(Simone Martini. Annunciation. Source)
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(Simone Martini. Annunciation.
Source)
This is my unofficial translation of the complete text of Cardinal Marc Ouellet's
letter concerning the Army of Mary, dated April 4, 2005, but posted
on the diocese's web site on April 12, 2005.
My comment on this letter is
in a separate document.
The celebration of the solemnity of the Announciation of the Lord - transferred this year from March 25th to April 4th because of the coincidence with Good Friday - offers us a good occasion to give thanks to God by singing a Paschal Halleluia for the Very Blessed Virgin Mary who welcomed in her bosom the Author of Life. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word" [Lk 1, 38].
"With her, the exalted Daughter of Sion, and after a long expectation of the promise, the times are fulfilled and the new Economy established, when the Son of God took a human nature from her, that He might in the mysteries of His flesh free man from sin".[1]
The Church proclaims that Mary of Nazareth is a human person deeply rooted in her times and the history of her people; the insurpassable grace of her divine maternity opens, through her, the decisive phase of the history of salvation. The annunciation of the Angel, with everything which follows her consent, gives her a unique and incomparable role which no other creature at the service of her divine Son can lay a claim to.
Since my nomination to the Diocese of Quebec in November 2002, I've observed that the painful situation concerning the Army of Mary has not taken a turn for the better, despite the efforts of a second Pontifical Commissioner for the Sons of Mary, and despite the calls of the Doctrinal Note published by the Canadian Bishops in August 2001. The Bishop's intervention is even rejected as being foreign to the group, and the exhortation to cease all activities has remained without effect.
Today, I want to speak to all Catholic faithful to give them a just assessment of the situation. I also want to address myself to persons who, in good faith, are sympathizers or members of the Army of Mary, to reiterate the warning about the risks. I especially address myself to the leaders of this group known as the Army of Mary or Community of the Lady of all Peoples with everything related to it, to invite them once again to question themselves and recognize the harm they are causing to the faithful and the Church when they persist in the refusal of the legitimate authority's pastoral judgement.
The Army of Mary still disseminates doctrines foreign to the Church's Faith without taking into account the warnings given over the years. The denials and arguments cannot hide the central fact: they propose doctrines which stray from the Revelation; they add novelties which are not an improvement or a better understanding of the true Revelation but a dangerous deviation.
They lead the faithful astray when they claim, for example, as does Marc Bosquart: In fact, according to what follows from everything we've seen (and from everthing we'll have the opportunity of seeing again), Marie-Paule is no more nor no less than the Co-Redeemer. The Co-Redeemer in person! - i.e. the "feminine equivalent" of the Redeemer. [2]
They also lead the faithful astray when they claim that: The Immaculate is Coeternal to the Eternal God.[3] And when they also exalt a founder which is perhaps sincere, but insubordinate to the Church: Therefore, yes, let us believe it, let us proclaim it: in the Kingdom of the Spirit, in this Kingdom which is coming, in this Kingdom which has already started, everywhere, side by side, there will always be Jesus Christ and Marie-Paule, the Redeemer and the Co-Redeemer of all of Mankind![4]
To these few examples, we should also add Marc Bosquart's personal profession of Faith published in the Army of Mary's official newspaper in 2000 [5] and whose assertions go against the Catholic Faith. Such an outrageous and reckless promotion of the so-called spiritual privileges of a mere mortal, without the consent of the Magisterium, deviates from the Catholic Faith.
These doctrines cannot claim to be faithful to the Catholic Revelation, even under the pretense of being mystical language. They are totally foreign to the Bible, the teachings of the Popes and of the Vatican II Council; they find no support in the official Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Moreover, concerning the so-called Amsterdam revelations which are embraced by the partisans of this doctrine, we must call to attention the recent declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith clarifying that "the negative judgement already publicly expressed by the 1974 Notification remains valid".[6]
These cautions confirm once again the serious warning given by Cardinal Maurice Roy concerning the volumes of "Vie d'Amour"[7] and the judgement of Cardinal Louis-Albert Vachon concerning the two volumes of Marc Bosquart. [8]
Observing the bizarreness of the proposed doctrines and the obstinate refusal to heed the reiterated calls of the legitimate authority, it is my pastoral duty to denounce the doctrine of the Army of Mary and the way this organization presents Marial devotion. I therefore call upon its leaders to radically change their attitude, because the faith of the faithful is threatened and lead astray, for the profit of a cause which deviates from the spiritual heritage of the Church.
The dissemination of doctrines foreign to the Faith hurts the unity of the Church. The constant refusal to welcome the warnings of the legitimate authority is also a wound to the unity of the Church. They hurt the unity of the Church when they claim: "God, in 1958, had already identified the adversaries of His work as being his Priests and, as He specified later on, his Bishops". [9] They wound the unity of the Church when, despite the usual formulas of courtesy and the assertions of absolute faithfulness to the Pope, they discredit the pastoral intervention of Bishops and close collaborators of the Holy Father, whereby he carries out his pastoral task, even to the point of personal attacks on these people. [10]
The unity of the Church is wounded when they open a "retreat house" and engage in Eucharistic celebrations without the Bishop's authorization [11], while at the same time falsely claiming to serve the good of the souls and to respect Canon Law.
The unity of the Church is wounded when the Army of Mary is presented as the constant victim of a covert persecution by the authorities of the Church, a persecution which would be at the same time and paradoxically the irrefutable proof of its divine origin.
Those are wounds which cannot be steps willed by the Holy Spirit to bring the disciples of Jesus to unity and communion.
I therefore reiterate today the appropriateness of the Doctrinal Note made public on August 15, 2001, by the Canadian Bishops. "Because the Faith of the faithful is threatened, we, the Bishops of Canada, exhort the members and sympathizers of the Army of Mary to cease their activities, whatever they may be: publications, participation in prayer meetings and liturgical celebrations, especially those occuring at the Spiri-Maria Center, in the Province of Quebec." [12]
This Pastoral Message is published in close collaboration with His Excellency Mgr Terrence Prendergast, Pontifical Commissionner for the Sons of Mary, whom the Holy See has tasked with guiding this group of Priests toward an approved canonical status and toward the excercise of a priestly service compatible with the requirements of the Catholic Faith.
I strongly wish that well-meaning persons who might, for a moment, have been lead astray, will welcome this call to fidelity and unity of the Church.
I am aware that the choice to be made will lead some into painful family tensions. I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire the just words and adequat deeds which will help all those concerned to submit themselves to the pastoral judgement of the Church.
In union with Mary, Mother of the Church, I invite all to prayer and just discernment. May Her unique collaboration to the Divine Plan and Her humble attitude of handmaid of the Lord help us find in devout prayer the way to fidelity and obedience to Christ and His Church.
Given in Quebec, in the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord,
April 4th, 2005.
Marc Cardinal Ouellet
Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada
[1] Lumen Gentium, No. 55.
[2] Marc Bosquart, Terre Nouvelle Homme Nouveau, 2001, p. 119.
[3] Marc Bosquart, L'Immaculée, la divine Épouse de Dieu, 2001, p. 24.
[4] Marc Bosquart, L'Immaculée, la divine Épouse de Dieu, 2001, p. 124.
[5] Le Royaume, No 143, p. 8.
[6] Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, lettre du 8 février 2005.
[7] Lettre du 16 mars 1981.
[8] Lettres du 4 juillet et 15 novembre 1986.
[9] Le Royaume, No 171, p. 22.
[10] Par exemple : Le Royaume, No 170, pages 20-24.
[11] Note disciplinaire de Mgr Maurice Couture, 10 avril 2000.
[12] Note doctrinale, Conférence des Évêques catholiques du Canada.
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