As you all know, the week of the youth festival, the first week of August is the most busy week of the year here in Medjugorje. The local priests and the local people prepare in a special way for the upcoming youth festival. The prayer program for this years youth festival, The 21th International Youth Prayer Festival has been released, please click here to review it.

Rejoice, heavenly powers!
Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!

In the Catholic Church, Holy Thursday (also known as Maundy Thursday) is the day that we celebrate the Last Supper, at which Christ instituted the Mass and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. It is the first day of the Triduum, the three days before Easter Sunday, during which we commemorate Christ's Passion.

~author unknown~

Last April on a Sunday we took one of our "nowhere" drives, my husband was quietly driving a back road. I was occupied in the front passenger seat watching the scenery.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my husband was straining to look out my window. This startled me, since his eyes should be on the road in front of him. I asked him what he was looking at out the windows, and he quietly replied, "Nothing." His eyes went back to the road in front of him.

Dear friends, I finally got around to go for walk through the fields between the base of the Cross Mountain (where my home is) and the church. I came across several groups of pilgrims from different parts of the world, being that today is the Feast of the Annunciation that is no surprise. The lent is the time when we try to get closer to God, we all set goals to improve our faith and in one way give back what we have received over the past year.. But what fascinates me is to often witness youth in such deep meditation, praying the rosary, climbing the Cross Mountain barefoot, climbing the hills on their knees. This sight is just an inspiration to me and I hope it is in a way push forward for you. Praise God.

The visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had daily apparitions from June 24th 1981 to December 25th 1982. During the last daily apparition, Our Lady gave her the 10th secret, and told her that she would appear to her once a year, on the 18th of March.  It has been this way through the years. Several thousand pilgrims gathered in prayer of the Rosary at the 'Blue Cross'. The apparition lasted from  13:50 to 13:54.

Dear children! Today I call you to love with all your heart and with all your soul. Pray for the gift of love, because when the soul loves it calls my Son to itself. My Son does not refuse those who call Him and who desire to live according to Him. Pray for those who do not comprehend love, who do not understand what it means to love. Pray that God may be their Father and not their Judge. My children, you be my apostles, be my river of love. I need you. Thank you.