Are the incorruptibles naturally occurring?

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Struggling1

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I see many arguments against incorruptibles like the masks they make, partial decomposition, the Vatican hiring teams to preserve the bodies, older incorruptibles being the result of mummification techniques, the coffins being built well enough to prevent oxygen exchange etc… can someone help shed some light here for me? If they are incorruptible how do we counter these claims?
 
From my understanding, there are no complete scientific explanations. I think those with a hard heart will always try by any means necessary to refute what’s clearly a miracle from God’s grace…and always fall short in that refutation. Same goes for Eucharistic miracles. Same for the Shroud. Same for Our Lady of Guadalupe’s image. Same for Padre Pio’s stigmata. Same for the Great Miracle of Fatima, etc. etc…

There is a really good book about the incorruptibles- “The Incorruptibles” by Joan Carroll Cruz
 
They can be.

In fact, the Church advises us to always look first for a natural reason that these bodies are preserved.

"Though Church authorities do not deny the possibility of miraculous preservation of bodies, neither do they place much stock in it. According to Rome, the strange phenomenon may confirm holiness, but on its own, the unnatural preservation of bodies does not, automatically, prove holiness. The authorities, quite sensibly, are more interested in the person’s manifest virtue.

In addition, the mere fact of a person’s body being incorrupt does not guarantee sainthood. There have been instances of people who did not seem saintly yet who were also incorrupt. Neither does incorruptibility prove the Catholic faith, since there are examples of Buddhist monks whose bodies are incorrupt as well."

https://www.osv.com/OSVNewsweekly/F.../13628/ArticleID/9570/The-Incorruptibles.aspx
 
So it’s kind of like a nice little mystery but has to be in connection with other lifestyle aspects? If it can happen outside the faith do they still try to determine the reason and have scientific analysis done?
 
Because the decay or lack thereof has no impact on the Cause for Sainthood, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints investigates the life of the person and spends the scientific analysis on the attributed miracles.

The process is lengthy and expensive. The body is exhumed only for identification and to obtain relics, not for any investigation into the decay or lack thereof.

Good article about the beatification process

https://www.ewtn.com/johnpaul2/cause/process.asp

A more detailed look is in the book “Making Saints”. You can pick it up used on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Making-Saint...&qid=1520973374&sr=8-1&keywords=making+saints
 
Thank you! You cleared up in 2 responses what I’ve been trying to figure out for like 2 hours lol.
 
I’ve always thought displaying such remains is a rather morbid practice. It seems to fly in the face of what the church teaches regarding proper disposition of the remains of anyone who has died. The church prescribes a permanent place of visitation, but does that mean also a permanent place of viewing? I’m doubtful.

I also have my doubts as to any divine cause of what appears to be incorruptibility. Since, the remains are closely controlled by the institutions that possess them, any truly objective and independent study is non-existent. However, since none of this is central to the Catholic Faith, no one is obligated to believe in any of these apparent “miracles.”

But as for me, the Old Colonel fully intends to turn to coffee grinds within three days after death. I’m half way there now.
 
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I’ve been incorrupt since 1750. Since then, I’m eternally youthful and immortal 😏
 
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