Could it just be a case of a slow news period? The footie season has ended. The election is over. By now we all know that listening to Oakshott speak is worse than root canal. The Commonwealth Games was a bust. The Australian cricketers have not covered themselves in glory. What other feelgood Australian stories were there these past few weeks?

In case you hadn't noticed, Mr White, we Australians become over-excited by the most unimportant events.

It has a lot to do with the fact that our lives are generally so humdrum and mundane.

To relieve the monotony, some people put coins into a glittering machine, watch some pictures whirl around for 2.4 seconds, and get agitated when they stop.

Some watch TV programs that confect drama from opening briefcases with numbers in them.

Others throw two coins in the air, and express high emotion when they land on the ground.

In this environment, it is totally unremarkable that we make a substantial news item from the tale of a nun who cured cancer after having been dead for decades.

On balance, a relatively newsworthy achievement, wouldn't you say?

Meanwhile, in other news:

http://www.paranormalmagazine.co.uk/2010/09/

"...governments are spraying the air with poisonous chemicals in order to combat overpopulation and/or climate change"

I just love that "and/or", don't you?

I'm not sure the enthusiasm went beyond the quarter of Australains who are Catholic, nor it was shared by all Catholics.

Why honour a woman who, under the influence of an organisation which fosters a story purloined from ancient Egyptian myths, gave up the pleasures of a normal family life to promote the indoctrination of children in the myth of that particular religion? Sure, she did some other more beneficial tasks, but did that outweigh the other?
I know plenty of people who willing, sometimes in paid work, sometimes as volunteers, help others improve their own lives and the lives of future generations without the dubious benefit of any religious myths.
Those, and VC winners, and people like Weary Dunlop, are the people I admire.

I am always confused about by what authority an organisation or persons claims the ability of speaking on behalf of God. Catholics are not the only ones guilty of this. I can accept that an organisation can give awards to members who give exceptional service but If there is such a thing as a saint isn't it up to God to decide?
This what I object to with religion. How can anyone claim to to speak on behalf of God?

Of course this entire circus event comes straight out of the modern now dominant tradition of Barnum and Bailey and massive media hype/propaganda.

P T Barnum was of course wrong - their are thousands of gullible suckers born every minute.

The event was also very much about applied power politics, as was the recent papal circus that visited the UK, and the associated beatification of Newman.

Part of the "religion" versus science/secularism culture wars, and the fight for market share of the "religion" market between the various christian sects, and between christianity and all the non-christian religions.

Of course right-wing "catholics" are also quite fond of cannons too.