Bishop Alberto S. Uy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran has urged the Catholic faithful to avoid participating in the activities of the so-called Maria Divine Mercy (MDM), which is led by Mary Carberry who has claimed for years to have received messages from Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.

Uy, in a letter dated August 01, 2019, said that the MDM has spread confusion among the faithful and circulated erroneous and distorted teachings in conflict with what the Church’s magisterium upholds.

“May I enjoin everyone to avoid all places and situations that, from past experience, have been occasion for this group to create division among our faithful and spread superstitious and erroneous teachings contrary to our adhered doctrine and faith convictions,” Uy said.

Uy issued the letter after his office received reports indicating that MDM, “whose prayer life, religious practice and teachings are anchored on Book of Truth,” is actively working its way into the diocese.  

The said book is reportedly written by Canberry, a Catholic Irish woman and a self-proclaimed seer who calls herself MDM and has spread 650 alleged messages from Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother.

The Church, after serious inquiry, found factual basis and sufficient reasons to ban the MDM from spreading flawed teachings to the Catholic Church.

“Therefore, may I direct all members of Jesus Christ faithful to refrain from participating and cooperating with the activities organized by this group,” Uy said.

He, however, said that the directive “is in no way a final judgment concerning their persons and character, but decisive pastoral measure to protect the unity and harmony of the local church.”

The letter was also signed by Diocese of Tagbilaran chancellor Fr. Agerio V. Paña.

Earlier, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) already warned the faithful against MDM.

Davao Archbishop and CBCP president Romulo Valles, in a letter addressed to all archdioceses and dioceses, urged the faithful to be “very careful with a group called Maria Divine Mercy.”

“They bring confusion and propagate erroneous, false and distorted teachings to our Catholic faithful,” Valles was quoted as saying in a CBCP News report.

Among the messages spread by Canberry were apocalyptic predictions about Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation and words to the effect that Pope Francis was a false prophet. (rvo with PNA)