Apparitions and Weeping Statues

by Kenneth Francis (December 2023)

With the world looking like it is heading to Hell in an EV bus in flames, there are reports of Our Lady “weeping” in the news again. But before exploring the reports, I want to briefly comment on a theological misunderstanding amongst Protestants who believe that Catholics pray to, and/or worship, Our Lady. In fact, Catholics do neither: They venerate Our Lady, while saying the Rosary, while she acts as an intermediary as we pray to God through her. (Specifically, the Catholic definition of veneration: Respect, not adoration or worship. Same applies to the saints.)

Now, back to the latest report: A statue of the Virgin Mary, in a church in the town of El Canal, Colima, Mexico, has recently been captured “crying” tears, prompting hundreds to travel to witness a “miracle.” Videos capturing the alleged “weeping” have circulated on social media, showing what appears to be small water droplets falling from the statue’s eyes and cascading down her face. Colima has been labelled the most dangerous city in Mexico and has held that ranking for six years, according to the Mexican organisation The Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice. Time will tell of the authenticity of this latest phenomenon but last July 6 was the 50th anniversary of the apparition of another weeping statue: Our Lady of Akita. This was witnessed by a Japanese nun, Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa, in the remote area of Yuzawadai, an outskirt of Akita, Japan.

The message Our Lady gave to Sister Agnes emphasised prayer (Holy Rosary) in relation to the upcoming heresy within the Catholic Church. Similar to Fatima and other Marian apparitions, the core message was a warning that the Catholic Church, the Vatican in particular, will be infiltrated by those who cause chaos amongst cardinals, popes and bishops, who will be at odds with one another on the doctrine of the faith.

A wooden statue at the site representing the apparitions is venerated by faithful Japanese and other Catholics. In December of 1973, a Japanese television station videotaped what appeared to be tears coming from the statue’s eyes. But what’s astonishing about these apparitions, is not the “crying statue,” but the accuracy of the messages.

Here is the core warning from Our Lady: “The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, and bishops against other bishops.”

Is this currently happening in all churches throughout the West, especially the Vatican? There are many traditional Catholics who believe such conflict exists, as well as Modernist clerics erring on doctrine and the current head of the Vatican supporting them.

Our Lady continues: “The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres … churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.”

Then there is a message from the Book of Revelation of a false prophet, possibly at the behest of Antichrist, who usurps the papal supremacy. His assumed spiritual authority and supremacy over the Church would make him resemble the Bishop of Rome.

Commenting on the Beast out of the Earth in Revelation, Rev Herman Bernard Kramer wrote in his Book of Destiny (published in 1955):

Though he poses as a lamb, a Christian, his doctrines betray him, for he preaches the doctrines of the dragon. His principles and dogmas to be accepted, his moral and civil law will be of diabolical inspiration. It may be communism, or plain idolatrous paganism; it will comprise emperor-worship and devil-worship coupled with persecution of the true believers. They will know him at once as an imposter and will not be misled. He will be in league with the antichristian world-powers and adopt their principles of government and civil law.

Whether or not one believes in the apparitions or the Bible, there is no denying that the many prophesies of things to come were 100% spot-on. At this point in history, it looks like we have entered the Book of Revelations, which is beginning to expose the threat of intense, peak turmoil and/or later a period of calm.

When the editor of The Remnant newspaper, Michael Matt, visited Akita three years ago, he was astonished at how quiet the place was, except for two other visitors who were Buddhists and were more interested in the church’s temple-like architecture. There was no reception, no welcoming committee, no guides, unlike Fatima or Lourdes and other such apparition sites. It was like the authorities and locals were trying to cover up the apparition.

There were no visitors inside the church where the statue is and only one woman to open the doors to let Mr Matt in to see the statue. Even on their website that highlights the beautiful scenery surrounding the church during the four seasons, not a word about the apparition is mentioned.

As for the tears on the statue that wept 101 times: A priest came to live at the church and he arranged samples of the tears to be tested and analysed by the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Akita.

Their report stated that the tears were of human origin. After 11 years of further investigation, Bishop John Ito declared the tears to be of supernatural origin. He also said he believed the apparition had a deep connection to Our Lady of Fatima’s message: That people must repent for their sins.

The apparition of Our Lady must be taken seriously for many reasons but especially for the accuracy of the prophecy that we can now see, read, and hear with our own senses. But not all who claim to be Catholics believe this. Cardinal Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi, President of the Japanese Committee of the World Conference of Religions of Peace (former Archbishop of Tokyo), said: “The events of Akita are no longer to be taken seriously. We think they do not now have a great significance for the Church or Japanese society.”

Really, Cardinal Shirayanagi? Or could the Third Secret of Fatima be the Message of Akita, a question asked by The Remnant’s Michael Matt?

Table of Contents

Kenneth Francis is a Contributing Editor at New English Review. For the past 30 years, he has worked as an editor in various publications, as well as a university lecturer in journalism. He also holds an MA in Theology and is the author of The Little Book of God, Mind, Cosmos and Truth (St Pauls Publishing) and, most recently, The Terror of Existence: From Ecclesiastes to Theatre of the Absurd (with Theodore Dalrymple) and Neither Trumpets Nor Violins (with Theodore Dalrymple and Samuel Hux).

Follow NER on Twitter @NERIconoclast