--Offers salvation thru His Promises...
--And sustains His loved ones by the presence of the Holy Spirit
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To answer your questions about the "absurdity"...
Deuteronomy 12:32
Proverbss 30:5-6
2 Peter 1:20
Finally...
Revelation 1:3
--and--
Revelation 22:18-19
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The "pillar and ground of truth"--?? special lingo??
(according to whose lexicon?)
Jesus- the Living Word (John 1)...
Made it clear that He is "the way & the truth & the life" -- (paraphrase - John 14:6)
Again... good enough for me....
Enjoy your day
What are your views on Apple versus Windows products?
What?
You really don't know where that's from?
ROFL!!!!
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Of course you are referring to 1 Timothy 3:15 --
The context of which discusses how we conduct ourselves in the (entire) household of God...
Paul- here speaking within the pastoral letter (specifically to his spiritual son, Timothy)
....In defining the church as such, does not elevate, abrogate or excuse Christians and the church as a whole from adhering to the written Word as the final authority of faith and practice.
While I should have made that point clearer - earlier....
I did not mock you.
Because the Roman Church often holds to itself as the (only true) household-- and historically... to the exclusion of other streams of faith...
We do indeed operate with different "lingo" and understandings of those terminologies and phrases.
And therefore...
We have an inherently different point of view.
As I said earlier -- without mocking you---
We shall agree to disagree.
Again... enjoy your day.
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