Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández believes that the new norms on apparitions, published on May 17, 2024, by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), will help to rule on the case of the controversial Marian shrine of Medjugorje, in Bosnia-Herzegovina. At a press conference at the Vatican, the cardinal explained the reasons behind the DDF's decision to produce this document.
Answering questions from journalists, the DDF prefect referred to the case of the Medjugorje shrine, the site of alleged Marian apparitions since the 1980s. The Vatican launched a commission of inquiry in 2010, and in 2018, Pope Francis appointed an "apostolic visitor" to oversee the devotions and pilgrimages. For the time being, however, the apparitions have not been formally recognized by the Holy See.
New norms will make a prudent conclusion easier
"There is no conclusion yet, but with these norms we think it will be easier to move forward and reach [...] a prudent conclusion," said Cardinal Fernández.
He explained that the DDF would study the case in the light of these new norms, which specify the six possible conclusions that may be reached when ruling on the phenomena in question.
"But even supposing there is a nihil obstat [in which case the Church recognizes that a devotion presents no risk, editor's note], perhaps we'll have to clarify that certain details are not to be taken seriously," the Argentine prelate clarified. He added: "If I remember correctly, the Madonna there gave orders about the schedule, the place, what the bishop should do ... this needs to be clarified."
"A phenomenon can be considered good, not dangerous at the outset, and then present problems in its development," the prefect further explained, assuring that the new standards would make it possible to evaluate "other cases that have been present for many years in the dicastery."
A seer is not a saint
Cardinal Fernández referred to two other places of controversial apparitions: The Lady of All Nations, in Amsterdam, and Our Lady of Trevignano Romano, near Rome. While both cases continue to attract pilgrims despite a declaration of "non-supernaturality" from Rome, the prefect indicated that the situation would be monitored with caution. A "very extreme decision" would be excommunication. He also mentioned that excommunication for schism was a sanction reserved for his dicastery.
Speaking to the press, Cardinal Fernández also stressed that the visionary of an apparition need not necessarily be canonized. "It's not said at all that he or she is a saint," he said, explaining that the Church makes few pronouncements on supernatural phenomena, partly to avoid this confusion. "A seer can be a good person today, and tomorrow he can do anything. He is free and weak like everyone else," he added.
No review of past phenomena
Older phenomena, such as those behind long-standing shrines, will not be reviewed under the new standards. As long as no problems are raised and the local bishop does not wish to make a new assessment, those cases will not be re-examined, said Cardinal Fernández.
The cardinal also explained that it was difficult to assess the total number of cases, given that "many cases have not reached the dicastery, and have been managed locally."
While the Church wants to be "prudent," this does not mean "believing in nothing," said the prefect, citing John Paul II's personal devotion to the merciful Christ described by the visionary St. Faustina Kowalska or the theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar's friendship with the mystic Adrienne von Speyr.
"On the one hand, there is prudence, on the other, there is the danger of extinguishing the Spirit who acts so freely, outside our patterns," the prelate said.
In the past, "the bishop was left to his own devices"
Hinting at a cultural shift in the way supernatural phenomena are handled in the Catholic Church, the Argentine cardinal recounted how, up until now, Rome participated with the bishops in overseeing such things, but was careful never to appear publicly in the decisions that were handed down at diocesan level.
The dicastery "sometimes allowed a bishop to make a statement, or even ordered the bishop to make a statement, but forbade him to name the [Vatican] dicastery," the cardinal revealed. He went on to quote instructions sent to bishops, such as, "You must not name the dicastery." In the end, "the bishop was left somewhat alone to face the consequences of the decision," admitted the prefect.
Quoting from the note, the Argentine prelate explained that from now on the bishop will have to "make clear" to the faithful the judgment established by the dicastery on the phenomenon in question.
Cardinal Fernández's anecdotes about mystics
To demonstrate that mystical phenomena are common throughout the world, but that in the vast majority of cases, parish priests are quite capable of discernment, Cardinal Fernández graced the hundred or so journalists with a few examples drawn from his own experience.
“During the years when I was a parish priest,” recounted the Argentine prelate, "a woman said she had revelations that the Messiah wanted to return to earth. Shortly afterwards, God revealed to her that she herself was to be the mother of the Messiah. ... But it was about to get even worse. A few days later, God would reveal to her that the Messiah's father was to be ... me."
After drawing laughter from the audience, the Argentine cardinal stressed that in cases where the phenomena are "easily manageable," the parish priest alone can resolve the situation by remaining vigilant.
