Despite the Vatican commission’s formal recognition of the Medjugorje apparitions as authentic, Pope Francis expressed his doubts on the apparitions, declaring them to be of “no great value”.
Speaking to journalists on May 13, Pope Francis said that, regarding Medjugorje, his “personal opinion” is that “these alleged apparitions have no great value.”
He also expressed his doubts on the thousands of subsequent apparitions that have continued to take place until the present day. He said: “I prefer Our Lady to be a mother, our mother, and not a telegraph operator who sends out a message every day at a certain time — this is not the mother of Jesus.”
The Pope’s opinion that the Medjugorje apparitions “have no great value” runs counter to thousands of testimonies from pilgrims who have reported healings, miracles, and conversions when visiting the Medjugorje shrine. This is likewise in stark contrast to Pope John Paul II, who loved Medjugorje, and who said: “Medjugorje is the spiritual heart of the world”.
Sorry but this is NOT the way we do things in the Catholic Church from time immemorial. Either the apparitions are true or false. Either we can safely listen to the messages or we should disown them. So the Holy Father by expressing an opinion about “alleged apparitions” “having no great value” is to understate it. If they are false, they have no value.
What’s wrong with this pope? Naive? Ill informed? We must pray for our pope and our Church!!