We live in a world of miracles. We always have.
Read this amazing story of a modern Eucharistic miracle in which Pope Francis played a key role. (ht SpiritDaily)
At seven o’clock in the evening on August 18, 1996, Fr. Alejandro Pezet was saying Holy Mass at a Catholic church in the commercial center of Buenos Aires. As he was finishing distributing Holy Communion, a woman came up to tell him that she had found a discarded host on a candleholder at the back of the church. On going to the spot indicated, Fr. Alejandro saw the defiled Host. Since he was unable to consume it, he placed it in a container of water and put it away in the tabernacle of the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.
On Monday, August 26, upon opening the tabernacle, he saw to his amazement that the Host had turned into a bloody substance. He informed Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who gave instructions that the Host be professionally photographed. The photos were taken on September 6. They clearly show that the Host, which had become a fragment of bloodied flesh, had grown significantly in size. For several years the Host remained in the tabernacle, the whole affair being kept a strict secret. Since the Host suffered no visible decomposition, Cardinal Bergoglio decided to have it scientifically analyzed.
On October 5, 1999, in the presence of the Cardinal’s representatives, Dr. Castanon took a sample of the bloody fragment and sent it to New York for analysis. Since he did not wish to prejudice the study, he purposely did not inform the team of scientists of its provenance. One of these scientists was Dr. Frederic Zugiba, the well-known cardiologist and forensic pathologist. He determined that the analyzed substance was real flesh and blood containing human DNA. Zugiba testified that, “the analyzed material is a fragment of the heart muscle found in the wall of the left ventricle close to the valves. This muscle is responsible for the contraction of the heart. It should be borne in mind that the left cardiac ventricle pumps blood to all parts of the body. The heart muscle is in an inflammatory condition and contains a large number of white blood cells. This indicates that the heart was alive at the time the sample was taken. It is my contention that the heart was alive, since white blood cells die outside a living organism. They require a living organism to sustain them. Thus, their presence indicates that the heart was alive when the sample was taken. What is more, these white blood cells had penetrated the tissue, which further indicates that the heart had been under severe stress, as if the owner had been beaten severely about the chest.”
March 27, 2013 at 8:28 pm
This is not the first modern Eucharistic Miracle involving a Pope if that's what this article is implying. In August of 2005, Pope Benedict XVI was at World Youth Day in Cologne, and at the end of a Vespers service had a Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament ceremony. It was LIVE on EWTN and after the Pope gave the Blessing with the Monstance, you could clearly see a very bloody Host which startled the two acolytes who turned it around to see for themselves. I believe it is on You Tube somewhere. The same with Benedict's Corpus Christi( the first one in June 2005)Just FYI.
March 27, 2013 at 8:45 pm
This is an amazing story. A year or so ago in my Archdiocese a priest discovered a host which he also placed in water to 'decompose'. It changed into a similar state – in appearance, nevertheless tests apparently revealed the result was from a bacteria which turns the substance red. Apparently – according to the spokesman – it continued to 'decompose' until the liquid could be disposed of in the sacrarium in the sacristy.
The situation related in your post is obviously miraculous. I would just like to point out that this story is not only edifying, but it is a good example on how to handle a discarded host.
It is ordinary procedure that it is placed in water to 'decompose'- until it ceases to resemble 'bread' or liquifies. But more importantly, the host in this condistion is placed in the tabernacle – it is still reserved in a suitable area – until the process is complete.
In the local case I refer to, it was my understanding the host was placed in a bowl of water and left out on the counter for the duration. Not a good way to treat the Blessed Sacrament.
Anyway – good story for Holy Thursday.
God bless!
March 27, 2013 at 9:03 pm
Katalina, it implied nothing and for the life of me I don't know how you inferred it.
March 27, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Pat and Matt, your blogging is just amazing these days. I'm awestruck by your posts. From this Eucharistic Miracle, to the Martyrdom of our children, and even the 2-year-old pillow-pet poacher. You are doing a real service to all of us. Thank you and happy Easter!
March 27, 2013 at 11:59 pm
ADOREMUS IN AETERNUM SANCTISSIMUM SACRAMENTUM!!!!
SEMPER FIDELIS ET INFINITUM!
March 28, 2013 at 12:59 am
Great stuff. Now if a bishop saw first-hand that an abandoned host had a heart that was battered, shouldn't he have brought back altar rails and communion only in the tongue? Hello? Maybe God needs to take up e-mail…
Scott Wo
March 28, 2013 at 1:00 am
"The heart was alive at the time the sample was taken." And some wonder why one should be upset by flagrant contempt shown for the Most Holy Sacrament.
March 28, 2013 at 2:46 am
Thanks RCM. You're kind words mean a great deal.
March 28, 2013 at 3:08 am
THIS IS EXACTLY what I needed to read for a talk I'm giving in San Antonio this April to 200 women (pray we get that many) about finding healing in the Sacred Heart through Eucharist! I was going to use the miracle of Lanciano, but I think I will change to this story since it's more recent and involves our new Holy Father. Thank you so so much!!
March 28, 2013 at 3:46 am
There IS a connection between the miracle in Buenos Aires and that of Lanciano.
Scroll down to TWO EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES COMPARED: http://catholicforum.fisheaters.com/index.php/topic,3445885.0.html
Here is the video of that in Buenos Aires, which contains descriptions of scientific evidence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av6teFZNycM&feature=PlayList&p=7BE76C0F62D4FF54&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2
God is GOOD.
KM
March 28, 2013 at 3:48 am
Something like this happened up in St. Paul, and the substance turned out to be a common bread mold. See http://www.twincities.com/ci_19546770
The stories seem much the same. The doctor in the Bergoglio story mentioned is also not the impartial person they say he is… He is a prominent expert on the Shroud of Turin. I'd suspect this is a hoax, or an amalgamation of hoaxes. You can even find the St. Paul story on line, reported in such a way as to twist the facts of the case into a miracle, when the very conservative and devout priest and Bishop involved say it was not.
Sorry, I'm not a debunker really, but the truth is important. Our faith in no way relies on stories like this.
March 28, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Blackrep,
You are correct in that our faith does not rely on such stories. However, it would be nice for you to give some substantive information to back up what you state in your post.
Can you provide sources and names for why you have opined as you have?
KM
March 28, 2013 at 3:45 pm
One more thing, Blackrep:
You might want to read the article written by Fr. M. Piotrowski SChr.
"The weakening of faith in the real presence of the Risen Christ in the Eucharist is one of the most significant aspects of the current spiritual crisis. Jesus wants to strengthen our faith in His Eucharistic presence. That is why from time to time in the history of the Catholic Church He gives us signs–Eucharistic miracles that clearly underscore the fact that He, the Risen Lord Himself in the mystery of His Divinity and glorified humanity, is truly present in the Eucharist. The most recent Eucharistic miracle RECOGNIZED BY THE CHURCH AUTHORITIES (my caps) occurred in 1996 in the capital of Argentina–Buenos Aires."
Here's the article:
http://www.loamagazine.org/nr/the_main_topic/eucharistic_miracle_in_buenos.html
Another article:
http://www.catholicjournal.us/2012/03/30/this-is-my-body-this-is-my-blood/
May the Tridium liturgies richly bless you,
KM
March 28, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Dear Matt and Pat,
Drew two picture of the SACRED HEART two years ago, both encompassed by the crown of thorns………
The point of the "spear" entrances on both pictures are located "AT THE LEFT CARDIAC VENTRICLE"!!!!!!
Both pictures have flames bursting from the sacred wound sites….but,…..the DIVINE MERCY picture….
Has "BLOOD AND WATER!" as well as radiant rays of GRACES AND MERCY!!!!…flowing from the sacred wound site!
Yes, I'm also an artist………………by the way….
I stamp the back of all my Sacred Art prints as soon as I receive them from the printer.
as follows:
QUO VADIS?
SACRED ART INSPIRED BY MARY, REGINA CAELI. Dedicated to Our Lady Mediatrix of all Graces….
…..dare I say more?…….THANK YOU BOTH!!! Good and Faithful Servants…..may God Bless! You, and all the bloggers and families this Holy Thursday!
April 1, 2013 at 9:25 am
H/T back to you.
http://thesacredlandscape.blogspot.com/2013/04/pope-francis-and-eucharistic-miracle.html
April 2, 2013 at 8:19 pm
Scientists have been studying the Blood of Jesus in the Shroud, the drops of Blood at Lanciano and elsewhere, and the Blood from various statues. They are all the same type, AB & have the same DNA.
What is the Blood Group from this host?
April 2, 2013 at 8:21 pm
It is shocking how poorly the Sacred Host is treated by many churches today. It is almost as though they think it is only bread still. No wonder Our Blessed Lady has asked us to make reparation for such sinful behaviour.
April 2, 2013 at 8:23 pm
I still recall one priest I knew who used to handle the Sacred Host during The Holy Mass as though it were the most wonderful jewel he had ever seen. He is right – it is.
April 2, 2013 at 8:25 pm
Blackrep
I agree. We must be very careful about such reports. Thankfully, salvation does not depend on them.