My understanding is that the Church has not made a final ruling on Medjugorje and this means that Catholics are free to form their own opinion. The Church has always been careful about declaring miracles and such, so it shouldn’t be held against Medjugorje that the Church hasn’t recognized it yet
JGheen … this isn’t personal. I’m just going to pick on you … a little bit … as an example.
**This response is typical of those who believe in Medjugorje because the promoters of Medugorje are not telling the public the whole truth on the official Medjugorie site(s). **
The promoters have a very slick, very official-looking website which is so well-done that they even have concordance of the Medjugorje messages. They also have a “Frequently Asked Questions” section that is very well-worded, to make inquirers believe that the official ruling has not yet been made. This is a lie. They also downplay the authority of the local Bishop and state that the final ruling from Rome has not yet been made, when in actuality, the
Supreme Authority over the apparitions is the local bishop, who is, at present Bishop Ratko Peric. He has already made the final ruling, last updated in 2004 on the Diocese’s Official website.
I’ve read through all the Bishops’ documents and several things stood out as red flags:
1). One of the Bishops absolutely** forbade** in very stern and clear language
anyone from saying Our Lady appears in Medjugorie and delivers messages. This has not been revoked. It is still in effect.
2) Some of the Franciscans who are spiritual advisors to the “visionaires” of Medjugorie have been barred from practicing priestly duties in the region. This means the confessions they hear are invalid. So … you may have seen long confession lines, but how do you know the priests hearing confessions have authority from the Bishop to forgive sins? Holy Orders gives priests powers, but there is a stipulation regarding the Sacrament of Reconcilliation: that is, that the power to forgive sins lies with the Bishop, and that power is handed down to those under the authority of a Bishop. If a priest has been barred by a bishop from practicing priestly duties then the Confessions he hears are invalid, as he has no authority to absolve sins.
3) Official pilgramages have been banned. Private devotions are the only thing that is allowed.
4) Publication of materials promoting the messages of the purported apparition, by virtue of Number 1, is also forbidden.
5) There has been longstanding, established and repeated disobedience of the laity, the visionaires, and the Franciscan priests in the parish at Medjugorje.
A LOT of Catholics don’t understand the power that a Bishop has. He receives His priestly powers DIRECTLY from God. Also, a Bishop is not actually subordinate to the Pope. A Bishop IS, however, subordinate to teachings from the Pope IN UNION with the other Bishops of the Church. The Pope combined with his Bishops is called “Magesterium.” Bishops are bound to obey the Magesterium under pain of excommunication. So are we all. So a local bishop, actually, has a LOT more power that people think they do. The promoters downplay of Bishop Perics statements are nothing more than disobeying God Himself. (By the way, if anyone can clarify this more clearly, or if I’m in error, please correct me).
The ruling of the MAGESTERIUM was, in the case of Medjugorje, in three separate Commissions: Non-Constate Supernaturalitate. In apparitions that have this ruling, dissenination of materials or statements from said apparition is forbidden.
Yet, despite three Commissions IN UNION WITH THE VATICAN people still persist in their devotion to the events in Medjugorje. The reason is, again, as I’ve stated earlier, the disobedient priests and laity promoting this apparition have gotten RICH from the purported apparitions and therefore have the money to promote the site with very slick graphics and well-written refutation of the Church’s findings.
The ONLY thing that would override any of the present findings is if the POPE made a statement that the Apparitions are approved. See, the Pope CAN override a local bishop if the issue affects the whole church. Such a statement must be published officially (that is statements found in previous Pope’s diaries don’t count. Pope John Paul II COULD HAVE overode the earlier church commissions in Medjugorje by making an official statement … in a homily … or in an official Papal letter. The key here is that he didn’t). The only hope, now, is Pope Benedict XVI, and it is my opinion that the current Holy Father will NEVER override the findings of three church commissions, nor the rulings of the local bishops in the case of Medjugorje. Our German Shepherd is NOT likely to change his mind.