January 3, 1985
Dear children! These days the Lord has bestowed upon you great graces. Let this week be one of thanksgiving for all the graces which God has granted you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
January 10, 1985
Dear children! Today I want to thank you for all your sacrifices, but special thanks to those who have become dear to my heart and come here gladly are enough parishioners who are not listening to the messages, but because of those who are in a special way close to my heart, because of them I am giving messages for the parish. And I will go on giving them because I love you and I want you to spread my messages with your heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.
January 14, 1985 (Monday)
My dear children! Satan is so strong and with all his might wants to disturb my plans which I have begun with you. You pray, just pray and don’t stop for a minute! I will pray to my Son for the realization of all the plans I have begun. Be patient and constant in your prayers. And don’t let Satan discourage you. He is working hard in the world. Be on your guard! (Message conveyed by Vicka from Our Lady.)
January 17, 1985
Dear children! These days Satan is working underhandedly against this parish, and you, dear children, have fallen asleep in prayer, and only some are going to Mass. Withstand the days of temptation! Thank you for having responded to my call.
January 24, 1985
Dear children! These days you have experienced God’s sweetness through the renewals which have been in this parish. Satan wants to work still more fiercely to take away your joy from each one of you. By prayer you can completely disarm him and ensure your happiness. Thank you for having responded to my call.
January 31, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to tell you to open your hearts to God like the spring flowers which crave for the sun. I am your Mother and I always want you to be closer to the Father and that He will always give abundant gifts to your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call.
February 7, 1985
Dear children! These days Satan is manifesting himself in a special way in this parish. Pray, dear children, that God’s plan is brought into effect and that every work of Satan ends up for the glory of God. I have stayed with you this long so I might help you along in your trials. Thank you for having responded to my call.
February 14, 1985
Dear children! Today is the day when I give you a message for the parish, but the whole parish is not accepting the messages and is not living them. I am saddened and I want you, dear children, to listen to me and to live my messages. Every family must pray family prayer and read the Bible! Thank you for having responded to my call.
February 21, 1985
Dear children! From day to day I have been inviting you to renewal and prayer in the parish, but you are not accepting it. Today I am calling you for the last time! Now it’s Lent and you as a parish can turn to my messages during Lent out of love. If you do not do that, I do not wish to keep on giving messages. God is permitting me that. Thank you for having responded to my call.
February 28, 1985
Dear children! Today I call you to live the word this week: “I love God!” Dear children through love you will achieve everything and even what you think is impossible. God wants this parish to belong completely to Him. And that’s what I want too. Thank you for having responded to my call.
March 7, 1985
Dear children! Today I call you to renew prayer in your families. Dear children, encourage the very young to prayer and the children to go to Holy Mass. Thank you for having responded to my call.
March 14, 1985
Dear children! In your life you have all experienced light and darkness. God grants to every person to recognize good and evil. I am calling you to the light which you should carry to all the people who are in darkness. People who are in darkness daily come into your homes. Dear children, give them the light! Thank you for having responded to my call.
March 21, 1985
Dear children! I wish to keep on giving messages and therefore today I call you to live and accept my messages! Dear children, I love you and in a special way I have chosen this parish, one more dear to me than the others, in which I have gladly remained when the Almighty sent me. Therefore I call on you – accept me, dear children, that it might go well with you. Listen to my messages! Thank you for having responded to my call.
March 24, 1985 (Sunday)
Today I wish to call you all to confession, even if you have confessed a few days ago. I wish that you all experience my feast day within yourselves. But you cannot experience it unless you abandon yourselves completely to God. Therefore, I am inviting you all to reconciliation with God!
March 28, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to call you to pray, pray, pray! In prayer you shall perceive the greatest joy and the way out of every situation that has no exit. Thank you for starting up prayer. Each individual is dear to my heart. And I thank all who have urged prayer in their families. Thank you for having responded to my call.
April 4, 1985 (Holy Thursday)
Dear children! I thank you for having started to think more about God’s glory in your hearts. Today is the day when I wished to stop giving the messages because some individuals did not accept me. The parish has been moved and I wish to keep on giving you messages as it has never been in history from the beginning of the world. Thank you for having responded to my call.
April 5, 1985 (Good Friday)
You parishioners have a great and heavy cross, but don’t be afraid to carry it. My Son is here Who will help you. (Message given through Ivanka)
April 11, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to say to everyone in the parish to pray in a special way to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment. From today God wishes to test the parish in a special way in order that He might strengthen it in faith. Thank you for having responded to my call.
April 18, 1985
Dear children! Today I thank you for every opening of your hearts. Joy overtakes me for every heart that is opened to God especially from the parish. Rejoice with me! Pray all the prayers for the opening of sinful hearts. I desire that. God desires that through me. Thank you for having responded to my call.
April 25, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to tell you to begin to work in your hearts as you are working in the fields. Work and change your hearts so that a new spirit from God can take its place in your hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 2, 1985
Dear children! Today I call you to prayer with the heart, and not just from habit. Some are coming but do not wish to move ahead in prayer. Therefore, I wish to warn you like a Mother: pray that prayer prevails in your hearts in every moment. Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 9, 1985
Dear children! No, you do not know how many graces God is giving you. You do not want to move ahead during these days when the Holy Spirit is working in a special way. Your hearts are turned toward the things of earth and they preoccupy you. Turn your hearts toward prayer and seek the Holy Spirit to be poured out on you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 16, 1985
Dear children! I am calling you to a more active prayer and attendance at Holy Mass. I wish your Mass to be an experience of God. I wish especially to say to the young people: be open to the Holy Spirit because God wishes to draw you to Himself in these days when Satan is at work. Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 23, 1985
Dear children! These days I call you especially to open your hearts to the Holy Spirit. Especially during these days the Holy Spirit is working through you. Open your hearts and surrender your life to Jesus so that He works through your hearts and strengthens you in faith. Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 30, 1985
Dear children! I call you again to prayer with the heart. Let prayer, dear children, be your every day food in a special way when your work in the fields is so wearing you out that you cannot pray with the heart. Pray, and then you shall overcome even every weariness. Prayer will be your joy and your rest. Thank you for having responded to my call.
June 6, 1985
Dear children! During these days people from all nations will be coming into the parish. And now I am calling you to love: love first of all your own household members, and then you will be able to accept and love all who are coming. Thank you for having responded to my call.
June 13, 1985
Dear children! Until the anniversary day I am calling you, the parish, to pray more and to let your prayer be a sign of surrender to God. Dear children, I know that your are all tired, but you don’t know how to surrender yourselves to me. During these days surrender yourselves completely to me! Thank your for having responded to my call.
June 20, 1985
Dear children! For this Feast Day I wish to tell you to open your hearts to the Master of all hearts. Give me all your feelings and all your problems! I wish to comfort your in all your trials. I wish to fill you with peace, joy and love of God. Thank you for having responded to my call.
June 25, 1985 (Tuesday)
I invite you to call on everyone to pray the Rosary. With the rosary you shall overcome all the adversities which Satan is trying to inflict on the Catholic Church. All you priests, pray the Rosary! Dedicate your time to the Rosary! (This message Our Lady gave in response to the question of Marija Pavlovic: “Our Lady, what do you wish to recommend to priests?”)
June 28, 1985 (Friday)
Dear children! Today I am giving you a message through which I desire to call you to humility. These days you have felt great joy because of all the people who have come and to whom you could tell your experiences with love. Now I invite you to continue in humility and with an open heart speak to all who are coming. Thank you for having responded to my message.
July 4, 1985
Dear children! I thank you for every sacrifice you have offered. And now I urge you to offer every sacrifice with love. I wish you, the helpless ones, to begin helping with confidence and the Lord will keep on giving to you in confidence. Thank you for having responded to my call.
July 11, 1985
Dear children! I love the parish and with my mantle I protect it from every work of Satan. Pray that Satan retreats from the parish and from every individual who comes into the parish. In that way you shall be able to hear every call of God and answer it with your life. Thank you for having responded to my call.
July 18, 1985
Dear children! Today I call you to place more blessed objects in your homes and that everyone put some blessed objects on their person. Bless all the objects and thus Satan will attack you less because you will have armor against him. Thank you for having responded to my call.
July 25, 1985
Dear children! I desire to lead you, but you do not wish to listen to my messages. Today I am calling you to listen to the messages and then you will be able to live everything which God tells me to convey to you. Open yourselves to God and God will work through you and keep on giving you everything you need. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 1, 1985
Dear children! I wish to tell you that I have chosen this parish and that I am guarding it in my hands like a little flower that does not want to die. I call you to surrender to me so that I can keep on presenting you to God, fresh and without sin. Satan has taken part of the plan and wants to possess it. Pray that he does not succeed in that, because I wish you for myself so I can keep on giving you to God. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 8, 1985
Dear children! Today I call you especially now to advance against Satan by means of prayer. Satan wants to work still more now that you know he is at work. Dear children, put on the armor for battle and with the Rosary in your hand defeat him! Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 15, 1985
Dear children! Today I am blessing you and I wish to tell you that I love you and that I urge you to live my messages. Today I am blessing you with the solemn blessing that the Almighty grants me. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 22, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to tell you that God wants to send you trials which you can overcome by prayer. God is testing you through daily chores. Now pray to peacefully withstand every trial. From everything through which God tests you come out more open to God and approach Him with love. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 29, 1985
Dear children! I am calling you to prayer! Especially since Satan wishes to take advantage of the yield of your vineyards. Pray that Satan does not succeed in his plan. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 5, 1985
Dear children! Today I thank you for all the prayers. Keep on praying all the more so that Satan will be far away from this place. Dear children, Satan’s plan has failed. Pray for fulfillment of what God plans in this parish. I especially thank the young people for the sacrifices they have offered up. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 12, 1985
Dear children! I wish to tell you that the cross should be central these days. Pray especially before the cross from which great graces are coming. Now in your homes make a special consecration to the cross. Promise that you will neither offend Jesus nor abuse the cross. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 19, 1985 (Friday)
Dear children! Today I invite you to live in humility all the messages which I am giving you. Do not become arrogant living the messages and saying ‘I am living the messages’. If you shall bear and live the messages in your heart, everyone will feel it so that words, which serve those who do not obey, will not be necessary. For you, dear children, it is necessary to live and witness by your lives. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 26, 1985
Dear children! I thank you for all the prayers. Thank you for all the sacrifices. I wish to tell you, dear children, to renew the messages which I am giving you. Especially live the fast, because by fasting you will achieve and cause me the joy of the whole plan, which God is planning here in Medjugorje, being fulfilled. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 3, 1985
Dear children! I wish to tell you to thank God for all the graces which God has given you. For all the fruits thank the Lord and glorify him! Dear children, learn to give thanks in little things and then you will be able to give thanks also for the big things. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 10, 1985
Dear children! I wish also today to call you to live the messages in the parish. Especially I wish to call the youth of the parish, who are dear to me. Dear children, if you live the messages, you are living the seed of holiness. I, as the Mother, wish to call you all to holiness so that you can bestow it on others. You are a mirror to others! Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 17, 1985
Dear children! Everything has its own time. Today I call you to start working on your own hearts. Now that all the work in the field is over, you are finding time for cleaning even the most neglected areas, but you leave your heart aside. Work more and clean with love every part of your heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 24, 1985
Dear children! From day to day I wish to clothe you in holiness, goodness, obedience and God’s love, so that from day to day you become more beautiful and more prepared for your Master. Dear children, listen to and live my messages. I wish to guide you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 31, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to call you to work in the Church. I love all the same and I desire from each one to work as much as is possible. I know, dear children, that you can, but you do not wish to because you feel small and humble in these things. You need to be courageous and with little flowers do your share for the church and for Jesus so that everyone can be satisfied. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 7, 1985
Dear children! I am calling you to the love of neighbor and love toward the one from whom evil comes to you. In that way with love you will be able to discern the intentions of hearts. Pray and love, dear children! By love you are able to do even that which you think is impossible. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 14, 1985
Dear children! I, your Mother, love you and wish to urge you to prayer. I am tireless, dear children, and I am calling you even then, when you are far away from my heart. I am a Mother, and even though I feel pain for each one who goes astray, I forgive easily and am happy for every child who returns to me. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 21, 1985
Dear children! I want to tell you that this season is especially for you from the parish. When it is summer, you saw that you have a lot of work. Now you don’t have work in the fields, work on your own self personally! Come to Mass because this is the season given to you. Dear children, there are enough of those who come regularly despite bad weather because they love me and wish to show their love in a special way. What I want from you is to show me your love by coming to Mass, and the Lord will reward you abundantly. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 28, 1985
Dear children! I want to thank everyone for all you have done for me, especially the youth. I beseech you, dear children, come to prayer with awareness. In prayer you shall come to know the greatness of God. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 5, 1985
Dear children! I am calling you to prepare yourselves for Christmas by means of penance, prayer and works of charity. Dear children, do not look toward material things, because then you will not be able to experience Christmas. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 12, 1985
Dear children! For Christmas my invitation is that together we glorify Jesus. I present Him to you in a special way on that day and my invitation to you is that on that day we glorify Jesus and His nativity. Dear children, on that day pray still more and think more about Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 19, 1985
Dear children! Today I wish to call you to love of neighbor. The more you will to love your neighbour, the more you shall experience Jesus especially on Christmas Day. God will bestow great gifts on you if you surrender yourselves to Him. I wish in a special way on Christmas Day to give mothers my own special motherly blessing, and Jesus will bless the rest with His own blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 26, 1985
Dear children! I wish to thank all who have listened to my messages and who on Christmas Day have lived what I said. Undefiled by sin from now on, I wish to lead you further in love. Abandon your hearts to me! Thank you for having responded to my call!.
A new development took place in Medjugorje at the beginning of 1984. Our Lady told Jelena Vasilj that she wanted the parishioners of St. James Church to come together at the church for one evening a week so that She could direct them in their spiritual life. The priests chose Thursday. From March 1, 1984 through January 8, 1987, Our Lady gave messages to the parish every Thursday. The messages come to the parish through the six seers and almost entirely through Marija Pavlovic. On January 8, 1987, Our Lady said that She would give messages monthly, on the 25th of each month.
March 1, 1984
Dear children! I have chosen this parish in a special way and I wish to lead it. I am guarding it in love and I want everyone to be mine. Thank you for having responded tonight. I wish you always to be with me and my Son in ever greater numbers. I shall speak a message to you every Thursday.
March 8, 1984
Thank you for having responded to my call! Dear children, you in the parish, be converted. This is my other wish. That way all those who shall come here shall be able to convert.
March 15, 1984
Tonight also, dear children, I am grateful to you in a special way for being here. Unceasingly adore the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. I am always present when the faithful are adoring. Special graces are then being received.
March 22, 1984
Dear children! In a special way this evening I am calling you during Lent to honor the wounds of my Son, which He received from the sins of this parish. Unite yourselves prayers for the parish so that His sufferings may be bearable. Thank you for having responded to my call. Try to come in ever greater numbers.
March 29, 1984
Dear children! In a special way this evening I am calling you to perseverance in trials. Consider how the Almighty is still suffering today on account of your sins. So when sufferings come, offer them up as a sacrifice to God. Thank you for having responded to my call.
April 5, 1984
Dear children! This evening I pray you especially to venerate the Heart of my Son, Jesus. Make reparation for the wound inflicted on the Heart of my Son. That Heart is offended by all kinds of sins. Thank you for coming this evening.
April 12, 1984
Dear children! Today I beseech you to stop slandering and to pray for the unity of the parish, because I and my Son have a special plan for this parish. Thank you for having responded to my call.
April 19, 1984 (Holy Thursday)
Dear children! Sympathize with me! Pray, pray, pray!
April 30, 1984 (Monday)
Marija asked Our Lady, “Dear Madonna, why didn’t you give me a message for the parish on Thursday?” Our Lady replied,
“I do not wish to force anyone to do that which he/she neither feels nor desires, even though I had special messages for the parish by which I wanted to awaken the faith of every believer. But only a really small number has accepted my Thursday messages. In the beginning there were quite a few. But its become a routine affair for them. And now recently some are asking for the message out of curiosity, and not out of faith and devotion to my Son and me.
May 10, 1984
Many of the faithful felt shaken by the last message of Our Lady. Some had the feeling that Our Lady would not give any more messages to the parish, but this evening she said, “I am speaking to you and I wish to speak further. You just listen to my instructions!”
May 17, 1984
Dear children! Today I am very happy because there are many who want to consecrate themselves to me. Thank you. You have not made a mistake. My Son, Jesus Christ, wishes to bestow on you special graces through me. My Son is happy because of your dedication. Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 24, 1984
Dear children! I have told you already that I have chosen you in a special way, just the way you are. I, the Mother, love you all. And in any moment that is difficult for you, do not be afraid! Because I love you even then when you are far from me and my Son. Please, do not let my heart weep with tears of blood because of the souls who are lost in sin. Therefore, dear children, pray, pray, pray! Thank you for having responded to my call.
May 31, 1984 (Ascension Thursday)
There were many people present from abroad. Our Lady did not give a message for the parish. She told Marija that she would give a message on Saturday to be announced at the Sunday parish Mass.
June 2, 1984 (Saturday)
Dear children! Tonight I wish to tell you during the days of this novena to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on your families and on your parish. Pray, and you shall not regret it. God will give you gifts by which you will glorify Him till the end of your life on this earth. Thank you for having responded to my call.
June 9, 1984 (Saturday)
Dear children! Tomorrow night pray for the Spirit of Truth! Especially, you from the parish. Because you need the Spirit of Truth to be able to convey the messages just the way they are, neither adding anything to them, nor taking anything whatsoever way from them, but just the way I said them. Pray for the Holy Spirit to inspire you with the spirit of prayer, so you will pray more. I, your Mother, tell you that you are praying little. Thank you for having responded to my call.
June 21, 1984
Pray, pray, pray! Thank you for having responded to my call.
June 28, 1984 No message was given by Our Lady
July 12, 1984
Dear children! These days Satan wants to frustrate my plans. Pray that his plan not be realized. I will pray my Son Jesus to give you the grace to experience the victory of Jesus in the temptations of Satan. Thank you for having responded to my call.
July 19, 1984
Dear children! These days you have been experiencing how Satan is working. I am always with you, and don’t you be afraid of temptations because God is always watching over us. Also I have given myself to you and I sympathize with you even in the smallest temptation. Thank you for having responded to my call.
July 26, 1984
Dear children! Today also I wish to call you to persistent prayer and penance. Especially, let the young people of this parish be more active in their prayers. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 2, 1984
Dear children! Today I am joyful and I thank you for your prayers. Pray still more these days for the conversion of sinners. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 9, 1984
No message was given by Our Lady
August 11, 1984 (Saturday)
Dear children! Pray, because Satan wishes to complicate my plans still further. Pray with the heart and surrender yourselves to Jesus in prayer.
August 14, 1984 (Tuesday)
This apparition was unexpected. Ivan was praying at home. After that he started to get ready to go to Church for the evening services. By surprise Our Lady appeared to him and told him to relate to the people. “I would like the people to pray along with me these days. And to pray as much as possible! And to fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and every day to pray at least one Rosary: the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.” Our Lady asked that we accept this message with a firm will. She especially requested this of the parishioners and the faithful of the surrounding places.
August 16, 1984
Dear children! I beseech you, especially those from this parish, to live my messages and convey them to others, to whomever you meet. Thank you for having responded to my call.
August 23, 1984
Dear children! Pray, pray!
Marija said that he also invited the people, and especially the young people, to keep order during the Mass.
August 30, 1984
Dear children! The cross was also in God’s plan when you built it. These days, especially go on the mountain and pray before the cross. I need your prayers. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 6, 1984
Dear children! Without prayer there is no peace. Therefore I say to you, dear children, pray at the foot of the cross for peace. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 13, 1984
Dear children! I still need your prayers. You wonder why all these prayers? Look around you, dear children, and you will see how greatly sin has dominated the world. Pray, therefore, that Jesus conquers. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 20, 1984
Dear children! Today I call on you to begin fasting with the heart. There are many people who are fasting, but only because everyone else is fasting. It has become a custom which no one wants to stop. I ask the parish to fast out of gratitude because God has allowed me to stay this long in this parish. Dear children, fast and pray with the heart. Thank you for having responded to my call.
September 27, 1984
Dear children! You have helped me along by your prayers to realize my plans. Keep on praying that my plans completely I request the families of the parish to pray the family rosary. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 4, 1984
Dear children! Today I want to tell you that again and again you make me happy by your prayer, but there are enough of those in this very parish who do not pray and my heart is saddened. Therefore pray that I can bring all your sacrifices and prayers to the Lord. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 8, 1984 (Monday)
(Jakov was sick and received this message at home.)Dear children, Let all the prayers you say in your homes in the evening be for the conversion of sinners because the world is in great sin. Every evening pray the rosary.
October 11, 1984
Dear children! Thank you for dedicating all your hard work to God even now when He is testing you through the grapes you are picking. Be assured, dear children, that He loves you and, therefore, He tests you. You just always offer up all your burdens to God and do not be anxious. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 18, 1984
Dear children! Today I call on you to read the Bible every day in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and to pray. Thank you for having responded to my call.
October 25, 1984
Dear children! Pray during this month. God allows me every day to help you with graces to defend yourselves against evil. This is my month. I want to give it to you. You just pray and God will give you the graces you are seeking. I will help along with it. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 1, 1984
Dear children! Today I call you to the renewal of prayer in your homes. The work in the fields is over. Now devote yourselves to prayer. Let prayer take the first place in your families. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 8, 1984
Dear children! You are not conscious of the messages which God is sending you through me. He is giving you great graces and you do not comprehend them. Pray to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment. If you only knew how great are the graces God is granting you, you would be praying without ceasing. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 15, 1984
Dear children! You are a chosen people and God has given you great graces. You are not conscious of every message which I am giving you. Now I just want to say – pray, pray, pray! I don’t know what else to tell you because I love you and I want you to comprehend my love and God’s love through prayer. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 22, 1984
Dear children! These days live all the main messages and keep rooting them in your hearts till Thursday. Thank you for having responded to my call.
November 29, 1984
Dear children! No, you don’t know how to love and you don’t know how to listen with love to the words I am saying to you. Be conscious, my beloved, that I am your Mother and I have come on earth to teach you to listen out of love, to pray out of love and not compelled by the fact that you are carrying a cross. By means of the cross God is glorified through every person. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 6, 1984
Dear children! These days I am calling you to family prayer. In God’s Name many times I have been giving you messages, but you have not listened to me. This Christmas will be unforgettable for you only if you accept the messages which I am giving you. Dear children, don’t allow that day of joy to become my most sorrowful day. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 13, 1984
Dear children! You know that the season of joy is getting closer, but without love you will achieve nothing. So first of all, begin to love your own family, everyone in the parish, and then you’ll be able to love and accept all who are coming over here. Now let these seven days be a week when you need to learn to love. Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 20, 1984
Dear children! Today I am inviting you to do something concrete for Jesus Christ. As a sign of dedication to Jesus I want each family of the parish to bring a single flower before that happy day. I want every member of the family to have a single flower by the crib so Jesus can come and see your dedication to Him! Thank you for having responded to my call.
December 21, 1984 (Friday)
I want you to be a flower which will blossom for Jesus on Christmas. And a flower that will not stop blooming when Christmas is over. I want your hearts to be shepherds to Jesus.(Message given through Jelena Vasilj.)
December 27, 1984
Dear children! This Christmas Satan wanted in a special way to spoil God’s plans. You, dear children, have discerned Satan even on Christmas day itself. But God is winning in all your hearts. So let your hearts keep on being happy. Thank you for having responded to my call.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
A talk (question and answer session) given by Mirjana in the Oasis of Peace on 3rd October 2009
Q: Has Our Lady said anything about other apparitions?
Only about Fatima. She said, “What I have started in Fatima I will finish in Medjugorje. My heart will triumph.” I cannot go into details. That’s the only apparition she mentioned aside from Medjugorje.
Here is the entire transcript.
Mirjana: We will start our meeting with one Hail Mary. Queen of Peace, Pray for us.
We have gathered so that you may ask whatever you may be interested in. Anything that can help you to understand Medjugorje, and if I know, I will be so glad to respond to you because I desire with my entire heart that you may understand what Our Lady desires from us. The first thing is, she invited you. She needs apostles. That’s why feel free to ask anything that can help you.
Q: Yesterday’s message was very serious and very sad, can you elaborate a little bit?
Message was very sad and you were lucky because you did not have a chance to see the expression on Our Lady’s face so that your heart breaks. Because she is mother, and as she said in one of her messages, she desires to bring all of us as the most beautiful bouquet of flowers to her Son. Once she realises that we do not see, we do not understand that, she is the way she was yesterday. Talking about her message, I have no right to comment on the message because I received it the same way you did. Same like you, I also have to reflect on message in order to understand what it tells me. But I would like to ask you one thing. Yesterday when I talked with some people about message, most people said ‘when shall this world change, when shall the world understand?’ but no one said ‘when shall I understand, when shall I change myself?’ I am only asking from all of you to start from ourselves to see where we make mistake and what we can change. Once we change, it will be easier to change others, not always put the blame on others. We should start with ourselves.
Q: She said her heart was seizing?
I also say that my heart seizes when I see her so sad. Our Lady had a very sad expression on her face, filled with pain because she was looking at us and we know what she was able to see within us..
Q: Do you always see her or sometimes just hear her voice?
On the second of every month, I have normal apparition. I can hear her and I can see her.
Q: There are groups around saying we can go to heaven through other religions. How does Jesus see that? How does Mary see that?
When Our Lady asked me to pray for unbelievers, then my question was ‘who are unbelievers?’ and she said all those who do not feel church as home and God as their Father. If you look at our Lady’s messages further, Holy Mass is in the first place, and then confession, communion, etc., which is part of the Holy Catholic church. But is not me who is supposed to decide. I can only repeat what Our Lady says. Very often she would say, we can possess anything in this world but if we do not have peace we have nothing. And the only true peace is the one my Son gives.
Q: How can I be a true apostle to others?
If you live Our Lady’s messages, and if you follow her, it means you are walking up to Jesus. And then your life will be story. Others will see in you what they are looking for because Our Lady doesn’t want us to preach. I’m not talking about priests here (points to a row of priests and laughs) but she would like from us to talk with our own life. So that every unbeliever can see that something within ourselves. What did I mean about that? Let me give you a cute example from a very little thing.
I was here at evening Mass in Medjugorje. I couldn’t sit down and I have a problem with my back. I noticed a little space in one of those benches and I sat down. But all around were Italians (laughter) and all of them started yelling at me ” stand up, that is our bench, we were first one to come, etc.” I stood up and kept quiet. Later a lady who recognised me was passing by and then after that they wanted to give me the whole bench to sit. But why am I saying this?
Imagine if I were an unbeliever and for the first time I desire to enter into a Catholic church to see what is that all about. And Catholics, who say they know the love of God welcome me in that way. Would I ever enter again there? And whose responsibility would that be? That is what Our Lady says, that we have a great responsibility. Only love. That is the answer to everything. Our Lady says that we cannot consider ourselves as true believers if we do not see Jesus Christ in every single person we meet. That is the hardest thing but we have to reach that point.
Q: Have you received a message from Our Lady about forces fighting wars?
That is already question you are supposed to ask from a priest because I am just a visionary and I can only say what Our Lady says to me. I do not know anything else. I as a visionary also ask help from a priest because I am just like you.
Q: Has the question been asked?
No.
Q: Isn’t it selfish to just petition for ourselves to change?
I do not pray for myself. I pray for my family but I only say ‘my family in your hands’. I just say we in your hands because you (God) know what is the best for us when I pray. I pray the most for unbelievers because that is where we all are.
Q: When we are trying to change ourselves according to our Mother’s messages, what about the little nagging self doubts we have?
My personal opinion, we can always do better, we can always be better people, we can always pray better and we grow in that. I always recommend to everybody, do not waste your time judging yourself in your own prayer. Pray and God will help you. Sometimes you just feel like you prayed great, sometimes not, but Our Lady always offers her hand as Mother and she will always raise you up. Do not forget, God is love, and He loves you, and He knows you, and it is important that you desire to come closer to Him and He will help you.
Q: I have a hard time saying the rosary. Would you help us to know when you are praying the rosary, are you supposed to think of the words ? My mind wanders while I’m doing that.
Our Lady asks from us to pray with heart. I understand that to mean that every word that comes out of my mouth would pass through my heart first. So, if I say Hail Mary, then I truly with heart greet Mary. Full of grace, that I may feel within myself how much grace Our Lady gives me and to everyone. It is never a repetition for me because I always feel some new different things when I pray Hail Mary. For example, when I reflect on Our Lady was assumed into Heaven, I think about her. I talk with her. I ask her about how she felt, all that she thought. I do not see her, I do not hear her, but just with heart. Try that. If your thoughts still wander, put the rosary aside and talk with Our Lady and tell her why is that so. What is a burden, why you can’t be still and pray. Whatever you have in your heart, give it to her.
Q: When Jesus said ‘many are called but few are chosen’ I’m not quite sure what He meant by that.
Mirjana smiled and said; We could talk this whole afternoon about what He meant. I like to talk a lot but if we start this topic now we will never end ! You said it. Many are called, few are chosen. What do you think why that is so, because Jesus said that to me and to you, so everyone has his own opinion about it. Even here, everyone is invited but how many will understand and how many of them will become true apostles? I do not know.
Q: What did Our Lady mean when she said this is a time of grace?
Isn’t this a great grace? This immense love of God to send us His mother for so many years, to understand and to take the right path. Doesn’t that show how much God loves us?
Q: Have you or any of the other visionaries ever met with the Holy Father?
It was me. Others were jealous. (laughter). I was in St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican with all other pilgrims. I was with an Italian priest. So Pope was walking by and he was blessing. He blessed me and just passed by. The priest with me said, “Holy Father, this is Mirjana from Medjugorje,” and he came back and blessed me again. Then he left. And I said to priest, most likely he thought just I just need a double blessing (laughter). In the afternoon, we received a note to go to Castelgondolfo, close to Rome, the next day. And me and him were alone together and among other things he said to me, “I know everything, I have been following everything. Ask pilgrims to pray for my intentions. Keep Medjugorje because Medjugorje is the hope for the entire world.”
A priest told me that from the very beginning, Pope was very fond of Medjugorje because two months before the apparitions in Medjugorje started, Pope was praying to Our Lady to come again on earth. He said, “I cannot do it all alone because Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, etc., all communist. I cannot do it on my own. I need you.” And later he heard that in Yugoslavia, communist country, in a little village, Our Lady appeared and he said, “That is response to my prayers.”
Q: Mirjana, how beautiful is Our Mother?
That is not only superficial beauty that you see from outside. That is something that is radiating out of her. As children, we asked Our Lady a childish question. We said, how come that you are so beautiful? She said, “I am beautiful because I love.” And she said “My children, if you want to be that beautiful, then love.” At that time when that apparition happened, Jakov was only nine and a half years old. So when Our Lady left, he said, “I think that she wasn’t saying the truth.” We all said, “How can you dare to say that our heavenly Mother is not saying the truth.” He said, “Yes, but look at us visionaries, some of us can love until the end of our loves but we’ll never be as beautiful as she said” — because he did not understand what kind of beauty Our Lady was speaking about. But even today he doesn’t understand many things. (laughter).
Q: Before Our Lady comes, do you have dream or some other feelings?
I never dream of Our Lady, never. Usually that is something that you get excited about during the day, that’s what you dream; but I never dreamed of Our Lady. I always prepare myself the day before by fasting and prayer and night before apparition, I spend in prayer. So then I cannot dream. I don’t think of anything else because it is impossible. I just desire to pray because only that way I will have peace, and only that way I am capable to wait until tomorrow comes. I think it is all God’s help because without God’s help we would not be able to live a normal life. Let me give you an example. I’m a mother and I have two daughters and as every normal mother, I would give my life for them, but when I am with Our Lady, my daughters do not exist. There is only the great desire that she would take me with her. You can only try to imagine what a pain it is when Our Lady leaves. I simply do not even have strength to keep a pencil or pen in my hand. Thanks be to God for Miki, he writes it down and I just go straight to my room to pray. Then I pray for one hour, two or three, depends. And through this prayer, God gives me the strength to understand, and to go forward.
Q: When you say you pray, is it always the rosary or talking ?
It is rosary, seven Our Fathers, talking, but I always pray rosary of St. Anthony because he is my dearest saint (lots of people went ahh), because St. Anthony is the only saint that you can make deals with (laughter), ‘you do that for me and I’ll do that for you.’
Q: Mirjana, how come you didn’t become a nun?
At the very beginning when we were children, we asked Our Lady, “What do you desire from us, from our life?” She said, “Whatever you feel in your heart. If you decide to be priest or nun I desire that it is visible that I was with you. And if you decide to have families, I desire that you try your best to be an example to the other families.” And that is all she ever said about my personal life. Everybody asks me that. Then I read about Bernadette to see what happened to her. She didn’t want at all to become a nun but they forced her to. But we live in a different time now and so we were not forced to.
Q: What does Our Lady say about division in families? (Question not completely audible)
I believe that Our Lady doesn’t have to talk about it because if you keep the vow before God… Here, when we get married in the church, we put our right hand on the Cross so that God may help me, so there’s no divorce. If its good, then thanks be to God. If not, then just take your cross. Because you cannot be only partially Catholic. You are or you are not. Saddest thing is we Catholics try to justify things that cannot be justified. We are or we are not. We follow Jesus or we do not follow him.
Q: What is it like for you to be present at another visionary’s apparition, for example, Jakov at Christmas?
I never, that would be too painful knowing what he is looking at and I cannot. While he is having apparition for example, I will pray in my room and (anyway) he would be teasing me afterwards! (laughter)
Q: So divorce is not acceptable?
Of course. Husband can leave wife and wife can leave husband, but she is his wife and he is her husband. If my husband for example leaves me, I would not be able to look for another husband because he is my husband before God. What God binds once, only He can separate. I cannot force my husband to be with me but even if he leaves, he still remains my husband.
Q: And annulment?
Pointing to a row of priests Mirjana says, Here is the priests! (laughter). I am not planning to divorce, that’s why I am not interested in annulments. I know that if you did not tell about some illness you may have, or if you do not want to have children, it could be an excuse. Then Church will give you an annulment, if that’s the case, as far as I’ve heard, but I never questioned too much about it. After a pause and with a broad grin she added: But if I get interested in that, then I will ask (laughter).
Q: Do your children know what is happening and how do they react to all of that?
They are 18 and 15 years old and they know very well what’s happening. Me and Marko always tried to bring them closer to God ever since they were born. We thought if they have a sense of God’s love they will understand the apparitions. Then we explained to them that from time to time Our Lady chooses some people not because they are the best but because in that moment, she needs such people. And they look at me as a normal person. We all ..(inaudible) ..only God. That is the way they …(inaudible)..When I talked about responsibility of parents, our children look at our own life. Some example of my older daughter Maria; When she was about 2 years old, I did not talk to her about apparitions because I thought she was too young to understand. But one day while she was playing with her friend in the room, I was watching over. Then I heard this other girl say, “You know my mum drives a car.” My daughter Maria remained quiet for a moment and said, “Big deal, my mum talks to Our Lady every day.” So without even saying a word, she understood.
Q: Emotionally speaking, if you had to use one word to describe how you feel when you in the presence of the Mother of God, what word would you use?
That is heaven. They ask me did I see heaven and I say I did not see heaven but to be with Our Lady is to be in heaven. They ask me, did you touch her, did she touch you? I never even felt a need to do that because when she is looking at you, she is embracing you and kissing you. You simply feel you don’t want it ever to stop. The greatest love on earth beside love for God is love for your children. Imagine when you do not even think about your children, you forget that they exist — only Our Lady, so she may look at you. I think that would be like in heaven.
Q: What lesson are we supposed to learn from fasting?
Again, I can just tell you my own personal opinion. When I’m fasting, I’m proving to myself that I am the boss of my own body and that I can do for God anything I want. That nothing can stop me. And with this fasting, I’m showing to God that with this little, I am ready to do even more if that is what He desires. Through fasting my prayer is stronger. I feel closer to Him. Again, that’s just my own personal feelings.
Q: Has Our Lady said anything about Garabandal?
Only about Fatima. She said, “What I have started in Fatima I will finish in Medjugorje. My heart will triumph.” I cannot go into details. That’s the only apparition she mentioned aside from Medjugorje.
Q: Some of you visionaries have public apparitions and some of you have private. Does Our Lady give that to you as a choice?
There is no private apparitions because Our Lady doesn’t come (just) to me or Jakov or Maria, she comes to the entire world. Lets take Ivan as an example. He has the apparitions in the Chapel and then not everybody can fit in so he does like one day for priests, one day for families, one day for sick people so that everyone can more or less fit in. I never had any private apparitions. I do not even know what it means.
Q: Is there conflict with the Bishop here? What is that about?
The greatest authority is Pope, and the way Pope says, everybody should obey. The latest commission we had here in Medjugorje was before the war, that was when the war started, that was when the Bishops Conference of ex-Yugoslavia said that pilgrims are allowed to come to Medjugorje, that priests will accept them and they will provide Masses for them, confessions, etc. But decision about whether Medjugorje is authentic or not, that will take time. The latest thing is that Medjugorje simply went outside the frame of our Diocese and that it will go into hands of Vatican.
Q: Is it like a suffering for Mary to come on the earth, for us not to be converted?
Its not painful. She is mother. You are young, most likely you are not married? (questioner replies ‘no‘) Once you have your own children, no matter what they do, you will run after them and try to help them because that is mother. Same as with Our Lady.
Q: On your last daily apparition, I read that you had a long conversation with Our Lady about heaven?
We were talking about secrets. That was my last daily apparition, that is when Our Lady gave me that last secret and then she explained that I wasn’t to have her daily apparitions anymore. And she explained to me the way I’m going to have them now (from then onwards) and on that apparition, Christmas 1982, we did not talk about heaven. On one occasion, I asked Our Lady, “How come God is love and He loves us so much and He put some people for eternity in hell?” She said, “It is not God who decided that, it is people who decided to go there.” I do not think I talked about anything else with Our Lady. Maybe you read about Marija or Vicka.
Q: This question concerned a marriage partner being an unbeliever. The actual question although just audible was posed by someone whose English was not clear.
I think you forgot, I am just a visionary. Its usually like (this) that husband is unbeliever. That is why God put her husband in her way, so he is her responsibility. She needs to help him to come to know God and God’s love, not through criticising, judging or forcing, but simply through her love, her example, and her prayer. That is the only way.
Q: Did Our Lady ever share with you about what is the more terrible sin?
She didn’t talk with me what is greater or lesser sin, but only what we should do to avoid sin. And she didn’t tell me about which sin is more or less. What comes to my mind right now, for me personally, the greatest sin is not to have love towards your neighbour. Because when you have love for your neighbour, you will not kill, you will not steal, you will not deceive. You will not do anything bad because you will have love within you. That is what I personally think.
Q: The sign that will appear in Medjugorje, I read that when that appears and if you have not converted, it will be too late.
(I think Mirjana may have misunderstood the nature of this question as evidenced by her reply)
That is not true. Our Lady said like this: “This is the last time I visit earth in this way.” Now this would be my personal opinion, what she meant with that: these many years, many visionaries, but I never thought that she would be last time on earth That is wrong interpretation. Same as in one of her messages, Our Lady said, “I am giving you my motherly blessing but from today on, you are that blessing.” But many people misunderstood that and now they go out and they bless people. That is not what Our Lady intended to say. She intended to say that our life should become a blessing for other people because only priests are supposed to bless. She said their priestly hands are blessed by my Son. And we visionaries, we cannot bless. I always ask pilgrims, don’t ask me to do that. I cannot bless anyone except my own children and that is my motherly blessing, because I also need blessing from a priest.
Q: How did you convince your family to follow you?
I lived with my parents in Sarajevo and I came to spend summer vacation here. I’m always kidding with visionaries when I say Our Lady was waiting for me to come (laughter). So when apparitions started, my aunt called my mum by phone and she didn’t know how to tell that to her. My mother thought that I am in hospital, that I’m dying but my aunt said, “No, its not about that ! She just says that she sees Our Lady.” My mother said, “Is she normal to you?” (laughter). My aunt said, “She looks the same like before.” Then mum said, “There must be something happening with her.” They came right away from Sarajevo. Who knows you the best? –your parents. So they were with me from the beginning, they helped me. As I told you, I was not from here. I was forced to go back to Sarajevo right away and then I had hardest time. Because here, all around we have Catholics and Croats. In Sarajevo very few Catholics, most are Muslims or Orthodox. It wasn’t my choice to go back to Sarajevo. As we lived in Sarajevo, every single day, police was in our home. It was terrible time for years and my father just told me, you just go on, say the truth, be not afraid, God will help us. And that is how it truly was. God helped us but it wasn’t easy. There was only me, my mother, father and brother and everybody else separated from us because it wasn’t good to be with us in communism. I was only fifteen years old and I was state enemy and then out of fear, no one wants to be close to you.
Q: Why do you think the Virgin Mary chose you as a visionary?
Can’t you see? (laughter). I’ve been talking for an hour and you ask me that question! (laughter). Mirjana said in English, “I’m joking, I’m joking”
If you desire to be an example to unbeliever, if you desire to show that you have faith, that we have love, then you have to smile. You have to joke, you have to show that you have God. If you’re always worried, nervous, serious, then an unbeliever will say, “She’s not any different to me. Why would I change?” That’s why I prefer to joke. Why did Our Lady choose me? On one occasion, we asked her, why six of us, because we were the same as every other child here. All she said was, “Because I need you six the way you are.” And all six of us are different individuals, only Our Lady could put us together. I always remember words of late Fr. Slavko, a priest who passed away on the Cross Hill. He was my husband’s uncle. He was coming to our home all the time. One day he came very upset and I said, “What happened, what made you angry?” He said, “How can you ask me something like that, for if I were Our Lady, I would never choose six of you. For me the greatest sign that Our Lady is truly present here is the fact that she chose six of you.” Because poor Fr Slavko, for six months he tried to gather six of us together at same time. He didn’t make it!
Q: What has Our Lady said about purgatory?
Our Lady is asking from us to put in our daily prayers the souls in purgatory and to offer Masses for them. Not to go to the rectory, not to pay for the Mass, but to be present during that Holy Mass and to pray during that Holy Mass.
Q: Does Our Lady ever discuss war?
No
Q: Why are we not allowed to know the secrets until a certain time?
That is God’s will. I never think about secrets. I don’t even think about it, because it is dear God who keeps the secrets and His will be done. For example this morning, I spoke to Italians , maybe you saw there was thousands of them! (laughter). Any and every question they asked started with why, why, why, why this, why that, waving their hands. Then I said to them, “You know why Our Lady did not appear in Italy but in Croatia, and they said again ‘why?'” (laughter). I said if she appeared in Italy she would run away after 3rd day (laughter) because it would always be ‘why, why, why?’. Whatever she said, we just accepted it the way it is. I never said ‘why’ because whatever Our Lady says, that is for our good and it is not up to me to ask why.
Q: Our Lady gave you her autobiography?
Vicka.
Q: When will that be shared with us?
Mirjana just smiled and replied, “Ask Vicka.”
Q: What can you do to help people who live different lifestyles to change their lives?
I would just pray for them. I put them in God’s hands and I pray for them because I feel sorry for them, because they simply go against nature, and nature was created by God, so that it means you go against God. Mirjana said in English, “Everything what you are doing with your heart will help. It’s important that you doing with your heart.” Its beautiful that you are worried for them so much. That means that you love your neighbour and I’m glad that there is no judgements in your words, only love. And that is what Our Lady desires from us, not to judge but to love them and to pray for them.
Q: Has your husband ever doubted your word?
He would not remain alive if he doubted (laughter). My husband comes from a Catholic family, he’s Fr. Slavko’s nephew. The two of us grew up together. We know each other from birth. He said, “When the apparitions started, as soon as they told me that you are involved, I believed immediately.” Because we know each other from birth. I was a good girl! (laughter). Let me give you an example. In Sarajevo we Catholic children would secretly go to the catechism. It would always be one mother who would take four or five of us. I was about six years old. My mum told me, “If someone along the way stops you and ask where are you going, tell them that we are going to have an ice-cream or something else.” And one particular day, my teacher who was communist, was walking by and she asked me, “Where have you been?” I was supposed to lie to her. I looked at her and said, ” I truly have no idea where I have been. ” (laughter). I couldn’t say I was shopping or buying an ice-cream or something, so the best way was to say I didn’t know.
We will finish now. We’ll finish with Hail Mary, and we have so many priests with us; they didn’t help me so much with questions, (laughter) but they can still give us blessing.
By Fr. Tomislav Pervan, OFM
Former Pastor of Medjugorje (1982-1988), former Provincial of the Franciscans (OFM) in Hercegovina (1994-2001).
For the past twenty-five years, Medjugorje has been an actuality on the world scene. Today, it has its zealous advocates; however, it also has its fierce opponents. Opposing front lines in the battle are not likely to sue for peace any time soon. Advocates are tireless in their visits to Medjugorje all the while believing the authentic voice of Heaven is the starting point, namely, the appearance of the Gospa – Our Lady. Meanwhile, the opponents are fierce in their opposition and seek out elements of contention surrounding the entire set of events.
In the meantime, the ever-increasing daily flow of pilgrims to this place does not allow us to be indifferent. Facts and numbers speak for themselves. The number of pilgrims is ever increasing. They come from all corners of the earth, are of all colours of skin, and from all nations and nationalities. While other places of pilgrimage mark a decrease in pilgrims and pilgrimages despite being advertised widely, the number of pilgrims and faithful of all languages and locales constantly increases. As a phenomenon, Medjugorje does not have an active propaganda machine: individuals spread its fame by word-of-mouth, witness, and personal experience.
On the one hand, the priests who work in Medjugorje feel they are over-burdened in their daily work and that they are stretched to their physical limits. They are faced with innumerable calls for personal counseling, endless confessions, and constant evangelization. On the other hand, they are also faced with the suspicion that they are teetering at the edge of heterodoxy. The constant criticism is hurled at them that they are fostering something that is contrary to the Church, namely, the non-existent apparitions and the like. We, on the other hand, cannot fail to speak, fail to give witness about that which we have heard or seen, or that which we experience daily by way of our senses. (Cf. Acts 4:20) Hence, we invite all to come and see. So many bishops and priests had their doubts; however, after many hours of hearing confessions, they changed their minds and the doubts vanished.
The voice of conscience forces upon us the obligation to be of assistance to those who are in misery and who come here. We wish to be in harmony with the Church to the very end, and not to sin against the Church’s teachings or practice. Meanwhile, the accusations and reproaches hurt. Quite frequently, questions are raised that ask: What need did we have of all of this? Were we not able to be as every other parish, that is, carry out the well-entrenched pastoral patterns within the usual norms of the Church and Gospels? Who was it that cooked this stew, such that, to this very day, the river of pilgrims has not dried up, but, to the contrary, continues to grow greater and more dynamic?
For this reason, and as a friend and participant of these events from their beginnings in 1981, I give consideration to what must be done to change the present situations to escape the entrenched position of persistent denial, constant disputation, or, in fact, indifference and silence on the part of the Church’s media all of this while the flow of thousands of pilgrims to this place continues. It is obvious that all the denials, disputations, and silence find no acceptance on the part of the faithful. Meanwhile, Church circles continue to be deaf, and the prohibition against this activity on the part the faithful persists on the part of the media.
It is the inner voice of conscience and the experience of faith that motivate the faithful. I am convinced that the Holy Spirit Himself is the initiator of all these events. I am further convinced that, after twenty-five years have passed, the principle of the locus theologicus (the theological position), according to the notion of the sensus fidelium (understanding on the part of the faithful) and the consensus fidelium (unanimity of the faithful), applies as offered for acceptance by the documents of Vatican II and post-Vatican II, and by statements of Popes following the Council. Things we read about in the Acts of the Apostles are happening here. I am convinced that the Church is being gathered in this place from the four winds and every corner of the earth into the one Kingdom as what took place in Jerusalem at Pentecost. In this place, we find mirrored the universal – “Catholic” Church in miniature.
It is in this sense that I believe the instruction of the Congregation for the Faith entitled, The Criteria for Judging and Differentiating Revelations and Apparitions, dated the 27th of February, 1978, and signed by the then Prefect, Francis Cardinal Seper, should serve as the vade mecum (that is, the constant companion, the manual) when considering, passing judgment upon, and making decisions about Medjugorje and the Medjugorje phenomenon. The text has lost nothing of its immediacy and value to this very day. It can be fully applied to the events of Medjugorje with all its implications. It can examine the events of Medjugorje from the positive or negative side with all the arguments presented pro and con.
The Congregation for the Faith in its instructions reduces to three levels, or degrees, the norms that relate to reactions to alleged apparitions.
The seers must be examined to determine if, perhaps, it is a question of self-styled visions. Then, all the messages must be gathered and examined and viewed from the point of view of the degree of education of the seers. The mental and physical state of the seers must be examined thoroughly, as well as their moral integrity. All that is explainable from the purely human point of view must be taken into consideration; however, by the same token, all that cannot be explained in purely human terms and with the aid of the most contemporary psychological or physical sciences, and which, in the end, has no cause within human power, must also be taken into consideration.
Following the first phase, if the matter has not died on its own, has not come to a halt or fallen into oblivion, the principle ad experimentum (for the purpose of experiment) comes into play. At the same time, of course, it must be emphasized that the employment of this principle in no way suggests or recognizes the authenticity of the alleged apparitions. It simply channels events to proper and healthy Church routine: practices regarding prayer, devotions, the sacraments, constant spiritual growth and holiness.
When an appropriate period of the ad experimentum phase has elapsed, and in the light of experiences, especially after a close examination of the spiritual fruits occasioned by the alleged apparitions, and of the devotional practices surrounding them, a competent judgment of the events must be given if circumstances demand it.
As regards the first point, everything can be reduced to a simple conclusion: To the present day, in the entire history of the Church, no Marian apparitions were so intensively and extensively investigated (from 1984 – 2005) on the part of numerous and independent qualified, international experts in the fields of medicine and psychology, or whose investigations and their results were found to correspond to and compliment each other. All of the experts concluded that the subjects investigated were found to be spiritually, psychologically, and physically healthy individuals. They were found not to be hallucinating, subject to confabulation, (auto) suggestion, hysteria, hypnotic or other loss of consciousness, deceit, suggestion or exterior inducement of any sort. Hence, it is irresponsible to publicly proclaim them to be liars or inventors of false visions and messages.
Many experts from the fields of medicine, psychology, and parapsychology have occupied themselves with the Medjugorje seers. They failed to uncover any sort of pathological deviation from the norm in their lives. The scientific experts are capable of reaching the full limit of their tests. However, once they have arrived at that limit, their ability to explain ceases. They are able to discern what does or does not pertain to medicine and pathology and what must be excluded from a medico-psychological perspective. The experts have done so and have left behind a record of their findings. Because of that, and because of intellectual honesty, we, who have regard for the truth, must take their investigations and judgments as to the phenomena of Medjugorje into serious account.
The convergent proofs in favour of the authenticity of the Medjugorje phenomenon are perceptible when one takes into consideration the theological, sociological and scientific experiments carried out upon the seers by French, Italian, and Austrian teams of experts from 1984 through 2005. According to the theologian and Mariologist, R. Laurentin, who has published works of capital value (17 books) on Lourdes, and has thoroughly investigated the apparitions in Medjugorje, the latter give evidence of being more powerful as regards the proof of their authenticity than those in Lourdes, to which the Church gave its formal approval.
According to the teaching of St. Ignatius on discernment of spirits, the causes of those or similar manifestations can be determined to be purely human, divine, or demonic. Effects must always be judged by their cause. In all that took place in Medjugorje, one must ask what the cause was, or where the causal beginnings had their roots. If we take into consideration the first days of the events that took place in Bijakovici in June and July of 1981, the experts who thoroughly examined the seers concluded that the seers had some sort of fundamental and key experience, some initial encounter that put them into the center of something that they could not begin to imagine or foresee, something against their will or inclinations, something they were scarcely able to predict.
Science as such can neither confirm nor deny whether the Gospa is, or is not, appearing, (just as it would not have been able to utilize scientific instruments to register the resurrection of Christ were they to have been present alongside the Roman guards at the tomb of Jesus). All that science can say after twenty-five years is that the seers are physically and psychologically healthy, and that the seers had a deep-seated and far-reaching experience which continues to affect them to this very day, one that it is impossible to deduce from their biographies. All of that is, for the visionaries, a holy treasure. For that reason one must exclude a purely human cause, and, by the same token, one that is demonic, inasmuch as the Devil is unable to yield good fruit that is constant and so long lasting.
Since twenty-five years have elapsed, a review sine ira et studio (without rancor and diligent attention) would be expedient, both in the local Church and the Church at large, as to the fruits which have been given and continue to be given through Mary’s apparitions beyond all ideological suppositions and prejudices. When observed from the purely statistical point of view as a whole, close to some fifty thousand priest have passed through Medjugorje, hundreds of bishops, cardinals, and millions upon millions of the faithful. The Una Sancta et Catholica (the One Holy and Catholic [Church]) in miniature comes to pass here every day. Were there something to be found heretical, schismatic, or contrary to Church teaching, the Church would be obliged to undertake measures against such abuse. That has not resulted up to the present. Therefore, a fifteen-year ad experimentum period since the Zadar Pronouncement in 1991 is a sufficient amount of time so as to allow to conclude that no straying from official Church teaching and practice is taking place in Medjugorje. The Liturgy and devotions celebrated there are fully Christological, Marian, Eucharistic, sacramental, and in full harmony with Church regulations.
It cannot be asserted that the particular fruits of Medjugorje are those of intensive prayer and administration of the sacraments. To do so would be to create a circulus vitiosus (vicious circle): there are other places in the world where prayer and the sacraments are a fixed practice; however, what is lacking there are the efficacious effects that we note as attributable to Medjugorje. It is clear that prayer and the sacraments bear copious fruits for the entire Church throughout the world; however, from where and why do so many people come precisely to Medjugorje? Why do they come to this remote place where they have a concrete experience of God and grace, are converted, learn to pray, and subsequently carry the fruits of Medjugorje to their homes, give witness to what they have experienced, and become missionaries? It simply is not possible to separate the assertions of the seers regarding the apparitions from the fruits of the apparitions which we see in the Church.
The consensus fidei et fidelium can be seen by the fact that all levels of God’s people, all classes in society and the Church, all peoples, and all races are represented in Medjugorje, and by the fact that Church life is sustained by all of this in the form of witness, divine worship, sincere service, charity, (martyria, liturgia, et diakonia), and, by the fact that all grow in holiness. Medjugorje is a world-wide phenomenon. Its fruits can be seen in all parts of the world. In essence, Medjugorje is a laymen’s movement, a movement of faithful laymen, laden with spirituality, devotion, and sincerity toward the Lord and our Lady. The seers themselves are ordinary lay people and, as such, are able more readily to touch the hearts of plain folks who easily identify with them.
Medjugorje is a peace and pilgrimage movement inasmuch as people come here for the sake of inner peace. It is also a renewal movement within the Church – Ecclesia semper reformanda (the Church ever to be renewed), as well as a humanitarian movement, inasmuch as it has accomplished tremendous charitable and Samaritan works throughout the world (a point made by the present Pope in his encyclical on the God of Love). Lumen Gentium (The Vatican II Document: Light of the Nations) clearly states: “Be they most illustrious, be they simple and more widespread, Charisms are useful and are especially suited to the needs of the Church and must be received with gratitude and consolidation.” (LG 12:2) Meanwhile, Apostolicam Actuositatem (Apostolic Activity) states even more explicitly: “The receipt of Charisms, even those that are humble, give rise to the right and duty for each of the faithful to make use of them in the Church and in the world and for the good of mankind and the growth of the Church in the freedom of the Holy Ghost.” (AA 3:3).
After the past quarter of a century, it can be asserted that Medjugorje is about a prophetic Charism – a prophetic revelation that calls for repentance. These Charisms are able to be found in all similar phenomena within the Church. Prophetic revelations and apparitions are about an imperative under the impetus of the Holy Spirit as to how one is to behave here and now, and what it is that the People of God must do in a specific situation. Accordingly, the Church must not relate to such phenomena indifferently. She is duty-bound to investigate such an imperative with openness and, congruently, to act if she recognizes the Will of God in the said phenomenon. It is obvious that the Ecclesia orans (the praying Church) has recognized God’s Will and Mary’s presence in this instance, of which our dearly departed Pope John Paul II spoke in his homily in Zadar (!) three years prior, on the feast of Mary, the Mother of the Church (Pentecost Monday, 2003). On that occasion, the Pope specifically mentioned the above cited sensus fidei fidelium (the understanding of faith of the faithful).
If, as is the case with ordinary beatifications and canonizations, the process begins with the local Church, and, after an appropriate interval of time, investigation, and conclusions based on the materials offered in favor of beatification or canonization, the matter is transferred to Rome, I think that would be appropriate in this case. After all has been investigated at the local level, the entire case of the Medjugorje phenomenon should be transferred to the appropriate Roman dicastery, especially in light of the fact that it has outgrown the local Church’s boundaries and has become widespread so as to encompass the entire Church. The countless prayer groups throughout the entire world have come into existence because of the events in Medjugorje. They carry the mark of authenticity and veracity. The entire phenomenon is caught-up in the very being of the Church and, as such, carries more weight than does a beatification of one of God’s chosen ones. If, as is the case for beatification, the People of God are asked their approval, why shouldn’t we do so in this case as well, especially in light of Mary’s efficacious presence in specific places (John Paul II, in Zadar!), and in light of the personal experiences and miracles that individuals experienced precisely here in Medjugorje?
Throughout the entire history of Salvation, God has established communication with his creatures through apparitions. This form of communication is especially suitable for man’s physico-spiritual structure: it immerses man’s senses, especially his sight and hearing. The Medjugorje phenomenon can be explained in this manner or that manner; however, intellectual honesty demands that the entire affair engage us in light of revelation, mysticism, supernatural experiences and so many other similar experiences in other cases, and, for that matter, in other faiths.
If God has truly spoken throughout history, why should we be exempted from such a manner of communication wherein the Holy Ghost makes use of apparitions for the sake of the many needs of the contemporary world? The greater the misery in the world, so much the greater is the need for God’s voice and communication. Hence, we might well conclude as did Paul: Do not extinguish the spirit. Do not disdain prophetic communications. Investigate all and hold on to what is good! (1 Thess. 5:19-21).
Medjugorje, July 13, 2006
The Holy Roman Catholic Church must wait for the apparitions to end before She can make a judgment on the apparitions in Medjugorje. When an allegedly supernatural event has occurred, it is the responsibility of the local bishop to conduct an investigation. Canonically, the bishop is entrusted with the role of “oversight” of the diocese. This role of “oversight” is based on the bishop’s responsibility both for public worship and for the religious teaching which occurs in the diocese. The Church did not decide on Lourdes or Fatima until long after the apparitions ended.
The Bishop of Lourdes made the decision to recognize Lourdes.
The Bishop of Ourém, Fatima made the decision to recognize the apparitions of Fatima.
In the case of Medjugorje, when the local Bishop no longer supported the apparitions, the case was referred to the Conference of Yugoslav Bishops. The Conference of Yugoslav Bishops stated that they did not have sufficient proof to make a decision but that they would wait to make a pronouncement. The Vatican then decided to reserve the decision for themselves. It is the first time in history that the Vatican has reserved the decision about an apparition of Our Lady, to itself. This past year, 2007, the Vatican requested that the Bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina constitute a new commission to investigate what has been happening in Medjugorje. All of the documents are being collected again by the Franciscans here in Medjugorje.
The Vatican has still said, however, that they will maintain a direct interest in what the decision is. The Church therefore, is protecting Medjugorje before She comes out with a final decision. Again, She cannot make a statement until the apparitions have ended; and there is some proof that the secrets have been revealed, which will be, as we know from the messages, during the life time of the visionaries.
In 1981: the Bishop of Mostar, Monsignor Zanic, at first believed; but later he was convinced that the Franciscan priests in Medjugorje invented the apparitions. This doubt resulted in a deep rift that continues to exist.
1986: Monsignor Zanic provided Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) with a negative report on the apparitions. After launching his own investigation, Cardinal Ratzinger removed the dossier from the hands of Msgr. Zanic and handed over the investigation to a new Commission formed of Yugoslavian bishops. Monsignor Komarica, from Banja Luka, was the leader of this investigation
April 1991: the Commission officially accepted Medjugorje as a place of prayer, which gave it the status as a place of worship and private pilgrimage.
The work of the Commission was interrupted by the Bosnian-Serbian war and Bishop Ratko Peric took over as Bishop of Mostar, following in the foot steps of his predecessor, Bishop Zanic.
May 1998: Bishop Gilbert Aubry asked the Vatican what pastoral care could be given to the faithful regarding Medjugorje. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a letter stating again that private pilgrimages were permitted, whereas official ones were not.
A CLARIFICATION FROM THE VATICAN ON MEDJUGORJE
In his letter to Cardinal Ratzinger, Bishop Gilbert Aubry (La Réunion) expressed crucial questions about Medjugorje after reading a declaration from Bishop Peric in a French Magazine (Famille Chrétienne, 1997), stating that there was nothing supernatural in Medjugorje, adding his own stamp to give this statement full authority. This statement, widely spread, has been codified as an official Vatican document. Here is in its fullness the response of the Vatican sent to Bishop Aubry:
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
(Pr. No 154/81-06419)
May 26, 1998
To His Excellency Mons. Gilbert Aubry,
Bishop of Saint-Denis de la Reunion
Excellency:
In your letter of January 1, 1998, you submitted to this Dicastery several questions about the position of the Holy See and of the Bishop of Mostar in regard to the so called apparitions of Medjugorje, private pilgrimages and the pastoral care of the faithful who go there. In regard to this matter, I think it is impossible to reply to each of the questions posed by Your Excellency. The main thing I would like to point out is that the Holy See does not ordinarily take a position of its own regarding supposed supernatural phenomena as a court of first instance. As for the credibility of the “apparitions” in question, this Dicastery respects what was decided by the Bishops of the former Yugoslavia in the Declaration of Zadar, April 10, 1991: “On the basis of the investigation so far, it can not be affirmed that one is dealing with supernatural apparitions and revelations.” Since the division of Yugoslavia into different independent nations it would now pertain to the members of the Episcopal Conference of Bosnia-Hercegovina to eventually reopen the examination of this case, and to make any new pronouncements that might be called for. What Bishop Peric said in his letter to the Secretary General of “Famille Chretienne”, declaring: “My conviction and my position is not only ‘non constat de supernaturalitate,’ but likewise, ‘’constat de non supernaturalitate’ of the apparitions or revelations in Medjugorje”, should be considered the expression of the personal conviction of the Bishop of Mostar which he has the right to express as Ordinary of the place, but which is and remains his personal opinion.
Finally, as regards to pilgrimages to Medjugorje, which are conducted privately, this Congregation points out that they are permitted on condition that they are not regarded as an authenitcation of events still taking place and which still call for an examination by the Church. I hope that I have replied satisfactorily at least to the principal questions that you have presented to this Dicastery and I beg Your Excellency to accept the expression of my devoted sentiments.
Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone
(Secretary to the “Congregation” presided over by Cardinal Ratzinger)
To summarize:
1 -The declarations of the Bishop of Mostar only reflect his personal opinion. Consequently, they are not an official and definitive judgment requiring assent and obedience.
2 – One is directed to the declaration of Zadar, which leaves the door open to future investigations. In the meanwhile private pilgrimages with pastoral accompaniment for the faithful are permitted.
3 – All pilgrims may go to Medjugorje in complete obedience to the Church.
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn comments:
“The letter of Archbishop Bertone to the Bishop of Le Reunion sufficiently makes clear what has always been the official position of the hierarchy during recent years concerning Medjugorje: namely, that it knowingly leaves the matter undecided. The supernatural character is not established; such were the words used by the former conference of bishops of Yugoslavia in Zadar in 1991. It really is a matter of wording, which knowingly leaves the matter pending. It has not been said that the supernatural character is substantially established. Furthermore, it has not been denied or discounted that the phenomena may be of a supernatural nature. There is no doubt that the Magisterium of the Church does not make a definite declaration while the extraordinary phenomena are going on in the form of apparitions or other means. Indeed, it is the mission of the shepherds to promote what is growing, to encourage the fruits which are appearing, to protect them -if need be- from the dangers which are obviously everywhere. As with Lourdes and other apparition sites, it is also necessary to see to it that the original gift is not stifled by unfortunate developments. Medjugorje is not invulnerable. That is why it is and will be so important that Bishops also publicly take under their protection the pastoral pronouncement of Medjugorje so that the obvious fruits that are in that place might be protected from any possible unfortunate developments. I believe that the words of Mary at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you,” make up the substance of what She says throughout the centuries. Mary helps us to hear Jesus. She desires with her whole heart and with all her strength that we do what He tells us. This is what I wish for all the communities of prayer which were formed from Medjugorje; this is what I wish for our diocese and for the entire Church.Perhaps personally, I have not yet gone to Medjugorje; but in a way I have gone there through the people I know or those I have met who, themselves, have gone to Medjugorje. And I see good fruits in their lives. I should be lying if I denied that these fruits exist. These fruits are tangible, evident. And in our diocese and in many other places, I observe graces of conversion, graces of a life of supernatural faith, of vocations, of healings, of a rediscovering of the Sacraments, of Confession. These are all things which do not mislead. This is the reason why I can only say that it is these fruits which enable me, as bishop, to pass a moral judgment. And if as Jesus said, we must judge the tree by its fruits, I am obliged to say that the tree is good.”
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Archbishop of Vienna, who gave the Holy Father and his Papal Household their 1998 Lenten Retreat, and who was the main author of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, gave the preceding testimony in Lourdes on July 18, 1998. The Cardinal’s testimony was published in “Mejdugorje Gebetsakion”, #50, and “Stella Maris”, #343, pp. 19, 20. (This English translation is published with the Cardinal’s permission.)
1998: Returning from a mission in Romania, Sister Emmanuel had the opportunity to attend a breakfast with Cardinal Shonborn in Vienna. There Cardinal Schonborn recounted an interesting meeting he had with Cardinal Ratzinger. Sister reports: “During the late 90s, as Cardinal Schonborn was visiting Cardinal Ratzinger in Rome, he told Cardinal Ratzinger: “If one day you close down Medjugorje, I’ll have to close down my Seminary in Vienna because the great majority of my seminarians received their calling through Medjugorje.” Cardinal Ratzinger replied immediately: “We have no plan to close down Medjugorje!”January 12, 1999: Archbishop Bertone instructed the leaders of the Beatitudes Community that the Church needs their community present in Medjugorje in order to help serve the needs of pilgrims. On that occasion the Secretary for the Congregation of the faith stated: “For the moment one should consider Medjugorje as a Sanctuary, a Marian Shrine, in the same way as Czestochowa.”
December 1, 2002: in a catechesis given in St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Cardinal Schönborn said the following about Medjugorje:
“I do not wish to express an opinion on Medjugorje from the point of view of a judgment of the Church. There is, however, one thing I can observe, over and over again, namely, that this is a place where an intensive mission-station of heaven obviously exists, where thousands upon thousands of people find prayer, confession, conversion, reconciliation, healing and deeper faith.”
October 2005: Letters between Marek and Zofia Skwarnicki and the late Holy Father John Paul II were published in Marek’s recent book: John Paul II : Greetings and Blessings – Private Letters from the Pope, published in October 2005 by Bertelsman Media, Poland. July 12-14, 2006: New Commission to be formed on Medjugorje.
An article was published in Vecernji List, a Croatian Newspaper stating that a new commisision headed by the Vatican’s Doctrine for the Congregation of the Faith will be formed on Medjugorje. The new commission will consist of international members without a bias for or against Medjugorje.
John Paul the Great and Medjugorje
By Father Tim Deeter
During the War I went to Medjugorje five times and several time I stopped in Rome. One time I was able to go to a private Mass with the Holy Father and I told his secretary, at that time His Eminence Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz, who is now the Archbishop Cardinal of Krakow; I said, “I would like to show the Holy Father some photographs of the destruction in Herzegovina, Croatia and what the people are
doing.” So I had photographs of the stacks, the high piles of food and medicines and supplies being brought by people all over the world and I thought the Holy Father would be very interested.
So after the Mass, there were about 35 of us, we all made a circle in the library of the Holy Father.
And he came around and greeted each one of us and gave us a little rosary. And so he came around and the secretary, Msgr. Dziwisz, said, “when I nod to you, just step forward show the Holy Father the photographs.” So the Holy Father is going along and he comes to me and Msgr. Dziwisz nodded very solemnly. So I stepped forward and I said, “Holy Father, I want to show you some pictures of what is happening to the Catholic Church in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina and he was very interested and I turned page by page through this album of photographs. It was a small one like the kind you get at the pharmacy when they develop your photos. But I forgot to take out a picture of St. James Church. I didn’t want to show anything of Medjugorje because I knew it was a little political time bomb. So I flipped to the next picture and there was St. James Church! And before I could turn the page quickly, Holy Father went, “Ah, Medjugorje!” Then he said to me, “Have you been there?” I said, “Yes Holy Father, several times.” And he said, “And what do you think?” And so I gave the usual, “Well, there is a lot of good that is being accomplished, a lot of conversions, a lot of confessions, a lot of vocations…” And he said, “No. No, no, no. What do you think about Our Lady appearing there? Do you think Our Lady is appearing in Medjugorje?” There were several people there. The whole room was full of
people. It was a public thing. And I didn’t know what to say. I thought, ‘if I say ‘yes’ maybe he’ll excommunicate me! If I say ‘no Our Lady’s not appearing’ maybe he’ll excommunicate me!’ So I looked at Msgr. Dziwisz and he nodded to me and I said, “Yes. I think Our Lady is appearing there.” And the Holy Father said, “SO DO I!” Just like that, “SO DO I!” And then he said, “Are you going there?” And I said, “Yes Holy Father, I’m going to Medjugorje after I leave Rome.” He said, “Good. Go there and pray to the Madonna of Medjugorje for me, for my intentions.” I said, “I will on one condition.” And he looked as if to say, ‘conditions for the Supreme Pontiff?’ I said, “That you give me and my parish a special blessing for the sacrifices they are making for Medjugorje.” He said, “I do so with all of my heart.” Then he gave me his blessing.
After the audience, then Msgr. Dziwisz grabbed me and he took me to the sacristy and he said, “I want to show you something.” And there on the dressing table of the Holy Father was a copy of the little newsletter ‘Echo of Medjugorje’ in Italian. He said, “The Holy Father reads a paragraph from this every day before he starts his prayers before Mass.” So anyone who says the Pope didn’t believe in Medjugorje…and when they say, “This is all hearsay.” I say, “He said it to me.” So, it’s just a matter of time.
