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To: drstevej
Two pieces of the cloth which St Veronica received from the Lord.

Uh, Veronica was canonized? She wiped His face and the imprint of his face was left on it (that's tradition with a capital T). That's one piece of cloth and if I'm not mistaken it disappeared.

Steve, the sacred relics are things like the Crown of Thorns which is at Notre Dame in Paris. The Cathedral here has a piece of the True Cross and a relic of St. Louis, King of France. They aren't worshiped, but they are tangible connections to the past. Collections like the one you describe are not normal, but they are the result of quests of true faith.

Apparitions are a different kettle of fish. There are enough reports of them and enough miracles involved to make their existence real. It just hasn't happen to you. Me neither. That doesn't mean they aren't real. Anything is possible with God.
6 posted on 01/03/2004 7:21:00 AM PST by Desdemona (Kempis' Imitation of Christ online! http://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/imitation/imitation.html)
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To: Desdemona
Thanks for your input Desdemona. We disagree, but hey that's OK.
7 posted on 01/03/2004 7:24:23 AM PST by drstevej
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To: Desdemona
They aren't worshiped, but they are tangible connections to the past<.i>

Isn't that what scripture is for?

8 posted on 01/03/2004 7:29:35 AM PST by Gamecock
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To: Desdemona
the sacred relics are things like the Crown of Thorns which is at Notre Dame in Paris. The Cathedral here has a piece of the True Cross and a relic of St. Louis, King of France. They aren't worshiped, but they are tangible connections to the past. Collections like the one you describe are not normal, but they are the result of quests of true faith.

Any authenic relic from the life of Christ would be of great historical interest. To paraphrase from Indiana Jones - The Last Crusade, "This belongs in a museum or a cathedral!".

An obvious problem arises in the utter implausiblity of so many of the acclaimed relics, which must bother many Catholics. So much has been the obvious work of hucksters, such as the multiple skulls of John the Baptist present at the same time in history in various parts of medieval Europe. From the Catholic Digest: Relics for Sale.

A quest for the true faith shouldn't mean being side-tracked by very dubious artifacts and bones alleged to be from 2000 years ago. Wood, cloth, and thorns don't hold up that well, particularly when being handled by unknown people while being passed around (presumably) the Holy Land and then in Europe.

But the big point is in the words of our Lord to Thomas: "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed". Relicts don't really help in Christian faith, either you believe already or you don't. And bogus relics are a credit only to the irreligious ancestors of P.T. Barnum, with their religious suckers born every minute. (It would be interesting to carbon age date the crown of thorns in Notre Dame.)

Yes, with God all things are possible. He made the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars, but His only Son said it was more blessed to believe without seeing physical proof.

17 posted on 01/03/2004 8:54:09 AM PST by xJones
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To: Desdemona
To read later.
259 posted on 01/05/2004 2:49:26 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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