Vienna's Cardinal Schönborn hosted Marija Pavlovic at a large Medjugorje Prayer for Peace at St. Stephen's, where he made some comments in favour of Medjugorje. The comments might be surprising to people who were not familiar with his history of affection for Medjugorje. Among many other tacit endorsements, in 2003, he said the following:"On Medjugorje I don't want to express myself from the standpoint of an ecclesiastical judgment. But I only can ascertain one thing again and again, that this is a place where there is obviously an intense mission-station of heaven where thousands upon thousands of human beings find prayer, confession, conversion, reconciliation, healing and deeper faith."
(The complete German text of the Cardinal's Dec. 1, 2002 catechesis, titled, "Mary - Mission in Her Heart," can be found on the web at http://www.kath.net/)
The following speech, from this particular event in Vienna, was translated from German into English here:
It is a great gift that the Mother of all her children will be so close! She showed it in so many places in the world. And, for many, many years, it shows in a particularly close way in Medjugorje.
We must thank the Lord that He through His mother, so many people in this now almost 30 years ago led to the love God has shown them His love and that so many people have found healing, repentance and renewal. In the confession, they were allowed to discover the love of the Lord in the Eucharist and the love of his mother by his mother. The reconciliation in families, the healing of drugs, addictions and troubles are their concerns. It is a very great sign for our time that Mary as concrete and very close and easy, worries about her children and cares and is with them.
When I see how many of them today in the cathedral and how long they have to pray - a lot longer than me, then I can only thank the Lord and His mother with all my heart, and they all ask if they were witnesses, witnesses of His mercy. Witnesses near Our Lady to the people.Show them what you're getting them here and by the grace of Medjugorje and have time and again, they show it to others and they continue to give. That is my request, also in view of the great diocesan mission. What does the diocese - Mission? She wants to invite us to your friendship with Jesus. "Do whatever he tells you!", The words of Mary at Cana were "Do whatever he tells you!"
So I invite you now realize that we will get it, who really is truly present in our midst in the Eucharist, worship, praise Him and thank Him that we can bring our needs to Him. To Him who wants to heal each of us and make healing. Thanks also to those who have designed this evening, have so used it. Special thanks to the Dommesnern. We give them a big round of applause.
