ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis has effectively dismissed reports of continuing apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the Medjugorje shrine in Bosnia-Herzegovina, saying the visions "don't have much value" even if the shrine itself has helped Catholics find God.

Francis provided the first-ever details about the contentious process that has been underway for years to determine whether the Catholic Church should declare the Medjugorje visions authentic.

He was asked to comment Saturday while traveling home from the Catholic shrine at Fatima, Portugal, where he commemorated the anniversary of the visions of the Madonna reported by three shepherd children 100 years ago.

Francis said he knew he was being "naughty" in doubting the Medjugorje phenomenon, in which six youngsters reported visions of the Madonna in 1981. They have reported continuous visions ever since.