If a new investigative commission reaches a recognition that certain characteristics indissolubly connected with the phenomenon of the apparitions speak against their authenticity, then the love of truth demands that this be made known with all clarity and that Catholic Christians be warned expressly against "pilgrimages". The principle is valid here: "bonum ex integra causa; malum ex quovis defectu" ("Good comes from an undamaged cause; bad from some kind of defect"). If a drink is mixed with rat poison, it's not sufficient to point out that it contains only two percent strychnine with 98 percent water: the whole drink has to be poured out. If the Church does not, herself, finally lance the boil that is connected with Medjugorje, then anti-Catholic groups will do the job and with pleasure. And then the patience extended to the enthusiasm of Medjugorje could become a boomerang that attacks the Church from inside, if the groups previously connected with the Bosnian "place of pilgrimage", finally disillusioned, should turn against the Faith and the Church. And that could also explain that the devil takes "good fruits" as part of doing his business in Medjugorje: if he can bring forth a vastly greater harm to the Church in the end.
Pastoral love must not be separated from the love of truth.
About time someone said it.
Yeah, you might have gone to Medjuwhatsit and had a big ol' emotive experience, you might have said the Rosary with attention for the first time in your life.
You might even have cried.
But something Novusordinarians need to learn is that your feelings about the Faith are not the Faith.
H/T to Fr. Tim
Thanks for mentioning this!
ReplyDeleteI've posted an English translation of the full interview at the Catholic Light blog.