The Last Pope!

Blackberry Under the Spotlight  D THE THIRD SECRET CONTROVERSY

say one day that he did not know. — Antonio Socci October 7, 2006 Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary

not belong to biblical revelation but are addressed to private individuals (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 66). These revelations. which cannot contradict the content of faith, must converge toward the central subject of Jesus Christ's proclamation: the Father's love, which engenders conversion in human beings and imparts the grace they need to entrust themselves to him with filial devotion. This is also the message of Fatima which, with its heartfelt appeal to conversion and repentance, actually urges us on into the heart of the Gospel. In this regard the apparition of Fatima acquires, as it were, the form of a great ecclesial fresco, as Cardinal Ratzinger demonstrated in his Theological Commentary for the publication of the third part of the so-called "secrets". The Virgin Mary's mission in the plan of universal salvation and in every Christian's life is brought increasingly into the limelight by contemporary Catholicism. Several people are concerned about this, fearing that it may increase the gap that separates us from our Protestant brothers and sisters.

No sooner had this work been published by Socci then Cardinal Bertone released one year later his work, “The Last Secret of Fatima” inspired by his conversations with Sr. Lucia, the last seer of Fatima who died on 13 February 2005.

As part of a ceremony to m a r k t h e

publication of the book in the Pontifical Urban University, the cardinal delivered a presentation. His closing remarks were as follows

At the end of this round of interventions, I warmly thank the speakers who with their different but complementary reports have outlined a magnificent, I would say "Marian", fresco, which from various viewpoints has been edifying in its spirit, incisive in its history, profound in its culture and informative. For my part, I would like to reflect on just two apparently contradictory points: the value for Catholic spirituality of Mariology, which also includes supernatural phenomena, and the Church's justifiable prudence in officially recognizing them. Down through the centuries the Church has come face to face with various apparitions — for the most part involving the Mother of the Lord and the Saints —, the subject of a mysterious divine plan. Some people have recognized and accepted them as extraordinary manifestations for the providential guidance of disciples of Christ or as a prophetic sign. Yet, the Church has never wished to oblige believers to believe in them (this was already attested to by Pope Benedict XIV in De Servorum Dei Beatificatione). Faith is always and only rooted and founded in Jesus Christ, who :is the Father's true prophesy until the end of history. Conciliar teaching recognizes manifestations that do

But we view the development of Mariology as an attestation of fidelity to the Holy Spirit, who in the course of the centuries has led people to be ever more explicitly aware of the truth contained in Scripture. Mary's task, recognized by Catholicism — I do not speak of one form or another of devotion —, is not a doctrine superimposed on Scripture but rather proceeds from the actual knowledge of the Word of God, better understood down the ages by the faith of the Christian community and the tradition of the Magisterium under the constant action of the Holy Spirit.

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