eBay Inc.
Mr. Pierre Omidyar, Founder and Chairman of the Board
Ms. Meg Whitman, President and CEO
Mr. Jeff Jordan, President, PayPal
2145 Hamilton Avenue
San Jose, California 95125
1-800-322-9266

Subject: The Eucharist Sold on eBay April 11, 2005

Dear Mr. Omidyar,

We are appalled by the offensive items that are being traded at eBay which target people of faith, in particular the Catholic Christians. We are writing today seeking to clear up the lack of awareness about articles (property) of the Catholic Church which have never been Authorized to be sold in her 2000 year history. We fully expect your cooperation, recognizing the unauthorized means in obtaining these, and include them in your Prohibited Items Policy.

While we have been dismayed at the sale of 1st Class Relics (Human Remains) of Catholic Saints. We are SHOCKED and profoundly grieved by the recent $2,000 sale of The Eucharist.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6169851381

The Eucharist, is that Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity of Jesus Christ. Our Saviour, Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread is substantially (truly) present in the consecrated host. This comes at a time in the Church that we are celebrating a special year of grace given us by our Holy Father, Oct 2004 - Oct 2005, The Year of The Eucharist. We are mourning the death of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II the Great. His funeral Mass was viewed by a global community of more than 2 Billion people. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/special_features/eucharist/index_en.html

While eBay may not have the theology to understand our beliefs, respecting our religious beliefs is guaranteed in the USA. Yet, an eBay spoksmen, Hany Durzy is quoted in a US newspaper as stating the listing and sale of The Eucharist "kicked up a minor controversy at eBay," but didn't violate eBay's policy.

We disagree. To our understanding of your publicly posted "Prohibited & Restricted Items Policy" the sale of the Eucharist violated several: 1) Stolen Property 2) Artifacts, grave related items, human parts and remains ... 3) Offensive Material - "Listings that promote hate, violence or racial intolerance (or organizations dedicated to such notions) have no place..

The organizations that would want to purchase the Eucharist are very well documented in public domain. View this CNA article, http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/mail/mail.php Fr. Aldo Buonaiuto, director of an "emergency help line" that assists young people wanting to get out of satanic cults, expressed alarm this week at the growth of Satanism, which has created a "market" for consecrated hosts in Italy. "The highest price is placed on those that are consecrated in the churches of Rome, above all those closest to the Vatican. They are stolen in two ways: from the tabernacle, but also at the time of Holy Communion," he said.

Your seller on eBay speaks of "Hell" in her first sentence of description and further discusses how she ("saved"), stole the Eucharist in spite of the disturbing accusing look she received as she made her get away through a very crowded situation, a 20th Anniversary Mass of the Holy Father, in Rome.

We understand it is your responsibility to put an end to this by listing The Eucharist, (Body of Christ) among the Prohibited Items for trade/sale on eBay. We would appreciate your kind consideration of doing the same with 1st Class Relics (Human Remains) of Catholic Saints. A Community of more than 2 Billion that stretches across the globe will be watching and awaiting your response. Until then, we will no longer be customers of eBay or your owned affiliate PayPal.

Sincerely,
Mary T. Corcoran, President and Director
Eucharistic Adoration of San Antonio, Inc.
P.O. Box 691006
San Antonio, TX 78269
Email: [email protected] Web: www.adore24.org/

PS: This letter is being used for a petition on-line & person-to-person carried by hand. All our contacts have been encouraged to contact eBay.

cc: United States Catholic Conference of Bishops www.usccb.org
bc: