61
March 26, 1997

PRESS BULLETIN





M E D I T A T I O N

We commonly say that our of today families are in crisis. We can quote thousands of arguments for it. We never pray in families any more, we don't respect each other, we don't talk with each other enough. Simply said, it is a total crisis. But who is the one in trouble?

I would prefer to say that we are in crisis as individuals. A family is a community and so as its members are, so is it. If they go the right way, the family also goes that way. If they go the wrong way, the family also will act in the same way. Then let's start with ourselves.

Fra Miljenko


N E W S

MIRJANA'S YEARLY APPARITION

The visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had her regular yearly apparition on March 18, 1997. Our Lady, that is, stopped appearing daily to Mirjana on December 25, 1982. At that time, having entrusted the tenth secret to her, Our Lady promised that she will have an apparition throughout the course of her entire life, and that on March 18. And so it was that way also this year.

The apparition was at 1:30 PM and lasted six minutes. Our Lady did not speak about the secrets, but gave the following message:

"Dear children! As a mother I beseech you, do not go on the way you have been going. That is a way without love toward neighbor and toward my Son. On that way you will find only hardness and emptiness of heart, and not the peace that everyone is crying out for. Genuine peace will be had only by the one who sees and loves my Son in his neighbor. In whose heart my son reigns, that one knows what peace is and tranquillity, Thank you having responded to my call."


THE PRESIDENT OF CROATIA, MEDJUGORJE AND THE POPE

According to the Dayton peace accord the Republic of Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Hercegovina should one day enter a confederal relationship. One of the essential ways of attaining that goal is joining together on the economic level. Therefore the Croatian President, Dr. Franjo Tudjman, on March 15, 1997 participated in the re-opening for production of the local aluminum factory in Mostar.

After the festivities in Mostar the Croatian President, by his own expressed desire, came to visit the Shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. He was welcomed on the part of the local people by the Provincial of the Franciscan Hercegovina province, Fr. Dr. Tomislav Pervan, and the Medjugorje parish pastor, Fr. Ivan Landeka. Moved by the meeting at the shrine and the cheers of the large gathered crowd of over 30,000 people that came to greet him from all parts of Bosnia-Hercegovina, Mr. President stayed for a talk with the assembled priests. Present were not only the priests that work in Medjugorje, but also priests from the surrounding parishes. Present at the same time, as also in Mostar, were the local bishop Dr. Ratko Peric and a group of 15 of the highest ranking officials of the Republic of Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Among other things, Dr. Franjo Tudjman also said the following: "Again I repeat that on the occasion of my last conversation with him Pope John Paul II said that, on the occasion of his visit to Bosnia-Hercegovina, he would like also to visit Medjugorje."

The latest news says that the Pope, nevertheless, will not visit Medjugorje on April 13. But, it's good to know that he wished to.


PRAYER-EDUCATION SEMINAR

As we already announced in the last Press Bulletin, we here present the Declaration which the participants adopted as a common document at the seminar held in Neum from February 24 -28, 1997.


DECLARATION

We, the 130 leaders of prayer groups, Centers of Peace, and organizers of pilgrimages, from 21 countries, have dedicated our Fourth International Prayer Meeting at Neum from February 24 - 28, 1997 to meditation on spirituality of the family. Through our listening to the lectures, our group discussions, the sharing of experiences, praying and celebrating the Eucharist, we have come to understand more profoundly that the family is:

- essentially rooted in the creative plan of God;

- particularly honored in the Holy Family through the Incarnation;

- in Christianity consecrated by the sacrament of matrimony.

We have become more aware that today's family is in crisis, but also that hope exists for the family and for the world. To all men of good will we wish to testify to that hope. To all who revere the Queen of Peace we recommend striving to live Our Lady's messages:

- by community prayer in the family;

- by the reading of Sacred Scripture;

- by communal celebration of Holy Mass.

If God obtains his own true place in the family, then the Church, the family, and the world will be renewed. That way we will become capable of joyfully entering the new millennium with renewed hope.

To everyone in the world that spreads Our Lady's messages we recommend to remain in the service of the truth and not to spread ideas in the name of Medjugorje that are not in agreement with those messages. We recommend, therefore, interpersonal communication, as well as communication with the "MIR" Information Center in Medjugorje.


NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS VISIT MEDJUGORJE

In recent days fourteen chiefs from Canada and the United States made a pilgrimage to the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje. With the chiefs arrived also their families, relatives and friends. They took advantage of their arrival in Medjugorje to participate also in a four-day seminar of spiritual renewal which Fr. Jozo Zovko conducted for them. Some Indian tribes proclaimed Fr. Jozo Zovko as their spiritual leader after he visited them several times on their reservations and celebrated an open-air holy mass with them.

The Manitoba tribal chief, Ken Wood, was in Medjugorje for the seventh time. Before coming to Medjugorje he was an alcoholic and lived the life of an unbeliever. After his visit to Medjugorje he stopped drinking, learned to pray, to love and forgive others. He presents his impressions of Medjugorje on the local television station so that all on the reservation can have the possibility of getting acquainted with the Medjugorje message.

After holy mass in the Medjugorje church the Indians performed their "Creation of New Friends" circle dance before the statue of Our Lady. Every one of their visits to Medjugorje has an outing to the Hill of Apparition, to Cross Mountain, a meeting with some of the visionaries, and a visit to the "Cenacle" community where young male drug addicts are healed.

The Indians say that in Medjugorje they undergo a profound experience of peace that fills their souls and hearts. On their departure they said that Medjugorje will be their perpetual pilgrimage site.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

Because of the large number of news items that we want to publish in the Press Bulletin, it will not always be composed of only two page, as it has been so far. Accordingly, its length will depend on the number and urgency of news items that we are in possession of at any definite point in time.



Published by : INFORMATIVNI CENTAR MIR - Svetiste Kraljice mira
(Information Center MIR - Shrine of the Queen of Peace),
88266 Medjugorje, BiH, fax number: 00387 88 651 444.
Director: fra Miljenko Stojic.
You can receive the latest issue of the Press Bulletin at any time on your own fax machine in the tone
mode by dialing the Robofax in our Information Center at +387-88-65-15-55.
Published every other Wednesday.


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Last Modified 03/25/97