Apparitions of Our Lady at Medjugorje Monastery: Part III

# Religious Conflicts Between Franciscans and Secular ClergyThe religious conflict that occurred within this broader climate of war was more severe for Medjugorje. In 1985, René Laurentin predicted the formal condemnation of the apparitions by both the bishop and Joseph Ratzinger, who transferred the authority to the Conference of Bishops.The renowned mariologist wondered why, given the much harsher ecclesiastical repression than that from the communists, the pilgrimage could still thrive. Bishop Žanić of Mostar stated that pilgrimages were prohibited, and the worldwide episcopate echoed this decision during those years. However, Archbishop Franić of Split specified that if official pilgrimages to the site of unrecognized apparitions were not permitted, private pilgrimages remained open to Christian freedom, as it was no empty word.The local bishop’s interpretation tarnished the pilgrimage’s reputation and contributed to its end in numerous dioceses where local bishops’ actions aligned with the position of the bishop at the apparition’s location. Bishop Žanić, a well-intentioned but impulsive and combative man, took numerous significant actions against Medjugorje. In October 1984, he published his stance against the apparitions and pilgrimages. His writings were circulated in Yugoslavia and sent to all episcopal conferences, including those in Rome. This had a noticeable impact.René Laurentin’s book, *Does the Virgin Appear in Medjugorje?*, which sold 85,000 copies between February and November 1984, lost visibility until the 1990s. Yet despite all these apparent official attempts to deter it, the pilgrimage continued and grew, as the testimonies of converted individuals from Medjugorje spread across five continents.The parish priests of Medjugorje found themselves in a very difficult situation, facing double opposition, from both the government and, above all, the bishop. They had to respond to the liturgical and sacramental needs of a pilgrimage on par with Fatima, utilizing only the resources of a small parish, without means or authorization to build necessary structures. Additionally, they were subject to prohibitions that placed them in difficulty.For instance, the discreet apparitions taking place in a dilapidated room near the sacristy were forbidden, and at this point, the apparitions occurred discretely within the parish house. They were banned from there as well, time and again. Father Orech, a man of action and intelligence who took charge of constructing the minimum necessary buildings for spiritual welcome and to cater to pilgrimage needs, was dismissed from his post and suspended.This happened more or less with all his predecessors: Tomislav Zlasić, Slavko Barbarić, among others. His suspension was prolonged even though the General Curia of the Franciscans welcomed and supported his humanitarian action aimed at obtaining thousands of prostheses for victims of war in Bosnia and Croatia. In 1985, the priests, faced with this inextricable dilemma of conscience, wrote a detailed letter to Rome presenting their problem as a cry of despair.The letter was sent to seven copies to the main congregations involved: Evangelization, Religious, Doctrine of Faith, and so on up to the Pope. This letter received no response, and the priests continued to administer God’s work at that place, even though they were marginalized.As the religious event in Medjugorje was difficult to attack, the bishop made a notable attempt to stir up revolt at the site. When he came to the parish in 1987 to administer confirmations, instead of preaching about the Holy Spirit or the sacrament, he delivered a long accusation against Medjugorje, against the visionaries, and against “this Virgin who appeared a little everywhere.” He did not achieve his desired result: that the parishioners would immediately protest against the bishop.For these parishioners, good Croats, respect for the bishop representing Christ and the apostles was even stronger. Not a single word was out of place, nor even a murmur, despite all that trembled in their hearts. The bishop had thought he could draw this conclusion: “As you can see, they no longer believe it.” The Franciscan priests of the parish struggled to convince him otherwise.The story of this daily war could go on indefinitely, and is reported in the series of volumes *Dernières Nouvelles* by Father Laurentin, who took care to document everything and put it in its proper place, beyond the controversy. These facts should be remembered because slogans claiming that Medjugorje is a parish turned against its bishop continue to be propagated.The reality is quite different. The key issue behind these unpleasant incidents remains the historical problem of relations between Franciscans and secular priests. According to the tradition of evangelization, missionaries, founders of faith such as Saint Paul, established an indigenous hierarchy in order to ensure the free autonomy of the local Church. A tree is judged by its fruits: conversions, evangelization, spiritual retreats.For priests and young people internationally, Medjugorje is considered the place in the world where the most confessions take place, alongside Lourdes, and confessors observe a rate of confessions and conversions that are profound and lasting, unparalleled elsewhere.Those who regularly confess in Medjugorje are convinced of the authenticity of the events. These fruits have been widely recognized, even by Pope John Paul II and many bishops from other dioceses. For this reason, approximately one hundred individuals, some anonymously but a good number openly, made a pilgrimage to Medjugorje despite opposition from their brothers in the episcopate.They speak of the immense humanitarian action that took place in the region after the war to assist widows, orphans, the wounded, and so on. Many are surprised that this positive outcome is not officially taken into account to resolve the issue at different hierarchical levels.It is also remarkable that all the visionaries are married, but marriage is one of the seven Christian sacraments, and these intuitive young people understood differently that they had no place in the priestly and religious hierarchy of the Church.Ivan decided to become a priest, but he was first excluded from Franciscan novitiate and then from a small seminary in Dubrovnik due to alleged intellectual insufficiency, while the young man proved very intelligent, wise, and also enlightened, first in his work as a farmer and later in the United States of America during meetings with American parliamentarians.Jakov, several years earlier, had requested admission to the Franciscan Order: he was asked to wait for a year, but the following November, the bishop summoned the Medjugorje priests along with the visionaries, including Jakov, triumphantly telling them that their spiritual director was a hypocrite and had an illegitimate child in Germany (which was formally denied by the mother of that child). Jakov, who had no means to defend himself, wept all the tears from his body and never spoke of his vocation again.Ivanka was already engaged to the man of her life since the times of the apparitions. The story of each of the visionaries is edifying. They all married after engagements, remained faithful, and raised good families.**Vicka**, a victim soul who over the years hid great spiritual and physical suffering, married for the last time at thirty-six years old. Once healed, she realized her place was not within a religious order: her free and generous personality would have created many problems. When she met a man who shared similar underlying motivations, she eventually started a family.It is quite remarkable that despite their respective issues (the lives of *visionaries* are not easy, oscillating between opposition and admiration, sometimes excessive), despite being so young and exposed to all risks, they managed to maintain, each in their own way, a faith of astonishing strength, balance in life, family, and Christian fullness, along with an authentic testimony.The spiritual dimension of the Medjugorje apparitions and their call to prayer and penance are theologically framed within Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Redemptoris Mater, which emphasizes Mary’s role as a mother who continually intercedes for humanity before Christ.**Deepen your studies:** explore Mariology, Marian Theology, Marian Apparitions, and Post-Graduate Studies in Mariology.

See the complete list of recognized Marian apparitions by the Church.