71
August 13, 1997

AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT

In agreement with what the Queen of Peace said already in the first days of her apparitions, it could be said that the condition of mankind was like this: the godlessness and confusion of people had reached a dangerous level. For that reason it was necessary for God to speak visibly to contemporary mankind. What kind of God, that is, would it be if He were to abandon his people.

One day with out feet we stepped onto the stage of this world. From that day begins also the history of companionship with our God. We were not at all able to choose whether we wanted to appear on the world's stage, but we can choose how we will act on that stage. Time has been given to us and regardless of what we do, it is slowly running out. It is like the sand clock which we have sometimes had a chance to see.

The Queen of Peace constantly reminds us that time is truly running out. She is not threatening us with that, but just calling us to mind our condition. Without awareness of our condition we are in great danger of beginning to act in the manner of "What do I care!" That is the style constantly put on us by our civilization. But time is running out and therefore I do care about living it in company with God and the Queen of Peace.

Fr. Miljenko Stojic

NUMBER OF HOLY COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRATIONS

During July in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje 84,500 Holy Communions were distributed and 2895 priests from home and abroad concelebrated at the Holy Masses, that is, 97 daily.

We will enumerate some of the countries from which pilgrims have come to visit Medjugorje in this past month: Spain, France, Ireland, England, Korea, Slovakia, Czech Republic, America, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Holland, Denmark, Slovenia and, of course, Croatia.

VISIT OF A COLUMBIAN ARCHBISHOP

For the 16th anniversary of the apparitions in Medjugorje a Columbian archbishop also visited. Here is what he said on that occasion:

"I am Fabio Betancourt Tirado, Archbishop of Manizales in Columbia. I have come with a group of pilgrims in which there are 4 priests and 52 of the faithful. After a pilgrimage to the Holy Land we decided to visit this region, and especially this shrine. We are on the way to Rome where I have to receive the archbishop's crosier on June 29th. This is the first time that I am coming to this place. Here I feel the presence of God. It is the same presence that I felt also in other Marian shrines, like those from my homeland Columbia, as also in those from other holy places like in Fatima, Lourdes and Loretto. I feel the grace that God is granting to his faithful through the intercession of His Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary. I an awful lot of children, young people, adults and the elderly that are coming to pray to the Virgin Mary. They surrender to her their needs and their problems with the certainty that with her intercession they can come to the Lord.

I have not gotten acquainted with the whole Medjugorje message. Certainly the Virgin Mary is calling us to listen to the Lord. She speaks to us of peace and conversion, and that is something God has always required of man and that he continues to find through the means of the Church. Our Lady seeks reconciliation and it would be well for us to respond positively to that call. Through the Virgin Mary the Lord is again looking for us to convert and to be carriers of peace."

SEMINAR FOR GUIDES

Due to the interest of many who would like to work as guides in the shrine of the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje, the Association of Pilgrim Guides in the parish of Medjugorje has organized an instructional seminar from July 21 - 24, 1997. After the seminar is finished, an examination of knowledge will be held. All those who successfully complete this seminar achieve the possibility of membership in the Association of Guides, and by that very fact also the possibility of working with pilgrim groups. All those, namely, who wish to work as guides in the shrine must acquire and possess definite knowledge to be able to afford trustworthy information to the pilgrims with whom they will work in the future.

The young people in the seminary heard lectures from four fields: Biblical Messages (Fr. Miljenko Stojic), The Christian Message (Fr. Ivan Tolj), Our Lady's Messages (Fr. Slavko Barbaric) and Tourism and pilgrimage in the Medjugorje events (Marija Dugandzic).

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PRAYER MEETING

The already traditional, 8th in a row, International Youth Prayer Meeting in Medjugorje, was held from July 31 - August 6, 1997. The theme of the meeting was: "This is My Beloved Son".

About 5 000 young people from all continents participated. The young people were addressed by Sr. Elvira, Don Cosimo Cavaluzzo, Fr. Jozo Zovko, Fr. Gianni Sgreva, Fr. Joerg Mueller, Fr. Slavko Barbaric and Alberto Bonifacio.

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Last Modified 08/13/97