Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts
Reintroducing Logic and Reason to the Age of Sentimentalism
Traditional Latin Masses in the Twin Cities
Companies That Support Gay "Marriage"
Mortal Sins
TradSpeak (PodCast)
CDF Comes Out With Statement on Medjugorje
November 7, 2013 | 3 Comments
Yesterday, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) came out with a short statement in regards to the seers at Medjugorje. In short, the faithful are not to host, or attend any events in which the seers are at. Here is the full letter:
I for one think that this is a good thing. From what I have read and from what I've seen I do not feel that there is any credibility to these apparitions.
I would like to point out though that there have been many alleged miracles that have apparently been taking place here and I would like to point out that even if these miracles are real, the apparitions can still be fake, but the miracles may be true because God does work in mysterious ways.
We have to be open to what basically the CDF has said. These apparitions are not approved as of yet. Though, I do believe that some of these miracles that have allegedly occurred are true because I believe in miracles. I'm a perfect example as well as every other convert is a perfect example of being a miracle. I'm not trying to be prideful, but I'm just trying to show that I was, and still am a poor sinner, who was basically walking a path to destruction unknowingly, thinking I was doing good and yet here I am now following the One True God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and following His Church.
As Catholics we recognize that miracles occur, and we recognize that God works in interesting circumstances. Good life examples of miracles happening with bad circumstances would be the complete curing of some terrible disease, or that of cancer or organ failure or really any other disease that causes chronic wasting of the body. I would highly suggest, instead of spending so much time with Medjugorje, that we spend more time looking at approved apparitions, such as that of Lourdes, Fatima (which led to my conversion), Guadalupe or any other approved apparition.
Again, I'm not saying that the miracles that have occurred at Medjugorje are false, my belief (and it appears that of the Church as well) is that the "apparitions" are false. God is Almighty and Powerful. Even through a lie, if the faithful gather, believing that God can cure them, God can work with that.
Jeff Apparitions, Congregation for Divine Faith, Medjugorje, Miracle
3 people are talking about "CDF Comes Out With Statement on Medjugorje"
Stephen | November 8, 2013 at 5:35 pm
I think what's important to recognize is that there distinction that is to be made between that which is preternatural and that which is supernatural. That there have been events that are above or beyond human nature at Medjugorje. They have conducted various commissions, with scientific evidence gathered that points toward this as a reality. For instance, scientists have hooked up brain measurement instruments to the visionaries while they are reportedly seeing their "vision" and they have been off the chart. They have had doctors poke these visionaries with needles without the slightest response from the visionaries. Objectively speaking, this isn't normal. These things, accompanied by pilgrims who are having their rosaries turning to gold and being healed of various illness points toward the preternatural, or that which is above human nature.
One could argue that this is a demonic deception. The thing that I have a hard time with in that is that Satan would go bezerk telling millions of souls to go to confession, pray the rosary. A kingdom that is divided against itself cannot stand. Hell is definatly in union in one regard: preventing the kingdom of God from spreading to the hearts of man. I just dont think Satan would be willing to risk this….Some (not you) have stated that he is willnig to do this if it will create division and rebellion in the church. But the majority of people I know including myself who is adamiate about the apparitions would be willing to accept it if the church said nope. Disapoointed. Yes absolutly. But loose faith over it? Thats a stretch.
That said, up to this point, there has been nothing formally condemning the apparitions. Years ago the bishop of the diocese wanted to do so, (in great part for reason with conflict between the bishop and the Franciscan friars over land dispute that had been going on a long time before the apparitions began), but the bishop had his authority to do so taken away by Cardinal Ratzinger. From that very day it has been declared that they cannot yet declare the supernatural nature…. Partly because they are still ongoing and need to stop before any formal declaration can been made, and partly because she is prophesying of events that have not yet occurred. For instance she referances a sign appearing at the sight of the apparition which she has reportly stated will serve as proof of Her apparitions. Thus one might conclude that if this the sign will have to occur before a formal declaration of supernatural is proclaimed.
Still, what is new is the fact that now, they are not simply stating that the supernatural events "cannot be confirmed" (which isnt a condemnation), but are also banning the faithful, or appear to be taking a more strict posture in this regard. This will likely shake the faith of many believers in Medjugorje….. However this, I actually find interesting. The visionary Vicka once stated that she was told by the Blessed Virgin that shortly before the first secret of Medjugorje begins, something would happen in the Church that will shake the faith of many who follow the apparitions. This was something she stated as far back as 1992 and related publicly.
I think what is going to come after this new investigation ends is a declaration still that the apparitions "cannot be confirmed supernatural" I think the commission will simply maintain this stance, particularly since the reported apparitions are still ongoing. But I also think that something new will be added: A more formalized declaration that the faithful are not to go to the apparition site or participate in public events as is already being suggested by the doctrine of faith right now.
They did this with Padre Pio and St. Faustina as well. In fact, St. Fuastinas writings were banned for many years. Pope John XXIII had placed the books on a list of forbidden books at the Vatican library. This lasted for over 20 years. It doesn't mean that he didn't support what St. Faustina said in writing…it just means and goes to show how cautious the church is in matters of private revelation. They are very cautious. . The Director of the Holy See's Press Office, Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls once stated that "You cannot say people cannot go there until it has been proven false." But based on the history of what we have seen with the writings of the saints I would respectfully disagree with this. The history of writings like St. Fautina give witness that you really can have a ban even if something will later be authenticated.
But in the end if they really are from God than things will work out for Medjugorje. I definatly respect the opinion of anyone who believes otherwise. I think your advice on the matter is the best even if we disagree on this anyways. If in doubt, trust the approved apparitions and wait on these unapproved ones until the Church makes a more formal proclamation.
bill | February 18, 2015 at 7:33 am
Just recently found this blog and I like it very much so. I'm just reading this post for the first time now and I have a couple of things to point out on this topic. I've delved into the subject of Medjugorje quite extensively and all the evidence seems to point to the fact that there is absolutely nothing, either supernatural or preternatural happening as far as the apparitions at Medjugorje go. There are a lot of geopolitical and personal reasons on the part of the seers themselves that created the necessity for the supposed apparitions to continue to go on for all these years with relative impunity. The miracles that take place to faithful individuals that truly believe that God is at work at Medjugorje (healings, conversions, gold rosaries and things of this nature) are an entirely different story. These miracles can and do still take place to those who have true faith whether or not the apparition is true or false. This video puts all the documentation and evidence I've read and come across over the years all together quite nicely and irrefutably in one neat little package.-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFb46ZlkCrE
The evidence presented in this video is what allowed me to feel justified in making the statement I made above. As far as the seers being tested as stated in Stephen's comment. I've seen articles and writing about this stating that the seers have been stuck with pins and not flinched and things of that nature. I've never seen hard evidence that the seers have past these types of tests successfully. To the contrary there are videos of the seers being tested with distractions during their ecstacies and they have actually failed these tests by flinching and reacting to the distractions. This is something that would never happen to a true seer. When the Medjugorje seers were confronted with concerns about these distractions they gave a half baked excuse stating that they were afraid that Mary was going to drop the Baby Jesus from her arms and were trying to prevent Our Lady from this horrible accidental dropping of the Baby Jesus and it was all captured along with their cooked up excuses on video. The video above shows this particular incident as well. The seers also travel the world and have conferences where they call Our Lady to the stage for a message on command. That seems a bit fishy especially since there have been times when there was a change in venue at the last minute and Our Lady was supposed to appear to the seer at the conference at, let say, 7 but the other venue would not be ready until 8 so the seer said he'd contact Our Lady and tell her to come at 8 instead. This truly cannot be a true apparition if these types of things occur. All the evidence points to the fact that it's a big lie that has been going on for so long it's past the point where it can be stopped without hurting a lot of interested and guilty parties along with along with an overwhelming number of innocent faithful.
Stacie | February 2, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Stephen, I'm afraid you are misled
http://www.marcocorvaglia.com/medjugorje-en/useful-resources-medjugorje.html
Email Me Updates!
How To Be Catholic in 2020
A Recap of 2019
A Synopsis of the Synod of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Put Pride In Its Place With the Litany of Humility
The Vatican Has Issued a Statement On the Pennsylvania Report
Jeff on Traditional Latin Masses in the Twin Cities
John on Traditional Latin Masses in the Twin Cities
Greg on Traditional Latin Masses in the Twin Cities
Shannen on Traditional Latin Masses in the Twin Cities
Nandarani~Nancy on About
1. A Verbally and Mentally Abusive Father
2. Argument of the Month Club: Michael Voris Vs. Mark Shea
3. The Rediscover Catholicism Movement is NOT the Solution
4. The Luminous Mysteries and Why You Should Dump Them
5. The REAL Reason We Can't Have the Latin Mass
Abortion Abstinence adoration Anti-Catholic blog Catholic Concise Catholic Dictionary 1943 Confession Contraception Conversion Eucharist Evangelizaton Faith Fasting Fifth Commandment Gay Marriage Hell Heresy Jesus Lent Mary Mass Matthew Kelly Modernism Mortal Sin Novus Ordo Mass Obama Papacy Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope St. John Paul II prayer pro-life Rediscovering Catholicism Rosary Sacraments Sin Spiritual Growth Synod on the Family Teachable Moments Thoughts Tradition Traditional Latin Mass Traditional Marriage Vatican 2
Traditional Catholic Priest
Mundabor
Steve Skojec
The Old Evangelization
Eye of the Tiber
Mahound's Paradise
Questions about the Catholic Faith?
jeff@trcthoughts.com
Copyright © 2008-2017 Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts.