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Why are Marian apparitions not accepted by the Church as revelations of God?
Is Mary not immaculately conceived, the same as Jesus?
Is she not our Co-Redemptrix and the Mother of God?
Are revelations/apparitions of the Queen of Heaven not deemed to be helpful in strengthening our natural reason and belief in God?
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Grace be with you all,
Hector
{ Why are Marian apparitions not accepted by the Church as Revelations of God? }
John replied:
Hello Hector,
Marian apparitions are private revelation. Those that are approved my be accepted by the faithful. But they are not on par with Scripture and Sacred Tradition, which is Public Revelation.
There are also many supposed apparitions that aren't approved for good reason. They contain things that go against the Teaching of the Church so they are false and possibly demonic.
John
Eric replied:
Hector,
Just to add to what my esteemed colleague said, we believe that Public Revelation ended at the death of the last Apostle. Any revelation after that would not be considered binding on the faithful at large.
The Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say:
9. What is the full and definitive stage of God's Revelation?
The full and definitive stage of God's revelation is accomplished in his Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the mediator and fullness of Revelation. He, being the only-begotten Son of God made man, is the perfect and definitive Word of the Father. In the sending of the Son and the gift of the Spirit, Revelation is now fully complete, although the faith of the Church must gradually grasp its full significance over the course of centuries.
"In giving us his Son, his only and definitive Word, God spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word, and he has no more to say."
While not belonging to the deposit of faith, private revelations may help a person to live the faith as long as they lead us to Christ. The Magisterium of the Church, which has the duty of evaluating such private revelations, cannot accept those which claim to surpass or correct that definitive Revelation which is Christ.
Eric
Hector replied:
Thank you, Gentlemen,
Although it does sadden me to relate the Mother of God to a demon.
I still have faith that what has been revealed to Blessed Pope Pius IX will be accepted by all the faithful.
Peace,
Hector
John replied:
Hector,
No one related the Mother of God to a demon but everything must be tested. Everyone who claims to see Mary, isn't seeing Mary. St. Paul warns us the Satan comes as an Angel of Light and his ministers come as ministers of righteousness (1 Corinthians 12:10, 2 Corinthians 11:14, 1 John 4:1) so, when we say it could be demonic, it could be a demon, impersonating Mary, and lacing whatever he says with heresy in the middle of perfectly orthodox messages . . . in order to deceive.
Our Lady does appear from time to time, with a specific message for a time and place. It is a private revelation, and it must, must be tested against and line up with Sacred Scripture and Church Teaching — If it doesn't, then it's not Mary.
John
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