Medjugorje is nestled in a valley in the country called Bosnia Herzegovina, which was part of former Yugoslavia. The largest mountain near Medjugorje there is a large stone cross constructed in 1933 in honor of 1900 years after the death of Jesus.
Back then, the local people carried water and cement up the rocky mountain to create the large cross that overlooks the valley.
They used to have terrible Hail Storms that would destroy their crops. Since the cross was erected in 1933, they have never had a Hail Storm that damaged their crops.
Every year near the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross Sept. 14th, the entire village climbs the mountain to have Mass on an altar next to the Cross. Most people, young and old will journey up the rocky mountain barefoot for penance. Its impressive to see so many people doing penance for their sins and the sins of others.
Below the mountain in the valley is St. James Church. The people in the area are very faithful Catholics and most all attend daily Mass. Because there are thousands of pilgrims who come to Mass, the Mass is celebrated outdoors under a large canopy over the altar. There are various Masses through the day for the various different countries in their language and these Masses are in the JP II center.
The international Mass at St. James starts at 6pm. The Mass is prayed in the local language of the people. The prayers of the Mass are prayed in Latin so all the priests can concelebrate. To prepare for Mass confessions begin at 5pm. There are priests from all over the world who hear confessions in their native language. Polish, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, English are just a few. The priest will place a sign with the language he is able to hear confessions.
One day, when I was hearing Confessions it began to rain. These are outside confessions, I had an umbrella, but it did little good and I was soaked. I was surprised how the people kept standing in line to go to Confession despite the rain. One man in his 30’s had no umbrella and he patiently waited his turn to Confess. He hadn’t been to confession.
When I was hearing the Confession of teenage girl, it was raining and just when I gave her absolution, saying, I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit...right when I said, that, the rain stopped and the sun shone directly on the two of us. Both of us immediately understood, God did that! It was amazing!
The confessionals on each side of the church and priests also hear confessions on benches and using chairs. At 5:40pm, everyone stops praying the Rosary and the church bells are rung when the Virgin Mary is appearing to some of the visionaries usually in their homes. After about 5 min. the people continue to pray the rosary.
After Mass they pray 7 Our Fathers, 7 Hail Marys and 7 Glory be’s for peace-- then another Rosary followed by the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To the east of the church is the hill of apparitions where the Virgin Mary began to appear to 6 children in June of 1981. The Virgin Mary’s messages were peace, reconciliation with God and neighbor. The Virgin Mary asks that we pray for peace. She said, “Peace, Peace, Peace.”
If we want peace in the world, in our hearts and in our families, we need to do as Our Blessed Mother is asking of us. She asks us to Pray from the heart, to attend daily Mass, to Fast on Wed. and Friday, to daily read the bible, daily pray three mysteries of the Rosary and to have Eucharistic Adoration.
The children who are now adults, have been examined and tested during many apparitions. Every test has always concluded they are seeing something. Every 2nd of the month, the Virgin Mary gives a message for the world. Due to the Vatican’s recent approval of Medjugorje, the messages now have ecclesiastical approval.
There are 10 secrets which will all be eventually revealed before Mirjana before she dies. One of secrets Mary promises to leave a permanent sign on the location of the first apparition. Some secrets will encourage the people in their faith while other secrets are punishments by God for the sins of the world. The Virgin has said to not wait to convert before the secrets are revealed because by then-- for many-- it will be too late.
The parish has (veneration) of the cross every Friday. People gaze and pray before the cross for an hour as hymns are sung and a priest will give a meditation on the cross for an hour.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays the parish has a Eucharistic Holy Hour at night at 7pm after Mass. Anywhere between 2,000 to 10,000 people will come to adore Jesus in adoration.
If I could describe Medjugorje with one word, I would say “Peace”. It could be felt wherever I went. I felt at home there. While I was there I was able to let all difficulties and problems go trusting Mary would take care of them. I went to confession several times in Medjugorje.
Some highlights of the trip include holy Mass and helping to distribute Holy Communion to the multitudes. At the English Mass they were from Ireland, Great Britain, the US and Canada, etc..
Another highlight was hearing confessions. I heard confessions several evenings from 3 to 5 hours each night. They were the most beautiful confessions. Its wonderful to hear confessions of people from all over the world. There is a grace given to those who go there to open their hearts and confess sins they failed to confess from the past and with deep sorrow.
As a group we went up apparition hill and prayed the Rosary at each mystery on the way up. The people keep respectful silence near the apparition site.
We were supposed to go up to Cross mountain, but since it rained, it was too dangerous. People usually make the Stations of the Cross going up the mountain. The mountain is very steep and rocky. People of all ages will trek up mountain barefoot. Just before the last station a very popular priest, Fr. Slavko instrumental in helping the parish during the beginnings of the apparitions died on the mountain there about 10 years ago.
The Cenaculo group of young men have a treatment house in Medjugorje. They are men are suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. They carried a 2 ton rock from the bottom of the hill to the place where he died as a memorial to him. Many people believe someday Fr. Slavko become a saint and we went to the cemetery and prayed at his tomb.
We went to the Castle, which is a retreat house from priests. A man and his wife from Canada told the story of their conversion and I hope to tell it, in another homily later.
I was present for two apparitions when the Virgin Mary appeared to Maria, one of the six visionaries. During the apparition I prayed for all of you and especially for the intentions of those who asked me to pray give them to Our Lady. It was a beautiful experience. I felt so honored to be in what I believe was the presence of Our Lady.
We also went to several near by shrines St. Anthony Shrine and the Shrine of Divine Mercy. I was privileged to be the main celebrant at the St. Anthony’s, one of my favorite saints. At the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Shuermance, we venerated the first class relic of St. Faustina and a second class relic of St. Pope John Paul II. In the main apse of the church is the miraculous image where a man was healed, that led to the beatification of St. Faustina, when the icon was located in Italy at the time. The icon was later transferred to Sheramce because the Italians wanted the image near Medjugorje.
Many attended the outdoor Holy Hour, where thousands of people adored Jesus under the starry sky at night.
Maria’s house is sort of like a hotel, where our group stayed.
The food at Maria’s was homemade and very delicious. They had homemade wine from grapes from their fields near Medjugorje. The wine had an alcohol content of 12%. I never tasted it since I don’t like alcohol.
There was 52 of us in our group with people from Columbia, Canada, and the US from Wichita and Hutchinson. A good number were from Idaho.
A young girl from Idaho about the age 12 is a super good artist. She plans to make an image for my book on the Rosary, that I have been writing.
My trip was paid for by benefactors. I picked up some rosaries and also purchased a statue. I hope we will soon have a carrier made, so we can do a Rosary procession with the statue of the Virgin Mary.
They rosaries were placed near the apparition and Maria said the Virgin Mary blessed them. I also blessed them.
On Wed., Oct 30th after the 6:30pm Mass, I plan to give a talk about Medjugorje and hope you will come.
A few weeks ago, the Vatican approved devotion to Our Lady of Medjugorje and the messages now have ecclesiastical approval. The apparitions now have the highest form of Church approval without declaring them supernatural, but most likely will, when they are concluded.
Today, let us pray each of us will grow in our faith, will become better Catholics and grow in our love of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who loves you!
May we do as Our Lady requested, to daily pray for peace, attend daily Mass, read sacred scripture, fast on Wed. and Friday, pray three rosaries a day, confess monthly and pray with the heart. I would like to read to you the last message of Our Lady from Sept 25th, the Virgin Mary said, September 25, 2024, "Dear children, out of love towards you, God has sent me among you, to love you and encourage you to prayer and conversion, for peace in you and in your families and in the world. Little children, do not forget that true peace comes only through prayer, from God Who is your peace. Thank you for having responded to my call." (With Ecclesiastical approval)
