TLIG YOUTH CHOIR
TLIG YOUTH CHOIR
The youth from TLIG Children Choir met with Vassula in Switzerland and they are sharing their experience of God’s Love poured out through the Messages of True Life in God. Children were invited to sing during TLIG meeting in Dietikon (Switzerland) in April 2023. The lyrics of the songs are all taken from the Message of True Life in God.
Iuliana
Iuliana
My name is Iuliana, I am 29 years old and I’m from Romania. I would like to share with you my testimony, the way God changed my life through The Messages.
I was raised in an orthodox family. My parents raised me to be a good Christian. My dad had many problems in his life and his only hope and comfort was The Lord. He sought after God for 30+ years, reading a lot and visiting different churches, to discern which one is the ‘good’ one.
I remember praying since I was a little girl, but throughout the years, my prayers became lip-service and I thought I had a very good relationship with God, when in fact I was a hypocrite. I was saying that I was a Christian, yet I was sinning a lot. I was selfish, cold, perverted, numb to other’s sufferings. Only now I realize how God must have been near me when I was ignoring Him. I wish I would’ve come near Him sooner.
During my school years, most of my time was spent studying, and I lost my relationship with my parents. I was mad at dad and I did not talk to him for 10 years, besides ‘hello’ and him trying to impose on me his faith.
In 2011 something weird happened. I started to have anxiety, depression and a whole list of other symptoms. The scariest part was that the doctors didn’t know what I had,because my symptoms were so strange. I tried to go to the psychotherapist, but problems were still persisting, because I didn’t have God in my heart.
Now about The Messages. Somewhere between 2014-2015, dad, being fed up with the Orthodox Church, wanted to go to the Protestants. Before he made his decision though, he asked God: “Please, Lord, send me a prophet of Yours that talks to You nowadays”. God immediately made him discover dear Vassula on the internet. So God stopped dad in time before he lost his way and made him understand unity.
He tried to convince me and mom that the Messages were true but I simply thought he was crazy and that he should not read something like that, lest he gets tricked by ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’.
One day, I was tired of this ‘Messages talk’. I said ‘let me go on the internet and find proof that Vassula is a liar and to prove once and for all to dad that he’s wrong and is being mislead’. To my surprise, all the articles against Vassula seemed ridiculous and I didn’t believe them. So, driven by curiosity (and of course, God), I started to try to read the Messages and at first I felt joy. My impurity was at work though, because I found the way Jesus spoke to Vassula and their relationship to be so inappropriate, that I put the Messages away for a while. I read them on and off.
I reached a dark point in 2017 when I thought about suicide. But God never gave up on me. Immediately He put His Words in my mind: if I commit suicide, I’ll betray the Lord, because the most amazing gift that He gave us is life. My dark thoughts stopped at that moment. After a month or so, part of my gastritis was healed by the Lord and I was off medication, after 7 years.
Still, my psychological disorder progressed and my anger towards the Lord persisted because I thought He punished me.
In 2018, God converted me to a true life in Him. For a couple of weeks, He made me feel His presence and He made me think about all the sins I‘ve done, when I thought I didn’t have many. I became very close to Jesus. I went to confession after a long time. I started going to church, and dad brought me to the Catholic Church too, because God showed us in the Messages that we have to be one flock. I started feeling compassionate about others, I started acknowledging and praying to Our Lady, I felt like my personality changed. Last but not least, God repaired my broken relationship with my dad in a matter of minutes. Our family was one again. I felt that somehow, the Messages are alive. It’s like every time you read them ,something in your soul or life changes. Probably that’s why they say that The Word of God is alive.
Fast forward to present day, since 2018 the Lord performed other miracles: after my first general Confession and receiving Holy Communion, my depression disappeared and after a while, anxieties started to vanish one by one. Plus, one of the most precious things He taught me (besides loving Him,of course) is how to suffer and the incredible importance of suffering. I was ALWAYS mad at Him for having ‘taken’ my life away from me when in fact, He gave me my life back, a true life in Him. To this day, although my psychological disorders diminished, my bodily illness is still there and He gives me incredible strength, support and love to be able to carry the Cross further. I still have a ton of things to learn, I rebel against my Cross sometimes, but He is always there for me, teaching me- we, us?
For anyone reading this who is suffering from psychological disorders or any suffering, know this- turn to God, go to a general, truthful Confession (my Confessions of before didn’t help me much because I was superficial) and then every month, like the Lord advises, receive Him as often as possible and turn all your life to Him. He will become your best Friend and your everything. Know that your suffering, when offered to the Lord, becomes priceless. And for anyone who doubts these Messages, pray to the Lord from the bottom of your heart for discernment and He will show you the truth.
All Glory be to God and His Blessed Mother and may Vassula and all who work with her be blessed!
Iuliana
Jack Matusiewicz
Jack Matusiewicz
I would like to share with you, what I would call: the beginning of a conversion of heart.
A little about me. I am a life-long Catholic, and although I attended Church regularly all my life, in the past few years I was slowly drifting away in my relationship with Jesus. Basically, I never lost my faith, but I stopped placing God as first in my life, and so I drifted further and further away from God and His ways.
So last year, at a very low point in my life, I stumbled upon the True Life in God messages. (of course, now I believe all this was by the grace of God). After, what I believe was my “Day of Purification”, I was slowly able to understand the messages as being completely non-sensational and all-spiritual.
After my purification, I started to recall some moments/situations from my past and felt strong remorse for them, even things that happened maybe over a decade ago or even longer, things I would never have thought before to be actual sins, but I felt strong remorse for them. Soon after this, I felt a strong urge to go to confession, and so I did.
Ever since this occurrence, I have had a very strong thirst for the Word of God, and for the TLIG messages themselves, a thirst that seems unquenchable. I have already read the TLIG messages a few times, completely through, and now I am reading the Bible completely from beginning to end. The TLIG messages do satisfy this thirst the most, but I feel that even if I would read them 10 times it would not be enough.
My life has not changed, exteriorly speaking, although my passions of the past, about earthly/carnal things, are emphatically, much diminished. I attend Mass, as always, every Sunday, but now I partake in the Eucharist at every Mass, rather than for only a few weeks after Easter or Christmas, as I always use to do. In addition, I now feel more willing to go to confession, I do so every month, instead of being reluctant and going just twice a year, as I did before. I now pray the rosary daily, which I never did before. I also am learning to pray ceaselessly, and have recently started to evangelize around my community by sharing with others the TLIG Messages. And although I do still sin, I now seem to be more aware of my sins, and I’m also sincerely trying my best, in every moment, to follow God’s commandments of love.
Jack Matusiewicz
Arlene Angela Roncal
Arlene Angela Roncal
On the TLIG writings and their Ecclesiastical Approval
Dear True Life in God Readers,
It was recently brought to my attention that a website which is not in receipt of any endorsement, support or authorization of the Church, and is run by an anonymous non-theologian, has posted numerous false statements against the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and the True Life in God messages of Mrs. Vassula Rydén.”1
To obtain clarity on this matter, I contacted His Excellency Bishop Toppo who, on April 25, 2018, provided me with the following answers that once and for all expose the falsehoods posted on said unauthorized website.
Bishop Toppo’s answers are of great service to Christians around the world who continue to receive spiritual teachings and nourishment from the TLIG messages.
+ Rev. J.L. Iannuzzi, STD
April 26, 2018
Written Interview with His Excellency Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J., D.D.
Fr. Joseph: Your Excellency, on the unauthorized website2 there is the public statement that affirms as follows,
“The nihil obstat and imprimatur were not sought in accordance with Canon Law dispositions. Although Vassula never resided in the Philippines nor was the TLIG One volume of messages published there, the imprimatur was granted by a bishop of that country (Archbishop Argüelles of Lipa). Canon 824 §1 states that the permission or approval to publish should be granted by the local ordinary (= bishop) of the author or of the publisher.”
Obviously this statement is false, as Canon 824 §13 clearly states that “the ordinary of the place where the books are published” is vested with the authority to grant the Imprimatur to a work that is circulated in his diocese even though the author does not live in his diocese.
Bishop Toppo: “I thank you very much for pointing out the false criticisms against Archbishop Arguelles of Lipa and Me (http://www.pseudomystica.info/tlignihilobstat.htm) with regard to Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat given by us to the TRUE LIFE IN GOD.
In response to the false criticisms against us I would like to say that Archbishop Arguelles of Lipa in giving the Imprimatur to the TLIG book did not go against Canon Law as it grants permission to any Bishop to give the Imprimatur for a book that is circulated in his diocese, even though the author does not live in his diocese.”
Fr. Joseph: Thank you for your response. May I ask you to address also the following assertion on the aforesaid website,
“Canon 830 §2 warns the censor that any favoritism should be laid aside, and only the doctrine of the Church as proposed by the Magisterium should be considered. This canon was blatantly ignored… Bishop Toppo of India is a regular participant at the TLIG pilgrimages and has declared that he believes the messages to be of supernatural origin.”
Bishop Toppo: “It is alleged that I, Bishop Toppo, S.J., showed favouritism in giving Nihil Obstat. It is absolutely false. I did not show any favouritism, nor can the contrary be demonstrated. It is to be noted that the CDF never condemned the TLIG writings but rather petitioned clarifications which were then accepted by Rome.
Before I gave the Nihil Obstat to the TLIG messages, I read many times and meditated upon them. The Nihil Obstat is the result of unbiased and uncoerced theological review of the TLIG writings. I found that the Messages were immune of all theological errors. I am a regular participant of the TLIG pilgrimages. The Canon Law does not forbid any bishop from attending retreats or conferences of those individuals whose writings they consider immune from error.”
Fr. Joseph: Lastly, Your Excellency, would you be so kind as to provide for the True Life in God readers a response to the below posting on said website, as it falsely suggests that a canonical advisor overrides your episcopal authority to pronounce matters of Church doctrine,
“Bishop Toppo told in an interview, that before giving the nihil obstat to Vassula’s books, he previously asked the opinion of a famous Canon Law expert, who clearly told him that according to Canon Law, he could not give the nihil obstat.”
Bishop Toppo: “It is alleged that before giving the Nihil Obstat to Vassula’s book, I said in an interview that I had asked for the opinion of a famous Canon Law expert who clearly had told me that I could not give Nihil Obstat. After a bishop has consulted with others for advice, he retains his authority to grant the Nihil Obstat. Some assert the opposite, but this is absolutely false. After I consulted with a canon lawyer and a renowned theologian who offered their respective advice, I then brought the matter to prayer before the Eucharist. I did not find anything in Vassula’s book that is contrary to the teachings of the Church, but found that it contains much good for the universal Church, that is, for all the baptized in Christ. It was after advice, prayer and discernment that I granted my Nihil Obstat.
Rev. Joseph Iannuzzi, thank you for your suggestions and support! Hope this will be useful to the TLIG readers!”
+Felix Toppo, S.J.
Bishop of Jamshedpur
Bishop of Babylon, Theofylaktos Egypt
Bishop of Babylon, Theofylaktos Egypt
At the beginning of the ‘True Life in God’ pilgrimage in Egypt all the participants of the ecumenical and inter-religious group were invited to a Divine Liturgy held at the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. George in Old Cairo. Copied here is the address of Bishop of Babylon, Theofylaktos, given at the end of the Liturgy on 22nd October 2002: “My beloved brothers, bishops, elders of all the Christian denominations, I welcome you with special love in this holy monastery. I bring you the greetings and blessings of His All-Holiness, our Patriarch, Pope of Alexandria and all Africa, His Holiness Peter VII, who couldn’t be with you all because of other duties. He is wishing you a pleasant stay in the country of the Nile, Egypt.
The place in which you are today is not only holy but also ‘Theovadistos’ (walked by God). Here the Holy Family came and stayed for approximately 18 months, fleeing Herod’s terror. Here Jesus Christ took His first steps, here the little Emmanuel heard the first chirping of the birds. Our monastery is one of the most ancient monuments that North Africa has to show, built in the 4th century AC. Here is where St. George the great martyr was imprisoned for 30 months and from here his martyrdom started and ended in a small town in Palestine.
I’m especially glad for all of us gathering here today and raised our hands in common prayer and supplication towards God for peace for the whole world and for all the peoples on earth. Humanity is suffering from wars and other kinds of catastrophes. We, as the representatives of all Christian denominations and other religions, have the duty to teach our peoples to live in reconciliation with all people. Unfortunately, we all have forgotten that we have common roots, common Father, God and Creator of the Universe. Enough! The earth is tired of receiving, for centuries now, unjustly shed brotherly blood! Man must understand someday that differences aren’t solved with weapons but by the language of the heart and of love. Someday we all must work, and are obliged to do it with all our power, towards this direction: to try and reconcile man first with God and then with his fellowman, because in the Eyes of God we are all the same! St. Paul says there is no Jew nor Greek, slave or free man, man or woman. All, in the Eyes of Christ, are one.
Our gathering today should have a cause, so that all of us make it our daily program in our life to pray everyday so that peace prevails in the world. We should take the message of peace and love and carry it to the peoples of all the earth. We can indeed be the new apostles that will speak of love and peace. Everyday we hear by the media about catastrophes and violence among peoples. Wherever one might turn his eyes will see destruction, fires, human casualties and will hear weeping and laments. Maybe it sounds illogical, but we, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, for 2000 years now, coexist in harmony, in friendship, with love, with all the people of Egypt that are Muslims. We never had any problem. See every morning when the sun rises, it doesn’t differentiate where it will send it’s rays, either to the Christians, the Muslims, the Hindus or the Buddhists because we all live under the big sky, the love of God! If we put aside our personal interests, I’m sure that some day we will all be happy. We will shake hands in reconciliation. I believe and hope and pray that this day will come where the peoples of the world will meet at one point, will shake hands, will lament for the blood that was shed and they will reconcile for ever in their life.
From the land of Egypt, which is ‘Theovadistos’ (walked by God) exactly because Our Lord Jesus Christ walked on it, we are to send today to the ends of the world a brave message of love and peace: as we gathered today in the Church under the same dome and we didn’t differentiate Christians from non-Christians or of other religions. From today we will announce to the whole world that men can live in reconciliation as long as they learn to love first their God, whoever He is, whatever His Name is, and then I’m certain that love for their fellowman will spring also.
Pass on to the leaders of your Churches, to the leaders of your religions, to your people, to your communities, to your towns, to your villages, to your cities, to your countries our greetings and our blessings, our love. That we pray, a few Greeks, a few Christians, whatever the number, we pray for peace, for the whole world so that next year that I hope to have you close by, the smiles be wide! To reveal the message that there is no more war, no men are killed, there isn’t anymore unjustly brotherly bloodshed on earth!”
Amy Olsen-Davis
Amy Olsen-Davis
I was born in California, I was raised in Salt Lake City Utah. Born into a family of active Mormons who’s ancestors had been in the faith for 5 generations. I, myself was an active Mormon, raising my children in that faith. I came across the messages of True Life in God 6 years ago, through a mention in a book about Vassula Ryden. At that time in my life I had been searching for a deeper connection to God, and a greater understanding of Him. The way that God had been presented to me as a child and as a young person, is that He was very conditional. And the love He had for me was more of an impersonal love, He loved me from a distance, more of a lofty sense. And that caused me a lot of grief because I felt that I needed a deeper connection to the Lord. When I came into the True Life in God writings, the first time I read them, it was like a recognition process. I recognized instinctively in the deepest place in my heart, that was the Lord speaking directly to me through those pages. What the messages of True Life in God has shown me, is the tender, intimate, all-encompassing love of God our Father, His Son Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit has for each and every one of us! It is a love that is intimate, passionate, intense, and extremely personal. The knowledge of that has made a HUGE difference in my life. After many years of studying investigation and researching, I chose to be baptized into the Catholic Faith, and now come to Mass joyfully every Sunday to celebrate my connection to My Savior!
What does Christian unity mean to you?
Christian unity is especially meaningful to me because I live in a family where there is more than one religion. My husband is active in the Latter-Day Saint faith, and I now, though I used to be in that faith, am now a Catholic. So, Christian unity is everything to me, because it is what keeps my family united and loving towards each other despite some very significant theological differences. Unity for me is understanding that God sees all of us in a very different light than we see each other. When He (God) considers His Church on Earth, He is not referring to one denomination, He is referring to ALL of His children, who recognize and who love Him either through explicit knowledge of Him, or through the loving nature that they manifest in their lives.
Bishop Felix Toppo
Bishop Felix Toppo
May 28, 2007
”I am Bishop Felix Toppo of Jamshedpur diocese. My diocese is very close to Kolkata. In 2004, I was introduced with the True Life in God and when I first started reading, I immediately knew, a Spirit touched me deeply, that something… there is something divine in this reading. And so continuously I read. Continuously I read, read, read and finished all the volumes and I was very deeply moved, very deeply touched, and started meditating, reflected, and then I also started reading the second time. Vassula Ryden one day asked me whether I would give the Nihil Obstat for her books because she was planning to compile all the messages together and make one book. Now, I was hesitating because of the implications of it and also because of the Church authorities and one day as I was praying in the chapel, you know, something struck me. I said “Why not to give? After all, I believe that this is a revelation from God, I believe that this is a dialogue between God and human being through Vassula. And you know, it has done a lot of good to me and is doing good to others. Why not, you know, why not to give?” And when I decided that, I was very happy and joyful and immediately I wrote to Vassula a letter saying that this is a dialogue between God and human being through Vassula and also it is helpful for any Christian who reads it and there is nothing objectionable according to the Teaching of the Church. That letter I wrote, then I also wrote a letter of Nihil Obstat. I never regret it, I’m happy that I gave it and I’m hoping that many more people would read this and profit by it. ”
Adrian Ortega
Adrian Ortega
Adrian Ortega Conversion Testimony
God be praised. After more than 18 years of rebellion against God, against my Holy Mother and the Church, my Lord went in search of my lost soul.
My first marriage was carried out in court and the Catholic Church, and after 2 years I had abandoned it. What happened was very painful and incomprehensible for me, because the foundation that should have been built was not based on my understanding of “The Love of God”. Due to my civil divorce, I learned of the annulment process of the Sacrament of Marriage. My first thought was, “The church is useless. How could the church DIVORCE what has been united by God?” and I thought this without considering the role that I had played. I had ended this relationship, and I had also entered it with my own ideas about marriage, without emotional maturity, and without financial responsibility. I just wanted to be with the person that I thought I “loved”. This led me to resentment with the church and with God. I made the decision that my intellect would be capable of making me understand that the processes of the church were absurd and that other religions and ideologies had some truth to them. That was how my war against God began. I began reading all different types of books following what people had once told me, “Read different types of books and your mind will comprehend their contents.” That is how I came to new age literature and secret societies that cultivated knowledge for one’s own growth. Now I know that God allowed my heart to toughen into a shielded organ that nothing and no one could hurt. However, my most harmful relationship ever had begun, my alcoholism was uncontrollable, and my anger was unstoppable. Nevertheless, my appearance was that of a normal, centered, educated, cultured, and ambitious person that could accomplish anything by simply thinking about it and being mentally focused. I had a lot of downfalls, but I thought, “I can reinvent myself.” My relations to the mundane were growing and I eventually reached complete rebellion without even kneeling for the Sacred Eucharist. The mercy of God, however, is greater than that.
I almost lost my life several times due to my lack of responsibility with alcohol and my lifestyle. One day I started to have a really high fever that did not go away. After a week I went to my doctor and was diagnosed with Typhoid which infected my liver and gave me hepatitis. Since my liver was not working I was not able to take any medication. I could only to hope to get better through rest and candy. One day, the pain from my liver was so strong that I was afraid I would die. My mother wanted to call the ambulance, but I told her not to. At that moment I looked in the dresser drawers of my bedroom and saw a figurine that belonged to my grandfather. It was a statue of San Antonio of Padua with baby Jesus in his arms. At that moment I looked up and said: “Saint Anthony since you are closer to God, tell him to give me more time so that I can see my daughter and change my life.” Like a miracle, the next day I started to get better which led to my recovery. Once I was better, I immigrated to the United States and began a new life. My ideals had not changed much, I remarried, God blessed me with two sons, however, I did not have the intention of reconciling with Him.
I believed that I did not need anything. I had a job, a house, a family, but there was a tremendous emptiness in my life that not even money or my home could fill. I continued drinking but at a different rate due to my liver damage. Once, on a good day, I tried to “help” a family member. I lied to them so that they would come with me to retreat. Of course, according to me, it was he who needed it, not me; and that is how I went through the most profound experience of my life because God had a surprise for me. He was in search of his prodigal son. After going through the experience of this retreat, my hunger for the Eucharist was so great that it motivated me to reconcile through the sacrament of confession. The following week, I heard the announcement for another retreat through the Catholic Church and that is where I went through another indescribable experience. The Holy Spirit receives me with its sublime warmth and takes away my fear of speaking openly about Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I began to research the process of annulment knowing that I could not continue living the way I was. My conscience had been awakened inside me making me look for things of God which led me to look on the internet about the lives of Saints: Padre Pio, San Juan Bosco, Madre Teresa de Calcutta, San Antonio de Padua and more. That is how I came to see a very peculiar film that caught my attention. At first, I had to check various sources to verify the authenticity of what I saw and heard. So I checked web links from the Vatican to see if they corresponded. The film was about a person named Vassula Ryden, who said that she had been receiving messages from God since 1986. The messages are translated into dozens of languages, so I began reading them in Spanish and personalizing them with my name as Vassula had mentioned. My body began to tremble during the reading.
I had begun the marriage annulment process by now. At times my mind was hesitant with doubts, but God filled me with peace. I also had the support of the group with which I lived my first spiritual experience, who helped me to balance my feelings and emotions. The annulment process came to its final stage. The nun who was managing my case contacted me to see if I still wanted to testify my case in the church. For a moment I felt a spiritual power to change the course of the verdict. I told the nun that I would like to testify, and in that moment, she mentioned that we would have to speak with the judge so that I could be assigned a day, and that the process would be further delayed. The case was already ready to be examined. My Mother Santa Maria has nourished me through the rosary to obey my Church. I advised the nun that I trusted in the decision of the judge without my testimony.
At that moment I remembered one of the messages to Vassula that follows:
Yahweh Is With You
December 23, 1990
O Father,
like thirsty land I yearn for You.
Rest me for a while on Your Knees now and console me.
Let me feel enveloped by Your Consoling Heart.
I need Your warmth.
repose your head on My Heart, rest and feel consoled… your Abba is caring for you; your Abba is happy to have you near Him; repose your head on My Heart, My child, and listen to the Desires of My Heart: My Heart is still seeking, longing, pleading for the rest of My children’s love; …
(A few seconds’ pause.)
child? 1 what would you give to console your Abba?
O Lord, anything you want. My love, my will, my heart and my soul.
and what more?
My life, as an atonement to Your Desires.
descend then from My Knees and go and bear witness in My Name; go and tell the nations of My Great Love; remind them that My Promise is very near to its accomplishment and that My Return is imminent; the New Jerusalem2 is at hand; I am going to renew My Church and My people;
so My child, descend from My Knees and go out into the world for My Sake … and make My Love known to the world; let the world realize how I love My children; as it is, you have not sought Me, it is I who found you and have chosen you to go out to the world before My Great Day; it is I who formed you and although you were aloof to Me, I have chosen you and revealed My Holy Face to you; so when you have accomplished all the work I have commissioned you for, My child, I shall take you up to Me and you may then rest on My Knees;
I shall, in the meantime while you are in the world, protect you from your oppressors; I want you for your part to look up in Heaven constantly for Me and talk to Me; “Yahweh is with you”, have always these words engraved on your mind and on your heart, for I-Am-With-You; now let your heart treasure all that I have told you and remember: offer Me prayers to reach Me like incense, for the conversion of souls and the revival of My Church;
1 Suddenly the Father’s Head turned and looked at me.
2 Church.
Soon after, I spoke with the sister and asked her if I could send an email with my final testimony. She told me I could and after several attempts she told me that she was unable to receive emails. So, in my own thoughts I told God, “I tried.” A couple minutes after I had hung up the phone with the sister, she called me and told me I could send it by fax. My heart was filled with joy.
This was my final testimony in English which I had to write with my cousin’s assistance in the translation:
Dear Sister Clare,
The following Message explains my conversion. I was fighting against God, but now He brought me back. I did not understand the process of annulment and therefore did not accept it, even though I knew about it 20 years ago. My resentments against God and the Church were so big that I created my own God, became a Free Mason, read up on occultism and so on. Please read this Message. God explained everything to me. I am hungry for the Eucharist
God Bless you.
You Were Wrestling With Me
December 22, 1990
My Jesus?
I am;
I treat you very gently so that you, as My flower, grow; I want you strong and believe Me I shall make it possible; you shall be strong, daughter(Son), since you carry My Word; in front of you, I Am, to break all barriers that come up while you are witnessing; I am the Most High, and I tell you, daughter(son), that I shall see to it that no power from beneath stops you from proclaiming My Message;
I have taken you out of the land of Egypt to respond to Me in a foreign land and witness to a people not your own; so although your behaviour was appalling and your senses blemished, unabling you to see the Light, Mercy1 and Compassion was seized by your astounding misery, guilt and wretchedness and came to your rescue;
no-o Vassula (Adrian), you have not deserved any of My Gifts; why, I had servants in My Hand who honoured Me, never uttering but My Name in holiness, who blessed Me without cease, who praised the Holy Trinity wholeheartedly; but yet My Heart, an Abyss of Love, cried out for you; you had accumulated sorrow upon sorrow in My Heart, treason upon treason; you were wrestling with Me, puny little creature … but I knew that your heart is not a divided heart and that once I conquer your heart, it would become entirely Mine; an object of your era, you were wrestling with Me, but I have thrown you down in the wrestle and dragged you in the dust and into the desert where I left you there, all alone;
I had provided you with a guardian angel, since the beginning of your existence, to guard you, console you and guide you, but My Wisdom ordered your guardian angel to leave you and to let you face the desert on your own; I said: “you are to live in spite of your nakedness!” 2 because no man is able to survive alone; 3 Satan would have taken over completely and would have killed you; My order was given to him too; I forbade him to touch you then; in your terror, you remembered Me and looked up, in Heaven, searching desperately for Me; your laments and your supplications suddenly broke the deathly stillness surrounding you and your terrified cries pierced through the heavens reaching the Holy Trinity’s Ears …
“My child!” the Father’s Voice, full of joy, resounded through all Heaven;
“Ah…I shall now make her penetrate My Wounds4 and let her(him) eat My Body and drink My Blood; I shall espouse her(him) to Me and she(he) will be Mine for eternity; I shall show her(him) the Love I have for her(him) and her(his) lips from thereon shall thirst for Me and her(his) heart shall be My Headrest; she(he) shall eagerly submit daily to My Righteousness; I shall make her(him) an altar of My Love and of My Passion; I, and I only, shall be her(his) only Love and Passion; and I shall send her(him) with My Message to the ends of the world to conquer an irreligious people, and to a people who are not even her(his) own; and voluntarily she(he) will carry My Cross of Peace and Love taking the road to Calvary;”
“And I, the Holy Spirit, shall descend upon her(him) to reveal to her(him) the Truth and the depths of Us;5 I shall remind the world, through her(him), that the greatest of all the gifts is: LOVE;”
“let Us6 then celebrate! let all Heaven celebrate!”
… I have taken you by the hand and formed you to become a living sign of My Great Love; – a witness of My Sacred Heart, and of the renewal of My Church;
(The Father, then the Son, then the Holy Spirit spoke.)
I am the Resurrection;
1 Mercy and Compassion = The Lord.
2 I became “naked” as soon as my guardian angel and all Heaven had turned their back to me.
3 Abandoned by Heaven.
4 The Son then spoke.
5 The Holy Trinity.
6 The Holy Trinity spoke.
7 From purgatory.
The annulment process concluded, and my previous union was declared annulled, since there were irregular situations called vices and defects.
God transformed my life through a personal relationship with him, expressed in a deeper sacramental life in the Holy Catholic Church. On July 11, 2014, after 11 years of civil union, God gave me the grace of the sacrament of marriage with my wife Barbara and blessed my two children on the same day with the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Communion. My daughter from the first civil union has given me two grandchildren and the Lord has healed the wounds between us.
Currently, my wife and I are celebrating 5 years as catechists at St. Nicholas Parish in Aurora, as well as giving testimony for the Glory of God on Channel 36 in Chicago, through a program called “The Harvest of Faith.” In giving my life over to God, I formally renounced Freemasonry in a written letter of resignation and gave testimony of the truth of Jesus Christ our Savior before the members of the Masonic Lodge to which I belonged in the past.
The Fire of the Holy Spirit impels me to bring more souls to God by sharing the Holy Gospel. At the same time, I work to expose the falsehood of Freemasonry’s doctrine, which the True Life in God messages illuminated for me by revealing the purposes and objectives of these false and dangerous teachings.
Sincerely,
Adrian Ortega
Australian people
The Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II
The Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II
The Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II, opened the doors of the Patriarchate in Alexandria of Egypt in April of 2008 with a welcoming embrace and gave a moving speech in the Throne Room to officially welcome TLIG and Vassula. Here is what he said:
“From the depths of my heart, I wish to welcome you all officially, here in the Throne Room, where our companion is St. Mark, the Apostle and Evangelist. In the morning, I received you at the monastery of St. Savvas, a humble monastery, which was founded in the 4th century. Today, I greet you officially here, in our Patriarchate, whose history spans 2,000 years from the time of Jesus Christ to the present. Thus, on the one hand, with the exception of the Apostle Paul, we have our history involving the great Apostles, whose successors were the Great Fathers of the Church. That history brings us to present times and, thus, you can see all the Patriarchs that have been appointed to Alexandria on your right and left.
All this is our heritage, the future lies before us: it is for us the entire land of Africa. That is why I want you to know that, before I ascended the steps to the Throne of St. Mark, I was a missionary in Cameroon, the Sudan, Gabon, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana and Angola. As a missionary, therefore, I really got to know Africa: the difficulties that it faces and the enormous poverty issues but, most of all during my journeys, I meet people that are searching – searching for the love of Jesus. That is why, Vassula, I was very moved when you all sang to Jesus Christ a few minutes ago as my thoughts went immediately to all my African children who also raise their hands towards the heavens and sing in thousands of languages about Christ; the love of Christ that we so desperately need. I am planning shortly to make a long journey to Ghana, having recently returned from Madagascar.
And now, I would like to welcome you all from the bottom of my heart, especially you, Vassula, as I said in church this morning, welcome to your homeland, welcome to the country of your birth, and greetings to all who accompany you. As they say here, Vassula, “Anyone who drinks from the waters of the Nile never forgets this country.”
I would also like to greet the Bishop from India – welcome dear brother to our Apostolic Patriarchate. I wish to welcome the monk, you, Sister, you, Father and you, Father from the Roman Catholic Church and tell you all that with much love we receive you, we love you and that we are under the same protection and love of our Great Lord, Jesus Christ.
Vassula, I would like to thank you for this opportunity, to be together over the next few days. This evening, we will follow together the Passion of Our Lord. Tomorrow, we shall worship before His Epitaph and we shall live, in our devoutly beating hearts, His Passion and His Resurrection. And that joy – that is my wish – that the joy of the Resurrection and the Light may be with us always all the days of our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ I wish to bless you all and your families and please know that Alexandria’s and the Patriarchate’s doors will always be open to you. Thank you”
TLIG Participates in Greek Orthodox Easter Alexandria, Egypt – April 2008
G. S.
G. S.
Prof. Todor Sabev
Prof. Todor Sabev
Theologian, Church historian and former Deputy General Secretary of the World Council of Churches.
In His divine plan for the salvation of humankind, God, throughout history has been sending His messengers as prophets and apostles, teachers and guardians to lead all nations into the right path, to nourish faith, sustain peace and protect unity.
Nowadays, the prophecies of Isaiah (44:3) and Joel (2:28): “I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants”; “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy (and) shall see visions” come true in a variety of charisms. Gifts of grace are being bestowed on women and men for the enhancement of Christian life, worship and service to the glory of God.
Such a spiritual gift (charisma) has been granted to Mrs. Vassula Ryden for the fulfillment of a particular vocation. ‘From the depths of her obscurity,” Vassula has seen the Light. The Lord has touched her heart to cleanse and heal it. Since then, she is “seeing Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary interiorly” and “has been enabled to hear their Messages.” This unique experience of visions is testified in 70 notebooks published in seven volumes. The Messages that Vassula is receiving are written by herself but dictated “from on high.” Her human handwriting is completely transformed.
The Messages are God’s gifts of spiritual healing, love and mercy “directed to all.” Vassula was called to become an ardent witness of Christ, carrying His Cross “to the four corners” of the secularized world. Together with many other disciples, she has to be an instrument of divine providence, an echo of God’s Word, compassion, reconciliation and peace.
The Messages are not a new revelation but a reminder of the Gospel of Christ. The basic task of Vassula is sharing of the Good News through proclamation in communities and assemblies of prayer and meditation, diffusion of the Writings by publication, and “drawing souls to Jesus Christ.”
The surprising nature of this calling has raised questions and bewilderment for Vassula herself, as well as for friends and listeners. Some of the wonders will still accompany readers of True Life in God. Nevertheless, we are aware of the fact that many expressions of mysticism have encountered different assessments and attitudes within one’s Christian tradition. During the whole period of marxist militant atheism, imposed by state authorities in my country, Bulgaria, a woman with great gifts as a seer kept telling both native and foreign people secrets of their past, present and future. Her faith and prophetic voice have shaken atheistic conceptions and changed the lifestyle of tens of thousands. Bishops, priests and theologians have personally experienced and individually recognized the gifts of that woman. But it was not in the tradition of the Church to make an authoritative pronouncement on this phenomenon.
Several years ago, I was so much impressed by the story of the apparition of the Virgin Mary, which three of my very dear Protestant friends had seen simultaneously “without considering however this event an extraordinary spiritual experience” because this was not part of their church’s tradition!
“We walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7)” and “by faith understand…” (Fleb. 11:3f). Distinguishing between the Spirit of God and other spirits is a delicate Christian duty. Discernment is also a gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 12: 10-1 1; I jn.4: 1). The main criterion for testing the spirits is the faith in Christ as Incarnate Son of God and our Saviour (1 jn. 4:2f).
Basically, the content of the Messages in ‘True Life in God’ is in harmony with the Holy Scriptures and with the tradition of the Church. They are being distributed, read and meditated within the Church, aiming at a revival of Christian faith, renewal and unity. References are often made to the Bible as source of truth, knowledge and wisdom. The doxological part of the Messages is biblicallybased. Very dear to Orthodox spirituality are the numerous prayers, the urgent call to conversion and repentance, fast and a holy life. In the centre of Vassula’s vision are placed also many other fundamental truths, values and teachings of the Church. Prayer, humility, charity, generosity, peace, reconciliation and mutual love in Christ’s name are continuously underscored in all notebooks. God’s abundant grace and tenderness are often presented in the context of concern and care for the groaning creation, a warning about sin corrupting humanity, and a call to awakening for “the battle against Satan and his followers.” Thus one can feel the “prophetic tone” and the appeal to all Christians.
Remember the Beatitudes! Follow the Ten Commandments! Now is the time of repentance! “Live as though it is your last day on earth.” “Have you reconciled with your brothers and sisters?” “Share My Cross.” “Search for justice and help the oppressed.” “Wealth is to be converted.” “Evangelize with love, for love.” Your era of little faith is dead. “Do not accept Satan’s fruits which are … disunity and impurity.” Be vigilant and prepared for “the last days,” because the Lord is “on the Path of Return.”
And again we hear the Message of hope and Iife: “Shake off the dust that covers you and rise from the dead.” “The Holy Eucharist will keep you alive.” The “time of tribulations” shall be followed “by a new era of love and peace.” “My Kingdom is at your very doors.” God wants everyone to be saved (cf. Rm. 10:12-13).
The Messages are a hymn of God’s love which is “like a fountain, a well of living waters.” Love is “the Root of the Tree of Life” and of all virtues. Therefore, “sow the seeds of love in all directions.” “Judge nobody, and repay evil with love.” The Source of love is the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life. He guides us “into all truths,” transforming the darkness into Light. He uplifts and purifies our hearts, sanctifies us through the Sacraments, drives out ill spirits and brings renewal to the Church. The Holy Spirit creates community in which love rules. He gratifies the poor and the humble people of God.
One of the strongest elements in Vassula Ryden’s visions is the gravity of the divisions between the churches, the urgency of the work for unity of the Church, and the importance of the ecumenical movement.
The sin of division and wounds in the Body of Christ are so often due to lack of fidelity, humility and mutual love. “Rivalry and competition for earthly power,” egoism and pride cannot bring about unity. Those who endeavor to gather together the scattered sheep of Christ “should lower their voices” in order to hear the voice of the Lord; they should “bow down their heads” for blessing by the Head of the Church – Jesus Christ. Then He shall lift all and draw them to Himself. “Blessed are those who do not differentiate themselves” under Christ’s Holy Name. “Pray for the World Council of Churches” and for the world-wide ecumenical movement. Let us always remember that “the keys to unity are love and humility.”
The real unity is and will be in the heart, not “of the letter but of the spirit.” It is a gift of God, but requires also human commitment and effort: “where there is division give peace and love, where there is confusion ask for Light.” “Unity shall come upon you like Dawn … It shall come from God, and your nations shall name it the Great Miracle, the Blessed Day … In this day all Heaven shall … rejoice.” “Behold, what joy I will have when around One Altar you will gather … and praise Me; acknowledging your mistake, repenting for your rebellion and remembering My love for you.” God’s plan is “to unite all nations, from East to West, from North to South.”
In several Messages a great desire is expressed for a simultaneous celebration of Easter – “the Feast of Feasts,” and the “Triumph of Triumphs.” May this become a new impetus for bringing back such a tremendous issue on the ecumenical agenda. Actually it comes from the heart of the decision made by the first Ecumenical Council (325) to strengthen unity and inspire common witness.
While many Orthodox rejoice at Vassula’s gift and appreciate the texts referred to, they are prudent about accepting all points and details. I personally still struggle with some of the questions which had troubled me before. But cannot we find relief in the understanding that the Messages come to us also through the limited human nature, and are perceived according to our own spiritual capacity? The reading of Vassula’s Writings requires a mystical soul, prayer for “knowledge and all discemment” (Phil. 1:9), seeking for truth in the power of love and resisting any easy judgment.
The gifts of the Spirit should be spiritually distinguished (1 Cor. 12:10). Let us measure the value of the tree by its fruits (Nlt. 3:10; 7:16f). The great quality of the numerous fruits of ‘True Life in God’ has been acknowledged by many people. The Messages have deepened spiritual life, strengthened Christian faith and opened the sight of a certain number of non-believers. And we have yet to see the fulfillment of God’s promises: “I the Lord, will multiply the visions … (and) will pour the Holy Spirit without reserve on all humankind. ” You will grow like grass in the areas where there is plenty of water.”
Let us give thanks to God for all charismata.
Heavenly Father,
Kindle our hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Give us the Spirit of wisdom and faith,
of daring and of patience,
of humility and of firmness,
of love and of repentance.
Geneva, Easter 1994
Reverend Sverker Trônet
Reverend Sverker Trônet
(from a Protestant point of view)
This talk was given to the international gathering of True Life in God in Jerusalem, May 1998
I have been asked to speak from a Protestant point of view about the Unity of the Church and Our Lady. First I must say something about being a Protestant or Lutheran.
The Church of Sweden as a whole was severed from the Church of Rome and the Pope during the Reformation in the sixteenth century. It was the king who wanted to be the sole ruler of his country and he did not want any interference from abroad, that is from the Pope and the bishops who really had a good deal also of worldly power.
The teachings of Martin Luther suited the king’s purposes very well. The king took the place of the Pope. From Germany, the mainland of the reformation, was imported the most important of the reformation confessions – the Augsburg Confession, which was critical of abuses in the late medieval Church but was otherwise very traditional, with no intention of teaching anything new, but only being a witness to the faith of the one, holy, catholic (also Roman) and apostolic Church. The Augsburg Confession is today considered, by the official Catholic and Lutheran Ecumenical Commission, to have a catholic intention and an ecumenical will.
There certainly was a great change of the Church in Sweden and for the faithful in the reformation time, but there was also a certain continuity. Some priests and bishops left the country, but some stayed and saved what could be saved.
After the turmoil of the reformation there was just one Church in Sweden. There still were bishops and priests, who by now could be married. The Mass was celebrated, but it was in Swedish instead of Latin and the people could now communicate also from the chalice. Mary and the saints soon disappeared. And so did the monasteries, often by violence. The Bible was translated and there was catechetical work in the schools. For three hundred years there was no alternative. Being a Swede meant being a Lutheran.
Today, despite a radical secularisation, most Swedes belong to the Church which is no longer governed by the king but by democratically voted politicians and their parties. I cannot call myself a Protestant or a Lutheran, but I belong to the Church of Sweden.
I don’t think the reformation in Sweden, from a religious point of view, could be justified or was necessary or for the good of the Church, but I can see some good things in it, despite the undisputedly bad things, and also what these good things came to mean for the future.
The Bible, read within the horizon of the old tradition and the Augsburg Confession, was kept as the first and last authority for the faith. This is what preserved the Church in Sweden as a fairly orthodox Christian Church, despite its severance from Rome. But you can imagine what happens today when the Bible, at least in practice, is no longer an authority and if it is taken notice of at all, it is interpreted according to the opinions of the day.
In the example of the Church of Sweden you can see, both positively and negatively, the vital necessity of the unity of the Church, both in space and time, being in communion with all the other local Churches all over the world, in the bishops unity with the Bishop of Rome, but also being in communion with the saints of all times, which means an active remembrance of the tradition. When a Church both has lost its memory and is cut away from the universal Church it is exposed to the pressure of the world and modern secular opinion without the God-given defence and corrective. I believe only the reunion with Rome could save and preserve the Church of Sweden as a Christian Church.
This is said as an example. Now something more general about Christian Unity. There certainly are many things that keep all Christians together, also from different denominations. We believe in and pray to the same triune God. We believe in the incarnation of God the Son. We all believe in the saving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are baptized with the same baptism, Even if all Christians can’t go to communion together we believe that we receive and are joined to the one and same body of Christ in the different churches. With slight variations we share the same beliefs. Isn’t that enough? Our Lord prays to the Father, in his priestly prayer in St. John’s seventeenth chapter and says: “May they all be one … so that the world may believe it was You who sent me.”(v.21)
The unity that Jesus prays for is not only a spiritual unity, but a visible unity in this visible world, “that the world may believe”. The Church certainly is an instrument in God’s hands for the salvation of the world. It is God’s Church. He has made it according to his plan and for his purposes. That the Church should be one and visibly one is certainly part of the founder’s will and intention. The visible unity belongs to the nature of the Church and is very important – a top priority. Visible unity demands a visible center of unity. For the local community there is the parish priest. For the diocese the bishop. For the patriarchate there is the patriarch. And for the whole fold, for the universal Church, there is the Pope.
That there should be a pope is part of Christ’s plans for his Church. This is not what was in dispute from the beginning by the reformers, only the misuse of the papal power. That there is and should be a petrine primacy is clear from the gospels. And as certain as there is an apostolical succession from the apostles to the bishops, there is a petrine succession from St. Peter to his followers on the apostolic throne in the Church of Rome.
Can a Protestant really say so? There are liberals who wouldn’t, because they would say the papacy is part of a patriarcalistic structure. There are others who would reiterate the confessional formulas from the sixteenth century and would eventually say the pope is the antichrist. But if by ‘Protestant’ you mean a person who wants to be true to the Bible, read with the glasses of the old orthodox and catholic tradition, a Protestant certainly could say that the papacy is instituted by Christ.
In the papal encyclical letter from 1995, “Ut Unum Sint”, John Paul II asks the non-Roman Catholic Church leaders to consider with him the forms in which the Petrine Primacy could best serve its mission, “that they all may be one … so that the world may believe ..” With regard to the Church of Sweden and the Anglican Churches this invitation should have been very interesting three years earlier, but in 1995 there had already happened things in these churches that made dialogue seem impossible.
The ecumenical dialogue between The Church of Sweden and Rome was for some years, between 1989 and 1993 very promising. The Swedish archbishop declared from the high altar in St. Peter’s in the presence of John Paul II: “The moment has come to declare that the denunciations from the time of the reformation are no longer valid.” The Pope visited Sweden and Cardinal Cassidy the head of the Papal secretariat of Christian Unity wanted an examination of and a dialogue about the apostolic succession in the Churches of Finland and Sweden, to see what was needed for a full recognition.
In the question of the important reformation doctrine of “Justification by faith” a consensus has been reached between Rome and the Lutherans. A dialogue at least as promising was also going on between Rome and the Church of England. But in both cases it came to an end because of new divisive developments. John Paul II declared at Pentecost 1994 that the Church has no right whatsoever to ordain women for the priesthood and that this decision is definitive for all the faithful in the Church. Only four and a half months later the Bishops and other leaders in the Church of Sweden declared that “You cannot be ordained to the priesthood unless you acknowledge women as priests.”
The Lutheran World Federation declared that they would not be without or sacrifice women priests for the sake of unity. After this, two women have been made bishops in Sweden and more women than men are ordained and on their way to ordination. There is also a very vocal feministic theology, which makes new interpretations of the faith and also, of morals. This development has made a total relativism necessary. You cannot criticize and say that it is not according to the Bible. They will answer: It is just pictures and symbols and anything will do. You could just as well say that God is our mother as our father.
This development (in Sweden and England and also in other countries) has made divisions within the Churches of Sweden and England seem necessary and groups are now trying to find their way. The eyes are of course on Rome. The situation is felt to be so serious for the Church of Sweden that many people ask whether it will survive at all. My personal feeling is that only being with the Church which Christ has built on Peter could save us from being transformed into something else than a Christian Church or from annihilation. Only a Church in communion with Peter could rightly put its trust in the promise of Christ: “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it” (Mt,16:18)
Our Holy Mother Mary is together with the Pope, by the typical Protestant, considered to be what is typically Catholic, and therefore to be shunned. The Pope was by one blow of the sword severed from the Church in Sweden. Mary probably remained in the hearts of the faithful of the first reformation-generation. That was a thing the king couldn’t do anything about. But as the Rosary was forbidden and most of the Marian statues were removed, neither was there any place for our lady in the Protestant Swedish hearts. You can only speculate about what this has meant. To live without the Mother Our Lord has given to his Church.
Typically enough in liberal Protestantism Jesus is not Immanuel, that is God with man, but he is man with God and that is what Mary in reality is. To live without Mary as mother and ideal has made Protestant Christianity more of a teaching to understand, than a life to live. The Church in the reformation became more of a school than a place for prayer and adoration. At the same time it must be said that Mary wasn’t banished from the Church’s teaching, although her place was very much in the background.
So you can find in the confessional writings, in the hymns and in the writings of Martin Luther, sentences that in one way or other affirm the teaching of all the Marian dogmas, although not as dogmas. This, together with other similar catholic elements, has not been without consequence for a Marian renaissance in the Church of Sweden and it has also made it possible to remain in the Church of Sweden with a Catholic faith, without a conflict with the official teaching.
As there are no problems with Peter and the pope, there are no difficulties for a biblical Protestant, of what our old ecumenical archbishop Nathan Sderblom called the evangelical-catholic tradition, to share the catholic and orthodox beliefs about Our Lady. The problem with present day Protestants is that very many of them, I speak first of all about the Church of Sweden but perhaps it could be said also about Lutherans and Anglicans in Western Europe and the USA, that they don’t seem any longer to believe in Gods revelation nor in the Bible as the Word of God. But if The Word of God is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path, it will lead you to honour and bless Mary.
We can take it for certain that all of Our Lord’s actions and words had a meaning, not just for the singular situation in which they were performed or uttered, but were meant for the Church he founded and therefore had a universal meaning and were to be valid until the end of time. Therefore it is very natural to see that Jesus, from the Cross, gave Mary to be the mother not only of John, but of all the apostles and of all the Church in all times and places.
Next we are led by the word of God to see with John “the great sign which appeared in heaven: a woman adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown”. Of course this is Mary. She is alive, She is taken up to heaven with her body and crowned to be the Queen of heaven and earth. We can turn to her and ask for her motherly care and her prayers for us. Mary is the Mother of the Church, but she is also The Church – Our Mother. She is a personification of the Church. In her everything that we are waiting for is already fulfilled and she is already there, where we hope to meet her and her Son, in heaven.
In this way I could go on, from the Bible to the Catholic dogma. And in the case of, for example the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, where it isn’t absolutely self-evident, from the Bible, that “Gratia Plena” – “full of grace” – means that there was not ever any place for sin in Mary, I am fully confident that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to the complete truth according to the promise of Jesus. (Jn,16:13)
Among the many titles of our Lady and among all the things She is, let us ask her to be, for the Church, the Mother of Unity. That unity which Jesus prayed for and which seems to be so very difficult, sometimes even impossible. Let us confide it to her care and to her prayers, that it may come soon, at that time and in that way which is according to the will of God.
I have also been asked to say why I support the messages of True Life in God. If somebody had told me about Vassula before I myself had heard her or had read the messages, I would probably have been uninterested, supposing it was another silly sect. I would not have said it was impossible with prophesies, revelations or messages like these, but I never had met anything like it. But since I for the first time heard Vassula in Rome in march 1995 I have been convinced that it is all true.
Perhaps I could say that I recognized the voice, I was very moved and had tears in my eyes. Since then I have read the messages and I have never come across anything that sounded strange or foreign to what I have learned from the Bible and the tradition of the Church. What has meant most to me is of course the intimacy of the messages. The important position of Mary. The centrality of the unity of the Church around the Pope and also the admonitions to be one with John Paul II. As you may have understood, I think I have seen instances of that apostasy, which Jesus has spoken of in the messages. What is not unimportant to me is also the fact of Vassula not being formally a Roman Catholic, but living a Catholic life and having the catholic faith. That is my situation also and with me many in the Church of Sweden.
Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi
Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi
On this day of May 13, 2017 I wish to address the Catholic Church’s present-day position on the prophetic revelations of God to Vassula Rydén contained in the publication, “True Life in God”. This present-day position is summarized in the following five points:
- The TLIG prophetic revelations enjoy the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat – official ecclesiastic seals of approval.
- The Church’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat are an exercise of the Magisterium.
- The Church requires of the Christian faithful “adherence with religious assent”1 to the Church’s Magisterium, which is particularly exercised by those bishops teaching in communion with the Pope.
- The teachings of those bishops in communion with the Pope and exercising the Magisterium2 have granted to the TLIG prophetic revelations said seals of approval (11/28/2005 Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur) that remain in full force this day.
- By virtue of the conferral of the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat upon the TLIG prophetic revelations, Christians are prohibited from setting themselves up as their judge and from publicly condemning them.3 On the contrary, inasmuch as all Christians are to “concur with their bishop’s judgment concerning faith and morals” and “adhere to this” judgment and to the Magisterium “with a religious assent of the mind”,4 the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat upon the TLIG prophetic revelations elicit from the Christian faithful said religious assent.
Below I elaborate on these five points.
1) The TLIG prophetic revelations enjoy the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat – official ecclesiastic seals of approval.
Because the Magisterium of the Church has the duty to “preserve God’s people from deviations and defections, and to guarantee them the objective possibility of professing the true faith without error”,5 as well as “expound it faithfully”,6 it examines publications, particularly works on faith and morals and pronounce whether they are free from doctrinal error.
On March 19, 1975, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued norms for pastors of the Church who have the duty to be vigilant with publication of materials on faith and morals, which should be submitted to the Church for “approval.” This mandate was reiterated in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, canon 823. This approval occurs through a process that begins with the author submitting the manuscript to the censor librorum or deputatus, who is appointed by the bishop or other ecclesiastical authority to make such examinations. If the censor finds no doctrinal error in the work, he grants a Nihil Obstat (“Nothing obstructs” its publication) attesting to this. If the bishop grants his Imprimatur (“Let it be printed”), this ecclesiastical seal constitutes an „approval‟ of the work that allows it to be “displayed and sold in churches”7 and a declaration of “both a juridical and a moral guarantee for the authors, the publishers and the readers”8 that the work “contains nothing contrary to the Church’s authentic magisterium on faith or morals” and “that all the pertinent prescriptions of canon law have been fulfilled.”9
On November 28, 2005 His Excellency Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J., D.D., granted the Nihil Obstat to the TLIG writings. On November 28, 2005 His Excellency Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles, STL, DD, granted the Imprimatur to the TLIG revelations.
Moreover on November 24, 2005 Bishop Felix Toppo penned the following letter that accompanied the Magisterial Nihil Obstat underscoring the supernatural nature of the TLIG revelations:
“I have read all the TRUE LIFE IN GOD books and meditated on their contents. I truly believe that the books contain the Divine Dialogue of the Holy Trinity, Our Lady and the Angels with humankind through Vassula Rydén. I have not found anything objectionable and anything contrary to the Church’s authentic authority on faith and morals. Reading these books and meditating on the contents are spiritually beneficial to all. I recommend these books to every Christian.”
On September 30, 2004 Archbishop of Lipa Ramon C. Arguelles, STL, DD, who granted to the TLIG prophetic revelations the Magisterium’s Imprimatur, wrote the following letter further attesting to the supernatural nature of the TLIG prophetic revelations10:
“Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger showed such Christ-like open-mindedness when he spearheaded the review of Mrs. Vassula Ryden’s case. Through Fr. Prospero Grech, Consultant of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the good Cardinal asked Vassula to respond to five questions (see letter dated April 4th, 2002) to clarify some difficulties suggested in the Notification of 1995, regarding the writings of True Life in God, and about her activities related thereto. The responses will immensely help some doubting Thomases, who are entitled nevertheless to peace of mind…
Cardinal Ratzinger asked P. Joseph Augustine Di Noia, O.P., Undersecretary of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, to provide Mrs. Ryden with a copy of that same letter to enable her to inform everyone about the exchange of clarification letters. I am extremely happy that Cardinal Ratzinger perfectly mirrors the attitude of the Holy Father whose great obsession and probably the reason for the life and energy he manifests is the UNITY OF CHRISTIANITY…
No matter what Mrs. Ryden’s past life may be, she can and already is an instrument of God in our days to bring to reality God’s dream, the Holy Father’s dream, the Church’s dream which may be the greatest event of the early years of the Third Millennium: THE UNITY OF ALL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST! People like Vassula who suffer for Christian unity with the Holy Father need encouragement, understanding and prayer. I am willing to give her that if only to join the Holy Father, Cardinal Ratzinger and many unknown souls who sincerely desire a renewal of Christianity, a renewed thrust of Evangelization, and unity of all Christian brethren. May Mary help us grow in the TRUE LIFE IN GOD.”11
2) The Church’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat are an exercise of the Magisterium.
It is noteworthy that the Church’s Magisterium enjoys three gradations of teaching authority which the Christian faithful are to uphold, and which elicit from them respectively the “assent of faith” (the first two gradations of her teaching authority) and “religious assent” (the third gradation of her authority, e.g., to the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat).
Of these three levels of magisterial authoritative teaching which establish “the order of the truths to which the believer adheres,”12 there are 1) truths taught as divinely revealed (depositum fidei13),14 2) definitively proposed statements on matters of faith and morals closely connected with the divinely revealed truth,15 and 3) non-definitive teaching that a) aids in the better understanding of the divinely revealed truth and makes explicit its contents, b) recalls how some teaching is in conformity with the truths of faith, or c) guards against ideas that are incompatible with these truths16.
In the official Vatican document, Donum Veritatis, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith entitled, a fourth category of magisterial teaching is mentioned, i.e., ordinary prudential teaching on disciplinary matters.17
- To the first gradation of magisterial authority belong “truths taught as divinely revealed.” This is an exercise of the “supreme Magisterium”,18 commonly referred to as the “extraordinary Magisterium and it is universally binding. These truths are de fide credenda doctrines,19 often referred to as “infallible dogma” or “definitive dogma”, that require from the faithful an assent of “theological faith;” they are contained directly in the Word of God and the Magisterium has declared them to be divinely revealed. These truths are infallible and to them the faithful owe the “obedience of faith”.20
- The contents of the second category belong to the Magisterium proposing “in a definitive way truths concerning faith and morals, which, even if not divinely revealed, are nevertheless strictly and intimately connected with Revelation.” These truths are not immediately contained in the Deposit of Faith (Depositum Fidei), but are rooted in the primary teachings of the depositum fidei as secondary truths, or secondary objects of infallibility, that necessarily follow from them logically or historically, and which are needed to expound them faithfully. The proclamation of these teachings constitutes an exercise of the “ordinary Magisterium”21 and they are binding universally. These secondary truths are de fide tenenda doctrines,22 which “must be firmly accepted and held”23 by all and anyone who rejects them “sets himself against the teaching of the Catholic Church”.24
- The third category of the Magisterium is non-definitive teaching that serves a) to aid in the better understanding of a divinely revealed truth and make explicit its contents, b) recall how some teaching is in conformity with the truths of faith, or c) guard against ideas that are incompatible with these truths25 (e.g., the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat).
I wish to emphasize that these three levels of magisterial teaching constitute Catholic doctrine26 through an „assent of faith‟ or a „religious assent‟. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reveals how Christians are to receive such doctrines: “To this ordinary teaching the faithful „are to adhere to it with religious assent‟ which, though distinct from the assent of faith,
is nonetheless an extension of it.” The passage in Lumen Gentium 25 addresses a “religious assent (assensus religious) of mind and will” – required for the third category; it is distinguished from the „assent of faith‟ (assensus fidei) – required for the first and second categories.
While such distinctions of assent emphasize the gradation in adherence to Magisterial teaching, the Magisterium places no lesser emphasis on the obligation of all Christians to submit loyally to the Church in all aforementioned categories of her magisterial teaching authority: “The willingness to submit loyally to the teaching of the Magisterium on matters per se not irreformable must be the rule”.27
3) The Church requires of the Christian faithful “adherence with religious assent” to the Church’s Magisterium, which is particularly exercised by those bishops teaching in communion with the Pope.
The reason why the Catholic Catechism affirms „religious assent‟ is to be given by the faithful to those official but non-definitive teachings of the ordinary Magisterium (e.g., the Church’s official Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat), is articulated in the following statement of the Catholic Catechism:
“Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a ‘definitive manner,’ they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary teaching the faithful ‘are to adhere to it with religious assent’28 which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it”.29
Although the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat may be given by the local bishop for his diocese, one ought not to lose sight of the fact that these official seals, though given locally and within one diocesan jurisdiction, customarily30 transcend juridical boundaries by virtue of episcopal collegiality and their acceptance by other bishops the world over. Despite the confusion within the Church foretold in various approved Marian apparitions, the following affirmations of the Church articulate the enduring collegiality and the mutual relations among bishops:
“This collegial union (of bishops) is apparent also in the mutual relations of the individual bishops with particular churches and with the universal Church… The individual bishops, however, are the visible principle and foundation of unity in their particular churches, fashioned after the model of the universal Church, in and from which churches comes into being the one and only Catholic Church. For this reason the individual bishops represent each his own church, but all of them together and with the Pope represent the entire Church in the bond of peace, love and unity.”31
“The collegial spirit (of all bishops) is the soul of the collaboration between the bishops on the regional, national and international levels. Collegial action in the strict sense implies the activity of the whole college, together with its head, over the entire church.”32
“Through episcopal consecration itself, bishops receive with the function of sanctifying also the functions of teaching and governing; by their nature, however, these can only be exercised in hierarchical communion with the head and members of the college.”33
In light of the foregoing, should one choose to publicly condemn the works that presently bear this Magisterium’s seal – whether at the hand or mouth of a priest or a lay person – that individual’s actions would be considered by the Church nothing short of „reprehensible‟:
“While the freedom remains for a member of the Church to reject a private revelation which has received official ecclesiastical approval, it would at the same time be reprehensible to speak publicly against it.”34
I here recall that in the history of the Catholic Church, there is no existing public knowledge of a case where a positive decision of Constat de Supernaturalitate (it is evident to be of supernatural origin) by the local bishop concerning a nationally or internationally known prophetic revelation was later changed to the prohibited category of Constat de non Supernaturalitate (evident to be of non-supernatural origin) by the Holy See. Admittedly, when considering the plethora of reported prophetic revelations and apparitions throughout the world, positive or negative judgments by the Holy See are rare, take much time and the Holy See is often silent on such matters. However, in order to avoid leaving the final judgment up to each individual Christian, the Church offers, as the best course of action, recourse to doctrinal safety through the conferral of the Bishop’s Imprimatur and/or Nihil Obstat, which, and as noted earlier, constitute an „approval‟ of the work so that it may be “displayed and sold in churches”35 and “a juridical and a moral guarantee for the authors, the publishers and the readers”36 that the work “contains nothing contrary to the Church’s authentic magisterium on faith or morals.”37
One is also reminded of the letters of the Bishops who conferred upon the TLIG prophetic revelations the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat, which attest to their supernatural nature when affirming that they “contain the Divine Dialogue of the Holy Trinity, Our Lady and the Angels with humankind through Vassula Rydén”,38 who “is an instrument of God in our days to bring to reality God’s dream, the Holy Father’s dream, the Church’s dream which may be the
greatest event of the early years of the Third Millennium: THE UNITY OF ALL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST!”39
4) The teachings of those bishops in communion with the Pope and exercising the Magisterium40 have granted to the TLIG prophetic revelations said seals of approval (11/28/2005 Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur) that remain in full force this day.
Because the duty of faithfully interpreting God’s divinely revealed Word is “entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome”41 who, even when not arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a „definitive manner‟,42 nonetheless exercise the ordinary Magisterium, and the faithful are to „concur‟ with their decisions on faith and morals. Consider the following statement of the decree of Vatican II Council:
“The bishops, when they are teaching in communion with the Roman pontiff, are to be respected by all as witnesses to the divine and catholic truth; and the faithful ought to concur with their bishop’s judgment concerning faith and morals which he delivers in the name of Christ, and they are to adhere to this with a religious assent of the mind.” 43
Insofar as the conferral of the magisterial seals of the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat upon the TLIG prophetic revelations and the letters of the Bishops who granted them express respectively an approval and guarantee, and a positive judgment on their supernatural nature,44 and the Christian faithful are to concur with their bishop’s judgment, the faithful may confidently approach these as an authentic revelation given by God for our times.
5) By virtue of the conferral of the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat upon the TLIG prophetic revelations, Christians are prohibited from setting themselves up as their judge and from publicly condemning them.45 On the contrary, inasmuch as all Christians are to “concur with their bishop’s judgment concerning faith and morals” and “adhere to this” judgment and to the Magisterium “with a religious assent of the mind”,46 the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat upon the TLIG prophetic revelations elicit from the Christian faithful said religious assent.
In his treatise on the beatification and canonization respectively of the Servants of God and Blesseds, Cardinal Prospero Lambertini (later coronated Pope Benedict XIV) affirmed that while one may not choose to follow a given Church-approved prophetic revelation, as God has blessed us with several to choose from, one is absolutely prohibited from doing so without reason, without due modesty and with contempt – to publicly condemn what the Church has judged positive with her official seals of approbation is nothing short of „reprehensible‟:47
“It is possible not to give assent to such revelations and to turn from them, as long as one does so with due modesty, not without reason, and without contempt”.48
Conclusion
In these End Times when many biblical prophecies are being fulfilled, in particular, Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; 2 Thes. 2:3-13; Rev. 13, more attention than ever is demanded of God’s shepherds whom he calls to tend his flock with sound teaching that not only preserves the Church’s Deposit of Faith and living Tradition, but develops it, “penetrates the meaning of the revealed Word and communicates it to others”.49 During this third millennium in which all priests are exhorted to “set out for deep waters”50 and undertake a “new evangelization”,51 the Church’s approved prophetic revelations occupy a quintessential role, as they bear a divinely urgent appeal that will impact the future of mankind and alter the lives of millions. Let us recall that when our Lady of Fatima foretold that many nations of the earth would be
annihilated if mankind did not convert, she did so after she made an urgent appeal to the Church and to mankind at a pivotal time in its history. A parallel appeal to the Church and to mankind today is discovered in the ecclesiastically approved True Life in God prophetic revelations. More significantly, the consequences of this appeal, if unheeded, will be global. As a shepherd of souls, I warmly invite all Christians of good will to meditate upon the True Life in God divine revelations for their own spiritual welfare and for the betterment of mankind.
Rev. J.L. Iannuzzi, Ph.B, STB, STL, STD
Bishop F. Toppo - Bishop R. C. Argüelles
Bishop F. Toppo - Bishop R. C. Argüelles
The True Life in God prophetic revelations enjoy the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat – official ecclesiastic seals of approval. The Church’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat are an exercise of the Magisterium and the Church requires of the Christian faithful „adherence with religious assent‟ to the Church’s Magisterium, which is particularly exercised by those bishops teaching in communion with the Pope.
Read
☩ The TLIG prophetic revelations enjoy the Magisterium’s Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat
Read also the
☩ Interview with Bishop Toppo on the TLIG writings and their Ecclesiastical Approval
Fr John Corbett, Jo Ann Miller, Tim and Vanessa
Fr John Corbett, Jo Ann Miller, Tim and Vanessa
“My Presence in the Eucharist”: TLIG Malibu, CA in the Serra Retreat Center owned/operated by the Franciscans
Oct 2017
Serra Retreat Center – Set in a monastery in Malibu, California, on land owned by a rich family that went bankrupt. In 1942 they sold the land and castle to the Franciscans. Since 1943 the monastery has been a retreat house. It began as a men’s retreat house, with retreats only for men, then came women, now people of all faiths or no faith come for spiritual renewal. There is a peace that is tangible here. People feel that and are deeply touched. People from all over the world come here for retreats.
Fr. John Corbett:
I took the kindergarteners or 1st graders into the church, and I was talking to them about God, and I asked them, “do you want to hold God?” They said, “of course!” they were all excited to hold God! So I brought them into the sanctuary of the church, and I unlocked the tabernacle, and I took a Host from the ciborium, and I had one of the little children hold out his hand and I put The Host in his hand. And I said, “now you’re holding God”. And the child was SO excited, and all the other children around him were so excited, they believed INSTANTLY that they were holding God in their little hands! So why as adults do we have such a doubtful faith when it comes to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. We have to remember The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, first of all there have been Eucharistic miracles, the bread and the wine have been changed into Blood and Flesh from a Living Human Heart, one not too long ago happened. A LIVING Human Heart! We must always remember as we approach the Blessed Sacrament that there is a Heartbeat IN the Blessed Sacrament, it is not an inanimate piece of bread, but it is Christ Himself Whose Heart is beating for US!
Jo Ann Miller
I was at noon Mass, and I had just received the Eucharist, and after Mass the priest came to the altar and we were going to have Adoration in the Church, and he was very reverent and just did a beautiful job of putting Jesus up on the altar, and it took a long time and usually they don’t take that long. I was contemplating Jesus in the Eucharist and I thought, “The God that created the WHOLE universe, is WITHIN me, right this minute!” and I thought, wow, I’ve never thought of it exactly like that. The God of the whole of creation is within me, feeding me, nourishing me, Food for my journey. That’s what it is, it is His way of being with us, like He said He would be with us forever. He’s so Smart, He figured out we have the Most Favorite Thing, we have the Bread of Life and It will feed us on our journey, back to Him. I opened the book (TLIG messages) just because, and I look and it was the message from Oct 12, 1989:
Contemplative Adoration
October 12, 1989
Lord, I thank You for saving me. I love You and I adore You and You only, my God.
ah, let Me hear this often, let your heart speak to Me; come and meditate on Me, meditate on He who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, come to contemplative adoration, for this is what pleases Me; I and you, you and I, face to face in total silence; I, revealing My Beauty to you, and you, praising Me;
learn that My Heart languishes after every soul; I have now taken you back to Me, but how many more souls will I have to bring back!
come and rest in My Heart and allow Me to rest in yours, Love loves you;
Lord! how I love You, how I desire You, how I thirst for You, how I need You!
free at last! 1
(Here I squealed with joy!)
1 Jesus said this with great joy!
Tim
I read the message, the daily message (from True Life in God) and I was absolutely knocked out when I read the message, He (Jesus) spoke to me in volumes! And I read it again and it spoke to me another way. Every time I read it (the TLIG messages) it does that to me and I thought, oh My God, the Eucharist, because a lot of people take the Eucharist for granted and some even don’t believe in the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and I thought, we should have a retreat on it, and reflect and really pray on it, and really that is what we are doing here. Christ is Present, the Holy Spirit is Present, at every Mass, but we are experiencing it here in a wonderful way.
Vanessa
The question that has been put to me is: what does the Holy Eucharist mean to me?
Well for most of my life I did not know about the Holy Eucharist because I was a Protestant. At some point I felt like I was searching for more than what I knew and what I had learned in the church that I was going to, so I started seeking, what is the best church, the right church, where did the Lord want me to be to serve Him the best? How could I be closer to Him? Eventually I ran across information for the Catholic Church and True Life in God. After I started reading the messages, I could just feel…I knew that God was speaking and I needed, I needed more. And because He wanted us to partake of the Eucharist and venerate His Mother and do some other things, I knew that I needed to be Catholic. I felt that I really wanted to participate and partake of the Sacraments. And The Holy Eucharist was, to me, the most important part, specifically when the Bible talks about “eating His (Jesus’) Body, and drinking His Blood” in the book of John, I just knew that it was VERY very important. So, I became Catholic, and I think it is the wonderful, the most glorious thing in the world, that God, would give Himself to us in that way. So, the Eucharist has become extremely important for me, and I just can’t imagine living a life without it.
Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi
Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi
Rhodes September 2012
This is a transcript from a 12 minute interview has been provided courtesy of True Life in God Radio
My name is Reverend Joseph Leo Iannuzzi, from Rome, Italy where I’ve been studying for the last twenty one years, interspersed with pastoral assignments abroad. I recently finished a doctoral dissertation at the pontificial university in Rome entitled, “The Operation of the Divine and Human Will in the Writings of the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta – an Inquiry into the Early Ecumenical Councils and Patristic and Scholastic Theology”. I’m here to speak on the importance of the True Life in God Messages as dictated by Our Lord to his scribe, Vassula Ryden.
Why are these messages important? Because the one public revelation that Christ preached to his apostles and that his apostles transmitted to us (kerygma ton apostolon) is continually being explicated by the Holy Spirit that Christ promised to send us so that we may come to the knowledge of “all the truth”. Before departing from this world Jesus told his disciples: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will teach you all the truth” (Jn. 16:12). Among these “things” Jesus did not tell his disciples are the teachings of the TLIG messages, which the Holy Spirit of truth continues to explicate to Vassula. Although such TLIG messages on unity, love, mercy, intimacy with the Trinity and a holy fear of God are implied in Scripture, they are explicated in Vassula’s messages.
We find in Sacred Scripture that if everything that Christ said was contained in Scripture, there would not be enough libraries on earth to contain all of his teachings (Jn. 21.25) – to suggest that although Christ gave us everything we need for salvation and holiness, not everything is fully understood or fully “explicated”. I here recall the Catechism of the Catholic Church which states the following: “No new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet even if revelation is already complete, it had not been completely explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries” (CCC, 66).
In this article, one discovers the progressive disclosure (explication) of public revelation. If, on the one hand, article 66 relates that Jesus revealed to us everything we need for salvation and no new “public” revelation (the Deposit of Faith) is to be expected, on the other hand, it affirms that not everything in the public revelation of Christ was revealed to us “explicitly”!
Church documents of the past 2,000 years further testify to the continuing, ongoing disclosure of public revelation, as such documents never affirm God’s revelation has “ended” with Christ, but rather that Christ’s public revelation is “constituted”. In point of fact, the term constituted doesn’t signify “end” at all, but instead it means that the foundation of revelation is established in Christ once and for all. While private revelation can never match Sacred Scripture, for Sacred Scripture is forever the irreplaceable and inerrant foundation of our faith, private revelation assists Scripture and even Tradition in their role of continuously explicating “over the course of the centuries” and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God’s revealed truths. Now, the work of the Spirit’s explication of revelation occurs through the official teaching voice of the Church (Magisterium) and through the office of prophet (e.g., Vassula, through whom the Church today receives private revelations) whom St. Paul lists immediately after the office of apostle: “God has appointed in his Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, fourth miracles…” (1 Cor. 12:28).
To better grasp the complimentarity between public and private revelation, let the human eye represent public revelation, and a magnifying glass represent private revelation. Now, if I were to look at a blade of grass with the human eye, I would not see all the veins in that blade of grass as closely and with as much detail as I would with a magnifying glass. So public revelation, represented by the human eye, is clarified and is explicated by private revelation, represented by the magnifying glass. And it is in this sense that private revelation reveals to the human mind those truths of Christ that, while contained in the one public revelation of Christ, were never fully disclosed or comprehended.
That private revelations contributed to certain doctrinal formulations among the scholastic theologians is evident in the writings of Ss. Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure, both of whom referred to private revelations when postulating the institution of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Also, the female mystics Ss. Bridget of Sweden and Catherine of Siena exhorted the true pope to return from Avignon to Rome, and guess what, the pope listened to them, thereby punctuating the importance of private revelations.
These are but few of the many examples that tell us why the Church’s private revelations – when they are well respected by scores of theologians and bishops, like those of Vassula – are of such tremendous value today, which constitute the continuing and ongoing unfolding of Christ’s public revelation. Their importance is further witnessed in the spiritually devastating consequences that would have ensued if the Church had ignored them: Had the Church ignored the private revelations of St. Margaret Mary, we would not have Christ’s assurance that we may peacefully die in the state of grace with the grace of final repentance (cf. 12th promise of the 1st Friday Devotions); had the Church ignored the private revelations of St. Faustina, we would not have the Feast of Divine Mercy that grants a total remission of all sin and punishment; had the Church ignored the private revelations of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, we would not have the new mystical gift to the “Living in the Divine Will”.
As in the past, so today Christ comes to us through his prophet Vassula with a message of unity. He wants us to join under the one banner of Jesus Christ. Christ is calling all of us to unite through these the TLIG messages by way of love. However, he asks us all to bend. He reminds us that he would never break our human will. Therefore, he wants us to freely bend our wills so that we might choose unity, and in so doing, forge together our love and compassion in order to join under the one banner of Christ.
Now, this unity doesn’t in any way denigrate the independent rites of different denominations of the Orthodox, of the Protestants, or of the Catholics; it respects these rites. Such rites are encouraged to continue, but we are to join in our common belief. Why? Because Satan’s dictum is “divide and conquer”, whereas Jesus’ dictum is “unite and conquer”! So in uniting in one belief, we will stave off the impending disaster that threatens our world today and the faith of our children. If we unite, we will have more impact in the political world and in religious arena, and dispose ourselves for the era of peace that our Lady prophesied at Fatima.
Therefore, we can respect and eagerly embrace the iconography of the Eastern Orthodox Church, which they look to in many respects as a font of revelation, and to their profoundly rich patrimony of literature on “divinization” and mystical union with the Trinity; we can respect and embrace the scriptural contributions of the Protestants and their well-preserved charismatic gifts that enable us to deepen our faith and develop our gifts received in Confirmation. In sum, the Catholics, the Orthodox, the Protestants, all of us who are in God’s eyes Christian brothers, are asked by the Son of God himself to join NOW under the one banner of Jesus Christ. Without placing superiority or inferiority on these different roles that we all occupy in the Church, we can humbly acknowledge that we are all equal in God’s eyes, while carrying out different roles. And all we need to do is freely bend our human wills so that God’s Divine Will can reign in us. All it takes is two things: intention and desire; we have to have an intention to unite and a desire to make it happen. Then, little by little, we will begin to establish on earth the New Jerusalem, the New Heavens and the New Earth.
Given the foregoing, one can readily see that the True Life in God messages are part and parcel of the Church’s scriptural teachings and traditions. They are messages not meant for a thousand years ago, but for today! The way God spoke through his apostles and through his prophets, is now being spoken through the messages of Vassula. Let us thank God the Father for these revelations of his Son Jesus Christ through his secretary of True Life in God, Vassula Ryden, who writes under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and let us receive them with spirit of docility to the Spirit of truth who is speaking to his Church today. May God bless you.
Rev. J. L. Iannuzzi
Fr. Dr. Michael Kaszowski
Fr. Dr. Michael Kaszowski
Unity According to the Second Vatican Council and Vassula Rydén
Fr. Kaszowski has taught dogmatic theology at the Archdiocesan Seminary of Katowice, Poland for the past 20 years.
Vassula Ryden, the author of True Life in God, is called the apostle of unity. In effect her mission to unify the Church of Christ, torn by schisms, appears as her principal task, the most clearly delineated in the messages.
However, a short time ago, Vassula Ryden was reproached for allegedly proclaiming a false ecumenism that is rejected by the Catholic Church. For this reason, it is worthwhile to compare her teachings with those of the Second Vatican Council, because the latter lays out the doctrine on unity which must be accepted by all Catholics.
I. WHERE IS THE TRUE CHURCH TO BE FOUND?
The Second Vatican, Council, which sought to accelerate the process of the unifying the Church, first of all had to resolve a problem which is at once important and difficult. That is, how to define the relationship between the One Church founded by Jesus Christ and the many churches which exist today.
The Church of Christ and the many churches
In order to respond to this difficult question, the Council avails itself of the notion of the Church of Christ which subsists in the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches. Thus, the Council explains:
“This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which was governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him. Nevertheless, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside its visible confines. Since these are gifts belonging to the Church of Christ, they are forces impelling towards Catholic unity.” (Lumen Gentium, 8)
This affirmation constitutes a basis for the conciliar doctrine on unity and ecumenism. An example will make this more clear: suppose that in each country there are several libraries, some large and some small. In comparing them, we could say that certain books are found in all of them, and other books only in the largest library.
The Catholic Church and other churches
We might also say, in line with the Second Vatican Council, that the Catholic Church might be equated to the largest library; the Orthodox Church as being a bit smaller, and the other churches as still smaller libraries.
Similarly the churches, as is the case with the libraries, are not equal because they do not always possess all the means of salvation given by Christ. Nonetheless, the members of all religions are equal in that they are all persons created by God. It is somewhat similar with the libraries: although in the smallest, one can find precious books, but the libraries themselves are not equal by reason of the quantity of volumes that each possesses. Nonetheless, the people who borrow the books from the libraries are all equal from the standpoint of their human dignity.
Thus the Council expresses, on the one hand, its conviction that the Church of Christ subsists in its fullness in the Catholic Church. On the other hand, the Council perceives and appreciates the numerous elements of sanctification and truth which belong uniquely to the Church of Christ but are, nonetheless, found in the non-Catholic churches.
What comes from Christ and the Holy Spirit sanctifies and saves
The Council declares that all the elements of sanctification and of truth, including those found outside the Catholic Church insofar as they come from Christ and the Holy Spirit, lead to sanctification and to salvation. In fact, the decree Unitatis redintegratio 3 explains: “Moreover some, even very many, of the most significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and give life to the Church itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope and charity, along with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements. All of these, which come from Christ and lead back to Him, belong by right to the One Church of Christ.
“The brethren divided from us also carry out many liturgical actions of the Christian religion. In ways that vary according to the condition of each church or community, these liturgical actions most certainly can truly engender a life of grace and, one must say, can aptly give access to the communion of salvation.”
One might explain the Conciliar teaching thus: in the small libraries many books are missing. Nonetheless, those found there can be well utilized: they can be borrowed and read profitably.
Good elements but also distortions
The Council doctrine cited above is very optimistic because it recognizes elements of the one unique Church of Christ in all churches and ecclesiastical communities. Unfortunately, there remains another side of the problem of which the Council is well aware. Certain means of salvation are missing to varying degrees in non-Catholic churches, such as ordination and the sacrament of penance; their veneration of the Virgin Mary and the saints is fragmented; and all the non-Catholic churches have rejected the very precious gift offered by Christ to His Church to protect their unity and faith and the truth: the ministry of the Bishop of Rome.
Citing once again the example of the libraries, one could say that certain churches are like libraries that have been damaged by fire that has not completely destroyed them but has burned completely, or at least partially, many books. It is necessary, thus, to replace the ruined books because it does no good to loan them out: they are unreadable.
The Conciliar doctrine on the Church of Christ which subsists in the churches shows the road toward true ecumenism and indicates several practical steps noted in Unitatis redintegratio, 5-12. Let us examine them and compare them with what is brought out in the messages transmitted by Mrs. Vassula Ryden.
II. THE ROAD TOWARD CHURCH UNITY
The Council and the True Life in God messages show us a unity which can be brought about by conversion, love, and a humility that respects the dignity and the equality of the other. It is a unity created by all the good which comes from Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is based on truth that is respected and never rejected.
Unity by sincere conversion
“There can be no ecumenism worthy of the name without interior conversion,” declares Unitatis redintegratio, 7. Indeed, unity must be authentic; it cannot be reduced to a signature on an agreement- to a declaration which touches neither the heart nor the spirit.
Unity must, therefore, originate first of all in the hearts of men turned with love and esteem toward each brother and sister in Christ. For this reason, the Council speaks firstly of spiritual ecumenism which comes about through a change of mentality by conversion, holiness of life and by prayer. “This change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement and merits the name, ‘spiritual ecumenism”‘ (Unitatis redintegratio, 8). This spiritual ecumenism is thus produced in the heart. It manifests itself in love, respect for the other person and in profound and sincere conversion.
The message of Jesus given through Vassula also speaks to us of a “spiritual” ecumenism which begins in the heart of man. Here are some examples:
September 23, 1991:
“The Kingdom of God is love, peace, unity and faith in the heart. It is the Lord’s Church united in one inside your heart…. I implore My children to unite in heart and voice and rebuild My Son’s primitive Church in their heart. I am saying My Son’s primitive Church, since that Church was constructed on love, simplicity, humility and faith. I do not mean for you to reconstruct a new edifice, I mean for you to reconstruct an edifice inside your heart. I mean for you to knock down the old bricks inside your heart-bricks of disuruon, intolerance, unfaithfulness, unforgiveness, lack of love, and to reconstruct My Son’s Church by reconciling. You need intense poverty of the spirit and an overflow of wealth of generosity…”
October 13,1991:
“The real Christian is the one who is inwardly a Christian, and the real unity is and will be in the heart. Unity will not be of the letter but of the spirit.”
October 14, 1992:
“Unity will be in your heart…and not by signed treaty.”
Love and humility create unity
Lack of love, pride and rigidity cause division. In contrast, complete love, gentleness and humility lead the Church and humanity toward perfect unity. Vatican Council II reminds us by emphasizing the importance of humility. “We should therefore pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to be genuinely self-denying, humble, gentle in the service of others and to have an attitude of brotherly generosity toward them.” (Unitatis redintegratio 7).
The singular importance of humility for unity of the Church is enhanced also in messages of True Life in God which could be considered the perfect commentary on the conciliar decrees.
“Humility with love is the key to unity: Love and Humility will be the other key for Unity. Take those keys and use them, use them My beloved and be one, be One Holy People.” (T.L.I.G., August 9, 1989).
Humility rejects pride and rigidity born of excessive ambition. It bends man to become the servant of those around him. It is thus that unity must be built:
“Not until you understand that you will have to bend, will you be able to unite.” (T.L.I.G., September 23, 1991).
“Blessed are those who do not differentiate themselves under My Holy Name, but show their unity through their humility and love. They shall be called Pillars and Foundation of God’s sanctuary.”(T.L.I.G., April 14, 1991; cf. August 4, 1991).
“So long as you do not reconcile in humility with each other and love one another as I love you, your separation will remain.” (March 27, 1992)
“…I am one, yet each one of them made a Christ of their own. I am the Head of My Body, yet all I see are their heads, not Mine. Tell them to lower their heads and the will see Mine, tell them to lower themselves so that I may be able to lift them to Me.” (T.L.I.G., October 7, 1991)
Recognize the equality and dignity of all
Although born into different religions, all men belong to God who created the soul of each one consciously, directly and with love. “All men are endowed with a rational soul and are created in God’s image; they have the same nature and origin. Being redeemed by Christ, they enjoy the same divine calling and destiny; there is here a basic equality between all men and it must be given ever greater recognition.” (Gaudium et spes 29.1)
Unless one recognizes this equality, it is impossible to construct an authentic unity of the Church. Thus therefore, in each Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic it is necessary to see first of all their human dignity: of the creature who comes from God and who belongs to Him. This fundamental truth one finds in the messages of Christ written by Mrs. Vassula Ryden:
“Orthodox! Catholics! Protestants! You all belong to Me! You are all One in My Eyes! I do not make any distinction…”(T.L.I.G., October 27, 1987)
“Tell Me, are you not all alike, made by My Own hands?… Who has not been made according to the likeness of My Image?… Many of them talk of unity and brotherhood but their words are fallacious, void.”(T.L.I.G., November 25, 1991)
We are ‘one’ in the eyes of God who loves equally the people of all religions, and this is why we must respect them also if we are to have a unified church.
There is yet another reason for the equality of all Christians emphasized by the Council; that is baptism. “Baptism, therefore, constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all through it are reborn.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 22).
Thanks to baptism, communities-Catholic as well as non-Catholic-constitute the real Mystical Body of Christ; that is to say, the Church of Christ. For this reason, in the message given through Vassula, Jesus declares to us on the subject of Christian communities:
“All are the same in My Eyes”(October 27,1987).
From the expression “the same” one could understand that they are the same mystical body of Christ which is torn and divided by people and is still often deprived of the necessary means given by Christ for Its development.
The context of the writings of Vassula indicates that certain communities or denominations are “the same” and “alike” in that they are part of the mystical body of Christ. But they have splintered throughout history, often thereby becoming impoverished in rejecting part of the truth and certain means of salvation given by Christ to His Church. They are like the libraries which, while still remaining libraries, allow a part of their books to be destroyed.
Appreciate and share the gifts of God
The Council recalls “moreover, some, even very many of the most significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and to give life to the Church itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church…” (Unitatis redintegratio, 3). Since the elements of the truth, of endowments coming from Christ and the Holy Spirit build up and give life to the Church, they must be shared. The dogmatic constitution (Lumen Gentium, 15) mentions certain of the values present in non-Catholic churches: veneration of Holy Scripture; religious zeal; faith and love for Almighty God the Father and for Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour; the grace of baptism; prayer, the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit; and witnessing to the point of shedding one’s blood. Paragraph 15 of Unitatis redintegratio enumerates values which can be found in the Eastern Churches: the true sacraments, above all the Eucharist, the veneration of Mary, Ever Virgin, and of the saints; the riches of spiritual traditions which are expressed above all by the monastic life, the liturgical patrimony, etc.
The Council not only points to the workings of the Holy Spirit which operates in the sister Churches but, furthermore, counsels Catholics to draw profit from them. “Therefore, it is earnestly recommended that Catholics avail themselves more often of the spiritual riches of the Eastern Fathers which lift up the whole man to the contemplation of divine mysteries (Unitatis redintegratio 15)
Thus, according to Vatican II, it is very useful for the unity of the Church to recognize and to share all of whatever comes from Christ and the Holy Spirit within or from outside the Catholic Church. However, it is necessary to share only the works of God, because those which have been deformed by man are no longer capable of personal enrichment.
One finds the same path to unity – by mutual enrichment and sharing – in the True Life in God message. Jesus says:
“Unity, My Child, is to give to each other your riches.” (T.L.I.G., April 13, 1991)
By His messages, Jesus reveals to Vassula, an Orthodox, the riches found in the Catholic Church. He counsels her to accept these riches and to profit from them.
Indeed, Jesus asks her to practice that which is not to be found in her Orthodox Church: the Way of the Cross (for example, T.L.I.G., May 29, 1987), the Rosary (for example, T.L.I.G., December 28, 1987); veneration of His Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of His Mother (for example, T.L.I.G., January 25, 1988).
Jesus desires that through Vassula’s example, all Christians will profit from the spiritual benefits found in the Catholic Church. For instance, meditating on the Way of the Cross as a source of grace for everyone.
“…You are to transmit and show how to do the Stations of My Cross (the way it pleases your Lord) to all those who bear witness for me.”
“All Christians, Lord ? “
“Yes, to all those who love Me. I the Lord do not want any divisions in My Church.”(T. L. L G., March 19, 1988)
In the same way the Rosary can spiritually enrich every Christian. That is why Jesus says to Vassula:
“…for my sake, Vassula, will you learn the Rosary? Hail My Mother at all times-will you do this for Me, Vassula?”
“Lord I have never been taught.”
“Do I not know this Vassula, this is why I come to teach you and all those who never heard the Rosary.”
Yes Lord, I am willing to learn, Lord-help me learn.
“This is what I desire to hear from all of you who do not know; the same words: “Yes Lord, I am willing to learn, help me learn.”(December 28, 1987)
In teaching Vassula the devotion to His Sacred Heart, Jesus wants to fill her-and also all who will follow her example-with graces, with joy and with peace: “…come and abide in My Sacred Heart, where in its depths you will find peace and will feel My ardent Love I have for all of you. You will be able to tell them of My love for them. (January 24, 1987)
Jesus is anxious that pastors, in the communities for which they are responsible, not reject any means which could help to better comprehend His incomprehensible love; and since that is not always the case, He gives notice that:
“My Church I will clean; I will sweep away all those that obstruct the way to divine love and…My Sacred Heart.”(T.L.I.G., December 2, 1987)
“…it is Love speaking to a hostile world; it is Love knocking on every locked door; it is Love calling from the other side of the wall separating us, built up by My enemies; it is Love pleading as a beggar for a return of Love…a smile…a regret…a sigh. It is I, the Sacred Heart. I come once more to revive this dying flame in your heart into a consuming fire of tenderness and love. I descend to outpour lavishly all the treasures of My Heart on you humanity and give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death….Ah, creation! What will I not do for you?”(T.L.I.G., September 12, 1990)
The messages received by Vassula bring out not only the forms of prayer and devotions known in the Catholic Church, but above all the truths of the faith forgotten or else rejected by non-Catholics and, unfortunately, by many Catholics of our day.
Among the truths rejected are those of the primacy and infallibility of the Pope. This is why in the message of March 18, 1991, the Blessed Virgin Mary reminds all Catholics and non-Catholics that it is necessary to be in union with and cooperate with the Bishop of Rome: “Every priest has been given the grace by God to act and represent My Son, and so I pray for those who are not yet submitting humbly to the Vicar of the Church to submit and be willing. Jesus is faithful and true. (T.L.I.G., March 18, 1991)
The message of True Life in God recalls at several junctures the necessity to unify the Church around the Pope. This is one of the major themes of the writings (for example: T.L.I.G., December 12, 1987; May 5, 1988; May 16, 1988; June 3, 1988; June 4, 1988; June 21, 1988; November 8, 1988; December 3, 1988; February 9, 1989; March 17, I993, etc.)
The messages given to Vassula recall not only the role of the Bishop of Rome but also other truths and traditions forgotten not only by non-Catholic churches but also by many Catholics today. These lost values are above all:
– faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist (for example: T.L.I.G., June 3, 1989; April 13, 1991);
– faith in the Perpetual Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christ (for example: T.L.I.G., January 30, 1989; October 22, 1990; May 2, 1991; June 2, 1991; June 6,1991; July 16, 1991; November 25, 1991; April 19, 1992; May 27, 1993; June 1, 1993; December 13, 1993; December 20, 1993; December 22, 1993; August 23, 1994; October 14, 1994; October 24, 1994);
– the value of frequent sacramental confession (for example: February 15, 1987; November 3, 1990; March 20, 1991);
– veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary (for example: December 12, 1987; December 22, 1987) and of the saints (for example: September 27, 1987);
– the efficacy of using images and statues representing God and the saints (for example: October 26, 1987; August 6, 1988)
Thus, the messages received by Vassula encourage her to accept not only some precious prayers and devotions but again, all the doctrine entrusted to the Catholic Church, including the primacy of the Pope.
However, Jesus does not oblige Vassula to break with uniquely Orthodox liturgy and prayers. On the contrary, He asks her to make known to other Christians that which is most precious in her Orthodox Church. As an example, Jesus asks Vassula teach the non-Orthodox the Orthodox Rosary called the “Prayer of Jesus”:
“Ask Me every day, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner’. Daughter, teach your brothers this prayer…”(T.L.I.G., January 18, 1990)
Thus, the unity proclaimed by True Life in God is to appreciate all the existing inspirations of the Holy Spirit in the churches and to share these values for mutual enrichment.
This concept of unity is identical to that of Vatican II. The conciliar decree on ecumenism, (Unitatis redintegratio, 16) says that unity of the Church does not require renouncing the diversity of liturgies, prayers, customs and dress. “To remove all shadow of doubt, then, this Holy Synod solemnly declares that the Churches of the East, while keeping in mind the necessary unity of the whole Church, have the power to govern themselves according to their own disciplines, since these are better suited to the character of their faithful and better adapted to foster the good of souls.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 16).
Furthermore, the Council emphasizes that a certain diversity created by the Holy Spirit constitutes a richness for the Church: “far from being an obstacle to the Church’s unity, such diversity of customs and observances only adds to her beauty and contributes greatly to carrying out her mission.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 16).
Never reject any truth, but accept it completely
While calling for respect of all Christian churches and the works of the Holy Spirit found in them, the Council does not ignore the differences which divide these communities. It is above all a matter of different interpretations of the revealed truth. Indeed, in speaking of the Protestant churches, the document Unitatis redintegratio declares:
“We are indeed aware that there exist considerable differences from the doctrine of the Catholic Church even concerning Christ’s Word of God made flesh and the work of redemption, and thus, concerning the mystery and ministry of the Church and the role of Mary in the work of salvation.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 20).
One cannot unite the Church by distancing it from the Truth of Christ, but on the contrary, by drawing closer to it. In the domain of truth no concession is admissible: it must be loved and sought after as the Council reminds us:
“Furthermore, in ecumenical dialogue, Catholic theologians standing fast by the teaching of the Church yet searching together with separated brethren into the divine mysteries should do so with love for the truth, with charity, and with humility.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 11).
Thus, unity of the Church is built on the acceptance of the entire truth given by God. This is a thesis of the Council and, at the same time, of the message of True Life in God which can be considered as an urgent appeal to the faithful to follow the truth-a call that is addressed as much to non-Catholics as to present-day Catholics.
“Always defend to death the truth” says Jesus, not only to Vassula, but to each of His disciples (T.L.I.G., September 23, 1991).
In these messages there is nothing of the false ecumenism which would seek to unite Christians by rejecting a part of the truth because it displeases one church; for example, the unique role of Mary in the work of redemption, or that of the Pope in the Church. One could compare a false ecumenism to an absurd situation in which libraries wanting to become completely alike would destroy their most precious books of which the other libraries had been deprived or else it would send copies of the books which have been totally destroyed and charred by the fire in order to “enrich” the other libraries. Hence, false ecumenism proposes unity by the exchange of that which is least good and precious in the Church, for example a lack of respect for the Blessed Virgin. It is ready to sacrifice truth and even the commandments of God in order to overcome differences between the churches. This is inadmissable: one cannot transmit to others errors and distortions that arose during centuries of human meanness.
There is not a trace of this false ecumenism in the writings of Vassula which call for an acceptance of the whole truth without rejecting any part of it. As an example of this attitude, one could cite a stern dialogue of Jesus with Vassula on the subject of Protestants who reject the royal dignity of the Blessed Virgin and the ministry of the Pope.
“My God, the Protestants will be shocked!” says Vassula.
Jesus answers: “Vassula, I have been waiting years for them to change, now leave Me free to write down My desires. (…) listen, can one hear Me only when it is convenient for him, then shut his ears when what I say does not suit him?(…) I have come to unite you all. Would any disciple of Mine deny My appeal?”
“No, not if they are sincere, Lord.”
“By this statement you gave Me hangs all that there is to say; ‘if they are sincere’ then they will listen. I come to shine on you all and enlighten you to be able to unite you, but to My great sorrow there will be those who would prefer darkness to the light because their deeds are evil. They would refuse to come under My Light for fear of exposing their deeds, but My devoted ones and those that sincerely acknowledge My Works and follow Me will come under My Light exposing without fear their deeds, because they will show that what they do is done in Me, their God. I have said that if you make My Word your home, you will indeed be my disciples; you will learn the Truth and the Truth will make you free.”(December 23, 1987).
This dialogue makes clear that unity of the Church will not be realized by rejection of the truth nor by “diplomacy” which avoids speaking of differences, but rather by a sincere openness to all the truth of the Gospel. The whole truth must be accepted for perfect unity of the Church, not only that of the Holy Trinity of Christ Our Saviour, but also that of His Real Presence in the Eucharist, His Perpetual Sacrifice; of the special role confided to the Blessed Virgin Mary by God; of the primacy and infallibility of the Pope; of frequent personal confession, etc.
Thus, unity of the Church requires acceptance of the whole truth by all: if a Catholic or a non-Catholic rejects it, it is a betrayal. Errors, rationalism and moral relativism must be rejected to the same degree by all believers in Christ.
Accept the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
The Council teaches that ecumenical efforts must culminate in full Eucharistic communion. “The results will be that, little by little, as the obstacles to perfect ecclesiastical communion are overcome, all Christians will be gathered, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, into the unity of the one and only church… (Unitatis redintegratio, 4).
Unfortunately, there are certain obstacles at present impeding the way toward a perfect community of all Christians around one Eucharistic table. Among these obstacles is the false doctrine which denies the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and which rejects His Perpetual Sacrifice. These obstacles must be overcome by prayer and ecumenical dialogue.
The message transmitted by Vassula also shows the importance of the Eucharist. It is paramount for unity to recognize the Real Presence in the Eucharist of He who wishes us to unite around Him.
“My Sacred Heart is calling you all to come to Me in holiness. Lean on Me and I shall guide you to My tabernacle, where I am waiting for you day and night. I am offering Myself every day. Come, come and receive Me in holiness and in purity; do not offend Me. Be pure and holy when you receive Me; recollect yourselves and recognize My Living Presence in the little white host, let Me feel your holiness and purity.”(T.L.I.G., June 3, 1989; cf. April 13, 1991; October 14, 1991).
Believe in the Eucharistic Sacrifice
Another truth which must be accepted by all Christians is that during the Eucharistic celebration Christ’s unique sacrifice on Calvary is brought into the present. Unfortunately, this truth -heretofore always taught by the Catholic Church – is denied not only by some non-Catholic churches, but also by certain Catholic theologians.
For this reason, Jesus reminds us in the message of November 25, 1991: “The greatness of My Church exceeded everything and every living creature because the Eucharist made the life of My Church. If My Church today lacks brightness it is because many of My Churches have abolished My Perpetual Sacrifice.”
Full unity of the Church will be realized the day when all peoples gather around Jesus really present in the Eucharist and around His unique salvific sacrifice:
“the nations shall then speak one language and all of them shall worship Me around One Single Tabernacle, this One of the Sacrificial Lamb, this One of the Perpetual Sacrifice that My enemies are trying to abolish and replace by their disastrous abomination.”(T.L.I.G., May 2, 1991) (Daniel 11:31)
The disastrous abomination is at once the work of Satan and of men who allow themselves to be led by him. This abomination is among other things the lack of faith in Christ really present in the Eucharist and in His Perpetual Sacrifice which saves generations of every epoch. The disastrous abomination is again the absence of the spiritual sacrifice in the temple of our hearts. There the filial attitude of obedience to the will of God-which constitutes the essential element of every spiritual offering-is more and more replaced by rebellion, disobedience and unbelief. Thus it is nothing less than a disastrous abomination when the Eucharist is put off to the side in our lives and the sacrificial attitude dies in the temples of the hearts of men.
“The disastrous abomination is the spirit of Rebellion that claims to be My equal. It is the spirit of evil that enthroned itself in My sanctuary taking the place of My Perpetual Sacrifice, turning your generation Godless. It is the spirit of rationalism and naturalism that led most of you into atheism, this is the spirit that makes you believe you are selfsufficient and that you can achieve everything by your own efforts and by your own strength. This disastrous abomination turned you into a waterless country of drought, a desert. My Perpetual Sacrifice you have abolished from within you because you have lost your faith generation.”(T.L.I.G., June 6, 1991)
Recognize the special role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the work of salvation
Fidelity to the truth-so important for the perfect unity of the church-requires recognition of the singular role confided to the Blessed Virgin by God himself in salvation history.
The decree Unitatis redintegratio of Vatican II declares with joy that in the Eastern Churches the Blessed Virgin is venerated; that she is “paid high tribute, in beautiful hymns of praise” (15). In speaking of Protestants, the Council declares the divergence between them and the Catholic Church regarding the role of the Holy Virgin in the work of salvation (cf. Unitatis redintegratio, 20).
Certainly, perfect unity in love and in truth demands the recognition of all the salvific duties confided by God in His love to Mary and all the special graces that She has received. All believers must also unite in veneration of the Blessed Virgin.
This necessity is very strongly emphasized in the message given to Vassula. Indeed Jesus insists: “My Mother’s Immaculate Heart is united to Mine. I desire from each one of you the devotion Her Immaculate Heart deserves. You see, daughter, how our Divine Hearts are covered by thorns from men who only show Us ingratitude, sacrilege, lack of love-it is the whole of their sins. Vassula, I who am the Word, love and respect Her. I desire you to approach My Mother and honour her as I honour her. I desire that every knee bend, honouring her, I desire you to pray the Rosary and Hail your Holy Mother. I want you to repair your sins; asking her to teach you.”(January 25, 1988)
Jesus who loves and respects his mother Himself gives the example to all believers-not only to Catholics-of how to love and respect her. In the name of truth one cannot diminish the grandeur of the one chosen by the Heavenly Father Himself who entrusted to Her without the slightest hesitation His well-beloved Son. He knew She would not disappoint Him. And indeed it was so.
Remain in unity with the Pope
True Life in God reminds us that perfect unity of the Church can only be realized around the Pope. This truth is repeated courageously at many points throughout the writings of Vassula. With courage because the primacy and the infallibility of the Bishop of Rome is among those truths which have very little popularity, not only among Orthodox and Protestant, but lately also among many Catholics, even theologians, who dispute it.
Jesus therefore says in some of His messages: “Purify yourselves, repent. Obey the Vicar of My Church, John Paul II, who never fails you, but whom you push aside and ignore. All you who are still scoffing at Him are weighing ever so heavily on My Sacred Heart…”(T.L.I.G., June 1, 1989)
“I come to unite My Church; I come to remind you to whom I, the Lord, have given the Authority and the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”(T.L.I.G., May 23, 1988; cf. March 19, 1988; February 9, 1989)
Purify yourself often in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Council reminds us that divisions in the Church were often due to the errors of men on both sides (Unitatis redintegratio, 3). Again today, lack of love and pride divide the Church, or at least slow down the process of unity. For this reason, all Christians must be always conscious of their sins and not those of others. This is why the Council reminds us: “The testimony of St. John the Evangelist can also be applied to sins against unity: ‘if we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us’ (1 John 1:10). Thus, in humble prayer we beg pardon of God and of our separated brethren, just as we forgive them that offend us.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 7)
Consequently, if one wishes to unite the Church, purification by sincere repentance and sacramental confession is necessary. Unfortunately, the sacrament of penance is not accepted, not only by Protestants, but in our day by many Catholics. Less and less advantage is taken of this sacrament by which Jesus frees us from our sins, purifies and unites us with the Father and the Church. It is only through this sacrament that unity of the Church is to be realized.
The messages transmitted by Vassula remind us of this sacrament so forgotten and neglected and of the necessity for frequent individual confession.
Jesus says: “I have given you confessors; when My beloved ones you are confessing to him, you are only confessing to Me-it is to Me you are confessing”(T.L.I.G., September 29, 1988).
“Be constant in your confessions little children; to be able to come and receive Me in the Holy Eucharist as often as you can. Fast on bread and water two days a week to make reparations and sacrifice.”(T.L.I.G., August 2, 1991)
“When you come to me make sure before how you will receive Me. Examine yourselves, recollect yourselves. Honour Me fully by repenting and often confessing.”(T.L.I.G., September 29, 1988)
“Alas for him who offends Me by refusing confession and absolution and comes to receive My Son guilty! Repent! Repent for your sins!”(T.L.I.G., March 20, 1991)
A sincere dialogue
Thus-according to Vatican Council II and True Life in God-unity of the Church can be realized through profound change of heart by men who begin to love sincerely. Another requirement of authentic unity is absolute fidelity to the truth, even to that which is no longer popular. One can achieve unity in following the path of love of God, of men, and of truth.
This love is indispensable when one engages in the ecumenical dialogue which according to Vatican II is very important for unity. Besides conversion, love, humility, mutual respect and communal prayer, this dialogue can be considered the most important means toward unity. Its goal is better mutual awareness and rediscovery of what Christ is really transmitting to His Church. (cf. Unitatis redintegratio, 4)
This dialogue leads toward unity but on condition that it is sincere, profound and with an increasingly ardent and authentic desire for unity. Otherwise, it will degenerate into endless discussions, polemics, quarrels or polite conversation without meaningful results. The messages through Vassula warn against such a fruitless dialogue. Jesus says:
“I am weary of hearing their noble language; perhaps it is suitable and eloquent for them, but to Me it sounds like a stroke on a gong because it is empty with emptiness. I have come to talk to them-first out of concern, then out of pity; but no one yet to this day has lowered his voice to hear My Voice. Alas for you who say you are at My service yet prevent My Kingdom from finding unity and stability!”(T.L.I.G., December 21, 1992)
“Go from country to country and tell those who speak of unity yet never cease to think the contrary and continue to live the contrary that their division has separated My Heart from theirs.”(October 7, 1991)
A common date of Easter
For different reasons it is still not possible for all Christians to celebrate the Eucharist together. This is why the Council advises us to unify at every level where it is possible: in action and above all, in common prayer. For all Christians to celebrate on the same day the Mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ would be an important sign of unity. Unfortunately, until now, Catholics and Orthodox have not established a common date for Easter.
The Council strongly desires unity in the celebration of the Paschal Mystery. The Conciliar decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum expresses this desire: “Until all Christians agree, as is hoped, on one day for the celebration of Easter by all, in the meantime as a means of fostering unity among Christians who live in the same area or country, it is left to the patriarchs or to the supreme ecclesiastical authorities of the place to consult all parties involved and so come to unanimous agreement to celebrate the feast of Easter on the same Sunday.” (20) In the True Life in God messages an accord between Orthodox and Catholics on a common date of Easter appears to be a very important thing. Indeed, Jesus complains:
“Will I, brother, one more season go through the pain I have been going through year after year? Or will you give Me rest this time? Am I going to drink one more season the cup of your division? Or will you rest My Body and unify for My Sake the Feast of Easter? In unifying the date of Easter, you will alleviate My pain, brother, and you will rejoice in Me and I in you, and I will have the sight of many restored.”(T.L.I.G., October 14, 1991)
Unifying the date of Easter would express good will and a sincere desire for unity because there are no doctrinal reasons which impede celebrating at the same time the death and the resurrection of our Lord. On the contrary, from a theological point of view, it is the simplest thing and but, alas, up to the present has not succeeded! It is probably for this reason that the plea of Jesus is so dramatic:
“Am I, Father, to drink one more season of the cup of their division or will they at least unify the Feast of Easter, alleviating part of My pain and sorrow?”(T.L.I.G., October 25, 1991)
“When will they all pass a decree by unanimous vote to celebrate the Feast of Easter all on one date?”(December 21, 1992)
“…pray for the urufication of the dates of Easter.”(April 8, 1993)
Unity will survive
The Council, fully cognizant of the difficulties attached to ecumenism, fully believes in the future unity of the Church which will, however, be the work of the Holy Trinity. “It therefore places its hope entirely in the prayer of Christ for the Church, in the love of the Father for us, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 24) One finds this same hope also in the writings of Mrs. Ryden: we must journey toward imminent uruon by our conversion, love, humility and prayer, but it will be achieved by Christ and the Holy Spirit.
“My beloved ones, the day is near when every vision will come true, every vision will soon be fulfilled and in your own lifetime, too. So open your hearts and try to understand why My Spirit of Grace is poured on this generation so generously. The Day is drawing near, when all generations shall be one, under one Shepherd, around one Holy Tabernacle and I, the Lord, shall be unique for them. So pray My beloved ones, pray for this unity which I, the Lord, am in full preparation for.”(T.L.I.G., June 19, 1989)
“Let Me tell you once more that My Body I will glorify and unite.”(October 18, 1987)
The vision of the three bars also shows that unity will be accomplished by the power from on high. Thus, Jesus says to Vassula:
“Draw three iron bars with a head on the top. These represent the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox and the Protestants. I want them to bend and unite but these iron bars are still very stiff and cannot bend on their own, so I shall have to come to them with My fire and with the power of My flame upon them they shall turn soft to bend and mold into one solid iron bar, and My Glory will fill the whole earth.” (T.L.I.G., October 26, 1989) “This is how My Spirit will unite every single one of you in the end and everyone will believe it was the Father who sent Me, everyone will recognize Me as the sacrificial lamb.”(May 30, 1993)
III. CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of Vatican II documents and of the writings of Vassula Ryden imposes the following conclusion: there is a perfect concordance between the two in their teaching on unity. However, the difference in style and in the ideas used exclude any hypothesis that Vassula took advantage of the documents of the Second Vatican Council. This concordance can only be explained, therefore, by its coming from the same Person who influenced the Fathers of the Council and Vassula Ryden. One could say that we see the same principal Author of the Conciliar documents and of the writings of Vassula.
The teaching on the unity of the Church which emerges from the writings of Mrs. Ryden is identical to that of Vatican II. Hence, those who impute to her a “pan-Christiari’ unity thereby prove that they are not at all familiar with her writings.
There is also a moral aspect to the accusations against the teachings of Mrs. Ryden. Anyone who accuses her of a doctrine on uruty that is contrary to the teaching of the Church is telling a lie and spreading calumny. Consequently, if one wishes to be faithful to Christ-he must do justice and rectify the wrong done not only to her, but also to the work of unity so much desired by Jesus and by Vatican II.
“This Sacred Council firmly hopes that the initiatives of the sons of the Catholic Church, joined with those of the separated brethren, will go forward, without obstructing the ways of divine providence, and without pre-judging the future inspirations of the Holy Spirit.” (Unitatis redintegratio, 24) This desire of the Council at the same time sounds a warning to those who through their thoughtlessness and imprudent zeal cause harm to the progress toward unity (cf. Unitatis redintegratio, 24).
The author of this article, Father Doctor Michael Kaszowski, received his doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain and has taught dogmatic theology at the Archdiocesan Seminary of Katowice, Poland for the past 20 years. He has written several books of a pastoral nature, including works on deepening the faith among children and youth. As the editor of the Polish edition of True Life in God, he knows the messages in depth. He is an firmly orthodox theologian of stature who has consistently affirmed that there is no trace of error found in the writings of Vassula. He has expressed this conclusion in two prefaces and in a defense of Vassula which appear in the Polish edition. An article he wrote on private revelations is reprinted in volume 8 of the original handwriting edition of True Life in God.
Bishop Rodolfo Bertran
Bishop Rodolfo Bertran
On the morning of the following day, Wednesday March 16, Vassula had a meeting with Bishop Rodolfo Beltran DD, the current Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs of the CBCP, who was rather excited to meet Vassula in-person. Bishop Beltran would have liked to, but was not able to attend the TLIG Pilgrimage in Rome, in October 2015, due to medical reasons. The atmosphere between him and Vassula was pleasant. The discussion with Bishop Beltran focused on Church unity, unity in diversity, and the reinforcing of the Church. Vassula mentioned the recent, sad events of the murdering of Christians, saying: “When they killed the Christians, they did not ask them their denomination. They just asked them ‘are you a Christian?’” She then went on to ask Bishop Beltran: “How do you see complete unity, where one can say that ‘now we are united and one: in full communion?” The bishop replied: “Unity is when we all believe in the Word of God.” May God help us unite so that the triumph of both Jesus’ and our Blessed Mother’s Hearts triumph! It was a pleasant surprise for everyone present to see Bishop Rodolfo Beltran. The Bishop talked about his work as Chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Ecumenical Affairs in the Philippines. The bishop said: “when I was elected, “I did not have much idea about what I’d be doing, but when I started to work and I started to be associated with other people like the leaders of the different denominations in our country, I started to be more interested in it. And when I met also the members of Focolare and True Life in God, I said to myself: Oh, I have a lot of people collaborating with me, journeying together. (…) In my diocese now we have started to go from parish to parish to be able to meet with the leaders and members of different Churches, so that we pray together. And I was more interested and amused when I met this group, this community of TLIG. I know, they are doing a lot, not only in the Philippines, but for the Universal Church… He went on to say that conversions are required and that we should ask the Lord to forgive us, especially for our division, for the sin of division that inflicts wounds on Jesus…”
Archbishop Frane Franić
Archbishop Frane Franić
The following introduction by retired Archbishop Frane Franić, the great supporter of Medjugorje, was first published in 1993
But I am on Vassula’s side…
When I received two books written by the visionary Vassula Rydén, and translated into Croatian by Mrs. Marija-Dragica Vukić, I was pleasantly surprised, all the more because the translation was made from English in Belgrade, where Mrs. Vukić lives. She asked me to write a preface for the third book which will appear in Croatian. There are already five volumes in English entitled True Life in God written by Vassula Rydén. It is a great pleasure for me to write this preface.
The first news I heard about Vassula was two years ago, in 1991, in a Canadian Catholic review, L’Informateur Catholique. A great deal of that particular issue was devoted to Vassula. Thereafter, the review published information about her regularly. A good Catholic lady living in Canada, who is very interested in Medjugorje, a leader of frequent pilgrimages, directed strong criticism against Vassula, alleging that there were false theories in the messages which she is transmitting: for example, that Jesus calls Himself “Eternal Father” of men, as if He identifies Himself in every respect with the Father, thus denying the distinction between the Father and the Son. This devoted admirer of Our Lady is not happy either with the manner in which Jesus transmits His messages through Vassula’s hand; she thinks of this in terms of spiritualistic transmission of messages.
This critic of Vassula, about whom I read in the review I have mentioned, was Mrs. Darija Klanac, nee Skunca. I had the honor to meet her on her way as a pilgrimage leader from Canada to Medjugorje. She visited me in Split, in St. Peter’s Co-Cathedral, where I have lived since 1983. I spoke in French to the pilgrims about the Medjugorje messages of peace. Mrs. Klanac also talked with great zeal about Our Lady. I was very happy that Mrs. Klanac, one of our Croatians married in Canada, had such a high reputation among the Catholics of that country. Later on, when she had difficulties with the review I have mentioned because they supported Vassula, I noticed with what respect they wrote of her personality, that is, the experts working for them. This pleased me.
But I am on Vassula’s side, especially since I was given three books of her messages in Italian, entitled Peace and Love. A group of Italian pilgrims on their way to Medjugorje stopped in Split and visited St. Peter’s. They invited me to Italy. So, on September 23,1992, I celebrated Holy Mass in a large church in Como. The church was full and there I met Vassula. Before Mass she gave a testimony about her mystical experiences and messages, which, with the greatest conviction, she attributed to Jesus. I gave the homily on the Gospel of the day. I spoke about private revelations, and the importance they have for the Church and today’s world. I added some words of support for Vassula, leaving the final judgment to the Church. I always use this precaution when I talk publicly about the Medjugorje messages.
On the other hand, when I talk privately I express my constant conviction of the authenticity of the Medjugorje apparitions and messages; I rely on the Gospel test which says that a good tree may be recognized by good fruits. This is especially true of religious conversions, miracles in the moral order, and, most frequently, experiences in Medjugorje. This happens also through Vassula, who herself is a miracle, an object of wonder. True, she does not cause wonders in the physical sense, for she makes no claim to a charism of healing.
I was given a copy of the fourth book of Vassula’s messages by the translator personally. I was delighted to note that the preface was by Fr. Rene Laurentin, whom I value highly; I have met him many times in Split on his way to and from Medjugorje.
As I read Vassula’s books, my first impressions of her were very much confirmed. Her messages, actually for me Jesus’ messages, are alive and authentic. These messages can help us toward a better understanding of Jesus’ messages in the Gospel, and also help us experience them in a personal way. These must always remain the authentic criteria in judging private messages, in recognizing healthy mystical experience. There always have been, always will be, mystical experiences in the Church. These we must not minimize, but we must leave the final judgment to the church.
When I met Vassula in Como, on 23rd September, 1992, I had the feeling that she was under attack by many critics; they wrote disparagingly about her. This is understandable as through Vassula, Jesus is passing judgment on extremist theologians of our time, who distance themselves from divine revelations by too great proximity to the world. This, Pope Paul VI found out, a short time before he died; he began to speak of the “devil’s smoke” which had entered the Church and clouded fundamental truths of God’s revelation.
It seems to me the. more I understand these things, that Vassula’s main charism is to show the PURITY OF THE INTEGRAL REVELATION OF GOD. Nothing must be taken from, nothing added to the Revelation; there must be no yielding to the world and to the permissive civilization of our time, which penetrates even into the Church, causing disorder in her saving mission.
Inculturation is necessary as the basis of a new evangelization. So Pope John Paul II says, following the Council. We must respect cultures that we may plant in people of all nations God’s revealed truths, strengthening them with love, always with due regard to human, national and social rights, and attention to social situations. This is the truth; Second Vatican Council says it; so do Popes of the Council and after it. But there is the truth which tells us that Christ and His Word judge all cultures, all human, national and social rights. It is not, on the contrary, cultures which judge Christ, but Christ who judges them. Christ protects, promotes, dignifies, raises to a higher level, to God’s level, all cultures.
Because of that do not be afraid to “open the door to Christ”. He is our Creator, our Friend, He is our “Eternal Father” together with the Father and the Holy Spirit; He knows what we need to achieve our small earthly and great heavenly happiness.
The Church, together with the Pope, and under the Pope, as the visible head of the Church and the Vicar of Jesus Christ, transmits the saving teachings of Christ. That is what Jesus is telling us through Vassula, though she makes it clear that she is of the Greek Orthodox Church. In this way she shows the way to healthy ecumenism, ecumenism which, today, is passing through its Calvary. But ecumenism is God’s work, so it must pass through its Calvary like Christ Himself. May God protect us so that the Calvary does not spread over the whole world.
Ecumenism will, through its Calvary, have its resurrection. It seems that this is the core of all the messages that Jesus is giving us through Vassula Rydén, Greek Orthodox, living now in Switzerland.
Frane Franic, Retired Archbishop of Split
formerly President, Episcopal Theological Commission, Yugoslavia
Split, Yugoslavia
Immediately after the Notification in 1995, the Archbishop wrote the following in a letter to Patrick Beneston:
“Before God I declare that Mme Vassula has not deserved condemnation for her books but praise, because of the integrity of the faith contained in her books, especially as to the complete primacy of the Roman Pontiff, about the Blessed Virgin Mary, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the sacred Hearts of Christ and of the Immaculate Blessed Virgin Mary; I have not been able to find any false doctrine in what are now seven volumes of the series entitled True Life in God, which I have read carefully. I am embarrassed to read that such a worthy person has been condemned by the Holy See, and that without being given an opportunity to defend herself. For this reason I humbly beg the Holy See, if the condemnation in question is authentic, that it be withdrawn, or be declared inauthentic as soon as possible so that the confusion arising among the faithful be averted”
Since the writing of this letter, Cardinal Ratzinger has made it clear that Vassula has not been condemned in any way. For more information, please see Dialogue with the CDF in the Background Information section.
Vassula in a private meeting with Cardinal Ratzinger shortly before he became Pope. The meeting was the conclusion of the fruitful dialogue that took place
In my opinion, the great theological charisma which Vassula possesses is to prepare the dialogue, or Christ’s encounter with all humankind which, in all regions of the earth, is sincerely seeking God. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a man who passes through life seeking a precious pearl (Mt. 13, 45).
I am in a South African Airlines plane on my way back to Johannesburg from Washington, where, as Vice President of the Pan-African Board of the Churches, I participated in a very important inter-religious conference at Georgetown University. The emphasis was on the importance of religion in the protection of human rights and the priority which should be given to dialogue in finding solutions to both local and international differences that threaten the cause of world peace. This journey lasts for seventeen hours with a one hour stop in Accra, capital of Ghana. Usually, when I am not tired, I take the opportunity to jot down some issues.
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