Church authorities relaxed their disapproval of Bernadette’s visions.”[240] A number of leaders in the hierarchy of the church “viewed the activities there as too much like paganism to be condoned,” yet Bernadette’s corroboration of the recent dogma of the “immaculate conception” won favor. Both church leaders and physicians cooperated in the investigation.[241] Starting in 1883, a medical bureau consisting of physicians with priests as advisors took over the process of certifying miracles, though “requirements were stiff and certification fairly rare.”[242] When miracle claims did survive
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