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DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
“The Queen of Peace”:
Note About the Spiritual Experience Connected with Medjugorje
Foreword
1. The time has come to conclude a long and complex history that has surrounded
the spiritual phenomena of Medjugorje. It is a history in which bishops,
theologians, commissions, and analysts have expressed a series of divergent
opinions.
The conclusions expressed in this Note are presented in the context of
what was established in the new
Norms for Proceeding in the Discernment of
Alleged Supernatural Phenomena (Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, 17
May 2024; henceforth, “Norms”). Consequently, the perspective of
this analysis is quite different from that which was used in earlier studies.
It is important to clarify from the outset that the conclusions of this Note
do not imply a judgment about the moral life of the alleged visionaries.
Additionally, when recognizing an action of the Spirit for the good of the
People of God “in the midst of” a spiritual experience, present from its
beginnings until now, we should remember that the charismatic gifts (gratiae
gratis datae) that may be connected to that
experience do not necessarily require those involved to have moral perfection.
2. Although we find many positive elements that help to
heed the call of the Gospel when we consider the overall set of messages tied to
this spiritual experience, some people believe that certain messages contain
contradictions or are connected with the desires or interests of the alleged
visionaries or others. It cannot be ruled out that this may have happened in the
case of a few messages. This reminds us that the
Norms of this
Dicastery state that such phenomena “at times appear connected to confused human
experiences, theologically inaccurate expressions, or interests that are not
entirely legitimate” (Norms, par. 14). This does not exclude the possibility of “some error
of a natural order […] not due to bad intentions, but to the subjective
perception of the phenomenon” (ibid., art. 15, 2°). As an example of this
imprecise and ultimately theologically incorrect mystical language,
among the messages connected to Medjugorje (cf. Raccolta completa dei messaggi della Regina della Pace. «Vi
supplico: convertitevi!» [Camerata Picena, Italy, 2024]; in some cases, the
translation was improved by comparing it with the original texts), we can
mention the isolated expression, “my Son, one and triune, loves you” (2 November 2017).
It is not unusual for mystical texts that intend to express the presence of the
whole Trinity in the mystery of the Incarnate Word to use an unsuitable
expression such as this. In this case, the text should be understood to say that
in the Son made man, the love of the Triune God is manifested (cf. Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith,
“‘Trinity Mercy’: Letter to the Bishop of Como on the Spiritual Experience
Connected with the Sanctuary of Maccio (Villa Guardia)”, 15 July 2024). In
addition, the reader should be aware that whenever this Note refers to
“messages” from Our Lady, it always intends this to mean “alleged messages.”
To discern events related to Medjugorje, we are fundamentally considering the
existence of clearly verified fruits, together with an analysis of the alleged
Marian messages.
The Fruits
3. An immediate effect surrounding the phenomena associated with Medjugorje has
been the large and growing number of devotees worldwide, together with the many
people who make a pilgrimage there from the most varied places.
The positive fruits are most evident in the promotion of a healthy practice of a
life of faith, in accordance with the tradition of the Church. In the context of
Medjugorje, this applies both to those who had been previously distant from the
faith as well as to those who had practiced the faith only superficially. The
uniqueness of the place lies in the large number of such fruits: abundant
conversions, a frequent return to the sacraments (particularly, the Eucharist
and Reconciliation), many vocations to priestly, religious, and married life, a
deepening of the life of faith, a more intense practice of prayer, many
reconciliations between spouses, and the renewal of marriage and family life. It
should be noted that such experiences occur above all in the context of
pilgrimages to the places associated with the original events rather than in
meetings with the “visionaries” to be present for the alleged apparitions.
4. The intense daily pastoral work in the parish of
Medjugorje has increased due to the “Medjugorje phenomenon”. In that parish, we
can observe the daily recitation of various parts of the Rosary, the celebration
of the Holy Mass (with many liturgies, also on weekdays), adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament, and numerous confessions. Outside the parish church there are
two Stations of the Cross, a large hall for catechesis, and a small chapel for
adoration. In addition to the regular sacramental and spiritual life, Medjugorje
also hosts various ordinary pastoral activities, such as annual seminars of
different kinds, a Youth Festival, and spiritual retreats held for priests,
married couples, pilgrimage organizers, peace center directors, and prayer group
leaders.
Moreover, for decades, the parish of Medjugorje has continued to be a major
pilgrimage destination. Unlike other sites linked to apparitions, people seem to
visit Medjugorje mainly to renew their faith rather than to seek help with
specific requests. Notably, groups of Orthodox Christians and Muslims also visit
the shrine.
5. Many people have discovered their vocation to the priesthood or consecrated
life in the context of the “Medjugorje phenomenon.” The stories of these people
are quite different, yet they converge in the same spiritual experience of
feeling called to follow Jesus in this way. Some individuals went to Medjugorje
to discover God’s will in their lives, others went just out of curiosity, and
still others went with no faith at all. Several people reported receiving the
grace of a vocation, with a strong desire to give themselves entirely to God
while they were on the mountain where the alleged apparitions occurred; others
experienced this call while they were in adoration before the Blessed
Sacrament.
For many people, life changed after they accepted the spirituality of Medjugorje
(messages, prayer, fasting, adoration, Holy Mass, confession, etc.) in their
daily lives, leading them to pursue a call to the priesthood or religious life.
Some feel they received in Medjugorje the decisive confirmation of a vocation
that had been maturing already for a long time. There are also many cases where
individuals discovered a particular vocation that, while occurring outside
Medjugorje itself, nevertheless took place within groups inspired by its
spirituality or by reading books related to this experience.
Moreover, there is no shortage of genuine conversions of people who had been far
from God and the Church and who moved from a life marked by sin to adopt radical
existential changes oriented toward the Gospel. Numerous healings have also been
reported in connection with Medjugorje.
So many others have discovered the beauty of being Christians through
Medjugorje. For many, it became a place chosen by God to renew their faith;
thus, some experience it as a new starting point for their spiritual journey.
In many cases, people were able to overcome a spiritual crisis thanks to
Medjugorje. Others report a desire awakened in the context of Medjugorje to give
themselves deeply to the service of God in obedience to the Church, or to give
themselves with greater commitment to the life of faith in their home parish.
Meanwhile, in many nations worldwide, a great number of
Marian devotional and prayer groups have emerged that are inspired by the
spiritual experience of Medjugorje. Works of charity have also arisen in
connection with various communities and associations, particularly those that
care for orphans, drug addicts, alcoholics, children facing various
difficulties, and people with disabilities.
Particularly notable is the presence of many young people, young couples, and
adults who rediscover the Christian faith in Medjugorje through Our Lady, with
an experience that directs them to Christ in the Church. A witness to the strong
presence of young people in Medjugorje is the annual Youth Festival.
Beyond these particular fruits, Medjugorje is perceived as a space of great
peace, recollection, and a piety that is sincere, deep, and easily shared.
In conclusion, the positive fruits linked to this spiritual experience are
evident and, over time, they have become distinct from the experience of the
alleged visionaries, who are no longer seen as the central mediators of the
“Medjugorje phenomenon.” In the midst of this phenomenon, the Holy Spirit is
carrying out many beautiful and positive things.
Central Aspects of the Messages
The Queen of Peace
6. While the Gospa [i.e., Lady] most frequently ascribes to herself
the name “Mother”, according to various expressions (Mother of the Church, of
God, of the righteous, of the saints, etc.), the most original title in the messages is that of “Queen of Peace” (cf. Message of 16 June 1983). This title offers a vision that
is theocentric and very rich in the true meaning of peace. According to this
understanding, peace signifies not only the absence of war; it also has a
spiritual, family, and social meaning. Indeed, this peace is achieved primarily
through prayer, but it is also spread through missionary efforts. One of the
prevailing characteristics of the spirituality that emerges from the messages is
that of trust in God through a total trust in Mary, in order to become
instruments of peace in the world. The messages about this theme are quite
numerous, some of which we will quote here:
“Dear children, I came to you and introduced myself as the Queen of Peace
because my Son sent me. I desire, dear children, to help you: to help you so
that peace may come” (10 August 2012).
“Peace. Peace. Peace! Be reconciled! Be reconciled with God and among
yourselves” (26 June 1981).
“Dear children, without prayer, there is no peace. Therefore, I urge you, dear
children, to pray at the foot of the Cross for peace” (6 September 1984).
“I call upon you all to pray responsibly for peace. Pray, dear children, for
peace to reign in the world, for peace to reign in the hearts of men and in the
hearts of my children. Therefore, be my bearers of peace in this restless world.
Be my living sign: a sign of peace” (5 August 2013).
“Dear children, I call upon all of you who have heard my message of peace to
implement it in your lives with seriousness and with love. There are many who
think they are doing a lot by talking about the messages, but they do not live
them. Dear children, I call you to life and to change all that is negative in
you, so that everything may become positive and life-giving” (25 May 1991).
“You err when you look to the future, thinking only of wars, punishments, and
evil. If you always think of evil, you are already putting yourself on the road
to meet it. For the Christian, there is only one attitude toward the future: the
hope of salvation. Your task is to accept God’s peace, to live it, and to spread
it” (10 June 1982).
“Today’s world lives amid high tensions and walks on the brink of a catastrophe.
It can only be saved if it finds peace. But it can only have peace by returning
to God” (15 February 1983).
“I have presented myself here as the Queen of Peace to tell everyone that peace
is necessary for the salvation of the world. Only in God can you find true joy,
which is the source of true peace. Therefore, I ask for conversion” (16 June
1983).
“Carry peace in your hearts. Nurture it like a flower that needs water,
tenderness, and light” (25 February 2003).
The Peace That Flows from Love
7. This peace is not an end in itself, nor does it express the highest Christian
value. Rather, it is the fruit of love that is lived, which is the greatest and
most beautiful virtue. It is the love that surrenders itself to God’s love and
expresses itself in the fraternal love that avoids quarrels, does not judge, and
forgives:
“Love one another. Be brothers and sisters to one another and avoid all
quarrels” (25 December 1981). “Dear children, also today I want to call upon you
to forgive. Forgive, my children! Forgive others, forgive yourselves” (13 March
2010). “Dear children, this is the time of thanksgiving. Today, from you, I seek
love. Do not look for mistakes and errors in others, and do not judge them” (4
May 2020).
This love, which enables us to bring peace to the world, also implies a love for
those who are not Catholic. Indeed, this is not to propose syncretism or to say
that “all religions are equal before God.” Yet still, all people are loved. This
is a point best understood in the ecumenical and interreligious context of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been marked by a terrible war with strong
religious components:
“On earth, you are divided, but you are all my children. Muslims, Orthodox,
Catholics, all of you are equal before my Son and me. You are all my children.
This does not mean that all religions are equal before God, but people are. It
is not enough, however, to belong to the Catholic Church to be saved: one must
respect God’s will [...]. To whom little has been given, little will be asked”
(20 May 1982). “You are not true Christians if you do not respect your brothers
and sisters who belong to other religions” (21 February 1983). However, there is
also a reminder of the need to “preserve the Catholic faith at all costs, for
you and for your children” (19 February 1984).
The King of Peace
8. The title “Queen of Peace” corresponds to the title “King of Peace”, which is
attributed to Jesus:
“I call on you, dear children, so that your life may be united with him. Jesus
is the King of Peace, and only he can give you the peace that you seek. I am
with you, and I present you to Jesus” (25 December 1995). “In my hands, I have
little Jesus, the King of Peace” (25 December 2002). “With great joy, I bring
you the King of Peace, that he may bless you with his blessing” (25 December
2007).
Only God
9. The messages offer a strongly theocentric view of the spiritual life and
frequently call upon us to make a trusting surrender to God, who is love:
“Dear children, today I call upon you to surrender entirely to God. Give
everything you do and everything you possess over to God so that he may reign in
your life as King of everything. Do not be afraid!” (25 July 1988).
“Dear children, today I call upon you to live the following words this week: ‘I
love God!’ Dear children, with love, you will achieve everything, even what
you consider to be impossible” (28 February 1985).
“Dear children, I call upon you to a total surrender to God. Let everything you
possess be in the hands of God. Only in this way will you have joy in your
hearts. My children, rejoice in all that you have. Give thanks to God because
everything is God’s gift to you. Thus, you will be able in life to give thanks
for everything and discover God in everything, even in the smallest flower” (25
April 1989).
10. In light of everything above, we can see a nucleus of messages in which Our
Lady does not place herself at the center but shows herself to be fully directed
toward our union with God:
“Behold, for this I am with you: to teach you and bring you closer to the Love
of God” (25 May 1999).
“I call you first to love God, the Creator of your life; then you will recognize
and love God in everyone” (25 November 1992).
“I am with you and intercede before God for each of you so that your hearts may
be opened to God and God’s love” (25 March 2000).
“I call upon you all to grow in God’s love, like a flower that feels the warm
rays of spring” (25 April 2008).
“Do not waver in your faith and do not ask ‘why’, thinking that you are alone
and abandoned. Instead, open your hearts, pray, and believe firmly. Then your
hearts will feel God’s closeness and that God never abandons you—that he is
always beside you” (25 December 2019).
11. For this reason, Mary invites the listener to encounter God, who is always
present in daily life:
“You seek signs and messages and do not see that, with every morning sunrise,
God calls upon you to convert and return to the path of truth and salvation” (25
September 1998). “May the wheat fields speak to you of God’s mercy toward every
creature” (25 August 1999). “God wants to save you, and so he sends you messages
through people, through nature, and through many other things that can help you
understand that you must change the direction of your life” (25 March 1990).
Christocentrism
12. The intercession and work of Mary are shown to be clearly subordinate to Jesus
Christ, the author of grace and salvation for every person:
“In a special way, my children, I would like to bring you closer to the Heart of
Jesus. Therefore, my children, today I call you to prayer addressed to my dear
Son Jesus, that all your hearts may be his” (25 October 1988). “Do not let the
light of the world seduce you. Open yourselves to the light of Divine Love, to
the Love of my Son. Decide for him; he is Love and he is Truth” (2 May 2016).
“Today I call upon you, dear children, because you have turned away from
Jesus—because you have put him in the background and overlooked him. Therefore,
I call upon you to decide for him and to put Jesus first in your life” (24 April
2017). “I wish to renew you and lead you with my heart to the Heart of Jesus,
who still suffers for you and calls you to conversion” (25 October 1996). “Only
if you draw close to Jesus will you understand the immeasurable love he has for
each of you” (25 February 1998). “I call you to allow your hearts to be inflamed
ever more ardently with love for the Crucified, and do not forget that he gave
his life out of love for you, so that you might be saved” (25 September 2007).
13. Mary intercedes, but it is Christ who gives the strength. Therefore, her whole
maternal work consists in motivating us to turn to Christ:
“He will give you strength and joy in this time. I am close to you with my
intercession” (25 November 1993). “My hands offer you my Son, who is the source
of pure water. He will revive your faith and purify your hearts” (2 October
2014). “Open your hearts and surrender your lives to Jesus, so that he
may work through your hearts and strengthen you in faith” (23 May 1985).
Mary speaks humbly about her own words in comparison with the Eternal Word,
whose words of life are effective in transforming us: “Dear children, I speak to
you as Mother, with simple words [...]. My Son, on the other hand, who comes
from the Eternal Present, he speaks to you with words of life and sows love in
hearts that are open” (2 October 2017).
The Action of the Holy Spirit
14. Many messages call upon us to recognize the importance of asking for the help
of the Holy Spirit:
“People are wrong when they turn solely to the saints to ask for something. The
important thing is to pray to the Holy Spirit to descend upon you. When you have
him, you have everything” (21 October 1983).
“Start by invoking the Holy Spirit every day. The most important thing is to
pray to the Holy Spirit. For, everything is transformed and becomes clear when
the Holy Spirit descends upon you” (25 November 1983).
“Before the Mass, it is necessary to pray to the Holy Spirit. Prayers to the
Holy Spirit should always accompany the Mass” (26 November 1983).
“People pray in the wrong way. They go to churches and shrines to ask for some
material benefit. Very few, however, ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The
most important thing for you to do is just to beg for the Holy Spirit to descend
because if you have the gift of the Holy Spirit, you have everything” (29
December 1983).
The Call to Conversion
15. A constant call to abandon a worldly lifestyle and excessive attachment to
worldly goods appears in the messages, along with frequent calls for conversion,
which makes true peace in the world possible. Conversion seems to be the focus
of the Gospa’s message: “Dear children! Today I call you to
conversion. This is the most important message I have given you here” (25
February 1996).
“My heart is burning with love for you. The only word I want to say to the world
is this: conversion, conversion. Make it known to all my children; I only ask
for conversion” (25 April 1983).
“Dear children, today I wish to wrap you with my mantle and lead all of you
toward the way of conversion. Dear children, please give the Lord all of your
past, all of the evil that has accumulated in your hearts” (25 February 1987).
“You cannot say that you are converted because your life must become a daily
conversion” (25 February 1993).
“Awaken from your soul’s weary slumber and say to God with all your strength,
‘Yes.’ Decide for conversion and holiness” (25 March 2001).
“Convert, my children, and kneel down in the silence of your heart. Put God at
the center of your being” (25 May 2001).
“Dear children, also today, with great joy in my heart, I call you to conversion
[...]. God desires to convert the entire world; he desires to call it to
salvation and to the way to him, who is the beginning and the end of every
being” (25 June 2007).
The Heavy Burden of Evil and Sin
16. At the same time, there is an insistent exhortation not to underestimate the
gravity of evil and sin, and to take very seriously God’s call to fight
against evil and the influence of Satan. Another frequent appeal is not to be
frightened in the face of trials. Occasionally, it is announced that the present
moment is a time of grace and a time of trial. Sometimes the latter element is
expressed in very strong terms—as is the case, for example, when it is said that
there is despair everywhere, that everything collapses, and so forth, and that
these things are connected above all to the fact that many people lack faith and
are distant from God. From this arises the call to offer to God all one’s
suffering and difficulties so that they may bear the fruits of grace and inner
consolation:
“I do not weep only because Jesus died, but because Jesus died giving his blood
to the last drop for all people, yet many of my children do not want to derive
any benefit from this” (1 April 1983).
“Look around you, dear children, and you will see how great is the sin that
dominates this earth. So, pray that Jesus triumphs” (13 September 1984).
“Dear children, you know that I promised you an oasis of peace. But know that
next to the oasis, there is the desert where Satan is lurking and trying to
tempt each of you. Dear children, only through prayer can you overcome every
influence of Satan in the place where you live. I am with you, but I cannot
deprive you of your freedom” (7 August 1986).
“Wherever I go and where my Son is also with me, there Satan also joins. You
have allowed him, without realizing it, to take over in you, to dominate you
[...]. Do not give in, my children! Wipe from my face the tears I shed seeing
what you do. Look around you! Find time to approach God in the Church. Come into
your Father’s house. Find time to gather as a family and plead for God’s grace.
[...] Do not look with scorn on the poor man begging you for a morsel of bread.
Do not send him away from your full table. Help him! And God will also help you
[...]. You, my children, have forgotten all these things, and Satan has also
contributed to this. Do not give in! [...] I do not want to reproach you
further; instead, I want to call you once again to prayer, fasting, and penance”
(28 January 1987).
“Dear children, in a special way, I now call you all to prayer and renunciation.
For, now as never before, Satan desires to seduce as many people as possible to
the path of death and sin. Therefore, dear children, help my Immaculate Heart to
triumph in a world of sin” (25 September 1991).
“Do not allow Satan to pull you around and do with you what he wants. I call on
you to become responsible and determined, and to consecrate every day to God”
(25 January 1998).
“Now, as never before, Satan wants to suffocate man and his soul with his
contagious wind of hatred and unrest. In so many hearts, there is no joy because
there is no God and no prayer. Hatred and war are growing day by day. I am
calling you, my children, to begin anew, with enthusiasm, the path of holiness
and love because I have come among you for this. Together, let us be love and
forgiveness for all those who know and want to love only with human love and not
with that immense love of God” (25 January 2015).
17. Our Lady points out an opportunity to end the war, but it requires the
cooperation of Christians in giving the gift of their lives. This implies a
strong call to responsibility: “You talk, but do not live. That is why, my
children, this war is lasting so long. I call upon you to open yourselves to God
and to live with God in your hearts [...]. Dear children, I cannot help you if
you do not live God’s commandments, if you do not live the Mass, and if you do
not reject sin” (25 October 1993). Nonetheless, four months later, gratitude is
expressed by emphasizing the value of believers’ cooperation: “All of you have
helped me so that this war may end as soon as possible” (25 February 1994). The
importance of believers’ cooperation also appears in other contexts: “You all,
with your lives and your example, must cooperate in the work of salvation” (25
May 1996).
Prayer
18. In this journey, prayer is fundamental. The exhortation to pray is both
constant and insistent in the messages:
“I call on you once again to decide for prayer because, with prayer, you will be
able to experience conversion. Each of you will become, in simplicity, similar
to a child who is open to the Father’s love” (25 July 1996).
“I call on you to fill your day with short, ardent prayers. When you pray, your
heart is open, and God loves you with a special love and gives you special
graces. Therefore, make good use of this time of grace and dedicate it to God as
never before” (25 July 2005).
19. Along with prayer, the call to fast appears
frequently, but it is explained as a freely given offering in addition to
sacrifices of a physical nature: “If you are in distress or in need, come to
me. If you do not have the strength to fast on bread and water, you can give up
other things. Besides food, it would be good to give up television because after
watching television programs, you are distracted and cannot pray. You could also
give up alcohol, cigarettes, and other pleasures. You yourselves know what you
must do” (8 December 1981).
The Centrality of the Mass
20. For the faithful, prayer finds its culmination in the celebration of the
Eucharist:
“The Mass is the highest form of prayer. You will never be able to understand
its greatness” (13 January 1984). “Dear children, also today, in a special way,
I wish to call you to the Eucharist. May the Mass be the center of your lives!
In particular, dear children, may the Eucharist be in your families. The family
must go to Holy Mass and celebrate Jesus. Jesus must be the center of your
lives!” (15 June 2018). “May Holy Mass not be a habit for you, but life. By
living the Holy Mass every day, you will feel the need for holiness” (25 January
1998). “Do not forget that in the Eucharist, which is the heart of the faith, my
Son is always with you. He comes to you and breaks bread with you; because, my
children, it was for your sake that he died, rose again, and comes anew” (2 May
2016).
21. The following message underscores the minor value of the apparitions
themselves when compared with the immense spiritual treasure that is the
Eucharist:
“I am closer to you during the Mass than during an apparition. Many pilgrims
would like to be present in the small room of the apparitions, and so they crowd
around the rectory. When they swarm in front of the tabernacle, as they now do
in front of the rectory, then they will have understood everything; they will
have understood the presence of Jesus, because receiving Holy Communion is
greater than being a visionary” (12 November 1986).
Fraternal Communion
22. The spirituality of Medjugorje is not individualistic. It is experienced
especially in communal events, such as pilgrimages and prayer meetings. At the
same time, along with prayer, the messages contain a constant call to fraternal
love—a love that accompanies, gives, serves, forgives, and is close to the poor:
“This is the only truth, and it is the truth that my Son left you. You do not
need to examine it much. What is asked of you is to love and to give” (2 January
2015).
“I call upon you, my children, to see who needs your spiritual or material help.
By your example, my children, you will be the outstretched hands of God, which
humanity is seeking” (25 February 1997).
“Then choose one day of the week and dedicate it to the poor and the sick: do
not forget them” (23 January 1984).
“Dear children, I urge you to love your neighbor and, above all, to love the one
who brings bad things upon you. In that way, with love, you will be able to
appreciate the intentions of the heart. Pray and love, dear children! With love,
you will be able to do even that which seemed impossible to you” (7 November
1985).
“Dear children, today I am calling you to the love that is pleasing and dear to
God. My children, love bears everything—everything that is difficult and
bitter—for the sake of Jesus, who is love. Therefore, dear children, pray that
God come to your aid [...]. In this way, God can shape your lives and you will
grow in love. Glorify God, my children, with the Hymn to Love (1 Cor.
13) so that God’s love may grow in you from day to day to its fullness” (25
June 1988).
“You ask my Son to be merciful to you, but I call you to mercy. You ask him to
be good to you and to forgive you, but how long have I been begging you, my
children, to forgive and love all the people you meet!” (2 March 2019).
The communal aspect of Medjugorje also emerges in the constant emphasis on the
fundamental importance of the family in Christian life: “Dear children, I
beseech you, please begin to change your family life. Let the family be a
harmonious flower that I wish to give to Jesus. Dear children, let every family
be active in prayer, for I desire that the fruits in the family be seen one day.
Only thus will I be able to give them all, like petals, to Jesus for the
fulfillment of God’s plan” (1 May 1986).
23. This spirituality certainly also includes an ecclesial dimension: one of
communion with the whole Church, with the Pastors, and in particular, with the
Holy Father:
“Carry out your duties well and do what the Church asks you to do” (2 February
1983). “I am asking my Son, through love, to grant you unity through him: unity
among yourselves and unity between you and your pastors. Through them, my Son
always gives himself to you anew and renews your souls. Do not forget this” (2
August 2014). “As my children, I ask you: pray very much for the Church and her
ministers, your pastors, that the Church may be as my Son desires: clear as
spring water and full of love” (2 March 2018). “Pray for my very beloved Holy
Father; pray for his mission” (17 August 2014).
Joy and Gratitude
24. The spirituality of Medjugorje is joyful, celebratory, and includes a call to
live the joy of following Christ, giving thanks even for the small, good things
in life:
“Dear children, I call upon you to open yourselves to God. See, my children,
just as nature opens itself and gives life and fruit, so I also call on you to
live with God and surrender completely to him. My children, I am with you, and I
want to introduce you continually to the joy of life. I desire that each of you
may discover the joy and love that can be found only in God and that only God
can give” (25 May 1989).
“Dear children, I call upon you to give thanks to God for all the gifts you have
discovered during your life and even for the smallest gift you have perceived. I
give thanks together with you. And I desire that all of you may experience the
joy of these gifts, and that God may be everything for each of you” (25
September 1989).
“Pray, little children, so that prayer may become life for you. In this way, in
your lives, you will discover the peace and joy that God gives to those whose
hearts are open toward his love” (25 August 2007).
“My children, those who pray feel the freedom of the children of God and, with a
joyful heart, serve the good of their brothers and sisters because God is love
and freedom. Therefore, my children, when they want to put chains on you and use
you, it is not from God because God is love and gives his peace to every
creature” (25 October 2021).
“Find peace in nature and you will discover God the Creator, to whom you can
give thanks for all creatures” (25 July 2001).
“I want each of you to be happy here on earth” (25 May 1987).
“Dear children! Pray and renew your hearts so that the good you have sown may
bear the fruit of joy” (25 February 2024).
“I need you to be united with my Son because I desire you to be happy” (2 May
2015).
The Witness of the Faithful
25. In the messages, we also find pressing calls to personal witness. Generally,
these are calls to give witness to faith and love in one’s life—in fact, we can
summarize the missionary message of Medjugorje in that line. In this regard, in
the monthly messages to the parish, the Gospa often addresses the
faithful, calling them “apostles of my love.”
“Dear children, as Mother, I beg you to persevere as my apostles [...]. I am
praying that you may witness the love of the Heavenly Father according to my
Son. My children, great grace has been given to you to be witnesses of God’s
love. Do not take lightly the responsibility that has been given to you. Do not
grieve my motherly heart. As Mother, I desire to rely on my children, on my
apostles” (2 November 2012).
“Apostles of my love, my children, be like rays of the sun that, with the warmth
of my Son’s love, warm everyone around them. My children, the world needs
apostles of love” (2 October 2018).
Particularly beautiful is a message that exhorts people to give less importance
to spectacular signs and, rather, manifest what they believe with their lives:
“You ask me for a sign so that my presence may be believed. The sign will come.
But you do not need it: you yourselves must be a sign for others” (8 February
1982).
Eternal Life
26. In so many messages, there is a strong call to awaken the desire for heaven
and, therefore, the search for the ultimate meaning of existence in eternal
life:
“Dear children, today I want to call all of you to decide for Paradise” (25
October 1987). “God sends me to help you and to lead you to Paradise, your goal”
(25 September 1994). “I wish to make of you a very beautiful bouquet prepared
for eternity” (25 July 1995). “Without him, there is no future and no joy, but
above all, there is no eternal salvation” (25 April 1997). “Decide for holiness,
my children, and think of heaven” (25 May 2006). “In your heart, the desire for
heaven will be born. Joy will begin to reign in your heart” (25 August 2006).
“You are so blind and attached to earthly things and think of earthly life. God
sent me to guide you toward eternal life” (25 October 2006). “Do not forget that
you are pilgrims on the road to eternity” (25 November 2006). “Do not forget
that you are passing, like a flower in a field” (25 January 2007). “Do not
forget that you are pilgrims on this earth” (25 December 2007). “Everything
passes away, my children; only God remains” (25 March 2008). “I desire, my
children, that each of you fall in love with the eternal life that is your
future” (25 January 2009).
Necessary Clarifications
27. The messages overall possess great value and express
the constant teachings of the Gospel in different words. However, a few messages
stray from these positive and edifying contents and even seem to go so far as to
contradict them. As a result, one should be attentive lest these few confused
elements overshadow the beauty of the whole.
To prevent this treasure of Medjugorje from being compromised, it is necessary
to clarify some points of possible confusion that can lead some small groups to
distort the valuable proposition of this spiritual experience, especially if the
messages are read partially.
This leads us to recall a decisive principle: when one recognizes an action of
the Holy Spirit in the midst of a spiritual experience, it does not mean that
everything belonging to that experience is thereby free from all imprecisions,
imperfections, and areas of possible confusion. Once again, one should remember
that these phenomena may “at times appear connected to confused human experiences, theologically
inaccurate expressions, or interests that are not entirely legitimate” (Norms,
par. 14). This does not exclude the possibility of “some error of a natural
order, not due to bad intentions, but to the subjective perception of the
phenomenon” (ibid., art. 15, 2°).
For this reason, the faithful must be attentive and cautious in interpreting and
disseminating the alleged messages. To provide guidance in this regard, we now
point out some messages that should be taken with special care, although many of
them can be adequately understood when seen in light of the overall set of
messages.
Reprimands and Threats
28. In some cases, Our Lady seems to show some irritation because some of her
instructions were not followed. So, she warns about threatening signs and the
possibility of no longer appearing (although afterward, the messages continue
unabated):
“I have come to call the world to conversion for the last time. Later, I will no
longer appear on earth. These are my final appearances” (2 May 1982).
“Make haste to convert. When the promised sign is manifested on the hill, it
will already be too late” (2 September 1982).
“Today, I am calling upon you for the last time. Now it is Lent, and you, as a
parish, can adhere now to my call out of love. If you do not do that, I do not
wish to give you any more messages” (21 February 1985).
These messages should only be received as a call not to postpone or delay
conversion, keeping in mind what St. Paul says: “Behold, now the favorable time;
behold, now the day of salvation!” (2 Cor. 6:2).
In fact, one of the messages provides the right light to interpret correctly the
other messages we have mentioned:
“Those who make catastrophic predictions are false prophets. They say, ‘In such
a year, on such a day, there will be a catastrophe.’ I have always said that
chastisement will come if the world does not convert. Therefore, I call everyone
to conversion. Everything depends on your conversion” (15 December 1983).
Messages to the Parish
29. There are other expressions that run the risk of being misinterpreted, as is
the case with the messages for the parish. In them, Our Lady seems to want to
exercise control over the details of the parish’s spiritual and pastoral journey
(including requests for days of fasting or specific commitments to undertake for
the various liturgical seasons), giving the impression that she wants to take
the place of the ordinary parish structures meant for participation. Sometimes,
as we can see in the messages that follow, the “special care” that Our Lady
wants to exercise over the parish extends to the point of recrimination that her
pastoral directions are not being obeyed:
“Dear children, I have chosen this parish in a special way, and I desire to lead
it. With love, I am protecting it, and I want everyone to be mine. Thank you for
coming here this evening. I want more and more of you to be with me and my Son.
I will give you a special message every Thursday” (1 March 1984).
“Dear children, tomorrow night [on the Feast of Pentecost], pray for the Spirit
of Truth. Especially those of you from the parish, because you need the Spirit
of Truth so that you will be able to transmit the messages as they are, neither
adding anything nor taking anything away, but [transmitting them] just as I have
given them” (9 June 1984).
“Dear children, in these days [of Advent], I am calling you to family prayer. On
several occasions, I have given you messages in God’s name, but you have not
listened to me. This Christmas will be unforgettable for you as long as you
accept the messages that I am giving you” (6 December 1984).
“Dear children, I wish to continue giving you my messages, and so, today, I call
upon you to live and accept my messages. My children, I love you and have chosen
this parish that is loved by me in a special way, where I gladly remained when
the Most High sent me. Therefore, I call upon you: accept me, dear children, so
that you too may be happy. Listen to my messages! Listen to me!” (21 March
1985).
“Today, I wanted to cease giving you messages because some people did not accept
me. However, the parish has made progress, and I wish to give you messages as
never before in history since the beginning of the world” (4 April 1985).
Such repeated exhortations addressed to the parishioners are an understandable
expression of the alleged visionaries’ intense love for their parish community.
However, Our Lady’s messages cannot replace the ordinary role of the parish
priest, the pastoral council, and the synodal work of the community regarding
decisions that are the subject of communal discernment, through which the parish
matures in prudence, fraternal listening, respect for others, and dialogue.
The Relentless Insistence on Listening to the Messages
30. Beyond the frequent exhortations to the faithful of the parish, in general,
Our Lady seems to promote listening to her messages so insistently that
sometimes this call stands out more than the content of the messages themselves: “Dear children, you are not aware of the messages that God is sending you
through me. He is giving you graces, but you do not understand” (8 November
1984). “You are not aware of all the messages I am giving you” (15 November
1984). This risks creating a dependence and an excessive expectation on the part of the faithful,
which could ultimately obscure the central importance of the Revealed Word.
The insistence appears constantly. For example, “Live my messages” (18 June
2010). “Spread my messages” (25 June 2010). “Live the messages I am giving you
so that I can give you new messages” (27 May 2011). “Follow my messages [...]
renew my messages” (17 June 2011). “Embrace my messages and live my messages”
(24 June 2011).
In some messages, as in the one that follows, the insistence becomes pressing: “Dear children, also today [your] Mother calls upon you with joy: be my bearers,
the bearers of my messages in this weary world. Live my messages and accept my
messages with responsibility. Dear children, pray together with me for my plans,
which I desire to fulfill” (30 December 2011).
This often-repeated appeal probably comes from the love and generous fervor of
the alleged visionaries who, with goodwill, feared that the Blessed Mother’s
calls for conversion and peace would be ignored. This insistence becomes even
more problematic when the messages refer to requests that are unlikely to be of
supernatural origin, such as when Our Lady gives orders about specific dates,
places, and practicalities and when she makes decisions about ordinary matters.
Although messages of this type are infrequent in Medjugorje, we can find some of
them that are explained solely from the personal desires of the alleged
visionaries. The following is a clear example of these misleading messages:
“This August 5th will mark the celebration of the second millennium
of my birth [...]. I ask you to prepare yourselves intensively over three days
[...]. Do not work on these days” (1 August 1984).
It is reasonable for the faithful, using prudence and common sense, not to take
these details seriously nor heed them. One must always recall that in this
spiritual experience (as in other spiritual experiences and alleged supernatural
phenomena), positive and edifying elements are mixed with other elements that
are to be ignored. But this fact should not lead one to spurn the richness and
the good of the Medjugorje proposal as a whole.
Our Lady Gives the Right Value to Her Messages
31. In fact, it is Gospa herself who calls upon us to put her messages in
perspective. For, she clearly affirms that we must listen to the Gospel. Often,
she asks that her messages be listened to, but she also subordinates them to the
incomparable value of the Word revealed in the Holy Scriptures. The following
exhortations are very insightful on this point, and they become a central
criterion for the attitude we should adopt vis-à-vis the messages:
“Do not go in search of extraordinary things. Instead, take the Gospel, read it,
and everything will be clear to you” (12 November 1982).
“Why do you ask so many questions? Every answer is in the Gospel” (19 September
1981).
“Do not believe the lying voices that speak to you about false things, a false
light. You, my children, return to Scripture!” (2 February 2018).
32. Our Lady’s call to read the Holy Scriptures is one of the most repeated
requests:
“Dear children, today I call upon you to read the Bible every day in your homes:
place it in a visible place, so that it will always prompt you to read and pray
it” (18 October 1984). “Place the Holy Scripture in a visible place in your
families; read it and live it” (25 August 1996). “Put Holy Scripture in a
visible place in your families; read it, meditate on it, and learn how God loves
his people” (25 January 1999). “I call on you to renew prayer in your families
by reading Holy Scripture” (25 September 1999). “Do not forget, my children, to
read Holy Scripture. Put it in a visible place and give witness with your lives
that you believe and live the Word of God” (25 January 2006). “Read and meditate
on Sacred Scripture, and may the words written in it be life for you” (25
February 2012). “Put Holy Scripture in a visible place in your families and read
it” (25 January 2014). “My children, read the book of the Gospels. It is always
something new; it is what binds you to my Son, who was born to bring words of
life to all my children” (2 November 2019).
33. On the other hand, the Gospa herself says that, even more than the
messages, it is the witness of Christians that is the true light for the world:
“I wish you to be active in living and spreading the messages. In a special
way, dear children, I want you all to be a reflection of Jesus that will
illuminate this unfaithful world that walks in darkness. I wish you all to be
the light for everyone, and I desire that you give witness to the light” (5 June
1986).
34. In this way, one should recognize that the messages in which Our Lady
repeatedly asks us to listen are ultimately her insistent calls to convert,
return to Christ, meditate on his Word, pray, and seek peace. None of these
distance us from the Gospel or distract us from it. Therefore, to remain
faithful to the true spirit of Medjugorje, we should not focus too much on
extraordinary events and alleged messages from the Gospa but should use
our time and energy to pray with the Word of God, worship Christ, serve our
brothers and sisters, and build peace everywhere.
The “Self-Exaltation” of Our Lady
35. Those messages that attribute to Our Lady the expressions “my plan” or “my
project” also show a certain problematic aspect: “Each one of you is important in my plan of salvation” (25 May 1993). “My
children, do not forget that you are important in my plan of salvation
for humanity” (25 June 2022). “I call on you to pray [...] for my plans”
(1 October 2004). “Also, tonight I call on you to pray for my plans [...]
my projects” (2 September 2005).
These expressions might create some confusion. In reality, everything Mary
accomplishes is always at the service of the Lord’s plan and his divine plan of
salvation. Mary does not have her own plan for the world and the Church. As a
result, these messages can only be interpreted in this sense: that Our Lady
fully assumes God’s plans to the point of expressing them as her own.
36. Along these lines, special attention is required concerning the possible
misuse of the word “mediatrix” in reference to Mary. Although it is true that,
in the messages overall, everything is attributed to Jesus Christ, while Mary
cooperates with her maternal intercession, certain expressions appear that do
not seem consistent with the whole: “I am the mediatrix between you and God” (17
July 1986). “I desire to be the link between you and the Heavenly Father, your
mediatrix” (18 March 2012).
Used in this way, the expression “mediatrix” could erroneously lead one to
attribute to Mary a place that belongs uniquely and exclusively to the Son of
God made man. It would, in fact, contradict what Sacred Scripture affirms when
it says that there is only one “Mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:5-6). These alleged messages also fail to express adequately the fact that, as
St. John Paul II explained, Mary’s mediatory cooperation is “subordinate” to the
mediation of Christ (cf.
Redemptoris Mater, par. 39). In this way, her
cooperation “neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and
efficaciousness of Christ the one Mediator” (Second Vatican Council,
Lumen
Gentium, par. 62).
In the same message of 18 March 2012, however, it is clear that Mary’s mediation
does not obscure Christ’s unique mediation since hers concerns only a “maternal
intercession” for us: “Dear children! I come among you because I desire to be
your mother, your advocate.”
With Us, Toward Christ
37. One must bear in mind that the messages as a whole have a strong theocentric
and Christological emphasis. Some of the messages offer help in this regard
because they underscore Mary’s maternal intercession as the key to her specific
and always subordinate role. The following messages, in which Mary emphasizes
that she cannot and will not replace Jesus Christ, are especially clear on this
topic:
“I do not directly dispose of divine graces, but I receive from God what I ask
for through my prayer” (31 August 1982).
“Pray, and through prayer encounter my Son, so that he may grant you the
strength, that he may grant you the grace” (23 June 2017).
“Decide for Jesus; decide and go together with him into the future. [...] I
desire to lead all of you to my Son [...]. Decide for him and put him first in
your lives” (22 June 2012).
“By living my messages, I desire to lead you to my Son. In all these years that
I am with you, my finger is pointing to my Son, to Jesus, because I
desire to lead you all to him” (28 December 2012)
The following can be considered as a summary of the Gospel message as seen
through Medjugorje:
“I desire to draw you ever closer to Jesus and his wounded heart so that you
might understand the immeasurable love that gave itself for each of you.
Therefore, dear children, pray that a fountain of love might flow from your
hearts to every person, as well as to those who hate and despise you. In this
way, with the love of Jesus, you will be able to overcome all the misery in this
world of sorrows, which is without hope for those who do not know Jesus” (25
November 1991).
Therefore, it is essential to be attentive to what the overall events
surrounding Medjugorje remind us about the teachings of the Gospel, focusing not
on the details but on the great exhortations that appear in the Gospa’s
messages. In their light, some less important or unclear texts should be read
with prudence.
Conclusions
38. Through the Nihil obstat about a spiritual event, the faithful “are
authorized to give it their adherence in a prudent manner” (Norms, art.
22, §1; cf. Benedict XVI,
Verbum Domini, par. 14). While this does not
imply a declaration of the supernatural character of the phenomenon in question
(cf.
Norms, art. 22, §2)—and recalling that the faithful are not obliged
to believe in it—the Nihil obstat indicates that the faithful can receive
a positive encouragement for their Christian life through this spiritual
proposal, and it authorizes public acts of devotion. Such a determination is
possible insofar as many positive fruits have been noted in the midst of a
spiritual experience, while negative and dangerous effects have not spread among
the People of God.
Evaluating the abundant and widespread fruits, which are so beautiful and
positive, does not imply that the alleged supernatural events are declared
authentic. Instead, it only highlights that the Holy Spirit is acting fruitfully
for the good of the faithful “in the midst” of this spiritual phenomenon of
Medjugorje. For this reason, all are invited to appreciate and share the
pastoral value of this spiritual proposal (cf.
Norms, par. 17).
Moreover, the positive assessment that most of the messages of Medjugorje are
edifying does not imply a declaration that they have a direct supernatural
origin. Consequently, when referring to “messages” from Our Lady, one should
always bear in mind that they are “alleged messages.”
39. The elements gathered in this Note make it possible to recognize that
the conditions are present to proceed with the determination of a Nihil
obstat. The Bishop of Mostar-Duvno will issue the corresponding decree. The
special Apostolic Visitor for the Parish of Medjugorje, who will continue to
carry out the functions entrusted to him, should verify that this Note is
included as an Introduction in any publication that collects the messages. In
light of the clarifications offered above, he will then discern any future
messages—or past messages that have not yet been published—and should authorize
them before any publication. Likewise, he will take such measures as he deems
necessary and will guide pastoral discernment in response to new situations that
may arise, keeping this Dicastery informed.
40. Although there may be different opinions about the authenticity of some facts
or certain aspects of this spiritual experience, the ecclesiastical authorities
of the places where it is present are invited to “appreciate the pastoral value
of this spiritual proposal, and even to promote its spread” (Norms, par.
17). However, the power of each Diocesan Bishop to assess prudently what is
happening in his own territory and to make his own decision on the matter
remains firmly in place (cf.
Norms, art. 7, §3). While the positive
fruits of this spiritual phenomenon are widely spread throughout the world, this
does not deny that there may be groups or persons who, by misusing this
spiritual phenomenon, act in a mistaken way. Each Diocesan Bishop, in his own
Diocese, has the freedom and authority to make the prudential decisions he deems
necessary for the good of the People of God.
41. In any case, may the people who go to Medjugorje be strongly advised that
pilgrimages are not made to meet with alleged visionaries but to have an
encounter with Mary, the Queen of Peace, and—faithful to her love for her Son—to
encounter Christ and listen to him through meditation on the Word, by
participation in the Eucharist, and in Eucharistic Adoration, as happens in so
many shrines spread all over the world in which the Virgin Mary is venerated
with the most varied titles.
42. Let us read one last message, which summarizes the valuable Christocentric
sense of the message of Medjugorje and manifests its most authentic spirit:
“Dear children, my words are simple [...]. I am calling you to my Son. Only he
can transform despair and suffering into peace and serenity. Only he can give
hope in the deepest sorrows. My Son is the life of the world. The more you come
to know him, the closer you come to him, and all the more will you love him
because my Son is Love. Love changes everything; even that which seems
insignificant to you apart from love is made most beautiful by love.” (2
September 2018).
Queen of Peace, pray that those who freely accept the spiritual proposal of
Medjugorje may live ever more united with Jesus Christ and find true peace of
heart in him.
To you, we also entrust this world of ours, which is succumbing to a “third
world war fought piecemeal.” Queen of Peace, hear the plea that rises from the
hearts of children, young people, the poor, and every person of goodwill.
“Thank you, our Mother! Looking to you, who are without sin, may we continue to
believe and hope that love might conquer hatred, that truth might conquer lies,
that pardon might conquer offenses, that peace might conquer war. So may it be!”
(Francis, Prayer to Mary Immaculate, 8 December 2022).
The Supreme Pontiff Francis, at the Audience granted to the undersigned Prefect,
together with the Secretary for the Doctrinal Section of the Dicastery for the
Doctrine of the Faith, on 28 August 2024, approved this Note and ordered its publication.
Given in Rome, at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, 19 September
2024.
Víctor Manuel Card. Fernández
Prefect
Msgr. Armando Matteo
Secretary for the
Doctrinal Section
Ex Audientia Die 28.08.2024
Franciscus
Index
Foreword
The Fruits
Central Aspects of the Messages
The Queen of Peace
The Peace That Flows from Love
The King of Peace
Only God
Christocentrism
The Action of the Holy Spirit
The Call to Conversion
The Heavy Burden of Evil and Sin
Prayer
The Centrality of the Mass
Fraternal Communion
Joy and Gratitude
The Witness of the Faithful
Eternal Life
Necessary Clarifications
Reprimands and Threats
Messages to the Parish
The Relentless Insistence on Listening to the Messages
Our Lady Gives the Right Value to Her Messages
The “Self-Exaltation” of Our Lady
With Us, Toward Christ
Conclusions
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