Visit to Pio

I notice with interest that B16 is planning a visit to the church home of Padre Pio.

As I always explained to students there is a fundamental difference between Protestanism and Roman Catholicism as to there approach to the faithful. Protestantism has traditionally expected its members and converts to hold to a rather strict set of beliefs, not allowing room for the keeping of any traditional native or questionable beliefs. Catholicism, on the contrary, seems to hold that a cup half full is better than an empty cup, thus allowing its members and potential converts to hold some beliefs that are not totally sound. Both sides have merits.

But to concentrate on Catholicism, we see a large number of this faith believing the most incredulous things. All kinds of weird miracles, weeping statutes, stigmatics, visions--the list is almost endless. Catholics are not required to believe in these strange things; however, in most cases belief is allowed if they might engender further faith .

And, of course, Padre Pio is the perfect case. Does B16 actually believe Pio can be in two places at one time. Does he really believe his heart was physically pierced by Jesus? Does he really believe in the Padre's stigmata? We live in a modern age in which hoaxes are must easier to detect and a higher level of proof is required to sustain an extraordinary claim, under the rubric of "extraordinaty claims require extraordinary evidence."

The Padre Pio case clearly strains the the limit of belief. None of his 'miraculous' abilities has any level of proof satisfactory to any person of knowledge. The clear and most obvious explanation is that Pio's miracles were hoaxes. That would seem obvious to any person not left with a very poor knowledge and a poor ability to reason. Either Pio was dishonest, as were those around him, or he was deranged, are the clearest explanations. Of course, arguing with the 'faithful' is futile. After death, for example, his body showed no signs of years of the stigmata.But to the believers that means nothing. Either way they 'win.' If there were signs of his skin being pierced that would prove the stigmata, the believer would argue. If there were no signs of the stigmata, as was obvious---then just another miracle.

As catholics it is very fashionable to laugh at Oral Roberts and the "80 foot Jesus." Just a scheme to bring in money. Then we turn around and believe, violating all rules of physics, that this poor Padre can be in two places at one time. Oh, and the money. His town will reap a million times more profit in a few years than poor Oral could have dreamed.

So what does B16 believe. Is it the same as he says?