I was “called” to visit Medjugorje in April 2005. It was a 10-day self-guided Italy-Medjugorje pilgrimage arranged by a group of parishioners. Foreseeing the trip to be quite disorganized, and having to leave my two kids home, I was very reluctant to go. The major reason to eventually join was to accompany my mother, who would have great difficulty climbing up the hills all by herself. My first feeling after arriving at Medjugorje was disappointment. What was I supposed to do in this rural city? No formal guide, no organized talks, I was disillusioned, especially after hearing all the great stories about Medjugorje, and right after visiting the magnificent cathedrals in Italy. Anyway, our plan was to stay for only four days, and then returned to Italy to finish off the trip. I was trying to understand how and why my sister, Maria, could yearn to spend her whole life in this small town.

The next day in Medjugorje when we gathered to pray, I noticed my rosary had changed colour, from silvery to a beautiful rustic copper colour. I have always been and continue to be a very rational and skeptical person. But this time, I am convinced, something unusual had happened. Cautious of pickpocket in Italy, I put my valuables (including my rosary) in a small pouch, inside a bigger bag snuggled deep in my knapsack. Will oxidation or other chemical reactions still take place within the three layers of “protection”? I never bother to find out.

When I went to confession and told the priest about my rosary, my frustration and disappointment with this trip, he told me that the changed rosary was indeed a sign of consolation from our Holy Mother. She was trying to comfort me, knowing how upset I was. I agreed with him and my affection for Medjugorje had started to change since then.

We returned to Toronto on April 30, 2005. Within a week, on May 6, I got the most terrible news any mother could possibly receive: my younger son was diagnosed with cancer. It was also the worst Mother’s Day (May present any one could have ever received. However, this present was actually a tremendous blessing in disguise.

Now I finally know why I was called to Medjugorje, to receive a sign from our Holy Mother that She is always with me, that She has heard my prayers, that She loves me and will help me carry my cross. Now I also know why my sister, a Carmelite nun, told me to offer my sons to the Holy Mother, the same way Pope John Paul II consecrated himself to Her. Just before we departed for the trip, she phoned (something she seldom does being a cloistered nun) and reminded me to do this offering at the spot of apparitions.

I hope our whole family can one day have the chance to visit Medjugorje. Not to look for miracles or signs, but just to drench ourselves in the loving embrace of our Holy Mother, to thank Her and our Holy Father for the many crosses given to us, to pray for help and guidance each step of our earthly journey.

Dear Holy Mother, thank you for calling me to Medjugorje!

“What do you like most about Medjugorje?” I get asked that question a lot when I returned from Medjugorje in June 2006.

I would answer, “It gave me a chance to be in solitude, and to be in union with God.”

Living a typical life in the city of Toronto – working in the lab 7 to 7 as a graduate student, teaching piano part-time, singing in 3 community choirs and trying to manage a social life on top of all these – didn’t leave me much time to be in solitude. Although I was leading a busy life, there was this big void in my heart that none of the above could fill.

In Medjugorje, I learned to slow down. I learned to do nothing but pray. I was reminded that the life that I have is a gift from God, and that it is time for me to put God, my Creator, back into the first priority.

One of the most empowering moments of my pilgrimage was during the public Marian apparition on Podbrdo one night. Thousands of people were up on the hill. It was 10pm. Mother Mary was giving her message to Ivan, one of the visionaries. Complete silence surrounded us for 10 minutes. I could not see Mother Mary nor could I hear Her but I felt like I was in Heaven. I realized at that moment exactly what can fill that big void in my heart; and the answer is, simply, peace.

Where do I find peace? From Jesus. How do you find Jesus? By chatting with Him.

“Pray, pray and pray; and I’ll intercede for you!” That’s all Mother Mary was trying to tell us for the past 25 years. If only we would listen.

Medjugorje is the place where you learn to filter out all noises in life and listen only to Jesus. Medjugorje is a place where you see people truly in love with Jesus and the Eucharist. Medjugorje is, as one of my friends put it, indeed the closest place to Heaven here on earth. Go experience it yourself. Now.

“…Gentle woman, quiet light, morning star, so strong and bright, gentle Mother, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom; teach us love.”

Whenever I hear the words to the song “Hail Mary, Gentle Woman”, thoughts of Medjugorje come pouring in. It was in Medjugorje that I first paid attention to the lyrics of this beautiful song. My wife and I visited Medjugorje in October of 2004. It has been two years now. How quickly time flies.

Many say that Medjugorje must be the closest place to heaven here on earth and I cannot help but agree. And they say once you know how heaven feels like, then that’s the only place you ever want to be. Oh how true, how true! All you need is to be touched by God once in this life time, to know that you’ll never want to let go; it becomes all that you long for, how beautiful is this feeling. How blessed are those who are called to Medjugorje.

Medjugorje is a little town in Bosnia over flown with grace and peace. You will be touched by the faith of the people there and the strong conviction they have for their faith. This conviction is contagious, and it could be yours! For me, it was a chance to be closer to Mother Mary and ultimately, our Lord Jesus. I came back home with a renewed love for the Holy Rosary and a new found appreciation for what the Holy Rosary is used for – to truly and completely meditate on the Birth, Life and Passion of our Lord Jesus. Medjugorje is a place of renewal for Christians of every denomination; it is a place to open up, let go, and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Using Mother Mary as His handmaid, our Father continuously preaches the messages of peace and repentance to all His creation. Day after day, months after months, years after years, Our Lady calls us to be converted to her beloved son, to be in union with the Holy Trinity. Lord Jesus, please take my hand, I long to be forever in your embrace.

When I hear the word “Medjugorje” I get hyped up instantly, and feel the urge to share with everybody a series of images that would be flashing right in front of my eyes.

In the first image, I see myself

from two years ago listening to a sharing from two friends who have just returned from their Medjugorje pilgrimage. At that moment, I was intrigued by the miracles happening in this place – the miracle of the dancing sun, the miracle of the oil leaking from the knee of the Risen Christ statue, and most importantly, the miracle of conversion.The week after my friends’ sharing, I picked up a Medjugorje newsletter by chance. It tells of the whole story starting from the inception of the Marian apparitions. At this time, my parish was organizing the pilgrimage to this little village. Everything seemed to happen coincidently. I felt like God was telling me that I had to go to this place and see for myself. It was indeed a calling. Answering His call, I went to Medjugorje in June 2005, during the 24th anniversary of the apparitions.

When I got there, I was a little disappointed by the boring, repetitive schedule – hours and hours of praying the Rosary and going to Mass, day after day. However, things seemed to come to pass quite quickly, and I’ve unconsciously fallen in love with praying as we approached the end of the 10-day pilgrimage. It was a miracle!

Upon returning to Canada, my life has become more spiritually oriented: I pray the Rosary more frequently and I fast on bread and water once a week; I love going to daily mass and I long to receive the Eucharist.

Looking back, I have to thank all of my friends who inspired me to go on this pilgrimage. Most importantly, I have to thank God for such a calling and Mother Mary for her blessings.

In closing, allow me to share with you one of my favourite Medjugorje messages: “If you knew how much I love you you’d cry of joy.”