DISCERNMENT
The following information may be helpful in discerning the signs and wonders of the present day. The info was taken from several sources. Some comments are my own.
In Wm. A. Reck’s latest and final book, Dear Marian Movement, Let God Be God, he states, "In only a 15 year period, from 1960 - 1975, Marian devotion seemed to disappear. Much of the strength of the Catholic Church also seemed to disappear along with the Marian movement. Seminaries and convents emptied. Schools closed. Vocations were lost."
"Strongly, in another short span of 15 years 1980 - 1995, the Marian movement seemed to spring up again. This time though, it has become a period of wild and often-times uncontrolled reports of apparitions and supernatural manifestations. It has become an era of unprecedented visions, locutions and claims of signs and wonders. Many seem to be of very suspicious origin."
The Second Vatican Council confirmed all previous dogmas, doctrines and titles given to Mary by previous Church councils, and officially named Her as "Mother of the Church."
Fr. Bert Buby, renowned author in Marianology states,
"1) Whenever there is a period that is very disturbing in the history of humankind, or especially in the Catholic Church, the faithful often become confused and start searching for signs of divine intervention.
"2) There is an excess of certain Marian devotions today, and the phenomena attributed to Mary.
"3) Private revelations and apparitions tend to over-dogmatize Mary by going beyond the dogmas of the Church.
"4) Today there is an inadequate presentation of Mary in the Church, adding to the appeal and confusion of the apparitions.
I am most struck by this last point. If the shepherds do not believe, then the sheep will search anywhere and everywhere. This, apparently, is what has happened over the past several years. The need for discernment is critical and crucial. Without discernment there is division, animosity, confusion, disobedience, etc. Fr. Rene Laurentin, noted Marianologist, states four reasons for the extreme prudence the Church takes with regard to apparitions:
"1) Private revelation cannot add to anything of Christ’s revelation.
"2) Because apparitions come through "senses", the Church must consider these events low-level compared to dogma.
"3) Apparitions are "subjective" meaning personal, of the mind or imagination.
"4) People may be drawn more to the person having the apparition or private revelation than to the Church."
This is not meant to dispute or discount private revelation. The documents of Vatican II strongly affirm the existence of private revelation. But as previously stated, one must discern. St. Ignatius tells us that satan is most happy to provide us with very positive fruits, if in doing so, he can capture our confidence and blow the whole thing up down the road. The Very Rev. Adolphe Tanquerey and Rev. A. Poulain state that "Satan can and does deceive us by very willingly giving us 95% of absolute truth and goodness in some message, just to get us to accept the other 5% that is not correct and can do us in."
In 1978, the Vatican put out guidelines for judging apparitions. The guidelines are summarized as follows:
"1) Sound devotion and rich spiritual fruits
"2) No new revelation, no error in theological and spiritual doctrine
"3) Certainty, or at least great probability, that the facts actually happened
"4) Personal qualities of those involved, such as humility, obedience to the Church, no seeking of financial gain."
"Bad private revelation is a kiss of death to the great gifts and charisms that our Lord God is making available to us in so many ways today. You are doing yourself, your Church, the claimed visionary involved, and the entire Marian movement, a great deal of good by questioning these things, and discerning these points with every new book or claimed apparition. It is not being judgmental. Judging is part of the process we have been sorely lacking and it is known as discernment." (Reck, Let God Be God)
Some other questions to ask yourselves are:
1) Do the messages provide "spiritual soul food" and not spiritual entertainment?
2) Do they make Jesus the first priority in our lives?
3) Do they help simplify our lives and live the message as Our Lady has asked? Or do they demand unreasonable quantities of prayers and devotions, deterring us from fulfilling our vocation and obligations?
4) Do they lead to more confusion, chaos, anxiety, division, criticism and condemnation?
Satan knows the strength of the Marian movement, that it has long been a key element to the prosperity and continuation of the Church. Thus he is going to attack it strongly, especially with confusion, disillusionment, and side-tracking. The following are Scripture passages that are helpful in understanding the need for discernment, especially in these days of confusion. Don’t panic, don’t get nervous and don’t give up! By patience and endurance, seek Truth - you will find It!!
James 1:2-4
2 Tim 2:1-26 (esp, 7)
2 Tim 3:14-17
2 Thess 2:1-17
Heb 5:11-14
Rom 5:3-5
2 Tim 4:1-5
May 8, 1986 - Medjugorje Message
Dear Children! You are responsible for the messages. The source of grace is here, but you, dear children, are the vehicles transmitting the gifts. Therefore, dear children, I am calling you to work responsibly. Everyone will be responsible according to his own measure. Dear children, I am calling you to give the gift to others with love and not to keep it for yourselves. Thank you for having responded to My call.
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your well-beloved Spouse, and give us Your Spirit of Truth! Amen.
The following information may be helpful in discerning the signs and wonders of the present day. The info was taken from several sources. Some comments are my own.
In Wm. A. Reck’s latest and final book, Dear Marian Movement, Let God Be God, he states, "In only a 15 year period, from 1960 - 1975, Marian devotion seemed to disappear. Much of the strength of the Catholic Church also seemed to disappear along with the Marian movement. Seminaries and convents emptied. Schools closed. Vocations were lost."
"Strongly, in another short span of 15 years 1980 - 1995, the Marian movement seemed to spring up again. This time though, it has become a period of wild and often-times uncontrolled reports of apparitions and supernatural manifestations. It has become an era of unprecedented visions, locutions and claims of signs and wonders. Many seem to be of very suspicious origin."
The Second Vatican Council confirmed all previous dogmas, doctrines and titles given to Mary by previous Church councils, and officially named Her as "Mother of the Church."
Fr. Bert Buby, renowned author in Marianology states,
"1) Whenever there is a period that is very disturbing in the history of humankind, or especially in the Catholic Church, the faithful often become confused and start searching for signs of divine intervention.
"2) There is an excess of certain Marian devotions today, and the phenomena attributed to Mary.
"3) Private revelations and apparitions tend to over-dogmatize Mary by going beyond the dogmas of the Church.
"4) Today there is an inadequate presentation of Mary in the Church, adding to the appeal and confusion of the apparitions.
I am most struck by this last point. If the shepherds do not believe, then the sheep will search anywhere and everywhere. This, apparently, is what has happened over the past several years. The need for discernment is critical and crucial. Without discernment there is division, animosity, confusion, disobedience, etc. Fr. Rene Laurentin, noted Marianologist, states four reasons for the extreme prudence the Church takes with regard to apparitions:
"1) Private revelation cannot add to anything of Christ’s revelation.
"2) Because apparitions come through "senses", the Church must consider these events low-level compared to dogma.
"3) Apparitions are "subjective" meaning personal, of the mind or imagination.
"4) People may be drawn more to the person having the apparition or private revelation than to the Church."
This is not meant to dispute or discount private revelation. The documents of Vatican II strongly affirm the existence of private revelation. But as previously stated, one must discern. St. Ignatius tells us that satan is most happy to provide us with very positive fruits, if in doing so, he can capture our confidence and blow the whole thing up down the road. The Very Rev. Adolphe Tanquerey and Rev. A. Poulain state that "Satan can and does deceive us by very willingly giving us 95% of absolute truth and goodness in some message, just to get us to accept the other 5% that is not correct and can do us in."
In 1978, the Vatican put out guidelines for judging apparitions. The guidelines are summarized as follows:
"1) Sound devotion and rich spiritual fruits
"2) No new revelation, no error in theological and spiritual doctrine
"3) Certainty, or at least great probability, that the facts actually happened
"4) Personal qualities of those involved, such as humility, obedience to the Church, no seeking of financial gain."
"Bad private revelation is a kiss of death to the great gifts and charisms that our Lord God is making available to us in so many ways today. You are doing yourself, your Church, the claimed visionary involved, and the entire Marian movement, a great deal of good by questioning these things, and discerning these points with every new book or claimed apparition. It is not being judgmental. Judging is part of the process we have been sorely lacking and it is known as discernment." (Reck, Let God Be God)
Some other questions to ask yourselves are:
1) Do the messages provide "spiritual soul food" and not spiritual entertainment?
2) Do they make Jesus the first priority in our lives?
3) Do they help simplify our lives and live the message as Our Lady has asked? Or do they demand unreasonable quantities of prayers and devotions, deterring us from fulfilling our vocation and obligations?
4) Do they lead to more confusion, chaos, anxiety, division, criticism and condemnation?
Satan knows the strength of the Marian movement, that it has long been a key element to the prosperity and continuation of the Church. Thus he is going to attack it strongly, especially with confusion, disillusionment, and side-tracking. The following are Scripture passages that are helpful in understanding the need for discernment, especially in these days of confusion. Don’t panic, don’t get nervous and don’t give up! By patience and endurance, seek Truth - you will find It!!
James 1:2-4
2 Tim 2:1-26 (esp, 7)
2 Tim 3:14-17
2 Thess 2:1-17
Heb 5:11-14
Rom 5:3-5
2 Tim 4:1-5
May 8, 1986 - Medjugorje Message
Dear Children! You are responsible for the messages. The source of grace is here, but you, dear children, are the vehicles transmitting the gifts. Therefore, dear children, I am calling you to work responsibly. Everyone will be responsible according to his own measure. Dear children, I am calling you to give the gift to others with love and not to keep it for yourselves. Thank you for having responded to My call.
Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your well-beloved Spouse, and give us Your Spirit of Truth! Amen.