Is the pen mightier than the pill?

[Acrylic-bob]

Although I profoundly disagreed with many of the pronouncements and policies of the late Pope John Paul II, I do allow that he was a nice old geezer and I am sure that he meant well and that he genuinely sought to do what he thought was best for a troubled and troubling humanity. I was, as many were, moved by his courage in publicly sharing the difficulties of the illness that finally took his life. And I am sure that if his life holds a lesson for any of us it is to be found, not in the reams and reams of papal documents attributed to his reign but, in those final few months when the whole world watched him struggle to speak.

That having been said, I was appalled this week to learn of the case of a French Nun, Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre, of the Little Sisters of Catholic Maternities, in Aix-en-Provence. Sister Marie, we are told, wanted to be a nun from the age of 12 and worked as a maternity nurse for her order. (I will leave aside considerations of the appropriateness of religiously inspired virgins working in maternity wards for discussion at a later date.)

In 2001 Sister Marie was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease which, as most of us are aware, is an incurable degenerative illness. By 2005 Sister Marie could barely move her left side. She could not write legibly, drive, move around easily and was in such pain she couldn't sleep. It happens also that, in common with many of the Catholic fratenity, she found the observation of the late Pope's decline particularly distressing since he also suffered from Parkinson's Disease and in his difficulties she saw the potential of her own future.

Once his late Holiness had died -and this is where I start to get appalled- her Sister nuns decided that it might be a good idea if they prayed to the late Pope for the benefit of Sister Marie. Now let's be quite clear about this, these women who have the responsibility for nursing women during the dangerous business of childbirth and dealing with its potential difficulties, thought that by muttering a few well chosen words they could expect that someone who was dead could be motivated to act in some way to alter the progress of an incurable disease, for no other reasons than that A. it was unpleasant for the victim, and B. because they asked.

This sort of thinking is on a par with believing that the earth is actually flat and that the sun goes around the earth, or that if you buy haddock on a Wednesday it won't rain. In short, it is superstition.

What makes the whole thing even more incredible and appalling is to learn that Sister Marie, following the pray-in, was advised by her superior to write the name of the dead pontiff on a piece of paper to assist the "cure". Considering that the disease had progressed to such an extent that she could barely hold a pen, this would seem to be the height of cruelty and understandably she decided that, rather than display her inability to her sister nuns, she would do this in private. The result, she said, was virtually illegible.

I do not know what to make of what follows in this incredible story. The very next morning Sister Marie said that she felt different. She felt well and stronger than she had for some considerable time. Within hours she was back at work assisting in the delivery of children. Something which she has been doing now for the last two years with no sign of the Parkinson's Disease which had previously disabled her.

The Vatican is taking the matter so seriously, a Postulator has been appointed in the cause for the beatification of the late Pope, to examine the circumstances surrounding this medical miracle cure.

So it now seems likley that John Paul II will be declared "Blessed" pretty shortly and a Saint shortly thereafter and the world will be expected to believe that simply writing his name on a piece of paper is enough to confound medical science and produce a cure where none was previously possible.

What century are we living in again? Can someone remind me?

[Ianto.W.]

Good read Acrilyc-bob, makes you wonder I must say Iv'e been getting pieces of paper evey week from the physician, it does not seem to be working, I wonder where you can get some of this 'magic' paper from?. Surely if Pope John Paul II was alive, he would want the money being spent on this excercise given to the poor and needy.

[flashy]

is it possible that this could be mind over matter?

[Acrylic-bob]

It shouldn't be forgotten that the Vatican has a vested interest in the cause for John Paul's canonisation being proved. Makes you wonder though why so few previous Popes were canonised.

Mind over matter and psychosomatic disorders should also be closely examined.

[garinda]

Could someone please hold the pad, whist I scrawl the late Pontiff's name on a piece of paper?

I could be helping Lettie deliver babies, by this time next week.

[garinda]

'Since 2005, the Catholic church has kept the case quiet, conducting a secret investigation in which it has interviewed around 15 witnesses, including neurologists, university medical professors, a psychiatrist and a hand-writing analyst.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/pope/story/0,,2047058,00.html

It does seem very strange. Though I would be interested to see any medical evidence before commenting further.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I personally do believe in miracles. I don't believe in magical pieces of paper but I do believe that some people are cured through faith. Others are not. I don't claim to understand why this should be. Even St. Paul had a thorn in his flesh that he would have been glad to be rid of but it wasn't to be. I do believe that someday we'll see the purpose behind all these things but until that day I live by faith.

[garinda]

It's so funny. I've just this minute got off the phone, after being called by my best friend Milly in Milan, who is so excited at these develpoments.

As a good catholic girl, she's so thrilled at this 'miracle', and apparently the Italian press is saturated with the story, and is leading the call for the late Pontiff's canonisation.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I though they had to be beatified for quite a while before they could be canonised. I'm not altogether into that kind of thing.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I though they had to be beatified for quite a while before they could be canonised. I'm not altogether into that kind of thing.

Aparently you are right. I'm not really up on the road to Sainthood, as it is unlikely I'll ever be made one.

Being an old cynic, as well as an atheist, I'm more inclined to think that the nun was misdiagnosed in the first place, which is quite easy to do, as there is no definitive test for Parkinson's, as can be seen in this article here.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/h...1n3parkin.html

[Margaret Pilkington]

Saint Rindy ! ?....well, it does have sort of a ring to it.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I was thinking the same too Margaret

[grego]

I think she more than likely was misdiagnosed, sorry but I dont believe in miracles, either that or maybe partial to speed

[Eric]

It's all too quick ... from man to saint in 2 or 3 years! Sure, he was a fairly nice old guy who probably firmly believed in what he preached. But he should have to wait at least as long as Jeanne d'Arc before he becomes a saint. I don't think too many gays would like him to be a saint ... or women who wish to control their own bodies.
You have to do more, I believe, than stand firm for what you believe in. What you believe is just as, if not more, important. Do we rank Hitler as one of the great German leaders because he held firm to his twisted beliefs against impossible odds? Do we rank Maggie Thatcher with Churchill?
I am Catholic; I believe Sanithood is important. Saints intercede for the faithul with the BIG GUY himself! I wouldn't want an ultra-conservative interceding for me: not Saint John Paul, or, heaven forbid, St. Maggie.

[Gayle]

Miracles I don't believe in - but I do believe that the power of the mind can produce amazing results.