Ida Peerdeman and the Lady of All Nations apparitions: True or False?

In my humble and pious opinion as a faithful Roman Catholic theologian, the messages and claimed private revelation to Ida Peerdeman ('The Lady of All Nations') are false and are not from Heaven. A list of reasons and examples follows.

Background: “Most people are not aware of a series of apparitions and messages which took place from March 25, 1945 until May 31, 1959. These apparitions and messages were given to a woman named Ida Peerdeman in Amsterdam, Holland.... Ida also recounts what she calls Eucharistic Experiences. They begin in 1958 and extend in time beyond the apparitions and messages until 1984.”
(www.ladyofallnations.org/messages.htm)

Ida Peerdeman died in June of 1996. This particular claimed private revelation has perhaps the largest following, especially among the clergy, out of all the false private revelations. It is, in my opinion, the most dangerous of the false messages and apparitions.

1. The Bait for the Trap

One of the reasons that it has become so popular, despite being false, it that it uses a particularly attractive bait for its trap: the role of the Virgin Mary as co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix. In truth, the Virgin Mary is the co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix. However, as with other false private revelations that mention these roles, the presentation of this truth is badly distorted. (Beware of the false version of this doctrine promoted by vox populi and Dr. Mark Miravalle.)

For a theological explanation of the true doctrine of Mary as co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix, see this article. http://www.catholicplanet.com/CMA/

2. False Claim: “THE LADY OF ALL NATIONS ARE THE LAST AND FINAL APPARITIONS OF OUR MOTHER TO THE NATIONS OF THIS WORLD.” (http://www.ladyofallnations.org)

These messages ended in 1959; the Eucharistic experiences ended in 1984. To believe that these were the “land and final” apparitions of Mary to the world, one would have disbelieve the apparitions of Mary at Medjugorje, which extended well beyond 1984, as well as those to Gianna Talone Sullivan, which began in 1994, and others. Medjugorje, in particular, is widely approved by the 'sensus fidelium' (the mind of the faithful) and is certainly a true apparition of the Virgin Mary to the world. Therefore, the claim that the apparitions to Ida Peerdeman are the last is false.

3. False Claim: “The Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary”

These messages call the Blessed Virgin Mary: 'the Lady,' not 'Our Lady,' and they claim that she is no longer to be called 'Mary.' The messages even instruct people to use this expression 'the Lady of all nations who once was Mary' in a prayer before the Cross. (message of Feb. 11, 1951)

Peerdeman recounts a conversation with the apparition of the Lady: “I look again at the Lady and say, 'What am I to call you?' (I had to ask this again) She answers me. 'Just call me, The Lady.' “ (message of August 15,, 1950)

To the contrary, the holy Catholic Church continues to call the Mother of Our Lord: “Our Lady” and “Mary.” And, in subsequent apparitions of the Virgin Mary, such as at Medjugorje, Mary herself continues to be called Mary. In fact, of all the true private revelations in the history of the Church, in none of these has Mary abandoned the name of Mary.

This attempt to distort or replace the name of Mary is similar to another false private revelation, that of Eileen George, who replaces the names 'Jesus' and 'Holy Spirit' with bizarre nicknames. These private revelations do not come from Heaven, but from fallen angels, who despise the Holy Trinity and the Virgin Mary so much that they want to change their names.

4. False Claims of Fulfilled Predictions.

It is fairly common for false private revelations to claim that a past message was a prediction of a subsequent event. But when one reads the past message, the subsequent event is not predicted and there is no specific information; it is merely one of hundreds of vague messages that can be variously interpreted after the fact. There are numerous examples of this tactic in the messages of Ida Peerdeman.

a. False Claim: “For example, on December 3, 1949 and on February 11, 1951 Ida Peerdeman was given a vision of the Second Vatican Council which actually took place many years later in 1962.” (www.ladyofallnations.org/whois.htm)

In truth, neither of those messages makes a prediction of an Ecumenical Council. They each contain a description of a vision of the Pope surrounded by Cardinals and Bishops. The first of these two says: “They are gathered in a large council hall, and it is as though the Pope is drawing up a decree.” The second is even more vague. Although the phrase 'council hall' is used, no claim is made of an Ecumenical Council. The Pope often meets with Cardinals and Bishops in various types of gatherings, including Synods. Such a vague description could be said to be fulfilled in almost any year. Furthermore, the phrase 'drawing up a decree' is not an accurate description of an Ecumenical Council. It sounds like these two messages were given in the hope that a decree would be issued about Mary's role as co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix, so that a later claim could point to these messages as a prediction. Other messages did make specific predictions about such a decree and all such predictions failed.

No reasonable and faithful Catholic, upon reading those two messages, would conclude that they predicted a future Ecumenical Council.

b. False Claim: “The prediction of events taking place today with the Muslim nations and a warning to nations in reference to possible missle attacks armed with bacteriological warheads containing Yersinia pestis, more commonly known as Black Plague. According to Our Lady these bacteriological weapons were prepared by Russia as well as other nations. Prophecy dated: December 26, 1947” (www.ladyofallnations.org/whois.htm)

This prediction from 1947, not long after World War II, also says: “Great misery and distress are imminent.” Then Peerdeman sees a vision she interprets as a missile with a bacteriological weapon. Such weapons were feared during World War II. Mustard gas was used during World War I.

No reasonable and faithful Catholic, upon reading such a message, would conclude that the imminent misery and distress applies to the present time, more than 50 years after the date of the message. The tactic used in this false claim is to take a vague prediction based on events long past, in this case the fears after WWII, and use it to apply to current fears. This type of fear-mongering is not prophecy.

c. false claim: “An alarming announcement of 'another great catastrophe for the world' against the West and coming from the East. This is followed by a vision of 'a great number of stars in the air' apparently in reference to the United States of America. This could be pertaining to the recent September 11, 2001 attack on America. Prophecy dated: June 9, 1946” (www.ladyofallnations.org/whois.htm)

The message of June 9, 1946 does not contain any specific prediction related in any way to the attack on September 11th, 2001. The message does have 'the Lady' saying: “I predict another great catastrophe for the world.” Then a vague description of a vision with numerous unexplained symbols follows.

There are numerous false private revelations which each claim to have predicted the attacks on the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001. Not a single one of these claimed predictions mentions 'terrorists' or 'planes' or 'world trade center.' Not a single one of these messages even says that any event will happen on the date of September 11th, nor do any of these even predict the year.

d. false claim: “The division of Korea into North and South by the demarcation of the 38th parallel which occurred in 1953, 'an omen and the beginning of great distress' referring to the eventual sufferings of the Korean people, the future plans of the aggressive North Korean government and its nuclear arsenal, and the rapid spread of Communism from this period on. Prophecy dated: August 15, 1950 and December 10, 1950” (www.ladyofallnations.org/whois.htm)

These two messages do mention Korea very briefly, but only after the Korean War had already begun. Notice that there is no prediction of the Korean War in advance of its occurrence. And the rest of these two long messages mention numerous other nations, with very vague symbols and vague statements, apparently presented as predictions of the future, yet none of these is even associated with a false claim that these were fulfilled.

e. false claim: “The revelations regarding the deaths of three popes. Prophecies dated: February 19, 1958 - the death of Pope Pius XII in October of the same year; June 11, 1978 - the death of Pope Paul VI, less than two months later; September 28, 1978 - the death of Pope John Paul I, the following day. In addition to these revelations, Ida also was also made aware of the identity of two future Popes on two separate occasions, namely: Pope Paul VI 'Montini' on May 31, 1963; and Pope John Paul II on October 15, 1978!”

The claim is made that a message of Feb. 1958 predicted that Pope Pius XII would die in early October. He died on 9 Oct. 1958. This claim is based on a message dated February 19, 1958, but not revealed to anyone before the Pope died, not even to her spiritual director. It would have been simple enough for Peerdeman to have made such a false claim after the fact. But I suggest another possible explanation. By this point in time, after years of receiving false messages and false apparitions from fallen angels, Peerdeman was in such a state of mind that, even after an event occurred, she could be convinced that she had been given the prediction months earlier.

The claim is made that she was given a message on May 31, 1963 predicting that a man named Montini (Pope Paul VI's last name) would be Pope after Pope John XXIII. However, John XXIII died of stomach cancer; and it was known as early as September of 1962 that he had cancer. By May of 1963, it was clear that John XXIII would die. And Cardinal Montini was widely viewed as having been groomed by John XXIII as his successor. Thus the subsequent death of John XXIII and the election of Montini was not a surprise. Furthermore, the so-called message predicting this event was only one word 'Montini.' The message did not say when John XXIII would die, or that Montini would be elected Pope. Later, if Montini had not been elected, as many people supposed that he would, any number of claims could have been made about the one word message 'Montini.' And again she was told not to reveal the prediction anyone beforehand.

The claim is made that the death of Pope Paul VI was predicted less than two months in advance of the event. However, Pope Paul VI died after a long illness. It was known well in advance that he was very ill. Also, again, this prediction was supposedly given in advance, but not revealed until after the event.

On the evening before the death of Pope John Paul I, it was supposedly revealed to her that the Pope was dying. John Paul I died that night. But such a 'private revelation' could easily be given by fallen angels, who knew that the Pope was dying. This is not a prediction of a future event. It is a statement about the present, which could have come from any fallen angel.

On the day before the election of Pope John Paul II, she supposedly received the message that the next Pope would 'come from afar.' But by that time it was clear that the two Italian Cardinals who were frontrunners were no longer in the running. Also, the prediction was not specific as to who would be elected. Again, this is not a prediction of future events, but a statement of the present situation.

f. There are numerous other absurd claims of fulfilled predictions (www.ladyofallnations.org/whois.htm). I will spare you from them. When each claim of a predicted event is compared to the message that supposedly predicted it, there appears to be little or no connection between the message and the event.

5. Predictions Contradicted by Future Events

The message of May 31, 1954 implies that the Pope would proclaim “the dogma” of Mary as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocate sometime during the twentieth century. No such proclamation was made. The message seems to imply that the Pope of that time (Pius XII) would be the one to proclaim it. Such was not the case. It also implies that the Lady will appear only a few more times, and then the dogma would be proclaimed. Again, not so. And the language used in these failed predictions is vague and evasive, just as in other false prophecies.

The same message implies that the Bishop of that time would approve of the building of a church dedicated to the Lady of All Nations. He did not do so.

The message of May 31, 1957, says 'the time has now arrived for the Dogma to be proclaimed.' But the dogma was not proclaimed. It was not even considered for proclamation.

The message of Feb. 19, 1958 explicitly states that the successor to Pope Pius XII will “proclaim the dogma.” But his successor, John XXIII, did not do so.

The message of May 31, 1965 now claims that Pope Paul VI was 'selected for this work.' And again, Pope Paul VI had nothing to do with proclaiming this distorted doctrine.

Since the Blessed Virgin Mary has the Beatific Vision of God, she could not possibly make any false assertion on any topic. For she beholds God, who is Truth. Therefore, these messages to Ida Peerdeman, which contain many falsehoods, cannot be from Mary, nor from God, nor from Heaven at all.

6. The Lady of All Nations image suggests ideas contrary to the Faith

Description of the image:

The image is of a women dressed in white standing with the earth as her footstool. Her hands are pierced in the manner of a crucifixion. She stares straight ahead with a strange expression on her face. There is a cross directly behind her, again suggesting crucifixion. Rays come out of the wounds in her hands to a flock of white and black sheep surrounding the globe of the earth. Her feet are bare. She has an odd rope tied around her waist. Her hair falls across her shoulders. Her headcovering does not cover much of her hair.

Comparison with the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe:

This image does not resemble the images that come from true private revelation, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Virgin Mary in the image from Guadalupe casts her eyes down in humility and her hands indicate prayer. Her dress is feminine, with a floral pattern. Her hair is almost completely covered, and her headcovering is broad, reaching down like a cloak, with a pattern of stars. Her clothing is humble, but with a design that evokes the profundity of the Virgin Mary.

This image of the Lady of All Nations portrays her as looking straight ahead with a blank and creepy stare. There is no sign of humility. She is not dressed as the Virgin Mary dresses in the true private revelations. Her clothing is more of a robe than a dress, and it is not very feminine. It is blank, like her facial expression. There is no depth or complexity to her clothing or her face. Neither is the rope around her waist at all feminine. Worse still is the implications of the cross and the wounds in her hands. The image has the Virgin Mary taking the place of Christ on the Cross. The Lady is not praying humbly at the foot of the Cross to her Son. Instead, the Son is not present, she has replaced him in front of the Cross, and she has His wounds as if she had been crucified. Clearly the image replaces Salvation from Christ Crucified with salvation from the Lady crucified. Although Sacred Scripture clearly teaches that God the Father will make the earth a footstool for the Son Incarnate, this Lady has taken his place, using the earth as her footstool, with him nowhere to be found -- he has been supplanted.

This image is actually an apt graphical illustration of the errors found within the distorted doctrine taught at by means of this apparition. In truth, the Virgin Mary is co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix, when these terms are properly understood. However, the distortion of this true doctrine is evident from the image. Mary is only co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix in the sense that she assists Christ in His triune role as Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate. But the image and the associated distorted doctrine uses Mary to supplant Christ, just as the image removes Christ and replaces Him with her. In the image, as in the distorted doctrine, salvation appears to come from Mary. Whereas, in the true doctrine, no salvation at all comes from Mary; salvation comes solely from Christ, with Mary as His assistant in His work of salvation. In the image as in the false doctrine, Mary is exalted and Christ is absent.

This image of The Lady of All Nations is the work of fallen angels, who are trying to use Mary to supplant Christ, and to obtain for themselves, through this image, the worship that is only properly due to God.

7. The so-called Fifth and Final Marian Dogma,is not fifth, is not final, and will not bring peace, true peace to the world.

The message of May 31, 1954 claims that “the dogma” is “the last dogma in Marian history,” and that after it is proclaimed “the Lady” will give peace, true peace to the world. These points are often repeated by promoters of the distorted version of this doctrine.

A. There are already more than five dogmas about the Virgin Mary

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches about dogma: “88 The Church's Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes in a definitive way truths having a necessary connection with them.”

According to the Catechism, dogmas include not only teachings infallibly taught by an Ecumenical Council or by a Pope under papal infallibility, but also every definitive teaching of the Church. The following partial list includes only some of the definitive teachings of the Church (dogmas) about the Virgin Mary.

her Immaculate Conception
her perpetual virginity
her perpetual sinlessness
her role as Theotokos (God-bearer or Mother of God); definitively taught by the Council of Ephesus; referred to as a dogma by Pope John Paul II in Redemptoris Mater.
her perfect discipleship
her sufferings at the foot of the Cross
her role as the new Eve, the Mother of all the living
her role as a figure of the Church
her role as Mother of the Church
her Assumption to Heaven
her Queenship

Therefore, there are already more than five dogmas about the Virgin Mary.

B. There are open questions about the Virgin Mary, questions essential to her life and example, not yet definitively and explicitly taught by the Church. For example, her miraculous virgin conception and her miraculous virgin birth are taught implicitly by Tradition and Scripture, but not yet explicitly by the Magisterium. The death and resurrection of the Virgin Mary, prior to her Assumption, is presented, but not defined in the same Apostolic Constitution which infallibly defines her Assumption. Therefore, the doctrine of Mary's role as co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, Advocatrix, if it is defined and proclaimed by the Magisterium, cannot be the last Marian dogma. For there is much more for us to understand about the Mother of God than could possibly be summed up in five definitions.

The Virgin Mary is a perfect, though limited, reflection of the Most Holy Trinity. Her virtues and her holy life cannot be summed up in only five dogmas. Therefore, this doctrine (once it is properly understood) is still not the last dogma about the Virgin Mary.

C. The idea that there will be true peace given to the world when the dogma is proclaimed is false. The events prophesied in Sacred Scripture (e.g. in Daniel, and in the Book of Revelation, and in Matthew 24) include war and more war, stretching out over a long period of time. Yet the promoters of this distorted doctrine claim that the so-called fifth and final Marian dogma will usher in a time of peace (and some even claim the end of the world). To the contrary, the end times include war and more war, and a time of great persecution for the Church. Also, if and when this doctrine, in its true form, not in its distorted form, is proclaimed, those events predestined by God and revealed in advance in Scripture will continue on the same path and at the same pace. These promoters claim that the dogma will be declared soon and that the world will end soon. But the end of the world is not anytime soon, for they are badly misled.

D. There are numerous theological errors in the distorted (and most commonly cited) version of this doctrine. See this article for corrections of those errors: http://www.catholicplanet.com/CMA

8. Ida Peerdeman was closely associated with Marie-Paule Giguère (who founded the heretical group 'The Army of Mary'). About Marie-Paule, Peerdeman wrote: “Who is this woman? A second Catherine of Siena? A second Joan of Arc? Does Church history already know someone like her? We think she is unique. I even go as far as to assert that she is the INCARNATION of the Holy Virgin Mary. In an extraordinary way she is the Co-Redeemer, the Mediator, the Advocate, the Lady of all Nations.”

These words by Peerdeman are heretical and cannot be reconciled with the Catholic Faith. See this petition for more information: http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/BezwaarEngelsMark.htm

9. Objection: The miraculous weeping statue of Our Lady of Akita is based on the image from the private revelations of the Lady of All Nations at Amsterdam. Does this imply that the apparitions at Amsterdam are just as true as those at Akita?

No. When a statue weeps miraculously, does it mean that the statue maker is a Saint? Or that the company that made it is trustworthy? Or that the person who owns the statue is holy or trustworthy? Or that the Pastor of the parish where the statue wept is holy? In each case, the answer is no, not necessarily.

God makes use of whatever we give Him as a starting point, when He reaches out to us. God made use of a statue of the Virgin Mary. This does not imply that the private revelation that the statuemaker relied upon is true. God simply made use of whatever statue was available.

10. The Virgin Mary, in her messages to Fr. Gobbi, makes a reference to the work of the devil in Holland, and to her counter response in the form of private revelations to Fr. Gobbi. Note that the word Satan means Adversary.

Message 183 to Fr. Gobbi after a cenacle in Holland: Thus in this very place where my Adversary has begun his work of subtle destruction of the Church, I am replying to the challenge and forming a cohort.

Message 250 to Fr. Gobbi at a cenacle in Holland: You are here today holding a cenacle with my chosen ones in this land where the great contestation on the part of my Adversary had its beginning.

The apparitions to Ida Peerdeman are the work of Satan. The Virgin Mary has countered the many false private revelations in the world, including those at Amsterdam, with her own true private revelations, given by the power of God, such as those at Medjugorje, Garabandal, and those to Fr. Gobbi.

Conclusion

The claimed messages, apparitions, and so-called Eucharistic experiences to Ida Peerdeman, under the name of 'the Lady of All Nations' are clearly not from Heaven. They contain severe distortions of true doctrine, false prophecy, vague and uninformative prophecy, heresy, and absurdities. Most of the messages are grandiose in wording, but vague and confused and ultimately fruitless.

I could easily write much more, but this should be sufficient to show that the messages and claimed private revelation to Ida Peerdeman ('The Lady of All Nations') are not true private revelation from Heaven.

by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
January 2, 2006