BOSNIA-POPE/IN AIR-DEPARTURE Pope says ruling on Medjugorje "apparitions" near

Record ID: 150284

  • Title: BOSNIA-POPE/IN AIR-DEPARTURE Pope says ruling on Medjugorje "apparitions" near
  • Date: 7th June 2015
  • Summary: ON BOARD PAPAL PLANE, IN AIR (JUNE 6, 2015) (AGENCY POOL) POPE FRANCIS GREETING JOURNALISTS ON BOARD THE PAPAL PLANE / ONE PHOTOGRAPHER GIVING THE POPE SKETCHES DRAWN BY HIS CHILDREN, THE POPE SAYING (Italian): "Children's sketches are beautiful." / POPE GREETING MORE PEOPLE CAMERAMAN FILMING POPE FRANCIS LISTENING TO QUESTION / (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE FRANCIS, SAYING:
  • Embargoed: 22nd June 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4AYJ329S4V5WLPZHOLTCSRBZ5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Pope Francis left Sarajevo on Saturday (June 6) after urging Bosnians to seek lasting ethnic and religious harmony to heal the deep, lingering wounds of the 1992-1995 war that devastated the former Yugoslav republic.
    Aboard the Papal plane flying back Rome, the Pope shared his view on peace with journalists.
    "There is always hypocrisy. For this reason I have said it is not enough to speak of peace, it is necessary to build peace. Who just speaks about peace without building peace, well, he contradicts himself. And who speaks of peace and (on the other hand) supports the war, for example selling weapons, he is an hypocrite. That's very simple," he said.
    He was asked about the status of a Vatican investigation into the alleged apparitions, which have divided the Catholic Church.
    Six children first reported visions of the Virgin Mary in the once obscure town in 1981. It has since become a major pilgrimage site, giving many a new sense of spirituality and locals a steady source of much-needed revenue. Many others, however, believe the alleged apparitions are a hoax.
    "We are about to make decisions and then they will be communicated," said the Pope on the plane flying back to Rome, adding that he recently received a long study by a Vatican commission and that the case was now before the Holy See's doctrinal department, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
    "During his time Pope Benedict created a commission about the sanctuary of Medjugorje. This commission was directed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini. Also other cardinals and theologists took part to it. They did a study, Cardinal Ruini came and gave me this report, after many years of studying. I don't know, three or four years, more or less. They did a good job. A great job. Now cardinals told me that in the coming days, I am not sure when, but in the coming days a decision will be taken. For the moment we are just giving some guidelines to bishops," said Pope Francis.
    The Pope also warned against the danger of youth being addicted to modern technology.
    "There are two different kinds of problem: the form and the content. There is one way of being that provokes suffering to the soul, and it is to be dependent on computers. This may hurt the soul, because it takes away our freedom. You become slave to your computer, and it is weird," said the pope.
    "A lot of mothers and fathers, many families told me that their children are using the mobile phone also while sitting at the table and having lunch. They are in another world," he continued to say.
    Pople Francis said that while the "reality of the virtual language" cannot be ignored or removed, people should try to "bring it to the right path".
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