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Pope's Clothing Is Not For Sale; John Paul's cassocks
Topic Started: Tuesday, 25. September 2007, 20:22 (300 Views)
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The press today reports that certified shreds of John Paul II's cassocks are being offered --free of charge-- via the website of the Diocese of Rome. These 4mm fragments are pressed into a postcard bearing a photo of the late Pope. 5000 applications have been received since the idea was publiciised on 13 September according to the diocese.

What do you think of this? Would you seek to obtain something like this and would you consider it offered any spiritual benefit?

My own view is that this is another example of religious fervour bordering on superstition.


John
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Rose of York
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According to the Vatican, it is a sacrilige to buy or sell relics. As Pope John Paul II has not been declared Venerable, beatified or canonised, I submit that these pieces of cloth are currently no more relics than my Dad's homburg hat and trilby which my mother gave to my kids for "dressing up" games.

The items are being given away, not sold.

Link to BBC article

Quote:
 
The diocese would be able to send a relic to anyone who asked for one, director of social communications Monsignor Marco Fibbi told the BBC News website.

"We don't intend to let these objects have a collectors' value," he said.

Pope John Paul II
Several of John Paul II's robes are being used for the relics

"It's only a devotional object. It's useless to try to collect it or sell it on the internet because we will satisfy any request for this object."


The intention may not be to let these objects have a collectors value. One could say that about anything. Who would have thought that John Lennon's spectables would become collectable?

I don't like this, it gives the wrong impression of Faith in God.
Keep the Faith!

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Derekap
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"My own view is that this is another example of religious fervour bordering on superstition."

I agree John.

Mind you Carlo may be interested in an old Biretta or his mother's Mantilla (if she had one).

Derekap
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Rose of York
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What gets me is, anyone who clicks on the link to request the relic is now sent to an article in which diocese spokesman Monsignor Marco Frisina warns that it is sacrilegious to buy or sell relics.

That announcement implies that the belongings of a deceased Pope are relics, whether or not that Pope has been elevated at least to the status of Venerable. In theory it would not be sacreligeous to take them to a charity shop for ultimate sale.

God hears my prayers, whatever I am rubbing with my fingers.

A woman gave me a card containing a piece of cloth from Padre Pio's clothing. It was pure white, unblemished, obviously unused, and seemed to be synthetic, probably polyester. She said I should give it to a person who was very ill, who should hold it while he prayed, it was his best chance of getting better. I burnt it.
Keep the Faith!

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MickCook
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Here's the official line:

Quote:
 
Rome, Sep. 25, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Officials of the Rome diocese have scaled back a campaign to distribute relics of the late Pope John Paul II (bio - news), after a spate of media reports forced Church officials to clarify that the relics were not for sale.

Officials promoting the cause for the beatification of the late Polish Pontiff have offered prayer cards, accompanied by a piece of the Pope's cassock, to anyone interested. The prayer cards have been available through the official web site of the beatification cause.

During the past week, several Italian newspapers reported-- inaccurately-- that relics of the late Pope were for sale, and the Rome office was deluged with requests for the prayer cards. But Church officials were alarmed by the stories, and hastened to clarify that the prayer cards were being offered free of charge.


Pope's Relics NOT for sale - full Story.

:)
Mick
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paul

How sad. An example of how a PR exercise can backfire. Totally unnecessary and insensitive.

Why do people cling to material things when prayer will answer all their needs in accordance with God's wishes.

Paul
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MickCook
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paul
Sep 25 2007, 08:48 PM
How sad. An example of how a PR exercise can backfire. Totally unnecessary and insensitive.

Why do people cling to material things when prayer will answer all their needs in accordance with God's wishes.

Paul

1. It was not a PR exercise.
2. Relics of prospective saints are often made available for people to use - along with prayer cards - to encourage prayer.
3. It was the media that got it wrong - badly wrong.

:)
Mick
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MickCook
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Perhaps we should be asking in relation to matters concerning our Church, just how trustworthy is the secular media?

:)
Mick
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Gerard

All,

Actually, the subtitle of this thread is misleading. If posible I would ask that it be changed to "Pope's clothing for distribution". Bad enough the secular press getting it wrong without us contributing.

Now, John, to answer your question relics are not my thing - but I would say nothing negative about them for two reasons.

1.
Acts 19:11-12 - So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

2.
God has used relics throughout Church history to bring healing and comfort to His people.

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Rose of York
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Gerard
Sep 26 2007, 09:12 AM
All,

Actually, the subtitle of this thread is misleading. If posible I would ask that it be changed to "Pope's clothing for distribution".

John and Gerry

Rather than completely change the title I made a wee amendment.

I trust you will both be happy with this compromise.
Keep the Faith!

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Timothy
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Quote:
 
My own view is that this is another example of religious fervour bordering on superstition.


I am inclined to agree with this view, however as these are not being seen as relics (as Rose pointed out Pope John Paul II is neither a Saint nor a Blessed as of now at least) I don't look to harshly upon this, it is being used as a prayer card. Often a Pope exchanges his own white zuchetto to a visitor in a private audience who presents him with a new one. While this is slightly different as item is from a living person, I see no harm in it, and the Church does not prohibit this.



THE VENERATION OF THE SAINTS, SACRED IMAGES, AND RELICS
"An adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelty."
"Having a clear faith, according to the credo of the church, is often labelled as fundamentalism."
Pope Benedict XVI
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Derekap
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I have heard that in less enlightened days travellers would wander from town to town selling bottles of water from the River Jordan.
Derekap
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Happy with the title change Rose and Gerry and I should have been more careful, although my message itself made it clear that there was no charge for these remnants.

I don't think Mick is entirely fair to the secular media on this occasion. It was a religious wire service which released the news item and the press were bound to follow up the stroy and certainly in the articles I read they were entirely accurate.

Whatever their faults in covering Church matters, they have also performed great service to the Church--instrumental in investigating and revealing to us all the extent of the sexual abuse scandal, for instance.

John
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Derekap
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John Sweeney wrote:

"Whatever their faults in covering Church matters, they have also performed great service to the Church--instrumental in investigating and revealing to us all the extent of the sexual abuse scandal, for instance."

The media would perform better service if they also featured more constructive news about The Church.

Derekap
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Rose of York
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Derekap
Sep 26 2007, 09:28 PM
The media would perform better service if they also featured more constructive news about The Church.

I think they do nowadays. The Pope's major speeches are reported. The coverage of the final days of Pope John Paul II, his death, funeral, and the subdequent election of Pope Benedict XVI got excellent coverage. They were portrayed as major world events. Our Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster is often shown on TV.

Derek I bet you remember the joy felt by Catholics when Mass was televised for the first time.

We are no longer portrayed as a minority "foreign" Church.
Keep the Faith!

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