There are many kinds of apparitions and visions, but Marian ones predominate in the Catholic Church.

The last major Vatican document addressing the topic is the "Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy," issued in 2001.

It quotes a line from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which sums up the church's stance with admirable clarity: "Throughout the ages, there have been so-called private revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith" (No. 67).

In other words, you do not have to believe in Marian apparitions to be a good Catholic.

But I do.

I've never had a problem believing in them.

My general approach is: If God could create the universe ex nihilo and raise his Son from the dead, then having Mary appear from time to time, and even being the occasion for some miracles, seems easy by comparison.

That statement may sound flip.

But it is entirely serious.

It is surely within God's power to enable these things to happen.

So, I am always amazed when people say, "God wouldn't possibly do that." Oh, really?

I also say this as someone who has visited three major Marian shrines, which have deeply moved me: Lourdes, Fátima and Knock.

The stories of the visionaries and what I experienced in those places go a long way to convince me of the veracity of the apparitions.

There is also a striking sameness among most Marian apparitions (at least these three) that reminds me of the sameness that one finds as a spiritual director who listens for God's voice.

As St Ignatius Loyola says in his Spiritual Exercises, there is a certain quality to God's voice that one can recognize.

Likewise, in these apparitions.

Three stories

I know Lourdes best, having been there several times on pilgrimages with the Order of Malta over the years. Continue reading

• James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, author, editor at large at America and founder of Outreach.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin invited the Pope to preside at the World Meeting of Families scheduled for Dublin in 2018.

The archbishop said in an interview with the Irish Independent last week that Francis had told him "I will come".

The Pope added, "if I don't come, my successor will come".

Popes have presided at all but two of the eight World Meetings of Families, which started in 1994.

But a spokesperson for Archbishop Martin's office later played down reports of a papal visit.

The spokesperson said speculation in the Irish Catholic newspaper about the visit was "completely without foundation".

Archbishop Martin had been speaking casually of the Pope's desire to visit Ireland, not officially confirming a visit, the spokesperson said.

The earliest any official announcement would be made would be in 2017, the spokesperson added.

If he visits Ireland in 2018, the Pope will also reportedly make the first ever visit by a Pontiff to Northern Ireland.

This would complete the pilgrimage of St John Paul II, who wanted to go to Northern Ireland during his 1979 visit.

But rising tensions at the time made this impossible.

A Vatican source told the Irish Catholic that it is quite possible that Pope Francis will visit other parts of Ireland in 2018.

This is because "many Irish Catholics will want to have an opportunity to attend Mass with Pope Francis".

Among other likely stops during a 2018 papal visit would be historic monasteries and Knock Shrine.

St John Paul II visited the shrine and celebrated Mass there during his 1979 visit.

Sources

• Irish Catholic
• Irish Independent
• Irish Times
• Image: RTE