News archive

Mons. Antal Majnek, OFM, bishop of Mukachevo (Ukraine) visits Medjugorje

Mons. Antal Majnek, OFM, Roman Catholic bishop of Mukachevo (Ukraine) visited Medjugorje from the 7^th to the 10^th of August, 2006. He was ordained a bishop in 1996, and was appointed bishop of Mukachevo in 2002.

This was Mons. Majnek’s third visit to Medjugorje. He is open to the ongoing events here, while back in his own diocese, he supports the prayer movement which is greatly appreciated by the many pilgrims who come to Medjugorje from his diocese.

At the parish office, Mons. Majnek met with the Franciscans serving in Medjugorje parish. He spoke with them about life and their pastoral work in Medjugorje.

Interview: Mons. Joseph Vianney Fernando, President of the Bishop’s Conference of Sri Lanka

Mons. Joseph Vianney Fernando, Bishop of the Kandy diocese in Sri Lanka and president of the Bishop’s Conference of Sri Lanka came on a five-day pilgrimage to Medjugorje in July 2006. On Friday the 21^st of July, he celebrated Holy Mass in English and gave a homily. He met the Franciscans at the Parish Office and discussed the Medjugorje events with them. Before leaving, he gave an interview and spoke about his diocese, his country and his impressions of Medjugorje. (Interview: Lidija Paris)

The 17th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje

The 17^th International Youth Festival took place in Medjugorje from August 1 to 6, 2006. This year’s theme was, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119 [118]:105), in harmony with the theme, which the Holy Father Benedict XVI gave to the youth for this year’s World Youth Day that took place on Palm Sunday in local Churches. (photos)

The 17th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje

The 17^th International Youth Festival took place in Medjugorje from the 1^st to the 6^th of August, 2006. This year’s theme was, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119 [118]:105), in harmony with the theme which the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, gave to the youth for this year’s World Youth Day that took place on Palm Sunday in the local Churches. (photos)

Mons. Jérôme Gapangwa Nteziryayo, Bishop Emeritus of Uvira (Congo), concelebrated Mass on the last evening of the Youth Festival in Medjugorje

This year’s Youth Festival in Medjugorje was honoured by the presence of two bishops.

Tatiana Matejaš-Cameron at the Youth Festival in Medjugorje

On Wednesday evening, August 2^nd, 2006, Tatiana Matejaš-Cameron gave a concert at the Youth Festival in Medjugorje, and on Thursday morning, August 3^rd, she gave her testimony to the thousands of young people who gathered for the Festival.

This is the first time that Tajči has performed in this region since leaving Croatia in the nineties. She no longer sings pop music, but only spiritual songs and her concerts are thematic: “I Believe”, “Emmanuel”, “I Thirst” and “Let it be”. During the last years, Tatiana has given hundreds of concerts all over the USA, where she found her way to God and where she settled and founded her family. (See: http://idobelieve.com/)

Mons. Domenico Sigalini, Bishop of Palestrina near Rome, on pilgrimage in Medjugorje.

Mons. Domenico Sigalini, Bishop of Palestrina near Rome, spent three days on pilgrimage in Medjugorje. Mons. Sigalini was consecrated Bishop only fifteen months ago. He was the last bishop to be appointed by Pope John Paul II. Before his Episcopal ordination, for ten years he was the delegate for pastoral work with youth. Last summer in Cologne, during the World Youth Days, he was one of the bishops who gave catechesis in this context.

On August 1^st, Mons. Domenico Sigalini assisted in the opening of the 17^th International Youth festival in Medjugorje. On the morning of August 2^nd, he gave  catechesis to the young people.

Feast of St. James the apostle, patron of the parish of Medjugorje

On June 25, the parish of Medjugorje celebrated the feast of St. James, its patron saint.

Following tradition, the morning Eucharistic celebration which took place in the park near the parish church was preceded by a procession with the statue of St. James, and the singing of the litanies of All Saints. This year, the honour was given to those living in the areas of Medjugorje called Sivric, Kozine and Dodig.

Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Stanko Dodig, a native of Medjugorje, and concelebrated by Fr. Slavko Soldo the Herzegovinian Franciscan provincial, Fr. Ivan Sesar parish priest of Medjugorje, and about twenty local and foreign priests.

Bishop from Sri Lanka on pilgrimage in Medjugorje

Mons. Joseph Vianney Fernando, Bishop of the Kandy diocese in Sri Lanka and president of the Bishop’s Conference of Sri Lanka came on a five-day pilgrimage to Medjugorje in July 2006. On Friday, July 21, he celebrated Holy Mass in English and gave a homily. He met the Franciscans at the Parish Office and spoke with them about the Medjugorje events. (Interview: preparing)

The Eleventh International Seminar for Priests

From July 3 to 8, 2006, the eleventh international seminar for priests took place in Medjugorje. Two hundred and fifty priests from twenty-five countries participated, with simultaneous translation into ten languages.

The first Seminar for Priests was organised by Fr. Slavko Barbaric in 1996. The goal of these seminars is to familiarise priests who come to Medjugorje, with Our Lady’s messages and with the spirituality that is being developed here. These gatherings are, in effect, retreats for priests which help them to fortify their faith and their vocations in the presence of Our Lady. The first retreat in 1996 gathered together about thirty priests, with numbers increasing throughout the years.

A group of deaf and dumb pilgrims from Italy

From July 2 to 5, 2006, a group of 30 deaf and dumb pilgrims from Italy (Rome, Abruzzo, Marche) came to Medjugorje. Four other pilgrims came with them, as well as Fr. Vincenzo Di Blasio, their chaplain and interpreter, who belongs to the “Little mission for the deaf and dumb”, which was founded in the 19^th century by Don Giuseppe Gualandi. Fr. Di Blasio says that persons with this severe handicap are very open to all that has to do with sight - hence also the phenomenon of the apparitions - and this is why he already went with them on pilgrimages to Lourdes and to Fatima. This is his second pilgrimage to Medjugorje, where he is discovering Our Lady from another perspective.

Statistics for May and June 2006

May 2006:

Holy Communions distributed: 141.500

Priests concelebrating: 3.152

June 2006:

Holy Communions distributed: 200.000

Priests concelebrating: 4.503

Interview: Fr. Dermod McCarthy, Editor of Religious Programmes in RTE

Fr. Dermod McCarthy, ordained a priest in 1966, Editor of Religious Programmes in RTE, honoured for his lifetime achievement in religious broadcasting, a consultor of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications at the Holy See and former Administrator of the Pro-Cathedral of Dublin, was in Medjugorje in June 2006, together with a large group of about 300 Irish pilgrims. At the end of his pilgrimage, he shared with us his thoughts and experiences. (Interview by Lidija Paris)

25th Anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje

The 25^th Anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje was solemnly celebrated in the spirit of gratitude for all the graces received. (photos)

REGULAR ANNUAL APPARITION TO THE VISIONARY IVANKA

The visionary Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez had her regular annual apparition on June 25^th 2006.