Um, What are they doing in Medjugorje?

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It does sound a little like putting the cart before the horse. But then, maybe they just want to get a jump on planning just in case…
 
Looking at the track record in the last few decades of people or things ‘getting a jump’ on something, and how it usually plays out, this article doesn’t surprise me a whit.
 
I don’t understand. Are you thinking they are going to approve it as supernatural? Because, it seems that it is likely to go in the other direction. Archbishop Hozer has said-many times, as have others in authority-that his job there is purely pastoral, and that he is not being asked to investigate the visions, or speak to the visionaries. He’s there to provide pastoral care for pilgrims who go there. And are likely to keep arriving, no matter what is decided.

I don’t think that any decision will be announced soon. And, as long as the Pope believes that there is no proof of anything supernatural, he just has to do nothing, and the Zadar declaration of 1991 remains in effect. Which says that there is no supernatural happening taking place!
 
The Church sees a need to accommodate the pilgrims that travel and assemble there, but I don’t think that necessarily means the same thing as giving validation to an apparition. That’s all I really see going on in all of this. I personally no longer believe in Medjugorje and despite the previous declarations, people keep coming anyway. So the steady influx of pilgrims poses an issue – so at the very least I think it’s right for the Church to see to it that pilgrims are cared for and can receive the sacraments.
 
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Yes…I have a feeling that something went on very early in the apparitions. One of the girls had recently lost her mother, and, at the time, her family may not have had the time to give her much comfort. But, almost immediately, things got out of hand. There’s a lot more to the story, but it’s been posted in different threads. Maybe they’re going to make it a place of prayer? Recognize that people visit for spiritual reasons, without recognizing the apparitions as authentic.
 
Welp, Medjugorje is the forever debated topic of contention among Catholics. I would only say that many priests go there with some of their flock every year.

I see a huge number of people going to confession in Medjugorje, some who have not gone in decades.
 
If priests lead pilgrimages, they are being disobedient to the local bishop and the guidelines of the Zadar Declaration. People may visit privately, and priests can only go along in non-leadership positions.

But, some early ‘revelations’ made it look like it was all right to disobey the bishop, so, I guess such pilgrimages have continued.

I agree…it shouldn’t be made to look, officially, that pilgrimages are encouraged. But, it is true that no group of Christians should be left without pastoral care. It seems to be assumed that people will keep coming there…in spite of past warnings. Archbishop Hozer does seem sympathetic to those who believe in the visions. But, a word of caution…the vast majority of those who read these reports are reading them in translation. It has been pointed out that some translations have been a bit ‘twisted’…I can look up a link if people here want to see examples. But, this thread doesn’t seem to be getting that deep at the moment, and I don’t want to encourage promotion of the visions, or direct quotes from the visionaries. Such things can, and have, gotten other Medj threads closed down.
 
That may be true. But, if it is, it has only been authorized since Archbishop Hozer’s involvement.

There is a statement, attached, I believe, to the Zadar Declaration, that says that parishes and diocese may not sponsor pilgrimages. Also, no catholic is supposed to attend any event in which the truth or Papal approval of the visions are supposed.

Since Archbishop Hozer is there in a ‘purely pastoral’ capacity, I don’t know if he can make such a decision, alone.
 
Legend said:
If priests lead pilgrimages, they are being disobedient to the local bishop and the guidelines of the Zadar Declaration. People may visit privately, and priests can only go along in non-leadership positions.
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When I visited there in the nineties I know of at least one bishop visiting incognito as a priest.
 
There is a travel agency here that does religious pilgrimages. I went on one pilgrimage from the company to Fatima and no Priest accompanied us to even there. So, you have those kinds of companies as well.
 
Why incognito? A diocesan Bishop here in the street looks like one more priest: black trousers,gray shirt, black shoes ,black belt and the collar.
Unless I am missing something at a glance, that is it…
 
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Seriously, he was not wearing his pectoral cross? That is about the only thing that normally distinguishes a Bishop’s attire.
 
Probably not advertising the fact that he was a bishop in deference to the mixed messages about the apparition site. He was very engaged in hearing confessions and offering Mass and giving sermons.
 
Also, at times the local bishop is not popular. He refused to bless some meeting house or building that was built without his approval, and his pectoral cross got ripped from him in the ensuing disagreement!

It wasn’t easy for the local bishops, in the earlier days. I think that things have quieted down, for now. Can you imagine…a local bishop getting physically attacked in his own diocese? That was just too much, and I was pretty much turned away from these ‘apparitions’ since then…
 
When I was there in 1994 I picked up a little book called ’ The Truth about Medyugorje ’ by
Dr. Ljudevit Rupcic . Although I haven’t referred to it for awhile, what I remember was that
the local people had a high regard for the franciscans. They ( the franciscans ) remained with the people of M during WW2 while the diocesan clergy left the region for the duration.
I’ve just been reading on the internet about what was going on there during the war. Bad things were done to Serbs and Jews and Roma, and Catholics were involved.:::cry:
I now can see why many people cannot talk about it. I now understand why people have been bitter. Interesting that Mary would appear in such a flashpoint
 
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