“Dear children! The Most High is giving me the grace that I can still be with you and to lead you in prayer towards the way of peace. Your heart and soul thirst for peace and love, for God and His joy. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray and in prayer you will discover the wisdom of living. I bless you all and intercede for each of you before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
The 19th International Seminar for priests that gathered 306 priests and seminarians from 25 countries, 11 different language groups, ended with thanksgiving Holy Mass on Saturday, July 12, that Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic, leader of this seminar and parish priest from Veljaci parish, had celebrated. The participants arrived from Ukraine, Korea, Lithuania, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, Italy, Russia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Belgium, the United States, Ireland, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain and Poland. The theme of this international seminar was: “Behold your Mother” In Our Lady’s School.
A young priest, Mitja Bulic from Archdiocese Novo Mesto in Slovenia came to Medjugorje for the priest retreat for the first time. He told us that he was ordained a year ago and was in Medjugorje already for thirty times. “I gained many profound experiences at this seminar, and the theme of the seminar “Behold your mother” is very special to me, because I live with Mary all of my life, I think she is the one that guides me to Jesus. These days here in Medjugorje are such a big grace for me. These seminars help me so much in my life, and it is so necessary to have them. This is a place where I received my vocation, my prayer was awaken and I began to read the word of God. I came here for the first time when I was only six years old and already on that trip, I felt something powerful and special, something I cannot forget. This is where one feels peace and power of prayer. Regardless of where you are in Medjugorje, you feel that peace”, said a young priest from Slovenia.
The 19th International Seminar for priests is being held in Medjugorje and around 300 priests, deacons and seminarians from 25 countries have gathered here. Fr. Luka Zoric, member of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province is working in Slano and is here for the first time: “This is my first time here to participate in such spiritual retreat. One can indeed feel communion and all participants would like to experience something new, so they would be able to be more active in pastoral way. As a priest, I need to do spiritual retreat once a year, as every priest does; I do not even have to leave my house, since those retreats are held in my monastery, not just for priests but for lay people as well. But, I was never able to experience what I experienced here, this is where I really surrender to the prayer completely. Fr. Stanko Dodig, Franciscan capuchin, born in Medjugorje, is also participating. He told us that he feels everyone is so happy to be in Medjugorje and they will all return home fulfilled. “This is my third year to come for this seminar, and surely, if it wasn’t spiritually attractive for me, I would not be here again. All lectures are indeed full of spirituality. We would not be able to work without such seminars.”
Three hundred priests, deacons and seminarians from 25 countries are participating in the 19th International Seminar for priests. They come from Ukraine, Korea, Lithuania, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, Italy, Russia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Ireland, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain and Poland. This seminar began on Monday, July 7, 2014 with the evening prayer programme that was celebrated by Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic, parish priest in Veljaci, at the White Dome of St. James’ church along with 234 priests who concelebrated at that opening Holy Mass. Fr. Ljubo is also lecturer at this seminar that will finish on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The theme of the seminar is “Behold, your Mother” (John 19, 27) "In Our Lady's School".
News about floods that have not been remembered so far and have affected parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, have travelled around the whole world. That is why many pilgrims have asked if Medjugorje was affected and if there was anything that they could do. Medjugorje is not close to those endangered areas but Medjugorje wishes to be close to all those who have felt or still feel consequences of this great natural catastrophe. Thereby we invite all pilgrims, people of good will and friends of Medjugorje to respond and help as much as they can. It is possible to do that through our humanitarian organisation Medjugorje - Mir - Mother's Village (that was founded in the time of the war and directed your help to all those in need) by giving your donations to this account:
Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank d.d. Mostar
Kneza Branimira 2b,
BiH - 88 000 Mostar
KM: 3060130000884555;
IBAN:BA393060203720765924;
SWIFT: HAABBA22
As of May 1, 2014 all talks and testimonies held around the church of St. James are going to be simultaneously translated. Thereby, we would kindly like to ask all of you dear pilgrims, to bring radios and headphones with you, so you could listen and participate in the programme that will be organised.
We were informed that some people are selling mass intentions from Medjugorje parish office on their web sites. This is huge misuse of the most sacred offering of Holy Mass and major fraud at the same time. Thereby, we would kindly like to ask you to be aware of this matter and not to support it by any means. If you happen to find out about similar activities of some other people involved in this, we would appreciate if you could notify us promptly about that.
Fr. Marinko Sakota, parish priest of Medjugorje parish
We ask you to keep integrally the rules of the Church envisaged by the Code of the Canon La~ the general liturgical rules and the directives and the rules of the proper authorities of the Church in connection with the life and the service of the priest.
To take part in the liturgical life of the parish, according to the rules of the Church, it is necessary to have arecommendation letter of your bishop or your superior (celebret), not older than one year. (Cf" Code of the canon Law, Can. 903)
THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL PILGRIMMAGE FOR THE DISABLED
“IN MARY'S SCHOOL” 2014
Coordinator: Fr. Marinko Sakota P.P. OFM
The third international pilgrimage to Medjugorje for the disabled will be held from the 23rd to the 26th of October 2014. The main organizers will be the “Susret” association in Citluk, in association with the Parish Office and the “Mothers Village”. Participants should gather in the afternoon on Thursday the 23rdOctober. The Parishioners of Medjugorje are offering free accommodation and food for the weekend. The program for the pilgrims through from Friday evening to Sunday will be involve workshops, talks and gatherings for prayer. The Saturday morning will be dedicated to the climbing of Apparition Hill.
Bookings for the disabled partaking in the pilgrimage will be from the 1st to the 30th September at the email address: gospina.skola@gmail.com.
IN YOUR BOOKING we would kindly request exact information about the disabled person, who ever will be accompanying them, if parents will be travelling with them etc. and also how many days they will be attending and your contact.
House of prayer “Domus Pacis” - Prayer and Fasting Seminars Silence
Seminars are conducted by franciscans of Međugorje.Here are the dates according to language groups, as well as contact persons:Contact.
Audio-video and photos live from the church in Medjugorje
Beginning with the feast of St. Francis, we began broadcasting live audio-video programs and photos from the church in Medjugorje. You can follow them at the link: http://medjugorje.hr/en/multimedia/ - croatia language from Church - Evening Prayer Programme - Adobe Flash media live player
Spiritual movement of the Queen of Peace in the world
The movement, born after the apparitions of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, includes pilgrimages to Medjugorje, the setting up of Peace Centres, prayer and charity groups all around the world, as well as pastoral, publishing, humanitarian and other kinds of activities...
This questionnaire will give us the opportunity to have a better grasp of the worldwide dimension of the movement in the service of the Universal Church. It will help us to get to know each other better, to have better communication with various groups worldwide, as well as to grow better in our prayer and service.
We kindly ask all the leaders of Peace Centres, prayer and charity groups, as well as organisers of pilgrimages to fill in the questionnaire and to send it to Medjugorje to fax no. + 387.36.651.444, or to write to centar@medjugorje.hr in order to receive the questionnaire by email.
Max Domej from Gebetsktion Wien spoke to Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, Archbishop of Vienna, during his visit to Međugorje.
Both in Lourdes and Fatima the events first ceased and than Church had its decision about that. Its final decision. Sooner or later that will take place here as well, but in this case we let Mother of God with freedom of choice...I think that Medjugorje can continue well on their journey, with full trust that Church, Mother and Teacher, in this case, is going to continue to monitor their journey.
Respected brothers, the purpose and aim of this questionnaire is to make a list of priests who received their vocation through Medjugorje. So, we kindly ask you to fill out this form with following information: (Questionnaire)
News about floods that have not been remembered so far and have affected parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, have travelled around the whole world. That is why many pilgrims have asked if Medjugorje was affected and if there was anything that they could do. Medjugorje is not close to those endangered areas but Medjugorje wishes to be close to all those who have felt or still feel consequences of this great natural catastrophe. Thereby we invite all pilgrims, people of good will and friends of Medjugorje to respond and help as much as they can. It is possible to do that through our humanitarian organisation Medjugorje - Mir - Mother's Village (that was founded in the time of the war and directed your help to all those in need) by giving your donations to this account:
Mother of God – the best pastoral theologian