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MiracleHunter.com contains only minimal information on non-approved, alleged Marian apparitions in order to indicate their approval status, present relevant Church documents and cover them if they are reported in the news. This stance follows in deference to
the following official statement of the Catholic Church:
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
November 1996
Regarding the circulation of texts of alleged private revelations,
the Congregation states:
1. The Interpretation given by some individuals to a Decision
approved by Paul VI on 14 October 1966 and promulgated on 15 November
of that year, in virtue of which writings and messages resulting
from alleged revelations could be freely circulated in the Church,
is absolutely groundless. This decision actually referred to the
"abolition of the Index of Forbidden Books" and determined that
--- after the relevant censures were lifted --- the moral obligation
still remained of not circulating or reading those writings which
endanger faith and morals.
2. In should be recalled however that with regard to the circulation
of texts of alleged private revelations, canon 823 §1 of the current
Code remains in force: "the Pastors of the Church have the "right
to demand that writings to be published by the Christian faithful
which touch upon faith or morals be submitted to their judgement".
3. Alleged supernatural revelations and writings concerning them
are submitted in first instance to the judgement of the diocesan
Bishop, and, in particular cases, to the judgement of the Episcopal
Conference and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Source: NOTIFICATION ON VASSULA RYDEN, L'Osservatore Romano, Weekly Edition in English, 4 December 1996, 12
Response to (Notificatio de scriptis et operibus dominae Vassulae Ryden - 6 October 1995),
Acta Apostolicae Sedis [Acts of the Apostolic See] - AAS, vol. LXXXVIII, N. 12 (5 December 1996), 956-957]
Previous Instruction Regarding the Publication of Information on Alleged Apparitions
1917
The Code of Canon Law of 1917 (1399, #5) forbade the publication of anything about "new apparitions, revelations, visions, prophecies, and miracles" without the local bishop's approbation.
1966
The decision to abolish Canon 1399 and 2318 of the Code of Canon Law of 1917 resulting in the "abolition of the Index of Forbidden Books" was approved
by Paul VI on October 14th,1966 by Acta Apostolicae Sedis (AAS) 58 and promulgated on November 15th of that year. The moral obligation
still remained of not circulating or reading those writings which
endanger faith and morals. Writings concerning them
are submitted in first instance to the judgement of the competent local authority.
1983
In the 1983 Code of Canon Law, canon 823 §1 states:
"In order to preserve the integrity of the truths of faith and morals, the pastors of the Church have the duty and right to be watchful so that no harm is done to the faith or morals of the Christian faithful through writings or the use of instruments of social communication. They also have the duty and right to demand that writings to be published by the Christian faithful which touch upon faith or morals be submitted to their judgment and have the duty and right to condemn writings which harm correct faith or good morals."
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