Posted on 05/19/2024 1:04:08 PM PDT by ebb tide
"Regarding Medjugorje, no conclusion has been reached yet, but with these guidelines, we believe it will be easier to proceed and reach a conclusion," said Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, during the press conference presenting the new norms for discerning presumed supernatural phenomena. Responding to a journalist's question, he added that "for other cases that have been present at the Dicastery for many years, these guidelines will make it easier to arrive at a prudential conclusion." He continued, "In many cases, these phenomena have grown well and normally. Sometimes a phenomenon can be easily managed without issues, producing positive outcomes: this has happened in most sanctuaries. Many frequently visited sanctuaries by the faithful originated from a similar experience. There has never been a declaration, neither from the bishop nor the Dicastery, and they have grown normally without problems as popular devotion." In short, the Cardinal explained, "a beautiful phenomenon can grow" without requiring "a declaration of supernatural origin. In the cases of Lourdes, Fatima, and Guadalupe, their enormous growth did not depend on a declaration of supernatural origin."
To a second question on the same topic, the Cardinal replied: "Regarding Medjugorje, we'll see. For example, I haven't read the material available at the Dicastery, I know some details, but we need to study to reach a conclusion with these new norms. Keep in mind that a phenomenon can be considered good, not dangerous at the origin, but it may have some issues in its later development. Therefore, sometimes a declaration needs to clarify these different stages: that’s a distinction we need to consider. And then, suppose there was a green light, a 'nihil obstat,' we might also need to clarify that some details should not be taken seriously. If I remember correctly, the Madonna there was giving orders, setting the schedule, the place, what the bishop should do, etc. That needs to be clarified."
The voices and testimonies of the devout people of the Gospa—the Lady, the Madonna in Croatian—are the strongest narrative, enduring for almost 43 years, of the "Medjugorje phenomenon." Until June 24, 1981, the name of this small village in Bosnia and Herzegovina (then in Communist Yugoslavia), in the diocese of Mostar-Duvno, was known only to those living in the region. Today it is a spiritual reference point, as well as a physical pilgrimage destination, for many people.
Two girls, aged 15 and 16, Ivanka Ivanković and Mirjana Dragičević, reported seeing a female figure on a small cloud while walking on a rocky hill called Podbrdo at 4 pm on June 24, 1981. Shortly after, Vicka Ivanković, Ivanka’s cousin, joined them. All three claimed to have seen the mysterious figure again, this time with a child in her arms, which they immediately identified as the Virgin Mary. Ivan Dragičević, Jakov Čolo, and Marija Pavlović were the other three young people who formed the group known as the "visionaries." The six youths spoke of apparitions of Mary, who introduced herself as the "Queen of Peace" with a message fundamentally calling for reconciliation and conversion.
From that afternoon and those accounts—on a remote piece of land soon to experience a bloody war—a story began that has left a mark on the life of the Church, reaching millions of people in various ways: through conversions, with long lines at confessionals and extraordinary participation in Eucharistic adorations, as well as through strong scepticism and staunch opposition.
In response to the growing experiences related to Medjugorje, in 1991, the bishops of Yugoslavia stated in the so-called "Zara Declaration" that, based on investigations conducted up to that point, it was not possible to affirm that these were apparitions and supernatural phenomena.
Ping
That’s one thing I actually agree with him about. I’m suspicious, but not dismissive of Medjugorje.
But the thing that bothers me about this document (I haven’t read it thoroughly) is that there does not appear to be any status even approximating “approved.”
According to what I’ve seen and read, even the true second coming of Christ would get a nihil obstat, at best.
Oh...easy to ignore obvious signs of the preternatural (demonic) if you’ve decided that whether or not it’s divine in origin is no longer of any interest!
This means that the Vatican’s going to give it a quick Nihil Obstat/Imprimatur, when instead it should be either condemned or ignored indefinitely until people stop obsessing over it.
Medjugorje gamed the system.
It’s a complete fraud. Look at all the info that proves such.
It will be easier to allow all manner of ideologically driven “messages” if the local Ordinary is taken out of the loop. Just think of heterodox “visions” that will fester while The Vatican throws up their hands and declares Vox Populi.
Where are the interviews of the “seers”?
Yep. I’ve seen Catholic tours advertised with scheduled appearances by Our Lady months in advance. It’s nonsense. I wonder how much money this scam has taken in.
As a Catholic, I believe there are legitimate occasions where Mary has appeared to help and encourage us, even to warn us. This is not one of them. It has already been condemned by the local bishop. Some of the ‘messages’ are also very doubtful or even wrong. But the devotees of this thing react violently when questioned. They’ll have none of it. Best not to argue with them. They’re obsessed.
The progressive Vatican Curia wants to maintain control. Like the third Secret of Fatima;The Secret is Vatican II and the Apostasy that it projected to destroy The Church. Rome’s progressive Curia doesn’t want to admit what Vatican II has done so the Secret will never be revealed for years to come. 18,000 priests have left and it will get worse until Rome admits its mistakes and return to Christ’s teaching and the Traditional Church He Started.
Guess what happened in 1962. John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council.
I’ve been to Medjugorje. I left skeptical, but by that time the place had become more commercialized and built up. It was inevitable, I guess. It was just a tiny little village up in the hills.
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