Diocesan Directive from Bishop Sartain...yes!!!!!!!

[Denise]

This just in...........

FYI.... Attached is a recent directive to all the Priests in the Joliet Diocese regarding inviting "alleged" visionaries, etc into the parishes. This just came out in the Joliet Official Bulletin (JOB), April, 2009
Myra Naebig Chicago.



FROM BISHOP SARTAIN

Dear Brother Priests,

From time to time we are approached by parishioners who would like to invite speakers
representing various alleged apparitions of the Blessed Virgin, private revelations or locutions, or
others claiming to possess extraordinary spiritual gifts. My purpose in bringing this to your
attention is to ask that you not issue such invitations. Whether the speakers would make
presentations on well-known alleged apparitions, such as Medjugorje, or lesser known private
revelations, we must be extremely cautious about inviting or promoting them.
As you know the Church takes great time and care before declaring that an apparition is
worthy of belief, and even then it never says that a Catholic must accept the apparition as a
matter of faith. We must avoid giving the impression that alleged apparitions about which the
Church has not made a judgment are somehow already approved. It is our responsibility to see
that OUR parishioners are not led down the wrong path. That is not to say that those who ask us to
promote these matters are doing so out of bad faith, but we must be extremely careful not to
confuse our parishioners. Our greatest spiritual treasures are the Word of God, the Sacraments,
especially the Eucharist, and the teaching of the Church, and our focus should always be there.
Needless to say, these comments do not refer to apparitions such as Fatima, Lourdes or
Guadalupe, which enjoy the approval of the Church.
Thank you for your attention to this important spiritual matter, and I am grateful for your
cooperation.
Sincerely in Christ,
Bishop Peter Sartain