Father Tomislav Vlašic OFM smacked by Vatican.

[Denise]

The Canonical status of Rev. Father Tomislav Vlašić, OFM

The Bishop, 2008-08-31

The CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH with its letter prot. 144/1985-27164 of 30 May 2008, has authorized me as the local Bishop of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno to inform the diocesan community of the canonical status of Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, the founder of the association “Kraljice mira potpuno Tvoji – po Mariji k Isusu” – (Queen of Peace, totally Yours – Through Mary to Jesus).

The letter signed by the Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Angelo Amato, states the following:
“Within the context of the phenomenon Medjugorje, this Dicastery is studying the case of Father Tomislav VLASIC OFM, originally from that region and the founder of the association ‘Kraljice mira potpuno Tvoji – po Mariji k Isusu’.
On 25 January 2008, through a properly issued Decree, this Dicastery imposed severe cautionary and disciplinary measures on Fr. Vlasic.

The non-groundless news that reached this Congregation reveals that the religious priest in question did not respond, even partially, to the demands of ecclesiastical obedience required by the very delicate situation he finds himself in, justifying himself by citing his zealous activity in the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno and surrounding territories, in initiating religious activities, buildings, etc.

Since Fr. Vlasic has fallen into a censure of interdict latae sententiae reserved to this Dicastery, I kindly ask Your Excellency, for the good of the faithful, to inform the community of the canonical status of Fr. Vlasic and at the same time to report on the situation in question…”.
*****

This regards the fact that the same Congregation of the Holy See applied ecclesiastical sanctions against Rev. Father Tomislav Vlašić, through a Decree of the Congregation (prot. 144/1985) of 25 January 2008, signed by Cardinal William Levada, Prefect, and by Archbishop Angelo Amato, Secretary of the Congregation along with the “Concordat cum originali” of 30 January 2008, verified by Msgr. John Kennedy, Official of the Congregation.

The Decree was handed over to Rev. Fr. Tomislav Vlašić in the General Curia of the OFM in Rome on 16 February 2008 and the notification was co-signed by the Minister General of the Franciscan Minor Order, Father José R. Carballo, the Ordinary of Fr. Vlašić.

The Decree of the Congregation mentions that Rev. Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, a cleric of the Franciscan Minor Order – the founder of the association ‘Kraljice mira potpuno Tvoji – po Mariji k Isusu’ and who is involved in the “phenomenon Medjugorje” – has been reported to the Congregation “for the diffusion of dubious doctrine, manipulation of consciences, suspected mysticism, disobedience towards legitimately issued orders and charges contra sextum.”

Having studied the case, the Congregation during its special Congress decreed the following sanctions against Rev. Fr. Tomislav Vlasic:

“1. Mandatory residence in one of the houses of the Order in the region of Lombardy (Italy) to be determined by the Minister General of the Order and to be realized within thirty days from the time of the legitimate notification of this decree;

2. All contacts with the “Kraljice Mira…” community and with its members are prohibited;

3. Any actions involving juridical contracts and administrative organizations, whether canonical or civil, effected without the written permission ad actum of the Minister General of the Order and under his responsibility are prohibited;

4. A mandatory course of theological-spiritual formation, with a final evaluation along with a prior recognitio of this Congregation, and a solemn professio fidei;

5. The following are also prohibited: activities involving the ‘care of souls’, preaching, public appearances, while the faculty to hear confessions is also revoked up until the conclusion of the terms described in the previous number, barring an evaluation of the case.

An additional sanction of a latae sententiae interdict (can. 1332) reserved to the Apostolic See is adjoined in the case of the violation of the mandatory residence (n. 1) and the other prohibited acts mentioned in n. 3 and n. 5.
Fr. Vlasic is forewarned that in the case of stubbornness a juridical penal process will begin with the aim of still harsher sanctions, not excluding dismissal, having in mind the suspicion of heresy and schism, as well as scandalous acts contra sextum, aggravated by mystical motivations.

Fr. Vlasic remains under the direct jurisdiction of the Minister General of the Order of Minor Franciscans, who shall see to his vigilance through the local Superior or another Delegate”.
*****

All the priests, religious and faithful in the Dioceses of Mostar-Duvno and Trebnje-Mrkan, as well as all those concerned “in the pertinent territories”, are hereby informed on the current canonical status of Rev. Father Tomislav Vlašić.
With the sentiments of my highest consideration,

+ Ratko Perić, Bishop
Fr. Ante Luburić, Chancellor

source Diocese of Mostar

[MarieT]

thanks for the article sis. I wonder how those religious clergy promoting Medj will respond to this?
m7

[KevinSymonds]

Here's how people are responding to it:


User "Deb" on says:

Again, he has not been involved in Medjugorje for a very long time and the letter that is supposedly from the visionary was not from her and she very publically stated that in a news format when it occured.
He is being used by Satan and his behavior is not a marker to be used in making decisions about Medjugorje. Now, go read Dr. Miravalle.

READ HERE

Pitiful. See how fast they disown one of their own when it is not feasible? How quickly people turn!

Note also the cyclical logic of the woman "Deb" in her posts on phatmass. "I know the visionary didn't write this because she says she doesn't."

There is witness to the contrary.

Blinders. That's all it is. I knew this news of Fr. Vlasic would not do much.

-KJS

[Denise]

I knew this news of Fr. Vlasic would not do much.

Kevin, it may not do "much" for those who are so blind they cannot see but hey, did wonders for us here and our cause, which is to clear the name and figure of Our Lady and separate her from this hoax.

Thanks be to God! Like Fr. Z says, "brick by brick". In this case it is person by person and document by document.

[Denise]

Rick has more history here

Scroll down a bit. Quite interesting if you haven't read this before.

denise

[KevinSymonds]

Yeah, that history is the same one that is on the Bishop's web site.

I have been talking with people on phatmass.com about this situation. It is truly sad to see how much people are still adhering to this junk. That user "Deb" just will not give up the ghost, so to speak. My latest reply cut right to the qwik and I am interested to see how she responds next.

Take a gander at how I'm directing the conversation:

READ HERE

If you notice how I construe my posts, I make it look like I am not responding to her directly. I throw the onus of the discussion right back into the objective sphere by sticking with the facts and keeping to logic and simple deduction.

-KJS

[MarieT]

It is truly sad to see how much people are still adhering to this junk. -KJS

Extremely sad how they grasp onto this phenomena despite the investigations run by the proper ecclesiastical authorities finding that the alleged 'sightings' at Medjugorje are NOT approved.

Now - to have one of the disobediant Medj priests pushing this and then to be reprimanded by the Vatican hierarchy for doing so and to not respond to them is a direct and concerning disobediance to the higher authority.

If the supporters of this disapproved alleged 'apparition' cannot see that this is a very powerful statement from Rome, then I cant see anything swaying them to the truth.

But in God we trust and we pray that all will be protected from this entity and bowing and worshiping and paying homage to it.

mercy
St Michael defend us all in battle

marie

[MaggieH]

Thanks for the above articel Denise, I just came aware of it myself and about to post it here, but I see you have been keeping well informed.



God Bless
Maggie

[Denise]

Pope finally launches crackdown on world's largest illicit Catholic shrine and suspends 'dubious' priest

By Simon Caldwell
Last updated at 10:03 PM on 03rd September 2008




Crackdown: Pope Benedict XVI has authorised severe cautionary and disciplinary measures against Father Tomislav Vlasic

Crackdown: Pope Benedict XVI has authorised 'severe cautionary and disciplinary measures' against Father Tomislav Vlasic

The Pope has begun a crackdown on the world’s largest illicit Catholic shrine – by suspending the priest at the centre of claims that the Virgin Mary has appeared more than 40,000 times.

Benedict XVI has authorised ‘severe cautionary and disciplinary measures’ against Father Tomislav Vlasic, the former ‘spiritual director’ to six children who said Our Lady was appearing to them at Medjugorje in Bosnia.

The Franciscan priest has been suspended after he refused to cooperate into claims of scandalous sexual immorality ‘aggravated by mystical motivations’.

He has also been accused of ‘the diffusion of dubious doctrine, manipulation of consciences, suspected mysticism and disobedience towards legitimately issued orders’, and is suspected of heresy and schism.

Father Vlasic was a central figure in promoting the apparitions that allegedly began in 1981 and continue to this day.

In 1984 he boasted to Pope John Paul II that he was the one ‘who through divine providence guides the seers of Medjugorje’ and the visionaries even said that the Virgin had told them he was a living saint.

But the Bosnian cleric later took a back seat when it emerged that he had fathered a child with a nun called Sister Rufina, and that he refused to leave his order to marry her but instead begged her not to expose him.

Father Vlasic then moved to Parma, Italy, where he set up a mixed male and female religious community, called Queen of Peace, which was dedicated to the Medjugorje apparitions.

Medjugorje has grown to become the most visited unauthorised Catholic shrine in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims a year, including many from the UK and Ireland.

But the local bishops are convinced the claims are bogus and in 2006 complained directly to Pope Benedict.

This led to a Vatican investigation which turned the spotlight on the role of Father Vlasic.

The priest has now been suspended by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith after he refused to cooperate with the inquiry into his conduct, instead ‘justifying himself by citing his zealous activity’ in initiating religious communities and building churches the Medjugorje area.

The decree confirming his suspension was signed with the Pope’s approval by Cardinal William Levada, head of CDF, and Father Jose Carballo, the Minister General of the Franciscan Minor Order.

It confines Father Vlasic to a Francisan monastery in Italy and bans him from contact with the Queen of Peace community, or with his lawyers without permission from his superior.

He is banned from making public appearances, preaching and hearing confessions and he will be required to make a solemn profession of the Catholic faith.

The Vatican has warned Father Vlasic that he will be excommunicated if he violates any of the prohibitions.

The action was taken earlier this year but was made public this week by the Bishop of Mostar, Ratko Peric, at the request of the Vatican, to make local people to be aware of the priest’s status.

Father Vlasic is the second spiritual adviser to the seers to be suspended from his ministry. The other, Father Jozo Zovko, was suspended by Bishop Peric in 2004.

It represents a massive blow to millions of Medjugorje followers worldwide who were hoping that the Vatican investigation would legitimise the shrine.

Earlier this year, Italian Bishop Andrea Gemma denounced the Medjugorje claims as the ‘work of the Demon’ and predicted that ‘soon the Vatican will intervene with something explosive to unmask once and for all who is behind this deceit’.

The phenomenon began on 25 June 1981 when six children – Mirjana Dragićević, Marija Pavlović, Vicka Ivanković, Ivan Dragićević, Ivanka Ivanković and Jakov Colo – told a priest they had seen the Virgin on a hillside near their town.

Three Church commissions failed to find evidence to support their claims and the bishops of the former Yugoslavia finally declared that ‘it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations’.

In 1985 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – now Pope Benedict – banned pilgrimages to the site, but this has been widely ignored.

Instead the seers have grown wealthy as a result of their claims – and so has their town, which has boomed as a result of the ‘Madonna gold rush’.

Some today own smart executive houses with immaculate gardens, double garages and security gates, and one has a tennis court.

They also own expensive cars and have married – one of them, Ivan Dragicevic, to an American former beauty queen.

[Denise]

http://te-deum.blogspot.com

[MarieT]

I think Rome has had enough of the disobediance of many of its clergy as well as the lay who promote this phenomena after Rome has said "no pilgrimmages allowed" and the local ordinary has condemned the sightings stating that it is not the Holy Mother appearing there.

Some people sadly think they are above the experience of the church authorities and can do as they please. May God enlighten them.
marie

[KevinSymonds]

I am SO glad that Te Deum Laudamus also caught on to Michael Brown's misleading link titles. I've been reporting on such for a while now.

Be careful of that British tabloid. Remember what happened the last time they published! We about near lost credibility!

-KJS

[Denise]

Kevin, we knew about this before Simon Caldwell. We already knew what the document said. If the article hadn't jived with the document and the facts then it wouldn't have been posted.

[Denise]

From te deum.................

EDIT: Spirit Daily has changed the misleading title sometime on September 4. I applaud the change. The original title is found below in a snapshot.