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– Tell me once again what you do in life?

– I am an organizer of pilgrimages to Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a place where the Virgin Mary has been appearing every day since June 1981.

I restrained myself from bursting out laughing faced with the puzzled look of my interviewer and noting once again that it is not easy to explain why, since September 1989, I dedicated my life to the Virgin Mary in a place where unexplained and inexplicable events take place, where six visionaries say they have been communicating for years, every day, with Heaven.

My encounter with Medjugorje was a turning point in my life, but it did not happen by accident. Neither you nor I are where we are by accident at the present moment. Life is a wonderful adventure if only we take the trouble to really live and not just accept our fate.

As a young girl, I wanted to study psychology and theology, but I only managed to attend a school for tourism. However, I could not sit idly by waiting for the world to change itself; I wanted to actively participate in saving the world. So I organized tours!

Additionally, I want to share with you this unusual journey; I want to tell you about the country where I was born and which I love so much. And above all, I want you to meet these men and women who heard the call of the Virgin Mary and who answered positively.

Authors biography

Sabrina Covic-Radojicic was for years the translator of Father Jozo during meetings with pilgrims, during spiritual retreats or during apostolic journeys. She knows the fascination of the faithful for this surprisingly discreet man who, for the first time, openly speaks through interviews recorded and transcribed in this book. Also author and translator of fifteen books on Medjugorje, she gives testimonies to the four corners of the world and animates the Sakramento Peace Center which she founded in Medjugorje, in order to make known to the world the Love of God by the Message of the Virgin.

Presentation of the editor

I admit that I devoured Sabrina Covic Radojicic’s book with enormous sympathy, provoked mainly by the quality of its content, and not frstly by my friendship with the author. Te book presents, through interviews, a ‘seer’ of the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, Mirjana Dragicevic Soldo. The first thing that one expects from a ‘seer’ of Mary is that she has actually ‘seen’ Our Lady. Having read this book, I have every reason to believe that Mirjana has ‘seen’ Mary. However, it is not for me to say it as if it has been a proven thing. It’s not within my jurisdiction. It may happen one day that the Catholic Church will recognize the authenticity of the ‘apparitions’ of Medjugorje, but it is not possible now because three of the six ‘seers’ still have daily ‘apparitions’ while three others have monthly or yearly ‘apparitions’. Only when it is finished does the Church recognize the authenticity of an alleged supernatural phenomenon. At most, we hope that it will continue to look favourably, to recommend the pastoral care of the ‘pilgrimage’ (one of the largest in Christendom), that it currently cannot condemn peremptorily nor give it’s cautious approval oficially, despite the exceptional fruits of grace that have been given there.

What I also expect from a ‘seer’ is that nothing in her/his testimony contradicts the teaching of Jesus and of the Church. Everything is correct here. There is a great accuracy in content and in tone, and in all the strictly religious topics in the interviews!

Furthermore, in terms of behavior, Mirjana never puts herself in the light nor does she consider herself as ‘privileged’. She presents herself as a mere ‘transmitter’. Stubbornly, patiently, she always makes a distinction between what Mary would have told her and her own personal opinions that she invariably submits, in religious matters, to the authority (I quote) “of my Church and my pope.” Tirelessly, she repeats that every Christian can ‘see’ Mary with the heart, and she considers that this is by far the most important. She makes herself available for pilgrims to share her experience and above all the ‘messages’ that she says that she receives, but she does not run after the crowds to highlight herself. On the contrary, as far as it is possible for her, she seeks to lead a simple life, like any other woman, cultivating moments of solitude, in prayer. She has clear views on the moral quality or not of multiple behaviors, but she never wants to judge anyone. Furthermore, when she is concerned personally, she says that she tries, with humility, to do the will of God, in the hope that one day she will know that eternal joy of heaven, of which the ‘apparitions’ give a fleeting foretaste. Success, comfort and money do not seem to interest her. She simply seeks to make her living by working and she loves to have a nice outft (especially on Sundays!), and in maintaining the beauty of the family home, as normally every woman does; every wife and every mother. By her answers to so many various issues, she appears, in fact, as a ‘normal’ woman and Christian, absolutely ‘normal’; an essential quality of any person who would be the beneficiary of ‘visions’. As for her many physical pains, she lives them modestly, like everyone else, without playing the heroine, and with the support of her husband and two daughters.

Even on the difficult relations, indeed totally absent like she says, with “her” Bishop, she is of a perfect delicacy. She expresses her pain, her desire for a real relationship, but without emitting any harsh criticism. She hopes for a ‘thaw’ and in the meantime, she faithfully prays for the man she calls, with affection, “my bishop”.

Tis book has the virtue of spontaneity and even spontaneity that men judge typically feminine. Hence a certain prolixity. For more intellectual temperaments (like mine…), it would have benefited from being shorter…..

Msgr André LÉONARD, Archbishop Emeritus of Mechelen-Brussels

Authors biography

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Transferred to the Parish of Medjugorje in 1982, one year after the start of the apparitions, Father Slavko Barbarić was one of the most prominent and luminous fgures, out of all the priests, who supported the visionaries and who welcomed the pilgrims. A specialist in religious education and in psychotherapy, this brilliant Franciscan burned with an immense love for his neighbour. He spent his whole life developing the influence of Medjugorje and explaining the messages of the Queen of Peace. He understood most especially the meaning of prayer with the heart, and faith with the heart.

Indefatiguable, he worked tirelessly for the parishioners and pilgrims and also, by holding conferences and training seminars abroad. He touched the hearts of tens of thousands of people, especially young people and children. He founded several humanitarian organisations, such as ‘Mother’s Village’, during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Always active, on Podbrdo – Apparition Hill – and Križevac – Cross Mountain – or elsewhere in the world, he also found time to write numerous works which were translated into approximately twenty languages and sold in their millions.

On 24th November 2000, at the top of Križevac, while he was once again leading the Stations of the Cross for parishioners and pilgrims, he felt a pain, sat down on a rock near to the fourteenth station and then lost consciousness.

It is there where he surrendered his soul to God at the age of 54. He heart had given everything. Te following day, the Virgin Mary told Marija the visionary, “Your brother Slavko has been born into Heaven and he is interceding for you.”

Tis book is a collection of teachings and interviews by Father Slavko which have not been published until now.

Discover his path to holiness, discover Father Slavko with the heart…

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The story begins in Herzegovina. At the time when all children dream of becoming pilots or firemen, Jozo wants only one thing: to become a priest! His dream comes true, and he commits himself tirelessly to the spreading of what is the centre of his life: the Word of God.

In June 1981 his life was drastically changed by utterly incredible events: Our Lady started appearing in Međugorje, a parish whose parish priest he was! At the beginning, convinced that it was nothing but a sick fabrication of a group of young people or, even worse, a communist trick to mock the pious people, he himself had an intensive profound spiritual experience making him a persistent advocate of Our Lady’s messages.

This book of interviews is the fruit of the work in the period from May 2000 to the end of 2002. It is a living testimony – powerful, touching and unforgettable.

This biography is also available on a DVD, published by “Les Editions Sakramento”.

Authors biography

Sabrina Covic-Radojicic was for years the translator of Father Jozo during meetings with pilgrims, during spiritual retreats or during apostolic journeys. She knows the fascination of the faithful for this surprisingly discreet man who, for the first time, openly speaks through interviews recorded and transcribed in this book. Also author and translator of fifteen books on Medjugorje, she gives testimonies to the four corners of the world and animates the Sakramento Peace Center which she founded in Medjugorje, in order to make known to the world the Love of God by the Message of the Virgin.

Presentation of the editor

The children of Medjugorje invite the children of the whole world to discover their village in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The pupils of 2nd and 4th grade supervised by their teachers and parents have drawn and written for you the very beautiful story of their village.

They will often leave the speaking to the Blessed Virgin Mary, since it is in this village that the Mother of Jesus has chosen to speak to all the people of the world by calling them « My dear children ».

Authors biography