date: 12.07.2014.
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. According to the testimonies of the participants, there were many good fruits and many made decision to come again next year, for the 20th Seminar. Fr. Davor Dominovic, the Secretary of Bosnian Province, came here for his second seminar. The first time he arrived was after his ordination in 2010, and he told us that was wonderful experience of communion with other priests from all over the world, as well as various liturgical experiences and spiritual richness they received that freshened their priesthood. As he spoke about this year’s theme, Fr. Davor said: “Fr. Ljubo in one of his lectures compared Mary, Our Lady, and priests. Mary is present in the Holy Bible, especially in the New Testament, in direct way. But Mary’s character is prophetically announced throughout the Old Testament. Fr. Ljubo said that Mary is always present along with Jesus but she never puts herself in the centre. True and genuine devotion to Mary is such, Mary is never before Jesus. Mary is always the instrument, never the goal. As Jesus once came through her words and through her body into this world, in the same way Mary today passes on the message of Jesus. That is how a priest is similar to Mary. Through his mouth, through his hands, he brings Jesus into this world, or he is invited to bring him according to his service. He is not supposed to place himself ever in the first perspective. As Mary said in her time that she is a humble servant of the Lord, in the same way priest is supposed to be humble servant of the Lord. These seminars are moments when we priests take some quiet time for ourselves.”
