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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Homily Based on Medjugorje	John	Sunday, March 2, 2008
Question: I am rather troubled concerning our parish priest's homily at this evening's Mass. On Tuesday night last week, we were visited by Ivan Dragecovic (Medjugorje visionary) and "Our Lady". It was truly a beautiful evening. I know, however, that Medjugorje apparitions and messages are private revelations and have not been approved by the Church. I'm also aware that there is still much controversy surrounding the Medjugorje issue (I've recently discovered our Pope Benedict does not view Medjugorje favourably). My grave concern lies in the fact that our parish priest appears very enthusiastic about Medjugorje (as do many of our parishioners). Tonight, Father spoke favourably and at length concerning last Tuesday night and Ivan's address. I was informed after Mass tonight that by doing this, our parish priest breached canon law by discussing unapproved private revelation from the "pulpit". Personally I'm not opposed to Medjugorje - neither do I necessarily support it. I'm sitting on the fence. But I am concerned that our parish priest may have committed an offence with regard to canon law, and I'm wondering what the repercussions might be. Already it has hit the newspapers and the Catholic Weekly that Our Lady has visited our parish - I'm afraid what might happen should the Cardinal discover what's been going on (as he has already indicated two or three years ago that Medjugorje is not to be promoted. Could you please advise me.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear John: Well to begin with your Cardinal already knows what is going on I can assure you. I am sure he has been fully briefed. As for Canon Law, I am not aware of any Canon, and I cannot find any Canon, that says anything about the priest promoting unapproved private revelations from the pulpit. There is Canon on the content of the homily. Maybe that is what the person was thinking about. Canon 768 states: ß1 Those who announce the word of God to Christ's faithful are first and foremost to set out those things which it is necessary to believe and to practice for the glory of God and the salvation of all. ß2 They are also to explain to the faithful the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church concerning the dignity and freedom of the human person; the unity, stability and duties of the family; people's social obligations and the ordering of temporal affairs according to the plan established by God. In otherwords, the priest is to proclaim and explain the Gospel, the dogmas and definitive teachings of the Church, faith and morals, and the Church's social teachings. The homily is also suppose to be centered on an exposition of the Readings of the Day. I do not know if one can squeeze in a homily on Medjugorje that is essentially a promo. Talking about private revelations in general does deal with the faith in terms of the nature and efficacy of such revelations and our need to be circumspect. Talking about a specific private revelation may be okay in passing to illustrate a point or perhaps more extensively if it serves to teach about faith and morals. However, none of this matters if you are correct about what your Cardinal said and what the Holy See has said. Medjugorje is not to be promoted. PERIOD. If I were your Cardinal I would censure this priest for allowing Ivan to speak on Church property and for spending so much time promoting Medjugorje when he should have been expounding upon the Readings of the Day. The repercussions (which can be merely a talking to, to a formal censure, to disciplinary actions, to whatever the Cardinal decides) will be between the Cardinal and your priest and will normally not be for public knowledge. I would advise that you prayer for your Priest to be faithful to the Church and obedient to his bishop. St. Teresa of Avila once said, "The more we see failure in obedience, the stronger should be our suspicion of temptation." God bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Homily Based on Medjugorje

John

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Question:

I am rather troubled concerning our parish priest's homily at this evening's Mass. On Tuesday night last week, we were visited by Ivan Dragecovic (Medjugorje visionary) and "Our Lady". It was truly a beautiful evening.

I know, however, that Medjugorje apparitions and messages are private revelations and have not been approved by the Church. I'm also aware that there is still much controversy surrounding the Medjugorje issue (I've recently discovered our Pope Benedict does not view Medjugorje favourably).

My grave concern lies in the fact that our parish priest appears very enthusiastic about Medjugorje (as do many of our parishioners). Tonight, Father spoke favourably and at length concerning last Tuesday night and Ivan's address.

I was informed after Mass tonight that by doing this, our parish priest breached canon law by discussing unapproved private revelation from the "pulpit". Personally I'm not opposed to Medjugorje - neither do I necessarily support it. I'm sitting on the fence. But I am concerned that our parish priest may have committed an offence with regard to canon law, and I'm wondering what the repercussions might be.

Already it has hit the newspapers and the Catholic Weekly that Our Lady has visited our parish - I'm afraid what might happen should the Cardinal discover what's been going on (as he has already indicated two or three years ago that Medjugorje is not to be promoted. Could you please advise me.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear John:

Well to begin with your Cardinal already knows what is going on I can assure you. I am sure he has been fully briefed.

As for Canon Law, I am not aware of any Canon, and I cannot find any Canon, that says anything about the priest promoting unapproved private revelations from the pulpit.

There is Canon on the content of the homily. Maybe that is what the person was thinking about. Canon 768 states:

ß1 Those who announce the word of God to Christ's faithful are first and foremost to set out those things which it is necessary to believe and to practice for the glory of God and the salvation of all.
ß2 They are also to explain to the faithful the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church concerning the dignity and freedom of the human person; the unity, stability and duties of the family; people's social obligations and the ordering of temporal affairs according to the plan established by God.

In otherwords, the priest is to proclaim and explain the Gospel, the dogmas and definitive teachings of the Church, faith and morals, and the Church's social teachings. The homily is also suppose to be centered on an exposition of the Readings of the Day.

I do not know if one can squeeze in a homily on Medjugorje that is essentially a promo. Talking about private revelations in general does deal with the faith in terms of the nature and efficacy of such revelations and our need to be circumspect. Talking about a specific private revelation may be okay in passing to illustrate a point or perhaps more extensively if it serves to teach about faith and morals.

However, none of this matters if you are correct about what your Cardinal said and what the Holy See has said. Medjugorje is not to be promoted. PERIOD.

If I were your Cardinal I would censure this priest for allowing Ivan to speak on Church property and for spending so much time promoting Medjugorje when he should have been expounding upon the Readings of the Day.

The repercussions (which can be merely a talking to, to a formal censure, to disciplinary actions, to whatever the Cardinal decides) will be between the Cardinal and your priest and will normally not be for public knowledge.

I would advise that you prayer for your Priest to be faithful to the Church and obedient to his bishop.

St. Teresa of Avila once said, "The more we see failure in obedience, the stronger should be our suspicion of temptation."

God bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum