Medjugorje News & Articles - complete list

Medjugorje News & Articles section contains important news, articles, testimonies and documents related to Medjugorje. Although major focus is on Medjugorje; other content generally related namely to spiritual life, deep conversions and similar topics may also be included.

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
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
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
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
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
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
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
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
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
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
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
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
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.

Added August 2, 2005 , 7:18 PM /  Category: Theology reports, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Fr. Slavko Barbaric with pilgrims on Cross Mountain Krizevac

Pilgrimages are known in all religions. They are an expression of a person who searches for God in places where He has revealed Himself in a special way; where He has offered persons the possibility to feel His presence more easily or with particularly gifted persons, who - through their gifts - have become a special sign of God's presence. This is why there are places of pilgrimage which attract people and where they come in their search to experience God in a new manner, that is, to experience peace, joy, love and hope. With each pilgrimage, a person leaves behind his everyday life, his work, his family, his friends, his security and - longing for a new encounter with God - starts on his journey to places and to people who have proven themselves as "gifted", so as to help him in his new experience with God.

Added August 2, 2005 , 8:55 PM /  Category: Theology reports, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church / Author: Dr. fra Ivan Dugandzic, OFM
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Medjugorje New Evangelisation

Medjugorje, in other words, that which is understood when the name of that small parish in Herzegovina is mentioned today, has already for seventeen-years a long and stormy, but above all, an unpredictable history. Because who seventeen years ago could have anticipated that the claim of the children to have seen Our Lady would reach to the furthermost parts of the world, and that the parish of Medjugorje would grow into one of the most distinctive shrines and develop such a dynamic spiritual movement before which no one can any longer remain indifferent.

Added August 10, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Medjugorje Catholic Church

(1991-2001)

Ten years have passed since the Bishops’ Conference of former Yugoslavia published its Declaration on the events of Medjugorje.

The Declaration was preceded and prepared by long and painstaking work of several Commissions: two diocesan Commissions and a Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of former Yugoslavia had worked for seven years. Based on these studies, the Bishops’ Conference, published the following Declaration at its meeting in Zadar on April 11, 1991:

Added August 10, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Medjugorje Catholic Church

The latest declaration on Medjugorje from the Catholic Bishops of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is a classic example of the centuries old practice of authentic ecclesiastical prudence. It demonstrates that the Church respects facts above all, that it carefully measures its competence and that in all matters it is mostly concerned for the spiritual welfare of the faithful.

Added August 20, 2005 /  Category: Visionaries, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti / Author: Marija Pavlovic Lunetti
Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti

Marija: Many young people decide to spend their nights in discotheques, on their Saturday nights for example, but we decided to spend this time with Jesus. And we think we received much more joy than they do. And if I could go back in time and again have to decide which of the two, in going to the discotheque or going to be with Jesus for the whole night, I would choose again to be with Jesus.

Added August 27, 2005 , 11:24 AM /  Category: Charitable projects, Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski
Magnus and Ruth

It is very helpful to be members of a praying community. The family life is under a lot of pressure. Children are bombarded all the time by messages from the media that are contrary to what our faith is teaching us. I see more and more the importance of living in a community with likeminded people. Perhaps especially at the time when children don’t want to listen to their parents, they are able to get the same message form the people that they respect within the community. Prayer is the key.

Added September 2, 2005 , 10:33 AM /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Announcement of opening the website « Our Lady of Medjugorje »

Site News

Dear friends of Medjugorje,

Today I open a multilingual website « Our Lady of Medjugorje », which contain pages about Medjugorje including Apparitions, Visionaries, News & Articles about Medjugorje and spiritual life, the Medjugorje Novena, Photo Gallery, Links to top Medjugorje websites.

The website also features the most advanced archive of Medjugorje Messages and Reflections on the Internet, allowing topics and words highlights, concordance, powerful fulltext search, easy comparison between different language versions, easy viewing and printing the messages upon various criteria's. The archive currently supports 7 languages, but I plan to add more languages. The website is accessible in various browsers, and also supports PDA's and other browsers with limited resources and connectivity.

I hope that this web can have contribution by offering both pleasant and feature rich environment allowing comfortable reading, studying and enjoying the Medjugorje messages on the Internet for all the people who like them, regardless of language preferences.

You can find more information about the website here.

Best regards,

Marek Gayer,
webmaster of website Our Lady of Medjugorje, https://www.ourlady.eu

 
Added September 15, 2005 , 12:11 AM /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Theology reports / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Prayer Groups Marian Movement

The fact is, without doubt, clear that many prayer groups that have started in the world have been founded by Medjugorje pilgrims. This has happened and is happening at the explicit desire of Our Lady to establish groups. It is difficult to find out the exact number, but there are already thousands of prayer groups.

Added September 26, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

New languages supported in Messages section

Site News
We added Slovak and Slovenian languages, and we support most of the features in Messages section for these languages.  
Added September 27, 2005 /  Category: Charitable projects / Author: Marek Gayer
Mary's Meals La'Visitation

Source: www.medjugorje.ws

When I was this September on a pilgrimage in Medjugorje, I visited some of the places, where pilgrims usually go and where I was already during my previous visits. I visited e.g. the St. James Church, Statue of the Risen Saviour, Apparition Hill, Oasis of Peace, Cenacolo community and other places. On this pilgrimage, I noticed another interesting place, which I will also gladly visit again on my next pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Added October 4, 2005 /  Category: Testimonies, Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Testimony Domenico Pecile

On other places of pilgrimage where Our Lady was appearing, some miracles have happened, and this is beautiful. But here, for such a long time, Our Lady is giving messages, is continuing to speak. I would say that, here, Our Lady continues to speak to the humanity. She is not doing it from a pulpit, but as a mother. Those who want to hear and to obey – they listen. Those who do not want – they don’t listen. Our Lady is continuing to speak here. I think that this is because the time, in which we live, is powerful and important as no time before. I our time, Our Lady is observing as a mother, seeing our reality and coming to help us to think again about our way of life and about the world in which we live.

Added November 7, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Medjugorje Catholic Church

The French Bishops

During the last assembly of the Bishops of France, a question put by a member of the Conference was the subject of a written response by Msgr. H. Brincard, Bishop of Puy-en-Velay, responsible for overseeing the Association of Marian organizations. This response was made at the request of the Permanent Council. Regarding some facts having a certain repercussion, Bishop Brincard wanted solely to bring an ecclesial light, which we can hope will contribute to strengthening the unity of the People of God. Is not the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, in a very particular way, the servant of this unity?

The text is taken from the official bulletin of the French Episcopal Conference (SNOP), No. 1064, printed in La Documentation Catholique of 7 January 2000.

Added November 8, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Medjugorje Catholic Church

On June 24, 1981, six children in the town of Medjugorje, Yugoslavia (today, Bosnia-Herzegovina), began to experience phenomena which they alleged to be apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This apparition had a message of peace for the world, as well as a call to conversion, prayer and fasting. It also entrusted to the children secret messages about events to be fulfilled in the future. These "secrets," confided individually to different visionaries, have not been revealed to the public. The apparitions themselves have continued almost daily since 1981, with some of the now young adults continuing to experience them regularly (those who have not yet received all the secrets intended for them) and others not. Originally they occurred on a hilltop near the town where a large Cross commemorating the Redemption exists. They have since occurred in many other places, including the parish church, St. James, and wherever the visionaries happen to be located at the time of the apparition.

Added November 10, 2005 /  Category: Theology reports / Author: Dr. fra Tomislav Pervan, OFM
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Polski
Fra Tomislav Pervan

Someone said that the problem of the meaning of history is precisely in this, does man know and is he at all aware and is it granted to him to discover the truth about himself while that history is still ongoing. Namely, does history, which offers so many signs of coincidences, so much irrationality, still reveal, in spite of everything, the necessity, which brings along some sort of justification for everything that has happened in the past?

Added November 10, 2005 /  Category: Visionaries, Theology reports / Author: Dr. fra Josip Marcelic
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Role Visionaries

While thinking about the theme assigned, the word of John comes to mind: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life -- the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us -- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 Jn 1:1-3)

Added November 16, 2005 /  Category: Theology reports / Author: Dr. Marianne Tigges
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Entrance to the Oasis of Peace community in Medjugorje

Source: www.medjugorje.ws

An Inquiry into the Calling and Mission of the Church Today

If one inquires about particularly conspicuous signs of hope in today's Church, the new spiritual communities or movements are very often being mentioned. This is certainly justified since, as a whole, they represent an authentic Christian answer to the challenge of the cultural situation of the faith (cp. Medard Kehl SJ, "Communio" - a Paling Vision? In Voices of the Times, Journal no. 7/1997,453).

The Council documents have always stressed the community of the entire People of God in the mission and calling of the Church in the midst of the world. Also the bishops' synods of the last decades have acknowledged the community of the Church as a gift of the Spirit in the multitude of charisms and forms of life: The Calling and Mission of the Laity> (1987), Priestly Formation in Relation to the Present Times (1990) and The Consecrated Life (1994).

Added November 16, 2005 /  Category: Theology reports / Author: Kurt Knotziger
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Stimulations Daily Reading Scripture

Thoughts to an Introduction

The request for us to read Holy Scripture can be found four times in the messages of Medjugorje. On October 18, 1984, a message said: "Today I call on you to read the Bible every day in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and to pray." A later message picks up on this one in a very specific manner: "Every family must pray family prayer and read the Bible!" (Message of February 14, 1985) Two further messages give reasons to why reading Sacred Scripture is so very important: "Pray and read the Sacred Scriptures so that through my coming you discover the message in the Sacred Scriptures for you.", and "Read Sacred Scripture, live it, and pray to understand the signs of the times." (June 25, 1991 and August 25, 1993)

Added November 22, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

New languages supported in Messages section

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We added Bulgarian and Czech languages, and we support most of the features in Messages section for these languages.  
Added November 22, 2005 /  Category: Theology reports / Author: Hans Schotte
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Newspapers (illustration photo)

Nowhere in the world has Our Lady ever spoken for such a long time and through so many messages to the people of this earth. This fact alone is so unique that it makes us wonder. The Messages have nothing spectacular nor sensational in them, as we journalists expect and as we are used to in news broadcasting. Many Messages are repetitions, deepening of the same content, offering help to make even the smallest step in faith; they are repeated invitations finally to do and to live what Our Lady already invited us to live. She motivates us again and again to turn to her to learn how to believe, to find Jesus, to find ourselves. All this is not particularly interesting for the demands of a journalist. No wonder, because the Messages are not passing news which seem a sensation today and become "cold coffee" tomorrow, according to the proverb: "There is nothing as old as yesterday's newspaper." The Messages are not like that. They are supports and helps to grow continually and in simplicity.

Added December 2, 2005 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Russian language supported in Messages section

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We added Russian language, and we support most of the features in Messages section for the Russian language.  
Added December 3, 2005 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Mirjana Kovac
Lidija Paris: You are born in Vukovar, and your father was born in Posusje. So many years after the war, it is noticeable that you still carry a deep inner pain remembering all that has happened. You came here with an envelope containing some photographs and some papers. This is all that remains of the first 40 years of your life…

Mirjana Kovač: I came to be in Medjugorje during these days that are still so painful for me. With faith in God, it is much easier for us to carry our cross. We unite our cross to the cross of Jesus, we offer everything to Him. Jesus allowed us this dignity. Thanks to my father and my mother who educated us in faith in God, and with the Rosary in the hand, during those days that are unimaginable for a human intelligence, we had the impression that we were somehow mysteriously supported. We were conscious that the worst could happen at any moment, but thanks to our faith in God, everything had another dimension. Death was closer to us then life…

Added December 4, 2005 /  Category: Testimonies, Interviews, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Italiano
Interview Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendiata
Dragan Soldo: You went on pilgrimage to many other great Marian shrines. Can you say something about the specificity of Medjugorje?

Mons. José Domingo Ulloa: The specificity of Medjugorje is the gift of peace received here. This is what humanity is longing for today, and this gift is received in Medjugorje through our Mother Mary. It is not only about inner peace, but also about discovering that we are all brothers, and that conflicts and violence are not a solution. This peace should be shared with others.

Added February 14, 2006 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
David Ianni
What touches young people most in Medjugorje? What attracts them?

Their longing for peace, their thirst for the truth. The world deceives us so often. The media emphasise mostly negative things. Young people are very much manipulated in the area of sexuality, and attacked in their souls. This can lead to severe consequences if their faith has not been strengthened beforehand. The message of Medjugorje awakens in them a longing for true peace, and probably for God and for the family... for intact families. Many people come from broken families nowadays. It is very rare that one finds a family, where the love of the neighbour is really lived, where there is prayer, where parents do not divorce after the first difficulty. But, in my opinion, what draws them mostly to Medjugorje is their longing for God, and the longing to find a meaning to their lives. Here you can meet Mary and Christ more intensely than at home. Another important factor is that young people meet other young people, whom they perceive to have found peace, and to have immersed more deeply in the spiritual life.

Added April 2, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
International Youth Festival Mladifest 17

The 17th International Youth Festival - Mladifest 17 – will take place in Medjugorje from August 1st to August 6th, 2006. The theme of the encounter is, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119 [118]:105) ( “Dear children … witness with your life that you believe and live the Word of God.” - Message of January 25, 2006 [O]

Added April 11, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

New address of the web Our Lady of Medjugorje

Site News
Today I finished moving of the site to a new address, that should be more easy to remember and matches better to the name of the site: www.ourlady.eu. Although the old address www.olm.name should work also, I recommend of using the new address, because www.olm.name will work only until May 2007. The site was unavailable during whole the yesterday due to this change but should be up and running from today without further problems.  
Added April 20, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic, Interviews
The Trip Of Vicka In The Afterlife

Vicka: ... Just entered, we have gone on, walking, perhaps three, four meters. We have not visited the whole Heaven, but the Gospa has made sense of it. We have seen a great space wound by a light that it doesn't exist here on the earth. We have seen the people that are neither fat, neither thin, but all equal ones and they have dresses of three colors: the grey , the yellow and the pink. The people walk, sing, pray. There were some small flying Angels. The Gospa has told us: "Look at how much the people are happy in the Heaven". And a joy that cannot be described and that here on the earth it doesn't exist.

Added April 21, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic, Interviews
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Interview Of Vicka By Fr Livio For Radio Maria

Vicka: ... When you look at Our Lady the beauty of her face is so wonderful that words can't describe it. She herself has said that she is beautiful because she loves. This is the way we must be beautiful - above all, beautiful inside - so that our faces can radiate this beauty too... Unfortunately, we hide our faces behind many types of masks; we hide everything inside.. We have to begin to love to be beautiful. With all our hearts we should begin by loving those in our homes, our family and then the others around us. True beauty is spiritual beauty.

Added May 5, 2006 , 11:25 AM /  Category: Spiritual Life / Author: Cristina Palici
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Sr. Maria Consolata Betrone

In Christian mysticism a victim soul is by no doubt the highest state one could aspire to. In a certain sense, one could say it was both a compendium of all vocations, and a crown upon them all. But we must understand the meaning of victim. A victim soul is a person who offers himself willingly, and even if he is to suffer, he does not offer himself to suffering itself, but to the Man of sorrows, out of love, to share in His passion of love. Yes, he is a person who sacrifices himself, but in the sense given by the Old Covenant: that is, to offer a sacred gift to God.

Added May 5, 2006 , 12:13 AM /  Category: Spiritual Life / Author: Beverley K. Drabsch
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Maria Consolata Betrone Jesus Mary Love Save Souls

In the message of 25 July 2005 [O] Our Blessed Mother at Medjugorje said: “Dear Children! I call you to fill your day with short and ardent prayers.”

There are countless brief and ardent prayers. Perhaps we all have a favourite one we like to repeat more frequently. It would be an ardent task to find the origins of each, but I think it is fair to say that they are all inspired by God’s Spirit of Love; by Love for Love, for love of souls and love of us. One such inspiration was given to the Servant of God Sr. Maria Consolata Betrone (1903-1946, Italy) after reading St. Therese of Lisieux’s Story of a Soul. Consolata herself was granted mystical experiences, but she is particularly remembered for her “very small way” which can be summed up in the following three points which are the nucleus of Our Lord’s instructions to her:

Added May 9, 2006 , 11:13 AM /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Interviews / Author: Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Tomislav Vlasic
This year is the 25th anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions at Medjugorje. You were a witness of the extraordinary events of the first years. In the light of your personal journey and your priestly experience, what memories awake in you today?

With regards to my past years in Medjugorje, not a lot of things come to mind right now. In 1985 I began gradually withdrawing from Medjugorje to live in contemplation. As my relationship with God grew deeper there was an awakening of the memory of my soul, that space where the Holy Spirit was able to assume the role of main actor, to reveal the Mystery. In this memory there’s not so much the phenomena of Medjugorje, but rather the divine truth of the living and true God, and the Mother of God who is present in and works in us. It is the truth of the Church.

Added May 9, 2006 , 11:14 AM /  Category: Spiritual Life, Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Spiritual Life

Beyond all possible thoughts and imagination. Beyond all possible capabilities and merits. Beyond all possible plans. Such is Mary’s presence at Medjugorje. She is present, beyond all possible human logic; beyond all possible will to keep or ignore her; beyond all possible human law and reasoning.
For nearly 25 years the Blessed Virgin has been visiting Medjugorje to visit her children who still belong to time and space, to help them cross the frontier; now, here on earth.

Added May 14, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Dutch language supported in Messages section

Site News
We added Dutch language, and we support most of the features in Messages section for the Dutch language.  
Added May 15, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican, Theology reports / Author: Pope Benedict XVI
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Pope Benedict XVI

Benedict concludes his Encyclical with praise for Mary, “Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness.” To Mary, who knitted love into every moment of her life, who became the mother of Love, are dedicated the last words of his letter on love. His words are full of grace and tender love for the little woman of Nazareth.

Added May 15, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican, Theology reports / Author: Pope Benedict XVI
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Pope Benedict XVI

A pope’s first encyclical is said to be programmatic, a kind of manifesto of the style that Peter’s successor desires giving to the Church during his pontificate. And how could one not see in the title of Pope Benedict’s document the will to begin from the foundation of Christianity: God is love (1Jn 4:16), so that this humanity ever more divided amid the sea of options proposed by society might be shown the tracks that lead to God.

Added May 15, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Jelena Vasilj, Interviews / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Jelena Interviewed Our Lady Told Us Truth
Jelena, you have been absent from the pages of Echo for some time. What has been happening in your life lately? Who is Jelena today?

We’re expecting our third child, but the pregnancy hasn’t been going according to previsions, and I’ve been confined to total rest. But I’ve seen how this condition of immobility regards my body only, while my spirit has been able to broaden out continually. So this has been a time of grace for me, because love has two sides to it. There is the joy and the enthusiasm of giving, even though this is accompanied by the cross, but it is when the cross is accepted, that our joy is even deeper. Then, everything is okay. It seems as though life should be always downhill to be true – or that’s how we imagine it. However, I am coming to understand ever more how suffering is our true life. So I can say that right now I am living this “true life.”

Added May 21, 2006 /  Category: Communities / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch
Medjugorje from top

They are the brothers and sisters of “Nuovi Orizzonti” (New Horizons). Founded in Italy, this community is comprised of "survivors”: young men and women who have made the descent into hell, (all too frequent among today’s youth), and have come back to life with Jesus and Mary. But how?

Added June 4, 2006 /  Category: Prayers / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Hands in a prayer

Large crowds of pilgrims came to Medjugorje for the 23rd Anniversary of the Apparitions.  What a pleasant surprise it was for all of us to hear this beautiful message given by the Gospa on this occasion (see PS.Message of June 25th [O] ).  The joy of Heaven was in our midst and the faces were radiating!

Added June 4, 2006 /  Category: Prayers
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Rosary Prayer Heart

Fr. Andrea Gasparino from Cuneo, Italy is famous for his teachings on prayer, which he has been holding for more than 40 years. He teaches the prayer of silence and of the heart, and has always called himself an enemy of oral prayer. In the following interview, held on Radio Maria, the Father clarifies some doubts.

Added June 11, 2006 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Giuseppe Ferraro
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Thank You For Responding To My Call

The Queen of Peace ends her every message by thanking us “for having responded to her call.” In fact, she has been calling us with endearing motherly passion every day for the last 25 years: “I am, my dear Children, untiring; I call you even when you are far from my heart...” ( Mess. 14.11.1985 [O] ).

Added June 11, 2006 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Tomislav Vlasic

On the evening of the 24th June 1981 at Bijakovici - a hamlet in the parish of Medjugorje - the sky was opened. No news. Yet extraordinary news. For Christian souls it was something familiar, yet it was also new. It brought new life: faith, hope and love were awoken, activating the divine life in persons.

This novelty for some became life, for others it was a stumbling block. Or rather, the living presence of Our Lady in our midst was for some joy, while others would have wanted to suppress it. As always, jubilation becomes inspiration and promotes the faith in God’s people - but when one doesn’t believe it creates fear in those “free-in-God-to-choose” people.

The Lord shows His face to His people, and this becomes a sign of contradiction. In this human vortex Mary comes as Mother of all, despite divisions and human reserve; she is, after all, Queen of Peace. As such she announces to every person the grandeur and nobleness of life in God. Despite the different responses to her call, she remains close to the people with her motherly love.

Added June 27, 2006 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Fr. Dermod McCarthy
How do you see the spirituality of Medjugorje - if there is a spirituality of Medjugorje at all?

I have been asking the question of myself and others if there is a distinct spirituality of Medjugorje. I do not think there is. I think it is more a call to deepen the spirituality that we already have. A new understanding of what we all received as children, in school and home; it is a reawakening of that, it is a renewal of that kind of uncomplicated faith, unembarrassed faith. As for the apparitions of Mary, at first you feel - if she is the Mother of God - her messages should be more theologically substantial. In fact they are deceptively simple. And I say to myself: I have been through theology courses, maybe this is the time for me to get back to the simple faith that we all have, and we grew up with. Time to look again at what Our Lady is saying, read the messages again, re-read them, and read between the lines, between the words.

Added July 16, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
25th Anniversary of Our Lady Apparitions

The 25th Anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje was solemnly celebrated in the spirit of gratitude for all the graces received.

Spiritual preparation - Novena

The spiritual preparation for the Anniversary was the Novena, which was prayed on Apparition Hill by the parishioners and the pilgrims from all over the world. From June 15 to 23, great crowds flocked towards Podbrdo at any time of day or night. Every day at 4 pm, they prayed the Rosary together with the Franciscans, and the visionaries also climbed the hill to pray there with the faithful.

Added July 19, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Some recent changes at Medjugorje website

Site News
As you may already noticed they were some changes made to this site:
  • Site now can be accessed either by www.medjugorje.ws or www.ourlady.eu
  • Remaked starting page with quote of the day and also with links to selected recommended pages and documents
  • Your choosen language preferences should be now much better remembered when you return to the site
  • On left column of pages you can access some nice tools that work with messages
  • Pages have been tested with Opera 9.0 browser and are valid XHTML 1.0.
 
Added July 19, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
25th Anniversary of Apparitions 8

The air of Medjugorje is bubbling with joy, faces are radiant, everyone is grateful for being here for this important and long awaited occasion: the 25th Anniversary of Mary’s apparitions at Medjugorje.

Everyone feels grateful, even privileged, as though each had received a personal invitation. Everyone certainly feels loved. It is as though the Gospa had “arranged things” in the life of each person to make it possible for him or her to be here. It hasn’t got to do with favouritism, but of being called. We are all called to become apostles, mediators of a grace that is too big to be contained. It is a gratuitous call by God that ought not make us feel better than others, but only responsible administrators of a good destined for all.

Added August 10, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Jelena Vasilj / Author: Sr. Emmanuel

Jelena Vasilj about children

Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski

For years, Jelena was formed by the Gospa. For years, Jelena was trained by the Gospa directly and today she remains a well of light for whoever wants to understand Our Lady's maternal spirit. Here are a few words that I gleaned these days from Jelena:

"Before I was married, my life was easier. I was studying, I was free, actually, I was working on my personal formation. Now my life as a spouse and mother obligates me to practice everything I learned. That is to say, to give all of myself constantly and without counting the cost. My children - they are my superiors. Looking at my children teaches me a lot about God. God is relationship and we are created in His image. I can tell by looking at my children! When a child makes noise, cries, weeps, hits, it's because he wants to enter into a relationship with us. A child, just like God, is always seeking a relationship. For a child this relationship is vital because it is through this relationship that he is built up. The richness of life is communicated through relationships. We all live out of relationships.

"When a child is experiencing relationship, he doesn't need television. Rather, he is at peace. He is satisfied. I've noticed that with my children. They never want television and even when they go to the homes of their friends, they don't want it. Television is interruption of relationship and sharing that unites family and friends. Often, we erect walls of protection against life and we lock ourselves in. When I am in a room with someone and I turn on the television, it is as if I am telling him that he is not interesting enough for me and doesn't deserve my attention.

 

Added August 10, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Jelena Vasilj / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Wedding Celebration between Jelena Vasilj and Massimiliano Valente

..brethren, exercise yourselves in charity! (St. Augustine)

With the musical version of the Litany, the Saints were called to witness at the wedding celebration between Jelena Vasilj and Massimiliano Valente on 24th August 2002 in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace at Medjugorje.

Over 500 guests (mostly from abroad) filled St. James church to join the parishioners to pray for this new family. "From his shrine may the Lord bless you.." read Fra Dragan Rucic at the start of the Mass. A choir of splend-id voices from Vicenza (Italy), and several soloists, helped make the cele-bration more sacred and solemn.

Added August 21, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
The 17th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje

"We have the same attitude towards God when we do not put Him in the first place and when we do not pray. We are far removed from the source of the spring and become frustrated. Grace is given to us through our relationship with God - in prayer."

The 17th International Youth Festival took place in Medjugorje from August 1 to 6, 2006. This year’s theme was, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119 [118]:105), in harmony with the theme, which the Holy Father Benedict XVI gave to the youth for this year’s World Youth Day that took place on Palm Sunday in local Churches.

Added September 1, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Pope John Paul II
  • Medjugorje in Light of the Pope's visit to Sarajevo
  • The Pope, Medjugorje and the Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans
  • The President of Croatia, Medjugorje and the Pope
  • Statements of Pope John Paul II about Medjugorje
  • Pope John Paul II wrote positively about Medjugorje
  • Our Lady about Pope John Paul II
Added September 2, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano
Greeting of Pope Benedict XVI
  • The Pope Benedict XVI is not against Medjugorje
  • Cardinal Ratzinger spoke in an inspired way about Medjugorje
Added September 3, 2006 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church / Author: Dr. fra Tomislav Pervan, OFM
Fra Tomislav Pervan

For the past twenty-five years, Medjugorje has been an actuality on the world scene. Today, it has its zealous advocates; however, it also has its fierce opponents. Opposing front lines in the battle are not likely to sue for peace any time soon. Advocates are tireless in their visits to Medjugorje all the while believing the authentic voice of Heaven is the starting point, namely, the appearance of the Gospa - Our Lady. Meanwhile, the opponents are fierce in their opposition and seek out elements of contention surrounding the entire set of events.

Added September 3, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
  • Cardinal Tonini on Medjugorje
  • Cardinal Wamala about Medjugorje, July 1995
  • The Visit of Two Cardinals to Medjugorje, May 1995
  • Cardinal Hans urs von Balthasar writes to Bishop Zanic
  • The Words of Frantisek Tomasek, Cardinal of Prague
  • Declaration of Croatian Cardinal dr. Franjo Kuharic on Medjugorje
Added September 4, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski

When, on the 24th-25th of June 1981, Our Lady's apparitions began in the parish of Medjugorje, in the diocese of Mostar-Duvno and Trebinje- Markanj, the bishop was Pavao Zanic (1971-1993). He was succeeded by dr. Ratko Peric.

Added September 5, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Added September 6, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Added September 7, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Added September 8, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Added September 17, 2006 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Interviews, Festival Mladifest / Author: Alex Borlini
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Ljubo Kurtovic Talking About Festival 
How did the Festival first begin? What was its aim?

This festival began 17 years ago when Fr. Slavko began to help a group of young people understand Medjugorje, also through the help of songs personal testimonies. I wasn’t here then, so I can’t tell you more about that. It was certainly a group of young people who had been touched by Medjugorje and by Our Lady’s presence and by her messages. So, gradually, this festival, this international meeting grew.

Added September 17, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest, Testimonies / Author: Francesco Cavagna
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Mladifest Youth Festival

A song, warm and rhythmical, rises from their joyful hearts, as also their minds and bodies praise the King. In dozens of different languages and prayers, with hundreds of different colours and thousands of voices, there is something new and unique going on in Medjugorje. It cannot go unnoticed by anyone, but rather, the life it brings urges you to come and be part of this one body, which is the springtime of the Church, and the mystical body of Christ.

Added September 17, 2006 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Testimony Colette

Colette is French, her husband, British and they have two girls born in America:

"We currently live in Pennsylvania. Our family is, or should I say, was not the religious type. Both my husband and I had had disgruntling experiences with the Catholic Church and we were happy to stay as far from it as we possibly could. And yet, in March 2003, something really weird happened.

Added September 17, 2006 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Pietro Squassabia
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Seeking the Heart

Maybe we tend to say: I’ve been able to do this or that, or: this work is mine, revealing a note of self-satisfaction, or even pride. So I ask: how will we see our life when it nears its end? I think we’ll have a serene and luminous recollection of what God has done in our lives and in the lives of others, and for us this will certainly be reason for joy and peace. Perhaps we shall have a distant and even indifferent recollection of what we will have done on our own; and we may also regret not having the ability and possibility of doing what we were once able to do. God, however, does not so much seek our doing – for in an instant He can create the universe – but He seeks our heart, for it is there that He finds His delight.

Added September 17, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic, Reflections / Author: Francesco Cavagna
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Vicka's Smile

Source: www.medjugorje.ws

I remember well the first time I came to Medjugorje. It was in 1997 and I was 14 years old. That pilgrimage marked a turning point in my life. It gave my life a definite direction. The journey, of course, is gradual, but at different moments I have been asked to give my response to God, and in total freedom I renewed my “yes” each time.

I was a boy at the time, and when I first came here to this blessed land I had no particular expectations or biased opinions of any type. As I look back I think I was simply led here by Our Lady. She took me by the hand and led me towards the God of Love. Till then I knew God only by hearsay, but I was soon to be seduced by Him.

Added September 19, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano
Solemnity Exaltation Holy Cross Krizevac Mountain

In the Parish of Medjugorje, the Solemnity of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is called “Križevac” and is traditionally celebrated on the first Sunday after the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. In honour of the Holy Year of Redemption 1933/34, and inspired by their pastor Fr. Bernardin Smoljan, the parishioners, despite their poverty, built a monumental cross, 8.5 m high and 3.5 m wide, on the hill above Medjugorje. Relics of the true cross of Jesus, received from Rome for the occasion, are embedded in the crossbar itself.

Added September 20, 2006 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Tomislav Vlasic

After the apparition of the Blessed Virgin on November 30, 1983, Maria Pavlovic came to me and said, 'The Madonna says that the Supreme Pontiff and the Bishop must be advised immediately of the urgency and great importance of the message of Medjugorje.'

Added September 21, 2006 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Medjugorje website - recent changes

Site News
 
Added October 1, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Mirjana during apparition

On 7th October Mirjana was interviewed by a group from Foggia.

Q. Mirjana, do you continue to see Our Lady regularly?

Mirjana Dragicevic: Yes, Our Lady always appears to me on 18th March and 2nd of each month. With regards to the 18th March She told me that Her apparitions would last all my life. I do not know when those of the 2nd will finish. They are very different from those I experienced with the other visionaries up to Christmas 1982. While Our Lady appears for these at a set time (5.45 pm) I do not know when She will arrive. I begin to pray when it is about 5 am and at times Our Lady appears in the afternoon, or even in the late evening. The duration of the apparitions also differs: those of the visionaries last about 3 to 8 minutes, the ones I receive on the 2nd of each month from 15 to 30 minutes.

Added October 10, 2006 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Medjugorje Adoration Voivodina

Approximately 2,000 people inhabit the Hungarian speaking rural parish of Sts. Peter and Paul, in the town Male Pijace in Voivodina (Serbia). They have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in their church every Thursday. They listen to the meditations from the church in Medjugorje thanks to “Radio Maria” from Novi Sad, which, in turn, relays the broadcasts from Radio “Mir” Medjugorje. Whenever translation into the Hungarian language is not possible in Medjugorje itself, the translation is done in the studio in Novi Sad.

Added September 18, 2005 , Last update October 10, 2006 /  Category: Interviews, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano
Bishop Hnilica with the Pope John Paul II
- How would you summarise the messages of Medjugorje? What is distinguishing these messages from those in Lourdes or Fatima?

Bishop Hnilica – In all three places, Our Lady is inviting us to repentance, forgiveness and prayer. In this aspect of the message, these three apparitions are similar. However, the difference in Medjugorje is that the apparitions are lasting for 23 years now. The intensity of the continuation of the supernatural is neither declining nor diminishing during all these years, and the result is an even greater number of intellectuals that are converted here.

Added October 14, 2006 /  Category: Other, Music, Free downloads / Author: Marek Gayer
Gospa Oratorio

As the webmaster of a Medjugorje website, I am always interested in other sites and pages related to and inspired by Medjugorje. When I browse through them, I notice that only a minor part of them is able to offer a really unique and attractive content. Pages of Gospa Oratorio fortunately belongs to this category - on their pages they publish something very rare and unique - a quality spiritual music album that was inspired by Medjugorje, that we can download and listen to freely in high-quality encoded mp3 files. One can also download a booklet with all the lyrics of the songs in English language. After downloading, the music can be burned to a CD, copy to a mp3 player or played directly from the computer

Added November 6, 2006 /  Category: Communities, Testimonies, Spiritual Life
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
A cloistered nun (illustration photo)

"Thank you for responding to my call!" Mary always thanks. This had struck me, but only now do I comprehend!

Whatever the circumstances that bring us to Medjugorje, we are called. As a cloistered nun it was due to health problems that I was able to come (with due permission, of course). Providence saw that I found hospitality at the contemplative Community, Kraljice Mira (Queen of Peace, Wholly Thine...); and it is with immense gratitude that I ask myself why is this granted me, that the Mother of my Lord should call me.

Added November 7, 2006 /  Category: Early Medjugorje Reflections Books, Books, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM , Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Other languages: English, Italiano
Pray with Your Heart (Red Book)

This book is the third of the four volumes of sermons and discourses given by Fr. Slavko Barbaric and Fr. Tomislav Vlasic during 1984 - 1987 in Medjugorje, and contains discourses given from July to December 1985.

Not all chapters of this book are yet included

Added November 7, 2006 /  Category: Early Medjugorje Reflections Books, Books, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM , Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Other languages: English, Italiano
I beseech you, Listen to My Messages and live them (Yellow Book)

This book is the last of the four volumes of sermons and discourses given by Fr. Slavko Barbaric and Fr. Tomislav Vlasic during 1984 - 1987 in Medjugorje, and contains discourses from 1986, finishing with the early messages of 1987.

Not all chapters of this book are yet included

Added November 13, 2006 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Nuccio Quattrocchi
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Not Tired

A reflection for Medjugorje Message of October 25, 2006

Medjugorje Message, October 25, 2006

Dear children! Today the Lord permitted me to tell you again that you live in a time of grace. You are not conscious, little children, that God is giving you a great opportunity to convert and to live in peace and love. You are so blind and attached to earthly things and think of earthly life. God sent me to lead you toward eternal life. I, little children, am not tired, although I see that your hearts are heavy and tired for everything that is a grace and a gift. Thank you for having responded to my call.

This is an unusual message, not so much for its contents, but for its tone. The contents regard, as always, the need to convert, return to God, surrender to Him, and the need to undertake a journey towards the eternal life seriously, consciously, and with deter-mination. The tone, on the other hand, is not that of an invitation, but of reproach. Used as we are to being urged and spurred on, this message surprises us because rather than a call it appears more to capture a situation of distance between us and God.

Added November 13, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Français, Italiano
Mons. Paul Hnilica

Quite to the contrary, Mons. Paul Hnilica was a courageous witness in the Church of the extraordinary grace of that blessed land. In 1997 he addressed a letter to Medjugorje-inspired prayer groups, a part of which we publish here to synthesize the immense value of the event known as Medjugorje.

Added November 14, 2006 /  Category: Reflections, Spiritual Life / Author: Cecilia Appugliese
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Big Pink Heart

We recently celebrated the Jubilee of Heaven: Our Lady’s presence in our midst for 25 years. Since that distant 25 June 1981, a good part of the world has been to Medugorje. Some pass through but once, but the greater majority return after the first visit, and continue to return as though to a special appointment that one is anxious for.

Medjugorje is known by now in every corner of the world, even if merely by hear-say. Every time one returns is though to drink fresh water from a well-spring which quenches our thirst for God and His love. This thirst is in the hearts of all, but at times is ignored, wittingly or unwittingly, and we often seek to quench it with “polluted water.” Mary came to awaken in us this thirst and to help us find at Jacob’s well Him who quenches every thirst: her Son Jesus. This then, explains the ongoing desire to make this pilgrimage, to begin the journey on which to encounter the Lord. At Medugorje, it is difficult not to encounter Him, not to hear the call to conversion, the need to pray, to reconcile with God through confession and begin a new life.

Added November 14, 2006 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Giuseppe Ferraro
Other languages: English, Français, Italiano
I am with you

There is an expression that is repeated very frequently in the messages of the Queen of Peace, perhaps so much so that her distracted children miss the importance of it and their hearts are unmoved by it. This expression is: “I am with you!”

When asked what he thought the most important message Heaven was offering us through Medjugorje, Padre Slavko would respond: “Mary’s special presence in our midst.”

Added November 21, 2006 /  Category: Spiritual Life / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Hieronymus Bosch - Ascent of the Blessed - 1500s. Oil on panel. Palazzo Ducale, Venice, Italy.

Last summer, a dear Croatian friend went back to the Lord, after a very painful cancer. At her bedside I met an Austrian woman who often came to see her, prayed with her, and helped her to prepare for the great meeting. I was so impressed with her tactfulness, her know-how by a dying person, and the appropriateness of her words that I asked her for her secret. She told me her story and how the Lord had countered her plans to put her in His service. The testimony of this woman, Elizabeth, is worth knowing. The month of November is the month of All Saints and also the month of the dead who are waiting to come into the Light. Therefore everything that can help us Christianize our vision of death is good to take on!

Added November 22, 2006 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, St. Paul-Minneapolis, USA

Some years ago when I was first a bishop in Louisiana, it must have been 1988, I was making my first "ad limina" visit to the Holy Father in Rome.

The other bishops of Louisiana were with me and, as what the custom of John Paul II, we were invited in to enjoy a lunch with him. There were eight of us at the table with him.

Soup was being served. Bishop Stanley Ott of Baton Rouge, La., who has since gone to God, asked the Holy Father: "Holy Father, what do you think of Medjugorje?"

Added December 2, 2006 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Français, Italiano
Love Becomes Child

Love, sung, prayed, and proclaimed, has always been the object of man’s attention. To tell the truth, love is the only thing we seek and really need. Lack of love is the root of every conflict whether personal, or a family or world affair. If every person were to fully enjoy a portion of the love for which he was created, no one would ever bother to attack another, but he would simply love!

Added December 8, 2006 /  Category: Interviews, Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Statue Our Lady Civitavecchia Weeping Tears Blood

For ten years now, the statue of Gospa in the town of Civitavecchia is weeping tears of blood

An interview with Mons. Girolamo Grillo from Civitavecchia – “The tree can be recognised by its fruits”, quotes Bishop Girolamo Grillo the words of Jesus from the Gospel, when somebody asks him about Gospa weeping tears of blood in the town of Civitavecchia. A little statue of Our Lady bought in Medjugorje more than ten years ago started to weep tears of blood about ten years ago, in the village of Pantano, near the town of Civitavecchia, 60 km from Rome.

Added December 8, 2006 /  Category: Testimonies, Spiritual Life / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Polski
Early Days Medjugorje Apparitions Kathleen Martin

...In the early years, Kathleen tells us, the church would be packed and the people - with great zeal - would always sing the "Ave" at the end of Mass. Marija said that very often Our Lady would reappear and she'd go above the people back and forth in the church, and she would be weeping. Marija once asked her why she wept. Our Lady said, "Because I didn't know so many people loved me!" (Kathleen's observation: She cried for joy because she didn't expect to be loved - which means she's not used to being loved by us

Added December 20, 2006 /  Category: Visionaries, Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez, Interviews / Author: Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic
Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic

Medjugorje, February, 1983

Svetozar Kraljevic: Ivanka, you and Mirjana were taking a walk together that day. Why were you walking together?

Ivanka Ivankovic: We regularly walked together in that area. We had been at my house; then we decided to take our walk.

Added December 21, 2006 , Last update December 24, 2006 /  Category: Other / Author: Marek Gayer
Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2007
Christmas Crib

^^^ CLICK ON THE TITLE! ^^^

I sincerely wish to all of you, that the love of little Jesus would be reborn in your hearts, resulting in spiritual experience of joy and peace. I also wish you, that especially this Christmas time would also be the time of deep prayer of heart and sincere love and devotion towards Jesus Christ, Our Lady and God the Creator. So that in the end of this year, your hearts would be prepared to enter the New Year of 2007 with tranquility and love towards God the Creator, all his creatures and everything that is divine, holy and good.

Note: On The Christmas Day (i.e. 12/24/2006), you will find a present for you here.

Added December 24, 2006 /  Category: Books, Spiritual Life
The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux With Additional Writings and Sayings of St. Therese

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

The Story of a Soul (L'Histoire d'Une Âme): The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Entitled by herself: "The Story of the Springtime of a Little White Flower"

with additional writings and sayings of St. Thérèse

Added January 24, 2007 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Reflections / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Praying Fasting Peace

In the message of September 25, 2001 [O] , Our Lady says:

« … pray and fast that God may give you peace … »

Praying and fasting for peace was the substance of the whole life of Fr. Slavko Barbaric, from the very day he entered in the service of the messages of Our Lady. In his last book: “Fast with the heart”, Fr. Slavko wrote especially on fasting and praying for peace. Let us read some passages from this book:

Added January 25, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic, Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Vicka Ivankovic Mario Mijatovic Wedding

26.01.2002 – On Saturday, January 26th, 2002, in the parish church of St. James in Medjugorje, the wedding of Vicka Ivankovic from Medjugorje and Mario Mijatovic, a native from Sarajevo, was celebrated.

The marriage that was blessed by Fr. Branko Radoš, pastor of Medjugorje, the Holy Mass at which concelebrated Fr. Jozo Zovko and Fr. Ivan Landeka along with more than 20 other priests from all over the world, the wedding that attracted hundreds of friends from all over the world and more then 30 photographers and journalists, means for Vicka - the always smiling parishioner who still today has daily apparitions of Our Lady - that with her henceforth stands a man with whom she is eternally bound in love, and who will be a sure support at the service of Our Lady’s messages and the faithful, who day and night come seeking light on their Christian path.

Added January 25, 2007 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Testimonies / Author: Fra Leonard Orec, OFM
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Fra Leonard Orec, OFM

On Sunday, January 21, 2007, was commemorated the fifth anniversary of the death of Dr. Fr. Leonard Oreč, former parish priest of Medjugorje and founder of the religious-humanitarian organization “Medjugorje-Mir”. Holy Mass was celebrated for him in the parish church. It was presided by Fr. Ivan Landeka, another former parish priest of Medjugorje and actual president of the organization “Medjugorje-Mir”, and concelebrated by the present parish priest of Medjugorje, dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar.

Added January 29, 2007 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Italiano
Bishop of Namur

On 25 August, Ivan visited Beauraing in Belgium where Mary appeared to 5 children for 33 times in 1932. Mass was celebrated by the Bishop of Namur, Msgr. Léonard. The following is from his eloquent homily.

"(...)Which are the churches that please the Lord? Crowded churches. He loves them, because a crowded church for the Lord is a prophecy of what will be at the end of time, when God’s Kingdom will be everything in everyone!

Added January 30, 2007 /  Category: Spiritual Life / Author: Cristina Palici
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
The Vision of St Bernard, by Fra Bartolommeo, ca 1504 (Uffizi)

He managed to inflame whomever came close to him with the same love for God and Mary. His name: ST. BERNARD of CLAIRVAUX (1091-1153), one of the fi rst Cistercian monks, third mediaeval father and last father of the Church in chronological order. He was a beacon of spiritual light that illuminated all of western Europe during the XII century.

Added January 30, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News / Author: Francesco Cavagna
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Celebration of New Year 2007 with singing in St. James Church, Medjugorje

Festivity, recollection, inner joy, and an atmosphere of grace and prayer - just as one would expect at Medjugorje, the land chosen and moulded by Mary to fulfi l her plan of renewal for the Church and mankind – was what made new year’s eve extra special; even if each time of the year at Medjugorje is marked by particular graces.

Added February 19, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Polski
Testimony Teresa Sicily

One of the guests at Vicka and Mario's wedding, Teresa from Sicily (62 years old) had this to share with us:

"I am the twelfth of 14 children. My father used to curse God and beat my mother and us children. We were often hungry and had to sleep 3 to a bed. When I was 9 years old, I received the call to become a nun, but my father would not allow it because he wanted me to work in order to help the family. Later I got married and became lukewarm in my faith. My husband didn’t believe much, but we went to Mass on Sundays."

Added February 19, 2007 /  Category: Shepherds of Church, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Medjugorje Gift God

Soon after the apparitions of the Queen of Peace began at Medjugorje, it came to the attention of the public that the Diocesan and Franciscan priests of the Mostar diocese did not agree on all issues. This quarrel had in fact broken out over one hundred years beforehand, and sadly, still continues today. At a local level, this discrepancy would not have been intensified had Mostar not been an area of intersecting cultures, faiths and civilizations. At a world-wide level, it wouldn't have been so controversial had Our Lady not appeared in one of it's parishes! Undoubtedly this argument affects the stance of the local Church and the Church in the whole of Croatia as regards Our Lady's apparitions. It is important to mention here that in the initial months of the apparitions the local Bishop, Pavao Zanic believed in the authenticity of Our Lady's apparitions and due to reasons, known only to himself, he altered his stance. Wishing to protect Episcopal comradeship, the bishops of the Church of Croatia have refrained from making public statements. Many other Church dignitaries have followed their example. However there have also been some significant exceptions.

Added February 24, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic, Interviews / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano
Vicka Ivankovic Gods Will

The village is quiet during these winter months. For many pension owners and the visionaries, less pilgrims means more time spent with family around the wood-burning stove. This past month a woman from China stayed in Medjugorje, with my community. She mentioned that she thought it must be easy for the visionaries to discern what God wants of them. "When you see Our Lady every day", she said, "you know how to follow the right path. But for us, how are we to know the will of God in our lives and how can we be sure not to be mistaken?" I took a chance that Vicka would have some "winter time" to spend with us and would share some insights of hers. She welcomed my friend very kindly. Because she radiates such a heavenly joy and love, one may think she can give a magic recipe for peace! Well, she did draw a clear line to happiness, but indeed nothing magic!

Added March 1, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo, Interviews / Author: Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Tomislav Vlasic

Medjugorje, January 10, 1983

Tomislav Vlasic: Mirjana, we have not seen each other for some time, and I would like you to tell me about the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and especially with the events that are connected to you.

Mirjana Dragicevic: I have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary for eighteen months now, and feel I know Her very well. I feel she loves me with Her Motherly love, and so I have been able to ask Her about anything I would like to know. I've asked her to explain some things about Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell that were not clear to me. For example, I asked Her how God can be so unmerciful as to throw people into Hell, to suffer forever. I thought: If a person commits a crime and goes to jail, he stays there for a while and then is forgiven - but to Hell, forever? She told me that souls who go to Hell have ceased thinking favorably of God - have cursed Him, more and more. So they've already become a part of Hell, and choose not to be delivered from it.

Added March 26, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
In a rush

If we stop a moment and listen to the rhythm of life that flows within us, perceived especially by the beating of the heart, we will realize that it is slow, calm and harmonious; unless we have forced it to fasten by a lifestyle which makes us rush.

Our paper, the Echo, is sent to many parts of the world, and I hope there are still parts of the world where the folk are not “forced” to live the anxiety of the “developed world” who are caught up in a mechanism of production that threatens them not to stop.

Added March 26, 2007 /  Category: Reflections
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Silence Heaven Speaking

It is Lent, a time when the Church advises us to live the experience of the desert, to be better prepared for Easter, with an appropriate inner disposition: void of the superfluous and more open to perceive the presence of God, who at Easter, after his Passion and Death on the Cross, will become for us full light, resurrection and glory. It is precisely to this that the Lenten journey invites us. The right tools are needed for the journey. Amongst the means suggested the most important one is fasting, which is the attitude of renouncing something that is dear to us, or good, but which is not strictly necessary for our survival.

Added March 26, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies, Reflections
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Statue of Queen of Peace before St. James Church

God Alone Suffi ces!

It was the 20th October 2005. I was with two friends and prayer companions when my Medjugorje voyage began on the day I joined the “Kraljice Mira” community. It all started in 1998, the year our Blessed Mother prepared me for two special encounters with her and her Son. The first was a pilgrimage to Spain, to the tombs of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, and to Garabandal where Our Lady appeared between 1960 and 1964, and only a few weeks later I went on pilgrimage again; this time to Medjugorje where I had not been before.

Added April 10, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Evening Mass at Medjugorje

I think what has struck my people is the piety and devotion of the people here, the faith, the testimonies we have received. We have seen people at prayer, people that believe, people that live their Christian experience of faith and love. They are on fire. It's beautiful. I couldn't ask for anything more. I've tried all kinds of things in my diocese to transform the people- because we live in a dysfunctional society ­ and I've spent thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars with sessions and workshops, and I haven't accomplished, spending all that kind of money, 10% of what has been accomplished here with one pilgrimage! So you've got someone here who will really push, not officially, but push!

Added April 10, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti
Other languages: English, Italiano
Marija Pavlovic Medjugorje Marys Messages

Our Lady always asks us to live her messages. She doesn't want us to depend on them, but she calls us to be joyful bearers of her words and to be good Christians. The Blessed Virgin gives us the opportunity to come to Medjugorje and begin a new life. That is why she chose us 19 years ago. When Our Lady appeared we asked her why she chose us, and she replied: "God gave me the possibility to choose, and I chose you." As one of Our Lady's witnesses I wish to help you, that you may be touched by this special grace in this year of the Great Jubilee.

Added May 8, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic, Interviews / Author: Fra Kresimir Sego
Interview Vicka Ivankovic Kresimir Sego
Vicka, will you please describe what the feeling of a person is that has been meeting with the Mother of God every day now for fifteen years?

This feeling cannot possibly be put in words, for there are no words to describe it. It is something special, a special peace, satisfaction, a joy that cannot be experienced with any man, but only with Our Lady.

Added May 8, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies, Spiritual Life
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Vocation Sister Rita Marie Sofka

In 1991, my father asked me to see a video of Medjugorje, after I had dinner at my parent’s house. I always loved Our Blessed Mother. It was fascinating to hear that she was appearing in this country, and I said to my father, how can this be? Ten years, and I have never heard a priest speak about it in a church! My father told me that it was a protestant man who made the tape. That evening, there was a bad storm, and I could not drive back to my home, so I spent the night at my parent’s house. During the night, I really felt Our Lady’s presence in the room. Never anything like that happened to me. At one hand, I was excited, at the other nervous, but I felt peace. Something happened that night. She touched me. It was always in the back of my mind. When I would hear the word Medjugorje, it fascinated me.

Added May 18, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Latvian and Portuguese language supported in Medjugorje Messages section

Site News
Added Latvian and Portuguese languages, with support for most of the features in Messages section for these languages.  
Added May 20, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Albanian, Catalan, Hungarian, Romanian and Swedish Medjugorje messages

Site News
Recent Medjugorje messages in Albanian, Catalan, Hungarian, Romanian and Swedish language will be included on this website.  
Added May 21, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Nuestra Señora Del Pilar

“You haven’t heard of Nuestra Señora Del Pilar!? But she’s the Patron of all Hispanic Peoples! .. So, tomorrow we shall take you there.” It was during my visit to Madrid at the beginning of spring that I thus came to know of this story which is both fascinating and important. It is important because the shrine came to be after an apparition of Mary 40 years after Christ’s death (40 AD), that is, while she was still alive.

Added May 21, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Be Holy as I am Holy!

“Be Holy as I am Holy!” : mere advice, or a command? Is being holy something we can do on our own? We, expert in all that is technical; can we make ourselves become holy? The idea of making oneself holy is illusory. The Lord desired sharing this gift with us. Holiness is such a precious gift, and without it, it is impossible to enjoy the eternal goods of Paradise. God wants his children with him, He wants them to be eternally happy. For this reason He sent His Son who let His heart be pierced so we could receive the Holy Spirit.

Added May 22, 2007 /  Category: Interviews, Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Bernardo Cazzaro

Mons. Bernardo Cazzaro, Servant of Mary, Archbishop Emeritus of Puerto Montt (Chile) spent the major part of his life as a missionary in Chile. At the end of its active episcopal service, he returned to Italy in order to help as a spiritual councillor and confessor in the Marian shrine Monte Berico.

In May 2007, during a pilgrimage to Medjugorje with a group from Vittorio Veneto, in an interview with Lidija Paris he expressed his impressions on Medjugorje.

Added June 2, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Mirjana Dragicevic Pray Non Believers

At the recent Youth Festival in Medjugorje Mirjana said: Since 1987 my favourite day is the 2nd of each month. On this day I pray with our Blessed Mother for non-believers, who says, however: "for those who have not known God's love." She is asking for our help, of all of us, of all those who think of Her as Mother. Mary says we cannot save the non-believers if not through our prayer and example. She is asking us to give utmost importance to prayer in their favour, because She has said that the worst things - such as war, divorce, abortion - come from people who do not believe: "When you pray for them, you are praying for yourselves and for your families and for the good of the world."

Added June 4, 2007 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Italiano
Medjugorje Hong Kong Macao

In May 2007, a group of pilgrims came to Medjugorje from Hong Kong and Macao. The group was accompanied by a priest, and led by Michelle Yau Ivy (Hong Kong) and S. Claire-Marie (Macao). Lidija Paris spoke with them.

Can you tell us about the beginnings of the pilgrimages from Hong Kong to Medjugorje?

Michelle Yau Ivy: Everything started in December 2001, with my first trip here. I was coming just for fun with a group of friends from Hong Kong. I did not expect anything. I just wanted to come with friends. After this trip, I received a great blessing. When I returned, my husband asked to learn to pray the Rosary and became truly devoted to this. I was very amazed. Soon after, he asked to learn the catechism, and five months later, he was baptized, on the feast of Our Lady of Assumption. He is working now for the monks, in the monastery “Our Lady of Joy” in Hong Kong! For me, this is a fruit of Medjugorje. Then, I was thinking to come back, so I decided to bring a group here. I know that people wanted to come, but they were very afraid. I tried to organize a trip. There was a rumor in Hong Kong that this was a very cold place without electricity and without water, where people eat just bread, so they thought that they should bring along as much food as they can! This is what we have done on the first trip!

Added June 6, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština
Gathering of young people at Mladifest

The 18th International Youth Festival - Mladifest 18 – will take place in Medjugorje from August 1st to August 6th, 2007. The theme of the encounter is, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34) (“Dear children! Today I call you to love. Little children, love each other with God’s love…The risen Jesus will be with you and you will be His witnesses.” - Message of March 25, 2005)

Added June 9, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Norwegian and Vietnamese languages supported in Medjugorje Messages section

Site News
Added Norwegian and Portuguese languages, with support for most of the features in Messages section for these languages.  
Added June 14, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Guestbook and contact form are functional again

Site News
I apologize to all users of this website who were recently unable to send feedback using contact form and add new items to the guestbook. Due to a bug in an update of the website software, during the 28 May until morning 14 June, informations filled in contact form and guestbook were unfortunately not stored on the website. If possible, please use either contact form or guestbook to send these informations again; now these tools are functional again. Thank you.  
Added June 21, 2007 /  Category: Other / Author: Ralph R. Nix, M.D. , David J. Apple, M.D.
Solar Retinopathy Sungazing Medjugorje

There has been much interest and enthusiasm generated among the Louisiana population concerning the reported apparitions of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to six children in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. In addition thousands of visitors to Medjugorje have claimed to have observe the "miracle of the sun," in which the sun is covered by a black disc and appears to pulsate and emit bright colors, without any apparent harmful effects to the eye. The following is a report of four patients who have suffered retinal damage associated with sungazing, both in Medjugorje and in New Orleans. It is hoped that by reporting these cases that the physicians of Louisiana will become aware of the risks involved with this practice, and that appropriate warnings will be disseminated to patients, friends, and to the public.

Added June 27, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
26th Anniversary of Our Lady Apparitions in Medjugorje

„My soul magnifies the Lord, exults my spirit in God my Saviour”. With these words, during the whole Novena, every evening after Holy Mass, the Medjugorje visionaries, the faithful and the pilgrims were thanking for the grace that God has shown to Medjugorje and to the whole world during these 26 years of Our Lady’s apparitions.

Added June 29, 2007 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Rainer Herteis

Fr. Rainer Herteis, born in 1975, received his priestly ordination on May 6, 2006, in the Diocese Eichstätt (Germany). The story of his life and of his vocation are closely connected with Medjugorje. In June 2007, he was in Medjugorje. Lidija Paris spoke with him.

Fr. Herteis, tell us how you became a priest?

I was born with reduced vision. Already in the kindergarten, the doctors determined an illness of the retina, which is medically incurable. A metabolic disturbance, which led to it that, when I was 25, I could see only very little light. As the doctors were giving me very little hope to see again, I met a woman who told me: I am going to pray for you. I was about 15 when she prayed for me for the first time. I felt a very strong warmth, and I concluded that it could come only from God. This was for me the first experience that God was a living God who can hear our prayers, a God who loves us, and who is there for us.

Added July 14, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Twelfth International Seminar for Priests in Medjugorje

“With Mary, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit”

The Twelfth International Seminar for Priests took place in Medjugorje from 2 to 7 July 2007. he theme of the seminar was, “With Mary, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit”.

The preacher of this retreat was supposed to be Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical House, who was unable to come because of unexpected circumstances. He was replaced by Prof. Dr. Tomislav Ivančić (born 1938), former Dean of the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb (Croatia), at present Director of the Institute for the Fundamental Theology, founder of the Community “Prayer and Word” and of the “Center for spiritual help” where the Hagiotherapy (Healing with the Holy) is applied, founder of the School for Evangelization and of the School for Hagiotherapy.

Added July 16, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Giuseppe Ferraro
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Mystery Grace

At Conclusion of Jubilee Year

There is a message that Mary leaves us; a message without words, that is expressed with extraordinary intensity at MEDJUGORJE. The most precious, it gives meaning and fertility to every other message. I am speaking of the current of grace, that through her living presence, is communicated to souls with the unspeakable power of love.

Added July 16, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News / Author: Sister Halina
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
What's happening in Medjugorje (May 2007)

At the beginning of the month of May which is consecrated to the Mother of God, an unusual wave of pilgrims came upon Medjugorje. It was the presence of a people which is very faithful to Marian devotion; a people very attached to my own heart: “a people from afar, far but always close, strong in its faith and Christian tradition.” Yes, I am talking of the Polish pilgrims, who came so numerously in the fi rst week of May. They came to thank God for the gift of the Virgin Mary, and to lift up to God their song of praise.

Added July 23, 2007 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies, Festival Mladifest
Tatiana Cameron Tajci

Tatiana Matejaš-Cameron (also known as Tajči) is a singer who gave a concert and a testimony on the Youth Festival "Mladifest" in Medjugorje, 2006. This was the first time that Tajči has performed in the former Yugoslavia region since leaving Croatia in the nineties. Tatiana no longer sings pop music, but only spiritual songs. During the last years, Tatiana has given hundreds of concerts all over the USA, where she found her way to God and where she settled and founded her family. See also her official website, www.idobelieve.com)

Added July 25, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican

Holy Father Benedict XVI prayed in front of an image of Our Lady of Medjugorje

Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano

The Web portal of Radio Vatican reports in a text of July 21, 2007, that the Pope Benedict XVI, in Lorenzago di Cadore where he is staying until July 27, spent one hour in prayer in front of an image of Our Lady of Medjugorje.

Radio Vatican is saying that it was a very poignant moment.

„The Pope went to the small chapel in the forest and prayed in front of the image of Our Lady of Medjugorje. An interesting story is connected with this image: it was brought in the 80’s and was stolen. After some time, the thief brought it back to the small chapel. The Pope prayed the Rosary and spent there about one hour”, says the journalist of Radio Vatican.

More about it: Attesa per il secondo Angelus di Benedetto XVI da Lorenzago. Ieri sera, al Castello di Mirabello, il concerto dei cori del Cadore in onore del Papa

 
Added July 27, 2007 /  Category: Charitable projects, Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Marys Meals Conference 2007

A Proposition of a Simple Solution to World Hunger that Works

If you can’t feed one hundred people, then feed just one” (Mother Teresa)

The Humanitarian Organization “Scottish International Relief” organized in Medjugorje the first international Mary’s Meals conference from June 11 to 15, 2007.

Added July 27, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Feast James 2007

On June 25, the parish of Medjugorje celebrated the feast of St. James, its patron saint.

Following tradition, the morning Eucharistic celebration which took place in the park near the parish church was preceded by a procession with the statue of St. James, and the singing of the litanies of All Saints. This year, the honour to carry the statue was given to those living in the areas of Medjugorje called Ostojići.

Added August 7, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Festival 2007

From August 1 to 6 took place in Medjugorje the 18th International Youth Prayer Meeting under the title, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34).

A day or two before the beginning, a multitude of youngsters was coming to Medjugorje. Many wanted to climb the Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain and pray there before the beginning of the Festival.

Added September 1, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Crown Stars Our Lady Lourdes Statue James Church

Testimony by Angel Maria Garcia Alvarez, architect designer

Angel Maria Garcia Alvarez (from Madrid, Spain), architect designer of the new crown offered to St. James’ in Medjugorje at the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the apparitions (also designer of the magnificent Magna Monstrance offered to the Shrine in 2001) gave a testimony about how this project came about and how it was realised. The crown was blessed and the statue was officially crowned by Fr. Branko Radoš, pastor of Medjugorje, after the solemn evening Mass on June 25, 2005, the day of the 24th anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje, in the presence of two bishops: Mons. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios Ottathengil, catholic syro-malankara bishop of the diocese Bathery, Kerala (India), and Mons. Jerome Gapangwa Nteziryayo, retired bishop of Uvira (Congo).

Added June 8, 2006 , Last update September 2, 2007 /  Category: Prayers / Author: Marek Gayer
Praying the Holy Rosary at 18'o clock

Source: www.medjugorje.ws

In Medjugorje, every day the Rosary prayer is being prayed in the St. James Church or before the Church - at the exterior altar (starting from 17 in summertime or 18'o clock of Central European Time in wintertime), with most parts recited in Croatian language. One may wish to pray the Rosary prayer in this "native language of Gospa" for various reasons. It could e.g. help when our thoughts fly and it's hard to concentrate for prayer or we miss company in prayer or Medjugorje in general. One may also listen to recited Croatian components by the priests and pray the rest in the native language.

Added September 1, 2007 , Last update September 8, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Changes on the website

Site News
  • News & Articles now will be published in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Polish languages
  • You can easily switch to different language versions - Medjugorje Apparitions, Articles, Messages and Novena sections and its pages displays links to other available language versions, if available
  • You can now contact webmaster directly by e-mail and not only through contact form. It is recommended to contact webmaster by e-mail instead of contact form. In case of contact form, sometimes my eventual reply may not arrive to you, because of settings of antispam software you use. In the cases you expected reply which you did not received (e.g. after 2 weeks), please do not hesitate to ask me if I received your message or e-mail and/or if I sent you any reply.
  • Improved design of introductory page and navigation
  • By default, guestbook shows items from currently selected language, however it is still possible to display records of all languages.
  • Guestbook records are no longer displayed in detailed list of updates of the website.
 
Added September 11, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News

Collaborators of the Queen of Peace

Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano

A prayer initiative called “Collaborators of the Queen of Peace” was born in November 2004, in Zadar (Croatia). It was inspired by the repeated calls of Our Lady: “Pray, pray, pray”. The fundamental characteristic of this prayer initiative is to find half an hour a day for prayer.

New members are joining progressively, and today there are 600 of them. All of them are aware of their promise that their day is not over before they have found half an hour for God in prayer. It can be Rosary, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament or other prayers, or just to stay in the church for half an hour – even without words.

By now, this initiative has been accepted in 22 countries (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Italy, germany, Austria, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Malta, Albania, Serbia, Slovenia, Portugal, the USA, Argentina, Montenegro, anada, Lebanon, DR Congo and China). New members are always welcome, because Our Lady is amply underlining the need of prayer.

This prayer initiative has been launched and is led by Mons. Eduard Pericic, professor of Church History in Zadar, and regular member of the Pontifical Marian Academy in Rome. From the very beginning of the apparitions, he is observing the spiritual events of Medjugorje and writing about them.

Contact: Mons. Eduard Pericic, Trg sv. Stosije 1, Zadar, Croatia.

E-mail: The email is protected against spambots. You have to enable javascript to see it.

 
Added September 20, 2007 /  Category: Visionaries, Jelena Vasilj, Interviews, Spiritual Life / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Polski
Jelena Vasilj Relationships Marriage

On August 24, 2002, Jelena Vasilj got married to Massimiliano Valente in St James Church, Medjugorje.   It was indeed a very prayerful and joyful wedding!   Visionary, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, was Jelena's Maid of Honor. Rarely do we see such beautiful and striking newly weds!   A week before the wedding, they visited our home and shared at length about their values as a christian couple.  Let's remember that Jelena had been taught by Our Lady herself for many years, through inner locutions, under the wings of Fr. Tomislav Vlasic, and she was chosen by Our Lady to lead a prayer group until she started her studies in the US in 1991. I'll start reporting here some of Jelena's answers to my questions.

Added September 20, 2007 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje, Interviews / Author: Francesco Cavagna
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Ljubo Kurtovic Not Leaving Our Lady Behind
Fr. Ljubo, with this interview I’d like to sum up your experience at Medjugorje over these past seven years. Let’s start from the beginning. How did you feel when you were told you’d be coming here?

I was a young priest - ordained four years previously. The parish priest then was Fr. Pervan, and when I was told I’d be coming here as a spiritual assistant it frightened me a little. Being newly ordained it came as a challenge. I’d thus far come to Medjugorje as a pilgrim, and it was here that I decided to become a monk; after that I came here a few times also to help with the confessions. It is totally different to come here every now and again, and to live here. To live here is like an immersion; you live Mary’s presence in your heart.

Added October 21, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Linda Casella
Sacred Encounter

It is not difficult to know to whom to dedicate this short story.
I give God all the praise and glory.

Warning

This testimony strongly advices readers against looking at the sun. The extent of the damage that may occur by looking at the sun even for a brief period is blindness, severe damage to the eye’s retina due to solar radiation and disorder of color pigments. The danger to vision is significant because injuries and damage occur to the eyes without feeling any pain. Needless to state, I shall not be responsible in any manner to a person who might suffer any damage and injury by looking at the sun even for a brief period, thus, dangerously exposing his/her own vision.

Added October 21, 2007 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Jose Rodriguez Carballo

Fr. Jose Rodriguez Carballo, Minister General of the Franciscan Order, visited Medjugorje on October 8th, 2007. He was in Herzegovina from October 7 to 10, visiting the friars of the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province of the Assumption of Mary. Dragan Soldo spoke with him for Radio Mir Medjugorje.

Added November 12, 2007 /  Category: Interviews / Author: Fra Kresimir Sego
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Alois Epner Austria

Alois Epner (76) is a retired teacher from Upper Austria. He was born in Croatia, but in 1944, the Epner family had to flee the country to escape from the communists. Although he never forgot his childhood in his native Croatia, he found a new home in Upper Austria. He visited Medjugorje for the first time in 1984, and since then he returns on a regular basis. When he speaks about his experiences, his eyes fill with tears.

Added November 18, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Fra Kresimir Sego
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano
Jorge Jesus Lora Padilla

In September 2007, Jorge de Jesús Loria Padilla, founder and leader of the Peace center in Toluca in Mexico, came to Medjugorje. He is organizing pilgrimages to Medjugorje and editing Fr. Slavko Barbaric’s books in Spanish for Mexico.

This is his testimony:

Added November 18, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Silvia Janine Rusneac

Silvia Janine Rusneac from Romania has the master’s degree in the Roman Catholic and the Greek Catholic Theology. Since 1994, she is organising pilgrimages to Medjugorje. This is her testimony:

Added November 12, 2007 , Last update November 20, 2007 /  Category: N/A
Dream Anna

Approximately 3 years before the Bosnian war, I dreamt that I went overseas with some friends from work. We were traveling around together but I felt a negative force chasing us to kill us. As we traveled around, there were so much death and destruction, people dying of hunger, others with limbs missing and children left orphaned.

It was as though we were traveling around this map with death and destruction. There were tanks bombing buildings, people being shot or stabbed.

Added November 24, 2007 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Carmen Mexico

Our dear friend Roberto, who has for many years been bringing pilgrims to Medjugorje from Mexico, shared this beautiful testimony with us recently. It is from Carmen, who lives near the city Valle Tamaulipas. She went with his group to Medjugorje for the Anniversary last summer. She shares:

Added December 8, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština
International Seminar Priests 13 Invitation

The 13th International Seminar for Priests will be held in Međugorje from June 30th to July 5th 2008. The topic of the seminar is:

«We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6,4)

Added December 12, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Laureen Emmanuel Watching Tv

... Mary also wishes that we switch off TV during the nine days before great feast days like Easter and Christmas ...

Laureen is an active young woman in a big city of Holland. She is single and works with much zeal, spreading Gospa's messages. She never finds herself jobless when it comes to serving Her! The experience she shares here may inspire us to make good use of our freedom!

Added December 12, 2007 /  Category: Jelena Vasilj, Reflections / Author: Jelena Vasilj
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Peace Fruit Love Prayer

When someone asked St. Ignatius how he would react if his order broke up, he replied that it would take him no more than "an hour of prayer" to get over the shock and disappointment. Anyone who prays - not just this saint - is able to experience that the fruit of prayer is peace. When a spiritual man pours out his soul to God through prayer (encounter with God), his restless heart finds rest. Just as it is the nature of fire to burn upwards, so do man's desires tend to go upwards. And it is in following this order of things, to which man is destined by the bonds of charity, that he finds peace.

Added December 15, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Français, Italiano
December 2007 Mirjana Message

On December 2nd, one could see tears in Mirjana’s eyes. When the apparition was over, she wept for a long while before sharing with us the following message:

Medjugorje Message, December 2, 2007 - Apparitions to Mirjana

Our Lady was very sad. Her eyes were filled with tears through out the whole time.
Dear children, Today, while I am looking at your hearts, my heart is filled with pain and shudder. My children, stop for a moment and look in to your hearts. Is my Son – your God truly in the first place? Are His commandments truly the measure of your life? I am warning you again. Without faith there is no God’s nearness. God’s word which is the light of salvation and the light of common sense.
Mirjana added: I asked Our Lady painfully not to leave us and not to give up on us. Our Lady painfully smiled to my request and left. This time she did not finish her message with the words “Thank you”. Our Lady blessed all of us and all religious articles we had with us.
Added December 15, 2007 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Radio Mir Medjugorje 10

The 10th anniversary of broadcasting of Radio MIR Medjugorje was celebrated on Saturday, December 8th, with Holy Mass in Saint James’ parish church in Medjugorje. The Eucharistic celebration was presided by Dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar, Provincial of the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province of the Assumption of Mary and former Director of the Information Centre and Radio MIR Medjugorje, in concelebration with Dr. Fr. Miljenko Steko, current Director of the Information Centre and Radio MIR Medjugorje, Fr. Mario Knezovic, former Manager of the Information Centre and Chief Editor of Radio MIR Medjugorje, the Franciscans serving in Medjugorje and priests on pilgrimage in this place.

Added December 15, 2007 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Français, Italiano
Ticket Heaven

Most people are afraid when they think about their own death, or the death of those who are close to them. In reality, the Gospa tells us, "Death does not exist"! It is simply a veil that falls, like the curtain of the temple of Jerusalem that was torn in the middle, revealing what was already there, hidden in the invisible, the Holy of Holies!

Added December 24, 2007 /  Category: Free downloads, Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer

Medjugorje Wallpapers

Wallpapers are produced for your computer desktop in the following resolutions:

  • 800x600
  • 1024x768
  • 1200x800 (for wide screens).

For larger desktops, wallpapers can be resized by choosing Position as "Expanded" in your display settings, tab Desktop. Before downloading .zip file containing the wallpapers in all the resolutions, you can click thumbnail to see a preview of the wallpaper.

Download (0.1 MB )

 
Added December 22, 2007 , Last update December 24, 2007 /  Category: Other / Author: Marek Gayer
Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2008

I wish you to have a beautiful and holy Christmas, the time in which your hearts would be renewed with love, joy and peace. I wish you this Christmas as well as the New Year 2008 would be a time of your dedication to God's love, God's will and prayer, resulting in continuous joyful awareness of the presense of the God and love in your hearts.

Note: On The Christmas Eve (i.e. 12/24/2007 from 0:00 Central European Time), you will find presents for you on this website.

Added January 1, 2008 , Last update January 4, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Christmas New Year Medjugorje 2008

In the Christmas night, numerous faithful from the neighbourhood, as well as from distant parts of the world, join the parishioners of Medjugorje to celebrate Christmas here. This year, there were pilgrims from different European countries, as well as groups from Hong Kong, Macao and Korea.

Added January 12, 2008 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Mark Miravalle

Prof. Dr. Mark Miravalle, professor of Theology and Mariology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville (USA) is a permanent deacon, a married man and a father of 8 children. Shortly after the beginning of the apparitions, while he was writing his doctorate in Rome, he came to Medjugorje to investigate the events.

Added January 19, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Vicka Return

Around the 1st of January, large crowds of pilgrims once again gathered on the main street in Bijakovici. Vicka, after an absence of nine months for health reasons, returned to the stairs of her blue house to give witness! This year however, we will have to wait until March for her to resume her normal rhythm of speaking three days per week. By then the treatment of her shoulder should be finished. In these last nine months, Vicka has suffered more than usual, but she knows how to remain happy in all situations, even those that are apparently negative.

Added January 28, 2008 /  Category: Prayers

Living the Gospel with Our Lady -- Daily Spiritual Exercises based on the Medjugorje Messages

Beginning Thursday, 31 January 2008

The Blessed Virgin Mary began to appear in Medjugorje 24 June 1981. After 20 months of calling her children to conversion by means of prayer, the sacraments and the scriptures, she began a three-year School of Prayer on Thursdays. The programme started the week before Lent in 1984 and concluded in January, 1987.

Mgr. George Tutto, a Hungarian priest living in the U.K. since 1953, and who was Spiritual Director to the Medjugorje Apostolate in England and Wales from the 1980s through the mid 1990s, wrote a book entitled “Living the Gospel with Our Lady." Published in 1991, this book linked the 150 weekly messages, given each Thursday by the Queen of Peace, to selected scripture texts to help us live the Gospel with Our Lady. These 150 messages were divided into 3 groups of 50 and each of these into 5 groups of 10 - just like the decades of the Rosary.

Our Lady recently stated that we are not praying because we are afraid to open ourselves to prayer. Over the next three years you are invited to make a renewed commitment to take Our Blessed Mother’s messages seriously by Living the Gospel with Our Lady and learning to pray with the heart.

The programme is available at Manchester Medjugorje Center website

 
Added February 2, 2008 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Common Priesthood

In 1990 I went to Medjugorje for the first time. I was curious to see for myself this extraordinary phenomena of Mary’s apparitions, and I ardently desired “perceiving” her presence, so that I too could feel accepted and loved by Mary. I have always loved our Lord, even as a child, and trusted in Him. I have also sinned much in my life, however this didn’t impede me from turning constantly to God. If He came as the Physician for the sick, why shouldn’t I have brought my ailments to Him?

Added February 17, 2008 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Livio Fanzaga Radio Maria Italy

Christianity before being a doctrine is a personal relationship with God

Father Livio Fanzaga is a priest and a religious, member of the Congregation of the Scolopian Fathers, a Religious Order founded in the 17th century by S. Giuseppe Calasanzio (1557-1648) and customarily dedicated to the apostolate and education of poor children and young people.

Added February 23, 2008 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Jeff Pettit
Medjugorje Mustard Seed

Before I married my wife Becky, who is Catholic, I was raised as a Methodist. After several years of receiving communion in a Catholic church, I was told that I was not allowed to take communion because I was not Catholic!  More out of frustration than anything else at the time I joined the Church. I was so busy with my life and was so marginal at both being a Methodist and a Catholic that I could barely tell the difference. My life was all about working in a dog-eat-dog high-tech Company for 50+ hours a week and was full of stress, and anxiety. Then after twenty five years of living in a pressure cooker, the lid flew off.

Added November 7, 2006 , Last update March 1, 2008 /  Category: Early Medjugorje Reflections Books, Books, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM , Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Other languages: English, Italiano
Abandon Yourselves Totally to Me (Blue Book)

This book is the second of the four volumes of sermons and discourses given by Fr. Slavko Barbaric and Fr. Tomislav Vlasic during 1984 - 1987 in Medjugorje, and contains discourses given from January to June 1985.

30 Chapters of this book are now completed

Added November 7, 2006 , Last update March 1, 2008 /  Category: Early Medjugorje Reflections Books, Books, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. Fra Slavko Barbarić, OFM , Fra Tomislav Vlašić, OFM
Other languages: English, Italiano
Grey Book

This book is the first of the four volumes of sermons and discourses given by Fr. Slavko Barbaric and Fr. Tomislav Vlasic during 1984 - 1987 in Medjugorje, and contains talks given from Easter until December 1984.

All chapters of this book are now included

Added March 1, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic / Author: Cathy Nolan
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Vicka Lent

I was overjoyed to hear these incredible insights about Lent that Vicka shared with a pilgrim recently:

"Many times we see Lent as a time when we make sacrifices and practice self-denial by giving up coffee, alcohol, chocolate, cigarettes, TV, or whatever we are overly attached to. But we must renounce those things out of love for Jesus and Mary, and be careful not to do it for our own glory. Often we wait for the end of the forty days, only to drink again, to watch TV again, etc. This is not the right way to live Lent!

Added March 8, 2008 /  Category: Testimonies, Near Death Experiences (NDE) / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano, Polski
Fr Mike Medjugorje

Recently, a group of students from the University of Notre Dame in the USA spent their Spring Break in Medjugorje. While there, they met a priest from Canada, Fr. Mike, who was able to spend time with them sharing his experiences and encouraging them. One night, he shared with them his testimony and a special message :

He was ordained at the age of 26, and six months later he was involved in a terrible automobile accident. Upon impact, he found himself below a tunnel of light that he knew was the portal to heaven. He experienced in that moment great joy, and a completeness he had never known. He was going to meet Jesus, and he was filled with peace. But then he became aware that he was being asked to return to his life on earth, that his work was not over. He said he was returning with an incredible desire to tell everyone he met that life is short, that God is real, and that we must not waste a moment on anything less than God. He then woke up in the hospital.

Added March 16, 2008 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Marthe Robin Henri Nouwen

Excerpt taken from book Letters to Marc About Jesus by Henri Nouwen:

Now I´d like to tell you one or two things about her, not just because I happen to be here but because, all along, I´ve been wanting to write to you about Jesus as the hidden God.
I don´t think you´ll ever be able to penetrate the mystery of God´s revelation in Jesus until it strikes you that the major part of Jesus´life was hidden and that even the “public” years remained invisible as far as most people were concerned. Whereas the way of the world is to insist on publicity, celebrity, popularity and getting maximum exposure, God prefer to work in secret. You must have the nerve to let that mystery of God´s secrecy, God´s anonymity, sink deeply into your consciousness because, otherwise, you´re continually looking in the wrong direction. In God´s sight, the things that really matter seldom take place in public.

Added March 16, 2008 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Marthe Robin

She died the year Our Lady’s apparitions at Medjugorje began. She loved the Blessed Virgin, and inspired by her, she adhered to the divine will in a radical way, even when God’s plan asked of her a degree of immolation beyond human capacity. She bore Christ’s wounds, and she let herself be consumed for the salvation of souls.

Added March 23, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Vicka Family Life

Visiting Vicka recently I was ushered into her house and mixed in with a small group of Italians who were listening intently to Vicka's words. She answered their questions and spoke to them from the heart, which gave me an opportunity to again witness her incredible wisdom. After all, that is her trademark (ask anyone from the village): wisdom grounded in solid common sense! When I came she was speaking to several Italian families who were deeply suffering in their family life. Naturally Vicka responded to their distress by expressing a few observations on family life today:

Added March 29, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Medjugorje in the Catholic Church

„Medjugorje does not come within our competence“, says Cardinal Puljić

Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano

In the Vecernji list of March 21, 2008, Ivan Tolj published an interview with Cardinal Vinko Puljić, Archbishop of Sarajevo.

Question: the recently published interview with the Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of the Holy See, that the case Medjugorje should be re-examined, inspired various speculations. Has the Bishop’s Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed this matter, and is it true that Medjugorje shall be officially examined once again?

Cardinal Puljic’s answer: „Our BC has not discussed this matter, because the phenomenon of Medjugorje does not come within our competence. At the moment when the Holy See takes the decision and gives a task, we shall think about what to do. This is why it is not necessary to speculate, unless concrete instructions come. After the work of the Commission, the BC has already decided to accompany the phenomenon pastorally. This is nothing new, but the implementation of the first decision of the BC about the phenomenon Medjugorje.”

 
Added June 18, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo
Mirjana Discourse

In her talk to us, Mirjana began by recounting the early days of the apparitions. She did this primarily for those who had never been to Medjugorje before. Any words in italics are mine. The first part of the overview is presented here. Mirjana's words were translated by Miki Musa and therefore are not always grammatically correct but you will get the idea.

Added June 29, 2008 /  Category: Prayers
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Novena Queen Peace Lebanon

For the 8th consecutive year, with the blessing of the Maronite Patriarch, from 16th to 25th of June every year “Friends of Mary Queen of Peace” association is organizing the prayer novena “Praying with Mary for Lebanon” which is a 24/24 hours novena of praying the rosary, fasting (nine days or one day according to a personal choice) and adoration of The Blessed Sacrament. Each year it is taking place in another region of Lebanon and in the churches designated by local bishops.

Added June 29, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic
Other languages: English, Magyar
Vicka Testimony

This was given in May 2007, on the steps of the blue house where Vicka frequently gives her testimony to groups of pilgrims in Medjugorje. I regret I do not know the name of the guide who provided the translation. Vicka spoke in Italian and this was then translated into English. The guide began by introducing Vicka. Throughout this entire testimony, Vicka smiled, waved and blew kisses at everyone.

Added June 29, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
27th Anniversary Our Lady Apparitions

The 27th Anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje was solemnly celebrated in the spirit of gratitude for all the graces received.

Added July 2, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church / Author: Mark Miravalle
Medjugorje Real

The reported apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bosnia-Herzegovina (former Yugoslavia) have attracted the attention of the world and approximately 30 million pilgrims. Since June 24, 1981, six children began to report daily visits from the "Queen of Peace" and several of the "visionaries" continue to report receiving a daily apparition from the Mother of Jesus over 25 years later.

Is Medjugorje real? Are these authentic apparitions of the Virgin Mary? What is the official position of the Catholic Church about their authenticity? Could these simply be the fraudulent deception of hysteric children (now adults) for reasons of attention and personal gain?

Added June 4, 2008 , Last update July 13, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština
International Youth Festival Mladifest 2008

The 19th International Youth Festival - Mladifest 19 – will take place in Medjugorje from August 1st to August 6th, 2008. The theme of the encounter is, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8) (“In silence may the Holy Spirit speak to you and permit Him to convert and change you.” - Message of July 25, 2006)

Added July 20, 2008 , Last update July 29, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Andrea Bocelli Concert Medjugorje

Medjugorje in early August, will host one of the most famous opera singers of today, the Italian tenors Andrea Bocelli, who will with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra perform in front of the church of St. Joseph. Organizers expect more than a hundred thousand visitors. The concert will transmit in Croatian television FTV, state public television Televizija Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine.

Added August 10, 2008 /  Category: Reflections
Suffering Timothy Deeter

The following homily was delivered Sunday, June 15, at St. James Church in Medjugorje by Fr. Timothy Deeter.

Last night, I finished another book for my spiritual reading. I’m constantly amazed at how God directs me to read spiritual works that have important lessons for my own life at the time I’m reading them. The book I just finished is entitled Testimony of Hope and it’s by Archbishop—later Cardinal—Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan. In 1975, only a few months after his appointment as archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), he was imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for 13 years. Then he was placed under house arrest for three more years, before finally being expelled from Vietnam. Archbishop Van Thuan went to Rome to work in the Vatican, and in the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II asked him to preach the annual Lenten retreat for himself and the heads of various Vatican departments. The retreat was so successful that the Pope asked the Archbishop to publish the text of his reflections.

Added August 16, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Jakov Colo
Jakov Talks Pilgrims

Jakov is going to share with us the most important that is about our Lady’s apparitions: And what is the most important, the messages on which Our Lady is calling us here? Apparitions are continuing, are lasting already nearly 25 years. Many people have come here to Medjugorje, they ask themselves, why apparitions are lasting so long ? Why Our Lady has been giving us so many messages? Many people say the messages are many times the same. I always say to everybody, instead of why, we should say thank you. Thanks to God for graces which he gave to us. Thanks to God because he allows Our Lady to be here for 25 years.

Added August 16, 2008 /  Category: Testimonies
Donald Calloway Book Mary

"In 1992 my life changed dramatically," says Father Donald Calloway. "I had a profound conversion experience after reaching rock bottom."

Rock bottom indeed! Now a 31-year-old priest who serves as assistant rector at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Father Calloway had been a runaway youngster who was immersed in everything from drug abuse to theft.

Added August 24, 2008 /  Category: Other / Author: Don Sebastian
People Solar Image Mary Lose Sight

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At least 50 people in Kottayam district have reportedly lost their vision after gazing at the sun looking for an image of Virgin Mary.

Though alarmed health authorities have installed a signboard to counter the rumour that a solar image of Virgin Mary appeared to the believers, curious onlookers, including foreign travellers, have been thronging the venue of the ‘miracle’.

Added August 24, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Medjugorje Mladifest Festival 2008

From August 1 to 6 took place in Medjugorje the 19th International Youth Prayer Meeting under the title, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

The program began on Friday, August 1st at 6 PM with the prayer of the Rosary in different languages. Fr. Petar Vlasic, the Pastor, opened the Festival with an introductory word, after which young people from 60 countries welcomed their compatriots to Medjugorje in their own languages. Holy Mass was presided by Fr. Ivan Sesar, the Franciscan Provincial of Herzegovina, in concelebration with more then 300 priests.

Added July 20, 2008 , Last update August 30, 2008 /  Category: Free downloads

Hail Mary and more free music songs by David Burke

On the website www.wewanttoseetheworld.com, David Burke offers freely in mp3 format his music composition of Hail Mary (including sheet music).

On the website, you can also find a beautiful and touching song We want to see the world, in mp3 format or provided as a video presentation with the song playing on background. Music sheet and lyrics are also available. One can also find a link for free songs and other informations related to musical Wonders of His Love.

Update: there is now also available a new nice song His Light Upon My Rosary

 
Added September 7, 2008 /  Category: Website visitors articles
Other languages: English, Italiano
Elvis Letter Marija Pavlovic

I have received an interesting letter addressed from Elvis to visionary Marija Pavlovic in Italian language, and I provide translation:

Dear webmaster,

I kindly ask you to deliver this message in Marija, because I could not find a direct contact to do it personally.

Thank you for your willingness
Elvis

Added September 13, 2008 /  Category: Medjugorje.ws news

New photos in Medjugorje Photos Gallery

Site News

In Medjugorje Photos Gallery, there are many new photos; in the album Medjugorje Photos of Summer. Pictures from albums are displayed using an enhanced system, which allows fast viewing and access to next and previous pictures. For viewing next and previous image, it is possible to use except mouse clicks also left and right arrow cursor keys.

 
Added September 20, 2008 /  Category: Visionaries, Ivan Dragicevic
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Ivan Dragicevic Medjugorje

Ivan Dragicevic from Medjugorje spoke on Tuesday, September, 16th 2008, before thousands of the faithful at the Peace prayer in the Viennese St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Austria.

The cathedral was overfull with the faithful from diverse prayer groups and movements. They met under the slogan „A Message for You”. The Malteser provided for a smooth operational sequence of this large meeting. The Malteser Youth, called Johannesgemeinschaft, was also very active in invitation and preparation. Under the guidance of Mag. Oktavian Eiselsberg, everything was organized in the best way.

Added September 20, 2008 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Bishop Ratko Peric
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Canonical Status Father Tomislav Vlasic

The CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH with its letter prot. 144/1985-27164 of 30 May 2008, has authorized me as the local Bishop of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno to inform the diocesan community of the canonical status of Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, the founder of the association “Kraljice mira potpuno Tvoji - po Mariji k Isusu” - (Queen of Peace, totally Yours - Through Mary to Jesus).

Added September 20, 2008 /  Category: Interviews, Priests of Medjugorje / Author: Dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar

Published in Večernji list, 14. 09. 2008. Interview by Žarko Ivković

The media published in recent days a sensational news: that the Vatican began to square the accounts with the phenomenon called Medjugorje, and that the Pope himself called Medjugorje a fraud. In the background of this false information was the case of Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, punished by the Vatican for “spreading of doubtful doctrines, manipulation of consciences, doubtful mysticism, disobedience and fault against the sixth commandment (fornication)”. As this is a priest who used to serve in Medjugorje, the authenticity of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje was once again under suspicion.

What says about this Dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar, Provincial of the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province and former Pastor of Medjugorje?
Added September 28, 2008 /  Category: Near Death Experiences (NDE)
Howard Storm Near Death Experience

It was the 1st June 1985, and I was in France. I was leading a group of students on an art tour. My wife was with me, and it had come to the last day of our trip. In mid-sentence, I fell to the ground, screaming with intense pain in my stomach. An ambulance came and I was rushed to hospital. The doctor told me that I had a hole in my duodenum.

Added September 28, 2008 /  Category: Near Death Experiences (NDE)
Economical Collapse Usa World Howard Storm

Before his near-death experience, Rev. Howard Storm, a Professor of Art at Northern Kentucky University, was not a very pleasant man. He was an avowed atheist and was hostile to every form of religion and those who practiced it. He often would use rage to control everyone around him and he didn't find joy in anything. Anything that wasn't seen, touched, or felt, he had no faith in. He knew with certainty that the material world was the full extent of everything that was. He considered all belief systems associated with religion to be fantasies for people to deceive themselves with. Beyond what science said, there was nothing else.

Added October 3, 2008 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Walking Alone School Life

Jožef Ratković, a Croat from Austria, walked from Zürich to Medjugorje to fulfill a vow: to pray for healing of his wife who suffers from multiple sclerosis. In 42 days he walked 1,400 km. “I believe in God and I hope for his help. I also pray for peace with God and with people. For me, peace is when we reach out to another and great another. This is basic.”

Added October 25, 2008 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Eduardo Horacio Garcia Bishop Buenos Aires Argentina

Mons. Eduardo Horacio García, Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, was in Medjugorje with a group of pilgrims from Argentina in the beginning of October 2008. Mons. García is born in 1956, and he is a bishop for five years now. Marija Stegnar, an Argentinean Croat who is regularly bringing groups to Medjugorje for many years now, accompanied this pilgrimage.

Added October 25, 2008 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Adalbert Rebic Mariological Marian Congress Lourdes

By Vedrana Vidović

The 22nd International Mariological and Marian Congress ended on September 8th in Lourdes, by a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of the Holy Rosary. Holy Mass was presided by the Cardinal Poupard, special representative of the Holy Father, who also presided the Congress.

Added November 15, 2008 /  Category: Festival Mladifest, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano
Young People Say

This year’s festival saw the participation of young people from sixty countries; 310 priests co-celebrated the first Mass and 440 of them co-celebrated the last one. How can we count the number of people present? Some estimates speak of twenty thousand communions distributed at each Mass, but there were certainly many, many more people than this present.

Added November 29, 2008 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Foot Poland Medjugorje

Mrs. Katarina Bednarczyk Sieminska (55) from Kazimierz Dolny near Lublin came on foot from Poland to Medjugorje. She walked 62 days; she made this pilgrimage with empty hands trusting only in God’s Providence. She carried only a cross, the breviary and a geographic map. The prayer intention of this pilgrimage was for the peace in the world, for the reconciliation of the whole world, which is one single God’s family. She is married, has no children. Her husband is an artist, a painter.

Added December 23, 2008 /  Category: Other / Author: Marek Gayer
Merry Christmas Happy New Year 2009

I wish all of you blissful and spiritual Christmas feasts. Regardless where or with whom you will be, let there will be also Jesus and Mary's Love with you, shining upon your hearts with bliss. Let the little Jesus will be reborn, reestablished and honored in your hearts and life.

Click on the title to continue reading the wishings and to display accompanying pictures!

Added December 24, 2007 , Last update December 24, 2008 /  Category: Free downloads, Website visitors articles, Testimonies, Medjugorje.ws news / Author: Marek Gayer
Medjugorje Screensaver

The Medjugorje Screensaver can be downloaded and used free of charge. It contains photos from section Pictures & Photos taken by Marek Gayer in Medjugorje and also contains selected music tracks from a music album Gospa Oratorio. You can also freely listen to or download the full music album in mp3 format at Gospa Oratorio website and burn your own CD or listen on your MP3 player.

Added January 15, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican, Medjugorje News / Author: Marek Gayer
Pope Benedict XVI

According to the oldest American Catholic newspaper, National Catholic Register, a Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith official has denied a vademecum (booklet, guide, handbook, manual or similar type of document) is being prepared about how the Catholic Church and bishops should deal with alleged Marian apparitions and visions, such as are those at Medjugorje.

Added February 7, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano
David Drug Mary

“I’d like to bring my testimony to as many Christians as possible because it is not only mine, but it is the testimony of Our Lady of Medjugorje who acted in me! I feel the need to do this so that people might come to know that Mary loves us all equally and that she truly exists! She is not a myth of the church: She is our Mother!

Added February 14, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies, Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Fr. Juan-Carlos Lisa

During the year 2008, Fr. Juan-Carlos LISA spent ten months in Medjugorje. Shortly before going back to Argentina, he gave his testimony for Radio MIR Medjugorje and for Glasnik mira.

Added March 2, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Shepherds of Church, Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Mons. Giovanni Battista Pichierri

Bruno Volpe spoke with Mons. Giovanni Battista Pichierri, Bishop of Trani, in Puglia, who declared, “I think that the prudent position of the Church on the topic is just and legitimate. The visionaries continue to speak, therefore, it is necessary to wait. But if the faithful are coming in such a great numbers, there must be a positive reason for it”.

Added March 10, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Magyar
Paddy Kelly Testimony

Full transcript of Paddy Kelly's live speech in Medjugorje, August 4th, 2008:

Do not be afraid! … To be the saints of the new millennium, if you become what you are, you will set the whole world on fire. I have come here to tell you a true story of a young man in whose heart these words tangled and in consequence changed his life. It was as if God himself were speaking to him through the mouth of Pope John Paul II at the World Youth Days in Rome in the year 2000.

Added April 18, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština
International Youth Festival Mladifest 2009

Medjugorje, 1. - 6. 8. 2009.

The parish Medjugorje is preparing for the 20th International Youth Prayer Meeting – Mladifest, with the theme, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2,5)

("I desire, little children, to guide you all to Jesus because He is your salvation."Message, June 25, 1994 )

Added May 12, 2009 /  Category: Other
A "miraculous" photo with dark circle in the sun caused by over light exposure from the camera

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 318, Issue 18, May 1988, pg. 1207. Correspondence.

Authors: Randy V. Campo M.D. - Jack O. Sipperley, M.D. - Gary Hall, M.D. - J. Alan Rappazzo, M.D. St. Luke's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85006

"Today pilgrims by the thousands visit Medjugorje to seek the experience of the original apparition by gazing into the sun for periods of up to 45 minutes for several days in succession. Their intent is to re-create the "miracle of the sun," an apparitional experince in which unusual religious artifacts or clues can be superimposed on the sun."

"The common belief persists that staring into the sun is harmless. We report on two patients who had central vision loss within several days of sungazing at Medjugorje."

Added May 12, 2009 /  Category: Other
Staring at the sun in Medjugorje (illustration photo)

Monique Hope-Ross, Stephen Travers, and David Mooney from the Research Foundation, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin, Ireland present here a series of patients all of whom looked deliberately at the sun for prolonged periods of time. They were encouraged to do so by other pilgrims, who themselves had seen apparitions when staring at the sun. Two of the four patients were amblyopic in one eye, and suffered damage to the dominant eye. All patients suffered irreversible visual damage, with persistent central scotomata. We should ensure that the public is aware of the dangers of sun gazing-whether during religious rituals, sun bathing, or eclipse watching.

Added May 28, 2009 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Sanja Pehar and Msgr. Leo Maasburg

Msgr. Leo Maasburg, National director of MISSIO Austria, was in Medjugorje in April 2009. During many years, he accompanied Mother Teresa on her journeys and at the occasion of the opening of new houses on different continents. He was preaching retreats for her sisters all over the world. When Mother Teresa opened her first houses in Moscow and in Armenia in 1988, Father Leo was spiritual counsellor of the sisters during several months, and thus the first „official” Catholic priest in the Soviet Union at that time. Afterwards, together with an Italian businessperson, he launched the largest Catholic Radio Family „Radio Maria”, which is present on all the continents today.

In the context of the beatification Mother Teresa, he was the only member of the team, who does not belong to Mother Teresa’s Congregation.

Added June 29, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies
Mandy Smith Ex Wife Rolling Stone Bill Wyman

She says her faith began in 2005, when she joined a group of friends in Medjugorje, the Croatian shrine that has drawn Catholic pilgrims in their millions since 1981, when a group of local children claimed to have had visions of the Virgin Mary.

‘Something clicked,’ says Mandy. ‘Things kept happening that I can’t explain. We were having dinner when an image of Mary appeared on a white tablecloth 10ft away. We all saw it – everyone in the room.

Added July 31, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Priests of Medjugorje
Marija Pavlovic declaration regarding Tomislav Vlasic, Agnes Heupel and community Queen of Peace

I feel a moral obligation to make the following statements before God, the Madonna, and the Church of Jesus Christ.

1. From the texts of "An Appeal in the Marian Year" and "My Declaration," which bears my signature, it follows that I have brought the answer of the Madonna to a certain question of Father Tomislav Vlasic. That answer would be, "That is the plan of God." In other words, it follows that I have brought from the Madonna to Father Tomislav V. confirmation and explicit approval of this undertaking and the program begun in Italy with the prayer group from Medjugorje.

2. Now I declare that I have never asked the Madonna for any approval for this undertaking begun by Father Tomislav V. and Agnes Heupel. I have never explicitly petitioned the Madonna concerning whether I should participate in this undertaking and I have never received from the Madonna any instructions regarding this group, except that each one of us should remain free in choosing his own way of life.

Added July 31, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Priests of Medjugorje
Tomislav Vlasic

It's interesting how the Catholic media have handled recent word that the Vatican had accepted the laicization of a former Franciscan who served for several years (during the 1980s) at the reputed apparition site of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

First there are the blogs and websites in favor of the apparitions. They either avoided much discussion of the issue, mentioned it briefly, or ignored it altogether.

Added July 31, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Priests of Medjugorje
Tomislav Vlasic, a former Medjugorje priest

Benedict XVI's approval of the laicization of Father Tomislav Vlasic is not a judgment on the claims that Mary is appearing in Medjugorje, says his former superior, the procurator-general of the Franciscan Friars Minor.

Father Francesco Bravi told ZENIT today that the laicization was not imposed by the Holy See, but rather was in response to a request presented by Father Vlasic himself, to be dispensed both of priestly celibacy and his religious vows.

"He requested it," Father Bravi said, adding that, although Father Vlasic was the assistant pastor in Medjugorje when the first apparitions were reported, the priest has been living in Italy for more than two decades.

Added July 31, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Priests of Medjugorje
Tomislav Vlasic, former Medjugorje priest

"ORDO FRATRUM MINORUM MINISTER GENERALIS

Prot. N. 098714

To the Provincial Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Italy

Dear Brother Minister,

The Holy Father, accepting the request of friar Tomislav Vlasic, O.F.M, member of the province of friars minor of St. Bernardino of Siena (L'Aquila), responsible for conduct harmful to ecclesial communion both in the spheres of doctrine and discipline, and under a censure of interdict, has granted him the favor of reduction to the lay state (amissio status clericalis) and of dismissal from the Order.

Added August 8, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Medjugorje Mladifest Festival 2009

20th International Youth Festival, that began in Međugorje on August 1, 2009 with Holy Mass that was celebrated by Fr. Ivan Sesar, Provincial of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province, ended on August 6, 2009 with Holy Mass on the top of the Cross Mountain at 5 a.m. that was celebrated by Fr. Miljenko Steko, Vicar of Province and around 80 priests have concelebrated at the same Holy Mass. This was the most attended Youth Festival so far, jubilee, twentieth, led by Fr. Danko Perutina, and it went in the best and joyful atmosphere, enriched and marked by the prayer, Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, lectures and music of participants from 69 countries, from all five continents.

Added September 4, 2009 /  Category: Festival Mladifest, Visionaries, Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez
Ivanka Mladifest 2009

I would like to greet you all with the most beautiful of greetings: Praised be Jesus and Mary. I am so pleased to be here with you today and even more pleased that you are ready to hear the message of Our Lady.

For 28 years I have been asking God the very same question: Why did you choose me? I know that I was given a great grace and also I know that at the same time I was given a great responsibility.

Added September 12, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies
Liam Stewart, the man of steel

By his own admission Liam Stewart has made more comebacks than Frank Sinatra.

Eight years ago the man of steel made a miraculous recovery after being declared clinically dead when he choked on a scone, and now after an absence of three years he's decided to return to competitive body building in the Northern Ireland and World championships.

He's also agreed to talk about his life in a BBC documentary - 'Life Changing Experiences'.

Today for the first time Liam speaks frankly about the bad relationship he had with drugs and alcohol and how for the past 16 years he's stayed clean and sober. He also claims annual visits to Medjugorje have changed his life - and how "unexplained things" happened to him when he visited there.

Click here to read the whole article on DerryJournal.com

Added November 1, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies
Interview Nicole Bettini Consecrated Virgin

Nicole Bettini, 29, of St. Peter in Forest Lake has become a consecrated virgin during a consecration rite Nov. 17, 2007 at St. Peter. She serves as the parish's director of youth and family apostolate and as coordinator of confirmation. Archbishop Harry Flynn was presiding at the Mass.

Added November 1, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Lavinia Tai
Priests (illustration photo)

When I was only nine years old, I used to go around telling everyone that I wanted to be a priest. At that time I wasn't even baptized yet (I was baptized at the age of eleven) but even then I had already fallen in love with Jesus. I used to go to the bookshop near my school to buy pictures of Jesus and I used to look at these pictures and talked to Jesus for ages. It never occurred to me then that there are no women Catholic Priests!

Added November 1, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Lavinia Tai
The wedding photo of Lavinia Tai, taken in a ceremony to consecrate her virginity to the Lord 9 months after she returned from Medjugorje

... "My journey to this small distant village between two mountains will always remain as one of the most memorable events in my life. Truly Medjugoje has changed my views and perceptions about life. Because of Medjugorje, I live my life all over again. I cried the day I left Medjugorje knowing that I will miss this place all my life."

Added November 14, 2009 /  Category: Other

Photos from Medjugorje, August 2009 by Alessandro Zuliani

Click here to display the photos

 
Added November 14, 2009 /  Category: Visionaries, Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo
Mirjana Dragicevic Answers Questions Pilgrims

A talk (question and answer session) given by Mirjana in the Oasis of Peace on 3rd October 2009

Mirjana: We will start our meeting with one Hail Mary. Queen of Peace, Pray for us.

We have gathered so that you may ask whatever you may be interested in. Anything that can help you to understand Medjugorje, and if I know, I will be so glad to respond to you because I desire with my entire heart that you may understand what Our Lady desires from us. The first thing is, she invited you. She needs apostles. That’s why feel free to ask anything that can help you.

Added November 28, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone

We translated the following excerpt from the Italian original "90 years since the first apparition at Fatima, interview with Cardinal Bertone" to English, which was published in the most widespread Catholic weekly magazine in Italy, Famiglia Cristiana (number 19/2007).

Added November 28, 2009 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Cardinal Vinko Puljic

ROME, NOV. 23, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The president of the Bosnian episcopal conference has been in Rome, but not to discuss the controversy surrounding Medjugorje, as some reports have contended.

Instead, Cardinal Vinko Puljic participated last week in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, which focused on St. Paul and the "new areopagi."

The cardinal did talk to ZENIT about Medjugorje, affirming that the reports of apparitions there and the consequent popularity of the site for pilgrimages is a matter dealt with by the bishop of Mostar, Ratko Peric, and the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"As an episcopal conference, we await suggestions and proposals on how to proceed, and I believe the Holy See wants to carry on in this way," he added.

Added December 5, 2009 /  Category: Testimonies

A Journey of Faith -- filmmakers of Pilgrims documentary for BBC (Eamonn Devlin, Gerard Stratton) give their impressions of the Medjugorje phenomenon

Every year thousands of pilgrims from Northern Ireland flock to Medjugorje, the supposed site of apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Ahead of a BBC One NI documentary tonight, the filmmakers give their impressions of the phenomenon.

What are these?

What is faith? How do you measure it? Is “seeing” believing? The answers for many can be found in the Marian Shrine of Medjugorje in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Read the whole article on the BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

 
Added January 10, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Cardinal Schonborn Medjugorje

Vienna Cardinal dr. Christoph Schonborn arrived to Medjugorje on his private visit on Monday, December 28, and he will stay here for couple of days. Cardinal, amongst other things, wants to visit Cenacolo, the community of former drug addicts and their house in Medjugorje, since one of their houses exists in Austria as well. He emphasised that he, above other things wants to be person who prays in this famous place of prayer.

Added January 10, 2010 /  Category: Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Interview Cardinal Schonborn

From Vecernji List daily newspaper for Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina

“Medjugorje is again in the center of attention, church and public as well. Though the visit of Cardinal Shonborn is private, it did not leave anybody indifferent because he is the member of Congregation for Doctrine of Faith. We talked to Cardinal while he was visiting Medjugorje.

Added January 10, 2010 /  Category: Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano
Cardinal Schonborn Homily

Dear brothers and sisters here in the church and on the squares in front of the church, and in the yellow hall... We are all conscious of the fact that it is a big privilege to not have to celebrate the New Year with champagne. (laughter) Maybe later. (laughter and applause)

But now we are allowed to celebrate the beginning of the New Year with Mary and Joseph and with the child that is lying in the manger and with the shepherds.

Added January 30, 2010 /  Category: Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Italiano
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins

by Gianluca Barile for Petrus, www.papanews.it

VATICAN CITY - The alleged apparitions of Medjugorje continue to inspire debate and sustain polemics, within and without the Church. Thus the presence at New Year's of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Archbishop of Vienna, in the little Bosnia-Herzegovina locality, was only the most recent occasion to confirm the tension existing in the place where, since the 1980s, the Madonna is said to have appeared to six "seers".

Added January 30, 2010 /  Category: Shepherds of Church
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Cardinal Schonborn Interview

Max Domej from Gebetsktion Wien spoke to Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, Archbishop of Vienna, during his visit to Međugorje.
Both in Lourdes and Fatima the events first ceased and than Church had its decision about that. Its final decision. Sooner or later that will take place here as well, but in this case we let Mother of God with freedom of choice...I think that Medjugorje can continue well on their journey, with full trust that Church, Mother and Teacher, in this case, is going to continue to monitor their journey.

Added January 30, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Medjugorje Place Hope Peace

By Fr. Paddy Byrne

For over 20 years, thousands of Irish people continue to make pilgrimage to a tiny village in a mountainous and remote part of Bosnia in search of something that, when discovered, is truly wonderful.

Medjugorje, for so many, is not just a place. It is a way of life.

It tells so many stories of human conversion, healing, forgiveness and most importantly brings God’s people to a place of peace. A peace celebrated by thousands of addicts who now live lives freed from the chains of addiction because of a spirituality that builds inner confidence and renews faith and hope in life.

Added February 6, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies, Free downloads

My healing from Gambling & Alcohol in Medjugorje

Arthur McCluskey recounts his story and how he came to reassess his life radically due to his experiences in Bosnia.

Seven years ago, Arthur reluctantly went to Medjugorje. A series of events took place that week which irreversibly changed his life. These events he shares with us in this testimony. It is the story of two mothers, the Mother in Heaven and his mother on Earth, the Rosary, with the melting of hearts, followed by conversion. Some of the events that took place seem very strange. However, the reader is not asked to accept or reject, but to understand that he shares these private revelations with us. The result is that Arthur is a very changed man. He no longer takes alcohol and has stopped gambling. His experiences suggest that we can be freed from whatever enslaves us through conversion to God.

Download (1.6 MB )

 
Added February 6, 2010 /  Category: Interviews, Theology reports
Other languages: English, Deutsch
Prof. Dr. Manfred Hauke

(Translated from the German-language Catholic newspaper Die Tagespost.)

For years there has been discussion of the phenomenon of the alleged "Marian apparitions" that took their origin in Medjugorje: Does the Mother of God really appear to the seers who originated in Medjugorje? Or are the experiences parapsychological fruits of the seers' unconscious? Are they a deceptive manipulation or even a trick of evil forces? According to reports, there are plans at the Vatican to have the Medjugorje phenomenon conclusively investigated by a commission. Regina Einig asked the chairman of the German Society for Mariology, professor of dogmatics and patristics at Lugano, Manfred Hauke, about the subject.

Added February 21, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Italiano
Robbie Hurley Winters Reign

He's a young long-haired man, tall and pleasant looking. Practically unnoticed, he made himself available for the Irish pilgrims all last summer. He accompanied them up Podbrdo and Krizevac. He prayed with them, spoke about himself and his conversion. When asked to sing during the evening adoration he happily conceded, but he never told the Franciscans in Medjugorje that music had been his vocation. When they found out, they asked him to tell them about his life, his rock and roll group, and his experience in Medjugorje. He thus replied to Fra Slavko's questions:

Added February 27, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Our Lady statue in Tilhaljina

Mariana is an attractive, modern young woman, who works as an interior decorator in Mexico. In Medjugorje she told us: "I was very independent and active and, like all young people, I did what I wanted when I wanted, trying to get the most out of life.

Added March 6, 2010 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Not This Way God Thought Woman

God created woman in His own image, just as He did with man. It was a single image, though there is a clear distinction. “Male and female he created them,” says the book of Genesis. In the woman God put those parts of Himself which he drew from the deepest layers of His divine being: sensitivity, intuition, tenderness, the capacity to donate self in an unconditioned way without seeking advantage, fortitude and the wonder of a body able to lovingly receive and give life.

Added March 13, 2010 /  Category: Interviews
Sculptor Big Crucifix

The smile of his mother as she was dying (she was run over by a train) helped this man (a sculptor) regain his faith and now inspires his works.

An atheist in front of this crucifix said, "For as long as I stood in front of it, I felt the desire to embrace it."

Peppino Sacchi, sculptor from Bolzano, was interviewed by Fr. Slavko in October 1990.

Added March 20, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Testimony Ruth

Ruth came from an atheistic background, and at the age of 28 knew nothing about God. Two years ago God revealed Himself to her and she had a profound conversion. She was baptized during the Easter Vigil of this Great Jubilee year, after 18 months of catechesis in which Our Lady's school of Medjugorje played a decisive role.

Added March 17, 2010 , 8:12 PM , Last update March 20, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano
Medjugorje

Vatican City, Mar 17, 2010 / 09:56 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A statement was released by the Holy See on Wednesday confirming the formation of a commission to investigate the “phenomenon” of Medjugorje.

Added March 22, 2010 , Last update March 25, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Interview Alessandro D Errico

Archbishop Allessandro D’Errico, Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina, gave statement about Medjugorje on March 18th at the end of 48th Bishop’s Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the statement broadcasted by Radio Mir Medjugorje, he amongst other things said: “Whenever I would meet Holy Father, he was always very much interested in Medjugorje. He was involved in everything, starting with the time when he was Head of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He is aware that this is the issue of special importance, and he, as supreme authority of the Church, needs to give his precise statement about that matter. Holy Father is very much familiar with Medjugorje phenomenon; he even mentioned that to me personally. He knows about great deeds which are done in this territory by the priests, religious, franciscans, lay people. On the other side he asks himself how come there are such opposed information about that phenomenon.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Hrvatski, Italiano
Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic of St. James Parish, Medjugorje

Dear brothers and sisters,

Here in Medjugorje, in the name of the priests who are working in the parish with pilgrims who are coming from all over the world, I express my deep concern for the organization called CARITAS from Birmingham, Alabama.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
James Francis Cardinal Stafford Letter Caritas Of Birmingham

Dear Ed,

Your letter arrived today. The news you shared with me is distressing. I can barely imagine what Patsy, Tori and you are experiencing.

I have reviewed the requests for recognition as a lay organization with Pontifical approval and found nothing for Caritas in our files. Nor has the priest any knowledge of this group who is responsible in the Pontifical Council for the process of such recognition.

Pontifical recognition can only be given with the recommendations of the local bishop. Groups seeking such recognition also must be international in extent and have letters of support from each bishop in whose diocese they are found. From what you have told me, Bishop Foley not only doesn't support Caritas but has many preoccupations about it. That would stop any formal process for approval at zero.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Adrian J. Reimers, Ph.D., University of Notre Dame for St. James Parish, Medjugorje

Dear Fr. Svetozar,

Here at last are my observations and analysis of the book you sent me, How to Change Your Husband: Owner’s Manual for the Family, by “a Friend of Medjugorje”. The author, as I can recognize from his earlier writings, is Terry Colafrancesco of Caritas of Birmingham. You may feel free to share this letter with Fr. Ivan Sesar, OFM, or with any other person you desire.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

November 25, 2000

Terry Colafrancesco
Caritas of Birmingham
100 Our Lady Queen of Peace Drive
Sterrett, Alabama 35147

Dear Terry,

It has been brought to my attention that in response to questions coming to Caritas about Fr. Svetozar's recent fax expressing the concerns of the Franciscans of St. James in Medjugorje about your community, people are being told:

1. Sr. Emmanuel has been asked to leave Medjugorje.
2. The priests of the parish are trying to stop the messages from going out.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Hrvatski, Italiano
Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN

Despite its proximity, whenever anyone asked Mother Angelica about Caritas she never encouraged anyone to visit it.

As for Caritas of Birmingham, the recent bishops of the Birmingham diocese (Boland and Foley) have done nothing to favor this site, and have forbid the celebration of Mass there (though not confessions).

The position of Mother Angelica has always been to discourage people from going there. That is also EWTN's position.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Covenant Community Blog

"I am very familiar with covenant communities, however, have had some inquiries regarding Caritas located in Birmingham, Alabama. This group seems to have some similarities to abusive covenant communities."

"What I know is that the group is governed by a former KKK member who believes that his purpose is to have the folks in his group live according to the "teachings" of Mary - related to apparitions in Medjugorje. While most folks whom I know who are involved in Medjugorje prayer groups have a healthy relationship with one another and the Church, Caritas seems over the top."

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Jason Deegan, Ann Arbor News Staff Reporter

The Flynns say they are focused on moving on with their new lives, but they feel obligated to talk about their experiences to warn others. Their terrifying tale started in 1991, when the family sold everything, moving from Jacksonville, Fla., to Birmingham, Ala., to join Caritas, a group the family thought was a religious mission.

Caritas, founded in 1988 by Terry Colafrancesco, claims to be a spiritual community dedicated to promoting the apparitions of the Virgin Mary, which six youths say they witnessed in Medjugorje, Bosnia, in 1981.

Flynn said the family lived in a trailer inside a compound where roughly 50 people of Roman Catholic faith live. The Flynns stayed with Caritas for nine years, despite living under the control of its leaders.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

"Considering the above, it can be concluded that if someone supports Caritas of Birmingham, they are supporting a strange, religious sect and this potentially, which may cause serious damage in an individual's personal and family life.

If you are Roman Catholic perhaps you should first seek spiritual direction from the recognized and historic Catholic Church, before becoming involved with Caritas of Birmingham and/or the Community of Caritas."

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Jay Reeves, Montgomery Advertiser

Sterrett -- A multimillion-dollar organization that promotes visions of the Virgin Mary is fighting charges of being a destructive cult as religious pilgrims from across the nation arrive at its Alabama compound seeking spiritual renewal.

Five former residents of Caritas of Birmingham have filed suit in state court seeking an unspecified amount of money from the group and its founder, Terry Colafrancesco.

The suit claims Colafrancesco lures people into Caritas with promises of spiritual enrichment and then drains them of money. Families are made to live in nasty trailers at the group's compound, and Colafrancesco controls their lives almost totally, the suit claims.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Associated Press

A multimillion dollar religious mission in rural Shelby County is under fire from critics and former residents who accuse the leader of brainwashing and financial mismanagement.

Longtime members have left Caritas of Birmingham after becoming disenchanted with the operation, and the organization is named in a federal lawsuit over its work to promote visions of the Virgin Mary.

The disputes center around Terry Colafrancesco, the founder and leader of Caritas, which has a publishing house and operates a travel service to Europe.

Complaints about the organization were revealed Monday in a story by the Birmingham Post-Herald, which said Colafrancesco did not respond to repeated interview requests.

An attorney who has done legal work for Caritas said Colafrancesco and his followers are good people with a "positive mission."

"Terry has always had the philosophy that he doesn't respond to people who say bad things about him," said lawyer Joseph Ritchey.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Andy Treinen, Fox News 19

Faith is defined as a complete acceptance of a truth which cannot be proved by the process of logical thought. All of us have faith in something, but sometimes our faith is betrayed. That's exactly what happened to a local man who after nine years, came to the realization that he was in a cult.

Tom O'Neill, a Xavier graduate and former teacher at LaSalle High School, was also in the FBI for 20 years. But none of his past work prevented him from making one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Now, his daughter is the one at risk.

"What is happening at Caritas is exactly the same as Waco, Texas," claimed O'Neill.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Sara Foss, Birmingham Post-Herald

When the Flynn and the Littiken families moved to Caritas of Birmingham, they did it for their children.

The idea of a wholesome farming community, where devout Roman Catholics worshipped together and worked side by side, appealed to them.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Sara Foss, Birmingham Post-Herald

In 1986, a man with a great enthusiasm for Medjugorje began visiting Jack Sacco in his office at the Eternal Word Television Network, a Roman Catholic television network based in Irondale.

At that time, Sacco was organizing one of the first trips from Alabama to Medjugorje, a rural village in Bosnia-Herzegovina where six youths had reported receiving messages from the Virgin Mary in 1981.

"I convinced two friends to go with me," said Sacco, a Birmingham native who now runs Michelangelo Films, a film production company based in Marina del Rey, Calif. "Before we left, this guy Terry is showing up in my office every day, all enthusiastic. He would talk about Medjugorje."

Sacco was referring to Terry Colafrancesco, then a landscaper who ran his business out of his home in Sterrett in Shelby County.

Today Colafrancesco is the president and founder of Caritas of Birmingham, a religious organization in Sterrett dedicated to promoting devotion to the visions of Medjugorje.

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Sara Foss, Birmingham Post-Herald

Accusations of brainwashing and money laundering plague an area religious group as some unhappy members leave

Terry Colafrancesco started Caritas in Shelby County in 1987 to promote the experience of Medjugorje, the Eastern European village where six youngsters reported seeing the Virgin Mary.

Today, Caritas has grown into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, complete with families who live there year-round, a travel agency that offers trips to Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina, a publishing arm and even a farm. Caritas' mission of educating people about Medjugorje remains unchanged.

But recently the organization has come under fire by longtime residents who have left the community and others interested in Medjugorje. A lawsuit filed in California accuses Colafrancesco, the president of Caritas, of brainwashing residents and using funds raised from donors to purchase heavy equipment for himself.

Added October 18, 2009 , Last update March 27, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Questionnaire Priests Vocation

Respected brothers, the purpose and aim of this questionnaire is to make a list of priests who received their vocation through Medjugorje.

So, we kindly ask you to fill out this form with following information:

Added March 27, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Testimony Candace Evans

My name is Candace Evans. I am 43 years old and live in New Hampshire (USA) with my husband and nine year old son. My parents, both deceased, were Jewish. My mother was an atheist. We never spoke of religion in our home so I never had any spiritual teaching or guidance as a child, nor later as an adult.

Added April 2, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch
Silent love makes impression in young woman's cheated heart

The many accounts of personal stories involving Medj. show how only the hand of God can get to the bottom of a person’s heart and radically change it.

This is the story of a young woman who lives in a religious community in Medj. She was born in a Catholic family; her parents practised their faith, but from when she was a little girl, she felt nauseated by everything they did. At first, out of respect, she hid these feelings from them, but when she was only 13, her heart was already distant from them, from prayer and from God.

Added April 4, 2010 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Jim Caviezel Would Not Played Movie Passion

Jim Caviezel became the world famous actor with leading role in Mel Gibson’s movie “Passion”. Who is that actor that has so impressively become one with character of Jesus? Personally, he claims that if it wasn’t for Medjugorje, he wouldn’t have ever even accepted that role. Namely, in Medjugorje he had experienced certain dimension of faith that was unknown to him up to that point. In February he came to Medjugorje for the sixth time as pilgrim, and he visited Vienna after that trip. While he was in Vienna he had interview with Christian Stelzer for magazine “Oase des Friedens”, and interview translated in Croatian can be found in new edition of “Glasnik mira” from Medjugorje.

Added April 4, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Lord Risen Indeed Alleluia

“Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
(John 20,21)

To all parishioners, pilgrims, friends, benefactors, and to all men of goodwill a

Blessed and Happy Easter!

Parish priest and the Franciscans

Photos

Added April 10, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Daniel Jackson, Birmingham Post-Herald

Patrick J. Flynn said the founder of a Shelby County religious compound no longer has any control over him, but other people should be warned.

Last week Flynn was sitting 3 feet away from Terry Colafrancesco, founder of the Caritas Community, during depositions in a lawsuit filed by some of his former followers.

Colafrancesco had his deposition and bank records sealed in the lawsuit.

Flynn, one of the original 12 inhabitants of the Caritas Community, questioned Shelby County Circuit Judge J. Michael Joiner's confidentiality order, which bars discussion of the details in the three-year-old suit.

A group of former Caritas residents and parents of residents have accused Colafrancesco of operating a cult that preys on devout Catholics and drains them of their assets. Parties in the case will begin court-ordered mediation on March 30.

Added April 10, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Stephen K. Ryan

Who is the man behind the mask known as the "Friend of Medjugorje"? The founder and operator of Medjugorje.com/ Caritas of Birmingham insists on calling himself "A friend of Medjugorje" rather than by his own name. Maybe it is just us but this curious business of referring to oneself in the third person, as the "Friend of Medjugorje" does throughout his web site, is beginning to creep us out. From the onset the third person references on his web site create an aura of obfuscation and an unsettling lack of transparency.

The "Friend of Medjugorje" as it turns out is named Terry Colafrancesco. He may refer to himself as a friend of Medjugorje but the more we peel away the layers we are beginning to discover that many people who are devoted to the Medjugorje movement think he is anything but a friend.

Added April 10, 2010 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Medjugorje, A Eucharistic Parish
Fr. Carmelo, you spent two years in Medjugorje. How did you get this opportunity, and what does it mean for you now?

It was definitely a call by Our Lady, and it was through a small article precisely in the Echo of Mary which said there wasn't an Italian priest in Medjugorje to look after the Italian pilgrims. I took this as a personal call, and I asked Our Lady to provide a ticket to get there and a place to stay as a sign that it really was for me. Not long after this, whilst having dinner with friends, one of them said he had an extra ticket to go to Medjugorje and that he wanted to give it to someone. Then, at Medjugorje I asked Fr. Slavko about it and he confirmed that Our Lady had called me to stay there so I could better comprehend God's plans.

Added April 13, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Čeština, Français, Italiano
Medjugorje Vatican

VATICAN CITY, 13 APR 2010 (VIS) - Press Office of the Holy See

The International Investigative Commission on Medjugorje met for its first session on 26 March 2010.

The Commission, presided over by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, His Holiness' vicar general emeritus for the diocese of Rome, is composed of the following members:

Added April 17, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama

Caritas of Birmingham: Accused of "Brainwashing"

Other languages: English, Italiano

By Nancy Wilstach, The Birmingham News, Birmingham, Alabama, 12/28/04

Former residents and parents of residents accuse the Shelby County, Alabama, Caritas of Birmingham community, led by Terry Colafrancesco, of fraud, misrepresentation, undue influence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment. They say Colafrancesco lures devout Catholics to Caritas and then takes all their money. A judge has ordered principals in the three-year-old suit to submit to mediation.

Colafrancesco created Caritas following the 1988 vision of a woman from Bossnia-Herzegovina who reported experiencing visitations from the Virgin Mary while standing in Colafrancesco’s pasture. She continues to have visions during her periodic returns to the US, and her most recent visit drew thousands of pilgrims. The community draws its membership from such people, who give up their property when they move into Caritas. The community also receives donations from the devout around the world. Caritas, which the Roman Catholic Church does not recognize, operates a school, sawmill, gift shop, and farm.

 
Added April 17, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

Your Excellency,

For the purpose of having a clearer picture of Caritas, I feel that, you should know the following which Jacquie and I did not have an opportunity to relate.

First, I am not sure how long it was that you told Terry that Mass was not allowed to be said at Caritas, but Terry interpreted it to our needs. Since 1995 or 1996, a priest from Phoenix, Alabama, came on a fairly regular basis and said Mass either in the field or the Tabernacle building. Terry always explained that as long as the priest was from outside the Diocese, you give permission for Mass. What your instructions were regarding this we had no idea. We only knew what Terry told us.

As I said in our discussion on 10/13/00, after I left Caritas a lot of the FBI came out in me and I did some of my own investigation and came up with some interesting facts. I say facts because the two people I talked to have absolutely no "ax to grind" with Terry or Caritas.

Added April 17, 2010 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Deutsch
Canterbury Cathedral

Apart from the many Catholics who visit Medjugorje to venerate the Queen of Peace, of late there have also been an increasing number of non-Catholic Christians who visit Medjugorje to pray to Our Lady with trust and to ask for Her motherly intercession before God. A recent visit was paid by Anglican minister, Robert Llewelyn. Despite his age, he is spritely, and deeply spiritual. Peace and joy irradiate from his every word.

Added April 24, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham
  • Patrick Flynn and family - after almost 9 years of experiences with Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco
  • Carole Conrique, who worked two years at Caritas of Birmingham wrote the following on Caritas of Birmingham and Terry Colafrancesco - the self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje"
  • Excerpt from a letter by Patricia Locks about her children Greg, Erin and Jenny living for many years at Caritas of Birmingham under the guidance of Terry Colafrancesco - self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje"
  • Former member of Caritas of Birmingham for over ten years testifies about the "Caritas" and the self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje" as "a destructive group lead by a TRULY NARCISSISTIC man who deceives in the beginning especially if money is involved."
  • Another former member testifies about the Caritas of Birmingham as "isolated cult outside Catholicism, not associated in any way or form with the Roman Catholic Church nor its local authority, the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama". He testifies about disturbing teachings, manipulation and practises of Terry Colafrancesco (i.e. the self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje") and concludes that "if someone supports Caritas of Birmingham, they are supporting a strange, religious sect and this potentially, which may cause serious damage in an individual's personal and family life".
Added April 24, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch
Roman Catholic basilica of St. Nikola Tavelic in Tomislavgrad

The Franciscan basilica at Tomislavgrad in Herzegovina, where the Croatian king, Tomislav, was crowned 900 years ago, saw a particularly solemn ceremony this year when a group of young men took their vows. Apart from the eight seminarians from Herzegovina, who were surrounded by the whole Franciscan family and a swarm of family members and friends, there were four brothers from abroad: three Americans and one Australian.

Added May 1, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Experiences Pilgrims Medjugorje

This period in which our Church celebrates the mystery of resurrection that lasts for fifty days was filled with many pilgrims in Medjugorje and press members from radio station “Mir” Medjugorje were able to find quite few interesting life experiences. Kim Yong Hwan, priest form Korea, said that he heard about Medjugorje in 2001 for the first time and in that year he was celebrating 25 years of his priesthood. At the same time, that was the year of great crisis for him, since he felt sort of spiritual emptiness in his vocation as a priest.

Added May 3, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
International Priests Seminar 15

The 15th International Priests Seminar will be held in Međugorje
from June 28 to July 3, 2010
on the theme of:


«Take courage, I have overcome the world" (John 16,33)

Added May 8, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Cristina Palici
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Mary Invited Me Into Her Home

I still remember the first time I found a copy of Echo of Mary in the underground chapel of a Greek Orthodox church in my town. It was in 1997, in a little town in north-central Romania and I still hadn’t turned 17. I hungered for the living word and I needed to meet people who experience my same thirst; and this little publication was an immense gift. I immediately felt that Our Lady’s messages were nourishing me, freeing me, and immersing me in a Light which filled everything in me. Also the articles based on the witness of others and news within the Church gave me great joy for it made me understand that I wasn’t the only one to experience this intense desire for God, for holiness, and to surrender my own life totally to Him.

Added May 13, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Testimony Pauline France

"Before coming to Medjugorje, I had sunk very low. My parents are atheists. When I was 9, they divorced on grounds of adultery. From that day, I let myself be carried away by all the evils of society. At 13, I started on drugs. My broken family had gradually reduced me to a state of fear and being turned in on myself, I moved forward without seeing, without living, like a ghost. 'Emptiness', that is the word which best described my inner state. I threw myself into the 'pleasures of the flesh' and went completely adrift. Last summer, I attempted suicide, and when I woke up at the hospital, I felt that life was horrible, with no way out, no future.

Added May 21, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Medjugorje Encounters

Damir Jug and Stjepan Bozic walked to Medjugorje from town called Velika Gorica at the north of Croatia. They started their pilgrimage on May 1st and arrived on the Ascension Thursday, May 13th. Damir came to Medjugorje for the first time, while Stjepan was coming to Medjugorje before in the past. “Every man has his own personal wishes and desires, we felt in our hearts that we need to come, and thanks to God and Our Lady, here we are. The journey was not easy, we were adjusting to every situation that we would encounter as we travelled.” They prayed before the Statue of Our Lady and climbed the hills despite the rain and difficult weather conditions. Apart from many pilgrims from Croatia, this Feast brought also pilgrims from Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, France, England, Ireland, United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and China.

Added May 21, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Teenage Atheist Found Lord

Chris Miller, Western Catholic Reporter, Wetaskiwin

As high school students sometimes do, Emma Fradd got involved in the party scene. She refused to attend Mass, and rejected anything to do with the Church.

"My mom raised me as a Catholic, but when I got to high school I stopped going to church. A lot of my friends were atheist, and they had a lot of influence on me. I didn't believe in God at all," said Fradd, 20, who hails from Port Pirie, a city in South Australia.

Added May 29, 2010 , Last update May 30, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies, Articles with videos, Wide screen
Christine Watkins

By Sharon Abercrombie

As a five-year-old, Christine Watkins was enchanted the night her family went to view an outdoor nativity scene in their Berkeley neighborhood. But when she asked her father who the man, the lady and the baby were, he said they were just part of a Christian fairy tale.

Added July 5, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar, Polski
29th Anniversary Our Lady Apparitions

Starting with Tuesday, June 15th when Novena to the Queen of Peace began, parishioners and pilgrims would meet every day at 4 p.m. at the Hill of Apparitions to pray the Rosary, as an act of special devotion to our God for all of the graces given through our Heavenly Mother. Evening prayer programme would start at 6 p.m. with prayer of the Rosary and with Holy Mass at 7 p.m. that was celebrated for first seven days by Medjugorje Franciscans. Professor and doctor, Fr. Tomislav Ivancic celebrated Holy Mass on last two days of Novena, as well as final Holy Mass on Anniversary day.

Added July 5, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar
Priest Exorcist No Longer Live Without Medjugorje

Priest Leonid, redemptorist from Ukraine province, participated in the 15th International seminar for priest in Medjugorje and gave the testimony, first to the other participants and then to Radio Station Mir Medjugorje. We publish the testimony as it was given:

Added April 10, 2010 , Last update July 7, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
International Youth Prayer Festival 21 Medjugorje

Medjugorje, 1. - 6. 8. 2010.

„Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?“ (Mk 10:17)

Added July 7, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama / Author: Marek Gayer

Important notice regarding information about self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco and "Caritas of Birmingham"

Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Warning Caritas Of Birmingham Friend Of Medjugorje

Important: We strongly encourage you to make sure that all your friends and fellows interested in Medjugorje that you know were notified about disturbing information and activities related to the self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje" (Terry Colafrancesco) and his organization "Caritas of Birmingham" in Sterret, Alabama, described in detail in documents of this web page: https://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/caritas-of-birmingham/ . Please help to warn and protect in this way the Medjugorje movement, its people, their families and property. Out of love and compassion for them, keep concern on their protection.

"Evil does not need large numbers of followers; it merely needs a lot of good people to keep quiet and inactive. When good people of faith remain silent and do nothing to stop or even diminish evil, then it is a sin of omission of the highest proportion."

Rev. John Triglio, PhD, ThD

Webmasters, bloggers, people on social networking websites, publishers, etc. - please inform about this page, preferably also by links on sidebars of all your pages. For that purpose, you can also use the following code:

<b><a href='https://www.medjugorje.ws/en/articles/caritas-of-birmingham/'>Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Alabama</a></b>
 
Added July 25, 2010 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Fr. Murchadh O Madagain

"... A few weeks later I met a friend of mine called Aidan, who told me about a mutual friend of ours called Louise who had been to Medjugorje and had rediscovered her faith, or as Aidan put it: ‘she has become all religious and holy.’ I was intrigued, because Louise was my own age and from a similar background. So I called around to her and asked her about it. I remember she talked for about an hour and a half about what had happened. At the end of the conversation she invited me to come to a prayer meeting here in Galway. Now I wasn’t that keen to go to a prayer meeting. I thought I was much too cool for such things. But Louise was smart enough to know that and she asked another girl whom I fancied, to ask me. Naturally I went! Both of those girls are now married and I’m a priest!"

Added August 1, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Media Transmission 21 Youth Festival

You can follow 21st Youth Festival, both just audio transmittance or video through our TV or Web cameras, through Internet radio and directly through following radio stations:

Radiopostaja Mir Međugorje,
Radio  Maria Austrija,
Radio Maria Južni Tirol,
Radio Maria Srbija (Subotica),

or through Internet pages and links both live audio and video in various languages:

Added August 8, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano
Youth Festival Medjugorje 2010

The 21st International Youth Festival with the main theme: “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit the eternal life” began in Medjugorje on August 1st with the evening Holy Mass and finished on August 6th, Feast of Transfiguration with the Holy Mass at 5 a.m. on the top of the Cross Mountain.

Added September 3, 2010 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Careers Abandoned Young People Answer God Call

Deborah Gyapong - Canadian Catholic News

Sherbrooke, Quebec - Jennifer Y.M. Lee, gave up a promising career as a concert pianist to consecrate her life to God.

Martin Bilodeau, 34, left behind a professional salary and glamorous travel as a mechanical engineer to live in community in lay consecrated life at Famille Marie-Jeunesse (FMJ), a new religious community that began about 25 years ago in Quebec City.

Andrée-Ann Brasseur, 25, an accomplished violinist, knew from the time she was 18 that she belonged with FMJ but she had to wait eight years until she was old enough to consecrate her life permanently.

Added September 11, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News

September continues with big number of pilgrims

Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar

Ever since the time we started to count the number of given Holy Communions, this August has been above all of the previous number with 326.500 Holy Communions given. Huge numbers of pilgrims from all over the world continued also in the first days of September with groups from Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Ireland, Lebanon, Germany, Austria, Spain and Belgium.

Each one of those pilgrims carries his own personal experience of Medjugorje. Here , we are bringing the experience of 54 years old priest Francisco Verrara from Panama. He has been coming to Medjugorje for the last 24 years. He is the founder of Radio Maria for Panama, and back in 1994. he built the church that looks like church of St. James from Medjugorje. He said: „We in Panama have prayer groups that are living the spirituality of Medjugorje. For the last seven years we have Adoration oft he Blessed Sacrament for 24 hours. Ever since 1997. we have special community that tries to live messages of Our Lady, Queen of Peace. I see immense fruits of Medjugorje in my country. We have two parishes that are called Maria, Queen of Peace and celebrate their day on June 25th. Medjugorje has become my life. Peace, love and joy that I found here, I was no table to find anywhere else, although I have been to many other shrines. It was in Medjugorje where I lived the happiest days of my life“, says Fr. Francisco.

 

Added September 14, 2010 /  Category: Spiritual Life, Near Death Experiences (NDE) / Author: Sr. Emmanuel
Dominik And The Youth Festival

A surprising event took place in Medjugorje on August 3rd. Since the articles on the internet about the events spread many errors, I wanted to make a serious inquiry before writing about it. So, below I have written the facts as I received them from Dominik’s family.

Added September 18, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Italiano
His Excellency Angelo Amato

Interview about 1978 document written by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), concerning guidelines for Catholic Bishops in discerning claims to private revelation such as apparitions.

Added October 2, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski

The eighteenth International Meeting for Organisers of Pilgrimages, Leaders of Peace Centres and Međugorje Prayer and Charity Groups will be held in Medjugorje from the 6th to the 10th of March 2011. The theme of the gathering is:

 “…I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Mt 28, 20).

Added October 16, 2010 , Last update October 18, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
"Scammed - I didn t think it could happen to me" (Illustration picture)

"On our pilgrimages to Medjugorje, Terry would have us try to find out who in the group had lots of money. Then we or Terry, if he was there, would try to focus on them specifically to get large donations. Terry would try to get them into an apparition. (Obviously with the permission of a Franciscan). On the pilgrimage in June 1998, Terry got a business owner and his wife aside and convinced them to give him $50,000.00 to buy land in Medjugorje. On that same trip, Terry got another wealthy man into an apparition and then on Paolo and Marija's back Porch, tried to get the money to buy the lot next to Marija's house."

Added October 31, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Melisa 2010 Visit To Medjugorje Conversion

My Lord and My God, You are all Good, all Powerful, all Merciful. I don't believe I can imagine how beautiful God is, and I have a big imagination...but Medjugorje gave me an experience of the profoundly personal and beautiful relationship with God each person is called to through the beauty that is Our Lady. In Medjugorje, it is like Heaven has come down to earth. I felt the deepest desires of my heart were seen and constantly being revealed to me in prayer. I prayed for most of the 14 weeks I was in Medjugorje, and every day was filled with God's presence, all of the prayer and fasting came completely natural and was desirable while I was there. I experienced my relationship with God in a tangible way, my relationship with God became more real to me than the mountain I was standing on. Every dream in my heart was answered by God while I was there, even the deepest most hidden desires.

Added November 6, 2010 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies, Communities / Author: Sr. Stefania Consoli
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Called To Be Light

How does a young person feel when he or she is called to discover God's love? We asked a member of the Beatitudes Community, Br. Jean Uriel Frey, to tell us about his conversion which began in Medjugorje, and about the way in which he uses his "treasure" to help others.

Added November 13, 2010 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
In Memoriam Fr Slavko Barbaric Ofm Homilies Funeral Mass Cemetary

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Peace to you!

Dear Provincial Fr. Tomislav, dear Pastor Fr. Ivan, brother concelebrating priests, dear brothers and sisters,

We offer this Holy Mass for the soul of the deceased Fr. Slavko Barbaric, member of the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province, to which I express from the bottom of the heart my human and Christian compassion, as well as to all the members of the family he is coming from.

Added November 13, 2010 /  Category: Priests of Medjugorje
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Slavko Barbaric Ofm Curriculum Vitae

In memoriam

Father Slavko Barbaric died on November 24, 2000 at 3.30 p.m. After the Way of the Cross, that he animated usually every Friday on the Hill of Krizevac for parishioners and pilgrims, he felt some pain. He sat down on a rock, then lay down on the ground, lost consciousness and gave his soul over to the Lord.

Added November 18, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar
Claudia Koll Pilgrimage Medjugorje

Famous Italian actress and convert, Claudia Koll, came to Medjugorje in the beginning of November on a pilgrimage. She gave interview to radio station “Mir” Medjugorje and she openly spoke about her life and her conversion. It felt as we had listened to the unwritten story of Mary Magdalene of our days. She told us about all of the troubles and difficulties she had while she was growing up, all beacuse her mom had died during her birth. She was raised by her granny and had many identity crises while she was educated and at the end got completely lost in the world of movie production.

Added December 23, 2010 /  Category: Testimonies
Exotic Dancer Turns To Mary

The more we listen to our guardian angel or the Lord, the more they speak to us. That was discovered by a woman in Massachusetts who experienced a dramatic conversion from life as an exotic dancer to a promoter of the Rosary -- leaving us lessons along the way.

This is all according to the book, Full of Grace: Miraculous Stories of Healing and Conversion through Mary's Intercession, an anointed work by Christine Watkins that details a number of incredible life turn-arounds.

Druggies. Homeless. A New Ager.

And Angela.

Added December 24, 2010 /  Category: Medjugorje News

Christmas wishes - May Christmas and birth of Jesus Christ bring you all of the joy!

Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski

And indeed, from His fullness we have received grace to grace, for He is our peace!

With desire that God’s peace reigns in all of the hearts, all of the families, all of the countries and in the whole world, united in prayer with all of the friends of Medjugorje throughout the world:

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May this Christmas be for you day of joy and peace. May Jesus visit you in your families and may he be born in the hidden place of your heart!

Parish Office of Medjugorje

Information Centre “Mir” Medjugorje

 

Added December 27, 2010 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Jeb Phillips, Birmingham Post-Herald

The woman who helped catapult a Shelby County religious community into a multimillion-dollar operation will make a return appearance next month.

Marija Pavlovic Lunetti, who said that as a teenager she saw the Virgin Mary in Bosnia-Herzegovina and as an adult saw her in Sterrett, will come again to the small Shelby County town for a prayer celebration from Dec. 8 through Dec. 14. The event, dubbed the "Seven Days of Prayer," will occur at Caritas of Birmingham, a small farming community that has been accused in recent years of being a cult. Lunetti's last visit to Caritas in 1999 drew a crowd of between 20,000 to 30,000.

Added January 8, 2011 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham
Icsa International Cultic Studies Association

At the May 2001 American Family Foundation Conference in Newark, New Jersey, several ex-members of Caritas of Birmingham offered their stories to a distinguished panel of psychologists and cult exit counselors. It was the overwhelming opinion of the panel that the leader of Caritas of Birmingham, Terry Colafrancesco (self-styled “A Friend of Medjugorje”), fits the profile of a cult leader, much the same as David Koresh and Jim Jones were leaders of their groups. There are several factors that determine whether a group can be classified as a true cult.

Added January 13, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar
Testimony Christiane Claessens

“Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed” (Jn 20, 29)

Christianne Claessens – the first witness of healing of woman from Switzerland Joelle Beuret – Devanthery in Medjugorje, in October 2010, as she describes the pilgrimage and all of the events.

Added January 22, 2011 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Medjugorje and Vatican
Salvatore Perrella Cdf Expert On Medjugorje

By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When the bishop of Green Bay, Wis., recently recognized a series of Marian apparitions from 1859, it marked the first time apparitions in the United States received official approval.

That's quite an achievement considering that more than 1,500 visions of Mary have been reported around the world, but in the past century only nine cases have received official church approval as being "worthy of belief," said an expert in Marian apparitions.

Added January 29, 2011 /  Category: Other
Miracle Detectives Hunt Answers Randal Sullivan Indre Viskontas Oprah Winfrey Network Show

(RNS) Dirt at an ancient holy site in Chimayo, N.M. reputedly cures a woman’s rare bone cancer.

In North Carolina, a 14-year-old girl stricken with pneumonia is removed from life support but survives after an angelic image appears on a security monitor outside her hospital room.

A Texas man lives despite being cut in half after being run over by a train.

Were these acts of God, or is there a scientific explanation for events that seem to defy reason?

For an hour every Wednesday night (10 p.m. EST), that divisive question is the focus of “Miracle Detectives,” one of prime-time television’s first forays into exploring the miraculous.

Added March 7, 2011 /  Category: Charitable projects
"I've always encountered the most amazing human spirit, the most heroic responses, which build my faith" Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder of Mary's Meals

STANDING tall and broad, occasionally kilted and with the rosiness of cheek sported by those who thrive outdoors, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow wouldn’t look out of place on the front of a packet of porridge oats, swinging a caber.

Added March 7, 2011 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama / Author: Marek Gayer
Other languages: English, Español
Caritas Of Birmingham

Edward and Patricia Locks are now for over 10 years concerned parents of their daughters Erin and Jenny living in Caritas of Birmingham.

Recently someone attempting to defend Caritas of Birmingham and its leader, self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje" (Terry Colafrancesco), posted a letter attributed to Edward and Patricia Locks. This letter was not posted or written by the Locks. The originator of this letter is guilty of fraud.

Added March 12, 2011 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Other languages: English, Italiano
Chiara Luce Badano 18 A Luminous Masterpiece

A beautiful, extroverted, lively girl, in love with God. But the beauty of God’s plan for her life becomes shiningly apparent in the last two years of her illness. 18 years of life: a model for people of all ages.

Chiara Luce Badano was born is Sassello, near Savona (Northwest Italy), on October 29, 1971, to parents who had been trying to have a child for 11 years. Her childhood and adolescence were serene: she lived in a loving, united family from which she received a solid Christian education.

Added March 12, 2011 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Español
Dr. Richard Geraghty of EWTN on Caritas of Birmingham: "group sounds to me very much like a cult"

Caritas of Birmingham - Question from anonymous on 12-23-2010:

Dear Dr. Geraghty, Concerning the upcoming apparition at Caritas of Birmingham with a visionary from Medjudgorje (Marija) March 19 - March 23, 2010, advertised on their website, okay for Roman Catholics to attend? Thank you!

Added March 31, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Español, Hrvatski, Italiano
The Priest From Korea My Life Was Changed In Medjugorje

The young Franciscan Peter Kim Dae Woo visited Međugorje for the second time. He comes from the parish Incon in Korea, where he serves as the assistant parish priest. He was ordained in 2009, despite his great desire to become a singer. He studied at the University for electrical engineering, but he dreamt of music, and that had even reduced his student’s performance at the university. “I studied for four years, but I was not interested in that at all. I would spend most of my time playing and singing, the music was my whole life. I was student only up to the moment when I got to know music a bit better. At one point, I was no longer attending classes. Back in those days, I used to have a nick name “factory of curses”, because all of the words that were coming out from my mouth were bad, but I did not care for that at all. I only cared for music and lived in its world completely. I socialised with ‘so-called musicians’”

Added March 31, 2011 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Other languages: English, Italiano
Caritas Of Birmingham

by Prof. Marco Corvaglia

The community Caritas of Birmingham (Alabama) has gained much publicity and visibility in the U.S. by hosting many times (162 from 1988 to 2011), year after year, Marija Pavlović's, the Medjugorje visionary, daily apparitions.

So it is particularly interesting and significant to know the doctrines that are observed in the community and are spread by its founder and owner, Terry Colafrancesco.

He published in the mid-nineties, under his usual pseudonym of Friend of Medjugorje, the book How to Change Your Husband [Caritas, Sterrett (AL), 1996], printed by the community itself and now also downloadable from its official website.

Reading the book one is astonished by the male chauvinism, sometimes grotesque, that seems to characterize it: for example, he writes that the devil, in order to hide to people the potentially destructive nature of women, got persons to quit the right habit of giving female names to hurricanes that each year lash the shores of the Atlantic.

Actually, this isn’t simply absurd male chauvinism, but rather adhesion to well-known religious ideologies.

Added April 13, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Return Apparition Recalling Phenomena Witnessed Afar Eyewitness

By Michael H. Brown

... I'll go by what the Church ends up formally concluding (it is currently in the hands of a Vatican commission) -- period -- but my personal belief is that this is a place halfway between here and the hereafter, a supernatural spot where the dimensional partition is thin. I had gone through my "conversion" (actually, my return) to the Church years before, as I said (independent of any apparition), but this brought me into a deeper and richer phase of Catholicism. It also spurred my writing in the Catholic realm. Not only did virtually everyone change for the better after visiting, but did so profoundly -- converting others, establishing Adoration in their parishes upon return to the U.S., starting uncountable Rosary groups, and in many cases becoming priests. The seers are human -- and not perfect (is anyone?) -- but the good fruits vastly outweighed any "bad."

Added April 22, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Testimony Kathy Jones

"I was raised in a devout Lutheran home in New York and always believed in God, but from my teen years onward I rejected organized religion, believing it was created totally by man and not by God. After marrying Ed and reluctantly agreeing to raise our children Catholic, I told him, ' Don't EVER expect me to become Catholic. You have to be born that way - you'd have to be crazy to choose it voluntarily! ' I rejected the Church's teachings, thinking they were made up by men who had nothing better to do than make people feel guilty and miserable. I occasionally went to church with my family, but found it profoundly boring.

Added April 23, 2011 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Christine Watkins
The Healing Power Of The Cross

... A striking example of the healing power of the cross is Jaime Jaramillo, affectionately known as Papa Jaime in his home country of Colombia. Papa Jaime is one of the stories in a book I wrote called Full of Grace: Miraculous Stories of Healing and Conversion through Mary’s Intercession. For many years now, he has single-handedly rescued children who actually live in the underground sewer canals of Colombia. Again and again, he picks up his cross and enters the sewers. Here’s how he speaks of his experience.

Added April 24, 2011 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Deutsch, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Polski
Lord Risen Indeed Alleluia 2011

“Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
(John 20,21)

To all parishioners, pilgrims, friends, benefactors, and to all men of goodwill a

Blessed and Happy Easter!

Parish priest and the Franciscans

Photos

Added April 30, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Polski
Testimony Michael

A young man from the United States, Michael, came to Medjugorje in March and he just sent me a letter. I share it with you because it may encourage and inspire each one of us in our personal call to prayer in the midst of our daily concerns.

"My last pilgrimage to Medjugorje was life changing for me, as the Gospa revealed to me early in the pilgrimage that I needed to pray for peace in my soul. I realized that, though I prayed and believed and had many miracles happen to me in the past, I still did not have much peace inside me. It was hard for me to pray with love, to mean what I was saying.

Added May 7, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies / Author: Christine Watkins
Deacon Embraced Unusual Apparition Blessed Mother

The following is Deacon Ken Finn’s account of his remarkable interactions with Mary, the Mother of God.

My first encounter with the Blessed Mother happened when I was travelling in an RV with my wife, Marie. We co-authored a Catholic Bible-study, called The Bread of Life, and we were making a grand circle, clock-wise through the outer states of the country, introducing our study to parishes. One night, at the beginning of our trip, we parked our RV in the parking lot of the mission in Santa Barbara, and as we lay down to go to bed, our conversation turned to the sadness of people who are unable to bond with their mothers from birth. My wife and I had adopted three children, who were about eight weeks when we got them, and we wondered if they might have been deprived of the precious gift of early bonding.

Added June 13, 2011 /  Category: Medjugorje News

Medjugorje Novena To The Queen of Peace -- 30th Anniversary of Apparitions

Medjugorje Novena Anniversary

On June 15, 2011, begins the Novena in thanksgiving for 30 years of the apparitions of the Queen of Peace. In Medjugorje, they will pray the rosary at Apparition Hill every day at 4 pm, and we unite with all our friends and with all the pilgrims all over the world through this Novena. The Novena ends on June 23, and on June 24, at 6 am, we pray for peace in the “Peace March” which leads us in a Eucharistic procession from Humac to Medjugorje. We invite all Our Lady’s pilgrims, wherever they may be, to unite in a joyful prayer!

View more

 
Added July 15, 2011 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Reported Visions Of Virgin Mary Draw Hordes Pilgrims Bosnian Village

The warm surf of La Jolla, Calif., isn't a setting people associate with the Virgin Mary. But on many days, there is a surfer whose passion for the perfect wave is nothing compared to his head-over-heels love for the Holy Mother.

His name is Donald Calloway and he picked up surfing as a military brat bouncing around the United States and Japan.

He also picked up marijuana, heroin, LSD, shoplifting and money laundering for the Japanese mafia. By the age of 20, he had a rap sheet, a drug habit and serious thoughts of suicide.

"After having gone to two rehabs, been in jail, kicked out of a foreign country, I was at my crisis in life. ... I picked up a book that my parents had on their bookshelf about the Virgin Mary," Calloway said.

Added July 17, 2011 /  Category: Spiritual Life
Monica Journey Forgiveness

During the 70’s, in Germany. Monica was 17 when she lost her mother whom she loved very much. She was left behind with three siblings and her father who was a non-practicing protestant and an architect near Bonn. Monica detested her father. He had very little interaction with his children, so she found him cold, rigid, and insensitive. Since she was unable to connect with him on a heart level, she moved out at 17, using her studies as an excuse.

Added July 30, 2011 /  Category: Charitable projects
Cnn Heroes 2010 Top 10 Cnn Magnus Macfarlane Barrow Marys Meals

Argyll, Scotland (CNN) -- Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow was enjoying a pint at his local pub in the Scottish Highlands when he got an idea that would change his life -- and the lives of thousands of others.

It was 1992, and MacFarlane-Barrow and his brother Fergus had just seen a news report about refugee camps in Bosnia. The images of people suffering in the war-torn country shocked the two salmon farmers, who'd visited there as teenagers and remembered the warmth of the Bosnian people.

"We began saying 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just do one small thing to help?' " MacFarlane-Barrow says.

Added August 10, 2011 /  Category: Other
Medjugorje Maciel Effect

by Patrick Madrid

Many adherents of the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje to whom I have spoken personally have invoked the (also alleged) fondness and support of Pope John Paul II for it. "The Pope was in favor of Medjugorje," they reason, "and given what a good and holy pontiff he was, it's highly unlikely that Medjugorje could be anything other than an authentic Marian apparition. And, conversely, it's an even stronger reason for believing in Medjugorje."

This is a form of what's known as an a fortiori argument. For example, one might say, "If I think that Medjugorje is true, that's all well and good. But if even the pope thinks it's true, then the possibility that it is true is much stronger, much more likely."

Added August 10, 2011 /  Category: Other
Charisms Dont Make You Saint

by Mark P. Shea

One of the big puzzles that many Catholics have grappled with in recent years is the baffling phenomenon of some charismatic figure (one thinks of a Rev. Marcial Maciel, for instance) who can, for years, inspire or otherwise offer blessing and solace to good and decent Christians who are full of faith and obedient to the Church. Said figure can preach or write clear and engaging explications of the Faith. He can do all sorts of wonderful things that help struggling souls find healing, that give new purpose to the hopeless, and that help the lost discover the riches of grace in Christ. He is beloved by his devotees– and not without reason.

And yet that charismatic figure then turns out to be bound up with very serious sin or even shown to be, as in Father Maciel’s case, a monster of diabolical proportions.

Added August 29, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Alex Giorgetti Came To Medjugorje

The famous Italian water polo player, 24 years old Alex Giorgetti came to Medjugorje. He comes from Savona in Italy, and he is offense player of Pro Recco, as well as the member of men’s Italy National Water Polo Team. They were the champions at the World Championship this year. Young Alex had meeting first with Fr. Miljenko Šteko, the Head of the Information Office in Medjugorje and gave him the water polo ball signed by all of the players of Italian team. He later shared his life experience with journalist of Radio Station “Mir” Medjugorje. He told us about his conversion that he experienced a year ago when he met Jesus in Mary and is very happy after having completely changed his life.

Added September 6, 2011 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Last August Was The Busiest Month Since The Apparitions Began

The number of more than four hundred thousand (406,300) Holy Communions that were given during last August is more than all of the previous statistics in the last thirty years of Medjugorje. In accordance with that, the number of priests who celebrated Holy Masses in Medjugore was more than seven thousand – 7,280, in average 234 daily. The river of pilgrims continues in the first days of September as well. According to the record of Information Office there are bigger groups of pilgrims from Poland, Belgium, Slovakia, Lebanon, Spain, Argentina, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, the United States and England.

We met Fr. Frank Gindro from Denmark and asked him to share his experience with us. He said that he feels special presence of Our Lady here, “It is a feeling I did not have for a long time. I pray for people in my country that have lost hope in their lives. I will come back to Medjugorje!”

Added September 18, 2011 /  Category: Reflections / Author: Christine Watkins
What Is Your Life Mission

What is your life mission? Have you ever contemplated it? More importantly, have you ever asked the Holy Spirit to guide you in completing His plan for you? As we travel along our life journey, it helps to pull over at occasional rest stops and ask ourselves, “Is what I am doing in life my mission? Is there more, or something different I should be focusing on?”

Added September 23, 2011 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Français
Ania Goledzinowska: 'I left Italy without telling anyone'

By Paolo Gambi

As Silvio Berlusconi grapples with the greatest crisis the Italian republic has ever seen, a member of his extended family has gone on a long retreat to Medjugorje. Ania Golędzinowska, the Polish girlfriend of Paolo Enrico Beretta, the Italian prime minister’s nephew (he is the son of Silvio Berlusconi’s late sister, Maria Antonietta), has moved to the town in Bosnia and Herzegovina to lead a life of prayer.

Added September 23, 2011 /  Category: Interviews
Cnn Heroes 2010 The Winner Anuradha Koiral Rescuing Girls From Sex Slavery

Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) -- Geeta was 9 when she began wearing makeup, staying up until 2 a.m. and having sex with as many as 60 men a day.

"I used to be really sad and frustrated with what was happening in my life," she said.

The daughter of Nepalese peasant farmers, Geeta -- now 26 -- had been sold to a brothel in India by a member of her extended family. The family member had duped Geeta's visually impaired mother into believing her daughter would get work at a clothing company in Nepal.

Added October 1, 2011 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Caritas Of Birmingham

Faithful Catholic women posted their following reviews of the book How to Change Your Husband by self-styled "A Friend of Medjugorje", leader of his group Caritas of Birmingham on Amazon bookstore. The concerned women found the book to be "un-catholic", "dangerous" and "extreme."

You can also read the review made for priests of St. James Parish, Medjugorje by Adrian Reimers, Ph.D. from University of Notre Dame.

Added October 9, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Countess Milona von Hapsburg tells of her epiphany in Medjugorje where she now lives

By Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer

When June Keithley introduced me to Countess Milona von Hapsburg last Thursday, Oct. 6, I was struck by the great contrast between her storied royal lineage and her sweet simplicity of dress and demeanor.

Here, clearly, was a person who had succeeded in transcending the trappings of "royalty” to focus exclusively on the more important aspects of life that now mattered most to her.

They were mostly significantly led by the spiritual mission that had prompted her many years ago to uproot herself and her family and live in the Marian apparition site of Medjugorje, a small village in the former Yugoslavia.

Added October 31, 2011 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Italiano
Ania Goledzinowska

By Benedetta Sangirardi, affaritaliani.it

Ania has a rented house in Milano. It is colorful and cozy. When you enter, you have the impression of a lively, very lively apartment. It is not one of those houses from which you get out early in the morning just to come back late at night. Ania Goledzinowska, 28, a Polish model, intercepted in the Ruby-gate investigation for the Silvio Berlusconi‘s "Bunga Bunga" nights, engaged to Paolo Beretta (Silvio Berlusconi’s nephew) is a very sweet girl. She welcomes me in a sleeveless shirt and tracksuit, her computer turned on the sofa. Blonde and blue eyes she is involved in writing her second book "a thriller with religious overtones". Far different from her first "With the eyes of a child" ("Con Occhi Di Bambina", published by Piemme Edizione), among the 100 best-selling books in Italy (81st place).

Added November 12, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Gods Power And Love

By Devon Bailey

One of the messages I keep coming back to this year is the message of being “Real”. Meaning speaking only truth. Today I am going to tell you a true story. For some of you it will be hard to believe and for others I hope that it will clear some of your doubts. The story that I am about to tell you is completely true and I am promising right now that I will not lie to you.

Added November 20, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Encounters In Medjugorje

Journalists of radio station “Mir” Medjugorje regularly invite pilgrims who come to Medjugorje to witness about their apparitions. Here, we will bring some of those experiences.

Davor Terzic, musician and composer from Rovinj came with his wife Vesna to Medjugorje. Davor is very much present at Croatian music scene and he is regularly participating at every festival of spiritual music. “We visited other Croatian shrines like Marija Bistrica and Vepric, and here we are in Medjugorje, for seventh, eighth time. We try to have a little bit time for ourselves every year. Our work is related to music, we make our living from that. We come here to thank God for everything he has given us in the previous year. This is where we feel fulfilled.”

Added December 1, 2011 /  Category: Charitable projects
Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow is mobbed by children in Haiti

By Mark Greaves

Mark Greaves meets Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow, founder of a charity that provides free meals to half a million children each day

Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow’s first experience of delivering aid was to drive a Land Rover crammed with food, clothing and medicine from the Highlands of Scotland down to Bosnia. At the time he was a salmon farmer: he had taken just a week’s holiday to do it. When he got back, his family shed was bulging with aid that had poured in from friends and friends of friends. He quit his job, sold his house, and learned to drive articulated lorries. Now, about 20 years later, his charity Mary’s Meals feeds half a million children every day.

But that is not the start of the story. At least, not how Magnus tells it. The real beginning was 10 years earlier, when he was 14, and he went on a pilgrimage to a small village called Medjugorje.

Added December 10, 2011 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Caritas Of Birmingham

Caritas of Birmingham - Question from Roberta on 6/18/2001:

Is Caritas of Birmingham a legitimate place to get Our Lady's messages? This group mails out blue post cards with the monthly message. The disturbing part is the coomentary by the "Founder", who will not reveal who he or she is. The group claims to have an inside line to the happenings at Medjugorge. Some of the commentary seems overly strict and somewhat outlandish. Can you let me know whether I should continue receiving their mailings?

Added December 16, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Silvia Busi, now 23, tells the story of her healing and conversion in Medjugorje. Photo: Daniel Miot, guardacon.me By Jakob Marschner

All the medical tests were negative when Silvia Busi fell very ill at 16. Within days, the all-normal Italian girl found herself in a wheelchair, unable to move her legs. Nine months later Silvia’s illness disappeared as suddenly as it had come about, during an apparition to Medjugorje visionary Ivan Dragicevic. The gift of faith is the biggest one I got, she says.

Added December 20, 2011 /  Category: Testimonies
Joshua de Nicolo with his mother, Elizabeth. Before he turned three years old, Joshua de Nicolo had experienced  more hardships, drama, and obvious grace than many people do in an  entire life. By Jakob Marschner

For eight months, 2 years old Joshua battled a last stage cancer that brought him through a transplantation, 80 chemotherapy cures, and 17 radiotherapy sessions. When nothing worked, his parents took their son to Medjugorje. Back home, tests showed 19 tumors and all bone metastases to be gone as the beginning of Joshua’s now complete recovery.

Added January 21, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Hrvatski, Italiano
Bishop Pavao Zanic

On the occasion of the twelfth anniversary of the death of Msgr. Pavao Žanić, the late bishop of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno and Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan, his successor, Bishop Ratko Perić celebrated the evening Holy Eucharist in the Cathedral of Mary Mother of the Church in Mostar, for the repose of the soul of the deceased bishop. Some of late Bishop Pavao’s assistants concelebrated in the Mass: the pastor of the Cathedral parish Msgr. Luka Pavlović, the Chancellor of the Diocesan Chancery Fr. Ante Luburić, and the choir master of the Cathedral Fr. Dragan Filipović. Bishop Ratko spoke to the faithful on the heroic stance of Bishop Žanić towards communist ideology, thereby disproving the recent attacks against his noble Episcopal character, while also being aware that he must tell the truth about the bishop so that lies and slander not be spread against him!

Added January 21, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Italiano
Bishop Pavao anic

by Marco Corvaglia

Even today, proponents of Medjugorje must somehow come to terms with the uncomfortable opposition of him who was Bishop of Mostar at the time when the phenomenon began, Msgr. Pavao Žanić.
And so, hundreds of thousands of people that every year go in good faith to that spot heard this version of events, solely based on rumors: the bishop was initially well disposed toward the visionaries, but at one point the communist government intervened and threatened him, inducing him to become an opponent of Medjugorje.

Actually, it can be categorically excluded that Msgr. Žanić submitted to any pressure from the police, as we shall see. To affirm the contrary is only slander.

Added February 19, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Other languages: English, Čeština, Hrvatski, Italiano
Rateb Rabie Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation Visit Medjugorje

Mr. Rateb Rabie, KCHS, President of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, spoke with reporters for Radio MIR Medjugorje during his visit to Medjugorje.

Mr. Rateb is a Christian from Palestine, born in Jordan. His parents were forced to leave Jerusalem in 1948 and they had to immigrate to Jordan. He himself immigrated later to the United States where he got married and lived there for 35 years. Mr. Rabie is the citizen of the United States.

Added February 29, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje and Vatican
Medjugorje Awaiting A Verdict By Andrea Tornielli, Vatican City

Here are the latest standards (1978) on Marian apparitions. They contain only two formulas: one which acknowledges the supernatural and one which rejects it

A Vatican Insider article dedicated to the work of the Committee on the apparitions of Medjugorje, presided over by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, has provoked some quite varied reactions.

The article stated that in addition to the positive formula (“constat de supernaturalitate”, established as supernatural) and the decidedly negative one ("constat de non supernaturalitate, “It is established that there is nothing supernatural here”), there is also an intermediate formula (“non constat de supernaturalitate”, there is nothing supernatural here). In fact, the latest available standards published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1978, the result of a decision by the former Holy Office discussed four years previously, only covers the first and third formulations set out above. The first case gives an affirmative answer to the question of supernatural events. In the second case ("no constat de ...") the answer is negative.

Added April 28, 2012 /  Category: Testimonies
Fr Dwight Longenecker My Medjugorje Story

I was an Anglican priest living in England, in 1985 when I was invited by a group of Anglicans and Catholics to visit Medjugorje. I didn’t want to go. Being a former Evangelical-fundamentalist I wasn’t too keen on apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. I opted out. They insisted. I dug in my heels. They said someone else would pay for it. I didn’t want to go. They cajoled and twisted my arm until I said ‘yes’.

Added July 8, 2012 /  Category: Interviews
Other languages: English, Hrvatski
Croatian Footballer Mate Bilic Visits Medjugorje Interview

Mate Bilic has said "everything good in life happens to me because of Medjugorje". Mate Bilic, is a Croatian footballer who currently plays with Sporting Gijon in Spain. In early June he travelled to Medjugorje.

Added July 29, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
International Youth Prayer Festival 23 Medjugorje

Medjugorje, August 1 – 6, 2012

„Lord, increase our faith”

(Luke 17,5)

Added July 29, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje Pilgrimages
Back From Medjugorje Bosnia Marian Apparitions Kibeho Rwanda

I've just returned from a summer retreat in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, with five peaceful days spent in the Marian shrine of Medjugorje. Each time I visit this town, I am stunned into silence by the profound and extraordinary peace that pervades the place, a peace so profound and so penetrating that it silences all doubts. An energy this holy cannot be based upon a lie. Still, I spent some time reviewing the many criticisms and accusations about the alleged apparitions still taking place here, and there are signs of contradiction and causes of concern, intermixed with lies and slanders and deliberate obfuscations. Clearly the Blessed Mother, if she is indeed appearing here (as I truly believe) has decided not to make it easy for anyone to reach a judgement about the place - not without considerable prayer and discernment.

Added August 4, 2012 /  Category: Reflections
Medjugorje Discussion Church Position How Faithful Should React

For any that don’t know Medjugorje is a small village in Bosnia where the Blessed Virgin Mary has allegedly been appearing over the past 25 years with a total of over 35,000 individual apparitions and messages. Millions of people have visited this place (most of whom probably against the Church’s strict teaching, although most likely without realising it).

I’ve written this blog to discuss the Church’s position on Medjugorje and how the faithful should react to it according to the Church’s teachings - if there are errors please correct me and I will be more than happy to make any necessary changes.

Added August 12, 2012 /  Category: Testimonies
Litus Ballbe By Jakob Marschner

Spanish hockey player Litus Ballbe’s big dream was to play the Olympics, until a visit to Medjugorje gave him the call to be a priest. Now he is studying, but still his first dream has come true: His seminary has allowed him time for hockey, and on Monday he played at the London Olympics.

Added August 12, 2012 /  Category: Other

Medjugorje Virtual Tour

>>> Visit Medjugorje Virtual Tour <<<

 
Added August 22, 2012 /  Category: Interviews, Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano
Belgian Miraculously Cured In Medjugorje

Pascale Gryson-Selmeci, a married Brabantian and mother of family, testifies of her healing that occurred in Medjugorje Saturday August 3rd, after having communed at Mass. Suffering from leukoencephalopathy, a rare and incurable disease with symptoms appearing as those of Multiple Sclerosis, she participated in a pilgrimage organized at the end of July, in the event of the children’s festival. Patrick d’Ursel, one of the organizers, witnessed this healing.

According to witnesses, this habitant of Walloon Brabant was ill for 14 years, unspeakably. It was after having taken communion that Pascale felt a force. To the surprise of her husband and relatives, she began to speak and rise out of her chair! Patrick d’Ursel recollects Pascale’s testimony.

Added September 2, 2012 /  Category: Testimonies
My Medjugorje Trip Day 1 4

This is my personal experience of, and witness to Medjugorje. I would like you to share this post to draw more attention to the best place on earth, so that others may have the opportunity to fall in love with Medugorje, Mother Mary, and ultimately Her beloved Son Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Added November 4, 2012 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Caritas Of Birmingham

We have received the following question from a visitor of Medjugorje WebSite:

"I have bought close to $40,000 in the silver miraculous medal silver rounds from Global Silver Investors. This is the company that Friend of Medjugorie speaks of in his weekly computer address with Frank Williams who is with the company. Do you know if this is a fraud? I have tried looking everywhere on the internet but unable to find any "fraud" so to speak. I am very concerned since this is my husband and my life savings. If you don't feel comfortable answering on the net, is there someone I can contact about this issue? Thank you, ... ..."

Added December 1, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Medjugorje Upcoming Judgement Church Reason Concern

By: Glenn Dallaire

(Before I begin this article I would like to emphatically state that I remain neutral in what concerns the alleged apparitions of Medjugorge. In seeking to obey the Church, while at the same time awaiting the definitive judgment by the Vatican, I do recognise and give assent to the local Bishops opposition to the apparitions, and I also give assent to the 1991 "Zadar" decision from the Commission formed by the Yugoslavian Bishops conference which concluded "non constat de supernaturalitate" [the supernaturality is not proven].

Added December 6, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church
Medjugorje Catholic Church

By Edward Pentin

The Vatican is denying reports that a Vatican commission studying the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje will release its findings by the end of this year.

In comments to the Register today, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said the speculation was “not true” and that the commission’s findings will take longer.

Added December 23, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Teenage Hoaxers Or Living Saints
  • Six children claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary on a hillside in the village of Medjugorje, Bosnia, in 1981
  • Their nightly visions have continued to the present day
  • Thousands of pilgrims from around the world travel to the spot every year
Added December 29, 2012 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Inaccurate Reporting Medjugorje Disservice All Catholics

by Kevin Symonds

On the British tabloid Daily Mail Online, there recently appeared an article by Chris Rogers and Marshall Corwin concerning the six alleged seers of Medjugorje. Rogers and Corwin write a fairly simple article that recounts some basic history of Medjugorje. It also mixes the authors’ own experience with Medjugorje and the alleged seers. I would like to take the opportunity to respond to some questionable statements made by Rogers and Corwin in their article.

Added January 13, 2013 /  Category: Testimonies
Medjugorje Brought Woman Unique Cure From Brain Disease

By Jakob Marschner

Elena Artioli’s type of brain disease never vanishes or decreases in size. But hers did after she went to Medjugorje. Her Italian specialist knows of no other cases in the world when this has happened. To Elena herself, her spiritual renewal is the greatest miracle and gift that she received.

Added January 21, 2013 /  Category: Other
Other languages: English, Italiano
Medjugorje Seers Unescapable Conflict Interests

By Marco Corvaglia

It is quite clear that in the absence of a recognition by the Church, if the "apparitions" and the messages ended, it would lead to a gradual decline in interest in Medjugorje.

This concept seemed somehow clear to Vicka by 1983 when, for the interview-book of Father Janko Bubalo, she stated: ...

Added January 21, 2013 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Why Not Medjugorje

By Tanja Popec

Coming to Medjugorje for many is a chance to search for a miracle, apparitions or some special message. Even theologians question about religious curiosity and wonder whether something special indeed happens there. Theologians, perhaps, even more than the others, always have a certain personal struggle since they have heritage of personal knowledge, discipline, obedience to hierarchy and their personal life with God, who even when He is silent, speaks a lot. Many have asked me how I feel about apparitions in Medjugorje? But, I do not think that it is up to me to decide whether those apparitions are for real and where do they come from. Actually, my faith is not bigger because of the apparitions nor it is smaller. I am waiting for the opinion of the Holy Father who will give the final judgment when the time for that comes.

Added January 27, 2013 /  Category: Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama
Caritas Of Birmingham

By Regan Lee

In October of 2012, "JustinT" left the following comment on my post

Please do not link to Medjugorje com of "Friend of Medjugorje" / Caritas of Birmingham. The organisation is considered to be a cult, the priests of Medjugorje parish warned against them as well as Mother Angelica and EWTN.

Added March 18, 2013 /  Category: Other / Author: Marek Gayer
Wayne Weible Medjugorje The Last Apparition Mary Earth

Recently, we had received an e-mail from Judith Weible asking us to advertise Wayne Wieble's book Medjugorje: THE LAST APPARITION in our "web spage store" [sic]. Note: we do not have and never had any store and we do not sell or advertise anything. In the official description of the book Weible states that it is "a must read!" and that "underlying the story is the disclosure by the Mother of Jesus that she will never come to earth again in apparition".

Added June 2, 2013 /  Category: Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, Caritas of Birmingham and "A Friend of Medjugorje" Terry Colafrancesco, Sterrett (AL), Alabama / Author: Marek Gayer

In the beginning of July 2012, Medjugorje visionary Marija Pavlovic Lunetti has once again visited so-called Caritas of Birmingham community for 5 days. Unfortunately, some uniformed, gullible and undiscerning people understand simply Marija’s Pavlovic Lunetti visits as an endorsement and validation of so called “Friend of Medjugorje” and group of his minions Caritas of Birmingham. But in fact, already since 1988 it became obvious that persons with connections to Marija Pavlovic Lunetti are definitely not necessarily credible, and some of them can even pose a serious threat for those, who might naively trust these persons.

Added June 2, 2013 /  Category: Charitable projects, Website visitors articles
St Joseph The Worker Home For Elderly Near Medjugorje Herzegovina

By Betty Clarke – April 2013… The email is protected against spambots. You have to enable javascript to see it.

On a recent trip to Medugorje, I was lucky enough to go with a small group of Irish people to visit and attend Mass at the Home of St Joseph for the Elderly, a fifteen minute drive away. This is a residential home for fifty-one residents and has waiting list.

Added June 8, 2013 /  Category: Testimonies

By Louise Roseingrave

The voice was an eerie guttural, horrible sound, ferociously angry.

The body was thrashing; it took six men to control its charged strength. The crowd was praying feverishly in Italian, ‘Santa Maria, prega per noi.’ Those words now etched in my memory. I had gone with an open mind to Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzegovina, where Our Lady has been appearing to six visionaries for the past 32 years. But I wasn’t expecting to meet the devil.

I was wandering by St James’ Church, where millions of pilgrims attend beautiful masses and prayer services, when I stumbled upon an exorcism.

Added August 1, 2013 /  Category: Medjugorje News, Festival Mladifest
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Hrvatski, Italiano, Magyar, Polski
International Youth Prayer Festival 24 Medjugorje

Medjugorje, August 1 – 6, 2013

 

Faith working

through

love

(Gal 5,6)

Added October 25, 2013 /  Category: Testimonies
Other languages: English, Deutsch, Hrvatski, Italiano
Experiences Pilgrims Medjugorje August 2013
  • Andrea Cunningham: „Medjugorje is a special place”
  • Fr. Charles Colazzi about the experience of Medjugorje
  • Medjugorje helped me understand the Gospel
  • “I received encouragement for priesthood and music ministry in Medjugorje”
  • Every day I feel Gospa’s and Jesus’ grace
Added November 9, 2013 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Vatican To Us Faithful Stay Away From Pro Medjugorje Events

By Stefano Pertusati

A letter from the Vatican effectively canceling the U.S. tour of a Medjugorje visionary doesn't seem to bode well for Medjugorje believers.

Added November 10, 2013 /  Category: Medjugorje News
More Questions On Holy See Position On Promotion Of Medjugorje

By Diane M. Korzeniewski

I have a few more thoughts and questions with yesterday's news that the CDF informed the US bishops that, "clerics and the faithful are not permitted to participate in meetings, conferences or public celebrations during which the credibility of such 'apparitions' would be taken for granted."

Added November 18, 2013 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Did Pope Francis Just Tip His Hand On Medjugorje

By Jimmy Akin

Many people are wondering what will happen at the end of the current investigation of Medjugorje.

As a result, they’re trying to figure out what attitude Pope Francis takes toward the reported apparitions.

On Thursday, Pope Francis made remarks which some people think tipped his hand and revealed his attitude.

Here are 10 things to know and share . . .

Added November 25, 2013 /  Category: Testimonies
My Personal Medjugorje Conversion Story

By Steve G.

Some supporters of the Medjugorje phenomenon point to the substantial number of conversions as evidence that the “apparitions” must be authentic. Sceptics are written off because they “don’t understand” how Medjugorje has changed so many lives and how pilgrimages to Medjugorje have been so instrumental.

Well, I’ve been there and done all that. Even bought some souvenirs at the local gift shop. But I still don’t believe in Medjugorje. Here’s my story.

Added December 8, 2013 /  Category: Medjugorje in the Catholic Church, Medjugorje and Vatican
Other languages: English, Italiano
Cdf Homily Of Bishop Ratko Peric Regarding Medjugorje

By the Bishops of Tuscany

During the "ad limina Apostolorum” visit of Bishops of the Region of Tuscany, from April 16-20, 2007 we had a meeting at the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with the Secretary Monsignor Angelo Amato, who, while talking with us about the apparitions of Medjugorje, invited us to make public the homily of the Bishop of Mostar of June 15, 2006 given at St. James Parish in Medjugorje (see below), to make clear the religious phenomenon connected to this place.

Added June 28, 2014 /  Category: Testimonies

By Michael H. Brown

In May of 1988, when I first went to Medjugorje, the famed apparition site, I was furious.

The first morning there, I was convinced it was a case of mass hysteria.

As a journalist I was geared to observe circumstances, and what I saw concerned me greatly.

Added July 6, 2014 /  Category: Other
Seers Search Inspiration Medjugorje Garabandal

By Marco Corvaglia

As it is known, the Great Sign (or Great Miracle, linked to the so-called Third Secret), vainly expected in Medjugorje for nearly 33 years, is undeniably inspired by the Great Miracle of Garabandal, where it was expected by 1964. In conjunction of it, according to the promise of the alleged Madonna of Garabandal, Joey Lomangino would have get back his eyes, that had been surgically removed.

On 18 June 2014, at the age of 83, Joey Lomangino has died. As it is obvious, he did not regain his sight and, moreover, in Garabandal no Great Miracle happened. Among the devotees of Medjugorje, those who love the truth can derive the consequences.

Added October 18, 2014 /  Category: Testimonies

By Emma Sisk

Packing my suitcase to go on holiday last week, I had an unusual checklist for a 24-year-old: no make-up, no bikini, and no going-out gear.

My 9.3kg suitcase contained clothes for seven days, a book I would not read, and my rosary beads. After nine hours of travelling, I arrived at a little village, in Bosnia Herzegovina,that has a seemingly unpronounceable name: Medjugorje, the religious-conversion capital of the world.

Added October 25, 2014 /  Category: Other
By John Gerardi

I had an interesting Thursday evening last week. I learned from a friend that Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, one of the “seers” of the alleged Marian apparitions taking place regularly for the last 31 years in Medjugorje, was coming to the Joyce Center at Notre Dame (our roughly 10,000-seat basketball arena) to have a Marian apparition, and the public was invited to pray with her and watch the apparition happen. And guess who was called in to be the special investigative reporter for one of the student newspapers. Yessiree bob. Yours truly.

Added June 17, 2015 /  Category: Medjugorje News

Warning against feeding the current rumors, Father Federico Lombardi told the Register that a ruling is not likely before the Vatican’s summer break.

By Edward Pentin

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican downplayed intense speculation that Pope Francis will decide very soon on "certain doctrinal and disciplinary aspects" of alleged Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, saying it will most probably take months, rather than days or weeks.

Added June 28, 2015 /  Category: Other

By Dan Burke

As I was making my way to the Catholic Church, I was deeply blessed by an encounter with a 17th century priest who taught me, through his writings, how to overcome aridity in prayer. This was a significant breakthrough for me and brought me tremendous relief. I developed an instant affinity to this priest and looked for other writings of his that might help me. By God’s grace, I didn’t find anything else about him until I became Catholic and discovered that his teachings were condemned by the Church.

Added June 28, 2015 /  Category: Medjugorje News

Contradicting Italian media reports, a Vatican press official told the Register today that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has not ruled against the validity of the alleged apparitions.

By Edward Pentin

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican said Friday that, contrary to reports in Italian media, no decision has been made regarding certain doctrinal and disciplinary aspects of alleged Marian apparitions at Medjugorje.

Added October 2, 2015 /  Category: Testimonies

By Emily A.

I grew up in a good and loving Catholic family and from a very young age, I always just knew that God is love. However, when I was just ten years old, it felt as if all of my childhood joy and innocence was just harshly snatched away from me.

I lived and grew up with a sister who has cerebral palsy and autism. She would often scream and cry, lash out and make threats to hurt me. I didn’t understand her behaviour and I felt frightened, hurt, rejected and confused.

Added October 2, 2015 /  Category: Other

By Mathew N. Schmalz

In the early 1980s, six children in the Yugoslavian town of Medjugorje reported seeing visions of the Virgin Mary. Since that time, millions of people have made the pilgrimage to Medjugorje and countless others still follow messages attributed to the Virgin Mary that are revealed by the original seers.

This summer, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) completed its investigation of the apparitions at Medjugorje and submitted its findings to Pope Francis. While rumors have long swirled that the report on Medjugorje will be negative, no one — to my knowledge — has gone on record confirming a negative judgment.

Added April 5, 2016 /  Category: Prayers

United in Prayer - Continuous Prayer of Holy Rosary

The prayer of rosary has great power to change the world, overcome evil and bring peace to us and our families. You may sign up on www.mir.com.hr

 
Added September 24, 2016 /  Category: Testimonies

By Emily A.

“Go to Confession. Unburden yourselves of all sin. In return, I will give you peace in your hearts.” – Message from Our Lady of Medjugorje on the 28th February 1988.

I have just returned from my fourth pilgrimage to Medjugorje where I served for three months as a volunteer. It was during this time that I felt a very gentle and silent nudge within me that Our Lady wanted me to make a General Confession.

Added April 15, 2017 /  Category: Medjugorje News
Press Conference Special Envoy Holy See Mons Henryk Hoser

On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, at 4 pm, an hour-long press conference of the Special Envoy of the Holy See for Medjugorje, Dr. Henryk Hoser, was held in the Hall of St. John Paul II. Even though there were about fifty journalists registered, the interest for this event was much greater. The conference was translated into the Croatian, English, Italian, German and French languages, and those were the official languages spoken during the conference, while a translation was also given in the Polish, Spanish and Slovakian languages.

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

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