On Saturday, 21 July 2018, the Diocesan Bishop Msgr. Ratko Perić received Archbishop ad personam Henryk Hoser, S.A.C., Bishop-emeritus of Warszawa-Praga, the recently appointed Apostolic Visitor with special character for the pastoral reality of the parish of Medjugorje in the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno. The mandate of the Apostolic Visitor to Medjugorje is of "a temporary duration ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" (at the disposition of the Holy See).
Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia-Herzegovina, accompanied the Apostolic Visitor from Sarajevo.
In an hour long conversation with the Apostolic Visitor and the Apostolic Nuncio, the Diocesan Bishop expressed his respect for the decision of the Holy Father Pope Francis on appointing Archbishop Hoser as Apostolic Visitor to the parish of Medjugorje, manifested his willingness towards necessary co-operation and wished him God’s abundant help in his Apostolic Visit, which begins tomorrow, Sunday, 22 July.
While noting the fact that the final ruling on the authenticity of the “Medjugorje phenomenon” is reserved to the Supreme Authority of the Church, the Bishop unambiguously reiterated the permanent position of the Chancery Office of Mostar, that is, of the former Bishop Ordinary Pavao Žanić (1980-1993) and the current Ordinary, that on the basis of the numerous investigations, it does not hold as authentic, any "apparition", any "message", any "secret", any "parchment", of which the local Bishops regularly informed the Holy See and the Catholic public. Amongst these unbelievable apparitions of the "Medjugorje phenomenon" are also included those of the first seven or ten days of the year 1981, of which the Diocesan Bishop gave an argumented explanation, which has already been published in Croatian, English and Italian.
The Apostolic Visitor said that he has been appointed exclusively for the pastoral reality in Medjugorje and that his task is to strengthen the unity of the Church.
The Bishop added that this fraternal encounter, for which he also sincerely thanks the Apostolic Nuncio and the Apostolic Visitor, serves towards strengthening true peace and unity in this local Church.
