 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
brian
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 810 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 12:50 pm |
|
I was telling someone about Padre Pio. They had said that they had seen a special on him on the History channel or some similar station and that they were under the impression that he was a fake or it was inauthentic based on the research of this documentary. I of course do not believe that at all, but having not seen the show or knowing much about it I did not know how to defend him and his stigmata accept based on things I know of his character.
Does anyone have any familiarity with the arguments against him, and an ability to help me establish why we can trust this phenomena?
the person I am talking to is not one who is anti-catholic or bent on proving me wrong so I am not worried it would be a negative conversation.
|
|
|
CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5353 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 02:55 pm |
|
brian wrote: Does anyone have any familiarity with the arguments against him, and an ability to help me establish why we can trust this phenomena?
The strongest evidence I have is that I saw him say mass on television with his hands wrapped in bandages and the blood leaking out.
There are many known stigmatists. St. Pio was one of them. Unfortunately, every one of them has been humble and a person of great faith, not interested in publicity. We have only the testimony of witnesses and doctors for verification, and in St. Pio's case, some photographic and film evidence. Given the nature of film, it certainly could have been faked had there been any benefit in doing so.
Some people still believe the earth is flat, or God created dinosaur fossils to test our faith, etc. Nothing can be proven to a professional disbeliever.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
|
|
|
mg57
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 183 |
| First Name: | mg57 | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Infant Baptised Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 09:05 pm |
|
Brian -
There are a good selection of books and DVDs about Padre Pio available, you might start with those listed at Ignatius Press, Our Sunday Visitor Publishers or Daughters Of St. Paul ( Pauline Books & Media). I recall the video - "Fifty Years Of Thorns & Roses" as a good basic introduction to his life.
Secondly, one cannot go through the process of canonization without extreme scrutiny. I believe the Vatican Office responsible for the cause of the Saints welcomes non-Catholics, non-Christians, and non-believers to contribute any relevant positive or negative documentation, - medical, biographical, theological etc., during the period of investigation.
Thirdly, the Vatican regularly hosts internationally respected scholars representing many academic fields, of religious backround or not, for example like Stephen Hawking, for topical academic summits. John Paul II himself had the custom of inviting world-class academics for lunch discussions, often several times a week in his healthier days ( see the George Weigel book "Witness To Hope" for more on this).
So Brian, like our dear John Paul II used to say "Do not be afraid !"
|
|
|
Annie
Banned
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 731 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 6th, 2007 09:04 am |
|
| I only believe the History Channel when they are talking about history! And then they have to cite primary literature. Annie, always with the primary literature already...
____________________
Annie
Ora et labora
|
|
|
Current time is 06:34 pm | |
|
|
|
|
|
