Our Lady of America

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Is anyone else familiar with these apparitions?

I read through the website:
ourladyofamerica.org/

I can find nothing that sent up any alarm bells in reading the messages. But, what I fail to find is anything about it from Rome. There is only the approval of Archbishop of Cincinnati, OH, the late Paul Francis Leibold (God rest his soul).
Has anyone made any pilgrimages or ask for her intercession? Any current info on Vatican approval?
 
No, Our Lady of America is not approved by the Church. Here is an excerpt from an article on it, quoting Bishop D’Arcy:

The Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is aware of the situation at Sylvan Springs but does not believe it warrants investigation at this time, Bishop John M. D’Arcy said.

Most of the reported healings have come in the last few years, said Bishop D’Arcy and Brian MacMichael, the director of the diocese’s Office of Worship. The church moves slowly in evaluating such claims, in part to see if the site has staying power, MacMichael said.

Bishop D’Arcy also has concerns about people solely seeking out miracles.

“God comes to us through the ordinary, through the bread and wine [of Communion] and through the pastor as shepherd,” Bishop D’Arcy said. “As a pastor, I would say people should seek [the] ordinary means Christ has given to the church and not seek signs and wonders.”

A grass-roots effort led largely by laypeople, however, continues to lobby U.S. Catholic bishops to approve recognizing Mary as Our Lady of America.
 
While it may not have the kind of formal approval as Lourdes, Fatima, etc., it is still in the early stages. It is also not condemned by anyone in authority as far as I know and the faithful are permitted to make pilgrimages, etc. In fact, a statue honoring this apparition has been present at USCCB meetings. Here is a letter from Archbishop Burke (now prefect to the Apostolic Signatura) to the USCCB on his study of the canonical approval or disapproval of this apparition:

ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/burkeolamer.HTM
 
As a devotee of Our Lady of America I can say that it has partial approval. It has not been fully approved by the Vatican but the messages have been deemed as containing nothing contrary to the teachings of Holy Mother Church.

That being said I would like to make a clarification. The website ourladyofamerica dot org is NOT the official website of Our Lady of America.

The OurLadyofAmerica.com website is the OFFICIAL website. Those who run the .org Our Lady site were involved in trying to steal the official website from Sr. Joseph and through the courts the website was returned to Sr. Joseph.

The people involved in running the .org website have been involved in a smear campaign against Sr. Joseph. These people also have ownership of the property at Sylvan Springs and have been running a miracles racket out there.

You can read about the whole messy affair at this blog

ourladyofamerica.blogspot.com/

Again, the .org website is NOT the official website of Our Lady of America. It is the one below. You can directly correspond with Sr. Joseph through her e-mail at that site.

OurLadyofAmerica.com

Peace.
 
I have been to Sylvan Springs twice. I have heard the story and read the literature. Even though it isn’t approved by the church as the process takes some time. Based on everything I have heard about the nun who had these appariations, it seems legit. It isn’t something I can exactly explain but I just put some trust in the Lord that these apparations are true
 
I also have been to the springs twice. While I am not sure if these apparitions and healings are legit, I can tell you that both times I’ve been to the springs I had an overwhelming feeling of joy and peace.
 
eludwig said:
I also have been to the springs twice. While I am not sure if these apparitions and healings are legit, I can tell you that both times I’ve been to the springs I had an overwhelming feeling of joy and peace.
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I do know one of the healings is true. One of those that were healed is a former priest of mine who is now at a neighboring parish
 
So it’s the same status as Medjugorje and Garab–Gara–er, the other apparition similar to Medjugorje?
 
tobinatorstark said:
never heard of either of them. Please explain
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The apparitions at Medjugorie and Garabandal are NOT approved and almost certainly will never be approved.
However, its against Forum Rules to discuss unapproved apparitions, messages etc.
 
So, since this apparition is not approved, this thread should end?
 
TheGhost said:
So, since this apparition is not approved, this thread should end?
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Thistle is not talking about Our Lady of America…he is talking about Gara— and M—. So no… this thread should not end but talking of unapproved apparitions like Gara— might cause it to be closed so better to keep hush about it.

**Our Lady of America has partial approval **since the messages associated with it were found by Bishop Leibold to contain nothing contrary to the teachings of the Church.

It is all a matter of time whether the Church will finally grant Our Lady of America full approval. God willing this will happen soon.

Peace.
 
PazFeAmor said:
Thistle is not talking about Our Lady of America…he is talking about Gara— and M—. So no… this thread should not end but talking of unapproved apparitions like Gara— might cause it to be closed so better to keep hush about it.

**Our Lady of America has partial approval **since the messages associated with it were found by Bishop Leibold to contain nothing contrary to the teachings of the Church.

It is all a matter of time whether the Church will finally grant Our Lady of America full approval. God willing this will happen soon.

Peace.
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Is partial approval anything like partial pregnant?? Seems to me like it is either approved by the Church or not, with the default being “not” until it “is”… Otherwise, the resulting damage created by the confusion to those unwilling to give up their devotion, can be immense. Witness my friends who have basically created a new religion for themselves built around the messages by the seers of You-Know-Where:thumbsup: They will give up the Magesterium, should it rule against You-Know-Where. This is tragic but in some ways understandable, given the emotional investment they’ve made. It would be like you and I being told that the Eucharist is a symbol after all, not really the Body of Christ. The difference of course, is that we have the wise instruction of the Church with us in the case of the Eucharist. In the case of unapproved (or even partial, if you must) then I will always wait.
 
TheGhost said:
Is partial approval anything like partial pregnant?? Seems to me like it is either approved by the Church or not, with the default being “not” until it “is”… Otherwise, the resulting damage created by the confusion to those unwilling to give up their devotion, can be immense. Witness my friends who have basically created a new religion for themselves built around the messages by the seers of You-Know-Where:thumbsup: They will give up the Magesterium, should it rule against You-Know-Where. This is tragic but in some ways understandable, given the emotional investment they’ve made. It would be like you and I being told that the Eucharist is a symbol after all, not really the Body of Christ. The difference of course, is that we have the wise instruction of the Church with us in the case of the Eucharist. In the case of unapproved (or even partial, if you must) then I will always wait.
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Bishop Leibold gave his approval of the messages of Our Lady of America as he found nothing contrary to Church teaching in them. If you want to try to compare the partial approval to a partial pregnancy then that is your perogative. In Bishop Leibold approving of the messages and medal of Our Lady of America comes the permission for the faithful to have a private devotion towards Our Lady of America.

This is the url to a letter titled: ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/burkeolamer.HTM

**Regarding Our Lady of America
Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke
Archbishop of St. Louis **

Monsignor Paul F. Leibold, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, who later became the Bishop of Evansville and, then, Archbishop of Cincinnati, it is clear that the devotion, as proposed by Sister Mary Ephrem, received his approbation.

I am completely in line with the teachings of the church in having a private devotion to Our Lady of America. If you choose not to have a devotion then that is your right but I don’t appreciate your going in a round about way trying to school me on the obsessive apparition-hunting behavior of others and trying to make it seem like I am not following ‘the wise instruction of the Church’ as you put it.

I know very well the teachings of the church and could do without your talking down to me like a naive child.

Peace.
 
Paz,
I didn’t mean to offend you or imply you are naive-- in fact most of my post concerned other devotions and the true situation in which I find myself concerning my friends. In the context I presented I think it’s worth challenging the notion of “partial” approval and “private” devotions which are obviously quite public. My opinion on other devotions stands-- there are folks who will quit the faith before they give them up. This is sadly true. In the case of Our Lady of America this may not be a problem at all.

I don’t know anything about OLOA so this is not a loaded question: what would be your reaction if the Church decided this was not authentic? I ask because I’ve found it very difficult to address the friends I mentioned in my previous post. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be, since they are quite immersed in it and it now becomes the topic of nearly every reflection or faith sharing group in which we participate. As you point out, it is obsessive.
 
TheGhost said:
Is partial approval anything like partial pregnant?? Seems to me like it is either approved by the Church or not, with the default being “not” until it “is”… Otherwise, the resulting damage created by the confusion to those unwilling to give up their devotion, can be immense. Witness my friends who have basically created a new religion for themselves built around the messages by the seers of You-Know-Where:thumbsup: They will give up the Magesterium, should it rule against You-Know-Where. This is tragic but in some ways understandable, given the emotional investment they’ve made. It would be like you and I being told that the Eucharist is a symbol after all, not really the Body of Christ. The difference of course, is that we have the wise instruction of the Church with us in the case of the Eucharist. In the case of unapproved (or even partial, if you must) then I will always wait.
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I, personally, also feel that I don’t want to invest myself in devotions that have not been yet (and may never be) fully approved by the Church. I also don’t have a strong aversion, at all, to people who do want to avail themselves of that devotion. The Church has so many devotions that already have the full endorsement of the Church that I don’t feel hampered by waiting, however I realize that some may be strongly drawn otherwise and that is their choice.
 
brigid12 said:
I, personally, also feel that I don’t want to invest myself in devotions that have not been yet (and may never be) fully approved by the Church. I also don’t have a strong aversion, at all, to people who do want to avail themselves of that devotion. The Church has so many devotions that already have the full endorsement of the Church that I don’t feel hampered by waiting, however I realize that some may be strongly drawn otherwise and that is their choice.
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Well, as Paz pointed out, there is obsessive apparition hunting out there. I know I can’t stop it, but I have a sinking feeling I’m going to lose good friends in my parish since we are different sides of the question.

And again, I do hope that OLOA is different than the others we’ve mentioned, which are almost assuredly hoaxes, or worse.
 
TheGhost said:
Well, as Paz pointed out, there is obsessive apparition hunting out there. I know I can’t stop it, but I have a sinking feeling I’m going to lose good friends in my parish since we are different sides of the question.

That’s sad.😦

And again, I do hope that OLOA is different than the others we’ve mentioned, which are almost assuredly hoaxes, or worse.
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Me, too.
 
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