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December 30, 2020
Having consulted the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and in accordance with it, I declare the following:
Through devotion to Mary, the Mother of All Nations, many faithful express their desire and their effort for the universal fraternity of mankind with the help and support of Mary's intercession. “Mary is our Mother, she is the Mother of our peoples, she is the Mother of us all” (Francis, Homily of 12/12/2019) and she invites us to collaborate with God’s plan and His desire that we all are, and become always more, brothers and sisters (cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in veritate, n. 42).
Pope Francis writes in his Encyclical Letter Fratelli tutti: “For many Christians, this journey of fraternity also has a Mother, whose name is Mary. Having received this universal motherhood at the foot of the cross (cf. Jn 19:26), she cares not only for Jesus but also for ‘the rest of her children’ (cf. Rev 12:17). In the power of the risen Lord, she wants to give birth to a new world, where all of us are brothers and sisters, where there is room for all those whom our societies discard, where justice and peace are resplendent” (n. 278).
In this sense, the use of the title Lady of All Nations for Mary is in itself theologically acceptable. Prayer with Mary and through the intercession of Mary, Mother of our peoples, serves the growth of a more united world, in which everyone recognizes themselves as brothers and sisters, all created in the image of God, our common Father.
Nevertheless, the recognition of this title cannot be understood—not even implicitly—as the recognition of the supernaturality of some phenomena from which it seems to have come. In this sense, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirms the validity of the negative judgment on the supernaturality of the alleged “apparitions and revelations” to Ms. Ida Peerdeman approved by St. Paul VI on 04/05/1974 and published on 05/25/1974. This judgment implies that everybody is urged to cease any propagation concerning the alleged apparitions and revelations of the Lady of All Nations. Therefore, the use of the images and prayer cannot in any way be considered a recognition—not even implicitly—of the supernaturality of the events in question.
Regarding the mere title “Lady”, “Madonna” or “Mother of All Nations” the Congregation generally is not opposed to its use, provided that this is clearly separated from the recognition of the alleged apparitions. If the Virgin Mary is invoked under this title, pastors and faithful must ensure that all forms of this devotion refrain from any reference, even implicit, to alleged apparitions or revelations.
Haarlem, the 30th of December 2020
+ Johannes Hendriks
Bishop of Haarlem-Amsterdam
Source: Diocese of Harrlem-Amsterdam
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