Tuesday, November 21, 2006
MIRACLES--BUT WHAT IS THE SOURCE ?
A story from thisislondon.co.uk has turned up in numerous places on the web. The story describes a Catholic church on the French Rivera where a prayer group has been experiencing visionary encounters. According to one of the group leaders:
The visions usually begin with the whole building trembling in the middle of a paryer meeting. Then various worshippers will fall off their seats shaking violently or being sick. When they come round a few minutes later, they say Christ or the Holy Virgin has appeared and spoken to them. ...
This might sound like the work of the devil rather than God, but everyone who experiences a vision says it was Jesus and Mary that appeared to them.
The article reports that a 14-year-old smashed windows and bled pinkish-yellow blood.
An example of automatic writing is given in the story. The medium believed it was Jesus who was doing the dictating.
The events are causing a swell in the Sunday morning congregation, naturally. It appears that the Church is taking these events seriously and has sent an investigator.
Meanwhile our local Cleveland Catholic faith healer Dr. Issam Nemeh has conducted a healing service in Plain Towhship for a filled church. Note the title of the article "Hundreds flock to touch the faith healers' hands", some from as far away as South Carolina, and not all of them Catholic. Reverence prevails at these services. Present also are those who have been healed.
The article claims that "Nemeh's blessing services are seen in some circles as the local version of the pilgrimage to Lourdes, France." Being slain in the spirit is a regular feature of the events, and catchers are on hand. Nemeh heals in the name of Jesus Christ. The article refers to Nemeh as a "spiritualist."
