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<DIV>In a message dated 05/06/04 09:29:12 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ed_maddenaLINEONE.NET writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>And no-one surely would say that an attempt at thought control was involved<BR>if a Catholic priest would only agree to provide a baptism certificate to<BR>someone who professed the faith and went through the ceremony?</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#0080c0>This is fine for adherents to a faith; but what about non-believers who walk? there is no requirement, thankfully, that one profess to be a Catholic to receive the Compostela. As for Marathon certificates and academic degrees, of course there are requirements to earn them. I don't take issue with the proof that one has walked or cycled a certain distance, but what does "a religious motive" really have to do with getting a Compostela? The Church should eliminate this aspect of granting the Compostela despite all your arguments for keeping it. As I said, personal or private motives are just as valid in my mind. HM NYC</FONT></STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>