For the Radio Station Mir program, the following rectors spoke about this meeting in Medjugorje and about the shrines from which they came: Rev. Joseph Caruana, rector of the shrine of Mellieha in Malta, Rev. Olivier Spinosa, rector of Notre Dame de la garde in Marseille, France and Rev. Artur Jaku, rector of the shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Shkodra, Albania, who has been the rector of this sanctuary for a year.

“Last year the first such meeting was held in Marseille, France. It is only the Pope’s wish that the shrines are connected in this initiative at the level of the Mediterranean. Why? Because I think shrines are like a hospital in a way. Because the one who comes to the shrine is a person in need, sick people, people with various problems come there, migrants who pass through there, believers who are not Catholics but belong to other confessions also come. In this sense, this shrine is a place where people come from different directions, with completely different problems. Here is why it is important to have this initiative at the level of the Mediterranean, and there are different initiatives. As an initiative, for example, there is Mediterranean theology, Mediterranean youth, Mediterranean shrines. In all these initiatives, we see that shrines are actually places of privileged encounters”, Rev. Artur Jaku said about the importance of connecting the shrines:

“I have already been to Medjugorje once, but it can be said that it was a flying visit. I came more as a tourist just to see the place. And I could not gain any experience of Medjugorje. However, I’ve been here for several days now and I can say that I’m really impressed. I am very impressed by what happens in Medjugorje during the evening prayer program, the prayer of the rosary, the Holy Mass, especially the Adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, when thousands of people pray together in silence, kneel. I am really very, very impressed with everything I experienced there. I see with great joy the large number of confessions that take place there every evening. What is very important to emphasize is that I gained the experience and impression that confession is a very important part of Medjugorje. While in other places in the world confession practically disappears, here it is alive and intense, people feel the need to radically change and continue to live a different life”, Fr. Joseph Caruana, rector of the sanctuary of Mellieha in Malta said about his experience of Medjugorje.

Rev. Olivier Spinosa introduced us to the sanctuary of Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseille. Similar to Medjugorje, they have about two million visitors a year. The only difference is that 95 percent of their visitors are tourists, while in Medjugorje 95 or more percent are pilgrims. (PHOTO)