30
January 17, 1996
M E D I T A T I O N
We hear or read that people of various walks of life, of more or less esteem in society, come by for a visit to Medjugorje. Under the influence of contemporary thinking we would say that various types of people come by for a visit. If we may speak about types of people, I would say that the ones who come to Medjugorje are only those who want to convert or those who do not want to. Here there is nothing to see. Here there is only something to experience. And that something starts with the question: What is it that I want in life?
The answers to this question are various. All of us most probably know their own past, their own present and what they would like to be in the future. I say most probably because that knowing of ours can be distorted by our life style. If we exert ourselves to live a true Christian life, we are not afraid of the answer to this question. It is already given by our life style. For that reason we will always be ready to experience that "something" and to know what it is that we want in life.
Fr. Miljenko
N E W S
NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS
During the month of December at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 44,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 921 concelebrations of holy mass by priests from the homeland and abroad or an average of 30 daily.
In the course of 1995 at the shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje a total of 588,500 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 14,435 concelebrations of holy mass by priests from the homeland and abroad or an average of 40 daily.
PHOTO EXHIBITION
On the feast of Epiphany in the presence of a large crowd of the faithful and pilgrims at the shrineof the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, an exhibition of photographs taken in Medjugorje duringrecent years was opened. The authors are the best photo reporters of Slobodna Dalmacija, one of the leading Croatian daily newspapers.
The exceptional beauty and value of the exhibited photographs intensifies and catches unforgettable moments of the millions of pilgrims that have visited this shrine. Their value is priceless for the reason that they show the profound need and human yearning for God and for peace. Some of the photographs were bought up by big world news agencies. The exhibition was opened by the Provincial of the Hercegovina Franciscans, Fr. Tomislav Pervan, and the Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna Assistant Minister of Culture.
PRAYER AND FASTING SEMINARS
As already for several year in succession now, three prayer and fasting seminars will be held in the Domus Pacis" House of Prayer in preparation for the greatest Christian feast of Easter.
In his encyclical "The Gospel of Life" Holy Father John Paul II invites: ". . .in humility and courage go back to fasting and prayer. . ," and in her messages Our Lady herself has invited us so many times to fasting and prayer. Once she even said, ". . .by prayer and fasting wars also can be stopped. . ." Therefore, we invite all those who wish in a deeper way to draw closer to the mystery of Christ the Redeemer to participate in these seminars because, rich in experience, they are just the right occasion for that. The organizer and leader of the seminars is Fr. Slavko Barbaric.
The seminars will take place:
- February 26 - March 3, 1996.
- March 10 - March 14, 1996.
- March 31 - April 6, 1996.
On the first day it opens at 4 PM and closes on the last day at 12 noon.
Reservations should be made by telephone at + 387-88-650-206 or by fax: +387-88-642-339. If after completing a reservation you should be prevented from participating in one or more seminars, please give notice by the same fax number a week in advance of the starting date. The cost is 10 DM per day.
C E N T E R S O F P E A C E
THE MEDJUGORJE MIR CENTER, Frank and Nives Jelich. 8643 W. Central Ave. Wichita, Kansas 67212, USA, 316-722-9493; fax 316-722-8055. The Medjugorje Mir Center was founded in 1986 with the purpose of spreading Our Lady's monthly messages directed to the world. For the same purpose organization is undertaken for praying of the rosary, presentation of films about Medjugorje, a monthly program of prayer for peace after the manner of the prayer program at Medjugorje and an annual seminar based on Our Lady's messages. The Center conducts distribution of audio and video cassettes, statues, books and rosaries. So far 50 pilgrimages have been organized even during the course of this war. The Center is also active in humanitarian aid for the Mostar Hospital, refugee camps, the orphans of St. Theresa's in Zagreb, the Childrens' Village in Medjugorje, as well as families and individual victims of the war. Through the association "International Child Sponsors" of which Fr. Jozo Zovko is president, the Medjugorje Mir Center gives aid to 850 children left without parents in this war.
A N N O U N C E M E N T S
We request all Centers that get the Press Bulletin by means of the Robofax to send us a list of those Centers or individuals to whom they in turn send it on. Send it to the MIR Information Center - Medjugorje, fax 387-88-642-339.
NEW BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS
Alfons Sarrach: "Poruka Medjugorja o Bogu koju slu i". Glas Mira. Medjugorje 1995. 266 pp.
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 11/25/2002