Is Medjugorje behind the Talk of Satan inside the Vatican Exorcists Square off, Stephen K Ryan, Ministry Values, March 5, 2010

Is Medjugorje behind the Talk of Satan inside the Vatican? Exorcist's Square off

By Stephen K. Ryan
Ministry Values
March 5, 2010

http://ministryvalues.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=851&Itemid=214

Is Medjugorje behind the talk of Satan inside the Vatican? Exorcist's square off.

One calls Medjugorje "A Fortress against Satan" The other - "The work of the Devil and a diabolical deceit."

Well known Vatican Excorcists, Father Gabriele Armoth and Bishop Andrea Gemma, sound off on Medjugorje and Satan.

Yesterday as reported in Catholic News Agency, Father Amorth, a renowned exorcist and vigorous supporter of Medjugorje ( He called it a "Fortress against Satan") in Rome released a book of memoirs in which he declares to know of the existence of Satanic sects in the Vatican where participation reaches all the way to the College of Cardinals.

In the book of memoirs released in February, the noted Italian exorcist Fr. Gabriele Amorth affirmed that "Yes, also in the Vatican there are members of Satanic sects." When asked if members of the clergy are involved or if this is within the lay community, he responded, "There are priests, monsignors and also cardinals!

The allegations of Fr Amorth – who, has said in the past that the scenes in the 1973 film The Exorcist are “substantially exact” – are recorded in Father Amorth: Memoirs of an Exorcist. My life fighting against Satan, a series of interviews edited by Marco Tosatti. He asked Amorth if Pope Benedict XVI himself knew of the existence of Satanic sects in the Vatican.“Of course he was informed ” replied Amorth. “But he does what he can. It's a horrifying thing."

But Father Armoth, in an extensive interview (here) finds a remedy against Satan in Medjugore -"Surely. Medjugorje is a fortress against Satan. Satan hates Medjugorje because it is a place of conversion, of prayer, of transformation of life."

"Work of the devil" and a "diabolical deceit"

Now interestingly, one year ago, another former top Vatican exorcist Bishop Andrea Gemma denounced the alleged visions of Our Lady in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje as the "work of the devil" and a "diabolical deceit". The UK Daily Mail reported that the Vatican Excorcist has rejected claims made by the six Bosnian 'seers' that they have seen the Virgin Mary more than thousands times over the past 27 years" Bishop Andrea Gemma, 77, once the Vatican's top exorcist, told a magazine in Italy: "In Medjugorje everything happens in function of money: Pilgrimages, lodging houses, sale of trinkets.

"This whole sham is the work of the Devil. It is a scandal." He predicted that the Vatican would soon crack down on the group.

Father Armorth on Medjugorje

Father Amorth is a famous exorcist but few are aware that he is also one the most outspoken supporters of the special events taking place in Medjugorje. Medjugorje is a town in Bosnia where for over 28 years the Blessed Mother is said to be appearing to six "Visionaires". Father Amorth speaking about the apparitions said "Surely. Medjugorje is a fortress against Satan. Satan hates Medjugorje because it is a place of conversion, of prayer, of transformation of life."

"I always understood Medjugorje as a continuation of Fatima. According to Our Lady’s words in Fatima, if we had prayed and fasted, there would not have been World War II. We have not listened to her and therefore there was a war. Also here in Medjugorje, Our Lady often calls to prayer for peace. In her apparitions, Our Lady always presents herself under another name to show the goal of her apparitions.

At Lourdes, she presented herself as the Immaculate Conception, in Fatima as the Queen of the Holy Rosary. Here in Medjugorje, Our Lady presented herself as the Queen of Peace. We all remember the words “Mir, mir, mir” (peace, peace, peace) that were written in the sky at the very beginning of the apparitions. We see clearly that humanity is running the risk of war, and Our Lady insists on prayer and on Christian life to attain peace. Medjugorje is really a place where one learns to pray, but also to sacrifice oneself, where people are converted and change their lives. The influence of Medjugorje is worldwide. It is enough to think about how many prayer groups came about thanks to the inspiration of Medjugorje."

What are Catholics to make of the debate?

Medjugorje has not been without controversy and from the beginning Clergy and lay persons have vigorously debated the phenomenon's authenticity and its proper place in the Catholic Church. And today, now it seems we have two famous Vatican Exorcists, arguably the most qualified person to recognize a Satanic presence, squaring off and deeply split about the true spiritual nature off Medjugorje. Is the work of Satan or is Medjugorje a Heavenly Grace?

Should lay Catholics begin to ask what secrets are kept about Medjugorje? Should Catholics know more about the debates taking place deep inside the Vatican over the strange phenomenon, the elephant in the middle of the room, known as Medjugorje, that won't go away.