Doctrinal Note on the Army of Mary

Wednesday, August 15 2001

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) today has issued a doctrinal note concerning the Army of Mary, which has also been approved by the Holy See.

The doctrinal note reiterates the fundamental teaching of the Catholic Church on some of the contentious doctrinal issues at stake concerning the Army of Mary.

There has been much confusion surrounding this group since the Archbishop of Quebec in 1987 formally revoked the decree by which his predecessor had established the Army of Mary as a pious association.

The doctrinal note indicates “the Army of Mary’s on-going activities and teachings pose dangers for the Catholic Church in Canada and to the faith of its members. In view of this and the continuing threat to the integrity and unity of the Catholic faith, the Bishops of Canada declare, and hereby inform all the Catholic faithful, that the Army of Mary, regardless of its claims to the contrary, is not a Catholic association.”

The doctrinal note, which is a clarification of dogmatic teaching, states that some of the teaching the Army of Mary propagates about redemption, the Virgin Mary and “reincarnation” are profoundly at variance with the teaching and profession of the faith of the Catholic Church.

The full text of the doctrinal note can be found on the CCCB website at: http://www.cccb.ca/site/Files/armyofmary.html.