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Mary & the SaintsEssentials

Are any apparitions ever considered dogma?

Mary & the Saints

The short answer

No. Apparitions are private revelation; even those the Church recognizes are not part of the deposit of faith, and Catholics are not bound to believe them. Their role is to help us live Christ's revelation more fully, never to complete or correct it.

Private revelation

Apparitions and locutions are private revelation. Some have been recognized by the Church, but they do not belong to the deposit of faith, and Catholics are not bound to believe approved ones.

Their role

The Catechism says private revelations do not improve or complete Christ's definitive revelation but help us live it more fully in a given period; guided by the Magisterium, the faithful discern what is an authentic call. Christian faith cannot accept "revelations" that claim to surpass or correct Christ's (CCC 67).

Further reading

Fr. Benedict Groeschel's A Still Small Voice explains how the Church discerns private revelation.