The Vatican drew attention today to the recent publication of hitherto unofficially published norms regarding discernment of presumed apparitions.
In a statement, it said the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had recently published the norms which were originally approved by Pope Paul VI and issued by the congregation in 1978.
The Vatican said they were not officially released to the public until now because they were “principally intended as a direct aid for the pastors of the Church.” But it added that over the years the document had appeared in “various works” without the permission of the CDF.
“Since the contents of the norms are already in the public domain, the congregation believes it is now opportune to publish them,” the statement said.
The Vatican also today published a preface that accompanies the norms, written by Cardinal William Joseph Levada, prefect of the CDF, extracts of which are given below, courtesy of VIS:
"In the Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God held in October 2008, the issue of the problems stemming from the experience of supernatural phenomena was raised as a pastoral concern by some bishops. Their concern was recognised by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, who inserted the issue into the larger context of the economy of salvation in a significant passage of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation 'Verbum Domini'. It is important to recall this teaching of the Pontiff".
"As the Fathers noted during the Synod, the uniqueness of Christianity is manifested in the event which is Jesus Christ, the culmination of revelation. ... He Who ‘has made God known’ is the one, definitive word given to mankind. ... The Synod pointed to the need to ‘help the faithful to distinguish the word of God from private revelations’ whose role ‘is not to complete Christ’s definitive revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history’. The value of private revelations is essentially different from that of the one public revelation: the latter demands faith; in it God Himself speaks to us through human words and the mediation of the living community of the Church.
"The criterion for judging the truth of a private revelation is its orientation to Christ Himself. If it leads us away from Him, then it certainly does not come from the Holy Spirit, Who guides us more deeply into the Gospel, and not away from it. Private revelation is an aid to this faith, and it demonstrates its credibility precisely because it refers back to the one public revelation. Ecclesiastical approval of a private revelation essentially means that its message contains nothing contrary to faith and morals; it is licit to make it public and the faithful are authorised to give it their prudent adhesion. A private revelation can introduce new emphases, give rise to new forms of piety, or deepen older ones. It can have a certain prophetic character and can be a valuable aid for better understanding and living the Gospel at a certain time; consequently it should not be treated lightly. It is a help which is proffered, but its use is not obligatory".
"It is my firm hope that the official publication of the 'Norms regarding the manner of proceeding in the discernment of presumed apparitions or revelations' can aid the pastors of the Catholic Church in their difficult task of discerning presumed apparitions, revelations, messages or, more generally, extraordinary phenomena of presumed supernatural origin".
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“It is licit to make it public,and the faithful are authorized to give it their prudent adhesion.” For many years, I have been asking those who are involved with answering questions about the faith (e.g.: The Catholic Answer et al) to include private revelation in their answers so people know they exist and can make prudent adherence. For decades, I have been an avid letter writer. Being very well versed in what The Mystical City of God a private revelation by Venerable Mother Mary of Agreda, mere speculation of events in the life of the Holy Family have been fair game to me. It has been an unofficial quest for me to provide them the answer by quoting this source. A Vatican Cardinal said he learned more from reading the City of God than he learned in 50 years in the priesthood. It is reputed to be an autobiography of the Holy Family dictated by Almighty God and His Blessed Mother. This is a four volume publication with 5700 pages. Reading it sounds formidable, but when I started reading, it became an obsession to read every page.
God.
I really don’t know how the word God managed to be at the end, but it gives me a chance to say that reading this source was very rewarding for someone involved in Marian devotion since their conversion in 1949.
Upon reading the comment by Bob Rowland about Venerable Mother Mary of Agreda’s, The Mystical City of God, I went to different sites pertaining to that, such as Today’s Catholic World, and Fr. Peter Damian Mary Fehlner, among others, which leave me perplexed. Is The Mystical City of God incompatible with the Mariology of Vatican II? Also is David Hobson of Today’s Catholic World, sedevacantist?
His Excellency Pope Benedictus XVI,
Thank you for your attentions, prayers, helps as you have made it for so long
My name is Emilda Abadiyati Emmy, Roman Catholic, French Language, i was born at Pontianak City of West Borneo Kalimantan Barat Indonesia on
11 December 1971 and baptized at Cathedral Santo Yoseph Pontianak on
17 March 1972 ( St. Patrick Day)
My father name is Johannes Marianus Sotorman Benteng and my Brother name is Benedictus Irwan who has in heaven
Then
My family house at Jl Enggano No.138 Kota Baru Pontianak Kalimatan Barat West Borneo Indonesia
FIRST MESSAGE
For Pope Benedictus XVI
We all family Sotorman especially at Pontianak City of West Borneo Kalimantan Barat Indonsia, good friends wherever they are from certains countries,good relatives, good persons
We would like to grateful because you have chosen as our Roman Catholic Pope we have glad about it, and please keep it continue your Popehood as long as you able to do it according your abilities because we all loves and respect you, please leads Roman Catholic and us to Jesus Kristus’ salvations together with your
brother Mgrs Georg Ratzinger ” Opa alles Gutt”
Hope you and your brother keep in good healths, longing ages,and keep in protections
Please protect our Roman Catholic Church,and all Sacret Places inside Roman Catholic Church, all good conggregations inside Roman Catholic
Church
ANOTHER MESSAGE I
Please let you know, my life in Indonesia has abused by bad people mostly from Indonesia, they are local neurologist, an oculist, psychologists, psychiatric, another doctors, local journalist, etc
They has made or have a stuffs it was called sensoric minds to absorb energies and spirits from spirit sights, with photography tehnics, over head projector, cameras, handy cambs , computers, antene, radio stations, etc, maybe VoiP facilities
They used to split any spirits , then recorded it , multiples, then made many bad propagandas and manipulations on it
They also the people who always attend at charismatic the praying group, the priest from the different churches with the different sekts Indonesia
They try to make bad spirits transformations with ocultisms mixed with medic doctor’s ways
I also heard there has a an army commander, Marines, Airforce staff, bad police all locals of Indonesia
Why they do this bad stuffs?
Because they jealous , my spirits has many Great Spirits
They wanted to stealing it
They don’t like it if always have money or get money for the good things
They afraid people knows their bad stuffs
Please stop and destroy them
Please stop them upon mine or my spirits
Based on what had happend, i don’t want pray with charismatic way
I hope you think about it, as charismatic way last time exist inside Roman catholic Church because of tolerancey behave from the former Pope before John Paul II
I only pray with Roman Catholic way of pray as we have already known for so long
ANOTHER MESSAGE II
Meanwhile i am at Jakarta the capital city of Indonesia , i stayed at cheapest hotel with budget $305, now the budget has used then i have no yet another still looking for help hopefully you able to help me soon
If you can help me please send to Pfarrer Baum ,SVD
Katholische Gemeinde St Thomas
Jl Pejaten Barat I Nr 4B
Jakarta selatan 12510
Tel +62-2171793659
OR
Mother Abbess Martha Driscoll, OCSO
at OCSO Gedono Indonesia
She has a nun who is my friend last time the name is “Rita” maybe she has became a nun for almost sixteen years
Also ex OCSO Gedono Margareth
I am glad they are being my friends
Please let them know about it
i needed a speedy help
Vielen Dank,
Von
Emmy Emilda Abadiyati
Jakarta
Indonesia
Please let His Excellency Pope Benedictus XVI knowa about my comments also you
Thank you
From
Emmy Emilda Abadiyati Emmy
Could someone explain to me why the Catholic Church, in the person of our bishop and many priests, have been promoting the apparition of the Rosa Mystica in Edmeston, NY for the past 10 years, when the official pronouncement by the local ordinary (the Bishops of Brescia, Italy) in which the alleged apparition occurred has repeatedly said that it is not a true apparition. How does this make sense? And doesn’t anyone see that there is something wrong in doing this? Not to mention the dubious things they have there, like a cross painted like the American flag; a car on display (and where they hear confessions) that was ridden in recently by Padre Pio; a “mystic” who gives (gave, he just quit) strange advice from the Blessed Mother; a painting and statues of Mary, draped in an American flag and on and on.
I write in answer to comments made about Our Lady Rosa Mystica. People should find out more about the apparations before condemning them. Miracles are happening all over the world due to the intervention of Our Lady under this title. In 1947 when the apparations first started, no-one could foresee the lack of vocations which we now see, and the turning away from the faith which is so prevalent. Our Lady knew this and asked at Montichiari for us to pray particularly for priests and religious. Before you down this read up about it, then you will see that the Rosa Mystica devotion is real. I have experienced Our Lady’s help in my own life, in a way you would not believe, so please stop putting these apparations down. Look into them with an open mind before commenting.
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