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Posted on 03/30/2007 1:25:22 PM PDT by NYer
Paris, Mar 30, 2007 / 12:13 pm (CNA).- “All I can tell you is that I was sick and now I am cured. It is for the church to say and to recognize whether it is a miracle,” so said the 46 year-old Religious Sister who many think may have been miraculously cured through the intercession of the late Pope John Paul II. The French nun, the identity of whom was unknown to the world until this week, spoke to the press in today.
According to the Associated Press, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre stopped short of declaring her recovery a miracle, saying that was for the church to decide. But she said her life "totally changed" after her symptoms vanished in one night of prayer and mystery in 2005.
Smiling broadly, the French nun, whose claims could be accepted as the miracle that the Vatican needs to Beatify Pope John Paul II, said Friday that she was inexplicably and suddenly "cured" of Parkinson's disease - thanks to him.
"I am cured. It is the work of God, through the intercession of Pope John Paul II," told Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre, smiling broadly before a barrage of television cameras.
"It's something very strong, very difficult to put into words," she told reporters in the southern French city of Aix en Provence.
Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre had been suffering from Parkinson's, a degenerative disease of the nervous system, since 2001, but has testified that she was cured in the night of June 2, 2005 after praying to John Paul II, whose final years were also marked by the disease.
The nun recounted how she had suddenly been able to write legibly after struggling for months to hold a pen, the disease having progressed to the point that she no longer controlled motion in her hand.
"I came across a sister who had helped me tremendously and I told her as I held up my hand, my left hand, 'look, my hand is no longer trembling'," she said. "John Paul II cured me."
"Since then I have not taken any treatment. My life has completely changed -- it was like a second birth for me," she added.
Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre said that her symptoms has steadily grown worse since her diagnosis with Parkinson’s in 2001. Driving became practically impossible, she had difficulty walking, and her left arm hung limply at her side. She also could no longer bear to see John Paul on television, because he, too, was stricken - more seriously - with the disease.
When seeing him, "I saw myself in the years to come, to be honest, in a wheelchair," she said.
Then, on the night of June 2, 2005, exactly two months after the pontiff's death, she said. In her room after evening prayers, she said an inner voice urged her to take up her pen and write. She did, and was surpassed to see that her handwriting - which had grown illegible because of her illness - was clear. She said she then went to bed, and woke early the next morning feeling "completely transformed."
"I was no longer the same inside. It is difficult for me to explain to you in words ... It was too strong, too big. A mystery."
"I realized that my body was no longer the same," she added. "I was convinced that I was cured."
Described by her colleagues as a gentle, reserved woman who had hoped to keep her identity under wraps, the nun coped well with the media spotlight. She looked a little bemused as journalists huddled around her, putting their microphones in place. Only once, when describing how her symptoms worsened after the Pope died on April 2, 2005, did she momentarily lose a little of her poise.
"Please excuse me, I'm a little emotional," she said.
Convincing evidence of a miracle -- usually a medical cure with no scientific explanation -- is essential in the beatification process, the first step to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.
The Rome diocese's website carries dozens of testimonials from individuals claiming cures at the hands of the late Pope, but to qualify as a miracle the recovery must be sudden, complete and permanent -- as well as inexplicable by doctors.
The nun is expected to travel to Rome for ceremonies marking the second anniversary of the Pontiff's death and the closure of a church investigation into his life. Pope Benedict XVI waived the customary five-year waiting period for the procedure to begin, clearly in response to popular demand that began with chants of "Santo Subito!" or "Sainthood Now!" erupting during John Paul's 2005 funeral.
Who better to understand her anguish than someone who had suffered through it himself. One can almost imagine him saying: "Lord, me I can understand but please take pity on this beautiful nun".
For all his suffering I think that Pope John Paul the Great ought to be declared a "white martyr" and skip the need for miracles. Also he ought to be made a Doctor of the Church.
"then arnt miracles happing on a daily basis"
Sometimes people get better without Divine intervention in natural processes, but yes: miracles are happening on a daily basis. You might be surprised how many people you know have seen or received one.
I wonder how one gets into that mind-set...
There are people that receive miracles thru prayer all over the world...Many, who have not prayed to your pope receive miracles...Many recipients of miracles are not even Catholic...
How many have prayed to your pope and NOT received a miracle??? All but one???
When a non-Catholic prays for another non-Catholic and that person is healed, does the pray-er become a Saint as well??? Who then gets the credit for the cure??? Just God???
Christians...Your pope doesn't provide miracles...And his prayer to God is no more effectual than other Christians...
Jam 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Even if your pope did pray for you after he died, his prayer is no more effectual than any righteous Christian that prays for you...God hears your aunt Martha just as well as He hears your pope...
And when aunt Martha prays for you and you are healed, or some complete strangers pray for you, who gets the glory??? Who gets the credit??? If you don't give God ALL the credit, you are sinning...
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Put the focus on God...Not your pope...
Go back and read the commentary. Pay attention young man!
"Sometimes people get better without Divine intervention in natural processes"
Yes, and God created the natural process , it says in Scripture all good comes from God, therefore any natural process that turns out for the better is the work of God by default a miracle!
When ever I am feeling good, and it happens a lot, it doesn't seem like unusual event, but in fact life is so good we often overlook that the goodness of creation is all around us, so none the less life itself is a miracle and anything that changes ones life path from the enemies plan who is trying to take that , should be called for what it is "a miracle", and the credit should be given to the holy spirit in the souls of believers that recognizes the power that all good comes from God !
I'm pretty convinced you exist only to comment on how wrong Catholics are.
But, at least you called us Christians. *chuckles*
I believe we all have the power within us to heal ourselves - God just reminds us of that when we ask Him. ;)
Ungenerous, to say the least. IAC, let us not forget that John speaks of miracles as "signs." This miracle is taken as a sign that the pope was indeed, as he appeared, a holy man. All his life he bore witness for Christ and now he has the gift of healing. If Peter could heal in the name of Christ, why not his servant Karol?
"And his prayer to God is no more effectual than other Christians"
Actually, it is. The radical egalitarianism that holds the bad man's prayer as efficacious as the saint's is nonsense.
"I believe we all have the power within us to heal ourselves - God just reminds us of that when we ask Him."
My experience is that sometimes He steps in and does it Himself.
"Yes, and God created the natural process , it says in Scripture all good comes from God, therefore any natural process that turns out for the better is the work of God by default a miracle!"
By definition, a miracle is an event that is outside natural processes. You may call these things wonderful, but they are not miracles.
What bad man are you referring to??? And of course, you have scripture to back that up???
Iscool, go away.
We can trivialize the common things like the sun setting as a natural process for example, but in the end it is very miraculous indeed. What is natural, who are we to define it, who are we to trivialize the creation as just ordinary? If it is good it is a miracle, simple as that, others may not recognize it, they but thats their loss, to have never recognized the beauty of creation as being out of the ordinary.
Because you guys you guys aren't Jews...
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Christian don't require a sign...Nor do we require logic, reasoning nor philosophy...
If you see someone performing miracles, you better start testing the spirits...
Miracles are a sign for the Jews...
So by your logic, Christians can't speak in tongues. Christians can't prophesy. Christians can't teach. Christians can't heal.
Going against St. Paul there. But then again, you don't seem to have a problem creating your own brand of Iscoolianity.
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