Hang onto your hats as I am about to venture into controversial waters but I have been contemplating this subject and doing quite a bit of reading on it, of late, and have come to a definitive conclusion.
For years now I have heard of Medjugorje and the stories surrounding it and have known people, including a priest, that have made pilgrimages there. There has always been something in the pit of my stomach, or the back of my mind, that has made me NOT jump on the bandwagon though. I read about it years ago when a book was published by a guy named Wayne (something or other) that converted after a trip there. After that I just tucked it in the back of my mind, though I did put a copy of a supposed *photo* of The Blessed Mother Mary taken there in my room. That has now been destroyed and replaced with a card from Fatima. I do have a devotion to Mother Mary but I do not believe she is appearing in Medjugorje, nor on tour with the visionaries, and here is my conclusions as to why.
The priest involved since the phenomenon started, and who was the spiritual advisor to the children, was laicized by Pope Benedict in March 2008. This was done after an investigation into his background showed that he allegedly taught dubious doctrines, manipulated consciences, practiced mysticism, flagrantly disobeyed the bishops and fathered a child with a nun that he then disowned. It is unknown to me if those visionaries were the recipients of those dubious doctrines and manipulated consciences, but my gut says probably yes.
The local bishops in MJ have always said that there is nothing supernatural going on there.
Our Lady has appeared to visionaries in the past, for centuries actually, on the same day, hour, place, etc. She has not appeared while on tour with any of them as she seems to do with Ivan and Mirija most recently in the U.S.
All of those that she has appeared to in the past were subject to heavy persecution, jailed, mocked and scrutinized and many suffered throughout their lives or died young. Though I do not know them personally they do not seem to be any worse for the wear and some quite wealthy.
Also, many of the visionaries in the past ,that grew to adulthood, became part of a religious community..... i.e. Saint Bernadette (Lourdes), Sr. Lucia (Fatima), and Sr. Alphonsine of the Glorious Cross, (Kibeho). Though she did not join a community afterward Marie Claire (of Kibeho) re-introduced the world to the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, which was taught to her during one of her visions. Since Mother Mary has given all of the MJ visionaries a vocation to pray for something (conversions etc.), why have every one of them gotten married and had kids. True, nobody is forced to become a nun, nor a priest for that matter, as a visionary, but if Mother Mary appeared to me I sure as heck would be devoting my entire life to God, and prayer, and not taking my act on the road so to speak. Nor would I be holding an audience with throngs of tourists, but hey, that is just me. I would be devoting my life to prayer, as she requested.
Visionaries of the past have been subjected to physical tests to see if they were truly in ecstatic mode while experiencing a vision. Some of the MJ visionaries flunked out on that test with one actually flinching. If they were truly in ecstatic states why did the tests have to be conducted more than once on them until they passed? Do you have to practice falling into ecstasy when in her presence?
Where is the big sign that she is appearing? Where are the Castilian roses flowing from the Tilma? The spring that flows to this day bursting forth from the earth? The sun looking as if it is falling from the sky and drying those present after heavy rains and sloshing through the mud (their clothes were clean as well). Yes, I know about the spinning sun and other stuff at MJ. The other team is quite good at hallucinations or visions too though. You never hear mention of those that have gone blind from looking at the sun, or the litter on apparition hill. You don't hear about the many demonic specters seen there either, though those have been documented.
It is not true that MJ has never been touched by the violence of the war. Quite a bloody battle took place just on the other side of apparition hill. Speaking of apparition hill, why are the visionaries allowing people to desecrate such a holy place with notes, spray-painted messages, etc?
Jesus was battered, scourged, had a crown of thorns embed onto His head, was pierced in His side and had nails hammered into his wrists/hands and feet. Why is His knee leaking some kind of liquid on the crucifix on apparition hill?
Most of all during every apparition on record all visionaries have spoken of her feet. She has been seen with her feet mostly on roses, but also on a serpent and the world. Where are her feet in these apparitions? They are ALWAYS cloud covered. Why? If you think about it you will know why. Lucifer can manifest in any way that he wants. He can look like a beautiful lady in a cloud but the one thing that he cannot change are his cloven hooves. Hoax? Maybe. The other team? Very possibly. Divine? I do not think so. Need a picture? Here is a prayer card with her and the children depicted on it.
I doubt I will be going on any pilgrimages to MJ in the near future, nor going to see the visionaries either. I am skeptical and will remain so until my questions are answered. Until then, I will continue to pray, read the Good Book and live my life as Christ-like as I possibly can.
Peace,
Mare
For years now I have heard of Medjugorje and the stories surrounding it and have known people, including a priest, that have made pilgrimages there. There has always been something in the pit of my stomach, or the back of my mind, that has made me NOT jump on the bandwagon though. I read about it years ago when a book was published by a guy named Wayne (something or other) that converted after a trip there. After that I just tucked it in the back of my mind, though I did put a copy of a supposed *photo* of The Blessed Mother Mary taken there in my room. That has now been destroyed and replaced with a card from Fatima. I do have a devotion to Mother Mary but I do not believe she is appearing in Medjugorje, nor on tour with the visionaries, and here is my conclusions as to why.
The priest involved since the phenomenon started, and who was the spiritual advisor to the children, was laicized by Pope Benedict in March 2008. This was done after an investigation into his background showed that he allegedly taught dubious doctrines, manipulated consciences, practiced mysticism, flagrantly disobeyed the bishops and fathered a child with a nun that he then disowned. It is unknown to me if those visionaries were the recipients of those dubious doctrines and manipulated consciences, but my gut says probably yes.
The local bishops in MJ have always said that there is nothing supernatural going on there.
Our Lady has appeared to visionaries in the past, for centuries actually, on the same day, hour, place, etc. She has not appeared while on tour with any of them as she seems to do with Ivan and Mirija most recently in the U.S.
All of those that she has appeared to in the past were subject to heavy persecution, jailed, mocked and scrutinized and many suffered throughout their lives or died young. Though I do not know them personally they do not seem to be any worse for the wear and some quite wealthy.
Also, many of the visionaries in the past ,that grew to adulthood, became part of a religious community..... i.e. Saint Bernadette (Lourdes), Sr. Lucia (Fatima), and Sr. Alphonsine of the Glorious Cross, (Kibeho). Though she did not join a community afterward Marie Claire (of Kibeho) re-introduced the world to the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, which was taught to her during one of her visions. Since Mother Mary has given all of the MJ visionaries a vocation to pray for something (conversions etc.), why have every one of them gotten married and had kids. True, nobody is forced to become a nun, nor a priest for that matter, as a visionary, but if Mother Mary appeared to me I sure as heck would be devoting my entire life to God, and prayer, and not taking my act on the road so to speak. Nor would I be holding an audience with throngs of tourists, but hey, that is just me. I would be devoting my life to prayer, as she requested.
Visionaries of the past have been subjected to physical tests to see if they were truly in ecstatic mode while experiencing a vision. Some of the MJ visionaries flunked out on that test with one actually flinching. If they were truly in ecstatic states why did the tests have to be conducted more than once on them until they passed? Do you have to practice falling into ecstasy when in her presence?
Where is the big sign that she is appearing? Where are the Castilian roses flowing from the Tilma? The spring that flows to this day bursting forth from the earth? The sun looking as if it is falling from the sky and drying those present after heavy rains and sloshing through the mud (their clothes were clean as well). Yes, I know about the spinning sun and other stuff at MJ. The other team is quite good at hallucinations or visions too though. You never hear mention of those that have gone blind from looking at the sun, or the litter on apparition hill. You don't hear about the many demonic specters seen there either, though those have been documented.
It is not true that MJ has never been touched by the violence of the war. Quite a bloody battle took place just on the other side of apparition hill. Speaking of apparition hill, why are the visionaries allowing people to desecrate such a holy place with notes, spray-painted messages, etc?
Jesus was battered, scourged, had a crown of thorns embed onto His head, was pierced in His side and had nails hammered into his wrists/hands and feet. Why is His knee leaking some kind of liquid on the crucifix on apparition hill?
Most of all during every apparition on record all visionaries have spoken of her feet. She has been seen with her feet mostly on roses, but also on a serpent and the world. Where are her feet in these apparitions? They are ALWAYS cloud covered. Why? If you think about it you will know why. Lucifer can manifest in any way that he wants. He can look like a beautiful lady in a cloud but the one thing that he cannot change are his cloven hooves. Hoax? Maybe. The other team? Very possibly. Divine? I do not think so. Need a picture? Here is a prayer card with her and the children depicted on it.
I doubt I will be going on any pilgrimages to MJ in the near future, nor going to see the visionaries either. I am skeptical and will remain so until my questions are answered. Until then, I will continue to pray, read the Good Book and live my life as Christ-like as I possibly can.
Peace,
Mare
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