This Thursday, Sept. 19, all eyes will be on the Vatican as Cardinal Víctor Fernández, head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, leads a press conference centered around the “spiritual experience” of Medjugorje.
The event will take place at 11:30 a.m. local time, and Fernández won’t be alone—he’ll be joined by Monsignor Armando Matteo, who is the secretary of the dicastery’s Doctrinal Section, and Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication.
Live Broadcast for Worldwide Access
For those who can’t be there in person, the good news is the press conference will be streamed live on the Vatican News YouTube channel.
While the Vatican hasn’t released many details about the event, the context suggests it will focus on the recent “Norms for Proceeding in the Discernment of Alleged Supernatural Phenomena,” a document published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in May.
Since then, the Vatican has made decisions on various reported Marian apparitions and spiritual devotions.
Medjugorje: A Continuing Mystery
The story of Medjugorje goes back to June 24, 1981, when six children in Bosnia-Herzegovina claimed to receive messages from the Virgin Mary.
While three of these visionaries say they still receive daily messages, the Church has approached the matter cautiously.
In 2014, a report was prepared at the request of Pope Francis, who famously commented in 2013 that the Virgin Mary is “not a post office chief” who would send messages every day, though he didn’t directly reference Medjugorje.
By 2017, Pope Francis acknowledged the initial apparitions required further investigation, but he expressed doubts about the ongoing visions.
Medjugorje: A Place of Conversion
Despite any skepticism, Pope Francis has recognized Medjugorje as a place where people experience deep spiritual transformations.
He’s noted that many pilgrims who visit leave with renewed faith and personal conversions.
According to him, this change isn’t due to any miraculous event but rather the real spiritual impact it has on individuals.
The Pope’s Special Envoys
In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Henryk Hoser as a special envoy to Medjugorje to oversee pastoral care in the area.
After Hoser’s passing in 2021, Monsignor Aldo Cavalli was chosen to take on this responsibility.
Since May 2019, Pope Francis has authorized official pilgrimages to Medjugorje, while urging caution to avoid any doctrinal confusion.
What’s Next for Medjugorje?
Medjugorje continues to attract global attention, especially during youth festivals that have drawn messages from Pope Francis in recent years.
As the Vatican prepares for Thursday’s press conference, many are eager to see if any new developments will be announced regarding this mysterious and deeply spiritual site.
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