Return from the TLIG Pilgrimage

I returned home from my pilgrimage last Saturday, and I am still recuperating! I was one of over 800 pilgrims from 17 different Christian denominations and 63 countries. The photo above is of Cardinal Toppo (on the right) and Bishop Toppo (on the left - and no relation!). They look a bit solemn, but that is my fault. Like many of the clergy, and especially the bishops (we had 13 I think) they were constantly being asked to stop and stare into a camera.

Some Catholics (including many clergy) still treat "True Life in God" with suspicion and many condemn it. The Notification issued by the Vatican did much to encourage this negativity. Yet, as Cardinal Ratzinger (as he was) said, the Notification is NOT a condemnation but a "warning". When asked by more than one bishop how they should react to Vassula's writings, the Cardinal said they could continue reading them, with care. Since then Vassula has answered ALL the problems raised by the Notification. The Cardinal called her answers, "useful clarifications", but then gave an important signal by asking that these answers be published ONLY in her books, thus suggesting that anyone who wanted to read her reply to the Congregation for The Faith should obtain or borrow one of her books. This obviously means that it is OK to read the books. Since then these answers have been published elsewhere. The Cardinal only insisted that her answers should be in the TLIG books at the outset.

There is still much misinformation and many half-truths circulating about Vassula and TLIG. One of the problems is that there is at least one very negative web site which is read by most people searching on Google, and there seems no way to dialogue with the author, since all attempts to present a positive case are immediately rebuffed. Much damage has also been done by a well-known Jesuit at EWTN. I understand why he is so negative. He had such a bad experience with New Age nonsense that ANYTHING that even remotely smacks of that (in his eyes) is suspect. I know for a fact (because I know the author) that ALL his concerns have been answered, point by point. So far he has failed to reply, in any satisfactory way, to that article (it was sent to him).

For those wishing more information about TLIG or Vassula I have various links on the right. But just to make another point about the Notification I post, once again, a video statement of a Bishop who was working in Rome at the time and who personally spoke to Cardinal Ratzinger about the writings known as "True Life in God".