It is not accidental that the Church marks the first day of the civil year with the name of Mary, Mother of God. The resoundingly celebrated close of one year and the beginning of another is not only characterized with new hopes and expectations but also with certain fears and trepidations. We rightfully expect much from the future but along with the wish to have more or to be more, is mixed the fear if it can be realized. We can conceal our hopes and fears. If that happens we must know that we will always have to start all over from the beginning, and that is tedious.
The Church places the image of Mary, Mother of God at the beginning of the year. She does that with reason: For the Church Mary is "the new creation". In her being and in her womb it was not fear that became flesh, but the new Adam. That did not take place without questions and fears, nor were all of her cares resolved before hand.
The world in which we live, lives with the fact that every expectation is mixed with trepidation. We can be inclined toward people of good hope or people of only dark misgivings. A Christian's place is certainly not among gloom and doom prophets. His place is on the side of people of optimism and cheerfulness - despite real difficulties.
"I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining.
I believe in love even when I don't feel it.
I believe in God even when I don't see Him."
With these words of a young Jew that he wrote down in the Warsaw ghetto and with God's blessing and Our Lady's intercession, I wish you blessed days in the coming year.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN MEDJUGORJE
To prepare for Christmas, in addition to the evening prayer program, the rosary was prayed on Apparition Hill during the novena. During Advent in the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer three fasting and prayer seminars were conducted. About 150 pilgrims from home and abroad took part in these seminars, wishing through prayer and fasting to prepare for Christmas and to get closer to the mystery of the birth of God on earth.
During the Christmas holidays at the shrine of the Queen of Peace there prevailed an atmosphere of peace, prayer, and unity among the faithful who came from all parts of the world. Since Christmas is a family celebration, for the very day of Christmas in Medjugorje there were about 1,000 foreign pilgrims. The most numerous groups were from France, Korea, Italy, Germany, Belgium, USA and Mexico.
On Christmas Eve about 2,000 faithful participated in the evening program. A children's musical presentation began the evening Eucharist and thereby wished a Merry Christmas to all the assembled faithful and to Medjugorje pilgrims from around the world. In a church overflowing with the faithful, a prayer vigil began at 10 PM and ended with midnight mass. Christmas day itself passed by in the genuine spirit of peace and Christmas joy of parishioners and pilgrims gathered together around their Mother.
ANNUAL APPARITION TO JAKOV ON DECEMBER 25, 1998
After the apparition which began at 11.50 a.m. and lasted 12 minutes, Jakov wrote:
"Our Lady came joyful. She greeted me, as always, with 'Praised be Jesus!' She spoke to me about the secrets and afterwards gave me this message:
'Dear children! Today, on the birthday of my Son, my heart is filled with immeasurable joy, love and peace. As your mother, I desire for each of you to feel that same joy, peace and love in the heart. That is why do not be afraid to open your heart and to completely surrender yourself to Jesus, because only in this way can He enter into your heart and fill it with love, peace and joy. I bless you with my motherly blessing.' "
Jakov prayed with his family. He prepared himself for the apparition with Confession and Holy Mass. After the apparition, he cried for a while.
PRAYER-EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
The Prayer-Educational Seminar on the theme: 'Pilgrimage- Part of Our Faith Walk" will be conducted from February 28 - March 5, 1999 at Hotel 'Sunce' in Neum. The sixth Prayer-Educational Seminar will last six days instead of the usual five. The first four days, as has been the case so far, will be filled with prayer, lectures and exchange of experiences, while the fifth day will be completely dedicated to spiritual renewal. As in each previous year this seminar also we will close with a community pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
Sunday, February 28, 1999
Assembly
19:00 Holy Mass (Fr. Tomislav Pervan, Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans )
20:00 Supper
Monday, March 1, 1999
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture: "The Document of the Holy See on Pilgrimage in 2000", Prof Dr. Adalbert Rebic
10:00 Intermission
10:30 Group discussion on the theme of the lecture
12:30 Lunch
16:00 Intermission
16:30 Meeting with the Franciscans (Fr. Ivan Landeka, Fr. Slavko Barbaric, Fr. Miljenko Stojic, Fr. Leonard Orec, Fr. Jozo Zovko, Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic, Fr. Branimir Musa. . .)
17:30 Rosary
18:00 Holy Mass (Fr. Jozo Zovko)
Dinner
20:30 Miscellaneous announcements
Tuesday, March 2, 1998
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture: "Peculiarities of Pilgrimage at the Great Marian Shrines", Rev. Stanislaus Kania
10:00 Intermission
10:30 Group discussion on the theme of the lecture
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Meeting with the Lecturer
16:00 Intermission
16:30 Meeting with the visionaries
17:30 Rosary
Holy Mass (Fr. Ivan Bradvica )
Dinner
20:30 Adoration (Fr. Ivan Landeka)
Wednesday, March 3, 1999
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture: "How to Form A Pilgrimage to Medjugorje", Dr. Fr. Slavko Barbaric
10:00 Intermission
10:30 Group discussion on the theme of the lecture
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Meeting with the Lecturer
14:00 Intermission
14:30 Group Discussion - Resolutions
17:30 Rosary
Holy Mass (Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic)
Dinner
20:30 Community Meeting - Resolutions (Declaration)
Thursday, March 4, 1999 - Day of Prayer
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture, Discussion, Prayer
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Lecture, Discussion
17:30 Rosary
18:00 Mass (Fr. Slavko Barbaric)
Festive Dinner
Friday, March 5, 1999
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Departure for Medjugorje
Departure for Apparition Hill
Departure for Krizevac - optional
Lecturers for this year's seminar are:
Prof Dr. Adalbert Rebic - born 1937 in Hum on Sutla (Croatia). He completed his study of philosophy in Zagreb and in the Graduate School of Philosophy at the Gregorian Papal University in Rome and theology at the Gregorian and the Biblical Institute. Since 1968 he is professor of biblical sciences and oriental languages (Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac-Aramaic) in the Graduate School of Theology at the Catholic University in Zagreb. He was guest professor at the theological institutes of Zadar and Jakovo. At the Graduate School he organized and managed the financial business, and served as editor-in-chief of Theological Review and head of the Graduate School Library. Since 1972 he is President of the Croatian Mariological Institute and organized the Croatian section at international Mariological Congresses in Rome, Malta, Zaragoza, Kevelaer, Huelva and Czestohowa.
He worked in the publishing house "Krscanska Sadasnost [Christianity Today]" as editor of biblical publications and since 1994 as director of "Christianity Today", and chief editor of the religion lexicon in the Lexicographic Institute "Miroslav Krlez" in Zagreb. From 1991 - 1996 he was Head of the Office of Exiles and Refugees for the Government of the Republic of Croatia. During 1995 he was Minister without Portfolio in the Government of the Republic of Croatia. He has been honored with the highest decorations by the President of the Republic of Croatia and by the Academy of Science and Art. He has published 15 significant works and edited 11 anthologies on Marian themes. He has collaborated in theological periodicals both at home and abroad with about 430 titles. He has translated 26 books from various languages. Since 1970 he is a member of the Prebendary College of the Zagreb Metropolitan See. Since 1966 he has organized and guided about 50 pilgrimages to the Holy Land. He is a member of the Society of Croatian literary translators, a member of the Arts Academy of Croatia, a regular member of the Papal International Marian Academy in Rome, a member of the Jewish cultural society "Shalom Freiberger" in Zagreb, and an editorial member of the international theological periodical "Communio".
Rev. Stanislaus Kania - Piarist. Born in Poland February 24, 1948. Completed philosophy, theology and Church History at the Theological Institute of Krakow and the Catholic University of Lublin. He was ordained priest in 1973. He was rector of the Seminary and secretary of the Province from 1982 - 1985. He founded the Mother of God Confraternity of Religious Schools for which he serves as Chaplain. In 1985 he founded SOS for the children of poor families and families with problems for which he still today serves as spiritual director. That is a place where children can learn, play, and find the help of a doctor, psychologist and spiritual director. He is rector of the monastery in Krakow.
Already for 13 years he has been coming to Medjugorje. Since 1988 he is director and publisher of the Medjugorje periodical 'Znak Mira [Sign of Peace]" and of other books and publications that write about Medjugorje. Since 1986 he has regularly organized and led pilgrimages to Medjugorje.
Dr. Fr. Slavko Barbaric - born 1946 in Dragicini, Bosnia-Hercegovina. He studied theology at Visoko, Sarajevo and Schwaz. He was ordained priest in 1971. He received his Doctorate in 1982 in the field of religious pedagogy. Since 1982 he has been in Medjugorje. He writes books and articles on religious subjects. He works in the Shrine. He is the leader of numerous spiritual exercises and presentations. In many parts of the world he has conducted countless meetings on the theme of the Medjugorje events.
The number of spaces is limited and each year the number of participants is always greater. Therefore we ask you to register your coming to the prayer-educational seminar as soon as possible and no later than the end of January. You can register by fax at +387 88 651 444 or by e-mail: <medjugorje-mir@medjugorje.hr> in care of the Information Center or right at the Information Office of the Shrine.
Simultaneous translation for all language groups will be organized. The price for lodging, transport and seminar is 315 DM per person for double room (a day extra!). Single supplement is 40 DM. Payment will be made to the Seminar organizer upon arrival at the hotel. There is possibility for transport from the Split airport to Hotel "Sunce" in Neum. All who need transport on February 28 should give notice of the flight number and exact time of arrival to the Association "Medjugorje-Mir" in Split no later than the end of January by fax +385 21 361 354. For the last day transport will be organized from Neum to Medjugorje. Radio and earphones for simultaneous translation should be brought along. Radio and earphones will also be made available during the seminar.
"There was a time when the Bible was being saved, though the house was burning" (Wolfgang Koeppen). We are immediately before Christmas. The calls for ordering one's life that will prepare a place for Jesus not only as a newborn child but also as the adult Jesus Christ, wear us out from time to time. It is constantly repeated about conversion, penance, renewal, sin. . . One is exhorted to reconciliation, silence, slowing down but work to be done increases. That would mean still more racing around, cares, fatigue. Always new calls to repentance? What for and why so many?
Holy Seasons like pre-Christmas and Christmas want to awaken in us the will for serious renewal. They can also mean small steps. In each of us there is generosity, love, kindness, peaceableness, willingness to help others, fidelity to the Christian way. . .But, in us there are also forces that are in opposition to all this and by negativity want to repress the good. For evil it is sometimes merely enough to repress a virtue and occupy its place and the house is already in flames.
Dear reader, the house of faith and humanness of each one of us has been in flames. It has caught fire. Our Lady, directing us to the task of a renewed Christian life and fervor, is teaching us how to avoid the fires that devastate the building up of faith. She is teaching us to know what to do when there is a fire - in order not to lose faith, the pearl of great price. If I direct all my powers so there is no fire because of me, that could already be Christmas. May the Lord bless us all by his coming and may the treasure of faith become still more precious to all of us. A Blessed Christmas to you!
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During November in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 33,000 Holy Communions were distributed and at mass there were 980 concelebrations of priest from home and abroad, that is, 32 priests per day.
Some of the countries from which pilgrims came during November to visit Medjugorje are: Germany, United States, Portugal, Austria, Poland, Korea, Italy, Slovenia, Brazil, Gabon, Frane, Mexico, China, Lebanon, Argentina and, of course, Croatia.
FEAST OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
During recent days the atmosphere of prayer, peace and community characterized the Medjugorje shrine because of the multitude of pilgrim groups that visited it for the feast of Immaculate Conception. Local pilgrims came from all regions of the country, while the most numerous foreign groups were pilgrims from Australia, Italy, USA, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France and Spain.
On the feast day itself the Peace Rosary was prayed on the Hill of Apparition. About 2,500 faithful participated in the evening Holy Mass.
The retired Archbishop of Split-Makarska, Frane Franic, visited Medjugorje for the feast of Immaculate Conception.
Just before the feast day Bishop Georg Eder of Salzburg, Austria was also visiting in Medjugorje. In the following number of the Press Bulletin we will be presenting his impressions.
CELEBRATING THE FEAST OF SAINT NICHOLAS
On December 6th, the feast of St. Nicholas, a large group of children gathered in the church of Medjugorje for a community celebration. This year also the arrival of St. Nicholas brought great joy to the hearts off the children. There was no end to their prayers, rapture and joy. St. Nicholas this time also rewarded the childrens' goodness and those who are not always exactly obedient he called to be better at least now when Christmas is right before us.
CHRISTMAS NOVENA
As a part of preparation for Christmas in the shrine of the Queen of Peace a prayer novena is being organized to begin December 16th. Beside the usual evening program in church, the rosary will be prayed each day at 2:00 PM on the Hill of Apparition.
NEW YEAR'S DAY
A prayer vigil for the New Year will also be held this year in the church of Medjugorje. The vigil starts at 10:00 PM and ends with Holy Mass at midnight. These are days when mostly young people gather in the Medjugorje shrine. Therefore, we take the occasion to invite all young people who are still thinking about where to say good-bye to the old and welcome the new year to spend that "craziest" night with their own age group in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje and by prayer and song together with our Lady enter more deeply into life.
FOURTH INTERNATIONAL PRIESTS' MEETING
The Fourth International Meeting of Priests will be held from the June 30 - July 6, 1999. The theme will be: "Priests in Mary's School!". The program and theme for each day follow:
Wed June 30 18:00 Rosary
19:00 Holy Mass
22:00 - 23:00 Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Thu July 1 "Prayer - life with God the Father!" Fr. Cosimo Cavalluzzo
09:00 Lauds in Latin
Fri July 2 "The priest in the service of life!" Fr. Philip Reilly
09:00 Lauds in Latin
Sat July 3 "Inner healing necessary for the priest" Dr. Fernand Sanchez
09:00 Lauds in Latin
Sun July 4 "The priest in the service of wounded life" Sr. Elvira Petrozzi
09:00 Lauds in Latin
Mon July 5 "Mary, the handmaiden of life" Fr. Jozo Zovko
09:00 Lauds in Latin
Tue July 6 "Go and preach the Good News!"
09:00 Lauds in Latin
Daily Program
09:00 Lauds in Latin
09:30 Lecture and discussion
11:00 intermission
12:00 Prayer/ break
16:00 Lecture
18:00 Evening program (rosary, Mass, prayer for healing)
22:00 - 23:00 Adoration on Wed and Sat.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Bring along: a. earphones and small FM radio
b. Bible and Latin breviary if possible
2. All meetings will be held in the new hall behind the church
3. Bring your own alb and stole
4. Meetings with visionaries and other witnesses will be arranged
5. Departure for Hill of Apparition and Cross Mountain and participation in the evening program will be arranged.
6. Whoever wants the parish office to arrange lodging should notify by fax 00387-88-651-888 or 00387-88-651-444. Expenses can be covered by two mass intentions each day.
Fr. Slavko Barbaric is the organizer of this meeting in the name of the parish office.
And at the end of the last Press Bulletin before Christmas, we take the opportunity to thank all supporters of the Informtion Center "Mir" Medjugorje for the help offered during these three days. We thank all who in any manner, by suggestions, directions or other way of cooperation have helped our work. May you all have a Happy and Blessed Christmas and New Year!
"Is there some great, but short prayer? A prayer of just one word?
Veni - Come!
It is the original prayer.
The original prayer of Advent - the original prayer for the Spirit". (K. Hemmerle)
We have entered the season that we call Advent. The name of the season tells a lot. It is
related to the fulfilment of an expectation, will the expectation bring forth a coming. Advent draws its meaning then only if Christmas comes after it, then also the Christmas of a believer's heart. For that new experience it is necessary to come to know that which of Christian behavior has been lost, been dimmed, and that it is necessary to get it back again.
Our life does not give clear answers to the question about Jesus Christ, what He is and who is He for us? We are, thereby, not real Christians. Because the spirit and truth of Christ has not gotten into our skin, we thus do not tell of Him in our heart and bones and every pore of our being. Therefore, the Advent season is a serious exercise that liberates us sincerely to say - Come, Lord Jesus! That exercise is in a penitential and prayerful opening up to the Lord who has truly come into the world, but not sufficiently into my personal life. In this Our Lady is a great help for us: "Dear children, I want to lead you closer to my Son!" The content of her messages and recommendations frees us from the fear of God and encourages us to be able to say with joy - COME, LORD JESUS!
Fr. Ivan Landeka
VISIT OF AMERICAN BISHOP
As we announced in the previous Press Bulletin, the auxiliary bishop of Portland, Oregon and the pastor of St. Mary's Parish, Corvallis, Bishop Kenneth Steiner visited Medjugorje for the first time on a private visit from November 7 - 12, 1998.
Here is what he said, among other things, about his impressions of Medjugorje:
"People are hungry and have to discover the spiritual dimension in their lives, which television, secularism and materialism are killing, and many indeed have lost that dimension. By their coming to Medjugorje pilgrims discover that spiritual dimension and return home helping others also to become more aware of it. It is a real miracle what people experience here and take with them to their families and parish communities. Many cannot come here for various reasons, therefore they need witnesses that can help them find inner peace and discover God. And many only when they have returned home become aware of all that God gave them here. I can say the same thing about myself. I too have become aware that I am truly blessed by coming here. I am completely renewed by coming here. I have become more aware of Christ's presence in the sacraments, in the Church, in Sacred Scripture and in people in general.
In Medjugorje I received a new spiritual motivation. Perhaps some think that we bishops and priests do not need such renewals. They would be wrong because renewal is very necessary for us. I have met many priests who have come to Medjugorje. They have a better idea of their own priesthood. That is what I personally will take with me. I will tell people that Medjugorje is a place where people can go and be renewed in their faith. I met many people here with deep faith and fervent prayer. I understood that the people, in spite of great sufferings, have stayed faithful to God.
I have discovered God again and for me that is the proof that Our Lady is here. Indeed that is her task. People sometimes come here to look for Mary, but they find God. That is her wish, because she does not want anything for herself, but she does everything for men better to get to know her Son, Jesus. Our Lady wants to spread God's peace among men, among her own children.
I invite everyone who comes here to become an example for all people when they return home. Let them become a call to peace, prayer and conversion. Everyone that comes here has already met someone who gave him a good witness about Medjugorje and showed a change for the better in his own life. We have to be witnesses, we have to evangelize others. That is our mission: to bring people the Good News and about the God who saves. We have to bring Jesus and Our Lady to this world and help people to understand that life in God is possible and necessary for everyone in this world. We have to be witnesses to those who the Lord has sent into our lives.
I will pray for each one of you and may God bless you."
VISIT OF TWO BISHOPS FROM HAITI
Two bishops from Haiti visited in Medjugorje together with 33 pilgrims from November 16 - 23,1998: Bishop Louis Kebreau of Hinche and Bishop Joseph Lafontant, auxiliary bishop of Haiti's principal city. On the occasion of his visit Bishop Louis Kebreau also said this about his impressions:
"Many people have told us about Medjugorje. They sent us books, pictures, medals and video tapes. We both have a mutual friend in America who informed us about everything that is happening here. That friend also offered us this trip. We accepted and here we are in Medjugorje.
I am experiencing Medjugorje with faith. In the Gospel we read how Jesus came to Nazareth and did the reading in the synagogue. Many marveled at what he said, but some protested saying they knew his family, mother, father. I think it is necessary to come, to have time, to see, to experience living. That way we can get to know Medjugorje. One cannot talk lightly about Medjugorje. It is a profound experience, intimate, personal. Inner peace and reconciliation is experienced here. What is real Christian faith is easily discovered. For me this is a time of renewal. One has to come simply, to see, to meet and listen to people. One has to go on the mountains, participate in the evening program, find time for personal prayer in silence. I am having a personal experience of reconciliation with my self. In each of us there is a part that we do not know, it is that pagan part in us. Since one is dealing with inner freedom by reconciliation, one can sometimes feel the attack of Satan more strongly than usual, but strength is also received. The Virgin Mary brings with her the light that helps us to see one's way and better to understand one's task. She accompanies us on our way and wants to lead us to life in God. Medjugorje indeed opens the way for us to be able to plunge into the life of the Most Holy Trinity. Mary is doing that here. So I am grateful to her."
On the occasion of his first visit, Bishop Joseph Lafontant, among other things, said the following:
For almost ten full years I have received news about Medjugorje. It interested me more and more. And I gladly accepted being in this pilgrim group. Mainly because Bishop Louis is also here.
I often went on pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes and other places. Here I discover a big difference from all the other pilgrimage places. There is nothing stereotyped. Everything is different from the other places. Everyone has his own personal experience, even if he is in the midst of a lot of people. What is surprising is that everyone who comes here as a pilgrim wants to accept everything.
The final incentive for me to accept coming to Medjugorje was also the visit of the visionary Jakov Colo in September. A great number of people participated. Only then did I become aware of how many of the faithful from Haiti know about Medjugorje. He met with the faithful in two churches. During his visit there was such an evident will and desire for reconciliation with oneself and for reconciliation with others. There was a great number of people who wanted confession during those days, really more than ordinarily. I took part in both meetings. I celebrated one Mass and Bishop Louis did one mass. It was a real experience of faith. Coming here only confirmed that. This experience is necessary for everyone. It is an experience of conversion, coming back to oneself and to God just as also an experience of reconciliation with others. Our Lady helps each of her children to find himself. Our Lady wants to feel each one, to personally touch and guide each one. Yet in the depths of the soul no one feels forced to accept all this, freedom is completely respected. One Croat who lives in America told me at the airport that in the beginning he did not believe, but when he came here he found peace and from then on he believes in Our Lady's presence. Now I understand him. Here people find peace and are reconciled.
Both bishops ended their conversation with these words: May God's blessing and the protection of the Queen of Peace be with all of you."
The Tenth International Youth Prayer Meeting will be held from July 31 - August 6,1999.
The theme of the meeting is: "God the Father - Source of Life"
The program of the meeting is as follows:
Sat July 31:
6:00 PM Rosary
7:00 PM Mass
10:00 PM Introduction of groups and Adoration
1. Sun. Aug 1 - "Mary calls: Return to the Father!"
Each group has Mass in its own language.
4:00 PM Fr. Maurizio De Sanctis, "Mary calls: Return to the Father!"
Testimonies of the visionaries
2. Mon Aug 2 - "Your life - a gift of God the Father!"
9:00 AM Morning Prayer
9:30 AM Mrs. Jo Croissant - "Your Life, A Gift from the Father!"
11.00 AM Fr. Cosimo Cavaluzzo: "Baptism - You are my Beloved Son" 4.00 PM Mrs. Jo Croissant "Accept your life as the Father's gift!"
Testimonies of the visionaries
3. Tue Aug 3 - "Cooperation with God the Father!"
9:00 AM Morning Prayer
9:30 AM Fr. Tim Deeter: "God wants you to live!"
11:00 AM Fr. Maurizio De Sanctis, "God the Father offers life through Mary!"
4:00 PM Fr. Tim Deeter: "Growing with God the Father!"
Testimonies of the visionaries
After evening mass Eucharistic Procession through the parish and silent adoration.
4. Wed Aug 4 - "The Father's love heals you!"
Sr. Elvira, foundress of "Cenacolo"community
9:00 AM Morning Prayer
9:30 AM Sr. Elvira: "Encounter of the merciful Father and the wounded son!"
11.00 AM Testimonies of young men of Sr. Elvira's community.
4.00 AM Fr. Cosimo "Confession: Encounter with the Father who forgives and heals!" Testimonies of the visionaries
10:00 PM Program by "Cenacolo" Community:
"I was wounded, but now live and glorify God!"
5. Thu Aug 5 - "Mary, the handmaid of life!"
9:00 AM Morning Prayer 9:30 AM Fr. Jozo Zovko: "Mary, the handmaid of life!"
11:00 AM Fr. Cosimo "Eucharist: the Bread of Life!"
4:00 PM Testimonies of the visionaries
8:00 PM After evening Mass Adoration till 10:00 PM
6. Fri Aug 6 - Cross Mountain - "Renewed by the Father's love, you will be His witnesses!"
3:00 AM Rosary going up Cross Mountain
5:00 AM Holy Mass on Cross Mountain
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Things to bring along: a. ear phones and small FM radio
b. bible, umbrella.
2. Those with classical instruments (violin, flute, oboe, etc) should contact Agostino at fax no.
00387-88-651-753. He is responsible for the music. These will be given a room in "Domus Pacis." Give name and surname, address, age, experience, instrument. Wait for answer.
3. Groups participating in the Youth Prayer Meeting should not plan any other programs during the week of the youth meeting.
4. The evening program begins with the rosary at 6:00 PM.
Holy Mass is for everyone at 7:00 PM.
5. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION WILL TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YOUTH PRAYER MEETING.
6. NOTICE: DURING THE YOUTH PRAYER MEETING, FROM MONDAY TO THURSDAY THERE WILL
BE NO MORNING MASSES FOR PILGRIMS. ALL PILGRIMS THEREFORE WILL CELEBRATE THE
EVENING MASS TOGETHER. SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION WILL BE PROVIDED.
In May of this year the Apostolic Letter of Pope John Paul II about the celebration of Sunday "Dies Domini" - the Day of the Lord, was published. In five chapters, the Pope explains the history and the meaning, as well as the religious and social significance of celebrating Sunday. The Church and a large part of present-day trade and industry are at two different starting points. In order to raise the employment rate and consumption, commerce would like to abolish Sunday as a day on which one does not work. On the other side, the Church defends Sunday tirelessly as being the day of the Lord, on which one should not work. And both sides substantiate their viewpoints with the wish that they want to make life more comfortable for people. Soon discussions will take place on this topic and those who have already written-off Sundays will defend their thesis with all means.
For the Christian, Sunday is not only a day on which to rest. The eucharistic community and society in general, as well as resting, give Sundays an irreplaceable meaning. Recently, a woman said the following about this fact, which is often hidden, "If Sunday is abolished as the day of rest, what will become of my family life? Maybe I will have a free day on Monday, my husband on Tuesday and my children on Wednesday or Thursday. When will we have our family gatherings or find time for one another? When will social and cultural functions and church meetings take place when there won't be one free day for everyone?"
Christians no longer make up a majority in society so what can they do against this? They can surely do one thing! How far they renew their practice and culture of living a Christian Sunday, that is how far they will defend the day of the Lord. Therefore, the call of Our Lady and Her insistence that we celebrate Holy Mass regularly defend Sunday, a divine and human achievement of our time.
Father Ivan Landeka
VISIT OF AN AMERICAN BISHOP
Msgr. Kenneth Steiner, Auxiliary Bishop of Portland, Oregon, and parish priest of St. Mary's Corvallis, came to Medjugorje for a private visit from November 7 to 12, 1998. This was his first visit and we will relate his impressions in more detail in our next edition of the Press Bulletin. On the last day of his visit, he celebrated Holy Mass for the English-speaking pilgrims. Among other things, he said the following in his homily:
"I came here with a very heavy heart, full of stones. These stones I left on Apparition Hill and on Mt. Krievac. Now I return home with a soft heart."
FRENCH NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE
As in previous years, French pilgrims organized also this year a French national pilgrimage to Medjugorje. For this occasion, about 1500 pilgrims came to Medjugorje from October 22 to 31. Through prayers, meditations, adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament, celebration of the Holy Eucharist, climbing Apparition Hill and Mt. Krievac, and exchanging their experiences, the French pilgrims enriched themselves and each other and so were able to return home to their families and parishes with new strength and vigor. In their work, they all tried to attain a mutual goal: the spreading of Our Lady's message of peace according to the Gospel.
PILGRIMAGE OF LEADERS FOR PILGRIMS FROM IRELAND
It is well-known that Irish pilgrims come in large numbers to Medjugorje. Each week from April through October, there are usually about 200 Irish pilgrims in Medjugorje. These groups are always very well organized and are accompanied by a priest and a lay person, who know Medjugorje very well. The group leader is often irreplaceable, as he knows the local circumstances as well as the mentality of the pilgrims he guides very well. This is frequently a very demanding task, which requires a great deal of love and humility.
In order to be able to continue on this path, the leaders of the Irish groups gathered as pilgrims in Medjugorje during the last week of October. There were about 120 of them and together they climbed Apparition Hill and Mt. Krievac and met with several priests and visionaries in order to be able to better understand the pilgrims whom they are bringing here tirelessly year after year. Through prayers and talks they tried to strengthen and renew their decision to serve others and so came to realize even more the importance of mutual cooperation.
PRAYER MEETINGS IN AUSTRIA AND GERMANY
From November 2 to 6, 1998, Father Slavko Barbariæ led a fasting and prayer meeting in Sonntagsberg, about an hour's drive from Linz, Austria. About 60 persons took part in this seminar, deepening their faith through prayer, fasting and silence. This was the first time that Father Slavko led such a retreat somewhere other than the "Domus Pacis", where these retreats are usually being held.
On November 6th, Father Slavko celebrated the evening prayer program with a large group of Medjugorje pilgrims in the Franciscan Church in Salzburg, where for many years a group of faithful has been meeting every Tuesday evening to pray the Rosary and celebrate Holy Mass. The large Franciscan Church was filled to the last seat.
On November 7th, an evening prayer program was held at the parish St. Walburgis in Nürnberg, Germany. The evening began with the Rosary, followed with the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, which was sung in Croatian, celebration of Holy Mass and ended with Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
On November 8th, Father Slavko met with numerous faithful at Heroldsbach, Germany, a place where apparitions of Our Lady took place from 1949 to 1952 and which now has been approved as a place of prayer. For almost 50 years everything in Heroldsbach had been forbidden. Last year, finally, this place was approved as a place of prayer and today Father Dietrich von Stockhausen works there, who had helped in Medjugorje with the German pilgrims for 18 months. Despite the fact that these apparitions are not accepted as being authentic, many remained faithful to Our Lady's call to pray. Now they are happy that Heroldsbach has been accepted as a place of prayer. Father Dietrich observes that more and more pilgrims are coming there. After having experienced Medjugorje first hand, Father Dietrich started the same prayer program in Heroldsbach as in Medjugorje. That same afternoon, Father Slavko met with faithful in Passau.This was now already the eighth time that such an evening prayer program was organized in this town. This prayer meeting has become a custom and attracts many faithful.
On his return to Medjugorje, Father Slavko said about his impressions, "The experiences are the same everywhere: Mary, Queen of Peace, inspired many to pray and they also try to carry this spirit of prayer into their homes and their parishes".
PRAYER MEETING IN FRANCE
Following an invitation of friends and pilgrims of Medjugorje, Father Ivan Bradvica took part in a prayer meeting in the French town of Villefranche sur Soane from November 14 to 15, 1998. During these two days, about 4000 faithful celebrated the Holy Eucharist, prayed for the healing of body and soul and venerated the Cross of the Lord. The visionary Mirjana Soldo also gave testimony.
RETREAT IN 'DOMUS PACIS'
At the moment a one-week fasting and prayer retreat is taking place in 'Domus Pacis'. About 50 pilgrims from Germany and Austria are taking part in this retreat. Together and in silence they endeavor to deepen their faith in the spirit of Our Lady's messages of peace, conversion, faith, fasting and prayer.
NEW GUIDES
After having attended a seminar in August, the young men and women who want to work in the parish of Medjugorje as pilgrim guides, had to pass their exam on November 12th. About 40 young people had taken part in the seminar of whom 25 came for the examination; 3 passed the exam. The participants were tested on their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, Catechism, the messages of Our Lady, as well as their know-how of the tourist industry, history, geography and culture of this area.
VIENNA AND MOSTAR CONNECTED VIA AIRLINE
Since October of this year, Vienna, the capital of Austria, and Mostar are connected via Tyrolean Airlines, an Austrian airline. The flights are on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and leave Vienna at 1:25 p.m. for Mostar and the return flights take place on the same day, leaving Mostar at 3:20 p.m. for Vienna.
This is surely very interesting for Austrian pilgrims who want to come to Medjugorje. All necessary information can be obtained either directly from the airline or at the travel agency Globtour in Medjugorje.
The month of October is dedicated to the Rosary, through which the Church unites with the Lord. Through the entire Rosary, the greeting "Hail Mary" seems to outweigh the "Our Father" and the "Glory Be" and Mary seems to be at the center of the prayer and the reflections. One cannot deny that the Rosary has a marianic touch. However, the greeting to Mary is always a continuation of the reflections on the events of salvation. Why was Mary given such a prominent place?
Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote in his book about the Rosary: "Someone had to accept this Word unconditionally so that it could find space in a human being and that the Word could become flesh, as any child of a mother.
"We are not this mother, who opens and offers herself unconditionally to God because none of us gives this unconditional 'yes'. Giving this absolute 'yes' in advance, seems not possible for us; yet, this word is precisely one of the conditions for this Word of God to really reach us and become a way that we humans can follow."
The life-style that Mary led assured her an important place. This place did not have to be created for her. In Mary, the Word of God became flesh and it became the way, which we Christians can follow. When Our Lady calls us to prayer, fasting and conversion and recalls this, as she did in the last message, then a woman is speaking to us, who offered herself to God completely and unconditionally. This is what gives authority to her words and her instructions.
Father Ivan Landeka
THE NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During the month of October 150 000 holy communions were distributed in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje and 3369 priests from Croatia and from abroad celebrated holy Mass, that is 109 daily.
Below we list some of the countries, from where pilgrims came to visit Medjugorje: Poland, England, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Korea, Canada, Australia, France, Libanon, Scotland, Slovenia, Indonesia, the Ukraine, Finland, Norway, Japan, Hungary, Brazil, Austria, Rumania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Portugal, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentinia, Chile, the Antilles, Gabon, Venezuela, Columbia, Spain, the Canary Islands, the United States, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Aruba, Bonaire and, of course, Croatia.
TWO BISHOPS VISITED MEDJUGORJE
In October, two bishops visited Medjugorje, one from Brazil and the other from Poland. The latter is Msgr. Albin Malysiak, who is 81 years old but - as he says about himself - he still works like he did 15 years ago. Of particular interest is the fact that he worked together with Pope John Paul II for more than 20 years. He talks about these years as follows:
"Also after having been elected Pope, we remained friends and meet as often as possible. For example, I will meet the Pope the beginning of November of this year and then again in March of next year. I worked with him for ten years as parish priest and professor in theology and ten more years as Assistant Bishop. Working together with him was always a great joy for me. He is a great person, honest and sincere. He always had great sympathy for others. He was a Professor at the Faculty in Lublin. He taught social ethics and had a particular concern for the poor and abandoned. I always remained his close collaborator. We both suffered under Communism, which brought us even closer."
Although his visit to Medjugorje was a private one, Msgr. Malysiak gave us his impressions:
"I will enjoy very much coming here, once the Church has recognized Medjugorje, as we are all awaiting the official decision of the Vatican. I, personally, believe that the visionaries have genuine apparitions. I have met some of them. This morning, I also saw Vicka. She is a happy person and radiates peace. I am convinced that this is a place of apparitions but, most of all, this is a great place of prayer. And this has impressed me particularly. I also climbed up Mount Krizevac. There, I met many people who truly pray devoutly in front of the cross. I counted about 70 people who sat on stones around the cross and prayed quietly. It was about noon and it was very hot, but the heat did not bother them. The stillness and spirit of prayer inspired me and I will return home with the image of those praying.
I admire the Franciscans who work here, who pray with the pilgrims and are at all times available for talks and confessions. I wonder from where they take the strength for this. In church one feels the prayer of the people. Praying the "Our Father" together was a unique experience for me; to hear all the different languages as they pray as in one voice and one could make out the Polish language particularly clear. I am especially pleased about the fact that so many priests accompany the pilgrims.
Back in Poland, I will tell everyone about Medjugorje. I will tell them about the devoutness and the faith of the people, whom I met here. I will talk about this when I meet people and in my sermons. However, Medjugorje is being talked about much in Poland. This is also why I came here.
Finally, I would like to say that I have been touched by the work of the Franciscans in Medjugorje. As far as the Marian devotion is concerned, I am pleased that the people here are loyal to the Church teachings and the proclamations of the Pope. The love for the Mother of God, which is experienced by the people here, helps those who come here to grow in their faith. We all must try to accept and live the messages of Our Lady. Peace in the world is at stake and that is why we have make a decision to love one another and then this love will bring about peace. Here, the call for prayer is given particular importance but also especially the answer to this call. Everything one finds in the messages corresponds with the teachings of the Church. The call to live the faith and to live according to the Sacraments is particularly strong. I hope that this message will spread throughout the world and that more and more people will be coming here and accept the messages, while we are waiting for the Vatican to recognize Medjugorje. I bless you all and wish you peace."
TWO PRIESTS FROM MEDJUGORJE VISITED ARCHBISHOP DR. FRANE FRANIC
On Friday, October 9th, the parish priest of Medjugorje, Father Ivan Landeka and Father Slavko Barbarić visited the retired Archbishop of Split-Markarska, Dr. Frane Franić. Upon their return, they told us the following:
"The meeting and the talks, as well as our lunch together, were really warm. Despite his age, the Archbishop reads and writes much and spends the afternoons in prayer and adoration. Smiling and deeply convinced, he admits that he learned this in Medjugorje and that he has remained loyal to Our Lady's calls for prayer. He also recalled the words he spoke at the end of the Mass, celebrating his Diamond Jubilee: Every priests should pray three hours daily, bishops four hours and retired bishops five hours. He also promised to visit Medjugorje again, which he recognizes as he did in 1982, when he came incognito to see what was really happening here. He visited Medjugore for the first time not only because he felt responsible for the faith of his people but also to personally experience Medjugorje and also to be able to voice his opinion. Since his first experience with Medjugorje, he became a great supporter and advocate of the Medjugorje happenings. He also confided in us something that happened during an apparition. During one of his visits to Medjugorje, he was also present at an apparition, after which the visionary, Marija, gave him a message that Our Lady had given to him personally. This message is now a prophesy for the Archbishop, since it occurred later exactly as he had been told. Since it is something that the visionary could not have known, this was further reason for the Archbishop to believe in the apparitions. We thanked the Archbishop for everything he has done for Medjugorje with his statements and wished him to be able to visit Medjugorje in the near future."
10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE "WAY OF THE CROSS" IN THE PARISH OF SAN PIERO IN BAGNO
The Stations of the Cross up Mount Križevac were made by the renowned Italian sculptor Carmelo Puzzolo in 1987. Since then, they are a great help to all who climb Mt.Križevac in their meditation on the suffering and death of Christ. In addition to the customary 14 stations which portray Jesus' way of the cross, two further stations were added: the Garden of Gethsemane and the Resurrection. There is another aspect which makes it different from the traditional Way of the Cross and that is that the Mother of God is present in every station.
The artist donated the second cast of these stations to his hometown San Piero in Bagno in Italy, where they were mounted in May 1988. Two priests from Medjugore had been present for this occasion: Father Ivan Dugandžić and Father Slavko Barbarić. This year, the community of San Piero in Bagno celebrated the 10th anniversary of the mounting of the stations on Mount Corzano, which overlooks the town. This event took place on October 10, 1998. At 2:30 p.m., Father Slavko Barbarić led the parishioners in prayer up the Way of the Cross; all parishioners participated, as well as many faithful from the surrounding parishes. A beautiful church has been built on top of the mountain. After praying the Way of the Cross, holy Mass was celebrated which was followed by Adoration. On Mt. Corzano the same spirit of faith is prevalent as on Mt. Križevac in Medjugorje. Also here one can see how the school of prayer of Our Lady is being spread throughout the world and how this unites the faithful in one large community of prayer.
"WALL OF LOVE"
On October 24th, the movement "Wall of Love", a mothers for peace movement, organized a prayer meeting for
those Croatians who were killed during the recent war or have been missing in action, as well as for the Croatians who now
stand accused in Den Haag. This Saturday was their last encounter in this prayer novena, which had begun on the last
Saturday in February and has been taking place on the last Saturday of each month for nine months. This last prayer meeting
was attended by about 1500 faithful from Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina. The participants assembled in front of St. James
Church in Medjugorje at 12.30 p.m., where they also had the possibility for confession. This was followed by Holy Mass
during which candles were lit at the cross next to the church. Later, there was a procession to the Hill of Apparitions. The
families of the Croatians who died while defending their country or have been missing since gain strength through these
prayer meetings here in Medjugorje to continue their lives through. Many foreign pilgrims who happen to be in Medjugorje
during this time join the faithful in these prayers.
Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II again came among the Catholics of Croatian. It was his second pastoral visit in four years. The visit caused surprise to many. To others, indeed, it brought great rejoicing. Great words were expected. Many waited in suspense at what he would say. But what was awaited in suspense, in fact never took place. John Paul II did not resort to great and new words. What he said essentially is the word of Jesus: "You shall be my witnesses. . ." He thereby made use of the testimony of Cardinal Stepinac who gave his testimony for Jesus in a very meaningful period. What was most noticeable in the Pope's visit was his presence. Simply his presence. Like when you visit a sick person. You can not heal him, but you can be with him. Like when you come to someone mourning. You cannot comprehend the depth of his sorrow, you cannot take away the pain. But, it means a lot to be with him. Like when you come to an unhappy person. You cannot totally relieve his sadness. but you can be with him.
That is also something like with Our Lady's apparitions. Sometimes with suspense we await what might be new in the messages. But, Our Lady does not make use of great words, of anything unheard of and unknown. That's how it was in her last message. Her presence, even though she is no longer appearing to the visionary Jakov everyday, remains her greatest message. By that she renews what is the corner stone of Christian growth and authenticity - conversion of heart.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
SECOND PASTORAL VISIT OF THE HOLY FATHER TO CROATIA
The beginning of the month of October is marked in all of Croatia, as well as in Medjugorje, by the visit of Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II to Croatia. The Pope came to Croatia October 2nd and finished his visit October 4, 1998. The first day he met with young people in front of the Zagreb cathedral. The next day at Marija Bistrica he proclaimed the Cardinal Archbishop of Zagreb, Aloysius Stepinac, to be a Blessed. On the following day October 4th in Split, he presided at the Eucharistic celebration to mark the 1700th anniversary of that city which is considered the cradle of Christianity in these regions. Certainly, the central event was the proclamation of Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac as Blessed. Because of his fidelity to God and the Catholic Church he was unjustly condemned in a rigged communist court trial. He was imprisoned in the jails of the former Yugoslavia, was poisoned and in that way by martyrdom gave testimony of his fidelity to God and the Pope. Of how great importance the Pope's visit is to the Croatian people can be seen by the fact that in the course of two days about a million people form the population of this small country (4.5 million) met with the Holy Father. From Medjugorje about 3000 pilgrims went to meet the Pope in Split and interestingly half of that number were Medjugorje pilgrims from all continents who joined their pilgrimage to Medjugorje with meeting the Pope in Split. About their impressions everyone said the same thing: "Magnificent."
This is the second visit of the Pope to Croatia in four years. The first time was in September 1994 while Croatia was still bleeding with the wounds of war and suffering the terrible consequences of aggression. That first visit of the Pope was above all an invitation to the Croatian community of believers to gather strength to forgive the enemy and extend a hand of reconciliation, while this second visit was a sign of support to the Croatian people to persevere in the creation of peace and good. Let us recall on this occasion what Our Lady said in her message of August 25, 1994, that is, right before the arrival of the Pope to Croatia:
"Dear children! Today I am united with you in prayer in a special way, praying for the gift of the presence of my most beloved son in your home country. Pray, little children, for the health of my most beloved son, who suffers, and whom I have chosen for these times. I pray and intercede before my Son, Jesus, so that the dream that your fathers had may be fulfilled. Pray, little children, in a special way, because Satan is strong and wants to destroy hope in your heart. I bless you. Thank you for having responded to my call."
FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
The feast of St. Francis was celebrated October 4th in the whole Catholic world, but that feast day is especially celebrated in Franciscan communities. So it was also in Medjugorje. On October 3rd, the day of the passing away of St. Francis, a solemn evening mass was celebrated at which a group of ten young people from the parish of Medjugorje were received into FRAMA (Franciscan Youth) and twenty young people who were already members of FRAMA made their first promises. The church was decorated in a special way with flowers and candles for that occasion but the special adornment were the young people who loved St. Francis the most of all creatures. The Franciscan friars and sisters with the members of FRAMA processed with singing through the church yard and returned before the altar where the ritual of the Transitus of St. Francis was observed.
ABORIGINALS AND INDIANS IN MEDJUGORJE
People of all colors and tongues visit Medjugorje. But, sometimes even in that diversity some groups stand out because of their very special unusualness. So it was also in the first half of October when a group of native Australian Aboriginals, and a group of native Indians from a Canadian reservation visited Medjugorje. Although this is not the first time that Indians from Canada have come on pilgrimage to Medjugorje, still every time they come it is for us something new and something special. During the course of their two week stay they especially made our children happy. In front of the parish church of Medjugorje, in their traditional costumes, they enthused the assembled children and pilgrims with their characteristic songs and dance. A lot of children then also had their dreams come true: this time they were so close to those who till then they had only seen in movies.
MEDJUGORJE INSPIRES. . .
Some pilgrims from Kazakhstan who came on pilgrimage to Medjugorje, inspired by what they experienced under the cross on Krizevac, built a cross in Ozernoj in the district of Kodszetauskaj. The cross is identical to the one on the Medjugorje mountain, and the Polish Cardinal Glemp blessed it in the presence of Jan Pawel Lenge, the Bishop of Kazakhstan.
Also in Panama at the other end of the world, Medjugorje has left a strong trace: a church has been built identical
to the parish church of Medjugorje. The church is located near the airport and since Panama is of interest to tourists, many
come to visit that church because it reminds them of Medjugorje. Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is
regularly held in that church and the evening prayer program just like in Medjugorje. The church was blessed at the end of
May 1997 and consecrated to the Mother of God.
As Sacred Scripture testifies to us, the Jews began step by step to understand what God was telling themand what he was expecting from them. Sometimes also they knew how to err and take the wrong path, but thanks to the prophets and the constant word of God they once again came back to the right path. Thus they perseveringly collected their own experience with God like bees collect honey. The result was that through them God spoke out to the whole world.
Today God has begun to speak to each one of us and wants us to be witnesses in this world. In a special way he is speaking in the parish of Medjugorje and wants his word spread to the whole world. Each person that undertakes this will be his co-worker, a friend on whom God will rely.
The times are serious. Were they not, Our Lady would not have continuously spoken to us for such a long time. Our common rejection of the faith of our fathers has thereby made them serious. As a community we have turned on the wrong path. We need prophets again to return us to the right path. Meditating on the messages that the Queen of Peace transmits to us, we can observe that she is reckoning that indeed we ourselves are those prophets. Only, is that sufficiently clear to us? If it is, let's not be afraid of our mission. Let's remember what our fathers believed in. Let's embrace their fidelity and bravely go forward. It isn't important how someone might laugh in our face. The victory is ours.
Fr. Miljenko Stojic
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During September in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 95,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 3080 concelebrations at holy masses by priests from home and abroad, that is, 103 priests daily.
We shall enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of September: Poland, England, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Korea, Canada, United States, Australia, France, Lebanon, Scotland, Slovenia, Indonesia, Ukraine, Finland, Norway, Japan, Hungary, Brazil, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Portugal, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina, Chili, Lower Antilles, Gabon, Venezuela, Colombia, Spain, Canary Islands, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Aruba, Bonaire, and, of course, Croatia.
NINTH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN CENTERS OF PEACE
The representatives of the eighteen Latin American countries gathered in Medjugorje in the last week of September for the Ninth International Meeting of the Centers of Peace. These Centers originated as gathering places for all those who sense the importance of Our Lady's call in Medjugorje. Their activity pertains primarily to the spreading of the messages, and the organization of prayer groups and pilgrimages. As we have already said, this is already the ninth meeting, but only the second time it was held in Medjugorje. About 350 participants spent the week in prayer and meditation, exchanging the experiences of their years- long labor in the spreading of Our Lady's messages of peace among the faithful of the Spanish speaking world. Special emphasis was laid on the necessity of the mutual cooperation of all the centers for the sake of a credible spreading of Our Lady's messages to the world. This initiative is also a good example to everyone of how it is possible to work together in the spreading of the message of peace.
MISSIONARY TRAVEL OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC
Already for the eighth time in the organization of Mr. Bernard Ellis and the Medjugorje Network Fr. Slavko Barbaric has been conducting a prayer week in England. That kind of meeting was held seven times at Aylesford with the Carmelites, while this year it was held at several places. Jelena Vasilj collaborated in the meetings and witnessed about her own experience. On his return Fr. Slavko Barbaric among other things said this:
"Upon my very arrival August 30th an afternoon meeting with about 3000 youth was conducted at the Benedictine Abbey of Worth. On August 31st about 2000 faithful were present at a large meeting held in Wintershall with the convert Peter Hutley. We had a meeting with about 800 faithful September 1st at St. Joseph Seminary at Upholland in Manchester. On September 2nd there was a meeting with twenty priests at St. Joseph Parish in Sunderland near Newcastle. Three Anglican pastors also participated in the presentations on the Medjugorje messages and in the common discussion. After that followed the Medjugorje prayer program in the packed parish church of Holy Cross. Many of the faithful participated. We flew to Amsterdam September 4th and in the afternoon that same day met with our imprisoned at Den Haag. The meeting was touching. We celebrated Holy Mass together. On September 5th a one day prayer meeting was held at the Marian shrine of Beauraing in Belgium. Enriched by the prayer experiences and grateful to God that we again saw how Our Lady has turned and moved so many to prayer, on September 6th we returned to Medjugorje.
AFTER NUMBER 100. . .
The last Press Bulletin was the jubilee Number 100. That was a chance for all of us to remember all we have been through and had to do together to cover that distance. We are conscious, nevertheless, that the way ahead of us is very long. And also certainly harder. It is not easy, namely, to realize all our good efforts to be more connected with all of you, and thereby to retain all that we call the spirit of Our Lady's messages. But, we trust in Divine Providence to which we surrender our ways and intentions.
We would like now to ask you altogether for a still closer cooperation. It would be to our great satisfaction if you would write us and express your opinion about everything that the Information Office is doing (web pages, robofax, Information Office, Guide Association, radio station, archives, seminars etc.). You may write to us at our e-mail address: medjugorje-mir@
medjugorje.hr or by our fax number ++387 88 651 333 designated for the Information Center.
Our plans are aimed at expanding and finishing everything that we have started so far and that is possible for us only with your comments and help. We still have in mind a big project we would like to accomplish. Already now the evening prayer program of the rosary and Holy Mass, in addition to the radio station, can be followed over the Internet and by audio off-line, that is, by downloading the audio portion of the evening prayer program. Our plans in the near future are to make it accessible by the internet also on-line, that is, live and not just audio, but also video. To do that we need the latest technical equipment.
All of you who have come to Medjugorje have seen how many people and how much work is needed to provide pilgrims with everything necessary. And all that presupposes significant financial means. For that reason we have also freely asked you for help, because all of our work is done with the intention of preserving the originality of the Medjugorje message and in that way to help you, the Medjugorje pilgrims.
For that purpose we also established the Association of Information MIR Medjugorje Supporters. Anyone who wishes to, can become a member of that association. Acceptance is decided by the administration of the CENTER. A member of the association is due to make a free will annual contribution, and to collaborate in the work of the CENTER by suggestions, observations or some other appropriate manner. Each member will receive a membership card and will be kept regularly informed about the work of the CENTER. Your contribution can be made in cash or by check at this account number:
Name of Bank: HRVATSKA BANKA D.D. MOSTAR
S.W.I.F.T CODE HBMO BA 2X 7100-840-02774-6
ZA INFORMATIVNI CENTAR MIR MEĐUGORJE
Those who in fact wish to remain anonymous friends of this Center can put their contribution in the box that is located in the Information Office of the shrine.
We thank you heartily in advance for your gift and will remember you in our daily prayers!
In the parish of Medjugorje the feast of the Triumps of the Cross was celebrated. In spite of the bad weather, the cross on Mount Krievac attracted ten thousand faithful. The storm was not able to spoil the festive spirits of those who know about the meaning of the cross: the cross does not frighten but gives courage. And for this reason, one did not see any somber faces, one only saw happy faces on Krievac. The Holy Father will again visit Croatia soon. For many years, he has been addressing all Christians with the cross staff in his hand. With this, he does not want to make people afraid of God but wants to stimulate them to a life with God.
The Holy Father will visit Split on the feast of Saint Francis. The suffering Christ was very important in the life of Saint Francis because of everything that happened in his holy life. However, he did not forget the glorified Lord. But the real life begins for Saint Francis in front of the crucified Christ. This is why his poverty is not an unbearable thought but an endearing lifestyle. According to the testimony of the visionaries, the Gospa appeared to them also with the cross. For Mary, who is not only the Mother of Sorrows, the cross is not an affliction of sorrow, but rather a sign through which She, as a mother, has overcome the loss of Her son. This is why She says, "Pray especially in front of the cross, from which great graces are coming!" And on another occasion, "The cross should be in a visible place in the home!"
Father Ivan Landeka
N E W S
LAST REGULAR APPARITION OF THE QUEEN OF PEACE TO JAKOV COLO SEPTEMBER 12, 1998
While on his journey in America Jakov reported the following text to us from Miami.
"On Friday September 11th during the regular apparition Our Lady told me to prepare myself specially by prayer for tomorrow's apparition because she will confide the 10th secret to me. On Saturday September 12th Our Lady came at 11:15 (local time). When she came she greeted me as always with 'Praised be Jesus'. While she was confiding the 10th secret to me she was sad.
Then with a gentle smile she said to me: 'Dear child! I am your mother and I love you unconditionally. From today I will not be appearing to you every day, but only on Christmas, the birthday of my Son. Do not be sad, because as a mother I will always be with you and like every true mother I will never leave you. And you continue further to follow the way of my Son, the way of peace and love and try to persevere in the mission that I have confided to you. Be an example of that man who has known God and God's love. Let people always see in you an example of how God acts on people and how God acts through them. I bless you with my motherly blessing and I thank you for having responded to my call'. The apparition ended at 11:45."
P.S. In a short telephone conversation with Fr. Slavko Barbaric, Jakov said that he cried for a long time and that he is very sad. According to the testimony of the visionaries, three of them now still have apparitions: Vicka, Marija and Ivan. The Gospa has given each of them 9 secrets.
THE FEAST OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS
This year, the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross was also celebrated on Krievac on September 13th. More than 10.000 faithful from Croatia and from abroad took part in the Holy Mass, which, together with 50 priests, was celebrated by Dr. Father Ivan Dugandzic, the Guardian of the Franciscan Monastery in Zagreb and Professor at the Catholic Theological Faculty in Zagreb. As in previous years, the pilgrims arrived in Medjugorje throughout the whole night. Many of them had walked to Medjugorje hundreds of kilometers on foot, some of them even bare-footed. Neither the wind nor the rain could detain the pilgrims from participating in the celebration of the Holy Mass even though, due to the bad weather, there were less pilgrims than usual.
We would like to take this opportunity to give you a brief history of Mt. Krievac and the cross, which was built on its top. About one kilometer air distance from the church of Medjugorje rises Mount Krievac which, together with the Apparition Hill, forms a triangle. The parish priest, Father Bernardin Smoljan, and the residents of Medjugorje built this cross of reinforced concrete, which is 8,56m high. They inscribed the following words on the cross: "To Jesus Christ, the redeemer of the human race, as a sign of our faith, love and hope, in memory of the 1900th anniversary of the passion of Jesus".
At the center of the cross they built in a relic of the true Cross of Jesus, which they had received from Rome. This relic was obtained from the larger part of the true Cross, which remains in the Church of 'Santa Croce di Gerusalemme' in Rome. The building of cross was completed on March 15, 1934. Later it became a custom to celebrate Holy Mass at its base on the first Sunday after September 8th, in honor of the Triumph of the Cross. Mt. Krievac doesn't draw the numerous pilgrims because of its natural beauty or because of the large cross erected on its top, but because many pilgrims claim to have seen various "signs" of light and other signs on this cross since the apparitions began in Medjugorje. They have all associated these signs with the apparitions of Our Lady, with the message of the apparitions in Medjugorje, with peace between God and man and with peace among man. They have understood that the way to this peace leads unavoidably through the cross. On this mountain, many have found peace and discovered their way to God. Many pilgrims have also included the veneration of the Cross in their religious life and put it into practice. By climbing this steep and difficult path up to the cross on top of the mountain, the pilgrims demonstrate their faith in the Way of the Cross. Along this path up to the top of Mt. Krievac, fifteen bronze reliefs of the Stations of the Cross have been mounted; each one of these also shows Our Lady. The Gospa accompanies Jesus but also each one of us on our way of the cross throughout our life.
THE LITURGICAL PROGRAM
We would like to inform all pilgrims and all groups of pilgrims who come to Medjugorje that in the winter time the daily evening program takes place from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm (5:00 pm Rosary, 6:00 pm Holy Mass, followed by the Blessing of Religious Articles, Healing Prayer and the Glorious Mysteries). Every Wednesday and Saturday from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm there is Adoration of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar and each Thursday there is also an hour of Adoration immediately after Holy Mass. Each Friday immediately after Holy Mass, there is an hour of Veneration of the Cross. On Sundays at 3:00 pm a rosary for peace is being prayed on Apparition Hill and on Fridays also at 3:00 pm on Mt. Krizevac. There are opportunities for confession at least one hour before the evening program begins. This is the new schedule as of Sepbember 14, 1998.
Holy Masses for the various language groups take place during the morning, as previously agreed upon.
All information regarding the prayer program in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje and all other infomation can be obtained through the Information Center under the tel. No.: +387 88 651 988 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
We also ask all organizers of pilgrimage groups to inform the pilgrims upon their arrival in Medjugorje that all needed information can be obtained in the Information Center next to the parish and not in the parish office itself.
EDUCATIONAL COURSES
At the beginning of the school year, the Information Center also started computer and foreign language courses in order to help the young people as much as they can.
THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PRESS BULLETIN
While sitting here at my computer in order to write something appropriate for this anniversary issue, it comes to my mind that perhaps it would be best to simply copy what we already wrote in the "0" edition of the Press Bulletin on November 23, 1994, since the reasons for its formation still apply today.
It has not been easy to reach this 100th issue. It took much effort. But, of course, we are very pleased about the positive reactions we have received. Thus, we were able to get to know each other better and to clarify the events of Medjugorje to our readers. We have always tried to transmit to you the official position of the Shrine of the Queen of Peace and this will continue to be our goal.
I also want to take this opportunity to express my special thanks to two co-workers, who have been with the Information Center since its beginning. They are: Mrs. Marija Dugandzic and Mr. Stipe Cavar. Besides many other duties in the Information Center, Marija Dugandzic spends much time in putting together each edition of the Press Bulletin. For this, I sincerely want to thank her, personally, as well as on your behalf and on behalf of the Shrine. Stipe Cavar has conscientiously been in charge of technical matters and thus has made it possible for you to receive the Press Bulletin. I thank both him and Marija.
In addition to Marija and Stipe, I want to thank the great Croatian poet Kresimir Sego. He is in charge of the publications of the Center. Later, we were joined by Ivo Sego who, with his experience, also helps in the publication of the Press Bulletin. I also thank him sincerely.
The above-mentioned persons thus make up the editorial staff of the Bulletin. I hope that with the help of God and Our Lady we will continue to be able to produce the Press Bulletin conscientiously. And we shall all continue to read it and hand it on to others.
May the Queen of Peace also continue to be your light and guidepost in life.
Father Miljenko Stojic
Director of the Information Center "Mir"
In her message of August 25th Our Lady talks about and exhorts to prayer. At first glance it seems to be the only content of this message. But the last sentence of the message: "pray until your life becomes prayer", places prayer into a framework without which prayer is an empty word. Our Lady does not prescribe prayer to us that is separated from life, rather prayer that unconditionally fits into life's practice, content and sense. Because a prayer life prescribes that kind of prayer to us, we must carefully watch over our prayer life and prayer content. For that there is no better literature than Jesus's own teaching on prayer in Chapter 6 of Matthew's gospel. Jesus's directives on prayer direct that prayer be a search for the possibility of man, by his own likeness with God, drawing close to God. Prayer, therefore, helps a Christian on the path of life, which is a path toward God, not to lose sight of his goal. When he is on a path toward God, he sees God as his goal, his journey is continuously imbued with experience that does not make him a burden to his neighbor. On the contrary! Joy develops and grows, despite any kind of difficulty, and becomes a harmonious life in which it is hard to distinguish which part of it is prayer. Our Lady's primary wish is harmony in life and prayer is the assistant in man's labor to realize harmony in life. In that sense Our Lady invites us, pray, pray, pray. . .
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During August in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 202,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 4,707 concelebrations at mass by priests from home and abroad, that is 152 priests per day.
We shall enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims came to visit Medjugorje in August: Poland, Hong Kong, The Caribbean, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, France, Korea, Romania, Mexico, Slovenia, Hungary, Korea, Lebanon, Ukraine, Macedonia, Aruba, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Paraguay, South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Siberia, Canada, Gabon, England, Ireland, Sweden, United States and, of course, Croatia.
POPE VISITING CROATIA FOR THE SECOND TIME
Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II is visiting Croatia for the second time. It is an exceptionally important moment for the history of our church and nation. Many Medjugorje pilgrims are asking us how to take part in the meeting with our Holy Father whether in Marija Bistrica October 3rd or in Split October 4th, 1998. The Medjugorje parish office has the possibility of securing the necessary entrance ticket for taking part in the meeting with our Holy Father. We are therefore notifying all foreign pilgrims who want to participate in one of these meetings to contact us no later than September 15th, 1998 in order to secure an entrance ticket in time. Your reservation can be made by fax: ++387-88-651-444 or e-mail: <medjugorje/mir@medjugorje.hr>. This applies only to those pilgrims who have already made plans for their travel by bus, and not to those pilgrims who intend to travel by private automobile.
FASTING AND PRAYER SEMINARS
As part of preparation for Christmas, three fasting and prayer seminars will be held during Advent in the prayer house "Domus Pacis" in Medjugorje. Our Holy Father John Paul II invites us in his encyclical "The Gospel of Life": ". . .return seriously and humbly to fasting and prayer. . ." and Our Lady herself in her messages has invited us so many times to fasting and prayer. Once she even said: ". . .by fasting and prayer even wars can be stopped. . ." Therefore, we invite all those who wish to prepare more deeply for the feast of Christ's birth to take part in these seminars. Since they are rich in experiences they are a real opportunity for that. The seminars will be conducted on the following dates:
Fr. Slavko Barbaric will be the organizer and leader of the seminars. The cost is 20 DM per day. If after
making a reservation, you should be hindered from taking part in the seminar, we ask you kindly to cancel your
reservation at least one week in advance of the beginning of the seminar. You can make your reservations by
telephone at the Information Office: ++387-88-651-988.
In the liturgical readings these days we heard about the young man who comes to Jesus and reveals his desire to Him that he wants something more out of life. To the word of Jesus: "Fulfill the commandments!" he is able to answer that he has fulfilled the commandments. Indeed, he is conscious of being in a state greater than fulfilling commandments and is seeking direction about what to do. Jesus does not lose the opportunity of indicating to him the way that is greater, but one that also makes greater demands. "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give your money to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven! Then come and follow me!" The young man was taken by surprise. That was too much for him and he goes away sad. That which he possessed was the security that promised him more.
To have and to possess can be a real obstacle. And, there exist the same kind of other real obstacles which in the same way alienate from Christian life. They can be acquired habits, or a nature that is not ennobled. They can be ways of behaving that we claim cannot be changed and therefore do not have to be changed.
But, the Christian who yearns to be a serious believer must free himself from fear of what is new. That newness is not so much something new on the outside, as it is on the inside. What is new on the inside can also create something new on the outside. And what is really new in the Christian life are the new effort and momentum to be like Jesus Christ. If a doctor today were to reject new effective forms of healing, we would consider him unreasonable in regard to his vocation and his patients.
New efforts to be Christian are necessary and possible. For all who believe in Christ that is an unavoidable task. Medjugorje is a great sign that with Our Lady it is possible to recognize what is really new and unavoidably necessary.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
CELEBRATING THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION
On the feast of Our Lady's Assumption August 15, there was a truly great number of pilgrims. It is almost impossible to enumerate the countries from which they came. We can only say that they were here from every continent in the tens of thousands. The church of Medjugorje, although quite large, hardly looked it these days. Due to the different language groups Holy Masses were celebrated in eleven languages. By all means must be mentioned the stream of bare footed native pilgrims who in the early morning hours were already arriving in Medjugorje from all parts of Herceg-Bosna and southern Croatia. The multitude of pilgrims on August 15 in Medjugorje can be illustrated by the fact that a group of thirty priests were hearing confessions almost the entire day. Fr. Philip Sucic, a Franciscan missionary from Hercegovina serving in Africa, presided at the solemn evening mass along with 98 concelebrants.
STUDENTS' DAY
On August 16, 1998 the Fund "Friends of the Talented", a foundation based in Medjugorje which aids young students, organized a Students' Day. The meeting began at 4 PM with prayer of the rosary on the Hill of Apparition. After the rosary the young people gathered in church for common confession and the evening prayer program. After the evening mass a concert of spiritual music followed. Students appearing in the concert were from the Music Academy, stipendiaries of the Fund and young men from the "Cenacle" Community [former drug addicts], and Melinda Dumitrescu, a guest performer from Romania. About 100 students participated in the meeting. For the occasion the paintings of talented artist Stjepan Perkovic were on open exhibition and available for purchase.
SEMINAR ON INNER HEALING
A seminar on inner healing was held from August 21 - 16, 1998 at the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer in Medjugorje. The leaders of the seminar were Father John Cheriaveliyl and Sister Margarita Valappila who have special gifts in the ministry of healing. About 70 people took part in the seminar which was intended especially for those who have family problems. The impressions of the participants were powerful and we hope to have more seminars like this.
"WALL OF LOVE"
As we have already announced in previous numbers of the Press Bulletin, "Wall of Love", the mothers for peace movement, is organizing a prayer novena through the nine last Saturdays of the month. In addition, the same association organized still one more prayer meeting in Medjugorje on August 17, since the trial for the six Croatians in Den Haag began that day. The meeting began at 7:00 AM with the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain. Several hundred faithful fervently prayed that day for all those Croatians whose lives are still now making the difficult way of the cross of violence and injustice. After confessions at 1:00 PM celebration of the Eucharist followed in the church of St. James in Medjugorje. The intention of this prayer meeting was that the innocently accused Croatians in Den Haag will survive all their sufferings and that their trial will be quick and fair.
MEETING WITH BENEFACTORS
Fr. Philip Sucic, Fr. Ante Kutlesa and Fr. Stojan Zrno, the three Hercegovina Franciscans who are working as missionaries in the Republic of Congo, came back to their Franciscan community and families during their home visit this summer. Medjugorje pilgrims have given them material aid already for several years in a rows, especially for the building of churches and houses of formation. For that reason the three missionaries visited Medjugorje these days with the intention of meeting with their benefactors and thanking them for all that they have done so far.
SEMINAR FOR GUIDES
Due to the interest of so many who would like to work as guides in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, the Guides Association for pilgrims in the parish of Medjugorje has organized a seminar from August 17 - 20, 1998. At the end of the seminar examinations will be held. All who finish this seminar successfully achieve the possibility of membership in the Guides Association, and thereby also the possibility of working with pilgrim groups. This means that all who wish to work as guides in the shrine must learn and master definite knowledge in order to be able to provide reliable information to the pilgrims with whom they will work in the future.
The young applicants listened to presentations in four areas: Messages of Sacred Scripture (Fr. Miljenko Stojic), Messages of Christianity (Fr. Ivan Maric), Messages of Our Lady (Fr. Slavko Barbaric) and Tourism and Pilgrimage in the Medjugorje events (Maria Dugandzic).
We take this opportunity to request all those who bring groups to Medjugorje to use a local guide who can help them
in so many ways during their stay in Medjugorje, and what is most important, these are the persons who are qualified and
trained to provide reliable information and to perform their work in cooperation with the "Mir" Information Center located
next to the Medjugorje parish office.
One of the most frequent laments of our times is the lament about the loss of joy. Joy is that disposition for which man yearns and cannot be satisfied so long as he has not attained joy. The many detours on which man gets lost are a consequence of the loss of joy. In the life of a Christian the word and the content of joy have their root in the Bible and the Bible, so to say, is full of those words and exhortations for us to rejoice. The Apostles were joyful at being able to suffer something for the name of Jesus (cf Acts 5:41). St. Paul calls himself and his brothers in preaching the Gospel co-workers for the joy of the Corinthians (2 Cor 1:24). So one of the missions of a Christian is to be joyful and to bring joy.
An unhappy and frowned face is more and more the image of the people of our times, and even of us Christians. What might be the reasons for that?
There is a short sketch from the life of St. Francis of Assisi. It is narrated that Francis told one of his confreres who went around with a frowned face that he could have only one reason to be unhappy - "If his relationship with God was not in order." Then moreover Francis told him: "Go and put your relationship with God in order and do not disturb us any more with your unhappy face!"
Our Lady's presence and directions are an incentive: go, and get your relationship with God in order! And, here is how you will do it! Here is how you will have a happy face!
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During July in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 88,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 3,183 concelebrations at holy masses by priests from home and abroad, that is, 103 priests daily.
We shall enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of July: Poland, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Austria, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, France, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Mexico, Slovenia, Hungary, Chili, Holland, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Canada, England, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, United States, and, of course, Croatia.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PRAYER MEETING
The already traditional ninth international youth prayer meeting was held from July 31 - August 6, 1998. The theme of this year's seminar, at which about 25,000 young people took part, was "Come, Holy Spirit Creator". The youth were addressed by Fr. Slavko Barbaric, Don Cosimo Cavaluzzo, Sister Elvira, Fr. Hans Buob, Fr. Andrea Gasparini, Fr. Jozo Zovko and the Medjugorje visionaries.
SEMINAR ON INNER HEALING
At the house of prayer "Domus Pacis" in Medjugorje a seminar on inner healing will be conducted from August 16 - 21, 1998. The leaders of the seminar are priests with a special gift in the service of healing. The seminar is recommended especially to persons having family problems. Registrations can be done by telephone +387 88 651 988 at the Information Office of the shrine every day from 9 AM to 6 PM.
PRAYER-EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
The Prayer-Educational Seminar on the theme: 'Pilgrimage- Part of Our Faith Walk" will be conducted from February 28 - March 5, 1999 at Hotel 'Sunce' in Neum. The sixth Prayer-Educational Seminar will last six days instead of the usual five. The first four days, as has been the case so far, will be filled with prayer, lectures and exchange of experiences, while the fifth day will be completely dedicated to spiritual renewal. As in each previous year this seminar also we will close with a community pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
Sunday, February 28, 1999
Assembly
19:00 Holy Mass (Fr. Tomislav Pervan, Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans )
20:00 Supper
Monday, March 1, 1999
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture: "The Document of the Holy See on Pilgrimage in 2000", Prof Dr. Adalbert Rebic
10:00 Intermission
10:30 Group discussion on the theme of the lecture
12:30 Lunch
16:00 Intermission
16:30 Meeting with the Franciscans (Fr. Ivan Landeka, Fr. Slavko Barbaric, Fr. Miljenko Stojic, Fr. Leonard Orec, Fr. Jozo Zovko, Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic, Fr. Branimir Musa. . .)
17:30 Rosary
18:00 Holy Mass (Fr. Jozo Zovko)
Dinner
20:30 Miscellaneous announcements
Tuesday, March 2, 1998
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture: "Peculiarities of Pilgrimage at the Great Marian Shrines", Rev. Stanislaus Kania
10:00 Intermission
10:30 Group discussion on the theme of the lecture
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Meeting with the Lecturer
16:00 Intermission
16:30 Meeting with the visionaries
17:30 Rosary
Holy Mass (Fr. Ivan Bradvica )
Dinner
20:30 Adoration (Fr. Ivan Landeka)
Wednesday, March 3, 1999
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture: "How to Form A Pilgrimage to Medjugorje", Dr. Fr. Slavko Barbaric
10:00 Intermission
10:30 Group discussion on the theme of the lecture
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Meeting with the Lecturer
14:00 Intermission
14:30 Group Discussion - Resolutions
17:30 Rosary
Holy Mass (Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic)
Dinner
20:30 Community Meeting - Resolutions (Declaration)
Thursday, March 4, 1999 - Day of Prayer
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Lecture, Discussion, Prayer
12:00 Lunch
15:00 Lecture, Discussion
17:30 Rosary
18:00 Mass (Fr. Slavko Barbaric)
Festive Dinner
Friday, March 5, 1999
07:30 Morning prayer
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Departure for Medjugorje
Departure for Apparition Hill
Departure for Krizevac - optional
Lecturers for this year's seminar are:
Prof Dr. Adalbert Rebic - born 1937 in Hum on Sutla (Croatia). He completed his study of philosophy in Zagreb and in the Graduate School of Philosophy at the Gregorian Papal University in Rome and theology at the Gregorian and the Biblical Institute. Since 1968 he is professor of biblical sciences and oriental languages (Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac-Aramaic) in the Graduate School of Theology at the Catholic University in Zagreb. He was guest professor at the theological institutes of Zadar and Jakovo. At the Graduate School he organized and managed the financial business, and served as editor-in-chief of Theological Review and head of the Graduate School Library. Since 1972 he is President of the Croatian Mariological Institute and organized the Croatian section at international Mariological Congresses in Rome, Malta, Zaragoza, Kevelaer, Huelva and Czestohowa.
He worked in the publishing house "Krscanska Sadasnost [Christianity Today]" as editor of biblical publications and since 1994 as director of "Christianity Today", and chief editor of the religion lexicon in the Lexicographic Institute "Miroslav Krlez" in Zagreb. From 1991 - 1996 he was Head of the Office of Exiles and Refugees for the Government of the Republic of Croatia. During 1995 he was Minister without Portfolio in the Government of the Republic of Croatia. He has been honored with the highest decorations by the President of the Republic of Croatia and by the Academy of Science and Art. He has published 15 significant works and edited 11 anthologies on Marian themes. He has collaborated in theological periodicals both at home and abroad with about 430 titles. He has translated 26 books from various languages. Since 1970 he is a member of the Prebendary College of the Zagreb Metropolitan See. Since 1966 he has organized and guided about 50 pilgrimages to the Holy Land. He is a member of the Society of Croatian literary translators, a member of the Arts Academy of Croatia, a regular member of the Papal International Marian Academy in Rome, a member of the Jewish cultural society "Shalom Freiberger" in Zagreb, and an editorial member of the international theological periodical "Communio".
Rev. Stanislaus Kania - Piarist. Born in Poland February 24, 1948. Completed philosophy, theology and Church History at the Theological Institute of Krakow and the Catholic University of Lublin. He was ordained priest in 1973. He was rector of the Seminary and secretary of the Province from 1982 - 1985. He founded the Mother of God Confraternity of Religious Schools for which he serves as Chaplain. In 1985 he founded SOS for the children of poor families and families with problems for which he still today serves as spiritual director. That is a place where children can learn, play, and find the help of a doctor, psychologist and spiritual director. He is rector of the monastery in Krakow.
Already for 13 years he has been coming to Medjugorje. Since 1988 he is director and publisher of the Medjugorje periodical 'Znak Mira [Sign of Peace]" and of other books and publications that write about Medjugorje. Since 1986 he has regularly organized and led pilgrimages to Medjugorje.
Dr. Fr. Slavko Barbaric - born 1946 in Dragicini, Bosnia-Hercegovina. He studied theology at Visoko, Sarajevo and Schwaz. He was ordained priest in 1971. He received his Doctorate in 1982 in the field of religious pedagogy. Since 1982 he has been in Medjugorje. He writes books and articles on religious subjects. He works in the Shrine. He is the leader of numerous spiritual exercises and presentations. In many parts of the world he has conducted countless meetings on the theme of the Medjugorje events.
The number of spaces is limited and each year the number of participants is always greater. Therefore we ask you to register your coming to the prayer-educational seminar as soon as possible and no later than the end of November. You can register by fax at +387 88 651 444 or by e-mail: <medjugorje-mir@medjugorje.hr> in care of the Information Center or right at the Information Office of the Shrine.
Simultaneous translation for all language groups will be organized. The price for lodging, transport and seminar is 315 DM per person for double room (a day extra!). Single supplement is 40 DM. Payment will be made to the Seminar organizer upon arrival at the hotel. There is possibility for transport from the Split airport to Hotel "Sunce" in Neum. All who need transport on February 28 should give notice of the flight number and exact time of arrival to the Association "Medjugorje-Mir" in Split no later than the end of November by fax +385 21 361 354. For the last day transport will be organized from Neum to Medjugorje. Radio and earphones for simultaneous translation should be brought along. Radio and earphones will also be made available during the seminar.
Today when adults say the word "youth", then that word along with many expectations also carries some resentment with it. And that even when speaking about one's own children. Yet one is precisely forgetting that adults created at last a part of that world which today we call "youth".
In the parish of Medjugorje we are immediately before "The Youth Week of Prayer". So far the meeting of previous years has manifested a gathering of youth who recognize God and are not satisfied with a superficial faith. Jesus Christ, whom they seek and find and wish to recognize still more profoundly, becomes a companion on their path of life, a person with a real voice in their plans, and their ideas about the world and about man. His example and word touches their life and being. Jesus becomes a person who does not have to be feared, before whom one does not have to tremble. The fruit of that is the confidence that is necessary toward both Jesus and the Church. And confidence is the condition for a mature religious practice and on the other hand the fruit of a lively spirituality.
The presence of Mary through the apparitions points the way to the Lord. In her nearness it is easier to find Jesus and follow Him, and clothe one's own life with his gospel. This is the experience of both many young and older people and we can rely on their testimony.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF ST. JAMES
On July 25th the feast of St. James, patron of the parish of Medjugorje, was solemnly celebrated. In the presence of a large number of the faithful the solemnity began with a procession to the park with the statue of our patron from the parish church. Fr. Tomislav Pervan, Provincial of the Hercegovina Province presided at the solemn Eucharist in the park.
The parish of Medjugorje was founded in 1892. Already then the parishioners decided to take St. James as their patron who is moreover the patron of all pilgrims! The old parish church was built in 1897. Since it was built on land prone to earthquakes, the construction of the new parish church was soon undertaken. The remains of the old church are located inside the circular park alongside the sanctuary. The new church was completed and blessed in 1969. At that time it was too large for the population of the day and no one really knew why it was built so large. Likewise back in 1892 none of the parishioners could have ever imagined that millions of pilgrims would come to their parish and that the patron of their parish church of St. James would become the patron of all those pilgrims.
BLESSING OF A NEW HALL
A new hall for the needs of the parish of Medjugorje and the pastoral care of pilgrims was blessed on June 28, 1998. In the presence of a large number of pilgrims and parishioners, the ritual blessing was done by Fr. Zoran Ostojic, a Franciscan born in the parish of Medjugorje. For fifty years Fr. Zoran lived in the United States of America working at the pastoral care of Croatian immigrants. Now in his later years he has returned to his native parish and is available as a confessor both to the parishioners and the pilgrims.
The new hall has a surface area of about 1000 square meters and with movable walls can be converted into three separate sections. The hall is air-conditioned and has a public address system that is connected with the parish church system. We are heartily grateful to all benefactors and parishioners who helped in the construction.
A NEW AREA FOR PRAYER
On the eve of the 17th anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions the shrine of Medjugorje received a new place for prayer. The space with a cross beside the Church is for group prayer meetings and for individuals as a place where pilgrims can light candles.
OPENING OF FIRST AID STATION
On July 1, 1998 in the parish of Medjugorje a first aid station was opened. The Medjugorje pastor, Fr. Ivan Landeka, blessed the first aid station that will be operated by the Order of Malta from Cologne. It is located on the left side of the road that leads from the parish office toward Cross Mountain and will be at the service of the parishioners and pilgrims through the end of October this year.
"SCULPTURES FOR PEACE"
The photo-exhibition entitled "Sculptures For Peace" by author Jozo Ostojic of Medjugorje was opened July 10th on the grounds of the parish office of Medjugorje and will be open till the end of July. "Sculptures For Peace" were on exhibition during April and May 1998 at the Main Headquarters of the United Nations in New York. Coming from Medjugorje, the place of the apparitions of the Queen of Peace and from a country torn by war, they had a unique resonance. During June "Sculptures For Peace" were shown at an independent exhibition in Our World Gallery at The Stone Studio in Stamford, Connecticut and at the Art Festival in Philadelphia where "Sculptures For Peace" were given a center position among the works of forty artists from America and the world
The author of the display, Jozo Ostojic, was born in Medjugorje in 1969. The collision of the realities of war with the Medjugorje messages of peace gave rise to this great work. His sculptures speak of the refugees that are still continuing to roam this land and are at the same time an effort to arouse the conscience of a world asleep.
Today a person could easily become confused by thinking and concluding that God has become more or less unimportant to people in today's world. God is not talked about very much in public life. There are no longer lively debates about whether or not God exists. A kind of silence has developed about a theme which had previously set souls afire throughout the centuries. God is now only being discussed silently and those who speak about God loudly seem to spoil any good sentiment towards Him. Likewise, with their lack of restraint and their superficiality they make God even less interesting and less understandable.
However, this reality is deceiving, although man lives more and more as if the spiritual did not exist and the visible were the only measure of all things. Modern-day man suffers from lack of spiritual values and it is for this very reason that many people go astray and search for a meaning of life. This search, which does not accept the need for God and the Spiritual, can only end in darkness and disappointment.
This concealment leads a person to enslavement at the hands of other mere human beings or even illusionary spiritual movements, which most often end up in a deep abyss. In this world, there is a real lack of places and people to whom one can reveal one's longing for God and for His closeness.
Medjugorje is a place where people who are searching for God do not hide or disguise their desire for God. They feel that here they may reveal their problems and difficulties and that hey will be taken seriously by both God and the Church. This is the greatness and strength of Our Lady's words and messages, which want to lead us to God.
Pater Ivan Landeka
N E W S
THE NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During the month of June 145.000 holy communions were distributed at the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. Holy mass was concelebrated by 3.689 priests from Croatia and many foreign countries, which is an average of 122 priests daily.
These are some of the countries, from which pilgrims came to Medjugorje during the month of June: Poland, Costa Rica, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Chile, Netherlands, Sweden, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Spain, Portugal, Canada, England, Ireland, Belgium, the United States and, of course Croatia.
SEMINAR FOR PRIESTS
The Second International Seminar for Priests was held at the Shrine of the Queen of Peace from June 30 to July 6, 1998. About 160 priests from England, Germany France, Italy, Romania, Poland, America, Spain and Croatia took part. The theme of the seminar was "Priests in the School of Mary". The largest group of about 50 priests came from Poland. During the seven days the priests listened to lectures, contemplated, prayed, celebrated the Eucharist together and climbed the Hill of Apparitions and Krievac. The seminar was organized by Father Slavko Barbari and the lecturers included Don Cosimo Cavaluzzo, an Italian priest who especially deals with preaching and helping to organize seminars, the German priest Jörg Müller and Father Jozo Zovko.
PILGRIMAGE OF THE MILITARY
Recently the military undertook a pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. Hundreds of Croatian soldiers, together with several thousand pilgrims, took part in a large evening procession and carried lit candles through the Shrine to the statue of Our Lady.
At the beginning of the pilgrimage, the soldiers gathered in front of St. James Church. Then in a large procession they walked to the Hill of Apparitions, where they prayed the rosary for peace. Father Slavko Barbari led the rosary from the Church to the Hill of Apparitions. A large number of priests heard the confessions of the soldiers upon their return from the Hill of Apparitions. The parish priest of Medjugorje, Father Ivan Landeka, greeted everyone present before the celebration of Holy Mass began. Father Branimir Musa celebrated the Eucharist with about 100 concelebrant priests from Croatia and other countries. After Holy Mass, there was a procession with lit candles, which concluded with a blessing in front of the church.
"DEFENSE OF LOVE"
"Defense of Love" ("Bedem ljubavi"), a peace movement of mothers, organizes a prayer novena on every last Saturday of the month from April through December. The fifth such meeting took place on June 27, 1998, and the mothers, wives, sisters and friends of those killed during the war gathered in prayer in the church of St. James in Medjugorje. All those who were killed or disappeared in the recent war, including all those Croatians accused in Den Haag, were prayed for in a special way.
The sacrament of penance was followed by the celebration of the Eucharist, after which the children of those accused in Den Haag lit candles at the cross and then walked to the Hill of Apparitions, praying the rosary.
We take this opportunity to once again thank the large number of foreign pilgrims, who joined with the mothers and wives in prayer for those who defended Croatia. With the help of pilgrims from all parts of the world, the defenders of Croatia do not remain unknown. Instead, the pilgrims of Medjugorje have become great friends of the Croatian people and wonderful benefactors during the recent war. They experienced our hardships and our needs as they would their own. Many people in the world heard about our small country through the pilgrims of Medjugorje and they made a wonderful contribution to the suffering people of our country in the most difficult of times.
The parishioners of Medjugorje, the mothers and wives with whom the pilgrims prayed as well as everyone who felt the love, concern and care of the pilgrims, constantly pray for them and ask God to bless them.
STATEMENT OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE
SECOND INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR PRIESTS
We 150 priests from 15 countries have participated in the Second International Meeting of Priests, "Priests in the School of Mary", which was held from June 30 to July 6, 1998, in Medjugorje.
At the conclusion of our meeting, we are pleased to announce what we have experienced during these days:
With prayer, the celebration of the Eucharist, the climbing of Podbrdo and Krievac, lectures arranged for this meeting, we gathered around Mary, the mother of our priesthood, the Queen of Peace, and renewed our priestly vocation and the consciousness of our ministry in the context of preparation for the third millennium.
Deeply thankful to God for everything we have experienced through the Queen of Peace, we announce:
- We remain obedient to the Holy Father and to the entire Church with respect to their position regarding the events of Medjugorje and we await the final judgement of the Church.
- In Medjugorje, we have understood more deeply the sense and meaning of the presence of Mary, our mother, teacher and pilgrim, who in these times participates in pilgrimages with the pilgrim church, just as the Pope speaksabout Her in his documents.
- We have received a real incentive regarding our personal prayer, fasting and the celebration of Holy Mass and a special encouragement regarding to the sacrament of penance and have discovered our priestly duty and power in the battle against evil.
- We return to our parish communities with a great desire to pass on to our faithful our experiences in Medjugorje and with these experiences to more faithfully go on the path of evangelization at the beginning of the new millennium, just as the Holy Father has invited and encouraged us to do.
- We greet all of you with brotherly love and we promise that with our prayer and devoted work we will demonstrate that we are faithful sons of the Holy Church and faithful workers in building Christ's kingdom in the spirit of Mary, the Queen of Peace.
Medjugorje, July 6, 1998
CONGREGATIO PRO DOCTRINA FIDEI
Pr. No 154/81-06419
Citta del Vaticano, Palazzo del S. Uffizio
May 26, 1998
To His Excellency Mons. Gilbert Aubry,
Bishop of Saint-Denis de la Reunion
Excellency,
In your letter of January 1, 1998, you submitted to this Dicastery several questions about the position of the Holy See and of the Bishop of Mostar in regard to the so called apparitions of Medjugorje, private pilgrimages and the pastoral care of the faithful who go there.
In regard to this matter, I think it is impossible to reply to each of the questions posed by Your Excellency. The main thing I would like to point out is that the Holy See does not ordinarily take a position of its own regarding supposed supernatural phenomena as a court of first instance. As for the credibility of the "apparitions" in question, this Dicastery respects what was decided by the bishops of the former Yugoslavia in the Declaration of Zadar, April 10, 1991: "On the basis of the investigations so far, it can not be affirmed that one is dealing with supernatural apparitions and revelations." Since the division of Yugoslavia into different independent nations it would now pertain to the members of the Episcopal Conference of Bosnia-Hercegovina to eventually reopen the examination of this case, and to make any new pronouncements that might be called for.
What Bishop Peric said in his letter to the Secretary General of "Famille Chretienne", declaring: "My conviction and my position is not only 'non constat de supernaturalitate,' but likewise, 'constat de non supernaturalitate' of the apparitions or revelations in Medjugorje", should be considered the expression of the personal conviction of the Bishop of Mostar which he has the right to express as Ordinary of the place, but which is and remains his personal opinion.
Finally, as regards pilgrimages to Medjugorje, which are conducted privately, this Congregation points out that they are permitted on condition that they are not regarded as an authentification of events still taking place and which still call for an examination by the Church.
I hope that I have replied satisfactorily at least to the principal questions that you have presented to this Dicastery and I beg Your Excellency to accept the expression of my devoted sentiments.
Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone
(Secretary to the "Congregatio", presided over by Cardinal Ratzinger)
This is the summary of the letter:
1. The declarations of the Bishop of Mostar only reflect his personal opinion.
Consequently, they are not an official and definitive judgement from the Church.
2. One is directed to the declaration of Zadar, which leaves the door open to future investigations. In the meanwhile private pilgrimages with pastoral accompaniment for the faithful are permitted.
3. A new commission could eventually be named.
4. In the meanwhile, all Catholics may go as pilgrims to Medjugorje.
We can' t but be thankful for this long awaited explanation.
We celebrated the 17th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady. Through the liturgy and prayer we immersed once more into the secret of God's presence and the motherly love of Our Lady. More than ten thousand pilgrims climbed the Hill of Apparitions and Cross Mountain, they prayed and celebrated the Eucharist. In front of the confessionals there was an atmosphere of remorse and conversion. Thousands of pilgrims had made their pilgrimage on foot. Among them were many young people and children, but there were also many older people. Many of the faithful came from the most distant parts of the world. This 17th anniversary was like all the previous 16 anniversaries. On this 17th anniversary, Our Lady gave us a short but important message -- a message, which contains thankfulness and warmth, directness and closeness. This time, Our Lady did not ask us to be wiser or more reasonable, but She blessed and thanked us instead. This simplicity, of wanting to be one of us, makes it possible for us to understand more easily how She wanted and was able to open Herself to God from the very beginning and how She was filled with joy, despite the afflictions which then came upon Her one after the other.
Our Lady is not afraid to be one of us.
This year's message gives us the opportunity to reflect on some of Her messages of previous anniversaries.
She invited us to pray the rosary in order to fight the evil which Satan wants to inflict on the Catholic Church.
Then came the invitation to make the parish into an oasis of peace, which should be well cared-for and pure. Later She called us to get to know the peace which God gives and the love which surrenders to God and pleases Him. She asked us to live Her messages, She was joyful and She thanked for our prayers, sacrifices and pilgrimages. She also did not forget to call us to conversion.
We thank you, Holy Mother, Queen of Peace!
Fr. Ivan Landeka
N E W S
17TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LADY'S APPARITIONS IN THE PARISH OF MEDJUGORJE
During these past 17 years the presence of Our Lady in the parish of Medjugorje has been spread by the pilgrims over the entire world. Despite the atrocities of war in our homeland, the message of peace reached even the most remote parts of the world and thus transformed Medjugorje into a parish of the entire world. This was again confirmed by the fact that on the occasion of the 17th anniversary Medjugorje was visited by about 100.000 faithful. It is almost impossible to mention all the countries from which the pilgrims came to honor Our Lady. The most numerous were from Germany, France, the United States, the Czech Republic, Ireland, England, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Rumania, Korea, Argentine, Mexico, Puerto Rico and from Brasil. The largest single group came from Poland, consisting of about 2.000 pilgrims who were accompanied by more than 50 priests. There was also a great number of Korean pilgrims, of whom many came bare-foot to Medjugorje to pray for peace to Mary, the Queen of Peace.
Due to the pilgrims from the many different languages groups, holy mass was celebrated in 16 languages during the mornings on the 24th and 25th of June. Alone on these two days 50.000 holy communions were distributed.
On the 24th of June, the eve of the anniversary, holy mass was celebrated by Fr. Miro Sego, who also gave the homily, and 195 priests from 26 countries were concelebrating. Approximately 30.000 faithful took part in the celebration of this holy mass.
In the early morning of June 24th, the seventh "March for Peace" took place. It began at 7 o'clock in the morning with prayers and the blessing of the pilgrims and started from the Franciscan monastery in Humac. About 7.000 pilgrims took part in this march, accompanying the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar to Medjugorje. Upon their arrival in Medjugorje, the pilgrims gathered in front of the church and said a short prayer together. The idea of this "March for Peace" was initiated in the hearts of the pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje at a time when the war was being waged most heavily in 1992. This march of prayer, which follows a route13 km long, is the answer to the lack of peace, violence and hate, but also an invitation to true peace and reconciliation.
THE YEARLY APPARITION OF THE VISIONARY IVANKA
The visionary Ivanka Ivanković-Elez had her usual yearly apparition of June 25, 1998. According to the testimony of the visionaries Vicka, Marija, Ivan and Jacov, Our Lady is still appearing to them daily, whereas Mirjana and Ivanka have the apparition once per year. On the day of her last daily apparition on May 7, 1985, after having been given the tenth secret, Our Lady told Ivanka that she would have one apparition each year for the rest of her life on the day of the anniversary. This is how it also was this year. Ivanka had the apparition in her home and it lasted six minutes. After the apparition, Ivanka said, "Our Lady was joyful. I asked her to bless everyone, which She did. Our Lady talked to me about all the secrets. She invited us to pray for the families at this time and especially to pray for the sick. She called us to open our hearts and to thank Her son for the grace He has given us. At the end, Our Lady thanked us for our prayers and love."
THE NATIONAL MARIAN MEETING IN MARIJA BISTRICA
The Croatian Marian Institute of the Catholic Faculty of the University in Zagreb organized the scientific Marian
Meeting, which took place on June 5th and 6th in the Croatian national Marian shrine Marija Bistrica. The theme
of the meeting was "Croatian Marian Shrines in the Spiritual Renewal of Croatia". Fr. Slavko Barbarić also
helped with the preparations for this meeting and gave a talk about "Medjugorje, a Concrete Example of Help for
the Needy of Today". After a short summary of the events of Medjugorje, Fr. Slavko pointed out that in
Medjugorje, as in many other shrines, people are first of all being helped through the confessions and then also
with concrete forms of assistance, which were inspired by the messages of Our Lady in Medjugorje.
Honored Friends and devotees of the Queen of Peace!
Before us is the 17th anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions. When we remember the beginnings, we recall the difficulties, the distrustfulness, the hesitation, the many questions. We also remember the fears. Well, all this is neither that way anymore nor important. Its practically forgotten. Very quickly joy took the upper hand. And once we had yielded our confidence to God through the Queen of Peace, difficulties became completely a matter of secondary importance. It's hardly worth the trouble to talk about it anymore. There have remained some open questions. There have remained some things that are difficult to explain with human means. Most convincingly of all there has remained God's strength and power. This is all the more meaningful when there is mediated and put before us the consideration of how far away God is from the life of the world and of individuals. The pilgrims who come to Medjugorje have been convinced by the grace filled activity of God and they continuously return to the source of their experience, the experience that God is powerful.
The anniversary of the Medjugorje events will again draw tens of thousands of the faithful to the parish of Medjugorje. The multitude of people is an important thing. But the thing we do not need on this kind of occasion is a spectacle and numbers. Pilgrims have already developed the correct sense and are not looking for a spectacle. Therefore more and more for their pilgrimage they choose times when there are less pilgrims, when it is more peaceful and when, not bothered by big crowds, they can form their prayerful moments in peace.
What is primary and most important for this anniversary is to testify to our belonging to the Church and to the Lord, so that the gathering around the Queen of Peace be a promotion of our desires - to put God in the first place. This cannot be substituted by anything else. In this matter parishioners and pilgrims have to become of one heart and justify the trust and the gifts that they have received. This is an occasion for gratitude by which is realized a consciousness that we are not proprietors of, but rather servants of the acts of God. This is an occasion to inquire whether our ways are the ways of Our Lady? Or have we taken advantage of her name to raise our own views and projects up to the highest place and wrongly taken possession of what is undeserved and not ours?
Dear friends and devotees of the Queen of Peace, let us in these days unite in humble and grateful prayer the way Our Lady expressed it: "The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His Name. . ." (Lk 1:49)
Fr. Ivan Landeka
17TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LADY'S APPARITIONS IN MEDJUGORJE PARISH
On June 25th the 17th anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions will be observed in the shrine of the Queen of Peace. After the accursed war years in the parish of Medjugorje pilgrims are again coming from the whole world in the same numbers as had been also before the war. In only the first five months of this year 393,500 Holy Communions were distributed. So far the shrine of Medjugorje has been visited by several tens of millions of people from all countries of the world. In their homes and parishes they have become the messengers of Our Lady's messages of peace directed to each individual as well as to the whole of mankind.
But the first messengers that gave witness to Our Lady's presence in the parish of Medjugorje were the Medjugorje visionaries. In our Press Bulletin we are not in the habit of talking very much about the visionaries. We do always convey everything that Our Lady says through them to all of us, but still we want to protect their privacy and their families from excessive and unnecessary information. As we do every year on the occasion of the apparitions, so now also here we present in brief the course of their lives during these supernatural events.
According to the testimony of the six young parishioners, since June 24, 1981 the Blessed Virgin Mary has been appearing every day in the parish of Medjugorje. On that day the visionaries were frightened by Our Lady's appearance and ran away. The following day, June 25th, they responded to Our Lady's call and went to the hill of apparitions, where for the first time they prayed and conversed with her. Therefore, that day is celebrated as the anniversary of the Queen of Peace, the way Our Lady introduced herself.
Ivanka Ivankovic - Elez was born in 1966. She had the daily apparitions from June 24, 1981 till May 7, 1985. On that day Our Lady confided to her the last of ten secrets. Our Lady told her that for her entire life she will have an apparition every year on June 25, the anniversary of the apparitions. And so far it has been just that way.
Mirjana Dragicevic - Soldo was born in 1965. She had daily apparitions from June 24, 1981 till December 25, 1982. On the last day of her apparitions Our Lady told her that for the course of her entire life she will have an apparition once every year - on her birthday, March 18. Our Lady has also confided ten secrets to Mirjana.
Vicka Ivankovic was born in 1964. Our Lady appeared to her for the first time on June 24, 1981. Daily apparitions still continue for her and Our Lady has confided nine secrets to her.
Marija Pavlovic - Lunetti was born in 1965. Our Lady appeared to her for the first time on June 25, 1981. She also now has daily apparitions. Every 25th day of the month Our Lady through her directs her message to the parish and to the world. So far Our Lady has confided nine secrets to her.
Ivan Dragicevic was born in 1965. Our Lady has appeared to him every day from June 24, 1981 until today. Also to him Our Lady has confided nine secrets.
Jakov Colo was born in 1971. He has daily apparitions since June 25, 1981 until today. Our Lady has confided nine secrets to him.
All the visionaries live in the parish of Medjugorje, except Marija Pavlovic who lives in Italy and comes periodically to Medjugorje.
THE PEACE MARCH
This year also for the seventh year in a row the Peace March will be held. On June 24, 1998 it will commence at 7:00 AM with a prayer and a blessing in front of St. Anthony Monastery in Humac. The Peace March is a prayerful walk dedicated to God for peace. The idea itself was born in the hearts of foreign pilgrims during the bitterest days of the war in Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina. It was their contribution for peace to the agonized Croatian people.
VISIT OF BRAZILIAN BISHOP
This year in the first week of June the retired Brazilian Bishop Don Silverio Jarbas Paulo de Albuquerque visited Medjugorje. He is a member of the Franciscan Order and from 1970 to 1995 was ordinary for the diocese of Feira de Santana. He spent a week in Medjugorje, accompanied by one of the priests of his diocese.
He briefly summarized the impressions of his stay in Medjugorje: "The strongest impression made on me was the simplicity of prayer and the strong faith of those that I met. There is no kind of fanaticism here. I saw a very great number of young people gathering here. Marian shrines have an important role in the life of the Church."
VISIT OF RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR
On June 2, 1998 the Russian Federation ambassador in Sarajevo, Philipp Sidorskiy and the OSCE Ambassador for Bosnia-Hercegovina, Vladimir N. Kuznetsov, visited Medjugorje with their escort. In the course of their official travel through Hercegovina they also stopped by in Medjugorje, wishing to get acquainted with the place about which they have heard so much. The Russian officials were introduced to the shrine and engaged in hearty conversation with the Medjugorje Franciscans. During the conversation they showed a special interest in the history of the shrine and in the events connected with the phenomenon of apparitions.
PRAYER-EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
From February 28 to March 5, 1999 a Prayer-Educational Seminar on the theme "Pilgrimage - A Part of Our Faith Walk" will be held in Hotel "Sunce" in Neum. The sixth Prayer-Educational Seminar will last for six days instead of the usual five days. The first four days will, just as before, be taken up with prayer, lectures and sharing of experiences, while the last day in entirety will be dedicated to spiritual renewal. Just as in previous years so also this seminar will close with a community pilgrimage to Medjugorje. The program and remaining details connected with the seminar will be published in following numbers of the Press Bulletin.
From the beginning man has asked himself the question as to who he actually is. Up to the present day, this question has been asked again and again at various times and under different circumstances. Various considerations and changing circumstances have again forced man to respond to this question essential for his existence.
In searching for possible answers, the question of the usefulness of human life played an important role. However, the past and present have shown us that man, who is limited by his adequacy and inadequacy, is very easily underestimated and this unavoidably brings about abuses in all areas of life.
As Christians we are searching for the answer to the question: who is man? In this search, the Bible remains for us, of course, the most reliable source: "God created man in His image, in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them." (Gn 1, 27). Man is the image of God because of his Creator and that he is a man or a woman is not an accident but he is also the image of God through this design. Our search for the answer to the question as to who we are is not being facilitated by the fundamentals of the Bible and our experiences of faith. In his search to clarify the question of the reason for our existence, St. Augustine expressed the hardship of this search in one sentence: "I became a mystery to myself".
There is another question, which is no less important: what should man really be? Today, the answer to this question is more topical than ever since public opinion submits itself more and more to the influence of 'gene manipulators'. Looking back on the historical development, it is very probable that man will soon become genetic material. The craving for power and profit will create new habits, which one will then try to make into legal standards. Profit is the only goal and one will try to reach this goal the shortest possible way, legally or illegally.
The task of Christians is not an easy one. It will only be possible to withstand this likely development if we return to the conception and image of man, as it is essentially described in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the image of God and man is the image of Christ.
The words of the Mother of God, who wants to lead us to Her Son, call us to return to Jesus Christ. Her words also contain the instructions as to where one can find and get to know the original concept of man and his realization. Our observance of these words of the Mother of God will protect us from our self-willed concept of God and will enable us to withstand the abuses of human existence, which are motivated by a desire for power. In addition, Our Lady also shows us how we can put into practice Jesus' way of life of prayer, fasting, reconciliation, love for others and peace.
Father Ivan Landeka
During the month of May 107 000 holy Communions were distributed in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje and 3248 priests from Croatia and abroad celebrated holy Mass, that is 104 priests daily.
Listed below are some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the past month: Poland, Costa Rica, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, France, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Rumania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Chile, Netherlands, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Lebanon, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, United States and, of course, Croatia.
MISSIONARY TRIP OF FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIĆ
Father Slavko Barbarić visited Brazil from May 5 to 12, following an invitation of Brazilian pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje. Several prayer meetings were organized and during the customary "Medjugorje Prayer Program", Father Slavko spoke about the Medjugorje messages of peace. Several thousand faithful attended these meetings, some of which were broadcast by the local radio stations. After his return from Brazil, Father Slavko Barbarić gave his impressions:
"Although this country seems so far away and is unknown to us, Brazil has not remained untouched by the events of Medjugorje. This time I saw again how widely the message of Medjugorje has spread and how many fruits it has brought forth in this country, which is full of contradictions and which has more than 150 million inhabitants. One part is very rich, while the larger part makes up the so-called middle class; but one also meets very poor people and even more so destitute people, who live in the so-called Favelas. But there are also many, who in the name of Jesus Christ fight against spiritual and material poverty, who help in various ways and so make the Church present. Many poor and needy people see the Church as a sign of hope. Still, all efforts of the good and faithful people often only remain a drop of goodness and love, which can hardly be recognized in the lives of those, who live in spiritual and material poverty.
The first destination of my trip was Quixada, a town which is approximately 200 km from Fortalezze and is located on the northwest coast of Brazil. In this town, the friends of Medjugorje are organizing their Second Marian Conference under the title "The Holy Spirit Will Descend Upon You" - Mary, the model of hope in the newly-formed Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Sertao. During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet the founder of this marian shrine, Msgr. Adelio Giuseppe Tomasin, the Bishop of Quixada, who told me among other things how this shrine came into being: 'I had the great wish to build a shrine but, because of the situation I was in, I was not even able to think about building a small church much less a large one or even a shrine. But then something happened to me, which influenced the course of the events connected with this Shrine.'
'I think it was on the feastday of Our Lady of Carmel. I was celebrating Mass in the cathedral. There were many people present and I prayed the Creed, as usual. After Holy Communion, I wiped the chalice and suddenly bent my brow over the altar. Then I sat down. Suddenly - and I really don't know how to explain this - the following words came into my mind: "Why did you not think about building a house for my Mother?" And I saw a shrine between the rocks at the place, which rises above Sertao. I did not know how I should react to these words. The reason for this was simple: I did not know if this was an inspiration or a fruit of my imagination. Knowing myself well, I was more inclined to think that it was a fruit of my imagination. And when I should have said: "Go in peace and may God be with you", the following words came to me: "Please, sit down for a moment!" Those present were somewhat surprised. Surely they thought: Now comes another speech or some other remark!'
'Loudly and clearly I told them what I had just experienced while sitting. Now I was eagerly waiting for the reaction of the people. I was surprised. They all got up and welcomed my experience with a warm and long applause. So the idea of a shrine was born. From the beginning, I was looking for an order that was willing to take over the responsibility for the shrine. This troubled me more than the actual building of the shrine. In my search, I heard about Father Gianni and the "Oasis of Peace". I called him immediately. I told him that I was looking for an order for the shrine that would be pastorally active there and pray. He answered: 'Good. Give me two or three days for prayer and I will give you the answer.' And, in fact, on the third day, he agreed. The community "Oasis of Peace" now directs the newly-built Shrine of Our Lady of Sertao.' (The marian community "Oasis of Peace"came about because of an inspiration, which Father Gianni Sgreva, passionist and professor of Patrologie, had on January 1, 1985. On this day, he heard in his heart a voice: 'Do you want to surrender to me completely?' Surprised by this experience and not sure what it meant, he returned to Verona, where he was working as a professor and teacher. Then many young people began to come to him. After talks with Cardinal Ratzinger and the Holy Father, he was given permission and began with the noviciate.)
Msgr. Tomasin had also visited Medjugorje and described his experience there as follows: 'The first time I was in Medjugorje was in 1984. A friend, who told me that he had received a great spiritual grace there, suggested that I make the trip. We arrived with our own car. I can still well recall the Communist militia. We arrived at Mostar where we also stayed overnight. One day later, we finally came to Medjugorje. I was very impressed by the landscape. We first went into the church where there were not many people. This is why I was very surprised when, before the beginning of the evening prayer, the church was filling up to the last seat. I saw mainly young people. I felt a deep faith which had nothing to do with fanaticism. I saw many people going to confession. This fact particularly caught my attention. During Mass, I could not understand anything but I saw that there was very deep faith. While many were praying the rosary in church, I was invited to pray the rosary with the visionaries. I was present during an apparition. I was very impressed by the simplicity. The following morning, I got up early and went up Apparition Hill. I prayed for myself, my community and the whole church. In the meantime, many faithful were climbing up Apparition Hill, praying really devoutly. I went to church and remained there praying almost the entire day. This is how I spent my time during my stay in Medjugorje. I did not speak with any of the Franciscans and also not with the visionaries. When I returned home, I felt completely renewed spiritually. Now I understood Mary better and accepted her better as my mother. Now I understood that the Church is being renewed through Her.'
'When I was again named General of the Order, I returned to Medjugore. I travelled via Ancona, accompanied
by the local bishop, Msgr. Zanić, who took the opportunity to tell me all about his difficulties. I listened to him
attentively. I knew the situation, I knew about the commission and the different opinions. And I also had the same
spiritual experiences this time. I returned home and was deeply convinced that many things are happening here,
which cannot be explained philosophically or psychologically. The faith and the apparitions are two realities.
Nobody can question the fruits of faith in Medjugorje. The presence of God and His grace are obvious and, after
sending His grace through the Fathers of the Church, He is now sending it through the Mother of Grace, the
Mother of the Sinners, who stood at the cross. For me, this is without a doubt believeable. As far as the
apparitions are concerned, aside from the conversions and the many other good fruits of faith, there must be still
something else. And here we have to wait.'
Among the passages of Sacred Scripture that we are reading in the liturgy after Easter the most meaningful place is taken by the proclamation of Acts of the Apostles about the life and missionary activity of the young Church and about Jesus' teachings immediately before his Ascension. The Church of our times is nourished by the faith testimony of the apostles and earnestly seeks better to understand and fulfill its own role in our times. In the announcement of Jesus there is an interesting sentence as the answer to Philip's petition 'Show us the Father!' Jesus answers very simply and unequivocally, "Whoever sees me also sees the Father. . .the Father and I are one" (cf John 14:9).
For us believers this is a sentence of fundamental significance. If we remember yet another sentence: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our fathers through the prophets; but in these last days, he has spoken to us through his son (cf Heb 1:1-2), then the meaning of Jesus Christ becomes even more clear for us. Speaking about God and the questions connected with it obtain a completely new clarity. A third expression of St. Paul: "Jesus Christ . . .was in the form of God" (Phil 2:6) completes the passages already mentioned above in Sacred Scripture about the meaning of Jesus Christ. From all these passages in Sacred Scripture one thing becomes completely clear, - any talk about God is from now on connected to the person of Jesus Christ and it is no longer possible to speak about God without referring to his person. We Christians have to take that fact into account in a special way. Accordingly, we must little by little let go of certain previously acquired and created ideas. It is not an easy process and it is completely clear that the effort it takes will be greater than what we had planned.
The risen Jesus does not have some new and different countenance from the one before death and resurrection. The mother of Jesus gathers together with the apostles and disciples in the name of the Risen One and by her testimony confirms who he is. She always does that throughout salvation history and is doing it up till today. The events in Medjugorje and her messages are just a part of her witness for Jesus.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
THE MEDJUGORJE EXPERIENCE OF BISHOP GERARD DIONN
Drawn by the powerful words of Our Lady, bishops from all over the world are constantly coming to Medjugorje. At the end of April Bishop Gerard Dionn from Edmonson, New Brunswick, came to visit us from Canada. On that occasion he told us the following:
"I am on my first visit to Medjugorje which I heard about from the Croatian Franciscans who work in my diocese in Ontario. So in these last seventeen years I heard it continuously, and not only from them, that Our Lady is appearing here every day. For me that was all quite surprising and I did not know if I should believe it or not since all these events have still not been officially approved.
This year I am celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of my priestly ordination. A group of pilgrims that was planning to travel to Medjugorje requested me to be their spiritual director on this trip. That was for me a beautiful gift because already long before I had wished to find out what was going on there.
Everything I have seen here during my stay has impressed me deeply. Something like this is hard to find any place else. The faith of the people here, the attendance at holy mass and the spirit of self-denial cut deeply into my heart. I watched how crowds of countless people go up mountains that are not easy to climb, go to confession and pray. They were from every part of the world. It is difficult therefore to conclude that all this is accidental, that this is an ordinary place and that nothing has happened here. In my opinion, only faith could lead these people to come here, faith that is convinced of something concrete. This can all be compared with Lourdes and Fatima. Of course, I cannot express a final judgment. That belongs only to the local bishop. Nevertheless, according to the fruits that I see, I can say that there is something really special taking place here. It is not the Franciscans who are drawing the people here. I also have Franciscans in my parish, but there is nothing special going on. God is the one who is drawing the people to come here.
I have often talked things over with those who have been to Medjugorje. Some have also come several times even though its far away and very expensive. They try to witness their faith with a new zeal. God awakens new hope in their hearts and in the hearts of others through his own Mother. I believe she is appearing here. I don't know how I would in any other way explain the phenomenon that is alive here. It is not possible that the devil is at work, since people are praying. Likewise all this cannot be an ordinary deception. People can be deceived for a while, but not a full seventeen years and then not millions of people. I believe that something special is happening here because of the fruits. There cannot be so much good fruit on a bad tree.
Observing the liturgical life in the parish of Medjugorje I didn't notice anything particular. It is the everyday customary life of the Church. Mass is celebrated just like in other places. There is nothing here out of the ordinary. Last night we had adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Everything was so simple: a few words, a few songs, just like the Church wants it to be. People are so strongly attracted to it that they are prepared to spend hours on their knees. We do the same thing in our churches, but people do not come in such great numbers. Why? I cannot answer differently than to say that God is present here in a special way.
I would also wish the parish of Medjugorje to keep on continuously witnessing its faith through prayer and fasting. If they are prepared to respond to Our Lady's call, then we who come here from the outside will also do it more easily. It is truly a great responsibility for the parish. I hope it will carry on successfully and remain simple has it has so far. Many pilgrims who come here carry in their hearts a remembrance of the faith and the hospitality that they encountered in the parish of Medjugorje. It is a great honor for this parish that Our Lady has visited it in a special way and that she has spoken in the Croatian language. I hope that the parish of Medjugorje and the entire Croatian people will never lose sight of that.
DEATH OF GOJKO SUSAK, CROATIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE
The Croatian Minister of Defense, Gojko Susak, died in Zagreb on May 3, 1998. He tried constantly to conduct his life in agreement with the leaders of his Catholic faith. He himself became such a great personality that both friend and foe held him in high esteem. He often came back to the shrine of Medjugorje just like every other pilgrim. He died, having been fortified with the sacraments of the sick before death. His funeral was not a vanity fair but rather one more witness of the Christian faith. It was completely the opposite of the customary funeral of modern politicians, yet completely in accord with the same conditions and kind of funeral of Croatian defenders who died in the course of the bitter battle for freedom in these recent years.
The statistics we have show that pilgrims have not only returned to Medjugorje in the years after the war, but also that their number keeps increasing. The first months of 1998 confirm this and indicate that the number of pilgrims will increase still more and reach the number from 1990 when the greatest number of pilgrims came to Medjugorje. In spite of the opponents and the negative propaganda that has followed the Medjugorje phenomenon from the beginning, the shrine has a life of its own. All of us, the parish, the visionaries, pilgrims, organizers of pilgrimages, priests who work in the shrine and those who lead pilgrim groups are thereby charged with some concrete duties. Those duties are nothing new, but they have to be fulfilled again in a conscious and sincere way.
Our Lady who speaks and teaches the Christian life, puts God in the first place and also wants us to do that. She offers us her help by calling us on the path of reconciliation, prayer, fasting, and conversion. The essence of all her messages is the Gospel of her Son. Jesus Christ is at the center. For that reason she also directs us to decide for God, adore her Son, read Sacred Scripture, pray before the cross, and celebrate the Eucharist. Our Lady does not all attention to herself but to Jesus Christ.
This kind of instruction in faith obligates all of us to listen well to Our Lady's teaching of the faith we concentrate on the essential and not allow secondary and less important things and events to take on a dominating significance. I call on all friends and those devoted to the Queen of Peace humbly to serve the Kingdom of God throughout the year that lies before us. Only in such service can Our Lady's wishes be realized.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During April in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 99,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 2147 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from home and abroad, that is 71 daily.
We will enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of April: Poland, Japan, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, France, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Holland, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Lebanon, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, United States and, of course, Croatia.
VISIT OF CANADIAN BISHOP
At the end of April Bishop Girard Dionn visited Medjugorje. He is the retired bishop of Edmonson, New Brunswick, Canada. We will publish his impressions in the next issue of the Press Bulletin.
MISSIONARY TRAVEL OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC
At the invitation of Medjugorje friends and pilgrims Fr. Slavko Barbaric visited some parish and community prayer groups in Austria from April 18 - 20, 1998. Here are some points about that journey. In the parish community of Hohnhart a seminar on prayer was conducted with the participation of a large number of parishioners. The central theme was: Mary's call to prayer. In addition to the lectures the complete Medjugorje prayer program was also conducted.
The same such program was conducted April 19 in the parish community of Griesskirchen. After praying the rosary, holy mass followed with adoration and lectures. The large parish church was full that Sunday afternoon. The associate pastor of this parish, Fr. Joseph Gratzer received his vocation in Medjugorje. He gave up his profitable job in the field of computer technology and now gladly works for the salvation of souls.
On April 20th the prayer encounter was held at Maria in Siege in Vienna. The very beautiful church was overfull. A large number of priests also participated in the Medjugorje prayer program. On the way back Fr. Slavko visited Sr. Elvira's "Cenacolo" community for the cure of drug addicts in Mattersburg which was opened eight months ago. They obtained a large property, arable land, woods, and a small lake. They work together with the parish community. At first the people received them with scepticism but now they have already seen how this community is a real blessing for them and their youth in the battle against drugs.
"Every departure out of the country confirms how much of the world has been truly touched by the message of Medjugorje and how many are trying to remain faithful to Our Lady's call," said Fr. Slavko upon his return.
STATEMENT ON THE TESTS PERFORMED ON THE VISIONARIES
INSTITUTE FOR THE FIELD LIMITS OF SCIENCE - INNSBRUCK [INSTITUT FÜR GRENZGEBIETE DER WISSENSCHAFT (IGW) - INNSBRUCK]
CENTER FOR STUDY AND RESEARCH ON PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS - MILANO
EUROPEAN SCHOOL OF HYPNOTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY AMISI OF MILAN
PARAPSYCHOLOGY CENTER OF BOLOGNA
On April 22-23, 1998 at the Casa Incontri Cristiani [ House of Christian Encounters ] of Capiago-Como, of the Dehonian Fathers a psychophysiological and psychodiagnostic research took place on subjects
Ivan Dragicevic
Marija Pavlovic Lunetti
Vicka Ivankovic
who are commonly known as visionaries of the Medjugorje group.
This research allows certain considerations:
Since 1981 these subjects have had and still have some experiences that are defined as apparitions/visions of Our Lady.
In this center we have verified that such experiences provoke modifications of some measurable biological parameters.
The above subjects with full freedom and with an attitude of collaboration full liberty submitted to the following tests:
-complete case history,
-medical case history,
-MMPI, EPI, MHQ; Tree test, Person test, Raven Matrixes, Rorschach Test, Hand test,
-neurological visit,
-computerized polygraph (GSR; PERIPHERAL CARDIAC ACTIVITIES; PNEUMOGRAPHY 1-2)
during the apparitional experience and
during the mediated hypnotic recall of the same apparitional experience.
-dynamic registration according to Holter of arterial pressure
-dynamic registration according to Holter Electrocardiographic [ECG]/respiratory
-pupillary reflexes (photomotor) and winking reflex
-video takes
-photographs
The results will be made public only after the complete analysis of the data and the completion of certain aspects of the research.
The coordinators of the research
P. Andreas Resch
Dr. Giorgio Gagliardi
The following members of the above listed Institutes and Centers participated in the research:
Andreas Resch, theologian and psychologist: Giorgio Gagliardi, psychophysiologist; Marco Margnelli, psychophysiologist; Virginio Nava, psychiatrist; Luigi Ravagnati, neurologist; Mario Cigada, oculist psychotherapist; Giovanni Li Rosi, gynecologist psychotherapist; Marianna Bolko, psychiatrist; Gaetano Perriconi, internist; Gianfranco Fattori, neurophysiologist; Gabriella Raffaelli, scientific secretary; Fiorella Gagliardi, assistant community secretary.
Capiago, April 23, 1998
NB: The initiative for this investigation was undertaken by the parish office of Medjugorje in agreement with the visionaries.
Not only during the days of Holy Week and the Easter season but also throughout the church year the questions arise for us about Jesus Christ, his mission and his meaning. Some of them remain unanswered. And then when it seems that we are close to an answer, something again gets in the way. Thus we are constantly exposed to the demands of his life and his word on one hand and to obscurities on the other hand. We are not in a position to answer everything with our human means. We are never really happy about that. Neither were the disciples and contemporaries of Jesus. So, for example, when speaking about belief in his resurrection, the path of the apostles and disciples to acceptance of his resurrection is very interesting. Belief in his resurrection was established in their hearts gradually. And that is by a certain order and time of its own. Everything was not finished that Easter morning. We recall the empty tomb, the doubts that someone had stolen his dead body, then Thomas, Emmaus, Jesus' coming to the disciples while they were preparing breakfast on the lake shore. Along with this also the accusation against the apostles that they stole his body while the grave was being guarded. A little more time will pass till the moment when Peter openly reveals his belief that Jesus is alive, that he is risen.
The path to belief that the disciples had to traverse is also not shortened for us and we have to traverse it. It is not like just crossing a river but it continues and we have to know that it does not happen in an instant, and that we will encounter new questions and answers.
The unanimous celebration of Easter by the entire Church is a great testimony and encouragement. Once a year the Church assembles in a special way around the Risen One, and, although each time assembled in sacraments and in prayer, it is gathered in His presence. Therefore, our celebration of the Risen One does not commence and does not finish with the Easter calendar. Nor is it finished with the completion of the Easter season at Pentecost. From a well prepared and faithfully celebrated Easter Day there is drawn the strength and the answers to many questions of life and faith.
Our Lady is in the midst of the apostolic assembly that reflects on the mystery and the meaning of Jesus' resurrection. She is there also today. She reflects on it with us and gives us valuable directives and counsels. With her our path of faith is more simple. Her sojourning with the Church and with each individual is a precious grace.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
EASTER IN MEDJUGORJE
During Holy Week and for Easter itself there were new groups of pilgrims constantly arriving that wanted to prepare here and together celebrate the greatest Christian feast of Easter. About 10,000 pilgrims celebrated in the shrine of Medjugorje. Due to this kind of great number of the faithful the liturgy of Holy Thursday, the rites of Good Friday and Holy Saturday were organized for nine languages - in a special way for each language group. Among foreign pilgrims the most numerous groups were from: Austria, Germany, Italy, United States, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, Hungary, Romania, Mexico, Holland, Australia, Lebanon, Canada, New Zealand, Belgium, Slovenia, and Slovakia. During these days also an exceptionally large number of pilgrims were from all parts of Croatia, as well as from surrounding parishes that came to Medjugorje for Easter confession. The fact that about twenty priests on average heard confessions each night for three hours during the evening prayer program speaks as to how many pilgrims visited Medjugorje for the days of Easter.
On Easter day the provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans, Fr. Tomislav Pervan, blessed a "Resurrection" statue. It is the work and gift of the Slovenian sculptor Andrew Ajdic. The statue of bronze is six meters and is temporarily erected behind the parish church. A space for prayer will soon be arranged around the "Resurrection" statue so that this valuable work of art might be an incentive to prayer and the spiritual life. A miniature of the "Resurrection" was given to Our Holy Father the Pope on the occasion of his pastoral visit to Slovenia.
VISIT OF TWO BISHOPS
Before Easter two bishops visited Medjugorje. There were Bishop John Dew from New Zealand and Bishop Donald Montrose from the United States. Here is what they said on the occasion about their impressions:
"I heard about Medjugorje for the first time from my parishioners. Those who went to Medjugorje came back with good fruits: the spirit of prayer, fasting, returning to the life of the sacraments and becoming active members of the parish community. Numerous prayer groups were established. I came with a group of pilgrims that also visited the Holy Land. These events in Medjugorje made a profound impression on me. Everything seemed natural and normal to me. I do not see any kind of oddities. People talk about the apparitions in a simple way and a large number of the faithful try to live Our Lady's messages. The experience of prayer and fasting are to me especially useful. I will try in a special way to find time for prayer before Holy Mass. I will try also to propose all that to the parishes of my diocese. And you here in the parish of Medjugorje, pray and fast and be apostles of love in everyday life. This is the preparation of all of us for the Great Jubilee" - said Bishop John Dew, auxiliary bishop of Wellington, New Zealand.
"I came to Medjugorje the first time before becoming an auxiliary bishop. Now I have come by the invitation of a group of pilgrims. Here I feel the special presence of Our Lady. I see that a great number of the faithful who have visited Medjugorje return with a renewed faith, a renewed experience of prayer, fasting, confession, Holy mass and adoration. The people that are faithful to Our Lady are also faithful to the Church. Devotion to Mary is very important. My message to you in the parish of Medjugorje is: Live the messages, love Our Lady, love the Eucharist, do not neglect confession, find time for prayer, pray at least one part of the rosary every day. I promise my prayer and blessing to all of you. I especially want to pray for the Franciscans, because what is happening here is great and the Franciscans have a great responsibility. I know about all your troubles and difficulties, but persevere in good" - said Bishop Donald Montrose of Stockton, California in the United States.
Before us are the days of Holy Week. In the March 25th message Our Lady motivates us to consider what Jesus is saying to us. The message concretely calls us to fasting and renunciation. If these two well known but difficult recommendations do us good, then it would be well to know what purpose they serve before we perhaps write them off. Fasting and renunciation have a well defined goal. They obtain their fulfilment when they lead us to a deeper experience of the nearness of God. Since that does not succeed the way we might wish it to, it shows that there is something hindering us from our goal. Our Lady wants that to be removed and that we come to know the beauty of God's nearness.
I believe that not once have we really longed for God's nearness. Sometimes it happens in moments of pain, sickness, hardship. It has also happened in moments of feeling happiness and satisfaction that was not full. Perhaps a slight nuance was missing. For obtaining a goal two conditions are the most important: knowing and willing.
In the prime of life and even in old age, a person accepts with heavy heart the diagnosis that he has a sickness in his organism, especially a serious sickness. The acceptance of the diagnosis and of particular disciplines of life changes many things, also some habits. We can say the diagnosis is not correct. "I'll wait a little and see, maybe the diagnosis is wrong!" It is known to happen that the opinion of a doctor is wrong. Although it may be serious, we also have to grant the doctor the possibility of a mistake. Well, if all sick people acted as though the diagnosis were incorrect, where would that lead us?
A man gets pensive and concerned when a slight or serious sickness hinders his health. Just a word that he will get better helps a little. There is no doubt that we want mental and spiritual health. The truth is also that we do not even always know exactly the causes of physical, mental and spiritual pain. We don't exactly know how much our behavior, and especially certain ways of behaving, are sure to cause health and to what extent they are conditions for sickness. If we are disposed neither toward fasting nor renunciation, we still have to accept one thing: we do not sufficiently know how our behavior causes sickness in others. As believers we do not sufficiently know what all badly influences our religious growth. That will open our eyes to the fact that there exists also in ourselves hindrances to the experience of God's nearness. This insight is by no means an unimportant thing.
Dear readers and friends of the Queen of Peace, Our Lady's messages have so far opened our eyes to many things of the religious life. Our Lady like our mother continues to speak this way. May she help us to open the eyes of our heart and mind for the Risen Lord and His Message. A Blessed Easter to you and may the great days of Holy Week and Easter make you holy!
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During the month of March in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 46,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 1,224 concelebrations by priests from home and abroad, that is, 40 daily.
We shall enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of March: Poland, Japan, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, France, Korea, Australia, Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Holland, Sweden, Argentina, Portugal, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, United States and, of course, Croatia.
'THE WALL OF LOVE'
"The Wall of Love", the movement of mothers for peace, is organizing a novena of prayer for the nine last Saturdays of the month. The second such meeting was held on February 28, 1998 when mothers, husbands, sisters and friends gathered for community prayer in the church of St. James in Medjugorje. There was prayer especially for all those killed and missing in the course of the war as well as for the Croatians accused in the Haag. After confessions the Eucharistic celebration followed.
We take this opportunity to thank the large number of foreign pilgrims who joined the mothers and their husbands in prayer for Croatian defenders. They are not strangers to the foreign pilgrims. On the contrary, Medjugorje pilgrims have become great friends of the Croatian people and their great benefactors in the course of the civil war. They experienced our affliction as their own, our needs as theirs. Many in the world have heard about our little country just because of Medjugorje pilgrims and they made their contribution to the suffering population of our homeland in its most difficult moments. And the parishioners of Medjugorje, the mothers and husbands with whom they prayed in common and all those who have felt their love, care and concern, keep them constantly in their prayers and call God's blessing down upon them.
PRAYER AND FASTING SEMINARS
During Lent five prayer and fasting seminars were held in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer. About 230 pilgrims of various language groups participated in the seminars. They were conducted by Fr. Slavko Barbaric.
We hereby announce to all pilgrims groups and individuals who come on pilgrimage to Medjugorje that the daily evening program in church during summer time is from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (6:00 PM Rosary, 7:00 PM Holy mass, prayers of blessing and the third part of the Rosary).
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is on Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and on Thursday immediately after the evening mass. Every Sunday at 3:00 PM (later on at 4:00 PM) the Rosary is prayed on Apparition Hill and each Friday at 3:00 PM the Way of the Cross is held on Cross Mountain. Opportunity for confession is available each evening at the beginning of the prayer program or at the time of the liturgy in one's national language.
Holy Masses for various language groups are held throughout the morning by previous arrangement.
All announcements regarding the prayer program in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, as well as other announcements, can be obtained daily in the Information Office of the Shrine at ++387-88-651-988 from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM . We hereby request all organizers of pilgrim groups to inform their pilgrims upon arrival of the possibility of obtaining necessary information from this office. It is located next to the Parish Souvenir Shop and not in the parish office
Passages of Sacred Scripture that we read in Lent impel toward renewal and conversion. And in the same way also sections of the Bible that are read throughout the rest of the church year. The messages of the Queen of Peace also speak to us about the same theme and call us to decide completely for God. The messages of the Queen of Peace, then, proclaim the same thing and lead us toward that goal which is Jesus Christ.
That constant repetition of the same thing begins to bother us a little. It especially bothers us if we rarely meditate on our mission as believers in the world in which we live. The less we exert effort in trying to make our life like the life of Jesus, all the more does the proclamation of the need for renewal begin to bother us.
We ask ourselves, are we really bad and evil people? Do we deserve again and again to be spoken of us as immature and insufficiently adult people? Are we perhaps not being too strictly compared to the standard of preachers and teachers of the spiritual life? The discomfort we feel listening to those who talk to us about faith gives us the right to conclude that there is some exaggeration. Sometimes we have the impression that even Jesus is exaggerating. The disciples and apostles were, then, in a similar situation.
The apostles were not bad and wicked people. They can be spoken of as orderly people also before the encounter with Jesus and accepting his call to follow him. For they did it as soon as the immediate encounter with Jesus opened their eyes to what they did not know about themselves and about God's plans.
Nor for St. Francis would we be able to say that before his conversion he was an evil doer or unbeliever. But St. Francis still became what he is from his encounter with Jesus who sends him to repair the Church. We could also say the same thing for many great women and men in church history. All, then, who deal with spirituality do not omit speaking about renewal and conversion. Why?
If just one important seasoning is missing from a meal, it is not a meal that we eat with satisfaction. Just one apparently small moment in the preparation changes the taste and makes the meal less tasty, and also even distasteful.
It is the same with our life of faith and our witnessing of faith. Just one little thing can become an obstacle to others in their Christian grown to maturity. A trifle can do that to us. For others it is not a little thing. There are people who are bothered both by the little and the bigger things. But it is not allowed for that to be the reason for eliminating those little things so they would not be a nuisance for others.
Just this fact alone is a sufficient reason for accepting the exhortations to conversion. Similarly the second important reason is - for my very own sake to make my life from day to day like the life of the Master.
That is exactly what Our Lady also wants by constantly directing us to what Jesus spoke.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
At the end of February 1998 Msgr. Patrick Power, the auxiliary bishop of Canberra, Australia, visited Medjugorje. This is what he said on that occasion:
"I am priest already for thirty three years and a bishop for twelve years. My mother was really a wonderful woman and very devoted to the Virgin Mary. My father had a special devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes. I was born February 11, right on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. I myself have been in Lourdes but I have experienced something special here. In January 1993, I participated in a prayer program in Canberra in which Fr. Slavko Barbaric and Ivan the visionary also took part. I was deeply touched by what I heard and saw. The message that Ivan spoke and the manner in which he did it impressed me very much. He spoke about peace, prayer, conversion, penance, fasting and deep faith. Those are messages that I have heard so many times and I also have spoken about them before, but the simplicity in which it was all expressed was for me exceptionally important. I remember how my mother experienced all that. It was for her an indescribable experience. In May 1993 I was in Rome. After that I came to Dubrovnik with Bishop Zelimir Puljic, the bishop of Dubrovnik, since I had three days free. We are friends already since 1972 when we met during our studies in Rome (1972-1975). So then in May 1993 I took advantage of the opportunity and came to Medjugorje "incognito". There was still war. There were not many pilgrims. However, many things impressed me. I was already a bishop then, but I did not come here as a bishop. I remained a private person. I celebrated mass. This is the second time that I come to Medjugorje. This time I came with a group from Australia and with my sister and her three children. I have not come with any special expectations, but this really is a time of great grace. I want to be sincere. This time I came because of my family. When I came back home after my first visit I also wrote an article about my experiences. It was very good. Even though I am here for the sake of my family, I have to admit that Our Lady has prepared many graces also for me. I have found a profound peace, especially after I heard Vicka's testimony. I felt that same peace that I felt in 1993 when I heard about the messages the first time. This all helps me again to decide for my vocation as a priest and for my ministry as a bishop. Medjugorje is PEACE. I have felt internal peace and I have witnessed about it to everyone in the group that I came with. When I see what is happening in our group, how people are returning to faith, prayer, confession, then I have to recommend many to come here. The experience of confession is exceptionally important and the evening prayer program and the meetings with the visionaries. Not only I, but also Bishop Kennedy who has been here several times, recommend to the faithful to come to Medjugorje. I wish to say: Thank you. Thanks to the faithful and the priests who work here. Your testimony of faith, love, prayer and hospitality for us pilgrims is very important."
PRAYER-EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
The Prayer-Educational Seminar for leaders of prayer groups, pilgrim groups, and Centers of Peace throughout the world was held from March 9- 13 in Neum. About 150 leaders from seventeen countries took part in the work of the seminar on the theme "The Medjugorje Spiritual Movement". The aim of these seminars, which have already been held for five years in a row, is better acquaintance and the exchange of experiences of those who work with pilgrims in Medjugorje and in their own centers.
At the end of the seminar a common Declaration was drafted.
In community of prayer and fellowship the 150 leaders of prayer groups from seventeen countries listened to lectures on spiritual movements in general (Marianne Tigges from Bonn), on the Medjugorje spiritual movement in the Church today (Dirk Grothues from Munich) and on the contribution of Medjugorje to the new evangelization (Ivan Dugandzic from Zagreb).
In group discussion according to languages and in conversation with the lecturers we drew up the following conclusions:
1. We are grateful to God that in our time he is giving the Church new impulses of the Holy Spirit which sometimes mature into genuine spiritual movements. We are happy that Medjugorje can be characterized as a spiritual movement in today's Church.
2. We consider it our duty to preserve the originality of the Medjugorje spiritual movement and to offer testimony of authentic Christian life based on Our Lady's messages which express the marrow of the Gospel, so we might make our contribution to the renewal of the Church.
3. In order that the spiritual movement, which has originated from Our Lady's messages, obtain a still greater significance, the need was proclaimed for extending a path of peace in the world and in the local Church to which the parish of Medjugorje belongs.
MIRJANA'S ANNUAL APPARITION
The visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had her regular annual apparition on March18, 1998. Our Lady stopped the daily apparitions to Mirjana December 25, 1982. At that time Our Lady, after confiding the last of ten secrets to her, promised that she will have an apparition on her birthday, March 18, for the course of her entire life. And it was that way also this year.
The apparition lasted between four and five minutes. Our Lady spoke to her about the secrets, blessed all those present, and gave the following message:
"Dear children! I call you to be my light, in order to enlighten all those who still live in darkness, to fill their hearts with Peace, my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call!"
A gifted woman sculptor would always find some excuse for not having realized her inspirations for her artistic work. The sting of conscience from that fact was transformed into a dream that was constantly repeated: After her death this artist always saw herself in some hall that was decorated in black. She was continuously crying. Around her on the walls, namely, were exhibited those sculptures that she neglected to make during life. (K. Seidl)
This image, taken from life, says an awful lot. Taken just in itself it says a lot. In the light of the season (Lent) and in the light of following Our Lady's messages it speaks even more expressly and animatedly. Jesus talks about reading and recognizing the signs of the times. A correct reading of the signs of the times belongs to the fundamental positive trait of the Christian life. Equally important for the life of faith is also the knowledge of what time is. One hears all the more often that "Time is Money". And a person begins to act according to that. But, is life merely that which can be bought, obtained and gladly given with money? The believer of our times knows that it is not easy to get or to make money. That is also an art - knowing how to make money. Difficulties ordinarily arise then when a man puts all his hopes into making money. He gets it, but he isn't satisfied. The same situation of hopelessness knows how to catch hold of the one who succeeds as well as the one who fails in making money.
The instruction of Lent is completely simple: do not neglect and do not miss hearing the inspirations of the Holy Spirit that are proclaimed in God's word through the liturgical signs. For success in these kinds of decisions a visible guarantee does not exist. But clear directions do exist: "Watch and pray that you not undergo the test (Mt 26:41)"; "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God(Mt 4:4)"; "The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve(Mt 4:10)"; "You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test (Mt 4:7)". All these words Jesus said after his forty-days of fast and prayer in the desert.
In her last message Our Lady also does not wish to say anything else to us but this.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRATIONS
During January in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 30,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 664 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from home and abroad, that is 23 daily.
VISIT OF A BRAZILIAN ARCHBISHOP
Archbishop Krieger from Brazil visited the parish of Medjugorje from February 25 - 28, 1998. At the evening mass on February 27, he preached to the assembly of the faithful. We here present his entire sermon:
"I am Bishop Murillo Krieger, archbishop of the city of Maringo in Brazil. Eight years have pass since I was in Medjugorje. For me it is a great joy to be here together with you, because Medjugorje has always remained in my heart. Since I am here with you, certainly you would like to know everything that an archbishop thinks about Medjugorje.
I see Medjugorje as a gift and a responsibility. Medjugorje is a gift and a grace. Our Lady gives to everyone who comes here the possibility to find the same love and tenderness that she revealed in Cana of Galilee. Our Lady has come close to us and asks of us to "Do all that He tells you." And the servants in Cana of Galilee did everything asked of them and they filled up the jars with water. Thus it was possible for Jesus to work his first miracle in Cana. If our hearts had been open and ready to walk in the way of Christ, everything that the Lord wanted to do through Medjugorje would have already been done. Is it really that hard to give our hearts to Jesus Christ?
Medjugorje is a great responsibility. I understood that immediately, from the first moment I set foot on the soil of Medjugorje. That was in May 1985 immediately after my episcopal consecration. Observing and listening to the visionaries I came to the conclusion that they need our prayers so they may be able to be faithful to their mission. From that moment I decided to dedicate to them the first five mysteries of my daily Rosary. That is my small gift. I thereby offer my support and help because they have an important mission which is obvious in the presentation of Medjugorje regarding the parish and the Church in the world. I am grateful to the visionaries for their being disposed and open to the grace of God. I am grateful also to the Franciscans for their dedication and perseverance in this pastoral work. I am grateful to you in the parish of Medjugorje because you have responded in great numbers to Our Lady's call. You cannot even imagine how important is the role of this parish for the Church and the world. May the Lord bless all of you. May Our Lady, Queen of Peace with her intercession accompany you, your friends and brothers and sisters in Medjugorje."
VISIT OF A MILITARY ARCHBISHOP
On March 1, 1998 the Archbishop for the Unites States Armed Forces visited the parish of Medjugorje. Here is what he said on that occasion:
"I am Edwin O'Brien, the archbishop responsible for the entire armed forces of the United States of America. That is the responsibility for every American in all branches of the military, for military hospitals and for all members of the diplomatic corps. I began this ministry in September, 1997. Recently I became an archbishop. My assignment is to visit American military personnel there where they are serving. I have been in the Pacific and now I'm in Europe (Italy, Germany, England, Belgium and Bosnia-Hercegovina). For Christmas I visited Sarajevo and I was very disappointed that I did not succeed then in coming to Medjugorje. I had to answer: No! I did not have the opportunity. I was living in Rome from 1985 to 1990, but I did not come. When I was in Sarajevo I asked my superiors if I can visit Medjugorje. Today I am here. The fact that I celebrated Holy Mass in the parish church of St. James is for me a great privilege. I have heard many good things about Medjugorje.. I was in Medjugorje very briefly. Now I am already planning my second visit to Medjugorje. I would like to go on Podbrdo, the place of the apparitions, but I don't have time and that bothers me. I am happy that I have celebrated Holy Mass here today. I prayed before Our Lady's statue. I hope that Our Lady understands me. I have decided to come another time to have more time to be here. I will do everything that the other pilgrims also do. I will try my best for my next visit to be this summer. Till then let us remain united in prayer for peace in the world."
In recent days we have received a lot of letters from the faithful asking about some miraculous events ( end of the apparitions, announcement of the secrets, alleged calls to strict fast. . .). We do not know either the source of this confusion to the faithful or anyone who needs it. It is altogether neither good, nor necessary. Therefore, we take this opportunity to announce to you that none of these allegations are correct. And we repeat here again what we have already said several times so far: all the news and all the events are published in this Press Bulletin.
When the carnival and masquerades have already entertained, disposed and made us laugh, and maybe showed us how to be happy and only entertain ourselves and it isn't real enjoyment, I would regret for us to have to be educated by what follows after than and what is closely connected with that. The truth is that today all carnival events are no longer connected, as they were at one time, with the religious events of the church calendar. But we Christians don't have to be ashamed of either the carnival or of Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season are demanding things. Demanding because they turn our attention back onto our own life to find out what our own condition is. There's too much around us of what turns our attention to others, mainly to their bad condition.
A Spanish proverb says: "Nobody is bothered by their own breath". But are others? Does it bother others? It frequently does, as we well know.
We readily consider ourselves more or less without fault, but the facts know how to say something completely different. Namely, we are not fault free neither when we maintain it ourselves nor when others suggest that to us. The opinion of others is by all means important, we are not allowed to forget that.
Ash Wednesday is just the beginning of a season. But let's not forget that is the beginning and that, as such, it serves as a test. A test of what we know or don't know about ourselves and thereby of what we are willing to undertake. A Lenten program has to clearly lead us to Easter.
The deceased Croatian theologian Josip Turcinovic used the General Intercessions of the First Sunday of Lent in order briefly to condense the directives that lead through Lent to Easter. In the prayer of the First Sunday of Lent the Church prays for God to help it get to know the mystery of Christ in order to then be able to carry it out into life. "That means it prays to come to know, to realize, to experience all of what happened with Jesus Christ. In his own person, among men, and for all of history. So that we might be able to direct our lives in that flow and on that way and in that direction." (Josip Turcinovic)
The task of Lent is, according to that, to direct our live in such a way that we get to know Jesus Christ. What happened with him and what that means for us. A few Christians will say they would not like to get to know that. And a few of us will also not want to ask, in what way? About the way "how" not much new can be said. A life that is directed by prayer and conversion, fasting and concern for others, a just disposition for what is good and the rejection of what weakens our spiritual life, is already a well tested recipe. Our Lady, for her part, wholeheartedly recommends it to us. Once more: don't delay with the beginning!
Fr. Ivan Landeka
STATEMENT OF THE HOLY FATHER ABOUT MEDJUGORJE TO BISHOP ROBERT CAVALLER
This written testimony was sent to us October 9, 1997 by Mr. Marcello Pierucci, Via Castiglione 154, Bologna, Italy.
"During the Eucharistic Congress that was held recently in Bologna, I hosted Archbishop Msgr. Maria Rizzi, former apostolic nuncio in Bulgaria, and now stationed in Rome where he works on the cause for beatification of servants of God. During a supper in the presence of my wife Anna and Msgr. Novello Pedezzini, Archbishop Rizzi narrated the following:
'I found myself in the private chapel of the Holy Father at morning mass. At the end of Holy Mass the Holy Father approached us and personally greeted all those present. Near me was Msgr. Robert Cavallero from the Shrine of Our Lady of Chiavari. When the Pope got close to us with the intention of greeting us, Msgr Cavallero said: Holy Father I am just now coming from Medjugorje.
The Pope said; Monsignor, do you believe?
The Monsignor answered: Yes, Holy Father!
After that Bishop Cavallero asked the Pope: And You, Holy Father, do You believe?
Then after that question the Pope stopped for a moment in silence and then said at intervals: I believe. . .I believe. . .I believe. . .'
The next evening at my request Archbishop Rizzi repeated this testimony in the presence of Msgr Novello Pedezzini and the bishop of Prato, Msgr. Gastone Simoni."
I confirm the authenticity of this testimony with my own signature.
Medjugorje, October 9, 1997 Marcello Pierucci [signature]
TESTIMONY OF FATHER MICHAEL O'CARROLL
Fr. Michael O'Carroll is of Irish nationality. He is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. For many years he is a professor and well known Mariologist. He is the author of several books. Theotokos (Mother of God) is one of most well known books, and the book about Medjugorje Medjugorje, Fats, Documents and Theology. Is Medjugorje Approved?
Last year he came again with a large group of pilgrims from Ireland. This is what he told us then about Medjugorje:
"Medjugorje is a great gift to the Church of today. It is constantly growing and spreading. It is wonderful to see the zeal for prayer and the strong faith of the people, and the multitude of penitents and confessors. Our Lady's intercession and power is evident everywhere here. The Pope also acknowledges that. When, for example, Bishop Kim of South Korea told the Pope how grateful he was to him for the liberation of Eastern Europe from communism, the Pope answered: 'No thanks to me, but rather to Our Lady of Fatima and of Medjugorje.' I personally always experience a renewal of my faith and spirit of prayer in Medjugorje." To the question as to how he as a theologian interprets so much opposition in the Church to this kind of event, he answered: 'In the Church an apostasy is taking place. And I personally, like some other Mariologists also, see in Medjugorje the continuation of Fatima. With us in Ireland through Medjugorje many people have again found faith, prayer, the sacraments, especially confession and Holy mass. Our Lady leads us to Jesus. She teaches us how to be open to the Holy Spirit. Knowing all these facts, so obvious, it is also a real mystery to me why the official church does not see and acknowledge that. In the meantime, that should not be a problem for us. Let us continue to respond to the calls of Mary, Queen of Peace, and all the rest will take place at the time when Providence will it to be. Take care of Medjugorje. It is hope for everyone!"
PRAYER OF MOTHERS
The movement of mothers for peace Bedem Ljubavi (Wall of Love) organizes prayer for all the war dead, and those forcefully detained and charged in the Haag. The prayer will take place on nine last Saturdays of the month. The first prayer meeting will be February 28, 1998 in St. James Church.
The program is as follows:
12:30 Gathering and opportunity for confession;
13:00 Holy Mass
14:00 Group departure for Apparition Hill.
The message of Our Lady that stirs us to prayer so that we would become sensitive to God's word is a continuation of her message to read Sacred Scripture, to live it and keep it in a visible place in our home. The word of God contained in the Bible is the subject of the daily liturgical life of the Church. At the celebration of the sacraments reading and listening to Sacred Scripture is indispensable. Nothing significant can take place in the life of the Church without Sacred Scripture. It is not some kind of obligatory burden, ordinary reading or handbook. For the life of the Church it represents much more. Sacred Scripture is the Constitution of the life, the activity, and the proclamation of the Church. Our Lady recommends it for reading and living so that we would get to know Jesus Christ, the history of salvation and thus accustom ourselves to its meaning not only for the life of faith, but also for social and interpersonal life.
I said that Sacred Scripture is the Constitution of Christian behavior. Accordingly one should remember that it is important not only to accept its worth, but to accept and appreciate its demands. Man is inclined to look for loop holes in the law and the weak spots of constitutional regulations. He seems to himself to be more important than the generally binding regulation, and puts his personal advantage before observation of the law. All of us already know well the consequences of taking justice into our own hands. Man is in the greatest temptation to sin when he appropriates the right of taking the law into his own hands. And surely also then when it has obviously been done.
Interpreting and breaking up Sacred Scripture we hold correctly that there are less important and very important places. But it isn't so easy to be sure that we have recognized those very important ones. We are inclined to proclaim that some things also in Sacred Scripture are not so important and to think that we understand them better than those who recorded and wrote them down. There is a subsequent great temptation and we are not allowed to think that by interpreting individual things we are not pouring grit into our own mill. Pouring grit into our own mill is usually a badsolution in all forms of human activity and surely in spiritual activity. Spirituality is one of the most sensitive areas of a human being and mistakes made there provoke immeasurable harm in personal and community life.
Pray, therefore, Our Lady exhorts. Incoherence in prayer, work, communication with people, affairs, no longer makes any sense. Get to work on God's word! Prayer will certainly help you in sensitivity to God's word.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During the month of January in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 21000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 661 concelebrations by priests from home and abroad, that is, 21 priests daily.
We will enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of December: Poland, Italy, France, Korea, United States and, of course, Croatia.
LETTER TO THE HOLY FATHER
In January the following letter was delivered to the Holy Father:
Medjugorje, January 1, 1998 Feast of the Divine Maternity of Mary
HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II
Holy Father,
From the heart of Bosnia-Hercegovina, from the Parish of Medjugorje, here where not one bomb fell during the dramatic years of the war, we Franciscans send You this message of peace and joy for Your Apostolic Ministry. We do not wish to sadden You with bad news but to give You joy with the promise that we have made to the Queen of Peace, who for more than sixteen years is appearing in this place that has become an international center of prayer and conversion, visited by millions of pilgrims, hundreds of bishops and tens of thousands of priests.
Your Holiness, this is our promise to You: With the approach of the Great Jubilee the Parish of Medjugorje wishes to support the Holy Father by a special daily prayer for Your universal ministry with this intention: that John Paul II may open the Holy Doors at Christmas 1999.
Our Lady in her messages from the very beginning called us to pray in a special way for the Holy Father, because She has a special plan for You, Holy Father. Today we are more conscious than ever of that great spiritual battle that we in Bosnia-Hercegovina have lived through in the war, which can be won only with the weapons of the gospel to which Our Lady calls us: prayer, fasting, conversion of heart, sacramental life, the rosary, consecration to Her Immaculate Heart. . .
Conscious of our pastoral responsibility, which is increased by the apparitions that have attracted millions of pilgrims, we feel the responsibility to petition the pilgrims who come here to pray in a special way for You, Holy Father. We truly think that this inspiration comes from the Queen of Peace who requests that we put Medjugorje at the spiritual service of Your Holiness through prayer until the grace of prayer of the many hearts that have obtained it here shall be poured out on the whole world as a contribution of Medjugorje in support of John Paul II, the Marian Pope, so You may finish the task that God has entrusted to You.
Your Holiness requested the faithful in Poland, on Your last pastoral visit, to implore God on bended knee for the grace to finish that which Cardinal Wyszynski, of blessed memory, prophesied to You: "You must lead the Church into the third millennium". The parish of Medjugorje has accepted Your invitation addressed to Poland and desires to spread it to all pilgrims that Providence has not ceased to lead to the Queen of Peace. We wish that, in the Franciscans who work in this blessed parish, they recognize the desire to support Your Holiness in these years of preparation for the Great Jubilee. We wish to make a contribution with the prayer of the Most Holy Virgin for the intention that She has for Her Pope "Totus Tuus".
May Your Holiness accept our humble gift.
The Friars and pilgrims of Medjugorje
The words of the Queen of Peace about the good and making efforts for the good are no more to be understood so lightly. The content and meaning of the word "good" is today so diversely interpreted that it is a real skill to convince others that something is good, or that something is bad. It is all the more difficult to find a consensus on what is useful and what is not useful. The request of Our Lady's messages for us to put God in the first place we formally consider good and useful. But then, our every day Christian life not infrequently contradicts the validity of that expression. And if a man deliberates out of convenience and usefulness, it is difficult for him to put his hand in the fire for the real duty of a believer. We are faced immediately, that is, with the question, what will be of us? What will be of our friends? What about our career? What about our current interests? Married men and woman ask in that case what will be of their partners or their offspring? We do not know, namely, what kind of consequences putting God in the first place will have. How and in what manner will that change our life?
If we look into Sacred Scripture a little, several examples come to mind as a possible solution. And after that much of it will be only partly said to us. But nevertheless. . .for the apostles the decision to put Jesus in the first place consisted in leaving everything behind and following after him and also living like him. On such decisions rested the announcement and spreading of the gospel. And there were also others. For Zacchaeus, for example, compensation of damages to injured people and giving half of his possessions to the poor is a fruit of the decision to put Jesus in the first place. For the woman in public sin the fruit of the decision to put Jesus in the first place was to give up sin.
From the example of these biblical personalities Our Lady invites us to put God in the first place. That will help us to understand that putting God in the first place does not mean making a mess of life, but putting order in life.
Fr. Ivan Landeka
MISSIONARY JOURNEY OF FR. IVAN LANDEKA
The Christmas and New Year holidays were not spent in Medjugorje by Fr. Ivan Landeka, pastor of Medjugorje, but in far away Canada and the United States. At the invitation of Croatian missionaries over there he visited the principal Croatian centers of prayer which in addition to preserving the faith, also preserve the culture and customs of our people in those distant countries. On the way to the United States Fr. Ivan Landeka also visited the Croatians who are currently arrested at the tribunal in the Haag. Upon his return, among other things, Fr. Ivan also said this:
"In jails in the West it is practically a rule that priests conduct regular pastoral care for prisoners and look after their practice of faith. Since Croatian prisoners in the UN prison at the Haag have not had that care, I obtained approval from the prison authorities to visit them for Christmas and to celebrate Holy Mass with them. The Bishop of Roterdam had some time before expressed the need for a priest to be more involved with their spiritual care. And that not only for Catholics, but also for members of other faiths. Entrance to the jail was without difficulties and the prison personnel were very humane. The prisoners all awaited me in a group and were festively dressed up. The fact that they were altogether was not an everyday occasion. They were in a good mood. I had the opportunity to converse with each one individually and offer the chance for holy confession to those who felt the need for that. After that followed the Christmas Holy Mass. We sang Christmas songs and the prisoners divided reading of the prayers of the faithful among themselves. At the end I blessed the food, and a ham which they relished on Christmas day itself. They were grateful for my visit and wished Christmas and New Year greetings to everyone and thanked all who are praying for them, who are taking an interest in them, and giving support to their families. Finally in the prison hospital I had a chance also to visit the wounded prisoner, Vlatko Kupreskic. He was a little surprised at my visit, but very happy over it. He is recovering well from his injuries and should soon leave the hospital to join all the others.
FASTING AND PRAYER SEMINARS
As for several years in a row so far, in preparation for the greatest Christian feast of Easter, five fasting and prayer seminars will be conducted in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer. The first one begins March 2, 1998 and the others finish before Easter itself.
Our Holy Father John Paul II in his encyclical The Gospel of Life calls us: " . . .to return to fasting and prayer in courage and humility. . ." and Our Lady also in her messages has so many times invited us to fasting and prayer. Once she even said: ". . .by prayer and fasting also wars can be stopped. . ." Therefore, we invite all those who wish to enter more profoundly into the mystery of Christ's redemption to participate in these seminars because they are indeed a rich experience. The organizer and leader of the seminars is Fr. Slavko Barbaric.
COMPACT DISKS FOR OUR RADIO
In Press Bulletin # 79 we requested help from you for our radio station by sending us CD's with music from your countries. We have already received some and for that we want to express our heartfelt thanks. For the approaching Easter feast days we do not have enough suitable music and so we are hereby making a request for CD's with Easter music. Our wish is to greet you on the air waves of our radio station when you come to the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. We thank you heartily in advance.
The Queen of Peace already for some years in a row is speaking in the parish of Medjugorje and it has become like something completely natural to us. Children who were born at the beginning of the apparitions have already little by little become adults and do not know what it is like when heaven is not speaking. We and they are simply living at a blessed time.
How we will behave at a time like this, of course, only depends on us. Our Lady calls us to long for good. She does not tell us to graduate from expensive schools or to accomplish something significant in life, but simply tells us to form our heart in such a way that good spreads out of it as from a clear mountain spring. Then both we and the world around us will change.
Today's world really does have to change. It has driven itself to the edge of the cliff. It is intoxicated with a consumer mentality and sees nothing else. For that reason it is consuming more than it is allowed. Earth's resources are therefore disappearing little by little and pollution of all kinds is piling up around us. What a price for progress!
Few of us have a chance personally to do something so things don't go this way still further. We can only consume less and nothing else. At least in that way we can ease the evil consequences.
Even if we cannot make important political and economic decisions, with Our Lady we can make some decisions of a different kind. They are far more meaningful than all the others. We can extend our hands to Jesus and from that act draw strength for everything else in our life. Then doing good will not be difficult for us nor will anything else be hard for us. After a decision like that do we really think that nothing will change? The ones destroying the earth are those who think there is nothing after this life and therefore today they have to grab as much as possible. Anyone thinking it over a little will see that they are wrong.
Those who believe make of this earth a beautiful habitat. They help God to bless it so that human existence on this earth will have a purpose. Having thought it over, many people have said that they want their existence to be blessed.
Fra Miljenko Stojic
NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRATIONS
During December in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 48 000 Holy Communions were distributed 808 priests from home and abroad concelebrated at Holy Masses, that is 26 daily. For the entire year 1997 1 021 000 Holy Communions were distributed and 25762 priests concelebrated at Holy Masses that is 29,31% more than in 1996.
We shall enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of December: Poland, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Korea, United States, France, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and of course, Croatia.
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN MEDJUGORJE
In preparation for Christmas in addition to the evening prayer program in Church, the rosary was prayed on Apparition Hill during the novena. During Advent in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer six fasting and prayer seminars were conducted. About 250 pilgrims from home and abroad participated in those seminars, wishing through fasting and prayer to prepare themselves for Christmas and draw nearer to the mystery of God born on earth.
In the shrine of the Queen of Peace during the Christmas and New Years holy days there reigned an atmosphere of peace, prayer, and community among the faithful who arrived from all parts of the world. Since Christmas is a family feast, there were about 1,000 foreign pilgrims in Medjugorje for the Christmas day itself. The most numerous were groups from France, Korea and Slovakia.
At the Christmas Vigil evening mass about 3,000 faithful participated. Children began the Eucharistic celebration with a musical presentation to wish a Christmas greetings to all the assembled faithful and the Medjugorje pilgrims from around the world. A prayer vigil began in the overflowing church at 10:00 PM and finished with midnight mass. Christmas day itself went by in a genuine atmosphere of peace and Christmas joy for the pilgrims gathered around their Mother.
THE NEW YEAR
As already for several years in a row so far, also this year a prayer vigil was held for the New Year. Prayer began at 10:00 PM and finished with a midnight mass. Several thousand faithful were present. Again on this occasion the most numerous were the young people who came from almost all European countries and the United States. Thus the parishioners and the pilgrims together watched the old year go out and started the New Year singing and praying for peace, so needed by today's people and the modern world. How profound the experience is of those who once welcome the New Year in prayer is shown by the fact that from year to year the number of pilgrims for that occasion is increasing. All those who come once, come back again. In this insecure and unpeaceful world at least young people are deciding to entrust their future to God.
This year also in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer a prayer seminar was conducted for young people who wanted to start the New Year in the joy of prayer and community. About 60 students from Hercegovina participated in the seminar. The "Friends of the Talented" Fund organized the seminar conducted by Fr. Slavko Barbaric.
VISIT OF MEXICAN BISHOP
At the beginning of November 1997 together with a group of pilgrims from Mexico Bishop Lazaro Perez also visited Medjugorje. He is the bishop of the Mexican diocese of De Autlan Jalisco. In a short conversation with us he spoke about his experiences, first of all in his own country and of his impressions about Medjugorje. We here present his impressions about pilgrimage to Medjugorje:
"Medjugorje is very well known in Mexico. I heard of Medjugorje for the first time about fifteen years ago when Medjugorje first began to be spoken of a little. I have to be honest and say that when we bishops hear news about apparitions and similar phenomena we are cautious in our statements. Usually it happens that in the first instance we say that it is impossible, we want to immediately oppose it. We are always afraid to confirm news about apparitions immediately since we are afraid that this view of belief will be fragile and grow into fanaticism. That was my personal conviction at the very beginning. After that I went to Italy in 1985. I met with a married couple that had been on a visit to Medjugorje. From then on I began to be take more and more interest. Well, I usually said that it cannot be the truth. I held that after the apparitions in Guadalupe there could not be any more talk about other apparitions because Mary from Guadalupe was Queen of Mexico. But all the more and more they began to talk about Mary's mission here, about her talking through the children. I was concerned so that some kind of religious fanaticism would not be created. My great interest began from that moment when completely by accident I came across the book of theologian Rene Laurentin in which he writes about apparitions in the whole world. I read the book with great interest just from the fact that the author was a priest and my former professor in Rome where I heard his lectures on Mariology. I thought that he was indeed a serious and well known theologian and that it was not a matter of fanaticism. For that reason I continued reading with still greater interest. In that book I found a very touching sentence in which Fr. Laurentin says: '. . .we are passing through a period during which ecclesiastical gardens have been become infertile and it was time that Our Lady come to renew them and give them a new freshness. . .' I came to the conclusion that the problems that exist in the Church are not solved and perhaps the pastors in the Church are responsible
for that. I felt that I was one of them. We need more holy priests and pastors who are disposed to live according to Jesus
Christ the Good Shepherd and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. All these events opened the doors to atheism, secularism, a consumer society, which together make a culture of values that are contrary to the teaching of the gospel. Reading the experiences of Fr. Laurentin I said: 'Certainly this is not some imagination, he is speaking the truth.' On one occasion I was conversing with a friend who was a theologian. He counseled me not to go to Medjugorje and said that he would not risk his theological honor. Fr. Laurentin told me that this type of theologian talks a lot about Mary, but does not genuinely love her. They use Mariology for teaching, but they do not have a felt relationship with Mary. All of this helped awaken in me a great interest in Our Lady although I feel that Our Lady held a significant place throughout my entire life . In the coat of arms of our diocese we have a star that represents Our Lady. I wanted that Our Lady's symbol by all means be put into the coat of arms of our diocese. After reading Laurentin's book my interest for these events grew all the more. In addition to that, I met with many pilgrims who had been to Medjugorje. Upon their return to Mexico they were religiously richer and more ready to live a life of doing good in the spirit of the gospel. All that shows the fruits of Medjugorje, even if the official Church still continues to look with caution at this phenomenon. I think that above all one has to pay great attention to the fruits of Medjugorje. At this moment I am here with 108 pilgrims from Mexico and already I can say that I have observed many good fruits.
I will invite my faithful to come to Medjugorje. Its too bad that it is so far away from Mexico. We have a well known religious culture, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary holds a special place. As the Second Vatican Council says, I think that Mary both prays and intercedes together with Christ and that is what I have experienced here in Medjugorje. This morning we talked with a visionary, Vicka. She presented to us Our Lady's messages on conversion, fasting, prayer, forgiveness and holy confession, about all these values that are gradually being lost today. I personally believe the following: If Our Lady through Christ is endeavoring to quicken these values then that ought to be the fundamental duty of a priest, especially of us bishops. We have to tell our faithful that this world has a way of salvation because Christ is our way. Christ is our Savior and here we see that the Mother of Christ calls us to this: to enliven the values that lead to salvation. They are prayer, reconciliation, conversion, and fasting in such a way that we can be closer to the cross of Christ. In today's time as also then in the time of St. Paul, the cross becomes a sign of scandal and not only for unbelievers. Sad to say, the cross has become a scandal also for Christians. Everyone would like an easy life, people are afraid of trials, they try to remove the presence of the cross from sight. Therefore I think Our Lady wants to give us great advice: Renew all the removed Christian values, and especially prayer and you will experience conversion. All of us have to reconcile with God and the Church through the sacrament of holy confession so that if we sincerely reconcile with God we can more easily follow the way of Christ. To follow Christ not just in any way, but to be ready to take our cross and witness the faith of Christ
THE PRAYER-EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
The Prayer-Educational Seminar for leaders of Centers of Peace, leaders of prayer groups, and organizers of pilgrimages will be held also this year in Hotel "Sunce" in Neum from March 9 - 13, 1998. These seminars have shown themselves to be of great importance and utility both you who work out in the world to promote Our Lady's messages and for us who strive to serve here in the parish of Medjugorje. It is a chance to meet each other, to share experiences and mutually to give useful instructions for a still better and more fruitful life of the pilgrims themselves with whom we work together for the spread of the gospel. The Parish Office of Medjugorje is the organizer of this seminar, this year already forthe fifth time. Since interest is increasing from year to year, we kindly ask you to make your reservation as soon as possible by fax number: 00387-88-651-444 or by way of e-mail: < medjugorje-mir@medjugorje.hr >
All who require a transfer from the Split airport to Hotel "Sunce" in Neum may refer to
Association "Medjugorje - Mir" in Split at tel/fax number: 00385-21-361-354.