Posted on 03/24/2006 6:06:40 AM PST by marshmallow
DALLAS. A host kept in a jar of water for four weeks grew fungus and bacterial colonies in a natural process, a laboratory report concluded about an incident in a local parish church that created public speculation.
A March 23 letter from Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann to the pastor of St. James Parish relayed that what some were calling a miracle of a host contains nothing of a supernatural nature.
The letter to Msgr. Mario Magbanua states: At my request the object you submitted to me, around which there was heightened publicity, was presented to Dr. Marcy Brown Marsden, chairman and associate professor of biology, University of Dallas, and Dr. Frank Doe of the same department, for tentative identification and characterization of the object.
The bishop said that after analysis was done he was provided with their conclusion.
They told the bishop: We conclude that the object is a combination of fungal mycelia and bacterial colonies that have been incubated within the aquatic environment of the glass during the four-week period in which it was stored in the open air.
The bishop further wrote: From this conclusion the phenomenon was of the natural order and contains nothing of a supernatural nature. Thus, you need to remove yourself from any further activity surrounding this matter and its exaggerated claims.
The incident began about a month ago when a young boy received the Eucharist at Mass and then became sick in the restroom. Ushers who checked on him found the intact host in the bin.
The ushers reportedly summoned Msgr. Magbanua, who came to retrieve the host. He put the host in water to dissolve, where it remained unseen until March 19. Its appearance had changed, viewers said.
Within hours people were coming to the church to see the host, which is located in a low-income area and has approximately 2,000 registered parishioners.
Fueled by telephone and e-mail stories saying a miracle had occurred, as well as media reports, curious scores of the faithful hoping to see something extraordinary began to show up.
Among those was Shirley Vilfordi, a member of St. Rita Parish in Dallas. She was among those who suggested people should not be too quick to rush to conclusions, and thanked those who took quick action to discover the truth.
We praise God for our beloved church who wants to investigate these things thoroughly rather than falsely mislead the faithful, Vilfordi said as the investigation was ongoing.
There have been other cases in past years when a host received fungal and/or bacteria contamination when it was not properly consumed and/or disposed.
Church officials said the matter is now closed and called on faithful to end any further speculation.
Ditto's/
"The bible is a Catholic book..."
Really? How can scriptures written 300 years before there was a Catholic church be considered a "Catholic book?" Is the Old Testament, completed another four houndred years before that also a "Catholic book." Just because you compiled a group of writings which were written over a period of approximately 1600 years, plus added seven other "catholic only accepted documents" does not give credence to your claim.
Sorry. The Bible was written by God, not the Catholic church. Besides, you place the writings of your "church fathers" equal to and sometimes above the Bible.
"A satanic mass can be valid if an apostate priest says the correct words of consecration, using the correct matter, but I wouldn't assist at one."
Can you explain this?
(...when you've gotten some sleep!)
That doesn't usually happen here, so it's usually me arguing the role of free will against the Calvinist's obsession with God's sovereignity. The answer is in neither extreme.
I was referring to these:
Did you see my pictures from Rome?
Did you cross the Tiber?
Twice. First time to look around. I saw there was nothing there for me and turned around and crossed back headed towards Geneva.
Here are a couple of pics:
The Tiber was quite a muddy mess. Not like the Mosel or even the any number of other European rivers.
St Peter's was an absolutely phenomenal piece of architecture:
All in all we had a good time. Lady Gamecock and I even tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain in the hope that we would return one day.
"A satanic mass can be valid if an apostate priest says the correct words of consecration, using the correct matter, but I wouldn't assist at one."
Donatist ping...
Well, PM, I suppose it all comes down to what is meant by "satanic mass" and "apostate priest". I doubt that a "satanic mass" could ever be in proper form. As for Donatists, well "contending" with them is easy:
"By 'Contentions,' he means, with heretics, in which he would not have us labor to no purpose, where nothing is to be gained, for they end in nothing. For when a man is perverted and predetermined not to change his mind, whatever may happen, why shouldest thou labor in vain, sowing upon a rock, when thou shouldest spend thy honorable toil upon thy own people, in discoursing with them upon almsgiving and every other virtue?
How then does he elsewhere say, "If God peradventure will give them repentance" (2 Tim. ii.25); but here, "A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself"? In the former passage he speaks of the correction of those of whom he had hope, and who had simply made opposition. But when he is known and manifest to all, why dost thou contend in vain? why dost thou beat the air? What means, "being condemned of himself"? Because he cannot say that no one has told him, no one admonished him; since therefore after admonition he continues the same, he is self-condemned." +John Chrysostomos, Homily VI on Titus
Do you have the recipe? I don't share it with me, please.
Clue us in; are you an obnoxious, annoying ultra-Trad Catholic? Or just the garden variety obnoxious, annoying Protestant?
Diss their arguments all you want, but knock off the personal attacks!
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