Cardinal's visit to Medjugorje renews questions about Church approval

November 17, 2009

Plans by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn to visit Medjugorje in December have raised new questions about the attitude of Church authorities regarding the alleged Marian apparitions there. But a spokesman for cardinal stresses that the Archbishop of Vienna will be making a "completely private visit."

Local Church authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina have long expressed misgivings about the publicity surrounding the reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary, and this year Bishop Ratko Peric of the local Mostar diocese placed tight restrictions on activities at the site, saying that the reports are not "worthy of faith." Supporters of the Medjugorje "seers" had cited the scheduled visit by Cardinal Schönborn-- a former student and close ally of Pope Benedict XVI, and the principal editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church-- as evidence that other leading Church authorities take a different view. Cardinal Schönborn's spokesman emphasized that no such message was implied by the prelate's visit. Cardinal Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo has said that he hopes for a formal statement from the Vatican about "the Medjugorje phenomenon" in the near future. Officials at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have reportedly indicated that the Vatican firmly supports the statements by the local bishops.

 

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Further information:

• Cardinal Schönborn’s visit to Medjugorje 'not a statement,' spokesman says (CNA)
• Medjugorje bishop emphasizes: don’t view alleged apparitions as 'worthy of faith' (CWN, 9/29)
• Vatican statement on Medjugorje coming soon, cardinal says (CWN, 10/8)