Vatican decision sparks big surge in Međugorje pilgrimages

• by croatiaweek
 
• June 26, 2025
 
• in News

Apparition Hill (Photo credit: Michał Maksymilian Gwozdek/Public domain license)

ZAGREB, 25 June  (Hina) – On the 44th anniversary of the reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary, the number of pilgrims gathering at the Catholic Marian shrine of Međugorje is on the rise, following the Vatican’s issuance of the so-called nihil obstat decision.

In September 2024, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the assent of Pope Francis, granted approval for devotion linked to Međugorje, recognising the abundant spiritual fruits received at the Sanctuary of the Queen of Peace without making a declaration on the supernatural character of the Marian apparitions, the Holy See’s Vatican News website said then.

The parish priest in Međugorje, Fr. Zvonimir Pavičić, said today that a noticeable increase in pilgrim numbers has been observed since the Note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith was published last year.

“The only thing that has changed is that now people are coming who hadn’t come before,” said Fr. Pavičić. He added that many of the new pilgrims, who were previously sceptical, have now been encouraged by the Vatican’s stance, which has led to a rise in pilgrimage numbers.

According to the local tourist board, tens of thousands of pilgrims arrived for the 44th anniversary of the Marian apparitions.

According to its director, Ante Kozina, in addition to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, the largest organised pilgrimage groups came from Italy, France, the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Ukraine, Brazil, Spain, and the United States.

(Photo credit: gnuckx/CC BY 2.0

The Međugorje phenomenon is linked to the claims by six visionaries that Mary has been appearing to them in Međugorje, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, since 1981 and sending them messages of peace, which is why she is called the Queen of Peace. They reported the first apparition on 25 June 1981.

The Holy See has established a special commission which has submitted its report on the Međugorje phenomenon to Pope Francis. In the meantime, a special papal envoy has been appointed for this parish.

Since the start of this phenomenon, 50 million pilgrims have visited Međugorje.

 

Embracing St. Francis’ ‘Canticle of the Creatures’

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The Canticle of the Creatures

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor
And all blessing.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy
To pronounce your name.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,
And first my lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you have made them, bright
And precious and fair.

All praise be yours, My Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
So useful, lowly, precious and pure.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how gay! Full of power and strength.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon
For love of you; through those who endure
Sickness and trial.
Happy those who endure in peace,
By you, Most High, they will be crowned.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those She finds doing your will!
The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,
And serve him with great humility.

—St. Francis of Assisi—

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Living the Canticle

“The Canticle of Creatures,” composed by Francis of Assisi, is having a moment, as the saying goes—or really a year—as we celebrate the 800th anniversary of its composition this year. Composed in increments between 1225 and 1226, in the last year of Francis’ life, the canticle begins most famously by turning to the natural world as reason to praise God, before then turning to peacemakers and finally to death, all as reminders to us to give praise to our God. Read more…

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All Creatures Great and Small

Francis of Assisi wrote his “Canticle of the Creatures” as a hymn of praise to God for all things great and small—and that includes us. Do you realize how fortunate you are to be a member of God’s menagerie of creatures? Read more…

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One Family of Creation

Will we see our pets and other creatures in the next life? Only God can answer a question like this. But because of his preaching to the birds and his growing respect for other creatures, St. Francis seemed to be developing the insight that God’s plan of salvation is perhaps larger than most of us have imagined. Read more…

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A Deep Dive into This Historic Poem of Praise

So Francis blessed his fruitful and beautiful existence. He blessed all nature and life, victorious over death and evil; he blessed the sun that illumines man’s joys and sorrows, his struggles and triumphs; he blessed the earth, where man may merit heaven; and he thanked God for having created him. Read more…

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Richard Rohr on St. Francis’ Love Song

Richard Rohr, OFM, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, discusses the importance of Francis’ “Canticle” on Franciscan Media’s Off the Page podcast. Learn more…

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Simple and Sublime

We could simply say that Francis’ prayer life was, “My God and my all!” and stop at that. Everything that can be stated about prayer in the life of St. Francis of Assisi is expressed in those four little words. While the truth is contained in that brief and holy phrase, the way in which Francis reached that apex of prayer needs exploration. Read more…

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My Own Canticle

As the world became smaller, the world around me became larger. For more than two years, we have endured the changes that COVID-19 has brought: businesses shuttered, campuses emptied, travel slowed. We hunkered down in our homes to protect ourselves and our neighbors. Stay inside. Wash your hands. Socially distance. Wear a mask. Read more…

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St. Francis and His Canticle of the Creatures

As a Franciscan friar, I am very familiar with the stories of St. Francis of Assisi and animals. Many of you no doubt are familiar with the story of this brown-robed friar preaching to the birds. Or maybe that of his releasing Brother Rabbit from a trap, or letting Sister Raven serve as his “alarm clock” to awaken him for early morning prayers. Read more…

Will We See Our Pets in Heaven?

How do we answer children when they ask: “Will I see my dog in heaven?” As I see it, this question is not only an urgent concern for the children. I believe that most adults also have a deep desire to know if, in the next life, we will see our pets and all the other lovely creatures alongside whom we now inhabit this planet. Read more…

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St. Francis and the Animals

Francis was no stranger to walking great distances to share the Good news. One story tells us that Father Francis and his companions were making a trip through the Spoleto Valley near the town of Bevagna. Suddenly, Francis spotted a great number of birds of all varieties. There were doves, crows and all sorts of birds. Swept up in the moment, Francis left his friends in the road and ran after the birds, who patiently waited for him. Read more…

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I’d Like to Say: St. Francis Reminds Us of Our Place in Creation 

Francis of Assisi is an example of a religious person in the Christian tradition who stood rightly in creation. Francis was probably one of the first deep ecologists in the tradition without ever trying to be one. Deep ecology was a movement that arose in the 1970s in response to the environmental crisis. It highlighted the fact that we humans stand in the web of life and not above or beyond it.

  OVERHEARD IN HARRIS & HOOLE...

(An occasional feature)

20th June 2025

Absolutely beautiful morning in Uxbridge. Myself, Mary Winterbourne,  Sebastian D'Orsai and Tony of the Big Saloon got together this morning in Harris & Hoole. We were fortunate to be joined for the first time by two recently retired teachers from Uxbridge High School, Machinegun Kelly and Frances 'Fanny' Dango. The following conversation could be overheard:

Gene: Now folks I have got some news and I'm afraid it is not good. Dear old Detters appears to be on the way out. A number of former Tessers are regularly in contact with me (Inky, Wordsworth, Florian Gassmann, Scintillant, Jacob among them) and they all assert that the end appears nigh. Detterling faces the final curtain. It seems he will not live beyond this summer. How they know I do not know. 

Mary Winterbourne: Gene this is so sad. I did think that Detters was never the same since the publication of Granny Barkes Fell in Woolworth's.

Gene: Yes  Mary, Granny Barkes Fell in Woolworth's  being published knocked him for six - but there are other factors in his decline. Remember he is a very old man. Eighty-one by George! 

Tony of the Big Saloon: Detterling was also knocked for six with the revived outrage that the pinko-liberal Left had condoned the existence of the PIE back in the Seventies. And, by the way, did you know that both Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir wrote supporting paedophilia? The Left has a disgraceful history here.

Gene: I also feel that Swashbuckling Mulligan's devastating satire on Detterling's hypocrisy on LBGTQ+ issues had a most deleterious effect on the old boy.

Fanny Dango: My word! These chocolate eclairs are delicious!

Ducky Duckworth:  Detterling will be so missed at the Good Yarn Friday Night Club.

Sebastian D'Orsai: Undoubtedly!

Machinegun Kelly: We had so many great laughs about Detters at the Friday Night Club. Remember when he arranged to meet Gene at the Bloomsbury Crest Hotel and announced he would be wearing a blue denim jacket, lovat chinos and green woolen socks in open-toed sandals? How we laughed!

Tony of the Big Saloon: What about Detterling's memoirs? Any news of publication?

(Loud laughter from all)

The future of many care homes and hospices will be put in grave doubt if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill becomes law.

In a statement on the precarious situation facing care homes and hospices if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passes its Third Reading on Friday, 20 June, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and Archbishop John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool, said:

'We call attention to the fact that the future of many care homes and hospices will be put in grave doubt if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill becomes law.

'Our Parliament has now rejected amendments that would have allowed such institutions not to be involved in assisted suicide. Minister Stephen Kinnock MP, Kim Leadbeater MP, as well as other MPs, indicated that the rights that this Bill will give to individuals to seek assisted suicide, and to employees to participate in an assisted suicide, are likely to trump the mission and values of institutions such as hospices and care homes.

'In other words, a right to assisted suicide given to individuals is highly likely to become a duty on care homes and hospices to facilitate it. We fear that this Bill will thereby seriously affect the provision of social care and palliative care across the country.

'Institutions whose mission has always been to provide compassionate care in sickness or old age, and to provide such care until the end of life, may have no choice, in the face of these demands, but to withdraw from the provision of such care.

'The widespread support which hospices attract from local communities will also be undermined by these demands which, in many cases, will require these institutions to act contrary to their traditional and principled foundations.

'This tragedy can only be avoided by the defeat of this Bill on Friday.'

 In a statement on the precarious situation facing care homes and hospices if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passes its Third Reading on Friday, 20 June, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and Archbishop John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool, said:

'We call attention to the fact that the future of many care homes and hospices will be put in grave doubt if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill becomes law.

'Our Parliament has now rejected amendments that would have allowed such institutions not to be involved in assisted suicide. Minister Stephen Kinnock MP, Kim Leadbeater MP, as well as other MPs, indicated that the rights that this Bill will give to individuals to seek assisted suicide, and to employees to participate in an assisted suicide, are likely to trump the mission and values of institutions such as hospices and care homes.

'In other words, a right to assisted suicide given to individuals is highly likely to become a duty on care homes and hospices to facilitate it. We fear that this Bill will thereby seriously affect the provision of social care and palliative care across the country.

'Institutions whose mission has always been to provide compassionate care in sickness or old age, and to provide such care until the end of life, may have no choice, in the face of these demands, but to withdraw from the provision of such care.

'The widespread support which hospices attract from local communities will also be undermined by these demands which, in many cases, will require these institutions to act contrary to their traditional and principled foundations.

'This tragedy can only be avoided by the defeat of this Bill on Friday.'

 

Church of England admits failure over sisters' 'sadistic' abuse

Image source,Supplied

Image caption,

The Read sisters Jenny, Wendy and Christina were abused as children

Martin Lindsay

BBC Investigations, North East & Cumbria

Published
6 hours ago

The Church of England has apologised to three sisters who say they were "fobbed off" after reporting historical child sex abuse claims.

Jenny, Wendy and Christina Read said they were "frequently" abused as young children by their father, a female church warden and a male curate in night-time "sadistic rituals" at a north-east England church.

An independent review commissioned by the Church found the institution's failure to take action "compounded" the women's trauma, while Cleveland Police "missed opportunities" to investigate for which the force apologised.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury when two of the reports were made, said he regretted how he handled the allegations.

This report contains distressing details

The sisters, who have waived their right to anonymity, said they reported the abuse three times to the Church and police years later but inadequate action was taken.

The Church, which never investigated, acknowledged its response "fell short of today's standards".

Meanwhile the police agreed they missed opportunities in their investigations, but said they would reinvestigate if new evidence came to light.

Image source,Supplied

Image caption,

Mary Wairing was never criminally investigated before her death in 2015

The women's father died in 1996, while church warden and family friend Mary Wairing died in 2015. The BBC is not naming the curate or the sisters' father for legal reasons.

Wendy said she was raped by her father and the curate and then forced "to watch when they did the same thing to my sisters".

Jenny said her memories were of violence while Christina recalled being subjected to physical, emotional and spiritual abuse by Ms Wairing.

• If you have been affected by any issues raised in this report, help and advice is available on the BBC Action Line

All three sisters have been diagnosed with several mental health conditions linked to childhood sexual abuse.

They have also shown the BBC hundreds of documents detailing their correspondence with the Church of England since the early 1990s and said their attempt to get evidence of what action the Church took had been a "horrendous" experience.

'Dismissed and trivialised'

The sisters reported the allegations to three Bishops in the Church of England – in 1993, 2003 and 2005.

The curate and Ms Wairing still had active roles in the Church at the time of those disclosures.

In 1993 Wendy had sought the informal advice of the then-Bishop of Monmouth Rowan Williams, who she knew from university.

She said he told her he had spoken to the relevant bishop "to support Wendy's approach and urge him to respond".

Dr Williams told the BBC he also took steps to confirm the identity of the curate at the time.

In 2003, a year after becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Williams was formally informed in writing of the allegations when Wendy reported the claim to the Bishop of Whitby Robert Ladds.

Wendy said Bishop Ladds left her feeling "dismissed and trivialised" when he "questioned the reliability of childhood memories".

Bishop Ladds recommended at the time she contact the police, but she felt she had "been there and done that" after a criminal investigation 10 years earlier brought no charges.

"It felt like he wanted nothing to do with it," Wendy said.

Bishop Ladds said the Church of England had responded on his behalf, he had cooperated fully throughout and he would be making no further comment.

Image source,PA Media

Image caption,

Dr Rowan Williams was Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012

Dr Williams told the BBC that Church structures made it difficult for him to take action.

"At the time this would have meant in practice that a local bishop would normally assess, with professional advice, whether action should be taken and of what kind," he said.

"There are some difficulties in overruling such a locally based process.

"I could not as Archbishop simply have suspended a priest in another diocese on my own authority."

After learning Bishop Ladds was not going to investigate, Dr Williams said he "could and should" have pressed the local archbishop to take it up, adding: "I very much regret that I did not follow up in this way."

He said he "may have misjudged what needed to be done".

Wendy said the Church's failure to commission a formal investigation was "really disappointing and frustrating".

The sisters reported their allegations to the Church again in 2005, but Dr Williams said he was not aware of that report.

'Church truly sorry'

An independent report commissioned by the Church – known as a Learning Lessons Review (LLR) – concluded the sisters "had been subjected to abuse based on the consistency of their testimonies, the graphic and detailed re-telling of their abuse, and therapy required".

It concluded the "initial disclosures were poorly handled" and the response from the institution in 1993 and 2003 "compounded the harm" for the sisters.

Jenny was shocked to learn the Church had no record of two of the sisters' reports being made.

"There's fobbing off," she said, adding: "It feels deliberate. I don't think they want to give me answers.

"They're either incompetent or they're covering up."

Jenny also accused the Church of "a lack of transparency" and being "secretive".

The Church of England said it "strongly" denies suggestions of a cover up.

A spokesman said it was "truly sorry" for the response the sisters received when they made their initial reports.

The Church said its "response to survivors who come forward today is very different" and it "would always seek" to put them at the centre of its response.

The relevant Diocese said it had "worked closely" with the sisters since 2020 and ensured they received "ongoing therapeutic, specialist and financial support".

The Church said the case was reviewed by its national child protection lead in 2003, but admitted the pastoral care initially provided "fell short of today's standards".

It said it was "committed to listening to survivors and the individual needs of the sisters".

The Church's interim leader, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, had met the sisters and offered a "formal apology", the spokesman said.

'Police apologise unreservedly'

The LLR concluded the police response meant "opportunities have been missed" and the force's initial investigation appeared "to lack thoroughness".

The force has also apologised to the sisters.

Their father was arrested in 1992 when they first reported the abuse but neither the curate nor Ms Wairing were interviewed.

Another complaint was made to police in 2003 but there was no investigation.

In 2020, Cleveland Police investigated the allegations again and the curate was arrested but released due to insufficient evidence.

Christina said the fact Ms Wairing was never formally investigated by the force was the "the biggest offending misconduct".

Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Baker said the force "acknowledges it missed opportunities" in 1993 and 2003, adding: "For this, I apologise unreservedly."

He said he was "satisfied" with the force's 2020 investigation and pledged to investigate any new evidence.

Image source,Supplied

Image caption,

Wendy and Christina say they can never forget what happened

A Church document showed the institution did not investigate following advice from Cleveland Police in 2003, the same year the force now admits it missed opportunities.

"It's incomprehensible that the Church takes direction from the police," said Wendy, who was "speechless and "enraged" by the development.

The Church of England said, "in 2003 the accepted practice was to follow the advice of statutory services".

Jenny thinks "the whole institution [of the Church] is in danger" and nothing less than "a profound reformation" will "solve the problems they've got themselves into".

The Church admits it "must build future foundations" to ensure it's "as safe as it can be".

Christina is demanding a change in attitude from Church leaders.

"Too often I've heard 'that was in the past, you need to forget about it'," she said, adding: "That's somebody who doesn't understand the impact of trauma.

"You can't just forget about it."