Official and unofficial positions of the Church: Part II

# Official and Non-Official Positions of the Church (2nd Part)Despite all the negative factors, in the end, the number of visitors to Medjugorje remained similar to that of pilgrims to Fátima.During this same period, the Holy See also received negative information from Bishop Zanic regarding the conduct of the first two priests of Medjugorje—two clerics who had a significant spiritual influence. One was accused of a past mistake, denied by the mother of the child whose paternity is attributed to him. The other was accused of serious ambiguity in his relationships with women.The first accused is Tomislav Zlasic, who chose not to defend himself for principle, reserving his defense solely for God. The second, Brother Jozo Zovko, assured him that it was a calumny. Renowned Mariologist René Laurentin, while documenting these cases, proposed some coherent and positive hypotheses about these two personalities of eminent spiritual value who fell victim to certain traps, imprudences, and slander.Today, the country of Yugoslavia and its Episcopal Conference no longer exist, and the document of the Yugoslav bishops is merely a testament to their difficult agreement; however, it remains the only official document to which the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith refers in response to questions raised by bishops—a somewhat ambiguous response given to Archbishop Taverdet and other bishops.**Paragraphs:**The good fruits of pilgrimage to Medjugorje, often under the influence of their diocesans, attracted a large number of bishops to Herzegovina. Some came on private visits, others more officially. Many celebrated Mass and exercised their ministry there for their faithful or assemblies of pilgrims. Others visited Bishops Zanic and Peric to share their positive conviction about the apparitions.Numerous testimonies regarding Medjugorje have been published and widely disseminated through today’s ever-faster communication channels. This leaves us with a count of over one hundred bishops. All this therefore constitutes a significant collegial testimony that their spiritual concerns led them to that place. If many went there despite strong pressure from post-conciliar collegiate solidarity, it is also worth noting that many of them consulted Pope John Paul II for a considerable time.To the best of our knowledge, it was Saint John Paul II who encouraged a large number of bishops to go there. Some went anonymously and the diplomatic delegation (bishops ambassadors) who accompanied him on his visit to Sarajevo in 1997 left him alone for twenty-four hours to make this famous pilgrimage. It seems clear that these people did not do so without first discreetly consulting the Holy Father on the matter.**Then, what was the Pope’s position?**Saint John Paul II obviously took no official position. For him, a solid principle inherited from Polish bishops applied: the authority of divine right of the Pope or bishops must maintain all its freedom and at the same time respect administrative mechanisms. Nevertheless, this man discreetly received numerous visionaries who found easy access to reach him. Among these were the Medjugorje visionaries and in particular Vicka, Mirjana, and Maria. He openly recognized the good fruits of Medjugorje. He spoke more than once with a smile on his lips about the opposition bishop, whom he still respected.The Church authority maintains a reserved but open position, respecting the freedom of Christian private pilgrimage, while concerned that pilgrims be accompanied by priests or bishops, even if privately and not officially.**Quotes:**Archbishop Zanic asked him: “When will you come to Sarajevo?” John Paul II replied with a smile: “Oh! I thought he would ask me: When will you come to Medjugorje.”This dialogue, which took place in February 1995, led to an official invitation from a Croatian delegation in April of the same year, led by Vice-President Radie, representative of President Tudjman, along with Cardinal Kutaric, inviting the Pope to visit Croatia. This was met with a response that also expressed his desire:> “I want to go to Split, to Maria Bistrica (the Marian shrine where he went) and Medjugorje [where he eventually did not end up].”In 1996, Bishop Roberto Cavallero, rector of the Marian shrine in Orta di Chiavari, returning from Medjugorje, received this question from the Pope after Mass: “Do you believe?” He then asked a follow-up question: “And you, Holy Father, do you believe?” After a brief pause, the Holy Father responded affirmatively: “I believe, I believe, I believe.”This dialogue is not an official statement or act of Magisterium declaring the supernaturality of the alleged apparitions in Medjugorje, but it does show that the Pope maintains his personal freedom of expression.The analysis of Church positions on Medjugorje benefits from the framework provided by Pope John Paul II’s encyclical *Redemptoris Mater*, which outlines the theological principles for understanding Mary’s role in salvation history and private revelations.**Deepen your studies:** Explore Mariology, Marian Theology, Marian Apparitions, and a Master’s Degree in Mariology.