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Cliffored Azize and Charles Kinnane : „We came here to make a new story about Medjugorje”

Many people of various vocations and professions from all over the world came to give a testimony at the Youth Festival. Among them we found two young men from the United States, from New York and their names are Cliffored Azize and Charles Kinnane. It was couple of years ago that two of them established production company “Grasfids Films” that films documentaries and one of the most famous works of their production is movie Child 31. This moving documentary speaks about the great project of organisation “Mary’s Meals” that helps more than 700.000 children in sixteen countries throughout the world. Thanks to donations and huge help of numerous volunteers who are trying to resolve one of the greatest problems in these times – hunger, but in the way that meal is provided at the schools and in that way children are encouraged to education.

The 24th International Youth Festival finished with Holy Mass on Cross Mountain

The 24th International Youth Festival that began on Thursday, August 1, 2013 finished on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 with Holy Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated at 5 a.m. on the top of Cross Mountain by Fr. Danko Perutina, coordinator of this meeting.
Dozens of thousands of young people gathered in Medjugorje this year and they came from 60 different countries. The programme of the Youth Festival would start at 9 a.m. with the Morning Prayer and would continue with lectures, testimonies and lessons from Christian life throughout the rest of the day. The evening prayer programme would begin at 6 p.m. with Rosary and the central event of every day was Holy Mass at 7 p.m. The opening Holy Mass was celebrated by the Provincial of Herzegovina Franciscan Province, Dr. Fr. Miljenko Steko. Every other night, four newly ordained priests were the main celebrants: Fr. Stanko Cosic, Fr. Mario Ostojic, Fr. Josip Serdjo Cavar and Fr. Mijo Sarcevic, while the homilies were given by their older brothers: Fr. Slaven Brekalo, Fr. Petar Ljubicic, Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic and Fr. Danko Perutina. The largest number of priests who have concelebrated at those Holy Masses was on Thursday, when 515 of them were present. (foto) ; (video)

Walked from Zagreb to Medjugorje

Marijo Jerković, Petra Grancarić and Antonija Rebrina walked from Zagreb to Medjugore and it took them sixteen days for the journey of more than 500 km. It was Marijo who initiated this trip after he read some of the testimonies from Medjugorje, among those one about lady who walked from Poland and about pilgrim who converted in Medjugorje and became a priest. Our young pilgrims began their pilgrimage on July 11, 2013 and were very impressed by goodness of the people they met on their way and who have helped them in many ways. “We received one beautiful experience; Gospa followed us on every step we took. We always carry beautiful impressions from Medjugorje”, they said and thanked all from Zagreb to Medjugorje.
 

“Merciful Father” community introduced to thousands of young people

The community “Merciful Father” introduced their work and activities to young people at the 24th International Youth Festival on Monday, August 5, 2013. This community is based in Bijakovici and it is led by Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic who said: “Today I would like to congratulate boys - some of them have been with us for more than three years. It is huge when one young man comes from the street into the prayer, serious work, into love, care, affection where he learns how to say: I am sorry…thank you…can I help you…where rosary beads become every day decoration of soul, heart, mind and body.  People in the community discover gifts that God gave them at the birth, they discover beauty, kind words, mercy, compassion, something they never knew of. Therefore, I would like to congratulate these boys once again and I am rejoicing because of the extreme happiness of their families.

“We were most impressed by the Adoration”

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament took place nearly every night after the evening prayer programme. Many have told us that it was exactly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament that they found to be so special and most moving for them. Suzana from Petrinja comes to the Youth Festival for seven years now and she came this year in the group of ninety pilgrims. She told us: “More people come here every year. I love listening to the testimonies and I found them moving indeed, but I am most impressed by the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.”
Tatjana from Slovenia also told us that she loves coming here because of homilies, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Masses.
 

“I received encouragement for priesthood and music ministry in Medjugorje”

Fr. Liam Lawton from Ireland grew up in a big family with five children and he was ordained as a priest in 1984. He said how he was moved by the faith of the local people when he first arrived to Medjugorje. Fr. Liam comes from the family of musicians and his desire was to live music at the same time with priesthood. The crucial moment for him was encouragement he received after confessing before Fr. Slavko Barbaric who invited him to sing few songs during the Holy Mass that same evening. After singing during the Holy Communion he also accompanied Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with his music. That was the beginning of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament that we have today in Medjugorje.
 

Traditional procession through Medjugorje parish

The traditional procession with thousands of young people from sixty different countries took place on Sunday, August 4, 2013, after the evening Holy Mass, as a part of the 24th International Youth Festival. Procession started from the church with Our Lady’s statue and candles in the hands of participants and followed the main road towards the Apparition Hill, Cross Mountain and ended with the prayer outside the White Dome.

The second day of the Youth Festival

Fr. Stanko Cosic celebrated the evening Holy Mass on Friday, August 2, 2013 along with 515 priests that concelebrated.
Fr. Slaven Brekalo gave a homily and said to youth: “You have come here, but we cannot all stay here, we need to return to where we have come from. That is exactly what God wishes for you so you would witness what you have experienced here. You should never forget Holy Scripture. The Gospel is joyful news and not some tyranny, it is not some condemnation but it is joyful news full of grace and love. Gospa invited you here but She sends you further because that is God’s logics, God invites and then He sends. He has no one else to send but you. Be holy!”  (photos)

The experiences of Youth Festival participants

Among young people from sixty countries who participate in the 24th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje we met Tatjana who came from Slovenia. This is Tatjana’s twelfth visit to the Youth Festival. She briefly told us: “I come because of homilies, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, testimonies and Holy Masses. It is good for us to be here with the Queen of Peace. It is crowded, but we do not have problem with that.”
Young people from Slavonija, region on north of Croatia, arrived to the Youth Festival in the great number. We spoke to Sanja Stivanovic and Darko Ilijasic from Slavnoski Brod. “Medjugorje is alwas a special event for us, we always bring something beautiful from here. As we look at such a great number of young people that were gathered here by Gospa, that is indeed experience that changes every one of us.” Darko came for the first time and said: “I was extremely impressed by such a great number of young people at one place. So much joy and so much sincere and open love.”

The 24th International Youth Festival began

Medjugorje is all about youth in these days since this is the week when the 24th International Youth Festival is held with theme: “Faith working through love.” The official beginning of the Festival was on Thursday, August 1 at the White Dome. Rosary was led by Fr. Antonio Sakota and Holy Mass at 7 p.m. was celebrated by Provincial of Herzegovina Franciscan Province, Dr. Fr. Miljenko Sakota along with 470 priests who concelebrated at Holy Mass. At the beginning of this Holy Mass, young people from Medjugorje greeted all young people from all over the world, and then every country had opportunity for short introduction. Young people from 60 countries came to participate. (photos)

We are all friends here

Marija and Andrea Šuštar, Branko Uljan, Uroš Karadžija and Boštjan Hari came to the International Youth Festival from Slovenia. They shared their experiences with journalists of radio Mir Medjugorje and said: “Medjugorje is a special place and prayer and confessions are the most beautiful for us. We are all one here, we are all friends.” They also told us that in Medjugorje one can feel strongly God’s vicinity and they are all joyful and happy because of new friendships and deepening of their faith.
 

Came by bicycle to Medjugorje on the 24th Youth Festival

Jasna Mihelić and Klara Ćurić from Požega, and Vanja Bajivić and Ana Antolić from Virovitica came by bicycle on July 31st to Medjugorje so they would participate in the 24th International Youth Festival. Their journey was 700 kilometers long and it took them seven days to come here. They first prayed at the Statue of Our Lady so they would thank Her for safe and blessed journey. “We are happy to be here and we will most probably repeat this pilgrimage again.” Klara decided to do this because of penance and to thank God for all she has in her life. “I was also moved to come here like this because my father also came to Medjugorje nine years ago by bicycle to fulfill wow he gave to Gospa. He was seriously ill and he said that if gets better, he would come to Her by bicycle. I hope to come here next year again with my dad so we would celebrate 10 years of his first pilgrimage.” Klara came here couple of times before by bus and this is her first time to be here for the Youth Festival.
 

Statistics for July, 2013

Number of Holy Communions: 143 400

Number of priests that concelebrated at Holy Masses: 5003 (166 per day)

The 24th International youth prayer festival

Medjugorje, August 1 – 6, 2013

Faith working through love

(Gal 5,6)

Wednesday, 31. 7. 2013.

18.00    - Rosary

19.00    - Holy Mass (general rehearsal for the choir and the orchestra)

20.30   - Prayer for healing

21.00    - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (general rehearsal for the choir and the orchestra)

Symposium on Fr. Stanko Vasilj

Parish office Medjugorje and local communities Bijakovici and Medjugorje have organised Symposium on Fr. Stanko Vasilj’s work and character that was held on July 23, 2013 in the Hall of the Blessed John Paul II in Medjugorje. Fr. Stanko was born in Medjugorje on July 20, 1920 and he died in the Clinical Hospital in Split on June 30, 1993.
Various Franciscans, historians, lawyers, musicians and writers spoke about Fr. Stanko, among them were: Fr. Tomislav Pervan, Fr. Ivan Dugandzic, Fr. Robert Jolic, Ivica Sarac, Josip Muselimovic, Snjezana Vrbanec, Kreso Sego and Fr. Marinko Sakota. (photos)