For me it is not.
Is it tolerable that mainstream news outlets, prattle on about so-called miracles that this dead nun allegedly performed?
Is it appropriate that reporters treat the stories of miraculous cure as fact?
Is it appropriate that reasoned and sceptical challenges to these stories are not being publicised or promoted by the media at large?
No. No. No.
Then how is it that Mary MacKillop has been given the credit for a fortunate woman's remission from cancer. Remission from end-stage cancer is relatively rare, sure, but it does happen. In fact, it is because there are so many cases of intractable cancer in the world, that it happens all the time.
Is there any justification offered for these claims? Well, if you count close-ups of the person in question's magic Mary MacKillop charm, yes.
However, if you rely on science, reason, analysis and evidence, the answer has to be no. This is an anecdote and as Dr. Mark Crislip is fond of repeating, "The plural of anecdote is not evidence, it's anecdotes." The Catholic hierarchy has two, count 'em, two anecdotes that it regards as evidence that dead Mary is a saint.
How did this woman know that she had cancer? How did she know that her cancer was dangerously close to killing her? I expect that she might have been seeing, you know, doctors about her condition. Sure she prayed to her magic dead nun for succour, but did she stop her medication? I don't think she did. Not that I know she didn't, but one would have to be crazy to stop taking the medicine.
There is a site believers can go to to test their faith in these miracles; it is called Why won't God heal amputees?
So, next time I read about a miracle that the Catholic church has verified, it'd better be some ex-amputee dancing.
I'll not hold my breath.
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