CONVERSION STORY #8
First, I would like to tell you how much Gene & I enjoy this prayer group. This was the first grace that we received on returning from Medjugorje this year on May 3rd. Our friends, Ellen and Steve, who are in this prayer group came by for some religious articles that we had brought from Medjugorje for them and it happened through her as Blessed Mother had already planted this in my mind.
When we are talking about ‘Medjugorje, then it is more than just talking about a town in Herzegovina that carries this name. It is about the movement that this name has triggered since six young people indicated that on the 24th of June 1981 Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in Medjugorje named Gospa, appeared to them, and she is still appearing and giving messages to them until today. The four most important aspects of this movement can be described as this: Firstly, it is a movement of pilgrimage.
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The Croat Jožef Ratkovic lives in Austria and made something amazing. He decided to walk from Zürich to Medjugorje by foot to fulfill his solemn promise: to pray for healing of his wife because she suffers from multiple sclerosis. And so he walked in 42 days around 1,400 km. He said: “I do believe in God and I hope for his help. I also pray for peace with God and with people. For me, peace is when we reach out to another and great another. This is basic.” |
On October 16, 2010, a party of forty-six pilgrims from Switzerland gathered to board a bus to Medjugorje. Among the travelers was a blind woman Joëlle and her twelve-year-old daughter, Vinciane. They were accompanied by Claudia, a family friend.
Miraculous healing of the eyes in Medjugorje - October, 2010 |
The journey to Medjugorje did not go well. It took two days for the group to arrive at a border crossing into Bosnia Herzegovina, only to discover that the Swiss bus did not have the correct documents to travel into the country. The bus and the group moved on and tried another border crossing, but was met with the same decision by officials. The bus was not allowed to drive into Bosnia Herzegovina.
Fortunately, at the second crossing it was noticed that there was a local bus service operating a route to Medjugorje. So the party unloaded its luggage from the Swiss bus and waited at the stand for the next bus to arrive that would take them to Medjugorje. They finally reached the village that evening at 8.00pm. The next day the group climbed Apparition Hill, including the blind woman, Joëlle. It wasn’t an easy climb in the rain, but there was a great spirit of solidarity. Later in the evening, the group gathered again and attended the evening prayer program at St James’ Church. Joëlle became strangely unsettled after receiving the Eucharist at Mass but was put at ease by the pastor accompanying the Swiss group. |
The following day, most of the group climbed Mt. Krizevac, but Joëlle and a few others, including the pastor, prayed, instead, at the Way of the Cross, which surrounds the statue of the Risen Christ. The main group on Krizevac prayed earnestly for the needs of Joëlle and in the hope that she might recover her sight. Six hours later they came off the mountain in time to attend evening Mass at St James.
Most of us are afraid when we think about our own death, or the death of those who are close to us. But we should remember what Virgin Mary told us in Medjugorje : “Death does not exist”! It is more like a veil that falls or like the curtain of the temple in Jerusalem that was torn in the middle and revealing what was invisible hidden there, the Holy of Holies!
Instead it is located in southern part of Bosnia Herzegovina, which used to be a former republic of Yugoslavia. Medjugorje is not located in Yugoslavia nor Croatia, such even today some people still think. Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in Southern Europe and it's capital city is Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina is surrounded by Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Medjugorje is located between the city (20 km) of Mostar and coastside of Adriatic sea (part across the Peljesac Peninsula). It's in relative close location to Croatian coastal cities of Dubrovnik and Split.
Medjugorje is a small town in south Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on Bakan peninsula, in the southeastern Europe.
Bosnia and Herzegovina borders with Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. It has an area of 51,129 square kilometers, and is almost landlocked except for the 26 kilometers of the Adriatic Sea coastline, around the country’s town Neum.
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Official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian. The country’s capital is Sarajevo.
The parish was founded in late 1892 and is dedicated to St. James the Apostle, protector of pilgrims. |
Medjugorje currently inhabits about 4300 residents.
I have tried with this FAQ to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about Medjugorje. The answers are made to be short, simple and to the point. I did not want to make this page too lengthy. I hope that you find it useful. Please also realize that this page is not meant to be a catechesis on the Catholic faith. There is lots of information available which explains our rich Catholic Faith. Rather, these questions focus more directly on Medjugorje. Please also refer to our page "About Medjugorje".
Donate to Medjugorje I would like to thank you sincerely for your trust and support on the past of 2015. I wish you and your family and friends a God bless You and a prosperous ,peaceful and most of all healthy all years . Please consider supporting our efforts in Medjugorje. Make your donation to Our Lady’s work. Thank You.
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