Fr. Alexander from Parisian Archdiocese: „Međugorje is Christ-centric place”

date: 10.07.2017.

Fr. Alexander (on the right at the photo) is a priest for three years and comes from the Parisian Archdiocese. He took part in the 22nd International Seminar for priests in Medjugorje and he was our guest at the radio programme: „I live in the community with other priests who were sent to other dioceses close to Paris, that do not have enough priests. I was born in a very traditional Catholic family of four children. I grew up in faith, but I got lost in my adolescent age, as many other young people. My older sister motivated me to join a prayer groups and it was there I discovered something different – faith and joy can go along. Later on, I took part in the spiritual renewal organised by the Beatitudes community and I had my first proper confession there as well as the experience of God who is Love. I knew that just theoretically before, but later on I experienced it fully and decided to say to God – Here I am.”

This was the first time for him to participate at the seminar for priests: „I was not attracted by the theme of the seminar as much as by the place itself, as Medjugorje is not just a place of prayer for me, but a place of reconciliation. I came here, as a seminarian in 2010, but was not able to confess at that time. Now I came here to have that experience too, to see how does one do it here and why people wish to confess so much here. This time I can feel even more that Medjugorje is not just a place of Our Lady, but a place where one connects to God, to Jesus Christ and it is a very Christ – centric place. Each time I see that everything is directed towards Christ – Veneration of the Holy Cross, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, prayer meditations, which shows how messages of Our Lady direct us to Jesus. What is present here is very simple. Our Lady did not give us some new instructions how to walk after Jesus. I was thinking how we in our parish have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament too, but perhaps we do not have the strength of the Holy Spirit when praying the Rosary. It is challenging to present the prayer of the Rosary as a source of strong faith and encounter with Christ. I try to teach young people how to pray the Rosary, but now I feel I should do it even with greater fervour, as I can recall Our Lady’s invitation prior to my conversion to pray the Rosary with the heart”, said. Fr. Alexander.