25
November 08, 1995

PRESS BULLETIN - English




NEWS

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of October at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 69,500 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 1,818 concelebrations of holy mass by priests from the homeland and from abroad or an average of 59 daily.


CHILDRENS' VILLAGE BEGINS WORKING

In recent days the first small children together with the sisters have moved into the Childrens' village in Medjugorje. Though only partially completed, the Children's Village is intended for children who have lost their parents during this war. The Province of Franciscan School Sisters of Mostar will be in charge of the care, education and general welfare of these children. A multitude of benefactors, first in order Medjugorje pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje, are providing for the construction of this large project.


MISSIONARY TRAVEL OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC

At the meeting of Marian prayer groups and Centers of Peace held in Costa Rica last year it was decided that also this year a similar meeting be held in Quito in the South American state of Ecuador from October 7 - 13 on the theme: "With Mary, Educator for Peace." The organizer requested one of the Medjugorje Franciscans to be present at the gathering to help them understand what Our Lady is seeking from today's man through the messages she is giving in Medjugorje. Fr. Slavko Barbaric participated in the meeting at which about 100 representatives gathered from 17 countries.

On the first day the participants went 40 km away from the city to a place which is the actual center of our planet. After reciting the rosary, they prayed a consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the whole world. That same day Archbishop Jose Mario Ruiz Navas, president of the Ecuadorian Bishops' Conference, presided at the evening mass. The second day Bernardine Cardinal Echeverria R., OFM presided at the mass. He is the one responsible for Marian movements with the Bishops' Conference. In the course of his address to the multitude of assembled faithful he said, among other things: ". . .By my presence I wish to affirm my conviction that very healthy initiatives are coming from Medjugorje groups, not only in Ecuador but also in the whole world." On the third day Archbishop Antonio Gonzales of Quito presided at the eucharistic celebration, wishing by his presence and his words to affirm the significance and the importance of this meeting. He preached on the theme: "Peace - the fruit of the Holy Spirit."

In conclusion the participants made resolutions in which is stated among other things: "All the Centers of Peace should consistently follow Marian spirituality just as Our Lady is teaching it in Medjugorje. They should avoid all sensationalism and fault-finding and remain healthy cells of each parish community." Subsequent meetings were agreed upon for 1996 in Paraguay, 1997 in Chile and 1998 in Columbia. A letter was sent to the Holy Father, the Pope.

After the meeting in Ecuador Fr. Slavko visited Germany and Austria. Several thousand faithful participated in prayer meetings held in Munich, Innsbruck and Passau. The prayer was especially moving in Munich where the walls of the oldest medieval castle resounded with prayer and song in the Croatian language. Many, in other words, have taken pains to learn prayers in the language in which Our Lady speaks in Medjugorje. In Passau at the end of his trip Fr. Slavko met with retired Bishop Anton Hofman. Bishop Hofman has already visited Medjugorje several times and wants to do it again as soon as circumstances permit.


POLISH TV CREW IN MEDJUGORJE

A television crew from Poland visited Medjugorje in October to film programs about Medjugorje. The Medjugorje message has penetrated deeply into the Polish people despite the long years of communist rule which tried with every possible means to extinguish its circulation.


A N N O U N C E M E N T S

PRAYER - INFORMATION SEMINA

A Prayer-Information Seminar will be held for the leaders of prayer groups, charitable organizations and pilgrimages connected to Medjugorje. It will take place March 17 - 21, 1996 at Hotel "Alga" in Tucepi, located about 3 kilometers south of Makarska.

Remaining news about the program, registration, etc will be announced later.


RELIABILITY OF INFORMATION

A year ago the parish office of Medjugorje established an Information Center that twice a month reports the most significant news about the happenings in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in the parish of Medjugorje. The official organ of information is this Press Bulletin.' Its role is to help pilgrims and Centers of Peace and prayer to follow the events in Medjugorje. The official information from the shrine is the information that the Press Bulletin reports. The parish office and the Information Center stand behind all the communications announced in the Press Bulletin. All other information, including reports from Sr. Emmanuel, is personal opinion and is not official information from the shrine.


ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL CENTERS

Since there are many Centers of Peace, prayer groups, charitable organizations etc. in the world originating from the Medjugorje events which are only slightly acquainted with other and since there is a great interest in a stronger connection, we have decided to try to get better acquainted with you and thereby to offer the possibility of an active cooperation through this Press Bulletin. We, therefore, request all Centers to fax us brief introductions which we will gradually publish in subsequent numbers of the Press Bulletin.


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.


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Last Modified 11/25/2002