Priest, investigated by Vatican, chose to leave order and priesthood
Original article
BY JOHN P. CONNOLLY, THE BULLETIN
Pope Benedict XVI has defrocked a priest at the center of alleged apparitions at the Bosnian town of Medjugorje, according to a report by the Catholic News Agency.
Fr. Tomislav Vladic reportedly decided to leave the priesthood and his religious order during an ongoing investigation of his role in the claims of apparitions, including an accusation of sexual misconduct for getting a nun pregnant.
Fr. Vladic was at odds with the Vatican and the local bishop of Medjugorje when he predicted that the Virgin Mary would appear in Bosnia. In 1981, the apparitions allegedly began, and the local bishop accused him of fabricating the phenomenon. Fr. Vladic claimed to be the spiritual advisor of six local children who claimed to be receiving the visions. They now allege that the Virgin Mary has visited them 40,000 times in the past 28 years.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith suspended Fr. Vladic last year, after three separate investigations of the visionaries’ claims failed to turn up any evidence supporting an apparition.
Despite condemnation from the local bishop, Medjugorje has attracted an estimated 30 million pilgrims. Some Catholics had hoped that the Vatican would override the local bishop to legitimize the apparitions.
Fr. Tomislav Vladic reportedly decided to leave the priesthood and his religious order during an ongoing investigation of his role in the claims of apparitions, including an accusation of sexual misconduct for getting a nun pregnant.
Fr. Vladic was at odds with the Vatican and the local bishop of Medjugorje when he predicted that the Virgin Mary would appear in Bosnia. In 1981, the apparitions allegedly began, and the local bishop accused him of fabricating the phenomenon. Fr. Vladic claimed to be the spiritual advisor of six local children who claimed to be receiving the visions. They now allege that the Virgin Mary has visited them 40,000 times in the past 28 years.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith suspended Fr. Vladic last year, after three separate investigations of the visionaries’ claims failed to turn up any evidence supporting an apparition.
Despite condemnation from the local bishop, Medjugorje has attracted an estimated 30 million pilgrims. Some Catholics had hoped that the Vatican would override the local bishop to legitimize the apparitions.
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