Anne a Lay Apostle -a Dilemma

[300WhiteKnights]

Thank you everyone for the many responses. I will speak to our pastor about this. I found out yesterday that he is away on pilgrimage, but I’ll make an appointment to see him as soon as he returns.

To 300WhiteKnights:

I am in all sincerity not eager to condemn any private message. I admit that I haven’t heard anything about “Anne”, so I felt I should ask. You had asked that if they are not against the faith and if they help people, then what’s the problem? My answer is that these books are purporting to be the Voice of God and they are situated right at the entrance of our Adoration Chapel where Our Lord is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. If someone wants to bring a copy of private revelation from home, I think they should be free to do so. Should it be disseminated by anonymous followers of various private revelations in so sacred a location without the possible knowledge of the parish priest? The question was whether it was appropriate that these books should be stocked and restocked at the entrance of our chapel when, although it may be “good” or “helpful”, it still may not be Divine Revelation. I wanted to get other peoples thoughts on this as I’ve never encountered this situation before. While this is situated at eye level at the entrance of the chapel, we also have a small shelf of books, situated below the case, which at the bottom contains Holy Scripture, other spiritual reading such as books written by the saints along with modern authors and other prayer books that in the meantime are literally collecting dust. Where as before, we would see these books left behind in the pew, we are now picking up tons of these little booklets that are left behind.

These books are all mutli-colored with upwards to 20 different topics. How tempting it is to grab one that pertains to what you have been dealing with this week. Having problems with stress or financial difficulties? Divorce Issues? Addictions? Have some questions about Purgatory? Are you a soldier or know someone who has dealt with clerical abuse? No matter, because there’s a topic given to “Anne” that is divinely inspired to help you. After all, why not grab a booklet that says “Heaven Speaks” since you’re on your way inside to pray before the Real Presence anyway? The problem remains that no matter how good and helpful they may be, they still may not be the words of Our Lord, which is what they are claiming to be, and in the meantime, the God who is really and truly present is patiently waiting to minister to the hearts of those who seek Him.

I will just close with this, and this will be the last thing I will say: I think its great that you are careful and cautious about the dissemation of private revelation that you are not familiar with, and it would defintiely be good for the parish priest to know about what is going on in his church. Overall, your concerns about Anne’s messages having a prominent place in the adoration seem to be responsible since, this is something you are not familiar with.

However, because and only becuase there is nothing in there against the faith in the messages, and she has the support of her local bishop, I would not fret over it too much. I know you are worried, that it might not be an authentic revelation, but the things she says in the “Heaven Speaks” bookelts are true on a spiritual level regardless if they really come striaght from God or not. They dont contain lofty prophecies, but good, practical spiritual advice and direction that is true regardless of their orgin that will be of good use to people.

Ultimately this is going to be between you, God, and the priest, but I would at least read the messages with an open heart before you seek to remove them.

 

[pianistclare]

Unapproved apparitions or messages are really not permitted on CAF anyway.
Please read this:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=434589

The OP was seeking advice, not permission.

 

[Jennifoo]

Well, to be frank, the whole point of ecclesiastical tradition is to examine and develop and live out the deposit of faith. Private revelation belongs to this category, and there’s nothing at all about it that insinuates that the deposit of faith is somehow insufficient for salvation. On the contrary, it’s awfully hard to be a Catholic while utterly ignoring ecclesiastical tradition. Ecclesiastical and divine tradition should go hand-in-glove.

The problem, as I see it, is that folks want private revelation without waiting for the Church to make a judgment on it. This is an issue because they set themselves (and their emotions and feelings) up as a judge of these sorts of things, and that’s simple modernism.

Moreover, their emotions even tend to override the authority the Church has over these things: if the Church says no, they say yes, and vice versa.

Nothing in my post was condemnatory of private revelation per se, but rather of those who seem to be obsessed with it and who DO insinuate that the deposit of faith is lacking. As I stated, I have no problem with the ones examined by and approved by the Church. But it’s important to remember that Catholics are not required to believe in even those ones.

The statement you made about those people was the same as mine. I just wanted to add how much those people want to shove it down everyone’s throat. Really off-putting.

 

[Jennifoo]

I am often surprised by Catholics when they are eager to condemn a private revelation that they themselves have not investigated or has not yet recieved full approval of the church. Look at Fatima, Lourdes, & st Faustina’s writings. Were they true only after the church approved them? Or were they true before then? My point is that we need to be prudent, but at the same time, not completely closed to the possibility that some revelations may be for real.

Personally, I think there is a good chance that Anne’s writings are authentic. She has the full support of her bishop and has received an imprimatur for her writings. I have also read some of her writings and listened to her testimony. I would not seek to remove her writings. there is nothing in there against the faith and if they help people, then what’s the problem?

When looking at a private revelation the correct approach should be: this may or may not be true, lets investigate carefully and “test the spirits.” Not “ipso facto this has not received approval yet or has been addressed by the church, therefore I will condemen it and avoid it.”

That has been the mindset towards all prophets in he OT. Jesus himself faced the full force of this with the Pharisees. “We already have the Law of Moses, we have no need for your revelation Jesus!”

I’ll close with this: be prudent, but not overly skeptical, because some revelations may be authentic. What if God is desperately trying to communicate something to the world and will be the cause of salvation and consolation to some souls, and you turn them away from that revelation without even investigating the writings yourself? You will have to answer to God for that! So be prudent.

I trust Holy Mother Church to “test the spirits.” Catholics are not required to believe in private revelation at all, even those approved by the Church. What’s more, I’ve experienced a lot of Catholics attempting to shove their beliefs on a private revelation down everyone’s throat.

What faithful Catholics have to believe is the deposit of faith and then do their best to live it. That’s what we should be focused on.

You may want to look up private revelation in the CCC.

God bless you.