>>Once granted by the laying on of hands through the duly authorized hierarchic chain of command, his priestly secret superpowers cannot be taken from him<<
Priestly secret superpowers granted by the laying of hands?
Are there decoder rings and x-ray specs as well?
It’s interesting to see how the oppressive mysticism of the Dark Ages still permeates the RCC.
Priestly secret superpowers granted by the laying of hands? Are there decoder rings and x-ray specs as well? It’s interesting to see how the oppressive mysticism of the Dark Ages still permeates the RCC.
Well, decoder rings and x-ray specs...um...no, I don't think so.
But there are the bones of saints (is the second knuckle more or less holy than the third knuckle?). And there is always the
Holy Prepuce if all else fails. But it has recently disappeared from its Sacred Shoebox. Vatican agents are apparently suspected in the deed. Funny, it used to be that only us Protestant types suspected that (of the remnants of Vaudois writings for instance) and were called crazies for saying so.
More seriously, Rome has actually been drawing away from relics and the associated mysticism (admission there is no Limbo, repudiation of the historicity of Saint Christopher and the inevitable doubts cast on other "saints", rejection of the worldwide petition drive to officially name Mary as Co-Redemptrix). They also seem to being doing a lot less in the way of encouraging contemplative mysticism than are many evangelicals with their Emergent Church movement.
We'd best tread carefully here. We might have to clean our own house a bit before pointing at Rome's.