| Sorry this update is late. Thanks Jack for prompting me to share
these notes. My previous visits were in 1990 and '91 so some of the
following may not be new news, yet regarding the state of peace in that
region, I can share some current events and thoughts.
Medjugorje is still highly visited. There were about 10,000 pilgrims
during the week of Oct 6, 1996, about 2,000 english speaking. The format
of events taking place in St. James are the same as I remember; talks are
held in the afternoon (depending on availability of Priests). The Rosary
begins daily at 5:00pm followed by the Croatian Mass. English Mass is at
10:00 in the a.m. Eucharistic Adoration is at 9:00 or 10:00 PM (seasonal
time) usually on Wednesday and Saturday. And on Thursdays following Mass,
there's Adoration of the Cross.
Nearer to Mt. Krizevac, near the Campo della Vita', the Oasis of Peace
center holds adoration all day, every day. The religious order is very
strict on silence beyond a certain point.
Vicka continues to give talks daily to a mixed audience (2-3 interpreters)
and again solely for italian speaking pilgrims. She is a wonderful speaker
and warmly receives everyone, and I saw her surrounded by crowds nearly
all day long. Petitions collected during these gatherings are placed in
Vicka's room in her family's home where they are offered to Our Lady during
her daily apparitions. After three days, they are burned. This is
where I delivered the petitions I carried with me from some of you. The
visionaries receive their apparitions in their homes whenever they're in
Medj. In '92, they were held in the tower of St. James.
Vicka is writing a biography of the Life of The Blessed Mother as told
to her in her apparitions; not yet ready for publication - not the right
time to be released.
Fr. Jozo gives talks in his Parish church in Siroki Brijeg. I finally
had the opportunity to see the statue he commissioned (made in Italy)
of The Blessed Mother, located in a church in Tijhalina. I'm sure you
all know which one I'm referring to as this image is extremely popular.
What I had heard about the likeness to that of a living, breathing person
is true! Fr. Jozo lovingly and firmly invites pilgrim to accept this
image, stating; "This is your mother". Pictures of this image are
blessed and handed out during his talks.
Mirjana still receives locutions every 2nd of the month - her mission is to
pray for the 'non-believers'. During this time, pilgrims are now able to
join with her when previously she had to be alone in prayer. I don't know
where these take place since this news reached me after I came home.
A friend of mine takes groups over at least 4x's a year so she knows
the natives quite well. I was introduced to a couple of Croatian
brothers who talked rather cadidly about the history and troubles
associated with their civil wars. They are not suprised at all that
the Blessed Mother appeared in Medj. and is staying so long with them.
Their devotion to her is unquestionably firm. They praised the
Franciscans, giving them the credit for the fact that Catholicism is
still alive in their country.
They were both POW's not too long ago. Both have seen their friends get
killed and some turn into traitors. They're certain that war is imminent
when the U.S. troops leave. They believe the UN is a big joke. They
are ready still to face the fact that they may have to leave their home
in the middle of the night to join the croatian army again.
(I understand that Clinton is planning to pull the troops out of Medj in
June of 1998)
During this past stay, we planned to visit Mostar (front lines) but the
trip never materialized [by the grace of God], shells were dropped that
same afternoon as our scheduled trip. My friend, the guide, says that
this type of intercession occurs all the time. Either things work out for
her to take groups to Mostar and there's no bombing, or something
happens to prevent the 1/2 hour drive, and even curtail trips if they are
in Mostar already. The reason for the shelling in Mostar according to
these brothers, is that the Serbs are making the statement of "We're still
here"! Meaning they haven't given up on their conquest of occupying
Croatian territory.
As some of you may know, I've been involved with the efforts for
rebuilding the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Mostar. Because of
these efforts, nearly 2,000 people are attending Mass in the basement
on a daily basis; they've been reconstucting the Church from the ground
up. Unfortunately though, the shelling on Oct 10 shattered the new windows
that had recently been purchased and installed. More importantly
however, is the fact that those people are being driven from the Church
again, as well as their homes nearby. Some of these funds are temporarily
being put toward supplies for them.
Our native friend, went on to share his thoughts on our political and
social problems here in the U.S. Out of his experiences, he believes that
all the elements are in place for a civil war to occur; politically there
is chaos as well as the hatred between ethnic classes. And economically
and militarily we are not prepared for internal nor external conflict.
Basically, he confirmed a lot of what many of my American/Medj. touched
friends believe but it was especially interesting to hear it from his
perspective. Many of us, he agreed, can't fathom the sufferings and
struggles of such a hate-driven war as is occuring in Croatia.
And we asked him if he ever saw the 'Gospa'. While he was too
humble and sincere to share any personal experience with us, he did
confirm stories and writings which tell of how all of the villages had
witnessed an apparition very early on. For those of you who have
visited Medjugorje, you can clearly see how they 'live' out their
conversion and faith.
It was, needless to say, a very inspiring visit for me and my husband.
We arrived in Medjugorje on our first year anniversary and each of us
experienced a personal blessing during our stay that week. My husband
also received a physical healing.
In Italy afterwards, we missed the Pope - we had a scheduled
meeting with him on Oct 13 which was cancelled due to him being in
the hospital. Then we got delayed in Rome three additional days due to
an air traffic controllers strike on Tues, Oct 15, the day the Pope
returned to his quarters in the Vatican, and so we then hoped to see him
for his Wednesday audience in the square on Oct 16, at least. That too
was a 'no show'! He acknowledged and thanked the crowds however, on the
following Sunday. I was planning to ask him his feelings about
Medjugorje!...maybe next time.
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| Re: .5
Check out the 'Blue Letter' published monthly by THE RIEHLE FOUNDATION.
Their internet site doesn't seem to be up-to-date with it's blue letter
page...see: www.itek.net/~mission/cathlc/bluelett/home.html
but if you're interested, you can call, write or fax them at:
P.O. Box 7, Milford, OH 45150-0007 U.S.A.
Tel: 513.576.0032
Fax: 513.576.0022
Also, see: www.missionnet.com/~mission/cathlc/home.html - there's a
section on 'Mary/Saints/Spiritual/Apparitions' which includes Medj. and
specifically, 'Sister Emmanuel's Letters' and 'Press Bulletins' and the
'Call to Peace' on-line Newsletter. And much, much more...
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