More than once, St. Pope John Paul II expressed a desire to visit Medjugorje, but never went because he was being careful in everything he did, the postulator of his saintly cause reveals. The Pope was attracted because Medjugorje is transforming people’s hearts, and turning them to Christ.
Monsignor Slawomir Oder (born August 7th 1960 in Chelmza, Poland) was ordained a priest in 1989, and has served in the Vatican since then. He was a personal friend of Pope John Paul II who made him honorary prelate of the papal house, and served as the postulator of John Paul II’s saintly cause
Second-hand quotes from people who had talked to him are true: St. Pope John Paul II did indeed wish to visit Medjugorje.
This is now being confirmed by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, a fellow Pole and a Vatican prelate who concluded his year-long friendship with the Pope by taking on the role as postulator of his saintly cause.
- It is also said that John Paul II desired to visit Medjugorje. Can you confirm this? the Rome-based Catholic news agency Zenit asks Monsignor Oder.
An artist’s interpretation of Pope John Paul II looking favorably upon Medjugorje from Rome. Postcard from 2000
“Speaking privately with his friends, the Pope said more than once: “if it were possible, I would like to go.” They are words that must not be interpreted, however, with a character of recognition or of being official in regard to the events in the Bosnian country. The Pope was always very careful in what he did, knowing the importance of his post” Monsignor Oder replies.
“There is no doubt, however, that things are happening at Medjugorje that are transforming people’s heart, especially in the confessional. So the desire expressed by the Pope should be interpreted from the point of view of his priestly passion, that is, his wish to be in a place where a soul seeks Christ and finds him, thanks to a priest, through the sacrament of reconciliation or of the Eucharist” says Monsignor Slawomir Oder.
Pope John Paul II met all the Medjugorje visionaries except Ivan Dragicevic, and also met a number of other central Medjugorje figures. Here, in 1992, he talks to Fr. Jozo Zovko, parish priest in Medjugorje when the apparitions began in 1981. Fr. Jozo passed on that the Pope told him: “I am with you, protect Medjugorje! Protect Our Lady’s messages!”
- And why didn’t he go?
“Because not everything is possible in life…”
It is generally assumed that there were two reasons for the Pope not visiting: That he wanted to respect Medjugorje’s local Bishop who does not believe in the apparitions – and that his going to Medjugorje would be interpreted as official Church recognition by a time when the visionaries tell the apparitions are still taking place. Still then, there was little doubt that John Paul II would like to have visited:
“If I had not been the Pope, I would be in Medjugorje already, hearing confessions” the Pope said in 1987, according to visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo who had had an audience with him.
“During my visit to Bosnia and Hercegovina, I would also like to visit Medjugorje” then Croatian President Franjo Tudjman passed on from a conversation with the Pope in February 1995.
Generally dismissed by Medjugorje critics as invented, at least 25 such second-hand quotes were published before Monsignor Oder confirmed them.