Buenos Aires, Argentina, Aug 1, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Archbishop Jose Maria Arancibia of Mendoza, Argentina, has published a statement clarifying the official position of the Archdiocese regarding “supposed supernatural” events that would include “private revelations” of the Virgin Mary in the town of El Algarrobal.
In the statement, the Archbishop prohibited liturgical celebrations from taking place in the area of the supposed apparitions, but he said he “will continue to accompany” the parties involved and “those who go there in a sincere expression of faith.”
He underscored that “the pastoral response in theses cases is neither to condemn nor approve, but rather to listen, accompany and counsel.”
Archbishop Arancibia recalled that since 2000 the Archdiocese has been attending to the persons involved in the alleged apparitions, “in order to discern their authenticity, following the criteria and tradition of the Catholic Church in these matters.”