date: 05.08.2014.
Medjugorje is all about the youth in the last few days as the 25th International Youth Festival is being held with the theme: “Behold your Mother”. Young people from more than 60 countries are participating. The morning programme of the Youth Festival on Monday began with the Morning Prayer and continued with catechesis of Fr. Ante Vuckovic. The testimony of Mirjana Dragićević-Soldo followed and she invited all young people to be the apostles and witnesses of God’s love, to pray for the priests and to live in God’s communion with other brothers and sisters. A young couple, Matija and Željka Milošić spoke afterwards and two of them are married nearly for two years. In that period they had opportunity to experience the fruits of their decisions to live pre-marital chastity that they began in the beginning of their relationship. They established the movement “Youth of Mary’s heart” and decided to witness about the graces and fruits of that decision. At the end of the morning programme, Antonio Stroccia, permanent deacon from Italy gave really moving testimony. Even though his daughter died just a few days ago, he still decided to come to Medjugorje and to speak about life in the faith to the youth. The afternoon part of the programme had also moving testimony of Dr. Eric Fourneau, his wife Leen and son Eric from Belgium. Dr. Eric and Leen have ten children and they spoke about the influence of Medjugorje on their family life. Fr. Liam Lawton, a priest from Kildare diocese close to Dublin in Ireland spoke about his experience with Fr. Slavko and how they initiated the Youth Festival 25 years ago. Nabil Abu Nicola from New Life Community from Nazareth spoke at the end and said that when he is in Medjugorje, he feels as if he is at home. The programme continued with the regular evening prayer programme at the White Dome of St. James’ church. Fr. Karlo Lovric led the prayer of Rosary and Fr. Bojan Rizvan, newly ordained priest from Zadar Province of St. Jerome celebrated the Holy Mass with 534 priests concelebrating. Fr. Ante Vuckovic gave the homily and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed immediately after the Holy Mass. (foto)
