Medjugorje: “Life is a mystery until you place it into God’s hands.”

(c)Mary TV/Anthony Zubac 2019    September 25, 2019 Dear Family of Mary!     Here is the September 25, 2019 message from Our Lady, Queen of Peace! "Dear children! Today I am calling you to pray for my intentions so that I may help you. Little children, pray the Rosary and meditate the mysteries of the Rosary because, in your life, you are also passing through joys and sorrows. In this way, you are transforming the mysteries into your life, because life is a mystery until you place it into God's hands.  In this way, you will have the experience of faith like Peter who met Jesus and the Holy Spirit filled his heart. Little children, you are also called to witness by living the love with which, day by day, God wraps you with my presence.  Therefore, little children, be open and pray with the heart in faith. Thank you for having responded to my call." (September 25, 2019) In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!  Cathy Nolan Mary TV

God’s Church remains

Through sin and scandal, God’s Church remains, Pope Francis says

Hannah Brockhaus/CNA

 18 September, 2019

(Getty)

Human projects always fail, but the Holy Spirit sustains the Church, the Pope said

Because of sinfulness, human projects will always fail, but the Church remains steadfast, even in times of scandal, because she is sustained by the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis said on Wednesday.

“Let us think of the history of Christians, including the history of the Church, with so many sins, with so many scandals, with so many bad things in these two millennia. And why did it not collapse? Because God is there,” the Pope said on September 18.

“We are sinners, and so often we even give scandal. But God is with us,” he added. “But the Lord always saves. Strength is ‘God with us.’”

In contrast, human projects always fail, Pope Francis noted, pointing to the many political projects of history, including the empires and dictatorships of the last century.

“They felt very powerful, they thought they dominated the world. And then they all collapsed,” he stated. “Even today, think of today’s empires: they will collapse, if God is not with them, because the strength that men have in themselves is not lasting. Only the strength of God endures.”

During his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the Acts of the Apostles with a reflection on the importance of the Holy Spirit.

In the fifth chapter of Acts, the Apostles are facing opposition from Jews, but they “respond with courage,” showing they possess the “obedience of faith,” Francis said.

They have this courage, he said, because from Pentecost they are no longer alone, but the Holy Spirit is working through them.

“They feel they cannot say, ‘I’ alone,” he added. “Strengthened by this covenant, the Apostles do not let themselves be intimidated by anyone. They had an impressive courage!”

Pope Francis noted that at Jesus’ arrest, the disciples ran away like cowards. “But, from cowards they have become so brave. Why? Because the Holy Spirit was with them.”

“The same happens to us: if we have the Holy Spirit inside, we will have the courage to move forward, the courage to win many struggles, not for ourselves but for the Spirit that is with us,” he said, pointing to the martyrs, who gave their lives and never hid their Christian identity.

The pope recalled, in particular, the Coptic Orthodox Christians who were killed in Libya in 2015. “But the last word they said was, ‘Jesus, Jesus.’ They were filled with the Holy Spirit,” he said.

In Acts, the Apostles are living like “megaphones” of the Holy Spirit, and this “makes the Jewish ‘religious system’ tremble,” feel threatened and respond with violence and death threats, Francis explained.

However, the pope said, one Pharisee in the Sanhedrin, Gamaliel, tries to stem this reaction, showing how to practice discernment. He shows that what is of God will last while human projects may first succeed but then become “shipwrecked.”

“Gamaliel concludes that, if the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth believed an impostor, they are destined to disappear into thin air; if instead they follow one who comes from God, it is better to give up fighting them; and warns: ‘Do not happen to find yourself even fighting against God’ (Acts 5:39). He teaches us to make this discernment,” he stated.

Gamaliel’s reasoned words teach people to “recognize the tree by its fruits.”

“We ask the Holy Spirit to act in us so that, both personally and as a community, we can acquire the habitus of discernment,” Francis concluded.

The Cross is our identity

Fr. Ike Mandurić at Cross Mountain: The Cross is our identity

date: 15.09.2019.

On Sunday, 15 September 2019, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated on Cross Mountain, traditionally in Medjugorje celebrated on the first Sunday after the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Solemn Holy Mass, celebrated by Fr. Ike Mandurić, with the parish priest Fr. Marinko Šakota and 25 more other priests concelebrating, was celebrated on Cross Mountain at 11 am.

Fr. Mandurić at the beginning of the Holy Mass said that many came bringing their joy, gratitude, but also their tears, wounds, pain and prayers.

-As we discover the identity of the cross, find the way to become one with that identity, with that symbol, so it becomes your motto and the way of life, that we may love that cross more and more. Fr. Ike reminded all gathered to how this cross was built and invited all to make a covenant with the cross, to give the promise that each one of us will venerate the cross from now on.

Let us promise to the Lord that we will not ask of Him to take us down from the cross, do not take us down, but keep us there just as you did up to now. Enrich us there as you did in the past. Protect our souls! Protect our hope and our faith! Do not take us down from the cross, Lord, but let us recognise you there so we would be people who love, who are noble and who burn for our values, but also those who pray and come to Our Lady, said Fr. Ike Mandurić, adding that those who gaze at the cross, gaze at the future.

Numerous pilgrims were up on Krizevac today, pilgrims from all over the world and many local people, many of them walked all the way to the top. Holy Mass was broadcasted live by Radio Mir Medjugorje and our photo gallery is HERE.

Fr. Philip J. Pavich, OFM

May 12, 1930 ~ July 29, 2019 (age 89)

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Pavich, Fr. Philip, OFM
loving son of the late Steven and Mary Pavich, beloved brother of Mary Barth, Diana Danica Schaefer and Aloysious Pavich was born in Waterloo, IA on May 12, 1930. Fr. Philip is survived by a sister-in-law Corine Pavich of Phoenix AZ and many nieces and nephews. He joined the Franciscans in St. Joseph Minor Seminary of the Sacred Heart Province in Teutopolis, IL. He took his Solemn vows in Teutopolis in 1954. He was ordained a priest in Teutopolis in 1957. He served God’s people in different capacities over the years including: Sacred Heart Province- Assistant Novice Master, Spiritual Director, Instructor of Christian Doctrine, Master of Clerics, Instructor of Psychology, Confessor and Assistant Pastor. In 1975 he joined the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. He served in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Tiberias. In 1986, he transferred from Sacred Heart Province to the Croatian Franciscan Custody. He served as Confessor and Assistant to Pilgrims: Medjugorje, 1986-2000, Confessor in the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, 1994. Then he became the Croatian Franciscan Fathers’ Pilgrimage Chaplain from 2000-2010. He served as Pastor of St. Lucy parish in Troy, MI, 2011-2014. He spoke: English, Croatian, Italian, German and Hebrew. He died on July 29, 2019 in his beloved Iowa while visiting his family and friends. May he rest in peace. Wake at St. Jerome Croatian Church, 2823 S. Princeton Ave., Chicago, on Friday, August 2, 2019 6-9 pm. Vigil prayers at 7 pm and Saturday: 9-10 am.  Funeral Mass Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 10:00 am. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Dalcamo Funeral Home 312-842-8681 or www.dalcamofuneralhome.com.

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Donations may be made to:

Franciscian Fathers
4848 S Ellis, Chicago IL 60615

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