The Stance of the Bishop of Mostar - Duvno - Trebinje - Mrkanj Diocese with Regard to Medjugorje

By Father Leonard Orec. Source: http://www.medjugorje.org/orec.htm

When, on the 24th-25th of June 1981, Our Lady's apparitions began in the parish of Medjugorje, in the diocese of Mostar-Duvanj-Trebenj- Markanj, the bishop was Pavao Zanic (1971-1993). He was succeeded by dr. Ratko Peric.

Bishop Pavao Zanic

His position with regard to the apparitions moved from vehement approval to vehement opposition. And so, his positions made a big contribution to the spreading of the knowledge of Our Lady's apparitions throughout the world.

In the first two months of Our Lady's apparitions, the Bishop was in Medjugorje five times. Afterwards he came only to confer the sacrament of Confirmations to the faithful.

He clearly said: "I am deeply convinced that no child who says that they have seen Our Lady, has been talked into doing so. If we were speaking about one child only, one might say he could be stubborn and that not even the police could make the child renounce what he said. But six innocent, simple children in the space of half an hour, would, if they were pushed, admit all. None of the priests, I guarantee, had any idea of putting the children up to something.... I am also convinced that the children are not lying. The children are only speaking out what's in their hearts.....It is certain: the children are not lying".( from a sermon given on the feast of St. Jakov, the patron saint of Medjugorje, on the 25th of July 1981). In Glas Koncila, the Croatian national catholic newspaper, 16th of August 1981., he stated; "It is definite that the children were not incited by anyone, and especially not by the church, to lie."

At that time the Parish Priest of Medjugorje was Fr. Jozo Zovko. Fr. Zrinko Cuvalo worked together with him in the parish. Both of them at the beginning were strongly opposed to having anything to do with the apparitions. Bishop Zanic had called on them to be more decided and to recognise Gods' deeds around them. They answered him that there was no need to hurry, but that it would be better to wait to see how it would all develop. However, the Bishopsfavourable position inspired and gave courage even to them and to just about anyone who, for whatever reason hadn't yet taken a positve stance towards the apparitions of Medjugorje.

The then Yugoslav communist government, didn't look very benignly on all that was happening at Medjugorje. They proclaimed it to be a counter-revolution.(4th July 1981). The secret police called Bishop Pavao Zanic to their head-apartment in Sarajevo for examination. They also called Fr. Jozo Zovko. But the happenings took their own course. Bishop Zanic began to speak less and less about the apparitions and Fr. Zovko as Parish Priest began to believe more and more in the supernatural origins of the apparitions. Because of his favourable position towards the happenings Fr. Jozo was arrested and sentenced to three and a half years of harsh imprisonment.(17th August, 1981). Together with him Fr Ferdo Vlasic was imprisoned, and a little bit later Fr. Jozo Krizic. The situation had become extremely tense. It was dangerous to say anything about Medjugorje. Everybody felt this, especially as some of the people of the village, and pilgrims finished up in prison.

After a period of silence, bishop Pavao Zanic actively joined in challenging what was happening in Medjugorje. He even edited two written statements directed at the whole world.1. "The actual (unofficial) position of the episcopal curit of Mostar in reference to the happenings of Medjugorje". 30th October 1984; 2."Medjugorje,1990. In an official memorandum of the Vatican State secretary office no.:150.458 on the 1st of April 1985, Cardinal Casaroli charged Croatian Cardinal Franjo Kuharic, to convey to bishop Zanic, that he should "suspend the airing of his own personal statements and renounce making judgements, until such time as all the elements could be conclusively gathered together, and the happenings could be clarified", because bishop Zanic's statement ;" the actual position....." had had considerable reverberations in the press. Unfortunately this request didn't have very much response with the Bishop.

The commission for the examination of events at Medjugorje

For a long time, Bishop Zanic didn't think that anyone should help him in the reviewing of the events in the parish of Medjugorje. It was only when the requests were renewed on all sides that he drew up a commission of four members.(January 1982). Even though the commission said at the beginning that they would scrupolously apply themselves to the task, unfortunately, that didn't happen. Rarely or nearly never did they turn up at Medjugorje. The then Bishops commission of Yugoslavia desired that the matter be taken more seriously to hand. They advised Bishop Zanic to appoint a competent commission who might be able to throw some light on the events at Medjugorje. In February of 1984 Bishop Zanic expanded his commision to fourteen members. Many, however were dissatisfied, as the members of the commission were mainly thosewho had already declared themselves to be against the alleged events. The first sitting of the commission was held on the 23rd/24th of March 1984. In conclusion to their long awaited sitting, they issued a statement for the press in which, amongst other things they, in words, supported the suggestion of the Holy See to the Bishop, not to hurry in the bringing forth of a decision.

The second time that the commission met was in October 1984. Following this they made a similar statement to their previous one.

The year 1987 saw a big change; the President for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, entrusted the examination of the events into the hands of the Yugoslavian bishops' conference.

Bishop dr. Ratko Peric

Bishop dr. Ratko Peric who at the time of Zanic's time as bishop was a professor at the Gregorian University at Rome, became Pavao Zanics' successor. In the past he had been a great help to Pavao Zanic on the occasion of his arrival at Rome.

He became Bishop in 1993 with administration over the Mostar-Duvno-Trebinje-Mrkanj diocese. He continued in the footsteps of his predecessor with regard to the apparitions at Medjugorje. Neither did he visit the parish except when he had to officially do so, on the occasion of confirmations or for some other official reason. To demonstrate the falsity of Our Ladys' apparitions at Medjugorje he usually refers to the statement of the former bishops conference of Yugoslavia. He interprets it to mean that the bishops clearly said that Our Lady is not appearing at Medjugorje. His public position is most clearly put forward in his book,"The throne of Wisdom"(Crkva na Kamenu, Mostar 1995).

The title of the book is,"Criterion for predjudice towards apparitions", with a subtitle;"about Medjugorjes' phenomenon." on page 266-286 he tries to show that our Ladys' apparitions are not authentic. In conclusion of the chapter, he summarises his position in 10 points.

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