motherhood. They are a gift to the Church One instance of private in which Private Revelation that ought to be received soberly, but also only part of the writings associated with the joyfully. revelation may be published would be that Issue: What is the difference between of St. Bridget of Sweden. The prayers private revelation and public Revelation? Prayer books, diaries, or other writings are associated with St. Bridget are approved and often published in tandem with purported Catholics are free to pray, publish, and Response: By divine Revelation has . As with the revelation itself, promote them. However, a set of promises communicated Himself and His will these works should be approached with an that has commonly accompanied the prayers concerning our salvation (Vatican II, Dei attitude that is open, cautious, and obedient of St. Bridget is not approved. A monitum Verbum, no. 6). The perfect Revelation of to the Church. (warning) from the Vatican forbids bishops God is the Person of Christ (Heb. 1:1- to allow in their dioceses the publication and 2; Dei Verbum, no. 2). Public Revelation These writings may carry a nihil obstat and distribution of the promises. (The reason for refers to the deposit of faith, entrusted to the an . By these, the bishop asserts this is that these promises cannot be proven Apostles, which includes all Church that (in his judgment) the writings do not to be of supernatural origin. This prohibition teaching (i.e., dogma and doctrine). Public contain anything contrary to faith and could possibly be lifted at some time in the Revelation ended with the death of the last morals, and he gives authorization to publish future; however, it is still in force at this apostle, St. John. As the Church reflects on the writings. One common misconception is time and so must be obeyed. See "Warning the sacred deposit, her understanding can that the nihil obstat and imprimatur also Concerning the ‘Promises of St. Bridget,’" deepen, but the sacred deposit itself (i.e., positively judge the supernatural origin of Supreme Holy Congregation of the Holy what God revealed to us through His Son) the revelation. However, this is not the case. Office, 28 January 1954.) does not change (Catechism, no. 66). The nihil obstat and imprimatur concern the content of the writings, not the authenticity  2000 Catholics United for the Faith, Inc. Private revelation is so-called not because it of the revelation. For example, the writings 827 N. Fourth St. is only for individuals or small groups, but associated with a particular purported Steubenville, OH 43952 to distinguish it from public Revelation. revelation may record certain statements that (800) 693-2484 Authentic private revelations, such as the writer attributes to Jesus. In giving his www.cuf.org approved Marian apparitions, neither add to imprimatur, the bishop does not confirm that Used with permission. nor subtract from the deposit of faith. Jesus made such statements, only that those Rather, they call us to a greater commitment statements do not contain anything contrary The Evangelization Station to Jesus Christ, the one Savior of the world, to faith and morals. (More caution may be Hudson, Florida, USA and the Church He founded, and draw our necessary in a case where such statements— E-mail: [email protected] attention back to the content of public whether they be from Jesus, Mary, or any www.evangelizationstation.com Revelation. other saint—include promises. See the example below. Statements in the form of Pamphlet 256 Discussion: The Catechism of the Catholic promises can, in effect, add to public Church (no. 67) provides the following Revelation—for example, suggesting a new teaching concerning private revelation: "path" to salvation.)

Throughout the ages, there have been so- our children to action. And the same can be distanced themselves from Christ, who called “private” revelations, some of which said of private revelations. reminds us that the “the Kingdom of God is have been recognized by the authority of the within you.” Church. They do not belong, however, to the What Should Be Our Attitude Toward deposit of faith. It is not their role to Private Revelation? We should keep in mind, though, that the improve or complete Christ’s definitive Open—Private revelations are precious gifts Church does uphold the value of Revelation, but to help live more fully by it to the Church. St. Paul instructs us not to pilgrimages, teaching that “pilgrimages in a certain period of history. Guided by the despise (1 Thess. 5:20). While evoke our earthly journey toward heaven of the Church, the sensus many purported apparitions, visions, etc., and are traditionally very special occasions fidelium knows how to discern and welcome are ultimately discredited, other private for renewal in prayer” (Catechism, no. in these revelations whatever constitutes an revelations, even in our time, have been 2691). And yet this must be balanced with authentic call of Christ or His saints to the approved by the Church. An attitude that the reality that we can regularly make Church. systematically rejects the possibility of pilgrimages to Jesus Christ in the Blessed private revelations simply is incompatible Sacrament in our local parishes. Christian faith cannot accept “revelations” with the mind of the Church. that claim to surpass or correct the Obedient—Until the Church renders her Revelation of which Christ is the fulfillment, Cautious—St. Paul also instructs us to “test official judgment, the faithful are free to as is the case in certain non-Christian everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 accept (or reject) any private revelation if religions and also in certain recent sects Thess. 5:21). Thus, openness to private nothing in the message or concurring which base themselves on such revelation, particularly when the Church has phenomena is contrary to faith and morals. “revelations.” not yet passed judgment, becomes uncritical For example, the throng witnessing the credulity unless it is tempered with caution. of the sun at Fatima in 1917 did not Authentic private revelations are associated For example, we cannot accept any have to wait until final Church approval in with the gift of prophecy, in which God purported message of Our Lady that cannot 1930 to begin living the message of Fatima. grants the bearer a in be reconciled with public Revelation, even However, once the Church has concluded order to encourage the faithful to live the where the Church has not intervened. that a particular apparition is not authentic, revealed truths of public Revelation. Private Further, seeking after extraordinary signs is the faithful need to walk away. Similarly, revelations usually exhort the faithful to a disordered when such enterprise takes once the Church declares an apparition as greater commitment to the Gospel by priority over the less glamorous daily “worthy of belief,” we must respect the turning from sin, praying more fervently, demands of the Gospel. As Bishop Church’s decision and those who choose to etc. Since a private revelation does not alter Alexander J. Brunett of Helena, MT, incorporate the apparition into their life of public Revelation, it is not, strictly speaking, recently wrote: devotion. necessary. However, following that logic, we can also conclude that our children need All too often the faithful are led on Private revelations such as Lourdes, Fatima, no “reminders” to do their homework pilgrimages to the four corners of the world and others are yet another sign that God has because they are already aware of the where some new sighting is claimed. Their not abandoned His Church, but is truly with assignment. Yet we all know that such conduct is not far removed from those who us. They also provide an invitation to deepen reminders are at times necessary to motivate chase UFOs, looking for secrets from some our conversion to Christ, often through a distant planet. How much they have heightened awareness of Mary’s spiritual