90
May 06, 1998

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO?

The statistics we have show that pilgrims have not only returned to Medjugorje in the years after the war, but also that their number keeps increasing. The first months of 1998 confirm this and indicate that the number of pilgrims will increase still more and reach the number from 1990 when the greatest number of pilgrims came to Medjugorje. In spite of the opponents and the negative propaganda that has followed the Medjugorje phenomenon from the beginning, the shrine has a life of its own. All of us, the parish, the visionaries, pilgrims, organizers of pilgrimages, priests who work in the shrine and those who lead pilgrim groups are thereby charged with some concrete duties. Those duties are nothing new, but they have to be fulfilled again in a conscious and sincere way.

Our Lady who speaks and teaches the Christian life, puts God in the first place and also wants us to do that. She offers us her help by calling us on the path of reconciliation, prayer, fasting, and conversion. The essence of all her messages is the Gospel of her Son. Jesus Christ is at the center. For that reason she also directs us to decide for God, adore her Son, read Sacred Scripture, pray before the cross, and celebrate the Eucharist. Our Lady does not all attention to herself but to Jesus Christ.

This kind of instruction in faith obligates all of us to listen well to Our Lady's teaching of the faith we concentrate on the essential and not allow secondary and less important things and events to take on a dominating significance. I call on all friends and those devoted to the Queen of Peace humbly to serve the Kingdom of God throughout the year that lies before us. Only in such service can Our Lady's wishes be realized.

Fr. Ivan Landeka

NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During April in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 99,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 2147 concelebrations at holy mass by priests from home and abroad, that is 71 daily.

We will enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims visited Medjugorje during the month of April: Poland, Japan, Mexico, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Italy, France, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Holland, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Lebanon, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, United States and, of course, Croatia.

VISIT OF CANADIAN BISHOP

At the end of April Bishop Girard Dionn visited Medjugorje. He is the retired bishop of Edmonson, New Brunswick, Canada. We will publish his impressions in the next issue of the Press Bulletin.

MISSIONARY TRAVEL OF FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC

At the invitation of Medjugorje friends and pilgrims Fr. Slavko Barbaric visited some parish and community prayer groups in Austria from April 18 - 20, 1998. Here are some points about that journey. In the parish community of Hohnhart a seminar on prayer was conducted with the participation of a large number of parishioners. The central theme was: Mary's call to prayer. In addition to the lectures the complete Medjugorje prayer program was also conducted.

The same such program was conducted April 19 in the parish community of Griesskirchen. After praying the rosary, holy mass followed with adoration and lectures. The large parish church was full that Sunday afternoon. The associate pastor of this parish, Fr. Joseph Gratzer received his vocation in Medjugorje. He gave up his profitable job in the field of computer technology and now gladly works for the salvation of souls.

On April 20th the prayer encounter was held at Maria in Siege in Vienna. The very beautiful church was overfull. A large number of priests also participated in the Medjugorje prayer program. On the way back Fr. Slavko visited Sr. Elvira's "Cenacolo" community for the cure of drug addicts in Mattersburg which was opened eight months ago. They obtained a large property, arable land, woods, and a small lake. They work together with the parish community. At first the people received them with scepticism but now they have already seen how this community is a real blessing for them and their youth in the battle against drugs.

"Every departure out of the country confirms how much of the world has been truly touched by the message of Medjugorje and how many are trying to remain faithful to Our Lady's call," said Fr. Slavko upon his return.

STATEMENT ON THE TESTS PERFORMED ON THE VISIONARIES

INSTITUTE FOR THE FIELD LIMITS OF SCIENCE - INNSBRUCK [INSTITUT FÜR GRENZGEBIETE DER WISSENSCHAFT (IGW) - INNSBRUCK]

CENTER FOR STUDY AND RESEARCH ON PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS - MILANO
EUROPEAN SCHOOL OF HYPNOTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY AMISI OF MILAN
PARAPSYCHOLOGY CENTER OF BOLOGNA

On April 22-23, 1998 at the Casa Incontri Cristiani [ House of Christian Encounters ] of Capiago-Como, of the Dehonian Fathers a psychophysiological and psychodiagnostic research took place on subjects:

Ivan Dragicevic
Marija Pavlovic Lunetti
Vicka Ivankovic

who are commonly known as visionaries of the Medjugorje group.

This research allows certain considerations:

Since 1981 these subjects have had and still have some experiences that are defined as apparitions/visions of Our Lady.

In this center we have verified that such experiences provoke modifications of some measurable biological parameters.

The above subjects with full freedom and with an attitude of collaboration full liberty submitted to the following tests:

-complete case history

-medical case history

-MMPI, EPI, MHQ; Tree test, Person test, Raven Matrixes, Rorschach Test, Hand test

-neurological visit

-computerized polygraph (GSR; PERIPHERAL CARDIAC ACTIVITIES; PNEUMOGRAPHY 1-2)
during the apparitional experience and during the mediated hypnotic recall of the same apparitional experience.

-dynamic registration according to Holter of arterial pressure

-dynamic registration according to Holter Electrocardiographic [ECG]/respiratory

-pupillary reflexes (photomotor) and winking reflex

-video takes

-photographs

The results will be made public only after the complete analysis of the data and the completion of certain aspects of the research.

The coordinators of the research
P. Andreas Resch
Dr. Giorgio Gagliardi

The following members of the above listed Institutes and Centers participated in the research:

Andreas Resch, theologian and psychologist: Giorgio Gagliardi, psychophysiologist; Marco Margnelli, psychophysiologist; Virginio Nava, psychiatrist; Luigi Ravagnati, neurologist; Mario Cigada, oculist psychotherapist; Giovanni Li Rosi, gynecologist psychotherapist; Marianna Bolko, psychiatrist; Gaetano Perriconi, internist; Gianfranco Fattori, neurophysiologist; Gabriella Raffaelli, scientific secretary; Fiorella Gagliardi, assistant community secretary.

Capiago, April 23, 1998
NB: The initiative for this investigation was undertaken by the parish office of Medjugorje in agreement with the visionaries.

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.

---

Last Modified 05/06/98