It seems that the Medjugorje Apparitions are true because the cult following of said events have grown very much through the years as proof that “by their fruits ye shall know them.”
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Pharisee:
As far as I can see, the Apparitions in Medjugorje had brought forth abundant positive results not only to the church community but to the catholic faithful as well since the church there have so many pilgrims visiting from different countries from all over the world. The Church of St. James, the Greater had a need for an outside altar to accommodate the global visitors. If the apparitions were indeed untrue, how could it possibly stand the many negative decisions made against them and the test of time?
The church community in this village in the municipality of Citluk in Herzegovina-Neretva would have not grown so fast if it is not the fruition of something mandated by heaven. Likewise, as the Queen of Peace (Krajika Mira) had appeared here there is now relative peace being experienced by the people of the place after the war.
Saducee:
It is sad to see that material growth is becoming a measure of spiritual growth particularly in Medjugorje. Not because a place becomes very progressive in terms of material growth would mean that it is already spiritually-rich as blessed by heaven. For instance, if one is to talk about Christianity, it wouldn’t be acceptable for Christians to designate Moscow or Mecca to be heavenly blessed since Christ is not recognized therein as God. The remarkable growth of pilgrims though obviously “spiritual” may not also be questionable because media publicity and church support may be very influential in its wake. One must also notice that the state tolerated this growth for obvious economic reasons departing from its once anti-religious stance.
The seers themselves have dispersed well (marrying with foreigners) into the world carrying the promise of more secrets to be told in the future which would definitely “intrigue” a lot of curious people. Doctrinally, too, the apparitions are not exclusive for only Catholics to benefit, but its extreme ecumenical message that seem to say, that all religions are alike before God, is very attractive.
The interplay of infrastructures accessible to the faithful as well as a culture which enhances commercial growth make Medjugorje a stand-out for pilgrimage destinations. The amenities like the presence of hotels and other comfortable accommodations available and comfortable transport services all make up to ensure the pilgrim’s comfort. There are also other sites which are also of interest like the picturesque Kravica waterfall, the hill apparition site and Mt. Krizevac which is actually unrelated to the apparitions. In 1933, Pius XI asked all Catholic nations to put up crosses on the top of their most significant mountains and Mt. Sipovac was chosen so as to put up the cross. After the cross was put up, Mt. Sipovac was renamed Mt. Krizevac or mountain of the cross. There are also many shops for souvenirs especially the unique Medjugorje Peace rosary chaplet which is very much shorter than the regular holy rosary. The name of the village itself manifests already the beauty of the place as it means in between mountains.
Imperial Roman:
The fact that since 1981, three pontificates seem not to have challenged the pilgrimages to the site seem that the apparitions are supported by the Church. However, the attitudes of the pontiff seem to be that the Church’s commission to pass judgement on such matters suffice.
Therefore, starting from the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith and with its new name, Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith, there had been no change in the findings since the first commission in 1984 which recommended there was no proof of supernatural intervention and a negative decision to the 2010 commission headed by Camilo Cardinal Ruini.
As a Roman, I wish to convey what the Popes’ positions are. In the case of John Paul II, he is attributed to be sympathetic. He is quoted as saying that that if he were not only Pope he would have visited Medjugorje long ago. David Kilnuk reported that he told one the seers attending his General Audience in 1987; ”Please ask the pilgrims to help pray for my intentions… I have followed the messages from the very start. Take good care of Medjugorje, Mirjana. Medjugorje is the hope of the entire world. If I were not pope, I could have gone to Medjugorje a long time ago.” Bishop Stanislaw Jan Dziwiz doubted this as he was present during that audience and did not see any seer invited by the pope. He was also quoted by Antonio Gaspari as saying “All around Medjugorje the bombs have been falling and yet Medjugorje itself is not damaged. Is this not perhaps, a miracle of God? But Benedict XVI, who as cardinal was tasked to head the Congregation for the Doctrine Faith, dismissed such quotes as frei erfunden or mere fabrications.
Bishop Ratko Peric quoted him when he said, “We at the congregation asked ourselves how can a believer accept as authentic apparitions that occur every day and for so many years.”
For his part, Pope Francis said “I prefer the Madonna as a Mother and not as head of a telegraphic phone office who sends a message every day.” Referring to the daily messages given to the seers running through the years. At present however, he had assigned an apostolic visitor, Archbishop Henrik Hoser, to oversee the needs of the pilgrims there for as long as no supernatural claim is believed by the visitors as guided by mentally-sound priests.
Zealot:
But we, in the brotherhood are more concerned with the teaching of the “doctrines” imparted in Medjugorje. Early on, Tomislav Vlasic had the gall to take responsibility of declaring the Franciscan priests expelled from the diocese as not “guilty of anything” so as not to have the children meet opposition from church authorities. If the spiritual father of the seers can do something like this to have the children scolded by her later for being untrue, then, the from the very start of the apparitions are obviously already tainted. The manipulation is also detected in a corresponding diary which showed additions to the original scripts. The priest Vlasic would later show his true colors by starting the Queen of Peace new age movement wherein he asked for the support of one of the seers who was manipulated, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, who also supported a heretical book, but later disagreed with him. He would later be excommunicated because of his sex offenses and false teachings. He would later worsen into being founder of a schismatic new age church. Another adversarial Franciscan which the seers supported, Ivica Vego, impregnated a nun by the name of Sister Leopoldine.
But to simplify our concerns, here is a list of severe factors; 1) the real motive of Mirjana and Ivanka’s going up apparition hill was to smoke the ones they pilfered from their fathers and to listen to rock music, 2) the lady’s message to Vicka was that Vego was innocent although he was expelled by the pope’s authority, 3) Vicka lied that she doesn’t have a diary and Vlasic even swore she has none but Rene Laurentin proved otherwise because he had it in his possession, 4) Vicka lied that Our Lady would like a 100-bed hotel in Medjugorje which Fr. Slavko Barbaric couldn’t think can be done by Our Lady as she only stayed in a stable and wouldn’t be interested in real estate, 5) Ivan lied about the sign promised twice, first saying he had not written anything and then saying another thing which is not the Gospa’s sign. Vlasic failed to instruct him for he was in the seminary, 6) Marija lied when she said that Vlasic’s new age movement was God’s plan and later said it did not correspond to the truth, 7) the apparitions supported the Franciscan disobedience to Rome concerning diocesan reforms, 8) Church in Caplijina was bricked shut and an illegal bishop sympathizer was brought in instead, 9) Our Lady is said to have told the seers she will appear for the last time after three days on June 30, 1981 (therefore, July 3, is the last day) but she kept on coming for more than two decades already. Who came after July 3, 1981?, 10) Vicka asked the Lady about what happened when a man allowed people in his car. They were told that the passenger with a bloody head was Jesus and He asked that the bloodied handkerchief be thrown into the river. Later, a woman stopped the car and asked for the bloody handkerchief but the man, good-naturedly, offered his own handkerchief. The woman supposed to be Our Lady, demanded for the bloodied one and when he obliged and was told, “If you hadn’t given it to me, it would have been the last judgment for everyone.” Apparently, the visionaries are capable of lying and the lady appearing to them are on the side of abusive priests, four of which, close to the seers, were excommunicated who were weak in character and lacked the spiritual foundation. Vlasic himself exemplified also the latter as he gathered a great number of people to celebrate the Virgin’s birthday on August 5!
But the grave ones are the doctrines. Here, we will just focus on one and that is on the consideration of the true church. Discerning the true church is difficult, as only one church can really be true, the one founded by Jesus Christ since it is the only Church which offers real salvation. Let is consider the following;
God presides over all religions as a King controls his subjects, through his priests and ministers. _ Svetozar Kraljevic, OFM, negative critic of his own bishop.
The Madonna always stresses that there is One God and men have enforced unnatural separation. One cannot truly believe he is a good Christian if he does not respect other religions as well._ Ivanka Ivankovic, Medjugorje seer.
The Blessed Mother has said: tell everyone that if you are divided on earth; the Moslems and the Orthodox, for the same reason as Catholics are equal before my Son and me. _ the alleged Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Madonna said that religions are separated on earth, but people and all religions are accepted by her Son._ Ivanka Ivankovic, Medjugorje seer.
Obviously, the teaching here is that in whatever religion one is in, he is acceptable to God and religion is not a factor in salvation. Now, let us compare that to Catholic doctrine.
By heart we believe and by mouth we confess the one Church not by heretics, but the Holy Roman, Catholic and Apostolic church outside which, we believe, no one is saved._ Pope Innocent III, ex cathedra.
We declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman pontiff. _Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam, 1302.
The Roman Catholic church firmly believes, professes and preaches, that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church can have eternal life.
So important is the unity of this ecclesial body that only those who remains in this unity can profit by the church unto salvation.
No one, let his almsgiving be great as it may; no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ, can be saved unless he remain in the bosom of unity with the Catholic Church._ Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Domine, 1441.
Obviously, there is a conflict of teaching here, which one is then the heresy?
Let us consider the scriptures:
That they may be one, in thee, as Thou, Father art in me, and I’m in Thee, they may also be one in Us in that the world my believe that Thou has sent Me.
-John 7:21
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, there is one body and one spirit even as you are called in one hope of your calling, One Lord, One Father, one faith, one baptism.
-Ephesians 4:3-5
The Church clearly teaches then, oneness or unity and no separation. In the beginning of the apparitions in Medjugorje, we already noted chaotic lack of unity which is mandated by the God of order. It made us review even the intentions, i.e. why Mirjana and Ivanka were on apparition hill, and why the Virgin Mary would appear to teeners stealing their fathers’ cigarettes and are bent on hearing rock music. Why was Our Lady taking the side of a radical Franciscan who opposed his bishop over diocesan assignments? What would be the intention of Vlasic and Vicka to lie about the latter’s diary if not to alter things before presenting them to Fr. Laurentin? Did Fr. Laurentin make up the Pehar story to cover-up Vlasic’s impregnation of a nun. How malicious of Vicka to involve even Our Lady in a real estate deal making Fr. Barbaric dismayed? Why would a confused seminarian still make up a story about a sign which he couldn’t define? How could a seer trusted by the Virgin Mary endorse a new age movement as “God’s plan”? How could Our Lady oppose diocesan reforms which were in accordance with the Pope’s approval? So as to brickshut a church and do violence on a prelate? Who came after the Lady had stated she wasn’t coming anymore? Why would Jesus, our Judge, pass judgment on us over a hanky, and why would Our Lady consider judging with Him? What is the Lord’s real intention in riding a car just to tell the driver to toss a bloody kerchief into the river? This is truly a chaotic lot sowing divisiveness and not unity and thus, couldn’t be something from heaven.
For the brothers’ last consideration, let us go back in time when a certain Frenchman, Jean Louise made a surprise test on Vicka while supposed to be in ecstasy on January 14, 1985. He made a V-sign with his fingers and pretended to strike Vicka’s eyes and she moved her head back. Trying to explain herself as publicized in June, she said,” I did not see Jean Louise, nor his hand. I saw the Virgin, she had the Child Jesus in her arms. At a certain moment, the Child slipped and I simply made a move to stop Him from falling. That’s all.”
Why, Vicka Ivanovic really had the gall to do things! To cover up her pretension of ecstasy she can use the Mother of God and even her Son! She could even take the Virgin Mother risk being taken for a neglectful mother so she can continue her deception. This even prompted a Medjugorje diehard to opine that since Mary is not God, she has the propensity to make mistakes such as let her baby fall during an important event when she is before scrutinizing visitors.
Simon Fe Dolor
Rodrigo Diaz
Platito Toorinkaya
