Oh. My. Gosp-...

Did Fr. Z really say that the Pope may have said something negative about Medjugorje?  Did he also reveal that people he knows have suggested the former Pope wasn't too crazy about it either?

Pretty much.

Someone alerted me to a piece at the Italian site Corrispondenza Romana about something that Pope Francis said during a morning “fervorino” at Mass.
My translation:

Last Saturday 7 September during his morning meditation in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis, speaking on the theme “there is no Christian without Jesus” criticized Christian “revelationists” and expressed his strong reservations about the supposed apparitions at Medjugorje.

The official site of the Holy See and the L’Osservatore Romano, however, purged his words of the reference to Medjugorje, confining itself to refer to them in these terms: “There is another group of Christians without Christ: those who look things that are kind of rare, a bit special, who chase after some private revelations,” whereas instead revelation was concluded with the New Testament. The Holy Father warned about the desire of such Christians to go “to the spectacle of revelation, to hear some new things”. But – and this is the exhortation that Pope directed to them – “Pick up the Gospel!”

Here’s the deal.

There isn’t an attribution here, a source, the name of the person who heard the Holy Father speak specifically about Medjugorje. - WDTPopeRS

Unverified, undocumented, hearsay.  Yet it sounds about right to me - although, as always, I await the official ruling from the proper authorities - you know, those actually charged with investigating the phenomena, those doing the report - like Vatican people.  The Vatican is still there, right?

That said, I'm thinking a lot of the more recent pre-conclave private revelations and prophecy is more or less null and void as well.  Just my guess though.

Here's the 'real' deal.  A lot of people are desperately seeking a sign.  A lot of people have returned to the Church and the sacraments.  If Medj is a deception, there is going to be a very serious pastoral need for catechesis.  If it is authentic - then it is authentic - obviously the need for catechesis will be the same.

Right now there are Roman Catholic bloggers mocking and ripping the Pope.  Traditional and 'Novus Ordo' Catholics alike.  There is a crisis of dissent in the Church.*  I think it may be a good idea to stop the rumors, the gossip, the interpretation of what is said and what seers and locutionists of all stripes imagine they hear/see or mysteriously know exactly what is being said or done.  Don't go chasing waterfalls ...

Read the Gospel, study the catechism, have faith, and with confidence and love, put into practice what you read - then ...

Pray the rosary every day. - Our Lady of Fatima.
 

 

Jesus Christ dwells amongst us, and waits for you in the Blessed Sacrament.


 

 *One writer calls it "The head-slapping criticism of Pope Francis."
 

H/T to Nankin Chow Mein Halloween