19th Peace Seminar 2012 - Medjugorje-mir,mir,mir

Lecturers at this year's seminar are:

Fr. Marinko Šakota was born in Čitluk, in 1968. He attended elementary school and the first grade of high school in  Čitluk.
Then he decided to live the Franciscan calling, so he enrolled in the Franciscan seminary in Visoko, where he completed his second grade of high school. He completed the last two grades at the Jesuit High School in Dubrovnik, where he also graduated. He adorned the Franciscan habit on 15 July 1987 in Humac, where he spent a year of his novitiate. He began his studies of philosophy and theology at the Franciscan Theology in Sarajevo (1989–1990), then continued his studies at the Jesuit Academy in Zagreb (1990-1992), and completed them in Fulda, Germany in 1995, where he also earned his degree.  He took his permanent vows in  Široki Brijeg in 1993. He was ordained a deacon in Zagreb in 1996, and a priest in Frohnleiten in 1996. He first served at the Franciscan monastery in Innsbruck where he spent a year assisting. Then he was a spiritual assistant in Frohnleiten, and served as a chaplain in Augsburg. He spent three years serving as a chaplain in Mostar, and then seven years as a priest in Gradnići. Since September 2010 he has served as a chaplain in Međugorje.

Fr. Slavko Topić was born in Bukovica (Konjic), in 1940. He completed his elementary school in Gorani, Seonica, Konjic and  Jablanica.  He pursued Franciscan education at the Franciscan seminary and high school in Visoko (1956-1960). He completed his novitiate in  Kraljevska Sutjeska (1961-1962), and his theological studies at the Franciscan Theology in Sarajevo, where he was ordained a priest (1966). He studied sacred music at the Zagreb Institute of Sacred Music (1968-1969). He continued the studies in Rome where he graduated from the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music (1969-1973). He completed his doctoral dissertation at the Institute of Ethnomusicology in Cologne on the topic of "Sacred Songs of Bosnian Catholics" (1985). As a priest and a musician he is actively involved in the activities of three institutes of education in his Province (seminary, novitiate and divinity college). He is currently at the Franciscan Theology in Sarajevo.

Fr. Dario Dodig was born in Ljubuški, in 1973. He attended elementary and high school in Ljubuški. In 1992 he joined the postulature in Široki Brijeg, and in  1993 he adorned the Franciscan habit in Humac. From 1994-1998 he studied at the Zagreb Catholic Faculty of Theology. He took his permanent vows in Mostar, in 1997. He was ordained a deacon in  Chicago, in 1999, and a priest in Norval, Canada. From 1999-2005 he was actively involved with the Franciscan Youth organizing seminars on spiritual renewal, youth platforms, Sunday school in the parish and in state schools. From 2005-2010 he served as a monasterial and parochial vicar in charge of the construction of church facilities and actively involved in various pastoral activities. In  2010 he became a parish priest in Čerin. Throughout all these years he has been an editor of the Međugorje Mir radio station and of other media as well.

The 19th International Meeting for Organisers of Pilgrimages, Leaders of Peace Centre and Međugorje Prayer and Charity Groups will be held in the New Hall in Medjugorje from the 4th to the 8th of March 2012. The number of places is limited due to lack of space, therefore we kindly ask that you register your attendances at this seminar as soon as possible. You can send your registrations by fax: 00387 36 651 999 (to the attention of Marija Dugandžić) or by email: seminar.marija@medjugorje.hr.

For the purpose of the seminar organization and your safety, please consider yourself as registered for seminar only when you receive our written confirmation. If you did not receive our reply, it means that we have not received your application and that you are not registered, because you forwarded your e-mail to a wrong address or you have got a virus which blocks your e-mails automatically. Consequently, you may consider yourself as registered for the seminar only if you received a positive response.

Simultaneous interpretation will be available for all language groups. The price of the seminar is 60 € per person. This includes all fees for the organisation and running of the seminar (lecturers, simultaneous interpretation and joint lunch on the last day). Upon payment at the beginning of the seminar each participants will receive his/her accreditation, which will enable him/her to take part in the seminar activities. Each person should personally organize his/her own accommodation in Medjugorje.
Given that we cannot contact each organiser personally, we ask all organisers of pilgrimages, guides, leaders of Peace Centres and prayer and charity groups to notify those interested in this gathering.

We look forward to receiving your registrations and welcoming you at this meeting!