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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
obedience at Fatima	James	Sunday, December 12, 2004
Question: Dear brother, I have read and watched in a movie based on the Fatima apparition that before the Great Miracle of the Sun, the priest/s (I don't really know if all the priests at Portugal) under their bishop/s told/commanded the people not to go to the Cova da Iria to witness the said miracle. Now, my question is, there is a question of obedience on the part of the people and that may include the three children because they are supposedly obedient to the priest/s who are their superiors. Moreover, the bishop direction means that they should obey them as a sign of unity to the Church and to the Pope. I hope you can enlighten me more about this. Many thanks and regards, James
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear James: I am not that familiar with the details of the ecclesiastical discernments of Fatima so I can only speak generically. If the local ordinary commanded that pilgrims not visit the apparition site, then the people must obey. This refers to pilgrims. If the bishop also told the visionaries to not visit the apparition site then the visionaries must obey also. Of course, if our Blessed Mother wants to appear to the visionaries and wants the apparition site to be a place of devotion, then she will see to it that it happens -- but not in disobedience to the local bishop. This happened at Lourdes. The bishop gave our Blessed Mother a test -- that the fence that was erected to keep people from the apparition site would not be taken down unless the King ordered it to be taken down. Shortly, the King ordered the fence. Jesus, the Blessed Mother, or any other heavenly visitation will EVER inspire or direct a visionary or pilgrims to disobey the local bishop or the Pope. As far as Fatima is concerned, whatever prohibitions that might has been present at the time are no longer in force. The Church has approved the Fatima apparitions and people are free to go there. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

obedience at Fatima

James

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Question:

Dear brother,

I have read and watched in a movie based on the Fatima apparition that before the Great Miracle of the Sun, the priest/s (I don't really know if all the priests at Portugal) under their bishop/s told/commanded the people not to go to the Cova da Iria to witness the said miracle.

Now, my question is, there is a question of obedience on the part of the people and that may include the three children because they are supposedly obedient to the priest/s who are their superiors. Moreover, the bishop direction means that they should obey them as a sign of unity to the Church and to the Pope.

I hope you can enlighten me more about this.

Many thanks and regards,
James

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear James:

I am not that familiar with the details of the ecclesiastical discernments of Fatima so I can only speak generically.

If the local ordinary commanded that pilgrims not visit the apparition site, then the people must obey. This refers to pilgrims.

If the bishop also told the visionaries to not visit the apparition site then the visionaries must obey also.

Of course, if our Blessed Mother wants to appear to the visionaries and wants the apparition site to be a place of devotion, then she will see to it that it happens -- but not in disobedience to the local bishop.

This happened at Lourdes. The bishop gave our Blessed Mother a test -- that the fence that was erected to keep people from the apparition site would not be taken down unless the King ordered it to be taken down. Shortly, the King ordered the fence.

Jesus, the Blessed Mother, or any other heavenly visitation will EVER inspire or direct a visionary or pilgrims to disobey the local bishop or the Pope.

As far as Fatima is concerned, whatever prohibitions that might has been present at the time are no longer in force. The Church has approved the Fatima apparitions and people are free to go there.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum