Padre Pio

[dells_of_bittersweet]

[center][font="Arial"][size="6"][color="#800000"][i][b]Biography[/b][/i][/color][/size][/font] [/center]


[font="Times New Roman"] [/font] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] Pio (Francesco Forgione) was born to Mamma Peppa and Grazio Forgione in the little town called Pietrelcina, in Southern Italy, during the month of flowers, May 25th 1887. He was fifth of eight children. His Mamma Peppa confided he was different from other boys: "he was never impolite or misbehaved". He had celestial visions and diabolical oppressions from the age of five years and he saw and spoke with Jesus and Our Lady and with his Guardian Angel, but unfortunately this heavenly life was interwoven with hell and with the devil.[/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] In 1903, Discipline and ill health had been woven together to crown the youth of Pio. Doctors diagnosed him as consumptive and were sure he would die. Strong in spirit Pio received the Capuchin Franciscan garb initialling religious life and therefore; Noviciate with its intense study, prayer, austerity, penance and finally vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.[/color][/size][/font][b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"] [/size][/font][/b]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] In 1909, we find him at Pietrelcina because of his illness, at his mother's side. Now another intense chapter of extraordinary life opens with mystical afflictions an invisible stigmata and terrible battles with devils that wanted to destroy him began. Yet, "It all happened here", he said, his whole future was prepared here. On August 10, 1910, he was ordained a Priest in the Cathedral of Benevento.[/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] In 1916, we find him in the church of San Giovanni Rotondo, soon to become his Jerusalem, with the [/color][/size][/font][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]mystical and historical calvary of Gargano, where he was soon recognised as the "saintly friar" by the locals. Here he became a "victim of love", by the reparation for sin, propitiator and regenerator of the many crowds who flocked to him, to venerate his bleeding wounds of his hands and feet. This very important event occurred in Father Pio's life on September 20, 1918, while he was praying in front of a Crucifix located in the choir in the little old church, when a strange personage like an angel, gave him the stigmata. Those stigmata have been remained opened and bleeding for fifty years. This was one of the reasons for which doctors, scientists, journalists and common people have gone to San Giovanni Rotondo for years, in order to meet the "Saintly friar ".[/color][/size][/font]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] In a letter dated October 22, 1918, Padre Pio told his experience of crucifixion: "... What I can tell you about my crucifixion? My God! What a confusion and what humiliation I feel when I try to show somebody else what you have done in me your scanty creature! It was the morning of the 20th. (September) and I was in choir, after the celebration of the Holy Mass, when a rest, similar to a sweet sleep surprised me. All the inside and external senses, as well as the same faculties of the soul were in an indescribable quiet. There was a depth silence around me and inside me; a peace overcame me and then it all happened in a flash I felt abandonment with the complete deprivation of everything. While all this was taking place, I saw before me a mysterious appearance, similar to the one I had seen on August[img]http://www.padrepio.catholicwebservices.com/images/FOTO20.gif[/img] 5th, differing only because His hands, feet and side were dripping blood. The sight of Him frightened me: what I felt at that moment is indescribable. I thought I would die, and would have died if the Lord hadn't intervened and strengthened my heart, which was about to burst out of my chest! The appearance disappeared and I became aware that my hands, feet and side were pierced and were dripping with blood". You can imagine the torment that I experienced then and that I am almost experiencing every day. The wound of the heart assiduously bleeds, particularly from the evening of Thursday until Saturday. My God, I die of pain, torment and confusion that I feel in the intimate of the soul. I am afraid I'll bleed to death! I hope that God listens to my moans and withdrawals this operation from me... "[/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font] [color="#800000"] [size="4"]He usually woke up in the early morning (we could say at night) in order to get himself ready for the Holy Mass. In fact, every morning, at 4 a.m. there were always hundreds and sometimes even a thousand people waiting for the door of the church to open. After the Mass he used to spend most time of his day in prayer and confessions. After fifty years of stigmata he died September 23, 1968, thus he closed his mission of the Heart's desire, with the real cross and the real crucifixion of his body.[/size][/color]

[size="4"][color="#800000"] Then, for years, from every part of the world, the believers went to this stigmatised priest, to get his powerful intercession from God. Fifty years lived in the prayer, in the humility, in the suffering and in the sacrifice, whether to effect his love, Padre Pio had two initiatives in two directions: the vertical one toward God, with the constitution of the "Groups of prayer", the horizontal one toward his suffering community, with the construction of a modern hospital: "House Relief of the Suffering."[/color][/size]

[size="4"][color="#800000"] In September 1968, thousands of devotees and Padre Pio's spiritual children were assembled in conference at St. Giovanni Rotondo to commemorate together the 50 anniversary of the stigmata and to celebrate the fourth international conference of the Prayer Groups. Nobody would have imagined that at 2:30 a.m., September 23, 1968 we the earthly life of Father Pio of Pietrelcina would end. [/color][/size]

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[center][font="Arial"][size="6"][color="#800000"][i]Bilocation[/i][/color][/size][/font][/center]
[font="Times New Roman"][color="#800000"][b][size="4"]Bilocation can be defined as the simultaneous presence of a person in two different places. Numerous witnesses connected to the Christian religious tradition have reported events of bilocation, which have been attributed to many Saints. Padre Pio had this charisma and had been seen by eyewitnesses in different places at the same time. Here are several testimonials.[/size][/b][/color][/font]

[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Mrs. Maria, one of Padre Pio's spiritual daughters, said that one evening her brother was praying when suddenly he fell asleep. He was immediately awoken by a slap on his right check. He realised that the hand which hit him was covered with a half glove. He suddenly thought of Padre Pio. The next day he asked Padre Pio if he had slapped him. Padre Pio answered; "this is the way to cast away sleeping while praying?" With a slap Padre Pio had "awakened" the attention of the praying man.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

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[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] [/color][/size][/font][font="Times New Roman"][color="#800000"][b][size="4"]One day, a former Italian Army Officer entered the sacristy and watching Padre Pio said; [/size] [/b] [/color][/font][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"][b]"Yes, here he is! I am not wrong!" He approached Padre Pio, and kneeling in front of him [/b] [/color][/size][/font] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"][b]crying, he said; "Padre, thank you for saving me from [/b] [/color][/size][/font] [b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]death." Afterwards, the man told the people present there, "I was a Captain of the Infantry and one day on the battlefield in a terrible hour of battle, not far from me I saw a friar who said; 'Sir, go away from that place!' I went towards him and as soon as I moved, a grenade burst in the place where I was before and opened a chasm. I turned around in order to find the friar, but he was not there anymore." Padre Pio, who was bilocating, had saved his life.[/color][/size][/font][/b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"] [/size][/font]

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[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Father Alberto, who met Padre Pio in 1917, stated "I saw Padre Pio standing in front of the window, looking at the mountain. He was speaking to himself. I approached him in order to kiss his hand, but he did not notice my presence and I noticed that his hand was rigid. At that time, I heard that he was clearly giving absolution and pardon to someone. After a while, Padre Pio shook like awakening from a nap. He looked at me and said; 'you are here. I did not realize it!' After some days, a telegram from Turin was delivered. Someone was thanking the superior of the convent for having sent Padre Pio to Turin to assist a dying person. I realized that the man was dying in the same moment Padre Pio was blessing him in San Giovanni Rotondo. Obviously, the superior of the convent had not sent Padre Pio to Turin, but he had bilocated there."[/color][/size][/font][/b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"] [/size][/font]

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[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]In 1946, an American family went from Philadelphia to Saint Giovanni Rotondo in order to thank Padre Pio. In fact, their son, a bombardier plane pilot (during World War II), had been saved by Padre Pio in the sky over the Pacific Ocean. The son explained; "the airplane was flying near the airport on the island where it was going to land after it had loaded its bombs. However, the airplane was struck by a Japanese attack plane. The aircraft exploded before the rest of the crew had the chance to parachute. Only I succeeded in going out of the airplane. I don't know how I did it. I tried to open the parachute, but I didn't succeed. I would have smashed to the ground if I had not received a friar's help who had appeared in midair. He had a white beard. He took me in his arms and put me sweetly at the entrance of the base. You can imagine the astonishment inspired by my story. Nobody could believe it, but given my presence there, they had no choice. I recognized the friar who saved my life some days later while on home leave, I saw the monk in one of my mother's pictures. She told me she had asked Padre Pio to look after me."[/color][/size][/font][/b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"] [/size][/font]

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[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"][b]A woman was at her daughter's home in Bologna. She had a tumor in her arm. So she agreed with her daughter to go for surgery. The surgeon told her to be patient and to wait some days before establishing a date for the surgery. In the meanwhile, her son-in-law sent a telegram to Padre Pio asking him to pray for his mother-in-law. At the moment when the telegram reached Padre Pio, the woman, who was in the dinning room alone, saw a capuchin friar enter through the door. "I am Padre Pio of Pietrelcina,"he said. Then, after asking her what the doctor had said and encouraging her to trust in Our Blessed Mother, he made the sign of the Cross on her arm and went out of the room. At that point, the woman called for the maid, her daughter and son-in-law. She asked them why they allowed Padre Pio to enter without announcing him. They responded that they had not seen Padre Pio and furthermore, they had not opened the door to anyone. The next day, the surgeon did a medical check-up on the woman in preparation for surgery; however, he could not find any tumor.[/b][/color][/size][/font][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"] [/size][/font]

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[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] Padre Pio visited the Bishop who had ordained him on the 10 August 1910 in the Cathedral of Benevento. It happened before the Bishop's death. Padre Pio bilocated there in order to give the Bishop his spiritual support.[/color][/size][/font]

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[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Even Blessed don Orione spoke about padre Pio's bilocation. He said: "I was in Saint Peter's Church in Rome in order to attend the celebration of Saint Teresa's beatification. There also was Father Pio, despite the fact that he was in his convent at the same time. I saw him. He was smiling and coming towards me through the crowd, but when I was not far from him, he disappeared.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

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[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]In 1951, Father Pio celebrated Holy Mass for a convent of nuns in Czechoslovakia. After Mass, the nuns went to the sacristy to offer Father Pio coffee in order to thank him for his unexpected visit, but they did not find the holy man in the sacristy. Thus the nuns realised that Father Pio had bilocated there. [/color][/size][/font][/b]

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[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]In 1956, Padre Pio served Holy Mass for Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty of Hungary in his Budapest prison. Someone who had news of the imprisonment had asked Father Pio directly: "Father Pio you have served the Mass to the Cardinal of Hungary, so you have spoken to him! So you have been in jail with him and you have seen him!" - Father Pio answered: "Of course, if I had spoken to him I have also seen him". He was bilocating.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

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[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Mother Speranza, who founded the order of the Handmaids of the Merciful Love, said she had seen Padre Pio every day for one year in Rome. He had bilocated there. We know that padre Pio had never been to Rome, except once in 1917, in order to take his sister to a convent she had decided to enter.. [/color][/size][/font] [/b]

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[b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]An Italian General of the Army, called Cadorna, felt in such condition of depression after the defeat of Caporetto, that he was contemplating suicide. One evening he went to his room and he commanded his orderly not to allow anybody to come in. He took his gun from a drawer and pointed the gun at his head, but suddenly he heard a voice: "Oh General, why do you want to do such stupid thing?" The voice and the presence of the Friar helped the general change his mind. He wondered how it was possible that a Friar had entered his room. He asked for explanations from his orderly but he answered he had seen nobody going into his room. Some years later, the General read in a newspaper of a Friar that worked miracles in the Gargano area. He secretly went there but he was astonished when father Pio said to him: "Hello General, you ran a great risk that evening, didn't you?"[/color][/size][/font][/b][font="Times New Roman"][size="4"] [/size][/font]

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[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] Father Agostino wrote: "A Nun, in Florence, told me after the communion Padre Pio had appeared to her to comfort her and to bless her. So I wanted to ask to Padre Pio. [/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]I told him: "Do you do some trips to Florence from time to time? " "A nun has told this to me." [/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] "Yes, I do, Father" He humbly said me. [/color][/size][/font]

[size="4"][color="#800000"]It was clear Padre Pio had gone to Florence in bilocation[/color][/size]

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[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]The last bilocation of Padre Pio occurred the afternoon before the day of his death. Padre Pio has gone to greet in Genova (Italy) the brother Umile who was wounded. [/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] Around 16.30, in September 22[sup]nd[/sup] , in 1968 Sister Ludovica goes to father Umile to bring him a cup of tea. The religious feels a strong perfume of flowers that floods the whole environment. Since she doesn't know the origin of the perfume she looks at the monk for an explanation. [/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"] Father Umile with naturalness and spontaneity says: "Padre Pio has come to greet me and he has given to me his last goodbye." [/color][/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]The following day the news of the death of Padre Pio spreads around the World.[/color][/size][/font]

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[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Padre Placido Bux of Saint Marco in Lamis said:[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]"In 1957, I was brought to the Hospital of San Severo for a serious hepatic problem. During the night I could see Padre Pio near my bed. He spoke to me and he reassured me about my healing. Then Padre Pio desappeared throught the window by putting his hand on the glass of the window. The morning after Padre Placido felt better and he woke up and he went to the window. He recognized the print of Padre Pio's hand on the glass so he realized it was not a dream. This news was spread within the Hospital in few time and also in the town.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]A lot of people went into the room in order to check the window by themselves and despite the glass had been cleaned with water a lot of time, the print was still there.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]The priest of the Church of San Severo, Padre Alberto, decided to go first to the Hospital in order to pay a visit to Padre Placito and then to Saint Giovanni Rotondo to meet with Padre Pio.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]As soon as Padre Alberto was in the corridor of the Convent he saw Padre Pio in front of him and before Padre Alberto could say anything Padre Pio asked for news about Padre Placido's health condition.[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Then Padre Alberto said: "Father, everyone believes you have been in hospital last night to pay a visit to Padre Placido and you have left the print of your hand on the glass of the window..."[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[b] [font="Times New Roman"][size="4"][color="#800000"]Padre Pio said: "Do you have any doubt?"[/color][/size][/font][/b]

[Lil Red]

two questions:

1. Why in the Debate Table?

2. Why the doc-dump?

[Amppax]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1310612912' post='2267227']
two questions:

1. Why in the Debate Table?

2. Why the doc-dump?
[/quote]

this

and

this is my brother's conformation saint, so I'm a fan.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Amppax' timestamp='1310612964' post='2267228']
this

and

this is my brother's [s]conformation[/s] confirmation saint, so I'm a fan.
[/quote]
good to see you back!

i like St. Pio as much as the next Bad Catholic, but a doc-dump does no one any good.

[Amppax]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1310613302' post='2267232']
good to see you back!

i like St. Pio as much as the next Bad Catholic, but a doc-dump does no one any good.
[/quote]

thanks! and I agree, I'm thinking of petitioning Groo to add docu-dumping to the list of capitol offenses

[dells_of_bittersweet]

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1310612912' post='2267227']
two questions:

1. Why in the Debate Table?

2. Why the doc-dump?
[/quote]

Hey Mr. Red,

I'm sorry for the confusion:

1-to debate the Athesits. I consider Padre Pio's miracles to be a hard for Atheists to get around, especially since they occurred during our modern age and were subject to strict investigation while they were actually occurring.

2-best way to get my point across. I'm not aware of any rule against doc dumping, but if there is, sorry for breaking it!

[Lil Red]

[quote name='dells_of_bittersweet' timestamp='1310613476' post='2267237']
Hey [s]Mr.[/s] Mrs. Red,

I'm sorry for the confusion:

1-to debate the [s]Athesits[/s] Atheists. I consider Padre Pio's miracles to be a hard for Atheists to get around, especially since they occurred during our modern age and were subject to strict investigation while they were actually occurring.

2-best way to get my point across. I'm not aware of any rule against doc dumping, but if there is, sorry for breaking it!
[/quote]
1. okay.

2. no rule against it, but I think that most people don't read docu-dumps. Present your point(s) in a concise manner, and people will respond to it. (Link to docu-dumps if necessary to back up your point.)

carry on, then.

[Nihil Obstat]

I read it. Thought it was lovely. My youngest brother chose him as his confirmation saint also.

[Laudate_Dominum]

Padre Pio rules, but you must know what kind of responses you're likely to get from critical non-believers.

[spoiler]
Examples: You're making purely anecdotal claims. Same category as UFOs, psychic powers, seeing ghosts, claims about reincarnation, Benny Hinn. Blah blah. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence (zing!)." Scientific skepticism: can the phenomena be independently verified, reproduced, controlled conditions, empirically measured, etc, and is the supernatural explanation a valid scientific hypothesis, falsifiable, etc, and is it the best scientific hypothesis. A naturalistic explanation of those events may be more parsimonious and rational than concluding that theism, Christianity, and the minutiae of Roman Catholicism is true. [i]Et cetera; ad nauseum[/i].
[/spoiler]

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='dells_of_bittersweet' timestamp='1310613476' post='2267237']
Hey Mr. Red,

I'm sorry for the confusion:

1-to debate the Athesits. I consider Padre Pio's miracles to be a hard for Atheists to get around, especially since they occurred during our modern age and were subject to strict investigation while they were actually occurring. [/quote]
I've not researched Padre Pio's miracles seriously or anything but it's pretty interesting. Is there something like a critical appraisal or whatever of the Padre Pio investigations? I've visited his stuff in Italy and have known people who knew him in RL so there is a personal dimension for me. The miraculous is pretty interesting... I'm surprised it doesn't get a lot more attention. I remember being at a dinner with an archbishop several years ago and he was talking about some miracles that had been investigated in his diocese and it sounded pretty rad. That was the last I ever heard of it. You'd think this stuff would be on the six o'clock news. Extraordinary phenomena undergoing strict investigation? Meanwhile vaguely female-shaped splotches on windows and shadows cast by street lights are being called apparitions of the Virgin Mary and people with funny looking patterns on their toast are getting attention. We need to reclaim miracles from the insane clown posse dangit.

Not to hijack, but what about the miracle for Blessed Pope John Paul II's beatification? What's the story on that? Is it compelling mainly if you already believe, or does it have value as evidence to lead one to an awareness of supernatural realities?

[spoiler]Mr. Red is a Mrs.[/spoiler]

[Groo the Wanderer]

[quote name='Amppax' timestamp='1310613450' post='2267236']
thanks! and I agree, I'm thinking of petitioning Groo to add docu-dumping to the list of capitol offenses
[/quote]


Approved!

[Amppax]

[quote name='Groo the Wanderer' timestamp='1310643374' post='2267344']
Approved!
[/quote]

[Maggyie]

St Pio was quite controversial within the Church during his lifetime (John XXIII called him "that great deceiver" etc) so nonbelievers do come back at the reports about St. Pio with that.

[Amppax]

I would be more interested in his stigmata than bilocation, as it is easier to argue against bilocation (people just imagining it, etc) than it is to argue against physical wounds (although i can think of objections to these, right off the top of my head). Basically, if you don't want to believe something, its pretty easy to come up with reasons as to why it couldn't be truly a miracle. I recall reading David Hume's argument against miracles (link: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume#Problem_of_miracles"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume#Problem_of_miracles[/url] ) which basically says that anything is more likely than a miracle. Sooooo.....yeah

[Mr.Cat]

I'm not sure what this is supposed to demonstrate to a non-believer or skeptic. Since Catholics are free and welcome to doubt or reject "[i]Padre Pio[/i]" and the alleged circumstances of his life. But some thoughts for consideration:

1) The reported visions and struggles seem similar to schizophrenia, making the presence of mental illness or disorder remotely possible. Which again doesn't change the alleged heroic virtue and charity of Padre Pio, since if true it would stand as a testament of what he overcame to accomplish those feats.

2) Stigmata is a strange and abnormal phenomena, since I will admit it cannot be well explained. Similar stigmata phenomena have been claimed in non-christian religions, in particular Buddhism where its depicted regularly in their icons and art. Some speculate that self-starvation, dissociative mental states, and self-mutilation could cause someone to inflict wounds onto themselves. Which curiously fasting, intensive prayer, and mortification was common in the cultures that stigmata cases appear. Presumably Padre Pio had similar practices. There have been also repeated false claims of stigmata, making it within the realm of possibility that someone would inflict it upon themselves.

The unusual placing of the stigmata, coupled with no damage to the bone, unusually smooth edges of the wounds, lack of edema, and lack of infection could be explained by carbolic acid. Before this time he claimed that there was a spiritual suffering and stigmata. Considering the conditions of his life, the remote possibility of mental illness or disorder, the pre-fascination with such devotion, and developing when he had access to carbolic acid ([i]which he requested be kept secret[/i]) seems suspicious.

3) Bilocation is an unverifiable and sketchy phenomena, which argumentatively could be explained better by the mental state of the person in question. Even reading across the stories presented here, no one else witnessed the bilocation or apparition, quickly came and left, with little or no evidence to support the claim.

4) The miraculous healing attributed to the intersession of Padre Pio is remarkable, though it falls into the same realm as any alleged miraculous healing. While abnormal it doesn't constitute proof of anything, other than something abnormal or unexplainable occurred, that is being attributed to some unverifiable phenomena.

Laudate_Dominum is correct in asserting that these are chiefly anecdotal claims, largely unsupported anecdotal claims. Correct again in asserting that these are extraordinary claims, which does warrant extraordinary evidence. Correct again that these are largely untestable in regards to the supernatural nature attributed to them.

BUT, the central point to be refuted is that this is all a straw-man argument and appeal to ignorance, both informal logic fallacies. Since the topic is pointed largely at atheists, whom either lack theistic belief or reject it, so presumably this is being submitted as evidence for a particular religious belief. Regardless if the alleged claims of Padre Pio are rejected or accepted, that doesn't demonstrate the lack or presence of a god in of itself. Lack of explanation for these phenomena doesn't confirm the claim the supernatural nature attributed to them.

Reading across this topic was very reminiscing to me, since when I was a Catholic I held great devotion and love for the Saints, I even had a personal litany that I used. I studied a lot into them, which now I feel was a waste of time, but even then it was easy to become skeptical or critical of supposed feats. Since legend is hard to verify and religious people tend to be well trained in accepting faith, not skepticism or critical analysis. Which is what this all comes down to...

Either one believes out of faith the supernatural nature of these alleged claims... or one doesn't. It doesn't demonstrate a god, or anything supernatural, to the non-believer or skeptic, as remarkable or fascinating as it is. But for those who want to believe, it certainly is an inspiration to the power of faith... and faith is powerful, regardless if there is a god or not.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Mr.CatholicCat