Archbishop Hoser: “Cult of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje is correct”
• In a recent interview given to Agata Puścikowsk and published via the Polish portal wira.pl, the Pope’s visitator to Medjugorje, Archbishop Henryk Hoser, provided the following insights. The full interview is at wira.pl.
WATER EXUDING FROM THE RISEN CHRIST SCULPTURE...
“They also say it's tears. This is, of course, passed from mouth to mouth, unsupported thesis. From the figure of the Resurrected Jesus, the liquid, the water, in the form of droplets is indeed leaking. This is true regardless of the weather and season. And, in fact, there is a great deal of faithful to this place. However, they just pray there, give Jesus homage, which builds their faith. They pray before the sculpture with a cry: "Jesus, I trust in You." Pilgrims collect this water for wipes. Similarly in Lourdes, where people draw water and bring it home. Pilgrims take part in Holy Masses, receive Holy Communion, sacraments. This is the most important. Other actions and behaviours are secondary. The phenomenon of pilgrimage to Medjugorje has lasted for 38 years and a certain model of pilgrim behaviour has been established. In my opinion, these are very worthy behaviours, people are prayerful and are simply looking for God. Our task is also to control the shepherds arriving here and ministers, including confessors.”
ONGOING APPARITIONS STILL UNRECOGNISED...
“These are spontaneous activities. We do not encourage you to participate in these private, still unrecognised revelations. But it’s hard to stop people going there. These events take place outside the strict area of the parish church. And they are very much related to the need for prayer. People who come to church or places of alleged revelations persist in prayer. And this is positive.”
ADAPTING TO THE TIME AND PLACE...
“The case is [still] being examined. You have to wait and trust calmly. It is difficult to impose some ‘standards’ of revelations to the Mother of God. In all places where she appeared we had other circumstances. You cannot talk about some valid ‘patterns’ of revelations. Our Lady at La Salette was dressed in a peasant costume, she had dark skin in Kibeho, she spoke Polish in Gietrzwałd. A common feature of the Marian apparitions recognised by the Church is that they were somewhat adapted to the place and times in which they took place. Medjugorje is a place where pilgrims rediscover their relationship with God and the Church; they discover the strength of prayer and silence, the love of the Father and Mother.”
ON CONFESSIONS...
“Here the confessions goes on and on. The confessors set up long queues, people from all over the world come to make a general confession, experience conversion. Therefore, the need for pastoral care and for confessors. I observe with attention and joy that confession is a most important event for many pilgrims in the entire pilgrimage.”
CULT OF THE QUEEN OF PEACE...
[...] “The cult of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje is correct. This cult is properly presented, set in a theologically correct perspective, ie Christocentric. Therefore, the possibility of organising pilgrimages by dioceses and parishes was opened.”