[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-321068-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-321068-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","medjugorje-matters-introduction","Medjugorje Matters - Introduction","","Medjugorje Matters examines Marian devotion with a focus on the reported apparitions in Medjugorje, framing the events in Bosnia-Herzegovina as now globally significant. It describes how communication and travel have brought thousands of pilgrims seeking solidarity, forgiveness, and reconciliation, while critics interpret the same movement through ethnic-political and intra-ecclesiastical tensions between Franciscan friars and diocesan clergy. The piece argues that the Virgin Mary’s message of peace and conversion remains urgent.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/religion-spirituality/","Religion & Spirituality",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/medjugorje-matters-introduction/321068/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/medjugorje-matters-introduction/321068.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Himbo","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-20","2026-09-21",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why has Medjugorje attracted pilgrims worldwide?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"It has become a global center promoting solidarity, forgiveness, and reconciliation, enabled by advances in communication and cheaper travel for pilgrims from many regions.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How do critics interpret the Medjugorje apparitions?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Critics argue the events transform Medjugorje into a movement with ethnic-political and intra-ecclesiastical ramifications, including disputes involving Franciscan friars and diocesan clergy.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What message does the article emphasize as most urgent?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The article stresses the Virgin Mary’s call for peace and conversion, presenting it as more urgent than ever in a world marked by political, cultural, and religious conflicts.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},321068,1790674336,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,111,116,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":55,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":109},687197100911,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/a000239b6f1da00475?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1785132997149421697","ECUMENICALTRENDS  \nVol 46 No 9 ■ Graymoor Ecumenical &Interreligious Institute ■ October 2017AMinistry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement  \n# Medjugorje Matters\n\n                                    By Ambrose Mong,OP  \npolitically and culturally volatile region.There were rumorsthat the site of apparitions reveals the Madonna's supportfor Croats'nationalistic aspirations.In addition,there wereintra-ecclesiastical conflicts between the Franciscan friarswho have been in the region since the fourteenth century,and the diocesan clergy who attempted to take over theirparishes in recent times.  \n## Introduction\n\nedjugorje,a small mountain village in EasternEurope,has become the center of a global move-ment that promotes solidarity,forgiveness,andreconciliation.Advances in communication and transpor-tation,the availability of cheaper air travel,have enabledthousands of pilgrims from all parts of the globe to visitMedjugorje where many experience peace and consolation.  \nCritics believe the alleged apparitions have transformedMedjugorje into a movement with ethnic-political andintra-ecclesiastical ramifications.Sabrina Ramet speaks ofthe \"manifest functions\"of Medjugorje such as the healingof the sick through divine intervention,and the “latent func-tions”such as promoting solidarity among Catholic Croats.In addition,the apparitions at Medjugorje may also serve asa “concealed function”of reinforcing the members of theFranciscan Order in their dispute with the diocesan clergy.What is striking is that Medjugorje provokes strong reac-tions from both sides:support from the pilgrims that flockthere by the thousands,and strong opposition from the dioc-esan clergy against the Franciscans who promote it.In fact,the local bishop attempted to suppress it altogether.  \nThis articlediscussesthe historicalbackgroundofMariandevotion with a focus on the apparitions in Medjugorje.Theevents that occurred in this secluded mountain village inBosnia-Hercegovina region have now achieved global sig-nificance and people from every continent go there on pil-grimage.The two personal testimonies I have included hereare of pilgrims from Canada and China (Hong Kong).Thisarticle maintains that the message of peace proclaimed bythe Virgin Mary at Medjugorje and her call for conversionis more urgent than ever in our world plagued by political,cultural and religious conflicts.Torn as we are by rivalriesand disillusioned by rampant materialism,the message ofthe Queen of Peace gives us hope that another world is notonly possible but necessary.Medjugorje matters because itsmessage is ecumenical and universal.  \nBe that as it may,devotion to the Medjugorje Madonnaand apparitions continues,crossing confessional and nationalboundaries.Catholic Centers dedicated to Our Lady ofMedjugorje have been established all over the world,attracting even Protestants and Muslims.Distinguished  \nStarting in 1981,the Marian apparitions at Medjugorjehave attracted a lot of attention internationally.In fact,thenumber of pilgrims going to Medjugorje compare favora-bly to those visiting the shrines at Fatima and Lourdes.However,Medjugorje apparitions cannot be simply viewedas just another visionary event because there are certaincharacteristics which have attracted special notice fromcritics.Shrouded in controversies,the visions occurred in a  \ncontinued on page 2  \nRev.Ambrose Mong,PhD is research associate at TheChinese University of Hong Kong as well as assistantparish priest at St.Teresa's Church in Kowloon,HongKong.  \nIN THIS ISSUE  一  \n# Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious WorldRecommendations for Conduct\n\nMedjugorje Matters  \nAMBROSE MONG,OP……………………………………………1Commentary on the Statement“Christian Witness ina Multi-Religious World”HARRY E.WINTER,OM………………………………10  \nPONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUEWORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHESWORLD EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE………………    ……12  \ntheologians such as Robert Faricy,Hans Urs Von Balthasarand René Laurentin spoke favorably of the move","cbCairUMLVUQM4Ee","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCairUMLVUQM4Ee","pdf",1478219,16,"English","# Introduction\n## Marian Apparitions\n## Medjugorje Matters","[{\"question\":\"Why has Medjugorje attracted pilgrims worldwide?\",\"answer\":\"It has become a global center promoting solidarity, forgiveness, and reconciliation, enabled by advances in communication and cheaper travel for pilgrims from many regions.\"},{\"question\":\"How do critics interpret the Medjugorje apparitions?\",\"answer\":\"Critics argue the events transform Medjugorje into a movement with ethnic-political and intra-ecclesiastical ramifications, including disputes involving Franciscan friars and diocesan clergy.\"},{\"question\":\"What message does the article emphasize as most urgent?\",\"answer\":\"The article stresses the Virgin Mary’s call for peace and conversion, presenting it as more urgent than ever in a world marked by political, cultural, and religious conflicts.\"}]","Medjugorje Matters - Introduction | PDF",1789958342]