Public or private revelation?

[Mountainmike]

To answer why people don't get more on board with private revelations:

1. In my experience - I know a lot of Catholics that do so, and end up with their focus on these things, and the Saints - and yet don't know anything about Scripture. They are left with not much to "test" anything against, and private revelation is equal to scripture for them in function it seems.

2. Some things like Fatima, are a total mess, and even some Catholic sources will say parts of it don't line up. And how it unfolded, and all the theories around it, lend a lot of suspicion. I won't dissect it - but some of it is not compatible with Scripture.

3. Other "miracles" like the Incorruptible Saints - I have even seen a Trad website where they note how they are in temperature controlled, air tight chambers, and appear to have parts filled in with wax.

There are "issues" that cause one to pause, and rely on what we know we can trust, and test things against - Scripture.

One of the problems with all of this is sceptic media is filling a void with disinformation.
One forged painting does not make all paintings forgeries!

Its true there are a few conspiracy theories about Fatima, in respect of third secret, as there are with pretty much everything , but there is an overwhelming amount of solid ground. I have all the critical books! even in native portuguese.

Whatever the miracle "was" in a physical sense, (which is where sceptics focus their energy) the fact of the prophesy renders it miraculous.
The messages of our Lady are there to see. Which are all about God!

"Do not offend God any more, he is already too much offended with all the "outrages indifferences and sacrileges" against our Lord in the tabernacle.

As for the incorruptibles,
One question over one of them, is not a generic question against all.

Study them individually eg the internment of such as Bernadette in a wet grave that coroded her rosary but not her. Then read the autopsy reports. etc etc. No question of controlled envirionment.

The eucharistic miracles are the biggest of all.

 

[mourningdove~]

The eucharistic miracles are the biggest of all.

... and I do not expect Protestants to believe in these, or many other things that many Catholics do believe in.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

It's going to be difficult for the Church to prove the Hartford Connecticut alledged miracle.

Who knows if the priest merely thought there were less host in the ciborium than ended up
there, or some other circumstance.

Whether it was a miracle or not, will be left up to faith.

 

[Markie Boy]

It comes down to trust. Do you trust that the Vatican Bank system is managed with integrity?

Do you trust that all the bishops would rise up and clean house if there was an abuse problem?

Once you loose trust, you don't have much credibility.

 

[mourningdove~]

The spiritual life is about more than just faith ("trust") in an institution.
Afterall, what human institution is not capable of disappointing us?

No, the spiritual life is about one's faith ("trust") in God ...
and God never loses credibility.

Maybe when we are young, we trust more in our institutions?
But when we are older, we learn the need to walk by faith ...
and trust God.

One can believe in miracles, without believing in all that an institution says or does ...

 

[Markie Boy]

The spiritual life is about more than just faith ("trust") in an institution.
Afterall, what human institution is not capable of disappointing us?

No, the spiritual life is about one's faith ("trust") in God ...
and God never loses credibility.

Maybe when we are young, we trust more in our institutions?
But when we are older, we learn the need to walk by faith ...
and trust God.

One can believe in miracles, without believing in all that an institution says or does ...

Very well said.