Medjugorje fraud sought to capitalize on superstitions about Fatima

I am laboring through a difficult, scholarly work by esteemed author Kevin Symonds who is the English translator of the 2017 Ruini report that essentially proved Medjugorje to be an unworkable mess.

Unlike Medjugorje, Fatima is actually a church approved event and a place where Our Blessed Mother actually appeared. Most of the history and message of Fatima is pretty straightforward. It is a dire warning for our time that the sinfulness of man has dire consequences, and time is rapidly running out.

On July 13th, 1917, the three terrified children of Fatima were given a terrifying vision of hell as well as certain predictions that came to be known as the third secret of Fatima. In truth, as the author of this book points out, it was not so much a third secret but the third part of a secret.

This third part was withheld from the laity, for prudential reasons, finally being disclosed in the year 2000. It has been accepted as having been fulfilled on May 13th, 1981 with the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. Having occurred on the 64th anniversary of the 1st apparition, it fulfilled the prophecy of the violent attack on ''the Bishop in white''

Assassination attempt on John Paul II

One year later, on May 13th, 1982, John Paul II fulfilled another prophecy by consecrating Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Nevertheless, everyone likes a good conspiracy theory, and many have abounded from the delayed messaging of the Fatima secret. Many have speculated that the consecration of Russia was not done properly while others have opined that parts of the secret have not yet been made public. The last surviving seer- Lucia- disputed these claims before her death in 2005 but the claims persist.

People have a fascination with secrets and secret knowledge as if there is an advantage to be gained by knowing mysterious facts unknown to others.

The shame is that this kind of obsessive superstition detracts from the plain message of Fatima which is the plain message of the Gospel- repent, turn to God and amend your lives. This message doesn't generate many clicks, nor does it satisfy to scratch itching ears.

Secrets are far more tantalizing. Like the proverbial carrot on the stick, secrets keep people engaged.

In Medjugorje, they have masterfully played the game of secrets. The 6 seers, they say, have each been promised 10 secrets. We can't be sure if they are in fact the same 10 secrets or 60 different secrets divided among the 6. No one can say. Afterall, that's the game. We cannot know any of the secrets until all 6 of these hucksters know all10. Got it?

The magic number has been stuck at 57 for decades.

That's the genius of Medjugorje. After 44 years, absolutely nothing has been produced. The sign or miracles is always just around the corner.

When will we see it?

We can't tell you. It's a secret.