33
February 14, 1996

PRESS BULLETIN - English




MEDITATION

While living on this earth man wants to be protected. It is a right and a need of his. But in what manner does he wish to achieve it? In the early days of his history he relied exclusively on the strength of his own muscles. Later he perceived that knowledge can be a great protection. In most recent times he has turned to that material around himself. He thinks that the more he has in his hands, the more secure is his present and his future. Unfortunately, the consequence of such a position is unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

Regardless of which period of his development it was, man felt completely protected only when he knew how to convert to his God. Thereby he filled up his interior and experienced what true happiness is. Various written memorials witness that to us, but in most recent times, our whole life does.

To build one's security and power on the material means to build a culture of death. We remain individuals in the worst sense of the word. It is up to us Christians to build a culture of life. And that means to be an individual, but also to be a useful member of the community. Only in such an atmosphere is it easier to come to God and to get to know him.

fra Miljenko


N E W S

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

As in all previous years up to now the month of January is the month with the smallest number of pilgrims. For that reason during the past month at the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 22,500 Holy Communions were distributed and in all the holy masses there were 505 concelebrations by priests from the homeland and abroad, that is, an average of 16 priests daily.


AMERICAN ARCHBISHOP VISITS MEDJUGORJE

In the past days we also recorded the visit of an archbishop. He was retired Archbishop Philip Hannan of New Orleans. Archbishop Hannan, already at the time of his active ministry, originated the work of a Radio & TV station that has the purpose of bringing closer to viewers and listeners the condition of afflicted people in some part of the world as well as to bring the aid of a great number of people who are concerned about their sufferings. Thus in the past days together with his TV crew Archbishop Hannan also visited Bosnia-Hercegovina: Tuzla and Sarajevo where he met with Cardinal Vinko Puljic. The aim of this tour was to film a report through which the American public will get acquainted with the humanitarian projects of different humanitarian organizations from the USA plus the activity of the American units of IFOR for the purpose of attaining a lasting peace in these regions of ours. At the end of the tour they made an unavoidable visit to Medjugorje and the Queen of Peace shrine. The Archbishop stayed a couple days to visit Medjugorje. During his stay he also visited the Mother's Village. The suffering and pain of those children so deeply impressed the American archbishop that he said in tears: "God himself inspired those who built this." After that Archbishop Hannan also visited the "Cenacle" community where young addicts are cured of drugs.

Archbishop Hannan, on a visit here for at least the third time, said as he was leaving, "In this shrine I have always felt an atmosphere of deep peace and faith. I find that peace in all the people who have visited it. They come home with a deepened faith, they return to sacramental life and prayer. They start prayer groups that are the source of grace for many. For that reason I recommend everyone, but mainly young people, to come on pilgrimage to the Queen of Peace and to take their powerful experiences to others. In that way may a chain of peace and faith be made in the world."


CARMELO PUZZOLO VISITS MEDJUGORJE

The Italian artist Carmelo Puzzolo recently visited Medjugorje. He is the author of the bronze reliefs of the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain and the mysteries of the Rosary on Apparition Hill. In the "Domus Pacis" House of Prayer the "Friends of Talented Youth Fund," already for a long time active in Medjugorje, organized an artist's colony in which 20 young artists were formed with the expert help and effort of this great and famous Italian artist, and above all, a big friend of Medjugorje. At work with the youth in the colony was also the academic painter Sister Milena Tomas who is currently living and working in Medjugorje.


C E N T E R S O F P E A C E

"BELGIQUE - MEDJUGORJE", Jacques and Ute Costermans, 25 Rue de la Motte, B-1390 Archennes; fax 010-84-1950. The basic purpose of this Center is the spreading and meditating on Our Lady's messages of peace directed to the world. Publication of the monthly "Nouvelles de Medjugorje" began in December 1985. Today it has about 22,500 readers. In the editorial office of that paper a small chapel is located where every day a prayer group gathers for prayer and meditation on the mysteries of the rosary. Every Friday they pray and fast from 10 AM to 3 PM when confessions and a Eucharistic celebration follow. Once a year the center organizes a large prayer gathering wishing to assemble a large number of small prayer groups scattered throughout the country. It is a meeting like the one held in Beauraing last year (Press Bulletin # 23). On account of the bad war conditions in which Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina found themselves, "Belgique- Medjugorje" decided to aim its activity in part to the needs of the population of these two states. Through the love and devotion of many, some humanitarian projects were originated, and for the most part realized. Of them we will mention: "Margarine for Bosnia-Hercegovina, Orphans and Children's Village, Artificial Limbs for victims of the war, Bibles for Bosnia, A Roof on Every House, and Adoption and Aid for a Sarajevo Family." Just during 1991 the Center collected and distributed about 17 million Belgian francs worth of humanitarian aid.


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

We request all those who intend to participate in the Prayer-Information Seminar in Tucepi from March 17 - 21, 1996 to make their reservations by fax number + + 387-88-642-339 designated for the Information Center MIR. The exact number of participants is necessary for the organizers to arrange accommodations and the seminar itself which depends largely on the number of reserved participants. Therefore, we request you once more to keep in mind the difficulties that can happen to us because of delayed notifications and to complete your reservation as soon as possible, but no later than February 20.

We are by fax notifying all those who have already completed their reservations for the Prayer-Information Seminar in Tucepi that their reservations are officially confirmed.

Here we would like to apologize to all pilgrims and friends of Medjugorje, as well as to the Centers of Peace for the problems they had in making contact for getting Our Lady's message, the commentary and the past number of the Press Bulletin. The problems arose as a result of transferring the system to the new digital operation. In a short time it may also happen that you have problems (not like these big ones) until the complete new telephone system is in operation.


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 11/13/2002