Faith in the Faith

The overall takeaway from visiting Medjugorje is a profoundly invigorating conviction of the authenticity and power of the faith.

Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger

Returning from a long-awaited pilgrimage to Medjugorje (Bosnia-Herzegovina), I am overwhelmed and inundated with what feels like a deep soul-wave of peace. This seemed to start almost from the moment of my arrival in Sarajevo, the capital of the country, and welled up as I approached the site of a series of (ongoing) manifestations of a Marian presence.

Since June 24, 1981, six visionaries, aged 10-16, not closely related at the time, have reported ongoing appearances of the Blessed Mother and delivered several messages which bear a consistent blessing of peace through prayer, fasting and penitence. Peace is most definitely the atmosphere that pervades this small town, where even the taxi drivers regularly greet passengers with “God bless you.”

To be honest, I have never been particularly drawn to the Tinseltown trappings of many shrine environs, with their religious kitsch and quickly plastered ferro-concrete dormitories designed to insulate the masses as much as possible from any taste of the cultural or historical richness of the host city and country. Medjugorje has its signs of urban crawl, with hastily paved-over country roads to accommodate the onslaught of pilgrimages, and looming fast-food counters, but not so much as to suggest mercenary exploitation of the reported events. Those who have encountered the visionaries over the years — many of whom remain accessible on site — may be surprised that they don’t appear in albs with the likes of rosaries around their necks, but even seem somewhat mystified by what has happened around them.

Stories continue to circulate of experiences of visions of twirling suns and an oily effluent from a local sculpture of Jesus granted to some. Many come to the site with very specific hopes of healing or spiritual conversion. The Franciscans on site with whom I spoke and the papal administrator who graciously granted me an audience impressed me with their gentle, pastoral care for all in their charge and true respect for what the Lord is accomplishing through the loving maternal oversight of the Mother of God.

Significantly during our stay, we celebrated the feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria (June 27), who was instrumental at Ephesus (431) in promoting that title. We also commemorated the 42nd anniversary of the start of the visions on Saturday, June 24, the vigil of the Birth of John the Baptist, and Saints Peter and Paul on June 29 — all of which put into relief the profoundly ecclesiological significance of what we are also experiencing spiritually, and do personally.

Many who have come to Medjugorje echo similar sentiments to what I and most of my fellow pilgrims experienced. Though I can attest to a number of incidents that sparked with glimpses of saints and angels up to their holy mischief (a lost and found cufflink, surprise re-encounters with old friends, blessings sought from strangers that drew tears of transforming joy), the overall takeaway is a profoundly invigorating conviction of the authenticity and power of the faith — what might even be called “faith in the Faith.” It’s all true!

The message of Medjugorje is not so much a revelation of “new” truths but a re-invigorating awareness of the Gospel message first proclaimed in the apostolic era. The relevance of the Faith is not so much in its ability to “adapt” to contemporary culture — or any particular culture — as to shed light on it and transform it. One particularly moving experiencing was an encounter with some young people at a local Cenacolo (Cenacle) house where we heard some powerful witness from men who had lost their way in the seductions of the modern world, deep into various addictions, and found their way back to joy and purpose through the practice of prayer, work and fraternal community support. Something in the air around this place smacks of the Holy Spirit.

For those romantically inclined who prefer their pilgrimages in beautiful surroundings, I can assure you that Medjugorje would not disappoint. The country is stunningly beautiful, in fact, I was totally surprised by a landscape full of rivers and mountains and waterfalls that reminded me of places I had only seen in movies like “Jurassic Park.” For some reason, memories of the bloody war in the ’90s and the horrendous ethnic cleansing that pitted Muslims and different Christian sects against each other in that period of instability also evoked ugly images of destruction, a charred countryside, a parched almost desert-like setting reminiscent of the Iraqi desert. On the contrary, the land is lush and vibrant and full of life, its people industrious, welcoming and profoundly spiritual, despite the political vicissitudes.

For those who prefer their pilgrimages to be more of an austere nature, as travelers along El Camino de Santiago, you will not be disappointed either. The famous walk up to the hill of the apparitions will challenge anyone not in top shape and I saw not a few under fifties hovering about with the canes and walking sticks in heavy supply around town. A major theme that the visionaries echo over the years is the call to penitence and, if possible, the observance of fasting (bread and water) on Wednesdays and Fridays. We were served no meat on Friday at our lodgings.

The religious observances, the Masses and the sacramental confessions, were all simple and beautiful. The presence of a young Croatian violinist, who gave up a world-class career in order to share her talent with the pilgrims, enhanced the beauty of the Eucharistic celebrations. Privileged as I was to officiate at a number of the Masses, I was never joined by fewer than 20 concelebrants. The international appeal of the site at times made it seem like a mini-Rome, with many countries represented from all continents. 

Anyone who has ever traveled in a group, even with the best of friends, is familiar with the tensions and personality friction that can arise at times. Having spent many years during my student days in Rome looking after bands of tourists for many occasions, I can attest to the uniqueness of this pilgrimage experience. While we all experienced the predictable surprises and uncertainties — one of my connecting flights was canceled, the beer in one place was not cold, the Wi-Fi and AC did not always seem up to par — the spirit of generous cooperation among my companions was outstanding. We celebrated several anniversaries and birthdays with I cannot tell you (our waistlines might) how many cakes. The family of our hotels conducted themselves more like disciples in mission than business people, not the exception but the rule in this town. I even met up with a group from our Diocese, traveling with another tour director. Just one more surprise or, should I say, grace that fell on my path.

Medjugorje is definitely a place I would return to. I come away not so much having learned something, like a course one takes and graduates from with knowledge one need not return to the source to acquire, once learned. It is more like a living spiritual spring to which one would return for the kind of soul refreshment that comes from the sense of a presence that is at once personal and peaceful, intimate and generous. Anyone who has spent much time with her knows that this is the kind of care one experiences in the arms of our Blessed Mother. Our faith is her faith. She leads us lovingly to him who is here for us all.

@AlbanyDiocese