Archbishop Aldo Cavalli Calls Medjugorje a 'Place of Grace'

Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, the Apostolic Visitor to Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, has urged pilgrims worldwide to visit the Marian site, calling it a "place of grace." In an interview with Vatican Media, the Archbishop outlined the spiritual transformation he has observed in the millions who visit the site annually and discussed the process for evaluating the alleged Marian messages received by visionaries based there.

“Medjugorje is a normal place—there's nothing special to it. It has become, by grace, a spiritual site where people come from all over the world. They come, and they begin to pray,” said Archbishop Cavalli. Since arriving in Medjugorje in February 2022 as Apostolic Visitor, Archbishop Cavalli has witnessed countless personal conversions, often through the sacrament of penance. Narrating one striking encounter, he said: “ I saw a Latino family who had come to Medjugorje with a rebellious 15-year-old boy. Within minutes of arriving, the boy went to confess his sins, leaving his parents astounded.”

In May 2024, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued new norms on alleged supernatural phenomena, providing clearer guidelines for evaluating Marian apparitions witnessed at Medjugorje. These norms paved the way for the publication of a note titled ‘The Queen of Peace’, which granted Medjugorje the ‘nulla osta’, or highest recognition of authenticity, and approved the publication of alleged Marian messages with ecclesiastical oversight.

Discussing his role in reviewing the monthly messages received by visionaries at Medjugorje, Archbishop Cavalli explained that, “The person receiving the message writes it in Croatian, and it is then translated into Italian. We then evaluate its consistency with the tenets of the faith. We invite people to read and meditate on it because it is positive. It adds nothing to Revelation, but enriches it and helps us better live our faith today”

Archbishop Cavalli emphasized that “The first message at Medjugorje in 1981 proclaimed, ‘Peace, peace, may peace reign.’ This peace begins with reconciliation between God and humanity and extends to relationships among people,” he said. He added that this message is profoundly relevant in today's world, which has been marked by conflict.

Citing Pope Francis’ focus on popular devotion, Archbishop Cavalli highlighted Medjugorje’s role in fostering simple yet profound faith practices, such as the Rosary, the Eucharist, and adoration. “Last summer, I saw nearly 40,000 young people participate in a silent Eucharistic adoration conducted by me. In that transformed bread is the real presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. He looks at me, I look at Him. He speaks to me, I speak to Him,” he recounted.

Archbishop Cavalli concluded the interview with an unequivocal invitation: “The document says very clearly: go to Medjugorje because it is a place of grace.”

Courtesy: Vatican News