its very difficult to discuss such topic as it concern faith.Before we rebuke to say anything sharp may be we need to pray Our Father prior writing anything as a suggestion to the topic.Am quite sure tht most people who give their contributions here are Christians as Iam,and all of us have same faith ,we believe in Jesus christ,whose recently we cellebrate His ressurection.We all go the same way,and Our difference comes that we use different means of Transport to attain destination

Who is a saint?Simply He is model human being who tried His/Her level Best to fullfill the 2 commandments,Love for a neighbour,Love to God,and most of us we crave to live like they lived
Where does saints stay?They stay with God,glorifying Him and praying for us
Many people are saints,but not all are proved to be as there is lack of documentations about their life.
I personally believe tht my grandma was a saint!!!!!(my dad also passed away,i can only say He was a good man,not Saint)

Octabenny Kassanga,MD 5 student, Ryazan State, Russia

Why do Catholics try to replace JESUS with the Pope? The bible doesn't say confess your sins to the Pope for salvation. It says Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. No Pope in there. Where in the Bible does it reference a Pope at all? Or when does the power of salvation come from a Priest? Just because we as people make up things that make us comfortable to quiet our conscience doesn't mean it's right. Stop trying to make up something new or explain GOD in your own way. Read your bible! I'm amazed at the amount of people who go to church and leave their Bible at home. No Scientist, Doctor, Pope or Saint saves man. Understand this and it's a start John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Adam, Whie City, Or

Only a fool denies the existence of God, Chris you ahve well said about the deception in the world today.

Tony Lambert, Indianapolis, Indiana

As Robert Pirsig says: "When one person suffers from delusions, we call it insanity; when many people suffer from delusions, we call it religion.

john, dallas, tx

What if out of the ranks of the people of God there were those saints who were never recognized? The Catholic Church recognizes only very few of them as a way of saying thank you firstly to God for their gifts, and secondly to the person for being a true and intimate friend of the Holy One as well as a brother or sister to his Son. Every one is entitled to his opinion but yes, there are miracles among us that may have nothing to do with science or the church and if goodness is as they say a multiplyer of itself, I can see John Paul requesting a favor of God for someone in need and not just a Christian. We are all related, we come from the same source, and in the end, when we return, the greastest miracle that we will experience is that when we knock on the gate to heaven that portal will open quickley and accept us into the light.

Tom Groll, St. Louis, Missouri

I believe he was a saint. Many here forget that all the saints were men and women who did God's work and what ever miracles that were attributal to them was also God's work. I believe anyone can perform miracles when it is God's will.
So John Paul's sainthood should really be based on the rest of his body of work, which we can pretty much agree was for peace and for God's glory. Add to that the burden of being the leader of a worldwide organization for many years and one of the main voices in many of the conflicts in his day and he becomes an even stronger candidate. Mother Theresa had much less responsibility and we all know that pressure is what causes most of us to fall short of saintly-acts.
I think the concept of saints is to give us real life examples of how we can live our lives with peace, integrity, and for God's glory. If thats the case, John Paul does fine for me.

K.S., Denver, USA - Colorado

What a waste of time, praying to a man, either dead or alive. I pray to the Living God, who alone can answer our prayers..He performed many miracles, while walking this earth. Man could, and will never be able to perform the likes. Parting the Red Sea, raising the dead, walking on water, etc.All one has to say is, I had a vision, a saint appeared, or I prayed to a man, and a miricale happened. It never happened, and never will.We see what we want to see. The pitiful thing is all their followeres fall for this stuff. Pray to the Living God, who ascended from the dead, this Easter. Now, that is a miracle. Do I need any other?

marilyn, st. francis, aroostook

How silly everyone is! It is so clear from the New Testament that all true believers in Jesus Christ are considered saints. They belong to God forever, as they have been adopted as sons/daughters. This change of condition and status is an act of God. It is never on account of any merit on the part of the believer. This saving faith is an act of God, who draws the believer to Him and enables them to respond.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, but without God it is impossible to have that faith. He is the one who is good and holy, never us.

Read the book of Romans. Paul wrote to the Romans and corrected them in many areas. Unfortunately, all these errors he condemned have continued to be propagated through all these centuries. Every time I read that book, I am amazed that the obvious teachings continue to be ignored.

Dennis, Berwyn, IL

The whole system of saints and semi-saints was en is invented by man.
I absolutely do believe in miracles and am convinced that people cure from the most severe conditions. But I do believe in them who have cured themselves! We are all connected and part of the same source.
I am convinced that when and near we become this source, even for a moment, we rediscover our own limitless potential.
It is such a pitty that static religions like the catholic church and many others for that matter, limit our perception.
It would make a big difference to the world if 'they' would learn their disciples to contact this spark inside of themselves instead of looking for God outside of themselves.

That would make the world go round would not it!

Monique Kotterer, Urshult, Sweden

What we Catholics believe it is not that John Paul II makes miracles himself. It’s God Who let us know that his servant on earth is alive and happy. That’s why Our Lord permits the saints to dispense his love and protection to his people. This actions of God in the world He created are present in the course of history by The Bible and by the academic history.

The best proof of this consideration is the existence of the Church itself 2007 years after the event that divided time of the human civilization for ever. The coming of God himself without taking advantage of being God, but living as a man to teach us that it is possible to live together as just one Race that we are “not races” as many want us to believe to fight each other. ¡Miracles do exist! God grant them, but are the angels and the saints who carry them to the faithful.

All this means that our dear John Paul II is in heaven happy for ever.

Jaime A. Hernández, Zapopan, Jalisco México

Hello, 1st of all, I am NOT anti-Catholic. Most of the Catholics that I know are very warm, good hearted people. I do believe that the Catholics are very deceived. The Bible never mentions sainthood for mere mortals. I do not believe that prayer belongs only to Jesus Christ who is God Manifest in the flesh. I absolutely believe in miracles. I believe that God heals today. Men can NOT heal. They can annoint with oil, lay hands on the sick & pray the prayer of faith. I am of the Apostolic faith. I believe the doctrine of the Apostles. I believe what Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. Repent & be baptized every one of you in the name of JesusChrist for the remission of sins, & ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38. Never anywhere in the New Testament do we see anyone baptized any other way. When salvation came to the Gentiles we see good ole Peter preaching that same message of truth. I can agree that John Paul was a good man, but a saint he is NOT!!!!

Chris, Dawsonville, Georgia

Ray of S.F. . . .once a catholic, always a Catholic.
Come back to the Eucharist and you too might become a Saint!

James Overend Jr, Newport Beach, CA

As an evangelical Christian who was raised Catholic, I'm deeply touched and inspired that God can still heal (in this case, through Pope John Paul II) today and that He's still in control of our troubled world. That said, it's good to be reminded that all healings come from God in Christ.

Ray, San Francisco, California, USA

these self-serving, self-prclaimed sceintists really make my day. Say, Captbilly, may I have some lists of your scientific accomplishments and published scientific works?

cindy, new york, new york

In order tp better determine the validity of this claimed miracle more details need to be known.A team of neutral physicians expert in this area of medicine should review the Nun's medical records. Her physicians should be disqualified.(2) Next this neutral team of physicians should be permitted to examine the Nun.(3) To prove the validity of the late Pope's powers lets get at least 100 other sufferers of the disease, from different parts of the world and different religions and one or two non believers and agnostics. Let all pray to the late Pope and be examined before and after by the neutral team of physicians. The lets see what the outcome is before we jump on the Vatican bandwagon of miracles.

Charles Walters, Union, Ky

Pope JP was and still is my IDOL and he touched the lives of many people upto date. I can never forget the touch of his hands on my head when he blessed me in Castelle Gandolva the summer palace after a mass he led for catholic guides and scouts. I personnally felt and still feel spritually and reborn. Whenever I feel burdened and pray to him he lifts me and carries my burden. My dad died on 9th April and for my family Pope JP is and will always be A SAINT.

Bakoko Bakoru Zoe, ARUA, UGANDA

"Being Perfect" & "Living a life of Heroic Virute" are two different things Completely! But God, in His Infinite Mysterious Mercy, does as He Lovingly Pleases with those who give themselves up as His instruments...... Hope the World will realize, you don't have to be extrordinary to be a Saint, just humble & contrite.

Augustine, st louis, mo

Yup. Prayer to a person, not God. I suppose that it's OK to put responsibility for a miracle on a person instead of God. So, now that we openly acknowledge that people are responsible for miracles, that is to say that God isn't responsible for miracles, then why bother worshipping God at all? I think that the only thing that this whole process proves is that miracles, along with Christianity, in toto, is the creation of human beings.

George, Hamilton,

Popes are people selected by other people. Sometimes it takes them a couple of tries because they can't agree if he's the 'right one.' How sent by God can he be? No black Pope yet? Is God favouring the European Catholics? Surely he wants someone who can enrich and enlighten. Popes are the head of a huge organization that makes changes to their strict guidelines if it benefits them. Sweep under the rug the bad stuff (child molestation etc), and you have a full fledged hypocracy. Isn't it a little ironic that a Catholic nun is 'cured'? Millions of everyday people pray and plead for help, and seem to fall to the wayside. This is the only miracle? It's like me asking my kids who the best Dad is while I'm offering them ice-cream.

Simon, Detroit, US

I don't think Pope John was "perfect ". No one is perfect except God himself. After all he was a human being.

mike, grants pass or, oregon

Regardless of her final say, Holy Mother the Church in her all infinite wisdom, will someday proclaim JPII a saint. I'm hoping it will be in our life time. John Paul II and Mother Teresa are our modern day saints. Heaven knows, we certainly need more of their kind.

Joe Rizzo, Boston, MA

Oh ye of little faith. Even if in doubt, if there's living proof, is that not sufficient? Even without miracles, John Paul was a perfect human being, faults, sins, compassion, humility, humorous and forgivng, a servant of the Almighty God.

J.G, New York, N.Y., USA

To , Daphne Sayed from Surrey: There is no scientific explanation for this sudden spontaneous cure from Parkinson's disease. It just does'nt happen . I have personally met a girl who was cured miraculously from irreversible hepatic failure which occured when she was a small child. Her recovery was sensational and was the final miracle required for the canonization of Edith Stein ( St. Teresa Benedicta a Croce ) who was murdered in Auschwiz.. The cured teenage girl was present at the canonization ceremony in St. Peter's Square where I met her.

thomas warner ,M.D., madison, wisconsin, USA

I believe that this was a true miracle. I also feel that Pope John Paul ll was, is ,and will always be a Saint. I love him. Santo Subito!

Maryanne Gonzalez, Roselle Park, NJ, USA

Why is it that when a 'miracle' happens, there are always so many sceptics. I believe, and everyone is entitled to their own view, that 'miracles' do happen. Blind faith is indeed true faith.

Margaret, Coventry, UK

What anti Catholic views are here expressed. I agree that JP wasn't a saint but that's no reason to deny that miracles can take place.What other explanation is there for a total cure from Parkinsons?

daphne sayed, Horley, Surrey, UK

This is a joke right? John Paul a saint, oh pull the other one, he was a hopless dribling waste of space, as is pretty much most the precede and supercede him! Whats that John Paul condoms don't stop the spread of HIV, whoops you just laid the path for another million poor Africans.

I feel strongly that this man should come nowhere near close to saint hood.

Paul Custance, London,

Does anyone really still believe this medieval rubbish ?

Tom Katz, Weybridge, UK

In the US when someone tries some alternative treatment and their symptoms go away, the medical establishment says that these sorts of inexplicable "cures" are common. I guess that the Catholic church calls them miracles instead. As a scientist I certainly find anecdotal cures interesting, but the general trend is that what was once inexplicable, eventually becomes compleatly understood. I think that the continued claims by the church that these unexplained phenomenon constitute miracles only serves to make them look silly once the phenomenon is understood.

Remember that the same church once threatened peoples lives for saying that the earth wasn't the center of the universe. Religion treads a very dangerous path when it attempts to explain the physical world in terms of religious beliefs and miracles.

Captbilly, Sacramento, CA

Mr. Kemmish, to suggest that healing someone of a disease is not a good act is asinine. Your suggestion that the departed John Paul the Great should have rescued entire nations is equally asinine, is based on a false assumption, and belies your ignorance of Holy Scripture. The Holy Scriptures show that Jesus did not heal every single person in Israel or help every single poor person in Israel. When he raised Lazerous from the dead, he did not raise everyone else from the dead as well. Out of all the sick men that were at Bethesda, the Scriptures record Jesus healing only one of them. The enemies of Jesus showed no concern for the sick when they took offense at Jesus for healing the sick. Even to this very day, the enemies of Jesus get offended when he heals someone who is sick. God's apparent lack of help in the cases of many who suffer is a mystery, but this is certain, after the resurrection of the dead God will definatively defeat suffering for those who love him.

Stephen, Shreveport, USA

Is it possible to still believe in miracles these days ? On which basis should God decide who deserves the miracle ? Obvously if it is a nun like in this case it is a better business as money can come out from the organized visits to the places involved, sale of souvenirs etc.

Roberto Castellano, Salsomaggiore, Italy

So even if you believe in ghosts with miraculous powers, the the shade of the departed Pope had the choice of rescuing everyone ini Drafur, Zimbabwe and the Middle East, but instead chose at random a single person who did not have long to live anyway.

Under what moral framework could this be viewed as a "good" act?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

This is really a miracle and i thank God that Sister Marie is healed.This shows that God's favour is on Pope John Paul 11 and even in death his name can work miracles by curing the sick.I pray that he will continue to intercede on our behalf.

Gloria, Kumasi, Ghana