I should've made a link to the full transcript. Darin Morgan, a true genius, wrote that episode. If you see his name on something -- watch it. It'll be great.
Well, I don't outright disbelieve -- but I don't believe, either. Certainly not on the basis of a magazine article.
Maybe it's the influence of Jesuitical rationalism on me, but I tend to be very cautious when it comes to the face of Christ or the Blessed Virgin appearing on this or that. It's simply being prudent.
What to speak of the Vatican, the local bishop seems cautious in his statement about it. He calls it extraordinry (literally meaning that ordinary hosts do not have such markings) and says that Christ might have a reason for producing such a sign. But if I read him rightly, he does not pronounce the event supernatural. Rather, he uses it as a springboard for preaching the doctrine of the Real Presence, which we are bound to believe.
And, semiotically, a face on a host does not particularly reinforce the doctrine of the Real Presence. An image of a face can be interpretted in many ways. I mean, say, compared to the Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano.
And, I hate to remind anyone, but now and then over the last two millennia a priest has been guilty of fraud in creating little "miracles" either for his own ego, or mistakingly thinking that frauds will increase parishoners' faith.
Or, if not fraud, it there may be a natural explanation for random discoloration, which in this case looks like an image of a face.
If anyone hears that Roma has locutaed anything on this one, let me know.