Young people from around the world,
surprised us yet again this year by their large numbers. We
expected that this year, the attendance would be less numerous
then the previous year, due to the meeting with the Holy Father
in Toronto, which attracted close to a million people. However
this year yet again the pilgrims and youth came in great numbers
to Medjugorje – to Mary’s school of peace and joy. There were
more then 15,000 registered participants, not even counting the
other pilgrims and youth from Herzegovina and Southern Croatia,
who came spontaneously to join with other young people from every
corner of the world and from all continents: from Central America
to Japan, from Russia to New Zealand…
Beginning on July 31st in the
evening and ending on August 6th in the morning, the
Shrine and the whole of Medjugorje became a great joyful smile.
Young people, thirsting for God’s peace and joy, expressed this
aspiration through their joyful singing and enthusiastic
participation, everyone could easily see that their joy was
neither superficial nor pretend: it was rooted in the daily
Eucharistic celebration and in the Sacrament of Holy Confession.
During these days, dozens of priests heard confessions from
morning to night, while the young people were continuously
quenching their thirst on this source of God’s forgiveness and
mercy. Is it any wonder then that after this joy shone on every
face?
Simultaneous translation took place in 17
languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch/Flemish,
Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, Russian, Romanian, Hungarian,
Albanian, Korean, Arabic and Japanese, as well as Croatian. The
entire programme was led in Croatian and was also translated into
Croatian through the loudspeakers at the main altar. Languages,
which were not simultaneously translated, like Ukrainian,
Latvian, Leetonian, Aramaic and Malayalam (India) were expressed
through the prayer of the rosary and the prayers of the faithful.
Again this year, witnesses from many
different backgrounds and origins spoke to the youth: priests,
religious, young couples, parents, active lay people – and of
course – the visionaries of Medjugorje. This year, the young
people arrived in Medjugorje without even knowing who the
speakers would be. They came because this is Medjugorje - they
came because Our Lady is here. They gathered here in faith and by
their desire to live and witness their faith. They were gathered
here by a profound desire to participate - with the power of God
- in the building of a world that is in proportion to man,
according to the example of Christ. They are gathered together by
Mary, the Queen of Peace. All these signs tell us that the International
Youth Prayer Meeting in Medjugorje is becoming one of the most
important world youth gatherings of our times.
This year, Fr. Leo Maasburg opened
the Festival programme. He spoke to us about how after having
studied law, political sciences and theology; he began to work on
the evangelisation of East European Countries. Then in 1982 when
Pope John Paul II consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart
of Mary, Fr. Leo, together with a bishop, secretly celebrated
Holy Mass in the Kremlin in Moscow and made the same consecration
in the heart of the Soviet Union. For many years, he accompanied
Mother Teresa on her travels and also was with her while she was
opening her houses on the different continents. Fr. Leo has
given retreats to Mother Teresa’s sisters all over the world.
And then in 1988 when Mother Teresa opened her first houses in
Moscow and Armenia, Fr. Leo was for many months their spiritual
father and therefore the first “official” catholic priest in
the Soviet Union. After this, together with an Italian
businessman, he created the biggest catholic Radio-family under
the name “Radio Maria”, which is today present on every
continent. Fr. Leo Maasburg recently participated in the
preparation of the documents for the postulation for the
beatification of Mother Teresa, he is the only member of the team
that is not a member of her Congregation. He hopes that the
beatification of Mother Teresa could be announced as early as the
spring of next year.
Before his conversion in Medjugorje and
his priestly vocation, Fr. Maurizio de Sanctis – Padre Nike –
was a dancer. His coming to Medjugorje some ten years ago changed
the course of his life. He is a priest and a religious in the
Congregation of the Passionists, and he works especially on the
evangelisation of the youth, most willingly through music and
dance talents. The applause that he receives from his work
belongs to Jesus, says Padre Nike. He considers himself like the
donkey that carried Jesus on Palm Sunday.
Fr. Pavol Hudak from Slovakia came
to Medjugorje from Toronto and transmitted to the youth his
experience from the World Youth Meeting with the Pope. He also
spoke of love, true real love, and how to build lasting
relationships.
Fr. Karl
Walner, a Cistercian from Austria, spoke to the youth about
how he was called to priesthood and how every person is called to
holiness, which is not unattainable: we have to live with the
heart.
Fr. Peter
Dugandzic, an American from New York whose ancestors come
from Herzegovina, spoke about his conversion in Medjugorje and
about his priestly vocation.
Sr. Ana
Katharina, from German belonging to the Community of the
Beatitudes, spoke about how – 12 years ago – she was
converted in Medjugorje with her whole family: parents, brothers
and sisters. She spoke about her life before conversion, about
the inner struggle about the vocation that lasted until she
decided herself for consecrated life in the Church.
Sr. Elvira
and the “Cenacolo” Community reminded us this year again
that God can save a man from the deepest depth of the hell of
drugs, only if we allow Him to do so, if we count on Him and
expect help from Him.
Fr. Jozo
Zovko invited the youth with glowing words to transform their
society through prayer, love and faith.
Fr. Daniel
Ange and School of Prayer and Evangelisation “Jeunesse Lumiere”
(Youth Light)
Fr. Daniel Ange
came to Medjugorje from Toronto, where he was a participant in
the Youth Prayer Meeting.
Following 30
years of monastic life, of which 13 years he was in Rwanda and 8
years a hermit, he was profoundly touched by the difficult
situation of young people and he felt called to transmit to the
youth that which is essential - God, which means Life. He was
ordained a priest in Lourdes in 1981. He has travelled in over 40
countries to awaken a new generation of young people to God’s
Spirit bringing this about all over the world. In 1984, with the
intuition that true apostles of youth are the young people
themselves, he founded the first French Catholic School of
Evangelisation called “Jeunesse Lumiere” (Youth Light). More
then 400 young people from 40 countries have gone through this
school. Fr. Daniel Ange has written 40 books on spiritual
theology and evangelisation, he is deeply involved in the field
of unity between the Catholic and the Orthodox Church. Following
the path of Pope John Paul II, he wants to quench our thirst on
the living source of the dual tradition of the Church – the
Eastern and Western. With much love, he spoke to the youth about
the Church.
Sr.
Rastislava, a religious of the Congregation of the Holy
Cross, spoke to the youth about how it is possible to help those
who are psychologically ill, and she especially emphasised that
they do not need our pity but rather compassion and the
manifestation of the mercy of God.
Marie
Barbieri – “Community of the Emmanuel” – “St.
Claude School of Mission for outreach to the poor” in London/Soho
In the Catholic
Parish of St. Patrick in London, Fr. Alexander Sherbrooke and the
“Community of the Emmanuel” are opening a school of
evangelisation in London, to prepare young people to receive an
experience of how it is possible today to live a Christian life
and to seek holiness and to witness with life and with words in
any surrounding.
Fr. Alexander,
an old friend of Fr. Slavko Barbaric, took over this parish
without parishioners in September 2001. He wanted to do something
on the evangelisation of this part of the city and with the
education of young Catholics. He invited Marie Barbieri, a sister
from the “Community of the Emmanuel”, to work with him on the
development of different mission projects. Soho is a very famous
part of London, very attractive for young people, which offer all
the extremes of our society. In Soho reigns prostitution,
homosexuality, drug addiction, film industry, homelessness etc…,
and many young people visit this part of London. Young people who
desire to live a true Christian life come to the parish as
volunteers, and they also feel a need for a Christian, religious,
theological education. This is why, in October, an International
School (one year) begins in London under the direction of Marie
Barbieri, who has already directed this kind of school in Rome
and in Germany.
Pierre Goursat
and Martine Laffitte-Catta, as the result of prayer group
gatherings, founded “The Community of the Emmanuel” in 1976
in France. Members of the community live in the spirit of
adoration, compassion and evangelisation, and their motto is: “God
is with us in our daily life”. The community is present in
numerous countries on different continents, recently in the
countries of Slovenia and Croatia. According to the words of the
Bishops, the community enriches the life of the Church. In 1992,
the Pontifical Counsel for the laity recognised the “Community
of the Emmanuel” as a private universal association of the
faithful of Pontifical right. Along with lay vocations, the
Community has many priestly vocations, as well as sisters who
live a consecrated life in celibacy. Three years ago, this
community gave to the Church a Bishop: it is Msgr. Dominique Rey,
Bishop of Toulon in France.
Leon and Birgit
Dolenec, are a married couple with three children ages 6 to 15
years old and they currently live in Heren, Germany. Leon grew up
in Croatia in Cakovec, and Birgit in Herne, Germany. In the
summer 1986 Leon and Birgit met in Croatia. They were 18 and 19
years old and they were far away from the Church and from the
faith. Then, in the summer 1989 in Medjugorje, they came back to
the faith and to the Church, since then, they have lived Our Lady’s
messages. They desired to transmit this experience of faith to
other young people, and in 1984, they started to regularly
organise pilgrimages to Medjugorje. A fruit of these pilgrimages
is the Community “Totus Tuus”, which now has 100 permanent
members in Germany and a large circle of friends. Members of this
community put themselves entirely at the disposal of
evangelisation and consecrate their free time to different kinds
of apostolate work: pilgrimages to Medjugorje, parish missions,
music, concerts, radio broadcasts for youth, holidays for
children and youth, participation in World Youth Days, prayer
meetings etc… For their involvement in this evangelisation in
the spirit of Our Lady’s messages, they have received help,
support and the benediction from three bishops in Germany.
Among the
Medjugorje visionaries, this year those speaking were Marija,
Mirjana, Vicka, Jakov, Ivan, Jelena and Marijana.
The Festival
finished, as every year, with Holy Mass at dawn on Cross Mountain.
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The 13th International Youth
Prayer Meeting
MLADIFEST 13
“WITH MARY WITNESS PEACE AND JOY”
Medjugorje
July
31st to August 6th,
2002
Wednesday,
July 31st – St Ignatius of Loyola
06:00 pm -
Rosary
07:00 pm - Holy
Mass
10:00 pm -
Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Thursday,
August 1st – St. Alphonsus de Liguori
09:00 am –12:00
am – Prayer, Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
12:00 am -
Midday prayer / Pause
04:00 pm -
Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
06:00 pm –
Rosary
07:00 pm - Holy
Mass
10:00 – 11:30
pm - Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Friday,
August 2nd – Our Lady, Queen of Angels
09:00 am –12:00
am – Prayer, Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
12:00 am -
Midday prayer / Pause
04:00 pm -
Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
06:00 pm –
Rosary
07:00 pm - Holy
Mass
10:00 –11:30
pm – Veneration of the Cross
Saturday,
August 3rd – Bl. Augustin Kažotić
09:00 am –12:00
am – Prayer, Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
12:00 am -
Midday prayer / Pause
04:00 pm -
Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
06:00 pm –
Rosary
07:00 pm Holy
Mass
09:30 pm –
Music program
Sunday,
August 4th – St. Jean Vianney
Morning: All
language groups attend Mass in their own language
04:00 pm -
Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
06:00 pm –
Rosary
07:00 pm - Holy
Mass
08:00 pm -
Eucharistic Procession through the Parish
Monday,
August 5th – Our Lady of the Snows
09:00 am –12:00
am – Prayer, Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
12:00 am -
Midday prayer / Pause
04:00 pm -
Sharing, Exchange of Experiences
06:00 pm –
Rosary
07:00 pm - Holy
Mass
08:00 – 09:00
pm – Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament
09:00 – 10:00
pm – Singing Farewell
Tuesday,
August 6th – Transfiguration of the
Lord
03:00 am -
Rosary going up Križevac
05:00 am - Holy
Mass on Križevac
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Things to
bring with you: small FM radio with headphones, a
Bible and umbrella.
2. Those with
classical instruments (violin, flute, oboe, etc) wanting to
participate in the orchestra, please contact
the fax number 00-387-36-651-988. Those who are chosen by the
organisers may be hosted at “Domus Pacis”. Please send your
name, address, age, instrument and years of experience in music. Please
wait for confirmation.
3. All groups
participating in the Youth Prayer meeting: please do
not arrange or make plans for any other programs
during this week.
4. The
evening prayer programme for all begins with
the Rosary at 6 pm followed by Holy Mass at 7 pm.
5. On arrival
in Medjugorje, please register at a
registration table set up from 9 am to 6 pm every day;
registration will take place throughout the entire week.
DO
NOT FORGET TO REGISTER SOMETIME DURING THE WEEK WHILE YOU ARE
HERE!
ATTENTION:
DURING
THE TIME OF THE YOUTH FESTIVAL (except on Sunday)
THERE
WILL BE NO MORNING MASSES FOR PILGRIMS.
ALL
PILGRIMS WILL ATTEND THE EVENING MASS WITH YOUTH.
During
the whole Youth Festival,
THERE
WILL BE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION.
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