The Catholic Church, as in every situation involving possible apparitions, follows a path of serious, prudent, and faith-guided discernment. The main criterion remains the one indicated by the Gospel:
“You will recognize them by their fruits.” (Mt 7)
Over time, the Church has developed a solid doctrinal tradition, supported by theology and enriched by the witness of the saints.
It is her duty to be vigilant, and if necessary, to declare spiritual phenomena as inauthentic whenever doctrinal errors, dangers to the faith, diabolical origins, deceptions, or falsifications are identified.
In the case of Medjugorje, after more than 40 years, the Church has never issued a negative judgment. On the contrary, it has acknowledged numerous positive spiritual fruits, such as:
• deep conversions,
• return to prayer and the sacraments,
• religious vocations,
• reconciliation, healing, and inner peace.
For these reasons:
• Since 1981, the faithful have been free to go to Medjugorje and to personally believe in the apparitions.
• Since 2010, the Holy See has followed Medjugorje through an international commission and then through the appointment of an apostolic visitor (Mons. Hoser and his successors) with specific and stable responsibilities.
• Since 2019, the Church has authorized official pilgrimages, including those organized by parishes and dioceses.
• In 2024, the Vatican granted the "Nulla Osta" (no objection) to public devotion to the Madonna, Queen of Peace.
• The messages of Medjugorje have been analyzed by ecclesiastical authorities and contain nothing contrary to Catholic faith or morals. For this reason, even though belief in them is not obligatory, their reading, meditation, and dissemination are permitted and encouraged among the faithful. They currently enjoy ecclesiastical approval, meaning the Church recognizes their spiritual and pastoral value, even without officially declaring their supernatural origin. In other words, belief is not mandatory, but there is nothing the Church considers harmful or contrary to the faith. Additionally, each new message is reviewed by the apostolic visitor, appointed by the Pope, before publication.
The Church does not impose belief in apparitions but accompanies them with prudence, respect, and responsibility, supporting all that fosters a true encounter with God.
Revelation was fulfilled with the Gospel: no true apparition adds new truths or contradicts the faith. However, the signs that lead to Christ must not be ignored. As the Church teaches everything that brings souls closer to God deserves attention, respect, and discernment.
In this spiritual context, Medjugorje presents itself as an extraordinary and unprecedented reality in the recent history of the Church:
• The apparitions are still ongoing—a rare event in both duration and intensity.
• A definitive judgment on the supernatural origin has not yet been issued : has neither officially recognized nor denied the apparitions.Â
• Yet, there is a concrete recognition of the spiritual fruits and the pastoral value of the place
• This attitude of the Church implicitly expresses a fundamentally positive judgment: what is happening in Medjugorje does not oppose the faith but revives and strengthens it.
It is a living and current example of ecclesial discernment in action, where the Church does not jump to conclusions but remains vigilant, open, and docile to the signs of the Holy Spirit.
Medjugorje is a gift
A gift that has illuminated the faith of many, awakening the thirst for God and the urgency of conversion of heart.
Mary does not announce new doctrines.
She reminds us, with motherly tenderness, to live the Gospel with love, humility, and truth.
Her presence, constant and silent, guides souls toward her Son, Jesus, at the heart of the Church.
Her message is universal, addressed to believers and seekers alike, speaking to the heart with simplicity, light, and truth.
“If this work is from God, you will not be able to destroy it.”Â
In the Catholic faith, Jesus is the Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures (e.g., Isaiah, Micah).
Born into the people of Israel, He fulfilled the promises of the Old Covenant and revealed God’s saving love to all humanity.
He is true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
Through His life, death, and resurrection — as announced in the Gospels and foreshadowed in the Law and the Prophets — He inaugurated the New Covenant and founded the Church on Peter, the first Apostle (cf. Matthew 16).
Its spiritual roots go back thousands of years to the faith of Israel, as it shares the Scriptures and heritage of the Jewish people.
The Catholic Church believes in one God in three divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Only God is adored (worshiped) — and this adoration is expressed through the prayer of the faithful, especially in the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father), the reading of Sacred Scripture, the praying of the Psalms, and the celebration of the Mass, where the Eucharist — the true Body and Blood of Christ — is received and adored.
Catholics give special veneration to Mary, the Mother of God, and honor the saints as faithful witnesses and companions on the path to holiness.
They are not worshiped, but prayed to for their intercession — just as one might ask a friend to pray for them.
Mary holds a unique and honored place in Catholic tradition as the Mother of God (Theotokos) and the Mother of the Church.
She is believed to be ever-Virgin — before, during, and after the birth of Jesus — and was preserved from original sin from the first moment of her conception (Immaculate Conception), so she could fully receive and guard the Son of God.
As the first to say “yes” to God’s plan, Mary is a model of faith and obedience.
She is honored under many titles that express her role in salvation history and in the life of the Church — including: Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Peace, Queen of Angels, Our Lady of Sorrows, and more.
Her own words, proclaimed in the Magnificat (“My soul magnifies the Lord…”) express her humility and praise for God's mercy and justice (cf. Luke 1), and reveal her role in God's saving plan for all generations.
With over 1.3 billion faithful, it is the largest Christian Church in the world, led by the Pope and based in the Vatican, Rome.
Unlike other Christian communities that later separated, the Catholic Church has preserved the original apostolic faith, handed down through Sacred Scripture and Tradition.
Christians together make up about 31% of the global population.
Its core beliefs are professed in the Creed, and its message is universal — for every people and nation.
Throughout history, the Catholic Church has been shaped and enriched by extraordinary saints, thinkers, and witnesses of faith — including St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Benedict, and St. Francis of Assisi.
These figures not only deepened Christian theology and spirituality, but helped shape Western civilization through education, philosophy, and culture.
The Church has also given rise to countless missionary and social saints — such as St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. John Bosco, and many others — who have served the poor, the sick, the abandoned, and the marginalized across the world.
Today, religious orders and Catholic institutions continue this mission globally — even in the most difficult or forgotten places — bringing education, healthcare, peacebuilding, and human dignity where no one else goes.
In its Scriptures, its living faith, its works of charity, and its moral voice, the Catholic Church offers a heritage that is spiritual, cultural, and humanitarian.
It remains the only Christian tradition with a continuous apostolic foundation, universal structure, and global mission for the good of all humanity.
As Christ said: “By their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7)
The Catholic Church is led by the Pope and centered in the Vatican, Rome (Italy).
To learn more, visit the official website of the Holy See:
đź”— www.vatican.va