How does the Catholic Church investigate and approve Marian apparitions?
The Catholic Church exercises extreme rigor and prudence before approving any reported apparition or private revelation. The local bishop and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith examine the psychological health and moral integrity of the visionary, the theological orthodoxy of the messages, the fruits of spiritual conversion, and absence of financial exploitation. Even when approved (such as Lourdes, Fatima, or Guadalupe), apparitions belong to private revelation and do not add to the public deposit of faith; their purpose is simply to help believers live the Gospel more deeply.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 67
- 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.