What does the Nuncio’s Letter to US Bishop’s Mean?

by admin on November 8, 2013

Explanation by Dr. Mark Miravelle, professor of Theology and Mariology at Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH.

Obedience to the Church is the quintessential ingredient of authentic Catholic Marian devotion.

On October 21, 2013, Archbishop Carlo Viganò, Papal Nuncio to the United States, sent a letter to the Msgr. Ronny Jenkins, Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding a Medjugorje visionary and his upcoming conferences in the United States. This letter was sent at the request of Archbishop Gerhard Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (the Vatican Congregation which oversees the evaluation of reports of Marian apparitions). The letter immediately addresses scheduled speaking engagements of Medjugorje visionary, Ivan Dragicevic, but then proceeds to enunciate the policy that “clerics and the faithful are not permitted to participate in meetings, conferences or public celebrations during which the credibility of such ‘apparitions’ would be taken for granted.”

In support of this restriction, the letter of the Nuncio quotes the major portion of a sentence from the Apri 10, 1991 statement of the Ex-Yugoslav (now Bosnian) Conference of Bishops at Zadar: “On the basis of the research that has been done, it is not possible to state that there were apparitions or supernatural revelations.” Although this restriction could potentially elicit elements of surprise and even confusion on the part of some, there is no true need for anxiety or loss of peace.

Let us examine this restriction in light of the Church’s own precedence in dealing with reported apparitions which are still undergoing investigation. Classically within the Church’s Tradition, there are three possible classifications concerning the ecclesiastical evaluation of an alleged Marian apparition: 1) constat de supernaturalitate, which indicates that the reported apparition “consists of a supernatural origin”; 2) non constat de supernaturalitate, which designates that the supernatural character of the reported apparition cannot be established at the time of examination, but leaves open the possibility for later ongoing evaluation (which could include later positive approval); and 3) constat de non supernaturalitate, which establishes that the alleged apparitions are not of a supernatural origin, and therefore devotees should in no way participate in or promulgate devotion to the alleged apparitions. While the letter of the Papal Nuncio does refer to the 1991 statement of the Bosnian bishops regarding Medjugorje, there are further elements contained in the 1991 declaration that are helpful for a more complete understanding of the official Bosnian Bishops declaration. In point of fact, the full sentence taken from the 1991 Bosnian Bishops statement reads: “On the basis of the investigations so far, it cannot be affirmed that one is dealing with supernatural apparitions and revelations.”

From the perspective of theology and Church precedence, the “so far” is critically important, as it clearly establishes the Bosnian Bishop statement regarding Medjugorje to fall within the second classification of “non constat de supernaturalitate” as opposed to “constat de non supernaturalitate.” In short, the Bosnian statement makes clear that Medjugorje is not a “prohibited” apparition, but a reported apparition which merits ongoing investigation.

Back to Church precedent. While a reported apparition is still under investigation, it is normally the case that personal devotion by the clergy or faithful, whether individually or in public gathering, is permitted by the Church, as long as there is not “official” parish or diocesan status given to the conference or pilgrimage, as such could lead to the erroneous conclusion that the reported apparition was already been officially approved by legitimate Church authority. Moreover, the clergy and faithful are free, on a personal basis, to accept a reported apparition as authentic, as long as there is the willingness to submit faithfully and obediently to the Church’s final and definitive judgment regarding the reported apparition’s authenticity. This, once again, typically includes permission to pilgrimage to the reported site, to gather privately or collectively to pray or to discuss the reported apparition, albeit without any official ecclesiastical endorsement implied.

Further, the 1991 Bosnian Bishops Statement goes on to state that even for pilgrims motivated by belief in the apparitions, pastoral care should be provided for these pilgrims, and hence the local bishop and other Bosnian bishops should in fact provide for such care: However, the numerous gatherings of the faithful from different parts of the world, who come to Medjugorje, prompted both by motives of belief and various other motives, require the attention and pastoral care in the first place of the diocesan bishop and with him of the other bishops also, so that in Medjugorje and in everything connected with it a healthy devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary may be promoted in accordance with the teaching of the Church.

Here we see the Bosnian statement seeks to provide pilgrims who are motivated to visit Medjugorje based on belief in the apparitions the appropriate pastoral care, without in any way discouraging, let alone prohibiting, private pilgrimages fostered by personal belief in the authenticity of the reported apparitions. Another Church directive which grants permission for “non official” pilgrimages to Medjugorje appears in the May 26, 1998 instruction from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith itself. Archbishop Tarsisio Bertone, at that time Secretary to Cardinal Ratzinger in the CDF, states in a May 26, 1998 letter to French bishop, Most. Rev. Gilbert Aubry: As regards pilgrimages to Medjugorje, which are conducted privately, this Congregation points out that they are permitted on the condition that they are not regarded as an authentication of the events still taking place and which still call for an examination by the Church. Here again we see the approval of private pilgrimages, without any prohibition based on personal belief in the apparitions, but only with the qualification that the pilgrimage not be misconstrued as “authenticating” the apparitions while still under investigation. It is also important to note here that the recent letter of the U.S. Papal Nuncio does not prohibit the continuation of private pilgrimages to Medjugorje which were approved under the specified conditions both by the 1991 Bosnian declaration and in the 1998 CDF clarification.

Still, in this light, we can see why the new restrictions concerning conferences or public gatherings which presuppose Medjugorje’s credibility, as contained in the October 21 letter of the Papal Nuncio, could cause surprise and even confusion for those who have faithfully followed the Church’s disciplinary directives regarding Medjugorje up to this point. But surprise or confusion does not justify disobedience. To Medjugorje followers worldwide, I would say: obey and pray. As specified by the Nuncio at the directive of CDF, any Medjugorje “meetings, conferences or public celebrations during which the credibility of such ‘apparitions’ would be taken for granted” should be cancelled until further notice or change of policy by rightful Church authority. Medjugorje devotees must follow the stellar example of St. Pio during his some ten year prohibition by the Church from saying Mass publicly in light of the temporary Vatican and diocesan rejection of his reported mystical phenomena.

During his time of prohibition, Padre Pio never denied the authenticity of his stigmata, bilocation, or other authentically supernatural wonders (how could he?—they were true!). He simply obeyed. Recall as well the Church prohibition, both from the local diocese and from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, of the apparitions of Jesus to St. Faustina, which now constitutes the universally-approved and celebrated Divine Mercy devotion. Such is the sometimes imperfect process of the Church in the difficult task of evaluating what Blessed John XXIII called “those supernatural lights.” This prohibition was finally lifted in 1979 by the intercession of Bl. John Paul II, but only after many years during which Divine Mercy devotees had to obediently cease public celebration or distribution of the heavenly message of God’s infinite mercy. They too obeyed. This new restriction (which is nothing like a formal prohibition) can, in fact, become a providential opportunity to show the world that the great majority of Medjugorje followers live and breathe at the heart of the Church, in full obedience to the Church, and are not “fringe fanatics” whose faith hinges only on an alleged apparition, as some critics may at times assert. The proof is obedience. To the larger public, I would say: be clear and beware not to take the new restriction for what it is not: a definitive Church statement against Medjugorje’s authenticity. The CDF has a right, for whatever reason, to implement further restrictions while the ongoing Vatican Commission completes its study, which will ultimately go before Pope Francis for final judgment. But the fact remains, the Church process is not over. Medjugorje has not been declared “constat de non” by the U.S. Nuncio letter, and any conclusion or promulgation at this time that Medjugorje has been officially condemned would be its own form of disobedience to proper Church authority. To do so would be to usurp the role of the CDF and ultimately of Pope Francis himself to make the final discernment of the authenticity of Medjugorje—a critical and historic discernment which belongs to the Church’s Magisterium alone. Gamaliel had it right: “…If this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be opposing God” (Acts 5:38-39).

Dr. Mark Miravalle

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Chris T. Smith November 17, 2013 at 5:48 pm

Contrary to “Popular Opinion,” Pope Francis is Not Anti-Medjugorje

Pope Francis is warning us about “false messiahs” and the dangers of having a “spirit of curiosity” recently (he is not saying the Medjugorje visionaries are “false messiahs” and he is not making negative comments about the Medjugorje Marian apparitions).

Once again, many people are being tempted to interpret the Holy Father’s remarks in light of their own personal misunderstandings about Medjugorje.

If you look carefully at the text of Pope Francis’ recent comments (on Nov. 14 and Nov. 17), he is preparing us for a POSITIVE statement from the Vatican regarding Medjugorje.

Think about what will happen when the Vatican makes an official, positive statement regarding Medjugorje. There will be a high risk of chaos because marginal Catholics (who don’t fully understand Catholic theology) will not only RUSH to see what Medjugorje is all about, but their behavior will also lift the “status” of the visionaries to something like “ultra-celebrities.” Also, those of us who are level-headed supporters of the authenticity of the Medjugorje Marian apparitions may be tempted to react in a hyperactive manner. As a result, Pope Francis is merely warning us – preparing us – to react appropriately when the positive news comes out.

Because the apparitions are still ongoing, the Church will not likely break its precedent for declaring the apparitions to be supernatural. What is likely to occur is some middle-ground ruling that encourages people to embrace the messages of Our Lady while at the same time admonishing people for treating the visionaries as celebrities and admonishing people not to approach the apparitions with, as Pope Francis said, a “spirit of curiosity, which is worldly, leads us to confusion.”

Here is a key passage from the Holy Father’s comments on Nov. 14 as reported by Vatican Radio:

“Curiosity, the Pope continued, impels us to want to feel that the Lord is here or rather there, or leads us to say: ‘But I know a visionary, who receives letters from Our Lady, messages from Our Lady’. And the Pope commented: ‘But, look, Our Lady is the Mother of everyone! And she loves all of us. She is not a postmaster, sending messages every day.’”

Many anti-Medjugorje people are interpreting that statement as if the Pope is making a negative comment about Medjugorje (because the visionaries receive(d) messages daily and often write them down immediately after the vision). The thing is this. The Holy Father is not making a negative comment about Medjugorje… He is making a negative comment about the people who – after the positive ruling comes out – will RUSH to approach Medjugorje with a cult-like fervor.

Here is my interpretation of those comments by the Holy Father: Yes, you may know a visionary who receives messages from Our Lady, but don’t put THE VISIONARY on a pedestal (put MARY on the pedestal). And because Our Lady is the Mother of EVERYONE, the visionaries are NOT to be worshiped in a cult-like manner or venerated like canonized saints after the Vatican issues a positive statement about Medjugorje.

When Pope Francis says that Our Lady “is not a postmaster, sending messages every day,” he is merely admonishing us not to perceive the visionaries as somehow having “special access” to the Blessed Virgin Mary… because we ALL have “special access” to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The recent comments by Pope Francis are warning us not to place undue attention on the visionaries… because that is EXACTLY what is going to happen when the positive news is issued by the Vatican and marginal Catholics rush like crazy to see what it’s all about.

Just as an FYI to people who are skeptical about the visionaries writing down the messages they receive from Mary… Did you know that Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen took his television scripts with him to his holy hours in Eucharistic Adoration and REVISED his scripts in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament as Jesus spoke to him about how to make changes to the script?

Also, did you know that Pope John Paul II would take a notebook with him when he went before the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration? Pope John Paul II took notes about what Jesus was saying to him during Eucharistic Adoration and wrote those messages in his notebook. I’m not equating the visionaries to Archbishop Fulton J Sheen and Pope John Paul II… I’m just sayin’ that Sheen and JP II (as well as the visionaries of Medjugorje) do not perceive Mary and Jesus as “postmasters” (and neither should any of us perceive Jesus and Mary as “postmasters”).

The “postmaster” comment by Pope Francis was an admonishment about “taking grace for granted.” None of us knows when God will decide to bestow His graces upon us, including Archbishop Sheen, John Paul II, the visionaries, and you and me. That’s what the “postmaster” comment was all about: don’t expect to receive graces as if the postmaster is going to arrive at your door on a regular basis and enable you to “sense and perceive” messages from Jesus and Mary just because you EXPECT to receive those graces. (And the Medjugorje visionaries will be the first to tell you that their visions could cease at any time.)

At this time every year (right before the beginning of Advent and before we begin the new “liturgical year”), the Mass readings focus on the second coming of Christ and the end of the current world. In his Angelus address on Nov. 17, Pope Francis also made some remarks that many anti-Medjugorje people are misinterpreting as pertaining to the visionaries.

Here is a key passage from the Holy Father’s Nov. 17 comments as reported by Vatican Radio:

“’Firstly, do not be taken in by false messiahs and don’t be paralysed by fear. Secondly, live this time of waiting as a time of witness and perseverance.’ He told the faithful that this message from Jesus is just as valid in our present time and encourages us to show ‘discernment.’ ‘Nowadays,’ he continued, ‘there are many false saviours who try to substitute Jesus, leaders in this world, fake saints and personalities who wish to influence the hearts and minds of people, especially the young.’ But Jesus warns us, said the Pope: ‘Don’t follow them.’ At the same time, Jesus also helps us not to be afraid when faced with ‘wars, revolutions and natural disasters.’”

I believe this is a “preparatory admonishment” by Pope Francis to people who are going to place extraordinary emphasis on interpreting the “Medjugorje secrets” and forecasting their unfolding as they relate to “the end of the current world.” This isn’t a problem today… but when the Vatican rules in a positive manner about Medjugorje, lots of people are going to become OBSESSED about the secrets and MANY people will be vulnerable to becoming intense followers of Person X or Person Z (people who will lead the faithful astray either through outright deception or through utter cluelessness on their own part).

There will be a lot of charlatans coming out of the woodwork after the Vatican rules positively on Medjugorje, and the Nov. 17 comments by Pope Francis are a preparatory warning not to become attracted to these charlatans, who will appear as “false messiahs” because they will offer a deceptive “way out of the chastisements” to those who will be “paralysed by fear” when the secrets begin to unfold.

Bob Hart March 20, 2014 at 2:41 pm

I know personally that Our Lady is appearing to the visionaries.
Our Lady spoke to me, answering my prayers and fasting of 1.5 years, saying in Her beautiful voice, “She’s in heaven.” (referring to my late wife) as I prayed on top of the Mountain of the Cross.
I and 9 others witnessed miracles on the Mountain of the Cross in 1986. I can send you the details if you want them.
Bob Hart

Paulette September 24, 2014 at 6:34 pm

It is truly a nice and useful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you shared
this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this.
Thank you for sharing.

Traci Veno November 27, 2014 at 10:57 am

SO what is Ivan’s schedule then? Please : )

admin June 25, 2015 at 12:25 pm

Good morning. At present Ivan is not speaking publicly to avoid any confusion regarding the Nuncio’s letter. Pope Francis recently said an announcement from the latest commission will be made soon. After the announcement, I expect Ivan will start speaking publicly again. We will post any speaking engagements that are announced on our web site.

Alberto Yamnitz June 29, 2017 at 10:00 pm

Wonderful article

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