date: 27.08.2021.
“He came to Medjugorje full of professional and life experience and he became one of us. With his kind smile and determination of a man who knows why he is here, immensely devoted to Our Lady, he was a safe refuge to us after so many years of uncertainty. He was the extended hand of pope Francis in Medjugorje”, said Fr. Miljenko Steko, the provincial of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province before Holy Mass for the soul of Archbishop Henryk Hoser began in Medjugorje.
He said that “in the midst of human sorrow for departure with you, not for a moment we lose a different type of joy, for the future meeting in Father’s home”.
“These rocky grounds that embraced you and loved you would continue to resound the ancient sounds of Mater Dei, ora pro nobis, while our eyes with hope gaze at the horizon of rocks and splendour of sunset, harsh fingers holding rosary beads in their hands, and the scent of the new day is about to rise. We would always gratefully remember you, being happy you were with us and we had you for a while. We pray to God to give you eternal rest in his Kingdom, along with the intercession of the Queen of Peace. You would forever remain carved in our hearts, our lives and our Medjugorje”, said Fr. Miljenko Steko at the beginning of Holy Mass celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto in concelebration with bishop of Mostar Duvno Diocese, Petar Palic, Arcbishop of Vrhbosna Vinko Puljic and another two bishops and 95 priests.
Numerous parishioners and pilgrims were at the Holy Mass to thank God for Archbishop Hoser who did so much for parish of Medjugorje since 2017. The Nuncio Pezzuto spoke about his merits in his homily, as they met long ago when Hoser was missionary in Rwanda, and he served there as the young secretary in office of Nuncio. He spoke about some details from his biography and emphasised the “valuable contribution that Msgr. Hoser gave to Medjugorje in these three years of service, first as the Special Envoy of the Holy See, then as the Apostolic Visitor with the special role for the parish of Medjugorje, with mission of pastoral character.”
'”We are all touched by his priestly life whom he lived as the righteous man in a biblical sense, profoundly aware of his reality of a priest of Almighty God. On this occasion, once again I wish to highlight his obvious Marian devotion, that made him completely consecrated to the phenomenon of Medjugorje and accomplishment of pastoral trace that Pope Francis wanted to give to this place”, said Msgr. Pezzuto and invited the “entire liturgical gathering to express profound gratitude to God who sent Msgr. Hoser to Medjugorje, to his family of Palatines, his birth family, as well as to the Franciscans who embraced him”.
“In a special way, I would like to thank Fr. Perica Ostojic who worked with Msgr. Hoser for the last three years as his personal secretary. Was are certain that the Blessed Virgin Mary met him in Heaven, to whom he served so fervently here promoting devotion to Our Lady in the Christological and Christocentric light. Therefore, we entrust Msgr. Hoser to the Queen of Peace and Divine Mercy”, concluded his homily the Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto.
Fr. Marinko Sakota, Medjugorje parish priest, thanked all present priests, Cardinal, Archbishop and Bishops and said: “We thank Pope Francis for having sent Msgr. Hoser to us and we thank Msgr. Hoser for all he did for Medjugorje, a huge and important work”. (PHOTO)
