Medjugorje News & Articles by month July, 2005

Added July 20, 2005 /  Category: Prayers, Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
"7th" International Meeting for Priests at the School of Mary in Medjugorje

Source: medjugorje-hr

This prayer has been made by the priests during the "7th International Meeting for Priests at the School of Mary" in Medjugorje.

Immaculate Virgin Mary, Our Mother, Queen of Peace! We, the priests, Your beloved sons, want to consecrate ourselves today to Your Immaculate Heart.

By this act of consecration, we wish to put into life - with You and with Your help – all of the obligations that we have taken upon ourselves through our Baptismal and Priestly consecration.

Added July 20, 2005 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Signatures of the letter

Dear Friends, Members of Medjugorie Prayer Groups,

This letter is an expression of the deep affection which unites us to the message of Medjugorie! Knowing that many people (bishops, priests, religious and laity) have gratefully testified to the abundant spiritual fruits of this message, we would like, through this letter, to make you participants in a group testimony. This testimony should contribute to the defense of this work of Mary, a work which is spread throughout the whole world and which continues to be threatened in many places.

Added July 20, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Theology reports / Author: René Laurentin
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
René Laurentin

The position of Medjugorje in the Church is a difficult, disputed subject, an object of confusion and ambiguities, that is important to dissipate.

Among us, Medjugorje does not need any explanations. It is a place of grace where Our Lady has manifested Herself by all the exceptional fruits: spiritual life, conversions, healings. "The tree is judged by its fruits," says the Lord, and it is the only criterion of discernment that comes from Him (Mt 7:20; 12:33).

Added July 20, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Theology reports, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. fra Ljudevit Rupcic, OFM
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Dr. fra Ljudevit Rupcic, OFM

The term "private" revelations has already for a long time become customary in theology. In contrast to it is public revelation. However, public revelation would be the one given in the Bible, and private the one given apart from the Bible. Accordingly, it would be more justifiable to speak of biblical and extra-biblical revelation. Assigning a greater honour and significance to the biblical than to the other has no real reason whatsoever. Because if they are both true, if they both come from God, according to their origin they are both divine and equally valuable. Both, the one and the other, God intends for people and wants them to accept both of them. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to speak at all. If there may be some justifiable difference between them, it can never be in the sense that one is obligatory and the other is not. They are both obligatory. For every one that has been reached by them and for the one who has attained sufficient reasons and moral security regarding their authenticity, both of them oblige equally.

Added July 21, 2005 , 10:00 PM /  Category: Theology reports, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. fra Ivan Dugandzic, OFM
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Mirjana during her Annual apparition (Theological possibility and significance of these unusual manifestations)

In 1973, there was a stormy discussion among theologians about the significance of Jesus' resurrection and the meaning of speech in the apparitions of the Risen One as the New Testament speaks of them. R. Pesch, a liberal Catholic biblical scholar, provoked that discussion with his assertion that talk about the resurrection is merely "the expression of the believers' recognition of Jesus' eschatological significance, his mission and authority, his legitimation in view of his death." Talk about apparitions would merely be the "legitimation" of the disciples, that is, their determination to proclaim that "significance of Jesus." His Protestant, very moderate colleague, M. Hengel, in his response particularly regrets that in present times visions are made equivalent to hallucinations and continues, "Since the rich mystical tradition of the Church has dried up, at least in our regions, theologians are then no longer in authority for these manifestations, but rather psychiatrists or drug experts. A vision is considered a pathological manifestation" (ThQ 3/1973, p. 255). It was as though it were a prophetic word for what will be shown also in the case of the apparitions in Medjugorje eight years later.

Added July 21, 2005 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Theology reports / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM
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Discourse of Dr. Fra Slavko Barbaric, OFM

To love and to be loved is the fundamental and the deepest desire of every man. We do not even need to discuss how important love and acceptance are in the family school of life. Lack of love and acceptance in the family leave deep scars. It is not unheard of that even the newly conceived child feels and knows if it is accepted with love or not. It is known from therapeutic practice, that deep fears, which can follow a person throughout his entire life, are often caused prior to birth, if the father and mother contemplated abortion.

Added July 21, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican / Author: Pope John Paul II
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Pope John Paul II

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE JOHN PAUL II
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE
1 JANUARY 2001

1. At the dawn of a new millennium, there is growing hope that relationships between people will be increasingly inspired by the ideal of a truly universal brotherhood. Unless this ideal is shared, there will be no way to ensure a stable peace. There are many signs which suggest that this conviction is becoming more deeply rooted in people's minds. The importance of fraternity is proclaimed in the great "charters" of human rights; it is embodied in great international institutions, particularly the United Nations; and it is called for, as never before, by the process of globalization which is leading to a progressive unification of the economy, culture and society. For their part, the followers of the different religions are ever more conscious of the fact that a relationship with the one God, the common Father of all, cannot fail to bring about a greater sense of human brotherhood and a more fraternal life together. In God's revelation in Christ, this principle finds a radical expression: "He who does not love does not know God; for God is love" (1 Jn 4:8).

Added July 21, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican / Author: Pope John Paul II
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Pope John Paul II

"You are the salt of the earth, You are the light of the world" (Mt 5:13-14)

It is the nature of human beings, and especially youth, to seek the Absolute, the meaning and fullness of life. Dear young people, do not be content with anything less than the highest ideals! Do not let yourselves be dispirited by those who are disillusioned with life and have grown deaf to the deepest and most authentic desires of their heart. You are right to be disappointed with hollow entertainment and passing fads, and with aiming at too little in life. If you have an ardent desire for the Lord you will steer clear of the mediocrity and conformism so widespread in our society.

Added July 22, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican / Author: Pope John Paul II
Rosarium Virginis Mariae Most Holy Rosary

The Holy Father John Paul II published on October 16, 2002 the Apostolic Letter on the Most Holy Rosary under the title, “Rosarium Virginis Mariae”, where he also proclaims a year of the Holy Rosary, beginning today and running through the same date next year. The Holy Father asks that the Rosary be prayed particularly for the causes of world peace and the strengthening of family life. In this document, the Pope proposes five new mysteries of the Rosary under the name “luminous mysteries” or “mysteries of light”.

Added July 25, 2005 , 4:57 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Fr. Leo Maasburg (detail)

I have learned one thing from Mother Teresa: it is not important what we expect and what we desire. The only important is to confide oneself to the guidance of Jesus and of Mary. There are surely people who come with some big problem, but the biggest problem is always lack of holiness! We surely bring with us people who entrust themselves into our prayer, but we should not limit the Lord and Our Lady to the gifts they give us.

Added July 25, 2005 , 5:26 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Interview Daniel Ange

What I like in Medjugorje is that visionaries are also witnesses. They accept to give witness, they accept to transmit Our Lady’s message. They are missionaries and this is the characteristic of Our Lady’s apparitions in last 30 years. Bernadette entered into a convent, but these visionaries are educated by Our Lady to be evangelisators. It was wonderful when I was in the USA, at the Notre-Dame University, with Ivan. I was giving talks, he was giving talks, and it was wonderful: myself as a catholic priest and he as a child of God in a direct connection with heaven. It is wonderful.

Added July 25, 2005 , 5:50 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Sr. Hannah

Source: medjugorje-hr

Mary says always again in her messages: Open your hearts! From the psychological point of view, I know that, because of our wounds, we develop mechanisms to defend ourselves. Out of fear, we have built up defence mechanisms that impede us to be able to trust blindly. If a person, as a child, has been rejected by the parents, he/she cannot believe that God will not reject him/her. Or if someone was beaten by the father, it is difficult to believe that God wants no harm on him/her. For people with these kinds of wounds, each step of the opening of the heart, each time, is an act of trust, a step in faith. In Medjugorje, Mary heals our hearts so that this path of opening and trust may become possible again, that we may receive a greater share of the fullness of the grace of God.

Added July 25, 2005 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
George Tracy 25 Times Medjugorje

Mons. George Tracy: Medjugorje began to have a great influence when I came here for the first time and it has continued. It has taught me in the depth of my being to live in the Immaculate Heart of Mary along with the Sacred Heart of her Son, which are the two Hearts that are central in my work in the “Cor Christi”. I have developed in my heart a real sense for the teachings of Grignon de Montfort, who is Mary’s child: To put my heart into her heart when I have to get in the Heart of Christ. I want to be Mother Mary’s child.

Added July 25, 2005 /  Category: Interviews, Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic / Author: Marijan Sivric
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Vicka Pray For Youth

Interview by Marijan Sivric

Vicka Ivankovic: "She would like us to accept the message with our hearts and to live them. Often we accept the message, we begin to live it, but then we get tired and we remain the way we were before. And Our Lady would like that everyday we live her messages a little bit and that we would make progress in our lives."

Added July 25, 2005 /  Category: Interviews, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Miro Brcic
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Interview Tomislav Pervan

Fra Tomislav Pervan: Medjugorje began with the laity, with ordinary children, it was brought to the laity and it was they who first beleived and only then was it passed on to the priests. And today it is the laity who bring the Medjugorje movement to the whole world. It is really the laity who hundreds of times cross even oceans to come to Medjugorje. When I ask them why they come so often to Medjugorje, and why they bring pilgrims to these parts which aren't safe, they reply that they do it because they see changes in people. Spiritual changes.

Added July 26, 2005 , 4:35 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Interview Roman Gruter

Fr. Roman Grüter: I noticed that many people who come to Medjugorje seek healing of the body, of the soul, of the spirit. This is similar in all places of pilgrimages, but here it is especially strong. People seek to be transformed, renewed, healed in the deepest sense of the word; this is very important for people. I think that we should encourage them and help them in this process, and we need to give them good spiritual guides and help on this way.

Added July 26, 2005 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Felicia Abensperg Traun

For me, Medjugorje is like a source of fresh water, where I come to drink, and to feel the power of God and the strength of Our Lady. The world we live in is different, very rough; there are so many things that surround us, that are offered to us, and that are happening, and there is so little presence of God in them. There are so many things that we still have to learn… Each time I come to Medjugorje, I learn something new.

Added July 26, 2005 /  Category: Theology reports, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church / Author: Dirk Grothues
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Pilgrims in front of the St. James Church

Source: medjugorje-hr

One thing we can do is that each one of us tries as best as he can to live the messages, which the Queen of Peace gives us so patiently and tirelessly. Another thing we can do is to take care that the original message is not being falsified or obscured in the Medjugorje centres and prayer groups. Medjugorje is not just any pious prayer movement. The program of Medjugorje is not simply that of any popular mission, as it is from time to time presented to our communities. It is good to pray, to fast, to go to holy mass, to go to confession regularly, to read Sacred Scriptures. But, if we do not understand that, despite all personal piety, we are dealing here with total peace and conversion, then we have not yet correctly understood the essence of the Medjugorje message.

Added July 26, 2005 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano
Manuel Reato

Manuel Reato (23), a student of theology from Torino, has come several times to Medjugorje. Medjugorje has changed his life. Our Lady’s messages have deeply touched his heart and he believes that they are important for the whole world. Manuel is trying to live Our Lady’s message in his daily life. In Medjugorje, he has learned to seek God, here, he has learned how to pray. Although he is in a wheelchair since his early childhood, Manuel feels a call to become a priest.

Added July 26, 2005 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Fr. John Cooper

Fr. John Cooper: I think that there is a strong connection between praying and faith. The more you pray, the more you grow in faith. But also, I encourage people to pray for the gift of faith. People pray for material things, but how many pray to have a strong faith, for ability to love their husband or wife? When we pray for the spiritual gifts, which are necessary, God always answers our prayers. Many people come to me and say their faith is growing weaker. I tell them to pray for a stronger faith, to get into the habit of daily prayer, to take daily prayer seriously, to pray about faults they have. We need to relate confession to daily life.

Added July 26, 2005 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Abba Nicolas Hakim
Lidija Paris-Brajša: What do you think about ecumenism? Sometimes it seems that it is easier in countries where there is a religion representing the majority, and several religions representing minorities… Where the number of the faithful is equal, it seems to be more difficult…

Abba Nicolas Hakim: I will tell you one thing: we have to pray! Meetings are not enough: we have to pray much. Prayer unites the whole Church. If the Holy Spirit leads me, I am united to all. One Spirit makes one Church. In the same Spirit, there are no enemies. You are my spirit - I am your spirit. Only if the Holy Spirit permeates the whole Church, will it be one. The superiors and those responsible have to invoke the Holy Spirit, and if they are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Church will be one ipso facto. The Pope said: if the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, the Church becomes one. Unity is very simple: it is the Holy Spirit in our hearts. There is something, which splits the Church: it is sin. Pride. Authority.

Added July 26, 2005 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Interview Mario Vuknic

Mario Vuknic: Medjugorje is an invitation to a change of life, to put prayer in life, to a change that requires great efforts… There is always a fear of losing old habits. However, in changing our life, we receive much, much more: a greater fullness of life. Medjugorje is a place where miracles do happen. This is a fact. We are witnesses. And I know many others.

Added July 27, 2005 , 8:15 AM /  Category: Interviews, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Interview Hermann Reich

Mgr. Hermann Reich: I was struck by the main theme of our Lady’s messages, which is peace. Then, there is always again the question of conversion and confession. These are the main themes. I am also struck by the fact that she always comes back to the theme of prayer: do not be tired; pray, pray; decide yourselves for prayer; pray better. I think that there is much prayer, but maybe people do not pray in the right way. There is much prayer, there is quantity but, in many ways, there is a lack of quality. I think that we have, according to the desire of Our Lady, not to pray less but to improve the quality. We have to pray better.

Added July 27, 2005 , 8:45 AM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski
Interview Philippe Madre

To me it seems obvious that Medjugorje is a place where God dwells, where Heaven dwells. When people come here, something special takes place, they seem to be “tamed” by the presence of God and the presence of Mary, even if they are not aware of it. In this way, the two obstacles we are speaking about have a tendency to diminish or perhaps to even disappear. This is why I think that Medjugorje is an important place of healing and that it has to become even more so. In the times to come I think that Medjugorje has to live more and more this grace of healing.

Added July 27, 2005 , 8:58 AM /  Category: Interviews, Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Musicians Medjugorje Korea

From May 2 to 18, 2004, a group of musicians from Medjugorje participated in an apostolic journey in South Korea, during which they visited 13 parishes, among which the Bundang St. John’s Church, the biggest parish in Asia (15.000 parishioners). They also had two big encounters at Namjang, the only Korean Marian shrine. They played for his Eminence, Cardinal Su Hwan Stefano Kim. Korean friends of Medjugorje organized this trip, and Dr. Marta Nam, a Korean interpreter living in Rome, accompanied them.

Added July 27, 2005 , 9:35 AM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Kerry and Jim Caviezel

Jim Caviezel: ... She said that Ivan Dragicevic was coming to Ireland… I met with him a couple of times, and during an apparition, I felt a physical presence. Ivan told me two things that really hit me: “Jim, man always makes time for what he loves”, and “The reason man does not make time for God is that he does not love God”. Then, he talked to me about praying from the heart. That became like a beginning of a mission for me – to always pray from my heart.

Added July 27, 2005 , 10:27 AM /  Category: Interviews / Author: René Laurentin
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
René Laurentin

Those who go against God and against His law of love destroy themselves, individually and collectively. Today, there are some really immoral laws that destroy human beings, in some cases even proscribe to kill an unborn child. There are thousands of reasons for which we can say that human beings destroy themselves today. I would not say that this was God’s punishment; it is a self-destruction, and human beings are working on it themselves. When an alcoholic drinks too much, gets a lever disease and dies from it, it is not God who punished his lever, but the alcohol that destroyed it, that the person drunk with so much passion.

Added July 27, 2005 , 11:43 AM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Interview Hubert Liebherr

Hubert Liebherr: There are times when everything goes well, and times when I think that nothing functions for me! What had helped me personally was Our Lady’s answer given to the visionaries, when they asked Her why She had chosen them. She said that she had chosen neither the best ones nor the worst ones. When I saw that they were ordinary people, that each one of them has a character, a specificity, it helped me. They are ordinary, I am ordinary… it means that it is possible. If Our Lady had chosen some very holy people, very much advanced in spiritual life, I would have probably said that it was not my world, or that I will never make it. It helped me. There are periods when I have difficulties with prayer, but the Lord knows me and has understanding for my weaknesses. This is why I can trust Him, I can trust in His love and mercy.

Added July 27, 2005 , 3:31 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Melinda Dumitrescu

Melinda Dumitrescu: I was studying music in Germany, at the Music Academy in Lübeck, where Brahms and others were also studying. I heard about Medjugorje, I read a book with Our Lady’s messages. Ever since my childhood, I was successful in music. I was – as people say – a Wunderkind, but success was not sufficient to fill my heart. I was always seeking something else. I was traveling a lot, and I was always asking myself: where do I really belong, where is my family? I was traveling because of my studies and because of the concerts. I was all the time leaving behind me people whom I loved. While reading the messages of Medjugorje, I felt that - here - I could find what my heart was seeking.

Added July 27, 2005 , 3:53 PM /  Category: Interviews, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Msgr. Thomas L. Dupre

Sometimes God does not answer our prayers the way we want him to answer, but that is a part of being a Christian too: learning to carry the cross. Every one of us has a cross to carry. Maybe it is God’s will that we carry our cross. We have to be willing to accept that. That is all a part of the will of God. What we need to do and to know when we come to places like this is that we come and surrender to God; we accept His will whatever it may be. Even if our own personal requests are not granted in the way that we expect, nevertheless we are blessed if our faith is deepened, if we grow in our love for God and for his Mother.

Added July 27, 2005 , 4:04 PM /  Category: Interviews, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Interview George Hamilton Pearce
We see that there is much tension in the world. America has felt the violence of the terrorism. How much America today can listen to the message of Peace and work on a just peace in the whole world?

I think that we have not got the message yet. There was a great turn to the Lord right after September 11th, but we need more then that, I think, before that country really turns to the Lord. So we just pray for that day, we hope we will turn to the Lord before we have to learn too many lessons, but this is also an act of the mercy of God. Everything is an act of the mercy of God. We know very well that God in his merciful love, in his permissive Providence, will take all the means possible that none of the least of his children will be totally lost. That’s all that really matters.

Added July 27, 2005 , 4:47 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Rita Falsetto

Rita Falsetto: I would just like to encourage people to come to Medjugorje, to open up their hearts, to God’s Love, to Our Lady. Even though they may feel that they are not worthy enough, that they are in problems… I wish to thank everybody here in Medjugorje and throughout this country for giving me the time and the chance to share in a part of this wonderful country and this wonderful place. And don’t give up on God, because he will never give up on you! Thank you.

Added July 27, 2005 , 5:41 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Interview Totus Tuus

Leon Dolenec: We do not watch television, we do not play with the computer, we do not go for useless parties; we are occupied with Jesus and Mary. We have about 100 collaborators. We also have a circle of friends who help us in different ways, a few thousands of them.

Added July 27, 2005 , 7:22 PM /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski
Interview Dominique Delforge Struyf

Dominique Delforge-Struyf: I could never be a psychotherapist as I am today without prayer. What Medjugorje brought to me – concerning my work – is the possibility to listen to people while uniting my intelligence and my heart. Prayer really makes it possible to me to create this link, and also not to allow people to eat me up, to overdo, to become ill in this work, which is wonderful, but extremely hard. When I have the occasion to come to Medjugorje, I also seek this atmosphere of prayer that allows me each time to find a new motivation to pray for my patients and to fast for them.

For God to live in your hearts, you must love.

`