Cardinal Ratzinger on The Increase in Marian Apparitions
In 1984 Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the head of the Roman Catholic Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), declared that, "one of the signs of our times is that the announcements of 'Marian Apparitions' are multiplying all over the world. For example, reports are arriving from Africa and from other continents at the section of the Congregation that is competent to deal with such reports." He made this observation as a comment on the many reports of the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary to individuals located in a wide variety of countries, cultures and political systems.
Apparitions, visions and prophetic messages are an integral part of Christianity. They are gifts of the Holy Spirit - charisms - which are provided by God to assist His faithful as they attempt to deal with an increasingly hostile cultural and political environment.
The reason that there have been so many reported Marian apparitions in the last twenty years would appear to be in preparation for the many Eucharistic Miracles which were being reported in the 1990's. Taken together, these two mystical occurrences should serve to strengthen the faith of all Christians during a time of great trial - a time in which there will be an all-out attack on the Church and on Christianity, potentially culminating with the murder of the Pope.
Thus, the many reports of Marian apparitions and the messages accompanying them to pray, convert and practice self-denial appears to be a necessary preparation for a time of difficulty followed by a time of joy and hope, since just as those past prophecies told of a time of great difficulty for the world, they also described a time of global peace and plenty. Just such a time was guaranteed by Our Lady of Fatima in 1917 when she said,
"...in the end my Immaculate Heart shall triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me which will be converted, and some time of peace will be given to the world."
So, despite the apparently pessimistic expectations about our near-term future, the events, phenomena and prophecies described are signs of great hope - our children and our children's children will live in a world at peace...with the loving God who created and redeemed us as well as with one another. This is a world worth sacrificing for, a world worth praying for...shouldn't we, each of us, start praying and pracing self-denial today?
Our Lady of America asked this very thing of all of us and our American priests and Bishops in 1956 when She asked us to "lead the world by the purity of our lives". Will we respond to Our Lady's request, and accept this plea, as a sign of great hope, and place Her image in The National Shrine To The Immaculate Conception?
posted by OLTIV @ 12:57 AM
11 Comments
11 Comments:
Can anyone comment on whether the opinion expressed by Cardinal Ratzinger in 1984 has changed in the past 23 years or since becoming Pope Benedict XVI?
I know there has been lots of waffling on the third secret of Fatima since 1960, so I was wondering what has been the case with Marian Apparitions in general.
I've been reading different websites on this topic and this one seems to have the most positive comments. Other sites seem to want to condemn this apparition. Am I missing something? I thought apparitions and the attending messages were to be about faith-building. These messages seem to be so accurate for our day just like the Fatima messages were in their day. Does anybody else see the similarity?
This was a good article for the start of Lent. Very appropriate.
Thank you for the website. I agree with Jenny from New York that the OLOA presentation is very good. I have sent it to many friends who have seemed reluctant to take the time to read the messages. It isn't everything, but it is the gist of what Our Lady has asked of us.
I think the Our Lady of America message ARE just as pertinent to today's world as the Fatima messages were to the world in 1917. This was a good comparison.
Although nobody from the Vatican has so much as said so, I believe that one of the elements of the third secret did point to the United States and this may very well be the reference point (OLOA).
I think we have good reason to be VERY concerned with the state of our world and the commitment of some members of our Church to address these issues. Spread the rosary and the OLOA message as best you can.
I found this comment on the Air Maria website under the Fr. Geiger homily. It pertains to something that happened in Rome City, IN on 9/11/01. I think this woman's statement/testimony/opinion is evidence that this Holy Ground will one day be a refuge for the remnant Church we have been told about in other prophecies. Our Lady said that the places where She has appeared will be the refuges.
Cathy Says:
My husband & a friend learned of OLOA via SpiritDaily & decided to go to Rome City, IN, to visit a place where Sr. Mildred lived for a time. We let Friend select the date because we are retired and he had school-age children.
We picked him up about 9 AM (we’re all in Indpls.) and arrived in Sylvan Springs, Rome City, about 1:00. While talking to Larry when we arrived, we learned that America had been attacked - we hadn’t listened to any news that day and learned that Our Lady of America had led us to her safe home while our Country was being attacked. She has always said that she would care for us and she did!
Olivia
KRIS
so I was wondering what has been the case with Marian Apparitions in general.
In general, the local bishop is the one to decide the status of any apparition/seer, etc. There even have been times when one bishop rules one way in a particular jurisdiction of an apparition, perhaps the neutral, wait and see decision, only to have a later bishop there fully approve an apparition. There may have to be established in the case of OLOA just which bishop has the official jurisdiction since the messages took place in several places. It may just be, that since Bishop Leibold was of Cincinnati that that bishop (archbishop) may be the one selected. But pray that the bishops might just rule as a whole (I doubt it though without intervention from above) to expedite this action of placing the image in the basilica. We can only hope!
I just thought you would like to know, that there is a sci-fi novel just published that has the "Virgin Mary" apparition as one of its main characters...The novel is called: "TIME TRIP ON A MOEBIUS STRIP," by D. Richard Lewis...You can buy it at: www.Amazon.com ....I happen to be the author of this book and I know you will very much enjoy it...
Why would anyone enjoy a work of fiction more than the truth?
I suggest that NOBODY buy this book.
My novel is based on fact...I discovered many Christian things about the real people in my book that few Christians are aware of...It made me a better Christian for knowing about their lives...RFead the book first before you judge, lest you be judged in the afterlife.
oooooooooo....you're one of THOSE guys?
Is there an Imprimatur for your work?
"I happen to be the author of this book and I know you will very much enjoy it"
Why would I "very much enjoy it"?
If you want to sell your book, buy some advertising on Google. If you want to discuss it, or back up your assertion that it would be "very much enjoyed" by people interested in true apparitions of the Virgin Mary, then how about telling everyone about the book and WHY your work of fiction has any connection with the truthful facts associated with approved Church devotions?
Until you are ready to step up and talk, not hawk, I still suggest NOBODY BUY THIS BOOK.
I read the reviews on your book and it sounds as though you had some of what Anna Nicole was taking when you were writing your fiction. It has absolutely no place in the discussion of true apparitions of the Virgin Mary either here or elsewhere.
those who have what they truly consider to be true apparitions of the Blessed Mother, usually tell few about it, and when they do it is usually under very directed and thought out circumstances, through a apiritual advisor.
most of those who have had apparitions, believe themselves may be crazy and least others also believe this.
those who received apparitions of the Blessed Virgin pray continuously to be sure it was not their imagination, even after the fruits begin to be seen. It takes much faith and much dicernment before the alleged visionaries even believe what they have seen. That is why so many ask for confirmation in ways that they only need to believe it.
most people who have apparitions don't extemporaneously share them with book writers!! They acutally shy away from the publicity for even the visionary is put on trial as to the stableness of their announcement.
I personally know of no one who I consider to have had a vision to be out there and about with the information until it has at least been spritaully approved by their director, even back in the 1800's and earlier and first shared publically to a bishop or priest.
I know of no one who has had a true apparition, that they consider to be true to share in a science fiction book.
My thoughts, my opinions, come to your own conclusions.
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