Apparitions: Real or Tricks of the devil?

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Bob67

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This is in response to a question about,
‘How do we know that Apparitions of The
Blessed Mother are not tricks from the devil?’

I would say by the fruits it has produced:

Satan would’nt tell others to pray the Rosary, make the Five 1st Saturdays,
repent of your sins, sacrifice for poor sinners.

At Lourdes in 1858, Bernadette’s sign was the Blesssed Mother reveiling herself saying,
“I am the Immaculate Conception”
Since then it has become a Dogma of the Catholic Church.

At Guadalupe in 1531, Juan Deigo’s sign was the Tilma that still exist today after 500 years.
In 1921 a bomb placed beneath the image exploded, causing great damage, but nothing happened to the tilma.
9 million of the inhabitants of the land, who professed for centuries to a human sacrificing religion,
were converted to Christianity.
Satan would not want 9 million converts.

And at Fatima in 1917, 3 young children, Lucia, Francisco & Jacinta
were in prisoned & threatened to be boiled in oil if they did not deny the fact
that it was the Blessed Mother who was appearing to them
plus over 70,000 people witnessed the miracle of the sun.

We may not be required to believe in these apparitions but, it’s enough for me to not only
believe it wasn’t Satan but, believe totally that Our Mother appeared at these approved sites.

“The Miracle Of Our Lady Of Fatima” ~ 1952
“The Song Of Bernadette” ~ 1943
2 wonderful movies that are fairly new to DVD.

Hope this helps ~ God Bless ~ Bob
 
Bob67 said:
We may not be required to believe in these apparitions but, it’s enough for me to not only
believe it wasn’t Satan but, believe totally that Our Mother appeared at these approved sites.
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To me it’s enough to say that it wasn’t satan, and that’s it… these visions arent approved unless the message conforms to the gospel, so the message for the most part is “pray, repent, do pennance and imitate Christ”, as found in the Gospels.

As to whether Mary or Christ appeared here or there, to these kids or whomever… if someone says Jesus appeared to them and told them to pray more, who am I to say it didn’t happen… do I necessarily believe the person? I don’t know.

I’m not big on the conspiracy theories that have come in the wake of apparitions like Fatima. “Russia wasn’t consecrated! We’re all going to die!” or “the real third secret, was hidden by the Church heierarchy because it was too dangerous!”

It seems much safer to me to put all of our faith in the teachings of the Church and the Gospel then to become distracted by private revelations.
 
Additionally, it seems good to always remember that approved apparitions are deemed “worthy of belief” and not “absolutely happened”. So of all the promises; like those connected to the rosary and the brown scapular, the only promise one can be absolutely sure of beyond all doubt as a Christian is the promise of eternal life in Christ, through prayer, the Sacraments, and imitation of Christ.
 
Tonight, our young adult of Legion of Mary had an awesome presentation about few approved Apparitions - Fatima and Guadalupe - to our parish teenage groups.

It was so great - there were about 100 kids!

Our Mother is trying to get us closer to Jesus and that is what she is doing. She is happy to see those who listen to her, but I am sure it would make Her as well as Jesus sad to see those who are doubting her intentions.

The doubting is one of the most favorite tricks of Satan.
 
water said:
Tonight, our young adult of Legion of Mary had an awesome presentation about few approved Apparitions - Fatima and Guadalupe - to our parish teenage groups.

It was so great - there were about 100 kids!

Our Mother is trying to get us closer to Jesus and that is what she is doing. She is happy to see those who listen to her, but I am sure it would make Her as well as Jesus sad to see those who are doubting her intentions.

The doubting is one of the most favorite tricks of Satan.
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No one is doubting the Church or the scriptures… don’t the two contain all we need for gain eternal life?

What I’m talking about is discernment… and moreso careful discernment. I think Jesus and the Blessed Virgin would be glad to see people being cautious regarding visions. No one is really doubting her intentions, they’re for the most part wondering if the vision is real or absolutely fabricated! People can lie, and they can even do so without making heretical statements! There are stories of Saints being tempted by the devil in the appearance of an “angel of light”, or even Jesus Himself, only to eventually learn the truth of what was visiting them. Eh, do what is edifying to you.
 
RPConover said:
No one is doubting the Church or the scriptures… don’t the two contain all we need for gain eternal life?

What I’m talking about is discernment… and moreso careful discernment. I think Jesus and the Blessed Virgin would be glad to see people being cautious regarding visions. No one is really doubting her intentions, they’re for the most part wondering if the vision is real or absolutely fabricated! People can lie, and they can even do so without making heretical statements! There are stories of Saints being tempted by the devil in the appearance of an “angel of light”, or even Jesus Himself, only to eventually learn the truth of what was visiting them. Eh, do what is edifying to you.
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I was only mentioning about the approved ones but did not say it clearly. Yes, I am agreed with you about discernment, and that is what the Church has been doing. I believe wholeheartedly that those approved apparitions are of God not of devil.

and about “There are stories of Saints being tempted by the devil in the appearance of an “angel of light”, or even Jesus Himself, only to eventually learn the truth of what was visiting them.” … yes, I do know a case that had happened recently to someone. The lady was careful enough to go ask priest and others; anyhow, I wouldn’t go into details.
 
Unapproved apparitions (Edited By Moderator) which divide and cause conflict among the faithful are almost certainly from the devil and not from God.
 
In my personal opinion we have discussed this topic several times on this board and the answer is,yes i do believe them as each of them brings us closer to jesus,why would satan appear and demand good things of us and draw us closer to our lord,of course there real:thumbsup:
 
How is Medjugorje divisive and of the devil. there has never been a message other than love and prayer, etc. I don’t understand all of the negativity that people feel about Medjugorje. I’m sure there were people who adamantly opposed Fatima, Lourdes, etc. What bad fruit has Medjugorje produced? Maybe I am just not privied to the real MEdjugorje.
 
Apparitions are usually not approved for years, decades. But there is serious angst about it. I don’t get it. Has it been officially disapproved?
 
Pjs2ejs said:
Apparitions are usually not approved for years, decades. But there is serious angst about it. I don’t get it. Has it been officially disapproved?
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i could be wrong, maybe i read something else but, aren’t some of the messages kind of bizzare. i thought i read references to aliens and other strange things. it’s been a while and i’d have to really dig around.
 
Pjs2ejs said:
Apparitions are usually not approved for years, decades. But there is serious angst about it. I don’t get it. Has it been officially disapproved?
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Yes it has. It was left to the local bishop and he has made a definitive statement on the matter. The Vatican backs him with authority. That’s all she wrote.

To me it’s about goofy to allege that any approved apparition is of the devil since the messages are the same as the one that Mary gave the servants in John 2. “Do whatever he tells you” and they all point to Christ as the source of all salvation and repentance from sin.

Our Lord summed it all up very well when he point that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore the devil would not do these things as it works against his own ends.

He may appear as an angel of light, but that is more like that guy from S. America who has proclaimed himself to be the returning Christ. He preaches a different gospel and it does not align with either the Word of God or the teachings of the early church.
 
Church_Militant said:
Yes it has. It was left to the local bishop and he has made a definitive statement on the matter. The Vatican backs him with authority. That’s all she wrote.

To me it’s about goofy to allege that any approved apparition is of the devil since the messages are the same as the one that Mary gave the servants in John 2. “Do whatever he tells you” and they all point to Christ as the source of all salvation and repentance from sin.

Our Lord summed it all up very well when he point that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Therefore the devil would not do these things as it works against his own ends.

He may appear as an angel of light, but that is more like that guy from S. America who has proclaimed himself to be the returning Christ. He preaches a different gospel and it does not align with either the Word of God or the teachings of the early church.
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Medjugore really bothers me. It has been officially rejected, and yet throngs of Catholics - good, faithful, even knowledgable Catholics - simply go on and on about it and cannot let go. Even priests - good, faithful priests - fall into the same trap.

This really bothers me…
 
I understand that the Bishop has made a decision. Is he making doctrine by his rejection of Medjugorje? Are you telling me that at no time a bishop has ever made an error in his teaching? Is this case officially closed by the magisterium?
 
Pjs2ejs said:
I understand that the Bishop has made a decision. Is he making doctrine by his rejection of Medjugorje? Are you telling me that at no time a bishop has ever made an error in his teaching? Is this case officially closed by the magisterium?
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It doesn’t matter whether it’s officially closed or not. What matters is that the bishop has given the order that it is not to be considered worthy of belief and that Catholics of good faith are to pay no attention to it. If ten years from now the Church approves it, then at that time it would be fine to go to the site, and it would indeed suggest/prove that the bishop who has given this instruction today is wrong. However, we are bound to obedience to the bishops whether or not they have spoken finally and infallibly on a matter. To disobey them in a matter of discipline is to disobey Christ. Going to Medjugore is no different from eating meat on Ash Wednedsay - both are things which are currently prohibited by the virtue of the discipline of the Church, but which could potentially change in the future.
 
“We bishops, after a three-year-long commission study accept Medjugorje as a holy place, as a shrine. This means that we have nothing against it if someone venerates the Mother of God in a manner also in agreement with the teaching and belief of the Church. . . Therefore, we are leaving that to further study. The Church does not hurry.” (Glas Koncila, August 15, 1993).

After doing a little research, isn’t it a fact that the vatican group has not yet been able to reach a decision of supernatural causes. This was long after the bishop’s rejection. It has clearly not rejected it all together. It has been recognized as a place of veneration and Catholics are allowed to visit. What gives?
 
Editing this was definitely of the devil. Are you telling me that no one can disagree with anything on this forum. I am outraged at CA’s behavior on this. I knew they were anti-Medjugorje but wow. This one is disappointing. I posted wonderful quotes from the Vatican. You should be ashamed!!!
 
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