Town of Medjugorje Site of Alleged Apparitions of the Virgin Mary Comments

Medjugorje or "Between the Hills" is a village in the southern part of Herzegovina in the present-day state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The area is famous due to a series of reported visions of the Virgin Mary that began in 1981 and continues today. Although the apparitions have not been validated by the Catholic Church, the Shrine of the Queen of Peace at Medjugorje attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists each year. Continue Reading

31 - 36 of 36 Comments

John Bush
2 years ago
I have done a fair amount of research into Medjugorje and other reported visions and apparitions and while I have read compelling accounts by respectable writers, I believe Michael Davies extremely well researched analysis that , “no individual associated with Medjugorje has ever been the recipient of either an apparition or a vision” to be most compelling. He wrote a book on his analysis that is available online for free: http://www.mdaviesonmedj.com/ . In my opinion Michael Davies did an excellent job in this work pointing out the many differences between Medjugorje and other church approved events like Lourdes and Fatima (and a number of others).
maria
2 years ago
Yes, John, these purported apparitions have NOT in any way received aproval. In fact, in many dioceses, bishops have asked their priests not to lead pilgrimages there as it can be misconstrued as Church approval. Cardinal Bertone said he highly doubted that the apparitions would ever be approved, yet he is a big promoter of Fatima and Lourdes. There have been acts of disobedience against Church authority in connection with the apparitions, and I have been alarmed at what people who follow the current message of Medjugorje believe - things about the end of the world and a heretical pope and such nonsense that they say they have learned from the visionaries' messages.
John Boylan
2 years ago
I recall that "Fatima" was denouced with the same viciousness as I have read here. Having been to Medjugorgie, I have never seen such a display of Faith and love in my Life.Certain people still deny Fatima, Lourdes, and Jesus. I will save up, and I will be back to Bosnia. God Bless
John Grimes
2 years ago
These phony visions have alarmed the bishop of Mostar (see below) and have been denounced as a pathetic fraud by competent scientific observers for well over a decade now. This information is easy to come by if one pays only minimal attention to the matter. The question becomes, then, why Catholic Online is still promoting this hoax? Why, in this article, do we not find one word about the circus atmosphere surrounding this Croatian nonsense, and why is there no mention of the completely negative observations made almost 15 years ago by the sole competent Catholic authority in Medjugorje, the local ordinary? Could it be that Catholic Online is once again deferring to the sensibilities of right-wing American Catholics -- for some reason this Medjugorje scam seems to appeal particularly to them -- rather than to Catholic truth? Here are the pertinent sections of the letter expressing the extreme reservations concerning this absurdity of Bishop Peric:

Mostar October 2, 1997
Prot.: 1267/97
Honorable Mr. Boutet,

I am answering your letter of September 29, 1997 received by fax from the Nunciature of Sarajevo.
. . .
On the basis of the serious study of the case by 30 of our 'studiosi', on my episcopal experience of five years in the Diocese, on the scandalous disobedience that surrounds the phenomenon, on the lies that are at times put into the mouth of the "Madonna", on the unusual repetition of "messages" of over 16 years, on the strange way that the "spiritual directors" of the so-called "visionaries" accompany them through the world making propaganda of them, on the practice that the "Madonna" appears at the "fiat" of the "visionaries", my conviction and position is not only non constat de supernaturalitate [the supernaturality is not proven] but also the other formula constat de non supernaturalitate [the non-supernaturality is proven] of the apparitions or revelations of Medjugorje.

Nevertheless I am open to a study that the Holy See would undertake, as the supreme court of the Catholic Church, to speak the supreme and definitive judgment on the case, and that as soon as possible, for the good of souls and for the honor of the Church and of Our Lady.

With sincere respects,

Ratko Peric
[bishop's seal]
Mons Ratko Peric
Bishop of Mostar
Troy
2 years ago
I would find great joy in visiting this place. I find it amazing that the visionaries continue to see apparitions. What a blessing!
vance
2 years ago
How wonderful it must be to have the experience as the visionaries have had. I remember back in the late 1980's when this caught world wide attention. PBS did a great documentary on the event around 1990. I would like to know what the 10 secrets are. I hope to one day travel to Bosnia to visit this site.

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