November 7, 2002

Allegations Of Molestation . . .

Suspended Medjugorje Priest Launches

Cross-Country Tour

By PAUL LIKOUDIS

According to many informed

sources, the Catholic Church’s cur-

rent sex abuse scandals pale in se-

riousness in comparison to the de-

cades-long deceit and exploitation

of millions of American Catholics,

among others, by the Medjugorje

conference and tourist industry.

The allegations against Fr. Zov-

ko, which have aired publicly on

European television documenta-

ries, as well as in books, newspa-

per, and magazine articles, for per-

suading women pilgrims to per-

form oral sex on him at counsel-

ing sessions, are just one bundle of

similar accusations made against a

number of the principal figures in

the Medjugorje scam.

Zovko began his jump across

the country November 5 with two

appearances in the Diocese of

Brooklyn, including a “Priests’

Day With Fr. Jozo” at Our Lady of

the Cenacle Church in Richmond

Hill. On November 7, 8, 9, and 10,

he had four appearances scheduled

at two parishes in the Diocese of

Orlando and two in the Archdio-

cese of Miami, before heading off

to Houston where he was sched-

uled to speak at the Catholic Char-

ismatic Center.

On November 13, he was slated

to be in the Archdiocese of Los

Angeles, and on November 15, in

Wichita, on November 16 in Chi-

cago, on November 17 he was to

appear at the Minneapolis Conven-

tion Center in Minneapolis, and on

November 19 and 20, two appear-

ances were scheduled in Boston,

where he was booked to speak to

“priests, religious, and Marian

community members only” at the

Fatima Shrine in Holliston. On

November 21, he is scheduled to

speak for four and one-half hours

at the National Shrine of the Im-

maculate Conception in Washing-

ton, D.C.

Typical of the promotional ma-

terial boosting his tour is an “invi-

tation” extended to priests of the

Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneap-

olis sent out by Fr. James Living-

ston of St. Boniface Catholic

Church in Bonifacius, Minn.

Fr. Livingston wrote:

“With the blessing of Archbish-

op [Harry] Flynn, we are having a

day of prayer with Fr. Jozo Zov-

ko, O.F.M. Fr. Jozo was the pastor

of St. James Church in Medjugor-

je when the apparitions of the

Blessed Virgin Mary first started in

1981. . . .

“The conference includes a talk

by Fr. Jozo at 1:30 p.m., Mass at 3

p.m., and a eucharistic healing ser-

vice at 5 p.m. Priests are invited to

attend all or part of the conference

free of charge. There is no need for

you to call ahead. Seats are re-

served for clergy and religious.”

No mention is made in this let-

ter that Fr. Jozo was suspended

from the priesthood by his Fran-

ciscan general, and again by his

local ordinary, that at least a doz-

en women have made claims

against him for alleged sexual

abuse, all of which have been doc-

umented by E. Michael Jones in

his book, The Medjugorje Decep-

tion.

[Excerpted from the November 7, 2002 issue

of The Wanderer.]