The Science and Rationalists Association of India was
reacting to a declaration by the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints
that the disappearance of a tumor in an Indian woman was due to the miraculous
intercession of Mother Teresa. Probir Ghosh, general-secretary of the
association, called on the Communist government of West Bengal state to “look
seriously into whether this so-called miracle took place.” He added, “We’re sure
there’s a medical reason for her cure. There’s no such thing as a miracle
cure.”
The process of the Congregation’s investigation of
miraculous cures includes extensive documentation of the illness, testimony by
the treating physician, and investigations by independent physicians. Monica
Bersa, 34, had claimed that a stomach tumor was healed overnight after she
received a Miraculous Medal blessed by Mother Teresa and prayed to her. The
declaration of the miracle clears the way for the beatification of the
Albanian-born nun.
The rationalists’ association claims 20,000 members and
was founded in 1985. Its stated goal is to free Indians from superstition and to
promote scientific thinking. “Promoting miracle cures is unscientific and
encourages false beliefs,” Ghosh said. [Full story]
That certainly is extremely scientific, starting from an scientifically
unproved assertion that miracles aren’t possible and then saying that the cures
can’t be miraculous based on an unproved assertion.
