Vatican doctrinal office: do not promote alleged apparitions linked to 'Lady of all Peoples'

The doctrinal office of the Vatican urged Catholics not to promote "the alleged apparitions and revelations" associated with the Marian title of "Lady of All Nations," according to a Dutch bishop.

The appeal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was announced in a clarification released on December 30 by Bishop Johannes Hendriks of Haarlem-Amsterdam.

The clarification concerns the alleged visions that Ida Peerdeman, a secretary residing in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, claimed to have received between 1945 and 1959.

Hendriks, who as the local bishop is primarily responsible for evaluating the apparitions, said he decided to issue the statement after consulting with the Vatican doctrinal congregation, which guides the bishops in the discernment process.

The bishop said that the Vatican congregation considered the title "Lady of All Nations" for Mary as "theologically acceptable".

“However, the recognition of this title cannot be understood - not even implicitly - as the recognition of the supernaturality of some phenomena from which it seems to originate,” he wrote in the clarification, published in five languages ​​on the website of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam.

"In this sense, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirms the validity of the negative judgment on the supernaturality of the alleged 'apparitions and revelations' to Mrs. Ida Peerdeman approved by St. Paul VI on 04/05/1974 and published on 25/05 / 1974. "

“This judgment implies that everyone is urged to cease all propaganda regarding the alleged apparitions and revelations of the Lady of All Nations. Therefore, the use of images and prayer cannot in any way be considered a recognition - not even implicitly - of the supernaturality of the events in question ”.

Peerdeman was born on August 13, 1905 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. She claimed that on March 25, 1945 she saw her first appearance of a woman bathed in light who referred to herself as "the Lady" and "Mother".

In 1951, the woman allegedly told Peerdeman that she wished to be known as "the Lady of All Nations". That year, the artist Heinrich Repke created a painting of the "Lady", depicting her standing on a globe in front of a cross.

The series of 56 alleged visions ended on May 31, 1959.

In 1956, Bishop Johannes Huibers of Haarlem declared that after an investigation "he had found no evidence of the supernatural nature of the apparitions".

The Holy Office, the forerunner of the CDF, approved the bishop's verdict a year later. The CDF upheld the ruling in 1972 and 1974.

In his clarification, Bishop Hendriks acknowledged that "through devotion to Mary, the Mother of all peoples, many faithful express their desire and their effort for the universal brotherhood of humanity with the help and support of intercession of Mary ".

He cited Pope Francis' encyclical “Brothers all”, published on October 3, in which the pope wrote that “for many Christians this journey of fraternity also has a Mother, who is called Mary. Having received this universal motherhood at the foot of the cross, she takes care not only of Jesus but also of the "rest of his children". In the power of the risen Lord, she wants to give birth to a new world, where we are all brothers and sisters, where there is room for all those who our societies reject, where justice and peace shine ".

Hendriks said: “In this sense, the use of the title Lady of All Nations for Mary is in itself theologically acceptable. Prayer with Mary and through the intercession of Mary, Mother of our peoples, serves for the growth of a more united world, in which all recognize themselves as brothers and sisters, all created in the image of God, our common Father ”.

Concluding his clarification, the bishop writes: “Regarding the mere title 'Lady', 'Madonna' or 'Mother of all peoples', the Congregation generally does not object to her alleged apparitions. "

"If the Virgin Mary is invoked with this title, pastors and faithful must ensure that every form of this devotion refrains from any reference, even implicit, to presumed apparitions or revelations".

Alongside the clarification, the bishop released an explanation, also dated December 30 and published in five languages.

In it he wrote: “Devotion to Mary as Lady and Mother of all Nations is good and precious; it must, however, remain separate from messages and apparitions. These are not approved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This is the core of the clarification that took place in agreement with the Congregation following the recent appearance of various national and international reports on veneration ”.

The bishop said he released the clarification following conversations with CDF officials following media reports and inquiries.

He recalled that the CDF had expressed concern in 2005 over the formulation of an official prayer invoking the Blessed Virgin as Lady of All Nations "who once was Mary", advising Catholics not to use the phrase.

Hendriks said: “It is permissible to use the image and prayer - always in the manner approved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2005. Days of prayer in honor of the Lady of All Nations are also permitted; however, no reference can be made to apparitions and messages that are not approved “.

"Anything that could be understood as an (implicit) recognition of messages and apparitions must be avoided because the Congregation has issued a negative judgment on these which was confirmed by Pope Paul VI".

Hendriks noted that Bishop Hendrik Bomers, bishop of Haarlem from 1983 to 1998, authorized the devotion in 1996, although he did not comment on the validity of the apparitions.

He also acknowledged that Bishop Jozef Punt, bishop of Haarlem from 2001 to 2020, announced in 2002 that he believed the apparitions were authentic.

Hendriks said that Paul VI's negative verdict would therefore be "new for many people".

"In 2002, that is, when Bishop Punt took a stand on the authenticity of the apparitions, only one clarification of the year 1974 was known," he said.

"In the 80s, my predecessor believed it was possible to authorize this devotion, and Bishop Bomers finally decided to do so in 1996."

Hendricks was appointed coadjutor bishop of Haarlem-Amsterdam in 2018 and succeeded Punt in June 2020 (the name of the diocese was changed from Haarlem to Haarlem-Amsterdam in 2008.)

Devotion to the Lady of All Nations is centered around a chapel in Amsterdam and promoted by the website theladyofallnations.info.

In his explanation of the CDF's remarks, Hendriks wrote: “For all who feel united in devotion to the Lady of All Nations it is the good news in this clarification approved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that devotion to Mary under this title is allowed and words of appreciation are dedicated to it. "

“For many faithful, however, it will be particularly painful that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Pope Paul VI have expressed a negative judgment on the apparitions. I want to tell all of them that I can understand their disappointment “.

“The apparitions and messages have inspired many people. I hope it is a consolation for them that the devotion to Mary under the title of "Lady of All Nations" remains in place, both in the Amsterdam chapel and during the Days of Prayer, in which I myself was present several times in the past. .