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December 17, 1997

PRESS BULLETIN





M E D I T A T I O N

THE CHILDHOOD OF MANKIND

Just as everyone on earth has his own childhood, so also does mankind. We can all easily agree on that, but we will not so easily agree on when that childhood began. Scientists who only know about science, but not about the soul, will attempt to express it in the number of years since man biologically began to approximate his present form. Others who also recognize the soul in human life will express it in some other suitable way. We who call ourselves Christians, whether in addition to that we are scientists or whether we carry out other honorable occupations, will surely say that the childhood of mankind began with Jesus Christ. And that will be the expression that will fulfill us like the most beautiful gift.

Everything that happened before Jesus Christ in indeed only those nine months that are necessary for a child to be born. Mankind developed and became capable of seeing the light of day. Only when Jesus was born did it also become capable of walking and saying that it is here. Thus Jesus Christ became the cornerstone in the history of mankind. It can no longer live as though He does not exist. In other words, that is possible, but this kind of life takes on a still greater burden than previously.

Every year all over the world we celebrate this event of the advent of Jesus into our life. The external appearance of these celebrations is more or less always the same. However, our interior condition varies. There are some of us for whom the main thing is to make merry, to get some gift, to visit friends. . .and that's it. But it should be different. The celebration of Jesus's birth is a moment for examining our attitude toward what He did for each one of us. Only when we restore the right condition there, will we be able to rejoice together with others.

God has not left us alone to find our bearings on these earthly paths. So that we would for once already understand what He has done for us and that we would take the best advantage of it, He sent us His own Mother. Day by day She conveys His messages to us. She wants to teach us how to preserve in ourselves the freshness and warmth of our own childhood. It is up to us to accept this wisdom.

Both as individuals and as mankind we have a definite number of years and others for that reason, perhaps, think of us as adults. But we are adults only when we feel in ourselves the uninterrupted flow of our own source to our soul. Only then can we have our own personal and our own common history, that is, only then can it hve its own childhood. When it would have that, it will not be cold and angry, but warm and loving.

Fr. Miljenko Stojic


N E W S

NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During November in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 29,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 1,388 concelebrations at mass by priests from home and abroad, that is, 46 daily.

We will enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of November: Poland, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Korea, United States, France, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and or course, Croatia.


NEW YEAR

A vigil of prayer for the New Year will be held also this year in the church of Medjugorje. The vigil will start at 10 PM and conclude with Holy Mass at midnight.


EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE PRESS BULLETIN

We announce here the composition of the Press Bulletin Editorial Staff:

1. Fr. Miljenko Stojic
2. Fr. Ivan Landeka
3. Fr. Slavko Barbaric
4. Marija Dugandzic
5. Stipe Cavar
6. Kreso Sego


THE 9TH INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PRAYER MEETING

The ninth international youth prayer meeting will be held from July 31 - August 6, 1998. Here is the complete program for the meeting.

THEME OF THE FESTIVAL: "COME HOLY SPIRIT, CREATOR BLEST"

Theme For Each Day:

Friday July 31.
18:00 Rosary
19:00 Holy Mass
22:00 Introduction to the Festival and Adoration

Saturday August 1 - "Holy Spirit - You are God"
Father Hans Buob, Germany
09:00 Prayer to the Holy Spirit. Fr. Hans Buob
16:00 Fr. Hans Buob, Ivan Dragiæeviæ

Sunday, August 2. "The Holy Spirit and Mary"
Father Andrea Gasparini, Italy
09:00 Meeting on Podbrdo - Fr. Andrea Gasparini, Mirjana Soldo
16:00 Fr. Andrea Gasparini

Monday, August 3. "Holy Spirit, Open our hearts"
Don Cosimo Cavaluzzo, Italy
09:00 Prayer. Don Cosimo
16:00 Jakov Èolo, Don Cosimo
After evening Mass a Eucharistic Procession beginning from the Church
around the village of Medjugorje.

Tuesday August 4. "The Spirit of God and the spirit of the world"
Sister Elvira, Foundress of the Cenacolo Community, Italy.
09:00 Prayer. Sr. Elvira
16:00 Vicka Ivankoviæ, and the young men of Cenacolo Community
22:00 - 24:00. "The Spirit of God, And the spirit of the world"
Presentation by the Cenacolo Community.

Wednesday August 5. "Medjugorje: a work of the Holy Spirit"
Father Jozo Zovko
09:00 Prayer. Fr. Jozo
16:00 Testimonies
Youth Songs to Our Lady and Consecration of all to Our Lady.

Thursday August 6. Krizevac "Be my witnesses in the world"
03:00 Rosary going up Krizevac.
05:00 Holy Mass

RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Bring along:
a. ear phones and small FM radio
b. bible, umbrella and a candle for the procession.

2. Those with classical instruments (violin, flute, oboe, etc) should contact Agostino who is responsible for the music. Rooms will be provided for them at "Domus Pacis". Please send Agostino your name, address, age, instrument and years of experience in music. The Fax number is 00 387-88-651-888. You will hear from him.

3. Groups coming to participate in the Youth Prayer meeting should not plan any other programs during the youth festival.

4. Each evening there will be a community Mass.

DAILY SCHEDULE:
09:00 - 10:00 Morning prayer
10:00 - 11:00 Lecture
11:00 - 11.30 Music practice
11:30 - 12:00 Lecture
12:00 Afternoon prayer
12:30 Free time
16:00 -17:00 Witnessing / visionaries and other testimonies
18:00 Community rosary and Holy Mass
22:00 -23:30 Adoration

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION WILL BE HELD DURING THE ENTIRE WEEK.


Published by: INFORMATIVNI CENTAR MIR - Svetiste Kraljice mira ( Information Center MIR - Shrine of the Queen of Peace), 88266 Medjugorje, BiH, fax number: +387-88-651-444.
Director: fra Miljenko Stojic.
You can receive the latest issue of the Press Bulletin at any time on your own fax machine in the tone mode by dialing the Robofax in our Information Center at +387 88 65 15 55.
E-mail: medjugorje-mir@medjugorje.hr; Internet: http://www.medjugorje.hr Published every other Wednesday.


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