The Apostolic Nuncio of the United States, Cardinal Carlo Maria Vigano, sent out a letter to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at the request of His Excellency, the Most Reverend Gerhard Ludwig Muller, Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith. The letter sent to the bishops was the cause of much confusion as it was vague and ambiguous. Following this letter there were reports worldwide that stated that Medjugorje visionary, Ivan, was banned from parishes in where he was scheduled to have his apparitions. Yet, the letter never stated cancelling or banning Ivan’s visits. It gave only one stipulation: that the faithful could not attend if the credibility of the apparitions are taken for granted. This was nothing new, as this has been the position of the Church since 1991, and it was what Medjugorje followers, also, were doing, in placing on all publications that they are waiting on the final judgment of the Church. However, it soon became evident that the Cardinal Muller did intend to use this letter to stop Ivan and the other Medjugorje visionaries from speaking, even though there was nothing in the letter that gave him that authority, as the Medjugorje apparitions have not been condemned. The Church allows the right of the faithful to follow private revelation and to spread it unless condemned. A Friend of Medjugorje would soon address this in his writing, “We Must Go to a Higher Truth.â€
