Baguio diocese sever ties with Maria Divine Mercy-linked group
By Fr. Mickey Cardenas
September 23, 2019
Baguio City
Bishop Victor Bendico of Baguio has withdrawn his endorsement of a devotion promoted a lay group because of “deception”.
Bendico recalled his support for the activities of the New Earth of Love and Peace Foundation, Inc. because of its ties with the controversial “Maria Divine Mercy”.
The prelate had earlier allowed the movement to introduce activities concerning the total consecration to Jesus through Mary in the diocese after meeting its officials.
He said, however, that the group failed to present their other activities like intense deliverance training, discipleship activation, and books “which are contrary to official Church doctrines”.
“We have found out their connection with ‘Maria Divine Mercy,’ whose teachings and activities bring confusion and propagate erroneous, false and distorted teachings to our Catholic faithful,” Bendico said in a circular letter dated Sept. 20.
“Thus, the total consecration that is being promoted by the New Earth of Love and Peace” is no longer welcomed in the ecclesiastical territory,” he said.
In a letter to the dioceses last June, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines had already warned the faithful against the Maria Divine Mercy movement.
Bishop Bendico said that the diocese will still push through with the total consecration but in its spirit, as taught by Saint Louis Marie de Montfort on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8, 2019.
The activity, he said, will be under the guidance of the diocese’s Commission of Formation, the Commission of the Doctrine of the Faith, and the Commission on the Laity.
He stressed that no other organizations can introduce activities concerning the total consecration to Jesus through Mary and other devotions other than said diocesan commissions.
CBCP warns against ‘Maria Divine Mercy’
Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, CBCP President
By CBCP News
July 1, 2019
Manila, Philippines
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has warned the faithful against a fake prophet and preacher.
In a letter to the dioceses June 29, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, CBCP President, urged the faithful to be “very careful” with the group called “Maria Divine Mercy”.
“They bring confusion and propagate erroneous, false and distorted teachings to our Catholic faithful,” said Archbishop Valles.
Maria Divine Mercy is the name assumed by what is believed to be a self-proclaimed Irish seer called Mary Carberry.
Carberry has claimed for years to have received messages from Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Among these messages included apocalyptic predictions about Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, and words to the effect that Pope Francis was a false prophet.
To date, she remains to have a significant international following. In the Philippines, their activities are being held in Cebu, Iloilo, Bukidnon, Zamboanga and Batangas.
The CBCP letter stemmed from complaints raised by Divine Mercy devotees, through Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga.
Bishop Santos, who is also the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM) Asia episcopal coordinator, said the group’s activities in the country “is a cause for alarm”.
Bishop warns Catholics of ‘The Book of Truth’
By CBCP News
April 17, 2019
San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
A Catholic bishop has warned the faithful against a group whose prayer life, beliefs and teachings are based on “The Book of Truth”.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos said that he never endorsed such group and the book by a woman who calls herself “Maria Divine Mercy” is not something to believe in.
“The message of Maria Divine Mercy is not to be taken seriously, discussed or distributed within the Diocese of San Carlos,” said Alminaza in a circular issued on April 15.
He said the book contains some teachings which are “very contrary” to the Catholic faith.
The author asserts to have predicted Pope Benedict’s resignation ahead.
She also claims he will be the last pope on earth, that the next pontiff is a false prophet, and that the Second Coming is about to occur.
“And adherence to such teachings would lead on to confusion and eventually being led astray to what our Magisterium upholds,” Alminaza said.
