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„ Look to God that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush for shame“. David’s Psalm 34 How unusual it is that in one small sentence from the ancient David’s psalm it is so tightly put who God is what He is doing.

Fr. Matthias Nsamba was born in Uganda in 1970, and serves as a priest in South Africa. All he experienced in Medjugorje he wants to share with his faithful there, and that is how the idea of building the shrine of the Queen of Peace and Mercy, whose goal is to spread the messages of Our Lady in South Africa. Fr. Nsamba spoke in a programme of Radio „Mir” Međugorje and said: „I come from a big family and I have five sisters and four brothers. I am honoured as my family is a family of Uganda martyrs, those who shed their blood and those martyrs are the seed of the Catholic faith in Uganda.

On Friday, August 3 rd , Bernd Posselt from Bavaria (Germany), member of the Christian-social Union (CSU), and a deputy in the European Parliament, spoke to the youth in Medjugorje. He was explaining what Europe was and how to participate in the construction of a Europe we want it to be. He invited young people to be active in the political life, because Europe will be Christian as much as its citizens are Christians. ( photos )

At the last daily apparition to Jakov Colo on September 12th, 1998, Our Lady told him that henceforth he would have one apparition a year, every December 25th, on Christmas Day. This is also how it was this year. The apparition began at 2:25 pm and lasted 7 minutes. Jakov said: “Our Lady spoke to me about the secrets and at the end said: ‘Pray, pray, pray.’

Franciscans from the province of St. Casimir in Lithuania came in Medjugorje for six-day spiritual retreat that is conducted by Fr. Miljenko Steko. Their Provincial Fr. Astijus Kungys is with them and this is his first visit to Medjugorje. In their interview at Radio Station Mir Medjugorje they said how they came to pray and to seek for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary that she may intercede and guide them during the elections in their Province that will take place next January. “Christianity began with the Blessed Virgin Mary when she said her Fiat, through the Holy Spirit and through Mary’s Yes, Jesus was born. That is why we wanted to come to our Mother, to learn from her how to be humble and opened to God’s spirit, how to say our own Fiat every single day. May it be to me according to Thy will! Another reason why we wanted to come here is because Franciscans work in this parish and we wanted to meet their experience. What we encountered here is so simple – traditional prayers: Adoration, Way of the Cross, Rosary, Litanies. It is wonderful to be simple!” said Fr. Astijus Kungys. They could see how many people are looking for miracles in Medjugorje, and when they do not see any miracles, they come to the church where Franciscans pray Rosary and celebrate Holy Mass with the community. When they start praying with the community, the miracle takes place in them. The miracle begins with the prayer – Provincial from Lithuania emphasised. “What is important is to be in union with God, without prayer, one cannot feel God in his life. In Medjugorje church I saw genuine community – God and people are united, united through the prayer. Medjugorje is a holy place for me because it is a place of prayer. My heart is filled with grace because I discovered that true life received Living Water through simple things.” Their spiritual exercise finished on Sunday, November 11, 2012 and these Franciscans will return to Lithuania by bus, completely strengthened in their spirits.

Web site fratri3.net , the official web site of seminarians of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province, published the interview with Fr. Ante Vuckovic, a priest, a theologian and a philosopher. Fr. Ante among other things spoke about his experience of Medjugorje and the 25th Youth Festival. Every day, through the lectures, he was teaching young people how to pray, how to participate in the community and in their work by entrusting themselves to the Blessed Mother, inviting them just like Jesus invited St. John when he said "Behold your Mother". He said:"The Youth Festival was precious experience of encounters with young people who are led by their longing for God, prayer, communion in the spirit of God. I did not hide how thrilled I was. Even more, I felt so happy that I was able to be part of that event. After the whole-day prayer programme, young people wanted more and more. They had huge hunger for God and for praising Him. One can only guess how they live in spiritual deserts, I had impression that they came from places that suffocate their spiritual hunger and try to overload it with various replacements, so they all opened more in Medjugorje and rejoiced to the freedom and love towards God. The fact that I was able to witness all that was huge gift for me. I am grateful for having been able to proclaim the word of God to them and to see thousands of them responding to that. I never had bigger and more attentive community of faithful before me at any other place. The view from the altar at thousands of young faithful praising God is absolutely unforgettable", said Fr. Ante.

On Sunday, December 3, the Advent begins with the First Sunday in the Advent. May this time of the Advent help us to reflect in the better way on our lives and to make decisions how to improve it even more. We will celebrate early Holy Masses in this time in the church of St. James at 6 am, every day except for Sundays. As it was the case in the previous years, in this time we will not have Holy Mass at 7.30 am, only early Holy Mass, when we will pray for your intentions and deceased ones.

On May 14 there was a celebration of Mother’s Day organised by the parish of Medjugorje and Elementary School of Bijakovici. It was the event full of joy, music, songs and praise. Mothers were overjoyed and there were even some tears because of children’s performance for their moms. After this event, the time together continued in the hall with some snacks and you can see how this looked like in the photo gallery attached. ( photos )

On Tuesday, May 22, children and youth from the music groups of the parish of Medjugorje will give their concert. There will be sounds of various instruments and this is the opportunity to enjoy the youth and joy in this wonderful performance that proves how our children can spend some quality time doing something useful and developing their talents even more. You are all welcome to attend this event.

On Sunday, December 2, the Advent begins with the First Sunday in the Advent. May this time of the Advent help us to reflect in the better way on our lives and to make decisions how to improve it even more. We will celebrate early Holy Masses in this time in the church of St. James at 6 am, every day except for Sundays. As it was the case in the previous years, in this time we will not have Holy Mass at 7.30 am, only early Holy Mass, when we will pray for your intentions and deceased ones.