It's time for another miracle!

[lixnaw]

Apparation? Leonard Evans with the photo he claims shows an image of the Virgin Mary outside St Marys Church, in Listowel.

http://www.kerryseye.com/homepage.html

[Wormdiet]

Apparation? Leonard Evans with the photo he claims shows an image of the Virgin Mary outside St Marys Church, in Listowel.

http://www.kerryseye.com/homepage.html

pshop?

[anniemcu]

My youngest daughter found a rock with a clearly discernable bearded male face on it... we're considering listing it on eBaby...

[Darwin]

So, she didn't die and go to Heaven? (Or, is it Purgatory? Being raised as a Methodist, I never did understand that one.)

[Jack]

I'm not qualified to say whether or not people really do see and find images of Mary, but I rather think it unlikely that she was a tall, thin, blue-eyed, blonde, white woman as so many images seem to indicate.

[Walden]

When the old hospital burned down, the local newspaper ran a photo of the flames. There were widespread claims that St. Mary or Christ could be seen in the photo. I looked the photo over and couldn't discern anything but a building in flames... not to say it couldn't happen.

[dubhlinn]

Looks like Cigarette smoke got into the photo...

I have loads of photos with all sorts of "Ghosts" and "Apparitions" in them..all taken in smokey pubs...

Slan,
D.

[brewerpaul]

Must be real. A photograph wouldn't lie! :roll:

[Dale]

So, she didn't die and go to Heaven? (Or, is it Purgatory? Being raised as a Methodist, I never did understand that one.)

Roman Catholic doctrine is that Mary did not die but was taken up, body & soul, into heaven. This is celebrated annually in a Catholic feast day "The Assumption of the Virgin Mary."

I myself am a "low mariology" Catholic, one who believes that perhaps, just perhaps, we have elevated Mary to a status that is difficult to justify from scripture or theology. This makes one as popular at Catholic gatherings as, say, Howard Stern.

(edited: I screwed up and referred to the wrong link)

And then there's this sermon, which I think represents a good balance and a fairly centrist position on the topic, at least among Catholics:

Homily from Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe,Pa
http://benedictine.stvincent.edu/archab ... words.html


December 8, 2004
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Luke 1: 26-38


Gospel Summary
Theologians often make a distinction between "high" Christology, which emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus, and "low" Christology, which emphasizes his human nature. This distinction finds a parallel in the case of Mary. Today's feast would belong to "high" Mariology, because it celebrates one of the privileges of Mary which flow from her status as Mother of God. Biblical references to Mary, however, belong to "low" Mariology because they begin with a very human Mary responding to the initiative of the angel Gabriel.

This does not in any way detract from the importance of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, which celebrates the fact that she was without sin from the first moment of her conception. However, it does remind us that this wonderful privilege was granted to her by anticipation of her future status as mother of Jesus and, therefore, of God.

It is important to note that, as today's gospel makes clear, Mary's status as mother of God, presupposes her response to the angel Gabriel with that magnificent expression of love and trust and generosity: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). All the privileges of Mary derive from this moment of unconditional self-surrender to the plans of God. It should not surprise us, therefore, to see that the gospel of Luke devotes more attention to the Annunciation than to any other event of Mary's life.

Life Implications

The sinless condition of Mary, from the beginning to the end of her life, elicits our admiration and prompts us to be grateful to God for making this possible in one who shares our nature as human beings. Although we probably cannot imitate her sinless condition, we can be greatly encouraged by this signal victory over evil. We live in a world of so much sin and violence that we are tempted to wonder whether the light really can overcome the darkness, as John's Prologue promises (1:5). But we are immensely reassured as we celebrate each year this victory of Mary, "our tainted nature's solitary boast."

At the same time, we need to remember that this victory came directly from the willingness of Mary to accept a mysterious mission from God which, as she surely must have suspected, would lead to grievous suffering. We too need to make difficult choices that may demand much love and courage. And we too are aware that it may be very painful to remain faithful to the choices that God expects of us. In such situations, the generosity of Mary remains a wonderful model for us. Moreover, we can be sure that her maternal solicitude will accompany us as we try to live in accordance with our best instincts.

When we reflect upon the fact that sin is the worst kind of bondage, the sinless Mary is recognized also as the only one among us human beings who is truly free. Those who aspire to freedom solely through the acquisition of power should pause to consider that the ultimate freedom of Mary came through her resolute and loving obedience to the mission that God offered to her. She became a model of freedom through her loving generosity, and this will always be the only truly effective way to acquire human freedom and dignity.


Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.

[Charlene]

Looks to me like he needs a new camera- his seems to have a crack letting some light in!!

[Wombat]

To me, the account of this in the newspaper is very revealing. The dispute centered entirely on whether or not the photo was a fake. The thought that the photo might be real but the image not that of Mary seemed not to be an option.

I'm pretty short sighted, but it looked like a penguin to me.

BTW, where does high mariology end and mariolatory begin?

[Flyingcursor]

It looks more like that robot from "The Day The Earth Stood Still"

[amar]

It looks more like that robot from "The Day The Earth Stood Still"

and that just might be Mary he's got in his arms there...

[dubhlinn]

BTW, where does high mariology end and mariolatory begin?

Dunno...but my middle name is Mary.

My Mother was a big fan...

Slan,
D. (m.)

[izzarina]

If you want to learn more about "high mariology," which is the culturally dominant position now in Catholicism:

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cul ... m/mary.htm

I disagree that this site gives a good representation of what you are calling "High Mariology" (which is also a term that I disagree with). You have to understand that the person writing this article is going to put a HUGE spin on anything Marian at all, for this person doesn't even believe that Mary is the Mother of God let alone sinless. Any veneration given to Mary is considered "idolatry" and "blasphemous" and therefore (at least in this article) will not be portrayed in the light in which it should be.