Here is the second letter just released on the Diocese of Mostar website today, this one concerning the Oasis of Peace Center.
Commentary on these two letters is coming this weekend, with references to certain documents that are worth studying.
THE BISHOP’S LETTER TO THOSE IN CHARGE OF THE “OASIS OF PEACE” COMMUNITY IN MEDJUGORJE
Bishop, 2009-02-27
regarding their presence in the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno without the required authorization of the Chancery Office and also concerning their practice of exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in their private chapel. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the local pastor Fr. Petar Vlašić OFM. An English translation of the original letter written in Italian follows:
Mostar, 27 February 2009; Prot.: 222/2009
To: Rev. Mother M. Valentina Fregno
To: Fr. Gianni
Comunità Mariana – Oasi della Pace
02032 Passo Corese (RI)To: The “Oasis of Peace” Community in Medjugorje
I wish to reply to the letter of Mother M. Valentina Fregno, Superior General of the “Oasis of Peace” Community, signed by Sr. Gabrielle Giuseppina, dated 12 January 2009, and sent to Fr. Petar Vlašić OFM, pastor of the parish of Medjugorje, who then forwarded it to me. Your letter is a response to the previous correspondence sent to your community of Medjugorje from the Pastor by written mandate of this Chancery Office on 15 December 2008, regarding the perpetual adoration practiced in your chapel, as evidently seen in a published brochure.
In your letter to Fr. Petar Vlašić OFM, you wrote amongst other things:- Perpetual adoration of the Eucharist is a part of our charism, yet it cannot always be practiced for various reasons.
- Perpetual adoration in our community house in Medjugorje is never possible.
- According to an agreement made with the parish at the beginning of our presence in Medjugorje (the 1990’s), we commenced with adoration of the Eucharist for our internal members during the day in our community chapel.
In conclusion: We have entrusted this communication to you with our complete willingness to fulfill what is required of us and with a fervid desire to continue to serve this parish.
Please allow me to make a few observations and put forth some questions regarding these affirmations:
1 – With whom exactly have you made an “agreement” in the “parish” regarding the Blessed Sacrament?2 – How can you make an “agreement” with the “parish” to begin “adoration of the Eucharist during the day in the chapel” of your community, thereby eluding the norms of the Church which authorize the local Ordinary regarding the custody and exposition of the Eucharist?
3 – What competent ecclesiastic authority has given you permission to reside as a “community” in the parish of Medjugorje in the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno?
4 – Who authorized you to build a chapel and to expose the blessed Sacrament every day, whether the adoration is perpetual or not?
5 – How do you reconcile the fact that you profess a vow of obedience and yet you live in contradiction to this vow by persevering in your disobedience to the local Bishop and continuing your charism of perpetual adoration?
You are well aware that being a community of diocesan right, you have not obtained permission from this Diocesan Chancery to reside nor to work in the territory of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno. The same holds for adoration in a private chapel.
If you are sincerely “willing to fulfill” what is asked of you, then I wish to communicate the following to you:
- that you are not authorized by this Diocesan Chancery to establish a home nor to work as a community of diocesan right in Medjugorje;- that you have absolutely no permission to keep the blessed Eucharist in custody or to expose it for purposes of adoration in a private chapel, due to the fact that Eucharist adoration is foreseen and established only in the parish church of St. James in Medjugorje.
I take this opportunity to express my best regards,
Ratko Perić, bishop
Source Links:
- Letter to Oasis of Peace Community on Diocese of Mostar website (English)
- Letter to Oasis of Peace Community on Diocese of Mostar website (Croatian)
- Službeni vjesnik, 1/2009 (Croatian PDF - go to page 76)
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