Holy Mass celebrated in memory of murdered priests from Medjugorje Parish.
On the day when we remember beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, February 10, we prayed in Međugorje parish for all murdered Franciscans who were born in Međugorje parish: Fr. Križan Galić, Fr. Jozo Bencun, Fr. Marko Dragičević, Fr. Mariofil Sivrić, Fr. Grgo Vasilj and Fr. Jenko Vasilj, who were amongst those 66 priests from Herzegovinian Franciscan Province, brutally murdered by Partisans during the II World War and at the very end of the same war.
Fr. Karlo Lovrić celebrated Holy Mass at 6 p.m. in parish church of St. James, and there were also ten other priests that concelebrated with him. Parish priest, Fr. Petar Vlašić spoke before the Holy Mass and said that there isn’t a single family in Međugorje parish that did not have at least one person killed during that period. Fr. Karlo, in his homily, said amongst the other things, the following: “We should be praying for them, but at the same time, we should be praying to them. They were not frightened, they did not deny our Church, and on the contrary, they gave their lives for Jesus and for their country. We thank them for that!” (photos)
Source-medjugorje official Objavljeno: 12.02.2010.
Source-medjugorje official Objavljeno: 12.02.2010.
3 comments:
Thank you for sharing this Ed. I did not know about these priests.
Esther when I was in Medjugorje and went and visit the cave in which these holy priest were buried after they were murdered.
They are Martyrs.
Fr. Jozo speaks of the Martyrs of Siroki Brijeg
October 2000
You see on your right here, there is a tomb, a very interesting tomb. When the Communists came here fifty-five years ago, they found thirty Franciscans here in the monastery and they told them that there was no more God. And those soldiers that came were inspired by terrorism telling them that there was no more God, there was no more church, there was no more priesthood nor the need for them.
They were told to remove their habits. But not one of those thirty Franciscans was willing to even enter into a debate about this. An enraged soldier took the crucifix from the wall, threw it at the feet of the Franciscans and said, "Now you can choose, this is your last chance, choose - death or life."
One by one the Franciscans came forth and embraced Jesus. Jesus humiliated at being thrown on the floor. And each one, one by one, said, "You are my God and my everything." One by one they were taken outside,and they were thrown into the flames to be burned, here in the garden. Those were thirty brothers who went forth to their death with song. Some of them sang Salve Regina, others sang The Litany of Our Lady. They all blessed their enemy and forgave them.
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