[Aquinasfan]

They could probably get a much better sample from the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano.

[Alex Murphy]

They could probably get a much better sample from the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano.

I was waiting to see if that was going to be brought up. Or, for that matter, scientists could get the genetic material from the Holy Prepuce itself

[Frank Sheed]

Even if they could find a source of DNA left by our Savior, there would be an insoluble problem.

The male seed transmits a pro nucleus that fuses with that of the female ovum to create a diploid organism containing male and female genetic material. If we assume that this was a miracle and contained both Mary's DNA (ovum) and "material" that was given in the Incarnation, it leaves one problem. The "power packs" in cells, mitochondria, derive totally from the mother. Every one of your mitochondria trace back to your mother. Thus, in all these cloning scenarios, the person would never be a precise duplicate because the mother's mitochondrial DNA was present in the ovum and these are found in every cell of the resulting offspring.

The ova used to create these "clones" have different ova. To make an exact duplicate, one would need Mary's mitochondrial DNA. That would require a trip to heaven as she was Assumed bodily into heaven.

Let's call it the Catholic "fail safe."

;-o)
Frank

[TEEHEE]

They could probably get a much better sample from the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano.

The Eucharist miracle, the Shroud, and the Sudarium of Oviedo combine, in my mind, to form the most compelling physical evidence that the God of the Bible is THE God and that He did send a redeemer into this world. The Sudarium validates the Shroud-as-Christ's-cloth idea strongly enough that no discussion of the Shroud is complete without its mention. And the Lanciano miracle is just too cool for school; it's fundamentally important enough that it should be standard Christian teaching, along with OT/NT. Is that too extreme? I can't tell, I'm so partial to the realities of Lanciano...