Medjugorje: priest warns of excessive celebrity focus

Medjugorje: priest warns of excessive celebrity focus


Media over-covered football manager Roberto Mancini’s visit to Medjugorje, says former editor-in-chief of Radio Mir Medjugorje and head of the information centre. Medjugorje may not be subjected to a celebrity and advertising style, Fr. Mario Knezovic writes in Franciscan magazine.

Fr. Mario Knezovic during a Mass in Medjugorje. For several years, the Franciscan priest headed the parish information centre, and served as editor-in-chief of Radio Mir Medjugorje

Medjugorje is modest and silent, and this atmosphere is at odds with excessive media coverage of famous people’s visits, a former head of Medjugorje’s information centre states.

Fr. Mario Knezovic, who further served as editor-in-chief of Radio Mir Medjugorje, was particularly struck by media behavior when football manager Roberto Mancini visited:

“The first day, the entire front page. Inside, three pages of text and photos. The second day, half of the cover and two pages inside. The third day, two pages again. One would think that something big is happening. Turns out a football manager has come on pilgrimage to Medjugorje” Fr. Mario Knezovic writes in Nasa Ognjista, a Croatian Catholic magazine.

Football manager Roberto Mancini followed by reporters in March, during the first of his two visits to Medjugorje in 2012

“The news of the arrival of Roberto Mancini turned into a sensation, as if no one else are coming to Medjugorje during the year. Why this fascination with “ordinary mortals”? Certainly his arrival should be followed, recorded and published about, but not in exceeded measure as in this case.”
To Fr. Mario Knezovic, part of the core identity of Medjugorje is being challenged by recent years’ more frequent celebrity visits.
“Medjugorje can not tolerate to be subjected to an advertising and celebrity style. This world is modest and silent. Those who deny that do not realize that Our Lady herself wanted to stand back and point to Jesus” he writes.

Fr. Mario Knezovic

Fr. Mario Knezovic next points to a column he wrote in the recent issue of Glasnik Mira, the magazine published by the parish of Medjugorje.
“I wrote that every story has a quiet hero who is not destined for this. Some exist and become a part of the story with the motive of recruiting other heroes. Such a story we meet in Medjugorje. “Little” people’s stories often come across as the biggest when we view them with eyes of honesty” he writes in Nasa Ognjista.