The Spirit of Medjugorje: Beginner's Guide to Medjugorge
SPECIAL EDITION - Revised: December, 2008

If you would like a copy of the beginner's guide in pdf form so you can make copies for distribution, send a request to jklins1981@verizon.net. Please put "pdf" in the subject line of the note. 
 
Suppose you were told that you could have a glimpse of Heaven without having a near-death experience?
In the early 1980's, 17 year old Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic and 10 year old Jakov Colo, visionaries from the village of Medjugorje in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, had such an opportunity. Vicka claimed,
 " Our bodies disappeared from Jakov's house. Everyone looked for us. It lasted 20 minutes in all." Vicka described the experience:
This photo captures the "miracle of the sun" in Medjugorje. The shape of the sun is called "the door to Heaven."
" One afternoon, I was with Jakov at his home and Our Lady came, telling us that She was going to take us to show us Heaven, hell and purgatory. Before we left, we were wondering how long the journey was going to take, whether we would go up, or down, or how many days we would be
traveling. But Our Lady just took Jakov's left hand and my right hand and we went up. We could see the walls just moving aside, giving us enough space to go through. It took us just a moment, and we found ourselves in Heaven.
Heaven is one, huge endless space. There is a special kind of light that does not exist on earth at all. We saw people dressed in gray, yellow, and pink gowns. They were walking, praying and singing together. We were able to see small angels circling around. There is a special kind of joy in Heaven. I have never experienced anything like that at any other time. Our Lady told us to see how overjoyed were all the people who were in Heaven.

 

"Purgatory is also one huge space, but we were not able to see people. We could only see darkness -- an ashy color. We were able to feel the physical suffering of the people. They were shivering, and struggling. Our Lady said we need to pray for those people so that they can get out of Purgatory.

   "As for hell, there is one huge fire in the middle. First, we were shown people in normal condition before they were caught by that fire. Then as they are being caught by that fire, they become the shape of animals, like they have never been humans before. As they are falling deeper into the fire, they yell against God even more. Our Lady says that, for all those who are in hell it was their choice, their decision to get there. Our Lady says for all those who are living here on earth who are living against God's commands, even here they are living in a kind of hell so when they are there, they are continuing just the same life as before. Our Lady says that there are so many who live here on the earth who believe that when this life is finished, everything is finished, but Our Lady says, if you think so, you are very wrong, because we are just passers by on the earth. "

   So how do we get in the door to Heaven? Jesus told us 2000 years ago, but for those who did not listen to Him, He sent His Mother, as the Queen of Peace to remind us and remind us and remind us…..
   Since 1981 She has been coming to earth every single day to tell us how to live so that we can enjoy eternal happiness and avoid eternal damnation. When will we begin to listen?

We pray that this guide will kindle a fire in your heart to learn more about Our Lady's messages, so you can live a life of peace, love and joy, both now and in eternity.

      Pilgrims on Apparition Hill where the permanent sign will be      

In the Beginning
Medjugorje is a small mountain village in Bosnia-Herzegovina,the former Yugoslavia. The following testimony was given by Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez in Buffalo, NY, on November 23, 2008:
   Going back in history – on the 24th of June, 1981, my life changed forever. I never thought that something like this would happen, that the Mother of Christ could appear to me, and I never heard about Fatima or Lourdes at that time.
   My family and I at that time were living in Mostar, and we came home to Medjugorje on summer vacation. And visionary Mirjana was visiting from Sarajevo. So on the 24th of June, Mirjana and I and some other friends of ours, after Mass, decided to go outside the church and talk about our summer vacation. I don’t remember how long we were there walking around and we couldn’t wait any more for the rest of the girls to come, so we decided to go back to the village. On the way back something was pulling my eyes to the hillside. When I looked on the hillside, I told Mirjana, “Mirjana, look up there! There is Our Lady!” She did not want to even look up there and she said, “Don’t talk nonsense. It could not be.” Mirjana was just remaining quiet and we continued to walk. When we came to the village, Marija’s sister, Milka said she was looking for her sheep. As soon as she saw me she said, “What happened to you? You look different.”  I told her, “I just saw Our Lady.” Then all three of us walked back to the same place and we all saw Our Lady at that time. Our Lady was on the hillside, standing about 600 meters up on the hill and She was motioning Her hand for us to come closer. But we were just standing still. We were afraid to go up there.
   In the meantime, Vicka came to join us, and she said, “What is happening to you?” We said,” Hurry up! We see Our Lady!” When she heard that she simply took her shoes off and started running back to the village, and on the way to the village she met two Ivans - Ivan who is the visionary, and his friend also called Ivan. She told them what was happening and then all three of them came to join us. Even though there were more of us now, we were still afraid to go up the hillside, We were still very excited and very confused at what was happening. Some of us went to the closest home and we went inside and told the people in the household what we saw. We just told them, “We saw Our Lady,” but the people said, “Don’t play and don’t tell that to anyone.” Then they chased us out of the yard.
   When I came to my home, my grandmother was there and I told her what I saw, and she told me, “It’s probably someone tending their sheep.” I was only 15 years old at that time, and that night was never longer in my lifetime as that. Whenever we told any of the other people what we saw, they did not interfere. But the next morning, even though Medjugorje had only one phone in the whole village, the news went around to other villages what was happening in Medjugorje. So the next day more people gathered. My grandmother then raised her hand and said, “Whatever is happening, no matter who is up on the hillside, you are not leaving my sight.”
   When we reached the place where we were standing before, we saw flashes of light on the hillside, three times, and something was pulling us forward to come closer. So six of us were pulled so quickly other people could not keep up with us. When we came close to Our Lady we saw the beauty that no words can describe. My eyes never saw anything more beautiful than that. Our Lady has a gray gown, white veil, a crown around Her head with stars. She has blue eyes and dark hair, and She’s standing on a cloud. At that very moment, we all knelt in front of Our Lady.
   Two months before that began, my mother had died; she passed away because she was very ill. That day when we knelt in front of Our Lady, I asked Our Lady, “Where is my mother?”  Our Lady just smiled and said, “Your mother is with me,” and Our Lady said, “Do not be afraid of anything. I will always be with you.  I will come tomorrow.”
   In the meantime, some other people who started to walk with us reached the base of the hillside and they saw something unusual happening to us, and they suggested that the next day when we come, we should bring holy water and sprinkle the apparition. So when Our Lady appeared on the third day, Vicka took holy water and she said, “If you are of God, stay with us; if you are not, go away.” Then She smiled and She said, “I am the Queen of Peace,” and the first message of Our Lady was peace. Later on, She added conversion, prayer, fasting and penance. So those are the main ones, the most important messages from the first days.
   From 1981 to 1985 I had daily apparitions. Through all those years Our Lady was talking to me at each meeting about the future of the world, and the future of the Church and also Our Lady’s life story. I know everything in those notebooks, and so when Our Lady tells me that it is closer, She will tell me the time and I will give the notebooks.
   The 7th of May, 1985, was my last daily apparition, and Our Lady stayed with me a whole hour, and She gave me the tenth secret. Our Lady told me that She was not going to meet with me every day, only once a year, on the 25th of June.
   So from 1985 until now I have only one apparition a year. On the day when I was talking to Our Lady, She gave me a beautiful gift that I’ll never forget.    Every person is asking himself whether there is life after this. I am a living witness that there is life after this because Our Lady showed me my mother. My mother talked to me and she said, “My daughter, I am so proud of you.”
   It’s already been 27 years that Our Lady has come to visit us, giving us the words of wisdom in every message, showing us how to live our life. It is only up to us to accept these words.
   Each one of us visionaries has our own mission. Some of us have the mission to pray for sick people or for the priests or the Church. I was chosen to pray for families. Our Lady is inviting us to pray for families, together to renew the family there in our homes. In the beginning Our Lady requested that we pray seven Our Father’s, Hail Mary’s, and Glory Be’s a day, then later the whole Rosary. Our Lady wants us to display the Bible, Holy Scriptures, in our homes and to read it often, every day if possible, and then the Bible can be our life; and to go to Holy Mass often, especially on Sunday; and to go to Confession once a month.
   I pray for families every single day, for all families, not only in my village, but around the world. I’m asking all of you to pray for my family and the families of the visionaries. Thank you. 
 Editor’s note: On the second day when Ivanka, Mirjana, Vicka and Ivan returned to the hill, Milka’s sister Marija and 10 year old Jakov Colo joined them. These are the 6 visionaries. Ivanka, Mirjana and Jakov have all been given 10 secrets. As of this writing(12/8/08), Ivan, Marija and Vicka have 9 secrets and continue to receive daily apparitions.

The “Secrets”
The following excerpt is from an article written by Fr. Petar Ljubicic, who is the priest chosen by visionary Mirjana to reveal the secrets to the world:
   Concerning the secrets, Mirjana herself states that she thinks the day of their fulfillment is nearing. And lately, Our Lady calls her to a specific program of how she should pray and live. At the same time, through Mirjana, She calls all people of good will to join with her in prayer.
   God has announced to us that He will send signs of preliminary warning. He wishes to show clearly that He is forever “Master of the world.” God will send us some early signs and then He will give us a permanent sign. Mirjana says that when the signs appear, many people will be converted, many who doubted until now and who deliberated about whether the event in Medjugorje came from God or from some other source. It will be clear to everyone who is open to the Spirit of God that God is indeed here and dwells among us.
   Concerning us, specifically, of course we’d like to know when all of this will take place. I believe that curiosity can best be satisfied by fasting and prayer, and people who do so don’t need to be afraid. Everything will turn out right. I don’t know what misfortunes and catastrophes will come; and naturally, I don’t know what will happen to us. I know only this: Without God’s wisdom, nothing will happen to us. Everyone can receive what he needs to fulfill God’s plan in his life. I believe that from this, we can conclude that God loves us today, too. I see positive proof of this in the fact that God is sending His Mother to us, and that He has already given us many signs. There are many witnesses who have meditated about this and have been converted. They are the people who began to fast and pray. I believe these are signs and that they are more significant than physical signs. Material signs can be momentarily impressive, but the joy and happiness which one experiences in the soul remains and is not easily forgotten. That’s the treasure we carry in our hearts.
   Shortly after Mirjana’s visions ceased, I was informed by the other visionaries that she had chosen me as the priest of her confidence. At that time I thought I was too far away from Medjugorje. I was a priest in another community and there was no indication that I would be moved to Medjugorje. Mirjana, who moved in the meantime, to Sarajevo to continue her studies, told me that God will put everything in its place. Mirjana asked Our Lady whether she had acted correctly, and Our Lady told her that everything would happen at the proper time. And indeed, since the fall of 1985, I’ve been in Medjugorje for more than a year.
   Mirjana told me that Our Lady comes more often lately and that she hears Her voice at a predetermined time. She said Our Lady is preparing her for the fulfillment of the secrets. Our Lady wants everything to develop in order. She gave Mirjana something similar to paper, which contains information about the individual secrets. Ten days before, she’ll know what will happen. Three days before a secret is revealed, it will be announced to the people so they’ll know exactly what, where, how, what time, and for how long it will take place.
   The first two secrets will come as advance warnings and as proof that Our Lady was here in Medjugorje. The third secret will be a visible sign. This secret is the same for all the visionaries. No one knows how many secrets are the same for all of them. As far as the visible sign is concerned, the exact information will be received three days in advance. All of us have to prepare for this with prayer and fasting.

The Visionaries
Vicka Ivankovic-Mijatovic - Vicka is the oldest of the visionaries. She was born September 3, 1964, in Bijakovici, and comes from a family of 8 children. Her prayer mission given by Our Lady is to pray for the sick. Vicka, her husband Mario, and young daughter & son live in the small village of Gruda, a few kilometers north of Medjugorje. In January of 1983, Our Lady began to tell Vicka Her life story. The information Our Lady dictated to Vicka over these two years is contained in two hand written notebooks and will be published when Our Lady tells Vicka it is time. Vicka: “The only way to peace and love is prayer and fasting.”
Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo - Mirjana was born March 18th, 1965 in Sarajevo. Her prayer mission from Our Lady is to pray for all unbelievers. Mirjana graduated from the University of Sarajevo where her family lived. Mirjana, her husband Marco, and their two daughters live in Medjugorje. On August 2, 1987, Our Lady started appearing to Mirjana on the 2nd day of each month to pray with Mirjana for all unbelievers. Mirjana tells us that Our Lady defines “unbelievers” as those who have not yet felt God’s love. She tells us that if we only once saw the tears in Our Lady’s eyes for all unbelievers, that we would all begin praying intensely for this intention. Mirjana: “The Mass, the Rosary, and fasting, especially on bread and water only, can stop war, can change the natural law, particularly if they are done with great faith and great trust and great love.”
Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti – Marija was born on April 1, 1965, in Bijakovici. Her prayer mission given by Our Lady is to pray for all the souls in purgatory. She has three brothers and two sisters. When the apparitions started, she was studying in Mostar, about eighteen miles away. She is the visionary to whom Our Lady gives the public message to the world on the 25th of each month. Marija, her husband Paulo and their four children live in Italy. She visits Medjugorje a number of times each year. Marija: “Fear comes from Satan. Those who trust the Lord do not experience fear.”
Ivanka Ivankovic-Elez - Ivanka was born on July 21, 1966, in Bijakovici. Ivanka’s prayer mission from Our Lady is to pray for families. Ivanka has one brother and one sister. Her Mother Jagoda, died in May 1981. When the apparitions first began, Ivanka asked the Blessed Mother about her mother. God has allowed Ivanka to see and speak to her mother, who is in Heaven, five times over the years. Ivanka and her husband Raico and their three children live in Medjugorje. Ivanka: “People know whether they are living in God’s will or not by how much peace they have. If they don’t feel peace in their hearts, they know they are not doing the right thing. Those who are doing God’s will have peace.”
Ivan Dragicevic - Ivan was born on May 25th, 1965 in Bijakovici. His prayer mission given by Our Lady is to pray for priests and the youth of the world. There are three younger children in his family and although Ivan and Mirjana share the same last name, they are not related. Ivan, his wife Laureen and their four children reside half the year in Medjugorje, and half the year in Boston, MA. Ivan: ”All prayer is pleasing to God. It is Satan who always tells us our prayer is not good enough, that we are not good enough. The least prayer is very much.”
Jakov Colo- Jakov is the youngest of the seers. He was born on March 6, 1971 in Sarajevo, and was only 10 years old when the apparitions started. His prayer mission given by Our Lady is to pray for the sick. Jakov, his wife Annalisa and three children live in Medjugorje. In the early years, the presence of the young fidgety boy among the group of seers is significant in terms of the authenticity of the apparitions. It was highly improbable that he would come to church for two to three hours of prayer every single day, in winter as well as in summer, year after year, simply to make believe that he is seeing the Blessed Virgin. Jakov: “We need to learn how to thank God because He gave us too much, and we do not understand that. W e are constantly asking for more.”

The Official Position of the Church Regarding Medjugorje
The following is excerpted from a talk given by Dr. Mark Miravalle at the Medjugorje Conference at Notre Dame University in May, 2008
   What is the official position of the Church regarding Medjugorje? Would it be an act of disobedience to pilgrimage to Medjugorje before the Church has given the apparitions final and definitive approval?
   Let’s go to the facts. On April 10, 1991, the Yugoslavian Episcopal Conference made a declaration regarding Medjugorje. It is known as the “Declaration of the ex-Yugoslavian Bishops’ Conference,” in Zadar. In the statement of 1991, the bishops say the following: They do not approve Medjugorje as supernaturally authentic; they do not prohibit Medjugorje as a fraudulent apparition. They rather conclude, without saying a positive statement of Medjugorje, that the pilgrims can come, and they are to be pastorally tended to. Now, theologically this is what we call the middle category of “non constat supernaturalitate.” Now once again, bear with me on these distinctions because they’re important for clarity and understanding what is the official position of the Church on Medjugorje. An approved apparition receives what is called “constat de supernaturalitate.” which means it consists of a supernatural origin. The third category is the prohibition category, that is, “constat de non- supernaturalitate.” That is where the local bishop says officially these are not approved, and you cannot come, and there can be no sacraments celebrated at this site. Well, there’s a middle position, and it’s “non constat supernaturalitate,” which means the Church, and here the Zadar statement, does not approve the apparitions, it does not discredit the apparitions, and people are, indeed, free to go.
   So the 1991 Zadar statement makes clear that personal pilgrimages to Medjugorje are done, can be satisfied within proper biddings to the Church. Now, on May 26, 1998, the Vatican Congregation to the Doctrine of the Faith made a statement on Medjugorje in response to a letter from a French bishop, Bishop Aubrey, and at that time the secretary to Cardinal Ratzinger, Archbishop Bertone, who is now the Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone made a very important confirmation from the Vatican of the 1991 Zadar statement. Archbsihop Bertone, in this statement in 1998, said the following: Number one – that the Zadar statement, without approving and without condemning – is the position of the Church on Medjugorje at the present position. Number two – the statement of Archbishop Bertone stated that the personal opposition of the local bishop is his own personal position. It is not the official position of the Catholic Church, and I quote from the letter, “that the position of Msgr. Peric is and remains his personal opinion.”  Thirdly, the statement of 1998 states once again that pilgrims can pilgrimage to Medjugorje on a private, personal, that means non-diocesan organized basis.
   My friends, this is extremely important if we’re after the facts. >This is Rome; this is the Holy See, this is the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith saying that the position of the local bishop, which is a negative position, is not the official Catholic position at this time. And we know from our Catechism and we know from our teaching that you always go with Rome. You go with the Holy See. You go with the voice of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. So, in answer to question one, is it an act of disobedience to pilgrimage to Medjugorje, it absolutely is not an act of disobedience. It is permitted in the 1991 Zadar statement, from the bishops of ex-Yugoslavia. It is confirmed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the letter of Archbishop Bertone, May 26, 1998.

The Locutionists
Besides the 6 visionaries in Medjugorje, there are two locutionists (people to whom God speaks“with the heart,” an experience which is known in the history of the Church as “locutio cordis” or inner locution). In December, 1982, Jelena Vasilj, 9 years old, began to hear Our Lady speak to her. In March of 1983, Marijana Vasilj ( no relation), age 11, began to also have inner locutions of Our Lady. The messages to these girls were similar to the visionaries. In March of 1983, Our Lady established and led a prayer group through Jelena. Our Lady dictated to Jelena consecration prayers and a prayer for the sick and recommended the reading of Matthew 6:24-34 every Thursday.


St. James in Medjugorje

In June of 1986, Pope John Paul II said, in response to a group of twelve Italian bishops seeking pastoral advice on people making pilgrimages to Medjugorje, “LET THE PEOPLE GO TO MEDJUGORJE IF THEY CONVERT, PRAY, CONFESS, DO PENANCE AND FAST.”

Little Known Fact about Medjugorje

In 1986 the U.S. State Department became very interested in what they were hearing about Medjugorje. The U.S. Ambassador to Yugoslavia at that time, David Anderson, was told to send political officers to investigate the rumors of apparitions. Reporting back to Anderson the two political officers stated, “You’re not going to believe this, but there is something going on there.” (The State Dept. information are excerpts  "Medjugorje Investigated," a book by  Michael Kenneth Jones. For more information visit Michael’s website, www.medjugorjeusa.org


Fr. Jozo talking about one of the "stones"

The Five Stones
   Father Jozo Zovko, who was the pastor of St. James when the apparitions began, speaks often about what he calls “the weapons” or the “the five stones” against Goliath. They are: prayer with the heart, especially the Rosary; Eucharist; Holy Bible; monthly Confession; and fasting.
   It is important to approach each of these slowly, so not to get discouraged. When Our Lady first appeared to the children, She asked them to pray the “Peace Rosary, ” which is the Creed and 7 Our Father’s, 7 Hail Mary’s, and 7 Glory Be’s. Later She had them pray the 5- decade Rosary, and then worked up to the 15 -decade Rosary.
   Our Lady asks for frequent attendance at Holy Mass. It might be good to first start by going a day or two during the week, then work up to every day if possible. Our Lady always says that when given the choice of going to Mass or to one of Her apparitions, one should always choose Holy Mass.
   To read the Bible, one need not read a whole book or even a whole chapter daily. Even a sentence or two in the morning and in the evening is beneficial. We need to be constantly fed with the Word of God to fight the good fight.
   As for monthly Confession, Our Lady told the visionaries that there is not a person on earth who does not need to confess monthly.
   Fasting is the most difficult of the five. Fasting means that we give up something that we like and offer that sacrifice to God. Our Lady asks that we fast weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays. One can give up sweets, coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, television, etc. But, Our Lady stresses that the best and most powerful fast is on bread and water. Great graces come from fasting and it can help with situations in your life that seem hopeless. Because it is so hard to fast, one should always pray for the grace to be able to do it. Again, one should work up to it, starting perhaps by giving up eating between meals, then one day of bread and water, and finally two days of bread and water.


Fr. Ed Murphy celebrating Mass in Medjugorje


The Fruits of Medjugorje

   “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-17)
   There have been many physical healings through Our Lady of Medjugorje since 1981. The parish office reports that as of 2001, there were 445 documented reports about miraculous physical healings. David Parkes, Rita Klaus, Char Vance, Artie Boyle, and Tom Rutkoski are just a few of the people who have received a physical healing that defied medical science. Each of these people, in recorded testimony, also had spiritual healings as well, and do not hesitate to emphasize that, given the choice of a physical healing or a spiritual healing, they would take the spiritual healing.
   It would take hundreds of books to contain the testimonies of the spiritual healings and conversions that have taken place through Our Lady of Medjugorje in the last 24 years. More than a few members of the clergy have also had healings as well, including a priest who had left the priesthood and returned 17 years later through Our Lady of Medjugorje. (His story is in our June, 2003 issue)
  Organizations which reach out to the homeless, poor and orphans have been created by people upon returning from Medjugorje.  Gospa Missions in Evans City, PA,  Mission of Mercy in Buffalo, NY, St. David’s Relief in Mesquite, TX, His Work in Progress in Yardley, PA,  Mother’s Hope Foundation in Pittsburgh, PA, and Gospa Florida in Palm Coast, FL are just a few of the many fruits of Medjugorje.
   Many priestly and religious vocations have been fostered through Medjugorje. Fr. Donald Calloway (whose story is in our April, 2004 issue), Fr. Ed Murphy ( April, 2005 issue), Frs. Ljubo Kurtovic and Miro Sego ( September, 2004 issue), are just a few of the many religious vocations which have been fostered through Medjugorje. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.” (Mt 7:18)

Pilgrims on Cross Mountain
A Medjugorje Pilgrimage
By June Klins

   Before June of 1998, Medjugorje was never in my travel plans. I was afraid that it was dangerous, that I would not like the food or the experience of staying in someone’s home, and that I would be bored. Nothing could be farther from the truth in every case. I will be eternally grateful to the travel agent who booked me on the plane to Medjugorje without my having agreed to it! I never experienced such peace in my life, the food was wonderful, the people were so hospitable and joyful that I did not want to leave, and I was never bored for even a second. There is much to do, including climbing two mountains - Apparition Hill and also Cross Mountain, where a large cross was built in 1933. Ana Shawl who takes pilgrims to Medjugorje testifies: “No matter how many times people come to Medjugorje, it’s the same as when you go to visit your mother. There’s always something more, there’s always more conversations with her, and no two conversations with our mothers are the same. That’s the way I feel about being there. I know we have our Mother in Heaven wherever we are and She is always close to us, but I think there is something so special about coming to Her little Medjugorje -two mountains, rocks, vineyards and a church. To make the trip is difficult, but once there, most everyone has difficulty coming home. Like during the Transfiguration with the apostles. They wanted to pitch tents to stay there, they never wanted that vision to end.”


Stone from Apparition Hill with Madonna and Child


Signs and Wonders
By June Klins
   On my first trip to Medjugorje I was very excited because it was anniversary time and I expected to see a lot of miracles. I had heard that the sun spins like it did in Fatima and that some people see “gold dust” or the cross on Mt. Krizevac light up or disappears mysteriously. Well, after four trips there, I have never seen any phenomena like this, even while people standing right beside me were witnessing these things. Many people have miracle photos they took in Medjugorje. These signs and wonders are gifts that are given to certain people for a reason only God knows. On my first pilgrimage, I randomly picked up five stones on Apparition Hill. I later discovered that four of the stones had images on them. One has the face of Jesus with a fetus above His head, and the other three have Our Lady with Baby Jesus. I wondered why I got these stones. I certainly did not need them to believe. I carry these stones, which seem to have a pro-life message, in my purse and show them to people at any opportunity. The scriptures tell us that the gifts we receive should be shared with others.
   What is the purpose of these signs and wonders? To get our attention! Jesus performed miracles from the
very beginning of His ministry on earth. The miracles were a means to an end. Once Jesus got their attention, He could work the real miracles of changing hearts. The same is true in Medjugorje. The “miracle of the sun” is to show that God exists and then to point us to the real “miracle of the Son,” Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Those who go to Medjugorje must be on guard not to focus too much attention on the signs and wonders, at the risk of ignoring the abundant graces available in Medjugorje through a conversion of heart, the real sign and wonder at Medjugorje.
For Further Information...
To be “fed” monthly by Our Lady’s messages to the world, you can subscribe to the monthly newsletter “The Spirit of Medjugorje” by sending a free will offering along with your name and address to P.O. Box 6614, Erie, PA 16512.
   Hopefully this publication has given you an introduction to Our Lady of Medjugorje and Her messages. For further information, we suggest you consult the hundreds of books and websites on Medjugorje. Two books we particularly recommend are Volume I and Volume II of  The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje.” It is an extension of what you have just read here. Catholic author Elizabeth Ficocelli calls Volume I, “...a compelling presentation of articles that help the reader to understand what Medjugorje is all about —the messages, the visionaries, the testimonies of changed hearts and lives. It is both an excellent introduction to and an important recap of the most important apparitions of our times. Focused on the early years of the apparitions, it leaves the reader yearning for the next edition.”
  
We present to you here other books deemed as favorites by an informal survey taken several years ago with the members of the International Internet Medjugorje Prayer Group, which has ties to Ivan’s prayer group in Medjugorje. The members determined the following to be their favorite books on Medjugorje in this order:

1. Visions of the Children - Janice Connell
2. Medjugorje the Message - Wayne Weible
3. Final Harvest - Wayne Weible
4. Medjugorje the Mission - Wayne Weible
5. Queen of the Cosmos - Janice Connell
6. Pilgrimage - Fr. Svetozar Kraljevic
7. Pray with the Heart - Fr. Slavko Barbaric
8. Medjugorje in the 90’s - Sr. Emmanuel
9. Letters from Medjugorje - Wayne Weible
10. Medjugorje Day by Day - Fr. Richard Beyer

Suggested Medjugorje websites:

http://www.medjugorje.hr (The official Medjugorje website)
http://www.medjugorje.org (One of the most popular Medjugorje websites, has links to other sites too)
http://www.medjugorjeusa.org (This site was designed with the “doubting Thomas” in mind.)
http://www.childrenofmedjugorje.com (Has excellent audio tapes and books by Sr. Emmanuel)
http://crownofstars.blogspot.com (Awesome photos and inspirational testimonies)
http://www.iipg-queenofpeace.org (International Internet Prayer Group, Queen of Peace)

Caution should be used in purchasing credible resources since there are some books and videos on the market that are “New Age” material. When in doubt seek advice from proper sources at the above websites.

“I am grateful to Our Lady of Medjugorje. I know that many people go there and are converted. I thank God for leading us during these times this way.”
                                                                                         Mother Teresa


Our Lady in front of St. James

Mary is Calling You!

“Dear children, I want you to comprehend that God has chosen each one of you, in order to use you in His great plan for the salvation of mankind. You are not able to comprehend how great your role is in God’s design. Therefore, dear children, pray so that in prayer you may be able to comprehend what God’s plan is in your regard. I am with you in order that you may be able to bring it about in all its fullness. “(1/25/87)

“Dear children! Today I invite you to become missionaries of my messages, which I am giving here through this place that is dear to me. God has allowed me to stay this long with you and therefore, little children, I invite you to live with love the messages I give and to transmit them to the whole world, so that a river of love flows to people who are full of hatred and without peace. I invite you, little children, to become peace where there is no peace and light where there is darkness, so that each heart accepts the light and the way of salvation.” (2/25/95)

   "Dear children! Today I call you to be my extended hands in this world that puts God in the last place. You, little children, put God in the first place in your life. God will bless you and give you strength to witness Him, the God of love and peace. I am with you and intercede for all of you. Little children, do not forget that I love you with a tender love.”(2/25/05)

“Comprehend, little children, that you are today the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” (10/25/96)

   “Dear children, you know that for your sake I have remained a long time so I might teach you how to make progress on the way of holiness. Therefore, dear children, pray without ceasing and live the messages which I am giving you for I am doing it with great love toward God and toward you. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (1/1/87)


The Blue Cross in Medjugorje

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