“Before something really good happens, something seemingly bad always happens” says visionary Ivan Dragicevic’s US tour coordinator after restrictions on church apparitions and other arrangements. Recognized commentator sees the move as preparing Medjugorje’s shrine status.
Ana Shawl
Apparitions to Medjugorje visionaries currently do not take place in American churches, and upon October 21′s instructions from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith neither priests nor laity are allowed to take part in arrangements that take the credibility of the apparitions for granted.
But there is no need to worry, visionary Ivan Dragicevic’s US tour coordinator Ana Shawl says after having had to cancel two public arrangements for Ivan late in October. Hinting that good news for Medjugorje is right around the corner, she refers to the Vatican instruction as only “seemingly bad”:
Medjugorje visionary Ivan Dragicevic during his most recent public appearance, on September 4 in Lonigo (Italy)
“Right now I can just say we don’t worry about anything. Always before something really, really good happens, something seemingly bad happens but everything is in God’s hands. You know how Peter was reprimanded for wanting to stop those who were trying to crucify Jesus, and Jesus said “Get behind me, Satan”. So, too, if this is God’s will for right now, it is for a good reason, right?” Ana Shawl wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
“We just pray for all of those to come to know the love of God and change hearts because, clearly, they do not know what they are doing” she further commented.
At Medjugorje Live, the most visited Medjugorje message board, the restricting directive from the Vatican Congregation drew many comments on Wednesday, with several coming from ‘bluecross’, a noted blogger who has long been of the impression that the Vatican’s current investigative commission is preparing to declare Medjugorje a shrine. The identity of ‘bluecross’ is known by Medjugorje Today:
“This latest directive is another step in the process of preparing an announcement on Medjugorje. This announcement will, I feel, place a very clear distinction between the visionaries/apparitions (private revelation) and any confirmation of shrine status” ‘bluecross’ commented at Medjugorje Live.
Jimmy Akin
Among Medjugorje sceptics and critics, two among the more outspoken received the Vatican directive cautiously, agreeing that the directive is not revealing of what the Vatican Commission on Medjugorje is ultimately going to conclude:
“It certainly is not an encouraging sign for those who would want to see Medjugorje approved. On the other hand, sticking with the existing policy and applying its logic more rigorously is not a change of substance and does not tell us anything in particular about what the ultimate ruling is likely to be” Catholic Answers senior apologist Jimmy Akin wrote on his blog at National Catholic Register.
Fr. Donald Calloway
“It certainly doesn’t answer the question of Medjugorje, but does not bode well that the Holy See decided specifically not to turn a blind eye to promotion of this poster child for unapproved “apparitions” blogger Diane Korzeniewski, a secular Carmelite, commented at Fr. John Zuhlsdorf’s blog.
Also on Wednesday, Fr. Donald Calloway cancelled the Medjugorje part of his scheduled pilgrimage to Rome and Medjugorje next year in June, a reaction to the Vatican ban on arrangements that take the credibility of the apparitions in Medjugorje for granted. Fr. Calloway attributes both his conversion and his priesthood to Medjugorje:
“Unfortunately, for reasons unforeseen, I have had to cancel the Medjugorje aspect of the pilgrimage” Fr. Donald Calloway informed at Facebook.