[caww]

Well there does appear to be medical evidence that this bleeding isn't blood as always assumed....and there are various medical reasons for these disorders. Apparently in most cases the people with stigmatic lesions have a history of various medical and or psycotic illnesses.

The “other” ecstasies and such would indicate to me every reason to be skeptical of these happenings as being from God. Some go into trance states and see visions much as those of the occults. So I am not the least persuaded these people are somehow saintly people...when their happenings could very well not be of God...aside from the medical terms which indicate is the cause.

[mlizzy]

...I am not the least persuaded these people are somehow saintly people...when their happenings could very well not be of God...

Only that which is positive has occurred through the intercessions of Padre Pio since his death in 1968 (so numerous are these miracles/events, they *all* cannot be quantified); why would Satan be involved in 40+ years of helping people to see God? Wouldn't that defeat his purpose? (For instance, how long did it take you to see that the devil was in the details regarding our current administration?) That being said, of course these happenings need to be thoroughly looked into. That is precisely what the Church does do.