Medjugorje and the Church: some bishops write the truth about the apparitions

On the 16th anniversary, the bishops Franic 'and Hnilica, together with the responsible fathers of Medjugorje, sent a testimony on the events, in a long, calm and firm letter, which we summarize for reasons of space. It acknowledges that "the spiritual movement of Medjugorje is one of the largest and most authentic spiritual movements of this twentieth century, involving faithful, clergy, religious and bishops, who testify to the many spiritual benefits that have come to the Church ... Tens of millions of pilgrims have come to Medjugorje in these 16 years. Thousands of priests and hundreds of bishops were able to testify above all through confessions and celebrations, that people here convert and that conversions are lasting ... Those who experience the presence of Mary and her special grace are not counted, and neither personal stories of spiritual and corporal healings and vocations to a consecrated life ... "The Archbishop of Split, Msgr. Franic ', has not doubted to affirm in his time that "the Queen of Peace has done more in 4 years of apparitions than all of us bishops in 40 years of pastoral care in our dioceses".

Thus, from the messages of the Queen of Peace, prayer groups were born everywhere, which are a living and active presence in the Church. This is also witnessed by the gigantic amount of aid sent from all over the world, by them, as no other organization has done, to support the populations of the former Yugoslavia devastated by the war. The letter then dwells on the negative judgments and on the ambiguous statements disseminated by the press, which let us believe in a negative judgment by the Church and in a ban on pilgrimages [the Church certainly cannot say a definitive word as long as the apparitions are underway] . And he reports the cut statement by the official Vatican spokesman Navarro Valls (August 1996), in which he reiterated: “1. Regarding Medjugorje, no new facts have occurred since the last declaration of the bishops of the former Yugoslavia on 11 April '91. 2. Everyone can organize private pilgrimages to go to that place of prayer ”.

The letter then examines the recent world affairs, in particular of Russia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the light of the latest Marian messages, recognizing Mary's loving intervention. Ten years before the war she had come to Medjugorje crying and shouting: "Peace, peace, peace, reconcile yourselves" to call her children to conversion, in order to avoid catastrophe. The same happened in Kibeho. She then preserved her small oasis of peace in Herzegovina from destruction. And his task is not finished: through the messages and the grace of his children he wants to bring peace to the lands torn by ethnic hatreds and the conversion to all men so that they have true peace. The letter continues by recalling the favorable judgments on Medjugorje given by the Pope, albeit privately, in many circumstances. He expressed them above all to bishops, to priests, to groups of faithful who asked for his opinion on the pilgrimage to Medjugorje. "Medjugorje is the continuation of Fatima," he said several times. "The world is losing the supernatural, people find it in Medjugorje through prayer, fasting and the sacraments" he said before the medical commission of the Arpa association, which reported on the scientific results of the examination of the visionaries, all positive. "Protect Medjugorje" said the Pope to Fr. Jozo Zovko, the Franciscan parish priest of Medjugorje at the time of the apparitions; and at the Shrine of Medjugorje he repeatedly expressed his desire to go himself, as the Croatian President recently testified. “The spiritual movement of Medjugorje was born to remain faithful to the urgent appeal of the Queen of Peace: Pray, pray, pray. Our Lady led the faithful to adore Jesus in the Eucharist and to draw from him the light of the Spirit to understand and live the Word of God, to know how to love, forgive and find peace ... She does not ask us for big plans, but for things simple and essential for Christian living, often forgotten today: the Eucharist, the Word of God, the monthly Confession, the daily Rosary, fasting…

We should not be surprised if Satan tries many ways to destroy the fruits of Medjugorje, nor fear the contrary voices ... It is not the first time that there are conflicting opinions in the Church around supernatural interventions, but we trust the discernment of the Supreme Pastor "...

“Let us unite our hearts to the immaculate Heart of Mary: her times are announced in Fatima; these are the times of the universal Totus Tuus which, through the pontificate of John Paul II, is spreading throughout the Church, but which today finds such strong resistance "..." To the dark force of evil, Mary asks us to respond with peaceful weapons of prayer, of fasting, of charity: it points to us Christ, it leads us to Christ. Let us not disappoint the expectations of his Motherly Heart "(John P. II, 7 March '93) ...

The letter is signed by Monsignor Frane Franic ', Mons. Paul M. Hnilica, fra Tomislav Pervan (Superior of the Franciscans of Herzegovina), fra Ivan Landeka (parish priest of Medjugorje), fra Iozo Zovko, fra Slavko Barbaric', fra Leonard Orec '. Medjugorje, June 25, 1997.

P. Slavko: Why isn't there an official recognition yet? - “… The controversies with the Bishop of Mostar have not yet been quashed: this is the conflict that has lasted for thirty years over the division of the parishes of the diocese, many of which he would like them to be ceded by the Franciscans to the secular clergy. And this is also the reason why Medjugorje is not yet recognized by the official Church. It is not the Vatican that opposes it, but the individuals who want to damage everything ... The Bishop insists that we manipulate people when they oppose the passage of parishes to the secular clergy and that we would undoubtedly do the same thing with Medjugorje as well. Sometimes I think it would have been easier if Our Lady had not appeared in a country where there is this conflict ... But I am deeply convinced that the truth will come in the light of the sun ... (From Medjugorje invitation to prayer, 2nd tr. ' 97, p.8-9)