Vatican’s Surprising Statement on Medjugorje “Unlike other apparition sites, people do not go to Medjugorje to seek help with specific requests, but to renew their faith”
…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.
Vatican, in the Fruits of Medjugorje
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.
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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.
