J
JesuXPIPassio
Guest
I was reading the post on ghosts that was just answered on the Ask an Apologist forum, and it made me think of something else. I couldn’t post this response on that forum, so I’m posting it here.
Anyway, a bio I read on Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus had a part where there was a Discalced Carmelite convent that was in deep financial trouble and was in danger of being shut down. The Prioress tried to sleep one night but had trouble because she was so worried over the convent. Something came into the room and adjusted her blanket. Assuming it was just one of the sisters, she asked her to leave her so she could try to sleep. But the sister replied and said she came to help: she had money to give, but since the Prioress couldn’t keep the money in her cell, they had to go to the donation box. The Prioress later wrote of how they were easily walking in the dark because the stranger had a “celestial” glow about her. After the 500 francs was deposited, the Prioress knelt and, believing it was Mary, said “Oh my Holy Mother!” The visitor helped the Prioress get up, and said, “No, I am not our Holy Mother. I am the Servant of God, Theresa of Lisieux” and left. The next morning, the Prioress told it to some of the sisters, and they insisted to check the donation box. It was confirmed that this was not a dream when they found the 500 francs in there.
People in disbelief might argue that it might just have been someone else who got into the convent and it was a case of confusion. But, Discalced Carmelite Convents are not open to the public, not even to the nuns’ families. It just wouldn’t have been possible. If it were a nun from within the Community, the Prioress would have known her.
So my question is this: was Saint Theresa there as a ghost?
I find it so hard to define. Like, she’s my patroness and it disgusts me to call her a ghost, since ghosts are the creepy things that haunt places and people.
I thought maybe it could be classified as appearances of Mary (real ones, not these ridiculous ones where people see her in a tortilla chip). Mary isn’t a ghost since we know her body was taken up with her soul. Persumably, appearances of her were corporeal. We know, though, that Saint Theresa’s body wasn’t taken with her. Many, many of us have been with her actual remains during that extremely popular worldwide tour a few years back.
We could classify it as an apparition I guess, but that doesn’t quite have the accurate terminology that I’d like.
I guess this question really isn’t that important. What matters is that she appeared and helped people, proving to us that she was truly God’s saint. But, events like those appearances of saints are not just limited to this one story. There have been reports made of other appearances too. This is something that isn’t quite widespread, but it is an occurence known to happen, so perhaps it’s something we should try to understand better as well. It could also be important in that if we conclude that Theresa indeed appeared as a ghost, then we have reason to claim that ghosts really do exist.
Anyway, a bio I read on Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus had a part where there was a Discalced Carmelite convent that was in deep financial trouble and was in danger of being shut down. The Prioress tried to sleep one night but had trouble because she was so worried over the convent. Something came into the room and adjusted her blanket. Assuming it was just one of the sisters, she asked her to leave her so she could try to sleep. But the sister replied and said she came to help: she had money to give, but since the Prioress couldn’t keep the money in her cell, they had to go to the donation box. The Prioress later wrote of how they were easily walking in the dark because the stranger had a “celestial” glow about her. After the 500 francs was deposited, the Prioress knelt and, believing it was Mary, said “Oh my Holy Mother!” The visitor helped the Prioress get up, and said, “No, I am not our Holy Mother. I am the Servant of God, Theresa of Lisieux” and left. The next morning, the Prioress told it to some of the sisters, and they insisted to check the donation box. It was confirmed that this was not a dream when they found the 500 francs in there.
People in disbelief might argue that it might just have been someone else who got into the convent and it was a case of confusion. But, Discalced Carmelite Convents are not open to the public, not even to the nuns’ families. It just wouldn’t have been possible. If it were a nun from within the Community, the Prioress would have known her.
So my question is this: was Saint Theresa there as a ghost?
I find it so hard to define. Like, she’s my patroness and it disgusts me to call her a ghost, since ghosts are the creepy things that haunt places and people.
I thought maybe it could be classified as appearances of Mary (real ones, not these ridiculous ones where people see her in a tortilla chip). Mary isn’t a ghost since we know her body was taken up with her soul. Persumably, appearances of her were corporeal. We know, though, that Saint Theresa’s body wasn’t taken with her. Many, many of us have been with her actual remains during that extremely popular worldwide tour a few years back.
We could classify it as an apparition I guess, but that doesn’t quite have the accurate terminology that I’d like.
I guess this question really isn’t that important. What matters is that she appeared and helped people, proving to us that she was truly God’s saint. But, events like those appearances of saints are not just limited to this one story. There have been reports made of other appearances too. This is something that isn’t quite widespread, but it is an occurence known to happen, so perhaps it’s something we should try to understand better as well. It could also be important in that if we conclude that Theresa indeed appeared as a ghost, then we have reason to claim that ghosts really do exist.