2/20/09

Father Jozo Zovko on Sabbatical.


Father Jozo Zovko on Sabbatical.
Here is the official letter circulated on Father’s behalf by his assistant, Mrs. Vesna Curic:Siroki Brijeg, February 9, 2009 With this notice we desire to inform you that due to health reasons, the need for rest and recuperation, and due to the commencement of construction on Badija, Fr Jozo Zovko has asked his superiors for permission to reside outside of the Province. The Province Board approved this request. For this reason, we are canceling all programs planned for the ensuing year. We kindly ask all our co-ordinators and co-workers, organizers of pilgrimages to Medjugorje, organizers of prayer meetings and seminars, and all Medjugorje Centers and pilgrims to respect this and not to plan or ask for a meeting with Fr Jozo during this time. We thank you for your understanding, and united in prayer we remain yours truly in Christ.-Vesna Cuzic-on behalf of Fr JozoInternational God-Parenthood for the Herceg-Bosnian Child.


The Lord knows why He sometimes allows a gap or a painful absence to enter into our lives – He always has a plan. Remember when Abraham renounced his son Isaac, only to bear even greater fruit for humanity? When Saint Joseph thought that he had to give up marrying Mary, it was to finally find her in a more pure and beautiful way. But he had to go through an agony so that his own heart would enlarge to match hers!
If Fr. Jozo’s absence is a painful pruning process for the pilgrims and for each one of us here, it would be good nevertheless for all of us to welcome the event with a positive attitude, not as a calamity, but rather as a gift from God Who will use it for a greater purpose. Just imagine, it is quite possible that this time of sabbatical may save Fr. Jozo’s life, and prevent him from collapsing from exhaustion without warning as Fr. Slavko did! Isn’t it also possible that a change in his life pattern may permit him to perceive other aspects of Mary’s plan for Medjugorje that he may reveal to us later on? The possibilities for why God chose this time to give Father Jozo a break are endless.
One thing we can be sure of is that if we welcome this time of trial with faith and even with gratitude, we will free the way for the Lord to harvest all its fruit, in our day and in Eternity. But if we mourn what was ours before and now seems lost, or even worse, if we attempted to blame someone for having robbed us of it, we certainly would be wasting our time and ruining God’s plan.
I’m sure that Fr. Jozo is expecting us to display an attitude of faith. Let’s make this our way to thank him for his 27 years of service to us! Let us also pray for him, and continue to study his teachings that are still available on CDs, DVDs and books at Siroki Brijeg.
Dearest Gospa, we dearly love you! In the midst of all the tribulations of this life, you are our resplendent star!
Sister Emmanuel +

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Father Jozo was my initiation to Medjugorje. It's an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything except for Heaven. I continue to pray for him and hope that he returns someday as full of the Spirit as he was when I first met him. Our Blessed Mother is protecting him now as she did while he was imprisioned and ever since. Catherine, Phoenix, Arizona

Ed Sousa said...

Dear Catherine,
It was the same for my wife. Her initation to Medjugorje by way of Fr. Jozo.
Back in 1995 she was watching EWTN and Father Jozo came on and gave a talk om Medjugorje. When the program ended, she looked at me and said, I have to go to Medjugorje. A short while later she was on a plane with our son and they went off to Medjugorje together. Today our son Edward is a Priest and he has been blessed by being able to meet and spend some time with Fr. Jozo.
I'm sure that Fr. Jozo is under Our Lady's loving protection.

Unknown said...

When I went to Medjugorje in 1994, while I went through dire distress I met Father Jozo in Siroki Brijeg and was shaken when he embraced the huge cross hanging there saying "This is my Love". His faith continues to inspire me even after my ordeal was over, as did the meeting with Mirjana whose faith shone through her face, and her answers to my questions were so convincing as to make me believe all that happens in Medjugorje is true and divinely inspired. Gerry, Austria. g.vielkind@gmail.com

Unknown said...

MY NAME IS LIDIJA .
I LOVE FATHER JOZO AND FATHER SLAVKO
THEY HAVE SHOWED ME WHAT PRIESTS SHOULD BE I HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE WILL SEE FATHER JOZO AGAIN
HE HAS DONE A LOT FOR US AND GUIDED MANY PEOPLE TO GOD I AM NOT SURE HOW SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT AFRAID OF GOD WHEN THEY LETTING FATHER JOZO GETTING HURT BY SO MANY LIES ABOUT HIM.IF WE BELIEVE WHAT WE SAY WE SHOULD ALL ASK FOR THE RIGHT TO HEAR FROM FATHER JOZO AGAIN HE IS GONE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR ...I DO NOT THINK THAT HE WANTS TO BE GONE FROM HIS PARISH AND ORPHANS .I WISH HE IS BACK IN MAKES ME THINK THIS IS MORE THAN SOME WANT TO TELL US I DO BELEIVE HE IS BEING PROSECUTED AGAIN AND DEVIL IS NOT SLEEPING
FATHER JOZO IS A GREAT MEN I WISH WE HAVE MORE PRIEST LIKE HIM