I will provide the relevant links at the bottom. And, I have an analysis coming soon on some commentary offered on this particular letter at a popular Medjugorje website. For now, just the exchange between Bishop Perić and Sister Elvira.
Prot.: 1691/2008
December 15, 2008
Dear Sr. Elvira,
Following your visit to this Chancery Office on 9 July 2001, during which you verbally sought authorization to establish a chapel in the premises of your activities, you did not receive a positive reply. The former Nuncio to the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Giulio Einaudi was informed of this decision in writing, as was Msgr. Diego Natale Bona, the Bishop of Saluzzo, in your home diocese. Hence, you are well aware that you have not received from this Chancery Office, neither orally nor in writing, any authorization to reside or to work in any fashion as a Catholic religious sister in Medjugorje, outside of your own community which is in Italy.
For some time now, you have made possible to some of the “seers” of Medjugorje to present their private “apparitions” before the faithful in the premises where you are working, and this usually on the 2nd day of each month (enclosed is an illustrated detail of the 2nd of October of this year). Due to the fact that you do not have any competent ecclesiastical approval to work as a religious sister in Medjugorje separated from your religious community of origin, in the same way and even more so, you have no permission to bring any private “seer” to your premises in order to organize her “apparition” performance before curious onlookers.
Hoping that you will not only immediately put an end to such practices regarding your favors to the private “seers”, but that you will also resolve your status as a religious sister according to Church norms, I wish you the assistance and enlightenment of the Child-God of Bethlehem.
Ratko Perić, bishop
Sr. Elvira’s reply:
Sr. Elvira replied to the above letter on 8 January 2008 (in Italian). Amongst other things she writes: “I wish to assure you that regarding the ‘private apparitions’ which you mention in your letter, that occur on the 2nd day of each month, we are not the ones who decided or organized or sought them on our premises; we simply accepted the request that was submitted to us.
After having received your letter, we shall communicate to the parties concerned, that this will no longer be possible.
Regarding my religious status which you mention, I wish to communicate to you that I do not reside permanently in Medjugorje, which I visit every so often, as I do other places in Italy and the world, in order to visit our youth communities which through Christian faith are searching for the true meaning of life”.
Sources:
- Letter at Diocese of Mostar to Sister Elvira from Bishop Peric (English)
- Letter at Diocese of Mostar to Sister Elvira from Bishop Peric (Croatian)
- Službeni vjesnik, 1/2009 (Croatian PDF - go to page 75 for dates and protocol number not shown in the two links above)
A second letter which went to the Oasis of Peace Community, which also operates in Medjugorje can be found here: Letter from Bishop Perić (Medjugorje) to Oasis of Peace Community
EDIT: April 3, 2009 - 11:30pm: Sadly flawed arguments against the Bishop of Medjugorje (Mostar-Duvno Diocese) on the letter to Sr. Elvira of Cenacolo
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!