The stupidest sentence I saw today was in an article on ABC News.

Next week, the Pope will visit the tomb of Mary MacKillop, the founder of Australia’s Josephite nuns.

Mary MacKillop is just one step away from becoming a saint after being beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995. But to be canonised as Australia’s first saint, the Josephite sisters must first find proof of a miracle.

While miracles are still popular in some parts of the world, there are some within the Catholic Church who say they have no place in the modern Church, but then, it all depends on who you talk to.

Now, in what parts of the world are miracles unpopular? Which geographical group would be up in arms to witness a miracle?

Well, the intrepid reporter found someone who is actually anti-miracle. And guess what -he’s a former priest.

Paul Collins is a former priest, but still a devout Catholic, however he is critical of Pope John Paul II’s saint-making record.

“Now, I have to say that whenever the media calls me and asks me to comment on miracles, I tend to get a bit restless and I tend to squirm a little in the seat,” he said.

“I really felt that in the second part of his papacy, all types of – I have to say in some cases, quite odd or unusual people were made saints and I’m not really certain that that achieved very much for the Church generally.”

Mr Collins says while belief in miracles is strong in South America, Africa and parts of Asia, there is a growing number of Catholic faithful in developed countries who quietly cringe at the miracle business.

“I think in a sceptical, questioning world like ours, a world where science in many ways is, if you like, the dominant paradigm, I think that within that context, miracles don’t quite make so much sense,” he said.

Yes. God doesn’t make so much sense in this modern day world. I mean isn’t this guy essentially saying that among savages it’s ok to believe in miracles but us big-brains in developed countries don’t believe in that kind of stuff.

But this former priest intrigued me a little. I found online his resignation letter after 33 years of serving as a priest. Here’s one of his main reasons for leaving according to him:

The fact that we are retreating from the Vatican II vision of Catholicism may not be everyone’s view of what is actually taking place in the church. I accept that, and I also accept that the tension between a broad, open vision of Catholicism rooted in living experience, and a narrower, static hierarchical view of faith, runs right through church history.

Ah…I see.

He also says the church is guilty of “muzzling” people on the important issues of the day like female ordination.

I think the funniest thing about this article is that this reporter was told to do a story on an Australian nun who may become a saint and who does he search through his Rolodex for but a former priest who is guaranteed to have something snarky and cynical to say against the Church.