News broke recently about the final ruling of six bishops involving the supernatural origins of the supposed apparitions of Our Lady of America. These supposed apparitions of Our Lady were given to Sister Mary Ephrem Neuzil, a member of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. The apparitions started on September 25, 1956 in Rome City, Indiana, as part of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. These events extended over a three-year period until December 20, 1959 and occurred to Sr. Neuzil at various places she was stationed within the confines of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the Archdiocese of Detroit, the Diocese of Phoenix, and the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana.i
One interesting question is: why was this apparition ruled to be not an objective apparition when Archbishop Paul F. Leibold, and later Cardinal Raymond Burke, endorsed the content of the messages of Our Lady of America? The bishops’ recent Decree notes that such endorsements of the messages were not a endorsements of their objective supernatural character, but only a recognition that their content is consistent with the constant teaching of the Church as pertaining to devotion to Our Lady, the sanctification of the family, and the fostering of purity of heart. This initial ruling is consistent with the first part of the investigation of an alleged apparition as to whether or not its message is consistent with the teaching of the Church regarding faith and morals, not as to its objective supernatural character.ii The investigation as to the alleged character and messages of an apparition is started by the local bishop and he has the authority of making a final judgement on the nature of such an apparition, with appropriate assistance as needed.iii
Multiple bishops, as well as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops itself, got involved with the final ruling on the supernatural origin of the apparitions because of the various places where these apparitions occurred. Another reported reason for this was because of the purported request of Our Lady of America to process with a statue in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith then gave its permission in November 2017 for the second part of the investigation to proceed, which deals with the question of whether the apparitions were of supernatural origin. The final conclusion of this investigation, decreed by the Most Rev. Kevin Rhoades, Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend and cosigned by five other bishops was the following:
Therefore, I must come to the conclusion that the visions and revelations themselves cannot be said to be of supernatural origin in the sense of objective occurrences (non constat de supernaturalitate); thus further, I cannot approve or support public devotion or cult.iv
This recent ruling by Bishop Rhoades may lead some to wonder what is the objective standard that the Church uses to rule upon the supposed supernatural nature of an apparition of Our Lord and Our Lady. Such questioning would revolve around two main points: first, if Sister Neuzil was of sound mind, good faith, and did not lie about these occurrences, then what actually happened? Secondly, how can a claim of an apparition be ruled as not objectively a supernatural occurrence, but also be a truth of subjective experience that defined a person’s own life and walk with the Lord?
The decree notes that Sr. Neuzil was “honest, morally upright, psychologically balanced, devoted to religious life, and without guile.” Despite these signs of goodness, there were signs of imperfection but no evidence that she was a perpetrator of a hoax or the victim of delusion. She also communicated her alleged experiences, what she believed to be true, and “her communication of these alleged experiences [is] filled with humility and forthrightness.” The decree also notes that “looking at the nature and quality of the experiences themselves, we find that they are more to be described as subjective inner religious experiences rather than objective external visions and revelations.”v
It is necessary at this point to understand what is meant by “subjective inner religious experiences” and “objective external visions and revelations.” The Church distinguishes between three types of visions: bodily (the physical eyes), imaginative, and intellective.vi Sr. Neuzil described the experiences of her visions of Our Lady as “inner visions.”vii Thus, we are speaking of the second type of vision: imaginative. In this type of vision, one’s imagination and intellect can have a notable and decisive role in the formation of one’s experiences.viii
Saint John of the Cross describes these occurrences as when imagination, without the use of the exterior senses, presents to the intellect an image or perception and the person then makes a judgement about them. God can use the imaginative faculty to convey messages and particular wisdom to people.ix The devil can also do the same thing with the interior senses in order to deceive a soul. The resulting effect can be an overstimulation of the imagination and intellect, in which there is difficulty discerning human action from divine action. This discernment is typically done on a personal level with one’s spiritual director/father. Instances that have a more public character might require the intervention of higher authorities.
The above explanation helps makes sense of the anthropological and ecclesial dimensions but does not explain the intention of the person. On this point, the Church recognizes that, in such matters, the person experiencing these things might not have ill intentions, such as to deceive people or to gain fame or fortune. They can, however, be fooled by his or her own imagination and still be virtuous individuals. Simply put, they honestly mistook the origin of their experience(s). Even in good and holy people receiving an extraordinary grace, human faculties may be overwhelmed to an extent where they struggle to both understand and interpret what the Lord is showing them and how to apply it properly within the life of faith.x This is what Bishop Rhoades et al. meant when they spoke of “subjective inner religious experiences”, even while upholding Sr. Neuzil’s personal integrity.xi
Such subjective visions that come in the course of deep mystical prayer and ecstasies are not considered by the Church to be apparitions per se but as meditations. They can be an extraordinary gift from the Lord, given as a profound grace and consolation, but often they are not rooted in authentic supernatural movements within the soul and can often be embellishments of mystical experiences. Despite this fact in some cases, these events may contain some interior truths that can help people enter more deeply into the essential truths of the faith and the life of Our Lord. For this reason, many people have found Sr. Neuzil’s writings to be helpful in their spiritual lives, and that is good. It must, however, be tempered with the Church’s judgment.
Bishop Rhoades concluded his investigation on a positive note. He stated that it is possible to have a private devotion to the apparition of Our Lady of America, but that “such private devotion should in no way imply approval or acceptance of purported revelations, visions, or locutions attributed to Sr. Mary Ephrem Neuzil other than as her own subjective inner religious experiences.”xii Such decision may seem like a dismissal of what Sr. Neuzil experienced, but actually is the opposite. Due reverence is being given without distorting the gifts and graces that were actually given to Sr. Neuzil by the Lord through the hands of the Blessed Mother.
The decree attests that Sr. Neuzil did experience something profoundly mystical and life-changing. As the apparitions of Our Lady of America have been tested by Our Lord and the Church, let us hold onto what is good (cf. 1 Thess. 5:21) in its private devotional context if we find that personally helpful. Yet as Saint John of the Cross reminds us, let us not become too fixated on visions and apparitions, lest they become a roadblock of pride and personal preference that risks derailing us from entering into the full divine embrace of Our Lord in all its mystery and truth.
Endnotes:
i Most Rev. Kevin Rhoades, Statement Regarding the Devotion to Our Lady of America and Singular Decree, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. April 24, 2020.
iiIbid; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Norms Regarding the Manner of Proceeding in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations (February 25, 1978); Most Rev. Raymond L. Burke, Letter to the Bishops of the USCCB Regarding Our Lady of America (May 31, 2007).
iii Rhoades et al., Statement & Singular Decree.
iv Ibid.
v Ibid.
vi Cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, The Message of Fatima (Vatican City State: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2000), 36-37.
vii Rhoades et al., Statement & Singular Decree.
viii The Message of Fatima, 36-38.
ix John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II, Ch. 16, n.1-3. Taken from The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross. Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otillo Rodriguez. Washington, DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1991. For examples from scripture of God influencing people through imaginary images, please see Is 6:2-4, Jer 1:11, Daniel 7:10. For example of demonic influence through imaginary visions in Scripture, please see 1 Kgs 22:11-12, 21-22, and Mt 27:19. As noted in the Singular Decree of Bishop Rhoades, Benedict Groeschel also speaks of imaginative visions and the difficulties they pose in A Still Small Voice (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1993), 129, 130-132 and a more recent one can be found in, Donald Haggerty, Contemplative Enigmas, San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2020, 113..
x John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II, Ch. 16, n. 6-7 & Ch. 17, n.7
xi Rhoades et al., Statement and Singular Decree. The decree notes that “it seems that these were authentically graced moments, even perhaps of a spiritual quality beyond what most people experience, but subjective ones in which her own imagination and intellect were constitutively engaged, putting form to inner spiritual movements.” Such experiences are powerful but not objective visions and revelations of the type seen at Fatima, Guadalupe, and Lourdes.
xii Rhoades et al., Statement and Singular Decree. See also CDF Norms II:2.
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Thank you Father for the article. In the booklet of Our Lady of America compiled by Sr. Neuzil and Archbishop Leibold sister says ..”Our Lady appeared appeared before me enveloped in a soft glow of light. I knew with unmistakable certainty that it was she, though she did not speak immediatley” She then goes on to describe Our Lady in great detail. Shortly after that first apparition sister enters her room and she says Our Lady was waiting for her. And on another occasion she says …” I saw Our Lady frequently.” Sr. also told Archbishop Leibold that “Our Lady asked me to draw a picture of her first appearance.” Throughout the booklet it is obvious that sister is the recipient of Heavenly Visions. Later Archbishop Leibold gave his Imprimature to the medal that was requested by Our Lady. He also had Plaques of Our Lady made as she appeared to Sr. Mary Ephrem and as Our Lady requested be done. The prayer to Our Lady of America which he approved was written at Her behest. All these devotions were directed by Our Lady. It would be to say, it is good and edifying to pay homage to the image of Divine Mercy and pray the Chaplet, but Sr. Faustina did not see Our Lord. I have been involved with Our Lady of America since early 2000’s. So many holy and devoted souls suffered for this devotion. I personally spoke with those who know Archbishop Leibold and agreed that he believed sister. He even had 3 small ivory statues made, one for the convent sisters one for himself and one for The Apostolic Nuncio. I personally believe that Sr. Mary Ephrem did see Our Lady and pray one day she will be enthroned in The National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and story. It’s clear from the decree that the decision reached on Our Lady of America is not an absolute, hard no implying that this is definitely not from Our Lady or Our Lord. They are saying based on the known evidence we can’t say it’s an objective apparition of supernatural origin because there is a difficulty of separating the human from the siding in the way Sr. Neuzil describes how she experienced Our Lady communicating to her. If new evidence came forward that clearly proved otherwise, then the local bishop could start another investigation in theory. However I would not put my hat on that definitely happening at this point. This decision is not a hard or definintely not supernatural (Constant de non supernaturalitatae) in origin as in the case of other apparitions like Holy Love Ministries in Ohio https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/files/assets/holylovestatements2019.pdf or Our Lady of Emmitsburg which also was condemned
Sorry, but John Palumbo makes more sense. This statement makes no sense in light of what Sr Neutzel related to ArchBishop Liebold: “They are saying based on the known evidence we can’t say it’s an objective apparition of supernatural origin because there is a difficulty of separating the human from the siding in the way Sr. Neuzil describes how she experienced Our Lady communicating to her.” May as well say the same about the Fatima message, only there one has to deal with a miracle seen by 70,000.
With all due respect, Fatima was not seen by 70,000 people. Some people report seeing something, some people reported seeing something different and many, many people reported seeing nothing at all.
Fatima is quite different from the alleged America apparitions though, as the Church ruled that Fatima can be believed to be of supernatural origins, Americas can not.
It appears that the vast majority of witnesses reported extraordinary phenomena at Fatima on October 13 1917, including those who did not believe in the faith or the apparitions, and even those who continued not to believe in the faith afterwards. Reporter Avelino de Almeida of the anticlerical paper O Seculo gave a very detailed report, among other journalists. Also incontestable is the fact that the fields had been wet and muddy from heavy rains beforehand, and as you can clearly see from photos afterwards, were bone dry at the conclusion.
It’s a shame that we are being denied the graces given by the Bishops’ placing and honoring Our Lady of America in the National Cathedral because of the opinions of these bishops. Do you think Jesus would be offended that His Mother was being honored. This request given to Sister Mildred could not be of the devil. The devil would never want Our Lady consecrated and honored by the nation. I believe their placing Her there would heal the country. I’m sure the President would attend as well
Why would anyone of good faith deny the country this Blessing and deny Our Lady the honor she is due?
I agree with John. It appears that our Bishops are so skeptical of any spiritual revelations, see what they did to Sr. Faustina. Many Catholics are skeptical of whatever the Bishops say since mainly they say nothing that appears of value.
Mr. Palumbo, sadly nothing you relate here in your comment proves that the Lady of America apparition was OBJECTIVELY true. I was personally involved in the investigation of an alleged Marian apparition and, as strictly impartial as we all tried to be, we were all enthusiastic about it maybe being OBJECTIVELY true. Who wouldn’t FEEL that way, we’re Catholics you know! Still, JESUS’ Catholicism is NOT about feelings and it shows in all His earthly life and His every word, and the fact that he died on a horrific Cross and not on a memory foam mattress. Feelings were burned to ashes on the Cross and only Jesus Saving and Redeeming REALITY remained.
It was found that this particular apparition that we examined was false on all counts. We were all saddened and so was the Bishop, who still CLUNG ON TO IT and also to the fanatical, blind, false devotion cult that sprang up from it (like it happens with all the totally false apparitions). The Bishop and I had a big face-to-face confrontation and I ended up appealing to the Cardinal who did support me.
Demonizing the Bishops is totally blind, immature and very un-Catholic, not because we need to blindly follow them but because the demonization of Bishops, as incredibly justified as it may seem sometimes (tell me about it!), is one of Satan’s preferred weapons of Catholic Mass Destruction through DIVIDE AND CONQUER, many times using alleged Marian “apparitions” to ignite the fuse. DO speak up but without any sentimentally biased demonizing! Would Mary, who fully agreed with JESUS’ words here: “Who is my mother?… , (Matthew 12:48-49), recommend Catholic Civil War with her as the main sentimental excuse? The Fiery Mother who sent JESUS on the countdown to the Cross in the middle of a wedding party WOULD NOT do that (John 2:1-12). In the shadows and in the open, militant Socialists/Atheists/Communists/etc. are now using Theology and elements of our dear Catholic Faith to infiltrate, corrupt and destroy us, just like they have done everywhere else with their seductive Forced Hybrid of Good and Evil.
We are falling deeply in love with the taste of contaminated food instead of the pure food of Jesus-Truth (John 6:54). At the end the MOST IMPORTANT THINGS are: do you love the Mother of God as your Mother and not your goddess? Do you accept and LIVE her humility and the fact that she declared herself the “servant of the Lord” and not above Him? Do you strive to live like her and receive JESUS like her with the only purpose of giving Him to others? Do you live your Faith in the ultra-super-popular, exciting “high-spirituality” of sentimentalism or in the not-ever-popular humility of REALITY that Mary lived in day after hard manual laboring day? Do you crucify your ego, self-sanctification and pride just like she crucified her pure heart together with JESUS on the Cross? (Luke 2:34-35). THAT’S WHAT MATTERS!!
I have read and reread Mr. Palumbo’s comments and I have no idea why they prompted you to write as you did. There was nothing suggestive of any “demonization” of our bishops. He simply described the devotion and provided some background and expressed his hope that Our Lady of America be enshrined one day at the Basilica in Washington D.C., a hope that is shared by many faithful Catholics. Why did his comments “trigger” you? What was the cause to scold him by implying he was “totally blind, immature, and very un-Catholic”? All he did was relate his experience with the devotion and do his best to explain what it entails. Where did you see any condemnation of anyone, let alone our bishops?
I did not just direct my comments at him but also at all those here who are in two VERY INTERCONNECTED camps: 1) those blindly and sentimentally surrendered to believing a “Marian apparition” regarding of whatever the Church says, a dangerous rebellious attitude and 2) those who in the other comments here attack and demonize the Bishops who don’t just sentimentally jump in the spiritualistic bandwagon and sentimentally, quickly approve anything and everything that looks even remotely as a “Marian apparition”.
BOTH are dangerous rebellious attitudes, one soft and passive and the other one hard and aggressive, both feeding on each other. None of that is Catholic at all, as per the testimony of 2,000 years of Church History and the True Saints. None of our holy ancestors were EVER as obsessed about “apparitions” are we are being TRAINED to do today (DIVIDE AND CONQUER). Should I have clarified that at the beginning of my comment? Yes, sir! Even though I was trying to keep my comment as short as possible, I still have no problem in standing corrected specifically on not introducing my comment more exactly and clearly.
Other than that oversight, I stand firm on everything I said. If speaking the Truth about TRUE Catholicism and/or something I have much personal experience with (and after consulting others who also have worked examining other Marian “apparitions”), if that is called being “triggered” or “drunk” or some other pejorative, herd-directing, puppeteering, manipulative term, I am very happy to be “triggered”, etc., again and again and again and again (Matthew 5:11). BOTH the rebellious soft attitude and the hard aggressive one are indeed one and the same, just like we see in the general culture where the “soft” sentimental/deceiving/manipulative activists and the “hard” vicious/slandering/name-calling ones are just BOTH herding society and the Church like it’s done in that military maneuver known as the “Pincer Movement”.
I saw them as One because they are ONE. For the most part, the comment section here is a great example of it. There’s not always a need for an orchestrated “conspiracy” (except for that of today’s activist socialism/communism/etc. infecting everything, especially the Church), all varieties and shades of the deceived have always acted as one just because the Deceiver is one (John 8:44).
Thank you Phil, For the edifying and illuminating thoughts and comments. Very much grounded and to the core. Very much appreciated. I must say that I have a Holy Card of Our Lady of America with a beautiful prayer to The Immaculate Conception on the back which I will continue to pray.
Just fond this page…..Please don’t scold I have done a Google search but can not find anything about your background. Your comments appear on several Catholic websites Are you just a commentator,author? Thanks Margie Great, great grand ma
“ the fanatical, blind, false devotion cult that sprang up from it (like it happens with all the totally false apparitions).”
That is a very good point. I know of no people with a devotion to, for example, Our Lady of Lourdes, who would not say to someone who declared that he did not believe in those apparitions something mild, like, “I’m sorry you feel that way, I have received many graces through her.” What you would not hear would be a foaming, frothing-mouthed frenzy of rage , and lies about how the Pope really secretly approved of and was devoted to the alleged apparitions.
Thank you John. For those interested in learning more, please go to http://www.OurLadyofAmerica.com. There you will find numerous articles written to explain the message and Sister’s locutions and apparitions.
Thank you. Bishop Lebold, himself revered as a holy man during his life, was the rightful authority to approve or disapprove of the apparitions to Sr. M. Ephraim Neuzel. He had been her confessor before he became Bishop, so knew her well, and was providentially able to adjudge the spiritual origin of the messages.
It is instructive to note historically that authentic apparitions were often condemned or sidelined before gaining widespread acceptance–. I trust courageous and orthodox Cardinal Burke’s endorsement over anything the undistinguished USCCB has to say about any apparition — they are morally compromised so long as they keep corrupt Bishops like Cupich as one of their “club.” He some others with paedophile accusations against them should be defrocked and in prison.
I think that the U . S. Conference of Bishops couldn’t identify a super natural occurrence if it hit them from behind. They have no experience what so ever with these experiences, because here in the U.S. there really hasn’t been much of it to investigate. I would like to see another investigation with bishops from countries that have had history with these types of events to make there conclusion. But then again, the U.S. Bishops couldn’t get there act together back in 1959 and if the ruling came back in favor they would still sit idol and do nothing. The church here in the U.S. mimics what the Jewish Temple was like when Jesus walked the earth.
It seems to me that the more “head Knowledge” our religious leaders have the more lack of supernatural faith they show. SOMEONE once said ” Unless you have the faith of a little child you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” It is good many of our current bishops did not live at the time of the resurrection or we would have been told that the resurrection was not of supernatural origin.
Very few people can identify something that hit them from behind. Because it was, you know, *behind.*
Thank you for this article. As like Sister Neuzil, I too had what I now understand to be a “subjective inner religious experience” and not an “objective external vision and revelation.” My one experience occurred many years ago. I was lying in bed, but not fully asleep, when Mary suddenly appeared and spoke to me. While the visit was short, her message seemed confusing. And although at the time I was bewildered by her message, many years later I would come to fully understand it was intended as a gift. I now find great comfort and peace knowing that Mary knew my heart and how I would need her message in the coming years. God bless.
Thank you for writing this article, what is the reason for not doing a procession and installing a statue in the basilica. What possible harm could come from that? Why would we not act on faith and fulfill Our Lady’s request?
Because the devil is throwing all sorts of “good” reasons not to. He hates purity and everything that promotes and fosters it.
Because the devil is throwing all sorts of “good” reasons not to. He hates purity and everything that promotes and fosters it.
The same criticisms could have been said of St Bernadette’s visions as of Sr Neuzel’s.
Eventually they will be approved. But many souls will be needlessly lost until then.
“ Eventually they will be approved. But many souls will be needlessly lost until then.”
No soul will be lost for not believing in or following the message of any apparition, not even an approved one.
The harm is that if the apparitions were not true they would be installing a lie.
Why would we fulfill a request that we do not know comes from Our Lady?
“Yet as Saint John of the Cross reminds us, let us not become too fixated on visions and apparitions, lest they become a roadblock of pride and personal preference that risks derailing us from entering into the full divine embrace of Our Lord in all its mystery and truth.”
And yet it is our Lady of America Who has promised to save this country, if we simply honor Her by this title & process the Image to the Basilica in D.C.. I can’t see how doing this could possibly be a problem, especially seeing what this country has brought upon itself because of its impurity & pride. Sister couldn’t have known, but our Lady surely does!
“ And yet it is our Lady of America Who has promised to save this country, if we simply honor Her by this title & process the Image to the Basilica in D.C..”
First of all, Our Lady cannot save our country and would never claim that power; she can intercede on our behalf but it is God who saves us.
Secondly, one generally capitalizes pronouns referring to God, not to those referring to saints, not even the Blessed Virgin.
I don’t see a problem with procession and installing the statue. It is a recognition of America’s devotion to her Immaculate Conception, that our bishops consecrated our nation to long ago. Satan hates Our Lady and purity. She said heavens mandate for U.S. Satan wants USA destroyed. Sorry but we can’t always trust hierarchy to do what heaven wants. Our Lady of fatima wasn’t obeyed or world wouldn’t b on mess it is on. Also, we just had election where many chose to support a dangerous, godless, anti-life candidates. Enough said. I trust Our Lady .
Adding to Joshia Atrias message, I just read, WHAT AN IMPACT to have Our Lady of America enshrined in the Basilica…the dominant message of PURITY, for our country, in our lives….what a meaningful message. WOuld Archbishop Leibold have authorized a medal, MEDALS,if he didnt truly believe this was an authentic, supernatural event. And three statues? He put in ACT what he believed I wonder how this was considered, in the decision=making, or if it was over-looked. THANKYOU
We need our “Lady of America.” We need her guidance and protection for our land, especially during these times we are living in. May the Bishops rethink theirruling and pray for the truth to be revealed. May her statue be enthroned in a place of honor in Washington D.C. at the Basilica. I tried to find her statue about 10 years ago when in Washington D.C. for the March for Life and no one knew where she was. I was sad. To Jesus through Mary, and her holy Rosary and her protection for all of us. Also we need St. Joseph and he gave some wonderful words of wisdom through these messages also. So may Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, help us all and protect our country, and our president, and save souls. May the whole world learn of Mary’s great love for all of us, no matter, what title, we honor her under. But in America, we should be granted the right to honor her under, this title of “Our Lady of America!” The messages bring to life, the importance of listening to our Mother, and all she wants to tell us and share with us. Can we listen as little children and learn to follow her Son, Jesus, so that we may all get to heaven someday. That is why she comes to many places around the world, and often is crying because we fail to listen and recognize her appearances and her messages. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. AMEN.
There is a wide spread devotion to Our Lady of America, even the title alone gives comfort. There are several international statues of Mary in the Basilica. Why can we not have this beloved statue in the Basilica among others? We live in dire times, let the American Catholics have the statue of our Lady of America in Washington DC; there is no harm in a beautiful statue that the faithful venerate, only blessings and comfort can follow
I am a Canadian and a devout Roman Catholic, living in Ottawa, Ontario. Canada. We have Marmora, Greensides Farm, Ontario, where Our Lady of Marmora has been appearing since about 1994. The late Ukrainian-Canadian mystic, Josyp Terelya,imprisoned for 25 years in Europe,for not renouncing his Faith, (Ref: Book – “Witness”, by Michael Brown, Catholic owner of Spirit Daily website (USA)saw Our Lady of Marmora. He drew Her image the way he saw her. Josyp Terlya was very close to the late Pope John Paul 11, and is a credible mystic. The late mystic, Maria Esperanza, Betania, Venezuela, who was also close to the late Pope Jean Paul 11, and bilocated with him and the late Padre Pio, came to Marmora. She told the owners of the Greensides Farm where the apparitions still take place, that “this is Holy Ground and that there were many angels on the property”. Little Audrey Santos,(now deceased),was also taken there by her mother from Worcester, Ma. USA.
May be these younger bishops in the USA are not familiar with visions. May be bishops in Mexico, who know about Our Lady of Guadalupe, or bishops in Africa, where Our Lady of Kibeo, Rwanda, appeared to the youths there, could help the current bishops, discern more sincerely.
In fact, the current President of the USCCB His Grace Gomez, is originally from Mexico,(Our Lady of Guadalupe’s site),and should have been consulted. There is no mentioned that he was among the Bishops.
I became fired up,about the authenticity of OUR LADY OF AMERICA, after watching a You Tube, about the late Rev. Kim Clement, Evangelical, who descried the IMAGE OF OUR LADY OF AMERICA. I think it was on the Sid Roth Show. Please try and locate it, as the HOST, OBVIOUSLY, a Protestant, was “blown over”, by the late Kim Clement’s prophecy. He got the vision of March 25, the Feast of the Announciation, about Our Lady of America. The Host stated that there is NO way Rev. Kim Clement, an evangelical, would know that this is a powerful Feast Day for the Church.
PROPHECY: Reve. Kim Clement described Our Lady of America, and stated that: Our Lady of America will convert Protestant Americans to Roman Catholicism, including PRESIDENT TRUMP. She would heal the SOUL OF AMERICA. He explained that something would happen, and the Protestants will be so grateful for the “healings”, from the oil that oozes from the statue, that they will say:
We used to Hate Her, but now we Love Her”. The Host, felt that there will be some kind of nuclear fall out, or, some natureal disaster, that will cause much injury to the American people. Our Lady of America will then bring healings and conversions.
REQUEST: Please try and get a hold of that YOU TUBE, where the prophecy is being RE-PLAYED, AS Rev. Kim Clement died about 5 years or more now, quite young. His daughter, I think, has taken over his ministry. I am still planning to go to that procession, INTO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SHRINE, in Wa. D.C. all the way from Ottawa, as I do BELIEVE THAT AMERICA HAS ONLY TO GAIN BY HER WONDERFUL PROMISES. I HAVE BEEN THERE A FEW TIMES, SOME YEARS AGO WITH THE LA PIETA INTERNATIONAL PRAYER GROUP FROM OTTAWA.
Has the Mother of God, The Blessed Virgin Mary every lied to us, Her Children?
I sent a PETITION, to the Padre Pio shrine (USA) last Fall, asking him to intercede for the fulfillment of Our Lady of America and her promises, and to remove all the obstacles, although a lot of sexual abuses took place there; example: the now defrocked Cardinal McCarrick. This is all the more reason for Her to be there, to CLEANSE THE members of the CLERGY, HER PRIEST SONS, THAT THIS KIND OF ABOMINATION WILL NEVER TAKE PLACE THERE AGAIN, AGAINST INNOCENT CHILDREN!
May God’s Will be done for the people of America. I love the Blessed Mother so, so much.
Jasmine Williams,Faithful Roman Catholic,Ottawa, Ontario. Canada.
Pope St. John Paul II also trusted Marciel Maciel Degollado. You can’t really draw conclusions about the apparitions from any alleged closeness of someone to him.
“May be these younger bishops in the USA are not familiar with visions. May be bishops in Mexico, who know about Our Lady of Guadalupe, or bishops in Africa, where Our Lady of Kibeo, Rwanda, appeared to the youths there, could help the current bishops, discern more sincerely.”
I think you are being unjust in accusing the bishops of insincerity.
I loved your post and read a book about Josyp Terelya and also followed Kim Clemente and stated reading articles on SpiritDaily.com about Our Lady of America.
Kim Clemente died the month Trump was elected so he lived long enough to see his vision come to reality. In his last video Clemente said the president he would put in office would not be a praying man going in but would be and that the man I will put in will be my Daniel and be at the helm for 2 terms.
He will be a friend to Israel and a friend to the unborn.
He will put my justices on the supreme court.
He said they will not know how to deal with him because 1 day he hops on his right foot and the next day on his left.
No one else would be able to withstand what will be thrown at this man.
So he has not won the second election yet but with everything else Clemente claimed how can you not believe his words on Mary.
I agree with you exactly, Edith. It was just a small request by Our Lady to have her statue at the Basilica in WA, DC. As was prophesied by Our Lady in Akita, Japan, and we witness this today, Bishops against Bishops, Cardinals against Cardinals, etc. This just makes me so sad, how they reject Our Blessed Mother.
They are not rejecting the Blessed Mother. The entire Basilica is dedicated to her. Since the apparitions of “Our Lady of America” have not been judged to be objectively supernatural, there is no reason to put a statue of her in the Basilica.
Just to say thank you Leslie for your contributions. You have a cool head and found all your replies very well thought through and reasonable.
The Bishop of the Diocese where the apparition happened was thee qualified and rightful judge of whether the apparition was of supernatural origin. HE APPROVED IT. End of.
USCCB has no authority to meddle in this matter — the are a disappointing gaggle of hireling shepherds, who don’t have the moral courage to ban scandalous, fake Catholic, pro-abortionists like Biden and Pelosi from Holy Communion. ( Cupich and some metered whited supulchres should be defrocked and in prison.)
BTW Cardinal Burke is a holyand courageous man, and he promotes the message of Our Lady of America. I trust his judgement more than the USCCB.
The decision was curious to me. I am sure that the dear sister would have vehemently denied that the visions were more of an “interior meditation.” I can understand a decision of “not proven to be supernatural”, but it seems like the bishops went somewhat further than that. I am not sure why, as revelations which lack supernatural occurrences associated with them are common, see Sr. Faustina for just one example. But Sr. Faustina also went through some negative evaluations, so we will just have to wait and see.
I am of the opinion that it would have done no harm to enshrine the statue in the Cathedral. A very simple act that would have had profound effects if the vision were true. Now THERE would have been a way to test the authenticity!!
“non constat de supernaturalitate” is not the same as constat de non supernaturilate. It appears that too few people ever took any Latin. The bishops did not say that what Sister Neuzil reported was not of supernatural origin (non supernaturilate). They said, in so many words, “we do not have sufficient information to say that it was supernatural”. I will leave it to others as to whether or not this matter could be reviewed and a different decision made at some point in the future. But theology says that Mary is our first and foremost intercessor with Christ, and that does not depend on the bishops saying this was a supernatural decision; it has been so since the beginning of the Church. Whether or not there is a statue, whether or not it is enthroned in The National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception is far, far far less important than the fact that Christ is present, body blood, soul and divinity in each and every parish in the Americas. It is far more important and no less respectful of Mary that we seek to increase Perpetual Adoration in a parish near us.
Mr. Tim Moore, you knocked it out of the park with your very excellent comment!! It is worth looking at your words again: “Whether or not there is a statue, whether or not it is enthroned in The National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception is far, far far less important than the fact that Christ is present, body blood, soul and divinity in each and every parish in the Americas. It is far more important and no less respectful of Mary that we seek to increase Perpetual Adoration in a parish near us”.
WOW!! Right on the holy target of Truth!! Mary’s very existence and her freely chosen, determined, ONLY purpose in life was/is to POINT US TO JESUS; “Do what HE tells you to do!”, (John 2:5). She only mentions herself, like in the Magnificat, ONLY to exalt God not herself! She is the Ultimate Disciple NOT an adorer of herself, looking for Facebook “followers” and “friends” through a multiplication of “apparitions” and acting like a full-of-herself “celebrity”.
This sentimental, false Mary Crusade, which regards a very good SUBJECTIVE apparition as not good enough, and is so reality-divorced, Truth-abhorring, Jesus-diminishing and self-sanctifying, that it is becoming an obscene caricature of the true devotion to the Mother of God, no less obscene than the “Santa Muerte” whose statue is a skeleton representing death and dressed like the Virgin Mary. This sentimental pseudo-spiritual orgy of apparition obsession does not represent the True Virgin Mary and it is sinful in its false impostoring of Our Beloved Mother. They talk about purity a lot but show very little or none of it.
As you said SO WISELY, Mary today is always pointing to JESUS, truly present in the Eucharist to be ADORED and received like SHE received Him. Our present diminished Faith in Jesus Real Presence is a consequence of different factors, including the total sentimental disrespect of too many for the one who points to JESUS: Our Holy Mother the Virgin Mary, a disrespect that, like the “Santa Muerte”, leads to spiritual and moral death!! [To further illuminate this, I mention that the creator of the “Santa Muerte” cult, Jonathan Legaria, was shot and killed with 250 bullets – the Devil truly rewards those that choose him – So, open your eyes, live by true Faith not by blind feelings and choose JESUS!! That’s ALL that Mary ever wants!!]
An excellent reply, Tim Moore.
Thank you Joan Wilder for your comments that you “loved my post”, May 15, 2020.
I liked your perspectives on things your process of deduction, and common sense regarding the late Rev. Kim Clement’s prophecies.
Prophecy about “OUR LADY OF AMERICA”, by the late Rev. Kim Clement: For others who may be interested in the Re-wind Video Prophecy, here it is.I just found it on YOU TUBE – Title: “Mary Will Convert America”. This prophecy was made on March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation, and the discussion by William Tapley was very interesting. (Thirdeaglebook). Rev. Kim Clement also prophesied that GOD told him, that African-Americans suffered so, so greatly, and for so, so long, YET THEY NEVER ABANDONED HIM, AND FOR THIS REASON, GOD WAS GOING TO RAISE UP AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT. Well, even my brilliant academic Ghanian friend from Harvard University, laughed at me, and said: “Not in my life time!!!”. Then, came Barack Obama, who was “an UNKNOWN” in politics at that came, and was brought to “Light”. He had a two-term presidency, despite the unprecedented number of death threats against any President in the history of the United States of America!
God is LOVE and God is JUST!
I pray that there be peace, divine love, joy and harmony among ALL of God’s Children on Earth. We are only here for a Short Time, as this is NOT our real home; so let us be loving, caring, compassionate, and live in harmony,and ENJOY the School of Planet Earth, as there are many lessons we NEED to learn here, about “DIVINE LOVE”. (- e.g. No hatred, no greed, no selfishness, no psychopaths, no sociopaths, no violence, no arrogance, no egoism, no denial that there is a GOD…) Prayers and God’s Blessings!
A close examination of Mr. Obama’s public actions and comments would appear to disallow the validity of Rev. Kim Clement’s prophecies.
Jasmine writes, “We are only here for a Short Time, as this is NOT our real home”
But God writes, “God blessed [the man and woman], saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.'” Gen 1:28, NJB. Vv. 29, 30 continue the idea of physical people, eating and drinking as we do today, as long as they obey God. Gen 2:15-17. No mention of ‘heaven is our home’.
Nowhere do we find this command- as it is a command- cancelled, abrogated or made invalid. Indeed, to find that would be to make Adam able to thwart God’s purposes; he would be stronger than his creator.
On the contrary, we find His purposes restated at Isa 55:10,11, Ps 37:9-11,29 and Rev 21:3,4.
It’s the ransom sacrifice of his son that makes the restoration of Paradise possible, with eternal life for all who choose it.
In a contentious election year it’s well to remind ourselves there is no mention of “red” or “blue” areas in Eden nor indeed of any particular place being called “America”.
I often wonder whether the Lord has sent Our Lady or Himself with messages e.g. is because we have not responded to His word.
It would seem that there are apparitions that are for the benefit of all and demonstrably so, (Fatima) and those many attested to by a number of saints for the specific intended person. Previously, noncommittal actions by various bishops would seem the most prudent course of action in the matter of private revelation. I have no doubt that Heaven will always find a way to impart any intended message to the proper person(s).
“Then he (Jesus) went down to Nazareth with them (Joseph & Mary) and was obedient to them. –Luke 2:51
The Blessed Virgin Mary only does what God commands her to do and only says what God commands her to say. God the Son Jesus Christ Himself submitted to Mary and obeyed her. Minimizing or ignoring the instructions given to us by Mary is to minimize and ignore God. Our Lady of America pray for us. Our Lady of Fatima pray for us. Our Lady of Akita pray for us. Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas please pray for us. Amen.