Bishop Peric:
We, the Bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina, are preoccupied with the
consequences of the four years' war (1992-1995), and of the reconstruction of
the life of the Church, and we do not see the need to form a new commission of
inquiry and to make a new declaration concerning Medjugorje.
For my part, I have included an article entitled "Criteria for Discerning
Apparitions:" regarding the events at Medjugorje in my most recent book,
Prijestolje Mudrosti (Seat of Wisdom) published at Mostar in 1995, pp.
266-286). I put forward ten points explaining the reasons why one cannot
recognize the authenticity of Medjugorje.
I am, moreover very grateful to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith for having, on two occasions, explained and implemented the affirmation
of the Episcopal Conference of the ex-Yugoslavia. This was done in a letter to
Mgr. Daloz, Archbishop of Besançon, on 4 July 1995, and in a letter to Mgr.
Taverdet, Bishop of Langres, on 23 March 1996. After having cited the
declaration of the Episcopal Conference of the ex-Yugoslavia, the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith added: "From what has been said, it follows that
official pilgrimages to Medjugorje, representing it as a place of authentic
Marian apparitions must not be organized either on a parish or diocesan level,
because this would be a contradiction of what has been affirmed by the bishops
of the ex-Yugoslavia in their previously cited declaration."11
From Croatian book by Ratko Peric, Bishop
Prijestolje Mudrosti (The Throne of the Wisdom)
Mostar 1995
pp. 266-286.
Criteria
for Discerning Apparitions
Regarding the Events of
Medjugorje
Please note that the footnote numbering follows the
bishops numbering
and the relevant footnotes immediately follow the
bishop's article.
Medjugorje, a parish in the diocese of Mostar-Duvno in Herzegovina is known
not only to Catholic Croats but to the entire world. For 14 years now,
much has been spoken and written on the "seers", and on the "apparitions" of
the Blessed Virgin Mary in this parish. The ecclesiastical ministry of
the diocesan Bishop Msgr. Pavao Zanic, has been marked
by commissions, investigations, communiqués, declarations, meetings with the
"seers", persuasions and dissuasions regarding these events. His
coadjutor and successor, from the time of his taking over the ministry of
bishop in Mostar (1993), has received many letters of varying content,
expressing all types of advice and suggestions on the events of
Medjugorje. Some have sought to impede these phenomenon, while others
have endeavored to have them approved and propagated. He himself
volens-nolens has been asked in some public appearances and interviews
to say something and to explain himself. He never
refrained though, from supporting the Declaration of
the Bishops Conference of 1991. He also mentioned the events of
Medjugorje at the Bishops Synod in Rome, in October of 1994. Therefore,
this current and contemporary theme cannot be ignored.
It is impossible to provide a brief summary of the events tied to
Medjugorje. There exists an abundant amount of literature1 from the naive to the fanatic. This article limits
itself to bringing out the theological criteria for heavenly "private"
apparitions on earth. Many worthwhile articles and books have been
written on this topic which systematically and expertly write on "private"
apparitions and revelations.2 For this
reason, the aim of this article is to gather criteria which can help those who
already know certain facts, to compare them to these rules and evaluate the
conclusions. Consequently, to bring forth the official documents and
declarations of the Church regarding the events in the parish of Medjugorje in
the diocese of Mostar-Duvno and finally, to summarize the position of the
Diocesan Chancery in a few points keeping in mind the well-known Declaration
of the Bishops Conference of 1991.
1) According to the teachings of the II Vatican Council, the
historical person of Jesus, his appearance and revelation, by word and deed,
through miraculous signs, passed on to us through his apostles, is the final
and complete revelation of God, to which nothing essential can be added or
taken away. Therefore, beyond this first revelation, there shall be no
other revelation before Jesus' Second coming. In this sense, the Council
is quite unambiguous: "As a result, he himself - to see whom is to see
the Father (cf. Jn 14:9) - completed and perfected Revelation and confirmed it
with divine guarantees. he did this by the total fact of his presence
and self-manifestation - by words and works, signs and miracles, but above all
by his death and glorious resurrection from the dead, and finally by sending
the Spirit of truth. he revealed that God was with us, to deliver us
from the darkness of sin and death, and to raise us up to eternal life."3
2) Holy Scripture: in the Old Testament, the word "listen" is
used twice a often as the words "to see" or "to look" (1080 : 520).
Along with this, the relationship of man to God, including the most humble
friend of God, is a relationship of words and not one of seeing or of
vision: 4
3) Theological problems and explanations. Theologians
who are professionally involved in studying Revelation are loath to talk about
private apparitions and messages. Yet amongst the people, many of the
faithful are inclined to believe in such phenomenon, because they provide
something visible, touchable, something which can be felt or sensed.
This is especially true if this is something which becomes visible in their
lives in the form of some kind of emotional aid, a healing or similar
experience. Such phenomenon and beliefs can easily slide
into true superstition and forms of magic, especially if the desired
"grace" or "miracle" doesn't occur in the way the person expected and "prayed
for". In such situations, it is not uncommon to come across even -
suicide. Yet, it must be objectively recognized that in the last years
and decades, tens of millions of people have made pilgrimages to the
recognized Marian shrines of the world, such as Lourdes, Fatima, Czestochowa,
Loreto, Marija Bistrica, ecc. This is also another reason why so much is
written and spoken on the problem of private apparitions. Moreover, he
who in his ecclesiastical ministry feels it his responsibility, (whether this
be in a theological, investigative or episcopal teaching ministry), has the
duty to defend the faith of the common folk and not to allow (under the veil
of various public religious gestures), the concealing of any superstitions,
nor permit the faith of the people to be based upon false apparitions.
Theologically speaking, in order to accept private apparitions as
authentic, they must be characterized by some essential traits and be free of
dubious elements.
R. Silic, a professor of theology in Sarajevo, advised the priests of his
time briefly and clearly: "May pastors of souls be
careful not to quickly believe in revelations so that they may not be deceived
by pious women."5
Another Franciscan priest from Herzegovina, K. Vasilj, provides three criteria:
1) The appearing Mary must be in
total concordance with Mary of the New Testament;
2) The person who
claims that Mary is appearing to him/her must be completely sincere and
truthful;
3) That person must also be psychologically healthy,
unperturbed by illusions and hallucinations.6
A serious theological article on apparitions was written ten years ago by a
Jesuit professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Rev. Jean
Galot. He presents three problems which should be resolved while
questioning the authenticity of apparitions:
1) Did a true apparition
occur?
2) Is the person who presented this trustworthy?
3)
Can the theology of the apparitions be explained and placed within the life of
the Church?7
This third problem should be placed first, and the theologian gives it much
attention. Describing various apparitions depicted in the Bible, he also
brings out his own theological considerations. In the faith, there
exists a fundamental light which is shrouded by darkness. Hence, some seek apparitions in order to confirm their faith.
they would like to compensate that which they lack in believing by
"seeing". "It is exactly this desire which drives a good number of
today's Christians towards persons who say that they have apparitions or
visions."8
The first criterion for discerning authenticity is rarity
and exceptionality. Apparitions are essentially very rare
occurrences. They cannot replace the faith. "Hence, apparitions
which would continue for a long period of time, becoming a part of daily life
of the seers, would tend to transform christian living into seeing and would
then liberate if from the darkness of faith. such frequency would be a
motive to doubt the authenticity of the apparitions."9
The second criterion for judging authenticity would be the conformity of
the ensuing messages and revelations to the truths of the faith. If
there were to be any doctrinal errors, or affirmations incompatible with the
teachings of the Gospel, with christian love; or if they were
to contain slander, to instigate rebellion, to entice
"disobedience towards Church authority", in such cases their validity
would have to be questioned.10
Thirdly, "it would equally be detrimental if the transcendental origin of
the apparitions were to indicate a certain human manipulation: when the
recipients of apparitions determine the place, date, regularity or
program. They do not then concern a phenomenon from above, but more or
less a direct experience of the actors on earth".11
Fourthly, one has to consider the fruits also. "It must be observed
that the spiritual fruits alone cannot suffice in discerning the authenticity
of apparitions. There have been cases where many conversions were
registered, which then only wound up being rejected by church authorities as
unfounded."12
Z. Puljic, once a member of the diocesan commission for the investigation
of the events of Medjugorje, and who today is Bishop of Dubrovnik, emphasizes
the necessity of a serious analysis of the following elements for the
discernment of the authenticity of apparitions:
- the psychological equilibrium of the person;
- the object or content of private apparitions, and
- the moral implications on the "seer" or on others who accept them.13
Other theologians present up to eight criteria for discerning authentic
from false private apparitions and revelations. In order to evaluate
them, one would have to respond to these questions:
- What is the basic information on the "seers" like, and how are they
judged to be?
- Has there been a concrete realization of the seers'
announced predictions?
- Is the seer honest and respectful towards his superiors (spiritual
director, pastor, bishop)?
- Is an absolutely authentic text of the "messages" obtainable?
- Does there exist any harmony between the so-called messages and
revelations to the official teachings of the Church?
- Are the so-called messages useful towards the eternal salvation of
people?
- Have the so-called apparitions survived all the difficulties of time and
all investigations?
- Have there been significant fruits in every aspect?14
R. Fisichella, a respected professor of theology at the Gregorian
University in Rome, after making some biblical observations, stresses the
following criteria for discerning the authenticity and truthfulness of private
apparitions:
- These visions must never overshadow the authentic and radical Revelation
described in Holy Scripture;
- They must always respect the mystery and secrecy of genuine revelation;
" it is absurd, to not say blasphemous, - not only to Western
mentality - that during a vision one could photograph the face of Jesus or the
Virgin!";
- They must respect the mutual completion of charisms; and the greatest of
these is love; hence they should not be directed against love which is the
center of Christian revelation.3
Furthermore, for a theological analysis of so-called private apparitions,
it is important to keep in mind the social and cultural factors of the place
where the apparitions occur, a linguistic verification of the descriptions of
the apparitions would be necessary, and finally, a thorough psychological
analysis of the seers. One also must recall that apparitions are always
something "extraordinary", rare, and this is an important element for their
discernment. "If apparitions were to occur on a daily basis in the life
of a believer, or if they were to continue for years, this would obviously
create serious problems for the theology of faith".16 Every apparition must refer to or return to the revelation of
Christ, presume it and lead towards it as well.
Referring to the "scientific research" on the "apparitions" at
Medjugorje,17 of R.
Laurentin, a French priest and publicist, J. Curic, a professor at the
Catholic Theological Faculty in Zagreb, provides a few significant critical
points which greatly contribute towards clearing up the mentioned
difficulties:
- Curic first of all differentiates between the popular term "scientific"
as it was comprehended in the 19th century and the way it is understood today
in the 20th century. Real scientists today are much more humble and
careful, due to the likely rebuttals and replies they can easily receive
tomorrow for their conclusions of today.18
- While the French scientist lists facts and figures, he remains in line
with his historical profession. but when he presents the actual
"visions" of the seers, he does not take into consideration the "experience of
the presence" as a significant element of spiritual consciousness. This
is one of his greatest drawbacks according to the Croatian Jesuit.19
- A three day stay in Medjugorje during the Christmas rush, gave Laurentin
the opportunity to establish that the seers are mentally healthy, simple and
totally honest. Curic observes though, that God does not reserve his
gifts only to those who are "scientifically" sane. He portrays
Laurentin's great leaps to conclusions: "Meanwhile, if he were to come
to a perfectly certain conviction that the seers of Medjugorje are totally
sincere in their declarations, this would not give him the right to conclude -
that the subjective sincerity of their speech proves the objective
truthfulness of their visions."20
- Following this, Curic poses a general problem of principle: "what
if anything can science research and verify regarding extraordinary,
miraculous phenomenon, whether they be of divine or demonic origin? It
appears that Glas Koncila did not proceed properly when it reiterated
the "scientific nature" of Laurentin's approach to the Madonna's
"apparitions"; as if the problem of the authenticity of these apparitions
(after all our Balkan controversies), could now be resolved in a proper manner
- the scientific way." Laurentin recognizes that in the end "the verdict
must be left up to the Church". Curic then responds: "Why would
this scientist, having concluded his scientific research, now restrain his
scientific conclusions and bow before the unscientific authority of the
Church? If science can scientifically establish that a certain virus
causes cancer, then no bishop could ever deny this conclusion! Hence, if
science scientifically establishes that the Madonna is "appearing" in
Medjugorje, can the bishops along with their commissions deny this?"
Here the critic is examining two things. The first: God's grace
cannot be an "object" of scientific research; second: yet, through
grace, God can touch a person in such a way that this encounter manifests
itself in a miraculous healing, miraculous knowledge, ecc. But science
is incapable of establishing the miraculous nature of these happenings!21
- Curic differentiates between mystical and prophetic types of private
revelations. Mystics usually cannot and do not know how to express what
they have experienced. Prophetic souls "behave themselves
diversely: they are convinced of the truthfulness of their experience
and consciously wish to go public, so that people may listen and follow their
'message'". The phenomenon of Medjugorje falls into this prophetic
category. Yet the mystical and prophetic types of revelations cannot be
verified by science, but only through a spiritual evaluation.22
- Curic also presents the differences between public Revelation which is
absolutely necessary for salvation and which extends for all eternity to all
of mankind, and private revelations which no one has the right to impose upon
or extend towards others. This results from the private nature of
private revelations.3
- This type of private revelation does not lose its private character even
after the so-called "approval" or "nihil obstat" of the Church, which can also
revoke this "approval". Curic's conclusion is: "Whoever believes
along with Laurentin that the Madonna has truly appeared to the seers of
Medjugorje - and not once or twice, but thousands of times - that person would
have to keep in mind the historical fact that even very noble Divine
initiatives have ended in failure, because they were defeated by the
disproportionate propaganda of various naive and fanatical persons. On
the other hand, one shouldn't forget that according to the Bible, God is not
bound by our human legal or scientific methods."3
4) The position of the Church. Cardinal Prospero
Lambertini, who became Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758), explained the value and
strength of "approval" which is given to apparitions, visions and
revelations: "It is important to know that the public approval (of
apparitions) after serious examination, is provided for the education and
benefit of believers. But even though such approved revelations cannot
claim nor be given the consensus of the Catholic faith, they nevertheless
require the assent of human faith according to the rules of prudence,
in virtue of which these revelations are considered probable or piously
credible."25 This wise rule is also valid
today.
In the most recent Catechism of the Catholic Church there exists a clear
position regarding "private" apparitions and revelations: "Throughout
the ages, there have been so-called 'private' revelations, some of which have
been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong,
however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or
complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in
a certain period of history. Guided by the magisterium of the Church,
the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these
revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to
the Church."26
5) The phenomenon of Medjugorje and Declarations of the
Church. From 1981 onward, three ecclesiastical Commissions
have worked in succession on studying the phenomenon of Medjugorje. They
could not avoid taking into consideration the above mentioned principles and
criteria during their investigations. The Commissions, the local Bishop
and the Bishops Conference through the course of time, gave certain
communiqués, declarations or explanations, which were accepted or rejected by
the followers or the opponents of "supernatural apparitions". Here are
the most important official declarations, signed and dated by the competent
authorities:
- In mid August 1981, in the declaration of Msgr. Pavao Zanic, Bishop of
Mostar-Duvno, which was open to honest interpretation, it was said that the
"most difficult question remains whether this is the subjective experience of
the children or something supernatural?"27
- On the 14th of January 1984, the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Franjo
Kuharic, prohibited the seers of Medjugorje from appearing in all the parishes
of the archdiocese of Zagreb until an ecclesiastical judgment was passed on
the events.28
- On the 24th of March 1984, the first communiqué of the expanded
Commission was made public. The Commission asked that the mass media
refrain from giving judgments of the events until the competent Church
Commission provides its judgment. It also asked that organized
pilgrimages not be allowed; that the "seers" and church personnel in
Medjugorje not give any statements regarding the so-called
"apparitions": "Since the events in the parish of Medjugorje have had a
considerable echo in our local Church and throughout the world, the Bishop
Ordinary felt it necessary to expand the present four-member Commission in
order to choose new members from all the theological faculties from the Church
in Croatia and Slovenia, from various theological disciplines as well as
experts in medical sciences... the Commission does not approve of priests or
Catholic lay people organizing pilgrimages to Medjugorje, or public
appearances of the seers before it has made a judgment on the authenticity of
the apparitions."29
- On October 11th 1984, in the second communiqué, we read amongst other
things: "The Commission has decided to further study all the experiences
of the children and the interpretations of these experiences by the pastoral
works of Medjugorje, even though it already notices some difficulties of
disciplinary and theological nature in the messages of Medjugorje."30
- On the 12th of October 1984, the Bishops Conference asked that official
pilgrimages to Medjugorje not be organized: "The Bishops advise that
regarding the events of Medjugorje, it is necessary to await the judgment of
the competent Church authorities which shall be given after a thorough and
expert examination of the events. Hence, official pilgrimages to
Medjugorje cannot be organized as if the Church had already given a positive
judgment on these events."31
- On the 30th of October, Bishop Zanic presented the (unofficial) position
of the Diocesan Chancery in a 15 point statement demonstrating negative
factors and facts tied to the phenomenon of Medjugorje.32
- On March 8th 1985, the third communiqué of the mentioned Commission on
the results of single experts and studies was made known. Amongst other
things it said: "The commission feels that the most difficult question
arising from the events regards the ecclesiastical disobedience of two former
chaplains of Mostar who refused to be transferred, appealing to the messages
of Medjugorje."33
- On the 18th of April 1985, the Bishops conference once again made an
appeal to the faithful against making official pilgrimages to
Medjugorje: "The Bishops are following the events of Medjugorje in
Herzegovina with due attention. They have reconfirmed their previous
directives and decisions regarding these events during this meeting."34
- On May 23rd 1985, came the warning of the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith - signed by the secretary of the Congregation Msgr. Alberto
Bovone - addressed to the Italian Bishops Conference, to not organize
pilgrimages to Medjugorje. Here is the entire text of the letter sent by
the Holy See to the secretary of the Italian Bishops Conference, Msgr. Egidio
Caporello:
Your Excellency, from many parts, especially from the competent Ordinary of
Mostar (Yugoslavia), one can gather and lament the vast propaganda given to
the 'events' tied to the so-called apparitions in Medjugorje, for which
pilgrimages and other initiatives have been organized that only contribute to
the creation of confusion amongst the faithful and interfere with the work of
the appointed Commission which is delicately examining the 'events' under
scrutiny.
In order to avoid enhancing this mentioned propaganda and speculation going
on in Italy, despite all that has been expressed and recommended by the
Bishops Conference of Yugoslavia, could this Presidency please suggest to the
Italian Episcopate to publicly discourage the organizing of pilgrimages to the
so-called centre of apparitions, a well as all other forms of publicity,
especially written materials, which could be considered prejudicial to a sober
assertion of the facts on the part of the Special Commission which has been
canonically formed for this purpose.
I take this opportunity to express the assurances of my highest
regards..."35
- On the 31st of May 1985, came the fourth Communiqué of the mentioned
Commission in which the themes and difficulties worked upon were
presented: "... a comparison of the concept of conversion as presented
in the gospels to the phenomenon of Medjugorje; problems of discipline
regarding two former chaplains of Mostar who appeal to the messages of
Medjugorje; theological problems regarding some of the messages of Medjugorje;
and insufficient documentation on the supposed miraculous healings."36
- On September 27, 1985, the fifth Communiqué of the same Commission was
published in which they briefly explained what the participants were
doing.37
- In January of 1987, on the suggestion of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith that a commission of experts be established at the level
of the Bishops Conference, a communiqué by Cardinal Kuharic and Bishop Zanic
was published: "While waiting for the results of the Commission's
investigations and the judgment of the Church, may Pastors and the faithful
observe prudence in these circumstances. Therefore, organized
pilgrimages or other manifestations, motivated by supernatural attributes
given to the phenomenon of Medjugorje are not allowed."38
- On the 25th of July 1987, during a Mass held in the parish of Medjugorje,
Bishop Zanic referred to the so-called apparitions. Here is a paragraph
which was cited in many newspapers throughout the world: "It is said
that Our Lady began appearing at Podbrdo on mount Crnica, but when the police
banned going there, she went into homes, on fences, into the fields, into
vineyards and tobacco fields, she appeared in the church, on the altar, in the
sacristy, in the choir loft, on the roof, on the bell-tower, on roads, on the
road to Cerno, in a car, in a bus, on a carriage, in a few places in Mostar,
in more places in Sarajevo, in the convents of Zagreb, in Varazdin, in
Switzerland, in Italy, again on Podbrdo, on Mt. Krizevac, in the parish, in
the parish rectory, ecc. Surely not even half the places of the
so-called apparitions have been counted, and a sober person who venerates Our
Lady, would naturally ask himself: Dear Mother of God, what are they
doing to you?"39
- In 1990 the diocesan Bishop Zanic published his position on Medjugorje by
summarizing in 28 points that which deeply dissuaded him regarding the
truthfulness of the so-called supernatural apparitions, and which also
scandalizes many faithful today regarding the events of Medjugorje.40
- On the 10th of April 1991, came the Declaration of the former Bishops
Conference on the basis of the results of its Commission, which said that
there are no valid reasons which could verify the events of Medjugorje as
supernatural apparitions or revelations. The Declaration in its entirety
follows:
During the regular session of the Bishops Conference of Yugoslavia, held in
Zadar from April 9-11, 1991, the following was accepted:
A DECLARATION
From the very beginning, the Bishops have been following the events of
Medjugorje through the local Bishop, the Bishops Commission and the Commission
of the Bishops Conference of Yugoslavia for Medjugorje.
On the base of studies made so far, it cannot be affirmed that these
matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations.
Yet the gathering of faithful from various parts of the world to
Medjugorje, inspired by reasons of faith or other motives, require the
pastoral attention and care, first of all, of the local Bishop and then of the
other bishops with him, so that in Medjugorje and all connected with it, a
healthy devotion towards the Blessed Virgin Mary according to the teachings of
the Church may be promoted. The Bishops will also provide special
liturgical and pastoral directives corresponding to this aim. At the
same time, they will continue to study all the events of Medjugorje through
the commissions.
Zadar, 10 April 199141
The Bishops of
Yugoslavia"
Later on, war broke out in the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The followers of the phenomenon of Medjugorje still
claim that Our Lady is "appearing". The Diocesan Chancery has warned on
many occasions that one cannot claim nor preach in churches on supernatural
apparitions due to the fact that it is impossible to confirm that Our Lady is
appearing. Hence, official pilgrimages to Medjugorje are not
allowed.42
6) The Church has still not recognized the supernatural nature of the
"apparitions" at Medjugorje
Having in mind the previously mentioned rules which the Commission members
empowered with the task of investigating the phenomenon have taken into
consideration, on the basis of which they have suggested to the local Bishop
and the Bishops Conference to maintain the conviction that it is impossible to
prove the supernatural nature of the "apparitions"; and also keeping in mind
what was said and written in the past and especially recently on the events in
the parish of Medjugorje, we present a few basic positions which the Diocesan
Chancery has in various ways made public and duly informed the Holy See on,
and still maintains today:
1. "The Case of Herzegovina" - Medjugorje. The local
Bishop of Mostar Msgr. Pavao Zanic, at the beginning of the so-called
apparitions in 1981, was open to news that on the territory of the diocese of
Mostar-Duvno, in the parish of Medjugorje, there appeared the Blessed Virgin
Mary. However, when the so-called seers in their "messages", which were
presumed to be those of the Blessed Virgin, began giving anti-Church statements linked to the "case of Herzegovina"
regarding parishes, parish jurisdiction and canonical faculties, defending the
disobedience of certain Franciscan pastors of souls, prudence demanded taking
a more cautious stance. The competent church authorities, first of all
the Diocesan Bishop on the basis of investigations made by his two Commissions
from 1982-1986, and then the Commission of the Bishops Conference on the
grounds of its investigations from 1987-1990, both brought forth the following
negative judgment regarding the supernatural nature of the apparitions at
Medjugorje: 'it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern
supernatural apparitions or revelations", of the Madonna or any other
saints. Therefore, it is forbidden to claim and profess the contrary, in
churches and ecclesiastical communities, that is, as if Our Lady appeared
there or is still appearing.
2. The fruits. Despite the numerous people who
come to Medjugorje "with religious and other motives", and even though there
are religious, priests and bishops, the curious and those seeking physical
healings and spiritual conversions; despite the tens of books and brochures
written in favor of the so-called apparitions at Medjugorje, all from the pens
of famous writers in the world; despite the hundreds of thousands of
confessions and holy communions made, which the supporters of Medjugorje
consistently stress, the Declaration of the Bishops Conference clearly
states: "it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern supernatural
apparitions or revelations", of the Madonna. The fruits which are so
often mentioned, are not proof that they result from "supernatural apparitions
or revelations" of the Madonna, but insomuch as they are authentically
Christian, they can be understood as a product of the regular workings of the
grace of God, through faith in God and the intercession of Mary the Mother of
Christ, and through the Holy Sacraments present in the Catholic Church.
Not to mention anything at all about the negative fruits!
3. The "messages" of Medjugorje on prayer, fasting,
faith, conversion and peace, repeated daily as something new but in reality
always the same, as if the Madonna conveyed them to the "seers", are already
present in Holy Scripture and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Anyone wishing to obey and live according to God's commandments and the
teachings of the Church can pray, fast, believe, convert and work for peace
anywhere in the world. This Christian requirement and duty cannot be
lessened nor enhanced or strengthened by any confirmed apparition, let alone
thousands of unsubstantiated "apparitions" at Medjugorje.
4. Contradictions. In some of the statements
made by the so-called seers of Medjugorje published in the last 14 years,
there are such contradictions, falsehoods and banalities, which cannot be
attributed at all to our heavenly Mother Sedes Sapientiae - Seat of
Wisdom, since there does not exist even a minimal guarantee of
credibility. On the basis of such statements and the events tied to the
statements: it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern
"supernatural apparitions or revelations", of the Madonna or others. The
talk of a "great sign", of "ten secrets", which Our Lady supposedly conveyed
to the children, resembles the scare tactics which are typical of non-Catholic
communities and not the sound teachings of the Catholic Church.
5. Normal people. Of the six former children of
Medjugorje who claimed that the Madonna "appeared" to them, one of them
entered the seminary, another entered a type of mixed religious community, and
with the passing of time both of them left their respective communities.
Five of them have married, including the latter two mentioned. These
faithful, even after thousands of so-called apparitions, remain so "normal" in
their behaviour, that only their words attest to their "encounters" with the
Madonna. They remain "normal" as do all other "normal" faithful who have
never seen the Madonna, yet as Catholics still firmly believe in Her and
fervently pray for her intercession. Our holy faith which is based upon
listening to the Word of God and not upon seeing heavenly apparitions, is at
the same time a obsequium rationabile (Rom 12:1), which contradicts the
insistent propaganda on daily or very frequent "apparitions". Some are
behaving in direct contradiction to the beatitude which Jesus said to the
doubting apostle Thomas: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
believe" (Jn 20:29).
6. Charitable activities. Despite all the
charitable-humanitarian aid which has been collected and is still being
collected throughout the world during this terrible war in this war-stricken
area, through the help of the mass-media serving the Medjugorje propaganda
machinery, (in the name of Medjugorje and also passing through Medjugorje
channels to the needy), there exists no reason to profess the claim that
"these matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations", neither of
the "Queen of Peace" nor of any other type of supernatural apparition.
7. Destroyed and undestroyed churches. Neither
can it be considered proof of the supernatural nature of the "apparitions" the
fact that the church of St. James the Apostle in Medjugorje was not hit by
grenades during this war, while for instance, both of the churches of Mostar
and many other churches in Herzegovina, Bosnia and Croatia were bombed and
destroyed.
8. The unrelenting process of "apparitions". Those who
for the last 14 years claim that the "Queen of Peace is appearing" in
Medjugorje precisely every day43 (even though on
June 30th 1981 it was said that there would be "apparitions for only three
more days"),44 who not knowing how to stop the
process of "apparitions" without stopping those who come there called by some
so-called apparitions or with other motives, are certainly not doing any
favours to the honour and truth on the Madonna, the Mother of the
Church. Nor are they doing any favours to the Church itself, the
spiritual Mother of all Catholics who base their Catholic faith in God and
devotion to Mary not upon some childish stories and hallucinations, but upon
the authentic Revelation of God and its authentic interpretation guaranteed by
the Holy Spirit received through the living Magisterium of the church.
9. Tourism. By stating the truth that it is impossible
to prove and affirm that the Blessed Virgin Mary has ever appeared to anyone
in Medjugorje, we do not wish to dissuade the efforts of the Republic and the
media to attract the greatest possible number of tourists to our
country. Yet, let these necessary and useful tourist aims be based upon
our praiseworthy Christian traditions and the martyrdoms for the faith
undergone in the past and present, along with the well-known values and beauty
of our homeland, which the Almighty has given her, and not
upon unsubstantiated and groundless supernatural "apparitions", "revelations"
and "messages". The Croatian civil authorities and media should
clearly differentiate these facts and keep in mind the official position of
the Church, if they wish to adhere to the principle of not intervening in the
affairs of the Church and want to remain objective.
10. No shrine and no pilgrimages. Neither the Diocesan
Bishop as the head of the local diocese of Mostar-Duvno, or any other
competent authority has ever officially declared the parish church of St.
James the Apostle in Medjugorje as a "Marian Shrine" and no "cult" of the
Madonna based upon so-called apparitions has even been proclaimed. Due
to these discrepancies, the local Bishop has repeatedly forbidden anyone from
preaching or speaking in churches on the supernatural nature of these
so-called "apparitions and revelations", and he has asked that no official
pilgrimages be organized be they at the level of parishes, dioceses or
generally in the name of the Church. These and similar warnings were
made by our former Bishops Conference and the Holy See. Whoever acts to the contrary, is directly going against the official
statements of the Church, which even after 14 years of so-called apparitions
and widespread propaganda, still remain valid in the Church.
A healthy devotion to the Mother of God in accord with the teachings of the
Church, especially with the Papal Exhortation "Marialis cultus" of 1974, must
be nurtured and promoted in every person, family, church, parish and diocese
of the Catholic Church.
Mostar, May 1995
Msgr. Ratko Peric
Bishop of
Mostar
- I. Sivric, in his well documented book La face cachée de
Medjugorje, tome I, Ed. Psilog, Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, 1988,
gathered in the first seven years of the "apparitions" over 200 sources, p.
381-394.
- I cite only those which I have used in this article:
R. SILIC,
Caveant animarum directores, in: Dobri Pastir, 3-4/1950,
27-30;
K. VASILJ, Marija. Povodom neobicnih pojava u
Medugorju, in: Hrvatska Revija, 3/1984, 367-387;
J. CURIC,
Znanstvena istrazivanja u Medugorju? in: Obnovljeni zivot,
3-4/1984, 329-339;
J. GALOT, Le apparizioni private nella vita della
Chiesa, in: Bogoslovska smotra, 1-2/93, 76-88;
RI.
RISICHELLA, Dio ci ha parlato attraverso suo Figlio, in:
Homiletic and Pastoral Review, New York, 7/94, 28-31. 51-56.
- Dei Verbum, 4.
- Cfr. J. GALOT, Op. cit., 22-23.
- R. SILIC, Op. cit., 28: "Caveant ergo directores animarum,
ne cito revelationibus credant, et a piis feminis decipiantur."
- Cfr. K. VASILJ, Op. cit., 374.
- Cfr. J. GALOT, Op. cit., 19.
- Idem, 25.
- CF. Idem, 30.
- CF. Idem.
- Idem, 31.
- Idem, 31.
- W.P. (Z. PULJIC), Op. cit., 1989, 250.
- See M. MAZZA, who cites A. POULAINA, The Graces of Interior Prayer,
Op. cit., 30-31. 51-56. In presenting the mentioned
criteria, the author also applies them to the facts and declarations of the
phenomenon of Medjugorje. He systematically disproves the authenticity
of those apparitions.
- R. FISICHELLA, Op. cit., 43-44
- Idem, 44.
- R. LAURENTIN, Javlja li se Gospa u Medugorju?, in: Glas
Koncila, 4, 5, 6/1984, 7.
- Cf. Idem, 329-330.
- Cf. Idem, 330-331.
- Idem, 331, quote: 332.
- Idem, 332-334.
- Cf., Idem, 334-335.
- Cf. Idem, 336-337.
- I dem, 337-338.
- De Servorum Dei beatificatione et Beatorum canonizatione, Liber
II, 32, No. II. Quoted in: J. GALOT, Op. cit., 32:
"...Sciendum est approbationem istam nihil aliud esse quam permissionem ut
edantur ad fidelium institutionem et utilitatem, post maturum examen:
siquidem hisce revelationibus taliter approbatis, licet non debeatur, nec
possit adhiberi, assensus fidei catholicae, debetur tamen assensus fidei
humanae iuxta prudentiae regulas, iuxta quas nempe tales revelationes
sunt probabiles et pie credibiles..."
- The Catechism of the Catholic Chuirch, Canadian Conference of
Catholic Bishops, 1994, n.67.
- P. ZANIC, Izjava u javnost, in: Crkva na Kamenu (pastoral
newspaper of the dioceses of Herzegovina), 7-8/1981, 24; Biskupova izjava
o "ukazanjima" u Hercegovini, in: Glas Koncila, 16.VIII.1981, 1;
See also the Bishop's defence of the Franciscan priests of Medjugorje before
the Presidency of the former state authorities. The letter to
president Kreigher and Pred odgovornoscu, in: Crkva na Kamenu,
9-10/81, 1 and 2.
- N. 63/1984, in: Glas Koncila, 1 April 1984, 5.
- A two-day consultation of the expanded commission for Medjugorje.
Press release, in: Glas Koncila, 1 April 1984, 1 and 5; Circa gli
eventi di Medjugorje nella Diocesi jugoslava di Mostar-Duvno, in:
L'Osservatore Romano, 12.V.1984, 2.
- Novo o Medugorju, in: Glas Koncila, 28.X.1984, 9.
- Jesenski Sabor BKJ, in: Glas Koncila, 21. October 1984, 2.
- P. ZANIC, La posizione attuale (non ufficiale) della Curia Vescovile
di Mostar nei confronti degli eventi di Medjugorje (The present
<unofficial> position of the Diocesan Chancery of Mostar regarding the
events of Medjugorje). Addressed to the Holy See and Bishops
Conferences of the world. See G. CAPRILE, Circa i fatti di
Medjugorje, in: Laa Civilta Cattolica, 18.V.1985, 363-371.
- Od posta do tajnovitih znakova (From fasting to secret signs),
in: Glas Koncila, 24 march 1985, 5.
- Priopcenje za javnost, in: Glas Koncila, 28 April 1985, 3.
- Entire text in: La Civilta Cattolica, 19 October 1985, 173; See
Tajnik Kongregacije za nauk vjere o dogadajima u Medugorju (The Secretary
of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the events of
Medjugorje), in: Glas Koncila, 30 June 1985, 3, where the
position of the Congregation is presented by an Italian weekly.
- Priopcenje sa dvodnevnog zasjedanja Komisje za ispitivanje dogadaja u
zupi Medjugorje (A communiqué from the two-day meeting of the Commission
for investigating the events in the parish of Medjugorje), in: Glas
Koncila, 16 June 1985, 5.
- Izvjestaj iz Medugorja, u: Glas Koncila, 20 October 1985,
5.
- Priopcenje za tisak o Medugorju (Press release on Medjugorje) in:
Crkva na Kamenu, 2/1987, 1; Biskupska konferencija Jugoslavije
sastavila novu Komisju za istrazivanje medugorskkih dogadaja (The BCY
forms a new Commission to investigate the events of Medjugorje), in: Glas
Koncila, 18 January 1987, 1; Comunicato stampa su Medjugorje, in:
L'Osservatore Romano, 14 febbraio 1987, 2.
- Izjava mostarskog biskupa o Medugorju (A Declaration of the
Bishop of Mostar on Medjugorje), in: Crkva na Kamenu, 8-9/1987, 2.
- A 20 page booklet in Croatian, English, Italian, German and French.
- Izjava Biskupske konferencije Jugoslavije o Medugorju, in:
Glas Koncila, 5 May 1991, 1.
- See Izjava biskupa o Medugorju nas obvezuje (The Bishops
Declaration is binding), in: Crkva na Kamenu, 7/1991, 2; Gospina
cast (The honour of Our Lady), in: Istina oslobada (The Truth
sets us free), Miscellaneous collections of Bishop Pavao Zanic,
edited by T. VUKSIC, Crkva na Kamenu, book 30, Mostar 1992. The
position of the Diocesan Chancery of Mostar was also presented by Msgr. LUKA
PAVLOVIC, Vicar General, in various articles: Lazni Papin delegat (A
False Papal Delegate), in: Glas Koncila, 12 June 1994, 5; Zadarska
izjava vrijedi! (The Declaration of Zadar is still valid!), in: Glas
Koncila, 10 July 1994, 6; Hrvatski i medjugorski jezik (Croat
language and the language of Medjugorje), in: Glas Koncila, 7 August
1994, 10; Price za naivne (Stories for the Naive), in: Glas
Koncila, 25 September 1994, 2. See also Slobodna Dalmacija,
11 January 1995, 9.
- For some time now "messages" have been made public on the 25th of each
month. Does this mean that she is not appearing on the other days?
- Cfr. I. SIVRIC, Op. cit., 44-50. 12
[Emphasis added in red by F.J.L.]
2. What does Satan gain by making people holier? Don't the fruits of an
apparition prove it's from God?
A perpetual argument employed by souls snarred by false apparitions,
mystics or cults, goes something like, "It cannot be false because of the
fruits. People are praying more and sinning less, and even giving up drugs,
alcohol and cigarettes. There are many miracles and everything feels so good
and holy, what would Satan gain by making people pray more, sin less?"
Christ's words to Marie Julie Jahenny reveal the primary reason for false
apparitions, often described as "salt from Heaven" [true] and "sugar from
Hell" [false]. Whenever Heaven delivers a true message to the world, e.g.
Lourdes, Satan attempts to drown God's salt in the sugar of demonic
apparitions. In Lourdes there were over 50 purported apparitions of the Virgin
Mary to children other than Saint Bernadette. All of these vistiations proved
to be Satanic, though in every case these children actually saw a form they
thought to be GOD's Mother. Though demonically inspired their ecstasy was not
interrupted when pins were stuck in them, light was passed over their eyes,
etc. Had Satan's scheme succeeded, all these apparitions - including Saint
Bernadette's - would have been condemned by the Church. Perhaps, we might
never have intimately met the "Immaculate Conception". Thank God, the Church,
guided by the Holy Spirit, did not mix sugar and salt, nor expel the good with
the bad.
Without a doubt, every demonic apparition is intrinsically evil and
harmful. And yet, while God permits them as tests of discernment, faith and
obedience, they may also provide evidence of the invisible world's reality to
unbelievers. Their danger emerges when the mystically untrained and
undiscerning - most all of mankind - embrace such lies over the Spirit-guided
counsel of the Church (1 Timothy 3:15). Often the deceived become stronger in
the faith, when they recognize how easily fallen angels can fool men, and
learn to follow our Shepherd on earth safely home to the Father. Mysteriously,
falling prey to the guiles of a false apparition, many souls have been given
the grace of awakening, i.e. realizing that no one can disobey the Church and
serve GOD, man lacks the wit to overpower and outsmart Satan's hordes on his
own, and no apparition true or false can provide a soul more Grace and Wisdom
than the Precious Blood of Christ received in the Most Holy Eucharist.
Anchored in Christ's Blood no one will wander into curious realms of deceit.
Content with "He Who can neither deceive nor be deceived" we shall truly
become one. There is no greater truth than the Blood of Christ. God-loving
souls need nothing but GOD.
GOD's revelations strengthen humility, obedience, patience and conformity
to His Holy Will. The Devil's revelations beget pride, presumption and
disobedience to GOD's Church on earth. A sure sign of a demonically-inspired
seer is their seeking self-profit, glory and power over GOD's.
Piety, prayer and good works are not lone criteria for authenticating
heavenly revelations. Satan will tolerate good to ultimately sew evil. A sign
of true love for GOD is bearing long-lasting fruits and living orthodox,
obedient lives respectful to all, especially those in authority.
From
The Imitation of Christ (Book 3, Pg 160):
"You so easily follow the suggestions of your enemy, the devil, who does
not care whether his deceits are true or false..."
Today, when someone announces the Virgin Mary is appearing standing on a
rock, many uncautious souls imprudently run to venerate the rock. While their
piety, prayer, virtue, etc. may seem to evidence fruits, these - in and of
themselves - do not prove the vision of divine origin. In fact, till the Holy
Catholic Church proves otherwise, vision-chasers may actually - and more often
than not - be bowing down to a demon. What is the effect of unwitting prayers
to Satan? Just look at the holocaust that followed the condemned apparitions
in Medjugorje. "WAR is a punishment for sin." - Our Lady of Fatima, 1917.
4. Please comment on the statement of Pope Urban VIII (17th Century),
"It's better to believe than not to believe."
The promoters of un-approved apparitions and private revelations, appeal to
two false conclusions from past Pope's statements, and in both cases they take
statements out of context. As the Vatican has already clarified in their Nov.
1996 statement, "The interpretation given by some individuals to a Decision
approved by Paul VI is absolutely groundless."
And regarding Pope Urban VIII, this also is taken out of context. He was
referring to a private revelation that was under investigation but no
conclusion was reached yet, for as he said, "and if it should prove to be
false". The question you should ask is "prove to be false" by whom? By the
promoters, the sheep, the bishop of the mystic, or by Rome.
The doctrine of the Church is "to the judgment of the diocesan Bishop". Of
course, there must be a period of time before the diocesan Bishop comes to a
conclusion, and during this period of time one is not held responsible for a
false belief. If, however, you continue to believe in a mystic that the local
Bishop has "proved to be false", will you still "receive all the blessings as
if it were to be true"? No! Because then you have violated the Fourth
Commandment. "Honor your Father and your Mother" because no one can have God
for their Father without having the Church for their Mother.
"But, Lord, I believed with all my heart." (Matt. 7:21=24) "Not every one
that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he
that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me in that day,
`Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy
name, and done many miracles in thy name?' And then will I profess unto them,
`I never knew you, depart from me, you that work iniquity.' Every one
therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a
wise man that built his house upon a rock."
The important thing about this statement of Christ is that the person was
surprised, he thought he was doing the will of God, and he thought that the
power he had to perform miracles and give prophesies was also from God. But
this power was not from God. Christ goes on to say what the rules are. "He who
hears my word" means all his words. Read HIS WORDS in Matt. 18:17 which
states, "And if he will not hear them [witnesses or the facts] tell the
church. And if he will not hear even the Church, let him be to thee as the
heathen and the publican."
"We are of God. [the bishops] He that knoweth God, heareth us. He that is
not of God, heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the
spirit of error." (1 John 4:6)
When John wrote his three Epistles he was over 100 years old and all the
other apostles had already been martyred. Where he says "we" he means the
descendants of the apostles, the bishops.
5. Why should we listen to bad bishops?
When you ask that question, you are saying that God has no power over His
creatures. This powerless God of yours, can give prophesies and miracles to a
mystic, but has no power over the very bishop that he commands us to obey to
influence him to make the proper judgment. Therefore, you become your own
bishops and your own Church. Then when you go up to heaven, He will say what?
When you say I would rather believe in God than man, what you are really
saying is I would rather believe in the mystic than the Church, and this is a
Gnostic heresy.
Can a bishop make a mistake? Yes! But if you obey him, you are not sinning;
but if you disobey him, you are, even if he made a mistake. However, I know of
no private revelation in the 2000 year history of the Church that was
condemned by a local bishop and later found to be true. I do know of private
revelations that were approved by the local bishop and then found to be false.
In fact one Pope lamented on his death bed that he almost brought the Church
into its ruin by following a false mystic. That Pope was Urban VIII.
6. If it's better to listen to God than man, why should we obey a
bishop?
What you really mean is to listen to the seer instead of the bishop.
Experience with those who follow false apparitions will show that no amount of
argument will convince them that they are wrong, since they get their
information directly from "Heaven". These followers of false mystics are so
brain-washed that: if the local Bishop condemns the apparitions, they say he
is corrupt; if the Doctrine of the Faith condemns the apparition, they say the
Doctrine is outdated; and even if the Holy Father condemns the apparition,
(which has never happened in history) they will say that he is a false pope.
They will only believe the message, nothing else.
It is the bishop and not us, or even a saint (as the Cure De Ares
discovered), that God gave the gift of discernment. In Matthew 18: 17 Christ
teaches us to take all questions to the Church, and then He threatens us with:
"And if he will not hear them, tell the Church. And if you will not hear even
the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican. Amen I say to
you, whatsoever you bind on earth "
(Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Pages 289, 290) "By virtue of Divine right
the bishops possess an ordinary power of government over their dioceses. In
regard to the relation between the Papal powers the Vatican Council declared:
`This power of the Pope in no way derogates from the ordinary and immediate
power of Episcopal jurisdiction by which bishops who have been set by the Holy
Ghost to succeed and hold the place of the Apostles feed and govern each his
own flock as true pastors; but rather, this authority is asserted,
strengthened and vindicated by the Supreme and Universal Pastor."
Ordinary power refers to the authority of the bishop coming from his
office. Even if you believe your bishop to be bad, whatever his decision on an
apparition in his See is, it is bound in Heaven. You have an obligation of
obedience to his decision. Saint Iranaeus, taught by Saint John, the Apostle,
says, "Anything done without the bishop is from the Devil."
7. Why is obedience the main criteria for discerning if an apparition is
true or false?
I learned from the Vatican and the true seers that obedience is the key to
knowing a true apparition from a false one. Listen to what St. Margaret Mary
says:
"The greatest adversary of Jesus is Satan." Jesus warned me to be on guard
and said my greatest defense was obedience. `Don't believe easily,' He said,
`in every inspiration, and don't be too sure of it. Satan is furiously bent on
deceiving you. So don't do anything without the approval of those who are
guiding you. As long as you have the sanction of obedience, he can never
delude you. He is completely powerless over those who obey.'
"Perhaps this explains the great power Satan is wielding today, especially
within the Church. Where disobedience is rampant. Satan has a field day. On
the other hand, `he is completely powerless over those who obey.'"
And the greatest of all mystics, St. John of the Cross, says:
"(God's) --- displeasure at the quest for revelations and locutions, even
though He sometimes answers them, lies in the illicitness of transcending the
natural boundaries God has established for the governing of creatures. He has
fixed natural and rational limits by which man is to be ruled. A desire to
transcend them, hence, is unlawful, and to desire to investigate and arrive at
knowledge in a supernatural way is to go beyond the natural limits. It is
unlawful, consequently, and God who is offended by everything illicit is
displeased.
"The devil is most pleased when he sees that a man desires to admit
revelation. For then he has an excellent opportunity to inject errors and
disparage faith. As I have declared, a man desiring these apprehensions
becomes coarse in his faith and even exposes himself to many temptations and
improprieties." (The Ascent of Mt. Carmel, II, 21, 1).
No message from Heaven will ever violate the Fourth Commandment of God. No
message from Heaven will ever condone or advocate disobedience. Listen to the
words of the Virgin Mary to Mary of Agreda, Book Four, Page 421:
"Many times, in the effort to avoid humiliation at the hands of the
immediate superior, the subject appeals to the higher authority and thus asks
for exemptions from those who have only a general information and cannot know
or understand his particular needs or danger. It cannot be denied, that this
is still a kind of obedience; but it is also certain, that it is a shift for
greater liberty, diminishes the reward and incurs danger; since without doubt
it is more meritorious to obey and subject oneself to the inferior authority,
to those in a lower condition, and to those less favorably disposed to one's
own views and inclinations."
And Our Mother, Mary, finished by saying,
"Look upon them [superiors] with reverence, as taking the place of Christ,
and your merit will be abundant; follow my footsteps, my example and my
doctrine, and you will be perfect in all things."
And maybe you will listen to the wisdom of Padre Pio: "Without obedience
there is no virtue, without virtue there is no love, without love there is no
God, without God there is no salvation." (Padre Pio)
Even the bible places obedience as the test of the true from the false
spirits. "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the
world. BY THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD KNOWN: --- HE WHO IS NOT OF GOD DOES NOT
LISTEN TO US. BY THIS WE KNOW THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND THE SPIRIT OF ERROR." (1
John 4:1-6)
8. I have seen miracles with my own eyes. Doesn't that prove it's from
God?
What the layman might call a miracle is not always an act of God. Some are
faked miracles done by auto-suggestion, magic, or outright fraud. Some are
done by devils, and believe it or not, it is HARD TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. Both
those done by God and those done by demons look and act like angels. In fact,
they both are.
Every miracle of God is a sign. No miracle is without a salvation meaning.
Sometimes it is a testimony to the truth which is being given in an
apparition. In fact, no apparition with a message has ever been given by God
without supporting that message with an irrefutable miracle.
Sometimes a miracle is a testimony for the saintliness of a person, such as
an uncorrupt body or miracles after the death of a Saint. No miracle is given
by God without a reason. That reason must be for the eternal salvation of the
person or persons involved. It never has a purely physical reason.
Miracles testify to the truth.
This is what is taught by the First Vatican Council in the three essential
elements of a miracle. The first being its function as a sign, a sign intended
to assist reason in adhering to faith by proving, through external evidence,
the credibility of revelation. Therefore, the Church always looks first to the
divine intention which is the cause of the event.
Only God can perform a miraculous healing. Some types of healings are a
sure sign of the work of God. These are expressed in Christ's own words as an
answer to a question of John the Baptist that can be deemed a test of Christ's
Spirit. Christ said His works were His proof.
"Go and report to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the
lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise, the poor
have the gospel preached to them." (Luke 7:22)
If any of these kinds of cures can be proved, it is from God. However,
healings are very difficult to prove, even true ones. There are hundreds of
cures reported on Madeira Island over the grave of Charles Von Hapsburg. But
because these people have not taken the time to report to doctors, very few
can be declared true healings. Even in Lourdes, of the thousands of cures each
year, only a handful are documented as miracles. Healings must be beyond the
possibility of nature. They must be a permanent cure. They must be documented
before and after by doctors with proof: such as X-rays.
Healings made by God are always done quietly and with dignity. Satanic
cures are done by autosuggestion, hypnotism, emotion and hyperactivity's of
natural processes. Often demons can fake a cure by causing fake symptoms of an
illness and then faking a cure. They can cause a person, who could not walk,
to walk in two ways: one is if the reason for not walking was mental, and
second, demons can invisibly hold up someone so that they seem to walk. But
this will not last. Another way demons can cure is by autosuggestion ---
suggesting to the sick person that they are cured and the person feels cured.
In the long run the sickness becomes apparent again and often death results
because the sick person discontinues the normal medical treatments.
So, it is essential that the cures be long term and well documented. Satan
can even fake bringing someone back from the dead by possessing the dead body.
It is said that this is what the Antichrist will do.
Demons CANNOT really perform a miracle, but there are things they can do
that will seem like miracles to the layman. A good rule of thumb is that
demons can do anything that man or nature can do, except that they can do it
invisibly and instantly. If something can be done by man or nature, Satan can
do the same without you seeing him and at a thousand times the speed. We will
emphasize again for the sake of our friends, demons cannot perform a true
miracle in any sense of the word. Laymen, however, will see the following
things as miracles:
LEVITATION:
A perfect example of the appearance of a miracle is levitation. Satan can
lift people or things off the ground into the air or cause them to travel at
great speeds. He does this by simply lifting them up with his invisible
angels. This phenomena is a good illustration of where we get information
about the power of demons. This power is recorded in Scripture (Matt. 4:5)
and is documented in thousands of Exorcisms.
ECSTASIES:
Demons can produce true ecstasies so that the seer is completely
oblivious of sound, light, or feelings. They can make the seer stiff as a
board and/or so heavy that no one can lift or move the seer. This is done by
Satan in the same way a hypnotist can do it, except faster and invisible.
APPARITIONS:
Satan can make a true apparition. He has appeared as the Virgin Mary, as
Christ, as saints, angels and relatives. Satan appeared to Padre Pio as
Christ, to Sister Josefa Menendez as Christ and Mary, and to countless other
saints and false mystics.
LOCUTIONS, VISIONS, VOICES:
Satan can bring about locutions, visions, and voices. Not only do we know
this from the oracles of old and from false apparitions, but we have
thousands of cases documented in Exorcisms.
MOVE OR RAISE THINGS:
He can move statues, furniture, and even mountains. He can cause fire to
come down from heaven.
HALOS OR AURAS:
He can cause a glow or luminous rays to be seen around a seer or objects.
He can change a picture or negative to have these same halos or auras of
light to appear on them.
STIGMATA:
He can produce a stigmata [as you will see in the chapter on the history
of false apparitions], however, this will be by natural but invisible means.
They cannot be instantly cured.
ODORS:
Satan can simulate odors of roses or incense. Any chemist can do the
same, and no one would see them do it. This is especially easy since all
trace will be gone.
FASTS:
He can help his seer to have a prolonged fast; however, tests will prove
that the body is not properly sustained as in the case of Theresa Neumann,
who showed no physical signs of fasting, and in fact, remained plump.
SIGNS IN THE SKY:
Demons can show great signs in the sky, like fire to come down from
heaven. It is said that the Antichrist will be able to do this very thing.
(Apoc. 13:13) St. Augustine says,
"When fire fell from heaven and wiped out, in one sweep, all the large
household and the numerous flocks of holy Job, and a whirlwind rushed down
and overthrew his house and slew his children, those were no illusions; and
yet they were the work of Satan, to whom God had given this power." (CITY OF
GOD, Book XX, Chapter 19)
St. Hippolytus, in speaking of the future Antichrist, said that he will
be able to walk on the waves of the sea, turn day into night, and direct the
course of the sun at will. Why then should Satan not be able to make the sun
spin and change colors? But these are usually illusions and not real like
Fatima. The difference is that not all will see it, and the effects will not
be the same. At Fatima, everyone saw it, even those who did not believe
[even communists in surrounding towns miles away]. The after effects were
hundreds of cures, the ground dry after weeks of rain, and real graces of
conversion.
MAKE GOLD:
Satan and demons can change brass to gold. This is called Alchemy and has
been practiced throughout the ages. The reason Satan can do it is that the
pure science of Chemistry can do it.
It is no longer being done by chemists because the cost is higher than
the cost of real gold.
The method of the Alchemists was a medieval magic using what they called
the "Philosopher's Stone". This magical art was practiced in Egypt and
China. Hermes Trismegistus is regarded as its founder. Robert of Chester
describes the successful making of gold in the presence of the son of the
Caliph Yazid I, 682 A.D.
Although we, at the center, have seen over 400 miracles of God and Satan,
including levitation of man and object, not one of us have ever seen metal
turn to real gold. We have seen rosaries that the owners claimed turned to
gold, but investigation showed them all to be brass.
TONGUES, SECRETS:
In the Roman ritual, common miracles of Satan are speaking in an unknown
language, understanding someone who speaks it, revealing hidden secrets of
people, things, or places. Since God promises not only to forgive sins in
confession but to forget them, if someone were to reveal a sin from the past
that was forgiven in confession, it is absolutely demonic.
TEARS:
Satan can fake tears on a statue, but it will not be real tears, which
even a chemist cannot reproduce. The tears that Satan can cause will be
proved to be nothing but water. He cannot even produce water out of nothing;
however, he can cause water to condense out of the air and onto a statue,
since this can also be done by man. He cannot produce blood on a statue or
picture, unless it is done when no one is looking, in which case he could
bring it to the room from somewhere else. He could use a leech as he did on
a statue in Portugal. Investigation by the Church showed leech saliva in the
blood.
9. Are there any miracles that devils cannot perform?
Only God can create matter out of nothing, such as the changing of water
into wine at the marriage feast of Cana, or the multiplication of the bread
and fishes. This would also hold for cures that require instantaneous growth
of destroyed tissue such as cancer, or the quick closing of a wound such as a
stigmata.
By the same criteria as above, only God can multiply matter, since it
requires creation. Any instantaneous and permanent cure, scientifically
tested, objectively diagnosed and measured, showing the condition of the body
both before and after the cure, can only be from God.
The best of these are organic lesions [hernia, cancer, toxication,
parasites, and the like], or the organ shows a congenital malformation, or
again it is in a state of degeneration or gradual disintegration. Some
processes of tissue degeneration are irreversible and therefore incurable. The
cure of a blind child, who was born with no pupils in her eyes, is beyond the
power of Satan since it is beyond the power of nature. Done by the prayers of
Padre Pio. She is still living and she still has no pupils.
A supernatural light given to a soul to understand mysteries of God from
imaginary images, as happened with Joseph (Gen. 40:41) and with Daniel (Dan.
1:24), is the highest form of miracle. Neither the demons nor the angels can
infuse this supernatural light into the understanding, since they can only
cause images and fantasies in the imagination. See Chapters XIV, XV in CITY OF
GOD, Book 1.
Satan can fake bilocation by carrying his seer someplace quickly, but only
God can allow someone to be in two places at the same time, as in the case of
Padre Pio and Mary Agreda.
10. Why so many people claiming to witness miracles in Medjugorje, how can
you say it's a fraud?
Any person who seeks a spiritual chrism or supernatural phenomena will not
get one from God. The primary condition for a true apparition or miracle is
that man free himself from any desire for supernatural phenomena, such as
visions, locutions, revelations; and that he gives them all up in order to
remain in the pure faith which St. John of the Cross calls the "night of
faith" or the "dark night", and which is what really sanctifies. St. John of
the Cross says,
"The Devil rejoices greatly when a soul seeks after revelations and is
ready to accept them; for such conduct furnishes him with many opportunities
of insinuating delusions, and derogation from faith as much as he possibly
can; for such a soul becomes rough and rude, and falls frequently into many
temptations and unseemly habits."
A phenomenon or marvel may have no natural explanation. It is not for that
reason to be assumed from God. It could be attributed to satanic forces, that
can exercise powers over nature and mind, and can create many illusions. A
special chapter will be given to satanic miracles.
12. What is the first sign to look for in any apparition?
God cannot contradict God; therefore, look for contradictions. No new
doctrine can come from an apparition or any other kind of private revelation.
All faith, the complete deposit of faith, was completed and sealed with the
death of the last Apostle. One must never guide his life and actions on
private revelation. Private revelation must always conform to Divine
revelation [the Bible and Tradition].
No mystical manifestation can teach anything that is contrary to Catholic
doctrine and tradition and worship. Any revelation that endorses, approves or
condones hedtrodox changes and innovation in faith or worship which are in
conflict with the continuing tradition and magisterium of the Church or are
even of a doubtful and unproved authenticity and orthodoxy must be rejected.
"Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that
which we have preached to you, let him be anathema." (Gal. 1:8)
For all revelations contrary to faith or morals must be absolutely
rejected, even if this is in a single point or a single word, according to St.
Theresa of Avila.
If a mystical phenomena should serve to confirm or endorse some movement
which is questionable, or should confirm some leader, who pretends a false
magisterial authority, it would have to be considered spurious or diabolical.
There are already many schismatic or heretical sects or cults which are
founded upon alleged private apparitions or miracles.
Fidelity belongs to all the teachings of the Church. Listen to the words of
Our Lady to Mary Agreda in Book Four [Coronation], Page 442:
"I desire also that you hold in great veneration the councils of the Church
and all such gatherings, and whatever is resolved and established by them; for
the Holy Spirit assists at these councils and He fulfills his promise, that He
will be with those who gather together in His name (Matt 8:20). Hence what is
thus ordained and commanded must be obeyed. Although in our times, no visible
signs of the assistance of the Holy Spirit occur in such councils, yet He does
not fail to govern them invisibly; for signs and wonders are not any more so
necessary as in the FIRST BEGINNINGS OF THE CHURCH." (What if an apparition
condemns a Council????)
(2 Thess. 2:7-12; Eph. 5:6; Col. 2:18; 1 Tim. 4:1-4; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Tim.
3:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:12-13; 2 Pet. 3:3; 1 John 4:1 2 John 4 and 7)
To sum up, miracles are the test of doctrine, and doctrine is the test of
miracles.
Can an apparition be true if it advocates not listening to the Church,
"which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and mainstay of the
truth."???? (1 Tim. 3:15)
If the Church investigates, and we do not accept that investigation, what
does the Bible say of us? "Appeal to the Church, but if he refuse to hear EVEN
THE CHURCH, let him be to you as the heathen and the publican. Amen I say to
you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven." (Matt.
18:17-18)
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether
they are of God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
BY THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD KNOWN: --- HE WHO IS NOT OF GOD DOES NOT LISTEN
TO US. BY THIS WE KNOW THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND THE SPIRIT OF ERROR."
(1 John 4:1-6) Who is us? The Bishops!
No true apparition of God can contradict another true apparition of God.
One example of this would be the description of Heaven. The Apostle Paul,
Padre Pio, Mary Agreda, Anne Catherine Emmerich, and countless others were
allowed by God to see the third Heaven. Not one of these was able, with human
words, to describe any aspect of it. If any apparition or vision claimed to be
able to describe Heaven, it would be false.
By harmony we also mean that it must fit into place in the Christian system
and into the Christian history in a logical way, without unnecessary
repetition, or unneeded revelation.
14. Because many other bishops believe in Medjugorje, why should we listen
to the bishop of Mostar?
ONLY the local bishop, who has unlimited geographical jurisdiction on
matters of the supernatural, can make the final judgment of the Church as to
what spirit a supernatural phenomena comes from: one's own spirit, God's
Spirit, or a Demonic Spirit. A bishop from another area has no authority
whatsoever.
Every validly consecrated bishop receives his authority and power (John
20:21-23; Luke 22:19-20) through an apostolic succession of bishops that can
be traced all the way back to the twelve Apostles who received their authority
and power from Christ, Himself.
(2 Cor.5:20; Acts 1:24-26; 14:22; 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1; Titus 1:5; Mk.
16:15-16; Jn. 16:13-14; 20:21-23; 14:16,17,26; Mt. 18:17; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8;
3:7; Is. 22:22: Lk. 10:16; Eph. 4:11-12; Heb. 13:7; 1 John 4:6)
Encyclical "Stais comnitum" of Leo XII-1896 (Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma
by Dr. Ludwig Ott, Page 289)
"This power of the Pope in no way derogates from the ordinary and immediate
power of Episcopal jurisdiction by which bishops, who have been sent by the
Holy Spirit to succeed and take the place of the Apostles, feed and govern
each his own flock as true pastors; but rather, this authority is asserted,
strengthened and vindicated by the Supreme and Universal Pastor."
According to this declaration the Episcopal power is:
"An ordinary power, that is, it is associated with the Episcopal office; an
immediate power, that is it is not practiced at the order of a superior, but
in the bishop's own name. Thus bishops are not delegated (agents) and so are
not vicars (representatives) of the pope, but they are independent pastors of
the flocks entrusted to them, even though they are subordinate to the pope. A
power appointed by God for the Apostles (on the ground of divine ordinance,
whether in the immediate commission of Christ, or on the direction of the Holy
Spirit --- Acts 20, 26) have passed on their pastoral office to the bishops.
The bishops are the successors of the Apostles, not in such a manner that an
individual bishop is a successor of an individual Apostle, but that the
bishops in their totality are successors of the College of Apostles.
"This is a true pastoral power, as it embraces all the ecclesiastical
powers to the exercise of the office, the power to legislate, to judge and to
punish. It is a power which is limited locally and materially, since it
extends only to a definite segment of the Church, and is circumscribed by the
Papal power which is superior to it. Matters of causae maiores (universal
importance), touching the welfare of the whole Church, are reserved to the
Holy Fathers." (Dr. Ott)
No one would dare to say that the Holy Spirit has the power to bring about
an apparition but does not have the power to direct the very man, the local
bishop, whom God placed over the area to protect it from error.
18. Why did Cardinal Ratzinger condemn Vassula Ryden?
Rome always leaves private revelation to the pastoral discernment of the
local bishop; however, Vassula Ryden is not a Catholic, and therefore she has
no bishop. It became important for the Vatican to let bishops know that it was
not OK for them to allow her into their Churches to receive the Sacraments.
One should look at is a seer's background. Is the person from a good family
or a family prone to superstition and magic? Is the seer free of mental
pathological conditions, balanced and calm mentally and emotionally,
self-possessed and dispassionate, not given to exaggeration, inordinate
imagination, passion, or impetuosity?
All this is important; however, it is not important that the person be holy
or even religious prior to a private revelation. Balaam, a very sinful man,
gave four oracles from God (Num. 23:24), but was far from holy...
20. How can these seers be false when they appear so holy?
The main indicator of sanctity (holiness) is a deep and true humility. To
reach high into sanctity you must fall deep into humility. Humility is the
opposite of pride and therefore the opposite of Satan. Satan cannot be humble
and neither can a seer of Satan, even one who does not know that Satan is the
object of the vision. The humble will always submit their revelations to their
spiritual directors and will always obey their lawful superiors.
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi often doubted whether it was the good or evil
spirit that spoke to her. God told her the most important of all discernment
an individual can use. Page 44:
"You must know,: said Jesus to her, "that when I speak to you I produce in
you tenderness, peace, compunction; above all, HUMILITY. Know well, my
daughter, that no matter how much he desires to love me, if a man enter not
the straight path of humility he will keep on stumbling. Man has within
himself a dust that settles round his heart; it is called self-love ... Man is
full of pride, and I have nothing to do with the proud. Only the humble find
favor in My sight...
"I make My abode in humble souls that are full of simplicity. The more
lowly and uncultured they are, the more I take pleasure in them. As to these
wise and learned professors whose heads are full of the fumes of pride, I put
them down from their seats, and you, yourself, shall soon learn where I send
them."
False mysticism, instead of humbling man and glorifying Christ, tends
rather to clothe man in divine attributes which of right belong to God.
21. Bishop Zanic said he knew Medjugorje was false because the seers did
not obey him? That seems arrogant.
Obedience holds the most important of all tests in a private revelation,
even though it is not the first thing looked at. The capacity of one to
understand obedience, background, holiness, and humility are looked at first.
Satan is not capable of obedience because that implies obeying a mere
creature. This was the test that saved Sister Josefa Menendez from being
fooled by the appearance of Satan as Our Lord. Her spiritual director ordered
her to renew her vows at any and every appearance of Our Lord. (THE WAY OF
DIVINE LOVE, Page 129)
Whenever it was not Christ, "The arch-enemy was not able to endure such
acts of faith and love, and his crafty wiles failed in the face of them." Even
when the Virgin Mary appeared to her she would say--Page 131: "If you are the
Mother of Jesus, allow me to renew before you the vow of virginity that I have
made"
And again Our Lord told her--Page 414: "Seek Me in your Superiors. Listen
to their words AS IF THEIR WORDS FELL FROM MY LIPS; I AM IN THEM FOR YOUR
GUIDANCE."
"I want you always to obey and I, myself, will obey." (THE WAY OF DIVINE
LOVE, by TAN)
Amazing, isn't it? God will obey the human that He placed in authority. But
can it be any other way? If God did not obey, He would contradict His own
words, "Whatever you bind on earth, I will bind in Heaven." How would we know
if it was really God, or the father of lies. John told us how to know.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits ... he who is
not of God does not listen to us [the bishops]. By this we know the spirit of
truth and the spirit of error." (1 John 4:1-6)
22. Bishop Zanic's report makes a big deal of the children changing their
stories. Why is this so important?
Since Satan is a liar from the beginning, honesty is a very important
virtue in a seer. Honesty is a major test, since the spirit of Satan cannot be
honest in anything that does not ultimately bring about a lie. He can tell
truths if the end result is a lie. His lies are hidden in truths so that the
elect cannot recognize them. Therefore, any lie at all will cause us to
discount the miracle or vision.
29. Can Satan perform miracles? What can't he do?
Miracles come from GOD. Satan works "lying wonders". Only God can create
matter out of nothing, such as the changing of water into wine at the marriage
feast of Cana, or the multiplication of the bread and fishes. This would also
hold for cures that require instantaneous growth of destroyed tissue such as
cancer, or the quick closing of a wound such as a stigmata. By the same
criteria as above, only God can multiply matter, since it requires creation.
Any instantaneous and permanent cure, scientifically tested, objectively
diagnosed and measured, showing the condition of the body both before and
after the cure, can only be from God. The best of these are organic lesions
[hernia, cancer, toxication, parasites, and the like], or the organ shows a
congenital malformation, or again it is in a state of degeneration or gradual
disintegration. Some processes of tissue degeneration are irreversible and
therefore incurable. The cure of a blind child, who was born with no pupils in
her eyes, is beyond the power of Satan since it is beyond the power of nature.
Done by the prayers of Padre Pio. She is still living and she still has no
pupils. A supernatural light given to a soul to understand mysteries of God
from imaginary images, as happened with Joseph (Gen. 40:41) and with Daniel
(Dan. 1:24), is the highest form of miracle. Neither the demons nor the angels
can infuse this supernatural light into the understanding, since they can only
cause images and fantasies in the imagination. See Chapters XIV, XV in CITY OF
GOD, Book 1.
Satan can fake bilocation by carrying his seer someplace quickly, but only
God can allow someone to be in two places at the same time, as in the case of
Padre Pio and Mary Agreda.
A
Protestant journalist investigates what could be the most
significant miracle since the Day of Pentecost
