51
November 05, 1996

Since Our Lady began to speak out to the contemporary world through the parish of Medjugorje,we've surely done our utmost to spread her messages to as many people as possible. We prayed, fasted,went on pilgrimmage, organized trips, set up prayer groups, wrote about and preached....And what have we received in return? Peace, freedom, faith and happiness.....and much much more. In other words God certainly rewards our efforts.

All this, I would call "our talk", in the contemporary world. But others talk too. They even speak badly. In order for our own talk to be true, we have to constantly watch over it's cleanliness and purity. One of the greatest dangers, which can even destroy this purity is sensationalism. Today's means of communication are founded upon sensationalism, and for this reason it would be easy for us too to fall into this trap.

When the mass media were developed, it was said that they were founded on the principle of marketing. Carrying this to it's logical conclusion, we can suppose that,"what", they are saying is not as important as the fact that we "swallow" it and that they earn something from this.

Our Lady's follower, has an other end in view. He or she strives to develop the personality of their fellow man, to help him and to be a freind and a brother to him.

Fra. Miljenko

Throughout the month of October at the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, 124 500 holy communions were distributed, and at masses, 3008 priests from both at home and abroad concelebrated averaging at 97 priests daily.

The English Bishop of the city of Liverpool, Mons. Augustine Harris stayed for two weeks in Medjugorje. He was the spiritual director to two different groups of pilgrims. He tirelessly assisted at confessions and masses.

We present here, his own words before leaving Medjugorje."Of myself I wish to say the following: When I was born in 1917 there was a war, and when in 1942 I was ordained to the priesthood there was a war then also. Now I am in Medjugorje, and much is being said about the peace after the terrible war in your homeland. It seems to me though, that we are treating the subject of peace far too superficially. If we desire real peace, we need something deeper. That which Our Lady wishes to say is: Don't make the same mistake again, speak about peace, and not go deeper into the soul and the heart, where true peace is made. Here, Mary is teaching us true peace. I heard about Medjugorje from different written articles and from freinds. When in Medjugorje, we pray a lot but we must be careful that this prayer seeps into our hearts and changes us. My freinds were going to Medjugorje and this time I went with them. I came privately. Freinds of mine organised the pilgrimmage and asked me to direct it. I accepted. It's very obvious to me that we must constantly speak of the depths of prayer: to meditate and live what we speak about. However, that which is important here is confession. People are really ready to meet themselves face to face here. They are ready for repentance and penance and I believe that this is the important experience of Medjugorje: to renew ourselves and to convert. But we must constantly remind each other that this is the start of the process and not the end. We must leave here with a solid decision to pray at home,individually, in families and as prayer groups.

In answer to the question: "Does the fact that the local bishop doesn't accept the apparitions disturb you?" Mons. Harris said, "I do not wish to judge the local bishop. What I wish to say is ; when someone comes here and wishes to pray, to confess, the change their lives, you cannot say :no! So many people are confused, so many live in fear, they do not know what to do. I would say that it is good to come to Medjugorje. Here you clear your conscience, and conquer confusion. I see this in so many people here. As for the appparitions, maybe there are, maybe there arn't. Personally, I have no reason not to believe in the apparitions. I met with one of them and I can say that she is a good person. I cannot believe that for years she has been lying. And if people ask me, can I go to Medjugorje, my answer will be: If you wish to clear your conscience, and if you are confused, go.

On the feast day of the Exaltation of the Cross I saw over 50 franciscan priests hearing confessions. This was really wonderful. Immediatly after the mass that day which I celebrated in the church of Medjugorje, a pilgrim stopped me and wished to confess. Was I supposed to say no?! Serve the people, teach them to pray, be ready to hear confessions. And everything else will be okay!"

A large number of groups visited the shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace during the month of October. To count them would be impossible. However we wish to single out one group which desrves attention.

Namely the group of 50 Indians from the Canadian reservation together with two of their cheifs:Roderick Alexis and Ken Woods. Mr. Alexis came to Medjugorje for the second time and Mr. Wood for the sixth time! On the occasion of one of his previous visits to Medjugorje, he experienced a deep conversion in this oasis of peace. Before this he had been an alcoholic, and now he is a witness to the messages of Our Lady. They remained in Medjugorje for a week.

We would ask priests coming to Medjugorje to bring with them their alb, stoles and "celebret" from their superior.

We would also ask that mass be celebrated in agreement with the Parish in the area of the sanctuary and not in private homes or Apparition hill or Krizevac...

We wish to inform all pilgrim groups and individuals who visit Medjugorje, that the daily evening prayer programme in the church is changed to it's winter schedule, from 17.00 to 20.00( at 17.00hrs the rosary, and at 18.00hrs the holy mass, which is followed by a blessing of religious articles, other prayers and the third part of the rosary).

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9p.m. to 10p.m. and on Thursdays, exposition will take place after evening mass. Adoration and prayer in front of the cross will be on Fridays after evening mass, and every Sunday at 3 in the afternoon the rosary will be prayed on Podbrdo, while every Friday at the same time, the Way of the Cross will be prayed on Krizevac. Confessors will be available from half an hour before the beginning of the evening programme.

The masses for different language groups will take place throughout the morning according to previous arrangement. All announcements, with regard to the prayer programmes at the shrine, and other information can be got from the information centre at tel+387 88 65 19 88 between 9a.m. and 5p.m. This time we would ask all organisers of pilgrimmage groups that on their arrival in Medjugorje to inform their groups of the possibility of getting necesary information from the information centre which can be found in front of the parish house, and not in the parish house.

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Last Modified 11/05/96