Eucharistic miracles: Faith is
not humbled by science
 |
| "Segni", documentary on Eucharistic miracles. |
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication presents a
documentary on Eucharistic miracles, interviewing scientists and witnesses, and
raising awareness of this global phenomenon.
By Francesca Merlo
The documentary “Segni” (Italian for “signs”), is inspired by the venerable Carlo Acutis, a young boy who died at the young age of 15 from a sudden onset of leukemia. He dedicated his life to spreading awareness of Eucharistic miracles. He even opened his own exhibition to showcase past miracles that, to him, prove God’s love for us.
The documentary “Segni” (Italian for “signs”), is inspired by the venerable Carlo Acutis, a young boy who died at the young age of 15 from a sudden onset of leukemia. He dedicated his life to spreading awareness of Eucharistic miracles. He even opened his own exhibition to showcase past miracles that, to him, prove God’s love for us.
Modern miracle
The documentary focuses on events that took place between
1999-2013 in Argentina, Poland, Mexico and Italy. These miracles occurred when
science was already advanced enough to become involved in defining the
phenomenon. Science that could look into these consecrated hosts, that suddenly
turned red, taking the form of meat, of human flesh.
Constant wonder
The producers of this documentary travelled to the locations
where some of these miracles are said to have taken place. There, they spoke to
those who discovered them, those who studied them and those who, to this day,
still wonder over them.
Matteo Ceccarelli, the director, spoke before the projection
of the film and explained that part of what he wanted to transmit through the
documentary was the ‘what happens after’. He wanted to show that as a
consequence of these miracles many of the priests “learned to re-commit
themselves”. This was supported by Fr Andrzej Ziombra, from the Church of St
Hyacinth in Legnica, Poland, where in 2013 a blood stain was discovered on a
host. Fr Ziombra says “I discovered the beauty of priesthood”, after
understanding that “something important had occurred in my church.”
Scientific support
Part of the fascination behind these modern day miracles is
the voice that science has given them. Science can be used, and has been used,
to refute miracles. This was the case in one church in Poland, where red stains
were discovered on a host. After having it tested, it was discovered that the
red was simply fungus. Science is also used to accept miracles, as was the case
in the situations explored in the documentary.
God's sign of love
In all these cases, the host, having taken on the form of
flesh, was studied in depth by scientists. Similarities were discovered in all
these cases: the presence of white blood cells, that usually disappear after a
few minutes after death; the recurring AB blood type; the heart tissue found;
and the other signs of life and vitality. None of these could be scientifically
explained.
As Franco Serafini, a cardiologist, said in his opening remarks, “faith is not humbled by science”. There are certain things medicine can do when studying miracles, he said. “The miracles can now speak to us in a scientific and technological language, understood by people in this day and age”.
As Franco Serafini, a cardiologist, said in his opening remarks, “faith is not humbled by science”. There are certain things medicine can do when studying miracles, he said. “The miracles can now speak to us in a scientific and technological language, understood by people in this day and age”.
Ricardo Castañón Gómez, contacted in 1999 in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, to study the host that had turned red after it had been placed in water,
to this day is unable to explain this occurrence, at least not through science.
One explanation, chosen by many, including the initially skeptical Mexican
Bishop Alejo Zavala Castro, is simply that “this is what God wanted”, and that
this is “Him, showing us He loves us”.
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