JPII and Medjugorje

Refuting claims the Pope privately approved of the apparitions.

.

(It had been my intention to post this a few days ago but I haven't been very pleasant lately and I was afraid of what I might say.)

.

I've tried to believe in the apparitions at Medjugorje - yet the messages are so banal and soap-opera-like, it is almost impossible to take them seriously. It is my opinion, the people involved - pilgrims and promoters alike - have more of a story going on than the alleged appearances, sky-writing, miraculous photos, and secrets no one is supposed to know. I don't like to discuss the issue very much, mainly because many very nice, very sincere people are so devoted to the cult surrounding the Virgin as she is venerated in Medjugorje, nearly as much as they are taken in by the seers and their on-the-road-again evangelization business.

.

At Athanasius' blog, Boniface of Unam Sanctam posted an essay refuting the claims JPII supported the apparitions. It is the best I've read so far. Boniface begins:

.

But one other assertion of the Medjugorje crowd that I have been wanting to debunk for a long time is the oft-repeated claim that John Paul II privately approved of the apparitions and encouraged the faithful in their devotion at Medjugorje. This is manifestly false, and whatever else one may think of John Paul II, one thing we can definitely clear him of is promoting Medjugorje. Therefore, I want to clear up with this post once and for all the confusion and untruths promoted by those who assert that the Pope, either JPII of BXVI, has ever approved Medjugorje, even implicitly. - Read the entire post here: Source

.

It seems so many people are willing to believe just about anyone who claims to know the mind of the popes, or who claim, "The Pope said this" or "the Pope said that." Show me the document that says so.

.

Photo: Alleged miraculous image of the Madonna at Medjugorje. I wonder if JPII has ever shown up since his death?