The ‘ Obedience’ of ‘ Saint’ Fr. Slavko Barbaric in Medjugorje !
On 21th February 2000(prot. 203/2000) bishop Peric of Mostar writes :
“Following a number of official letters between the Episcopal Curia , the Franciscan Provincial and Fra Slavko Barbaric concerning the friar being sent away from Medjugorje, where he had for years been carrying out pastoral work illegally, without the approval of the diocesan curia, the diocesan Ordinary proclaims that Fra Slavko Barbaric is deprived of confessional jurisdiction(the faculties of hearing confessions) in the territories of all dioceses of Hercegovina.”
This decree has been published in ‘Vrhbosna’, the official Newsletter of the Diocese of the Metropolis of Sarajevo (n.1/2000, p.65)
In the following pages we shall see how and why measures of this sort were taken, which Medjugorian publicity has always kept hidden(successfully !)
Slavko Barbaric was one of the 3 priests who were closest to the 6 children of Medjugorje (the others were Fra Jozo Zovko and Fra Tomislav Vlasic)
In October 1984, a short time after Fr. Vlasic had been sent away because of disciplinary measures, bishop Zanic ordered Fr. Slavko not to permit the ‘apparitions’ to take place in the church any more.
Because the friar did not carry out these orders, on the 30th January 1985 Mons. Zanic ordered him to be sent away from Medjugorje(cf. Ogledalo Pravde-Mirror of Justice-The Diocesan Curia of Mostar concerning the presumed apparitions and messages of Medjugorje, Mostar 2001,p.59) within 7 days.
Immediately the interventions of the ‘Gospa’ started in favour of Fr. Slavko!...
‘Seer’ Ivan confirmed that he had received this ‘message’ from the ‘Gospa’ on 3rd February 1985 : “ I wish Slavko to remain here, for him to guide the life of the parish and gather together all the news so that when I no longer appear there will be a complete picture of everything that has happened.” (R.Laurentin-Corpus chronologique des messages, OEIL, 1987, p.234)
Within the 7 days Ivan sent this signed letter to bishop Zanic :
“ Excellency, I received these messages on Krizevac 6-2—1985 : The ‘Gospa’ was not as joyful as before. She said that, during these days, we must pray for the Bishop. Then she said these words sorrowfully : “ I am sorry that he has not accepted my apparitions and has not immediately set to work, spreading my messages of peace, conversion, fasting and prayer.” The ‘Gospa’s words for the Bishop are : “ Father, I am here in Medjugorje. I have chosen my messengers to give the world the good news and set this world free from the valley of sin, hatred, war, conflict and other sins. Father, do not persecute my priests, messengers of the word of God, if you do not believe in my messengers through whom I give messages and guide them to life. Father, listen to my words and take a stand. Begin to act.”
Medjugorje, 7-2-1985 Ivan Dragicevic
Fra Slavko remained in Medjugorje in opposition to the bishop, until 15th September when he moved to Blagaj, 25 km. away.
The Franciscan was ordered not to go to Medjugorje anymore, but he disobeyed this order regularly.
Fra Vlasic, who was in Vitina, and was also not meant to go to Medjugorje, behaved in the same way and in reality, continued to have frequent contact with the visionaries. In order to become aware of how often these two visited Medjugorje during these years, it is enough to consult the issues of the ‘Echo of Medjugorje’ or the diary published annually by the ‘official’ story teller Fr. R.Laurentin at that time.
Because of this on the 20th August 1986 Mons. Zanic wrote to the Franciscan Provincial that Fra Slavko Barbaric and Fra Tomislav Vlasic were running the risk of incurring severe disciplinary sanctions, related to Canon 1336 1, 1,3(cf. R.Laurentin-Racconto e messagio delle apparizioni di Medjugorje, Queriniana 1987,p.193)
On the 15th September 1988 the Franciscan Provincial suggested that Fra Slavko be moved to the Monastery of Humac. The bishop gave his approval on 16th September 1988.
Fra Slavko moved there, but in 1991 he returned permanently to Medjugorje without the Bishops permission(cf. Ogledalo Pravde, book bishop Peric, Mostar, 2001,p.60)
In 1993 the new bishop Mons. Peric was installed in Mostar. He waited until the 20th November 1999 to order Fra Slavko to leave Medjugorje and return to Humac within a period of 15 days.
The Franciscan did not obey.
The bishop renewed the order on the 17th December 1999 without effect.
However on the 26th January 2000 he gave him a canonical warning, bringing to his attention the fact that if he did not leave Medjugorje before 20th February 2000 he would be deprived of the faculty of hearing confessions.
Mons. Peric renewed the aforementioned warning on the 9th February and again on the 15th February(cf. Ogledalo Pravde p.60).
The Franciscan continued to disobey.
Therefore on the 21st February the bishop wrote to Fra Slavko Barbaric that his faculties for hearing confessions had been withdrawn.
The decree was published in Vhrbosna 1/2000, p.65 (see beginning of this article) under the title “Fra Slavko Barbaric is without the faculty of hearing confessions”
Fra Slavko seemed to obey the following June 20th when he signed the ‘Declaration of Pastoral Obedience’, but then he continued to remain in Medjugorje as before.
Therefore on the 30th October the bishop had to confirm that he had been deprived of the faculties for hearing confession (cf. Ogledalo Pravde p. 61)
On the 24th November 2000, when he suddenly died, fra Slavko was still in Medjugorje.
The next day, the 25th November 2000, in the monthly ‘message’ of the ‘Gospa’ , we read : “ I rejoice with you and wish to tell you that your brother Slavko is born in ‘heaven’ and is interceding for you.”
Remark : This text is a translation of an Italian article “ Medjugorje senza maschera” (Medjugorje unmasked) by Marco Corvaglia on his website :
marcocorvaglia.blog.lastampa.it/mcor/insubordinazione.html
This journalist is in contact with Mons. Peric, bishop of Mostar, who has jurisdiction about Medjugorje.
Marco Corvaglia is the author of the book “ Medjugorje : é Tutto Falso” (Medjugorje : Everything is False). See his huge website.
April 25 2009 Mark Waterinckx Belgium
