Pope says official Medjugorje ruling close

An official ruling on the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje in Bosnia is close, Pope Francis has said.

Speaking to reporters on his flight back from a short visit to Sarajevo in Bosnia, Pope Francis was asked about the status of a Vatican investigation into the alleged apparitions.

Pope Francis said a study from a commission headed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini had been delivered to him.

“They did good work, good work,” the Pope said.

He went on to say that he had discussed the matter with the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Gerhard Müller.

The Pope added that he believes the CDF had considered the matter at a regular meeting late last month.

“But, we’re at this point of making decisions . . . and then they will be announced . . . but only some guidelines will be given to bishops on the lines they will take,” the Pope said.

Six children first reported visions of the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje in 1981.

Some of the alleged visionaries, now adults, say they still experience apparitions every day and that the Madonna has told them secrets.

In 2013, the CDF told US Catholics they were not allowed to participate in events that would give “credibility” to the claimed apparitions.

During his session with reporters, Pope Francis also made a brief reference to his upcoming encyclical on the environment.

Speaking about young people and their attachment to computers and mobile phones, the Pontiff referred to “relativist, hedonistic, consumeristic” material online.

“And we know that consumerism is a cancer of society and relativism is a cancer of society and of this I’ll speak in the coming encyclical that will come out within the month,” Francis said.

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