Resolution to another eBay Eucharist auction

[MyDearJesus]

I don’t remember for certain, but this related to either the first eBay auction listing for the sale of a Eucharistic host or the second. It was the second auction that ended since it ran it’s normal 7-day course without use of the Buy It Now feature that was used in the case of the wide-reported Iowa case of the host that sold for $2,000 but was then turned over to a monsignor in that seller’s diocese.

I will refer to the case I’m reporting on as “Host #2” which should not be confused with the other widely-reported case of a host being sold in the U.K. where the auction was cancelled by eBay. You can view my other posts for information on that one.

In this particular case the seller received complaints from some of us “hateful” Catholics and removed the host from the items being sold. The buyer did some excellent follow-up and arranged for the host to be sent to her along with the other items she purchased to ensure it would be taken care of properly. The guyer is not a member of the forums here and I met her acquaintence because I saw she had been bidding on it and I was considering bidding on it myself until I leanred her intentions were entirely appropriate. Some of us here had communicated about this auction and the buyer asked me to post her statement on this matter so that everyone could rest assured. It is also interesting to read the story to gain a better understanding of some of the evil people that are out there that were also bidding.

I will not post links to the prior posts here on the forums as they contain links to the eBay listing that can still be viewed. I’m afraid that the buyer will be swamped with e-mails if I do. The buyer had included the auction number but I’m afraid she will be swamped with e-mails as was the case of the buyer in the case of host #1 (I heard reports of something like 500 e-mails were sent to him).

 

[MyDearJesus]

For immediate Release:
Charlotte, North Carolina
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Bakersfield California eBay Host Rescued

The question as to what happened to the consecrated Host offered on eBay by a Bakersfield, California woman can now be answered.

EBay auction #XXXXXXXXXX began April 9, 2005, as the first auction for a Pope John Paul II Communion Wafer, plus a bottle of blessed oil and a Vatican post card.

Complaints to eBay received the standard form letter response stating that “The Eucharist is not illegal to sell, and is generally allowed on eBay as long as the seller does not otherwise include hateful text or images in the listing.”

After a day of receiving as many as 12 outraged emails per minute, the seller removed the Host from the auction, leaving the auction running for the oil and the post card.

The identity of the seller was obtained. The Diocese of Fresno and St. Francis Catholic Church in Bakersfield were notified. There was no reply to the emails.

The seller, who was not a Catholic, had gone to Rome in October of 1999 as a tourist. She contacted the Vatican prior to the trip stating it was the couples 25th anniversary and they would like to meet The Pope. The couple was given a private (12 people) audience. The people and items brought with them were blessed and Communion was given by Pope John Paul II. The couple split one Host and shared it and kept the second as a souvenir.

The seller was asked several times in emails to turn the Host over to The Church. There was no response to those emails.

It was discovered that a bidder on the auction (eBay ID Brunnvolva) was connected to Yahoo chat rooms where she listed some of her interests as paganism, Wicca and witchcraft. Her Yahoo ID was lisawhitefawn and was found in the following Yahoo groups:

Fellowship of Isis
Northeast Asatru
Church of Ancient Ways

Items previously purchased by her on eBay were books on Asatru…Norse Heathenism, regarded as one of the neopagan family of religions including Wicca and Celtic Druidism. She had bid on, but not purchased, an auction for
old Catholic chalices and ciboriums.

A woman, who wishes to be known only as a Charlotte, NC, grandmother of three, was searching for an addition to a small Rosary collection when she spotted the auction. Only four persons had viewed the auction at that point. She did the research and attempted to contact The Church in California. When there was no response she prayed to The Blessed Mother to assist her in rescuing the Host.

Arrangements were made to place a high bid on the auction still running to guarantee the auction would not sell to the bidder with ties to witchcraft. Winning the auction might have given the cult member an advantage in securing the Host.

A dialog was established with the seller which lasted several days. Since the seller referred to the people emailing her as “screamers”, a calm, dispassionate tone was required for negotiations. After the auction ended on April 16, 2005, the seller finally agreed to a transaction off eBay.

Information regarding the name, religion, occupation etc. of the Bakersfield woman are being withheld out of Christian Charity. To damage her reputation would be considered a sin.

Arrangements were made for the Host to be received by Father James Geiger and Father Edward Grey of St. James The Greater Catholic Church in Concord, North Carolina, in the Diocese of Charlotte. The Host was properly disposed of in accordance with The Laws of the Church.

The North Carolina grandmother makes one request of everyone who has been watching, wondering and praying about these Hosts on eBay. “Please pray The Angel’s Prayer of Fatima. It has never been more appropriate.”

Oh Most Holy Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
I adore Thee profoundly.
I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity
of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world,
in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and
indifferences by which He is offended.
By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I beg the conversion of poor sinners.
Amen.