By DICK GROSS - THEAGE.COM.AU
Added: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 UTC

Thanks to FilthyWitness for the link.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/blogs/godless-gross/the-patron-saint-of-quack-cancer-cures/20091221-l7rz.html

One hates to be a kill joy, but is anyone else far from a state of rapture about some of the aspects of the canonisation of Mary MacKillop? I am afraid that this inspiring but long dead woman is now being used and has become part pop idol and part false idol.

Let's get this straight. There are some wonderful things about this saintly person. She was a gutsy, independent, fighter for social justice. She was a leader who created a massive legacy. I think that she is the perfect person to be made a saint. So why do I have a long face?

MacKilliop's sainthood has some worrying attributes. The worst is the miracles anointed by her promoters to justify her candidacy. Now as an atheist, one would expect that I would be disparaging about all claims of the miraculous. But that is not my point. Whilst I don't believe in miracles I don't take exception at all to these claims if people want to make them.
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TAGGED: -, MEDICINE, RELIGION