Ave Maria! Thank you for the comment. Yes, there is a Medjugorje connection early in the establishment of the retreat center but this is not emphasized. The Franciscan friars who staff the center are very focused on Mary and embrace the many apparitions that have been approved by the Church, but tend to avoid emphasizing the many unapproved apparitions even if they have been very helpful in the spiritual journeys of many souls. Rather, we preferr to wait until their status is more clear. Let me know if you have any further questions and we look forward to seeing you here if you can come.

Friar Roderic

Ruth Ann is not a visionary, etc., but a lady who receives locutions. This is a fairly common phenomenon. Like all other phenomena pertaining to the spiritual order, these claims must be discerned, as St. Paul says, as to the authenticity. In the case of Ruth Ann her locutions were the occasion of founding Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center and a chapel of devotion to Our Lady under the title of the Sorrowful Mother or Coredemptrix. The former Archbishop Buechlein of Indianapolis approved the Center and celebrated Mass there publicly. This is an implicit approval of the locutions which occasioned the establishment of this Center and Shrine.

As to Medjugorje: the Church has not approved, but neither has she disapproved or forbidden Catholics and others to visit the place of the claimed apparitions, provided they do not use the occasion to make it appear the apparitions and messages are approved. Very large numbers of pilgrims have found their faith again there and are living good Christian lives as a consequence. Ruth Ann mentioned in passing that she received many graces there. This was simply the mention of a fact, not promotion of the authenticity of the apparitions, still under study by the Church. Much less is it promotion of a not yet approved apparition by the friars.

Ave Maria!