SHORTS 27 • 26 • 25 • 24 • 23 • 22 • 21 • 20 • 19 • 18 • 17 • 16 • 15 • 14 • 13 • 12 • 11 • 10 • 9 • 8 • 7 • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 • 1
August 03, 2026
Via Francisci, a path to prayer and peace
• The Medjugorje parish has erected a new set of prayer stations along the path that leads to the bronze statue of the Risen Christ.
The five stations are devoted to the Way of Francis whose 800th anniversary is celebrated this year. They provide an opportunity for pilgrims to pause and reflect on the saint’s life, connecting each stop with the messages of the Queen of Peace.
The stations are the work of Toni Kozarić and the meditations were written by Fr Ivan Hrkać.
More details can be found at the Medjugorje parish website at this link.
August 02, 2026
Pope extends greeting to Medjugorje Youth Festival
• On the occasion of the Medjugorje Youth Festival, Pope Leo XIV extends his cordial greeting to all participants and urges them to return, AD FONTEM, that is, to Christ, the source of a new life and the authentic joy. He therefore invites them to rediscover, through prayer, listening to the Word of God, and the sacraments, the beauty of a personal encounter with the Lord, who quenches every heart and gives the strength to always begin anew.
His Holiness encourages young people to sincerely seek the truth that sets them free, without being seduced by the illusions of fleeting happiness. In following Jesus, each person can embrace even the most difficult questions and the restlessness of the heart as an opportunity for discernment and growth in faith.
The Holy Father also urges young people to let themselves be led by the Holy Spirit and to entrust themselves to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, so that they may become shining witnesses of the Gospel, promoters of fraternity, and builders of peace in society.
Assuring them of his remembrance in prayer, the Supreme Pontiff invokes upon all an abundance of divine grace, heartily imparting his apostolic blessing.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness
August 02, 2026
We thirst
Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty;
though you have no money, come!
Isaiah 55 : 1
July 31, 2026
St Ignatius of Loyola
• The founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of romance on hand during his convalescence, Ignatius whiled away the time reading a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched, and a long, painful turning to Christ began.
• More at Franciscan Media
July 30, 2026
The dragnet
• Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”
Matthew 13 : 47-50
• The above image is detail from the Fishermen panel of the St Vincent Panels polyptych. It shows a dragnet covering several men, including a Pharisee, St Paul and St Matthew.
July 28, 2026
Let the Lord correct him...*
• In the early hours of Tuesday, under the cover of darkness, a person set out with the intention of causing damage to some of the places of prayer at Medjugorje.
The external damage and defacements can be repaired; and through the loving mercy of God so can the soul of the person responsible, but prayer is neccessary.
The annual Mejugorje Youth Festival begins on Saturday. Imagine if all the thousands of attendees offered prayers for the perpetrator during the six-day event, and the resulting graces bestowed. Imagine if all pilgrims who have ever visitited the holy site did the the same.
In a message given by Our Lady to Marija, she said: “Dear children! Also today I am with you and with joy I call all of you: pray and believe in the power of prayer. Open your hearts, little children, so that God may fill you with His love and you will be a joy to others. Your witness will be powerful and everything you do will be interwoven with God’s tenderness. I am with you and I pray for you and your conversion until you put God in the first place. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (May 25, 2015)
* Jude 1 :9
July 28, 2026
Parable of the yeast...
• The Medjugorje Message is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.
cf. Matthew 13 : 33
July 28, 2026
“...because Satan is strong and seduces hearts”
• “Last night, Medjugorje was the victim of terrible acts of vandalism. The statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Blue Cross and on Apparition Hill were partially covered in black paint (notably the Virgin's face and hands) as well as satanic inscriptions. Furthermore, a large fire was lit on the outdoor altar (under the rotunda), causing significant damage.”
source: Dear Gospa
The Medjugorje parish office has published a statement on its website.
“It is with great sadness that we received the news of the act of vandalism that damaged the prayer areas in our parish. We immediately began cleaning and repairing the damage so that all areas would be properly prepared for the prayer again. We thank all those who, with their work and selfless help, participate in ensuring that the sanctuary remains a place of encounter with God, a place of peace, and a place where the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, is honored.
In a special way, we invite all faithful to respond to this event in the way that Our Lady has been teaching us for over forty years in Medjugorje: with prayer, fasting, and forgiveness. We pray for the conversion of the hearts of those who committed this act, that the Lord may touch them with His grace and lead them on the path of goodness. We also pray for peace in the hearts of all people. Our Lady constantly invites us to be carriers of peace. May this event encourage us to take her invitation even more seriously: not to return evil for evil, but to witness love, forgiveness, and hope with our lives. The shrine remains open to all pilgrims. The prayer program is taking place regularly, and all the spaces are being rapidly cleaned and prepared so that they can once again be a place of prayer and encounter with the Lord through the intercession of the Queen of Peace.