Vatican ruling on disputed Medjugorje shrine expected soon
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Has the Virgin Mary been appearing daily for many years in the once obscure Bosnian village of Medjugorje to share religious messages with a few local believers? Is the site visited by over 30 million pilgrims a hoax? The question has long divided Catholics who have debated whether the visions are a modern-day miracle, wishful thinking or the result of an elaborate fraud.
(Photo: Virgin Mary statue at reported apparition site, 25 June 2009/Damir Sagolj)
After observing events sceptically for many years, the Vatican may soon issue firmer guidance for Catholics on the claim that the mother of Jesus has been visiting the Balkans, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, head of the bishops’ conference in Bosnia, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. That guidance, if it clearly expresses the scepticism the official Church has long shown towards the Medjugorje phenomenon, could deal a serious blow to a site some Catholics see as a “new Lourdes.”
“We are now awaiting a new directive on this issue,” said Puljic, the Sarajevo archbishop who survived the city’s long wartime siege in the 1990s. “I don’t think we must wait for a long time, I think it will be this year, but that is not clear… I am going to Rome in November and we must discuss this.”
Official Church scepticsm about Medjugorje has become more public in recent months. In June, Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar, the nearest city in Bosnia, warned Catholics against uncritical belief in Medjugorje and issued a series of restrictions on the parish. “Brothers and sisters, let us not act as if these ‘apparitions’ were recognised and worthy of faith,” he said in a sermon (full text here in Italian translation).
Then in July, Pope Benedict defrocked Rev. Tomislav Vlasic, the former “spiritual director” to the six visionaries, after a year-long probe into charges he exaggerated the apparitions and had fathered a child with a nun.
(Photo:About 20,000 Catholic pilgrims in Medjugorje, 24 June 2001/Matko Biljak)
The investigation, according to a Catholic News Service report, focused on alleged “dubious doctrine, the manipulation of consciences, suspect mysticism and disobedience towards legitimately issued orders.” One account of his story called him “a modern-day Rasputin with a taste for sex and séances” and another placed the Medjugorje story in the context of anti-communism and Croatian nationalism.
Six children first reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1981 in a scenario reminiscent of famous apparitions in the French town of Lourdes and Fatima in Portugal. In the following years, the Bosnian village became a major pilgrimage site, giving many visitors a renewed sense of spirituality and locals a steady source of much-needed revenue. It also became the focus of controversy as local Franciscan priests running the site promoted their claims in such open defiance of warnings from the Vatican that 10 of them were expelled from the order and the local bishop called them schismatic.
The 1992-95 Bosnian war disrupted the flow of pilgrims, but with three now middle-aged locals still reporting visions, thousands still flock to the Bosnian town every year. One of the visionaries, Ivan Dragicevic, says on the Medjugorje website that he has received nine out of ten secrets from the Virgin Mary, another element reminiscent of Fatima. He now spends half the year in Medjugorje and the other half in the United States, stopping off in places such as Canada and Peru as well to give lectures on his experiences.
Puljic declined to give his own views on the events of Medjugorje. “People have the right to pray everywhere, including in Medjugorje,” he said.
(Photo: Pilgrims pray at reported apparition site, 25 June 2009/Damir Sagolj)
“It is not a sin to pray, it’s not a sin to hear confessions, it is not a sin to give penance, this is a good climate. But this phenomena, apparitions or visions, falls to the (Vatican) commission,” said the cardinal. “It is a very delicate question.”
Do you think Medjugorje represents a miracle or a fraud? What should the Vatican say about it?
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As Jesus said in the Bible, if they’re not against us, they’re for us. I want to believe the events at Medjugorje all these years are definitely true and real. But even if the Vatican rules on it and says they’re not, lots and lots of good and holy things seem to have come out of the whole thing. So as Jesus said, if they’re not against us, they must be for us. What’s been going on over there cannot be the devil’s work with that much good going on.
I believe that the Virgin Mary the Mother of God is and has been giving messages to the six seers. Look at the the out come and see the fruits it has brought about. I hope the Pope will be in favor but he has the last say and we must listen to what he says. God Bless and that is what the blessed Virgin would tell us to do.
I believe the message is good, Prayer, Repetance, kindness, love…all matches with our Catholic Church,we do have wolfs among the sheep, that is normal, we must carefully look at the message and what is coming out of the apparitions…the messages…the conversion of sinners…of course the Vatican has the last word…May the Holy Spirit guide the Pope and may we obey…but God also said, watch for the signs…Mary is guiding us to HER SON JESUS>>>
I am medical doctor and have been in Medjugorje for five times. The Bishop of Mostar has never interviewed he visionaries nor the priest in charge during the apparitions which is pretty weird if you want to know truth. On the contrary, Cardinal Schonborn from Vienna use to invite the visionaries to his cathedral. The defrocked franciscan friar has nothing to do with the visionaries since he left the parish 25 years ago. If the Vatican recommends not to go to Medjugorje I will keep going to pray I continue my conversion there…
I have never believed in this. The “good” that has come of it has come from people of good will, who, through the grace of God, could probably have brought the same or similar good under other circumstances. But the immorality, the disobedience, the contradictions of the people directly involved, and some of the words supposedly from the Virgin Mary, are not “with us” at all. I doubt Satan originated this event, but I’m sure he is quite content to steal even one soul by means of it, and he has probably gained even more than that. God, however, can bring great good out of anything, even lies, disobedience and scandal. This power of God does not make the evil good, it just shows how great is his power. This thing is a very popular fraud, which will test the obedience of Catholics when the Vatican makes its declaration.
I have visited Medjugorje four times “so far” and will return, I have read the Messages which are in line with the Gospel of the Lord. I have one photo of the “Blessed Mother”
taken be me, and I do not mean a statue. I have experienced the Holy Peace in this little village and have heard a Heavenly choir of Angles, not to mention the physical and spiritual healing that has transpired while I have been in Medjugorje. I will continue to Trust in Jesus, and His Blessed Mother, and will obey the direction of the Pope.
I have been to Medjugorje and the love and peace I felt there was “not of this world”. I believe the six visionaries are telling the truth and if they were frauds, they would have been found out a long time ago. We judge by the fruits. We should not judge on what this priest or that priest did or didn’t do, what are the visionaries saying and doing in their lives? They seem to be living holy lives and giving good example.
To say that many holy things have happened in Medjugorje doesn’t do anything to lend it credibility, because many prodigies, conversions, and supposed healings were also reported at the apparition sites of Bayside (New York) and Necedah (Wisconsin) both of which were condemned by the local Ordinary (bishop) as false apparitions and hoaxes.
I’ve been there twice, in 1997 and 1998. If you can judge something by its fruits, it has been huge in my life. To this day since Medjugorje I go to Mass many times each week, regular confession, participate weekly in Eucharistic adoration for over 11 years, pray the rosary almost every day, praise God and his holy name all the time and generally I now live a sacramental life and believe, adore and have faith & trust in God. It has been the greatest blessing of my life outside the sacraments! Thank you dear Mother for drawing me to Medjugorje.
I have been to Medjugorje, witnessed the miricle of the sun, my rosery changed to a gold colour from one minute to the next, my friend who had no belief, did not want to receive a blessing by fr.Jozo, at my persistance, he agreed, after being blessed by father Jozo, walked out of the church with with full faith, wow, that was the greatest miricle I have ever witnessed in my life I had known him for 8 years. Medjugorje changed my life I have never been the same, so Do I beleive, Mary our mother is there?? are you kidding, of course she is there -
Attention readers — comments here must be in English. Several are coming in now in foreign languages, but we want everybody to be able to read them so we have to insist on a common language. All the non-English comments that have come in so far have been in languages I understand and they present no other problem. But I’ve had to delete them because others might not understand them. Anyone who has sent a comment in a foreign language is invited to resent it in English.
One of the seers came to a town near my home in Illinois. The event included the recitation of the Rosary, a talk by the seer, and a visit from the Blessed Mother following the talk. Yes, the apparition was scheduled–for 6:40pm to be exact. Now, the Rosary was said and the talk may have been spiritually uplifting but a scheduled appartition?
No doubt much good has come from Medjugorje but this is the same good that would be wrought from prayer, confession, and Mass. And, has there not been some spoiled fruit? Was this level fame and wealth attained (or even sought) by other approved visionaries? I would hope that folks have faith in the Christ through His Church and are therefore not too badly wounded if Medjugorje is proved fraudulant.
I believe with my whole heart that Medjugorje is true…..I have never been there…..but, I truly wish I can go…..I have been reading the messages for years, and I try hard to live them…..I have never felt closer to God than I have now at this moment of my life….I pray our Holy Father finds Medjugorje to be authentic and I also pray for the 6 visionaries who have been blessed with these apparitions for the last 25 years. I could just imagine what poor St. Bernadette must have endured in her life here on earth……or Lucia, Francesco, and Jacinta…..it must have been very hard for them……May they all help now to show us all the truth……we need this more today than we ever had before…..Let’s us all pray our rosaries everyday for the Blessed Mother’s intentions in Medjugorje…….
I have been to Medjugorje 10 times( and hope to return ) and each time has been a Blessing and a very big help in my daily conversion. The feeling that you get while you are there and Peace is like no other. There is no doubt that the apparitions are authentic and in the end will be approved by the church. GOD BLESS
While an apparition can be considered to be false while it is still allegedly happening, I don’t think the Vatican will proclaim Medjugorje as “approved” while it is still happening. That would be giving approval to supposed messages that haven’t even been announced yet. The most they might do, most likely, is either say it is not approved, or say that the fruits appear to be good – which is what the signals already appear to be. From what I have read, people have had amazing experiences of grace in Medjugorje. It is good to read that those who love Medjugorje will obey the Vatican, whatever the decision on it is.
The Church has always and everywhere taken a skeptical attitude towards private revelations such as Medjugorge (and Lourdes, and Fatima) until they can be authenticated without a doubt. Usually this happens years after the apparitions stop happening, and after any predictions or prophesies have been fulfilled. One of the tests the bishops use to determine whether these things are true or not is the attitude of the seers. If they are humble and obedient, even in the face of skepticism and suppression from the Church it is a better thing for the truth of the apparitions than if the seers seem to be self-seeking, and disobedient to proper Church authority. The Church’s perspective is centuries, not decades, so they don’t have to be in a hurry to approve this. They’d rather be absolutely right than approve something in haste that might lead the faithful away from God (give scandal) if the apparitions are eventually debunked. I appreciate that the shepherds of the Church take such a careful attitude when it comes to such things. But, all that said, like the Lady at Medjugorge says, don’t wait for the promised sign, to be given for the non-believers, to believe and have faith. By then it might be too late.
I went to Medjugorje last year as a full believer; I now am not and am convinced the apparitions there are Satanic like those of Garabandal. The devil has many powers and things like the scent of roses, alchemy and pulsations of the sun can be deceptions. The things I saw while in Medjugorje were not consistent with what others were seeing. By contrast, everyone at Fatima saw the miracle of the sun during the final apparition. Contrary to some of the posts here, the bishops have questioned the “seers” and were met with lies, contradictions and disobedience to their authority. None of this happened during the investigations of Lourdes and Fatima and Our Lady would never condone or foster such disobedience. The “messages” themselves are not focused or consistent with Church teaching (i.e. “all religions are equal before my Son”). Unlike Bernadette of Lourdes, Juan Diego of Guadeloupe and Lucia Dos Santos of Fatima, the “seers” of Fatima live lives of luxury compared to the intense poverty of thier neighbors in Bosnia-Herzegovinia and not one of them had a vocation. In addition, there are no hotels in Medjugorje: all the pilgrims wind up staying in “guest houses” which are run my family members of the “seers.” Probably the best argument against Medjugorje came from the priest who traveled there with my group when I was there. On our final day, he scolded us in the homily for spening the week looking for “signs” when the greatest miracle was right before us – Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Lord Jesus said”You will know them by their fruits” 30 million people have had the opportunity of visiting the site, many more have been evangelized by them. Granted some rotten apples have emerged, but they can be counted individually being so few. This is a matter of FAITH, and the Church’s responsibility is to defend and preserve our FAITH. Be very careful in trying to destroy Medjugorje you are not trying to destroy our Catholic FAITH.
About 21 years ago I experienced a tremendous personal conversion in Medjugorje and my faith is stronger today than ever. I’ve been there 4 times and have never found such peace as I find there. I have been graced with a number of ‘extra ordinary’ experiences while there on pilgrimages. If this is not of heaven, why would the devil work in such a manner? “By their fruit shall you know them” (St John)
Yes, there have been betrayals of the spirit of Medjugorje, but Jesus too, had his Judas.
I will of course follow Rome, but I know Medjugorje changed me forever!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
I went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje from late May to early June 2004. How could the wonders I witnessed be anything but miraculous? Every message I have ever read attributed to the “seers” is biblical. Recall the stories of how the atheistic government tried to bomb Medjugorje and everytime they tried the area disappeared from their radar screens?
My question to anyone who has been there: what is not miraculous about Medjugorje? I see it as a work of God for the Last Days in which we are living. My theory of Medjugorje is that a place is being prepared (probable on Cross Mountain) for the Two Witnesses to return to the world (read your Bible Book of Revelation, Chapter 11, verses 1-13). If you believe the Bible you believe Medjugorje.
Amen!
Like Helen’s comment, anyone who has ever witnessed a miracle in Medjugorje is going to be a believer, or has been present for an apparition with the visionaries will believe as well. I have been present for an apparition with Ivan, and it changed my life. I will always believe Our Lady was there, no matter what anyone says.
I have been consecrated to Jesus through Mary since 1978. I was not sure if it was Our Lady appearing in Medjugorje until I watched a video in 1987 during the Marian Year (the year JPII gave to the Church to draw close to and honor Our Lady). In this video when I saw the droves of people going to confession my heart believed. I have since been there 3 times. The experience of Our Lady’s love and presence in embracing Her messages of love has been indescribable. The change and deepening of my prayer life has been beautiful. I have also received tremendous grace to bear the hardships and sufferings of my life during all of these years by taking to heart the messages Our Lady has been giving to mankind there. Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje have been a tremendous gift of God’s mercy to humanity in this time. Read what St. Louis de Montfort has to say about the age of Mary, Her time and Her children. I will remain obedient to the Holy Father with whatever decision comes from him. May God be glorified and Mary loved during this Her era. God’s peace.
Please check your facts here, Rev. Tomislav Vlasic was NEVER a spiritual director to the six seers. see mej.com for further information.
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary pray for us all!
I think it is very possible that these apparitions are true. Who is to say what the Mother of God can and cannot do?
I prefer to follow the apparition of Our Lady of America from Rome City, IN and Her definite messages which give direction to us with more detail than any of the messages I have read coming out of Medjugorje. Learn about the Our Lady of America messages by visiting OLTIV dot org. I have been there several times and I can assure you the presence of Our Lady and the Holy Spirit is very strong there.
BTW: these messages of Our Lady of America have received Canonical approval as far back as 1962 and have recently been supported by Archbishop Raymond Burke.
Read the messageas and make your own decision after careful discernment.
Nope, I don’t believe it. I believe this is a fraud. It’s just on a very big scale. Folks are going to feel quite angry at the church if they aren’t validated.They are just spiritually hungry. Kinda makes me think of Montanism, a Heresy from about 133ad. They had many followers too. God is good and he can bring good from it.
I personally have been to Medjugorje twice already (1990 and 1991) and I for one admit that, in both of my trips, I came to the conclusion that something good really is taking place there. However, in all frankness, I am starting to get skeptical about Medjugorje (I have not gone so far as to renouncing my belief in it but I sure am getting there!) for the simple reason that the apparitions have been going on for so long, so very, very long! What’s more, the supposed messages are just getting repeated over and over again making the Blessed Virgin sound like a broken CD! In all the approved apparition sites, Our Blessed Lady appeared only a number of times (the most number was in the Belgian town of Beauraing where she appeared 33 times and then, she spoke very, very little there and in the few times she did speak, she spoke in one short sentence each time) and, at the same time, in the space of just one year. Now if Medjugorje really is of God, it will withstand the test of time, that’s for sure. In any event, we already have all that we need to achieve our personal salvation (the Sacraments, for instance). You want to be with Christ? Then go visit the Tabernacle in your own parish church (which, for many of us, is but a mere walking distance from our home thus never needing an exorbitant amount of money for a plane ticket!) and Christ is already there in all His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity (that’s why Sr. Briege McKenna said that, when we present ourselves before the Tabernacle, we have the exact same privilege as, say, Jairus because we are presenting ourselves before the exact same Jesus who raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead). You want to know what God’s message is for you? Then go read the Bible. You want to communicate with the Blessed Mother? Then reach out for your rosary and pray it (the Blessed Mother will hear you loud and clear wherever you may be).
I believe Medjugorje represents a miracle, i believe in de grace of God, Mary, Jesus, i sie satan in a women in 2OO6 in Medjugorje……….
From Belgium – Medjugorje I’ve been there 9x.
Furst X 2000 etc……..2OO9
I Thank for de special grace of God, Jezus, et Mary in 2OOO, 2005.
I believe Medjugorje represents a miracle………..
Medjugorje is a gift to the Church in our day and age. God did not need to send His Mother down to earth to warn us that we are on the wrong path — He could have just punished us with little warning for mankind’s sins like in ancient biblical times. But He chose to send His Mother and so many innumerable spiritual graces have been received through her appearances in Medjugorje — countless conversions, vocations, movements inspired by the place. It may be that Medjugorje will go through a testing period but in the end the hand of God will be revealed to be there.
aLL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE GOOD THAT IS COMING FROM mEDJUGORJE. i THINK THIS IS JUST A bISHOP TRYING TO SHOW OFF HIS AUTHORITY. bISHOP’S DO NOT OBEY THE Pope and priest do not obey the bishop’s, parents do not obey the priests and children do not obey parents. Its the world we live in. John Paul II said if he were not the Pope he would go to Medjugorje. I am a believer.
it’s a parody of Fatima, simple as that.
well Mary was the mother of Jesus, and I’m sure she was a good woman but she is not in the trinity, nor is she Jesus.
Here is the problem with this, this diverts attention from Christ.
1 Jn 5:20-21
20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
KJV
And I was born and raised Catholic, this is wrong
Dominick From
WSOPNE.org
World School Of Prophecy & News Events
I’ve been there. I’ve seen the signs, the miracles. I’ve met and spoken to some of the visionaries and their family. There is no doubt in my mind it is real. Very real. God has blessed us in a remarkable way. One day everyone will know and understand. God Bless.
TEL
Thank GOD!!..I have been waiting for The Vatican rule on Medjugorje….
Look at all the good! Look at all the miracles & the blessing that have taken place. Nothing bad ever happens on apparation hill. How could these 6 visionaries never have swayed from their story in all these years, they were so young when it started, if they were lying surly one of them would have admitted to it by now. No one ever wants to beleive anything good & spiritual without 100% proof. They need to just look into their souls to know what sounds right and what sounds wrong. Medjugorie has never spoken out of line with what the Catholic Church believes, everything is for God and nothing against God and I believe that’s how you can tell who is real and who is not.
I would not be the Catholic I am today if it weren’t for Medugorje. It changed my life. I went 12 years ago, at the time I went I was far away from the sacraments. I have been an active Catholic, receiving Eucharist and confession regularly ever since. My life is rich with faith and I thank God for that. Medugorje is also responsible for my husband’s conversion. He now has such an amazing faith. I have been there four times now and have also witnessed many miracles there, most importantly the change of hearts.
You judge a tree by the fruit it produces, Medugorje only serves to bring people fully into faith and the sacraments, it is only producing good fruit.
I’ve been to Medjugorje 4 times and in my heart have no doubt that Mary is appearing. The messages are straight from the bible: prayer with the heart, Eucharist, Confession, Fasting and Reading the Bible. Nothing contrary to our faith. Medjugorje has started me on my conversion and quite possibly could be the event that leads to my salvation if i am able to get to heaven someday. I now pray the rosary daily, go to mass and receive the Eucharist daily, go to confession regularly and read the bible and other spiritual readings. I still have trouble fasting. These are all wonderful fruits that are leading me towards God. Satan is the father of all lies and he would never lead anyone closer to God it is not in his nature. Therefore, he would never lead millions of people to God as Medjugorje has
The “fruits” of Medjugorje seem to be disobedience and pride in having a higher type of spirituality. These are not the sort of things one usually associates with the works of Our Lady.
We need to understand the difference between supernatural miracles God alone can do and preternatural miracles worked through the angelic spirits good angels or bad? On April 10, 1991 the Bishops of ex-Yugoslavia declared: “… On the basis of the investigations, so far it cannot be affirmed that one is dealing with supernatural apparitions and revelations.” This does not rule out preternatural phenomenon. The miracle of the sun as viewed by so many at Medjugorje did not happen in the same extraordinary manner as at Fatima witnessed by everyone present and in a 70 mile radius by believers and unbelievers.
I was brought back to the church by an unapproved apparition in Bayside NY. It took me years to pull away from it having the same feelings and using the same arguments as Medjugorje devotes do today. I also witnessed miracles; rosaries turning to golden colors, photos with unexplained image popping up and the miracle of the sun. I felt I owed our Lady to defend the apparition. I know what I witnessed! I did not understand the difference between supernatural and preternatural miracles. The Devil does appear as an Angel of light and has appeared to Ann Catherine Emmerich and other mystics as Jesus and Mary. If they never had a true vision they would have been deceived. The devil divides and conquers!
Obey the Church our Holy Mother.
If all the monies time and efforts to promote the Apparitions of Medjugorje went into living the Message of Fatima approved by the Church the triumph of Mary may have taken place long ago. Disobedience to legitimate church authorities puts one in danger of cooperating in sin. The Bishop of the diocese in which the apparition takes place has the grace by God to discern the truth of an alleged apparition. Not even a Bishop of another diocese can go against the bishop of the diocese in which the apparitions take place. How many bishops have failed here to counsel the people to obey and wait. If it is from God he will change the Bishops mind. Follow the bishops in union with the magisterium. Your Salvation and the salvation of others depend on it! Spera Rose,OCDS
I have been to Medjugorje on 98’. I was with the first and second group to stay with Ivan and his family. All I can say is this. Ivan is a good man. A caring father, loving husband who is not someone who could put on an act for the 17 days I was with him.
Once right before an apparition, we were praying the rosary and Ivan’s daughter started to cry. I thought “what do you do now?” Ivan got up and picked up his daughter to comfort her. We continued with the rosary and Ivan’s wife came and got their daughter.
Now 11 years later and I have children, I hope that I would do the same thing if the need arises.
There is a personal perspective that reports like this do no justice to. I get upset with these reporters who already have an opinion and cannot report without injecting it into the story.
I am a firm believer in Medjugorje BUT if the Church ruled against it today, that would be fine because Mary at Medjugorje taught me that my faith is based in the Roman Catholic Church even though the flame was started in Bosnia.
Members of my family have gone to visit and there were miracles, visions of the sun, Jesus in the sky and the photos developed in the US a vision of Mary in the church. I know the presence of GOD was there by the fruits.
I, too, have been to Medjugorje. I would go back every year if I could. When the purification comes and the miraculous, indestructible sign appears on Apparition Hill, no one will have to speculate anymore. The apparitions are real and Medjugorje will be vindicated.
If I’m not mistaken, Bishop Peric was ordered by the Vatican to not make any public pronouncements about Medjugorje. It is not true that 10 Franciscans were defrocked. It is true that the devil causes division and chaos. Millions have been converted after having prayed at Medjugorje. I don’t know if the visions are authentic, but I do believe Our Lady touches the hearts and souls of those who go there in good faith to pray. I have difficulty in believing the seers simply because the greatest scourge of mankind, the extermination of over 50 million human lives in the wombs of their mothers, and the termination by consequence of the hundreds of millions of lives those human babies would have generated had they been allowed to live…is never, or rarely mentioned by Our Lady. If an earthly mother was to see her children slaughtered, she would proclaim it to all…all evil stems from the evil of abortion…so why is Our Lady silent on this…? We shall see…
It is not up to us to say what the Vatican should or should not do. I believe it is authentic, but if the Vatican rules the opposite, I am done with it.
They have and always will have more information on subjects like this than I will ever have. I trust their decision.
In his recent book, “The Last Secret of Fatima,” (Doubleday, 2008 – Foreward written by Pope Benedict XVI) Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, present Vatican Secretary of State, included on pp. 93, 94 in his chapter titled, “Medjugorje” a May 26, 1998 directive that he wrote as Secretary to the CDF, clarifying that the Bishop of Mostar’s negative judgment of the reported apparitions of Our Lady in Medjugorje, “should be considered the expression of the personal conviction of the Bishop of Mostar which he has the right to express as Ordinary of the place, but which is and remains his personal opinion.”
The Bishop’s view of the events of Medjugorje is the same as yours or mine: it’s his personal opinion. That the Vatican would again publicize such a directive speaks volumes…. as does the fact the Catholic media never reports it.
I believe they are TRUE – I converted to Catholicism and it changed my life – based on the Messages of the Virgin Mary of Medjugorje.
What a true Blessing from God to be living in a time when He sends His Mother to help form our consciences. Often people want to know what is God’s will for my life. Just like He sent His prophets in the Old Testament to instruct the people, so today He is sending us His Mother to do likewise. God’s will for our lives is summed up in Our Lady’s messages. It is so very simple if we make time for God. To those who believe, no explanation is neccessary. To those who do not believe, no explanation is possible. BELIEVE!!!!
I believe in the Blessed Virgin Mary appearing in Medjugorje. I was there in October, 1997. I also believe in Holy Mother Church’s decisions she makes and I will obey them, whatever they are. Remember Padre Pio was not allowed to offer Mass for years due to skepticism of his authorities, but that lasted for years, and we all realize what happened many years after that. God always makes Good from (other) good or bad. I trust in Jesus Christ, son of Mary, Savior of the World. Amen. thanks be to God!
It is good to believe in miracles, the power of prayer and intercession of our Blessed Mother. But we must remember that as true Catholics we are subject to the rule and decisions of those above us. If the Vatican is to decide that the events of Medjugorje are not divine in nature or cannot be truly considered miracles, then the decision should be accepted by all true Catholics. We must remember that the Church places its faith in the Holy Spirit and relies on its guidance when making such important decisions, and the Holy Spirit is never wrong.
“We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides.” St Ignatius of Loyola.
I have been to Medgjugorje 3 times in 1995, 1997 and 2000.
I truly believe Mary is appearing there.As to the length of her apparitions, what mother if her child is dying,would not sit up night after night taking care of her, trying to save her life. This is what Mary is trying to do for us, her children. Can you not look around the world and see the extent of sin and sickness? Every day our news gets worse, yet many refuse to change their lives and call on God for help. Mary loves us and through the mercy of God, she is pleading with us to convert and turn back to God. Her messages are gospel-based. Prayer, conversion, penance, faith, peace, reconciliation. May John Paul II guide the Vatican’s decision.
For your information, Fr. Tomislav Vlasic was NEVER the spiritual director of the visionaries. Reporters are supposed to be objective. The above article certainly is biased against Medjugorje.
I have read so many things about Medjugorje, good and bad but there are only two things I need to say and that is For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible. I was blest with great things through Medjugorje – my life won’t never be the same after my first pilgrimage and for the good that strengthen my Catholic faith. And I have been there four times. I never realize my love for Jesus until His mother showed me the way. You can tell the tree from its fruit. I will truly respect the decision of the Vatican but I am grateful to our Blessed Mother for the gift of Medjugorje which brought me and my husband back to the sacraments of the Holy Mother Church and proud to be a Roman Catholic. As Our Lady has pleaded all this years…. Pray, Pray, Pray.