A scheduled apparition?
Ten thousand people are currently gathered at the , County Mayo, hoping or expecting to see an apparition of Mary. Today's apparition was predicted by some well-known "visionaries", following a previous alleged appearance of Mary on October 11th, when the sun was said to have "danced in the sky".
Dr Michael Neary, the Archbishop of Tuam, in encouraging people to believe there would be an apparition at the Knock shrine today. (Read the archbishop's statement here.)
Below the fold, I have published the full text of the press release we have received from the organisers of today's "event".
A letter published in the Irish Times (on Saturday 17 October), from Thomas Cotter, a biochemistry professor from University College Cork, offers an alternjative explanation of the dancing sun at Knock:
Madam, - The sun "dancing" in the sky at the Marian shrine in Knock, Co Mayo, reported by a small fraction of the large crowd that gathered there last week (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, October 12th), is very unlikely to be due to any supernatural events.
A more likely natural explanation is as follows. On the day in question it was cloudy and when the sun is viewed through thin cloud it often appears as a bright thin disc. Any alteration in the density of the passing cloud can cause the sun to appear to "shimmer or dance" due to alterations in the sun's apparent brightness and dimness as seen through the passing clouds. As the sun brightens it appears to advance and as it dims it appears to go back or recede. Water droplets or atmospheric dust in the cloud can also cause the sun also to apparently change colours.
If the sun truly danced in the sky, scientific observatories worldwide would have recorded it, but they did not! A little more common scientific sense is needed here before invoking supernatural explanations for what are after all just natural events.
- Yours, etc,
Thomas G Cotter, PhD MRIA
Professor of Biochemistry
University College Cork.
PRESS INVITATION
A Further New Apparition of Our Lady predicted to take place next Saturday October 31st 2009 in Knock's Basilica Church according to visionary Keith Henderson who is also said to have received messages from Our Lady in the aftermath of the recent apparition in Knock. "Our Lady will appear in the Basilica Church at Knock next Saturday October 31st2009" claims Keith Henderson, a secondary visionary who works closely with Dublin based renowned spiritual healer and visionary Joe Coleman.
Joe Coleman, previously forecast that the recent 'apparition' in Knock on Sunday 11th October at behind the Apparition chapel at Knock, Co Mayo, which was attended by over 8,000 people. Many people have since published photos of the apparition in the media - where many claim to have seen the sun 'dancing in the sky', change colour, flash with a dark ring and other colours around it - for a total of 15 minutes. Coleman also made similar predictions this year including one which took place on 13th September 2009 in Knock and the other in Kerrytown shrine near Dungloe, Co Dublin on Tuesday 29thth Septemberwhere 14 local people claim to have witnessed the Donegal phenomenon where they said they saw crosses flash in the sky for a reported full hour.
Message Keith Henderson received from Our Lady at Knock on October 11th 2009:
"I want to thank all my children for coming to Knock today especially those who come with an open heart. I want all my children to convert back to my church. There is only one religion and that is my religion. Some of my priests do not show compassion to my children. I want all of my priests to start showing compassion to all of my children especially those who convert back to my church. I want to bring more peace to Ireland north and south. Thank you to all my children for responding to my call today."
Message from Our Lady for Saturday October 31st 2009:
According to Keith Henderson: "She wants our Lady's statue, brought into the church with her visionaries walking behind her. She asks for one of her priests to recite the rosary in her Church at 3pm. When the rosary is finished Mother says she will make herself known to all of her children who come to her with an open heart. She will give her visionary Keith a message for all of her children in the church. She said the message will be announced in the Church by her visionary Keith Henderson. Our Blessed Lady says that her priests will accommodate her visionaries this time."
Prior to the last apparition in Knock, on October 11, 2009, Joe Coleman received a message he claims came from Our Lady as follows: "Our Lady wants all her children to go to confession and to get reconciliation from her son Jesus and to be able to experience the purse essence of god's love which he has for all his children. This apparition is to communicate a message to all religions and those who no religion and she will communicate many more times before Christmas at Knock with other messages. She has asked that the Catholic Church listen to her again and she has asked me to call out to the clergy and pray for them to help them show more grace and mercy to her children. She wants to bring faith, joy, peace and happiness back into our lives in these terrible times we are all experiencing."
Comment number 1.
At 31st Oct 2009, MarcusAureliusII wrote:"A more likely natural explanation is as follows. On the day in question it was cloudy and when the sun is viewed through thin cloud it often appears as a bright thin disc. Any alteration in the density of the passing cloud can cause the sun to appear to "shimmer or dance" due to alterations in the sun's apparent brightness and dimness as seen through the passing clouds. As the sun brightens it appears to advance and as it dims it appears to go back or recede. Water droplets or atmospheric dust in the cloud can also cause the sun also to apparently change colours."
A more detailed explanation is that when the temperature of air changes, so does it optical refractivity, especially if there is water vapor present. This can be easily observed at any airport. Watch the ground though the exhaust of a jet whose engines are idling near the terminal or taxiing on the runway. Objects seen behind the engine exhaust through this heated air will appear to dance as the density of air changes. This can also be observed on some hot days by looking at asphalt on roads in the distance. They sometimes appear to be wet yet as you approach them you realize what seemed to be water was an illusion. This also probably explains the mirage of an oasis in the distance in a desert.
"If the sun truly danced in the sky, scientific observatories worldwide would have recorded it, but they did not!"
Actually had the sun "danced in the sky" it would be the result of a sudden change of motion of the earth with regard to the sun. Such an event would have most likely ripped the entire earth apart and destroyed every man made structure instantly.
Amazing what you can do with laser projected holograms these days. How you can make images seem to appear in thin air out of nothing. Too bad the boy in the weather balloon shaped like a a flying saucer hoax was used so recently. Otherwise they could have gotten away with making the virgin Mary appear to have come from outer space. Anyone want to go visit some new crop circles a guy made just for a Halloween prank?
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Comment number 2.
At 31st Oct 2009, uncannyspinner wrote:It is very sad that Irish people are made to look so stupid by a few Irish religious freaks. Worshipping God in extremes by a God fearing nation can be admiraable, despite the abuse of Children by senior Priests, but this just shows how vulnerable the average country person can be and how ridiculous the Catholic Church can be in their fastidious support of myth and mystique. No wonder the following of the Church is steadily diminishing , whether Protestant or Catholic.
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Comment number 3.
At 31st Oct 2009, john dynes wrote:The Dead are sleeping until the Ressurection off the last day.
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Comment number 4.
At 31st Oct 2009, Scotch Get wrote:What this story requires is
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Comment number 5.
At 31st Oct 2009, dennisjunior1 wrote:William:
I was reading your blog and its requires context...But, afterall, it
is pretty informative note.
~Dennis Junior~
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Comment number 6.
At 31st Oct 2009, Heliopolitan wrote:If you want a real miracle, check out the atheist cycling from Muslim Jordan to Jewish Israel to raise money for a Christian hospital :-)
I fly out to Jordan tomorrow morning. Wish me luck - or the blessings of whatever space pixie takes your fancy. I promise to be good. We're hoping to establish a bursary to help train nurses from the Galilee.
All this cheap nonsense at Knock devalues the true meaning of humanity. No miracles occurred. The sun did not dance in the sky; the phenomenon is not due to atmospheric factors, but mental factors. We're here, we're it. It's *our* responsibility to make this a better world, girls. Let's just do it!
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Comment number 7.
At 1st Nov 2009, MarcusAureliusII wrote:nocanspin;
"It is very sad that Irish people are made to look so stupid by a few Irish religious freaks."
I don't know, it seems to me they did a pretty good job of that themselves when they first voted no on Lisbon and then voted yes. I guess in Ireland, no doesn't mean no, it means if you ask me again it means yes.
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Comment number 8.
At 1st Nov 2009, PeterKlaver wrote:"I fly out to Jordan tomorrow morning. Wish me luck"
Very, very best of luck to you Helio. May you be warmly embraced by His noodly appendages all the way, so that your very worthy endeavour is successful.
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Comment number 9.
At 1st Nov 2009, nobledeebee wrote:Best of luck to you Helio.Is there a way we can donate to this cause?
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Comment number 10.
At 1st Nov 2009, Parrhasios wrote:For once I agree with Helio (may the road rise to meet him) - all that is needed for a vision in these circumstances is the combination of desire and suggestion. People who saw something, at some level of consciousness, wanted to see something.
I was struck by the utter banality of the words Coleman and Henderson placed in Mary's mouth - compare them with the wonder of the Magnificat - it doesn't seem as if heaven is a linguistically enriching experience.
I do not hesitate, however, to classify this as a banality of evil. Anyone who watches RTE on a regular basis will be struck by level of advertising for psychics and clairvoyants - when one considers the cost of that advertising one gets an idea of the size of the market available for exploitation.
Feeding off the vulnerable is of the very essence of evil and historically churches have been as guilty as any in feasting at that table. Those who know the love of God have, however, a responsibility to denounce such exploitation. Those who would attach any credance to these alleged messages from Mary should look carefully at the background and history of their proclamants.
ÌýÌý
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Comment number 11.
At 2nd Nov 2009, graham veale wrote:Helio
Would you e-mail me and let me know how I can get you some money?
GV
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Comment number 12.
At 2nd Nov 2009, Michael wrote:All these people belittling and demeaning this event....HOW do you know ????? were you there ???? If you weren`t, then you do not have the right to say anything about it. I had a friend who was there and saw the whole thing, and it wasn`t explainable by science. Geeez, people will say anything to be negative. Even so, IF the even was explainable by Science ( which it was NOT ) why do you want to knock it down ??? let people have their faith, and if they believed it, what`s wrong with it strengthening their faith ??? WHY do feel the need to bash it down ????? I don`t understand you people. If it gave people comfort in this suffering world, all the better.
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Comment number 13.
At 3rd Nov 2009, Parrhasios wrote:Michael - did you see the Prime Time on Christina Gallagher and the House of Prayer?
Do you think people shouldn't have pointed out what was going on there either?
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Comment number 14.
At 3rd Nov 2009, graham veale wrote:I can't tell the satirical posts apart from the authentic. Help!
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