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Articles by Wayne Weible In Remembrance of the 25th Anniversary Of the Events in Medjugorje For the past twenty-five years, Medjugorje has been an actuality on the world scene. Today, it has its zealous advocates; however, it also has its fierce opponents. Opposing front lines in the battle are not likely to sue for peace any time soon. Advocates are tireless in their visits to Medjugorje all the while believing the authentic voice of Heaven is the starting point, namely, the appearance of the Gospa-Our Lady. Meanwhile, the opponents are fierce in their opposition and seek out elements of contention surrounding the entire set of events. In the meantime, the ever-increasing daily flow of pilgrims to this place does not allow us to be indifferent. Facts and numbers speak for themselves. The number of pilgrims is ever increasing. They come from all corners of the earth, are of all colors of skin, and from all nations and nationalities. While other places of pilgrimage mark a decrease in pilgrims and pilgrimages despite being advertised widely, the number of pilgrims and faithful of all languages and locales constantly increases. As a phenomenon, Medjugorje does not have an active propaganda machine: individuals spread its fame by word-of-mouth, witness, and personal experience. On the one hand, the priests who work in Medjugorje feel they are over-burdened in their daily work and that they are stretched to their physical limits. They are faced with innumerable calls for personal counseling, endless confessions, and constant evangelization. On the other hand, they are also faced with the suspicion that they are teetering at the edge of heterodoxy. The constant criticism is hurled at them that they are fostering something that is contrary to the Church, namely, the non-existent apparitions and the like. We, on the other hand, cannot fail to speak, fail to give witness about that which we have heard or seen, or that which we experience daily by way of our senses. (Cf. Acts 4:20) Hence, we invite all to come and see. So many bishops and priests had their doubts; however, after many hours of hearing confessions, they changed their minds and the doubts vanished. The voice of conscience forces upon us the obligation to be of assistance to those who are in misery and who come here. We wish to be in harmony with the Church to the very end, and not to sin against the Church's teachings or practice. Meanwhile, the accusations and reproaches hurt. Quite frequently, questions are raised that ask: What need did we have of all of this? Were we not able to be as every other parish, that is, carry out the well-entrenched pastoral patterns within the usual norms of the Church and Gospels? Who was it that cooked this stew, such that, to this very day, the river of pilgrims has not dried up, but, to the contrary, continues to grow greater and more dynamic? For this reason, and as a friend and participant of these events from their beginnings in 1981, I give consideration to what must be done to change the present situations to escape the entrenched position of persistent denial, constant disputation, or, in fact, indifference and silence on the part of the Church's media all of this while the flow of thousands of pilgrims to this place continues. It is obvious that all the denials, disputations, and silence find no acceptance on the part of the faithful. Meanwhile, Church circles continue to be deaf, and the prohibition against this activity on the part the faithful persists on the part of the media. It is the inner voice of conscience and the experience of faith that motivate the faithful. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit Himself is the initiator of all these events. I am further convinced that, after twenty-five years have passed, the principle of the locus theologicus (the theological position), according to the notion of the sensus fidelium (understanding on the part of the faithful) and the consensus fidelium (unanimity of the faithful), applies as offered for acceptance by the documents of Vatican II and post-Vatican II, and by statements of Popes following the Council. Things we read about in the Acts of the Apostles are happening here. I am convinced that the Church is being gathered in this place from the four winds and every corner of the earth into the one Kingdom as what took place in Jerusalem at Pentecost. In this place, we find mirrored the universal-"Catholic" Church in miniature. It is in this sense that I believe the instruction of the Congregation for the Faith entitled, The Criteria for Judging and Differentiating Revelations and Apparitions, dated the 27th of February, 1978, and signed by the then Prefect, Cardinal Franjo Seper, should serve as the vade mecum (that is, the constant companion, the manual) when considering, passing judgment upon, and making decisions about Medjugorje and the Medjugorje phenomenon. The text has lost nothing of its immediacy and value to this very day. It can be fully applied to the events of Medjugorje with all its implications. It can examine the events of Medjugorje from the positive or negative side with all the arguments presented pro and con. The Congregation for the Faith in its instructions reduces to three levels, or degrees, the norms that relate to reactions to alleged apparitions. The seers must be examined to determine if, perhaps, it is a question of self-styled visions. Then, all the messages must be gathered and examined and viewed from the point of view of the degree of education of the seers. The mental and physical state of the seers must be examined thoroughly, as well as their moral integrity. All that is explainable from the purely human point of view must be taken into consideration; however, by the same token, all that cannot be explained in purely human terms and with the aid of the most contemporary psychological or physical sciences, and which, in the end, has no cause within human power, must also be taken into consideration. Following the first phase, if the matter has not died on its own, has not come to a halt or fallen into oblivion, the principle ad experimentum (for the purpose of experiment) comes into play. At the same time, of course, it must be emphasized that the employment of this principle in no way suggests or recognizes the authenticity of the alleged apparitions. It simply channels events to proper and healthy Church routine: practices regarding prayer, devotions, the sacraments, constant spiritual growth and holiness. When an appropriate period of the ad experimentum phase has elapsed, and in the light of experiences, especially after a close examination of the spiritual fruits occasioned by the alleged apparitions, and of the devotional practices surrounding them, a competent judgment of the events must be given if circumstances demand it. As regards the first point, everything can be reduced to a simple conclusion: To the present day, in the entire history of the Church, no Marian apparitions were so intensively and extensively investigated (from 1984-2005) on the part of numerous and independent qualified, international experts in the fields of medicine and psychology, or whose investigations and their results were found to correspond to and compliment each other. All of the experts concluded that the subjects investigated were found to be spiritually, psychologically, and physically healthy individuals. They were found not to be hallucinating, subject to confabulation, (auto) suggestion, hysteria, hypnotic or other loss of consciousness, deceit, suggestion or exterior inducement of any sort. Hence, it is irresponsible to publicly proclaim them to be liars or inventors of false visions and messages. Many experts from the fields of medicine, psychology, and parapsychology have occupied themselves with the Medjugorje seers. They failed to uncover any sort of pathological deviation from the norm in their lives. The scientific experts are capable of reaching the full limit of their tests. However, once they have arrived at that limit, their ability to explain ceases. They are able to discern what does or does not pertain to medicine and pathology and what must be excluded from a medico-psychological perspective. The experts have done so and have left behind a record of their findings. Because of that, and because of intellectual honesty, we, who have regard for the truth, must take their investigations and judgments as to the phenomena of Medjugorje into serious account. The convergent proofs in favor of the authenticity of the Medjugorje phenomenon are perceptible when one takes into consideration the theological, sociological and scientific experiments carried out upon the seers by French, Italian, and Austrian teams of experts from 1984 through 2005. According to the theologian and Mariologist, R. Laurentin, who has published works of capital value (17 books) on Lourdes, and has thoroughly investigated the apparitions in Medjugorje, the latter give evidence of being more powerful as regards the proof of their authenticity than those in Lourdes, to which the Church gave its formal approval. According to the teaching of St. Ignatius on discernment of spirits, the causes of those or similar manifestations can be determined to be purely human, divine, or demonic. Effects must always be judged by their cause. In all that took place in Medjugorje, one must ask what the cause was, or where the causal beginnings had their roots. If we take into consideration the first days of the events that took place in Bijakovici in June and July of 1981, the experts who thoroughly examined the seers concluded that the seers had some sort of fundamental and key experience, some initial encounter that put them into the center of something that they could not begin to imagine or foresee, something against their will or inclinations, something they were scarcely able to predict. Science as such can neither confirm nor deny whether the Gospa is, or is not, appearing, (just as it would not have been able to utilize scientific instruments to register the resurrection of Christ were they to have been present alongside the Roman guards at the tomb of Jesus). All that science can say after twenty-five years is that the seers are physically and psychologically healthy, and that the seers had a deep-seated and far-reaching experience which continues to affect them to this very day, one that it is impossible to deduce from their biographies. All of that is, for the visionaries, a holy treasure. For that reason one must exclude a purely human cause, and, by the same token, one that is demonic, inasmuch as the Devil is unable to yield good fruit that is constant and so long lasting. Since twenty-five years have elapsed, a review sine ira et studio (without rancor and [with] diligent attention) would be expedient, both in the local Church and the Church at large, as to the fruits which have been given and continue to be given through Mary's apparitions beyond all ideological suppositions and prejudices. When observed from the purely statistical point of view as a whole, close to some fifty thousand priest have passed through Medjugorje, hundreds of bishops, cardinals, and millions upon millions of the faithful. The Una Sancta et Catholica (the One Holy and Catholic [Church]) in miniature comes to pass here every day. Were there something to be found heretical, schismatic, or contrary to Church teaching, the Church would be obliged to undertake measures against such abuse. That has not resulted up to the present. Therefore, a fifteen-year ad experimentum period since the Zadar Pronouncement in 1991 is a sufficient amount of time so as to allow concluding that no straying from official Church teaching and practice is taking place in Medjugorje. The Liturgy and devotions celebrated there are fully Christological, Marian, Eucharistic, sacramental, and in full harmony with Church regulations. It cannot be asserted that the particular fruits of Medjugorje are those of intensive prayer and administration of the sacraments. To do so would be to create a circulus vitiosus (vicious circle): there are other places in the world where prayer and the sacraments are a fixed practice; however, what is lacking there are the efficacious effects that we note as attributable to Medjugorje. It is clear that prayer and the sacraments bear copious fruits for the entire Church throughout the world; however, from where and why do so many people come precisely to Medjugorje? Why do they come to this remote place where they have a concrete experience of God and grace, are converted, learn to pray, and subsequently carry the fruits of Medjugorje to their homes, give witness to what they have experienced, and become missionaries? It simply is not possible to separate the assertions of the seers regarding the apparitions from the fruits of the apparitions which we see in the Church. The consensus fidei et fidelium can be seen by the fact that all levels of God's people, all classes in society and the Church, all peoples, and all races are represented in Medjugorje, and by the fact that Church life is sustained by all of this in the form of witness, divine worship, sincere service, charity, (martyria, liturgia, et diakonia), and, by the fact that all grow in holiness. Medjugorje is a world-wide phenomenon. Its fruits can be seen in all parts of the world. In essence, Medjugorje is a laymen's movement, a movement of faithful laymen, laden with spirituality, devotion, and sincerity toward the Lord and our Lady. The seers themselves are ordinary lay people and, as such, are able more readily to touch the hearts of plain folks who easily identify with them. Medjugorje is a peace and pilgrimage movement inasmuch as people come here for the sake of inner peace. It is also a renewal movement within the Church-Ecclesia semper reformanda (the Church ever to be renewed), as well as a humanitarian movement, inasmuch as it has accomplished tremendous charitable and Samaritan works throughout the world (a point made by the present Pope in his encyclical on the God of Love). Lumen Gentium (The Vatican II Document: Light of the Nations) clearly states: "Be they most illustrious, be they simple and more widespread, Charisms are useful and are especially suited to the needs of the Church and must be received with gratitude and consolidation." (LG 12:2) Meanwhile, Apostolicam Actuositatem (Apostolic Activity) states even more explicitly: "The receipt of Charisms, even those that are humble, give rise to the right and duty for each of the faithful to make use of them in the Church and in the world and for the good of mankind and the growth of the Church in the freedom of the Holy Ghost." (AA 3:3). After the past quarter of a century, it can be asserted that Medjugorje is about a prophetic Charism-a prophetic revelation that calls for repentance. These Charisms are able to be found in all similar phenomena within the Church. Prophetic revelations and apparitions are about an imperative under the impetus of the Holy Spirit as to how one is to behave here and now, and what it is that the People of God must do in a specific situation. Accordingly, the Church must not relate to such phenomena indifferently. She is duty-bound to investigate such an imperative with openness and, congruently, to act if she recognizes the Will of God in the said phenomenon. It is obvious that the Ecclesia orans (the praying Church) has recognized God's Will and Mary's presence in this instance, of which our dearly departed Pope spoke in his homily in Zadar (!) three years prior, on the feast of Mary, the Mother of the Church (Pentecost Monday, 2003). On that occasion, the Pope specifically mentioned the above cited sensus fidei fidelium (the understanding of faith of the faithful). If, as is the case with ordinary beatifications and canonizations, the process begins with the local Church, and, after an appropriate interval of time, investigation, and conclusions based on the materials offered in favor of beatification or canonization, the matter is transferred to Rome, I think that would be appropriate in this case. After all has been investigated at the local level, the entire case of the Medjugorje phenomenon should be transferred to the appropriate Roman dicastery, especially in light of the fact that it has outgrown the local Church's boundaries and has become widespread so as to encompass the entire Church. The countless prayer groups throughout the entire world have come into existence because of the events in Medjugorje. They carry the mark of authenticity and veracity. The entire phenomenon is caught-up in the very being of the Church and, as such, carries more weight than does a beatification of one of God's chosen ones. If, as is the case for beatification, the People of God are asked their approval, why shouldn't we do so in this case as well, especially in light of Mary's efficacious presence in specific places (John Paul II, in Zadar!), and in light of the personal experiences and miracles that individuals experienced precisely here in Medjugorje? Throughout the entire history of Salvation, God has established communication with his creatures through apparitions. This form of communication is especially suitable for man's physico-spiritual structure: it immerses man's senses, especially his sight and hearing. The Medjugorje phenomenon can be explained in this manner or that manner; however, intellectual honesty demands that the entire affair engage us in light of revelation, mysticism, supernatural experiences and so many other similar experiences in other cases, and, for that matter, in other faiths. If God has truly spoken throughout history, why should we be exempted from such a manner of communication wherein the Holy Ghost makes use of apparitions for the sake of the many needs of the contemporary world? The greater the misery in the world, so much the greater is the need for God's voice and communication. Hence, we might well conclude as did Paul: Do not extinguish the spirit. Do not disdain prophetic communications. Investigate all and hold on to what is good! (1 Thess. 5:19-21). Medjugorje, July 13, 2006
Vatican Starts New International Commission To Study Medjugorje Apparitions Coming on the heels of a bitter negative attack by local Bishop Ratko Peric of the Mostar Diocese, the parish of Medjugorje and its 25 years of daily apparitions will be the focus of a new international commission study formed by the Vatican, according to Cardinal Vinko Puljic, president of the Bosnia and Hercegovina Bishops Conference and Archbishop of Sarajevo. And while international in scope and participation, the commission will still be under the (Bosnian) bishops' conference as is the usual practice with alleged apparitions. This is welcome news for the millions of followers of what are probably the most important apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in history. Cardinal Puljic announced the plans to form the commission at the end of the Bishop's conference held in Banja Luka July 12-14. After nearly 14 years of inactivity due to the horrible civil war that ripped apart former Yugoslavia, it will be a resumption of the initial investigations of the apparitions. The cardinal said he did not expect the commission to be established until sometime in September because of the summer holidays. In addition, he said, the commission would be asked to review pastoral provisions that forbid official diocesan and parish pilgrimages to Medjugorje, while at the same time allowing priests (unofficially and as individuals) to accompany groups of Catholics in order to provide the sacraments and spiritual guidance. Curiously, the status of the Medjugorje apparitions was not even on the list of topics of the bishop's conference-until it came up by way of several members' questions. Certainly, it is not just coincidence for those of us who believe in the apparitions as being from heaven. The commission will be put together by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, even though the normal practice is for this kind of commission to be established by the local bishop. But, because of the negative position of Bishop Ratko Peric, as well as his predecessor Bishop Pavao Zanic, the commission will be international in order for it to be completely objective and neutral. It will probably consist of two teams that will have clear jurisdiction and orders, according to regional newspaper reports. The new commission will reportedly reinvestigate the last commission's findings, a commission made up of Yugoslav bishops, which declared in the 1991 Zadar declaration that "it cannot be determined that anything supernatural is happening there". That, of course, is standard fare for early investigations of reported apparitions. The other half of that declaration is that it also cannot determine that something supernatural is not happening. Bottom line is the Church cannot ignore what is happening in Medjugorje; the Vatican reportedly has been insisting for over a half a year that something be done. In hindsight, this new commission is not really that surprising to followers of the apparitions; the Blessed Virgin Mary and all of heaven is certainly not going to allow 25 years of pure spiritual grace go to waste because of the unbelief of the local bishop. It will be a resumption of preliminary investigations of the apparitions. No definitive final approval or disapproval will be forthcoming, because according to Canon Law, no apparition can be declared valid until it is apparently over. However, it can be determined to be invalid, that is, false or against Church doctrine or Sacred Scripture. In 25 years of daily apparitions at Medjugorje, that has not happened. In light of this announcement, the question begs a repeat from last month's column: why would the bishop choose Confirmation Sunday (June 15 at St. James Parish in Medjugorje) to blast the apparitions as untrue and order the visionaries to stop telling the public that the Virgin was appearing and speaking to them? Why would he go so far as to state that both Pope Benedict XVI and the late beloved Pope John Paul II shared his belief and had doubts about the veracity of the apparitions? And, why would he speak out publicly on the apparitions when ordered earlier by the Vatican not to comment publicly on them? His comments during Confirmation were inappropriate to say the least, and. Pope Benedict as Cardinal Ratzinger was instrumental in ordering the bishop not to speak publicly on the apparitions. Such actions certainly dent the credibility of the bishop's stance regarding the apparitions. The truth of the entire matter of Bishop Ratko Peric not believing in the apparitions is based not on a spiritual level but on a long-running political feud between the region's diocesan priests and Franciscan priests. It is a primal matter of simple jealousy of the Franciscans who have been there for centuries and have developed a deep trust and love with the people. Another truth is that the bishop does not believe in any apparition past or present, including Lourdes and Fatima, as stated by him in conversation with several priests and journalists who tried to determine why he did not believe in the Medjugorje apparitions. While Bishop Peric may not be happy with the formation and implementation of a new international commission to investigate the apparitions, the local Franciscans who are in charge of St. James Parish are highly optimistic. One of them told me that he was delighted that there would finally be an objective study of the apparition. Another, Father Petar Ljubicic, who is the priest that will announce the secrets of Medjugorje when the apparitions cease, stated in an interview with a regional newspaper: "We have been expecting this for a long time. The Cardinal said that the Holy See, that is the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will name a new commission that will analyze and look into what has already been happening in Medjugorje for 25 years. Since I was a priest in Medjugorje and have followed the events since the beginning, I am very happy that it will now be looked into more seriously." Father Petar added: "As for the previous commissions that looked into the events I can say that some members were open and serious theologians, who were specialists in spirituality and had studied mystical experiences, but there were also other individuals who were not serious about the events and never actually came to Medjugorje. I ask myself how they could give an opinion of up until now, they can not be certain of anything supernatural? Some on the council rejected even that apparitions were possible at all. That greatly confused me. The need was felt a long time ago for the Holy See to take the whole matter in its own hands. Thank God-literally-that will now happen with the new international commission formed to study the Medjugorje apparitions. There are two things that we, the followers and believers that the Blessed Virgin Mary is truly appearing and speaking to us through the apparitions at Medjugorje, can do. First and foremost, in answer to the Virgin's repeated requests, we can pray. We can pray for the truth to be made clear to all unbelievers and especially for Bishop Ratko Peric to know the spiritual truth of the apparitions. Second, we can spread the information contained in this article concerning the controversy and actions surrounding the apparitions. In the long run, the truth of what heaven has given us in abundant grace through the visits of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Medjugorje will continue to lead people to her Son. The peace, grace and love of Jesus be with each of you. Local Bishop Slams Medjugorje Apparitions As the incredible apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medjugorje begins a 26th year of daily appearances to visionaries, the local bishop of Mostar-Duvno, Ratko Peric, publicly denounces them and states that the visionaries should stop telling people that the Blessed Virgin Mary has been appearing to them for 25 years. The bishop, a long-standing opponent of the apparitions, took a page out of the book of his predecessor, Bishop Pavao Zanic, and launched this latest attack during confirmation Mass at St. James Church in Medjugorje. Bishop Zanic had done the same in June 1986-much to the distress of the local villagers, then and now. At a time when the celebration should be on young people entering the Church, Bishop Peric stated in his homily: "As the local bishop, I maintain that regarding the events of Medjugorje, on the basis of the investigations and experience gained thus far throughout these last 25 years, the church has not confirmed a single apparition as authentically being the Madonna," he said. He then called on the alleged visionaries and "those persons behind the messages to demonstrate ecclesiastical obedience and to cease with these public manifestations and messages in this parish." Adding to the chagrin of his audience, Bishop Peric stated that because the church did not accept the claims of the visionaries it was illicit for priests to "express their private views contrary to the official position" during Mass, in acts of popular piety or in the Catholic media. He went on to say that Catholics were forbidden from making pilgrimages to Medjugorje if by such visits "they presuppose the authenticity of the apparitions or if by undertaking them attempt to certify these apparitions." The final slam came when the bishop said his views, and those of his predecessor, Bishop Zanic, were supported by the pope and by former Pope John Paul II. He expressed appreciation to Popes Benedict and John Paul II, "who have always respected the judgments of the bishops of Mostar-Duvno, of the previous as well as the current bishop, regarding the so-called apparitions and messages of Medjugorje, all the while recognizing the holy father's right to give a final decision on these events." Thus, in summation, Bishop Peric is telling the visionaries to stop public pronouncements concerning receiving messages from the Blessed Virgin Mary; that the Vatican does not allow official pilgrimages to Medjugorje for priests or laity and that they should not even express their views concerning the apparitions; and, that Popes Benedict and his predecessor John Paul II, had doubts about the authenticity of the apparitions. With holy respect for the office of the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, in Bosnia-Hercegovina, I strongly challenge the veracity of his statements and his authority to tell the visionaries, priests and laity to cease such claims. Let us start with the official position of the Church concerning Medjugorje. The Vatican, while prohibiting official parish pilgrimages to Medjugorje-or to the site of any claimed apparition until it has been fully investigated and ruled upon-has stated in official media releases for years now that the matter is still under review. It has been its position for more than 20 of the 25 years the apparitions have been allegedly occurring. And, contrary to the bishop's pronouncements, that unofficial pilgrimages, including by priests and bishops, are acceptable. "You cannot say people cannot go there until it has been proven false," stated the Vatican spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, in Rome's last official statement, which was reiterated several weeks ago. "This has not been said, so anyone can go if they want." It follows that anyone can fully express belief in the apparitions unofficially, that is, until the Church makes a final ruling concerning them. The bishop is truly overstepping the boundaries of his official authority by telling the visionaries or anyone else including priests and laity that they can't express their belief. As to the bishop's claim during his confirmation homily that both popes agreed with him concerning doubts about the apparitions at Medjugorje, that is completely false according to past statements and actions of both popes. It is widely known that Pope John Paul II dearly loved Medjugorje and wanted to go there. However, he would not do so unless the bishop invited him, an invitation that never was issued. The beloved Pope told many bishops to go to Medjugorje, expressed in public statements his desire to go, and personally expressed a positive response to this writer during a visit to the Vatican. I was honored to meet him and present him copies of my first book, Medjugorje: The Message, in Polish and in Italian. Upon receiving them, he broadly grinned and said, "Ah, Medjugorje, Medjugorje! Have you been there during the war? (this was in 1993). When I told him yes, that I had been there recently, he said, "Good, very good!" There is no doubt after so many similar encounters and public statements that Pope John Paul II dearly loved and believed in Medjugorje. While Pope John Paul II was widely reported to have had a positive discernment of the apparitions, it is not known how the current Pope Benedict IVI stands on the matter. One source reports that recently when asked about Medjugorje, the Pope said: "Let it continue as it has." More importantly, in 1986, as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, it was then Cardinal Ratzinger who removed the authority of the Mostar bishop to rule on the apparitions, placing the matter in the hands of a national commission that is now headed by the Cardinal of Sarajevo. That commision has stated that it will not issue a final decision until the apparitions have come to a conclusion, which according to Canon Law, is the way it should be. Further, according to a Croatian source close to the situation Bishop Peric and his predecessor had been instructed by the Vatican not to make public remarks about the apparitions. That ruling stands today; yet, the bishop chooses an occasion that should be a time of celebration and happiness for young people and for the villagers of Medjugorje to violate that ruling and once again, slam Medjugorje. As we enter this 26th year of what I think is the most incredible and important event of our times, let us pray sincerely and humbly for Bishop Ratko Peric to find the truth of Medjugorje personally and officially. Let us also pray just as sincerely for the Franciscan priests who are in charge of the parish of St. James, for the visionaries and for the people of the village, to be obedient to the teachings of the Church and humble in their service to what our Blessed Mother is asking of us through her messages. The peace, grace and love of Jesus be with each of you. The Urgency Of Our Times There is only one time in past monthly messages that the Blessed Virgin Mary did not greet the followers of Medjugorje with her usual "Dear Children" greeting: that was during the horrible civil war that took place in former Yugoslavia from August 1991 through the better part of 1993. It was at the start of the war, which she had predicted at the outset of the apparitions would happen if the people of that region did not reconcile with one another. The animosity was at its zenith between Serb, Croat and Muslim throughout former Yugoslavia. On October 25, 1991, Our Lady gave her monthly message to Marija as always; however, she did not give the usual greeting and she did not end it as she always did with: "Thank you for responding to my call." She simply said with great somberness and urgency: "PRAY! PRAY! PRAY! The monthly message of March 25, 2006 marked only the second time Our Lady has altered the greeting. This time, she says: "Courage, little children!" One can feel the urgency of this changed greeting as we face evil in the world as never before. Courage, little children! To be blunt, I have felt this new sense of urgency in the monthly messages as far back as July 25, 2005. In that message, she called on us "to fill your day with short and ardent prayers. . ." And she introduced something else that was new by asking us to "do novenas of fasting and renunciation so that Satan be far from you and grace be around you." Most of us know that a novena is a period of nine days. Therefore, The Blessed Virgin was asking us to pray and to pray ardently for a specific period of time. She is asking us to fast as she has asked us to fast so many times. It is usually the first thing a follower of Medjugorje gives up on because it is difficult. Now, she is saying, we can't give up on it; we must do it to relieve the urgency within us and within our world. Even though she had called for prayer and fasting hundreds of times during past monthly messages, she had never quite put it in such detailed form. It is a time, I feel she is telling us, for novenas and for constant short and ardent prayers and for true fasting. It is a time of urgency underlined by escalating events of evil and darkness and aberrant weather patterns throughout the world. There has always been a difference in the annual message the Blessed Virgin Mary gives to visionary Mirjana on March 18, in that the messages are blunter than the monthly messages and more pointed. Following course with the urgency of these times as she has indicated for these past nine months, she had this to say to Mirjana and to all of us: "...Only with total interior renunciation will you recognize God's love and the signs of the time in which you live. You will be witnesses of these signs and will begin to speak about them. I desire to bring you to this..." Our Lady follows this message with her monthly message to Marija and its afore-mentioned unusual greeting of "Courage, little children" with this special message to Mirjana on April 2: "Dear Children, I come to you because I wish to show you, by my own example, the importance of the prayer for those who have not known the love of God. Ask yourself if you are following me. My children, don't you recognize the signs of the times? Don't you talk about them? Follow me. As your Mother I call you! Thank you for having responded." And she follows it in a state of extreme somberness with this exclamation: "God is love! God is love! God is love!" There is reason that we are running two commentaries on the monthly messages in each issue lately: one by Father Ljubo of Medjugorje, and one by Father Ed Chalmers. That is again, because of the times we live in. I feel I do recognize the signs of the times and I do want all of the followers of the messages to recognize them so that we will do with reverence, humility and intensity what she is asking of us-right now in a new and urgent way. That is why there are two commentaries on the monthly messages, and why there are other claimed messages from Our Lady to other alleged visionaries and locutionists in this issue. That is why we run not just the monthly message of the particular month alone now, but messages from past months; that is why I am running again the early messages in the special feature called Looking Back. There is a definite urgency to what Our Lady is saying to us right now.
November 2004
It doesn't take deep analysis of the outcome of the recent national elections to see the course desired in government leadership by a majority of Americans. Without doubt, the message given by way of the ballot box is for a moral way of life in our laws as well as in our daily lives. It is a clear mandate. The mandate isn't about politics or political parties or any one candidate; God is not a Democrat or a Republican. But if a political party or candidate embraces secular civil law over faith-based law, they certainly are not going to be showered with spiritual grace. The same applies to a country or region that allows it. Never has that been more evident in the United States of America than through the passage of the law that allows the abortion of a child from the womb of its mother as a constitutional right. As long as abortion is a law of our land, we will suffer through the loss of spiritual grace. The mandate stemming from this election encompasses that and other moral outrages of our times, specifically the threat of legalized gay marriage. It would be remiss not to mention also that the modest size of the mandate and the divisiveness of the elections reflect deep concern over the moral implications of the war in Iraq. We can wave the flag and rationalize and debate; but the fact remains, we are involved in a war for reasons that are still not clear or justified. Both major political parties are accountable for the murderous abortion law, and now the threat to God-mandated marriage between a man and a woman by same-sex couples. Both parties supported the preemptive strike into Iraq. But we, the people, are the most responsible. We allowed it through passivity and the lack of righteous indignation. No wonder God uses the alliteration of a flock of sheep in need of a shepherd to describe us. We just follow along and watch as human secularism erodes our moral base. Europe is a glaring example, especially France, where people can no longer display in any way signs of faith in public places for fear of offending those of other beliefs or non-beliefs. The mandate from the American people on all of these present issues was highlighted by the voters in 11 states which contained referendums on gay marriage. Voters in all eleven states made clear their desire to maintain marriage only as an institution between a man and a woman. Nor does the majority want same-sex civil unions, which is offered as a compromise by weak leaders who fear the backlash of the "politically correct" voting blocks. In truth, civil unions are no different than same-sex marriage. The same moral standard applies to heterosexual non-marriage unions. The point made - and hopefully received by the leaders of the major political forces of our time-is that the majority of the people of our country want a return to moral law in our government programs and laws. It's really very simple; we are to follow the Ten Commandments right to the letter of each law given by God, in our daily lives and in the way we are governed. It is not open to debate or compromise. It is exactly what Our Lady is asking of us as individuals at Medjugorje. Not surprisingly, the Commandments pretty much cover the moral requirement of nearly all religions. They are also the standard on which most civil law throughout history is based. You wouldn't know it today by the horrendous wars taking place around the world; or, by the up and down changes in societal mores driven by humanism. Violation or misinterpretation of the Commandments is often fueled by fanatical followings of narrow religious beliefs, or by driven individuals that tend to usurp the moral foundations of faith in the guise of rabid nationalism. Anything goes in the name of these various causes. A list of the Commandments is given here so it is clear to each of us as children of God what in actual fact the mandate is. Here it is in its simplest, most direct form: 1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange gods before me. The peace, grace and love of Jesus be with each of you. October 2004
Are you still afraid? Have you been that way since September 11, 2001? If your answer to these questions is yes, then the evil one, who used human ethnic and faith differences to fill the world with fear, has succeeded. Many people tell me they want to go to Medjugorje, but are afraid to fly now because of that new day of infamy. These are people of faith who have been compromised by fear. The travel-tourism business is in mini-crisis because of it. Our Lady has always urged us to come to Medjugorje, even during the horrific civil war that took place in former Yugoslavia from the fall of 1991 until late spring in 1994. Not one pilgrim was injured or killed during the terrible fighting because she had promised to take care of those who would come. The terror of that awful war was just as great, if not worse, than the terror of 9/11. Even Medjugorje itself was spared attack and damage from the fighting. Thousands came and returned home during that time period with the same peace that prevailed in the early days of the apparitions. It continues until this day. Those who did come to Medjugorje, came with belief and trust. These two qualities are the weapons to destroy fear. We will always remember September 11, 2001. And we should. We must remain at vigil in this incredible time of global upheaval, but certainly not out of fear. Continued fear of the attack on the World Trade Center takes away the peace and resolve we gained through a myriad of stories of bravery, heroism and conversion in its immediate and ongoing aftermath. Fear keeps us from doing the things God asks of us through our conversion. Total trust and belief allows us to overcome the fear. Holy Scripture tells us at least 168 times in the old and new testaments not to be afraid. We can take further example by the heroics of Catholic priests on the scene during the attack. The U.S. bishops have compiled a book of such stories (it is available on the web at www.usccb.org/vocations) and it is titled "We Were There …Catholic Priests and How They Responded." These were brave men of faith who rose above personal fear in the heat of the moment. It highlights how the word of God and the sacraments of the Church gave comfort and hope to the firefighters, police officers and co-workers and families of the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Father Edward Burns, who heads the office for vocations spearheaded the project. An essay by Father Burns, who began to hear about priests' service the day of the attack, accompanies the materials. He notes that the only act in Congress that day was prayer led by Father Gerard Creedon, of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, who delivered the opening prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives. Priests highlighted in "We Were There" spoke of the realization of how much their presence as a priest could mean to someone, how it could bring peace and quiet the fear.. Father Emile Frische, who coordinates special ministries for the Archdiocese of New York, spoke of a firefighter at a morgue who sat wordlessly on an upside down bucket. "He didn't want to talk to me. So I found a bucket and turned it upside down and sat with him," Father Frische said. "Not a word was said between us. After a good long time he got up, turned to me and said, 'Thank you, Father,' and left." Father Thomas Iwanowski, who was pastor of a parish in Jersey City, New Jersey, a few blocks from the Hudson River, recognized that his parish would be pressed into service and put up fliers in the neighborhood that his church was a place where people could come. Among those who showed up for help were five men, soaking wet, who had run from the World Trade Center area, jumped into the Hudson River, been picked up by a police boat and deposited on the New Jersey side of the river. They wanted to call home. Father LaVerne Schueller, a retired Air Force colonel, who now is an auxiliary chaplain in Florida, was at a chaplains' conference in the Pentagon when the plane hit there. They evacuated the building and were advised to leave the area. They stayed, knowing there would be work to do. They helped move people, and held intravenous bags for the wounded in the triage area. He described the fear he felt when the chaplains heard an alarm that an unidentified aircraft was heading toward the Pentagon. "I have dedicated my life to trying to serve God and His people," Father Schueller said. "But I am a man of many faults. However, at that point I was comforted by remembering Jesus' words 'Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for another.'" Father David Baratelli, chaplain of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, celebrated Mass in a gym in the days after the attacks. One day a lieutenant asked him to bring Communion to early morning workers at ground zero who couldn't get to Mass. "And so the two of us walked down to the site with the ciborium containing the Eucharist," Father Baratelli said. "As I stood in the midst of the rubble, one by one, workers came over, uncovered their heads and received the Eucharist. Christ was truly present and he brought consolation and hope to this place of terrible sorrow and death." Father Kevin Smith, chaplain of the Nassau County Fire Department, in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, was with the firefighters who brought Franciscan Father Mychal Judge's body into St. Peter's Church, a triage center. Father Mychal had been to Medjugorje and was a strong advocate, unafraid to speak up about its gifts of grace. He had stayed in the tower administering to the victims and ended up a victim himself. Firefighters laid his body in the sanctuary and Father Smith went and found a stole for his friend and fellow fire chaplain. "I placed the stole and Mychal's badge on . . .his chest," he said. Soon the church had to be evacuated. Two Franciscans asked to take the body to their residence so it would not be lost if another building collapsed. A New York Fire Department medical officer pronounced Father Mychal dead and assigned him death certificate No. 1 for the terrorist attacks. I hope and pray that we will have the spiritual courage, as displayed by these few examples, to lay aside our fear and get on with our missions. I intend to travel to Medjugorje as long as the Mother of God calls me to do so. In fact, I'll be leaving for a trip there on September 11. The peace, grace and love of Jesus be always with each of you and keep you from fear. April 2004
We rejoice at the Resurrection of Jesus as we celebrate the Easter season. But there would be no Resurrection without His Passion. Jesus came to earth as Man-God so that we could be forgiven our sins and offered eternal salvation. He died as lowly man from human cruelty beyond human comprehension. The Son of God suffered and died totally as man. He did so because our salvation required the greatest and purest of offerings to the Father. Making us painfully aware of this is most definitely the purpose of the exceptional, gospel-accurate film, The Passion of The Christ. That fact has been corroborated through numerous interviews and statements by the film's producer, popular Hollywood actor Mel Gibson. And, by the mass reaction of those who have seen it. Most Christians, including Catholics, as well as non-Christians and unbelievers never have seriously considered what the Passion of Jesus entailed; we do not consciously think of the act of crucifixion in human terms of physical torture and suffering. The fact that humanity as a whole does not, is indicative by the myriad of criticism of the movie: it is too violent; it is anti-Semetic; there is no sign of the love of God in it. Without a minimum of compassionate understanding, it is impossible to accept the reality of Christ's Passion. After finally seeing the film, I understand that with far more clarity. Easter will never be the same. I have a stronger awareness of the sacrifice made for us, a frightening awareness that is a direct result of seeing this very special movie. I waited until about three weeks after the release of The Passion to see it; and, I deliberately chose a Friday, the day of the Passion, to attend. Surprisingly, the theater was not completely full as theaters had been during the first couple of weeks after its release. People came in carrying the usual treats and drinks as though they were about to see a comedy or action thriller. Predictably, no one was snacking after the first minutes of the film. Serious intensity dominated the opening scenes of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It transferred immediately to the audience. By the time raw, violent scenes of the scourging of Jesus filled the screen, I was ready to run out of the theater. Yet, I could not. For the first time, the stark reality of what Jesus suffered permeated every part of my body, soul and spirit. The Sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary prayer came to life and, like Easter, they will never be the same again. Not all reactions to the film from believers in God are positive. A French Catholic bishop stated he did not find one scintilla of God's love in the violent depiction of the Passion in the film. A neo-fundamentalist Protestant preacher with a large, regional radio audience told his listeners to beware the film as it was just a "Catholic trap" promoting the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary as ways to heaven. However, the positive comments on the film from the majority of viewers far outnumber the negative ones. My personal favorite comes from noted Bible scholar and Catholic Convert Scott Hahn. Scott stated in print and on the radio that The Passion of The Christ was to the art of film-making, what Michelangelo's Pieta is to the art of sculpture. It is not by chance that God would use Hollywood to give us another merciful grace to assist us in accepting Him. Watching films seems to be a favorite pastime of people throughout the world. And, it is not by chance that this film is produced at a time when the world is at its zenith in hatred and cruelty similar to that suffered by Jesus in crucifixion. I All I know is that after seeing the film, Easter will never be the same. The love of God through the violent, real Passion of His Son is magnified a thousand times a thousand times a thousand. The peace, grace and love of God be with each of you. August 2004
They were everywhere! Young people filled every possible space in and around the huge outdoor altar behind Saint James Church, as the largest crowd in the 11-year history of the festival gathered for a week of spiritual inspiration, prayer and song. Heaven seemingly responded to the enthusiastic turnout with hot but pleasant weather graced with a few cooling showers. Unlike past years when it was as much as 115 degrees, the temperature hovered around the mid to high 80s with mild breezes. It was the perfect setting for enlightening young people to the limitless graces of God. Thousands of pilgrims filled the outside pews and on the surrounding grassy areas praying, singing, dancing in joy and listening to speakers for two hours in the morning; and, then again from 4:00 p.m. until approximately 8:30, ending with Holy Mass. But late into the night it was a sea of chanting, dancing happy teenagers revved up by it all, not wanting it to end. I took a group of 43 pilgrims, most of them teenagers. Near the end of our week there, they were impressed with Medjugorje and the events of the youth festival. But if I were to pick one thing that seemed to stand out for all of them, it was a special feature that I always include on our pilgrimages: a visit to a nearby refugee camp. Our Lady has stressed to us in her monthly messages to live what she is giving us. There is no better way to do that than by doing for others. Prior to each pilgrimage, a letter is sent to the pilgrims asking that they visit a department store and purchase toiletries and basic necessities, such as underwear and socks, and bring them so that we can take them to the camp. We then usually take up a collection of cash for food and medicine and are able to give it directly to the camp supervisor. However, the best part of the trip to the camp it just taking time to spend with the refugees and to let them know that someone cares. Last year when we took the youths, almost all of them returned to the camp in taxis with more locally purchased goods. They did this with their own funds and time. I will never forget one particular young man who had been less than cooperative during the pilgrimage, coming to me after visiting the camp and giving me his last $20. "This is all I've got left but I want to give it to those people," he said quietly. That's what the Youth Festival is all about; teaching the young people the responsibility of caring for others who are in dire need. In the case of the refugees, it is a desperate need. They are the human residue of the civil war that ended more than 11 years ago. They are still without homes and without hope. They have been stripped of their dignity as well as all of their material goods. The very act of reaching out to them is mortar for the bricks of prayer and fasting that make up the foundation of the Medjugorje conversion experience. It is the penance of love. I will be in Medjugorje for the youth festival again next year. Hopefully, with another large group of teenagers and adults. It's the greatest place in the world to take young people today. The peace, love and grace of Jesus be with each of you! February 2004
One of the most stunning stories of miraculous healing at Medjugorje, is that of Colleen Willard. Colleen, from Chicago,was dramatically healed of multi-illnesses and conditions after visionary Vicka prayed over her on September 3, 2003. Colleen, who was unable to walk without canes and a wheelchair, could barely talk and hold her head up, is now dancing for joy and praising God. I first heard of Colleen's healing from friends who were in Medjugorje at the time it happened and intended on doing a story on it. However, Medjugorje Magazine's Larry and Mary Sue Eck did a wonderful job in their winter issue (Dec. 2003). As Colleen personally stated to Spirit Daily in a recent interview: "We don't care who tells the story because of the fact that it's what Our Lady, what God did. The only one this story belongs to is God. When God takes a 52-year-old woman who was in the condition I was, the Lord had a reason for it to occur over there. It could have been anywhere-but obviously, He chose it to happen there so that Medjugorje could be recognized. I had so many things wrong!" That is a classic understatement. Besides having an inoperable brain tumor, there were at least 15 other major ailments. There was something called Hashimoto's thyroiditis, there was myofascial fibromyalgia, severe osteomalacia, critical adrenal insufficiency - and so many complications beyond these that the airlines did not want her to fly the long journey to Medjugorje. Nor did the tour leaders, Jack and Gail Boos, who have been taking pilgrims to Medjugorje for a long time. Yet, medical clearance, near as miraculous, came through; Jack and Gail reluctantly agreed to take Colleen and husband John and then supported them in every way. The full story can be found in the two publications mentioned above. Colleen's story is truly a miracle at Medjugorje. Medjugorje is truly a place of miracles - everything from such incredible healings to the millions of spiritual healings. It's the reason many of us have made the spreading of its messages our mission for life. The peace, grace and love of Jesus be with each of you. July 2004
It's been 23 years and counting. Our Lady, the most Blessed Virgin Mary has been sent by the Holy Triune God, to a tiny village in the mountains of Bosnia-Herzegovina to accomplish one objective: to lead God's children to the one and only True Freedom. More than 50,000 people from all over the world gathered in Medjugorje on June 25, to give thanks for this incomparable grace. It is a smaller number of pilgrims than in years past when more than 100,000 would be there for the anniversary of the daily apparitions. But in a present-day world that suffers inhumane atrocities from war and terrorism in the search to live free, it is a courageous number. It is an incentive-filled number, telling brothers and sisters everywhere that the one and only True Freedom cannot be stifled by humanity's finely honed skill of waging murderous war on itself. The one and only True Freedom is total surrender to God's love. It is the tool that powers spiritual conversion. It is conversion of the soul to His way, a way that leads to peace, happiness and security, the foundation stones of conversion. It is embodied in every message given to us by Our Lady at Medjugorje - and in all past and present apparitions and locutions. Freedom as defined in the world today is based on humanistic civil law. It is controlled and used and seemingly always involves killing those who threaten it in one way or the other by those with the power to write and interpret it. In far too many ways, it replaces moral law given to mankind in love by God. Why does mankind, from the time of Cain and Able to the present, turn to killing as the ultimate solution to its conflicts? The overriding answer is that killing one's perceived adversary is the way taught by mankind's enemy, the Evil One. It has been taught by him from the beginning of man's existence on earth. Killing is the total absence of love, the total opposite of peace, happiness and security. The apparitions of Medjugorje over these 23 years have focused on teaching us the difference in freedom and True Freedom. That is the content of its messages. That content is completely grounded in Holy Scripture. The teaching continues out of God's mercy, and, I suspect, out of the Blessed Virgin Mary's constant intercession before the throne of God. For the vast majority of mankind, the intent of the teachings has been missed; or, misunderstood; or, misplaced. Civil law allows freedom for the vast majority to come in the form of fame, wealth or power. Civil laws allow some to interpret freedom as a right to choose sin. That is what powers the worst sin of our time, abortion. True Freedom for the children who choose to listen and learn can only come from the heart. It can only be achieved by those to strive to do the will of God. That is why Medjugorje's apparitions continue. The continue out of mercy and out of love. May the peace, grace and love of Jesus be with each of you. Home Articles Books Tapes Newsletter Other Materials Travel Schedule Contact Us |