Thursday, November 27, 2008

10/2/08 Mir (Peace in Croatian)

This is the first of five blogs describing a three week European trip commemorating our 60 years of marriage. The blogs will show what we saw in four areas: Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina (part of the former Yugoslavia), Frankfurt, Germany, London, England, and Paris, France. The blogs will be mostly pictures with only a little text from guide books.

We started on Thursday, October 2 on an 25 hour trip from Mountain View to San Francisco airport to Frankfurt to Split, Croatia to our pension in Medjugorje [drop the “j”s and you have MED u GOR ay]. We were part of a 25 member tour group from Medjugorje Web run by Steve and Ann Shawl out of Minnesota. This was our third trip to Medjugorje.

Medjugorje is a place of peace, inspiration, spiritual recharging—a place to do a retreat of meditation and thanksgiving. Basically, it is a shrine to the Mother of Jesus as Our Lady, Queen of Peace who has been appearing there everyday for the last 27 years which receives one and a half million pilgrims every year. At the end of this blog, for those interested, I will give a synopsis of Medjugorje’s history.



With breakfast eaten and final preparations completed, we waited somewhat impatiently for our airport shuttle that would start us off on our exotic adventure.


The first leg of our journey involved Lufthansa/United Airlines 11 ½ hour flight over the North Pole to Frankfurt on a 10 seat (each very narrow) wide 747 Jumbo Jet. The rather rough flight was further degraded by a couple of exuberant young French ladies in the row behind us giggling and bouncing around all night long. It was a full plane: over 350 passengers, we had 3 “B” movies, and 2 full meals.


From Frankfurt, after a 3 hour layover, we hopped on a Croatian jet bound for Split, a large Croatian city on the Adriatic coast just across the sea from Italy. Our luggage had been checked through to Split.


After landing at Split, we were met by a coach from Medjugorje for the 3 ½ hour drive to Medjugorje. Bosnia-Hercegovina has only 15 miles of coastline with Croatia on either side extending to the north toward Split and the south to Dubrovnik. It is a complex and complicated nation with large numbers of Roman Catholics, Serbian Orthodox, and Muslims all trying to recover from a bloody civil war in the 1990s (the breakup of Yugoslavia) that created hundreds of thousands of refugees (remember Kosovo?). The language and culture are Croatian, similar to the countries of Slovenia and Croatia.

The capital city is Sarajevo, but if you look for Medjugorje, you’re not likely to find it—it originally had only about 400 families in a cluster of five small villages. The nearest town of any size is Mostar about 15 miles away (look just north of Dubrovnik on a map) that was almost completely destroyed during the war. Medjugorje was the only place in the area that was not damaged during the civil war, and so ended up with thousands of refugees from surrounding towns and villages, including Mostar.


Driving on a twisty, windy road along the blue-green Adriatic Sea in Croatia (like hwy 1 in California) we passed holiday resorts and hotels backed up against the coastal mountains.


Our group stayed at a pension owned by Mirjana Brečié (elder sister of visionary Vicka). After a hearty supper, we literally fell into bed, asleep immediately—at the end of our 30 hour day. Medjugorje is 9 hours to the east of California.


The centerpiece for the group every day was Mass usually at St. James Church built in the center of the five villages in the valley— Medjugorje means the place between the mountains. We were about a 25-30 minute walk through fields from the Church and central business area.


Women of the villages spend the winter months making handmade souvenirs and crafts for the pilgrims. Their work was usually very finely done and reasonably priced.


The fields are still under cultivation.




Although, St. James Church was built many years before the apparitions of the Mother of God began, it was built with a capacity far exceeding the current population. With the outside areas supplied with seating and loudspeakers, there usually up to 10 thousand faithful at Mass during summertime feast days.


There are daily Masses in various languages: German, Italian, French, Spanish, English, and of course Croatian. The English Mass is usually at 10 AM and the combination of Irish, English, and Americans almost always overflows the 6,000 or so inside the Church into the outside seating. This picture shows 25 priests con-celebrating.


The statue of Mary, modeled after her likeness during an apparition, is a favorite meeting place in the large plaza in front of the Church. All kinds of pilgrims come to Medjugorje to absorb its abundant graces—from young to old, those in poor health, many different religions, lay people and religious from nuns to bishops. The pilgrims are definitely not limited to Catholics—many faithful of other beliefs or no belief come to this well-spring of peace and inspiration.


The Sacrament of Reconciliation is especially stressed by Our Lady of Peace. There are about 50 confessional boxes being used all the time plus overflows such as this group at the side of the Church.


For special Feast days this outdoor area in back of the Church is used for celebrating the Mass.


Jean is using one of the commonly seen vineyards as a foreground for a photo of Cross Mountain, which has a 35 foot cross that was constructed on its summit during the 1930s.


Our Medjugorje guide, Snjeźana Zovko explained the significant places in the valley to us. This morning we are going to climb Apparition Hill where Mary first started appearing to the six children.


As we make our way up the unimproved trail, together we pray the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary.


A statue of Mary has been placed where she first appeared to the six visionaries.


When we made our pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 2003, we attended an evening apparition by Ivan Dragicevic on this spot.


An early (1980s) picture of the six visionaries during a group apparition. Left to right (married name in parenthesis): Vicka Ivankovic (Mijatovic) almost 17 years old, Jakov Colo 10 years old, Mirjana Dragicevic (Soldo) 16 years old, Ivanka Ivankovic (Elez) 15 years old, Marija Pavlovic (Lunetti) 16 years old, and Ivan Dragicevic 16 years old. All the visionaries are married now and have children of their own. Mirjiana and Ivan are not related.


Vicka in front of her parent’s house where she had been talking and answering questions from groups of pilgrims. She is with Teresa Lee, a member of our group.



Jean is praying at a monument of the fifth decade, The Last Supper, of the Luminous mysteries of the Rosary.


We were graced by a glorious sunset.


It is time to leave our gracious host, Mirjana Brečié, and her home-like pension in the peaceful Valley between the Mountains.


Our last look at the soaring twin towers of St. James Church as our bus passes by in the early morning tranquility.


Again, we wind in and out of the steep cliffs of the Croatian coastline along the Adriatic Sea as we drive on toward Split.


Back on a Croatian plane we leave behind the peace of the Medjugorje villages for the hustle and bustle of the the big cities of Europe. But we are blessed with an inner peace to carry to others wherever we go.


A preview of the up-coming blogs:


Frankfurt,
financial capital of Germany


Big Ben,
icon of London











Fall color
at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew


Eiffel Tower,
symbol of Paris








A Brief Synopsis of the Medjugorje Story

Since 1981, in a small village in Bosnia-Hercegovina named Medjugorje, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, has been reportedly appearing and giving messages to the world. She tells us that God has sent her to our world and, these years she is spending with us are a time of Grace granted by God. In Her own words She tells us, "I have come to tell the world that God exists. He is the fullness of life, and to enjoy this fullness and peace, you must return to God".

As the largest of the five villages which comprise the parish (Medjugorje, Bijakovici, Vionica, Miletina, Surmanci), Medjugorje gave its name to this extensive Roman Catholic parish.

According to the testimony of the six young parishioners, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been appearing daily in the parish of Medjugorje since June 24, 1981. That day the visionaries were frightened by the apparition of Our Lady and ran away. On the following day, June 25, they responded to Our Lady's call and went to Apparition Hill, where for the first time they prayed and spoke with her. That is why this day is celebrated as the anniversary of the apparitions of the Queen of Peace, as Our Lady introduced herself.

The six children:
Ivanka Ivankovic - Elez - Was born in 1966, had daily apparitions till May 7, 1985. On that day, confiding to her the last of ten secrets, Our Lady told her that for the rest of her entire life, she will have an apparition once a year on June 25, the anniversary of the apparitions.
Mirjana Dragicevic - Soldo - Was born in 1965, had daily apparitions until December 25, 1982. On the last day of her apparitions, Our Lady told her that for the rest of her entire life she will have an apparition once a year on March 18, her birthday. Since August 2, 1987, on each second day of the month, she also receives an apparition and prays with Our Lady for unbelievers (those who have not yet felt or experienced God's love).
Vicka Ivankovic - Mijatovic - Was born in 1964, still has daily apparitions.
Marija Pavlovic - Lunetti - Was born in 1965, still has daily apparitions. On the 25th of each month Our Lady gives Marija the monthly message meant for the parish and the entire world.
Ivan Dragicevic - Was born in 1965, still has daily apparitions.
Jakov Colo - Was born in 1971, had daily apparitions until September 12, 1998. Our Lady told him that for the rest of his entire life he will have an apparition once a year on Christmas.

Our Lady's mission is one of peace and love. She has come to earth to reeducate us and to help us convert and recenter our lives back to God. Our Lady's role has always been one of guiding people to her Son, Jesus. What a fantastic opportunity we have before us! It is important that we understand both the magnitude and the urgency of Our Lady's call to conversion, and that we respond with all our hearts.

We were very pleased with the arrangements, guides, and accommodations of the Medjugorje Web tour at www.MedjugorjeWeb.com. But if you need a particular date there are many other tours to Medjugorje each month.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

09/05/08 - Sweethearts for More than Sixty Years

We interrupt our travel blogs to present a very special one. This blog is about a different kind of trip—a trip thru time rather than traveling from place to place.

This trip started with an innocent invitation to a ride home from the registration activities at the University of California in Berkeley, California, in August of 1945. When we saw a familiar face among the 2,000 would be freshman—we were in the same large class, but different streams at Oakland High School—we struck up conversation and found we were signing up for the same classes in the College of Chemistry. Bill had just finished rebuilding, repainting (royal blue with yellow wheels and a yellow racing stripe), and reupholstering a 1928 Model A Ford and was eager to show off his “new” car, affectionally named, Lord Peter.

Three years later Jean’s father took her aside one evening and asked her, “Is Bill serious?” We decided I was serious, so having no money, I sold my only asset, Lord Peter. On Valentines Day 1948 I proposed marriage at Joaquin Miller overlook in the Oakland hills, Jean accepted, and then I presented her with “Lady Peter” (a metamorphosis from Lord Peter).

We married later that year at St. Jarlath Catholic Church, Jean’s home parish. Our honeymoon was a two week camping trip (we could now zip our two down sleeping bags together to make one!) We returned to live in a small “bed-sitter” apartment in Berkeley at $35/month—I had a 10-speed bicycle to get to my playground job in Oakland and Jean walked to her classes and job. We completed our college work two years later: Bill in Physics and Jean in Botany plus secondary school teachers credentials.



September 5, 1948

Uncle Sam changed his mind and decided that I was no longer 4F, but suitable fodder for the Korean War, I was sent to Dugway Proving Grounds in the middle of Utah’s salt desert as Scientific Personnel. After reevaluating our life, we sold our land in the Oakland Hills where we had planned to build a house and decided we wanted to get out of teaching.

As it turned out, God tricked us into spending another 20 years of teaching in Africa.

One evening after dinner the Fathers at our mission offered us gifts and congratulations on our wedding anniversary. “But,” we replied, “it’s only March 5th, our anniversary is still 6 months away.” “That’s just it, in Holland we celebrate eighths of century,” said the Dutch Priest, “You have been married exactly twelve and one half years—one eighth of a century!”.



Eight Priests and Bishop John Jobidon

help us celebrate our 25 Wedding Anniversary

on September 5, 1972 at Marymount Girls Secondary,

our mission school in Mzuzu, Malawi


Our “honeymoon” this time was a 2,500 mile drive south to Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, and South Africa.

When we returned home from Africa in 1978, we settled in Mountain View and joined St. Joseph Parish

At our 50th Wedding Anniversary, we were blessed by having three of our parents present. Relatives and friends helped us celebrate Mass with the renewal of our marriage vows, followed by a hugh gala reception at our mobile home park hall.




Con-celebrating the Mass were Bishop Mark Hurley,

who was God’s instrument to get us to the Missions,

Pastor Fr. Oscar Tabujara,
Fr. Art Harrison, and Fr. Bob Moran



On Thursday, September 4, 2008, there were a lot of rustling sounds out in our back yard, which was attributed to wind in the trees. But when we woke on a bright, clear September 5th, we were amazed to find 60 Chrysanthemums arranged artfully in the shape of a heart in our back yard. Bill claims we have very frisky raccoons…


Midnight visitors?



60 Mums for Jean!



It’s Party Time at Liz’

Niece Liz and Brian Shaw threw a big party on Saturday, September 6th for relatives and friends in the Oakland area.




The three brothers: Bob, 5 years younger
and John, 7 years younger




The remaining partyers as the sun sank in the Western Sea. 

(Some escaped before we could get them in the picture.)


You will notice no unsmiling faces in this group shot, thanks to Adobe Photoshop’s “Group Merge” tool. You take several shots of the group and replace any unsmiling faces from one of the other shots.

We did not expect any gifts, but one that will be remembered for years (for all the effort and appropriateness): Liz & Brian and John & Sandy put together a book with all of our 2007 blogs!



Sunday the Pastor allowed us renew our marriage vows and choose special readings and music for the 11:30 Mass.

We entered the Church to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. The first reading was from Tobit, Allow us to live together to a happy old age. The responsorial psalm, no. 33, The Earth is full of beauty, the goodness of a loving God, followed by the second reading from St. Paul, I Corinthians, If I do not have love, I gain nothing. Father’s Gospel reading was from Mark, They are no longer two, but one flesh.

In our renewal of our marriage vows, we repeated the promises we made 60 years ago and added an additional prayer: “In our old age may we love one another as deeply and cherish each other as much as we do now…”

To the accompaniment of our 100 year old pipe organ played by organist Pat Eldred, our angels of song, Rosario Javier and Angelyn Regala, sang a heavenly duet of Panis Angelicus. Rosario’s singing of Schubert’s Ave Maria brought tears to our eyes. And finally Rosario sang a special version of The Blessing of St. Francis. We recessed to the hymn Let Heaven Rejoice.



The Mass program 

showing one of the stain glass windows
from our church




We renew our promises



Bill “steals” a kiss



We are abundantly blessed



Rosario and Angelyn
treated us to some beautiful singing




Joyful Jean and Bill



Pope Benedict XVI bestows his Apostolic Blessing



Mayor Nick and Becky Gallioto
offer their congratulations



After Mass several friends put together light refreshments for everybody.


We’re getting pretty good
at this cake cutting ceremony




Food frenzy!
John’s wife, Sandy,
is wearing the flowered, black top



The crew: George Escober, ushering,
Rudy Joves, photography,

Severa Escober with help from Liz Joves, hospitality




Bill


Jean


Only a few of these photographs have been taken by Jean or me. A total of six different photographers contributed. Special thanks go to Rudy Joves and Richard Rains (a friend from Los Angeles) for their photos.

After the parties were over, we prepared for our last European fling. We hope these overseas blogs will not be long in coming.