Statement by Bishop Pavao Žanić ^[1]
Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, published in May 1990.

1. The truth about the events of Medjugorjeis the subject of research conducted by a Commission of the Yugoslav Episcopal Conference (BKJ). Their work is progressing slowly. With this statement, I would therefore like to help the Commission reach a decision as soon as possible. There is propaganda in favor of Medjugorje to put the Church and the world before the fait accompli. This was the intention of the Medjugorje defenders from the beginning. It must be admitted that they succeeded, because on the other side one works too slowly or remains silent. For these reasons and the motivations given to me by the many who, from all over the world, realize that the truth is being trampled on, I decided to publish another statement, according to my task and my conscience, is to help the Commission. With this declaration I wish to awaken the consciences of those who defend Medjugorje. Their path is simple, wide and all downhill, while mine is difficult, thorny and uphill. The Church and the Madonna do not need falsehood. Jesus says: "The truth will set you free" (Jn 8:32); "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14: 6); "For this I was born and for this I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is from the truth hears my voice "(Jn 18:37). For a brief description of the falsehoods on Medjugorje it would take 200 pages, but for now all I want is to provide this brief summary without using a scientific approach. I am somewhat uncomfortable with the fact that in some statements my name is present in the titles, and indeed since the beginning of the "apparitions" I have been at the center of events because of my position as bishop and my duties. I also regret having to mention some "unpleasant things", but without them the arguments would lose their strength. However, the most unpleasant things will not be mentioned.

2. A characteristic attitude: Marina B., tourist guide of Atlas Travel, brought a priest from Panama to my office in August 1989: his name: Presbitero Rodriguez Teofilo, pastor of Nuestra Senora de Lourdes. With him came Carmen Capriles, journalist, Gerente General of IATA agency, Avenida Alberto Navarro, Apartado 1344 Zona 7, Panama. Marina introduced herself as a tour guide, translator for English and a convert from Medjugorje. The priest asked me why I did not believe in the "apparitions". I told him that I have at least 20 reasons for not believing, of which even one is necessary - for those who are sober and well educated in the faith - to reach the conclusion that the apparitions are not supernatural. I told him about the case of the former Franciscan father Ivica Vego. For his disobedience, by order of our Holy Father the Pope,^[2] he was expelled from the Franciscan religious order, OFM ^[3] by his General, dispensed from the vows is suspendeda divinis.He did not obey this order and continued to celebrate Mass, to administer the sacraments and to live with his lover. It is unpleasant to write about all this, but it is necessary to understand who Our Lady is talking about. According to Vicka's diary and the claims of the "seers", Our Lady said 13 times that he is innocent and that the bishop was wrong. When her lover, Sister Leopolda, a nun, became pregnant, they both left Medjugorje and religious life and went to live together near Medjugorje where their son was born. Now they have two children. His prayer book is still sold in Medjugorje and moreover in hundreds of thousands of copies.

I asked Marina to translate this into English. Marina cannot be blamed for having fallen into a community that hides the truth. She spontaneously replied according to the practice of Medjugorje: "Do we have to tell him these bad things?" I replied by saying that if these "bad events" had not been withheld and hidden, these people from Panama would have discovered it first and would not have had to travel to in Medjugorje for nothing. It is an injustice and a sin to hide this truth: even if it can be unpleasant, it must be said.

3. The Marian theologian René Laurentinbehaves in the same way. He came to visit me around Christmas of 1983 and offered him dinner. He asked me why I didn't believe in the apparitions. I told him that according to Vicka's diary and the words of the other "seers", this "Lady" spoke against the bishop. Laurentin promptly replied: "Don't say it in public, because there are many pilgrims and converts." I was shocked by this statement by the well-known Mariologist! Unfortunately, Laurentin's position has remained this: to hide the truth and defend falsehoods. He has written about ten books on the subject of Medjugorje and, in almost all, the truth and Bishop Žanić are under fire. He knows what people like to hear. So it was relatively easy for him to find those who believed him. „A veritate quidem auditum avertent, ad fabulas autem convertentur "-" They refuse to listen to the truth to turn to fairy tales "(2 Tim 4: 4). From the beginning, the "seers" and defenders of Medjugorje, led by Laurentin, understood that the modern believer in a communist country very quickly believes in anything "miraculous", in apparently miraculous healings and messages apparently of the "Madonna".

The main characters supported by Medjugorje are the bishop emeritus F. Franić, ^[4] father René Laurentin, father L. Rupčić OFM, father Amorth, father Rastrelli S J. and some Franciscans and charismatics from all over the world. Many books have been quickly published, as well as articles, booklets, films and souvenirs. Tourist agencies, pilgrimages, prayer books written by the two Franciscans Vego and Prusina, who were expelled by the Franciscan Order, are at stake ^[5]published in different languages ​​in 600,000 copies, fanatical prayer groups that are inspired by the supposed messages of Our Lady, and the biggest engine of all - money. No one ever mentions anything that would cast doubt on the "apparitions". The bishop warned everyone, but the "apparatus" made its way. 50 miraculous healings were mentioned, then 150, 200, 300 and so on. Laurentin chose 56 dossiers and sent them to the "Bureau Medical de Lourdes". The dr. Mangiapan replied in their April 1986 Bulletin that these files have no practical value, and that they cannot be used or considered as serious evidence of apparitions in Medjugorje. Much has been written about the healing of Diana Basile. I sent the file to dr. Mangiapan, who studied the case and took the position: "Opinion plus que reservée". It is a case of multiple sclerosis. Later it will be written more about it in a book.

4. The credibility of the seers - Mirjana Dragićević.A month after the beginning of the "apparitions" I went to Medjugorje to question the "seers". I asked each of them to swear on the cross and requested that they tell the truth (this conversation and the oath were recorded on tape). The first was Mirjana: "We had gone to look after the sheep when suddenly ...". (The parish chaplain interrupted and told me that they actually went out to smoke, which they had hidden from their parents). "Wait a minute, Mirjana, you're under oath. Did you go out to look after the sheep? " She put her hand over her mouth: "Forgive me, we went out to smoke". He then showed me the watch on which the "miracle" had occurred because the hands had broken down. I took the watch to an expert who said he had certainly fallen and ruined himself. After returning the watch to her, I told her not to mention that a miracle had happened. However, in tapes recorded later, she continued to say that a miracle had happened with the clock and that they had initially gone out to look for their sheep. He later claimed that Our Lady had said that all faiths are equal. How far can we believe Mirjana?

6. Vicka Ivanković was the main "seer"from the beginning, and through her the creator of Medjugorje, Father Tomislav Vlašić OFM, spread the main portion of falsehood concerning Medjugorje. He presented himself to the Pope in a letter dated May 13, 1984 as follows: "I am Father Tomislav Vlašić, the one who, according to Divine Providence, guides the visionaries of Medjugorje". It would have been better for him to retire to the desert and remain silent, because his past says enough about him. Vicka spoke and wrote a lot and in doing so fell into many contradictions. Professor Nikola Bulat, a member of the first commission, questioned her and wrote a 60-page study on her. He has numbered all the illogicities and falsities of his diary. Here I will mention only the bloody handkerchief. Word spread that there was a certain taxi driver who had run into a man who was all bloody. He gave the taxi driver a bloody handkerchief and said: "Throw it in the river." The driver then met a woman dressed in black. She stopped him and asked him to give her the handkerchief. He gave her his own, but she said, "Not this, but the bloody handkerchief." He gave her the handkerchief she wanted, and then she said: "If you had thrown it into the river, there would now be the end of the world. "Vicka Ivanković wrote in the diary that they asked Our Lady if this event was true and she replied that it was, and also:" The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black ". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world! "The driver then met a woman dressed in black. She stopped him and asked him to give her the handkerchief. He gave her his own, but she said, "Not this, but the bloody handkerchief." He gave her the handkerchief she wanted, and then she said: "If you had thrown it into the river, there would now be the end of the world. "Vicka Ivanković wrote in the diary that they asked Our Lady if this event was true and she replied that it was, and also:" The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black ". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world! "The driver then met a woman dressed in black. She stopped him and asked him to give her the handkerchief. He gave her his own, but she said, "Not this, but the bloody handkerchief." He gave her the handkerchief she wanted, and then she said: "If you had thrown it into the river, there would now be the end of the world. "Vicka Ivanković wrote in the diary that they asked Our Lady if this event was true and she replied that it was, and also:" The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black ". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world! "Not this one, but the bloody handkerchief." He gave her the handkerchief she wanted and then she said: "If you had thrown it into the river, there would now be the end of the world." Vicka Ivanković wrote in the diary that they asked the Madonna if this event were true and she replied that it was, and also: "The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world! "Not this one, but the bloody handkerchief." He gave her the handkerchief she wanted and then she said: "If you had thrown it into the river, there would now be the end of the world." Vicka Ivanković wrote in the diary that they asked the Madonna if this event were true and she replied that it was, and also: "The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world! "The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world! "The bloody man was my son Jesus, and I (the Madonna) was the woman dressed in black". What theology is this? From this it appears that Jesus wants to destroy the world if a handkerchief is thrown into the river and that it is Our Lady who saves the world!

7. On January 14, 1982, Vicka, Marija and little Jakovthey came to visit me. Vicka started talking rather nervously because she was telling lies. He said: "Our Lady has sent us to tell you that you are too hard on the Franciscans ..." - "In what way?" - "We do not know!". Two Franciscan chaplains of Mostar, Ivica Vego and Ivan Prusina, whom the bishop had tried to remove from Mostar because of the disorder and disobedience to the faithful of the newly established cathedral parish in Mostar, defended themselves before their superiors saying that they would not went from Mostar because the Madonna, through Vicka, had told them not to leave. This was reported to me by a member of the Franciscan provincial council. In our meeting I asked Vicka: "Did Our Lady say anything about the chaplains of Mostar, Vego and Prusina?" - "No, we do not know them" all three answered. Our conversation lasted 30 minutes and I recorded it on tape. I have raised the question of the chaplains of Mostar several times and they have always replied: "We do not know them". Later, I found in Vicka's journal that they knew the chaplains very well. It was clear that they were lying, but I didn't want to talk about this with them to maintain confidence during our conversations.

8. April 4, 1982, Vicka and Jakovthey came to visit me "... sent by Our Lady". The chaplains of Mostar, Father Vego and Father Prusina, had been expelled from the Franciscan OFM Order in January of that year by the superiors of their Order. Many followers and the "Madonna" defended the expelled chaplains. During our conversation Vicka started out very animatedly: "The last time we came here we didn't tell her everything and that's why Our Lady scolded us. We have talked about many things and therefore we have forgotten ... "- What have you forgotten?" - "Our Lady told us to tell her that those chaplains, Vego and Prusina, are priests and therefore can celebrate Mass just like other priests ." - "Wait a minute. Did Our Lady tell you this before our last meeting? "-" Yes, and that's why she sent us to her. Last time I talked about many other things and I forgot to mention this. "During our previous meeting I had asked her several times if the Madonna had said anything about the two chaplains. It became clear to me that Vicka was lying and this was enough proof for me not to believe her statements. Marija and Jakov also took part in this lie.

9. Towards the end of January 1983,Father Grafenauer, a Slovenian Jesuit priest, came to me with the intention of doing research on the phenomenon of Medjugorje. He listened to the 20 cassettes and after listening to them he said he would not go to Medjugorje because he had concluded that there is no Madonna there. At my insistence he went to Medjugorje and after a few days he returned as a "convert" of Father Vlašić. He brought some documents, threw them on the table and said: "Here is what Our Lady wants me to tell her!" I understood this as a plan to overthrow the bishop with the help of the Madonna. The documents he had brought were a collage of Vicka's diary, the parish newspaper and handwritten documents. For this reason it is difficult to determine where they were first written. Vicka and those who defend Medjugorje have hidden this for more than a year.

10. Vicka has never denied that Our Lady said these things or transcribed them in her journal. The assurance and authenticity of this can best be confirmed by a cassette engraved by Father Grafenauer during his interviews with Vicka and Marija. He left copies of the cassette in the parish of Medjugorje, the bishop and also the Episcopal Conference in Zagreb. We should listen to this tape!

A conversation with Vicka

Graf. : The bishop has the task of judging whether or not the Madonna is.

Vicka : You can judge what you want, but I know it's the Madonna.

Graf:   The Church says, of those who trust in themselves, that this is a  sign that the Madonna is not in question here.

Vicka: Let those who have doubts have them, I don't have any.

Graf: This is not a good thing ... once you told the bishop that he should have more attention for the Madonna than for the Pope.

Vicka: Yes.

Graf: This means that the bishop should listen to you more than the Pope.

Vicka: No, not me.

Graf:   But the bishop does not know what the phenomenon is and perhaps it is not the  Madonna.

Vicka : Yes, it's the Madonna.

Graf. : You told the bishop that it is to be reproached and that those two (Vego and Prusina) are innocent and that they can carry out their priestly duties.

Vicka: Yes.

Graf. : Can they hear confessions? Has the Madonna talked about it?

Vicka : Yes.

Graf. : If Our Lady says this and the Pope says they can't ...

Vicka : The Pope can say what he wants, I tell you how things are!

Graf. : See, from this we arrive at the conclusion that it is not the Madonna ... the  Pope says no, that they cannot celebrate Mass and cannot hear confessions; on the other hand, Our Lady says they can do both. This cannot be.

Vicka : I know what is right (what Our Lady said).

Graf .: It can't be true. I would put my hand on the fire to testify that it is not the Madonna who speaks. When a person has a greater gift, there is also a greater danger that the devil may be at work in that person.

What a degrading humiliation for Our Lady! From these statements, she would be destroying obedience in the Church, obedience to the bishop, to the leaders of the Order, OFM, and to the Holy Father. She would be defending Vego!

11. The appearance in Cerno . Cerno is a village not far from Medjugorje. The eighth day since the beginning of the apparitions in Medjugorje there was an "apparition" near Cerno. The "seers" reported to Father Jozo Zovko, the pastor of Medjugorje at the time, about this event that evening.

They said that Our Lady had said four or five times that another three days would appear, namely the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of July. This was recorded on cassette released by Father Ivo Sivrić OFM. The cassette has been reproduced. A few years later Father Janko Bubalo wrote a book called: A Thousand Meetings with the Madonna. It's a conversation book with Vicka. Vicka does not mention this event, so Father Bubalo asked whether or not the Madonna had said "only three more days". Vicka replied that she didn't remember!

It is evident that Vicka is saying falsehood and that Our Lady cannot say what Vicka says. Vicka is building these claims. Should this remain unknown to the rest of the world? No evil must be done (like saying falsehood of the Madonna) to obtain good (such as pilgrimages, prayers, etc.).

12. The "seer" Marija Pavlović. Here is a written account of the recorded conversation between Father Grafenauer and Marija:

Graf:  Did Our Lady say that the bishop is to blame?

Mary : Si.

Graf:  Did you say that Vego and Prusina were not to blame?

Mary : Sì.

Graf : When Our Lady says that the bishop is to blame, this immediately arouses  suspicions and we could conclude that ... it is not the Madonna who speaks. The visionaries are actually ... spreading the word that the bishop is to blame.

Marija: Our Lady told us.

Graf:  This is causing rebellion in Herzegovina and these are not good  fruits. People will be angry with the bishop and offend his reputation. How can Our Lady do such things? The Church knows ... well that the Madonna is good and would never do such things.

Marija: Our Lady told us.

Bishop F. Franić, Father Laurentin and many others know all this, but they say nothing. What kind of theology can these statements of the Madonna accept, through the declarations of the "seers", for which their teacher, pastor and liturgist - the bishop, who legally received his task from Christ through the Church - has no love of God in his heart, who is declared a sinner throughout the world, who should be converted and who will be given prayers in Medjugorje for this intention? Also statements were made that Jesus himself would have prayed for the events of Medjugorje. To say that the bishop must obey the judgment of the Madonna is an absurdity. It is an offense against the Madonna, Mother of the Church. God knows that I am not without sin, and that Our Lady could criticize me, however God alone is the judge. I have never been reprimanded or admonished by the Holy See for my episcopal service.

13. The creator of Medjugorje, Father Tomislav Vlašić , among other things, has published and distributed in many languages ​​a 17-page booklet entitled: A call in the Marian year,Milan, March 25, 1988. The book concerns the foundation of a prayer group for young men and women (of Medjugorje) who would have lived together in Parma, Italy, something unheard of in the history of the Church. They would have been those who would have saved the world. The Madonna would have given to Father Vlašić and Agnes Heupel (a German woman who would have recovered in Medjugorje) the inspiration to establish and guide this community in a similar way to Saint Francis and Saint Clare, as described by Vlašić. In order for this action to succeed, Father Vlašić asked Marija Pavlović to add "his testimony" in three pages. She is a member of the community and on April 21st 1988 she wrote: "I feel the need ..."

In conclusion, Our Lady gave a specific program to this community of the "Queen of Peace" and leads the community through Father Vlašić and Agnes who give messages to the community. I've been in the community for a month and a half. I have apparitions and Our Lady guides me in the mystery of suffering that is the foundation of this community. I have to transcribe everything and publish this when Our Lady tells me. I understood God's plan that He began through Mary in the parish of Medjugorje.

The quotation is taken from pages 15 and 16 of the text by Father Vlašić. The defenders of Medjugorje quickly understood that this community of young men and women who live, sleep, work and pray together in the same house, would have destroyed itself and Medjugorje sooner or later. They then sent their Provincial, Father Jozo Vasilj to Parma. He went together with the bishop of Parma, Monsignor B. Cocchi and Father T. Vlašić to the Congregation in Rome. They were told that the Church cannot allow the existence of such a community and was ordered to Father Vlašić to dissolve the community and return to Herzegovina. Vlašić did not immediately obey, however he returned later. This is what was explained to me by Father Jozo Vasilj about the community.

14. Marija Pavlović herself made another public statement on 11 July 1988. The declaration was printed on a sheet of paper and distributed in the same way as the statement of 21 April 1988 (referred to in paragraph 13). In this statement she retracted the claim that the Madonna had given her approval to the Vlašić / Heupel community in Parma. He explained that Father Vlašić had pressured her to make that statement that did not correspond to the truth. (The full text of this declaration was dated May 1990).

15. Marija does not deny having made the first statement . Father Vlašić sought statements from her several times and this obviously means manipulation of one of the "seers". Thus we can conclude that Marija consciously said false at least or the first or second time. He lied and  this he attributes to the Madonna. It is clear to me that she (Marija) is a toy in the hands of Father Vlašić. This was clear to me even before, but so far I had no concrete evidence to support it. Father Vlašić manipulated all the visionaries in the same way. ^[6]Under this type of manipulation, Marija said that Our Lady was crying when someone mentioned the bishop at a prayer meeting: "From the Madonna flowed a great tear. The tear slid down his face and disappeared into a cloud under his feet. The Madonna began to cry and went up to heaven crying. "(August 22, 1984) - an obvious invention of Father Vlašić to scare the bishop.

Why don't the defenders of Medjugorje mention these statements of Marija? Do these "bad" things have to be hidden from the world because there are many "conversions" to Medjugorje? Father Laurentin writes in his book Demières Nouvelles 3 , on page 27, that a certain monsignor asked Marija to pray for a message from Our Lady for her (of the monsignor) priests. Marija replied: "Our Lady said they should read Laurentin's book and spread it!"

It is a terrible sin to attribute our lies to Our Lady. When the world knows about this, who will believe them anymore? They have been discredited. No one can destroy this concrete proof. It will be reproduced and spread by word of mouth. I know that there are many who ignore this material. They accept the events of Medjugorje irrationally, with great emotion and personal interests. They are blind, but these documents will remain part of the history of the Church and of Mariology.

16. Il "veggente" Ivan Dragicevic.Regarding the "great sign", Vicka mentions it 13 times in the diaries, and mentioned 14 times in the parish newspaper, 52 times in the boxes, and on numerous occasions in talks with the bishop. In the spring of 1982, I asked the "seers" to write everything they knew about the sign without making the public "secret". The way I suggested them was to write the information on the card in duplicate. Then this would have been sealed in an envelope and a copy would have remained with them, and one with the bishop. So when the "sign" occurred, we would open the envelopes and see if the "sign" was predicted or not. Father Tomislav Vlašić, pastor of Medjugorje at the time, told the "seers" to say that Our Lady had told them not to write anything for anyone, and so they did not. Ivan Dragićević was in the Franciscan minor seminary in Visoko, Bosnia, at the time and was not informed. Two members of the first commission, dr. M. Zovkić and dr. Ž. Puljić (now bishop of Dubrovnik), went to visit Ivan in Visoko. They gave him a sheet of paper that was a bit greenish in color with typed questions. Ivan wrote the content of the "sign", given the document and signed it in their presence without saying a word or any sign of fear. A few years later, Father Laurentin wrote that Ivan had told him personally that he had written absolutely nothing on that sheet of paper and had deceived the two members of the Commission. On March 7, 1985, three members of the Commission went to ask Ivan if what Laurentin had written was true. Ivan said it was true and that they could continue freely and open the envelope in the office of the chancellery because they would only find a blank sheet of paper. They returned to Mostar where the Commission was meeting and in front of all the members opened the envelope. In the envelope, on a sheet of greenish paper, they found written the content of the sign:

Our Lady said she would leave a mark. I reveal the content of this sign to your trust. The sign is that there will be a great shrine in Medjugorje in honor of my apparitions, a sanctuary to my image. When will it happen? The sign will take place in June.

Data: 9 maggio 1982. Veggente: Ivan Dragicevic.

After hearing this lie, the members of the first commission wanted to finish everything without further work, but they remained. A few days after this event, Father Slavko Barbarić OFM took the "seers" somewhere and instructed them all, including Ivan, to write in a statement that Ivan had not revealed the sign!

Ivan sent messages from the Madonna to the bishop. On April 24, 1984, Our Lady said the following regarding the bishop:

"My son Jesus is praying for him that he (the bishop) believe and therefore behave better for Medjugorje." She added: "How would he react if my Son should appear on earth? Then would you believe? "

Regarding the Commission, Our Lady says only: "Pray, pray, pray!" Meditate and live the messages I have given you and you will see why I came. "

Ivan Dragicevic,  Medjugorje.

17. According to Ivan:  "Tell the bishop that I seek his rapid conversion to the events of Medjugorje before it is too late. May he accept these events with an abundance of love, understanding and great responsibility. I want you to avoid creating conflicts between priests and to stop making their negative behavior known. The Holy Father gave all bishops the task of performing certain functions in their respective dioceses. Among these, the parishes in Herzegovina. For this reason I look for his conversion towards these events. This is my second and final warning. If what I seek does not happen, my judgment and the judgment of my Son awaits the bishop. This means that he did not find the way to my Son Jesus ". Our Lady told me to give you this message.

Best regards

Bijakovići, 21 giugno 1983

Father Tomislav Vlašić brings me this document that, much more than probably, he himself had written in a moment of exaltation.

18. Ivan kept his own diary of apparitions for a couple of years. This diary was not made public as even that of Vicka, and neither were the writings of either. The diaries are original sources of events, yet they are full of naive statements, obvious falsehoods and absurdities. They are a good proof of the fact that the "seers" do not see the Madonna or receive messages from her. These messages were written by someone else and data to be signed by Ivan as if they were his own. When Father Grafenauer brought me passages from Vicka's diary, I later asked Vicka to bring me the diary. He wrote me on May 7, 1983: "I discovered that they are distributing passages from my diary ...". This was a very important point that the commission accepted as a good argument that the diary was written by Vicka herself or that she considered it her own. Later, also Father T. Vlašić reached this conclusion and then in 1984 he declared to the Commission and to me, that Vicka did not write that letter to me, but rather that a Franciscan (probably the same Vlašić) had done it and that he had given it to him to sign! There are many similar examples of manipulation, but none has clear and clear evidence like this.

19. Secrets and secrecy.From the beginning of the "apparitions", to avoid uncovering inconsistencies in their account, the "seers" were obviously instructed to state that the "Madonna" speaks differently to each of them. When the "secrets" were created at the table, everyone had to have his own (60 in total) and no one had to reveal them to anyone. Mirjana and Ivanka received a letter from the Madonna that no one had to read. At the beginning there were no moments of ecstasy or the community was avoided. They admitted to having been consulted, asked "Madonna" to be able to write down the contents of the "big sign" on paper and seal it in an envelope. The "Madonna" replied: "No!" However, Ivan transcribed the sign and then said (this was also recorded on tape) that the "Madonna" had not scolded him for doing so. The secrets had to be given to a priest (a Franciscan). Why were they not given to the Commission, the bishop or the Pope? In the first months they often said that the "big sign" would come: very soon, quickly and so on ... At the end of the first year, they changed their tone. Vicka wrote "The life of Our Lady" for a year and a half, and this is a great secret that will be published "when Our Lady will allow it". The Commission asked this diary about the Madonna, but the "Madonna" did not consent to their request. Can the Commission even see the diary without taking it or opening it? No he can not! This turns out to be a plan to make fun of those who are naive enough to wait for this sign until the end of the world. I stated earlier, and now I repeat this statement,

20. Slander against the bishop."Even the bishop believed in the beginning". This is not true. While the communists persecuted the Franciscans, the "seers" and the pilgrims, I defended all of them and therefore I did not change my mind "because of the threats of the commission of the republic or because the diocesan priests wanted this from me". This is simply an artificial malice on the part of many. While I was publicly defending the imprisoned Franciscans, Father Jozo Zovko said during the investigation that the bishop is a "wolf" and a "hypocrite". These are the exact words transcribed from his judgment. Zovko NN's lawyer asked through a colleague what I had done to Zovko to deserve such heavy charges. Father T. Vlašić has often placed the words of the "Madonna" on the lips of the "seers", like the affirmation of the "Madonna" that Satan (in this case the bishop) wants to destroy his plan. He wrote all this more clearly in a letter to friends of the Vatican. I complained about this accusation - the fact that he called Bishop Satan - in front of Vlašić and his provincial. He did not deny my objection but rather justified his words by saying that he had written them under the influence of an intense emotion. A person can say something with a strong emotion, but this cannot be transcribed and translated into foreign languages. He did not deny my objection but rather justified his words by saying that he had written them under the influence of an intense emotion. A person can say something with a strong emotion, but this cannot be transcribed and translated into foreign languages. He did not deny my objection but rather justified his words by saying that he had written them under the influence of an intense emotion. A person can say something with a strong emotion, but this cannot be transcribed and translated into foreign languages.

21. From their fruits. The most common argument of the Medjugorje defenders is that the fruits of the events of Medjugorje prove that Our Lady is appearing there. Those who know a little more than the pilgrims who come to Medjugorje say: the fruits of Medjugorje's most ardent defenders show that they themselves do not believe in apparitions. If all the "bad things" could be made public, then surely the answer would clearly be negative on the part of everyone. However, fathers Laurentin, Rupčić, Vlašić, Barbarić and others meticulously hide the truth. If the defenders of Medjugorje meet someone who is skeptical about the apparitions, they quickly isolate that person, accuse him of something and declare her mad (Jean-Louis Martin ^[7]). The majority of the pious public was naively the victim of great propaganda, of the story of apparitions and healings. These people themselves became the biggest propaganda for events. They do not even stop to think that the truth has been hidden by deliberate lies. They are not aware of the fact that not even a miraculous cure has taken place that has been verified by competent experts and institutions such as the Bureau Medical de Lourdes. No one knows that little Daniel, old Jozo  Vasilj, Venka Brajčić and the others mentioned in the first books on Medjugorje were not healed.

22. Promises of healing are a feature of events.When they don't happen as promised, then they are denied because they were never recorded on tape or written on paper. There have been many promises that have ended tragically. What we are interested in knowing is whether or not the "Madonna" gives these promises, or if they are not created by the "seers". The tragic end of Marko Blažević, as described by the Archbishop Emeritus of Belgrade, Monsignor Turk, says a lot about the "promises" of healing. The archbishop wrote on 22 May 1984 that he had been admitted to the cardiology department of the Belgrade hospital. He was given the bed that had previously been occupied by Marko Blažević of Buna, near Mostar, who was to undergo an operation. Blažević told the archbishop and many other patients, doctors and employees of the hospital that Our Lady had promised, through the "seers", that the operation would have succeeded. A nun who witnessed the operation wrote to me later that Blažević's wife and daughter had spoken to her with fanatical faith in the "promise of Our Lady". Even a doctor had been convinced of this promise. The patient did not wake up after the operation. During the operation, a group of patients prayed fervently outside the doors of the operating room. Many spoke of this incident which left many people disappointed and mortified towards believers of other faiths and atheists. Father Vlašić, with his typical way of hiding the truth, managed to convince the daughter of the late Blažević to go to the bishop and tell him that Our Lady had told them only to pray, not that she had promised that the operation would go well.

23. The Franciscans and the diocesan clergy. The relations between the Franciscans and the diocesan clergy concerning pastoral duties in the parishes of Herzegovina were established by a decision of the Holy See in 1899 at the suggestion of the Franciscans themselves and of the then bishop Paškal Buconjić OFM. According to this decision, the parishes should have been divided equally into two groups of 50% of the faithful (between the Franciscans and the diocesan clergy). Since there was no diocesan clergy at the time, in 1923 the parishes legally due to them were left to the Franciscans ad nutum S. Sedes. Bishop Čule, the first diocesan bishop of Mostar, was sentenced in 1948 to 11 years and 6 months in prison (by the communist regime). He served eight and a half years of this sentence before being released. At the end of his incarceration the number of diocesan priests began to increase. In 1968 the Holy See ordered the Franciscans to cede five parishes to the diocesan clergy. They barely gave two parishes. In 1975, after many years of talks and consultations, a decree was issued by the Holy See concerning the division into parishes of Herzegovina ( Romanis Pontificibusof 6 June 1975). The Franciscans publicly and collectively denounced this decree although they administered more than 80% of the faithful in the diocese of Mostar. In 1976, due to their disobedience, the hierarchy of the Franciscan province, together with provincial Šilić, lost their authority and since then the province has lost its independence and the General of the Order directly governs the province ad instar. Another punishment was that in 1979 the Franciscans of Herzegovina were not allowed to participate in the election of the General. The first point mentioned by the new General to his brothers in Herzegovina was: "The development or creation of obedience and cooperation with the bishop of Herzegovina". Disobedience prevails, now as before, and the "Madonna" from the beginning has defended the disobedient Franciscans. Vicka writes in her diary of apparitions that the bishop is to blame for all the disorder in Herzegovina. This is repeated many times. The Franciscans themselves are divided. The Franciscan opposition that defends Medjugorje has managed to depose its superiors ad instarwho had developed good relations with the bishop, and placed a group that defends Medjugorje. The new provincial ad instar, Father Jozo Vasilj, failed to create peace and order among the brothers, so he fled to the missions in Zaire and will not return! (fruit?). He was replaced by the vice provincial and the general asked for obedience from everyone else otherwise the province will be abolished. "Now that everyone takes responsibility before judicial sanctions are imposed or the province is abolished" ( Acta Ordinis Fratrum Minorum,  fasc. 1/89). The province will not have its own hierarchy until the decree ( Romanis Pontificibus) will not be made effective. Three OFM visitors who visited the province in 1988 said that there is not a single Franciscan in the province who is in favor of implementing the decree. This opinion is exaggerated, yet still important.

24. This is only a portion of the "good fruits" of events. However, the pilgrims only know that the bishop "hates the Franciscans". A good number of Franciscans in the province cooperate well with the bishop and those Franciscans do not even believe in the apparitions. Some of them never set foot in Medjugorje.

A number of good Franciscans have asked me to write something so that, together, we can begin a battle against the lies of Medjugorje, because they believe that "God will severely punish us Franciscans because we have spread lies and falsehoods in the world and we have obtained money."

Of the 100 diocesan priests of the dioceses of Herzegovina, not one believes in the apparitions. Of the 42 bishops of Yugoslavia (ordinary, auxiliary and emeritus), only one was clear in declaring their ideas and defended the events. Of the 15 members of the first Commission, which was formed by the bishop of Mostar with the help of the bishops and provincials of Yugoslavia, the 11 said that there is nothing supernatural about the events of Medjugorje, two (Franciscans) have affirmed that the appearances are genuine, one member said that there was something in the core (at the beginning) and one abstained. Contrary to what has been circulated by the defenders of Medjugorje, the Holy See has never requested, seen or passed a judgment on the three-year work of the Commission. Nor has the Holy See ever abandoned the bishop.

25. From the beginning of the eventsI warned the Franciscans that they had to wait for the judgment of the Church, to be able together to seek the truth. The leaders of the events, however, aimed to bring the masses as soon as possible to Medjugorje, to make a lot of money for propaganda and to use the Madonna in their battle against the bishop. They made miracles for the sun. Many pilgrims have damaged their eyes by looking at the sun. They cited 50, 150, 200 and 300 healings and said all sorts of things seeing that the faithful believed everything they said, especially when Bishop F. Franić and Father Laurentin were there to support them. The faithful of Medjugorje look at events as they have been instructed, as happens in all other places of apparitions, be they true or false.

26. Italians know the "story" of Gigliola Ebe Giorgini very well, the founder of the false order "Pious Work of Merciful Jesus." Separated and remarried civilly, she spent some time doing quackery. He gathered young women for his order and received and earned huge amounts of money. He had two priests at his service and many houses. He led a double life and had false stigmata that he did himself. Her "sisters" followed her fanatically and called her Mother Ebe. He also had male vocations, but someone who then left her declared that he led an immoral life. He had many jewels and gold, two yachts, thirty-two furs, etc. Many in the Church objected to his way of life while others fanatically defended it, citing the good fruits. He even received praise from two bishops. Twice during the night the police raided her room in the mother house and found her in bed with one of her seminarians. A scandal broke out and she was sentenced twice to several years in prison along with a Franciscan who was her confessor. The press has been talking about this scandal for years. An illicit film was also made, but his followers fanatically and blindly defended it even when the order lapsed. According to them she was a saint who had attracted many vocations, and for many it was a sufficient subject that from the "fruits" she had obviously been inspired by God! Religious blindness is extremely difficult to cure. Fanaticism led to the beginning of heresies in the Church, today it leads to the foundation of sects. A scandal broke out and she was sentenced twice to several years in prison along with a Franciscan who was her confessor. The press has been talking about this scandal for years. An illicit film was also made, but his followers fanatically and blindly defended it even when the order lapsed. According to them she was a saint who had attracted many vocations, and for many it was a sufficient subject that from the "fruits" she had obviously been inspired by God! Religious blindness is extremely difficult to cure. Fanaticism led to the beginning of heresies in the Church, today it leads to the foundation of sects. A scandal broke out and she was sentenced twice to several years in prison along with a Franciscan who was her confessor. The press has been talking about this scandal for years. An illicit film was also made, but his followers fanatically and blindly defended it even when the order lapsed. According to them she was a saint who had attracted many vocations, and for many it was a sufficient subject that from the "fruits" she had obviously been inspired by God! Religious blindness is extremely difficult to cure. Fanaticism led to the beginning of heresies in the Church, today it leads to the foundation of sects. however his followers fanatically and blindly defended it even when the order lapsed. According to them she was a saint who had attracted many vocations, and for many it was a sufficient subject that from the "fruits" she had obviously been inspired by God! Religious blindness is extremely difficult to cure. Fanaticism led to the beginning of heresies in the Church, today it leads to the foundation of sects. however his followers fanatically and blindly defended it even when the order lapsed. According to them she was a saint who had attracted many vocations, and for many it was a sufficient subject that from the "fruits" she had obviously been inspired by God! Religious blindness is extremely difficult to cure. Fanaticism led to the beginning of heresies in the Church, today it leads to the foundation of sects.

Protestant pastor Jim Jones had developed a large charitable organization in southern Chicago, and had collected large sums of money and many followers of his sect. To be freer in their work, about a thousand of them went to Guyana, South America, where they founded "Jonestown" as their homeland. They established a dictatorship with fanatical obedience to their "Messiah". Much was written about the terrible things that happened, about the immorality of Jones and how some who had tried to flee the community had been captured and killed. Then they were without money. Rumors spread that the US military would intervene, so Jones ordered them to retreat to the jungle. Seeing no way out, he asked everyone to take their own life to travel to eternity. Over nine hundred of them went with cups to a large pot to drink poison and then fall dead. What gave them the strength to commit suicide? The fanaticism! However, when the Christian faithful hear of apparitions and miracles, they accept these events as facts, without having a minimum critical attitude towards events. They then remain trapped in their own blindness and fanaticism. Whatever you say is automatically believed, like the claim that the normal rosaries in Medjugorje turn into gold! And people really believe that! without having a minimum critical attitude towards events. They then remain trapped in their own blindness and fanaticism. Whatever you say is automatically believed, like the claim that the normal rosaries in Medjugorje turn into gold! And people really believe that! without having a minimum critical attitude towards events. They then remain trapped in their own blindness and fanaticism. Whatever you say is automatically believed, like the claim that the normal rosaries in Medjugorje turn into gold! And people really believe that!

27. This blindness towards the events of Medjugorje has also affected some priests and bishops. Many Italian priests (like Amorth, Restrelli and others) could easily have known that the bishop, the Commission, the bishops of Yugoslavia, a part of the Franciscans and all the diocesan priests do not believe in the events. But they avoided the truth, although I received anyone who investigated the events and gave them my time. I am particularly surprised by the lack of collegiality of some bishops. No one has the duty to accept my judgment, but everyone is obliged by conscience to study well the events of Medjugorje before taking a position, especially if that person has a position of authority in the Church, like the bishops.

What have they done to you, Madonna! For nine years they have taken you around as a tourist attraction. They talked to you wherever they liked, as if you were a fortune-teller. They have made messages, and they say that you come and appear, but beyond their arguments they have nothing to prove that what they say is true. The whole world is waiting for a "big sign" and the naive are still waiting and believing. Unfortunately those who lead these events are not changing their attitude although the threat of the General to abolish the province hangs over them.

This is just a small list of what I would like to write about. I hope to have the opportunity to write more extensively, with precise documentation, and to publish a book on these events.

28. There are many prayers and pious activities in Medjugorje . Some say there have also been conversions. I have indeed received many really moving letters, and I am sorry for those who will be disappointed sooner or later. But there have also been fanaticism, superstition and misinformation about the events of Medjugorje. I also received many vulgar accusations in the mail that I cannot bring back, all in the name of the "Queen of Peace". What is positive in these events cannot justify the falsehoods and lies that have been spread to convince the world of God. Jesus said: "I came into the world to bear witness to the truth" (Jn 18:37) . The Church could easily attract the masses if it abolished the sixth commandment, allowed divorce, allowed everyone to believe and do what he wanted. But Jesus died on the Cross for the truth, and the martyrs gave their lives for the truth. Saint Paul wrote to his faithful: "If anyone preaches to you a gospel different from the one you have received, let him be anathema" (Gal 1: 9). Today, many prayer groups around the world pray with the prayer book by Fr. Ivica Vego and meditate on the supposed messages of Our Lady as if they were more important than the Bible and the magisterium of teaching the Church. I believe, despite these events, that Our Lady will ask for the graces necessary for the Church to live the truth of Christ.

I know that there will be many sincerely devoted souls who will misunderstand me and consider me an enemy of Our Lady. I have been to Lourdes many times and to other sanctuaries of apparitions that the Church has recognized. What I am doing is defending the truth, defending the Church, and praying to God to be able to give my life for it.

29. Those who wrote about Medjugorje sold their books well and made great profits. Unfortunately, those who wrote critically didn't go so well because they ran into an organized boycott. For the other side of the story, people should read:

Sivrić, Dr. Ivo, OFM. (A Franciscan born in Medjugorje and now living in St. Louis, MO, USA), The Hidden Side of Medjugorje (The hidden side of Medjugorje, Psilog Editions, 1989, CP 300, Saint-François-du-Lac, Quebec, Canada, JOC 1M0, Tel. (514) 568-3036.

Gramaglia, PA,  The Equivocation of Medjugorje, Marian Apparitions or Phenomena of Medianity? Claudiana, Turin, 1987, pp. 172.

Jones, E. Michael, Medjugorje: The Untold Story (Medjugorje, untold story, Fidelity Press, 206 Marquette Avenue, South Bend, IN, 1994, pp. 144.)

Pavao Zanic, Vescovo di Mostar

This text is reported in English in the book Medjugorje after Twenty-One Years - 1981-2002, The Definitive History (Medjugorje after twenty-one years, 1981-2002, the definitive story) by Michael Davies, which is freely downloadable at:

www.mdaviesonmedj.com/fulltext.rtf

For information, comments and questions about the Italian translation write to:

see ritasPrimaCaritas@gmai1.com
http: //VeritasPrimaCaritas.googlepages.com
August 2006

[1]   Pavao Žanić, coadjutor bishop (from 1970 to 1980) and then ordinary (from 1980 to 1993) of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno (which includes Medjugorje); the alleged apparitions of the Madonna in Medjugorje began in 1981 (na).

[2] At the time, John Paul II. (NDT)

[3] Order of the Friars Minor.

[4]   Frane Franić, auxiliary bishop (from 1950 to 1960) and then ordinary (from 1960 to 1988) of the Diocese of Split-Makarska (Editor's note).

[5]   Two Franciscan chaplains of Mostar, Ivan Prusina and Ivica Vego, were expelled from the Order, exempted from the vows and suspended a divinis in accordance with the procedure of the Holy See dated 11 December 1980. Father Onorio Pontoglio, Vicar General and Procurator of the The Order gave the announcement of the resignation on behalf of the Order on January 29, 1982. Due to the procedural error in the trial against them, the sentence was annulled, but without questioning the facts on which the sentence was based. In the case of Vego the cancellation is irrelevant since he married his lover and is therefore no longer Franciscan ... See D. Kutleša (ed.), Ogledalo Pravda(The Mirror of Justice, the position of the diocesan Curia towards Medjugorje, Mostar, 2001), p. 64. Prusina now lives in Germany and is not allowed to exercise the presbyteral office in Herzegovina.

[6] A German photographer, Walter Fürhoff, testified that he had seen Marija Pavlović while in Vlašić's company copied messages he had written for her.

[7] The "seers" have always asserted that during their "ecstasies" they remain immobile and without any contact with the outside world. On 14 January 1985, the French cameraman Jean-Louis Martin, wishing to check the veracity of this statement, made a sudden movement with his fingers towards the eyes of Vicka Ivanković. Vicka gave a start and moved her head back; the scene was filmed. Vicka's explanations in this regard were not very convincing, but see also M. Davies, "Medjugorje after Twenty-One Years", quoted later in the final notes. (NDT)

pdf -  Statement by Monsignor Pavao Žanić, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, published in May 1990.