Pope doesn't believe in Medjugorje...

[brendan1104]

Medjugorje and Pope Benedict XVI
The Word From Rome

By JOHN L. ALLEN JR

[url="http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/word041406.htm#six"]http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/word041406.htm#six ://http://www.nationalcatholicreporter...041406.htm#six ://http://www.nationalcatholicreporter...041406.htm#six [/url]

The famed site of Medjugorje, where devotees believe the Virgin Mary has been appearing and offering revelations since 1981, falls within the territory of the diocese of Mostar-Duvno in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Almost from the beginning, there have been tensions between the Franciscans at Medjugorje, many of whom have embraced and supported popular belief in the apparitions, and the local bishops, who have generally been more skeptical.

Bishop Ratko Peric, 62, of Mostar-Duvno recently gave an interview to his diocesan newspaper, Crkva na kamenu, which means "The Church on the Rock," about a conversation he had with Pope Benedict XVI during his late February ad limina visit. Peric indicates that Benedict shares his skeptical stance.

The following is an excerpt:

Some newspapers have written that this Pope visited Medjugorje incognito while he was a cardinal and that he is preparing to recognize Medjugorje as a shrine, etc. Did you touch upon this topic?

We did, and I wrote to and spoke with the Holy Father on it. He only laughed surprisingly. Regarding the events of Medjugorje our position is well known: not a single proof exists that these events concern supernatural apparitions and revelations. Therefore from the church's perspective no pilgrimages are allowed which would attribute any authenticity to these alleged apparitions.

[b]The Holy Father told me: "We at the Congregation [for the Doctrine of the Faith] always asked ourselves, how can any believer accept as authentic apparitions that occur every day and for so many years? Are they still occurring every day?" [/b]

I responded: "Every day, Holy Father, to one of the [visionaries] in Boston, to another near Milan and still another in Krehin Gradac (Herzegovina), and everything is done under the protocol of 'apparitions of Medjugorje'. Up till now there have been about 35,000 'apparitions' and there is no end in sight!"

… The numerous absurd messages, insincerities, falsehoods and disobedience associated with the events and "apparitions" of Medjugorje from the very outset, all disprove any claims of authenticity. Much pressure has been made to force the recognition of the authenticity of private revelations, yet not through convincing arguments based upon the truth, but through the self-praise of personal conversions and by statements such as one "feels good". How can this ever be taken as proof of the authenticity of apparitions?

… Finally the Holy Father said: "We at the congregation felt that priests should be of service to those faithful who seek Confession and Holy Communion, leaving out the question of the authenticity of the apparitions."

Edited April 15, 2006 by brendan1104

[Tink]

[DemonSlayer]

For some reason I've always been skeptical about Medjugorje.

Edited April 15, 2006 by DemonSlayer

[Proud2BCatholic139]

I have read the books on Medjugorie. And, I don't think this apparition is fully confirmed by the Catholic Church.

Correct me if I am wrong.

[DemonSlayer]

It isn't, because it hasn't ceased.

[Myles Domini]

I've never understood why people get so concerned about apparitions, any apparations never mind Medjugore. I mean, for instance, Our Lady's apparitions at Lourdes and Fatima were beautiful things and with her healing pool Our Lady's prayers have wrought many miracles and comforted many sick souls. But in truth what she had to say wasn't different than what the Church has always taught so I've never understood 'do you believe in...?' questions.

Usually this Medjugore topic arouses much feeling around Phatmass and people can get very heated about whether or not you 'believe in' it--which I dont. I really dont understand why. Apparitions are not like dogma's of the faith it is not as though belief in Medjugore can be compared to belief in the eternal Trinity or the sacrificial nature of the Holy Mass. Indeed, no doubt in believing in the teaching of Holy Mother Church covers anything a genuine apparition would have to tell you. Normally the message of apparitions are no different than the message of the saints and doctors of the Church: pray, pray, pray, love the Mass.

Don't get me wrong I dont disbelief apparitions and if I had been at Fatima when the Sun spun or at Lourdes for a healing miracle I'm pretty sure my heart would've leapt from my chest. Still, what I dont understand is the emotive reaction one often encounters when one shows reticence towards an unconfirmed apparition or lack of overt emotional feeling towards a confirmed one (and there are many of those). The fact of the matter is that if we were actually doing the things the Church tells us apparitions wouldn't even happen.

[OLAM Dad]

Myles, I share your skepticism. All apparitions should be approached with caution.
[quote name='Myles' date='Apr 15 2006, 02:06 AM']The fact of the matter is that if we were actually doing the things the Church tells us apparitions wouldn't even happen.
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Nevertheless, we are not doing the things the Church tells us we should, apparitions do seem to be occuring, and at a minimum we should be paying attention.

[heyyoimjohnny]

My grandmother holds Medjugorje Rosary prayer meetings with some people at the parish the next town over, and it means a lot to them. There's a lot of grace imparted. So while it may not be approved, I see fruit, and I'm not going to worry about it too much.

[Myles Domini]

[quote name='OLAM Dad' date='Apr 15 2006, 10:28 AM']Myles, I share your skepticism.  All apparitions should be approached with caution.

Nevertheless, we are not doing the things the Church tells us we should, apparitions do seem to be occuring, and at a minimum we should be paying attention.
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You would agree however that if you are paying attention to the encyclicals of the Pontiff and the time honoured traditions of the Church that even if you've never heard of some of these apparitions they wont have anything new to say to you, nai?

[God the Father]

I bet he also doesn't believe in Santa Claus.

[God Conquers]

Not this debate again!

[goldbug16]

you guys...

[Luthien]

Its not a debate.

[Tindomiel]

I honestly don't have much of an opinoin one way or the other about it. Even the apparitions that the Chuch declares "worthy of belief" aren't things that a Catholic [i]must[/i] believe in. So I think that Medjugorje should remain a fairly neutral topic.

[Tink]

[color=purple]I believe in it wholeheartedly. I've had two friends visit there, both of whom came back utterly stunned. One witnessed somewhat of a miracle, the other has video of one of visionaries during the alleged apparition. [/color]