MEDJUGORJE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

This is one of my favourite books. Bringing home this book with me is like bringing home Medjugorje with me. It is the most colourful book in Medjugorje with lots and lots of beautiful pictures. This book provides a fantastic overview and is a great resource for everything about Medjugorje. The chapters in this book include A short history about the first days in Medjugorje, Discussion of the messages of Medjugorje, The visionaries, Scientific testing done on the visionaries, Pilgrim activities in Medjugorje and much, much more. Tonight I would like to share excerpts from this wonderful book.

With this book, through pictures and words we wish to present this parish, in order to save from oblivion the events that have taken place before our eyes in the last twenty years - enabling people to pass their own judgement. At the same time, regardless of whether the judgement is positive or negative, the last twenty years invite us to remember times past with gratitude, to live the present time fervently and to be completely open to the future, which is what we have also been invited to do by the Pope in his previously-mentioned Apostolic Letter. (Medjugorje in the New Millennium, Father Ivan Sesar.)

It is our desire that the book you are holding in your hands may present to you, in pictures and in words, the twenty years of the walk of the faithful with Our Lady. May it also be an encouragement for more cognizant and Christian way of life. (Twenty Years of Medjugorje, Father Branko Rados.)

Our Lady knows very well the weaknesses of the parishioners and pilgrims She wants to work with in the salvation of the world. She is aware that supernatural strength is needed to achieve this goal. That is why with Her messages She directs and leads them toward the sources of that power. Prayer is in the first place. She recommends prayer fervently in almost all her messages. (Brief History of Our Lady's Apparitions in Medjugorje, Father Ljudevit Rupcic.)

We must truly give thanks to God for these years of abounding grace with a deep respect for Our Lady's striving here in Medjugorje to prepare us for the new milennium. Pope John Paul II, inspired with the same spirit, has called for the preparation of the whole Church for the third millennium of Christianity. (Go Out and Protect the Children, Father Jozo Zovko.)

The Bible is full of reports about visions and apparitions, and so is history of mysticism in the Church. Messages conveyed by the visionaries must be in accordance with the Biblical message. If we recall the main Medjugorje messages: peace, conversion, prayer, fasting and faith and on the pastoral level: prayer of the Rosary, reading of the Holy Bible, attending Holy Mass, confession and doing good works, we find that they do. (Phenomenology of the Medjugorje Apparitions, Father Slavko Barbaric.)

The effects of Our Lady's apparitions in today's world are difficult to evaluate. However, one thing is certain: what the shepherds of the Church often do not dare to mention, the Holy Spirit does through Mary's apparitions and Her messages to the world. The world of the little ones understands and accepts Mary's words. The faith and the experience of the Sacred Scripture again become present and alive. It is through Mary that God executes the renewal of the Church and the world. (The Pilgrim Movement in Medjugorje, Father Leonard Orec.)

To speak about Medjugorje today means to speak about God's act of renewing the world and the Church through the renewal of individuals who have become aware of their Christianity and their mission in the world. Through Mary's apparitions, prayers and many conversions, nations are healed. Our Croatian nation and also other local Churches are managing to arise from their lethargy, the apathy that ruled during communism, to once again consciously become a factor in history. Mary has appeared in Medjugorje as a sign that restores the whole fatigued Croatian people. Before the eyes of the world, She has restored to the Croatian people their authentic human and Catholic dignity. Mary, as protector of the inheritance, is an original sign of the authentic inculturation of the Gospel. (Medjugorje - An Encouragement for the Renewal of the Church and Society, Father Tomislav Pervan.)

Despite everything, a river of pilgrims to Medjugorje from all over the world does not cease. From day to day and from year to year it is growing. They feel as if Our Lady speaks directly to each of them in this place. They remain focused in prayer. Eucharistic celebrations, prayers and invocations, songs and information can be heard in several languages. In the Medjugorje Church the Rosary is prayed and Holy Mass is celebrated everyday. God's people approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Numerous Christians leave Medjugorje born anew, more peaceful, more satisfied and happier. Is this not a sign of God's presence and Mary's service in the history of salvation? (Jesus' Mother in the Service of the Work of Salvation, Father Petar Lubina.)

Places of prayer in Medjugorje in a mystical way become an 'altar' of the world upon which God wants to transform man into the body of His Church, into His living presence in the world. On a pilgrimage, through the Sacraments, the Word of God becomes the body of the Church. (From a Small Parish to a World Renowned Sanctuary, Father Svetozar Kraljevic.) Thanks for reading. You can click here to go to the contents page of this blog.

IN MEMORY OF FATHER DR. SLAVKO BARBARIC

Fr. Slavko Barbaric

It is now approximately 10.30 pm Malaysian time and 3.30 pm Bosnian time. I have just lighted some candles for Father Slavko. Nine years ago, on this day and around this time, Medjugorje was in shock because of the sudden demise of Father Slavko Barbaric. At 2.00 pm on that day, Father Slavko led about 70 parishioners and pilgrims on the "Way of the Cross" to the summit of Mount Krizevac. It has been drizzling all afternoon but when they reached the summit of the mountain, the drizzle had stopped and the sun came out. They could see a beautiful rainbow near St. James Church. After the "Way of the Cross", they started to descend but when they arrived at the Resurrection Station, Father Slavko stopped and blessed them. He sat upon a rock and then lay on the ground where he lost consciousness and died of a heart attack.

The Resurrection Station on Mount Krizevac. 

Mount Krizevac symbolically represents the gate of Heaven. On it, there is a 8.5 meter tall white concrete cross, namely, the Krizevac Cross, which contains a relic from the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The Krizevac Cross was built by the villagers of Medjugorje in 1933 in memory of the 1900th anniversary of Jesus' death. Today Mount Krizevac has become the Calvary of Medjugorje. Father Slavko loved to go to Mount Krizevac and he used to climb this mountain every morning at sunrise to pray. And on 24 November 2000, he had finally carried his cross to Mount Krizevac so that God's glory could shine through him. God had thus given Father Slavko the honour of dying at the gate of Heaven and thus entering directly into heaven from there.

Father Slavko's premature death was a terrible shock and great loss to the world. But why did he die at such a young age? He was the kind of man who did not know how to feel tired. There were no rest days for him as he continued to serve God and His people all the days of his life without any letup. He only went to sleep after midnight and would wake up before sunrise to pray. He used to say that the only time he had for himself was the time at dawn when he could go to Mount Krizevac or Podbrdo Hill to pray. He has never failed to go to Mount Krizevac or Podbrdo Hill to pray every morning irrespective of the weather condition. As a priest, he had no time to think about himself or manage his own wellbeing. He has never complained about anything but continued to serve the people of God with patience and kindness. He did not know how to take some time out from his duties and responsibilities for himself as his life motto was not to have anything but to give away everything. 

According to Father Tomislav Pervan, if the Lord were to say to Father Slavko that he would die the next day, these words would not have any effects on his daily life. Why? Because his purpose in life is to serve God and His people and therefore would not take any time out to focus on his own life. He would still continue to climb Krizevac Mountain and Podbrdo Hill. He would still continue to pray. He would still carry out his duties and responsibilities as a priest just as he had always done. That was why the thought of death couldn't scare him. As what Father Slavko had always said, "As the Father has loved me, so I also love you. There is no greater love than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Like his Master before him, Father Slavko laid down his life for us and in doing so, he forgot about himself. That was why he died a premature death.

Father Slavko had truly lived the life of Christ and walked in His footsteps. It was indeed a great blessing to have a priest like Father Slavko who has devoted himself entirely and completely to the Church and to the Kingdom of God. Those who know him would agree that he is a wonderful and precious gift from God. But on the other hand, we also have priests who only think of themselves and keep pestering the pope to allow them to get married. Why become priests if they cannot give themselves completely to the work of Christ and His Church? If they are only interested to get a job so that they can support their wife and children, they should not take advantage of the Catholic priesthood. Catholic priests should live by Father Slavko's motto - not to have anything but to give away everything. It is a disgrace if their purpose is to keep taking from the Church so that their family members can live comfortably. Sometimes I do wonder what would have been the fate of Christianity if Jesus were to say these words to His Father, "Father, I don't want to die on the cross. I want to get married. I want to enjoy a wonderful sex life. I want to see my children grow up. Dying on the cross is no fun." If these were His words, then Christianity wouldn't have existed at all. Our Lord Jesus Christ, we really need more priests like Father Slavko for the salvation of the Catholic Church. Can you please send many, many priests like Father Slavko to us? 

Born on 11 March 1946 in Cerin, a town located in the municipality of Citluk, Father Slavko grew up in extreme poverty. Despite his humble beginnings, he was a very intelligent man who turned out to be one of the greatest scholars of his time. After completing his 2 years of military service in the Yugoslav army, he joined the Franciscan order at the age of 19. In his 20s, he was the kind of scholar priest who spent most of his time in the libraries. In 1973, he obtained his master's degree in pastoral technology at the University of Graz, Austria. In 1982, he obtained his Ph.D. in religious pedagogy (with the title of psychotherapist) at the University of Freiburg, Germany. He was fluent in many European languages including Croatian, English, German, French, and Spanish. One cannot deny the fact that Father Slavko is perfection itself. He simply had it all - good looks, charm, knowledge in different languages, the highest level of education, integrity, intelligence, diligence, humility, piousness, and charity. Most of all, his life was one of great sacrifice and service because it was the life of our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ - that was what made him perfect. And he will be fondly remembered for generations to come.

The visionaries: Vicka, Ivanka, Ivan, Mirjana, Jakov, Marija

Father Slavko was officially transferred to Medjugorje in 1983 where he became the spiritual director of the visionaries until his death in 2000. He did not forget that his childhood was passed in poverty and since there were so many orphans and other deprived children in Medjugore, he founded the orphanage, Mother's Village, in 1993, with the help and support of the Franciscan sisters. Mother's Village was built during and after the war and was officially registered on 8 September 1996. It had always been Father Slavko's dream to care for those who had been abandoned by their own family members and left out of the social welfare system. And this dream was materialized during the final decade of his life. 

To the orphans and poor children, Mother's Village is a safe haven as it provides shelter, food, care and education for them from birth to 18 years old. Mother's Village is also a refuge for handicapped children, young unwed mothers and senior citizens. Many young unwed pregnant women who were rejected by their own families and society have found new life and hope in Mother's Village. Thanks to Father Slavko, many children's lives were saved because they were born into an environment where they could grow up feeling loved and accepted. A special house, known as St. Anthony's House, was built for handicapped children - these children are given special training and education to help them live normal lives. There is also a house for the elderly with no one to care for them thus making Mother's Village complete with the grandfathers and grandmothers around.

Since Father Slavko's greatest concern was for the education and well-being of the children, the St. Francis Garden was created just for this purpose. The aim of this garden is to enable the children to live as close to nature as possible so that they can experience peace and relaxation in their every day lives. In this forested area, there is a zoo, two ponds and an area for prayer and recreation with developmental aids for children. The developmental aids aforemetioned include swings, toboggans, merry-go-rounds and a train for kids. There are also three ponies for therapeutic riding programs that are intended to improve the health and wellness of the special needs children. This program is particularly useful for children with motor disabilities as it helps them to restore balance and equilibrium.

According to Father Pervan, Father Slavko was here, in this world, but at the same time he was so much out of the world. As what Jesus said, "They are not of the world, anymore than I belong to the world. Consecrate them by means of truth - Your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world; I consecrate myself for their sakes now, that they may be consecrated in truth" (John 17: 16-19). "Everyone who has given up home, brothers or sisters, father or mother, wife or children or property for my sake will receive many times as much and inherit everlasting life" (Mathew: 19:29).

Father Slavko has given himself, his time, and everything he had to serve God and His people as a priest. The life of Father Slavko is a clear indication that celibate priests are much needed in the Catholic Church because they can give their entire life to their ministry. Let us always remember what Father Slavko has done for us, for the Church and for this world. May he receive many times as much and inherit everlasting life. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Tonight, I would say the Croatian rosary with Father Slavko. Dear Father Slavko, do you know how much I adore, respect and honour you? You will always have a special place in my heart. 

Thanks for reading. To view the content page of this blog, please click here. You may also like to read:

1. FATHER DR. SLAVKO BARBARIC, THE SAINT OF MEDJUGORJE 
2. FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC IS NOT A DISOBEDIENT FRANCISCAN 
3. DID FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC REALLY DIE IN DISOBEDIENCE? 
4. FAST WITH THE HEART BY FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC
   
5. WHY POPE BENEDICT XVI CLARIFIES, REAFFIRMS, REINFORCES AND DEFENDS CELIBACY? 

References:

1.  Medjugorje. Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje.

2. The New American Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

3.  In memoriam Fr. Slavko Barbarić, OFM: Homilies at the Funeral Mass and at the Cemetery

4.  DR. FR. SLAVKO BARBARIC, OFM, IN MEMORIAM

FATHER JOZO ZOVKO - A GOOD PRIEST

Father Jozo Zovko was the parish priest of St. James' Church in Medjugorje during the early days of the Medjugorje apparitions.

Jozo in Croatian means Joseph and Father Jozo Zovko was born on the feast day of Saint Joseph on 19 March 1941 in the village of Uzarici in Siroki Brijeg, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His parents were Mate Zovko and Milka Gugic and he was the eighth of ten children in the family. Although life was difficult during World War II, the family managed to survive the hard times. The young Jozo attended primary school in Siroki Brijeg. After having completed his primary school education, he realized that Jesus was calling him to be a priest and that was when he discovered his vocation to the priesthood. In 1958, he joined the seminary in Bol, located in the southern part of the Island of Brac, in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia. After his novitiate, he was transferred to the seminary in Sarajevo in 1963, and later, enrolled at the University of Ljubljana where he studied Theology. He graduated with a degree in Theology in 1967 and was ordained a priest in Sarajevo on 6 August 1967. In 1974, he went on to further his religious studies at the University of Graz in Austria. After graduation, he returned to his homeland in Yugoslavia and became the parish priest of Posusje. Because of his strong influences, deep faith, and great devotion to God, he was frowned upon by the communists and the bishop had to transfer him frequently. It should be noted that during those days the bishops were selected and appointed by the Communists with the approval of the Communist authorities in Belgrade.

Father Jozo Zovko is a true apostle of Jesus - a good priest. Ever since he was a child, he had always wanted to be a Franciscan friar. He is certainly not the kind of priest with these shameful thoughts, "I have better switch to Anglicanism and be an Anglican priest and then snag me a hot wife before I jump back to the Catholic Church to be a Catholic priest so that I can enjoy the best of all worlds as a married priest." Father Jozo will never do such a disrecpectful thing and he has never criticized the Catholic Church for not allowing priests to marry. Marriage has never crossed his mind as he continues to live a celibate life all these years. He has sacrificed his whole life to serve God's people and lead them to God just like what Jesus has done. He has chosen to be a celibate priest because he wanted to dedicate all his time to the Church thus giving himself completely to God and His people. To this effect, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the sacred ministry. He lives according to his vows of poverty, obedience and chastity, just exactly the kind of life that a good priest will live. Those who can take the vows of poverty, obedience and chastity freely are hard to find nowadays and as such Father Jozo Zovko is really a rare and precious gift from God. The Medjugorje pilgrims will agree that he is always busy with the Lord's affairs and concerned only with pleasing the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:32). As one of the best known Catholic priests in the world, he doesn't have much time for himself because hundreds of pilgrims come to see him every day and he has to tend his flock like a shepherd.

Father Jozo Zovko was the parish priest of St. James Church, Medjugorje, when the Medjugorje apparitions began on 24 June 1981. He was an authentic witness to the Medjugorje apparitions. Initially, he did not believe in the apparitions. When the visionaries (Vicka, Mirjana, Marija, Ivan, Ivanka, Jakov Colo) first told him about the apparitions, he was very suspicious about the authenticity of the apparitions and even chastised them because he thought that they were fabricating the apparitions. Talking about the apparitions was a dangerous thing to do during the era of communist oppression. He was very troubled and feared that the apparitions were not true. He simply could not believe the visionaries' stories so easily. However, it wasn't long before he was convinced that the six visionaries were telling the truth. One morning after mass, while he was prayng on his knees at the altar, he suddenly heard a voice saying, "Come out and protect the children." As he was leaving the Church through the middle door, he saw the visionaries running toward him. They said, "The police are after us, protect us." He took the visionaries to the rectory and locked them in an unoccupied room.

Father Jozo had certainly paid the price when he refused to deny the apparitions as ordered by the communists and continued to celebrate the evening Mass at St. James' Church.  Despite warnings from the communists, he did not prevent the people from gathering on Podbrdo Hill for the apparitions. On 12 August 1981, access to Podbrdo Hill was blocked by the police. Father Jozo was arrested on 17 August 1981 and convicted of sedition on 21 October 1981 by a kangaroo court. During those days, sedition was a serious crime that could carry a death penalty. However, during the evening's apparition, the Virgin Mary convinced the visionaries that Father Jozo would not be punished severely. Instead of being condemned to death, he was given a prison sentence of three and a half years with hard labor the following day. The sentence was reduced to one and a half years on appeal. Life in prison was dreadful for Father Jozo as he was being subjected to horrendous treatment but it seemed that his sufferings were sent by God to deepen and strengthen his faith. As Our Lady's chosen one, She continued to watch over him while he was in prison and because of this some extraordinary things happened in his cell. The prison guards were furious to find his cell door unlocked every morning and the prisoners testified that they had seen a strange light in his cell on many occassions. After 18 months, Father Jozo was released on the condition that he would never be the parish priest of St. James' Church again. In the spring of 1983, Father Jozo was transferred to St. Elijah Church in Tihaljina, near Grude. Eight years later, he was transferred to the Franciscan Monastery in Siroki Brijeg where he remains until today. Because of Father Jozo, Tihaljina and Siroki Brijeg have become famous tourist destinations.

Father Jozo was the central figure in Medjugorje during the early days of the apparitions and his great reputation has remained until today. Every year, millions of pilgrims flock to Medjugorje and later on to Tihaljina and then to Siroki Brijeg to meet him and listen to his inspiring words because he is a great speaker. He is also well-known for the great works that he has done for the people. He has been chosen as president of the "International God Parenthood to Herceg-Bosnian Children Association", a child sponsorship program which was established on 20 December 1992 in Siroki Brijeg. It was actually Father Jozo who founded this organization when he came out with the idea that children who lost one or both parents in the war could be helped through Godparenting. During the war, more than 280000 people were killed and innumerable homes were destroyed. A large number of children were left without parental care and shelter. Under this program, people from all over the world are invited to sponsor and hence become godparents of the children of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thanks to this program, more than 4000 children in Siroki Brijeg are being well taken care of both spiritually and financially today. Father Jozo has also traveled all around the world to spread the message of Our Lady of Medjugorje and preach about the importance of the Holy Eucharist. His name has often been associated with numerous miraculous healings.

Father Jozo has been persecuted, sentenced to hard labor in prison, treated unjustly, suspended, criticized unfairly and accused of disobedience and sexual misconduct. How did he respond to all the injustices against him? "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing." Those were his words according to Luke 23:34. Did he deserve to be treated so unfairly? Just how true were the accusations against him? Well, we all know that Father Jozo is a good priest as we can see with our own eyes what he has done for the world. Surely his good deeds are more overwhelming than any of those unfounded accusations against him!

To those who are unsure of Father Jozo Zovko's status, please read the letter of clarification, dated 14 November 2002, by Father Slavko Soldo, OFM, Provincial of the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province of the Assumption of the BVM. According to Father Slavko Soldo: 

"Father Jozo Zovko is a member of our community in good standing. He was the pastor at Medjugorje when the apparition of the Blessed Mother started in 1981. It was the time of the communist regime in our country. As pastor of Medjugorje, Father Jozo was put in prison by the communist court. After he was released from the prison, he continued to spread the message of the blessed Mother Queen of peace.

In our community Father Jozo Zovko is known as a charismatic priest who suffered for his faith and continues suffering. He spends long hours in prayer, counselling and preaching. Most of the time he is in the church; often for 10 hours a day.

Those who oppose the apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Medjugorje are constantly after Father Jozo trying to stop his mission, but those who accept Medjugorje, consider him a dedicated priest and are inviting him to lead retreats for them and pray for them in their needs. Among those who are inviting him are many priests and bishops. Father Jozo is tireless in that service." 

Yes, Father Jozo is a priest in good standing who continues to spread the message of Our Lady of Medjugorje until today. Throughout the years, he has suffered a great deal because of his strong faith in God. He was sent to prison just because he refused to deny the apparitions and wanted to protect the visionaries. Those who know him well will agree that he is an honorable priest whose soul is filled with holiness. As a holy priest, he has given himself entirely to the Church and spends the whole day praying and carrying out his duties and responsibilities untiringly. How many people can actually spend more than 10 hours a day in Church like Father Jozo? The answer is - very few.

You may also like to read JUSTICE FOR FATHER JOZO ZOVKO, THE SAINTLY PRISONER: FATHER JOZO ZOVKO and ARE THE MEDJUGORJE APPARITIONS AUTHENTIC? To view the content page of this blog, please click here. There is a complete list of my articles about Medjugorje on this page.

References:

1.  Medjugorje. Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje.

2.  The Apparitions of Our Lady at Medjugorje by Father Svetozar Kraljevic. Informativni Centar "MIR" Medjugorje.

3.  Letter of Clarification Regarding Fr. Jozo. Medjugorje.org.

4.  Father Jozo Zovko, O.F.M. Daily Catholic. 3 November 1999.

5.  The New American Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

JUSTICE FOR FATHER JOZO ZOVKO

Father Jozo Zovko

It has been raining the whole day today and I thought of going to bed early tonight. I suddenly thought of Father Jozo Zovko and wanted to read the latest news about him. Instead of sleeping early, I went to the web to get the latest updates on him. When I googled 'Father Jozo Zovko', the first three articles that came out were 1) The “Saint” Jozo Zovko and his Many Sex-Affairs; 2) The Newsletter of Discernment; and 3) Father Jozo Zovko: A Brief Biography. I read through all these three articles. After reading these articles, I felt that I must write something for Father Jozo Zovko.

According to the first article, Father Jozo Zovko has been suspended twice, the first time by Bishop Zanic on 23 August 1989 and the second time by Bishop Peric on 14 June 1994. Why has Father Jozo been suspended on 23 August 1989 by bishop Zanic? Here is a summary of what is stated in this article: In 1986, a Dutch businessman living in Yugoslavia told Mark Waterinckx that Jozo had a special interest in beautiful women. Mark was shocked when he heard such a slander about Jozo. However, more and more rumours of this kind came to his knowledge. In the summer of 1989, an American girl told him how Jozo had asaulted her sexually. The following day, Mark confronted Jozo at Tihaljina with her story. Jozo denied it but he looked pale and said that Mark should not have created such a situation for him as there were many pilgrims waiting for his service at church. The American girl had also told Father Philip Pavic, an American priest, about this incident. Father Pavic then contacted Mark and told him that this kind of accusation against Jozo was nothing new. When Father Pavic told Father Svetozar Kraljevic about Jozo's sex problem, he immediately shouted twice, "He did it again!"

According to the second article, "Most of the Franciscans at Medjugorje do not have faculties since 1979." Here is a short summary of part of this article: The list of Medugorje priests with sexual problems is increasing everyday. Even before the claimed apparitions began, they already had problems with Father Jozo Zovko and Father Tomislav Vlasic. When it comes to women, Father Jozo finds it difficult to keep his hands to himself. He also has an interest in men. Father Vlasic took Agnes Heupel with him to Italy and became the founder of a community where men and women can live together in the name of God. Up to this day, these two priests are still having affairs with both men and women. Then there were Father Vego and Father Prusina who went to Medjugorje after being expelled in 1979 and had affairs with two nuns there. 

How much truth can we find in the above accusations against Father Jozo? Sounds more like a fairy tale to me. Fr. Slavko Soldo, the Franciscan Provincial in Mostar who was also Fr. Jozo's superior said that it wasn't  true that Fr. Jozo was suspended by his Franciscan general because he was a priest in good standing in the community. Further, none of those women has ever told him anything or sent him any accusation letters even though he ought to be the first person to know. Neither did the Bishop tell him anything or send him any letters about this kind of accusation against Jozo. In other words, he had no knowledge of these accusations during his time as Provincial. I will not comment on Father Vlasic, Father Vego, and Father Prusina here as this article is not about them but my readers can always google their names if they want to find out more about them.

Who is the real Father Jozo Zovko anyway? He was the parish priest of St. James' Church in Medjugorje during the early days of the apparitions in 1981. As a deeply spiritual priest, he spends many hours praying in the Church every day. Because of his strong faith and great devotion to God, he has become an important figure in the Church and gained enormous influence in the various parishes where he was assigned. Although he is not an artiste, Father Jozo seems to be everyone's beloved priest and has many fans throughout the world because of his inspiring talks and writings. Every year, millions of pilgrims flock to the Franciscan Monastery in Siroki Brijeg to meet him, listen to his inspiring words, and to be touched by him. If he were really a sex maniac as described by the first two articles mentioned above, do you think the pilgrims would still take the trouble to go and see him? 

The first article described him as the 'saint' with many sex affairs. How ridiculous! Father Jozo Zovko has never called himself a saint. The word 'saint' is used to describe him because he lives a saintly life every day, performing the numerous responsibilities and duties of a priest with dedication. And how many sex affairs did he have? Any evidence? Who were these ladies who were supposed to have been molested by him? We don't even know if these accusations were true. His superior, Father Slavko Soldo, has no knowledge of these accusations as they have never been brought to his attention. 

Have we ever asked ourselves the question, "What has Father Jozo been doing all these years?" Did he get married or elope with a blonde and is now enjoying a wonderful sex life with his wife? Did he ever pester the Pope to allow him to get married? No, he didn't. All these years, he has lived a life of sacrifice and service sincerely and given us his undivided attention. Isn't that enough? This is what we all see with our eyes. But have we ever seen any of his sexual affairs with our eyes? Father Jozo has never left the priesthood to get married nor does he have a girlfriend. As we can see, he continues to live a celibate life today. After all those accusations against him, he probably dare not go near a woman again! To me, he is much more respectable than those men who left the priesthood to get married and then criticize the Catholic Church for not allowing priests to marry.

Even if those accusations against him were true (though many would doubt the authenticity of these accusations), they have already faded into the past. How long ago was that? Is it fair to dig into someone's past, something that they want to forget? What is more important is the present. In the present, Father Jozo is a good priest and he is well respected and loved by many of the faithful throughout the world. Try asking around and you will find that no one believes in those unfounded accusations!

Lastly, the allegation that "Most of the Franciscans at Medjugorje do not have faculties since 1979" is certainly an exaggeration. It is like punishing the whole class when a few students in that class created mischief! Those who have been to Medjugorje will be surprised to see how deeply religious the pilgrims can turn out to be. Even those who seldom pray or go to Church will suddenly find themselves attending Church every day and praying the rosary everywhere. I have seen many pilgrims praying the rosary on their way to St. James Church, while climbing Podbrdo Hill and Mount Krizevac, and even when they were just walking to the shops. These are the fruits of Medjugorje and, needless to say, good fruits come from good trees. Many lives have been changed for the better by Medjugorje. As good role models, the Franciscans in Medjugorje have done a good job by bringing the faithful closer to God. The Church in Medjugorje is very well organised and the pilgrims are well looked after - to me, it is the safest place on earth. Each time I look at the Franciscans during the Medjugorje Evening Prayer Programme, I feel very proud them. Medjugorje is truly a place of peace, tranquillity, miracles, healings. conversions, and spiritual renewal.

You may also like to read FATHER JOZO ZOVKO - A GOOD PRIEST and THE SAINTLY PRISONER: FATHER JOZO ZOVKO. To view the content page of this blog, please click here. There is a complete list about my articles about Medjugorje on this page.

References:

1.  The 'Saint" Jozo Zovko and his Many Sex-Affairs. Unity Publishing.

2.  The Newsletter of Discernment: The Fruits at Medjugorje. Unity Publishing.

THE MIRACLES OF MEDJUGORJE

The beautiful statue of the Queen of Peace in front of St. James Church, Medjugorje.

Very soon after the apparitions in Medjugorje, many people witnessed miraculous healings. An old man, Jozo Vasilj, was blind for many years. After washing his eyes with the water in which he put some plants from the site of the apparitions, he said, "I can see ..." That was the first miracle in Medjugorje.

Next, there was the case of Daniel Setka who was seriously ill with convulsions and looked "stiff and blue" when he was only four days old. Medical examination has confirmed that he was suffering from a combination of spastic hemiparesis and epilepsy. At two and a half years old, the child was unable to speak or walk and he could not even hold his head up. Even after making several pilgrimages to the various shrines in Yugoslavia, his condition remained the same. On the evening of June 28, 1981 (the fifth day of the apparitions) his father carried him up Podbrdo Hill toward the site of the apparition. During the apparition, Vicka presented the boy to the Virgin Mary. Following the apparition, the first sign of a healing took place. When the family stopped at the restaurant for dinner after the apparition, the boy suddenly tapped on the table and said, "Give me something to drink." Those were the first words that came from his lips. The following day, his parents brought him to Podbrdo Hill. Halfway up the hill, they put him down. Little Daniel began to climb over the rocks and called out in a loud and clear voice, "Mama, look, I'm walking!" His healing was declared complete that day.

The most well-documented healing was probably that of Diana Basile, an Italian secretary and mother of three sons. Her first symptoms of a profound multiple sclerosis appeared in 1972 when she was thirty-two. In spite of the expert help of the professors and doctors at the clinic in Milan, she was getting worse. Her right hand began to shake uncontrollably and there was complete blindness in her right eye. Her right knee became so rigid that she found it almost impossible to walk. By the summer of 1983, she became completely incontinent, was unable to lift her right arm and had great difficulty in walking. On 23rd May 1984, she made it to St. James's Church, Medjugorje, to observe that evening's apparition. At the end of the apparition, Basile found that she could walk normally. That night, she discovered that she was no longer incontinent. The next morning, she was able to see with her right eye again. That afternoon, she walked barefoot from Ljubuski to Medjugorje, a distance of six miles, to climb Podbrdo Hill. By the time she returned home, she was completely healed. Ever since then until today, she has remained well.

Probably the most famous person who claimed that she had been healed by Our Lady of Medjugorje was entertainer Lola Falana who also suffered from multiple sclerosis. By 1989, she was already confined to either her bed or wheelchair. One day, she was watching a documentary about Medjugorje. According to her, "When the television showed the crowd of pilgrims which ascend the Hill of Apparitions, I experienced a desire to go there, to walk with them, but my legs were inert, dead. Then, with tears in my eyes, I prayed to the Blessed Mother to heal me, promising Her that if one day I would be able to walk again, I would go there." Within a month, the symptoms of her illness had completely disappeared. As promised, she went to Medjugorje.

Two of those who claimed miraculous healings in Medjugorje were medical doctors. One of them was a general practitioner from the Philippines whose breast cancer had already metastasized. According to her, she had a spiritual healing at the twelfth and thirteenth stations of the cross on Mount Krizevac. By the time she returned home, all traces of her cancer had vanished without treatment. The other medical doctor was an Italian pediatrician with an ulcerated colon that had abscessed into a life-threatening fistula. His family came to Medjugorje to pray for his recovery. The doctor also prayed at home promising the Mother of God that he would go to Medjugorje if he were cured. Overnight, his fistula closed and he was cured of this life-threatening disease.

Another case which clearly indicates that Medjugorje is a place of healing is Charlene Vance's case. In 1986 on Halloween night, a tractor ran over her leg. The tibia and fibula were broken in two places and her ankle was crushed to a pulp. Doctors told her that even if her leg bones could heal properly, she would still have to walk with a severe limp all her life. Even though she is not a Catholic, Vance joined a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. At the fourth station on Mount Krizevac, a monk in a white habit touched her forehead and leg with his rosary beads which he said had been placed on the stigmatic wounds of Therese Newman's right hand. Vance spent the night praying on Mount Krizevac. When she descended the mountain the next morning she found that there was no more pain in her ankle. X-rays showed that the bones in her ankle had been completely restored.

The most widely publicized healing is probably that of Rita Klaus of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA, a teacher and mother of three daughters. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 20, not long after her graduation. For 26 years, she suffered from multiple sclerosis. Neither doctors nor medicine were able to help her. By 1986, she had blurred vision and periodic incontinence and had to be confined to a wheelchair most of the time. As her leg muscles degenerated, her legs began to warp inward at the knee and outward at the ankle. It became almost impossible for her to sit in her wheelchair without buckling her lower limbs into steel braces. In early 1986, one of her friends told her about Medjugorje and she started to pray to the Mother of God. On the evening of 18 June 1986, while she was praying the rosary, she felt an electric jolt running through her whole body. The next morning, she could move her feet and legs again. That evening, she could walk without assistance. On the following day, she walked more than a mile to visit the friend who told her about Medjugorje. And from then till today she is completely well. Her healing is complete and permanent.

One of Medjugorje's most famous healings is that of an Austrian nurse named Agnes Heupel. In the year 1974, when she was 23, she suffered from a paralysis of the right side. She had to be confined to a wheelchair most of the time and her memory was gradually eroded to the extent that she could not even recognize her old friends. In May 1986, she made the difficult journey to Medjugorje. After the apparition on May 12, she stood like everyone else and began to walk out of the room. Father Slavko went after her, holding her crutch and shouting, "You forgot something!" But she knew that she would never need it again because she was completely healed. The following day, she climbed Podbrdo Hill without assistance.

What do these miracles tell us? We cannot deny the fact that something is really going on in Medjugorje. Supernatural events are occurring there. What is the real purpose of these miracles? To help us to believe and live by faith. Miracles do not belong to science but to theology and faith. As what Stuart Chase says, "For those who believe no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is enough!"

If you would like to read more about the miracles of Medjugorje, please refer to Randall Sullivan's The Miracle Detective - the book that brought me to Medjugorje. (Please click here to view the contents page of this blog. You will be able to find more articles about Medjugorje.)



Reference:

Sullivan, Randall. (2004). The Miracle Detective. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.

FAST WITH THE HEART BY FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC

Father Slavko Barbaric has written many books about the messages of Medjugorje during his lifetime. His book Fast with the Heart is one of my favorite books. This is the last book written by Father Slavko and one of his most precious gifts for us. Why did Father Slavko write this book? According to him, fasting is the door to the mystery of Christ's presence in the Eucharist. To meet Christ in the Eucharist, we have to prepare ourselves through fasting. 

In Medjugorje, Our Lady calls us to fast two days a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays. But why on Wednesdays and Fridays? Thursday is the day of the Eucharist and the Priesthood. The purpose of the Wednesday fast is to prepare ourselves for the day of the Eucharist. The Friday fast is carried out to offer thanksgiving to God for the Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, Christ enters into our lives and we are united with ourselves and with Him forever. If we could experience the glorious presence of Christ in our everyday life and live the Eucharist in everything we do, we are living thr eternal life now. Those who are ready to respond to Our Lady's call to pray and fast with the heart will find this book very inspiring as it clearly explains the whys and hows of fasting in our lives.

What is the best kind of fast? According to Our Lady of Medjugorje, bread and water is not the only way to fast but it is also the best way. As Catholics, we have to get accustomed to "bread and water" fasting since it is the best way to fast. But why "bread and water" fasting? Well, let us ask Father Slavko Barbaric to explain to us the meaning and purpose of the "bread and water" fast. His answer is summarized below.

BREAD AND WATER - PILGRIM'S FOOD

Our Lady's call to fast with bread and water is a call to prepare ourselves for the meeting with Christ in the Eucharist. Fasting increases our self-awareness and enables us to see the meaning and purpose of our earthly life more clearly. As we begin to see life more clearly, we will understand and accept the fact that we are only strangers traveling through this world. This world is not our home because we are pilgrims on a journey toward eternity. As strangers and aliens on Earth, our entire life is comparable to that of a pilgrimage - a journey of self-discovery to seek the presence of God with a destination in mind. We should look toward heaven because this is where our home is. 

Human beings have always been looked upon as wanderers on this earth - not knowing where they come from or where they are going. However, from the standpoint of a believer, our views of being human is entirely different. Life is a journey to eternity. The essence of life is seeking after God and finding Him. As strangers and pilgrims on earth, we are constantly going on a sacred journey in search of ourselves and God. In our minds, there are always questions about eternal life, happiness and peace and the answers to these questions can only be found in our prayers if we diligently seek to receive answers from God. A believer does not wander about aimlessly. He journeys to the fullness of life in search of the final truth about himself and this can only be achieved through an intimate relationship with God. Have faith in this pilgrimage of life as God will reveal Himself to the faithful in a special way.

In the past, there weren't any modern transport facilities and pilgrimages often lasted for weeks, months and even years. During those days, pilgrims could only bring with them the basic necessities of life - bread and water. After all, what else could be more basic than bread and water? Leaving the complex world behind and going on a sacred journey surviving on bread and water, they were free from life's burdens. Setting themselves free from the concerns and problems of life, they were therefore able to travel freely in search of God. However, even after they have returned from their pilgrimage and resumed their normal life, this did not stop them from being pilgrims in everyday life. Why? Because they did not consider this world their permanent home. Because they considered themselves going on a pilgrimage toward their eternal homeland where they could find perfect peace and joy, unity with God and everlasting life.

As we humble ourselves fasting on bread and water, we break ourselves free from the chains of materialism. Escaping materialism is the best way to find greater happiness, contentment, love and inner peace. Fasting also improves our moods, brain functionaing and mental clarity and therefore helps us to know ourselves better. Discovering who we are is essential because we need to find the real meaning and purpose of our existence. Once we have forgotten that we are only temporary residents on earth, we tend to attach ourselves to material things and obsessively pursue wealth. Hence, we become self-destructive because materialism destroys our spiritual life, blinds our eyes with earthly treasures and distracts us from life's purposes.

God has given us the Heavenly Bread, His Son, who has become our companion on our pilgrimage to eternity. This is why Jesus is also called Emmanuel, meaning 'God is with us'. As we set out on our pilgrimage with bread and water as our basic needs, God journeys with us through the bread of life, His Son, Jesus Christ, the life of the world. Let us always remember that God will not let us make the pilgrimage of life alone. The beauty of this journey is that God journeys with us in the form of the Living Bread. Those who choose to journey with God will find the way to eternal life while those who set their minds on earthly possessions instead of on things above would make themselves enemies of God. As what Jesus says, "No man can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matthew 6:24).

It should be noted that fasting is more than healing, calming the mind and freeing oneself from earthly desires. Fasting is also hungering and thirsting for God, and, together with prayer and charity, are fundamental to our spiritual and religious experiences. The ability to see ourselves clearly, to open ourselves to God and surrender ourselves completely to Him will help us find our way back to Him and be united with Him forever.

FASTING AND GOOD WORKS

In the Old Testament, it has been emphasized that it is not enough just to fast and pray. Apart from fasting and praying, as believers, we must also do charitable works. Fasting, prayer and good works are important practices for our spiritiual lives that always go hand in hand because they are closely associated and connected with each other. Those who fast and pray would become aware of the incongruencies in their lives, their bad habits, their needs, their blessings and thus gain additional self-control and insights that may change their lives for the better. As they focus more attentively on God and less on this materialistic world, they become more charitable and are more willing to give and help those in need. On the contrary, those who do not fast and pray are more likely to be obssessed with wealth and material possessions. However, those who pursue wealth and material possessions are never satisfied with life and are only interested in increasing their earthly possessions and accumulating earthly riches. Once they set their minds on worldly things, they would waste their lives chasing money and possessions. Do wealth accumulation and material possessions make us happy? The more we need, the less we have to give to others. When we are obsessed with worldly things, we may become agitated, avaricious, miserly and even violent if we cannot get what we want. Materialism is bad for us - it destroys us and eats us from the inside out. Once we desire to be rich, we begin comparing ourselves with others and we want to have what others have. If our priority is making money and having many possessions, we have to follow the rhythm of the world. When we start placing wealth and material things at the center of our lives, we are left with very little time and energy to focus on our spiritual values and family life.

Through fasting and prayers, we are capable of seeing ourselves more clearly and as we understand more about the meaning and a purpose of our existence, we become less obsessed with wealth and material possessions. We also become more generous, forgiving, and sensitive to the needs of others and are more ready to help them. Seeing Christ in the poor and suffering, we would do everything we can to help them out of love for Christ. Worldly riches are not true wealth. True wealth is about how much compassion we have for the less fortunate, most vulnerable, poor, suffering and needy people. 

Thanks for reading. You may also like to read FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC'S BOOK ON FASTING. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC'S BOOK ON FASTING

Fr. Slavko Barbaric's Book on Fasting

In one of Her early Medjugorje messages, Our Lady emphasized on the value of fasting and reminded us that wars and natural disasters can be prevented by prayer and fasting. According to Her, fasting cannot be substituted by almsgiving and those who do not fast are actually excluding the element of growing in holiness in their lives. Even Jesus fasted and according to Luke 4:1-4, he fasted for 40 days in the desert before proclaiming the Gospel. It should be noted that there are many references to fasting in scripture, a practice which is seldom carried out in our every day lives. 

According to Father Slavko Barbaric, "Fasting will lead us to a new freedom of heart and mind." When we fast, we free ourselves from materialism and this is when we realize our spiritual emptiness and deep longing for God. Fasting therefore helps us to understand ourselves better and to develop a renewed relationship with God as we surrender ourselves to Him through prayers. And of course, this is the way to inner peace and happiness. Those who wish to learn more about fasting can refer to Father Slavko Barbaric's book on fasting (photo above). In this book, Father Slavko explains to us very clearly why fasting is necessary and why we should fast on bread and water. It is a very interesting book which exphasizes on the importance of fasting and prayer as a process of purification. Every word in it is full of meaning. It is a book which is really worth reading a thousand times.

THROUGH FASTING OUR HEARTS BECOME PURE
Through fasting, our hearts become more pure because we see reality in a better way from a different perspective. When we are fasting, we find it easier to discern what we have, what we need and what we don't need. We are free from the insatiable desire for more and better things in life and feel thankful for what we are and what we already have. We will begin to see that material things may not be as important as we think and that happiness only comes with inner peace and not fleshly or physical things. 

Living in a highly materialistic world, we tend to be excessively concerned with money and material possessions rather than with spiritual things. We forget that we are only strangers and pilgrims here on Earth. Since this world is not our permanent home, why ask for so much? There are many people who would be happy and contented if only they could have a roof over their heads and a little bit of bread every day. Just imagine how happy the refugees and homeless people would be if they could have what we have. And yet, we are often unhappy and discontented with what we have although we have a lot more than what they have. According to Father Slavko, "The reason for the discontent lies in the fact that we don't see the essential anymore. We have become blind to the essential. Therefore, we are convinced that we need to have many things. With fasting, we find it easier to see the essential things of life." That is why fasting is so important. It sets us free both physically and spiritually, bringing us closer to God so that we can enjoy the peace and joy of His presence.


WHY FAST ON BREAD AND WATER?
In Medjugorje, Our Lady has asked for a return to fasting. In response to the question, "Which type of fasting is the best?", the Virgin responded, "Bread and water, of course." Although surviving on bread and water is not the only way to fast, but, according to the Madonna, it is the best way. Therefore, if we intend to fast the Medjugorje way, we have to learn to fast with bread and water and familiarize ourselves with this type of fasting. For those who have never fasted at all, it may sound rather discouraging to fast on bread and water but once they have become familiar with this type of fasting, they will feel comfortable with it. For me, it is not difficult to fast with bread and water as I don't have to starve - this type of fasting is certainly much better than not eating anything at all for the whole day. And, of course, there are other ways of fasting that would result in the same outcome while at the same time helping us to discover which type of fasting is the best for us. As suggested by Father Slavko, abstaining from certain foods, eating foods without seasonings, eating foods we dislike, skipping dessert, or simply eating less at each meal are just a few ways of fasting. The most important thing is that we begin to fast in some way right now. 

In Medjugorje, Our Lady has emphasized fasting on bread and water as there is a profound meaning to it. Why bread and water? Bread has always been considered as the food of poor people. To the poor, bread is actually life as it is their first necessity and is therefore essential for their existence. According to the Bible, the poor are very close to Jesus as they always follow Him around and listen to His words. Therefore, fasting on bread and water would also mean that we are close to Jesus. Further, since bread has been the staple food in many parts of the world for centuries, it is an integral part of human existence. 

Bread has a lot of significance in the Bible. God provided bread (manna) which fell from heaven for Moses to feed his people during their journey across the desert. Once, an angel gave bread and a jar of water to the prophet Elijah when he was exhausted by the many challenges he had to face, and, after eating and drinking, he was revitalized and continued with his journey. After feeding the 5000 with five loaves and two fish, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never thirst" (John 6:35). By multiplying the loaves, he was actually preparing them for the Bread from Heaven. During the last supper, bread became the body of Christ. He broke the bread and gave it to His disciples saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this as a remembrance of me (Luke 22:19).

According to Father Slavko, "The willingness to live on water and bread for one day shows a willingness to be poor before God, well-disposed towards His will. It means following in the footsteps of the prophets and those who have been put to the test in order to give testimony to their faith."

Bread is known as the staff of life because it is the basic food and stands as a symbol or representation of life. Water is fundamental to our well-being - it is a precious and irreplaceable resource. Water is also a symbol of spiritual purification and cleansing. Thus Our Lady's call to fast on bread and water clearly conveys Her message, "Come back to life and live. Cleanse youselves from everything that contaminates your body and spirit and be pure." In Medjugore, Our Lady invites us to live on bread and water two days a week because surviving on bread and water is the best kind of fasting. Needless to say, those who can fast two days a week on bread and water are certainly doing a great favor to their body, spirit and soul. 

You may also like to read FAST WITH THE HEART BY FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC; FATHER DR. SLAVKO BARBARIC, THE SAINT OF MEDJUGORJE; and IN MEMORY OF FATHER DR. SLAVKO BARBARIC. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

Reference:

FASTING by Fr. Slavko Barbaric, O.F.M. Informativni Centar Mir Medjugorje.

POPE BENEDICT XVI (JOSEPH RATZINGER) - THE MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR IN THE WORLD

3rd November 2009 - I came across a piece of crap whilst I was browsing the web some time back. Guess what I found? In an article entitled 'Pope Benedict's Little Secret, Hold the Nasty Habit', a 33 year-old waiter named Rodolfo Casel revealed that he is Pope Benedict XVI's lover. According to Rodolfo, "The Pope sneaks away nights disguised as a Swiss guard. Then he goes to the cafe, actually more like a trattoria, just 3 blocks away. Once there, he changes clothes from the guard outfit into a nice cashmere sweater and grey flannel slacks to go with his red patent leather slippers."

In answer to questions by Glossy News, Rodolfo said, "B-dict is a very good customer. He always tips 25% and usually pours me a glass of wine which he insists that I drink. Even though we are lovers, he pays the tab with a smile. I have to make a living, you know."

Asked about his decision to reveal the Pope's secret, Rodolfo stated, "We have analyzed our relationship in depth with his spiritual advisor. Then we decided to 'come out' as they say. The advisor recommended that we be up-front about our situation. 'Tell it like it is', he said."

We then asked about the recent serious statement by the pope on the church's position on gays and lesbians who want to marry. "They are an obstacle on the road to peace" are the pontiff's exact words.

Rodolfo said, "You know he is speaking for the church then, that's not his personal position. We are planning our own ceremony now. Of course we are going to have to do it in Canada, and he will have to be disguised. I hope we can honeymoon at Niagara Falls, it's always been my dream."

What an outrageous piece of crap! Even a three-year-old child finds it difficult to believe. Perhaps Rodolfo should look deeper into the life of B-dict before he made such accusations. We all know who Pope Benedict XVI is and his background. He is theologically conservative, and his teachings and prolific writings clearly defend traditional Catholic doctrine and values. He has also emphasized what he sees as a need for Europe to return to fundamental Christian values. And the traditional Catholic values certainly do not include homosexuality. Joseph Ratzinger was born to a religious family and his brother, Georg Ratzinger, is also a priest. His sister, Maria Ratzinger, although not a nun, was never married and managed Cardinal Ratzinger's household until her death in 1991. Thus we see that his siblings also live celibate lives and homosexuality certainly does not run in this family. Why am I saying this? People who can live celibate lives are holy people who enjoy a close relationship with God. When the mind is filled with thoughts of God, one would not participate in any sinful and indecent acts. Our Holy Father has chosen to live a celibate life because he wants to emulate Christ and walk in the footsteps of Christ. How could such a holy man possibly indulge in sinful activities especially when it is against nature?

At the age of five, Ratzinger had already announced that he wanted to be a cardinal. His love for the priesthood has already begun when he was still a young child. He received his priestly ordination on 29 June 1951 at the age of 24 and has never looked back. Never once did he pester the popes of his time to allow him to get married. The vows of chastity that he has taken freely at an age when most men would be thinking of marriage clearly shows that he is a very holy, pure and chaste person who wants to give himself completely to God and to men . When one is ready to take up the cross and follow Christ, one wouldn't think of sex. Be it marriage to a beauiful blonde or homosexuality, they have no place in his life. That's why I am wondering how on earth could Rodolfo made such outrageous remarks about this holy man. Has the pope offended him in any way? This would probably help to explain why he is trying to defame the Holy Father. Or perhaps this waiter only wants attention. Has he ever considered Pope Benedict XVI's age-related health problems when he said that the Holy Father disguises as a Swiss guard and sneaks out in the night? Dear Rodolfo, please remember that our Holy Father is no longer an agile teenager. Given his age and health condition, can he still indulge in homosexuality? Just think of the effect that it would have on his health!

And now let us hear what Pope Benedict XVI has to say about celibacy. According to our Holy Father: "Celibacy is really a special way of conforming oneself to Christ's own way of life. In continuity with the ecclesial tradition, with the Second Vatican Council, and with my predecessors in the papacy, I reaffirm the beauty and the importance of a priestly life lived in celibacy as a sign expressing total and exclusive devotion to Christ, to the Church and to the Kingdom of God, and I therefore confirm that it remains obligatory in the Latin tradition. Priestly celibacy lived with maturity, joy and dedication is an immense blessing for the church and for society itself."

Truly Pope Benedict XVI has walked his talk. He has devoted his whole life completely and wholeheartedly to Christ, to the Church and to the Kingdom of God and he himself is one of the greatest gifts from God to the Latin Rite. Pope Benedict is not only a very holy and chaste man, he is also very highly educated. In 1953 he obtained his doctorate in theology with a thesis entitled "People and House of God in St Augustine's Doctrine of the Church. He has also served as a professor of theology at various German universities. Even before becoming Pope, Joseph Ratzinger was one of the most influencial men in the Roman Curia. Wow! What a great man our Pope is! Really hard to find.

I am sure we have seen photos of Pope Benedict XVI's younger days. How handsome he was then and even at this age he still looks great. Such a handsome, holy and well-educated man is really not easy to find nowadays. Our Pope is truly a perfect gentleman. No doubt he is the most eligible bachelor in the world. It is no wonder why Rodolfo is smitten already. Not only the ladies are crazy of him but it seems that the men are of no exception! Going for honeymoon at the Niagara Falls is certainly very romantic but is Pope Benedict XVI really that romantic? Our Holy Father is an old man now. He is not a young man in love. Further, he is married to the Church and would not commit adultery with anyone else be it a man or a woman. For someone as romantic as Rodolfo, I hope that he will find the romantic gentleman that he is looking for who will take him to the Niagara Falls for their honeymoon but please leave our Holy Father alone! (Please click here to view the contents page of this blog)

MEDITATIONS BY FORMER MEDJUGORJE PRIEST, TOMISLAV VLASIC

1st November 2009 - Tomislav Vlasic was formerly a Medjugorje priest but was excommunicated by the Vatican and reduced to the lay state recently. He could have been a good priest. No doubt, he preached well. Let us hope that he will find what he is looking for in life. Here, I would like to share his advice about prayers. I got this excerpt from a very old book, a grey book entitled "Open Your Hearts to Mary, Queen of Peace" given to me by a church member many years ago. This book was cowritten by Father Slavko Barbaric and Tomislav Vlasic. I find this book very meaningful and very beautifully written. It's a very good book and really worth reading. I have read it countless times for the past two years and am still reading it from time to time.

MEDITATIONS ON PRAYER by Tomislav Vlasic
"I am going to disappoint you to start with. On 24th April Our Lady said, 'That is enough news. People know enough. Tell people: this is a place of prayer.'

When people arrive here they say they are happy! Then they go home and continue the same life as before. So, please do not forget this, that I am giving you the items of news so as to bring you to prayer and to the path towards Jesus Christ. Remember this.

I will tell you something very interesting: you are always curious to know what Our Lady says, how she appears. Our Lady is very interested to know what is happening in your souls. I want to talk to you a little about this. During the apparitions, especially to Jelena and Marijana, Our Lady almost everyday says, 'Pray and fast.' In this way curiousity will have no place in your souls. Pray and fast. If you pray you will understand everything. (Medjugorje, 31st July 1984)

In February, Our Lady said, 'Do not be surprised because I often say pray, pray, pray. I have nothing else to tell you.' I must mention something else. Our Lady said, 'When I tell you to pray do not understand this as meaning only an increase in the number of prayers. I want to bring you to an attitude of a continuous longing and desire for God.'

Our life must be transformed into a day for prayer. A week ago, Our Lady said, 'Pray when you can, but always pray more and more.' And then added, 'Each of you could pray four hours a day. But I know that many people do not understand this because they think that they can live by their work alone.'

I said, 'If I tell people this, they will turn away.' She replied, 'Even you do not understand this. It is only a sixth of your day.' I added, 'I understand that you want us to pray all day.' Then she seemed happy.

"I tell you that it is really possible to pray all day, to be in contact with God all day long. When I told the peasants, they looked at me in a rather amazed way. I asked them what they did after half an hour's heavy work in the fields? They get up and try to rest for a while. So I asked them why not say, 'Jesus help me.' Why not say then, 'Jesus bless what I have done?' Why not keep in contact with God while you rest so that He may bless your work? This is how you can transform prayer into continuous prayer.

We must remember what Our Lady said in Autumn: 'Do not forget, man does not live by work alone but also by prayer. Your work will not go well without prayer.'

In fact, in the beginning of the planting season here I told the parishioners: If you want to tire yourselves out while planting the tobacco, do not pray and work very hard. But if you want God to help you plant the tobacco - which is very difficult here because the earth is dry, water has to be carried and the plants protected - if you want God to work for you and for you to rest ... then come to church. They came to church more frequently and everything went easily. They did not even have to carry one drop of water for the tobacco. God sent rain at the right moment.

I am giving you this example so that you can understand that we really must pray more. If we do not pray more, we are not truly converted."

Our Lady has given us another rule, 'If you want to be very happy, live a simple, humble life, pray a great deal and do not delve into your problems, let God resolve them.'

Another rule that you must learn is to simplify your homes, because life has become complicated: all those clothes, toys and pleasures. Give all this to the poor and you will be freer, less worried. When you have problems, do not have them analysed or go here and there trying to find out what has happened: leave them to God. You just pray and have faith.
(Medjugorje, 24th May 1984)

I wonder where can I find the time to pray, to manage my blog, to do God's work, to write my Ph.D. thesis and to teach in school. Well, let God take care of them. Let us not worry over what we are to eat, what to wear and what to put upon our feet. Have faith and pray hard and do your best today. God will take care of everything.

Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Which of you by worrying can add a moment to his life-span? Matthew: 6:26-27 (Please click here to view the contents page of this blog)