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November 26, 2004
MEDITATION
"Dear children! At this time, I call you all to pray for my intentions. Especially, little children, pray for those who have not yet come to know the love of God and do not seek God the Savior. You, little children, be my extended hands and by your example draw them closer to my Heart and the Heart of my Son. God will reward you with graces and every blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call." November 25, 2004
THE WORLD OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH
Jesus told his disciples to watch those who kill the soul much more than those who kill the body. Nowadays, it seems that humanity takes especially care on the well being of the body; the soul seems to be left on standby. So many are led by a certain logic, according to which it is necessary to live well now, because - according to some - who knows if there is something afterwards? For them, eternity is abstract and inaccessible. People thus run after bodily pleasures, while denying the three-dimensional nature of their existence: spirit, soul and body. The body has put aside the spirit and the soul. However, it is not wise to neglect any of these three elements. The human being is an accord of these three elements, and only in harmony of the three, can it be whole.
Knowing this, we should not be surprised to see the blossoming of prostitution, infidelity in marriage, lust, perverse sexual tendencies, homosexuality, pedophilia… The humanity, which promulgates a life according to the flesh, cannot offer anything else. In fact, the world is only harvesting its own fruits. The affirmation of the flesh in the form of lust has arrived at the age of adulthood. And while the society, at least in statements, fights for the so-called equality and the respect of human dignity, we see that destruction of the individual advances with great steps. Protection of human dignity does not consist in a freedom without limits. Freedom and dignity of the person consist in the acceptance of true moral values and of principles of a healthy humanism. Deprived of these principles, the world advances on a one-way-road - towards its ruin.
We have seen that, in the structure of the new European Commission, there is no place for a certain Italian minister. His “fault” is to have said that the practice of homosexual relations as well as of homosexual marriages was a sin. For this, he was blamed, attacked, accused of denying the rights of persons and of individuals to think differently. In consequence, how is it possible that this catholic minister, this friend of the Pope, was discarded of the composition of the new European Commission? What a paradox! The homosexuals are supposed to be discriminated, but he isn’t?!
A world that lives more and more according to the principles of Sodom and Gomorrah, and less and less according to the moral law of God, will not have a beautiful future. A world without God goes towards death. The sad reality of the world in which we live will continue to consist of wars, conflicts, exploitation of the weak and the poor, selling of goods and of human beings. The world needs God. The message of Medjugorje shows that clearly. The call of Our Lady to conversion and to the return to Jesus comes at the right time. For those, which heard this voice and grasped the immensity of the love of God, eternity is not a vain promise but a reality. For them, priority is not the life of the body, but the life of the soul that is called to immortality.
Fr. Mario Knezovic
NEWS
NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND NUMBER OF CONCELEBRANTS
During the month of October 2004, 130000 communions were distributed and 2959 priests from this country and from abroad concelebrated Holy Mass in Medjugorje.
In September, pilgrims were here from: Italy, Slovenia, Belgium, Ireland, Aruba, Austria, Germany, the USA, Senegal, Denmark, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Spain, Porto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Korea, Australia, Lebanon, Portugal, Holland, Rumania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.
ARCHBISHOP MORETTI IN MEDJUGORJE
Mons. Giovanni Moretti, a retired archbishop and apostolic nuncio from Meina (Italy), came on a private pilgrimage to Medjugorje in the beginning of October.
Mons. Moretti participated in the evening prayer program and was available to the pilgrims for the sacrament of Holy confession. He said that he was enthusiastic about devotion and the spirit of prayer that reign at the Shrine. On Sunday, October 3, he presided Holy Mass for Italian pilgrims.
15TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF SPANISH SPEAKING CENTERS OF PEACE
The 13th meeting of Centers of Peace of Latin American countries took place from October 4 to 6, 2004, in Medjugorje.
These centers have arisen in all of Latin America as the places for the gathering of all those who have felt the importance of the Our Lady’s call in Medjugorje. Their activity is focused mainly on spreading the messages and organizing prayer groups and pilgrimages. As we have said, it was the 15th meeting, the seventh time it was held in Medjugorje. The 120 participants from Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain, Porto Rico and the USA with 9 priests spent the 3 days in prayer and meditation, exchanging the experiences of their year’s long work in the spreading of Our Lady’s message of peace among the faithful of the Spanish-speaking world. This is an incentive and a good example for everyone of how it is possible to work together in the spreading of the message of peace.
At the end of their meeting, they said: "This yearly meeting in Medjugorje has been a very important opportunity for every country, because they all have the opportunity to enrich their groups with the experiences that other groups have, and learn from the problems that they share. The fact that they all speak the language of Our Mother is a powerful and encouraging realization of the universality of the message. Medjugorje is school for our daily life."
THE MALTESE ASSOCIATION FINISHED THIS YEAR’S SERVICE AT THE SHRINE
Members of the First Aid Team of the Maltese Order from Germany and their volunteers finished this year’s service at the Shrine of the Queen of Peace with the Holy Mass for German speaking pilgrims. Holy Mass was presided by Fr. Tomislav Pervan. In his homily, he spoke about the Christian understanding of the care for the needy, and he gave numerous historical examples of the involvement of the Church.
For seven years now, during summer, the Maltese are providing medical care to the pilgrims. During this year, they had 4045 patients, 58 interventions with the ambulance, and they received patients from 34 countries. 82 volunteers from Germany assisted them.
The Maltese are inviting the volunteers who desire to be involved in this service to contact them in time. (See: http://www.malteser.de)
THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR FOR MARRIED COUPLES TOOK PLACE
The 5th International Seminar for Married Couples took place in Medjugorje from November 3 to 6, 2004. The theme of the seminar was, "How to heal the marriage and the family?"
There were 90 couples from 13 countries speaking Croatian, English, German, Spanish, Slovak and Italian. The married couples participated in the Evening Prayer Program in the church and climbed Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain together. They exchanged their experiences and they renewed their promises and confided their union to the Lord.
SEMINARS IN "DOMUS PACIS"
There were 3 "Prayer and Fasting" seminars led by Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic for pilgrims from Italy, France and Austria.
The same house welcomed also a group of altar boys from Herzegovina led by Fr. Ignacije Aleric and Fr. Tomislav Sablje.
THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR LEADERS OF PEACE CENTERS AND MEDJUGORJE PRAYER, PILGRIM AND CHARITY GROUPS
The 12th International Meeting for Leaders of Peace Centers and Medjugorje Prayer, Pilgrim and Charity groups will take place in the New Hall in Medjugorje from March 6 to 10, 2005. The theme of this encounter is: "THE GUIDE AND THE PILGRIM"
PROGRAM
Sunday, March 6, 2005
14:00 - Registration
17:00 - Evening Prayer Program in Church
Monday, March 7, 2005
09:00 - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
09:30 - Lecture: "Spiritual profile and personality of the guide",
The Franciscans of Medjugorje
10:15 - Intermission
11:00 - Meeting and discussion with the lecturer
15:00 - Meeting with the Franciscans
17:00 - Evening Prayer Program in Church
20:30 - Meeting of the participants with the Parish priest
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
09:00 - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
09:30 - Lecture: "Experiences in the preparation and the accompanying
of the pilgrims", Kevin Leacy (Ireland), Hubert Liebherr (Germany)
10:15 - Intermission
10:45 – Meeting and Discussion and sharing between guides
11:30 - "Humanitarian Activities Linked to the Apparitions of Medjugorje"
Fr. Ivan Landeka
Meeting and discussion with the lecturer about humanitarian activities
15:00 – Rosary on Apparition Hill
17:00 - Evening Prayer Program in Church
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
Day of Prayer: Fr. Jozo Zovko, Fr. Ljubo Kurtovic
09:00 – Prayer, lectures, sharing…
12:00 - Lunch for all the participants (bread and water)
14:00 – Way of the Cross on Krizevac (Cross Mountain)
17:00 - Evening Prayer Program in Church
21:00 - 22:00 - Adoration
Thursday, March 10, 2005
09:00 - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
09:30 - Experiences of the Participants
11:00 - Holy Mass
Lunch for all the participants
LECTURERS:
Kevin Leacy, Ireland. The life of Kevin Lacey changed dramatically in 1991, when his son Derek and his best friend found death in a fire. Little after this tragedy, he saw on television the horrors of the war in Croatia, and he made the decision: "If I save only one child, I will save at least to one family the hell that I went through". When he gave to the hospital of Mostar the first delivery of the medical material, he realized the gravity of the situation, and it understood that there will be much work. Thus "Bosnia Refugee Aid" was born: the assistance to the refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has witnessed many miracles of human generosity during all these years. Throughout the war, the Shrine of the Queen of Peace was a sure place of distribution of humanitarian aid for Mostar and central Bosnia. One day, when Kevin Lacey climbed Cross Mountain with his daughter, he observed the flames in the neighboring villages under attacks. He was struck by the thought that God was not responsible for the war or his family tragedy. He understood: God is the one who heals, the one who can give us the strength to face the pain that life brings to us. He started to speak about this experience in Medjugorje and about peace that Our Lady gives to our hearts. In 1996, he accompanied his first group of pilgrims to Medjugorje while raising the question: How is it that a sinner that I am can du such a thing? He had thought that the humanitarian aid was sufficient, but Gospa had other projects. While accompanying the pilgrims, he saw people meeting God for the first time in their life, he saw physical and spiritual healings, and he saw people finding peace for the first time in their life. Pilgrimages from the North-East of Ireland continue to this day.
Hubert Liebherr was born in 1950 in Memmingen, in Germany. After his baccalaureate in 1970 and the military service, he studied at the technical Faculty of Karlsruhe where he graduated in 1977. From 1977 to 1981, he was a technical director of a large building site in Algeria, then the director of the branch for the production of the industrial machines in the family company "Liebherr".
After his first visit to Medjugorje, he received the call of Our Lady: "Leave all that you are and all that you have and follow me!" With some friends, he founded the association "Medjugorje Deutschland" in order to make known Medjugorje and Our Lady’s apparitions in Germany, and to accompany pilgrimages. He gives witness during the prayer gatherings and he contributes to the construction of the churches in Russia.
The 12th International Meeting for Leaders of Peace Centers and Medjugorje Prayer, Pilgrim and Charity groups will take place in the New Hall in Medjugorje from March 6 to 10 2005.
The number of places is limited, and the number of participants is increasing from year to year. This is why we ask you kindly to make your registration as soon as possible, at the latest by the end of December 2004. You can send your registrations by Tel + 387 36 651 988, by fax + 387 36 651 999 (for Marija Dugandzic), or by e-mail: seminar.marija@medjugorje.hr or personally in the Information Office.
Simultaneous translation is available for all language groups. This is why we ask you kindly to take with you a small FM radio with headphones.
The price of the seminar is 60 € per person. This includes all the fees for the organization and running of the seminar (lecturers, translations of texts, simultaneous translation and lunch the last day). When you register and pay at the beginning of the seminar, you will receive a badge, which will allow you to participate in the seminar. We ask you kindly to organize personally your accommodation in Medjugorje. We believe that this is not a problem for you, because you have come to Medjugorje for many years now and have friends and acquaintances here.
We are looking forward to your reservations and to welcoming you at this meeting!
Published by: INFORMATIVNI CENTAR MIR - Svetiste Kraljice Mira (Information Center MIR - Shrine of the Queen of Peace), 88266 Medjugorje.
Director: fra Miljenko Stojic.
Information Office: 00387-36-651-988
Parish Office: 00387-36-650-206; 650-310; 651-333
Fax: 00387-36-651-444
Radio: 00387-36-651-100; fax 651-300
E-mail: medjugorje-mir@medjugorje.hr; Internet: http://www.medjugorje.hr
Automatic Message: 060-325-325. By calling this number you can hear the latest message of Our Lady in Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland and Germany, as well as also the meditation and the news from Medjugorje which is updated every Wednesday.
Last Modified 11/29/2004