The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-02
POPULAR APoLoGETlcs.
Adapted from the German of Rev.
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
James Watcher.
Al. In the Name Of Science.

Al. In the Name of Science.
Objection: Only science has to
Judge about the miracle. In the name
of science l protest against all mir
acles
Answer: ID In the name of sound
common sense we maintain there are
miracles which can be known as such
by every one before a scientific in
vestigation takes place, e. g., the rails
ing of a dead person to life, the sud-
den healing of broken bone, etc.
CD In the name of science we
maintain that the miracles worked by
God do not heed to fear an honest, i'm
partial investigation. Among many let
us look at such an investigation in
modern times.
In the year 1867, a Belgian work
man, Pierre de Rudder, suffered a
compound fracture of tho left leg
whilst moving fallen tree. Both
bones (the shin-bone or tibia and the
splint-bone or fibula) were broken a
little below the knee. A few weeks af-
ter a running sore was formed on the
foot: besides a large cancerous wound
developed on the place of the frac-
ture The different physicians adj
vised amputation, but the patient re-
fused to submit to that. The bone
would not knit, forming a so-called
pseudoarthrosis, in which the parts
or fragments of the bone form false
Joints but have not become normally
unite l. Even a considerable space
exist ID between the bones, since DR..
Affe aer had removed 115 inches of
the me. When cleaning the wound,
d Hudder bent his leg on the place
of the fracture SO that the ends of
the broken bones protruded. He could
asily turn the leg so that the heel was
in front and the toes behind. Thus re-
manned the condition of the patient
till April 6. 1875, as physicians and
others testify.
- On April Z, 1875, de Rudder was sud-
denly cured at the Lourdes grotto at
Oostacker. Belgium; the two wounds
were perfectly healed and the bones
had knit. The physician who had for
mefly treated the man examined the
leg and testified to its perfect heal
ing; so did other physicians. De Rud-
deg lived % years after his mira
culous cure and died at the age of IS
years, March %, 1898. Often the
wonderful healing was examined both
during his life and after his death.
BY these examinations not only the
fact but also the supernatural charac-
ter of the cure was proved beyond all
doubt. For the sudden cure of a
bone fracture is absolutely impossible
in natural manner; all physicians
agree on that.
This cure has been noted in about
every book and pamphlet on Lourdes,
though it did not happen in Lourdes,
but only at replica of the Lourdes
grotto
Also of this miracle it is true what
the great philosopher and theologian,
DR.. Herman Schell & 1906) says Gre
ligion und Offenbarung- Religion and
Relevation-p. 324): ITO my knowl-
edge exact science has not yet taken
the trouble to give a satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION of the facts of experience
which a~a accessible to all, of Lourdes
or Trevcs or other pilgrimage places,
which facts are called miracles by the
believing, or to verify the real facts
There still is time: to simply ignore
them is no refutation of Them
P. 1856: "Lourdes and other pilgrim
age places are simply challenge to
philosophy, religious, scientific inves-
tigation and history of civilization.
There are many respectable circles,
that woulG greet it with real gratitude
if an unprecedented science in its
proper sphere, as medicine, natural
science, psychology, the history of civ.
ilization and religion, would make the
happenings at Lourdes the subject of
an empirical (by experfence) .nvesti-
cation, ;nethodic observation and ex-
plantation"
P. 332: THE scientific refusal of
the miracle can not omit to take no
tice of the facts of Lourdes." Also
here it is true: HE Rhodus, hic salta
Here is Rhodus, here jump, i. e.,
here show your science.
he Catholic Church and science do
ret fear an unprecedented investigation
of the case, on the contrary, they de
mand it. Therefore, it is very wrong
if Paulsen & 1908) says that the be,
lief in miracles is priori (Not by ex
perience, but by assumption), and
tries to avoid the examination of ex
perience.
(To be concluded.)