While only very little has leaked from the Vatican Commission on Medjugorje, four possible outcomes are in play, a major Croatian newspaper has unofficially learned. Two of them will remove the influence of the Bishop of Mostar who does not believe in the apparitions.
Two possible Vatican scenarios of the future of Medjugorje will place the parish outside of the diocese of Mostar, a major Croatian daily has learned from un-named sources.
Recognition or condemnation of the claims of apparitions is not the main focus of the Vatican Commission appointed to investigate the events of Medjugorje. The more pressing issue is the future administration of the place.
Among four possible recommendations of the Commission, two will lead to Medjugorje no longer being under the jurisdiction of Bishop Ratko Peric of Mostar. In one of these options, the Vatican will assume control of Medjugorje itself. In the other, the diocese of Mostar will be split in two, the Croatian newspaper Vecernji List writes without naming sources.
“Unofficially we have been informed that the game has four options. First, status quo remains, and Medjugorje will still be under the jurisdiction of Bishop Peric of Mostar who usually argues that there has never been any apparitions in the parish” the paper sums up the first option.
“But considering that millions of pilgrims are coming to Medjugorje, this option would also acknowledge the reality: It would acquire the status of at least a place of prayer and would be required to adopt ‘rules of the game’” journalist Zarko Ivkovic further reports in Vecernji List.
One year ago, Ivkovic was the main author of the book “Misterij Medjugorja” in which unclassified documents from the Yugoslavian secret police shed new light on the early days and years of Medjugorje.
Two scenarios of new governance
Though two of the four possible recommendations involve a new ecclesiastical governance of Medjugorje, the Croatian newspaper only uses the term “very radical” about one of them:
“In the second option, the Pope would appoint his own delegates to Medjugorje, who would be responsible for the parish, and the Vatican’s decisions would be implemented on the ground through its Franciscan Commissioner. In this case, an official statute to determine the rules of action in this area would be given. The Bishop of Mostar would no longer have jurisdiction over Medjugorje.”
Today, the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno-Trebinje-Mrkan is the official name of the diocese usually referred to as Mostar. The third option changes this, to place Medjugorje in a new-established diocese, splitting in effect the diocese of Mostar in two.
Two of the four Vatican scenarios for Medjugorje cited by Vecernji List place the parish outside of its reach.
“The third option is a very radical. It envisages the establishment of the Diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan with the parish of Medjugorje as a part of it. This means that the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno will be territorially reduced, and the Pope would then appoint new bishops to Mostar, and assume jurisdiction over Medjugorje” writes Vecernji List.
“According to the fourth option, the Medjugorje phenomenon would be declared a fraud which would then imply a ban on pilgrimages. This option is still the least likely.”
Other informations given to Vecernji List confirm previous reports that the Vatican Commission gives priority to studying the early days of the apparitions, and that Vatican officials have visited Medjugorje incognito, the latter most likely a fact since long before the Commission was formed in March 2010. Other aspects are new:
“The Commission extensively examines various documents, especially considering the events in the early days of the apparitions, and we unofficially learned that teams of experts are investigating miraculous healings. It is also interesting that the parish of Medjugorje has had incognito visits of people from the Vatican in order to determine the authenticity of the pastoral work of the Franciscans” the major Croatian newspaper writes.
Headed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Vatican Commission will submit its report and recommendations to The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which will take the report to Pope Benedict XVI who makes the final decision. The report is expected later this year.
(source: http://www.medjugorjetoday.tv/)
Brother Burrito
Catholicism Pure & Simple
Gertrude
kathleen
mmvc
teresa
The Raven
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What about:
All Croatians are liars.
(Maybe Jessica is onto something here.)
“Recognition or condemnation of the claims of apparitions is not the main focus of the Vatican Commission appointed to investigate the events of Medjugorje. The more pressing issue is the future administration of the place.”
I am rather confused. I was under the (obviouvsly wrong) impression that the whole purpose of the Medjugorje investigation was purely to establish the authencity or not of the apparitions and therefore if it was an acceptable pilgrim destination on a par with Fatima and Lourdes.
If the whole thing is about administration (which I doubt) this would hardly be a subject for the Vatican to be involved in.
Millions of pilgrims visit Medjugorje each year. There are more fruits from Medjugorje in terms of true spiritual conversions and vocations than any other event in recent history. Yet, the status of Medjugorje as an “approved” or sanctioned pilgrimage site is ambiguous and muddy. Several past commision’s have sought to resolve the issue without completing their work. I doubt the apparitions will be judged as they are ongoing. Perhaps the first few days may be approved. Therefore, the pastoral care for millions of pilgrims with obvious benefit to the Church needs to be addressed and is very important to the Vatican and the Holy Father himself. For further reading, see http://crownofstars.blogspot.com/2012/06/guardian-for-medjugorje.html
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“Millions of pilgrims visit Medjugorje each year. There are more fruits from Medjugorje in terms of true spiritual conversions and vocations than any other event in recent history.”
Tim is quite right. Bit of pragmatism here. If it works, it works.
And it “benefits the Church”, that is to say, it makes a fortune! (for someone)
So what does it matter if it’s “true” or not?
If we moon around wondering whether things are “true” or not, we’ll get nowhere.
“Recognition or condemnation of the claims of apparitions is not the main focus of the Vatican Commission appointed to investigate the events of Medjugorje. The more pressing issue is the future administration of the place.”
I am rather confused. I was under the (obviouvsly wrong) impression that the whole purpose of the Medjugorje investigation was purely to establish the authencity or not of the apparitions and therefore if it was an acceptable pilgrim destination on a par with Fatima and Lourdes.
If the whole thing is about administration (which I doubt) this would hardly be a subject for the Vatican to be involved in.
It actually makes a great deal of sense, Gertrude — the possible creation of a new diocese is very precisely of the Vatican’s special competency.
And such a question is unrelated to the question of the veracity or otherwise of these apparitions, but it is related to the increased need for pastoral care given the huge numbers of Catholics who go on pilgrimage to that location.
The expression “more pressing” simply relates to the more immediate practical concerns — it does not mean that those practical matters are more important than the other questions.
Reblogged this on Biltrix.
Actually JP it doesn’t make sense to me. The administration of a Diocese has always been the prerogative of the Ordinary of the diocese – i.e. the Bishop or Arch. It is most unusual for the Holy See to interfere with the administration of any Diocese unless of course the Ordinary might be promulgating actual heresy.
In the case of the Medjugorje without approving or diapproving the validity of the ‘goings on’ there, such interference would exhibit exceedingly bad judgement in the initial appointment of the existing Ordinary, and to establish a Diocese because one didn’t like the way the adjoining Diocese handled any particular event seems ridiculous in the extreme, and one might wonder where such a decision might end?
If it is a case of administration and facilies for the people who go there I would have thought this would be a matter at local level and not the Holy See.
Gertrude …you need to study more about Church administration and Vatican responsibilities. The world-wide impact of Medjugorje and lack of local authorities to complete the investigation put it into the hands of the Vatican. For a Shrine to be designated as international, it much be reviewed and approved by the Vatican. Your or anyone else’s opinion on this doesn’t matter.
and to establish a Diocese because one didn’t like the way the adjoining Diocese handled any particular event
???
I’ve no idea where you get that idea from —
The Pope and the Vatican have every sovereign right to handle matters relating to any particular parish according to whichever needs that they may perceive — it may be very unusual for the Holy See to take such a hands-on approach, but the situation in Medjugorje is itself most unusual, with hundreds and thousands of Catholics from far and wide congregating daily in that one small parish.
I cannot see that this is any form of reprimand against the current Ordinary !!
http://medjugorje1.blogspot.ca/