Former spiritual advisor to Medjugorie visionaries excommunicated

A former priest who served as a spiritual adviser to the visionaries of Medjugorje for several years from 1981, has been excommunicated, according to a statement by the Diocese of Brescia.

Croatian-born Tomislav Vlasic left Medjugorje in 1987 to establish the 'New Age' Queen of Peace community in Parma, Italy, for both men and women after it was publicly revealed that he had fathered a child with a nun.

He was laicised and dispensed from his religious vows as a member of the Order of Friars Minor by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 after his bishop suspended him "for the diffusion of dubious doctrine, manipulation of consciences, suspicious mysticism, disobedience toward legitimately issued orders," as well as charges of sexual misconduct.

Don Adriano Bianchi, Director of the Office for Social Communications for the Diocese of Brescia announced on Friday that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had issued the decree of excommunication formally on 15 July this year.

He said: "The serious canonical penal provision was imposed on him due to the fact that unfortunately, during these years, Mr Vlasic has never complied with the prohibitions imposed on him in the canonical penal precept issued against him by the same Congregation, on 10 March 2009, under penalty of excommunication reserved for the Holy See.

"In fact, in all these years, in the Diocese of Brescia and in other places, he has continued to carry out apostolic activities towards individuals and groups, both through conferences and through information technology; he continued to declare himself a religious and a priest of the Catholic Church, simulating the celebration of invalid sacraments; continued to cause serious scandal among the faithful, carrying out acts seriously damaging to ecclesial communion and obedience to the ecclesiastical authority..

"Because of this penalty of excommunication, Mr Vlasic is prohibited from taking part in any way as a minister in the celebration of the Eucharist or any other ceremony of public worship, from celebrating sacraments or sacraments and from receiving the sacraments, from exercising functions. in offices or ministries or any ecclesiastical assignments, or to place acts of government.."

Vlasic, 78, lives in the Diocese of Brescia.

LINK

Diocese of Brescia - www.diocesi.brescia.it/comunicati-stampa-diocesi-brescia