Medjugorje Website Updates of year 2008

In the Christmas night, numerous faithful from the neighbourhood, as well as from distant parts of the world, join the parishioners of Medjugorje to celebrate Christmas here. This year, there were pilgrims from different European countries, as well as groups from Hong Kong, Macao and Korea.

Prof. Dr. Mark Miravalle, professor of Theology and Mariology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville (USA) is a permanent deacon, a married man and a father of 8 children. Shortly after the beginning of the apparitions, while he was writing his doctorate in Rome, he came to Medjugorje to investigate the events.

Marijana Zovko is a Croatian Christian music singer who lives in Laupheim, Germany.

Around the 1st of January, large crowds of pilgrims once again gathered on the main street in Bijakovici. Vicka, after an absence of nine months for health reasons, returned to the stairs of her blue house to give witness! This year however, we will have to wait until March for her to resume her normal rhythm of speaking three days per week. By then the treatment of her shoulder should be finished. In these last nine months, Vicka has suffered more than usual, but she knows how to remain happy in all situations, even those that are apparently negative.

Foto: Anto Bandov

Music: If I could touch you" by Daniella Sisgoreo-Morsan

Video accompanied with the song Immaculate Mary, written in Medjugorje and performed by Pio Patrick from, where you can find more informations and lyrics of the song.

You can also freely download or listen to the song Immaculate Mary.

Croats in Lourdes/France (Hrvati u Lurdu (Lourdes)/Francuska)

Music: Luka Balvan, "Andjeli ti pjevaju" (The angels sing to you).

Foto: Anto B.

Beginning Thursday, 31 January 2008

The Blessed Virgin Mary began to appear in Medjugorje 24 June 1981. After 20 months of calling her children to conversion by means of prayer, the sacraments and the scriptures, she began a three-year School of Prayer on Thursdays. The programme started the week before Lent in 1984 and concluded in January, 1987.

Mgr. George Tutto, a Hungarian priest living in the U.K. since 1953, and who was Spiritual Director to the Medjugorje Apostolate in England and Wales from the 1980s through the mid 1990s, wrote a book entitled “Living the Gospel with Our Lady." Published in 1991, this book linked the 150 weekly messages, given each Thursday by the Queen of Peace, to selected scripture texts to help us live the Gospel with Our Lady. These 150 messages were divided into 3 groups of 50 and each of these into 5 groups of 10 - just like the decades of the Rosary.

Our Lady recently stated that we are not praying because we are afraid to open ourselves to prayer. Over the next three years you are invited to make a renewed commitment to take Our Blessed Mother’s messages seriously by Living the Gospel with Our Lady and learning to pray with the heart.

The programme is available at Manchester Medjugorje Center website

In 1990 I went to Medjugorje for the first time. I was curious to see for myself this extraordinary phenomena of Mary’s apparitions, and I ardently desired “perceiving” her presence, so that I too could feel accepted and loved by Mary. I have always loved our Lord, even as a child, and trusted in Him. I have also sinned much in my life, however this didn’t impede me from turning constantly to God. If He came as the Physician for the sick, why shouldn’t I have brought my ailments to Him?

A video of England’s National Shrine of Our Lady in Walsingham with a soundtrack called “Mary’s Garden” by Paul Lisney. Links: imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html and www.mirmedjugorje.org

A video of an ancient Shrine of Our Lady in the North-West of England called ‘Ladyewell’a place of pilgrimage for many centuries, with 2 songs by Paul Lisney, the ‘Hail Mary’ and ‘from our mother’. Links: imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html and www.mirmedjugorje.org

Christianity before being a doctrine is a personal relationship with God

Father Livio Fanzaga is a priest and a religious, member of the Congregation of the Scolopian Fathers, a Religious Order founded in the 17th century by S. Giuseppe Calasanzio (1557-1648) and customarily dedicated to the apostolate and education of poor children and young people.

A walk through the lives of Jesus & Mary with pictures of Orthodox and Coptic Icons and the song Kyrie Eleison (Lord have Mercy) by Paul Lisney. Links: imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html and www.mirmedjugorje.org

Before I married my wife Becky, who is Catholic, I was raised as a Methodist. After several years of receiving communion in a Catholic church, I was told that I was not allowed to take communion because I was not Catholic!  More out of frustration than anything else at the time I joined the Church. I was so busy with my life and was so marginal at both being a Methodist and a Catholic that I could barely tell the difference. My life was all about working in a dog-eat-dog high-tech Company for 50+ hours a week and was full of stress, and anxiety. Then after twenty five years of living in a pressure cooker, the lid flew off.

More of the beautiful music played in St James Church, Medjugorje.

A video using pictures from the TV series Jesus of Nazareth and a new song called "The Seed" by Paul Lisney. The video is a reflection on the sorrows of Mary. For more of Paul's songs see: imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html.

Pictures of Mother Teresa in her work for the poor and a beautiful song called ‘Real Love’ by Peter Mason which sums up her life of self giving & sacrifice. A timely reflection for lent perhaps. Links: www.itrustjesus.com where songs can be downloaded etc and also www.mirmedjugorje.org

I was overjoyed to hear these incredible insights about Lent that Vicka shared with a pilgrim recently:

"Many times we see Lent as a time when we make sacrifices and practice self-denial by giving up coffee, alcohol, chocolate, cigarettes, TV, or whatever we are overly attached to. But we must renounce those things out of love for Jesus and Mary, and be careful not to do it for our own glory. Often we wait for the end of the forty days, only to drink again, to watch TV again, etc. This is not the right way to live Lent!

A series of artworks depicting scenes from the book of Exodus with a beautiful soundtrack by a Messianic Jewish band called Katuv. See www.mirmedjugorje.org and www.katuvmusic.com

Recently, a group of students from the University of Notre Dame in the USA spent their Spring Break in Medjugorje. While there, they met a priest from Canada, Fr. Mike, who was able to spend time with them sharing his experiences and encouraging them. One night, he shared with them his testimony and a special message :

He was ordained at the age of 26, and six months later he was involved in a terrible automobile accident. Upon impact, he found himself below a tunnel of light that he knew was the portal to heaven. He experienced in that moment great joy, and a completeness he had never known. He was going to meet Jesus, and he was filled with peace. But then he became aware that he was being asked to return to his life on earth, that his work was not over. He said he was returning with an incredible desire to tell everyone he met that life is short, that God is real, and that we must not waste a moment on anything less than God. He then woke up in the hospital.

Apparition of Our Lady in Medjugorje for Mirjana, 2. March 2008

A series of Christian artworks by Elizabeth Wang with a brilliant soundtrack by Paul Lisney called Send me a dream. See imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html and www.mirmedjugorje.org

Excerpt taken from book Letters to Marc About Jesus by Henri Nouwen:

Now I´d like to tell you one or two things about her, not just because I happen to be here but because, all along, I´ve been wanting to write to you about Jesus as the hidden God.
I don´t think you´ll ever be able to penetrate the mystery of God´s revelation in Jesus until it strikes you that the major part of Jesus´life was hidden and that even the “public” years remained invisible as far as most people were concerned. Whereas the way of the world is to insist on publicity, celebrity, popularity and getting maximum exposure, God prefer to work in secret. You must have the nerve to let that mystery of God´s secrecy, God´s anonymity, sink deeply into your consciousness because, otherwise, you´re continually looking in the wrong direction. In God´s sight, the things that really matter seldom take place in public.

She died the year Our Lady’s apparitions at Medjugorje began. She loved the Blessed Virgin, and inspired by her, she adhered to the divine will in a radical way, even when God’s plan asked of her a degree of immolation beyond human capacity. She bore Christ’s wounds, and she let herself be consumed for the salvation of souls.

Video of our aid convoys to Bosnia (including Medjugorje) during the war (1993) and the song Angels by Tami Leah and Anna see www.mirmedjugorje.org and www.itrustjesus.com

Visiting Vicka recently I was ushered into her house and mixed in with a small group of Italians who were listening intently to Vicka's words. She answered their questions and spoke to them from the heart, which gave me an opportunity to again witness her incredible wisdom. After all, that is her trademark (ask anyone from the village): wisdom grounded in solid common sense! When I came she was speaking to several Italian families who were deeply suffering in their family life. Naturally Vicka responded to their distress by expressing a few observations on family life today:

A video of the Schoenstatt shrine in Manchester UK with the song 'sanctuary' by Paul Lisney see www.mirmedjugorje.org and imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html

In the Vecernji list of March 21, 2008, Ivan Tolj published an interview with Cardinal Vinko Puljić, Archbishop of Sarajevo.

Question: the recently published interview with the Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of the Holy See, that the case Medjugorje should be re-examined, inspired various speculations. Has the Bishop’s Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed this matter, and is it true that Medjugorje shall be officially examined once again?

Cardinal Puljic’s answer: „Our BC has not discussed this matter, because the phenomenon of Medjugorje does not come within our competence. At the moment when the Holy See takes the decision and gives a task, we shall think about what to do. This is why it is not necessary to speculate, unless concrete instructions come. After the work of the Commission, the BC has already decided to accompany the phenomenon pastorally. This is nothing new, but the implementation of the first decision of the BC about the phenomenon Medjugorje.”

Pics of St (Padre) Pio and a song/poem called The Priest by Paul Lisney see imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html and www.mirmedjugorje.org

Pics of walsingham’s new parish church and a song called The Secret by Paul Lisney see imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html and www.mirmedjugorje.org

Pictures from the Holy Land & Eucharist and a song by Peter Mason called be still. See www.itrustjesus.com and www.mirmedjugorje.org

Pics of the life of Jesus courtesy Jesus MAFA and a song by Peter Mason called Message of Love see www.itrustjesus.com for music and our site www.mirmedjugorje.org

Immaculate Mary pics of Walsingham , the UK national shrine of our Lady and a song by Paul Lisney called Immaculate Mary see imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html for music and our site www.mirmedjugorje.org

Pics of CSI's slave redemption missions and other work in Sudan and a soundrack by Peter Mason called "Our Father" see www.itrustjesus.com for music and also visit www.mirmedjugorje.org

An apparition of Our Lady for Mirjana, 2. April 2008

An apparition of Our Lady for Mirjana, 2. May 2008

Pics from scenes of the old testament by chinese artsit He Qi and music by katuv see www.katuvmusic.com and www.heqigallery.com, also visit www.mirmedjugorje.org

A video of pictures from Sudan, of slave redemption missions of ChristianSolidarity International with a soundtrack by Paul Lisney called 'your Holy face, see imagesofheaven.org/Index/Lisney.html. See also: www.mirmedjugorje.org

An apparition of Our Lady for Mirjana, 2. June 2008

A beautiful song Jesus Lover of My Soul by Darlene Zschech with music video and lyrics.

In her talk to us, Mirjana began by recounting the early days of the apparitions. She did this primarily for those who had never been to Medjugorje before. Any words in italics are mine. The first part of the overview is presented here. Mirjana's words were translated by Miki Musa and therefore are not always grammatically correct but you will get the idea.

Photos of one of the Medjugorje visionaries, Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic during her short discourse to pilgrims before the house of her parents.

For the 8^th consecutive year, with the blessing of the Maronite Patriarch, from 16^th to 25^th of June every year “Friends of Mary Queen of Peace” association is organizing the prayer novena “Praying with Mary for Lebanon” which is a 24/24 hours novena of praying the rosary, fasting (nine days or one day according to a personal choice) and adoration of The Blessed Sacrament. Each year it is taking place in another region of Lebanon and in the churches designated by local bishops.

This was given in May 2007, on the steps of the blue house where Vicka frequently gives her testimony to groups of pilgrims in Medjugorje. I regret I do not know the name of the guide who provided the translation. Vicka spoke in Italian and this was then translated into English. The guide began by introducing Vicka. Throughout this entire testimony, Vicka smiled, waved and blew kisses at everyone.

This video contains scenes of one of past peace march procession led by Fr. Slavko in ninetees, as well with scenes of damage caused by war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The 27^th Anniversary of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje was solemnly celebrated in the spirit of gratitude for all the graces received.

The reported apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bosnia-Herzegovina (former Yugoslavia) have attracted the attention of the world and approximately 30 million pilgrims. Since June 24, 1981, six children began to report daily visits from the "Queen of Peace" and several of the "visionaries" continue to report receiving a daily apparition from the Mother of Jesus over 25 years later.

Is Medjugorje real? Are these authentic apparitions of the Virgin Mary? What is the official position of the Catholic Church about their authenticity? Could these simply be the fraudulent deception of hysteric children (now adults) for reasons of attention and personal gain?

The Spanish famous author Maria Vallejo-Nagera speaks about her conversion at Medjugorje.

Song "Medugorje" of Croatian singer Doris Dragovic, including lyrics in Croatian and English language.

The 19th International Youth Festival - Mladifest 19 – will take place in Medjugorje from August 1st to August 6th, 2008. The theme of the encounter is, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8) (“In silence may the Holy Spirit speak to you and permit Him to convert and change you.” - Message of July 25, 2006)

Beautiful Music Video capturing the Spirit of Medugorje. The sound track Medjugorje-'The Voice of Peace' is used on a TV Documentary on Medugorje called MEDUGORJE COME AND SEE.

Medjugorje in early August, will host one of the most famous opera singers of today, the Italian tenors Andrea Bocelli, who will with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra perform in front of the church of St. Joseph. Organizers expect more than a hundred thousand visitors. The concert will transmit in Croatian television FTV, state public television Televizija Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine.

This video contains some photos of events, that seemingly have supernatural character. Further, Timothy Klauck, former U.S. Army Intelligence Officer, speaks about his opinion on miraculous or supernatural happenings in Medjugorje. He also speaks about an incident with aircraft bombers, that he saw near Medjugorje. He became convinced that Medjugorje during the Bosnian war in ninetees became relatively untouched, because of divine intervention.

An apparition of Our Lady for Mirjana, 2. August 2008

The following homily was delivered Sunday, June 15, at St. James Church in Medjugorje by Fr. Timothy Deeter.

Last night, I finished another book for my spiritual reading. I’m constantly amazed at how God directs me to read spiritual works that have important lessons for my own life at the time I’m reading them. The book I just finished is entitled Testimony of Hope and it’s by Archbishop—later Cardinal—Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan. In 1975, only a few months after his appointment as archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), he was imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for 13 years. Then he was placed under house arrest for three more years, before finally being expelled from Vietnam. Archbishop Van Thuan went to Rome to work in the Vatican, and in the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II asked him to preach the annual Lenten retreat for himself and the heads of various Vatican departments. The retreat was so successful that the Pope asked the Archbishop to publish the text of his reflections.

Testimony of Vicka in Medjugorje

Jakov is going to share with us the most important that is about our Lady’s apparitions: And what is the most important, the messages on which Our Lady is calling us here? Apparitions are continuing, are lasting already nearly 25 years. Many people have come here to Medjugorje, they ask themselves, why apparitions are lasting so long ? Why Our Lady has been giving us so many messages? Many people say the messages are many times the same. I always say to everybody, instead of why, we should say thank you. Thanks to God for graces which he gave to us. Thanks to God because he allows Our Lady to be here for 25 years.

"In 1992 my life changed dramatically," says Father Donald Calloway. "I had a profound conversion experience after reaching rock bottom."

Rock bottom indeed! Now a 31-year-old priest who serves as assistant rector at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Father Calloway had been a runaway youngster who was immersed in everything from drug abuse to theft.

Note: The book that Don Calloway speaks about is: "The Queen of Peace Visits Medjugorje", about the apparition site Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina, by Father Joseph A. Pelletier

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At least 50 people in Kottayam district have reportedly lost their vision after gazing at the sun looking for an image of Virgin Mary.

Though alarmed health authorities have installed a signboard to counter the rumour that a solar image of Virgin Mary appeared to the believers, curious onlookers, including foreign travellers, have been thronging the venue of the ‘miracle’.

From August 1 to 6 took place in Medjugorje the 19th International Youth Prayer Meeting under the title, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

The program began on Friday, August 1^st at 6 PM with the prayer of the Rosary in different languages. Fr. Petar Vlasic, the Pastor, opened the Festival with an introductory word, after which young people from 60 countries welcomed their compatriots to Medjugorje in their own languages. Holy Mass was presided by Fr. Ivan Sesar, the Franciscan Provincial of Herzegovina, in concelebration with more then 300 priests.

Externally you see just bread, but it is Jesus, externally you see just the poor person, but it is Jesus, difficult to explain it is a mystery of love. It is one of thinks that human mind cannot reach, but you have to bend, it is him we receive and . Our Love of christ is in action is serve him and poor.

On the website www.wewanttoseetheworld.com, David Burke offers freely in mp3 format his music composition of Hail Mary (including sheet music).

On the website, you can also find a beautiful and touching song We want to see the world, in mp3 format or provided as a video presentation with the song playing on background. Music sheet and lyrics are also available. One can also find a link for free songs and other informations related to musical Wonders of His Love.

Update: there is now also available a new nice song His Light Upon My Rosary

Brother John Paul Mary (Paddy Kelly) member of the famous Irish music group The Kelly Family was on Monday, August 4 in Medjugorje for the first time on the Mladifest (Festival of Youth in Medjugorje) since its entering the monastery of the community of the Saint John in France as a monk. He was standing there before a large crowd telling about his life with God.

I have received an interesting letter addressed from Elvis to visionary Marija Pavlovic in Italian language, and I provide translation:

We had an opportunity to hear a testimony and a song of John Paul Mary (ex. Paddy Kelly) in Medjugorje. The Kelly Family music group, namely in nineties, had spread with some of their songs and videos seeds of love, sentiment, sweetness, tenderness and (therefore) also spirituality to many, especially young girls and women. Their typical music style, videos and also appearance was something quite special to see in comparison with another pop-production. Here is a selection of old Kelly Family videos from YouTube, which has beautiful and spiritual content.

An apparition of Our Lady for Mirjana, 2. September 2008

In Medjugorje Photos Gallery, there are many new photos; in the album Medjugorje Photos of Summer. Pictures from albums are displayed using an enhanced system, which allows fast viewing and access to next and previous pictures. For viewing next and previous image, it is possible to use except mouse clicks also left and right arrow cursor keys.

Ivan Dragicevic from Medjugorje spoke on Tuesday, September, 16th 2008, before thousands of the faithful at the Peace prayer in the Viennese St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Austria.

The cathedral was overfull with the faithful from diverse prayer groups and movements. They met under the slogan „A Message for You”. The Malteser provided for a smooth operational sequence of this large meeting. The Malteser Youth, called Johannesgemeinschaft, was also very active in invitation and preparation. Under the guidance of Mag. Oktavian Eiselsberg, everything was organized in the best way.

The CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH with its letter prot. 144/1985-27164 of 30 May 2008, has authorized me as the local Bishop of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno to inform the diocesan community of the canonical status of Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, the founder of the association “Kraljice mira potpuno Tvoji - po Mariji k Isusu” - (Queen of Peace, totally Yours - Through Mary to Jesus).

Published in Večernji list, 14. 09. 2008. Interview by Žarko Ivković

The media published in recent days a sensational news: that the Vatican began to square the accounts with the phenomenon called Medjugorje, and that the Pope himself called Medjugorje a fraud. In the background of this false information was the case of Fr. Tomislav Vlašić, punished by the Vatican for “spreading of doubtful doctrines, manipulation of consciences, doubtful mysticism, disobedience and fault against the sixth commandment (fornication)”. As this is a priest who used to serve in Medjugorje, the authenticity of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje was once again under suspicion.

What says about this Dr. Fr. Ivan Sesar, Provincial of the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province and former Pastor of Medjugorje?

Marian apparitions in Medjugorje
Marienerscheinungen in Medjugorje

It was the 1st June 1985, and I was in France. I was leading a group of students on an art tour. My wife was with me, and it had come to the last day of our trip. In mid-sentence, I fell to the ground, screaming with intense pain in my stomach. An ambulance came and I was rushed to hospital. The doctor told me that I had a hole in my duodenum.

Before his near-death experience, Rev. Howard Storm, a Professor of Art at Northern Kentucky University, was not a very pleasant man. He was an avowed atheist and was hostile to every form of religion and those who practiced it. He often would use rage to control everyone around him and he didn't find joy in anything. Anything that wasn't seen, touched, or felt, he had no faith in. He knew with certainty that the material world was the full extent of everything that was. He considered all belief systems associated with religion to be fantasies for people to deceive themselves with. Beyond what science said, there was nothing else.

A child's Near Death Experience with encounter with an guardian angel.

Jožef Ratković, a Croat from Austria, walked from Zürich to Medjugorje to fulfill a vow: to pray for healing of his wife who suffers from multiple sclerosis. In 42 days he walked 1,400 km. “I believe in God and I hope for his help. I also pray for peace with God and with people. For me, peace is when we reach out to another and great another. This is basic.”

An apparition of Our Lady for Mirjana, 2. October 2008

Mons. Eduardo Horacio García, Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, was in Medjugorje with a group of pilgrims from Argentina in the beginning of October 2008. Mons. García is born in 1956, and he is a bishop for five years now. Marija Stegnar, an Argentinean Croat who is regularly bringing groups to Medjugorje for many years now, accompanied this pilgrimage.

By Vedrana Vidović

The 22nd International Mariological and Marian Congress ended on September 8th in Lourdes, by a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of the Holy Rosary. Holy Mass was presided by the Cardinal Poupard, special representative of the Holy Father, who also presided the Congress.