One thing I’ll say in his defense - no Catholic needs to accept Fatima or any other private revelation that has occurred since the death of the last apostle. I will never criticize someone who rejects Fatima. Catholicism does not require Catholics to accept any private revelation EVEN if the Pope says he believes in it.
While what you say is true, the fact that he chose to address that issue among all the issues that plague us is telling. I can understand in a private conversation he might broach his disbelief, but not as the focus of a talk. He has revealed his, to my mind, crisis of belief. I know nothing of him, and his past proclamations would indicate whether this was anomalous or a continuation of his trouble with Catholic theology.
No impimp, no Catholic is required to accept private revelation. But in Lumen Gentium, No. 12 of the Second Vatican Council, we are taught that, “Such gifts of grace, whether they are of special enlightenment or whether they are spread more simply and generally, must be accepted with gratefulness and consolation, as they are specially suited to, and useful for, the needs of the Church...Judgments as to their genuineness and their correct use lies with THOSE WHO LEAD THE CHURCH and those whose special task is not to extinguish the spirit but to examine everything and keep that which is good (1 Thess 5: 19-21).
Pope Urban VIII said that, “In cases like this (apparitions), IT IS BETTER TO BELIEVE THAN NOT TO BELIEVE, for, if you believe, and it is proven true, you will be happy that you have believed, because Our Holy Mother asked it. If you believe, and it should be proven false, you will receive all blessings as if it had been true, because you believed it to be true.”
So what’s your point?
As far as Marian devotion is concerned, if the Archbishop believes that is is “excessive” today, I would have to question his sanity. The problem today is actually quite the reverse. Too many Cahtolics no longer practice devotion to Our Lady.
Rather than engaging in criticism of an APPROVED apparition or of devotion to Mary in general, perhaps the Archbishop should tackle the real problems within the Church...or just remain silent?