Mary’s Voice in Today’s World

This is the last in a series of five classes about MaryThe Mother of God

- The Magnificat – Historical Mary- Marian Apparitions in General- Our Lady of Guadalupe- Lourdes and Fatima- Medjugorje – Our Lady of Peace

MedugorjeOur Lady Queen of Peace

Where is Medugorje?Why is it important today?How does the Medugorje message differ from that of

Lourdes and Fatima?Has the church approved the apparition?What’s next?

MedugorjeOur Lady Queen of Peace

Where is Medjugorje?

Located in the formerYugoslavia

Yugoslavia – World War II

CroatsSerbs

Bosnians

Central Yugoslavia – Early 1940’s

Religions of the Area

Roman Catholic Moslem Serbian Orthodox

Medjugorje Medjugorje is a village located in the Herzegovina region of Western Bosnia and Herzegovina

16 miles Southwest of Mostar and close to the border with Croatia

Medjugorje

Medjugorje

The name ‘Medjugorje’ literally means “between mountains”

It’s at an elevation of about 660 feet and has a mild Mediterranean climate

The Catholic parish consists of five neighboring villages: Medugorje, Bijakovici, Vionica, Miletina and Surmanci

The Catholic Parish of St James is part of the Diocese of Mostar (Mostar is the 5th largest city in Bosnia)

Google Earth

St. James (Sveti Jakov)

• First church was built in 1892• Franciscans• Locals engaged in

subsistence agriculture• 1933 Papal Holy Year

• Legend – Papal dream• One of the mountain areas south

of the village is called Krizevac (Mountain of the Cross)

• Parish project• Completion of the Cross commemorated the

1900th anniversary of Christ’s Passion and Death• Relics from original cross of Christ embedded

Path up Krizevac

Medjugorje

Circa 1981

June 24, 1981

XXX Mirjana Dragicevic – Soldo 16 years

X Jakov Colo 10 years

XX Ivan Dragicevic 16 years

XX Vicka Ivankovic – Mijatovic 17 years

X Marija Pavlovic – Lunetti 16 years (Milka’s sister)

X Ivan IvankovicX Milka Pavlovic

The VisionariesJune 1981

XXX Ivanka Ivankovic – Elez 15 years

- Daily apparitions – wherever the visionary is the apparition happens

- 10 secrets – 3 have received 10- In the beginning all apparitions were public and messages

were shared almost immediately – gradually changed to

2 worldly messages per month (2nd and 25th )- No set time for how long an apparition will last- Our Lady is sometimes accompanied by angels, saints or the

Christ Child (Christmas apparition)

Our Lady’s Message

• God has sent Her• This is a time of great grace granted by God• In Her own words:

“I have come to tell the world that God exists. He is the fullness of life, and to enjoy this fullness and peace, you must return to God”.

Messages• June 25, 1981 – March 1984 Public Invited

Jun 30, ‘81 – Dec 31, ‘81 – Hidden Places Jan ‘82 – Apr ‘85 – Chapel opposite Sacristy

(Mar ‘84 – from daily to Thursdays) Apr ‘85 – Sep ‘87 – Rectory

(Jan 8, ‘87 message on 25th of month) Sep ‘87 - ??? ‘89 – Choir Loft in Church

(Aug 2, ‘87 – Mirjana – 2nd of each month)

• Sometime in 1989 the apparitions changed from occurring in a public place to occurring in more private places

Interrogations & Persecutions

Messages are a Mosaic

• “By means of the messages, I wish to make a very beautiful mosaic in your hearts.” (November 25, 1989)

• “Little children, read every day the messages I gave you and transform them into life. I love you and this is why I call you to the way of salvation with God” (December 25, 1989)

www.medjugorje.org/messagesall.htm

Messages5 Major Themes

1. Prayer2. Fasting3. Reading the Bible4. Confession5. Eucharist

Major Theme - Prayer• Prayer is the center of Our Lady’s plan

“Without unceasing prayer, you cannot experience the beauty and greatness of the grace which God if offering you.” (February 25, 1989)

• To pray with the heart is to pray with love, trust, abandonment, and concentration“Today also I am calling you to prayer. You know, dear children, that God grants special graces in prayer … I call you, dear

children, to prayer with the heart.” (April 25, 1987)

• The power of satan is destroyed by prayer and he cannot harm us if we pray.“You know that I love you and am coming here out of love … dedicate your prayers so that those under Satan influence may be saved … do not be afraid. If you pray, Satan cannot injure you, not even a little, because you are God’s children and He is watching over you. Pray, and let the Rosary always be in your hands as a sign to Satan that you belong to me.” (February 25, 1989)

Major Theme - Fasting

• Both the Old and New Testaments have many examples of fasting – Jesus fasted frequently

• Fasting is essential in order to achieve spiritual freedom“Fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays.” (August 14, 1984)

• Fasting means to make a sacrifice to God

Major Theme – Reading the Bible

• Our Blessed Mother encourages us to read the Bible everyday …“Dear Children, today I call you to read the Bible everyday in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read and pray.” (October 18, 1984)

Major Theme - Confession

• Our Lady asks for monthly confession“Make your peace with God and among yourselves. For that, it is necessary to believe, to pray, to fast, and to go to confession.” (June 26, 1981)

• Confession can open the door to heaven“Whoever has done very much evil during his life can go straight to Heaven if he confesses, is sorry for what he has done, and receives Communion at the end of his life.” (June 24, 1982)

• For many ‘Catholics’ in the West (that’s us) the practice of going to confession and its importance has really diminished. So much so that Our Lady comments:“Monthly confession will be a remedy for the Church in the West. One must convey this message to the West.” (August 6, 1982)

Pilgrims going to Confession

Major Theme - Eucharist

• Our Lady recommends Sunday Mass – and if possible daily Mass“You do not celebrate the Eucharist as you should. If you would know what grace and what gifts you receive, you would prepare yourselves for it each day for an hour at least” (1985)

• Our Lady wants us to see the Holy Mass as “the highest form of prayer” and “the center of our lives”“There are many of you who have sensed the beauty of the Holy Mass … Jesus gives you His graces in the Mass” (April 3, 1986)

“Let the Holy Mass be your life” (April 25, 1988)

Apparition Hill

Apparition Hill

Site of 1st apparition

Rocky Path to the topBlue Cross

Queen of Peace

BreakThe Risen Christ

Our Lady of Lourdesinside St James

A Station of the Cross Krizavac looking Northeast

Visionaries Today

Mirjana Dragivevic-Soldo• Mirjana was born on March 18, 1965 in Sarajevo• Daily apparitions until December 25, 1982• Annual apparition on March 18 for life• Since August 2, 1987, on the 2nd day of every month she

experiences an apparition where the Blessed Mother gives her a message for the world directed to “unbelievers”

• Mirjana is married and has two children. She lives in Medjugorje.

• Prayer intention: For unbelievers, those who have not come to know the love of God

Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez

• Ivanka was born on June 21, 1966 in Bijakovici• First child to see Our Lady on the hillside• Daily apparitions until May 7, 1985• She now experiences an annual apparition on

June 25 – the anniversary of the apparitions• She is married and has three children. She

lives in Medjugorje• Prayer intention: Families

Jakov Colo

• Jakov was born on March 6, 1971 in Sarajevo• Daily apparitions until September 12, 1998• Annual apparition on Christmas Day• Jakov is married and has three children. He

lives in Medjugorje• Prayer intention: The Sick

Ivan Dragicevic

• Ivan was born May 25, 1965 in Bijakovici• Has only received 9 secrets and continues to

experience daily apparitions• He is married with three children and lives

half the year in the United States and half in Medjugorje

• Prayer intention: Young people and for priests

Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic

• Born September 9, 1964 in Bijakovici• Has been entrusted with nine secrets and still experiences daily apparitions• Married with two children.• Lives a short distance outside Medjugorje• Prayer intention: The Sick

Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti

• Marija was born April 1, 1965 in Bijakovici• She still has daily apparitions – received only nine

secrets so far• Through her, Our Lady gives her message to the parish

and to the world– 3/1/84 thru 1/8/87 message given on Thursdays– Since 1/87 message given on the 25th of the month

• Did consider becoming a nun, but now is married with four children. Family lives in Italy and in Medjugorje

• Her prayer intention: Souls in Purgatory

Secrets Revealed

• Mirjana has been chosen to reveal the secrets – she knows the day and date of each secret

• Early in the apparitions Our Blessed Mother asked Mirjana to chose a person to whom she would reveal the secrets

• She chose Fr Petar Ljubicic – a Franciscan Priest• Ten days before each secret is revealed to the world

Mirjana tells the secret to the Priest• Together they pray and fast on bread and water for seven

days and then Father announces the secret to the world - three days before it happens

Answers to Common ???- Our Lady is about 165 cm tall (5 ft 5 in)- She looks rather slender- Estimated to weigh about 60 kg (132 lbs)- Looks to be between 18 and 20 years old- She is always standing / on a small whitish cloud- Blue eyes / Black hair- She wears a light grey dress with a white veil- She wears no jewelry but does wear a crown with

12 gold stars

Has Medjugorje beenApproved by the Church?

NO …-Successive bishops of Mostar have ruled the claims of Medjugorje groundless

-In March 2010, in view of continued public interest, the Holy See announced that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was forming an investigative commission, composed of bishops, theologians, and other experts, under the leadership of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope’s former Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome. The purpose of this commission was to come up with an answer regarding Medjugorje.

-As of right now – no decision is expected before midyear 2013

-Sensus Fidelum

Latest Medjugorje Message November 25, 2012

“Dear children! In this time of grace, I call you to renew prayer. Open yourselves to Holy Confession so that each of you may accept my call with the whole heart. I am with you and I protect you from the ruin of sin, but you must open yourselves to the way of conversion and holiness, that your heart may burn out of love for God. Give Him time and He will give Himself to you and thus, in the will of God you will discover the love and joy of living. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Latest Medjugorje Message December 25, 2012

Our Lady came with little Jesus in her arms and she did not give a message, but little Jesus began to speak and said:

“I am your peace, live My commandments.”

With a sign of the cross, Our Lady and little Jesus blessed us together.

Latest Medjugorje Message January 02, 2013

“Dear children, with much love and patience I strive to make your hearts like unto mine. I strive, by my example, to teach you humility, wisdom and love because I need you; I cannot do without you my children. According to God’s will I am choosing you, by His strength I am strengthening you. Therefore, my children, do not be afraid to open your hearts to me. I will give them to my Son and in return, He will give you the gift of divine peace. You will carry it to all those whom you meet, you will witness God’s love with your life and you will give the gift of my Son through yourselves. Through reconciliation, fasting and prayer, I will lead you. Immeasurable is my love. Do not be afraid. My children, pray for the shepherds. May your lips be shut to every judgment, because do not forget that my Son has chosen them and only He has the right to judge. Thank you.”

Queen of Peace

A beautiful sunset in Medjugorje is a reminder of the great beauty of Our Lady, a beauty unmatched by any part of creation and even all of creation combined. In a special booklet titled, “The Marian Mysteries of the Rosary”, A Friend of Medjugorje writes, “There has never been a more beautiful soul created by God. And God gave Mary to us, knowing that if we only take the time to contemplate Her beauty and goodness, our souls cannot help but be elevated towards holiness, light and joy …”

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