Im pretty sure the episode's meaning was to challenge the idea that alcoholism is a disease that cant be controled through self discipline, and they made a pretty good argument for it considering the media. The silliness of pilgrimages to fluid dripping statues was just approached as self evident, and then exaggerated in South Park style as a tool for developing the meaning of the episode.
No need to wonder how it would effect me if they slammed something sacred like my Mother. As an Objectivist for 15 years now, I was spun around in 1998 when they said Atlas Shrugged was garbage that totally sucked a~s. Guess which one of these guys is me. I wonder if I could get anyone who says that banned for blasphemy.
I am sure the episode had something other than insults attached to the blasphemy of the Virgin Mary, but the Virgin Mary theme itself could only detract from the other topics.
Ayn Rand is your mother and is holy?