The Feast of St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order was solemnly celebrated in Medjugorje on Friday, October 4, 2013. The traditional service “Memoria Transitus” was held after the evening Holy Mass on October 3, 2013 at the White Dome of St. James’ church. Fr. Stanko Cosic celebrated Holy Mass and conducted that service during the Vigil Holy Mass.
The Feast of St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order will solemnly be celebrated in Medjugorje on Friday, October 4 with Holy Masses at 7.30 and 8 a.m. and at 6 p.m. Holy Mass at 8 a.m. is specially for members of the Third Order of St. Francis. The traditional solemn service of “Memoria Transitus”, will take place after the evening Holy Mass on the eve of this feast, on October 3, 2013. Numerous pilgrims who arrived from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, England, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam and Lebanon are preparing for this feast with Three-day Prayer programme that began on Tuesday, October 1, 2013. Rosary is at 5 p.m. and Holy Mass is at 6 p.m. Parish office invites all parishioners for these prayer meetings, especially all those belonging to the Franciscan family: Franciscan School Sisters, members of the Third Order and the Franciscan Youth.
Bojan Zupanz, young man of 29 from Zagreb, arrived to Medjugorje on Sunday, September 22, 2013 after having walked for ten days. He began this pilgrimage of gratitude to the Blessed Mother for everything She gave him in his life. He did not make any accommodation plans and it was all in the hands of God’s providence. Bojan came to Medjugorje last year for the first time: “”That trip was beautiful, Holy Masses, homilies, climb of Apparition Hill but it is nothing comparing to the experience I just had”, said Bojan who thanked all who helped him on his pilgrimage.
Numerous pilgrims have said how they were mostly impressed by the devotion of the Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. From October 1, 2013, this devotion will be held on Tuesdays from 9 to 10 p.m., not on Wednesdays as it was the case up to now. All parishioners and pilgrims will be able to participate in the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 to 10 p.m. and on Thursdays immediately after the evening Holy Mass.
The 2nd Pilgrimage for Persons with Disability was held in Medjugorje from September 20-22, with theme “Live your faith”. This pilgrimage gathered more than 460 participants who were hosted by parishioners of Medjugorje. This was opportunity for them to show their big hearts once again and it was another proof to Our Lady’s choice of this parish in a very special way. Most of the programme was held in Mother’s Village that together with the parish of Medjugorje and association “Susret” from Citluk is the main organiser of this event. The idea for this pilgrimage came from Sr. Rastisalva Ralbovsky who was coming to Medjugorje for many years with community of people with special needs from Djakovo. The whole programme was full of workshops, lectures and prayers.
The pilgrimage for persons with disability “Live your faith” will be held in Medjugorje from September 20 – 22, 2013. Similar to the last year, most of the programme will be held in Mother’s Village that together with parish and association “Susret” from Citluk is the main organiser of this event. All participants will gather in the Thursday afternoon and the programme will be filled with workshops, lectures and prayers. Prayer on Apparition Hill will take place on Saturday and this pilgrimage will be concluded with Holy Mass on Sunday morning.
Change in time of the evening prayer programme takes place in Medjugorje on the first Monday after the celebration of the feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross. That change will start from September 16, 2013 and Rosary will be at 5 p.m., Holy Mass at 6 p.m., Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays and Saturdays will be from 9 to 10 .m. Rosary on Apparition Hill on Sundays will be at 2 p.m., and Way of the Cross on Fridays at the same time. Croatian Holy Mass at 1 p.m. will only be celebrated on Saturdays.
The Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross will be celebrated in Medjugorje on the first Sunday after the feast of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Solemn Holy Mass on Cross Mountain will be celebrated on September 15, 2013 at 11 a.m. All pilgrims who are not able to climb Cross Mountain can take part in one of the Holy Masses that will be celebrated in the church of St. James at 6, 7, 8 a.m. and 12 and 7 p.m. The cross was built in 1933, when the world celebrated 1900th Anniversary of Our Redeemer’s death on the cross. Parishioners prayed and gathered there once a year up to 1981, when after the apparitions it became the place of prayer for all of the pilgrims from the whole world.
Fr. Charles Colazzi comes from New Jersey and this is his ninth time in Medjugorje. He spoke about his life, priesthood vocation and experience of Medjugorje. He came here with a group of young people when he was sixteen and it was the time when he truly experienced the beauty of this place. “As a young man, I went to the church but did not particularly like the faith. During my visit to Medjugorje I had strong experience of prayer that completely changed me. After I returned home, I started loving prayer, I spent time Adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and I prayed Rosary every single day.” Four years afterwards, he went to the seminary and became a priest during his next visit to Medjugorje. “That is all really beautiful experience. I would say that I fell in love with Our Lady, with Jesus. Everyone experiences something different, weather it is inner healing, feeling of love and intimacy, or perhaps miracles because we all feel something different. Confessions in Medjugorje are very significant; people are really different when they return home. Usually people who confess here feel something, very often their life changes completely and they feel strength of good confessions that happen after twenty or thirty years of wondering around. For me as a priest that is a highlight here in Medjugorje because that is so beautiful and useful”, said Fr. Charles.