attracted millions of people over the
years in spite of public disavowals of
the apparitions by the Bishops of
Mostar. The appearances still continue,
albeit in limited number, for some of
the seers, who affirm that they meet
with the Virgin Mary at a certain time of
day, wherever they are. When the
apparitions in Medjugorje began, a
diocesan commission was established,
whose work was then taken over by the
Bishops' Conference of Yugoslavia. The
latter, however, failed to take a position
on whether the phenomenon was
supernatural or not the Conference
concluded in 1991 with the declaration
“Non constat de supernaturalitate“—
that is, “It is not proven that there is
anything supernatural here.” On
January 18, 2014, the Director of the
Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico
Lombardi, confirmed that the
international commission investigating
the events in Medjugorje had held its
last meeting on January 17, 2014.
Cardinal Camillo Ruini presided over the
commission, established in early 2010
by Joseph Ratzinger (formerly Prefect of
the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith until he was elected Pope
Benedict XVI in 2005). The commission
reportedly had completed its work and
would submit the outcomes of its study
to the Congregation. The director of the
Vatican press office said that "the
commission itself does not take
decisions and does not make the final
pronouncements, but provides the
results of its study, its vote—to put it in
technical terms—to the Congregation,
which will then take the appropriate
decisions.”
In September, 2013 the Episcopal
Conference of Emilia-Romagna
published the book Religiosità
alternativa, sette, spiritualismo. Sfida
culturale, educativa, religiosa
[Alternative Religions, Cults,
Spiritualism: Cultural, Educational, and
Religious Challenge]. The book is
published by the Libreria Editrice
Vaticana [Vatican Publishing House]. In
the book, bishops talk about these
subjects: terminology typology of
alternative religions, cults, spiritualism
origin of the phenomenon and reasons
for its spreading problems posed by
the diffusion of new religions and
general and specific pastoral response.
REPORT FROM Spain and
Latin America
Luis Santamaria and Erika Toren
In February the Spanish government
approved a draft of a new law giving
civil validity to religious ceremonies
performed by the Mormons, Orthodox,
Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Buddhists in
Spain. Until now only civil ceremonies
were recognized.
26 ICSA TODAY
Correspondents’Reports
years in spite of public disavowals of
the apparitions by the Bishops of
Mostar. The appearances still continue,
albeit in limited number, for some of
the seers, who affirm that they meet
with the Virgin Mary at a certain time of
day, wherever they are. When the
apparitions in Medjugorje began, a
diocesan commission was established,
whose work was then taken over by the
Bishops' Conference of Yugoslavia. The
latter, however, failed to take a position
on whether the phenomenon was
supernatural or not the Conference
concluded in 1991 with the declaration
“Non constat de supernaturalitate“—
that is, “It is not proven that there is
anything supernatural here.” On
January 18, 2014, the Director of the
Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico
Lombardi, confirmed that the
international commission investigating
the events in Medjugorje had held its
last meeting on January 17, 2014.
Cardinal Camillo Ruini presided over the
commission, established in early 2010
by Joseph Ratzinger (formerly Prefect of
the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith until he was elected Pope
Benedict XVI in 2005). The commission
reportedly had completed its work and
would submit the outcomes of its study
to the Congregation. The director of the
Vatican press office said that "the
commission itself does not take
decisions and does not make the final
pronouncements, but provides the
results of its study, its vote—to put it in
technical terms—to the Congregation,
which will then take the appropriate
decisions.”
In September, 2013 the Episcopal
Conference of Emilia-Romagna
published the book Religiosità
alternativa, sette, spiritualismo. Sfida
culturale, educativa, religiosa
[Alternative Religions, Cults,
Spiritualism: Cultural, Educational, and
Religious Challenge]. The book is
published by the Libreria Editrice
Vaticana [Vatican Publishing House]. In
the book, bishops talk about these
subjects: terminology typology of
alternative religions, cults, spiritualism
origin of the phenomenon and reasons
for its spreading problems posed by
the diffusion of new religions and
general and specific pastoral response.
REPORT FROM Spain and
Latin America
Luis Santamaria and Erika Toren
In February the Spanish government
approved a draft of a new law giving
civil validity to religious ceremonies
performed by the Mormons, Orthodox,
Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Buddhists in
Spain. Until now only civil ceremonies
were recognized.
26 ICSA TODAY
Correspondents’Reports
