Monday, July 27, 2009

Correction: Medjugorie Validity Does Not Affect God's Grace

Fr. Vladic has been laicized, or he is no longer a priest in the church. First reports had indicated that he was defrocked, but these have been shown to be untrue. The Holy Father has paid close attention to the claimed 40,000 visions of our Lady to the six children in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje. Father Tomislav Vladic has been under investigation since 1981 when the apparitions began. Fr. Vladic prophesied to the Vatican that Mary would appear in Bosnia, and six months latter the alleged apparitions in Medjugorje began. Nearly 30 million people have visited the site since 1981, and continue to journey there. f Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI banned official pilgrimages to Medjugorje after his visits, but permitts individuals to visit based on their own conscience. Fr. Vladic was put on probation this past year by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith after three separate commissions found no viable evidence that visions of spiritual nature have taken place. Daily Mail UK

Now the next important issue, to be addressed is the millions of people who have found the grace of God in Medjugorje. Did the visitors who made pilgrimages in good faith experience God? The answer is yes! Whatever the intentions of the children, Fr. Vladic, or anyone else; if a person made a pilgrimage any where and opened their heart to God they can have a conversion. In scriptures it says “faith can move mountains” so the thousands of healings are from God. He bestowed grace on the people who visited, and helped them to see their life in a new light. This grace or experience is not lessened by the validity of the visionaries; in fact it has nothing to do with it. If God touched a person’s heart in Medjugorje it was not because they stood where Mary was seen, or prayed where the children sat. Clearly, God came into them, sometimes when you leave your bubble it is easier to find God’s grace and embrace his love. So real or fake, proven or not the grace that pilgrims received in Medjugorje is real. God’s love is so powerful and He uses every opportunity to touch the hearts of men. Whether the visions are real or not has no bearing on the souls that have been saved. Pray for Fr. Vladic that he might return to the church.

Does This Inicident Have Bearing on Medjugorje Apparitions? Click Here to see more...

1 comment:

  1. I agree with your observations. I visited Medjugorje as a teen, and it was a turning point in my life. You are right, whether real or fake, God's grace is at work.

    At the same time it's a shame that all of this is happening. It will be devastating to find that the visions were faked. While I feel that my own faith has matured enough to understand that my graces recieved are genuine regardless of the validity of the visions, there are many who do not have that mature of a faith. It will be devastating to those who may see that the graces they received were not genuine.

    ReplyDelete