The society in which we live tells us that we have entered a new time. One year has ended and another has begun. I do not know personally when that new time begins for us. Perhaps it is when, in spite of daily problems, we succeed in turning to our God and drinking in His wisdom by keeping company with Him. It is not important whether society feels that way. It is important that we act like that.

In her last message Our Lady speaks of a new time. One such new time will be the opportunity to receive God's grace. It would be unreasonable to neglect that. Security will not be offered to us by our civilization which is itself insecure. Security gets sucked up and smothered in the very society itself. Real security is security in God. One attains it by perseverance. May that walk of ours toward it be blessed.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of December at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 43,800 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 921 concelebrations of holy mass by priests from the homeland and from abroad or an average of 30 daily.

ADVENT

During the course of the novena in preparation for Christmas, besides the evening prayer program in the church, the rosary was prayed on Apparition Hill and in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer five seminars of prayer and fasting were held. About 250 pilgrims from home and abroad participated in these seminars with the desire of preparing for Christmas through prayer and fasting and getting closer to the mystery of God being born on earth.

CHRISTMAS

In the course of the Christmas and New Year holidays in the shrine of the Queen of Peace there reigned an atmosphere of peace, prayer and fellowship among the faithful who arrived from all parts of the world. The most numerous gatherings were from Italy, France, America, Austria and Germany.

About 3000 faithful participated in the Christmas Eve holy mass. After mass the children expressed Christmas greetings in song to all the assembled believers and to Medjugorje pilgrims throughout the world. With the faithful overflowing in church, a prayer vigil began at 10 PM and ended with holy mass at midnight. The Christmas feast itself passed in a genuine mood of peace and Christmas joy of pilgrims gathered around their Mother.

The Christmas celebration in the shrine of Medjugorje was carried by some TV stations: Croatian National Television, Associated Press and Reuter.

Of the public officials and politicians who visited the shrine of the Queen of Peace for Christmas we single out the visit of Mr. Gojko Susac, Croatian Minister of Defense; Mr. Vlado Soljic, Minister of Defense for the Croatian republic of Herceg-Bosna and Mr. Ivan Milas, a member of the Croatian government.

NEW YEAR

As already up till now for several years in a row, this year also a prayer vigil for the NewYear was held. It began with prayer at 10 PM and ended with holy mass at midnight. About 3000 faithful were present. Again for this occasion the most numerous were young people who arrived from almost every country of Europe and from the United States. In this way the parishioners and pilgrims together entered the New Year singing and praying for the peace so needed by people of today.

Also this year in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer a prayer seminar was held for young people who desired to enter the New Year in the joy of prayer and fellowship. About 40 young people from home and abroad took part in the seminar.

*** By the end of January at the very latest we request you to inform us of your arrival for the prayer - information seminar that will be held from March 17 - 21, 1996 in Hotel "Alga" in Tucepi. Send in your reservation by fax number +387-88-642-339, designated "For the Information Center."

Simultaneous translation is being organized for all language groups. Cost of housing, transportation and seminar is 260 DM per person in a double room. Single room supplement is 32 DM. Payment will be made to the seminar organizers upon arrival at the hotel. There is the possibility of organized transportation from the Split airport to Hotel "Alga" in Tucepi. All who need transportation on March 17 should indicate the exact time of their arrival to the "Medjugorje- Mir Association" in Split by the end of January at the very latest on fax number +385-21-361-354. Transportation from Tucepi to Medjugorje will be organized for the last day.

The Seminar Program was announced in Press Bulletin #27. Now you can obtain it at any time from our RoboFax by pressing number 6 on your fax machine (the same number for obtaining Our Lady's message).

*** As already announced in Press Bulletin #27, we have established the "Mir Information Center" of the Queen of Peace Shrine in Medjugorje with the aim of helping spread the message of Our Lady. We always have been and always will be at the service of everyone who comes to our shrine and to everyone throughout the world. Recently we are making efforts to expand our activity with new services that require new material equipment. We shall be grateful to all who assist us with this in any way whatsoever. We request you to send your contribution to: Franciscan Caritas, Bank of Croatia d. d. Zagreb, Split branch office, account number: NR72700 3-210-00267-6; SWIFT: CRO AHR2XA, with the designation "For the Information Center."

Press Bulletin 30, January 17, 1996

We hear or read that people of various walks of life, of more or less esteem in society, come by for a visit to Medjugorje. Under the influence of contemporary thinking we would say that various types of people come by for a visit. If we may speak about types of people, I would say that the ones who come to Medjugorje are only those who want to convert or those who do not want to. Here there is nothing to see. Here there is only something to experience. And that something starts with the question: What is it that I want in life?

The answers to this question are various. All of us most probably know their own past, their own present and what they would like to be in the future. I say most probably because that knowing of ours can be distorted by our life style. If we exert ourselves to live a true Christian life, we are not afraid of the answer to this question. It is already given by our life style. For that reason we will always be ready to experience that "something" and to know what it is that we want in life.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of December at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 44,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 921 concelebrations of holy mass by priests from the homeland and abroad or an average of 30 daily.

In the course of 1995 at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje a total of 588,500 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 14,435 concelebrations of holy mass by priests from the homeland and abroad or an average of 40 daily.

PHOTO EXHIBITION

On the feast of Epiphany in the presence of a large crowd of the faithful and pilgrims at the shrineof the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, an exhibition of photographs taken in Medjugorje duringrecent years was opened. The authors are the best photo reporters of Slobodna Dalmacija, one of the leading Croatian daily newspapers.

The exceptional beauty and value of the exhibited photographs intensifies and catches unforgettable moments of the millions of pilgrims that have visited this shrine. Their value is priceless for the reason that they show the profound need and human yearning for God and for peace. Some of the photographs were bought up by big world news agencies. The exhibition was opened by the Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans, Fr. Tomislav Pervan, and the Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna Assistant Minister of Culture.

PRAYER AND FASTING SEMINARS

As already for several year in succession now, three prayer and fasting seminars will be held in the Domus Pacis" House of Prayer in preparation for the greatest Christian feast of Easter.

In his encyclical "The Gospel of Life" Holy Father John Paul II invites: ". . .in humility and courage go back to fasting and prayer. . ," and in her messages Our Lady herself has invited us so many times to fasting and prayer. Once she even said, ". . .by prayer and fasting wars also can be stopped. . ." Therefore, we invite all those who wish in a deeper way to draw closer to the mystery of Christ the Redeemer to participate in these seminars because, rich in experience, they are just the right occasion for that. The organizer and leader of the seminars is Fr. Slavko Barbaric.

The seminars will take place:
- February 26 - March 3, 1996.
- March 10 - March 14, 1996.
- March 31 - April 6, 1996.
On the first day it opens at 4 PM and closes on the last day at 12 noon.

Reservations should be made by telephone at + 387-88-650-206 or by fax: +387-88-642-339. If after completing a reservation you should be prevented from participating in one or more seminars, please give notice by the same fax number a week in advance of the starting date. The cost is 10 DM per day.

THE MEDJUGORJE MIR CENTER, Frank and Nives Jelich. 8643 W. Central Ave. Wichita, Kansas 67212, USA, 316-722-9493; fax 316-722-8055. The Medjugorje Mir Center was founded in 1986 with the purpose of spreading Our Lady's monthly messages directed to the world. For the same purpose organization is undertaken for praying of the rosary, presentation of films about Medjugorje, a monthly program of prayer for peace after the manner of the prayer program at Medjugorje and an annual seminar based on Our Lady's messages. The Center conducts distribution of audio and video cassettes, statues, books and rosaries. So far 50 pilgrimages have been organized even during the course of this war. The Center is also active in humanitarian aid for the Mostar Hospital, refugee camps, the orphans of St. Theresa's in Zagreb, the Childrens' Village in Medjugorje, as well as families and individual victims of the war. Through the association "International Child Sponsors" of which Fr. Jozo Zovko is president, the Medjugorje Mir Center gives aid to 850 children left without parents in this war.

We request all Centers that get the Press Bulletin by means of the Robofax to send us a list of those Centers or individuals to whom they in turn send it on. Send it to the MIR Information Center - Medjugorje, fax 387-88-642-339.

Alfons Sarrach: "Poruka Medjugorja o Bogu koju slu i". Glas Mira. Medjugorje 1995. 266 pp.

The first disciples of Jesus are known to be fishermen. In calling them Jesus did not ask them what school they had finished or what their family background was, but he simply asked them if they wanted to follow him. For him, therefore, their willingness was the important thing. He, thereby, recommends to us, his latter disciples, not to first see in people the gifts he has given them, but to see in them the good that they want to follow.

Jesus began his own teaching in Galilee. At that time it was an Israeli district inhabited not only by Jews but by other people too. For that reason, as an orthodox Jew, he considered it pagan and unclean and generally tried not to pass through it. But Jesus sees the good in people and invites them to recognize that good themselves.

We too are called today. That does not mean only that we should enter a monastery or consecrate ourselves in some other kind of way. We are also called to be good parents, educators, writers, doctors, factory workers. . .through the Church Jesus needs us with different orientations in life. Let us have the strength to answer.

MISSIONARY TRAVEL OF FR. JOZO ZOVKO

At the invitation of Medjugorje pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje Fr. Jozo Zovko recently visited Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Canada. In this issue we will present the points of interest that Fr. Jozo himself reported upon his return from Canada.

"Some Canadian Indians were wanting to have a meeting with me and also requested their bishop to organize it. I met with them next to their little church on the reservation. The meeting was so touching that everyone, including me, began to cry. That encounter was truly unrepeatable and magnificent. First came the bishop's delegate, then the bishop and finally the chief. In his welcome speech the chief said that this was a historic moment for Canada and for the Indian people. Those people are 99% Catholic and since they truly want to be Our Lady's people, they want to accept her messages of peace directed to the world. Then the chief named me honorable high priest and chieftain of all the Indians, according to the decision of their Council. When I received my insignia the man who is keeper of the peace pipe came up. He said the Indians decided to light the peace pipe for my homeland Croatia. After they lit it, they handed it first to me, and after that it went from hand to hand accompanied by the continuous exclamation "For Croatia!" After that ceremony followed prayers for me and for the entire Croatian people. The chief came up to me with a rosary in his hand and pronounced me a messenger of peace and a recognized friend they have awaited for years to meet. He pronounced Croatia and Medjugorje a blessed land whence the messages of the Queen of Peace come to them and whom they have dreamed about and yearned for. At the end he blessed Medjugorje and the Croatian people and made a prayer for peace - that war forever cease.

TESTIMONY OF AN AMERICAN PILOT

Scott O'Grady, the fighter pilot of the NATO forces whose plane was shot down in Bosnia in June 1995, was rescued after a successful operation in which more than forty planes and helicopters took part, a hundred soldiers and some of the best military strategists of NATO. After his return to the United States he also wrote a book about the events and the horrors he lived through after the Bosnian Serbs shot down his F-16. Describing the sufferings, hunger, thirst, cold and fear that he lived through in the course of the several days of hiding and waiting for help in the forests of Bosnia in his book Honored Return, he also brings out an interesting particular which has the most significance in the entire rescue operation.

"On the third day of my hiding out, thinking about how survival is first of all a spiritual test, I experienced something amazing and unrepeatable. All of a sudden, in the stillness of my hiding place, I remembered the accounts of my mother's friend who, before the war broke out in Bosnia, had visited Medjugorje, a little place south in the country, where there is testimony about Our Lady's apparition. That afternoon I turned to Our Lady in prayer. Immediately I felt her presence. It became more and more clear and palpable right up to the moment that I saw her. It is hard to describe in words. The vision came through the strength of my feelings, and that feeling was indescribably warm, full of bliss and peace. Someone existed that prayed and kept watch over my return home. That vision was the most important thing that happened to me in Bosnia. It gave me the courage to hold out in the most difficult moments."

Through his book the American pilot made public his own declaration given immediately after the very rescue operation: "Our Lady of Medjugorje saved me!"

MEDJUGORJE MAGNIFICAT, Chantal and Regis CLAUSE. Le grand champ, 01480 France; tel. 7460-7474; fax 7409-8157. This center was founded in 1991 with the basic aim of spreading the messages Our Lady is giving in Medjugorje. Besides that, the Center takes care of organizing pilgrimages, and encouraging the spiritual life and growth of its members and friends. One of the most meaningful activities of the Center is the collection of humanitarian aid (food and medicines) for the population of Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina.

We request all of you who are planning to participate in the Prayer-Information Seminar in Tucepi from March 17 - 21, 1996 to complete your reservations through the fax number + 387-88-642-339 designated for the MIR Information Center. The exact number of participants is necessary for the organizers to arrange lodging and the seminar itself which depends largely on the number of reserved participants. For that reason we ask you once more to keep in mind the difficulties that can happen to us because of tardy notifications and send in your reservation as soon as possible, but no later than February 20.

Press Bulletin 32, February 14, 1996

While living on this earth man wants to be protected. It is a right and a need of his. But in what manner does he wish to achieve it? In the early days of his history he relied exclusively on the strength of his own muscles. Later he perceived that knowledge can be a great protection. In most recent times he has turned to that material around himself. He thinks that the more he has in his hands, the more secure is his present and his future. Unfortunately, the consequence of such a position is unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

Regardless of which period of his development it was, man felt completely protected only when he knew how to convert to his God. Thereby he filled up his interior and experienced what true happiness is. Various written memorials witness that to us, but in most recent times, our whole life does.

To build one's security and power on the material means to build a culture of death. We remain individuals in the worst sense of the word. It is up to us Christians to build a culture of life. And that means to be an individual, but also to be a useful member of the community. Only in such an atmosphere is it easier to come to God and to get to know him.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

As in all previous years up to now the month of January is the month with the smallest number of pilgrims. For that reason during the past month at the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 22,500 Holy Communions were distributed and in all the holy masses there were 505 concelebrations by priests from the homeland and abroad, that is, an average of 16 priests daily.

AMERICAN ARCHBISHOP VISITS MEDJUGORJE

In the past days we also recorded the visit of an archbishop. He was retired Archbishop Philip Hannan of New Orleans. Archbishop Hannan, already at the time of his active ministry, originated the work of a Radio & TV station that has the purpose of bringing closer to viewers and listeners the condition of afflicted people in some part of the world as well as to bring the aid of a great number of people who are concerned about their sufferings. Thus in the past days together with his TV crew Archbishop Hannan also visited Bosnia-Hercegovina: Tuzla and Sarajevo where he met with Cardinal Vinko Puljic. The aim of this tour was to film a report through which the American public will get acquainted with the humanitarian projects of different humanitarian organizations from the USA plus the activity of the American units of IFOR for the purpose of attaining a lasting peace in these regions of ours. At the end of the tour they made an unavoidable visit to Medjugorje and the Queen of Peace shrine. The Archbishop stayed a couple days to visit Medjugorje. During his stay he also visited the Mother's Village. The suffering and pain of those children so deeply impressed the American archbishop that he said in tears: "God himself inspired those who built this." After that Archbishop Hannan also visited the "Cenacle" community where young addicts are cured of drugs.

Archbishop Hannan, on a visit here for at least the third time, said as he was leaving, "In this shrine I have always felt an atmosphere of deep peace and faith. I find that peace in all the people who have visited it. They come home with a deepened faith, they return to sacramental life and prayer. They start prayer groups that are the source of grace for many. For that reason I recommend everyone, but mainly young people, to come on pilgrimage to the Queen of Peace and to take their powerful experiences to others. In that way may a chain of peace and faith be made in the world."

CARMELO PUZZOLO VISITS MEDJUGORJE

The Italian artist Carmelo Puzzolo recently visited Medjugorje. He is the author of the bronze reliefs of the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain and the mysteries of the Rosary on Apparition Hill. In the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer the "Friends of Talented Youth Fund," already for a long time active in Medjugorje, organized an artist's colony in which 20 young artists were formed with the expert help and effort of this great and famous Italian artist, and above all, a big friend of Medjugorje. At work with the youth in the colony was also the academic painter Sister Milena Tomas who is currently living and working in Medjugorje.

"BELGIQUE - MEDJUGORJE", Jacques and Ute Costermans, 25 Rue de la Motte, B-1390 Archennes; fax 010-84-1950. The basic purpose of this Center is the spreading and meditating on Our Lady's messages of peace directed to the world. Publication of the monthly "Nouvelles de Medjugorje" began in December 1985. Today it has about 22,500 readers. In the editorial office of that paper a small chapel is located where every day a prayer group gathers for prayer and meditation on the mysteries of the rosary. Every Friday they pray and fast from 10 AM to 3 PM when confessions and a Eucharistic celebration follow. Once a year the center organizes a large prayer gathering wishing to assemble a large number of small prayer groups scattered throughout the country. It is a meeting like the one held in Beauraing last year (Press Bulletin # 23). On account of the bad war conditions in which Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina found themselves, "Belgique- Medjugorje" decided to aim its activity in part to the needs of the population of these two states. Through the love and devotion of many, some humanitarian projects were originated, and for the most part realized. Of them we will mention: "Margarine for Bosnia-Hercegovina, Orphans and Children's Village, Artificial Limbs for victims of the war, Bibles for Bosnia, A Roof on Every House, and Adoption and Aid for a Sarajevo Family." Just during 1991 the Center collected and distributed about 17 million Belgian francs worth of humanitarian aid.

We request all those who intend to participate in the Prayer-Information Seminar in Tucepi from March 17 - 21, 1996 to make their reservations by fax number + + 387-88-642-339 designated for the Information Center MIR. The exact number of participants is necessary for the organizers to arrange accommodations and the seminar itself which depends largely on the number of reserved participants. Therefore, we request you once more to keep in mind the difficulties that can happen to us because of delayed notifications and to complete your reservation as soon as possible, but no later than February 20.

We are by fax notifying all those who have already completed their reservations for the Prayer-Information Seminar in Tucepi that their reservations are officially confirmed.

Here we would like to apologize to all p ilgrims and friends of Medjugorje, as well as to the Centers of Peace for the problems they had in making contact for getting Our Lady's message, the commentary and the past number of the Press Bulletin. The problems arose as a result of transferring the system to the new digital operation. In a short time it may also happen that you have problems (not like these big ones) until the complete new telephone system is in operation.

Press Bulletin 33, February 28,1996

In the pathless ways of everyday life it is certainly easiest to find one's way if we have a model. Then we will see that we are not the only ones who wish to go by such a way and that it is possible, as well, to realize that kind of way. In searching for a model we Christians will, I believe, look for the kind that corresponds to our Christian conviction. But if someone looked for a model in us would he be able to find it?

We Christians today are, unfortunately, a little bit tired. It is not as in the days of the early Church. We do not give enough witness anymore. We often try to be like the rest. They have convinced us that we are not allowed to be different in anything since we are living in a multicultural society. They have thus reduced us to a level of mediocrity and silenced our voice.

We Christians likewise have a right to existence in modern civilization. We are actually their hope and salvation. Without us this civilization would have long ago fallen into ruin. Through us, that is, Jesus Christ continuously makes himself heard. And he does that most easily if we are ready to be a "model."

MISSIONARY TRAVEL OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC

Fr. Slavko Barbaric recently returned from a missionary journey to Africa. He visited the two small islands of Reunion and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, 700 kilometers south of Madagascar, and 2,500 kilometers away from the South Pole. With their tropical climate and natural beauties they represent a part of paradise on earth. Even though the population is small, they are over 90% Catholic. The news of Mary, Queen of Peace has reached those two remote, inhabited islands. From these islands the faithful have come on pilgrimage to Medjugorje, both individually and in larger groups. On returning home, they spread the message of peace. Prayer groups and Centers of Peace were established.

They expressed their wish for someone from Medjugorje to come to pray with them and in their local church to bring the message of Our Lady directed to the world to all those who want to get to know it, but for whom it is impossible to come to Medjugorje. So Fr. Slavko decided to go on this journey together with the visionary Mirjana and her family. Prayer meetings were held in ten churches that were not able to hold the crowd of assembled faithful. At the Eucharistic celebration in St. Francis de Sales Church twenty priests concelebrated with Cardinal Jean Margeot. He had already previously visited Medjugorje and wholeheartedly accepts and spreads Our Lady's message. For that occasion the church choir sang in Croatian. Before departing for Mauritius Fr. Slavko and Mirjana also visited Bishop Gilbert Auby in his residence. In an exceptionally heartfelt conversation Bishop Auby said that he follows well and knows the events of Medjugorje which generate good fruits and he is, therefore, open to Our Lady's message of peace.

The visit to Mauritius followed. In a church overcrowded with the faithful song resounded again in Croatian. Wanting to confirm the importance of that grand gathering for his church, the local Bishop, Maurice Piat, participated in the prayer with twenty of his priests. It is a great joy, namely, for those distant places to be able to get first hand knowledge of Our Lady's message of peace. Poverty and distance, that is, are frequently the obstacles for many of the faithful to come to Medjugorje and to get to know its message directed to all of mankind.

COURSES OF PRAYER AND FASTING

With the arrival of the Lenten season the already customary courses of prayer and fasting began in "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer. In the course of Lent three such courses will be held. Opening at 4 pm and closing at 12 noon.

- February 26 / March 02, 1996
- March 10 / March 14, 1996
- March 31/ April 06, 1996.
Fr. Slavko Barbaric organizes and conducts the courses. For all those who wish to prepare for the feast of Easter in a more profound way, these kind of courses, rich in experiences, are the right opportunity for that. Since an exceptional interest for this kind of course is prevalent, there is still only a little free space left. We, therefore, invite all those who are interested in participating to make their reservation by fax number 387-88-642-339. In case of being prevented from participation in one or more courses after making a reservation, please give notice by the same fax number at least one week before the course begins. The cost is 10 DM per day.

MEDJUGORJE MAGNIFICAT, Chez Chantal and Regis Clause, Le grand champ, 01480 France. Tel. 33-7460-7474; fax 33-7409-8157. This Center is occupied primarily with the organization of pilgrimages to Medjugorje and the spreading of Our Lady's message of peace. Every Friday there is a meeting of the faithful for prayer and meditation on the way of the cross and the rosary. Prayer meetings are organized also every first Saturday of the month. During these times of war which involved our homeland, the Center collected and distributed different kinds of humanitarian aid to the needy.

*** We hereby notify all Centers and individuals who the Robofax get Our Lady's message, the message commentary, and the Press Bulletin that, due to installation of the new digital telephone system, the Robofax number is changing.

The new number to call is: 387-88-651-555. Since it will still be possible to reach the old number for a short time only, we ask you to notify everyone you know about this to obtain the aforementioned items this way.

We also hereby apologize to all pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje and Centers of Peace for theproblems you have encountered in obtaining Our Lady's messages, the commentaries and past numbers of the Press Bulletin. Problems arose as a result of changing over the telephone system to a new digital mode of operation. It may happen that in a short time you will run into unexpected difficulties (not as big as the others) until the new telephone system is completely operational.

*** There is still space available for the Prayer-Information Seminar that will be held at Hotel "Alga" in Tucepi from March 17 - 21, 1996. Anyone interested should make their reservation by fax number 387-88-642-339, designated for the "MIR Information Center."

We are notifying all those who by fax have completed their reservation for the Prayer-Information Seminar in Tucepi that their reservations are officially confirmed.

Press Bulletin 34, March 13, 1996

During the season of Lent the word that we hear most often is conversion. Naturally, I am talking about Christian surroundings. Modern civilization will continue with its well known old course. That means conversion uproots us from this age in which we are living. Or is still not that way?

The converted man is a total personality. With him it will not happen that he places his selfish profits in the first place. He wants to unite himself with everyone and to build interpersonal relationships with respect. That effort will bless and advance his every day life. It will teach him how to overcome at every moment. For him no kind of books for it will be necessary and no kind of costly counsel of the experts. The only thing he needs is his firm decision.

Who could say that a man like that is rejecting his environment? He only enriches it and thereby has the right to say what he thinks. They should keep silent who cause it to regress. The call to conversion is, therefore, a call to think over which group we fall under.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of February at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 12,500 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 618 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from the homeland and from abroad or an average of 21 daily.

SPIRITUAL RENEWAL IN THE PARISH IN MEDJUGORJE

This year on June 25 the fifteenth anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions will be observed at the shrine of the Queen of Peace. Fifteen years have passed since the visionaries brought us Our Lady's message: "I have chosen this parish. . ." We have lived with this choice already fifteen years and we know how many pilgrims have come, touched by the fervor of the faith of our parish. It is already a full fifteen years since God began speaking through Mary to mankind calling it to peace and reconciliation.

Therefore, that significant jubilee invites all of us to renew and become conscious of Mary's message first in ourselves and then in our families, the parish community, and, thereby, also in the whole Church, that is, in all those who have visited this holy place and have found peace in it, that is, in the message it bears. The fifteenth anniversary of the apparitions is an opportunity for us through a spiritual renewal of the parish to strengthen all the good and to eliminate that which is inconsistent with our choice.

For that purpose a parish mission was also conducted from February 29 - March 3 in the parish of Medjugorje. The mission program was developed in the course of the usual evening prayer program, accordingly, during the time from 5 - 8 PM. On Friday February 24 a great multitude of the faithful participated in praying the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain, led by Fr. Vlado Kozina. The mission ended with a community praying of the rosary of peace and a prayer of consecration on Apparition Hill. At the prayer of the rosary on Sunday the visionaries were also present and on that occasion gave their own testimonies. Fr. Vitomir Slugi led the mission. He is a professor at the Franciscan School of Theology in Sarajevo and a man who spent the entire time of the war in Fojnica and Sarajevo.

THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL "MEDJUGORJE 96"

A music spectacle entitled "Message of peace from Medjugorje to the world" will be held June 21, 1996, in the framework of the international music festival "Medjugorje '96" and of the fifteenth anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions in the parish of Medjugorje.

After lengthy preparations, on February 28 in Vienna an agreement was signed for the appearance and participation of the famous tenor Jose Carreras.

The premier performance of the work "MISSA DE TEMPORE IN AEVUM" by the Italian composer Flavio Colusso will be given. Participating along with Jose Carreras will be the soprano Cecilia Gasdia, twelve choirs from twelve countries from all the continents, four actors to read texts from the Gospel, and the Symphony Orchestra of Croatian Radio and Television. The concert will be directed by Mr. Vjekoslav utej, one of the most prestigious conductors of the younger generation in the world.

This very great musical-cultural event on Croatian territory has attracted great interest from TV companies throughout the world. Therefore, along with the live transmission by Croatian Radio and Television, this musical spectacle will be carried by a large number of foreign TV stations.

YOUTH PRAYER FESTIVAL

The seventh international youth prayer meeting will be held from July 31 - August 6, 1996. The theme for this year's youth prayer festival is: "Out of darkness into light." The seminar program will be announced in the following number of the Press Bulletin.

CROATIAN SOLDIERS IN MEDJUGORJE

At the end of February newly enlisted Croatian soldiers also made a pilgrimage to the Queen of Peace. At the end of their training seventy of them came on pilgrimage by foot to Medjugorje from Mostar. Upon arrival at the shrine they continued their climb on Cross Mountain together with their military chaplain, Fr. Miljenko Stojic.

I believe every man throughout history asks himself about what kind of time he is living in. We too are wondering about that today. How do we answer?

It seems to me we are living in a time of Lent. Not just through forty days each year. We are living it every day. Well, God is constantly calling us to conversion because by our own irresponsible life we are able to destroy our history.

Our Lady came to bring us that message. She is trying to teach us how constantly to live in an Easter season. She wishes to pull us back from our being hidebound, to show us that nothing in this world can destroy us if we do not want it to. Are we hearing her strongly enough or is her speech just one more news item in a series of news that fills in around us every day. This Easter is to give us an answer to that question. It will make completely different people out of us. It will show us the place where happiness and satisfaction are found.

How then would it not be for us A Happy and Blessed Easter!?

BLESSING OF THE STATIONS OF THE WAY OF THE CROSS

On the first Friday of Lent, February 23, 1996, the new stations of the Way of the Cross were erected and blessed in the renewed church of Medjugorje. Fr. Luka Su ac, who was pastor at Medjugorje for many years, conducted the prayers and the blessing. The stations of the Way of the Cross where executed in walnut colored wood by the famous Italian academic sculptor Pino Sacchi. His works adorn many Italian churches and cathedrals. Although in a well advanced period of life, being 85 years of age, this artist decided to produce the stations of the Way of the Cross for the church of Medjugorje as the final work in his artistic career. This artistic work, of extraordinary spiritual and material value, was donated to the Church in Medjugorje by the Heger family from Switzerland, for many years pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje.

PROGRAM FOR THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PRAYER MEETING

Already traditional, the seventh international youth prayer meeting in Medjugorje in a row will be held from July 31-August 6, 1996. The theme of the meeting is: "Out of Darkness into the Light."

The program and themes of the seminar are the following:
- July 31 Assembly and evening holy mass
- August 1 "The darkness in us and around us"
- August 2 "The light that is presenting itself" (evening procession through the parish with Most Blessed Sacrament)
- August 3 "Encounter with the light - confession" (evening drama "Out of darkness into the light" - stories about young people in drugs - "Cenacle" Community of Sr. Elvira)
- August 4 "Be the light of the world" (evening festival of Marian songs)
- August 5 "Mary, Mother of the Lght"
- August 6 "Cross Mountain - the sun that is birthed by me in the world"
The speakers are: Sister Elvira, Jean Plivar, Don Cosimo, Fr. Jozo Zovko, Sister Briege McKenna. The following will give testimony about their experiences: the visionaries, General Philip Morillon and others. The seminar will be conducted by Fr. Slavko Barbaric. It is recommended to all participants to bring along ear phones, a radio with FM reception (because of simultaneous translation) and a bible. All those who wish to enrich this prayer meeting with their music on classical instruments may notify Agostino by fax - 387-88-642-339. He is in charge of the music throughout the festival. A place for them will be secured at "Domus Pacis."

We request all organizers that are coming with their groups to the international youth prayer meeting not to plan other activities during these days for the sake of complete cooperation of all participants.

CROATIAN CHANCELLORS VISIT MEDJUGORJE

At the beginning of March Croatian chancellors gathered for a work meeting of the college of chancellors of Croatian universities held in Mostar. After a visit to the shrine they met with the Medjugorje Franciscans with Fr. Tomislav Pervan presiding. He is the Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans. The delegation of Croatian Chancellors was headed by Mrs. Katica Ivani evi , President of the Upper House of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia. After her visit around the shrine she said:

"Medjugorje is a great thing for Croatia, not only in the sense of renewal and strengthening of Catholic faith, but it actually represents Croatia in the world. The coming here of all those people means getting acquainted with Croatia on the spot. Besides that, they carried away their impressions and, in fact, that real truth about Croatia that they were able to say greatly helped our homeland."

PRAYER-INFORMATION SEMINAR

At the prayer-information seminar held in Tucepi at Hotel "Alga" from March 17 - 21, 100 people from 20 countries participated. We will publish the declaration that the participants adopted at the end of the seminar in the following number of the Press Bulletin.

We hereby request all priests who are coming on pilgrimage to Medjugorje to please bring their own alb and stole with them. The work of the sisters in the church sacristy will thereby be significantly speeded up and facilitated.

Press Bulletin 36, April 10, 1996

The cross is at the center of everything, so we say. That is nothing extraordinary for us as long as it for someone else. But, when we recognize some cross as our own, how do we behave? Are we still courageous, do we stick to our own past words and reflections or do we just shake our head with indifference? Let us not say it does not matter! Our behavior should, at every moment, agree with our reflections.

The one who has understood what the Easter season is will always know how to behave in the correct way. Easter is not just one of the family celebrations, even though it is also that. Easter is an attitude toward life. It changes a man and makes him more capable of enduring all difficulties on this earth. For such a person everything makes sense, because he simply knows which are the profound joys of life. They cannot be found in our consumeristic society of today. But, having Easter within us, we are capable of living with satisfaction on this earth and at the same time of meriting life in our next homeland.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of March at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 45,400 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 964 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from the homeland and from abroad or an average of 32 daily.

BLESSING OF THE NEW BELLS

On the feast of the Annunciation new bells were blessed in the church of Medjugorje. Of the total five bells, three are new. One bell is dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the Our Lady's apparitions in the parish of Medjugorje, one to St. James, the patron of the parish, and one to the 50th anniversary of the death of the 64 martyrs of the Hercegovina Franciscans. The bells were blessed by Fr. Tomislav Pervan, Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans.

MIRJANA'S ANNUAL APPARITION

This year also the visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had her apparition on March 18, 1996. After the apparition Mirjana transmitted Our Lady's message:

"Dear children! On this message, which I give you today through my servant, I desire for you to reflect a long time. My children, great is the love of God. Do not close your eyes, do not close your ears, while I repeat to you: Great is his love! Hear my call and my supplication which I direct to you. Consecrate your heart and make in it the home of the Lord. May he dwell in it forever. My eyes and my heart will be here, even when I will no longer appear. Act in everything as I ask you and lead you to the Lord. Do not reject from yourself the name of God, that you may not be rejected. Accept my messages that you may be accepted. Decide, my children, it is the time of decision. Be of just and innocent heart that I may lead you to your Father, for this that I am here, is his great love. Thank you for being here!"

PRAYER-INFORMATION SEMINAR

The third international seminar for leaders of prayer groups, Centers of Peace, and of Medjugorje pilgrims was held at Tucepi from March 17 - 21, 1996. About 100 leaders from 17 countries, two visionaries and the priests who work in Medjugorje participated. In conclusion the following was adopted.

Aware of the circumstances in which the Church and the world are situated, we have in prayer sought the way to proceed with Our Lady into the 21st century. The lectures and exchange of ideas in the discussions and work according to language groups has brought us to conclusions that we wish to announce to all prayer groups, Centers of Peace, pilgrims and to the parish of Medjugorje:

1. The future, no matter how uncertain it might be in itself, rests in the hands of God. But Godawaits our contribution for making it safer and more human. And Our Lady has called us all, in the words of her Son, to full conversion (June 1990; July 1991);

2. "Read Sacred Scripture, live it, and pray to understand the signs of the times" (June 1991; August 1993). Our Lady's Medjugorje messages are an urgent call for us - to live the Gospel of her Son;

3. It is Our Lady's desire that throughout the whole world prayer groups be organized that will open the participants to the Spirit of God to recognize in the Bible God's word for our time and in prayer to discover ways for its accomplishment.

4. Prayer groups should be the heart and soul of parish communities, a source of confidence and efficacious love and peace;

5. With its archive, library, information booth, Press Bulletin, Robofax, Internet, BBS, and its radio, soon to come, the Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje is at the service of pilgrims, Centers of Peace and prayer groups.

6. Cooperation and exchange of information is recommended between the Information Center "MIR" and the Centers throughout the world, as well as a supportive mutual closeness of the Centers within each individual country.

The seminar concluded with a joint pilgrimage to Medjugorje where representatives of the individual language groups also held a press conference. After the press conference a promotion was held for the seven books of Fr. Slavko Barbaric under the common heading: "Pray with the Heart". All of Barbaric's books are translated into about 20 languages and some of them have reached a million copies. They are the fruit of his long standing labor with pilgrims at the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje.

Press Bulletin 37, April 24, 1996

Today's world has eliminated the word 'to serve' from its dictionary. We are free beings, we say, but for what ? Really, free for what?

Let us turn toward the Medjugorje events. Should we serve them or with them serve ourselves for the accomplishment of our own purposes? I believe the answer is clear. What do we get through serving? Everyone who has opened themselves to the Medjugorje events knows what. Such a one has become a free person, full of peace and dignity, a person turned toward the other. Serving did not mean destroying the person, rather it helped in becoming more of a person.

Accordingly, we have a right to change the world by our serving. But let us change ourselves first. Let everything that we do be done in God's spirit, and not for the sake of our personal profit. And let us not always strive to publicize everything we do. True, that is also necessary, but it is more necessary that it be done.

EASTER IN MEDJUGORJE

In Medjugorje during Holy Week and for Easter itself new groups of pilgrims were arriving continuously. They wanted to prepare for and to celebrate as one the greatest Christian feastday of Easter. About ten thousand pilgrims celebrated Easter at the shrine of Medjugorje. Due to the great number of the faithful the liturgy of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday awas organized in nine languages - especially for each language group. The Medjugorje church, though big, hardly looked big these days and was not able to hold this multitude of pilgrims. Of the foreign pilgrims the most numerous were Austrians, Germans, Italians, Americans, French, Argentine, Poles, Czechs and Spanish. Exceptionally numerous during these days were the pilgrims from surrounding parishes that came to Medjugorje for their Easter confession. In regard to how many pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the Easter days, the fact also says a lot that confessions were heard each evening by a group of about twenty priests for about three hours during the evening prayer program.

During Lent five courses of prayer and fasting were held in the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer. About 200 pilgrims from home and abroad participated in them. The fasting and prayer have already become customary seminars during Advent and Lent, so that all the places are filled up even before the very beginning of the seminar.

FAMILIES OF FALLEN DEFENDERS IN MEDJUGORJE

During Holy Week the families of fallen Croatian defenders visited Medjugorje while spending their holiday in Baska Voda under the organization of the Croatian Army. Medjugorje has become a genuine source of peace and hope for these families, especially during these days when everything refers to the light of resurrection and the hope that Easter bestows.

ITALIAN SCULPTOR IN MEDJUGORJE

The Italian sculptor Carmelo Puzzolo is the number one artist in Italy and a great friend of Medjujgorje. With his own creations he has already several years ago left a permanent impression of his artistic talent on the areas of Medjugorje. The stations of the Way of the Cross on the Cross Mountain, the mysteries of the Rosary on the Hill of Apparition, and the statue of St. Leopold Mandic beside the church are Puzzolo's works. He recently visited Medjugorje again. Here is what he said on that occasion:

"With Medjugorje a new life began for me. A certainty came into me. I felt that God loves me, that he is merciful and that he forgives. Here I also became aware that Our Lady is truly present in my life and my work. Executing the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain, I placed the image of Our Lady into every station. Our Lady was present everywhere except in the garden of Gethsemane. Our Lady is essentially helping us here to find Jesus. That is very important, because through Mary love, tenderness and goodness are discovered. Before Medjugorje Our Lady was very far away. It seems to me that today many priests and believers fall into some kind of amaying apathy precisely because they do not know a living presence of Our Lady. Finally, I would like to say that it seems to me most important that priests are coming to Medjugorje. That way they will be able to recognize and learn Our Lady's way of educating and continue teaching their own people in that same manner. Bishops should encourage priests to come to Medjugorje, to Our Lady's school. Priests must be the first witnesses. But I would recommend to everyone to accept Our Lady's messages and to live in agreement with them. Our Lady is really teaching us what is the best. Medjugorje is God's gift and the reality of God's reflection."

With the change over to the summer schedule the daily evening program in the church is from 6:00 to 9:00 PM (6:00 PM rosary, 7:00 PM Mass followed by the prayers of blessing and the third part of the rosary).

Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is held from 10:00 to 11:00 PM on Wednesday and Saturday and on Thursday immediately after the evening holy mass. Every Sunday the peace rosary is prazed on the Hill of Apparition at 3:00 PM, and every Friday the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain at the same time. All information in regard to the prayer program, the possibility of meetings with some of the Medjugorje Franciscans, as well as other announcents can be obtained daily by pilgrims from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Information Booth of the shrine which is located beside the parish house or by phone at 650-400, except Sunday.

Today no matter which way we turn, technology is all around us. If we want to live in modern times, we simply cannot avoid it. This means it is a problem for us! Or maybe it isn't?

Our Lady often speaks about our heart. She desires that everything in it be in order. In a word, as our heart is, so we are also.

Starting from this position we will easily answer whether technology is our problem or whether it is not. It will be difficult for the one who is concerned about the purity of his heart to fall into any kind of error. And it is a mistake to say that one cannot live without technology. So it is also the same kind of mistake to see everything in that technology. The truth lies in the middle. We have to use technology, but never allow it to use us.

We cannot reject the world in which we live. It is up to us to accept it as it is and overcome all of its detours. We are sent to this world so that in it we would be the kind of witnesses that God and Our Lady desire of us.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of April at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 72 000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 1548 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from the homeland and abroad or an average of 53 daily.

MASS FOR THE DECEASED

On April 20, 1996, the feast day of St. George, the patron saint of this county, 700 faithful from the central Bosnian town of Vitez came on pilgrimage to the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. At the shrine of Medjugorje they celebrated holy mass for their deceased defenders and town folk. In the course of the war, that is, about 700 people in that town lost their life.

PRAYER SEMINARS In addition to the already customary courses of prayer and fasting during Advent and Lent in the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer, other kinds of seminars were also conducted.

"Help", the organization for aid to abandoned and threatened children from the area of Split, regularly organizes spiritual renewal in Medjugorje for the children in their care. So it was also this past month. The Medjugorje Franciscans organize and conduct the seminars for them and their leaders.

In the same house the Franciscan Sisters are holding seminars for young girls of different age levels. In the course of this year 10 seminars were held in which about 400 girls from all the parishes of Hercegovina participated.

Every month the Franciscans also organize seminars for mass servers and youth of different age levels.

PROMOTION OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC'S BOOKS

At the new Franciscan monastery in Zagreb a promotion was held on April 18, 1996 for the seven books of Fr. Slavko on the theme of "Pray with the Heart". All of Fr. Slavko's books have been translated into about 20 languages and some of them have reached a million copies. They are the fruit of his long standing labor with pilgrims in Medjugorje. In the presence of a great number of the cultured and the active public in the city of Zagreb, Don Zivko Kustic, Fr. Josip Srdanovic and Dr. Ivan Kordic spoke about the works of Fr. Slavko Barbaric.

FRIENDS OF TALENTED YOUTH FUND

The Friends of Talented Youth Fund is a humanitarian association with its base in Medjugorje. Its purpose is to enable talented young people, who have limited financial capacities, to acquire a university education. Therefore, at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb on April 19, 1996 that fund was introduced to the public of the capital city of Croatia. For the occasion an auction was held for the sale of paintings by excellent masters of contemporary Croatian artists. The proceeds obtained at the auction are intended for the schooling of young students, members of the fore mentioned association.

THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL "MEDJUGORJE 96"

A music spectacle entitled "Message of Peace to the World from Medjugorje" will be heldJune 21, 1996, in the framework of the international music festival "Medjugorje 96" and of the fifteenth anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions in the parish of Medjugorje.

At the concert there will take place the premier performance of the work "MISSA DE TEMPORE IN AEVUM" by the Italian composer Flavio Colusso. Participating along with Jose Carrerra will be: the soprano Cecilia Gasdia, twelve choirs from twelve countries from all the continents, four actors to read texts from the Gospel, and the Symphony Orchestra of Croatian Radio and Television. The concert will be directed by Mr. Vjekoslav Sutej, one of the most prestigious conductors of the younger generation in the world.

Ticket sales will be conducted by "Globtour- Medjugorje" travel agency starting May 16, 1996. All necessary information may be obtained by telephone at ++387-88-651-393 and by tel/fax ++387-88-650-393.

"MEDIUGORIE - CONVERTAM-SE SEM DEMORA!", Servos da Rainha, Brasilia, Brasil, 160 pp.

Today we are surrounded with various means of communication. If we merely want it, we are able to be in contact with someone who is at the end of the earth. Of itself, what does that change in our life? Little or nothing! It is not important to be able merely to hear someone, but also to want it, that is, to be capable of it.

The capacity to hear someone, to receive him into one's soul, is, sad to say, not really one of our virtues in everyday life. There are many reasons for that, but one of the most important is our everyday busyness. Only then in that moment when we are physically prevented from hurrying, do we recognize that it also is really not all that important. It is much more important to feel that someone loves you, that he desires to be with you in the most difficult moments. Someone's behavior like that toward us, I dare say, was not born in him just exactly when things became difficult for me. Those moments when we were ready to hear and understand another, are the moments when we aroused love in the other toward us. No one, namely, likes a selfish man. On the contrary, everyone will approach a person of good will. Our Lady with her own speech is encouraging us to that.

"PEACE MARCH"

On June 24, 1996 a "Peace March", the fifth in a row, will be held. It will start at 6:45 am in front of the Franciscan monastery in Humac with a prayer and a blessing of the pilgrims. Departure for Medjugorje is at 7 am. Upon arriving in Medjugorje the pilgrims will assemble in front of the church for a short community prayer.

The "Peace March" is an idea that was generated in the hearts of Medjugorje pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje in the most intense days of the war in 1992. That prayer march of 13 kilometers is the answer to non-peace, violence, and hatred and an impulse toward authentic peace and reconciliation.

INTERNATIONAL SOLDIERS' PILGRIMAGE

The Soldiers' Pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Queen of Peace is already becoming traditional. It originated two years ago with the desire of Croatian soldiers from Herceg-Bosna, in spite of terrible events of war, to come to their Mother and thank her for her love and care. The custom arose that this day be the first Saturday in the month of June.

With the suspension of the dangers of war the possibility was created for soldiers of other nations also to be present in the shrine on that day. The conclusion was reached that it be international. Therefore, we desire to re-establish ties with those who wish to come. We request them to notify us as soon as possible, regardless of their intention to come this year or only in coming years.

SECURITY STATUS

With the signing of the cease fire for these territories of ours, the increased number of pilgrims coming to Medjugorje has been perceptibly felt. A confirmation of that is also the increased number of Holy Communions distributed in the first months of this year. In April alone 72,000 Holy Communions were distributed.

And there are still also those are continuously expressing interest about the possibility of coming to Medjugorje. So we hereby announce that pilgrimage to Medjugorje has become completely safe. The safest way to Medjugorje is through the Republic of Croatia, that is, by air or ferry boat to Split or by the Adriatic coastal road through Split to Medjugorje.

The association SERVANTS OF THE QUEEN ["SERVOS DA RAINHA"], Brasilia, Brazil was founded December 8, 1990. The spiritual director is Fr. Pedro Antonio Bach, and the president of the Association is Reinaldo Pinheiro. The Association is occupied exclusively with spreading the messages which Our Lady is giving in Medjugorje. The Servants of the Queen" spread the message of the Queen of Peace in various ways and means: a booklet with the messages (more than 1,000,000 copies printed), a bulletin (200,000 copies printed monthly), books and other publications, video and audio cassettes, conferences, prayer meetings and pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Press Bulletin 40, June 05, 1996

We like to listen when someone speaks nicely. Sometimes it is also the reason we trust him without too much questioning. But we really should have done just that: question ourselves. There has to be a reason why someone chooses just those kinds of words.

We can freely apply this also to Our Lady's speech. She has in fact clearly said what her ultimate goal is: to connect us with heaven. We are not only those who are struggling in the limits of our own reason. We are truly those who are living on this earth experiencing all the difficulties, but we are at the same time turned toward heaven. Heaven is that place where we shall live forever.

In understanding the quality of relations around us we help both ourselves and others. Then it will not happen to us that we proclaim something to be positive which we should not at all have done. It is too late to do that just then when something has happened. It is important to have done it already before hand. Then we will march along with dignity on this earth where Our Lady desires to teach us.

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of May at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 80,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 1,952 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from the homeland and abroad or an average of 63 daily.

PRAYER SEMINARS

Prayer Seminars are regularly conducted in the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer. It was thus also at the end of May when a Bible Prayer Group of 33 youth held a three day prayer seminar. Fr. Ivan Maric and Simon Romic organized and led the seminar. In addition to the lectures the young people visited the Hill of Apparitions and the Cross Mountain where they had a biblical Way of the Cross. They also visited the "Cenacle" community of Sr. Elvira where young men are cured of drug addiction. This group of young people just like all the others who visit this community were especially enthused by the atmosphere of prayer that prevails in it. They returned home enriched by a new and profound experience.

The organization "Help", which assists abandoned and endangered children in the region of Split, regularly organizes spiritual renewal in Medjugorje for the children under its care. Thus it was also for half of May. Fr. Branimir Musa conducted a seminar at "Domus Pacis" for 30 little people with their guides from Split.

INGRID FRANKOPAN [UBI] IN MEDJUGORJE

Ingrid Frankopan ubi} is a member of ancient Croatia, a family clan that has its branches also in Rome, Venice and Verona. She is the mother of five children, the author of numerous books and publications, a professor at several European universities and the holder of three doctorates on international law. A profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is also a tradition of her large family. They have built many churches and mansions. Therefore it is not disturbing that they have lost everything in Croatia because if necessary they will build a new church and a new manor-house. The material possessions are lost, but their love for Our Lady is still more strengthened. For that very reason all the children of princess Frankopan ubi} attend holy mass daily and all but her have visited Medjugorje. Now she too is here for the first time and this is what she had to say on that occasion:

"I feel that this is truly a prophetic place. Fifteen years ago Our Lady requested people to begin praying for peace and thirteen years ago the Holy Father requested me to write a book on the subject of rights during war. That was then very exceptional, but also not accidental.

It is a true wonder that Croatia has achieved independence. I think for the most part it was the intercession of Our Lady that brought this about, the intercession of Cardinal Stepinac as well as of all the young men who gave their life for the liberation of their own country from atheism. We have to be grateful to Our Lady because she saved us. It is a great honor to have her among us.

After his visit to Croatia the Holy Father said: "I wish to return to your holy places." Since the holy house of Nazareth at the shrine in Trsat had been the property of our family, and since we are all a bit selfish, I was thinking that his words referred to Trsat. But still I think that in the first place the Holy Father was thinking of Medjugorje."

TV CREWS IN MEDJUGORJE

At the end of May a TV crew from Spain visited Medjugorje for the purpose of making a documentary film on the events of Medjugorje. They stayed in Medjugorje for several days.

Also a TV team from Croatian Television filmed a documentary on Medjugorje with special emphasis on the "Cenacle" community where young men are cured of drug addiction and on the Childrens' Village.

INTERNET

So that we might more quickly and easily be in contact with you we have connected with the Internet. Our address is: http://www.tel.hr/medjugorje. For the time being our web pages are still in the making, so please understand our imperfections. You can send all comments and contributions to our e-mail address: medjugorje-mir@st.tel.hr. Also if in addition you know of any other Internet address that talks about Medjugorje, please inform us of it. .

"MEDJUGORJE - DAI MONTI MI VERR LA SALVEZZA", Editrice Shalom, Monte San Vito, (AN), 223 pp.

Press Bulletin 41, June 19,1996.

How can we be light? It's a difficult question! What is light ? That 's another difficult question ! Our Blessed Mother pushes us to try to answer this question.

Jesus Christ in His parable about the Pharisee and the Tax-collector shows us how we as Christians should behave. Like the Pharisee, we too can keep all the laws and abide by all the rules, and still not be pleasing in His sight. Or we can sin just like the Tax- collector and still please Him. So, is the conclusion then that it's always better to sin? Of course not ! The Tax-collector was pleasing to God because through him, light was able to shine: even though he made mistakes, he sincerely repented and did his best. The Pharisee on the other hand, dimmed out the light , convinced of his own innocence.

We are the light of the world. God created us to be light. But whose fault is it if the light is not seen? Surely we cannot blame it on God. If he didn't intend us to be light, He wouldn't have created us this way. Many await that we become conscious of our being light. How long will we make them wait?

THE VISIONARIES TODAY -
ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LADY 'S APPARITIONS

On the 25th of June we will celebrate fifteen years of Our Blessed Mother 's apparitions here at the sanctuary of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Medjugorje. Up to the present, about twenty million people have visited the shrine, and on returning home to their parishes, have become messengers of Our Lady 's messages, each one ch one bringing them to their families, parishes and all walks of humanity.

But the first messengers who testified to Our Lady 's presence were the Medjugorje visionaries: According to the testimony of these six young parishioners, Our Lady has appeared to them every day since the 24th of June 1981. On that day the visionaries were frightened by her call and fled. The following day, on the 25th of June, they answered her invitation and climbed the hill of Podbrdo , where for the first time they spoke and prayed with her. That 's why we celebrate this day as the anniversary of the apparitions of the Queen of Peace, as she chooses to call herself.

Here we are presenting some details about them.

Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez was born in 1966. She had daily apparitions from the 24th of June 1981 until the 7th of May 1985. On that day she received the last of her ten secrets and Our Lady told her that she would appear to her annually on the anniversary, until the end of her life. Until now it has been so. Ivanka lives in the parish of Medjugorje. She is married and has three children.

Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo was born in 1965. She had daily apparitions from the 24th of June 1981 until 25th of December 1982. On the last day of her apparitions Our Lady told her that throughout her life she would have annual apparitions on her birthday:(March 18th).

Since the 2nd of August 1987 on the second of every month she hears the voice of the Blessed Mother within her and sometimes during this, she can even see her. Our Ladys prayer with Mirjana is always for the "unbelieving". Our Lady has given Mirjana ten secrets. Mirjana lives in the parish of Medjugorje. She is married and has two children.

Vicka Ivankovic was born in 1964. Our Lady appeared to her for the first time on June 24th 1981 and her daily apparitions still continue. Our Lady has given Vicka nine secrets. Vicka lives in her parents home in the parish of Medjugorje.

Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti was born in 1965. Our Lady first appeared to her on June 25th. Maria continues to have daily apparitions. Through her Our Lady gives a message to the parish, and through the parish to the rest of the world on the 25th of every month. Up until now Our Lady has given her nine secrets. Maria at the moment lives in Italy. She is married and has two children.

Ivan Dragicevic was born in 1965. Our Lady has been appearing to him every day since June 24th 1981 up to the present day. Ivan has nine secrets. He lives in Medjugorje, is married and has one child.

Jakov Colo was born in 1971. He has daily apparitions since 25th of June 1981 up to the present day. Our Lady has entrusted him with nine secrets. Jakov lives in the parish of Medjugorje. He is married and has one child.

A MILITARY PILGRIMMAGE

The first of June saw the third of the "soldier pilgrimmages". This year it had an international flavour because it included not only members of the Croatian army, but members of the IFOR peace keeping forces too.

After a ceremonious entrance into the shrine, the soldiers prepared for confession and about five hundred of them availed of the sacrament of reconciliation. After celebrating the Eucharist together, they departed from the church in procession, praying the rosary on their way to climb Apparition hill. On their return to the Church before the solemn blessing, they lit a votive candle. It was an interesting experience, especially for the foreign pilgrims visiting Medjugorje at that time!

The Centre "Mir-Peace", P.O.Box 105 Clarks Summit, PA 18411 U.S.A.;fax 71 75866051; was started in 1983. It was started by the Sarcevic family for the spreading of Our Lady 's messages. During all these years the centre has involved itself in various activities . Being of Croatian origin the family lent themselves to translating messages, and numerous other booklets and publications. They distribute audio and video cassettes, and organise pilgrimmages to Medjugorje being able to give additional focus on the history, culture and faith of the Croatian people. ( Up to the present they have organised about 100 pilgrimmages!) They have a continual commitment to prayer meetings once a week. During the war their prayers were always offered up for peace in Croatia and Bosnia- Hercegovina. The centre also organises collection and distribution of humanitarian help especially for those children orphaned during the war and for all the families who are now without the Father figure.

What do we need in order to be happy? We will never have a constant and unchanging answer to this question. Or will we?

When we`re hungry, happiness would be lack of hunger, when we`re imprisoned, happiness would be freedom, etc. We can continue like this forever and we still wouldn`t have answered the question what is it that brings happiness.

Whoever has been with Our Lady during these years has discovered this question, and I believe they have found the true answer. She herself expressly did and didn`t offer an answer. She led us upon the path and desired that we discover the answer ourselves. The end of this road is God himself. The experiences were always different, but all roads seemed to meet under the same theme: holiness.

I don`t know if we are holy? I only know that we should never stop trying to be. Sometimes we can tire, and need rest. Other than that, we shouldn`t ever, not even for a moment, take another path. We must live our lives as courageous people.

THE NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of June in the shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 150 000 holy communions were distributed and 3025 priests concelebrated Holy mass from both home and abroad, approximately 100 priests daily.

THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LADY`S APPARITIONS

During these last fifteen years, Our Lady`s presence in this Parish has spread throughout the world with the help of the pilgrims like a concentric circle and has made Medjugorje into the Parish of the world. The confirmation of this is the presence of about 100,000 of the faithful who visited Medjugorje on it`s fifteenth anniversary. It`s impossible to count the countries from where they came in pilgrimmage to the Queen of Peace. The majority of pilgrims were from the homeland, many of them came barefoot, to thank Mary for the gift peace. The evening mass on the eve of the anniversary was celebrated by Father Jozo Zovko. On the anniversary itself, 50,000 of the faithful participated in an open-air mass which was celebrated by the Hecogovinian franciscan, Fr. Ivan Dugandzic, Professor of Sacred Scripture in the Catholic Seminary in Zagreb. The mass was concelebrated by about 250 priests from all over the world, together with the retired Archbishop, Mons. Henry Kennedy from Australia and two active Bishops from Uganda, Mons. John Baptist and Mons. Paul Bakyeng. During those two days alone;i.e. the 24th and 25th of June, 45,000 Holy Communions were distributed. On the feastday itself, different masses were celebrated at the shrine for different language groups. These numbered about 15 different languages altogether.

On Monday the 24th of June, the eve of the fifteenth anniversary of Our Lady`s apparitions, the fifth in a series of annual "Peace walks", was held. The walk began at 6.45 a.m. with a blessing of the pilgrims in front of the Franciscan Seminary at Humac. About 10,000 pilgrims at 7 a.m. set off towards Medjugorje. After their arrival at Medjugorje, the pilgrims gathered in front of the Church for a short community prayer. The "Peace walk" began in the hearts of the pilgrims and the freinds of Medjugorje during the harshest days of the war-in 1992. The 13 kilometre long, prayerful walk was in response to the unrest, violence and hatred, thereby being a fount of true peace and reconciliation.

Also in celebration of the 15th anniversary, a spectacular musical performance, under the title of, "A message of Peace to the World from Medjugorje", took place. Besides the world famous tenor, Jose Carerras and Cecilia Gasdiu, twelve choirs, from twelve different countries participated together with Croatia`s national T.V.and Radio orchestra. The concert was directed by Zagreb`s celebrated Vjekoslav Sutej. Also on the occasion of the 15th anniversary, the famous "Zagreb Soloists",held a concert in the Parish church. The group came primarily in pilgrimmage for the celebration of this great jubilee. After visiting the Hill of Apparitions and Krizevac, they gave their majestic concert. Some of their music was composed precisely for this occasion. Their wish is to come every year for the anniversary of the apparitions, and sing for the pilgrims of Medjugorje.

IVANKA`S ANNUAL APPARITION

The visionary Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez had her regular annual apparition on the 25th of June 1996. According to their own testimony the visionaries Vicka, Marija, Ivan and Jakov still continue to have daily apparitions, while Mirjana and Ivanka have an annual apparition. On the occasion of her ultimate daily apparition, the 7th of May 1985, Our Lady entrusting her with the tenth secret, told her that for the rest of her life, she would have an apparition once a year on the anniversary. And so it was, this year too. The apparition took place in her family home, and lasted seven minutes. After the apparition Ivanka said that this had been one of the most beautiful apparitions that she had had up to the present. As well as this Our Lady thanks us for our prayer and for our love and desires that prayer and love become interwoven into every day. In conclusion she invited us to pray for those who were under diabolic posession.

In order to link up with you more efficiently, we have hooked ourselves up to Internet. Our address is: http://www.tel.hr/medjugorje. Momentarily, our pages are in the process of being made, and so ask for some patience and understanding. You may send all your suggestions and comments to our e-mail address: medjugorje-mir@st.tel.hr. If you know of any other internet addresses who give information about Medjugorje, please let us know.

We wish to inform you of changes in our telephone numbers:
-information office 00387 88 651 988
-parish house 00387 88 650 206
650 310
651 333
-fax 00387 88 651 444

Would all of you who are connected with internet and who already receive Our Lady`s message from us through fax please let us know at your earliest convenience.

Press Bulletin 43, July 17, 1996.

Whoever has never written anything for children or perhaps attempted to convey some knowledge to them usually thinks that is simple. In the background is the thought that children have no experience of life and, therefore, it is taken for granted that a lot of sound experience of life can just be passed off to them. But that's not the way it is.

It is difficult to write for children and to talk to them. It demands a person to present his thoughts clearly, genuinely and interestingly. A child is not weighed down by the thought of what someone else is going to say if I will think like this. If something isn't clear to him or it seems to him that it is not genuine he will clearly and openly ask a question about it. It affects the very heart of the matter and he is not at all satisfied until everything is well clarified.

For that reason it is no wonder that Our Lady constantly addresses us with "Dear children". There is no sense of superiority in this. Our Lady desires good for us, she desires to teach us to live in freedom. Let us not take offence and say that we are free. Are we indeed free if our behavior is conditioned by conforming to circumstances and not by conforming to the truth? If we shall be children, we will know what to do.

VISIT OF A BISHOP FROM URUGUAY

At the beginning of July an active bishop from Uruguay, Msgr. Raul Scarone, visited Medjugorje. In the course of his two-day stay in Medjugorje he participated in several masses of various language groups and in the Croatian language evening eucharistic celebration at which he gave the blessing to the faithful present. Here is what he said on that occasion:

"This is my first visit to Medjugorje. It is a grace for me to stay here two days. Providence has brought me here. I am satisfied and I did not know that it has this kind of great dimension. The apparitions in Medjugorje are known throughout the whole world. Popular devotion must be purified. It is a question, namely, of religious motivation. That holds true for each one of us. So that we might firmly go on the way of holiness we need a purification of motivation. When I think of myself, before my own personal confession, I always ask myself, Am I a bishop in order that I might serve the church or only so that I might have authority?'

You in this parish have a great gift that is called Mary. She can always help us in evangelization for the reason that she always leads us toward Jesus. She opens the doors of hearts and the doors of homes. I have seen that also in my own people which is so secularized and has so many sects. Where Mary is, there the heart is open. Accordingly, that which has to be done is to evangelize with Our Lady's help."

VISIT OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS

At the beginning of July a group of forty professors visited the shine of the Queen of Peace. There were from the faculty of Law in Split together with their pro-rector, pro-dean, dean and secretary. After the visit to the shrine they also visited the "Cenacle" community which is for the healing of young drug addicts. As for all who visit this community, the life and labor of these ex-drug addicts impressed them deeply.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PRAYER MEETING

The already traditional international youth prayer meeting in Medjugorje, the seventh in a row, will be held from July 31 till August 6, 1996. The theme is: From Darkness to Light'.

The presenters are: Sr. Elvira, Jean Pliyar, Don Cosimo, Fr. Jozo Zovko, Sr. Briege. Giving testimonies on their experiences will be: the visionaries, General Philip Morillon and others. Fr. Slavko Barbaric will conduct the seminar. It is recommended to all participants to bring along a Bible, ear phones and an FM radio for the simultaneous translation.

We request all organizers who are coming with their groups to the international youth prayer meeting, not to plan any other kind of activities during these days for the sake of complete cooperation on part of all the participants.

A MESSAGE TO BENEFACTORS

Many times so far, dear friends, you have said that work in distribution of humanitarian aid takes you away from the prayer for the sake of which you came to Medjugorje. Aware of your great love and the efforts you expend to help our people in this difficult moment, we wish to offer a little piece of advice. Collect your valuable gifts and send them through the Association "Medjugorje-Mir" based in Split. That Association, namely, knows well the needs of individuals and groups and directs your help in the simplest and most equitable way. You can obtain all the announcements and the way to cooperate at this tel/fax: ++385-21-361-354. This way you can also really experience your pilgrimage in the manner you wish to, and also those who are in need of your help will obtain it.

So that we might more quickly and easily be in contact with you we have connected with the Internet. Our address is: http://www.tel.hr/medjugorje. For the time being our web pages are still in the making, so we request your understanding. You can send all comments and contributions to our e-mail address: medjugorje-mir@st.tel.hr. Also if in addition you know of any other Internet address that talks about Medjugorje, please inform us of it. .

We are informing you also about changes of our telephone numbers:

-information office ++387-88-651-988
-Parish office ++387-88-650-206
650-310
651-333
-fax ++387-88-651-444.

We request all those to whom we have been faxing Our Lady's message, but who are able to get it through the Internet, to please notify us as soon as possible.

Press Bulletin 44, July 31, 1996.

I look at the shell on my desk. All around it, books, a computer, pencils, a few letters... In this world of things, the shell seems to be a link with another world, a world in which life grows, a worldwhich is not as quiet as my bedroom but which is much more interesting and without which nothing is possible. Whereas without my books and all the rest, everything is still possible.

My thoughts keep wandering. All that we posess will remain dead if we do not integrate it to the life which surrounds us. Of course it takes an effort, but it bears fruits. Even the shell was more beautiful in the sea than it is on my desk.

Christianity certainly does not consist in escaping life. Such a christianity would be a synonym of weakness. Being a Christian means to participate in the construction of this world using all our strength and all the gifts that God has given us. That's what Our Lady says in Medjugorje. Even the Gospel tells us something similar in the" talents' parable". We must simply be in these modern times shells resplendishing with beauty.

COMMENTS OF THE BISHOP OF VIENNA ON MEDJUGORJE

Msgr. Christian Werner, bishop of Vienna, recently visited the Austrian soldiers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and also came to Medjugorje. As far as we know, it is the fifth bishop who visited Medjugorje this year. It should be said that during the last fifteen years, Medjugorje has been visited by approximately 100 bishops and 10 cardinals. After his visit, Msgr. Werner gave his impressions on this place of pilgrimage to the journalist of the above mentioned newspaper:

"The day I spent in Medjugorje was a very quiet day. Therefore, my encounter with small groupswas more intense. It is interesting to point out that the soldiers who were accompanying me bought rosaries instead of postcards. In Medjugorje, I experienced silence. We sat outside next to the church which overlooks the square. Although we only stayed there a couple of hours, we felt that this place had something splendid and very special. For me as well as for the soldiers it's been something really wonderful. After praying, we went to a little restaurant where we met very friendly people. They spoke several languages and immediately spoke to us. I told the soldiers what a great number of conversions had taken place here. People can have different opinions on the fact that there are apparitions or not. What matters is that thousands of people go to confession and pray on the mountains. And also there is the fact that so many young people come. I saw Franciscans passing by accompanied by new groups of young people.What we lived only gives an idea of what happens here during important feasts. It really is a place of great grace and life.

HUMANITARIAN CONCERT

On July 21st, in front of the church of Medjugorje, the orchestra of young people from the city of Essen (Germany) gave a concert to benefit the children whose fathers died defending their homeland during the war in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This concert was only one of many others given during the last three weeks, in several areas of Croatia.

Impressed by the sufferings caused by the war, by which children were hurt in a special way, this group of young musicians gave a series of concerts in Croatia and Germany last year as well. All earnings will be used to help the children of the Croatian soldiers who died during the war.

A SPIRITUAL GUIDE

We seize this opportunity to inform the Medjugorje pilgrims of the quite recent publication ofa spiritual guide :"Follow me with the heart" written by Father Slavko Barbaric. The guide "Follow me with the heart" will give the essential information to the Medjugorje pilgrims, it will help them approach the different places of prayer (church, Apparition Hill and Krizevac) in the most suitable way and most of all it will help them to begin praying.

"Follow me with the heart" is already available in Croatian and in English, all other international languages are still in the process of being translated. You can find the spiritual guide in the Franciscan's bookshop or at the shrine's information office.

Because so many young people have shown an interest in becoming a guide in the shrine of Mary Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, the pilgrims' Guides Association of the parish of Medjugorje has organized an informative and educational session between August 19 and August 22, 1996. This session will be followed by an examination. All those who pass it, will have the opportunity to become members of the Guides Association and thereby will automatically be able to work with pilgrims in the shrine. All the people who wish to work as guides in the sanctuary have to know and learn some subjects to be able to give authentic information to the pilgrims they work with.

All people interested must register at the shrine's information office by August 15, 1996.

Press Bulletin 45, August 7, 1996.

As we have been growing, so too the teachers who have spoken to us, and who were with us through the events along the way, have changed. When we think about it all it seems that we could put everything under the title or term, responsibility.This term covers all our spirituality, all our philosophy, all the conclusions we have come to through our experience. In other words, we can not wander, but live in conformity with Gods' and mans' laws within us.

Responsibility proceeds from love. If you don't love others, God and yourself, you can never be responsible. Because those around you, God and you yourself will just become the means of satisfying some selfish need. Loving them means you will fulfill them and thay will fulfill you. To face yourself and look yourself straight in the eye is the first step towards responsibility. It is then that one enters the domain of love. Our footsteps are no longer unsure. They have a purpose and know where they are going. But doesn't all this reverberate through Our Lady's words and activity here in Medjugorje?

Throughout the month of July in the Shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Medjugorje 49 000 Holy Communions were distributed and 1488 priests concelebrated Holy Mass from at home and abroad, aproximately 50 priests daily.

THE VISIT OF THE BISHOP OF CALIFORNIA

Recently, the American Bishop, Mons. Pierre Dumaine visited Medjuorje. Here is what he said on that occasion:

" I am the Bishop of the diocese of San Jose which was founded in 1981. It numbers about 1.8 million people of which about 450 thousand are Catholic. There is even a Croatian Parish in my diocese. This is one of the reasons why I came to Croatia. I wished to know more about the culture and roots of this people. I visited the shrine of Our Lady of Sinj and celebrated mass there. I also wished to visit Bosnia Hercegovina because many Americans don't have a true idea about this area. And I came to Medjugore to find out about the experiences of many of those who have visited this place and after which a vigorous Marian devotion spread throughout my whole diocese This is my first visit to Medjugorje. Here I experienced a deep devotion of the faithful towards Our Lady. Mary's role is to bring the faithful closer to Jesus and to sacramental life. This is clearly visible here. In your people I have felt a deep loyalty to the Catholic Church and to our Holy Father the Pope. This is something which I truly esteem and You must take good care of it."

THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MEETING

The seventh annual International Youth festival was held from the 31st of July until the 6th of August this year. In this really unique encounter of prayer, song and intermixing about six thousand young people from throughout the whole world participated, not counting those from at home. Italians, Americans, French, German, Austrian, Czechoslovakians Slovenians and the Dutch were among the most numerous while smaller groups came from as far away as The Virgin Islands and Lebanon.

The theme of this years festival was "From darkness to light".Besides the normal talks and prayer organised the young people also took part in a Eucharistic Procession throughout the whole Parish of Medjugorje.On the 3rd of August the boys from Sr. Elviras' Community "the Cenacle",(a community for healing from addiction), performed on stage a show entitled "from darkness to light. In it they presented their own roads of searching for the truth and the light. On the 4th of August, there was a festival of Marian songs in which all the groups from all over the world individually participated .The festival ended on the sixth of August with Holy Mass on Krizevac at 5 o' clock in the morning.

The speakers at this years' festival were Sr. Elvira, Don. Cosimo, p.Muller, and Fr. Jozo Zovko. The co-ordinator of the festival was Fr. Slavko Barbaric.

MASS ON KRIZEVAC

In 1933 the then Parish priest of Medjugorje, together with the parishioners erected a cross 5.86 metres high re-enforced in concrete at the top of Mt. Krizevac . They carved the following words into the cross " Jesus Christ, Saviour of humanity, as a sign of our faith hope and love, in the memory of the 1900th anniversary of Jesus' sufferings." Built in to the same cross are relics obtained from Rome for that occasion which Cristians had moulded together in imitation of the one on which Jesus was crucified, the largest part of which is preserved in the Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. The cross was completed on the 15th of March,1934. Afterwards a custom started up whereby Holy Mass was celebrated on its' podium on the first Sunday after the Nativity of Our Lady in memory of the Exaltation of the Cross.

This year Holy Mass will be celebrated on Krizevac on the 15th of September.

Press Bulletin 46, August 28, 1996.

How come Our Lady happened to appear at Medjugorje? I'm not claiming to know the answer to that question. Although I do know that Our Lady wishes that all our lives become complete!

Within us, the past, the present and in a manner of speaking, the future events co-exist. It's not good if all these events exist divorced from one another inside us. In that case, we become broken people who are incapable of responding to everyday challanges. God doesn't want this of us. He wants us to be whole, to be free, and to be full of joy. Let's remember that the Gospel isn't meant to mean, a dismal or gloomy face, it is the "Good News".

All those who live Our Lady's messages have become different people. The power of the "Word of God" throughout history, radiates through them in their lives. He spoke in the Old and the New Testament, He speaks today and He will speak tomorrow. And, even though times change, what He says never changes. The lecture through which it is given changes. Because of this, our past, our present and our future are as a walk towards Divine lecture.

THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

On the feast-day of the Assummption, the 15th of August, there were huge crowds of pilgrims. It is nearly imposssible to calculate the number of countries from which they came. Suffice it to say that the representation from the respective continents were in their tens of thousands. Among the most numerous were the pilgrims from; Austria, Germany, America, the Czech republic, Slovenia and Hungary. The groups from France and Italy were especially numerous. There was also a group of orphans from Romania. During their stay they were accomodated in the house of prayer "Domus Pacis". The Church of Medjugorje though huge, seemed even bigger. The mass was celebrated in eight different languages to accomodate the different language groups. We simply must mention also, the large number of native pilgrims, who from the small hours of the morning were coming barefoot to Medjugorje from all parts of Bosnia Hercegovina and Dalmatia. The fact that about thirty priests were simultaneously confessing throughout the whole day gives some idea how many pilgrims there were. At 4p.m. the rosary was prayed on Apparition hill.

"FORTRESS OF LOVE" AT MEDJUGORJE

In mid-August, seven hundred mothers from Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina came to the Shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Medjugorje. This, by now almost traditional pilgrimmage, was organised for the fourth time by the group with the title,"Thank you, Mother". The "Fortress of Love" is an assosiation of mothers which originated at the beginning of the war in our country. The Croatian Mothers felt a need to make a stand in love against the tide of hatred and violence of the agressors, and to protect their children from the violence and evil provoked by the Serbian agression.

The pilgrimmage began early in the morning with a meeting with Father Slavko Barbaric who greeted the Mothers and led them into a prayer programme. Afterwards the Mothers went on foot in procession to Apparition Hill praying the rosary and singing. A mass was celebrated for all the Croatian soldiers recorded missing, after which a talk was given entitled "My post-war suffering".

ON FOOT TO MEDJUGORJE

Two French pilgrims came for the Assumption to Medjugorje, on foot having covered 1,600 kilometres. The two seventeen year olds began their walk on the first of July and arrived in the shrine of the Queen of Peace on the 13th of August.

STUDENTS DAY

The foundation of "Talented Friends", an institution based at Medjugorje which helps young students, organised a students day on the 18th of August. The event began with the rosary on Apparition Hill. After the rosary, the young people gathered in the church for confession and the evening prayer programme. The prayer was followed by a cultural-entertainment programme in which the actor Goran Matovic read from a collection of poetry from the "Master" of Croatian poetry, Tin Ujevic. In the second half of the programme, Hercegovinian students studying in Zagreb who make up a Youth Folklore group made a stage presentation. About 300 students took part in the event.

THE VISIT OF THE AMERICAN CONSUL

On the 17th of August, the American Consul to Bosnia Hercegovina, Larry Martinez visited Medjugorje. On his arrival to the shrine of the Queen of Peace, he visited the church of St. James, after which he went to the "Cenacle community of Sr. Elvira, where former drug addicts are healed.

In the parish house he met with Fr. Ivan Landeka, the Parish Priest who helped him to become better acquainted with the events of Medjugorje and of the massive influx of pilgrims from the continent of America.

THE NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

Throughout the month of August in the shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, 141,000 holy communions were distributed, and at holy mass 2,873 from abroad and at home, which averages at 93 priests a day.

MISSIONARY JOURNEY OF FR. SLAVKO

In response to the invitation of the friends and pilgrims of Medjugorje, Fr. Slavko visited England from the 24th to the 30th of August 1996. On the first day, Fr. Slavko prayed the way of the cross on the estate of convert, Peter Huttley. He had put up the fourteen stations of the way of the cross, each created by a different artist, in a rich age-old forest which makes up part of his estate. The way of the cross was prayed under heavy rains. It was as if they were on Krizevac. After this the rosary was prayed, mass was celebrated and adoration followed with about 350 people present. It must be said that Mr. Huttley up until recently was an anglican, and due to an experience while on pilgrimmage to Medjugorje, he was drawn to the Catholic Church. In spring his wife Anna also converted to the Catholic faith. On the 25th of August there was a day of prayer organised in the parish of Wimbledon near the famous stadium. Four hundred of the faithful participated in the event.

On the 26th , the pilgrimmage to Aylesford, which is the sixth in a row of annual pilgrimmages, and is by now almost traditional, to the Carmelite Marian shrine near London took place. About 7,000 of the faithful participated in the programme, which lasted the whole day and consisted of the rosary, mass and testimonies. At the festive mass, a total about 100 priests concelebrated. This is the biggest Catholic prayer encounter in the whole of England. The Carmelites themselves testify that, as regards spiritual intensity, it is the greatest of the pilgrimmages which take place their sanctuary. And every year there are more christians from other christian communities.

From the 27th to the 30th of August, Fr. Slavko led a three day retreat in the Calensantine community. Their base is in Vienna. The community was founded 110 years ago. At one stage it seemed that vocations were dying out, but of late the community has been strongly renewed. After express wish of their general provincial Liera to his council, they wished to come as close as possible to the spirit of Our Lady's messages.

After his appointments with the community, Fr. Slavko participated in a prayer programme in "Maria Gestade", in Vienna. There, a Medjugorje group is already eleven years in existence and every Thursday they have a prayer programme just like that of Medjugorje.

The visionary Ivan Dragicevic also participated in the events in England.

Thus Medjugorje is slowly but surely reaching individuals and communities and is increasingly seeking out those who are ready to bring the spirit of prayer to others.

SEMINARS ON PRAYER AND FASTING

In the house of prayer,"Domus Pacis" in Medjugorje, as a part of Christmas preparation, throughout Advent three prayer and fasting seminars will be held. The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II in his encyclical "Evangelium vitae" invites us ...." return to fasting and prayer in boldness and humility"....and many times in her messages Our Lady has invited us to prayer and fasting. Once she even said... "with prayer and fasting you can even stop wars"...So we invite all of you who wish to make a deeper preparation for the feast of Christs' birth, to participate in this programme because it is a deep experience,and a fitting oportunity for this.

The organisor and guide of the seminar is Fr. Slavko Barbaric.

The seminars will be held
-02 - 07. 12. 1996
-08 - 12. 12. 1996
-16 - 23. 12. 1996
beginning at 16.00 and finishing at 12 midday.
Coming up to the feast day of the exaltation of the cross, in the same house a seminar will be held on prayer and fasting from the 9th to the 14th of September.

Booking must be done in the information office of the shrine or by telephone..387 88 651 988 or by fax 387 88 65 14 44. There will be a fee of 10DM per day.

PRAYER-INFORMATION SEMINAR

The prayer-information seminar for prayer group leaders, charity and pilgrim groups linked with Medjugorje will be held from the 24th to the 28th of February 1997.

Further information (place, the programme, booking etc.) will be given at a later date.

Press Bulletin 48, September 25, 1996

If we are really Christian, then, without even thinking we should be able to say that life is beautiful. Christianity is the Good News and we shouldn` t be making it into anything different. It does happen, however, that often we find ourselves saying that we don` t have time, or that we are in a hurry. This sort of stance is not in keeping with "Joy". He who has joy within, always has time for everyone, time for everything that is good.

"Not having time" is the illness of modern civilization. Since reason has worked itself up to having precedence over the soul, the soul is left without it` s own quintessence. And so it must say that it is in a hurry, it doesn t matter where, it` s just important that it doesnt have enough time for thinking about itself.

Our Lady` s coming here doesn` t mean that she wants to destroy modern civilisation because there are many very good things in it. She does however wish to light up it `s darker aspects. That`s why often in her messages she tells us to leave everything. When we approach God, we whould do so with empty hands and with time at our disposal. Only then can He give us His gifts and make us happy. Our Blessed Mother is the perfect example of this.

FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

This year also, on the 15th of September, the feast of the Exaltation of the cross was solemnly celebrated on Mt. Krizevac. About 50,000 of the faithful participated at the solemn Eucharistic celebration at the foot of the cross, led by Carmelite Father Jakov Mamic. It is impossible to list all the countries from which the faithful came for the occasion in Medjugorje. The most numerous groups were : Americans French, English, Irish, German Austrian, Italian, the Czechs and Slovenians, and an enormous representation of Croatians, the majority of whom had travelled hundreds of kilometres during the night in order to arrive at Medjugorje by dawn. We would also like to draw attention to the group of nuns from the Ucraine who travelled for five days in order to be at Medjugorje for the feast where they remained only two days.

While the majority of the faithful were celebrating mass at the foot of the cross, the Holy Mass was being celebrated in the church in Medjugorje in Latin for those who could not climb the mountain. In the presence of about 4,000 of the faithful, the English Bishop Mons. Augustin Harris together with the franciscan Provincial fr. Tomislav Pervan and another 25 priests led the Holy Mass.

What is it that attracts so many pilgrims every year on this feast? At the top of Mt. Krizevac (520 metres above sea level), the then Parish Priest, Fr. Bernardin Smoljan, together with the parishioners had constructed a cement cross 8.52 metres high. On the cross they had made the following inscription" To Jesus Christ redeemer of humanity as a sign of our faith, love and hope and in memory of of the 1900th anniversary of the passion of Jesus." Where the arms of the cross meet, a relic of that which Christians venerate as the true cross, obtained for this special occasion, was inserted. The rest of which is in safe-keeping in the church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem in Rome. The cross was finished on the 15th of March 1934, and was blessed the following day when the first mass took place at it`s base. Afterwards it became a custom that Mass be celebrated there on the first Sunday after the feast of Our Lady`s nativity in memory of the Exaltation of the Cross.

Krizevac, however doesn` t attract pilgrims because of natural beauty, nor for the beauty of the cross, but because many confirm to have seen light, and other signs after the beginning of the apparitions. Everyone connected the cross with Her message, "Peace between God and mankind, and between all men". They understood that the way to this peace is inevitably through the cross.

Often in various newspapers or in announcements given by embassies etc, they speak of danger in the state of Bosnia Hercegovina. This is true of Bosnia Hercegovina as a whole. But those wishing to come to Medjugorje to stay for a planned period of time may do so without any anxiety. Even during the most vehement clashes of the war in Bosnia Hercegovina, Medjugorje was a safe place.

If you are travelling by plane, it is easist to come through the airports at Dubrovnik or Split. By ship it is safe to come through Italy. Whoever travels by coach or car can do so along the Adriatic coast as far as Split and then make the turn for Medjugorje. From the south the road for Medjugorje is through Dubrovnik. Medjugorje and its surroundings are completely safe as far as residence is concerned. Life goes on as normal. However those who wish to go further into central Bosnia do so at their own risk.

Should further information be necessary, you can call us at our information office tel.no.: +387 88 651 988 every day from 9.00 to 18.00 local time.

Our Lady seeks graces of God for us. This is what she tells us in her messages. What is there to be guilty of, how much have we destroyed?

Nothing! Exactly that! God doesn/t want a record of our offences, He wants to reward us. This is the reason why we are "guilty of nothing". Of course we are guilty and we will be again, even if in a small measure.

Gods' grace within us opens up new horizons and new ways of looking at life. In the Catholic church there has been much treatment of this concept. I don't know if we've ever read of it, but what I do know is that we must all adhere to the Word of God. When we have God's grace, there is never an obstacle that we cannot overcome. It melts the ice which we accumulate on our daily travels. It helps us to understand why we must suffer, why bad things happen to us even though we pray and obey Gods' commandments. This, as we all know is one of the most difficult questions we'll ever ask ourselves in our walk on this earth. It is wise to be armed with the grace of God in order to answer it.

THE NUMBER OF CONCELEBRANTS AND HOLY COMMUNIONS

Throughout the month of September in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, there were 84,000 holy communions distributed and at holy mass a total of 2141 priests frome at home and abroad concelebrated,averaging at 72 priests daily.

THE LATEST VATICAN STATEMENT ABOUT MEDJUGORJE

From the beginning of June 1996 many of the public means of communication reported that the Vatican had prohibited pilgrimmages to Medjugorje. Spokesman for the Holy See, Joaquin Navarro- Valls immediately refuted this. However, in case there would remain any doubt regarding the stance of the Vatican towards Medjugorje, the spokesman for the Holy See clarified their position once again. Here we treat of the subject in full:

"INDIVIDUALS PERMITTED TO VISIT MEDJUGORJE, OFFICIAL SAYS

By Catholic News Service
While the Vatican has never said that Catholics may not go to Medjugorje, it has told bishops that their parishes and dioceses may not organise official pilgrimmages to the site of the alleged Marian apparitions, the Vatican spokesman said.

"You cannot say people cannot go there until it has been proven false. This has not been said, so anyone can go if they want," the spokesman, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, told Catholic News Service Aug. 21.

In addition, he said, when Catholic faithful go anywhere, they are entitled to spiritual care, so the church does not forbid priests to accompany lay-organized trips to Medjugorje in Bosnia- Hercegovina, just as it would not forbid them accompanying a group of Catholics visiting South Africa.

Navarro-Valls insisted "nothing has changed" regarding the Vatican's position on Medjugorje.

In early June ,a French newspaper published excerpts from a letter about Medjugorje pilgrimages written by the secretary of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Fatih in response to a question from a French bishop.

The letter from Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone of the doctrinal congregation quoted from a 1991 statement by the bishops of former Yugoslavia, which said that after much study,"it cannot be confirmed that supernatural apparitions or revalations are occurring here."

However, the bishops said- and Archbishop Bertone repeated- the number of the faithful travelling to Medjugorje requires for the church to arrange for their pastoral care.

After quoting the 1991 statement, Archbishop Bertone wrote,"From what was said, it follows that official pilgrimmages to Medjugorje, understood as a place of authentic Marian apparitiond, should not be organised either on a parish or diocesan level because it would be in contradiction with what the bishops of ex-Yugoslavia said in their declaration cited above."

Navarro-Valls said, "When one reads what Archbishop Bertone wrote, one could get the impression that from now on everything is forbidden, no possibility" for Catholics to trtavel to Medjugorje.

But, in fact,"nothing has changed, nothing new has been said", the spokesman told CNS.
"The problem is if you systematically organize pilgrimages, organize them with the bishop and the church, you are giving a canonical sanction to the facts of Medjugorje," which the church is still in the process of studying.

"This is different from people going in a group who bring a priest with them in order to go to confession," the spokesman said.

Navarro-Valls said he commented because "I was worried that what Archbishop Bertone said could be interpreted in too restricted a way. Has the church or the Vatican said no (to Catholics visiting Medjugorje)? No."

INDICATIONS FOR PRIESTS

We would ask priests coming to Medjugorje to bring their alb and stole with them. We would also ask that mass be celebrated in agreement with the Parish in the area of the sanctuary and not in private homes or Apparition hill or Krizevac. . .

PRAYER - EDUCATIVE SEMINAR

As we have already announced in number 47 of the Press Bulletin, the prayer - educative seminar for group leaders, Caritas and pilgrimmage groups linked to Medjugorje will take place in Hotel "Sunce" at Neum from the 24th to the 28th of february 1997.

We would ask you to book the prayer - educative seminar before the end of December at the latest. Booking can be completed by fax at +387 88 651 444 and should be addressed to the "Information Centre"

A simultaneous translation will be arranged for every language group. The cost of accomodation in a double room together with transfer and seminar is 275 DM per person. The supplement for a single room is 40 DM. Payment can be made to the organiser of the seminar at the Hotel itself. There is also the possibility of transfer from Split airport to the Hotel. Those interested should write informing the exact time of arrival to the Medjugorje "Mir" association at Split, fax number -385 21 36 13 54 not later than the end of December. On the last day, a transfer will be organised from Neum to Medjugorje. It will be necessary to bring a radio and earphones for simultaneous translation. These can also be bought on the premises for 15 DM

LECTURERS AT THIS YEARS SEMINAR ARE:

Fr. Leonard Orec was born in 1928 in Posuski Gradac. In 1946 he entered the Franciscan Order and he was ordained a priest in 1951. He studied theology in Sarajevo, Ljubljana and Fuldi (Germany). In the seminary "Kraljevoj Sutjesci",and at Humac he was entrusted with a position in "formation" of the franciscan novitiates and seminarians. From 1988 to 1991 he held the position of Parish Priest at Medjugorje. As president of the "Medjugorje MIR society", he co-ordinates the arrival of humanitarian help which sent to Bosnia-Hercegovina and the Rep. of Croatia from the freinds of Medjugorje throughout the world.

Fr. Ljudevit Rupcic was born in 1920 in Hardomilije, Ljubuski. In 1939 he entered the Franciscan Order in the province of Hercegovina, and in 1946, he was ordained a priest. He finished his studies in Theology in the University seminary in Zagreb. He completed a doctorate in 1958 and received the habit there. From 1958 until 1988 he lectured in New Testament exegesis on franciscan theology in Sarajevo, and also in the University seminary in Zagreb. Under the former Yugoslavian Communist regime he served two prison sentences from 1945 to 1947 and again from 1952 to 1956. For a longer period (1968 until 1981) he was a member of the theological commision aiding the Episcopal Conferences of former Yugoslavia. He has accomplished a translation of the New Testament from it's origins into the Croation language, and his translation has had continuous re-publication. His books, studies and articles have been published in Croation, English, German and Italian, and he has lectured at various conferences and meetings throughout Europe and America.

Fr. Josko Srdanovic, M.D. (psychiatry) was born in 1954 in the village of Kucici near Omis, where he completed elementary school. He continued secondary school education in Split. He proceeded to Medical University in Zagreb, and went on to specialise in psychiatry in Germany. For nine years he practised as a doctor. In 1989, he left his work at the psychiatric clinic for children and youths', in Zagreb in order to enter the Franciscan order in the province of St. Cyril and Method where in 1994 he finished his University seminary and was ordained a priest. At present he lives and works at the franciscan priory at Varazdin. There he operates therapy for, and prevention of drug abuse in the Republic of Croatia, holding individual discussions with those who have family-difficulties and psycho-spiritual problems. He is also an animator' of franciscan youth and of prayer groups, and holds spiritual retreats.

Fr. Slavko Barbaric was born in 1946 in Dragicina. At Visoko, Sarajevo and Schwaz (Austria), he studied Theology. He was ordained a priest in 1971. He received a doctorate in the area of religious pedagogy in 1982. From 1982 onwards he has been in Medjugorje. He has written many books and articles on spiritual matters. He works at the shrine. He has led numerous spiritual retreats and talks, and in many parts of the world he has held meetings on the theme of the happenings at Medjugorje.

Fr. Paul M. Zulehner is a doctor of philosophy and theology. He was born in 1939. He is professor of pastoral theolgy' and head of the state University at Vienna.

Fr. Miljenko Stojic was born in1960 in Dragicina. He did his theological studies in different Universities namely :Zagreb, Jerusalem and Sarajevo. He was ordained a priest at Mostar in 1987. At the Papal university,"Antonianum" in Rome in 1991 he completed a "licence" in Theology, specialising in christian and franciscan spirituality. As a priest he has worked in various parishes and for a period was educator in the seminary. During the war he was military chaplain. He holds spiritual retreats. He is a recognised writer and is a member of the Croatian literary society. He lives and works in the Parish of Medjugorje presently fulfilling the role of curit and organiser of the Information centre "Mir".

Monday, 24. 02. 1997.
Assembly
19.00 Holy Mass (Fr. Leonard Orec)
20.00 Dinner
21.00 Information on the activities of the Medjugorje "MIR", association-(FR. Leonard Orec)

Tuesday, 25. 02. 1997
07.30 Morning prayer
08.00 Breakfast
09.00 Lecture: "The family in Sacred Scripture"- (Fr. Ljudevit Rupcic)
10.00 Group work on the theme of the lecture
11.00 Meeting with the Lecturer
12.30 Lunch
15.00 Lecture: "Family Pastoral"- (Fr. Paul Zulehner)
16.00 Group work on the theme of the lecture
16.45 Meeting with the Lecturer
17.30 Rosary
18.00 Holy Mass (Fr. Jozo Zovko) Dinner
20.30 Adoration (Fr. Ivan Landeka)

Wednesday, 26. 02. 1997
07.30 Morning prayer
08.00 Breakfast
09.00 Lecture: "Family in the contemporary world" - (Fr. Jo ko Srdanovic)
10.00 Group work on the theme of the lecture
11.30 Meeting with the Lecturer
12.30 Lunch
15.00 Lecture: "Family in Our Lady's messages" - (Fr. Slavko Barbaric)
16.00 Group work on the theme of the lecture
16.45 Meeting with the Lecturer
17.30 Rosary
Holy Mass (Fr. Miljenko Stojic)
Dinner
20.30 Meeting with the Franciscan Fathers (Fr. Ivan Landeka, Fr. Leonard Orec, Fr. Slavko Barbaric, Fr.Miljenko Stojic, Fr. Jozo Zovko)

Thursday, 27. 02. 1997
07.30 Morning prayer
08.00 Breakfast
09.00 Activities of the "MIR" Information Centre, Medjugorje - (Fr. Miljenko Stojic)
10.15 Meeting with the Lecturer
11.30 Lecture: "The place of Medjugorje in the Church"- (guest Ren‚ Laurentin)
12.30 Lunch
14.30 Meeting with the visionaries
15.30 Groupwork - Resolutions
16.30 Grup meeting - Resolutions, feedback, experiences
17.30 Rosary
Holy Mass (Fr. Ivan Landeka)
Dinner

Friday, 28. 02. 1997.
07.30 Morning prayer
08.00 Breakfast
09.00 Departure for Medjugorje
Departure for Apparition Hill
12.30 Collective Lunch
Departure for Krizevac

Since Our Lady began to speak out to the contemporary world through the parish of Medjugorje,we've surely done our utmost to spread her messages to as many people as possible. We prayed, fasted,went on pilgrimmage, organized trips, set up prayer groups, wrote about and preached....And what have we received in return? Peace, freedom, faith and happiness.....and much much more. In other words God certainly rewards our efforts.

All this, I would call "our talk", in the contemporary world. But others talk too. They even speak badly. In order for our own talk to be true, we have to constantly watch over it's cleanliness and purity. One of the greatest dangers, which can even destroy this purity is sensationalism. Today's means of communication are founded upon sensationalism, and for this reason it would be easy for us too to fall into this trap.

When the mass media were developed, it was said that they were founded on the principle of marketing. Carrying this to it's logical conclusion, we can suppose that,"what", they are saying is not as important as the fact that we "swallow" it and that they earn something from this.

Our Lady's follower, has an other end in view. He or she strives to develop the personality of their fellow man, to help him and to be a freind and a brother to him.

THE NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

Throughout the month of October at the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, 124 500 holy communions were distributed, and at masses, 3008 priests from both at home and abroad concelebrated averaging at 97 priests daily.

THE VISIT OF THE ENGLISH BISHOP

The English Bishop of the city of Liverpool, Mons. Augustine Harris stayed for two weeks in Medjugorje. He was the spiritual director to two different groups of pilgrims. He tirelessly assisted at confessions and masses.

We present here, his own words before leaving Medjugorje."Of myself I wish to say the following: When I was born in 1917 there was a war, and when in 1942 I was ordained to the priesthoodthere was a war then also. Now I am in Medjugorje,and much is being said about the peace after the terrible war in your homeland. It seems to me though, that we are treating the subject of peace far too superficially. If we desire real peace, we need something deeper. That which Our Lady wishes to say is: Don't make the same mistake again, speak about peace, and not go deeper into the soul and the heart, where true peace is made. Here, Mary is teaching us true peace. I heard about Medjugorje from different written articles and from freinds. When in Medjugorje, we pray a lot but we must be careful that this prayer seeps into our hearts and changes us. My freinds were going to Medjugorje and this time I went with them. I came privately. Freinds of mine organised the pilgrimmage and asked me to direct it. I accepted. It's very obvious to me that we must constantly speak of the depths of prayer: to meditate and live what we speak about. However, that which is important here is confession. People are really ready to meet themselves face to face here. They are ready for repentance and penance and I believe that this is the important experience of Medjugorje: to renew ourselves and to convert. But we must constantly remind each other that this is the start of the process and not the end. We must leave here with a solid decision to pray at home,individually, in families and as prayer groups.

In answer to the question:"Does the fact that the local bishop doesn't accept the apparitions disturb you?" Mons. Harris said, "I do not wish to judge the local bishop. What I wish to say is ; when someone comes here and wishes to pray, to confess, the change their lives, you cannot say :no! So many people are confused, so many live in fear, they do not know what to do. I would say that it is good to come to Medjugorje. Here you clear your conscience, and conquer confusion. I see this in so many people here. As for the appparitions, maybe there are, maybe there arn't. Personally, I have no reason not to believe in the apparitions. I met with one of them and I can say that she is a good person. I cannot believe that for years she has been lying. And if people ask me, can I go to Medjugorje, my answer will be: If you wish to clear your conscience, and if you are confused, go.

On the feast day of the Exaltation of the Cross I saw over 50 franciscan priests hearing confessions. This was really wonderful. Immediatly after the mass that day which I celebrated in the church of Medjugorje, a pilgrim stopped me and wished to confess. Was I supposed to say no?! Serve the people, teach them to pray, be ready to hear confessions. And everything else will be okay!"

THE VISIT OF THE GROUP OF CANADIAN INDIANS

A large number of groups visited the shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace during the month of October. To count them would be impossible. However we wish to single out one group which desrves attention.

Namely the group of 50 Indians from the Canadian reservation together with two of their cheifs:Roderick Alexis and Ken Woods. Mr. Alexis came to Medjugorje for the second time and Mr. Wood for the sixth time! On the occasion of one of his previous visits to Medjugorje, he experienced a deep conversion in this oasis of peace. Before this he had been an alcoholic, and now he is a witness to the messages of Our Lady. They remained in Medjugorje for a week.

INDICATIONS FOR PRIESTS

We would ask priests coming to Medjugorje to bring with them their alb, stoles and "celebret" from their superior.

We would also ask that mass be celebrated in agreement with the Parish in the area of the sanctuary and not in private homes or Apparition hill or Krizevac...

We wish to inform all pilgrim groups and individuals who visit Medjugorje, that the daily evening prayer programme in the church is changed to it's winter schedule, from 17.00 to 20.00( at 17.00hrs the rosary, and at 18.00hrs the holy mass, which is followed by a blessing of religious articles, other prayers and the third part of the rosary).

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9p.m. to 10p.m. and on Thursdays, exposition will take place after evening mass. Adoration and prayer in front of the cross will be on Fridays after evening mass, and every Sunday at 3 in the afternoon the rosary will be prayed on Podbrdo, while every Friday at the same time, the Way of the Cross will be prayed on Krizevac. Confessors will be available from half an hour before the beginning of the evening programme.

The masses for different language groups will take place throughout the morning according to previous arrangement. All announcements, with regard to the prayer programmes at the shrine, and other information can be got from the information centre at tel+387 88 65 19 88 between 9a.m. and 5p.m. This time we would ask all organisers of pilgrimmage groups that on their arrival in Medjugorje to inform their groups of the possibility of getting necesary information from the information centre which can be found in front of the parish house, and not in the parish house.

Up until the present, we filed the Press bulletin from the first to the last issue. For practical reasons, from now on, we intend to file the most recent back to the first issue.

Even as far back as the beginning of Genesis, it says that it's not good for us to be alone. On this earth we arn't only individuals, we are, at the same time, community. When we think about this today, we can single out three types of communities which we all belong to; family, nation, and the human race. Only when we become good members to these three can we say that we have matured into a truly human person. Our Lady has nothing against this. She, to a greater or lesser extent, actually speaks about this continuously. To know how to be an individual and at the same time to be a benign member of the community means to know what we are, in essence. We cannot learn this incidentally. We begin to know our essence, understanding it and living it, only if we know how to pray alone. Our Lady heralds this way of life to us.

THE VISIT OF THE BISHOP FROM UGANDA

More and more often in Medjugorje we meet up with bishops, who come to this shrine as pilgrims. Recently, John Baptist Odama, director of the youngest diocese in Uganda, and himself, a bishop only a couple of months, stayed a week at the Marian shrine.This is what he had to say during his stay:

The first time I heard about the happenings here was in 1990. At the time I was in California in America. A friend of mine spoke to me about Medjugorje, showed me some books, pictures and a film.. The whole family were enthralled with Medjugorje. Then recently I received a letter from the Cardinal of Kampale who had paid a visit to Medjugorje. He offered me the possibility of going on pilgrimmage to Medjugorje in October promising that some one else would see to the costs. Now I know who that was: Joe Roy, the pilot, who was the first to bring the news to Uganda about Medjugorje, and has already helped to bring numerous bishops and even more priests. I immediately replied that I wished to go. After this I prepared myself for my coming here. I read different books and saw another film about Medjugorje in the family home of Joe Roy in London. On my arrival at Medjugorje, the first thing that surprised me was the welcome of the people with whom we stayed. I'm glad that it wasn't a big impersonal hotel. In families it is different. It is possible to meet people, to speak with them, to pray, to eat, in this way you receive the true spirit of Medjugorje. Furthermore, the fact that all the pilgrims whom I met here, are particularly aware of the magnanimity of whats happening here, really impressed me.The people are really attentive and are prepared to be continually so. Everyone is open to that something big which truly is offered here.. I saw great interest for spiritual matters. I see deep devotion to the Holy Mass and at the time of Mass.

When we started out for Krizevac it started to rain and afterwards to hail. At one point I thought it was better to return, because it seemed pointles to go on. However, something urged me onwards. I thought that Iwouldn't be able to get to the top, I felt a heaviness, because I hadn't gone anywhere on foot for so long. We didn't want to turn back, and to go on was so hard. At one moment I prayed for strength, so that I wouldn't give up. I have to admit that when, completely wet, we arrived beneath the cross on Krizevac, all at once every heaviness and tiredness left me. I felt as light as a bird. This experience was very important for me. This is how it is in life too. Often we feel that we can't go on, that it's too difficult, but when we succumb to the will of God, everything goes well.

The rosary on Podbrdo also impressed me deeply. It's as if that multitude of people, who prayed with us inspired me with good thoughts. The people to be lead. If the priest prays, the people will pray. It was very beautiful when, after having prayed the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries, everyone knelt at the apparition site and once again prayed the creed, 7 Our Fathers, Hail Mary's and Glory Be's. I felt united to the whole Church, who prays with Mary and goes on living as Mary did.

I think that here the people really responded. In whatever direction you turn, you see individuals and groups, praying, reading Scripture, and Meditating. Here it's so natural to pray, so much so, that those who don't pray look strange. Really, in other places, it's the opposite. I want to use this opportunity to thank the Croatian people in a special way, who with their response, help all of us who come here. With pride, I must say that I always pray for the Croation people and I have often urged my followers to pray for the same intention. From now on I will do it even moreso.

And, to conclude I wish to say that the first thing that I will say to Bishops is that Medjugorje isn't contrary to what the Lord teaches, and what he wants of us. I will tell them not to be afraid to come here. As regards the apparitions, they are a gift from God. I was present at Maria, the visionary's, apparition. We prayed a rosary together. All at once a silence began. I believe that Our Lady came then. I didn't see anything, but I felt Our Lady's presence and through her God's presence. Mary is just a means. Through Our Lady, God calls us to Himself. That is her mission because she gave birth to Christ. That which I saw, has to be true. It would be good if every bishop could come and experience what Mary is doing here. Also, I will tell all bishops that I've just realised what we have to do, and most importantly, we must pray. From my heart I truly prayed that God makes me and my priests capable of spreading His Word to all humanity.

THE PRAYER - EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

As we have already announced in the Press Bulletin No. 50., a prayer/educative seminar will be held for prayer group, caritas group and pilgrim group leaders, linked with Medjugorje, in the hotel "Sunce" in Neum. (from the 24th to the 28th of February 1997).Once again we would ask those intending to participate at the seminar to complete your booking before the end of December, at the latest. Booking can be completed through fax at +387 88 651 444, addressed to the "Informativni Centar".

Simultaneous translation will be organised for all language groups. The cost of accomodation, transport and seminar is 275 DEM per person in a double room.There is an additional sum of 40 DEM for those requesting a single room.Payment can be made to the organiser of the seminar on arrival at the hotel.There is also the possibility of organising transport from the airport in Split to hotel "Sunce" in Neum. All who require transport on the 24th of February can give notice about the time of their arrival to Udruzi "Medjugorje-Mir" Split, by the end of December at the latest, at the fax no.+385 21 36 13 54. On the final day, transport will be arranged form Neum to Medjugorje. It will be necessary to bring a radio with headphones for simultaneous translation. (For 15 DEM a radio with headphones can be purchased on the premises). The programme of the seminar is included in No. 50 of the Press Bulletin. Neum is situated on the main Split / Dubrovnik road about 130 km south of Split.

PRESS BULLETIN 53, 4 December 1996

M E D I T A T I O N

Today, we are particularly touchy about the notion of personal freedom. We say everyone has a right to live exactly as he chooses, and this we refer to as their "life-style". And there's nothing unusual about that . I don't suppose that there should be. God really has created us as free creatures.

Our freedom however, seems too often to go the wrong way. Instead of bringing us closer to God, it seems to distance us from Him. Too often our lifestyle has come to mean 'doing what we like, once it's different from what everyone else is doing', instead of 'doing what we like, once it's rooted in God'.

Our Lady teaches us how to construct our own lifestyles. She says we have to fast, pray and know how to renounce. Maybe we think that that's easy? Maybe we even like to pray, but to fast and renounce.....that's a little bit harder. This goes against the "current" of modern day thinking, i.e. that our time here on earth is for exploiting all occasions for our own selfish interests. Renouncing doesn't quite fit! Ironically, adopting the modern trends we lose out on joy. And contrarily, whoever adheres to Our Lady's words is full of the joy of life. Those around us wonder what's our secret? We can respond that it's our lifestyle discovered in communion with God.

fra Miljenko

N E W S

THE NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

Throughout the month of November in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 37 000 Holy Communions were distributed, and 1 000 priests from both at home and abroad concelebrated at Holy Mass averaging at 33 priests daily.

PRAYER AND FASTING SEMINARS

In the house of Prayer "Domus Pacis" in Medjugorje, during Advent three fasting and prayer seminars will be held as preparation for Christmas. In his encyclical "Evengelium Vitae" the Holy Father invites us to" return to fasting and prayer in courage and humility..." and Our Lady herself in her messages many times has invited us to fasting and prayer. Once she even said,"..with prayer and fasting even wars can be stopped.." So we invite al those who would like to prepare in a deeper way, for Christ's birth, to participate in these seminars, because they are a rich experince and fitting preparation. The organiser and guide of the seminars is Fr. Slavko Barbaric.

The seminars will be held:
-02 -07. December 1996
-08- 12. December 1996
-16- 23. December 1996

They commence at 16.00hrs on the first day and finish at 12 noon on the final day.

Booking must be done at the information office at the shrine at tel no.+387 88 651 988 or by fax +387 88 65 14 44. The fee is 10 DEM per day.

NEW YEAR

The prayer vigil for the New Year will be held this year too in the church of Medjugorje. The vigil begins at 22.00hrs and finishes with Mass at midnight.

INTERNATIONAL PRIESTS MEETING

From the 1st until the 5th of July, 1997, an international meeting for priests will be held, with the aim of helping priests to get to know the spirituality of Medjugorje, should they so wish.

Many priests on their visit to Medjugorje expressed a desire for such a seminar. In response to this we have decided to begin this year. The organisers will be Fr. Slavko Barbaric and don Cosimo Cavaluzzo. To the occasion we will invite reknowned ministers and religious, whose work is centred on interior healing for priests. The meeting will be made up of lectures, interpersonal discussion, prayer and community participation, and, in the evening liturgy in the Church of St. James. Information can be got from the information centre "MIR" Medjugorje, or by telephone +387-88-651-988. Booking can be done by fax +387-88-651-444. The first 40 bookings have access to accomodation in the "House of Peace" which belongs to the Parish Office in Medjugorje. Should there be an excess of bookings, the organisers will deal with the accomodation.

Since this is the first event of it's kind here we will be grateful for any suggestions.

THE ARCHIVES OF THE SHRINE

We would ask all those who posess pictures or transparencies in relation to Medjugorje to deliver them to us to feed into our archives at the Shrine. We are particularly interested in photographs and transparencies of the first year of the apparitions.

The best way to send them to us would be through someone coming on pilgrimmage, or to hand them in at the Prayer/Educative seminar at Neum. (Transmission through post is not always 100% sure).

PRESS BULLETIN 54, 18 December 1996

M E D I T A T I O N

At Christmastime, it's very colourful on our streets....Christmas trees, pretty symbols, colourful lights etc. Naturally, we buy gifts too. Those countries which, not so long ago, emerged from atheistic communism, probably won't have all that colourfulness on the streets, but Christmas will still be there.

It is of course nice, to rejoice and to be able to show that in an ostentatious way. But....what if it all remains an outward show? Won't all our rejoicing be a little empty? We can put the question in this way...Was Jesus' birth celebrated in an inferior way in those communist countries over the last few years, just because it could only be talked about within the four walls of the family home...and sometimes not even then? Let's not delude ourselves. The true celebration is only in an encounter with God.

Yes, God really awaits an encounter with us. Let's allow Him that..... Afterwards all those outward shows won't be so colourful, they'll just be the trimmings of something much bigger.

Merry Christmas to all of you....

Fra Miljenko

N E W S

FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY MASS OF FR. LJUDEVIT RUPCIC

On the 1st of December in the Church of St James in Medjugorje, Dr.Fra. Ljudevit Rupcic, Professor,Writer, and Biblical scholar and Theologian, celebrated a"Jubilee Mass". In the overcrowded Medjugorje church, amidst relations, parishioners and pilgrims, Fr. Rupcic, together with Fr, Tomislava Pervan, Provincial of the hercegovinian Franciscans, and Fr Ivan Landeka, parish priest of Medjugorje led the mass in the company of 23 other priests.

At the beginning of the Jubilee Mass, Fr. Rupcic thanked God for eveything that He gave him throughout his life, emphasising how God really directed him and his life. "This mass is an opportunity and a reason for which I can say a very big and sincere thank You exactly here in this shrine of the Queen of Peace."

During the sermon, Fr. Tomislav Pervan spoke about the life, deeds and works of Fr Ljudevit Rupcic.

The previous day at Mostar, an intellectual symposium had been held in Mostar about the life and works of Dr. fra. Ljudevit Rupcic, where a recent edition of his translation of the Psalms and the New Testament from it's original into the Croatian language was represented.

And if knowledge of this tireless franciscan has spread throughout the faithful of Hercegovina Croatia and it's surroundings, let this, his jubilee anniversary be an occasion for us too to get to know him:

Fr. Ljudevit Rupcic was born in 1920, and in 1939 entered the Franciscan Order in the province of Hercegovina. In 1946 he was ordained a priest. He finished his theological studies in the Seminary University in Zagreb and completed them in 1947. In 1958 He received a Doctorate and became a professor of the same faculty in 1971. From 1958 until 1988, he lectured in "Exegesis of the New Testament" in the Franciscan

University in Sarajevo, and sometimes in the Theology Faculty in Zagreb. Under the former Yugoslavian Communist regime he served two prison sentences, from 1945 to 1947 and again from1952 to 1956, a total of 7 years.

For a long period(1968-1981), he ws a member of the Theological commission for the Episcopal Commision of Ex-Yugoslavia. He translated the New Testament from the original into the Croatian language, his translation has had numerous re-publications. Many of his books works and articles have been published in Croatian, German, Italian French and the English language, and has held many lectures at numerous congresses and symposii in Europe and America. The pilgrims and freinds of Medjugorje also know this"witness and defender of Our Lady", as a steadfast and persevering preacher and confessor.

THE PRAYER - FORMATIVE SEMINAR

As we have already said in previous editions of the "Press Bulletin"- the prayer/formative seminar for the leaders of prayer, charity and pilgrim groups, connected with Medjugorje will be held in hotel "Sunce" at Neum from the 24th to the 28th of February 1997. These seminars which are held once a year out of the exceptions are important in many ways: For those of you who work for the spreading of Our Ladys messages within your own circles, just as for us to ensure better co-operation and solutions to the difficulties which we meet up with in our mutual work with the pilgrims.

We would ask you once more to complete your bookings before the end of December because of the organisation of Hotel organisation. Booking can be done at the fax number+387 88 651 444, addressing it to the Informativni Centar.

Simultaneous translation will be organised for the different language groups. The cost of accomodation and seminars together is 275 DEM per person for a double room. The supplement for a single room is 40 DEM. Payment can be made to the seminar organisers on arrival. Transport from the Airport to the hotel at Neum can be arranged. All those wishing to avail of this service should contact "Udruzi Medjugorje MIR" at Split not later than the end of December with details of the arrival time on the 24st of February.(fax+ 385 21 36 13 54) On the last day transport will be arranged from Neum to Medjugorje. It will be necessary to bring a radio with headphones for simultaneous translation. (It's also be possible to get a radio with earphones on the premises for 15 DEM.) The programme of the seminar is published in No.50 of the Press Bulletin.

Neum is situated on the Adriatic road running from Split to Dubrovnik, about 130 km south of Split.