The Vatican has no objection to the cult of Medjugorje for its "positive fruits" . The approval comes from the Doctrine of the Faith with the Pope's approval. However, this " does not imply declaring the alleged supernatural events as authentic , but only highlighting that in the midst of this spiritual phenomenon of Medjugorje the Holy Spirit acts fruitfully for the good of the faithful".

So, while not expressing a judgment on the morality of people who have been claiming to see the Madonna since 1981, the Vatican points out: " Pilgrimages are not made to meet alleged visionaries, but to have an encounter with Mary, Queen of Peace, and to meet Christ ."

In the case of Medjugorje, the long note from the Vatican lists the "positive fruits", "abundant", "widespread", "so beautiful", with people who convert, who decide to embrace religious life or even simply to return to praying. This however "does not imply declaring the alleged supernatural events as authentic". The document therefore does not speak of apparitions but nevertheless examines the "alleged messages", most of which are considered consistent with Catholic doctrine.

"It is important to clarify from the outset that the conclusions of this Note do not imply a judgment on the moral life of the alleged visionaries ," it is further specified. At the same time, having granted the "no objection" implies that no falsifications or mythomania have been highlighted. In other cases - Trevignano above all - the Vatican's rejection was without appeal and there was clear talk of the "non-supernatural nature" of the phenomenon with the consequent prohibition for the faithful to continue following such manifestations.

The document on Medjugorje practically glosses over the visionaries, asking the faithful not to make pilgrimages with the sole aim of meeting them .

The Vatican note was also commented on by the secretary of the CEI, Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi : «Substantially what the Church says is that the supernatural nature of the alleged apparitions is not recognized, but the fruits are good. It does not enter into the merits, this is not the true object of this judgment, but after many years it recognizes the goodness of the spiritual fruits in terms of conversion, promotion of peace and love of the Church. Public worship is authorized and the authorities are invited to enhance the spiritual proposal that is born and spreads around Medjugorje».

Again: «Those who draw spiritual nourishment from this place can evidently go, taking into account the indications that are expressed in this note: the need to always give primacy to God and to Christ, the need to never oppose the magisterium of the Church and ecclesial life to orientations or interpretations, and the need to absolutely take into account the only public revelation to which we are truly obliged, which is that which Jesus Christ left and which has been communicated to us through the tradition of the Church and Sacred Scripture».

(Online Union)

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