Medjugorje Hosts First Musicians Retreat

Article from Medjugorje Parish Website

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, England, Spain, Italy, Germany and Poland, were the countries from which around 60 musicians gathered in Medjugorje for the 1^st International Spiritual Retreat for Musicians from November 11-14, 2019. This retreat, as well as all others this year, were held with the theme “Follow me” (Mk 10, 21) In Our Lady’s School.

The lecturer was Fr. Ante Vuckovic, OFM, and the coordinator was Medjugorje parish priest, Fr. Marinko Sakota.

“Musicians were always asked for something, but here we give ourselves and we are opening to the gift. Thanks to the Lord for these days of grace here,” said Fr. Marinko and he thanked Fr. Ante for coming to the retreat, as well as to all those who participated in the organization and expressed desire to meet again next year.

Fr. Ante Vučković celebrated the evening Holy Mass in the church of St. James each night during the retreat and led morning prayers, lectures, meditations and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Ante Vučković said that Medjugorje is the place marked with the prayer.

“Medjugorje is not the only place, but it is among the rare ones on earth where nobody will be surprised if you pray. Here, they would be surprised if you do not pray! This is a rare place where you can go around with the rosary in your hands and nobody will ask you what you do,” said Fr. Ante.

Musicians also had an opportunity to visit the facilities of radio Mir Medjugorje and Studio 3, where many before recorded their music.

The retreat finished on November 14, with the Holy Mass celebrated by the Apostolic Visitor for parish of Medjugorje, Archbishop Henryk Hoser who said that music has been in the Church since its beginnings.

“The most typical form of singing is Gregorian canticles,” said Archbishop Hoser, “rooted in the tradition of the Near East, Byzantine culture and western culture. This form comes from the Pope Gregory the Great, who sent his associates to the Holy Land to obtain the Christian and Jewish music tradition, while some of the compositions derive from the time of the Jerusalem temple.”

Archbishop Hoser then gave some more explanations on liturgical, sacral music, and wished them a safe journey home.