Topic:  Can you tell me more about the apparitions of Mary?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: June 13, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Father Phillip

Question:   Can you tell me a good website to learn about all (or the authentic and very probable)apparitions of our Blessed Virgin Mother? Or maybe you can give me a list and information? Thank you very much.

Answer: 

Dear Vanessa,

Thanks for writing to www.CatholicQandA.org with your question about websites which might help you learn more about apparitions of Mary. That you are interested in learning more about the faith is a wonderful testimony to your goodness.

Please allow me to make some preliminary comments. First about the internet: The internet is a glorious fact of 21st century life. Clearly it provides a medium of communication and information that allows for the dissemination of vast quantities of data which, I think, is generally a good thing.

However, the very freedom of the internet which is, again, I think, a generally good thing, allows virtually anybody to make a posting. That fact alone means that we need to approach EVERYTHING on the internet with a very discerning and careful eye.

As persons of faith I am convinced that we need to ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of wisdom when we are sorting through data provided via the internet (and through any other source for that matter -- but ESPECIALLY on the internet!). My point, then, is: BE REALLY CAREFUL as you try to assess information from web sites.

(Precisely this issue is what causes us at www.CatholicQandA.org to remind our visitors that we are sponsored by the Campus Ministry Department of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh [NC, USA]. We try our 'darndest' to provide 'answers' to people's questions that are faithful to the Church, responsive to the Scriptures, and sensitive to the pastoral needs of college and university students. We are not trying to be original theologians here at all!)

So, just because you may find a web site that says it is giving "authentic" information about what it claims is an apparition of the Blessed Mother, be wary; be careful; do research; and of course PRAY FOR WISDOM! Don't just believe everything out there on the web.

Second, I would remind you of two things. The Church has said infallibly that ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ. In the utterly authoritative document from the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council, called "Lumen gentium," the Church, quoting Saint Jerome, calls us in this statement to become as totally familiar with the Sacred Scripture as we possibly can be.

Certainly, I don't know as much about the Bible as I need to know. I am learning every single day about God by reading, praying, and studying the Scripture. I suspect that you might be enough like me that you could stand to learn more about this vitally important gift from God.

The New Testament teaches us much about the Blessed Mother that is magnificent. A good book that you might want to spend some time with is called "Mary in the New Testament." This book is a great way to learn more about our Blessed Mother while at the same time learning more about the Bible.

The other thing that I would remind you about is that coming to know Mary is, for us Catholics, such an important part of growing in faith. This Woman is always telling us, as she says in Saint John's Gospel, the second chapter, "Do whatever[Jesus] tells you to do." She was the first Christian, the model of faithfulness, the Cause of our joy. So, grow in your knowledge of, love for, and devotion to Mary. And use the Scripture as the basis for your growth in your Christian Catholic faith as that faith pertains to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

You might want to go to the CatholicQandA.org "FAQ Library" and look at the answers there to questions that have been posted about Mary.

Now, finally to your specific question. While I re-iterate my caution about everything you find on the internet, one web site that might be useful to learn something about at least some of the apparitions of Mary is:

http://www.apparitions.org/

Take care!

Blessings,
Father Phillip