Medjugorje: “But what a satanic deception! Our Lady really appears there. "

Mariologist Father Renè Laurentin defends Medjugorje: “But what a satanic deception! Our Lady really appears there. "

VATICAN CITY - Comparing opinions: the beauty of dialectics. In the columns of our newspaper, the authoritative Bishop and exorcist, Monsignor Andrea Gemma, severely flogged the phenomenon of Medjugorje calling it 'a great deception'. Par condicio requires you to hear a favorable opinion on the apparitions in that land. So we interviewed one of the most authoritative living mariologists, Father Renè Laurentin.

Father Laurentin, what does Monsignor Gemma answer?
“First of all, I pay him my warm greeting. Usually, to tell the truth, I don't like talking about Medjugorje, because I prefer to follow the Church's carefully chosen line of silence, but in this case I just can't agree with Monsignor Gemma. Of course, perhaps the number of apparitions of the Madonna is excessive, but I don't think we can speak of a satanic deception. On the other hand, the highest number of conversions to the Catholic faith occurs every year in Medjugorje: what would Satan gain from bringing so many souls back to God? Look, in situations like these, prudence is a must, but I am convinced that Medjugorje is the fruit of Good and not of Evil ".

Archbishop Gemma also spoke of imposing economic interests for the benefit of the visionaries and their collaborators ...
“Even this criticism does not seem too convincing to me. Do not forget that in the surroundings of each Sanctuary there are shops of religious articles, souvenirs, and wherever there is a Saint or a blessed to be venerated, hundreds of coaches flock and there are hotel structures to give hospitality to the pilgrims. According to the reasoning of Monsignor Gemma, should we say that Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe and San Giovanni Rotondo are also deceptions inspired by Satan to make someone rich? And then, I understand that even the Roman Opera Pilgrimages, directly connected to the Vatican, organizes trips to Medjugorje. So ... ".

Archbishop Gemma also said that the Catholic Church has denied the veracity of the apparitions by mouth of the two Bishops of Mostar that have followed over time.
“I'm sorry to disagree. Two local bishops count, yes, but relatively. At present, the Holy See has not denied the truthfulness of the apparitions, but with the caution that has always distinguished it, it has limited itself to suspending the judgment pending further investigations and insights ".

The Bishop-exorcist, who knows the Medjugorje case well, stressed that it was the current Pope Benedict XVI, when he was Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who prohibited pilgrimages organized by priests and religious to that place.
“Look, in the notes signed by the then Cardinal Ratzinger, no priest or religious is prevented from going to Medjugorje. The prohibition, if this can be defined, concerned the participation of Bishops in mass pilgrimages. "

You are very close to the positions of the Servant of God John Paul II, aren't you?
"I want to emphasize that the Polish Pope said: 'I am sorry to have to lead the Church here from the Vatican and not from Medjugorje'. This seems very significant to me. "