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The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated in Medjugorje

The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 and there were numerous pilgrims from abroad and those from the area who arrived to Medjugorje. Thousands of pilgrims, many of them young people were walking to Medjugorje throughout the whole night. In the early morning hours they were confessing and participated in Holy Masses that were celebrated from 6 a.m. Italian pilgrims came in the largest number and the groups from the following countries were present as well: Austria, Germany, Ireland, England, the United States, Sloavakia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, France, Korea, Lebanon and of course, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Holy Masses were celebrated throughout the day in many foreign languages. Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic celebrated the evening Holy Mass and 76 priests concelebrated with him. (photos)

Nicholas Sonntag walked to Medjugorje in thanksgiving to Our Lady

Nicholas Sonntag from Germany walked to Medjugorje and arrived on Wednesday, August 8, 2012. This is his first trip to Medjugorje, but he promised it would not be the last. He heard about Medjugorje from members of a community who come to Medjugorje every year. “Last year I walked to Rome and on the way to Rome I felt desire to come to Medjugorje. Many years ago I had a life crisis and I read various books about life. I happened to read a book about pilgrimage and how I could find my way to God through pilgrimage.

“Coming to Medjugorje was joy incomparable to anything else”

Journalists of radio station “Mir” Medjugorje have chosen couple of interesting testimonies among so many young people who were in Medjugorje at Youth Festival last week, representing around 70 different countries. Young people from Ruanda came to Medjugorje for the first time and they shared their experience with all listeners of radio “Mir”. Fidelis Nsengiyunva is a Franciscan priest in Ruanda. He was happy to come to Medjugorje and to Europe for the first time.

The 23rd International Youth Festival ended in Medjugorje

The 23rd International Youth Festival that started on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 with theme: “Lord, increase our faith”, ended on Monday, August 6, 2012 with Holy Mass of Thanksgiving on Cross Mountain. Holy Mass began at 5 a.m. and Fr. Danko Perutina, the coordinator of the retreat was the main celebrant. Festival gathered dozens of thousands of young people from more than 70 different countries, while some were here for the first time, like group from Ruanda.  (photos)

Traditional Procession through Medjugorje parish was held

The traditional procession with Our Lady’s statue and candles in hands of numerous participants from more than 70 different countries took place on Friday, August 3, after the evening Holy Mass and as a part of Medjugorje Youth Festival Programme. The procession followed the main road towards Apparition Hill, then to Cross Mountain and then followed the main road back to the church. Fr. Dalibor Milas, newly ordained Franciscan who celebrated his first Holy Mass on July 29, 2012, was the main celebrant that evening and Fr. Branko Rados gave a Homily. There were 548 priests concelebrating as well.

Statistics for July, 2012.

Number of Holy Communions: 176.500

Number of priests that concelebrated at Holy Masses: 6112 (197 per day)

23rd International Youth Festival started

On Wednesday, August 1, 2012, the 23rd International Youth Festival was opened with the evening prayer programme. The theme of this Festival is from Luke’s Gospel: “Lord, increase our faith”. The opening Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Miljenko Steko, Vicar of Herzegovina Franciscan Province along with 422 priests that concelebrated at Holy Mass. Dozens of thousands of young people from all over the world are participating at this Festival that will finish on August 6, with Holy Mass on Cross Mountain at 5 a.m. Young people from more than 70 different countries are present, and group from Ruanda is here in Medjugorje for the first time. The programme is broadcasted directly on Radio “Mir” Medjugorje, as well as on other radio and TV stations and web sites. Fr. Danko Perutina is directing this Festival and all prayers, lectures and testimonies are more special thanks to the International Choir and Orchestra. Late Fr. Slavko Barbaric started this Festival back in 1990, when he gathered around 100 young people, two guitar players and couple of singers and the whole event took place in the green tent. The number of participants was increasing every year and is now above every other event in Medjugorje. (photos)

The 23th International youth prayer festival

Medjugorje, August 1 – 6, 2012

„Lord, increase our faith”

(Luke 17,5)

Feast of St. James

On Wednesday, July 25, we are celebrating Feast of St. James, patron saint of Medjugorje parish. Holy Masses in the parish church are at 7, 8 and 7 p.m., while the central celebration will take place at 7 p.m. in the Garden and Fr. Stanko Dodig, Franciscan Capuchin, born in Medjugorje, will be the main celebrant. There will be procession from the church at 10.45 a.m. People from hamlets Čilići and Šege will be carrying the Statue this year. The prayer programme is according to the regular schedule, Rosary at 6 p.m. and Holy Mass at 7 p.m. Parish of Medjugorje was founded in 1892 and consecrated to St. James, patron saint of pilgrims.

Franciscan Youth from Sesvetska Sopnica in Medjugorje

Around twenty members of Franciscan Youth from Sesvetske Sopnice were in Medjugorje from July 14-15, 2012, with their spiritual assistant Fr. Stipo Karajica. The President and Vice President of Franciscan Youth Josip and Marija Tolic, as well as Fr. Stipo were guests at radio station “Mir” Medjugorje. “This is a pilgrimage and spiritual retreat of Franciscan Youth and young people from our parish. This is something we have arranged half a year ago. The young people have readily accepted this programme and the most important part is the Eucharistic one”, said Fr. Stipo. Franciscan Youth from Sesvetska Sopnica was recently founded. On June 10, 2012, young people were celebrating ceremony of being received into fraternity. That is how another fraternity became alive and the number of Franciscan Youth in Zgreb town was increased.

Bishop from Burundi came to Medjugorje

Bishop Msgr. Venant Bacinoni, bishop from Diocese of Bururi in Burundi, was in Medjugorje from July 1st to July 9, 2012. This was his first visit to Medjugorje. He first came to Belgium and his friends from Belgium invited him to come to Medjugorje with them, as a pilgrim. “This is one really good experience for me, I can see people praying, and they pray from the heart, you can see that they came here because of prayer and not because of something else. This is where one sees fruits. People come to pray, they participate in the Holy Eucharist, and they receive sacraments. This is also where they meet in friendship and in dialogue, this is really something good. We had really heavy civil war in Burundi that lasted for more than 15 years and this message of peace is really important for me and for our people as well. We cannot have peace without prayer, without hope and without help of Our Lady and God. This is the message that I am going to take from Medjugorje”, said bishop from Burundi.

The 17th International Seminar for Priests ended

The 17th International Seminar for Priests that gathered more than 400 priests, deacons and seminarians from twenty countries began on Monday, July 9th, in Medjugorje with the liturgical evening prayer programme. Fr. Ivan Sesar, the Provincial of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province from Mostar was the main celebrant at the solemn Holy Mass of introduction to the seminar. The seminar ended on Saturday, July 14. The coordinator of the seminar was Dr. Miljenko Steko, and the theme of this International seminar that will finish on Saturday, July 14 is “Priest – man of faith.” The lecturer at the seminar is Dr.Fr. Ivan Dugandzic. 

The 17th International Seminar for Priests began in Medjugorje

The 17th International Seminar for Priests that gathered more than 400 priests, deacons and seminarians from twenty countries began on Monday, July 9th, in Medjugorje with the liturgical evening prayer programme. Fr. Ivan Sesar, the Provincial of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province from Mostar was the main celebrant at the solemn Holy Mass of introduction to the seminar.
The coordinator of the seminar is dr. Miljenko Steko, and the theme of this International seminar that will finish on Saturday, July 14 is “Priest – man of faith.” The lecturer at the seminar is Dr.Fr. Ivan Dugandzic.
The seminar is simultaneously translated to more than ten languages. These international seminars began in summer 1996, at the request of priests themselves and grew with the time into these regular annual gatherings of priests from all over world.

17 th INTERNATIONAL PRIESTS SEMINAR

The 17th International Priests Seminar will be held in Međugorje
From 9th  to14th July 2012 on the theme of:

''Priest – man of faith''
 

SEMINAR PROGRAMME

Ana and Lucija Zaninović in Medjugorje

Members of Croatian Taekwondo National Team, 25 years old sisters Ana and Lucija Zaninovic, came to Medjugorje. Both sisters have received many national and international rewards for their achievements in sport and they have also qualified for the Olympic Games in London in July this year. At the moment, they are preparing in Skradin and decided to come to Medjugorje. This is not their first visit to Medjugorje. “We were really impressed by Medjugorje. We have recently seen some movies about the apparitions and we felt need to come. We were not able to come during the Anniversary and we came a few days later. This is where we find peace that we need so much, peace that only faith and the Church could give”, said Zaninovic sisters, who are about to have new sport challenges.