What if, one day, it was a bishop who cut open a potato and suddenly spotted a striking coincidence in the way it looked like the Crucified Jesus? This actually happened last week to a man in, and naturally evoked the secular howl of derision. For all we know, such was warranted. We'll hold back from such.

Let's use another example:

What if the same bishop -- or make it an archbishop -- walked into the chancery one morning and saw tears falling from the side of a statue of Mary?

It's a question we pose for two reasons. One is that, rightly or wrongly, bishops, at least in in North America, have turned out to be at least as skeptical as mainstream scientists and media. That seems remarkable. In third-world countries, it is the precise reverse: bishops are very open to such phenomena (that is, statues, visions, and apparitions) and as in olden times still lead processions when a miracle is alleged.

The second reason it's interesting is that it actually occurred:

In the town of Cittaveccia on the west of Italy, a statue of the Madonna brought back from Medjugorje exuded tears of blood while the bishop, who had been skeptical, actually held it.

In that case, the statue and its miracles met with rare diocesan approval.

The question: is that what it takes?

Whatever the case, bishops must be obeyed -- and respected. Oft-times, they may be sensing something awry spiritually. A statue can be miraculous but from the side of darkness.

But the almost uniform rejection of phenomena is a concern. In Texas, last week, in Port Neches, a woman credited a miraculous image with saving her trailer from complete destruction during a fire. When she and her family went back in, among the ruins was a melted Crucifix clock on a kitchen wall. When they took it down, an image of the Blessed Mother was there.

She said an aura of light seemed to come from it. It "renewed her family's faith," noted a reporter. A local priest had a different view. Said the local newspaper: "Father Jerry McGrath of Saint Anthony's Basilica says when people see an image of the Virgin Mary, it's usually a physical or psychological thing. 'There have been very few extraordinary divinely inspired interventions,' McGarth said."

That is the common reaction.

Do we have to be careful about being a laughingstock? The Church certainly has to be cautious. The question is whether that caution has reached the point of quashing supernatural manifestations in an expanding number of cases.

When we asked the opinion of viewers, the general theme seemed to be that we should give such alleged phenomena the benefit of the doubt.

"I would not doubt any of it. but it needs to be tested," said a viewer named Marcia.

"I believe Our Blessed Mother is appearing in many places and will continue to do this as a means of reaching all people!" says a nun, Sister Margaret, from New England. "Mary is around, but, appearing on toast and things like that leaves me to question."
 

"I think this is a season of signs and wonders," opined  Fr. Anthony Ozelle from Nigaria Africia who holds a doctorate from Fordham University has a tape explaining this.

"Concerning the sacred images appearing in the most bizarre things, I say to give it the old biblical test -- judge it by its fruits," advised Catherine Dorland of the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. "Would the devil make an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary knowing that people were going to be reminded of Our Blessed Lady -- cause people to come far and near to venerate Her -- and possibly renew the use of the Rosary in people's lives: bring them back to Church and possibly strengthen peoples' faith in the Lord? I would say, Not Likely!

"Anything heavenly inspired, should be considered 'sacred items.' We should not judge the quality of the message by the instrument that is being used to convey it. However, when these 'sacred items' are sold for profit, then I have to wonder if the person themselves are being controlled by the devil. It is not necessarily the item that is demonic. It may be heavenly spirits attached to the image in battle with evil that is in and around that person/persons and their circumstances. Also a lot of these 'sacred items' are appearing in places where extra prayer is needed to bring people back to God. God is confirming that He has not left us no matter how dire the circumstances we may be in. It isn't the wise or the learned that will see the miracles but the humble and little ones."

"When God was trying to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, He used extraordinary means such as turning the river water to blood, brought plagues, locus infestations, etc. He was trying to get everyone's attention. He is doing the same now. He's got our attention!

[resources: The Day Will Come and The God of Miracles]