Medjugorje is full of pilgrims in this Easter time. The Information Office registered smaller or bigger groups from: England, Romania, France, Slovakia, Albania, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Lebanon, the United States, Ireland, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Canada, Slovenia, Korea, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Objavljeno: 19.04.2012.
This Easter gathered many pilgrims in Medjugorje who participated together with pilgrims in the Liturgical programme of Easter Triduum. In those days pilgrims from the following countries were present in Medjugorje: Korea, Brazil, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Ukraine, Slovakia, Lebanon, Japan, the United States, Ireland, Austria and Romania. (photos)
Objavljeno: 09.04.2012.
“Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
(John 20,21)
To all parishioners, pilgrims, friends, benefactors, and to all men of goodwill a
Blessed and Happy Easter!
Parish priest and the Franciscans
(photos)
Uskrsna cestitka 2012 - Fra Petar Vlasic
Objavljeno: 07.04.2012.
Holy Thursday, April 5, 2012 – On this day when Church remembers institution of Holy Eucharist and Priesthood, it is allowed only to celebrate Holy Mass of consecration of the oil and Holy Mass of Lord’s Supper. Holy Mass of consecration of the oil can be celebrated only by bishop in his cathedral. Therefore, on that day before noon, in Medjugorje there are no confessions and no Holy Masses celebrated. Prayer of the Rosary begins at 5 p.m. and solemn Holy Mass of Lord’s Supper at 6 p.m. After Holy Mass there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and all faithful will have opportunity for silent prayer until Midnight.
Objavljeno: 04.04.2012.
Around forty volunteers, members and supporters of House for Homeless people “Roses of St. Francis” from Rijeka, spent few days in Medjugorje from March 31 to April 2, 2012. They wanted to thank Our Lady, Queen of Peace, for five years since they have their House. Sinisa Pucic, one of the volunteers in the mentioned House and the main editor of the magazine “Street Lights” spoke on Radio Mir Medjugorje about their pilgrimage and about the House for Homeless people. The purpose of the House is not just to provide those people a place where they would be able to spend a night, but to make them capable to become the members of the society again, depending on their physical and mental abilities. They have programmes of the work therapies and rehabilitation. “This pilgrimage is a good opportunity for those who have just joined us to get to know our programme and we all love coming to Medjugorje on pilgrimage”, said Sinisa.
Objavljeno: 03.04.2012.
On March 31, 2012 spiritual renewal of the Franciscan School Sisters from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina who work in health or public care institutions was held in Medjugorje and 40 nuns participated in it. The theme of the retreat was: “Suffering, mysterious God’s speech” and Fr. Miljenko Steko was conductor of the retreat. Sr. Andrea Nazlic, one of the participants of this retreat who works in hospital in Split, in Croatia, said: “We work with people who suffer; therefore we have chosen this theme. It is time for us to recollect and this about that. Medjugorje is the place that will return us to ourselves.”
Objavljeno: 02.04.2012.
Number of Holy Communions: 92.300
Number of priests that concelebrated at Holy Masses: 1739 (56 per day)
Objavljeno: 01.04.2012.
The ancient tradition in Mostar – Duvno Diocese is to pray from the 5th Sunday of Lent until Palm Sunday for deliverance of curses and blaspheming of our people. That was the case this year as well. All parishioners and pilgrims in Medjugorje have been invited to pray and to offer all of their intentions, especially prayer of the Way of the Cross on Friday, to God in atonement for all of the sins caused by cursing, slandering and blaspheming.
Holy Week began on Palm Sunday with procession that started at the grounds of the old church at 10.30 a.m. Holy Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m. in the church of St. James, it was the Mass of Passion of Our Lord. Holy Masses in Croatian language were held at 7, 8,11 and 6 p.m. Palm and olive branches were blessed at every Holy Mass. On the eve of Palm Sunday, Holy Mass at 6 p.m. was celebrated for all of the youth and Franciscan Youth choir were singing at that Holy Mass.
Objavljeno: 29.03.2012.
Roberto Mancini, Manager of Manchester City football club, came with his family for two-day visit to Medjugorje on Monday, March 26, 2012. He participated in the evening prayer programme, visited places of prayer in Medjugorje and spoke to Franciscans in Medjugorje parish. He also held press conference in the Information Centre Mir Medjugorje where he spoke about reasons for his visit and about some details from the world of sports. At the very beginning he said how this visit is fulfillment of one decision that he made long time ago. He heard about Medjugorje for the first time 25 years ago from one of the priests from Genova. “I believe this is a special place and I am really happy here”, said Mancini. He spoke about the importance of spirituality in everyday life and he said how faith means a lot to him. At the end, he said that he is planning to come again, since Medjugorje is really a special place for him.
Objavljeno: 27.03.2012.
The Easter egg, gift of Koprivnica – Krizevci County from the Republic of Croatia, was exposed again in the area in front of the church of St. James, on Monday, March 26, 2012. Fr. Marinko Sakota, the assistant parish priest in Medjugorje parish, Mr. Ivo Jerkic, Mayor of Citluk Municipality, Velimir Plesa, general consul of the Republic of Croatia in Mostar as well as the Head of the Koprivnica – Krizevci County, Darko Koren with representatives of the Tourist Board from Koprivnica – Krizevci County were present at this event. It is the project of painting big Easter eggs in naïve art that was launched by the Tourist Board of Koprivnica – Krizevci County. This Easter egg in Medjugorje is part of the project “Easter egg from the heart”, launched in 2007 with desire that one such easter egg brings message of love, peace and friendship throughout Croatian, European and world towns and cities.
Objavljeno: 26.03.2012.
Group of 64 Greek Catholic Nuns, members of fourteen different orders from Ukraine, came to Medjugorje for the first time from March 10 to March 15, 2012. Fr. Petro Kobalj is the organiser of this pilgrimage and he regularly participates in the Seminar for Priests that is organised in Medjugorje every summer. “These nuns wished to come to Medjugorje so they could witness about this place in Ukraine, since many of them work in the houses of mercy. They wanted to learn prayers and to bring that to the convents where they work and live. Here, in Medjugorje, they were able to see what does the living church mean”, said Fr. Kobalj.
Sr. Maria, Sr. Ljubomira, Sr. Tadeja and Sr. Nazarija spoke about their experience of Medjugorje. Sr. Marija is the member of the Order of St. Joseph and she told us that she cannot describe with words what she felt in Medjugorje. “I think it was a miracle that happened to me. Before I came to Medjugorje, I had huge pain in my back. Doctors did everything they could. One of the nuns that lives with me was encouraging me and she was saying how everything was going to be all right and I should go to Medjugorje. I told her that I could not walk, and especially not travel. I felt pain while we were travelling, but thanks to dear God I was able to come to Medjugorje.” She said that she experienced a great miracle since she was able to climb Cross Mountain. Sr. Ljubomira from the Order of Servants of the Immaculate Virgin Mary witnessed that they have one prayer group thanks to Medjugorje.
“I am especially grateful to the Queen of Peace, since I deeply felt her presence, she restored peace in my heart”, added Sr. Ljubomira.
Objavljeno: 19.03.2012.
The visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had daily apparitions from June 24th 1981 to December 25th 1982. During the last daily apparition, Our Lady gave her the 10th secret, and told her that she would appear to her once a year, on the 18th of March. It has been this way through the years. Several thousand pilgrims gathered in prayer of the Rosary at the 'Blue Cross'. The apparition lasted from 14:00 to 14:05.
Dear children! I am coming among you because I desire to be your mother - your intercessor. I desire to be the bond between you and the Heavenly Father - your mediatrix. I desire to take you by the hand and to walk with you in the battle against the impure spirit. My children, consecrate yourselves to me completely. I will take your lives into my motherly hands and I will teach them peace and love, and then I will give them over to my Son. I am asking of you to pray and fast because only in this way will you know how to witness my Son in the right way through my motherly heart. Pray for your shepherds that, united in my Son, they can always joyfully proclaim the Word of God. Thank you.
Objavljeno: 18.03.2012.
Mons. Adriano Langa, Bishop of Diocese Inhambane from Mozambique, came to his second visit to Medjugorje. He came in the mid nineties for the first time, and it was just out of the curiosity. It was because Friars from Herzegovina Franciscan Province, who work in Kongo in missions, spoke to him about Medjugorje. In his interview for radio station Medjugorje, he said: “This second trip is my own initiative, since I got to know Medjugorje as the place of prayer and I wanted to come because of the prayer. I spent my days in silence. My daily programme was to attend the morning Holy Mass, then to pray the Way of the Cross and to finish with the evening prayer programme. I keep repeating to everyone that Medjugorje is the place that one needs to get to know, since it is here that we received invitation to prayer, this is really the place of the encounter with God”, said the bishop from Mozambique.
Objavljeno: 17.03.2012.
Around 50 young people from Germany, members of the community “Totus Tuus”, Marian lay community, arrived to Medjugorje. Fr. Joachim Federhen came with them and he was our guest at radio station “Mir” Medjugorje. He works as the assistant parish priest in one of the parishes but he also belongs to the community “Totus Tuus” , where he received his vocation. The establishment of this community is related to Medjugorje. One young married couple from Germany came for a holiday to Croatia and decided to visit Medjugorje as a part of that trip. They did not have any connections with God nor with the Church, but here, in Medjugorje, love of God completely touched their hearts and they both realised that they need to change their lives completely. When they returned home, they started praying in their family and they got to know the meaning of Our Lady’s messages. Soon afterwards they made contact with their parish community and after a while, little prayer community was formed. Their goal was to encourage others to live genuine life as faithful. In 1994, they decided to organise a pilgrimage to Medjugorje for young people.
Objavljeno: 16.03.2012.
On Friday, March 16th 2012 there will be 78th anniversary of building of cross on Cross Mountain and celebration of first Holy Mass under that same cross. Only 52 days passed ever since the day when decision for the cross to be built on the highest hill in the area, January 21st 1934 due to occasion of Jubilee Year of Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and decision was given to parishioners by their parish priest Fr. Bernardin Smoljan, until the day when cross was finally completed. Engineer Simun Boras from Mostar built the construction plan for the Cross, and Ante Dugandzic Redzo was monitoring all the works of construction.
Objavljeno: 14.03.2012.
