Q: Recently, in response to a class discussion about the nature of private revelation, a parishioner asked why it is that there are feast days on the liturgical calendar for Marian apparitions like Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Fatima, and our Lady of Guadalupe if we are not required to believe in these apparitions.  He included Medjugorje in that list, but my understanding is that the Church does not include that on the liturgical calendar even if some people consider June 25th to be the Feast of Our Lady of Medjugorje.

What is the significance of the addition of these days to the liturgical calendar?

Thank you!

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A: There’s a middle category between private and public revelation, and that’s private revelation approved by the Church as worthy of belief. The apparitions on the liturgical calendar have all been approved.

See Pope Benedict’s comments at #14 here: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20100930_verbum-domini.html.

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