The status
of the purported apparitions of Mary at Medjugorje remain an open question
within Catholicism, though many reject such (e.g., E. Michael Jones; Robert Sungenis;
Patrick Coffin). Notwithstanding, there are some leading Catholics who are
supporters of Medjugorje, including leading Mariologist Mark Miravalle. In his Introduction to Medjugorje, we read about
the apparitions and the locutions thereof, and the prayers coming out of the
apparitions. Indeed, as with the theology of the (approved) apparitions at
Fatima and elsewhere, Mary presents herself as being co-redemptrix and
co-mediatrix (cf. paragraphs 967-970 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church):
Mary’s role as “mediatrix” or secondary
mediator, of the grace Christ merited on the cross is referred to in the
Thursday Message of May 17, 1984: “My Son wishes to bestow on you special
graces through me.”
Our Lady as mediatrix of all graces is
referred to in the June 19, 1986 message:
Dear children, in these days, the Lord has
allowed me to intercede for more graces for you . . . With these graces, dear children, I want your
sufferings to be for you a joy. I am your Mother and I want to help you. (Mark
Miravalle, Introduction to Medjugorje 2d
ed.; Goleta, Calif.: Queenship Publishing, 2004], 47)
And:
The visionaries asked whether people should
be praying to Jesus or to her. The answer, “Please pray to Jesus. I am His
Mother and I intercede for you to Him. But all prayers go to Jesus. I will
help, I will pray, but everything does not depend on me, but also on your
strength—the strength of those who pray.” (Ibid., 127)
Elsewhere,
Mary advocates both attendance to the Mass and the traditional dogmas of the
Mass (e.g., it being a propitiatory sacrifice):
The May 30, 1984, message encourages Mass
attendance:
Children, I want the Holy Mass to be the gift
of the day for you. Go to it; long for it to begin, because Jesus Christ
Himself gives Himself to you during Mass. So, live for this moment when you are
purified. Pray much that the Holy Spirit will renew your parish. Of people
assist at Mass in a half-hearted fashion, they will return with cold, empty
hearts.
The Mass, as the continuation of the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary, is the summit of prayer and worship of
God:
The Mass is the greatest prayer from God, and
you will never understand the greatness of it. Therefore, you must be perfect
and humble as Mass, and you must prepare for it.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is stressed
at a time when great graces are received:
Adore continually the Most Holy Sacrament of
the Altar. I am always present when the faithful are in adoration. Then special
graces are being received.
The Madonna has called for a renewal of Mass
attendance, including the “very young” of each family: “ . . . encourage the
very young to pray and to go to Holy Mass.” Perseverance in attending Mass
despite hard weather will bring about the Lord’s abundant reward (November 2,
1985). But mere attendance without whole-hearted participation is not enough:
Dear children, I am calling you to more
attentive prayer and participation in the Mass. I wish you to experience God
within yourselves during Mass (May 16, 1985).
The Blessed Virgin summons all the faithful
to live the Mass throughout the day:
There are many of you who have experienced
the beauty of the Mass, but there are some who come unwillingly. I have chosen
you, dear children, and Jesus is giving you His graces in the Holy Mass.
Therefore, live consciously the Holy Mass.
Let every coming to Holy Mass be joyful. Come with love and accept the Holy
Mass (April 3, 1986). (Ibid., 64-66)
On the topic
of the Mass, see my series of articles:
Responses
to Robert Sungenis, Not by Bead Alone (2000/2009)
In the
appendix to his study, Miravalle discusses and reproduces the prayers revealed
at Medjugorje, including the “Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart
of Mary”:
On April 19, 1983, Jelena Vasilj asked Mary
how to consecrate oneself to her Immaculate Heart. Jelena reported receiving
the following prayer of consecration (obtained from St. James Parish,
Medjugorje):
O my Mother,
Mother of goodness, of love and mercy,
I love you infinitely,
and I offer myself to you.
Through your goodness, your love
and your grace, save me.
I love you infinitely,
and I desire that you protect me.
From the bottom of my heart I pray to you.
Mother of goodness,
give me your goodness.
Give it so that I may gain heaven through it.
I pray to you, for your infinite love,
to give me the graces
so that I may love each man,
as you loved Jesus Christ.
I pray that you may give me the grace
to be “mercifuil toward you,”
I offer myself totally to you and I desire
that you watch over my every step.
You are full of grace,
and I want to never forget this.
And if I should ever lose my graces,
I pray that you will restore them back to me.
Amen. (Ibid., 265-66)
I know I
might sound like a broken record, but as I have said many times on this blog, “Mariology
matters,” and the theology of apparitions, whether Medjugorge whose status
remains open, or approved apparitions, such as Fatima (1917) and Lourdes (1858)
only proves such.
For a
lengthy discussion of Mariology, see my book:
Behold the Mother of
My Lord: Towards a Mormon Mariology
Appendix: “Private Revelation” in Roman
Catholicism
Miravalle
has a useful endnote addressing “private revelation” (p. 113 n. 1) which I will
reproduce as I am sure many will find it interesting:
Private revelation consists of a supernatural
manifestation of Christian truth made after the close of public revelation
(Sacred Scripture and Tradition) with the death of the last apostle. The Church
can give her “negative approval” to a private revelation or apparition by
stating that there is nothing contained in it contrary to faith and morals. In
approving an apparition or a revelation, the church does not intend to
guarantee the authenticity of the respective private revelation, but states
that the content of the apparition can be accepted by the faithful without any
doctrinal danger in regard to faith and morals.
It is considered reprehensible for any member
of the faithful to contradict or ridicule a revelation after the Church has
given her negative approval. Further, if after prudent judgment, it has been
personally determined that a given revelation is authentic, the one who has
received the revelation should accept it in the spirit of faith, and if the
private revelation contains any message for others, those persons also have an
obligation to accept the truth of the revelation and act upon it.
