Archbishop Jose Maria Arancedo of Santa de la Vera Cruz, Argentina
declared that the reported Marian apparitions in the town of Centeno
will not be approved by the Church.
A diocesan commission concluded that “there are no signs that
guarantee this is a supernatural apparition of the Most Holy Virgin
Mary,” the archbishop explained.
Since April 4, 2010, hundreds have gathered in the town of Centeno
after a woman claimed that Mary led her to a miraculous fount of healing
water.
The 32-year-old woman added that the Blessed Mother also asked for a chapel to be built there.
The commission's study of the messages shows that while some elements
“are consistent with the Christian life,” other statements “do not
conform to the spirit of the Gospel or to the manner in which the Most
Holy Virgin expresses herself in the tradition of the Church,” the
archbishop continued.
He noted the alleged visionary’s “lack of compliance” with the
Church’s handling of the case, as well as her pressuring of Church
leaders for a speedy approval.
The archbishop also expressed disapproval of the woman’s practice of blessing the faithful.
Archbishop Arancedo said the Church values “the recitation of the
Holy Rosary, whenever done with a true Catholic spirit and due reverence
to Jesus Christ and the Church.”
“As we approach Holy Week, we encourage the faithful to receive the
sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist, which bestow on us true
spiritual strength and the fullness of life that Jesus Christ has given
us,” the archbishop said.