Bishop Fintan Monahan Bishop Fintan Monahan is to become one of the first Irish bishops to lead a group to Medjugorje. It comes after the Vatican changed rules which had banned bishops from leading groups before this point, though they were free to visit the Marian shrine in a private capacity.
Bishop Monahan will serve as spiritual director to a group of Irish pilgrims from July 22-29.
Pilgrims will have an opportunity to participate in the full spiritual programme that is available in the village where six locals first reported apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1981. Ever since, it has been a popular pilgrimage site with an estimated 30,000 Irish people travelling annually.
For many years, the Vatican asked bishops not to lead pilgrimages because the apparitions do not yet have the official approval of the Church. However, in 2017 Pope Francis changed this and appointed an official envoy to the shrine prompting speculation that Rome will soon approve the phenomenon.
The Papal envoy, Archbishop Henryk Hoser, has hailed in particular the number of people who go to confession while in Medjugorje and the charitable work flowing from the shrine.
If you would like to participate in this historic pilgrimage, please see page 13 of this week’s edition for more information or call Marian Pilgrimages on (Dublin) (01) 878 8159 or (Belfast) 028 9568 0005, or email info@marian.ie