Pope Francis could soon announce the decision on the Medjugorje apparitions.
Special papal envoy for Medjugorje, Archbishop of Warszawa-Praga Msgr. Henryk Hoser, told the Catholic Information Agency (KAI) in Poland, according to the media in Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that Pope Francis will most likely endorse the first apparitions of Virgin Mary in Medjugorje by the end of the year, reports Index.hr on August 19, 2017.
“Everything suggests that the apparitions will be recognised, perhaps as early as this year. Let us not forget that the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith has submitted the entire documentation to the State Secretariat of the Holy See, which is now working on the issue,” said Archbishop Hoser whom Pope Francis appointed as special envoy for pastoral care in Medjugorje earlier this year.
He also explained that “it is possible that the first seven apparitions will be recognised, as suggested by Cardinal Carmine Ruini's commission.”
According to the media, the commission appointed by former Pope Benedict XVI found after many years of work that there was no doubt about the credibility of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary during the first few days in 1981, but at the same time, it expressed reservations about later apparitions of Virgin Mary in Medjugorje.
“It is hard to make a different decision because it is impossible for six visionaries to lie for 36 years. What they say is meaningful,” said the Archbishop who met with some of the visionaries during his stay in Medjugorje. “If the apparitions are recognised, that will be a significant incentive for the development of Medjugorje,” Archbishop Hoser added.
Asked by journalists about the arguments against the apparitions, which are allegedly too “personal” and that Mary “talks too much,” Hoser replied, “Holy Faustina talked with Jesus on a daily basis for several years, which should not be a problem. Of course, there is a need to be cautious about each aspect, as well as about the possibility of psychological problems with visionaries. But, they were thoroughly examined by specialists, psychiatrists and psychologists, and there are no illnesses: these were healthy youths from healthy families. Now they all live in stable marriages, none of them has gone through the crisis of the faith,” the Polish Archbishop said.
The archbishop of Warszawa-Praga was also asked about the negative attitude of the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno Ratko Perić towards Medjugorje. He replied that Perić's position was well known, as well as that of his predecessor, the late Pavao Žanić.
He urged all believers to go to Medjugorje for spiritual renewal. “I would certainly recommend it. I would say that it is the pilgrimage of spiritual change, conversion, and strengthening of faith – you can experience all that there,” Archbishop Hoser said.
According to the claims of six boys and girls, Virgin Mary appeared for the first time on 24 June 1981 at Podbrdo near Medjugorje. Since then, according to the visionaries, Virgin Mary has been daily appearing to them. The Holy See appointed a special commission in 2010 that checked the authenticity of the apparitions. This commission submitted its findings to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which then forwarded it to the Holy See's State Secretariat and is now awaiting Pope Francis's assessment.
Translated from Index.hr.
