Yesterday a friend sent me an email asking that I consider the veracity of Medjugorje in light of his following insight:
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"Those who have a problem with Medjugorje are definitely not Marian. If a person is Marian, not just a devout Catholic, then he would perceive Our Lady in a different way. Such persons wouldn't see any problem with the duration and frequency of the apparitions in Medjugorje. Try and be objective and tell me if you understand it the same way."
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My response:
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"I'm not sure about that. Devotion to Our Lady is integral to Catholic faith, but that does not oblige faith in apparitions. Consider the apparitions of Fatima - even the Popes were not obliged to heed Our Lady's warnings - indeed they did not - until one got shot and realized the prophecies were true."
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Luke 16:31: "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"
"Consider the apparitions of Fatima - even the Popes were not obliged to heed Our Lady's warnings - indeed they did not - until one got shot and realized the prophecies were true."
ReplyDeleteTry telling that to my Grunerite co-worker. He's a big fan of the guy, and he's tried convincing me numerous times that failure to believe in Fatima would have eternal consequences. I told him in no uncertain terms that belief in private revelation is not a condition of salvation, and I could get to heaven even if I didn't accept Fatima (although I do), but he might be in trouble for putting so much faith in Gruner.
He hasn't talked to me about it since.
Your friend threw you the "Marian Card" and "Subjective Card" in the same paragraph.
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I'm not Marian if I don't believe in Medjugorje?!!! Well, our church has not ever approved the apparitions, and Catholics are not required to believe in private revelations.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I don't buy this argument. If you are Marian and you have studied every time Our Lady made a visit you'll note that Medj. is very, very different than all her other visits. I can't concieve of the Woman wrapped in silence has been chatting for almost 30 years every single day to the Medj. seers. Heck, at Knock and Egypt she didn't even say a word.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think it odd that she is apparently more fond of these seers than she was of St. Jaun Diego. Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia or St. Bernadette or St. Catherine Laboure.
If you're Marian you may have noted that Mary acts in certain ways. I don't want to say predictable but she has always had a pattern. Medj. is completely unlike any other visit.
How does your friend continue to believe in the veracity of Medjugorje in the light of the recent defrocking of the head priest/instigator of the whole phenomenon there?
ReplyDeleteIt's a logical fallacy to say that if one does not fall head over heels in belief of Medj. one is not Marian. It simply doesn't follow.
ReplyDeleteI love our Blessed Mother dearly, but I have absolutely no desire to go to Medj., and no plans to do so. Ever. Now, that could change. I know people who have experienced very real and powerful conversions there, but that may be more because of their true faith in God and their devotion to the Blessed Mother than any alleged apparitions.
I have reservations about Medj. and if I was going to go to any apparition site, it would NOT be that one. (Have been to OLG in Mexico City twice, but would like to go to Lourdes or Fatima)
But of course, we don't have to believe ANY of the apparitions, even the approved ones, in order to be saved. It has nothing to do with salvation.
It seems to me that the person who would write such an email has gone beyond being a Marian and instead is involved with MedjuMari-olotry. They should probably take some time to focus on Christ because THAT'S who Mary points to. Her Son. Not herself.
She never said, "Listen to Me." What she said was, "Do whatever HE tells you."
/rant
Terry, where do you get all these crazy emails or do you just make them up in order to get interesting commentary? lol