On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:56:11 -0400, Darrell Stec
webpagesorcery.com> wrote:
>Michael Gray wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:12:46 -0400, Darrell Stec
>>
webpagesorcery.com> wrote:
>>
>> :
>> >>>Yes, the virtue of larceny made an appearance in my mind too. In the
>>>seminary I also had the opportunity to read some manuscripts from the
>>>Middle Ages. The ones on levitation and possession were particularly
>>>interesting.
>>
>> Did J.K. Rowling read the same manuscripts, perchance? ;)
>> But seriously, please elaborate on this topic.
>> Possession stories were a groat-a-dozen, but "levitation" episodes?
>> I am fascinated! :)
>
>I confess that I do not know the titles of these manuscripts but you have to
>understand there were other things on my mind at the time. After having
>been in the seminary during the high school years in an all male
>environment (all year-round school, 6 days a week) and thrust into a co-ed
>college attached to the seminary, we once again rediscovered girls. They
>were in our classes, at football and basketball games, at track meets, and
>we worked closely with them on social projects (hospitals for the retarded,
>and kids from fractured homes), so I didn't devote 100%% of my attention to
>the books.
I can not claim 100%% attention to academic pursuits at that age,
either.
Well, I *can* claim it, but I'd be lying!
>I'm not sure whether these were hand copies of known manuscripts or if they
>were originals kept in the archive room of the monastery. I was one of
>only two seminarians who were allowed in that locked room under the
>auspices of a Father Edmund (or something close to that).
Sounds like something from BlackAdder, series I.
>The ornately decorated (beautiful illustrations) manuscripts were in Latin.
Do you get an impression of about how old they were?
I love to look at original medieval documents, and as you will well
know, the smell is unique and the most memorable aspect of the reading
expeience, esp if they are on vellum parchment.
>St. Theresa of Avila (patron saint of television) was the topic of some
>stories. I don't know if her drawings were based upon anything real, but
>she was beautiful. Many stories of St. Joseph Cupertino, and some of St.
A medieval 'pin-up' girl? ;)
>Adolphus Liguori. And the only reference that I know of to levitation of
>St. Clare (St. Francis of Assisi's lover) was in those manuscripts.
This fascinates me!
>One of the books on possession and exorcism involved a young woman (I don't
>remember if a name was given), apparently sexually provocative, who
>levitated. What I can remember of her was that the Church at first thought
>she was blessed because of the levitation but then determined (solely on
>the fact that she was a real knock out type) she must be possessed and the
>devil was doing it.
Succubi & Incubi to tend to get the levitation thing going! :)
>Interestingly enough, just about the time I was reading them, one of the
>secular dorms had an "incident." I don't know if Australia is different
>but here in the States, most of the seminaries consist of a secular
>college/university and a nearby monastery which is almost always some grand
>mansion (read that as huge) donated by some very wealthy Catholic. Classes
>are co-joined but living quarters are separate.
All of the seminaries that I have visited in Australia have been
similar to convents, vis: self contained, almost isolated from the
real world.
Monastery & college in one, as it were.
Much on the early English model, I expect.
>Anyway, it seems that (remember this is the story we were told by those
>priests and brothers who were in charge) four students were in a room
>playing with a Ouija board asking dumb questions like sophomores and
>freshmen are apt to ponder. At one point they decided to ask if there was
>really a devil and the answer came back YES (so what would one expect from
>a bunch of teenaged True Believers?). Next they asked if he could prove
>his existence.
Woo!
>According to the story the lights went out in the dorm at this point, some
>type of balled lightning seared the top of the wall and ceiling, and the
>students heard a loud, deep, evil voice demonically laughing at them and a
>strong smell of sulfur permeated the room. It seems that they could not
>paint over the scorches (Rids-all might have been a smart choice) and they
>could not get the power on it the room. So Father Edmund was called to
>perform an exorcism, apparently he was the Order's exorcist, to no avail.
>Rome sent some Bishop (apparently we are talking about a powerful or
>important demon here). After he performed the exorcism rites the lights
>magically started working (never mind the fact that the electricians were
>working on the system during this whole time). We were told that one
>student died of a heart attack, one left the college, one was driven insane
>and one decided to become a priest (but not at our Order).
You really should submit that tale to Ms. Rowling, honestly!
>Naturally this became an example of what could happen if we played around
>with such devil products. It thereafter was used as an example just as the
>stories of people who masturbated would be driven so insane and obsessive
>that they would masturbate in public at train stations and bus stops.
>Nothing like a good anecdotal story to "prove the truth'.
Redundant.
'duke' is the only object lesson in the mental dangers of masturbation
that the world shall ever require.
>Also in these manuscripts were treatises on stigmata and bi-location.
Absolutely fascinating!
As I have asked previously: I am interested in the antiquity of said
documents.
(If, say, they were written in 1927, then they are of less interest to
me than should they have been penned in 1107AD, for example)
