By Gretchen Keiser

In a clarification policy, the archbishop has specified that archdiocesan priests are not to lead pilgrimages to the site of reported Marian apparitions in Conyers and that parishes also are not to sponsor trips to the site.

The policy is “implicit in my previous statement” on the reported apparitions, Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, said, but he chose to make it explicit since priests reportedly are being asked to lead pilgrimages.

“Rather than wait for it to get out of hand, or put priests in a difficult position, I thought it would be wise to let the priests know this was something I could not support,” he said.

Conyers housewife Nancy Fowler has reported that she experiences apparitions of Mary with messages for the United States on the thirteenth of the month, and groups from the hundreds to the thousands now gather monthly at a White Road country field near Mrs. Fowler’s home to pray the rosary and await the messages and reported apparitions.

Archbishop Lyke cautioned in a lengthy statement to the public in September that the place of any apparition in the faith life of individuals or the Catholic community is not central and that the Eucharist and parish life should remain the core of Catholic faith. The archbishop has decided not to begin a formal theological investigation, a course that is used by the Church to determine whether or not the reported apparitions can be accepted as authentic and worthy of belief. Marian apparitions at Fatima, Portugal, and Lourdes, France and Guadalupe in Mexico, for example, have been declared worthy of belief. A lengthy investigation into contemporary reported apparitions in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, has not yet led to any public declaration by the Church on their authenticity.

Archbishop Lyke noted that pastors in north Georgia and parish priests represent the bishop and their leadership of pilgrimages to Conyers would imply to the public the archbishop’s endorsement.

In other aspects of the policy, which was clarified for priests this week, the archbishop reiterated that he had not given permission for Mass to be celebrated at the site either by priests of the Atlanta archdiocese or by visiting priests from other places, and that he would not give permission.

Pilgrims have been attending Mass either at St. Pius X parish in Conyers or at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

The archbishop also asked that prayer groups directly related to the reported apparitions not meet in parishes, again because of the implication that the apparitions had received his endorsement or approval.