It seems fitting, in an odd, amusing way, that the pope who was totally devoted to Mary ("Totus tuus") would join her in making the rounds of appearances in food. (Before I annoy any apparitions purists, please understand that I am speaking ironically. When Mary or any saint appears, they appear. They do not appear as an image in food.) In any case, the image of John Paul the Great has recently been spotted in a flapjack:
"One Sunday morning, Myrna Kincaid’s life changed with the flip of a pancake.
"’Look at my pancake,’ she reflects. ‘It looks like, looks like the pope.’
"’I thought it could very well look like him,’ said Jay, her husband.
"Instead of eating the pancake bite by bite, they stored it in the freezer and scurried to church. But, what to make of this, they thought.
"Luke Galen is a Grand Valley State University professor who teaches a course on psychology in religion. ‘That one’s pretty accurate as far as these pictures go,’ said Galen."
Why would images like this, what we might call nature’s icons, "appear"? Who knows. But one of the things I love about Catholicism is that we have such a sacramental view of life that even cooking breakfast for one’s family can become a holy moment when one’s mind is uplifted to God and to his friends.
For a longer meditation on this kind of phenomena, see the links below.
OUR LADY OF THE UNDERPASS, REDUX
JIMMY ADDS: I’m skeptical about all "phenomena" of this nature, though sometimes there may be coincidental resemblances. In this case . . . I dunno. The contrast between the background and the pope figure is so extreme and the edges between them so sharp that it looks . . . artificial to me.
Sorry, that doesn’t look genuine to me.
And I KNOW my pancakes!
When I first saw that “pancake pope” photo a few days ago, I thought it was a gag. And I’m still wondering if it isn’t a gag. After the story has circulated a bit, and maybe appeared in OSV or some other publication, some nice, charitable atheist will pipe up with: “Haw, haw! We wanted to see how many of those poor Catholics would actually think this was legit!”
It really doesn’t do a lot for Catholics image in the wider world that people claim to see Our Lady or now our Pope in food items or salt stains of dew on window panes — I know that the Blessed Virgin has appeared to the poor and to children and not to the highly placed, but it is going too far to think that she would appear in food items. Unfortunately it will probably be all over the news. And, the apparent fact that these people created this thing with the intention of making a buck (I believe some of the earlier items have been sold for big money to Las Vegas Casinos) will be lost in the story of how crazy Catholics believe that the Pope appeared in a pancake. 🙁
Looks like the work of a culinary torch to me. You can pick one up at any decent kitchen supply store.
Jimmy, I couldn’t agree more. I saw this pancake on a varienty of web sites over the past several days, and initially thought it was a fake.
I still do, and would guess that some sort of template was placed on the grill and the batter poured upon it. Or perhaps painted on with some sort of medium.
The nun-bun that was circulating on the net some time back, actually did look like Blessed Teresa to me, yet it was still “cinnamon roll-ish” enough to not look like it was faked.
Anytime someone gets all fired up about these things, I get annoyed. Quit looking for signs, people, and visit the real thing — you can go to any Catholic Church in the world and meet the Real Presence of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ in the Tabranacle.
I still do, and would guess that some sort of template was placed on the grill and the batter poured upon it.
No, the burn lines are not consistent with pan grilling marks. (See, for example, the patterns on the lighter part of the pancake.)
This has “culinary torch” written all over it.
It has ebay written all over it.
Clearly another sign of the endtimes!!! This is an omen that we should be stockpiling bisquick and syrup in preparation for the bird flu!!!
Oh, I also meant to add:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A few years ago a sick woman in India was admitted to a hospital with a tumor in her stomach. She was given antibiotics and it disappeared.
During her treatment she also had a medal placed on her stomach, and some claimed this was the reason for the cure.
A order of nuns, became involved because the image on the medal was one of their nun’s.
A miracle story was begun and spread.
The nuns sought the medical records of the sick woman, and in good faith, the doctor complied.
soon, it was worldwide news that the intercession of this deceased nun had cured the sick woman.
This was seen as a hoax by the doctor who asked for the medical records to be retuned so he could prove the so called miracle was not a miracle, but based on medical treatments.
The nuns refused.
The husband of the sick woman declared that no miracle occurred, and he was humiliated by the media attention.
Ignoring the testimony of the husband and doctor, and with the medical records hijacked from the hospital, a miracle was declared.
This is the story of Mother Teresa’s miracle needed for beautification, that was not reported in the american press, but widely reported in overseas media outlets.
This incident allowed her to be beautified.
Perhaps as a reaction to this incident, future beautifications are going to be given a much slower track.
As to the process of making JP II a Saint,
sources indicate that is now sidelined.
This is the story of Mother Teresa’s miracle needed for beautification… As to the process of making JP II a Saint, sources indicate that is now sidelined.
How is this lengthy post related to the pancake???
“It really doesn’t do a lot for Catholics image “
Trish:
When Jesus ate with sinners, it tarnished His image, too. The amazing thing about being Catholic is that the Church wants you to be holy so you can spend eternity with God; it doesn’t really seem to be concerned at all about its image. Very rarely is someone “kicked out” for tarnishing the Church’s image.
I am appreciating this more and more.
Whimsy
WonderTwin italics DE-activate!
“Ignoring the testimony of the husband and doctor, and with the medical records hijacked from the hospital, a miracle was declared. ”
I’m not convinced. Heck, the Vatican even invited the fire-breathing Mo. Teresa basher Christopher Hitchens to come in and play devil’s advocate.
The Asian edition of Time ran this story and many others as well.
How can someone write in their book; the best thing a muslim can do is be a good muslim, and then call themselves a faithful Catholic; and when they die be put on a fast track to being a saint.
How would keeping someone in darkness of a pagan faith tradition be called a good work?
Is that the threshold for Sainthood ?
One more reason canonizations are in all liklihood not infallible.
Thier infalliblity comes form the real miracles that are attributed to them.
I don’t see the Pope on the pancake. Mebbe it’s just me, but I don’t see it.
I see a cross-shaped pattern in the upper left-hand quarter, but no Pope.
I can see a possible Snoopy, but it’s a bit of a stretch.
How can someone write in their book; the best thing a muslim can do is be a good muslim, and then call themselves a faithful Catholic; and when they die be put on a fast track to being a saint.
What does this have to do with the pancake? Nada. Zilch.
Camping World Open Roads Forum: Search
Your search for posts made by ‘Pull-Tab’ found 371 matches. … to save a mark then to edit it touch “edit/review favorits” next touch “location to edit” . …
Ummm… are you skeptical about this kind of “phenomenon”, or skeptical about “these kinds of phenomena”? The way it’s written is a strict no-no.