Paul Siwek

1837 The Riddle of Konnersreuth: A Psychological and Religious Study, by Paul Siwek, S.J., Ph.D., S.T.D. translated by Ignatius McCormick, O.F.M.Cap. (read 17 Mar 1984) This was published in English in 1953, and I must say I am impressed. He does a pretty thorough job. He finishes up with the fasting--and doesn't believe she did! If he had known how much weight she gained in her last years, what would he have said? Albert Vogl's book on page 48 says in July 1927 she weighed 121 pounds, in 1935 140 pounds, in 1945, 185 pounds, in 1950--200 pounds, and in 1953 she weighed 215 pounds. The author simply does not believe she did not eat. His book is so carefully written--none of the pro-Konnersreuth books can approach this one in careful reasoning. With a book like this around, Theresa Neumann will never be canonized. There are too many unanswered questions. Now I am out of books to read on her--I have read enough, and I conclude that it is very questionable whether she should be believed to be what she and her circle held herself out to be.… (altro)