62
April 09, 1997

RESURRECTION IN US

It isn't easy to walk on this earth. We know that from our own personal everyday life. Various problems and misunderstanding of others bother us. And we would wish to be well that way and to be good with others.

Jesus Christ by His resurrection offers us a way out of that situation. He simply tells us that it is not difficult to walk this earth. All that is necessary is consciously to take our life into our own hands. Then it won't frighten us but we will be ready to understand it and to understand the world around us. Naturally we will not exclude God from all that. To take our life into our own hands without Him would simply be suicide or a walk without hope.

If maybe sometimes it happens to us that for certain reasons we would not be ready to recognize our own God walking together with us, we are then acting like Jesus' disciples who were going to Emmaus. All those things that happened with Jesus bothered them. They were not expecting that ever to happen to him. It seemed to them that maybe everything is over. However, as soon as they realized their mistake, they immediately rejected it. They did not stubbornly persist in it.

Thanks to their own repentance the disciples of Jesus rose together with Jesus. They understood that when one is alone, then we are in the grave.

Are we alone or are we living the resurrection in us? That question is burning like a fire before our eyes.

Fra Miljenko

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

During the month of March in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 49,000 Holy Communions were distributed and there were 1046 concelebrations at mass by priests from home and abroad, that is 35 daily.

EASTER IN MEDJUGORJE

During Holy Week and for Easter itself new groups of pilgrims that wanted to prepare for Easter and at the same time celebrate the greatest Christian feast of Easter in Medjugorje were continuously arriving in Medjugorje. About ten thousand pilgrims celebrated Easter in the shrine of Medjugorje. Due to such a great number of the faithful the liturgy of Holy Thursday, and services for Good Friday and Holy Saturday were organized in nine languages, specially for each language group. Among foreign pilgrims the most numerous came from: Austria, Germany, Italy, America, France, Argentina, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain and Slovakia. During the course of all these days there was also an exceptionally large number of pilgrims from all parts of Croatia, as also from surrounding parishes that came to Medjugorje for Easter confession. The fact that an average of 20 priests heard confessions each evening throughout the three-hour long evening prayer program also speaks as evidence of how many pilgrims visited Medjugorje for the days of Easter.

PRAYER SEMINARS

During Lent in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer three prayer and fasting courses took place in which about 150 pilgrims from home and abroad participated. Seminars on prayer and fasting have already become customary during Advent and Lent so that all reservations are filled even at the beginning of conducting the seminar.

The organization "Help" for abandoned and endangered children from the area of Split regularly organizes spiritualrenewal in Medjugorje for the children under their care. The Medjugorje Franciscans organize and lead the seminars for them and their leaders.

In the same house Franciscan Sisters also conduct seminars for young girls of various age groups. In the course of a school year about ten seminars are conducted.

Every month the Franciscans also organize seminars for altar boys and young people of various age groups.

FAMILIES OF FALLEN AND MISSING CROATIAN DEFENDERS VISIT MEDJUGORJE

The mothers, fathers, wives, children and relatives of missing, imprisoned, and fallen defenders from Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina gather regularly in the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. It was also that way during these days of Easter. In the proximity of Mary they seek and find peace, consolation and strength for their crosses. Already six years have past since they are looking for numerous members of their families who have either disappeared or who are still in captivity.

CARMELO PUZZOLO CONDUCTS ART SCHOOL

The Italian artist Carmelo Puzzolo is Italy's first ranking painter and a great friend of Medjugorje. By his creations he has already for many years left a lasting impression of his artistic talents on the grounds of Medjugorje. The stations of the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain, the mysteries of the rosary on Apparition Hill and the statue of St. Leopold Mandic beside the Church are the work of Puzzolo. He recently visited Medjugorje at the invitation of the fund "Friends of the Talented." This fund with its center in Medjugorje is a humanitarian association in operation already for several years. Fr. Slavko Barbaric is the president of the foundation. Its aim is to enable talented young people with limited financial means to acquire a university education. Recently in the "Domus Pacis" house of prayer the fund organized a school for painting in the work of which twenty young artists participated with the expert help and effort of this great and famous artist, and most of all a great friend of Medjugorje. Also at work with the colony of young people was the academic artist Sr. Milena Tomas who is presently living and working in Medjugorje.

We announce to all pilgrim groups and individuals who are coming on pilgrimage to Medjugorje that the daily evening program in church is now on summer time from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (rosary at 6:00 PM, Holy Mass at 7:00 PM with blessing prayers and third part of the rosary).

Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament is on Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and on Thursday immediately after the evening holy mass. Adoration and prayer before the Cross of Our Lord is every Friday in the church after the evening holy mass. Every Sunday at 3:00 PM the Rosary for Peace is prayed on the Hill of Apparition, and each Friday at 3:00 PM the Way of the Cross on Cross Mountain. There is opportunity for confession in one's own language every evening one hour before the beginning of the prayer program or during the liturgy.

Holy Masses in different language groups are held during the morning, or by previous arrangement.

All announcements regarding the prayer program in the shrine of the Queen of Peace, as well as other announcements, may be obtained at the information office of the shrine by telephone at +387-88-651-988 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day except Sunday. We hereby also request all organizers of pilgrim groups on their arrival in Medjugorje to make inform their pilgrims about the possibility of obtaining necessary information at this office. It is located next to the parish office souvenir shop, and not in the parish office.

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Last Modified 04/13/97