date: 25.11.2021.
Today, on November 24, 2021, the 21st anniversary of the death of Fr. Slavko Barbarić was marked in Medjugorje. During the day, two walks were organized to Fr. Slavko's grave, one from his hometown in Dragićina, and the other from the high school in Čitluk, which bears his name. High School Slavko Barbarić celebrated their day with this procession.
Fr. Slavko died on this day, 21 years ago, in the afternoon, finishing the devotion of the Way of the Cross on Križevac, so also today we prayed the Way of the Cross on Križevac, and at 6 pm in the church of St. James. The Holy Mass for Fr. Slavko Barbarić was celebrated in Medjugorje, which was presided over by the Provincial of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, Fr. Miljenko Šteko, with the concelebration of the Medjugorje parish priest Fr. Marinko Šakota and 22 other priests.
Referring to the Mass readings, Fr. Miljenko Šteko in his homily also spoke about the life and works of Fr. Slavko Barbarić.
''In his dream, he would be awake and was looking at images that were etched in his mind, in his head, in his heart, in his breath, in his life. He wanted to make so many things much different, more pleasing to God, and turn so many human abodes into a house of prayer. He would often feel that so many leaders, writers of all kinds, national champions were standing in the way. They wanted to direct the course of events, measure time, load people on their shoulders, and not even to move a little finger.
However, Fr. Slavko would step forward always. He would enter into the gloomy pains, into the souls of so many, into the misery and misery of many, into the ruin of people crushed by immorality, addiction, hatred, division, scarcity. For him, there was no lost man, no lost battle. Everyone had to be hugged, saved, given accommodation. Every battle with evils and human evils had to be won with God's help, with Our Lady's intercession", said Fr. Miljenko Šteko, adding that he was "a straw of salvation for so many who were drowning".
''They grabbed the skirts of his habit, grabbed his hand feverishly, fell into a spasm of tears into his arms. And he was just arranging things in his soul and praying for Our Lady's intercession, immensely pious with a rosary in his hand. He turned the youth of the world like a river under his Zion, here at the Youth Festival. He led the addicts in columns to the Merciful Father, gave them refuge, consolation, and helped them on the difficult path of returning to life. He gave the village of Mother's Love to the weakest, just born. He gave refuge to family warmth and security", said Fr. Miljenko, who in his homily called Fr. Slavko a man of prayer, who "felt best on his knees, before the Blessed Sacrament".
''After prayer he would open his eyes, soul, heart completely, and realising the need of that man, that woman, that husband, he would clearly see the wounded child, his need. Despair and misery would ripen from afar, which completely robbed people's eyes, and in fact they were just the windows of their whispered souls with sin. That needed to be released. And that was what Fr. Slavko did! Tirelessly, stretching from his first extreme, to that second extreme, always with warmth and gentleness, a life that no longer distinguished time, for twilight and dawn met him in greeting. And so, from day to day, until he was transformed into eternity 21 years ago", said Fr. Miljenko Šteko, Provincial of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, in his homily on the 21st anniversary of the death of Fr. Slavko Barbarić. (FOTO)
