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Question about an apparition Teresa Saturday, May 26, 2007

Question:

Hello Brother Ignatius,

Do you know anything about the visions of Barnabas Nwoye of Nigeria about the gift of the seal?

God bless,

Teresa

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Teresa:

I do not know anything about this alleged visionary other than what I found on the Internet this evening.

I have little interest in so-called visionaries. 99.9% of all these visionaries and apparitions are not experiencing anything from God. Their experiences, rather, are sourced either in their imaginations, psychological/psychiatric manifestations and delusions, outright fraud, or demonic delusions. Very few are actually coming from God. That is why the Church approves so very few of them.

In any event the Church does not make any decisions on an alleged visionary until the visions/apparitions/messages stop.

In the meantime it is very dangerous to pay much attention to any private revelation that has not been investigated and verified by the Church. Many people have been lead astray by taking too much interest in apparitions not verified by the Church. 

Some people become so emotionally invested in some visionary that when the Church condemns the visions/apparitions they rebel against the Church and continue to follow the person. This is what happen in the false visions of Veronica Leukin in Bayside, New York, and with Maria Valtorta (Poem of the Man-God), and Vassula Ryden all of whom have been official disapproved by the Church.

I did briefly look through the "messages" of Barnabas Nwoye. I find them to be wholly lacking in credibility. I sincerely doubt if this visionary is receiving anything from heaven. His idea of the Gift of the Seal I also find to lack credibility. They just do not smack as genuine. And I find them utterly without usefulness to my faith.

But, I am not the one who will make the decision. If the Church approves of this visionary someday I will acknowledge it. But, as is true with ALL private revelations (including Fatima), the Church says that they are not necessary to our salvation and that we are not obligated to believe any of them (even Fatima).

When the Church does approve a visionary's apparitions or messages all the Church is saying is that it believes that the visionary's experiences are supernaturally from God and that they may be helpful to our devotion. But, as mentioned,  the Church does not require us to believe in them or to have devotion to them.

In terms of this visionary, I advise extreme caution. The wise thing to do is to wait until the Church makes a decision, if she ever makes a decision on this person. We miss out on nothing by waiting. And if the Church never decides one way or the other, then we ought to set it aside for we never miss out on anything truly important by ignoring any private revelation, especially one not officially approved.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

 


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