Miguel Augusto (*)
On Thursday, May 31, the Holy Father appointed Archbishop Henryk Hoser S.A. – archbishop emeritus of Warsaw-Prague (Poland) – Apostolic Visitor of a special character for the parish of Medjugorje, for an indefinite period and ad nutum Sanctae Sedis.
The mission of the Apostolic Visitor aims to ensure a stable and continuous follow-up of the parish community of Medjugorje, and of the faithful who go there on pilgrimage and whose needs require particular attention.
It is an exclusively pastoral charge, in continuity with the mission of Special Envoy of the Holy See for the parish of Medjugorje entrusted to D. Hoser, on February 11 of 2017 and completed by him in the last months.
Father Marinko, Pastor of the Parish of Medjugorje, on May 31 shared his emotion and joy: “Dear Brothers and Sisters, today to all parishioners, all friends of Medjugorje and the Queen of Peace, today our Holy Father, Pope Francis, sent us good news! (…)
“With all our heart we want to thank Pope Francis for such wonderful news. We want to say thank you. We thank the Lord; we thank the Queen of Peace. Dear Friends of Medjugorje and of the Queen of Peace, I know that your hearts are rejoicing, filled with joy. With great joy and respect, with faithfulness and loyalty, we are awaiting the coming now of the Apostolic Visitor with special authority, jurisdiction and role, Archbishop Hoser. We await him with joy! Let us, brothers and sisters, with all the more enthusiasm and heart, try to live that which our Mother has been telling us. Let us be her extended hands of peace in the world. May the peace and love of God dwell in our hearts. May we become the carriers of that peace and love throughout the world.”
This step of Pope Francis and the Church for the apparitions of Our Lady in Medjugorje, is a sign of great hope on the path for the official recognition of these apparitions as authentic, giving a joy to all the faithful and confidence for those who live far from these apparitions. We know that the Church has difficulties approving such called “open apparitions” as those of Medjugorje, which have been impressive for more than 37 years – since 1981, starting at the feast of St John the Baptist – and still happening today.
Our Lady has always appealed to conversion, to the importance of the Holy Mass, the Sacraments, penance and a life of prayer in search of sanctity and a true experience of love for our neighbour, always taking us to His Son, Jesus Christ, entitling Herself in Medjugorje as Queen of Peace, She longs for peace in the heart of each one of us.
For the numerous Catholics and Christian followers of Medjugorje, this news, fills the heart with joy and hope, for many have been touched by Our Lady in Medjugorje, seeing miracles happen in their lives, in friends and family. Medjugorje has become a beloved Marian center and sought by every corner of the world. After all, Our Lady is the same Holy Mother, who has come from generation to generation, through the grace of God, to give us support throw our history. She adjusts Herself and become closer, in regards of the people’s culture when She comes down from heaven and shows Herself to the messengers chosen by God, to speak to us, to help us, to invites us to be apostles of Her love and of Jesus love.
Let us accept Mary, Mother of Jesus as our own, another gift from God, which we must embrace with love and gratitude, and have the humility to feel that if Jesus (God) gave us His Holy Mother, it is because She is also crucial to the experience and living of our faith, and for our salvation.
(*) with Vatican news and Marytv.tv
Follow
