The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has written to the bishop of Mostar-Duvno to inform him that they are investigating the case of Fr Tomislav Vlašić and asking him, for the good of the faithful, to inform the community of his canonical status; that is, having fallen into a censure of interdict latae sententiae.Full details from the official site of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno: The canonical status of Rev. Fr Tomislav Vlašić OFM.
One of the alleged seers of Medjugorje, Marija Pavlovic, in 1988 repudiated any approval for Fr Vlašić's co-ed religious community in Italy.
13 comments:
I would also add that people read the late Michael Davis' online book on Medjugorje.
This is just a schism waiting to happen.
I am interested to know whether any commentators might see this intervention of the CDF as 'one off' just in relation to Fr Vlasic or whether it might be indicative that the CDF is beginning to make more definitive steps in dealing with the 'Medujorge phenomenon'........personally I find the lack of declaration on the veracity of the so called visions unsettling. Many supporters of them say that The Church can only declare once they cease but I have read elsewhere that this is a false argument and that The Church does not have to wait for such cessation to make a definitive statement.
The CDF would make a notification in the case of any doctrinal error in the reported locutions. It would also draw attention to any serious canonical irregularities as it has in this case. Otherwise, the main investigation would have to wait until the locutions cease.
Have been to Medjugorje FIVE times! it's a long story!
Dig the profile picture Fr Tim!!
I was quite disturbed with the headline used by Spirit Daily, the home of Michael H. Brown, known promoter of Medjugorje.
"Bishop at Odds with Franciscans says ex-Medjugorje priest discipline" or something to that effect.
Misleading title at Spirit Daily puts Bishop of Medjugorje in Negative Light
I was quite upset that he would use this as an opportunity to take more pokes at the local bishop. It's scary business when people do that. I don't frequent the site, but wondered if he had a reaction.
This will be music to the ears of those who like to conduct a witchhunt against Medjugorje - I note today's Daily Mail being a good example.
It is worth pointing out that Fr Vlasic has not been based in Medjugorje for at least 10 years, he was not on the scene when the events first took place and the CDF investigation relates to his time in the past 10 years in Italy.
If the Church ruled against Medjugorje tomorrow I would accept the decision but still keep living the spirituality of Medjugorje eg: Daily Mass, regular confession, daily rosary, fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, trying to live Sacred Scripture, Eucharistic Adoration and so on. However I do wonder what those implacable opponents of Medjugorje would do if the Church finally declared Medjugorje worthy of belief. I am well aware of the problems between two bishops of Mostar and the Franciscans which seem to be as rooted in the turbulent history of the region as the tragic conflict in the 90s. What I have yet to hear any coherent explanation for however is the large number of people who were lapsed or lving immoral lives who have returned to the practice of their faith due to an experience in Medjugorje. Such people become stalwarts of pro life groups, parish rosary groups, they are often at the forefront in moves to revive Eucharistic Adoration. Some have even developed a thirst for the Latin Mass. How can all of this be, if Medjugorje is a hoax or of demonic origin? I'm not making a rhetorical point, this is a genuine question.
Tony, I don't know what would the people do but I guess they would still reject it. After all no private revelation is ever binding on the faithful. I would personally accept the decision of Vatican (as everyone else should) but I'm not sure whether an approval would ever make me believe.
To answer your question, I think you need to remember that correlation does not imply causation. Were the conversions caused by the alleged apparitions or by the presence of many good enthusiastic priests, Eucharistic adorations to which these people were invited etc? There were many cultural/cafeteria catholic who converted during various Christian evangelical gatherings. Not for once should this make us doubt that these protestant movements are objectively evil. And while we look at many good things that happened in Medjugorje (and which God perhaps allowed because he makes the best out of everything bad) we must also remember the many things which are rather dodgy. Not only has the site been a reason for rather large scale disobedience but there are many other questionable things connected to the past spiritual directors of the seers, the seers themselves, the movement and most importantly the messages.
This is very encouraging. We brought a group of 28, mainly young people to Medjugorje this Spring, many of whom went to confession and Holy Communinon for the first time in several years.
The CDF are to be trusted. They are clearing the decks for the Holy Father to give some indication to the faithful, that Mredjugorje can be a place of international pilgrmiage.
We should be awaiting His Holinesss's binding judgement with joy, not negativity, especially as he has been so closely observing this "phenomenon" for 27 years.
...The CDF would make a notification in the case of any doctrinal error in the reported locutions. It would also draw attention to any serious canonical irregularities as it has in this case. Otherwise, the main investigation would have to wait until the locutions cease....
So after 27 years of claimed apparitions and messages, the CDF has not found anything untoward with the “thousands’ of messages that would endanger the faith and morals of the faithful. If it had then it would be duty bound to issue notice on this.
Like the messages, this is “good news”.
I think it's important to note that while supporters of Medjugorje are quick to set Fr. Vlasic at a distance (physically), the Vatican felt the need to connect him with Medjugorje by going to Bishop Peric in Mostar-Duvno. If the problem was strictly limited to Parma, Italy or where ever he resides, then the notification would have come through another bishop.
Fr. Vlasic is noted well throughout early accounts involving the seers and him as their spiritual director. For example, you can read much about Fr. Vlasic in the 1990 document, by Bishop Zanic, now deceased, entitled "The Truth about Medjugorje"
I agree with Fr. Tim that we can't read more into than it is. It's a notification about an individual priest's canonical status - something the faithful have a right to know about, especially if he is violating the penalties imposed.
However, the fact that this is coming out now, and is connected to Medjugorje via the bishop whom many dismiss and even denounce, is significant. It certainly raises some thoughts.
As a sidenote, I should mention that Michael H. Brown has changed the title of his link to something more respectable. I guess he read my blogpost :D
Diane wrote: “However, the fact that this is coming out now, and is connected to Medjugorje via the bishop whom many dismiss and even denounce, is significant. It certainly raises some thoughts.”
The fact that it is coming out now is a response to an earlier notice in January issued by the CDF to Fr Vlasic.
The charges against him only relate to his time and community, “Queen of Peace” in Italy.
The Medjugorje connection is simply because Fr Vlasic served time as a priest there and so the faithful have to be notified of his current canonical status.
This would apply to any priest in the position Fr Vlasic finds himself in. Dioceses that the priest worked in would quite rightly have to be notified. This is normal practise and not peculiar because of Medjugorje.
Greetings folks.
The Daily Mail was one of the few papers in Ireland to pick up on the interdict.
It's headline did attempt to put negative spin on the decree to make it apply to Medjugorje generally.
The headline ran: "Catholic Church cracks down on illicit shrine."
I'm reserving judgement.
My Uncle Jim insists he saw the Eurcharist in the sun at Medjugorje.
James
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