The Church doesn't want to repress Međugorje

The Pope actually said these words in conversation to Fr. Slavko Barbarić, a spiritual director of the Medjugorje events

The Church does not want to repress anything that bears good spiritual fruits” – those were the words of former Cardinal Ratzinger, who went on to become the present Pope, spoken in Linz in 1991 in a conversation with the now-late Franciscan Priest of Medjugorje Fr. Slavko Barbarić, commenting on the Medjugorje apparitions. About the declaration about the apparitions, in a longer conversation with Fr. Slavko Barbarić, J. Ratzinger made a promise that the verdict on the issue would be given by the Commission of the Bishop's Conference of former Yugoslavia .

Besides listening attentively to data of the far-reaching positive consequences of the apparitions in Medjugorje first-hand, Pope Benedict XVI willingly received books and brochures about the Međugorje phenomenon from Fr. Slavko. These phenomenon have been attracting the attention of millions of pilgrims from all over the world for 25 years with the same strength. Public coverage of this meeting was given through the Catholic monthly Magazine “Naša Ognjišta”, saying that it took place during the youth pilgrimage to Linz .

A Positive Opinion

On the cover page of the newspaper, Neue Bildpost of September 8th 1991 Joseph Ratzinger, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, announced an immanent solution to the issue of Međugorje and declared that whatever happens, Međugorje will be supported as a place of pilgrimage and prayer.

Our reporter Fra Marinko Šakota, a great biographer of Fra Slavko Barbarić and his deeds, who wrote about his ministry activities in a book entitled “Živjeti srcem” (Live with the Heart), revealed this fact. At that time, he spoke of Ratzinger's positive opinion about Medjugorje as a shrine for pilgrims from all over the world and the positive energy and inspiration radiating from the place.

Not all the details of the conversation have been published completely, and according Fr. Marinko, they are still to be found in the rich heritage remaining after the late Fra Slavko Barbarić. There is also a photo as evidence of the conversation, which we are publishing exclusively.

It was in the capacity of Prefect that Ratzinger came in touch with Medjugorje many times, from it's very beginnings, therefore the problem was not new to him. On the contrary, his particular interventions at that time prevented any attempts to “suffocate” Medjugorje.

So in November 1983 under his leadership, the Congregation asked the Bishop of Mostar, Pavao Žanić, how far his Commission had come in it's investigation.

At the meeting of the extended Commission on September 26th 1985 , Bishop Žanić declared that he had visited Rome and asked the Church to take a negative stance towards Međugorje, but the answer from Cardinal Ratzinger was that the outcome of the Commission's work is yet to be concluded.

Since the Vatican was not satisfied with the results - the majority of it's members refuting the apparitions - Ratzinger ordered the Bishops Conference of Yugoslavia to establish their Commission, which was effected in January 1987.

The full article can be found on pages 8-9 of Vol 2
2007 issue.