By STEVEHILL
Updated: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:01:37 UTC

In order to be beatified by the Pope, Cardinal Newman is required to be responsible for at least one miracle.

Despite having died 111 years earlier, Newman was credited with curing this Boston cleric's bad back (he prayed to Newman, allegedly). He was however cured by modern state of the art surgery in 2001: at best, his faith - let alone Newman - might be responsible for an earlier than expected recovery from surgery.

On this slender foundation, Newman's body was exhumed and removed from his preferred repose next to his lifelong (male) companion. And the Pope made a trip to England to permit the faithful to put "blessed" before Newman's name.

Does the church really think that anybody is going to be impressed by this sort of irrational nonsense in 2010?

If they want to hand out posthumous medals to the faithful, that's their business. But "miracles"? Please - credit humanity with some intelligence.

TAGGED: -, IRRATIONALITY, POPE, VATICAN/ROMAN CATHOLICISM