Father Slavko Barbaric O.F.M Father Slavko Barbaric passed away at approximately 4pm Bosnian time on November 24, 2000 on Mount Krizevac. Father Slavko was with approximately 70 pilgrims and parishioners on The Way of the Cross. He had just finished leading them in the Holy Rosary when he collapsed during the decent with an apparent heart attack. His final prayers were for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The day was cloudy and rainy and at the time of his passing, the sun broke through the clouds and a rainbow appeared over St. James Church. Please pray for Father Slavko and the Holy Souls in Purgatory. |
Slavko Barbaric was a
native of Bosnia-Hercegovina; born in Dragicini in 1946. He lived in Medjugorje,
Bosnia-Hercegovina and eagerly spread the Gospa's messages since 1982. He was ordained a
Franciscan priest in 1971. Father Slavko was fluent in Croatian, French, Spanish and
English and earned a Doctorate in the field of religious pedagogy (profession of teaching)
in 1982.
Father Slavko spoke regularly to pilgrims in Medjugorje and traveled widely to speak of the messages of Medjugorje. He also wrote a commentary on the messages given by the Gospa each month on the 25th. You'll find a link to these commentaries and all of the Gospa's messages on our Favorite Links page.
Father Slavko Barbaric O.F.M was the author of the following books, all still in print:
Celebrate Mass With Your Heart
Published 1997
Dame Tu Corazon Herido ~
Published 1994
El Ayuno
Published 1994
Fasting
Published 1994
Pray With the Heart
Published 1992
The Way of the Cross; With Jesus and Mary from Golgotha to the Resurrection
Published 1990
In the School of Love
Published 1997
Pray with the Heart
Published 1991
Below are excerpts of a speech Father Slavko gave to the pilgrims visiting Medjugorje on October 4, 1998. In the interest of keeping the flavor and the intent intact, there has been no editing of the vocabulary or has the been syntax changed. Father Slavko spoke in English and his words were translated into French for the audience.
The first thing I'd like to say is we believe our Lady is appearing every day. Now she is appearing for 17 years and 8 months. There are 3 visionaries receiving daily apparitions: Vicka, Marija and Ivan and we do not know how long the visions will go on in this way.
Jakov has stopped daily apparitions. Day before this apparition Our Lady told him, he is to be prepared in prayer for the apparition the next day because she promised to give him the 10th secret. He informed us after this apparition event. And we told him that with the other 2 visionaries with 10 secrets that this was the day the apparitions stopped. He told me: "Yes, I know this is what this may mean."
The apparition lasted a half hour on the 12th (of September, 1998). Usually they're 3, 4, 5 minutes. Our Lady gave him the 10th secret. He said she was very sad during the time she was giving him the secret. After that, with a soft smile she told him: "It is the end, I do not come any more every day. Don't be sad, I stay with you and Christmas will be your yearly apparition now." She asks him to continue with the mission she gave him. Asked him to be the person of example of the person who met God and who knew the love of God. After the apparition he was sad. He was in tears.
Come to be as the other Visionaries, Mirjana and Ivanka. Now we have three visionaries without daily apparitions. But with apparitions yearly. So you have now in March an apparition for Mirjana, Ivanka in June and Jakov in December. And Our Lady promises to appear to them to the end of their lives. We can see now that the apparitions will continue even when the daily apparitions stop. And Our Lady has three other visionaries and she can do every two months.. you know there are six, she can do them every two months. (laughter). And we can see this way that we don't know really again what will happen in Medjugorje and in which way. But, it not now our problem.
The sense of this meeting is to understand what it is Our Lady is saying to us. And I speak of the last message in September. And I want to mention to you two intentions of Our Lady which I find very, very important. Since August 2, 1987, Our Lady has asked us to pray for the Unbelievers. And every second of the month she does this prayer with Mirjana. It means tomorrow, too.
Who is the Unbeliever? First there are different categories of the Unbelievers. We can say there are atheists that say: "God doesn't exist." There are agnostics who say: "We do not know." The indifferent people who say: "I don't care about it." And the Unbelievers are those too, who say: "I know that God exists." But, they do not do anything in their lives about this or of what God is asking of them. And along this category of Unbeliever, we can find our place, too. Because when I say: "I am Christian," it means I say: "I believe God exists." And at the same time I say: "I know what God is telling me." There are people who say 'I believe.' And what that means for them, I know.
St. James had the same problem with people who were saying 'I believe' and he finds out they do not know much about God. He wrote in his letter: "Brothers, the Satan knows too, God exists." I'm sure he was full of anger when he wrote this sentence. People say: "I know Satan too," but what does it mean? Christians say: "I know God is asking prayer." And Parish Priests can say: "Dear Parishioners.. what (does) it means for you because I know you do not pray." Christians say: "I know God is asking something to do each day for God." And Parish Priests say: "I know you know, but you do not come. What (does) this means for you?" Christians know to forgive is to love. And Parish Priests say: "We know you know, but you do not forgive.. you do not love." You see.. we know many things but we do not put them into practice. And Our Lady doesn't speak as angry as Parish Priests.