Catholics in Australia’s Eastern States are confused about the upcoming visit of renowned Medjugorje author Wayne Weible.
Mr Weible is conducting an Australian tour from February 28 to March 15, where he will speak at 14 venues in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.
The Record understands Catholic priests, religious and laity in the area are uncertain whether attendance at Mr Weible’s talks is permitted, in light of a letter written on behalf of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) to the US bishops last year.
In the October 31 letter, the Papal Nuncio to the United States Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano declared that Catholics could not attend events that assumed the validity of the Medjugorje apparitions.
Writing to the US bishops, Archbishop Vigano said “no cleric or faithful may participate in any meetings, conferences, or public celebrations in which the authenticity of the apparitions are taken for granted”.
General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Fr Brian Lucas said he had “not heard anything” regarding whether such events are permissible in Australia.
Apostolic Nuncio to Australia Archbishop Paul Gallagher said while he too had not been given any directives from the Vatican on the matter of Medjugorje, the letter to the US bishops was not entirely irrelevant to the rest of the world.
“I have received no instructions from the Holy See which I have been asked to communicate to the bishops of Australia,” he said.
“However, the prudence of the principle underlying Archbishop Vigano’s letter seems clear.”
Parramatta priest Fr Christopher Sharah FSF said he was “surprised that Mr Weible is permitted to speak anywhere in the Catholic Church in Australia and promote Medjugorje”.
“The Church has not stated that the so-called apparitions are worthy of belief,” he said.
“The apparitions have been carefully investigated by their local bishops and they have declared them unauthentic. Therefore, I feel that it would be far wiser to forbid any promotion of Medjugorie and wait for the Church to speak officially on the matter.”
A superior of a NSW religious community, who did not want to be named, told The Record her community viewed the issue as one of obedience to the Church. “Speaking tours by seers and people like Wayne Weible are giving people false hopes and preempting the Church’s final decision on the Medjugorje events,” she said.
“They are just paving the way for mass devastation and possible schismatic-type reactions should the Church’s decision be negative.”
The organiser of Mr Weible’s tour Julie Powell said the American author has the “permission and support” of the archbishops and bishops of the dioceses he is visiting in Australia.
Mr Weible has written nine books on the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje, and has spoken to audiences worldwide.
In 2010, an international Vatican commission began investigating the events at Medjugorje to determine their legitimacy.
The commission completed its work last month, with its report to be examined by the CDF before Pope Francis makes a final decision on the matter.
It is not the first time the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje, which began in 1981, have been investigated.
Commissions were held from 1982 to 1990 at both local and national levels.
The 1991 declaration made by the Bishops’ Conference of Yugoslavia remains the current status of Medjugorje: “On the basis of studies made so far, it cannot be affirmed that these matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations”.