Denver to Welcome a Medjugorje Visionary this November
This is an extraordinary opportunity to witness an apparition and hear about the visionary’s personal encounter with Our Lady.
By Steve Sparough
Beginning Monday, November 16, one of the six Medjugorje visionaries, Ivan Dragičević, will be visiting three Denver-area parishes this fall. Ivan continues to experience daily apparitions of Our Lady.
For those who have a devotion to Our Lady of Medjugorje and for those who are simply curious to learn more, a series of upcoming evenings offers a rare opportunity to come together in prayer, hear firsthand testimony from one of the visionaries and reflect on the enduring message of peace, prayer and reconciliation.
The schedule is:
November 16 — St. Scholastica, Erie
November 17 — Sacred Heart of Jesus, Boulder
November 18 — Immaculate Conception, Lafayette
Each evening will begin with a Rosary at 5:00 p.m., followed by the apparition at approximately 5:40 p.m.
The evening will continue with Mass, two brief talks — one by Ivan and another by a pilgrim who reports being healed of Stage 4 kidney cancer after visiting Medjugorje — followed by an opportunity for questions and answers and a reception where those present will have the opportunity to speak with both speakers.
For more information, please contact the parish hosting the event.
The Background of Medjugorje
On June 24, 1981, at approximately 5:40 p.m., two teenage girls walking near the village of Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina saw what they described as a shimmering figure of a woman on a nearby hillside. The rugged terrain, the distance, and the unusual circumstances kept them from approaching her. Yet that moment would become the beginning of a story that has touched millions of lives.
Significantly, it was the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist who foretold the coming of Christ. No one could have imagined that evening that what began as an unexpected encounter on a hillside would become, for many, a profound call to prayer, conversion, and a renewed devotion to Our Lady, whose messages revealed the antidote for society’s present-day challenges.
Later that same evening, four other young people, ages 10 to 16, reported seeing the same beautiful woman, dressed in a long gray dress and holding an infant in her arms.
It wasn’t until the next day, at the same time, that six children, accompanied by relatives and townspeople, elected to get closer and were supernaturally transported to her. The shimmering figure would later identify herself as The Queen of Peace.
Since that first occurrence, the six visionaries have reported experiencing apparitions of Our Lady, with three of the six continuing to experience apparitions daily, forty-five years later. According to their testimony, Our Lady has consistently shared a message of the path to peace, conversion, prayer and reconciliation with God.
Our Lady’s Message
At Medjugorje, Our Lady has called humanity to return to God and to seek peace through conversion of heart. Her message emphasizes prayer, particularly the daily Rosary; frequent reception of the Eucharist; reading and studying Sacred Scripture; fasting twice a week; and regular reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The message is simple yet profound: world peace begins with each of us. As we draw closer to God and receive His peace, we become better able to share that peace with our families, our communities and, ultimately, the world.
Our Lady has also reportedly told the visionaries that when the apparitions conclude, a visible sign will remain on Apparition Hill as confirmation of what has taken place there.
The Secrets of Medjugorje
According to the visionaries, Our Lady has entrusted each of them with ten future secrets concerning events that will take place on Earth. Some are said to involve chastisements, which, according to their testimony, can be lessened through prayer, conversion and repentance.
The timing of when these secrets will be revealed is known only to the visionaries. According to their testimony, when the appropriate time comes, the secrets will be disclosed according to the instructions they have received.
The Miracle of Medjugorje
While thousands of physical healings have occurred at Medjugorje, many pilgrims believe that the deeper miracle is the spiritual transformation that takes place there.
Each year, millions of pilgrims from around the world travel to this small village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, responding to what they believe is Our Lady's invitation to draw closer to her Son, Jesus. Many describe experiencing a profound sense of peace, renewed faith and a desire to return to prayer and the sacraments. Many men and women have received their call to a vocation while in Medjugorje.
For countless pilgrims, Medjugorje has become a place of reconciliation, conversion and renewed hope. It’s a kind of medicine for the soul.
The Catholic Church’s Guidance on Medjugorje
The Catholic Church continues to exercise discernment regarding the reported apparitions at Medjugorje. The Church has not declared either way whether or not they are divine in origin. For this to occur, the apparitions must conclude, and all of the messages can be studied in detail for fidelity to the faith. The Vatican, however, has increasingly recognized the spiritual fruits of Medjugorje. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis expressed positive sentiments about Medjugorje and its graces. In 2019, Pope Francis authorized official pilgrimages to Medjugorje, recognizing the site's pastoral importance for the faithful while maintaining the Church's distinction between pastoral approval and a declaration that the apparitions are of divine origin.
