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Peace to All! Below is the latest Press Bulletin from the Information
Center in Medjugorje. Our next mailing will be Sister Emmanuel's
letter on 01/31/97.

MIR
Steve and Ana Shawl
http://www.medjugorje.org
----------------------------------------------------

MEDJUGORJE PRESS BULLETIN #57
January 29, 1997

M E D I T A T I O N

Our bodies need to be healthy! This is a statement or idea with which
we come into contact, daily. It is being repeated to us through radio,
T.V., press, films, not to mention the giant advertisements we meet on
our streets. It's recommended to go on excursions, diverse exercise
programmes, take medicinal solutions which will bring health back to
our sick bodies. There are so many options. And incidently, these
options are extraordinarily costly. In the end one finds oneself
asking if they are really necessary for health at all.

Our Lady also offers us health and wholeness except without the
publicity and without the expense. The health which she is offering us
doesn't give priority to a healthy and young looking body, but a
healthy soul. She tells us that we should open ourselves to God and
that we should listen and feel His appeals and invitations to us and
not the other voices around us. Only after this is it possible to have
a truly healthy body. Because only then will we understand that our
true beauty and true merit has nothing to do with this world, but
rather it is rooted in our heavenly home. At the same time we'll
understand that if we really wish to reach our heavenly home, then we
need to start preparing for that, little by little, right away. And we
do this by becoming open to God's appeals to us. The result will be a
healthy soul and a healthy body. Even modern medicine recognises the
truth of this. Do we ourselves recognise it?

P. Miljenko

                                            N E W S

THE NUMBER OF COMMUNIONS AND CONCELEBRANTS

43,000 holy communions were distributed during the month of December
in the shrine of Our Lady, Queen of Peace at Medjugorje, and a total
of 817 priests from both at home and abroad concelebrated at Holy
Mass, averaging at 25 priests daily.

During 1996, 869,000 sacred hosts were distributed, or 2,380 daily,
and at Holy Mass 19,974 priests from both at home and abroad
celebrated, averaging at about 55 priests daily.

Amongst these there was one archbishop and five bishops on pilgrimage
in Medjugorje during 1996.


THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE RETIRED ARCHBISHOP OF SPLIT, MONS.
FRANE FRANIC

During the month of December 1996, the retired Archbishop of Split
Mons. Frane Franic had his "diamond mass", celebrating 60 years in the
priesthood. In the Con-Cathedral in Split, amongst the crowds of the
faithful were the Croatian Papal-nunciate Giulio Einaudi, Cardinal
Franjo Kuharic, Mons. Ante Juriee, (the present Archbishop of Split) a
representative of the President of the Croatian Republic and many
Croatian bishops priests and nuns.

Some distinguished guests both from ecclesial and social spheres
commented about the life and works of this brave witness to the faith
during the most vicious communist persecutions. Dr. Jure Radic,
Vice-president of the Croatian government (and deputy of the
President), don Dante, an Italian priest and Dr. fr. Ljudevit Rupcic
proclaimed Mons. Franic to be..." a courageous witness, who recognised
the events of Medjugorje as the hand of God and pledged himself for
it. His bravery was the reason for many attacks against him ,but Mons
Franic, like in so many other similar situations followed the voice of
his conscience"....

The bravery of his testimony helped many to accept the events of
Medjugorje which opened up a path of conversion and peace for them.

Archbishop Franic himself, thanking everyone for everything, used the
event to testify to his belief in Medjugorje's Queen of Peace. Those
present, delighted at his words readily applauded him. Here we quote
some of his talk..."Every priest should pray three hours a day, and
every bishop four. Every retired bishop should pray five hours a day.
I personally learnt how to pray at Medjugorje, with the Queen of
Peace...I thank God that I was personally able to observe the
development of this mystical theology and mystical phenomenon so
closely. I recognise and accept the truth of Marys message at
Medjugorje."


THE PRAYER - INFORMATION SEMINAR

Just as we have already mentioned in previous issues of the Press
Bulletin, the prayer/information seminar for prayer, pilgrim and
charity group leaders, linked with Medjugorje, will be held at Hotel
"Sunce" in Neum from the 24th to the 28th of February 1997. These
seminars which are organized once a year are of exceptional importance
for all, especially for those of you who work for the spreading of Our
Lady's messages of peace in your own areas. Likewise, it is important
for us, for better co-operation and in order to resolve some of the
difficulties which we meet up with in our work together with the
pilgrims.

Once again we would advise all of you who intend participating in the
seminar, and who, up until now have not completed your booking to do
so as soon as possible for organization of booking in the hotel. You
can complete your booking at this fax no.+387 88 651 444, addressing
it to the Information Centre.

Simultaneous translations will be arranged for the respective
languages. The price of accommodation, and transfer from Split is 275
DEM per person in a double room. A supplement of 40 DEM will be
necessary for those requiring a single room. Payment should be
completed on arrival at the Hotel. It is possible to organize a
transfer from the airport at Split to the hotel. Those wishing to
avail of this should advise the Association "Medjugorje-Mir" in Split
at fax no.+385 21 36 13 54. of their arrival time at Split airport on
the 24th of February. On the last day of the seminar, transport from
Neum to Medjugorje will be organized. Every participant should bring a
radio and earphones for simultaneous translation, although they will
also be on sale on the premises for 15 DEM. A programme of the seminar
is available in our 50th edition of the Press Bulletin and it can be
obtained on the www pages through Internet.

All reservations are confirmed.

Neum is located on the main Split-Dubrovnik road about 130km south of
Split.


THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PRAYER FESTIVAL

The eighth international prayer festival for youth will be held from
the 31st of July until the 6th of August 1997. By now it has become a
traditional festival and a meeting for youth of the whole world. The
programme for the festival will be published in the 58th issue of the
Press Bulletin, or if necessary it is already available in the
"Information" section on our WWW pages on Internet.


Published by : INFORMATIVNI CENTAR MIR - Svetiste Kraljice mira
(Information Center MIR - Shrine of the Queen of Peace),
88266 Medjugorje, BiH, fax number: 00387 88 651 444.
Director: fra Miljenko Stojic.
You can receive the latest issue of the Press Bulletin at any time on
your own fax machine in the tone mode by dialing the Robofax in our
Information Center at +387-88-65-15-55. Published every other
Wednesday.