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WHAT DOES THE CHURCH SAY?
On October 3, 1988, a committee appointed by the bishop of Lubbock, came to Saint John Neumann Church to investigate claims of messages and miracles surrounding the Feast of the Assumption, 1988. The investigation included a study of the content of the "Rosary Messages". Before departing on October 5, 1988, the committee put together a report of their findings. The following section consists of quoted material from their report entitled MARIA which relates to the message.
ASPECTS OF MARIAN DOCTRINE AND DEVOTION
"Since the events surrounding Saint John Neumann's Parish during the past several months have primarily related to the role of Mary as intercessor in our Catholic beliefs and devotions, it is important to include in this report a few reflections upon the Marian doctrine and devotion involved that have resulted from our careful and prayerful examination of the phenomena, especially of the contents of the 'Rosary Messages' and their evident impact upon the three messengers, and those who have learned about them through these messengers. In the majority of these messages, the Mother of Jesus is portrayed as speaking to the messengers.
"As one reflects upon these 'Rosary Messages' in light of the guidelines for authentic and balanced Marian devotion given to us by Pope Paul VI in his Apostolic exhortation of 1974, Marialis Cultus, on the right ordering and renewal of messages where Mary is speaking at least two of these guidelines are verified in a special way, namely, that devotion to Mary must be Christocentric, i.e. they lead us through Christ to union with the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To illustrate this, we should like to call your attention to such continuous refrains from Mary as the following which is found in the very first message to Mary Constancio on March 1, 1988. As a result of the Monday night rosary devotions at Saint John Neumann Parish, Mary says that the people taking part '...will become closer to my Son Jesus...(and) that the world must hear the good news that my Son Jesus has come to keep His promise...' In the second message given to Mary Constancio on March 14, 1988, our Blessed Mother is reported as saying: 'Know that your Father in heaven has come unto this lowly church for His glory and for the salvation of other.'
"Although the Trinitarian emphasis mostly relates to the Father and to the Son both in His divinity and His humanity, there are also references to the Holy Spirit such as on March 22, 1988, the Monday after Pentecost, to Mary Constancio; '...I (Mary) come through the force of love - through the grace of the Holy Spirit...'
"There are several other characteristics of sound Catholic teaching and spirituality which are reflected in the 'Rosary Messages' given to Mary Constancio and to Mike Slate, but these two are especially underlined to show that the messages appear not only to be free from any doctrinal error, but are very much in keeping with Vatican II's teaching about Mary's role of helping us come closer and closer to her Son, and through her Son to the Father in the Holy Spirit."
("The Commission Report - 'Maria'"; Part II, #4, October 1988)
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