Vatican Radio: Cardinal Schonborn apologizes re: Medjugorje Visit Uproar

By Richard Chonak at Catholic Light:

The German-language service of Vatican Radio has an article on Cardinal Schönborn's private audience with the Holy Father last Friday, and the letter he faxed to Bishop Perić the same day.

Richard's translation:

Schönborn: Apology for Uproar about Medjugorje Visit

After his controversial pilgrimage to Medjugorje Cardinal Christoph Schönborn has apologized to the local bishop of the place, Ratko Perić. In a letter published in excerpts on the official home page of the Mostar diocese, the Vienna cardinal emphasizes that he had no intention of "harming peace." Schönborn had visited the village of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina at the end of the old year and argued for "an integration of the Medjugorje phenomenon into normal pastoral practice". He had declared his visit to the ecclesiastically unrecognized site of Marian pilgrimages a private trip. However, he provided for considerable visibility to it in media publicity. The letter of apology is dated January 15, the day on which Schönborn was in Rome for a private audience with Pope Benedict. With his letter, Schönborn answered a letter from Perić, who had sharply criticized the visit of the cardinal to Medjugorje and emphasized that the visit implied no recognition of the "apparitions". Furthermore he recalled that the so-called seers of Medjugorje had repeatedly manipulated the alleged Marian apparitions. With Schönborn's letter the discussions are now considered closed, said a spokesman for the Mostar-Duvno diocese this Tuesday. -- Since 1981, Marian apparitions are said to be taking place in Medjugorje. They are not recognized either by the local diocese or by the Vatican.

• Vatican Radio: Cardinal Schonborn apologizes re: Medjugorje Visit Uproar

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Mark Shea: Ayup!


"What is most disturbing about the events at Medjugorje, is the plainly stated fact - by the visionaries and their priests/advocates - that "they've got a secret". And not just one secret, but ten secrets. And not only are scant few privy to these "secrets", but there is absolutely no method to test their authenticity. Our Lady of Fatima also had a great sign, but the difference between Fatima and Medj. can't be more obvious - at Fatima, the seers were given a specific date and time for the miracle - within a week, if I'm not mistaken - and the miracle came to pass as a sign that these were authentic visitations. Here we are - how many years later? - and the Great Sign has become tantamount to the Great Pumpkin that never arrives to Linus' pumpkin patch. Seriously think about that. Ten secrets that are under complete control of the visionaries. There is no way to test for authenticity. There is no miraculous sign to assure the faithful (and the world). This isn't Catholicism - it's Gnosticism - hidden knowledge that is a source of uncheckable power over those who "don't know".

Are their personal miracles taking place at Medj? Absolutely. If thousands of people came to my backyard everyday to say the rosary, the conversions would be equally rampant. But a personal conversion at Medjugorje is not proof of anything except that God (and his grace) are everywhere at our disposal.

If you want to really look at the fruits of Medjugorje - look at the division on display on this blog. Meanwhile the "gospa" keeps issuing the same un-verifiable messages without delivering the Fatima-like sign that would put an end to this bickering..."

• Ayup!