Dear friends of Medjugorje!
The Rectory of Medjugorje has formed "MIR" - The Information Center of the Shrine of the Queen of Peace, whose goal is to collect and spread the authentic information related to the events of the Parish of Medjugorje regarding the church, the Hill of Apparitions and Mount Krizevac. Why?
Thirteen and a half years ago, amidst the darkness and the hopelesness of modern civilization, Medjugorje glittered as a precious stone and the Light shining from it, lit the whole world. The fruits from Medjugorje are indisputable, but... These are still times in which the words love and reconciliation, justice and love of truth are easily pronounced and heard with joy, but rarely practiced and lived. Many people live like a river that flows without an aim, not knowing always where it is going or why. There is much written and spoken about Medjugorje, sometimes incorrectly, which could be damaging to the spirituality of Medjugorje and to all those that love Medjugorje or are still searching for it.
This is why we will try to offer the necessary informaiton regarding the events of Medjugorje. We are beginning with the inaguration of this bulletin which will be published every two weeks on Wednesdays. We ask you to please help us in any way possible. Knowing you, we realize that it will make you happy to transmit the messages and the truth about Medjugorje to all those who love Medjugorje and to those who are still to know it. We are counting with your love and your strength totally convinced that you will do whatever possible to spread this bulletin.
We also ask you to please inform us on any information regarding the events of Medjugorje that you may come into contact with, whether they are true or not, and also to send us any newspaper or other publications printed in your country that speak about Medjugorje or explain it. (Fax 088/624 709)
Since Medjugorje is an "oasis in the dessert" we wish that "MIR" - The Information Center of the Shrine of the Queen of Peace will be the light of its truth which will guide all brothers and sisters on the path of a new life, a life of love, reconciliation and communion.
May the blessing and the peace of God be with us!
Fr. Miljenko Stoji}
Fr. Slavko Barbari}
Marija Dugand`i}
Milona von Habsburg
s. Emmanuel Maillard
s.Lidija Paris
Stipe ]avar
Marijan Sivri}
Spiritual Preparation for Christmas
In the house "Domus Pacis" in Medjugorje, prayer and fasting retreats have begun as preparation for Christmas on the following dates: 5-10 Dec., 11-16 Dec., 19-24 Dec.
Novena for Christmas
Also in preparation for Christmas, the Shrine of Medjugorje will be preparing a novena of prayer on the Hill of Apparitions where the rosary will be prayed every day at 2:00 pm.
New Year in Medjugorje
Just like all the years before, a prayer vigil has been organized for the 31 of December. This will begin at 10:00 pm and will end with Holy Mass at midnight.
Monthly Message
We ask all those who receive the monthly message of Our Lady on the 25th, to please let us know in which language(s) you wish to receive the message (Fax No.642-709).
Course on Prayer and Information
In Tucepi near Makarska, a course on prayer and information will be organized for the responsible of prayer groups, organizers of pilgrimages and those in charge of humanitarian aid tied toMedjugorje. The course will begin on the 2nd of April, 1995 at 7:00 pm with Holy Mass and will end on the 6th of April with a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. the program will be published in a forthcoming bulletin.
Youth Prayer Festival 1995
Due to the great interest of many young people, we are already announcing that the Youth Prayer Festival will begin on the 31st of July with the evening Mass and will end on the 6th of August with Holy Mass on Krizevac.
Message to Benefactors
How many times, dear friends, you have told us that the activities tied to the distribution of humanitarian aid take you away from prayer which is the principal reason of your coming to Medjugorje. Conscious of the great love and the great effort that you invest to help our people at this time, we would like to propose to you to deposit your gifts at the Parish House when you arrive to Medjugorje. From there they will be distributed to the people according to needs. In this way you can consecrate yourself to prayer at the Oasis of the Queen of Peace, and those who have needs will know where to look for help.
Protecting the Mountains
We ask all pilgrims to please refrain from lighting any candles on the Hill of Apparitions or on Krizevac. Because of the wind there is always a great danger of causing fires. If you desire to light a candle the proper place is at the cross on the side behind the church.
Security
Medjugorje is not only an oasis of prayer, but also an oasis of peace in these troubled times. Only at the beginning of the war, three years ago, we experienced danger in Medjugorje. After this, this has not happened again. The front line is far from Medjugorje and the pilgrims are not running any danger. The safe route to get to Medjugorje is through Croatia. Those that come by plane can fly to Split and continue by bus to Medjugorje. By car you can come through the Adriatic coast coming through Split. By boat you can come to any Croatian port and continue the route towards Medjugorje.
Feast of Saint Nicholas
On the 6th of December, on the Feast of Saint Nicholas, a great number of childeren from the village and refugees gathered in the church in Medjugorje to celebrate. The coming of "Saint Nicholas" filled the hearts of the children, specially the refugee children who were far from home.
Blood Donations
Because of the war, many of the blood drives are organized often in the Shrine of Medjugorje , specially on the big feasts, since many wish to donate their blood for the needs of the people from our country. We would also like to thank all those who have donated blood with so much love. May the Child Jesus fill you with His joy and blessings.
Foundation of the Tourism Office
On the 25th of November, the tourism office was founded in Citluk to watch (among other things) the quality and the price of the housing of the pilgrims in Medjugorje. The parish priest of Medjugorje , Fr. Ivan Lankdeka, has spoken with the directors of the Commune of Citluk with the aim of preserving and protecting the Hill of Apparitions, Krizevac and its surroundings from any behavior contrary to the spirit of the place.
Goran Ivansevic in Medjugorje
The best Croatian tennis player, Goran Ivansevic, visited Medjugorje on the 25th of November with his spiritual father Fr. Josip Coric, Parish Priest of the Split Cathedral. Goran Ivansevic said that Medjugorje has greatly changed his life.
Cardinal Puljic visits Medjugorje
Cardinal Puljic, Archbishop of Sarajevo, named Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on the 26th of November of 1994 has visited Medjugorje on the 6th of December after a stay in Rome and after visiting the Franciscan University in the island of Brac. The Cardinal was accompanied by his personal secretary, Fr. Ivo Tomasevic. The Cardinal met the Franciscans from this parish in the parish House for a warm dialogue that lasted one hour. Friends and pilgrims in Medjugorje coming from Italy have donated to the Diocese of Sarajevo and ambulance full of medicines due to the fact that the communication by plane from Split to Sarajevo has been interrupted. Cardinal Puljic and his secretary left to Sarajevo on the ambulance that was donated.
Dear Friends all over theWorld,
We didn"t know each other, but the apparitions of Our Lady in the parish of Me|ugorje united all of us and made us a family. May this spirit of Community continue to guide us. The messages that God sends us through Our Lady are New that can change the direction of the events of the world, which has become split and seperated; there is not enough proximity of community or enough love presently in this world.. Let us do all that we can, so that the messages of Our Lady reach the hearts of as many people as possible. We ourselves, will then have more peace and more joy.
We welcome you always with joy here in Me|ugorje. The war is still goes on and it is not finished, but it does not mean we are not able to greet our friends--YOU! are among those who helped us to keep the joy. We thank you for that!
May God , whose birth on this earth, we will celebrate these days, give you his blessing. Carry this blessing into the New Year, renewed by God, to renew the society and people around you.
FATHER JOZO ZOVKO VISITED ALOIS MOCK
Following an invitation by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Austria, Alois Mock, Father Jozo Zovko visited with Mr. Mock on the 2nd of December 1994. During a cordial conversation that lasted 2 hours, they spoke about finding a solution for the crisis in Bosnia-Hercogovina and about Humanitarian aid. Mr. Mock regretted the lack of involvement of the Church Hierarchy of Europe concerning the crisis in B-H. He also expressed the hope that the influence of the Church would increase and become more adequate, in order to find a positive solution and realize a durable peace in this area.
INSTALLLMENT OF CARDINAL VINKO PULJIC
On the 11th of December, the 750th anniversary of the Catherdal of Sarejevo was celebrated. In the cathedral, which was full of the faithful, the Archbishop of Sarajevo, Vinko Puljic appeared for the first time before his people as Cardinal. FAther Ivan Landeka, Parish priest of Me|ugorje, and Father Leonard Orec, responsible for the charitable association "Me|ugorje-Mir", were also present. There was also a group of Italian friends of Me|ugorje, who made a donation of an Electrocardiogramme, medical supplies amd food for the hospital of Sarejevo.
FATHER SLAVKO BARBARI]"S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS
There are many people in the world who would like to come to Me|ugorje and know its message, but can not. That is why, more and more often, many of the Me|ugorje Centers and churches all over the country and the world invite the Franciscans of Me|ugorje to bring the lifegiving message to the people in their local churches. IN this number of the "Press-Bulletin", we bring the program of Father Slavko Barbari}2s missionary journey for 1995. The program of other journeys will be given in the next numbers.
16.1-11.2.1995 - SOUTH AMERICA (Chile, Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia),
For
details about the journey through South America contact: Mr. Luis Simon, Center for Peace,
Miami,
Florida, USA Tele: 305-662-9655.
27.2-10.3.1995 - UGANDA
5.5. -- 5.7. 1995 - VIENNA (AUSTRIA)
5.7. -- 10.7. 1995 - PRAG
25.8. -- 31.8.1995 - LONDON (ENGLAND), LINZ (AUSTRIA)
FATHER PETAR LJUBICIC"S MISSIONARY JOURNEY
For the past 5 years, Father Petar Ljubicic has preached in the German city of Unkel. He gathered again there from the 18th - 20th of November of this year. Seventy pilgrims from Me|ugorje, members of prayer groups and 2 priests attended this yearly event of "Recollection Days". In the daily celebration of the Eucharist, FAther Petar spoke and meditated with them about the Holy Spirit, about the crisis of the family and about the cross as a sign of salvation.
On the 26th of November, in the Austrian city of Kapfenberg, Father Petar met 250 exiled croatians from Bugojno, Vares, Kakanj, and other places od Central Bosnia. He spoke about the messages of peace that Gospa is giving in Me|ugorje and encouraged them to keep the hope in spite of all the suffering they are going through. A prayer meeting took place the same day for pilgrims and friends of Me|ugorje. From the 4th - 11th of December, Father Petar Ljubicic preached at a mission in the parish of Kanfanar in Istria (Croatia). The members of the parish were overjoyed because this was the first mission in 29 years!
IVAN WITH HIS WIFE IN ME\UGORJE
The visionary, Ivan Dragicevic married Loreen Murphy on the 23rd of October in Boston, MA USA.. After their marriage, they returned to Me|ugorje where they will live and work.
MARIJA PAVLOVIC WITH HER FAMILY IN ME\UGORJE
The visionary, Marija Pavlovic with her family spent the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Me|ugorje. She will be in Me|ugorje with her family for Christmas also.