Medjugorje News

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

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:

Medjugorje, 1. - 6. 8. 2010.

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

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.

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)

“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

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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 )

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.

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 1^st 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.

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.