After smelling a scent of roses in her car, Veronica Lueken started reporting Marian apparitions on the property of Saint Robert Bellarmine's Catholic Church at Bayside, New York. According to the seer, the Blessed Mother had allegedly asked her to establish a shrine at the site on April 7, 1970, and to hold Rosary vigils for the reparation of the clergy's sins. Not long after, Veronica started spreading the messages.¹

Many of the prophesies promised the imminent chastisement of the entire human race. According to Veronica's predictions, the United States government would experience internal strife, then after a great war broke out, the streets would run with blood. The nations would disappear, and there would be widespread earthquakes, famine and starvation.

On August 14, 1975, the entity that had been delivering the messages said, "Bodies will burn and blow away and find no resting place. There will be revolution in the countries of the world; brother against brother; sister against sister. Bodies shall lie in the market place unburied and uncovered; so great will be the dead! My children, is this what you want?"²

A year later the prophesies still had not been fulfilled, so the entity delivered another message on June 12, 1976, saying, "There will be tremendously high waves roaring and taking with them cities; buildings shall disappear from their moorings. The atmosphere shall spew forth currents of great heat. A darkness of spirit and a darkness of atmosphere shall settle in a deadly quiet upon mankind."³

Most of the public apparitions occurred during the Rosary vigils. During these vigils Veronica would fall into ecstasy as she encountered the Virgin Mary and other heavenly beings. During these encounters, her mouth would hang open, and her eyes would roll back into her head. After the ecstasy, she would then describe the vision and repeat the words that she heard.⁴

As the supernatural visions continued, Veronica began suffering tremendous physical pain. Not only did she suffer a serious back problem caused by the disintegration of her spinal vertebrae, but she also suffered several heart attacks and other major physical infirmities. It was not unusual for pilgrims to see her arrive at the vigils in a wheelchair or trying to breathe from an oxygen tank. According to one message delivered on August 21, 1985, Veronica had been given these infirmities as a special gift because she wanted to become a "victim soul."⁵

As the Bayside movement continued to spread, it became most famous for its "miraculous" photographs. There were thousands of pictures taken during the vigils, and many of them depicted yellow squiggly lines that looked like Silly String being sprayed across a black background. Other images included the words "Jacinta 1972," which were supposedly sent by Jacinta, one of the visionaries from Fatima from beyond the grave.

The followers of Veronica's messages are called "children of light," and they must wear a Rosary around their necks, store canned goods and water in their homes, and post a crucifix on their front and back doors. If the Saint Benedict medal is not worn, great calamity will befall the individual.

On November 4, 1986, Bishop Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn made the following statement condemning the alleged Marian apparitions at Bayside, New York:

 

DECLARATION CONCERNING THE "BAYSIDE MOVEMENT"

November 4, 1986 Letter of Bishop Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn⁶

In recent months, doubts have been raised by members of the so-called "Bayside Movement" concerning the official position of the Diocese of Brooklyn on the alleged "apparitions" of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and other heavenly beings, to a woman by the name of Veronica Lueken.

Moreover, erroneous claims have been made by a number of followers of Mrs. Lueken concerning the legitimacy of their position, in order to justify their activities on behalf of the "Movement." These have taken the form of statements in their publications that "since Articles 1399 and 2218 of (the 1917 Code of) Canon Law were abrogated by Pope Paul VI in 1966, no ecclesiastical permission is required, neither can anyone incur censure, for the publication or dissemination of information dealing with revelations, visions or miracles, provided these do not endanger Faith or morals."

As a result of the above-mentioned doubts and claims, a number of Christ's faithful continue to attend the regularly-scheduled "vigils" held at Flushing Meadow Park, and to disseminate or receive propaganda literature on this matter.

I, the undersigned Diocesan Bishop of Brooklyn, in my role as the legitimate shepherd of this particular Church, wish to confirm the constant position of the Diocese of Brooklyn that a thorough investigation revealed that the alleged "visions of Bayside" completely lacked authenticity.

Moreover, in view of the confusion created by published reports of messages and other literature by this Movement," I consider it my obligation to offer Christ's faithful pastoral guidance, lest their faith be endangered by "messages" and "teachings" relayed by "visionaries," which are contrary to the Faith of our Catholic Church.

Therefore, in consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, I hereby declare that:

1. No credibility can be given to the so-called apparitions" reported by Veronica Lueken and her followers.

2. The "messages" and other related propaganda contain statements which, among other things, are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church, undermine the legitimate authority of bishops and councils and instill doubts in the minds of the faithful, for example, by claiming that, for years, an "imposter (sic) Pope" governed the Catholic Church in place of Paul VI.

3. Those who persistently maintain that "no ecclesiastical permission is required for the publication or dissemination" of information concerning "revelations, visions or miracles," are erroneously interpreting the directives of the Holy See when they attempt to justify the publication of the propaganda literature on the "Bayside Messages."

In view of my declaration concerning the authenticity of the "visions of Bayside," the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has confirmed that the principles governing the publication of such religious material still maintain authoritative moral value prohibiting the endangering of faith and good morals (Cf. Response of SCDF of June 14, 1966, in AAS 58, 1186).

As a result, those publishing or disseminating this propaganda literature are acting against the judgment of legitimate Church authority.

4. Because of my concern for their spiritual welfare, members of Christ's faithful are hereby directed to refrain from participating in the "vigils" and from disseminating any propaganda related to the "Bayside apparitions." They are also discouraged from reading any such literature.

5. Anyone promoting this devotion in any way, be it by participating in the "vigils," organizing pilgrimages, publishing or disseminating the literature related to it, is contributing to the confusion which is being created in the faith of God's people, as well as encouraging them to act against the determinations made by the legitimate pastor of this particular Church (c.212, para. 1).

It remains my constant hope that all the faithful spend their time and energies in promoting devotion to our Blessed Lady, in the many forms which have been approved by the Catholic Church.

Bishop Francis Mugavero
Bishop of Brooklyn

For more information please visit Our Lady of the Roses - Veronica Lueken.