Join us for a pilgrimage and retreat with visionary, Mirjana

The purpose of going to Medjugorje is to step away from the noise of daily life and encounter God in a place where countless pilgrims have experienced deep peace, healing, and renewal of faith. Through prayer on Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain, participation in daily Mass and Adoration, and the powerful grace of confession, pilgrims are invited to open their hearts to Jesus through the loving guidance of Mary. Medjugorje offers an opportunity for conversion, reconciliation, and a fresh beginning, drawing each person closer to Christ and the life He desires for them.

Dr. Troy Hinkel holds a master’s degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and a doctorate in Modern European History with an emphasis on Church/State relations from the University of Kansas. Troy is the Co-Founder and Vice President of the Holy Family School of Faith and devotes his time to teaching as well as being a spiritual director/mentor to Catholic young adult professionals, adult parishioners, and business and lay leaders in the Greater Kansas City area. Troy is also the Co-Founder of the lay movement called, “The Movement of the Holy Family,” which renews the home and family life through encouraging its members to evangelize through friendship, good conversation, and praying the rosary. Troy and Laura, his wife of 28 years, have six children and reside in Lenexa, Kansas.

Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo was born on March 18, 1965, in Sarajevo and spent summers in Medjugorje, where she became one of the six original young people who reported seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary beginning on June 24, 1981. Mirjana experienced daily apparitions for 18 months, during which she was entrusted with spiritual messages and what are known as “10 secrets.” Since December 1982, she has continued to receive an annual apparition on her birthday and, for many years, experienced a monthly encounter focused on praying for unbelievers those who have not yet opened their hearts to God’s love. Married with two daughters, Mirjana lives in Medjugorje and continues to share her testimony, encouraging conversion, prayer, and deeper faith in Christ.

A Brief History of Medjugorje & Its Significance for Catholics

Medjugorje is a small village in Bosnia and Herzegovina that came to worldwide attention in 1981, when six local teenagers reported that the Blessed Virgin Mary was appearing to them and giving messages calling for conversion, prayer, fasting, penance, and faith. These alleged apparitions are ongoing for some of the visionaries, making Medjugorje one of the most active modern sites of Marian devotion.

Over the past four decades, more than 40 million pilgrims from around the world have traveled to Medjugorje seeking spiritual renewal. Many Catholics report powerful experiences of confession, healing, peace, and a renewed relationship with Christ.

The Catholic Church has taken a careful and serious approach to discernment. While the Church has not issued a final ruling on the supernatural nature of the apparitions, the Vatican has permitted pilgrimages and has placed Medjugorje under direct papal authority to ensure strong pastoral oversight. This reflects both the global impact of the site and the Church’s desire to nurture the authentic fruits of grace taking place there.

For Catholics, Medjugorje is significant because it offers:

• A call back to the heart of the Gospel — Prayer, Eucharist, Confession, Scripture

• A place of profound spiritual conversion and healing

• Daily opportunities for grace — Mass, Adoration, Rosary, Stations of the Cross

• Powerful Marian devotion that leads pilgrims to Jesus

Above all, Medjugorje reminds the Church that Mary always draws her children to her Son, inviting them to open their hearts to God’s mercy and peace.

A pilgrimage to Medjugorje involves moderate physical activity each day, including walking through the village, attending parish events, and, for those who choose to fully participate, hiking the steep and rocky paths of Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain. Pilgrims should be prepared for uneven terrain, periods of standing, and varying weather conditions in order to join all aspects of the experience.

Pilgrims should be able to:

• Walk 2–4 miles daily at a relaxed but steady pace

• Navigate uneven, rocky surfaces without assistance

• Climb steep inclines (Apparition Hill & Cross Mountain)

• Stand for prayer, liturgy, and tours for extended periods

• Carry personal items such as water, a light bag, and sun/rain protection

Travel day from USA to Split, Croatia.

After arrival in Split, group transportation to Medjugorje to begin our 5-day retreat-style pilgrimage in Medjugorje, where the peace and presence of Our Lady invite us into deeper conversion of heart.

Each day includes Mass, the Rosary, and opportunities for prayer, reflection, and Reconciliation, along with powerful meditations by Dr. Troy Hinkel to help us enter more fully into the message of Medjugorje. We will visit places of grace throughout the village and spend meaningful time with visionary Mirjana, hearing her testimony of faith and hope.

You will given an opportunity to:

• Climb apparition hill

• Visit the Cenacolo Community

• Participate in Adoration at St. James Church

• Climb Cross Mountain

• Visit the Blue Cross

Amid the beauty of Apparition Hill, the evening parish program at St. James Church, and quiet moments for personal prayer, pilgrims are invited to encounter Our Lord and Our Lady in a profound and life-changing way.

A VERY early morning departure on group transportation to the airport in Split, Croatia.

Though our time in this holy place comes to an end, the invitation of Our Lady to prayer, faith, and conversion continues in our daily lives. We leave renewed in hope, strengthened in community, and committed to carrying the light of Christ back to our families, parishes, and workplaces.