A statue of Mary is seen outside St. James Church in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in this file photo. Photo: CNS Pope Francis has recently approved a Catholic spiritual devotion centred in Medjugorje. However, the Vatican’s doctrinal office clarified that the Pope was not affirming the authenticity of the messages from the claimed apparitions of Our Lady. Instead, it stated that the Pontiff recognised the “positive fruits” for Catholics who engage in the spiritual experience associated with the town.
Niall Glynn, managing director of Marian Pilgrimages, commented, “I think it’s a good move. It’s not much different from what was said in 2019, but it’s good to now have it as a place of devotion.” He added, “Medjugorje isn’t just about the visionaries, but everything that Medjugorje offers. Also, our pilgrims are very understanding, and they understand that the Vatican can’t rule on the apparitions until they stop happening. We understand. People are finding that Medjugorje is a lot bigger than that in the sense of just the apparitions or just the visionaries itself.”
He added, “It’s a very positive step by the Vatican to acknowledge the fruits of Medjugorje, which our pilgrims have experienced for the past 30 years. It’s wonderful for them to finally see some recognition that Medjugorje is a place of prayer and spiritual growth.”
The Vatican issued its statement regarding Medjugorje in accordance with new guidelines that had been recently approved by Pope Francis, focused on evaluating potential supernatural occurrences. These updated regulations, which replace the original norms that were established in 1978, stipulate that bishops are required to seek consultation with the Vatican whenever they are faced with reports of supernatural phenomena. According to these new regulations, the procedure will grant “faster decisions while respecting popular devotion” when assessing claims of supernatural phenomena.
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