Joseph Fuerst

Nancy,
This part on saints has me laughing! the rest of your post I'll need to
think over.
We dug out dh's old children's book of saints. I looked through it a few
weeks ago. I was struck by a) how vague it is; b) how poorly written it
is, and c) how it seems to glorify some behaviors that would likely put
most people into serious psychiatric treatment. Like, as a child, St.
(Catherine of Sienna?) allegedly locked herself in her bedroom for three
years, and didn't speak. OTOH, I respect thise who choose a monastic life.
Can hardly think a child in today's U.S. would manage to pull this off.
And I remember a college prof talking about St. Catherine's nursing the sick
by 'sucking out the pus from the cancerous breasts of the sick." ( I mean
no offense to anyone here!) Recently, we were trying out a "Family Faith
Gathering"....the topic was saints and when someone asked if I recalled
anything about St. C, that was all I could think of!
S...who's curiosity on this is going to cause a late night tonight, I
fear!

> And what of religions that practice meditation, or use drugs
sacramentally?
> My religion's hagiography is replete with saints whose visions could be
just
> as easily described as hallucinations; were they just nuts, or can severe
> fasting account for them?
>
> Something to ponder at this season of The Incarnation ;-)
>
> Nancy
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