Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD
Spirit Daily had a piece today entitled “Cardinal Silences Spiritual Director” - always a catchy headline. The Cardinal in question is Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore, and the spiritual director is Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh, the famous Carmelite scholar.
It all has to do with alleged apparitions of the Virgin to Gianna Talone-Sullivan, whose apparitions actually began at the parish of St. Maria Goretti in Scottsdale, Arizona years ago. The apparitions are now taking place in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and Our Lady has identified herself as Our Lady of Emmitsburg no less.
The events are similar to the phenomena in Medjugorje, accompanied by more or less identical messages. (Does that make them authentic? No, because most seers are familiar with published accounts of supposed apparitions and mystical revelations.) The local diocesan commission evidently has decided there is no evidence of anything supernatural occurring there, yet pilgrims continue to come. The Cardinal requested Fr. Kieran’s superiors to order him to refrain from speaking about or attending the events associated with the alleged apparitions.
Locally, in the Twin Cities metro area, another seer claims to have messages from the Virgin on a regularly scheduled basis. Our Archbishop pretty much banned the locutionist from having prayer meetings wherein the Madonna visits. These were held in her local parish as well, and like Gianna, they were asked to leave and now meet in a hall nearby. Again, the similarities to Medjugorje are unmistakable.
I was just surprised to find out a friar of the Discalced Carmelites, a noted scholar, was the spiritual director of this woman. I can more easily understand someone like Fr. Robert Fox being the spiritual director of “Little Mary” the local woman who receives Our Lady’s messages. Fr. Fox has long been an apostle of the message of Fatima, which would seem to me to dispose him to be more receptive to new apparitions and messages.
Whereas Fr. Kieran, the man who translated the works of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, for the Institute of Carmelite Studies, would seem to me to be far more skeptical of such mystical phenomenon, and therefore less likely to be involved. After all, the Carmelite friars of his province have a bit of a reputation for being somewhat more progressivist. (Of course, that depends on who you talk to.)
I was reeled in by Kavanagh’s name however, and checked out the website associated with the Emmitburg apparitions. It seems very Medjugorje to me, with similar repetitive messages, perhaps a bit more wordy, that repeat virtually the same things as Medjugorje visionaries have, as well as Little Mary. Here is a portion of the most recent message:
“This is the time to gather as many as you can, because there is not enough time left. Too many evil things in the world are trying to supersede what is good. God will no longer stand for it! Even though many people do not believe it, when they see what is about to unfold and then do believe, there is not enough time to change.” - Foundation of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary
I don’t know what to make of these things. I’m not attracted to the phenomena, especially when Church authorities declare there is nothing supernatural occurring. When a Cardinal of the Catholic Church asks an eminent Carmelite priest to refrain from any involvement with the alleged apparitions, well, that tells me something is off.
In previous apparitions, those approved by the Church, the Madonna has usually left signs of her presence, and revealed something Church authorities could recognize as authentic and worthy of belief. Vague messages, repeated over and over, obviously just aren’t enough to convince the Church these events are credible.
If such events are false, what would be the motivation behind it? Is it diabolic? If so, it seems to me the end result would be to discredit the Church and the hierarchy, to foment deeper division through mistrust, and ultimately, a slackening of faith, as well as authentic piety and devotion. If the more spurious events throughout the world turn out to be false, I suspect a terrible spiritual apathy and skepticism would be the inevitable result.
If the revelations are authentic, then the average Christian, striving for holiness while keeping the commandments and faithful to Church teaching, exercising themselves in works of piety and charity, would have nothing to be concerned about.
(The above photo is one of the seers from Garabandal in ecstasy.)
February 5th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Terry, some info on the local locutionist: There were no “live” marian apparitions. What she was doing was reading the messages after Mass. Not sure if it was Sunday or just a Daily Mass thing as I didn’t attend there at the time. The Archbishop told her to stop, but did not say anything about stopping revealing her messages as she is under the care of a solid Spiritual Director. More than one, in fact.
She has been obedient to the directive she was given, and all of her messages pertain to prayer, conversion, and adherance to the Sacraments.
I have met her and know her SD, and she does suffer as a result of the messages. I can’t go into detail…let’s just say I know a few things about it and leave it at that. I do believe her apparaitions are authentic.
I actually first met her at a party, in a social situation, and there was no mention by her of the appearances or messages. She wanted only to have fun, and she did! (clean fun, thank you). She is a dear lady, and really doesn’t enjoy the “spotlight”.
The messages are not contrary to Catholic teaching, and the way the Church handles these things is to wait until the apparitions have ended and the “seer” is deceased.
I know of another locutionist as well, same parish, different, more specific messages. I’ve met her as well, and she has been very obedient to directives given to her. This woman actually went all the way to the Pope…and doors opened for her and her very new priest (recently ordained at the time, but called to be her SD- maybe 3-5 years ordained at the time of the initial SD-ship?). Anyway, the POPE directed her to get her messages out! But the Archbishop apparently asked her SD to stop doing what they were doing, so they did.
I don’t know any more than that…but these will be fully investigated one day, and either approved…or not.
We won’t know for a long time.
February 5th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Oh, and one other thing…the locutionists and their SD’s do reinforce that they do not need to worry about “warnings” if they are in fact, walking in holiness, remaining close to the Sacraments, etc.
The “warnings” pertain to those who are not heeding the teachings of Christ and the Church.
February 5th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Thanks for the clarification Julie.
I know our local Carmelite nuns esteem the messages very much, as well as many good, devout souls who are not all members of Epiphany parish.
It is a curious phenomenon that I am no way qualified to judge. I wish that I was attracted to it, but I’m not, and I don’t know if that means i am hard of heart or what.
Nevertheless, I cannot condemn these things, but only wonder at them and ponder their meaning in my heart.
People I have met who follow these things appear very solid and well grounded in their faith, and zealous for the conversion of sinners. I suspect they have greater charity than I do in this respect.
Pray for me, blessed Julie.
February 5th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Terry,
I can’t say I’m realy “drawn” to this either, but I have friends who are and I’ve followed the messages. But I do think some people get too attached to the visionaries, which is not what the visionaries themselves want. But it goes back to free will…
And believe you me, I’m not blessed! LOL. Maybe someday, after a long purgation…
Thank God for purgatory!
February 6th, 2007 at 8:06 am
The history of “proven” apparitions seems to show that some individuals involved had difficult relationships with the hierarchy of the Church. Sister Lucy of Fatima would be an exception, I think.
Some, like St Catherine Laboure (Immaculate Conception) and St Faustina Kowalska (Divine Mercy) had virtually no contact with the hierarchy. Their written diaries are their testament.
What perhaps is most important is that the frequency of apparitions seems to be increasing at an exponential rate.
Is that an indication that something is in the works and we are being prepared to be ready?
February 6th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
I actually had a dream recently about a cross in the sky, made of light. It was not a crucifix, and it was not a cloud formation, nor as it caused by jets. It was a cross.
And in the dream, a voice spoke to me and just said “A storm is coming.”
Prophecy? Or just a dream?
I have to wonder, but I think the best thing all of us can do is to remain close to God, to go to frequent Confession, strive to live lives of holiness, and recieve Holy Communion as much as possible.
If “a storm is coming”, I want it to come while I’m in Jesus’ presence. And if a storm is not coming, I want it to not come when I’m in Jesus’ presence.
That pretty well sums it up.
February 6th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Julie, you have a lot of company with that dream - I know many people who have had similar dreams, myself included. I believe it is prophetic.
Your reaction or response to the dream is right on.
Detachment.
February 7th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Being a native Marylander, I went about once a week at least to St Joseph’s in Emmitsburg in the early 90’s and once or twice was present at the Thursday night Mass when Gianna was there giving her messages. I was not drawn to it at all. One of the statements I heard contradicted Scripture. For instance, when talking about obedience, Gianna said, allegedly quoting Our Lady, everyone obey the Pope (yes, good), children obey your parents (good) and then she said: “Husbands and wives obey each other.” Why would Our Lady contradict Scripture, which says clearly “Wives obey your husbands”?
It was a small thing, but I recently had witnessed so much suffering due to women in rebellion against the Church and family life that I never went back to the “Gianna nights.” There are other things I have discovered since from a priest friend which I cannot post but I assure you the Church authorities had good cause not to approve the phenomena in Emmitsburg. Emmitsburg is still a blessed spot because of the Grotto and the Mother Seton Shrine and I still make pilgrimages there whenever I can.
I am surprised that dear Father Kieran would be involved at all. It does not seem like his kind of thing….