This last week the Vatican published new rules for dealing with alleged apparitions and other supernatural events like locutions, weeping statues, visions, Eucharistic miracles, Marian apparitions, etc.
Are they supernatural, from God, to be believed or rejected, and if so, how long will it take before the Church let us know, and who in the Church has the authority to make these decisions? And what if there are good things about the event, but serious questions still to be investigated? Must we wait decades for some guidance?
This is why the Vatican has come up with a list of six rules that can be applied to such events in a quicker and more appropriate manner. The hope is for quicker and clearer guidance and direction for the faithful on these issues.
Jimmy Akin has done a fine job of breaking it down in a simple and understandable manner. I tend to agree with him on the rules and think (and hope) it will add clarity in the future.
He ends the article with speculations that Rule 3 was created to cover Medjugorje. I tend to agree with him on that as well.
You can read Jimmy’s whole article here: What You Need to Know About the New Vatican Rules on Supernatural Phenomena