A consecrated Host was returned to the Celebrant Priest of St. Francis Xavier Church in Kearns of Utah diocese as it was discovered to have been received by a child who has not received her first holy communion. The Priest collected the host and placed it in an ablution bowl for it to dissolve. After several days of being in the bowl, the host didn’t dissolve. Then later towards the end of the week, the host was said to have changed from its original form to dissolve to red color. The parish priest called other faithful to notice the mysterious change.
The Parishioners called a miracle and a physical revelation of Christ and sought that the host be exposed for adoration and worship.
“The Church does not presume supernatural causes for things that can have a natural explanation. While recognizing that God can work in extraordinary ways, the Church presumes that God ordinarily works through the ministry of the Church and through natural laws,” diocese spokeswoman Susan Dennin told CNA Nov. 30.
The diocesan administrator, Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw has set up committee chaired by Msgr. Mannion to investigate the bleeding host and ascertain if the bloody color is natural or a truly a mystery. As experts have revealed that either wheat mold or fungus, Neurospora crassa or the red bacterium Serratia marcescens could make the host change the way it did.
Msgr. Bircumshaw has ruled out the rumors as to whether or not the diocese will be making a public exposition and adoration of the host.
“Whatever the outcome of the investigation, we can use this time to renew our faith and devotion in the greatest miracle – the Real Presence of Jesus Christ that takes place at every Mass,” Msgr. Mannion said.
The committee has completed its interviews and is now undertaking a scientific investigation.
The big question that lies in everyone’s mind is “is this a miracle or not.