Published 29th March 2014
Dear Letters Editor,
Stoic Catholics must secretly cringe at this latest round of Vatican politics (Two for the price of one, The Advertiser, yesterday). Two old men, deemed to have worked “miracles”, will be added to the long list of saints. The website, Catholic Online, has even lost count, putting the number of saints at “over 10,000”. That’s a lot of miracles.
In this enlightened era of 21st century science it seems bizarre that any catholic can take seriously the pious declaration that these two former Popes have been credited with miracle-making.
The truth is it’s nothing more than factional politics — gestures to appease the liberal and conservative Vatican factions. Like all religion, the catholic church is in serious trouble — financial scandal with the Vatican bank, child sexual abuse exposed by the Royal Commission, and disillusioned parishioners walking away in droves.
Since 380 CE, when Roman Emperor Theodosius declared Catholicism the be Rome’s state’s religion, the church has had a tortured history; literally. Now, after almost 1700 years, people of logic and reason recognise religion to be man-made — including the alleged working of miracles to bestow sainthood. It’s not unlike the Queen and Tony Abbott bestowing knighthoods.
The Vatican PR machine will need to work a lot harder if it wishes to continue the illusion of divine provenance.
Brian Morris
Director, Plain Reason