MORE MISTAKES ... SORRY, MYSTICS

Robert the catholic something or other recently 'discovered' another mystic who for some reason, Jesus Christ has chosen to act as a medium for his messages to humanity. I guess that JC doesn't trust the regular news media nor the newish social media networks - and, why should he? These channels have proven themselves to be unreliable at best and outright liars at worst. Sensationalism with or without 'page three tits' is their by-line because basically it sells advertising and invites subscriptions.

Jesus Christ though, and he's old enough to know better, should do some due diligence when choosing mystics as his media to get his messages across. I mean, it's not hard now that we have on-line search engines like Google and a host of others to do some background checks. It only took me a couple of minutes to find out that Luz de María de Bonilla who Robert thinks is the latest 'bees knees' is a fraudster and a scam artist. *

I guess that Robert was swayed by this: NONSENSE  when he should have taken another few seconds of 'research' to find stuff like this: THE REAL DEAL 

Anyway, intrigued by this I did a comprehensive internet search (Google) and discovered a hitherto little known mystic and martyred saint and I'd like to share her story with you.

Imelda Bonifica del Cassandria (1592 - 1631) St. Imelda, hacked to death by children.

Imelda Bonifica was a teacher in Cassandria, Italy, in the early 17th century. Formerly a novice in the Papal Cloister in Rome, she became a schoolmistress after being banished for taking the papal cloister vows too seriously. There were suspicions of cruelty and inappropriate behaviour.  Imelda was a devotee of flagellation and used various items for mortification of her flesh. These include a cilice belt (a belt made of coarse animal hair worn close to the skin), a 'Discipline' ( a scourge having seven tails representing the seven deadly sins and seven virtues for self-flagellation of the back), and various small puncturing devices which she used to replicate Christ's wounds to her feet and hands. Even back in those times this was too much for the normally cruel and repressive Papal Cloister.

In her new role, as a Catholic teacher of near pagan pupils during a period when Catholicism was under attack from not only Protestantism but general atheistic sentiment, Imelda was in a dangerous position. By refusing to accept any of the local populace's criticism of the Roman Catholic Church, she took out her frustrations on her students who she beat mercilessly with canes, rulers and the long leather belt she wore around her waist. The children, influenced by their non-conforming parents refused to accept the 'truth's that Imelda lectured them on drawn from the Catechism. This angered the local officials and parents alike and Imelda was seized and sentenced to death and turned her over to her students as her executioners. Why this should be the case and why they seemed happy to carry out the sentence is not entirely clear from historical accounts, but Imelda's death was torturous because of it: the only instruments the students had at their disposal were small and non-lethal. The boys employed their tablets to bash Imelda and the girls used their styluses (pointed iron instruments for writing) and penknives to make a multitude of cuts and punctures all over her body for an agonisingly extended time. Conscious through the long process, Imelda encouraged them to strike her forcefully, as she was eager to die for her faith. Reports of the time suggested that Imelda enjoyed the experience. Later the Vatican chose to see that this was an entreaty to Jesus and god in heaven to welcome her to her rightful place. 

No doubt Robert will 'adopt' Imelda Bonifica del Cassandria as an example of gaining a place in heaven through enduring "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune". I suggest that he takes the story to share with his Father Magenta at Sunday Church.

* #STOP PRESS# Robert has just admitted that he now knows that Luz de María de Bonilla is a scam artist.