They think that they are inteligent and yet behold.

Discussion in 'Off Topic Area' started by GSHAMBROOKE, Dec 21, 2009.

  1. GSHAMBROOKE

    GSHAMBROOKE Thats Tarm Sarm

    Cardinal Pell says cancer can be cured by prayer as Aussie pilgrimage tipped to see Mary MacKillop become a saint

    UPDATE 10.20am: TERMINAL illnesses such as cancer can be cured by prayer, the head of the Catholic Church in Australia says.
    But Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell admits such cures, like the miracle attributed to Mary MacKillop, is obviously rare.

    "Yes obviously (cancer can be cured by prayer),'' Cardinal Pell told ABC Television today.

    "And there are quite a number of examples in the books.''

    Cardinal Pell says that won't give sick people a false sense of security because they realise cure by prayer is a "very long shot''.

    The Vatican has recognised Mother Mary's role in the healing a woman with inoperable cancer during the mid 1990s after she prayed to Mother Mary.


    Pope Benedict XVI is due to soon confirm he will canonise the Melbourne-born nun in a special service in St Peter's Square.

    Sister Josephine Dubiel, the provincial leader of the sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart in Victoria, or Brown Joeys, today said it was a special and happy morning.

    "For Australia, this hasn't happened before and so we think it's pretty amazing," she said on Sunday from the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre in East Melbourne.

    "There's a real sense of excitement, of wonder, of gratitude that Mary MacKillop has now reached this next step towards her final canonisation.

    "One of the sisters rang early this morning and said to me `Is it really true?' and I think that's one of the senses we had."

    Sister Josephine said it was a great time not only for Australia, but for Melbourne, where Mother Mary was born and spent a third of her life.

    "In Melbourne we're particularly excited because not far from here, just across the road, in Brunswick Street at Fitzroy, Mary was born," she said.

    "She walked these very streets, she built this building that we're in."

    Preparations are underway after the Pope on the weekend decreed Mary MacKillop's second miracle.

    Mary MacKillop had earned her stripes to become a saint and all Australians should try to behave more like her, Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell said today.

    Cardinal Pell said Mother Mary fought many battles within the church when establishing the Sisters of St Joseph, and the dozens of schools they created to educate children.

    "At times she was treated badly and what was remarkable about her was she was still able to forgive and to remain normal and balanced and kind," Cardinal Pell told reporters in Sydney this morning.

    "Probably the best thing we can do to preserve Mary MacKillop's memory is to try to act like she did."

    Cardinal Pell said Mother Mary had "earned her stripes" and the decree of her second miracle was "a shot in the arm for the Australian people".

    Thousands of Australians are expected to descend on Vatican City next year to see Mary MacKillop become the nation's first saint.

    Jubilant crowds from around the world will be drawn in to see several people be made saints at the same time.

    Catholic officials are preparing to launch a website for people to register their interest in securing free tickets to the event.

    Australian pilgrims will all have a special matching item of clothing to show their support for Mary MacKillop.

    Sister Maria Casey, who led the canonisation campaign, said canonisation services were marked by a ``great air of anticipation and excitement''.

    "The various groups have identifying symbols,'' said Sr Maria, who attended a canonisation earlier this year

    "Some of them wear scarves, some of them wear hats and some have backpacks.

    "We're looking at it. It has to be something that can be easily brought here to Rome in large numbers, as we don't know where there will be 500 or 10,000.''

    Holy See ambassador Tim Fischer, who praised Mary MacKillop as a pioneering Australian, was gearing up for visitors.

    "Look out for the Australian invasion of Rome at that time,'' Mr Fischer said.

    Before the Pope emerges for the service, there are readings about the lives of those who are about to be canonised and hymns in their honour.

    Sr Maria said: "We'll open the website soon so that we can have expressions of interest.

    "I'll be getting some tickets. People can apply through the Vatican website there themselves.

    "There are usually no limits because there is so much room. The priority will be where you get to sit.''

    The second miracle relates to the recovery of an Australian mother of five from inoperable lung cancer and secondary cancer of the brain.

    "She wishes to remain unknown for the moment because she wants the focus to be on Mary MacKillop,'' Sr Maria said.

    "She is in excellent health and is absolutely overjoyed by this news.''

    Pope Benedict will consult cardinals and bishops about Mary MacKillop and the other prospective saints at a formal meeting due in February or March, which Sister Maria Casey will attend.

    He is then expected to formally announce that Mary MacKillop will become a saint and set a date for her canonisation.

    Celebrations would be spread out over several days, including a vigil mass the day beforehand and a thank-you mass the day after.

    For Sr Maria the confirmation of Mary MacKillop's second miracle was an emotional moment after nine years of working towards the canonisation.

    Standing in St Peter's Square, where a towering 90-year old pine tree from Belgium is serving as the Vatican's Christmas tree, she told of her relief and joy at the Pope's decree.

    "It's been the work of many, many years and many people,'' she said.

    "It's the end of a long journey but it's not really for me, it's for the recognition that will be given to Mary MacKillop.

    "It's a great joy that a woman who lived such a saintly life will be recognised for who she is.''

    "We had presented the documentation, it had been through the various stages and we had hoped hat it would happen before Christmas, but it was no certainty.

    "So it is a nice surprise and it's also a very nice Christmas present.''

    Church bells today sounded through the tiny Coonawarra centre of Penola to celebrate the news about its most famous former resident.
     
  2. Stanislovas

    Stanislovas Valued Member

    "Stupid religious people."

    "Yeah, god sure helped when [relative] died of cancer."

    "This is what's wrong with [place]."



    Thread dies.
     
  3. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    Hahaha! Ahem *clears throat* Xcuse me. I laughed so hard I started to choke.

    leave it up to those kinds of people to come up with something as dumb as this!
     
  4. GSHAMBROOKE

    GSHAMBROOKE Thats Tarm Sarm

    Yeah well god didnt help me when my kids mothers mother was killed in a car accident by some drugged out ****ed scum bag we were happy untill that happend her mother was so excited about the birth of my son three months before christmas, after that it all went to s..t i even tried praying even though im an athiest, i said please come back and show her that you are here but no nothing.
    Why didnt she come because there is no god, no spirits no gosts demonds or otherwise and dont any of you so called beleivers try to tell me otherwise, dont say anything.
    It was a long time ago when we where happy now we dont even speak, yeah thanks god. Beep Beep you.
     
  5. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    that's exactly why i dont believe and i dont wanna believe either. Your tragedy is very bad. i wish i could give a hug to ya and make it all better. :( I'm very sorry btw.

    i lost some good friends to cancer, the most recent one was a man I was dating. No prayer would have helped them.
     
  6. GSHAMBROOKE

    GSHAMBROOKE Thats Tarm Sarm

    I lstend to her cry every night as i lay next to her calling out for her mother, they were very very close and there was nothing that i could do, just think about it listening to someone calling out for thier mommy in their sleep a growen woman.
     
  7. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    must have been very hard for ya. listening to her mourn for her mommy and not be able to do a thing to bring her mum back. :(
     
  8. GSHAMBROOKE

    GSHAMBROOKE Thats Tarm Sarm

    Well it happend at christmas and now it is christmas again, not allways a happy time for many people.
     
  9. Stanislovas

    Stanislovas Valued Member

    You know, the first two replies after my post went EXACTLY as I thought.

    Edit: The third also mentions cancer.
     
  10. Blade96

    Blade96 shotokan karateka

    yep. I mentioned cancer.

    I think i wrote before about one of my friends who died of cancer when we were both 15 and his parents were jehovah witnesses who didnt wanna try a blood transfusion to try to save his life.

    Its the first experience I had in my life of the bad of religion.

    and everything i have ever learned about religion since then....lets just say it reinforced the notion I had since I was 15.

    GShambrooke's thread here is just another nail in the coffin.
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2009
  11. CosmicFish

    CosmicFish Aleprechaunist

    Would it be cliched here to mention that prayer has never restored an amputated limb?
     
  12. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy

    Should have prayed before it was amputated.
     
  13. CosmicFish

    CosmicFish Aleprechaunist

    Does that work then?
     
  14. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy

    Ever see a one armed man clasp his hands together in prayer?
     
  15. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    maybe if it was amputated while he prayed and his remaining hand cramped up
     
  16. Topher

    Topher allo!

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