The Catholic Church's Policy on the Apparitions
In 1991 the Archbishop of Atlanta, James Lyke (at right), established the Western Rite Archdiocese’s policy on the apparitions that was a neutral policy which remains to this day:
"Leave them alone, for if this plan and work of theirs is a man-made thing, it will disappear; but if it comes from God you cannot possibly defeat them."
After the death of Archbishop Lyke, the next Archbishop of Atlanta, John Donoghue, has maintained this neutral policy based on Acts 5:38-39 but he noted in 1994 many reports of good fruits at the apparition site: “People are praying. People are coming back to church who hadn’t been in a church for a long time. People’s faith is restored. Conversions are taking place.”
Since Ms. Fowler is a member of the Western Rite of the Catholic Church, the Archbishop of Atlanta has the primary responsibility to investigate the authenticity of her alleged apparitions. As recently as April 2001, the Archbishop has stated that he had no plans to begin an investigation
Archbishop Donoghue (at right) has stated that the Church’s 1978 Norms for judging private revelation would be followed should there be any future investigation into the alleged apparitions in Conyers. These Norms can be summarized as follows:
- There must be no doubt that what is occurring is miraculous, truly exceptional and beyond human explanation;
- During the time period of the reported apparitions, the visionary must have been mentally sound, honest, sincere, of upright conduct, obedient to Church authorities and able to return to the normal practices of the faith;
- The content of the revelations, the messages, must be theologically acceptable and morally sound and free of doctrinal error attributed to God or to the Blessed Virgin Mary or some other saint;
- The apparitions must result in positive spiritual aspects which endure such as prayer, conversion and increase of charity; and
- There must be no hint of financial advantage to anyone connected with the apparitions.
In his 1991 policy statement on the Conyers apparitions, Archbishop Lyke cautioned that any self-gain on the part of the visionary (-ies) or their associates would seriously compromise possible authenticity. Ms. Fowler has repeatedly assured Church authorities, the Court, pilgrims and volunteers that neither she nor her family received financial gain from the apparitions.
One of the main reasons for incorporating Our Loving Mother’s Children (“OLMC”) as a non-profit, religious education organization was to be sure that there would be no financial advantage to anyone connected with the apparitions.
As part of its publishing responsibilities, OLMC had all the published Conyers messages first reviewed by priests to assure the messages were theologically and morally sound, free of doctrinal error and, thus, in conformance with Church teachings.
Should the Church decide to investigate the Conyers apparitions, a large quantity of messages and other documentation has been complied and extensive testimony has been recorded, which the Church can use to evaluate the authenticity of the apparitions.
Since they first began acquiring land at the apparition site in 1991, OLMC and its main benefactors have intended that the land would be eventually donated to the Catholic Church for a permanent church and shrine to honor Our Loving Mother.
As recently as April 2001, Archbishop Donoghue stated that he had no plans to build a Western Rite Catholic church or shrine at the site because he did not want to create the impression of endorsing the experiences of Nancy Fowler prior to any eventual diocesan investigation into the authenticity of her apparitions.
The Archbishop has concurred that an Eastern Rite Bishop has the authority and freedom to establish an Eastern Rite Catholic parish at the site and indicated that his Archdiocese had no interest in co-owning the apparition site. The Western Rite and the Eastern Rites are both in full communion with the Pope.
The Eastern Rite Mother of God Catholic Church, was established next to the apparition site in October 1998 by Bishop Robert Moskal. (See the article, “Catholic Church Established at the Site”)
With the retirement of Archbishop John Donoghue, Pope John Paul II appointed the Most Rev. Wilton D. Gregory as the new Archbishop of Atlanta on December 9, 2004. He was installed as the Archbishop of Atlanta on January 17, 2005. Since that time, there has been no change in the Archdiocese’s policy on the apparitions and they have maintained this neutral policy based on Acts 5:38-39.
Leave them alone, for if this plan and work of theirs is a man-made thing,
it will disappear; but if it comes from God you cannot possibly defeat them."