Bulletin Insert on Medjugorje by Fr. Paul Weinberger

[Denise]

I will also provide a little talk Fr. Paul gave after Mass on Sunday, which will be available on the SFCR Radio. I will post a notice when it is available. Right now we are in the middle of the situation concerning the tragic death of my nephew.
Denise

Follow the Money to find the False Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Over the centuries when the Mother of Jesus has truly appeared, such incidents are referred to as “APPARITIONS” of Our Lady. An apparition of Our Lady is truly a blessing. A false apparition of Our Lady is to be shunned by all Catholic Christians.

On July 19, 2009 the cover picture on the Sunday bulletin was of the 3 children of Fatima, Portugal. The picture noted their youth, ages 10, 9, and 7 years of age. They were also poor by any standard.

On that Sunday I mentioned that the Church has found no merit in the “alleged apparitions” of Our Lady at Medjugorje, Bosnia, in what used to be called Yugoslavia. I contrasted the approved APPARITIONS of Our Lady at Fatima, Portugal in 1917 with the un-approved, false APPARITIONS of Our Lady at Medjugorje, Bosnia.

The Priest who was the spiritual leader of these 6 visionaries who were children has now been reduced to the lay state, at his request. He is no longer a Priest. Part of the investigation concerning this Priest found that since 1981 he had fathered a child, obviously contrary to his vows.

Years ago as the Head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger clearly stated that pilgrims should NOT travel to that place in Bosnia, warning them NOT to go there. Of course, Cardinal Ratzinger since that time is now known the world over as Pope Benedict XVI.

Never in the history of the Church has an apparition of Our Lady continued for 28+ years, as seen in Medjugorje. During those 28 years of continuous speaking the so-called revelations frequently have been contradictory. The continuous, non-stop communication of so-called revelations meant that Medjugorje was a constantly moving target. This meant they could never be fully studied by Church leaders. These ceaseless communications are NOT earmarks of true apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The 6 children who were so-called “visionaries” have now grown into adulthood and are very wealthy, money which has come to them from their “star status” as visionaries. This of course is reprehensible. This is not the earmark of a true apparition of Our Lady.

Even though over the years many good people have gone to Medjugorje on pilgrimage, NEVER has it been with the approval of the local Bishops of that place. NEVER!

Many people can trace tremendous Graces which came to them from having visited Medjugorje. They claim this as proof that the Blessed Virgin Mary really is appearing there – that these are real apparitions of the Blessed Mother.

God can and does bless us even the most difficult of circumstances, even in the strangest of places. Recently I read a book entitled “Priestblock 25487” distributed by Ignatius Press. I highly recommend the book. The Priests who were sent to the concentration camp of Dachau by the Nazis during World War II lived under the most distressing of circumstances. Still, God’s Graces were abundant even there for those with Faith. Just because people were blessed in Bosnia is not proof of the apparitions.

Approved Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary are helpful to the Faith and always lead us to a deeper Faith in Jesus Christ and His Church. False apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary are NOT from God and should be shunned absolutely because they lead us away from Christ and His Church. That is why it is so necessary to listen to the Church BEFORE declaring that the Blessed Virgin Mary is appearing in Bosnia or anywhere else.

To open up yourself to an unapproved apparition without listening to the guidance of the Church is to place yourself in spiritual peril which may be regretted in the future. As your Pastor, I firmly recommend to you that Medjugorje should not be a part of your spiritual life in any way. I would not recommend that any image or literature promoting Medjugorje should remain in your home or be given to your children.

The latest information concerning the Priest who had served as spiritual advisor to these 6 children, the so-called visionaries makes the point in a clear and distinct manner.

Approved apparitions of Our Lady should be incorporated into the spiritual life as they lead us to Christ and to His Church. A true apparition of Our Lady will never lead us into conflict with the Church nor with its Bishop. The most telling component of the lack of authenticity at Medjugorje, Bosnia is that NEVER has the local Bishop of that place been in support of the so-called “Our Lady of Medjugorje. NOT ONCE.
Rev. Paul Weinberger, Pastor, St. William Church,

[KarlB]

The 6 children who were so-called “visionaries” have now grown into adulthood and are very wealthy, money which has come to them from their “star status” as visionaries.

You need know no more than this. It speaks to motive and character.