Posted on 09/15/2006 7:50:37 AM PDT by murphE
Catholics throughout the metropolitan area are expected to pray next month at the Curé of Ars Church in Merrick, L.I., where the "incorrupt" heart of St. John Vianney will be on display for five days of veneration.
The heart, which has not left France since Vianney was canonized a saint in 1925, will be on display at various times Oct. 7-11 to celebrate the Merrick Ave. church's 80th anniversary.
Vianney's chalice will also be used during all Masses, beginning with one at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. The closing Mass will be at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
"It's an historic moment for our diocese," said the Rev. Charles Mangano, the Cure of Ars pastor. "It's very, very exciting."
At least 1,000 people are expected to journey to Merrick to see the heart, which will be in a rounded reliquary with gold edges and under close watch by security guards, Mangano said.
Born in France in 1786, Vianney began training for the priesthood at 18 but twice failed his exams before being ordained 11 years later.
In 1818, he began his tenure as parish priest of Ars, Mangano said.
There, Vianney quickly gained fame for his ability to heal others and read the hearts of those who came to him to confess their sins, said the Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, a theology professor at St. John's University in Jamaica.
As he entered old age, Vianney was still faithful to his flock and spent between 13 and 17 hours a day in cramped confessionals.
He died in 1859 at age 73.
Vianney was beatified in 1905 and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. His body - which, like his heart, is considered incorrupt by the Catholic Church, meaning that it is believed to be miraculously free from decay - now lies in a basilica attached to the original Parish of Ars Church in France. A special chapel was erected nearby to receive the heart. "In some sense, his physical heart symbolizes the care and compassion that characterized his life and his ministry as a parish priest," Ruiz said.
While attending an international priests' conference in Ars last September, Mangano asked the Bellay-Ars bishop if the heart could come to Merrick for the church's 80th anniversary.
Two weeks later, he received an e-mail saying the heart would come to Long Island - and leave France for the first time since the 1925 canonization ceremony in Rome.
The popularity of relics began during the persecution of Catholics by the Roman Empire in the first three centuries, when martyrs' bodies were venerated, Ruiz said.
Although Catholics in Europe regularly use relics in asking saints to pray to God on their behalf, Americans are not familiar with the custom, Mangano said.
"As Americans, we're not used to seeing body parts; we're not into relics," he said. "Some of our parishioners are like, 'Eww, why would you want to see the heart?'"
Relic: St. Mundita Where: Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church), Rindermarkt 1 (near the Rathaus), Munich, Germany.
I have no idea who this Saint it, but her skeleton is gilded, bejeweled, and kept in a glass case. Fitted with glass eyes, she seems to stare at you from the beyond...
Just like a stuffed, mounted deer head...
Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
If they are saved, their souls are in the presence of God...
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Your both quotes, outside of their proper context and in the sense you quote them, reflect Gnostic beliefs in evilhood of flesh, condemned by the Church a long time ago.
I'm sure God will be tickled pink to hear you find His miracles objectionable. Right on par for the doctrines of man, "I determine truth" group.
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.
Might be Gnostic as far as your church is concerned...But the bible has a different view:
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
How can you be sure it's from God???
Unless you are Catholic or Orthodox, you have no clue what the Bible says.
Go troll somewhere else.
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.
2Ti 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Keep studying the bible...Pray for knowledge and wisdom...Believe what you read and God will show you...
Go troll somewhere else.
It's written in 6th grade English (or Greek and Hebrew)...Any grade school drop-out can read it...Problem people have is believing it...The verses I posted are pretty doggone simple...
Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips.
O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.
I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your holy one to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
What you don't know from your mindless quoting is that "corruption" and "flesh" have a different connotation that what you imagine them to be. Go troll someplace else.
Please accept my apology for insulting one of your religious practices. As a Protestant I have never been able to understand it. I worship and pray only to Jesus Christ, not to the heart or toe of another human being. Sorry if I have offended you again but that is what it looks like. I am not anti-Catholic but I do find this one thing strange.
You'd make a good Catholic then.
flesh
σάρξ
sarx
flesh (as stripped of the skin), that is, (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred, or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specifically) a human being (as such): - carnal (-ly, + -ly minded), flesh ([-ly]).
corruption
φθορά
phthora
decay, that is, ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively): - corruption, destroy, perish.
incorruption
ἀφθαρσία
aphtharsia
af-thar-see'-ah incorruptibility; generally unending existence; (figuratively) genuineness: - immortality, incorruption, sincerity.
Well, that's it in the Greek...Should we check the English to see if we get a connotation that's acceptable to you???
You are telling us words. I am quite good with Greek myself, but thanks.
Both "flesh" and "corruption" are used by the inspired authors primarily as references to the temptation, sin, and death as consequence of sin. None of your quotes are a physiology manual from which we are to deduce the fact that ordinarily, people experience physical death and their flesh decays. Nor does any Catholic dispute these facts of life.
Go troll someplace else.
I don't believe I could go with that one...You'll notice in the next verse the context is:
Psa 16:2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
I believe the context is the soul, not the body...
At death, our soul heads out...Our body stays here Of course we know that, the cemetery's full of 'em...That's the spiritual circumcision...Our soul is cut loose from our body when we get saved...
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
When Jesus shows up next time, our dead bodies will be redeemed, traded in...Our flesh is no good...It has to be fixed up...
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
My bible says it this way, which makes more sense to me...
Psa 16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
Although the verse refers to all the saints (Christians), God's delight is aways his chosen people, the Jews, in every context you find it...
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
That doesn't mean your flesh is any good...It is resting in hope of the return of Jesus...The hope of redemption...Where your body will be changed from corruption to incorruption...
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your holy one to see corruption.
The Holy One can only be God...If you'll remember, God can not look at sin...That's why we have to have 'new' bodies when we head to heaven...Our flesh and our blood are corrupt...
I'm convinced however that this chapter was written with modern day Christians in mind...You might want to look at verse 4...
Exodus 13:19 -
"And Moses took Joseph's bones with him: because he had adjured the children of Israel, saying: God shall visit you, carry out my bones from hence with you."
4 Kings 13:20-21 -
"And Eliseus died, and they buried him. And the rovers from Moab came into the land the same year. And some that were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life and stood upon his feet."
It'd be nice if you believed all the quotes from the Bible, not just the ones you like. The one I quoted clearly states you are not the sole authority when you "study" your Bible. If you are a Bible believing Christian as you claim you will accept it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.