The Diocese of Amos, Québec, has issued a very serious statement about the alleged visionary and mystic Fr. Michel Rodrigue (French/English):
Private Revelation
Christine Watkins Imprimatur
Hello Everyone!
The other day, Christine Watkins’ book The Warning came up in the recent kerfuffle over Fr. Michel Rodrigue. It was said that this book was given the Imprimatur. There are some people who are checking out the facts.
One such person, a Becky Malmquist, posted on Facebook a picture of the legal page from The Warning. It seems as though the Warning was granted the Imprimatur by the retired Archbishop of Lipa, Ramón C. Argüellas, STL.
Catholic Canon Law states (canon 824 §1) that there are two authorities in the Church who can grant the Imprimatur:
- The local Ordinary of the author;
- The local Ordinary of the publisher/where the books are to be published.
Of course, the Holy See may also grant the Imprimatur in virtue of its universal jurisdiction.
Questions:
- Does Christine Watkins live in the Philippines?
- Is her book published in the Philippines?
- Has the Holy See designated Archbishop Argüellas to grant the Imprimatur on its behalf?
- Does a retired Archbishop enjoy the legal authority to grant an Imprimatur?
Also, there is no mention of who served as Censor Librorum for the Archbishop (cf. canon 830 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law).
- Who was the Censor for Archbishop Argüellas?
Thank you, Becky Malmquist, for bringing this fact to the public’s attention. Let us hope there is a reasonable explanation.
-Kevin
Response to Archbishop Viganò: Life Site News Interview
Hello Everyone!
In early June, Archbishop Viganò gave an interview with the publication Life Site News. During the interview, the topic of the alleged private revelations in Civitavecchia, Italy were discussed in relation to Fátima and the third part of the secret.
I am not an expert on Civitavecchia and leave the details of this case to competent scholars. For my part, however, I have some critical questions about the presentation of Fátima in relation to the claims of Civitavecchia.
I make this video available to the public after attempts to contact Archbishop Viganò privately did not bear fruit. I wish to reiterate what I said a few weeks ago to Paul and Kris over at The Angry Catholic (38:10 – 41:20): I do not write with an animus towards the Archbishop. I write out of concern for him.
Below is the video, followed by a transcript. Be sure to check out my other video on Viganò’s interview with Dies Irae.
-Kevin
Response to Archbishop Viganò: Dies Irae Interview
Hello Everyone!
Back in April, Archbishop Viganò gave an interview with the Portuguese internet publication Dies Irae. During the interview, several statements were made about Fátima and the third part of the secret that were incorrect or at least questionable.
I have composed a formal essay that is due to be published later this summer. Upon this essay, I then composed a video that presents in visual terms why +Viganò’s interview with Dies Irae was questionable.
I make this video available to the public after attempts to contact Archbishop Viganò privately did not bear fruit. I wish to reiterate what I said a few weeks ago to Paul and Kris over at The Angry Catholic (38:10 – 41:20): I do not write with an animus towards the Archbishop. I write out of concern for him.
Below is the video. A transcript will be provided after the publication of the essay. The video was made differently than the essay. This was done in accordance with what is more suitable for a video vs. a written theological composition. Be sure to check out my other video on Viganò’s interview with Life Site News.
-Kevin
Letter from Fr. Michel Rodrigue’s Bishop
I have received via E-mail a message of Bishop Gilles Lemay of Amos, Quebec on Fr. Michel Rodrigue. I produce it below. Other web sites have the same letter, but I can confirm that the copy I received came from the Diocese of Amos, Quebec through an intermediary. It appears to be a “form letter” on the matter.
Peace be with you :
I thank you for your e-mail requesting some information about the teaching and the standing of Father Michel Rodrigue, a priest incardinated in the diocese of Hearst-Moosonee, Ontario, and working in this diocese of Amos, Québec, for a few years. He is the founder of the Fraternité Saint-Benoît-Joseph-Labre, a lay association of the faithful which is not a religious institute.
As you probably did too, I read on the Countdown to the Kingdom website related to Fr Michel and also in the book of Christine Watkins, The Warning. Testimonies and Prophecies the Illumination of Conscience (Note 84, p. 278 and p. 280), that : “ Michel Rodrigue receives the full support of his bishop, and all of his locutions and visions are submitted to his local ordinary for approval. “ This quotation was removed these days from the website after a request I sent to Fr Michel. No mention is made of the reason for the removal, that is to say: because it was untrue. However, the quotation remains in the book mentioned above.
I have to tell you that Fr Michel never submitted to me any of his locutions and visions for discernment or approval. Accordingly, I could not have supported the content of his talks which are not presented in my diocese nor elsewhere in the Province of Québec as far as I now, but mostly in the United States. Moreover, I learnt about his teaching while reading some reports on the website mentioned above. I did not and I do not approve his teaching with regard to his locutions and visions. Consequently, it is untrue that he “receives the full support of his bishop” as it is written in the Countdown to the Kingdom website and in the quoted book.
I thank you for your request. If you wish any further information, I will be pleased to respond as much as possible.
Truly yours in Christ,
+ Gilles Lemay,
Bishop of Amos, Quebec
