Shroud of Turin and the Resurrection of Jesus & More

To Love One's Neighbor

"The kindness of a stranger," writes the Crunchy Con:

You want to see what it means to love one's neighbor? Marilyn Mock, who lives in the Dallas suburb of Rockwall, went to a foreclosure auction with her grown son last weekend to be with him as he purchased his first house. While there, she saw a woman sitting at the edge of the auction hall, sobbing. It was Tracy Orr, a housekeeper who was there to watch her humble house sold off to the highest bidder.

Marilyn couldn't stand it. She bought Tracy's house, sight unseen, and told her to move back home. Now Tracy will be paying her mortgage to Marilyn, not to the bank. If you go to the story, be sure to watch the video report from the scene. Tracy, through tears, says nobody's ever done anything like that for her before. And Marilyn is not a wealthy woman, it seems from the story.

More from CNN:

Mock says she's using one of her business dump trucks as collateral for the $30,000 sale price. "I can't afford to just give [the house] to her," she says.

As for Orr's payments, Mock says, "We'll just figure out however much she can pay on it. That way, she can have her house back."

Why be so generous?

"She was just so sad. You put yourself in their situation and you realize you just got to do something," says Mock, who says she has trouble walking by homeless people on the street and not helping them out.

"If it was you, you'd want somebody to stop and help you."

When she told her husband of 30 years that she'd just bought a home for a stranger, she says his reaction was: "Whatever."

"He's used to it," she says with a booming laugh.

Incredible. May we all have the love in our hearts that Marilyn Mock does. I am reminded of something Mother Teresa said:

At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in." Hungry not only for bread -- but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing -- but naked of human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a home of bricks --but homeless because of rejection.

Marilyn Mock gave Tracy Orr her home back. But as Tracy told the Dallas Morning News:

"More than my house, she gave me something inside, and that's more important than material or financial things."

The crisis breaking upon us gives all of us an opportunity to be kind to our neighbors. Few of us will have the resources, I'd wager, to do what Marilyn Mock did. But if she can do that, how much can we manage to do for those in need?

Catholic Online: World Youth Day 2008 - Pope Apologizes for Clerical Sexual Abuse

SYDNEY (Catholic Online) - His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today delivered a heartfelt apology to the victims of sexual abuse by clergy in Australia.

Departing from his official homily, the Holy Father said: “Indeed, I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured, and I assure them that as their Pastor, I too share in their suffering.”
The apology was delivered during a special service at St Mary’s Cathedral – the Dedication of a new altar before seminarians and other young religious people.

The Pope consecrated (blessed) the new white marble altar, featuring an image of the body of Jesus Christ, based on the sacred Shroud of Turin. As he addressed the full cathedral and forecourt, he used the new altar to highlight their role.

World Youth Day 2008 - Catholic Online

Latest updated tentative conference schedule at Ohio State.

• NOTE THE CONFERENCE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR A FEE

Thursday, August 14, 2008

5-7 p.m. On-site registration

6:45-7 Opening remarks

7:00-8:30 Opening address: The Shroud: An Eternal Challenge by Rex Morgan, Shroud Science Group member

8:30-8:45 Break

8:45-9:00 A Tribute to STURP by Barrie Schwortz, STURP documenting photographer and Shroud Science Group member

9:00-10:00 Informal gathering in Ballroom

Friday, August 15, 2008

7:00-9:00 a.m. On-site registration

8:00-9:30 Breakfast

8:30-8:45 Opening remarks

8:45-9:15 The STURP Experience by Tom D’Muhala, former President of STURP

9:15-9:45 The Sudarium of Oviedo: A Study of Fiber Structures by Ray Rogers, STURP member and Shroud Science Group member, read by Joanna Emery.

9:45-10:15 VP-8 Shroud Image Analysis, Impact and History by Peter Schumacher

10:15-10:45 My White Linen White Paper by Kenneth Stevenson, STURP member and Shroud Science Group member

10:45-11:00 Visibility of the Shroud Image: An Optical Physicist’s Perspective by John Dee German, STURP member

11:00-11:30 The Spectroscopy of Various Candidate Processes Associated with Image Formation and Features of the Shroud of

Turin

Redux (what we might have seen if we did it right) by Joseph Accetta, STURP member

11:45-12:00 Question/Answer session with STURP members

12:00-1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:00 Digital Image Analysis of the Shroud of

Turin

: An Ongoing Investigation by Ray Schneider, Shroud Science Group member

2:00-2:30 A Physical Hypothesis on the Origin of the Body Image embedded into the

Turin

Shroud by Paolo Di Lazzaro

2:30-3:00 Shroud Coins Dating By Image Extraction by T.V. Oommen

3:00-3:30 Revisiting The Right Eye Image: What is it? By Alan and Mary Whanger, Shroud Science Group members

3:30-4:00 Aspects of The Shroud in Botany and Related Art By Alan and Mary Whanger, Shroud Science Group members

4:00-4:22 Body Image Formation Hypotheses Based on Corona Discharge: Discussion by Giulio Fanti, Shroud Science Group Member

4:23-4:45 Resolution of images obtained without an acquisition system using MTF by Giulio Fanti, Shroud Science Group member and Roberto Basso

4:46-5:08 Statistical analysis of dusts taken from different areas of the

Turin

Shroud

by Giulio Fanti, Shroud Science Group member and Roberto Basso

5:09-5:29 Scourge bloodstains on the

Turin

Shroud: an evidence for different instruments used by Barbara Faccini, Shroud Science Group member, read by Giulio Fanti

5:30-6:00 Questions for afternoon speakers

6:00-8:00 Dinner (not provided by hotel)

8:00 Rest of evening free

Saturday August 16, 2008

8:00-9:30 a.m. Breakfast

8:30-8:45 Opening remarks

8:45-9:15 What Went Wrong with the Shroud's Radiocarbon Date?  Setting it all in context by Paul Maloney, Shroud Science Group Member

9:15-9:45 Overview of and New Findings for Historical and Scientific Evidence Pertaining to Possible “Invisible Mending” of the C-14 area of the

Turin

Shroud by Joseph G. Marino, Shroud Science Group member and M. Sue Benford

9:45-10:15 Surface chemical analysis of the Shroud of

Turin

identifies discrepancies in Radiocarbon Dating Region by M. Sue Benford and Joseph G. Marino, Shroud Science Group member

10:15-10:45 TO BE ANNOUNCED

10:45-11:15 SEM-EDXA Analysis of Red Particles Removed from the Underside of the Turin Shroud in 1988 by Parr RL, Reguly B, MacKenzie A, Merriwether DA, Benford MS, Baraldi P, and Fanti G

11:15-11:45 Questions for morning speakers

11:45-1:15 Lunch

1:15-1:45 Neutron Radiation Effects on Linen Fibers and Consequences for a Radiocarbon Dating by Francesco Barbesino & Mario Moroni, read by Giulio Fanti

1:45-2:15 A Global Forensic Analysis of the Elements of the Shroud of

Turin

: Compatibility Between the Evidences of Vitality and the Absence of Signs of Death on the Cloth by Miguel Lorente

2:15-2:45 The death of the Shroud Man: an improved review by Barbara Faccini, Shroud Science Group member, read by Giulio Fanti

2:45-3:15 The Shroud of

Turin

, The Holographic Experience by Petrus Soons

3:15-3:45 Botany of the Shroud of

Turin

by Avinoam Danin

3:45-4:15 Ancient

Edessa

and the Shroud: History Concealed by the Discipline of the Secret by Jack Markwardt

4:15-4:45 On

Besancon

and Other Plausible Theories for the Shroud During the Missing 150 Years, 1204 to 1355 by Daniel Scavone, Shroud Science Group member

4:45-5:10 Was Sixth-Century Desertification a Factor in the Transfer of Relics from

Palestine

? by Diana Fulbright, Shroud Science Group member

5:10-5:30 A Note on “the Servant of Peter” by Diana Fulbright, Shroud Science Group member

5:30-6:00 Questions for afternoon speakers

6:00-8:00 Dinner

8:00-10:00 GENERAL OPEN FORUM: Twenty Years After – Where Do We Stand with the Carbon dating? moderated by Barrie Schwortz, Shroud of Turin Research Project Documenting Photographer and Shroud Science Group member

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2008

8:00-9:30 a.m. Breakfast

8:30-9:00 Jesus Christ, the Man of the Shroud, and Bilirubin by Carlo Goldoni, read by Roberto Basso

9:00-9:30 Advancing the Shroud into the 21^st Century: Reaching the next generation by Russ Breault, Shroud Science Group member

9:30-10:00 Focus Projects for Student Involvement in Researching the Scientific Properties of the Shroud of

Turin

by Ray Schneider, Shroud Science Group member

10:00-11:00 GENERAL OPEN FORUM: The 2002 “Restoration” – its Impact and Prospects for Future Testing (and miscellaneous topics) moderated byBarrie Schwortz, Shroud of Turin Research Project Documenting Photographer and Shroud Science Group member

11:00-11:30 The Tangible Emmanuel: How the Scriptures Shed Light on the Meaning and Presence of the Shroud of

Turin

by Chris Knabenshue

11:30 Closing remarks; End of Conference

Ohio Shroud of Turin Conference Blog: Latest updated tentative conference schedule

Pope announces Shroud of Turin Display

 

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Shroud of Turin, the mysterious yellowing linen which some Christians believe was Christ's burial cloth and others think is a medieval fake, will go on display again in 2010, Pope Benedict announced on Monday.

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The pope, who is by tradition the owner of the cloth, said he hoped to be able to visit the Shroud in the northern Italian city where it is normally kept rolled up in an ornate silver box, "if the Lord grants me life and health."

The last time the Shroud was put on public display was for the Catholic jubilee year in 2000.

The cloth measuring 4.4 by 1.2 meters (14.5 by 3.9 feet), bears the inexplicable image -- eerily reversed like a photographic negative -- of a crucified man.

The cloth shows the back and front of a bearded man with long hair, his arms crossed on his chest, while the entire cloth is marked by what appears to be rivulets of blood from wounds in the wrists, feet and side.

It was shown only four times in the 20th century.

In 1988, carbon dating tests by laboratories in England, Switzerland and the United States indicated that the Shroud dated from between 1260 and 1390 -- implying it was a fake and could not be Christ's burial cloth.

But scientists are at a loss to explain how the image was left on the cloth. Most agree it could not have been painted or printed and some have said the 1988 tests may have been faulty and results corrupted by bacteria encrusted over the centuries.

Some have called for new tests using techniques not available in 1988.

The history of the Shroud is long and controversial.

After surfacing in the Middle East and France, it was brought by Italy's former royal family, the Savoys, to their seat in Turin in 1578.

In 1983 ex-King Umberto II bequeathed it to the late Pope John Paul, Benedict's predecessor.

The Shroud narrowly escaped destruction in 1997 when a fire ravaged the Guarini Chapel of the Turin cathedral where it is held. The cloth was saved by a fireman who risked his life.

The Catholic Church does not claim the Shroud is authentic nor that it is a matter of faith, but says it should be a powerful reminder of Christ's passion.

When he viewed the Shroud in 1998, the late Pope John Paul called on the scientific community to continue research to find adequate answers to the questions linked to the linen.

GOD, CHRIST: QUESTIONS & FAITH: Episcopal Relief and Development responds to Cyclone Nargis in Burma

 

Please find it in your hearts to give.

5/5/2008

Episcopal Relief and Development

Episcopal Relief and Development is providing emergency assistance to communities in Burma affected by Cyclone Nargis. The storm, packing winds up to 120 miles per hour, swept through the country on Saturday, leaving at least 23,000 people dead and 41,000 people missing. The low-lying Irrawaddy Delta region suffered the most severe damage.

The situation in Burma is dire. At best, the infrastructure in Burma is marginal and the storm has placed an unbearable strain on already limited services. Power outages and scattered debris across the country continue to hamper recovery efforts. Reports indicate that tens of thousands of homes were destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without shelter. The full extent of the damage throughout the country remains unclear due to poor communications and roads made impassable by the storm. In Rangoon, the capital, machete-wielding monks have taken to the streets to assist with clearing the wreckage.

Working with our partner, the Anglican Church of Burma, Episcopal Relief and Development is sending funds to secure shelter, food water and other relief needs for people displaced by the Cyclone.  As part of our long term strategy, we have been working for the past two years with five dioceses on economic development including agriculture, livestock, and micro-loans, clean water and education programs. 

“Episcopal Relief and Development’s response to the cyclone will involve a long term recovery and rehabilitation strategy for affected areas in which the church has a presence,” says Kirsten Laursen Muth, Senior Program Director for Asia and New Initiatives. “Our prayers are with the people of Burma at this very difficult time,” she added.

To help people affected by the cyclone in Burma, please make a donation to Episcopal Relief and Development’s “Myanmar & Cyclone Response Fund” online at http://www.er-d.org, or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to: Episcopal Relief and Development “Myanmar & Cyclone Response” P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058.

Episcopal Relief and Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church of the United States. As an independent 501(c) (3) organization, Episcopal Relief and Development takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Together with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners, Episcopal Relief and Development strengthens communities today to meet tomorrow’s challenges. We rebuild after disasters and empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.

GOD, CHRIST: QUESTIONS & FAITH: Episcopal Relief and Development responds to Cyclone Nargis in Burma

Well done, unbiased short article from the Chicago Sun:

Tourin' Torino , February 17

Milan has its "Last Supper," Florence has its statue of David, Rome has its "Pieta." Torino? It is home to the legendary Shroud of Turin, a linen cloth 14 feet long and 3-1/2 feet wide, believed to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Since 1578, it has been housed in the Duomo di San Giovanni Battista and publicly displayed every 25 years (fears of theft, light and exposure to pollution). The next scheduled appearance is 2025.

The cloth bears the alleged image of a crucified man, and for centuries, believers and non-believers have battled over its authenticity. Was it used to wrap the body of Jesus? Is it a lavish hoax borne of the Middle Ages? The answer is as mysterious as the shroud itself.

Ghiberti in the News Again

While I agree with some of Msgr. Giuseppe Ghiberti’s sentiments, in this story, I must remind everyone that Ghiberti and indeed Cardinal Severino Poletto of Turin, the papal custodian of the Shroud of Turin, are not very popular in shroud research circles, particularly among scientists. It was Ghiberti, at the Dallas Conference in September 2005, who angrily stormed out of the room filled with about 100 researchers rather than face critical questioning. It was Ghiberti, along with others, who tried to stifle any conversation or debate that did not agree with Turin’s point of view. Full professor and scholars who were published in peer-reviewed scientific journals were told they could not ask questions.

Here is an example of what has researchers upset, right out of this story:

Msgr. Ghiberti said a shroud commission is studying proposals from scientists for further studies on the cloth. The commission will determine the most important and serious proposals and bring them to the attention of the shroud's custodian.

The custodian can amend the proposals concerning the shroud before he contacts the pope, who makes all final decisions, such as whether it will be displayed publicly or removed from its protective casket for study.

Want to know some facts around these statements?  The proposals were submitted in 2000. It is now 2006. This has been said, of and on, for six years. Many of the proposals need to be updated because of new finding or advancements in technology. The commission making these decisions does not include scientists. Not only is the commission going decide (secretly, as is always the case with the Turin officials) but they may amend the proposals. Good grief.

The Papal custodian has been under attack ever since the destructive restoration of the shroud in 2002. Most recently it has been criticized for its ridiculous defense of non-scientific statements by textile restorer Flurry-Lemberg that pure carbon was eating the shroud. Pure carbon does not eat anything. Pure carbon is inert.

One can only hope that the Pope, who is technically the legal owner of the shroud, will hear other voices from honest Catholic, Anglican, Evangelical and non-Christian scholars before the Turin authorities do further damage.

Catholic League Comments Spreading

Even Contact Music, claiming to be " All the Best in Music, Movie and Celebrity News" is reporting on the syndicated story of the Shroud not being mentioned by NBC.

CATHOLIC LEAGUE HEAD BLASTS OLYMPICS TELECAST, DAVID E. KELLEY

Catholic League President William Donohue has castigated NBC for not mentioning the Shroud of Turin during its coverage of the Winter Olympics. In an interview with USA Today, Donohue remarked, "If you asked the average American to name something about Turin, Italy, they'd name the Shroud. ... It's like having the Olympics in Fort Knox and not mentioning gold." NBC Olympics producer David Neal said that NBC is working on a feature about the Shroud, but noted that it is cutting back on all features in order to concentrate on the contests.

Here is a good story from AP

Here is a good story from the AP. It omits the tired "authenticity is challenged" (or some such words) refrain that even sports writers seem to want to add.

See: Devout Olympians seek ways to fuse faith, sport

Words from the picture caption: The Shroud of Turin, revered by some as the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Just as Salt Lake City was famous before the 2002 Winter Olympics because of its tie to the Mormon Church, the 2006 host city has been renowned for its own religious connection to the world's most celebrated holy relic. (emphasis mine).

It 's not only the world's most celebrated holy relic, it is the most studied archeological artifact in the world. Over 200 scholars including archeologists, chemists, physicists, historians, image analysts, and biblical scholars are studying this object.