Spirit Daily reports favorably on the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje all of the time. I usually ignore the stories but occasionally I'll skim through to see if there is anything new. The site actually promotes the apparitions, although the authors usually claim to simply report on developments there.
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I remember a conversation several years ago with a young woman who was convinced the apparitions were authentic. She was praising the faith of the pilgrims who continued to journey to Medjugorje despite the war at the time. I asked how she could believe Our Lady was there, telling secrets, while so many people were being killed. I reasoned, "Certainly the secrets would have something to do with all the horror taking place in that region!" As typical of Medjugorje devotees, the young woman became very defensive and suggested I was being blasphemous.
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Yet today the apparitions are said to continue, and supposedly not all of the secrets have been told to 3 of the seers. Daily the world grows more uneasy, global unrest increases, we've lived through the very worst crises in the history of the Church, post-Vatican II reforms, including the ongoing drama of clerical abuse and corruption... And yet the apparition hasn't finished revealing the secrets to all of the seers, and nothing is ever said in the ongoing messages regarding what has been happening in the Church and the world. Advocates or promoters of the Medjugorje tourism and lecture industry insist one has to go there to actually "get it". Get what?
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As far as all of the secrets having been revealed to half of the seers, one of them claims to have each secret written down - but they are invisible for now. "Seer Mirjana Dragićević Soldo (says) that her secrets are written on a mysterious piece of parchment that is only visible, right now, to her. That was allegedly given to Mirjana after her last daily apparition in 1982. States her spiritual director, Father Petar Ljubičić, "When the time comes, the contents of the first secret will become visible to me on the parchment and after seven days everyone else will be able to read it because it will cease to be a secret. This will happen until all ten secrets have been revealed and their consequence." - Spirit Daily
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Even Michael Brown thinks that is weird.
Oh yes. That is very special ink that was used on the parchment. I believe they sell it at the same place the emperors can buy their new clothes.
ReplyDeleteI am so curious to know what is happening with the investigation and when there will be a ruling. I pray that whatever the ruling, it does not cause people to have a lack of faith and go haywire.
No Catholic is required to believe in any apparition, let alone one with as many problems as Medjugorje seems to have. Fanatics of Medjugorje seem to forget that I am perfectly within my right to not believe in the apparitions supposedly happening there.
ReplyDeleteTerry - whenever things get a little slow around Abbey Roads, you put up a Medj. post. Just like Michael Brown. You crack me up!
ReplyDeleteLarry - I know! I crack me up too.
ReplyDeleteJust wait until my invisible posts publish.
But the Bishop already said that there's nothing Holy going on there.
ReplyDeleteThe Ranter,
ReplyDeleteChristians MUST believe in the Fatima's apparitions because our Lady said several months beforehand to the kids:"I will perform here a great Miracle on October 13th at noon SO THAT ALL MAY BELIEVE"
And the Miracle of the Sun happened a the exact hour She foretold.
Those who don't believe are not Christians.
Dear jac - Christians are not required to believe the miraculous events at Fatima. Our faith is detailed in the Creed.
ReplyDeleteI think the seers have perpetuated that lie for so long now they actually believe it!
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time with Medj. just because I have a few friends that have gone there, and believe in "what is goin on there." I guess they are in the "went there, and got it" camp.
ReplyDeleteThing is these folks are the types of people that WOULDN'T normally believe sketchy Catholic things... so it's hard on me...
That being said... it is the one area I fear to tread on my blog. So I don't – THANK GOD FOR TERRY!
I once asked a holy priest about that very thing, Defend, and he said that all manner of people can be deceived; just because they're deceived doesn't mean they don't truly follow the Church. I have the opposite problem; I suddenly find people questionable who are otherwise good, solid Catholics, once I learn they buy into Medjugorje. I was in the neighborhood many years ago, when the madness first began and would't go near that place.
ReplyDeleteTerry Nelson writes : "Larry - I know! I crack me up too.
ReplyDeleteJust wait until my invisible posts publish."
Unbelievable. You TOO!!? I thought I was the only one receiving private blog locutions miraculously at noon each day that only I can read?
But there is one small secret I can tell. While the private locution posts on my blog are invisible, there are hints to the content of those invisible posts scattered amongst my visible posts.
I don't think "secrets" should be an issue, as there have been "secrets" with other apparitions...Fatima is a good example: given in 1917, revealed to the Holy Father in 1960, made public in (I think) 2000.
ReplyDeleteWhat concerns me about Medjugorje is that one of the visionaries has encouraged disobedience to the Church on a few occasions, and that is enough for me to raise an eyebrow at HER authenticity.
Until the Church decides, and she may decide that a few are authentic and a few are not (as she did at Kibeho), we just have to wait, and like our Lady says EVERY time she appears, "PRAY, PRAY, PRAY".
i know a priest who's orthodox and pastoral, who has been to medjugorje several times. he's not a fanatic and respects others' opinions of disbelief. he thinks something is going on there, too that's most likely holy and he's there now with a tour group, as a matter of fact (please pray for their safe return). consider that the Divine Mercy revelations were suppressed for decades before receiving the Vatican Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. so while i personally think they're kinda weird, too (and my parents went back in '87 btw & came back with amazing stories & rosaries that turned gold), nothing's for certain till the Vatican weighs in officially. we just don't know what we don't know.
ReplyDeleteGina - that's true about the secret thing - but much of the apparition's attraction hinges on the secrets - when they are finally revealed to all of the seers that is when all the fireworks is supposed to happen - the apparitions will be concluded - I think - and then, and then!!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteDoughboy - I know people who became priests and nuns because of Medjugorje - and I also know good priests who are convinced the apparitions are authentic. Shoulder shrug. I too will wait for the Church's decision.
As for rosaries turning gold - that happened at other dubious sites as well; Neceedah, Wisconsin, Bayside, San Damiano in Italy. Some people suspect alchemy - others think it is a natural phenomenon, perhaps a chemical reaction - atmospheric or other - which causes the base metal of the wire (brass) to be exposed.
No doubt many graces are received wherever the Blessed Sacrament is worshipped and the Blessed Virgin honored.
But doughboy, the local Bishop has said that individuals may make pilgrimages and has asked priests not to lead groups to Medjugorje. I see a problem when visitors ignore what the local ordinary has said in his territory.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, it's typically the local ordinary who determines whether or not the apparition is real; see the recently sanctioned apparitions in WI. The Vatican was not involved in that decision, it was the Bishop; contrast that with Medjugorje, where the seers are disobedient to the Bishop and demand that the Vatican weigh in.
All you really need to know about Medjugorje, you learned at the Wedding Feast of Cana; the Blessed Mother told the servants "do whatever he tells you." We are the servants and "he" is the successors to the Apostles, our Bishops and Priests who stand in Persona Christi. She always counsels Obedience but in Medjugorje, the alleged apparition has denounced the Bishop and the alleged seers do not listen to their local ordinary. If there is an apparition, it is not holy as Mary ALWAYS counsels obedience, even when it seems there is injustice involved.
If you look at the origins of Medjugorje, it seems to have been very interwoven with the politics of the country – Yugoslavia - and some 'political' wrangling within the local church. The diocesan officials were pushing one way; the Franciscan order & the young seers pushing another. This is frequently the case with apparitions, and we are not bound to accept any of them, even if they have the stamp of approval from the Vatican. People should always use caution wherever those in the Church seem to be too involved in politics. Also, the ends(increased devotion, etc.) never justify the means, if we're talking about fake apparitions = dishonesty.
ReplyDeleteTerry - I just loved your most recent invisible post! Classic! I left 10 comments on it, but you probably didn't see them.
ReplyDelete