TESTS have begun on a weeping and bleeding statue of Our Lady at the Vietnamese Catholic Centre in Inala, in Brisbane’s west.
Brisbane archdiocese’s judicial vicar, Fr Adrian Farrelly, who has been appointed by Archbishop John Bathersby to lead a probe into the unusual phenomena, took away the statue for testing on June 1. It was expected to be returned after the tests were performed.
Fr Farrelly has recruited a scientist and lawyer to assist him in his investigation.
He said the probe would involve examining statues and other religious artefacts that have been reportedly weeping a rose-scented oil or a blood-like liquid at various times over the past three weeks.
Fr Farrelly said he would also be interviewing Inala’s Vietnamese chaplain Fr Joseph Nguyen Thanh Liem and others who had witnessed the unusual phenomena, as well as Inala’s parish priest Fr Frank Moynihan.
Several media outlets have reported the Vatican is investigating the events at Inala, but Fr Farrelly said he had no knowledge of such an investigation.
Meanwhile, crowds have continued to flock to the Vietnamese Catholic Centre to pray before the 60cm tall statue of Our Lady which first started weeping on or about May 13.
