Parish of St. James the Apostle – Medjugorje
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Parish Priest:
 | Friar Marinko Šakota was born in Citluk on July 12th 1968. He completed his Elementary school in Citluk, as well as the first grade of High school. That is the time he felt vocation and decided to join Franciscan order, so he moved to Franciscan Seminary in Visoko where he finished second grade, and the other two he had completed at Jesuit Grammar School in Dubrovnik, where he had also graduated.
He put on his Franciscan habit on July 15th, 1987 in Humac where he stayed for one year of the Novitiate. From 1988 to 1989, he served in Yugoslav People’s Army. He started his study of philosophy and theology in Sarajevo at Franciscan Theology College (1989 -1990), continued to study in Zagreb at Jesuit College (1990-1992) and completed and graduated in his bachelor’s degree in Fulda, Germany (1992-1995). He gave his solemn vows in Široki Brijeg in 1993.
He was ordained as deacon in Zagreb on February 10th, 1996, and ordained as a priest in Frohnleiten on July 13th, 1996.
His first service was Franciscan Monastery in Innsbruck where he helped out for one year from 1996 to 1997, and then he was spiritual assistant in Frohnleiten from 1997 to 1998, and chaplain in Augsburg from 1998 to 2000. He was chaplain in Mostar from 2000 to 2003, and parish priest in Gradnici from 2003 to 2010. He is in Medjugorje since September 2010 as a chaplain. After parish priest,Fr. Petar Vlasic,died, the new parish priest is Fr. Marinko Šakota.
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Parish vicars: |
| Fr. Viktor Kosir, OFM, was born on February 16, 1938, in Uzarici, where he finished primary school. He attended secondary school in Split and Visoko. He received his Franciscan habit on July 14, 1957. He studied theology in Sarajevo and ljubljana (Slovenia). He was ordained a priest on May 2nd, 1965. As catechist, he served in Mostar, as a Parish priest in Vitina, Posušje, Posuški Gradac and Široki Brijeg, and as Parish vicar on two occasions in Medugorje. Since 1994, he has been serving in Medjugorje, mostly as minister of the sacrament of reconciliation. |
| Fr. Karlo Lovric was born on December 12, 1941, in Uzarici, where he attended the elementary school. He continued his classes at the school in Siroki Brijeg. In 1957, he entered the Seminary and attended the classic college, first in Sinj and then at the Jesuit Classic College in Dubrovnik, where he made his baccalaureate. After he had completed his military service, he received the Franciscan habit and entered the noviciate in Humac, in 1963. He studied philosophy and theology in Visoko and Sarajevo, and then in Königstein near Frankfurt a.M., where he graduated and was ordained a priest on June 29, 1968. From 1969 to 1971, he was a spiritual assistant in Humac/Ljubuški, from August 1971 to the end of the year in KHM Zürich, and from 1972 to 1980, he was the founder and in charge of the Croatian Catholic Mission St. Gallen in Switzerland. From October 1980 to 1982, he was the Pastor in Siroki Brijeg. From September 1982 to December 1988, he was again in Switzerland, where he founded and led the Croatian Catholic Mission Lausanne. From 1988 to the end of January 2005, he was in charge of the Croatian Catholic Mission Zürich. In Switzerland, he was the National delegate for the Croatian Catholic Missions in Switzerland from 1989 to 2001, as well as the Provincial delegate from 1999 to 2001. He came to Medjugorje in May 2005, and he is serving as a spiritual assistant. |
| Fr. Ivan Dugandžic (Born in Krehin Gradac in 1943). He attended high school in Zadar and Dubrovnik and entered Faculty of Theology in Visoko, but he continues his studies and graduated in Konigstein. He was ordained as a priest in 1969 in Frohnleiten. He achieved his Doctor’s Thesis in 1976 in Wurzburg and it was in Theology of Holy Scripture. He served in the parish of Medjugorje from 1970 to 1972 and from 1985 to 1988. He was also a Secretary of Herzegovina Franciscan Province, educator of young novices, seminarians, guardian of the monastery of Herzegovina Franciscan Province in Zagreb. He was professor at the Catholic Theology Faculty of the University in Zagreb. He writes books, articles and columns, he translates and participates in various events. He is also a member of the expertise boards. Manuscript of his book “Biblical Theology of the New Testament” from 2004 was taken as a university student book at the University of Zagreb. He is now parish assistant priest in Medjugorje since August 2013. |
| Fr. Mladen Herceg (Born in Crveni Grm in 1945.) He attended high school in Visoko and Dubrovnik and studied Theology in Visoko and Sarajevo, and his post-graduate studies he completed in Rome. Theme of his Magistrate Thesis was “Love as a foundation of inter-human relationships according to the doctrine of the Second Vatican Council”. He was ordained as a priest in 1968 in Vares. He served as the spiritual assistant in Humac, Mostar, Drinovci and Medjugorje. He was a spiritual guide to Franciscan sisters in Bijelo Polje and Medjugorje. He educated young seminarians in Poljud and he was assistant educator of seminarians, parish assistant priest and spiritual guide of seminarians in Zagreb. He is also leading contemplative spiritual exercises. He is now parish assistant priest in Medjugorje since August 2013. |
| Fr. Dragan Ružic (Born in Sarajevo in 1962) He completed his high school in Visoko, and studied Philosophy and Theology in Sarajevo and Bologna, while he did his post-graduate studies in Rome. He completed his Magistrate Studies in 1997 in Salesianum with theme of influence of TV-advertisements on underage children. He was ordained as a priest in Bologna in 1989. He served as the spiritual assistant in Mostar and Tomislavgrad, and he was a Secretary of Herzegovina Franciscan Province. He was in Rome in General Curia since February 1999 until August 2013 when he was moved to the parish of Medjugorje. |
| Fr. Ivan Landeka, Jr. (Born in Rastovaca in 1981) He completed his high school in Posusje and Ljubuski, studied Philosophy and Theology at the Catholic Theology Faculty in Zagreb. He spent his pastoral year serving in Augsburg where he was ordained as a priest in 2007. He served as the parish assistant priest in Cerin and studied to become educator in Rome. He is now in Medjugorje and is a parish assistant priest. |
| Fr. Stanko Cosic (Born in Zagreb in 1984) He was educated in Switzerland and in Zagreb. He put his Franciscan habit on in 2006 in Humac and gave his solemn vows in Medjugorje on September 18, 2011. He was ordained as a deacon on December 26, 2012 and that is when he came to serve in Medjugorje parish. Bishop Ratko Peric ordained him as a priest in Mostar on June 29, 2013 and he is now a parish assistant priest in Medjugorje parish. |
Lay Brother: |
| Br. Josip Marija Katalinic, OFM, was born on November 22, 1952 in Pepelana near Virovitica, where he also attended primary school. He entered the Franciscan noviciate in 1989 in Humac, where he made his final vows on September 17, 1994. He was serving in Franciscan monasteries in Mostar and Široki Brijeg. Since July 20, 2002, he has been serving in Medjugorje. |
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Franciscan School Sisters
Franciscan School Sisters are also active in this parish and those are: Sr. Irena Azinovic, Sr. Andrijana Hrkac, Sr. Ljudevita Boras, Sr. Janja Boras, Sr. Filotea Landeka, Sr. Mira Soldo and Sr. Ivana Markotic. They take care of the sacristy and music ministry as well as for all other house works.
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