Current Parish Pastors
Parish of St. James the Apostle – Medjugorje
Parish Priest:
Fray Zvonimir Pavičić
Fray Zvonimir Pavičić, a Franciscan priest of the Parish of Medjugorje, where he served as assistant parish priest from 2017 until August 2022, when he was elected as the parish priest of Medjugorje. He was born in Mostar in 1989 and attended primary and secondary school in Široki Brijeg, where he grew up as the sixth and youngest child in what he called “an ordinary and common family.” He shared that there was a “spirit of piety and prayer” cultivated in his family, and everyone had their participation in parish life. As a child, he attended music school and enjoyed singing in the parish choirs while also serving as an altar server. We can see that his whole life, from a young age, revolved around being close to the altar and the Franciscans. Over time, he obtained a degree from the Catholic Faculty of Theology at the University of Zagreb in 2016. He was ordained as a deacon on February 26, 2017, also in Zagreb, and as a priest in Mostar on June 25, 2017.
Assistant Priests:
Fr. Karlo Lovrić
Fr. Karlo Lovrić was born on December 2, 1941 in Uzarići, where he attended primary school. He finished high school in Široki Brijeg. In 1957 he went to the seminary in Sinj, where he began classical lyceum, which he later continued in Dubrovnik at the Jesuits, where he graduated. After completing his military service, he took the Franciscan habit and began his novitiate in Humac in 1963. He began his studies in philosophy and theology in Visoko, continued them in Sarajevo and finished in Königstein im Taunus near Frankfurt am Main, where he was ordained a priest on June 29, 1968. From 1969 to 1971 he was spiritual adviser in Humac/Ljubuški, from August 1971 to the end of that year he was in the Croatian Catholic Mission (MCC) in Zürich, and from 1972 to 1980 he was director of the MCC of St. Gallen in Switzerland, of which he was also the founder. From 1980 to 1982 he was parish priest in Široki Brijeg. From September 1982 to December 1988, he was again in Switzerland. He founded the MCC in Lausanne and was its first director. From 1988 to the end of 2005, he was director of the MCC Zürich. In Switzerland he served as National Delegate for the Croatian Catholic Missions in Switzerland from 1989 to 2001, and as Provincial Delegate from 1999 to 2001. He arrived in Medjugorje in mid-May 2005, where he works as a spiritual advisor.
Friar Ivan Dugandžić
Friar Ivan Dugandžić was born in 1943 in Krehin Gradac. He attended high school in Zadar and Dubrovnik. He began his studies in Philosophy and Theology in Visoko and continued them in Königstein, where he graduated. He was ordained as a priest in 1969 in Frohnleithen. In 1976, he obtained a doctorate in Biblical Theology from Wurzburg. He served in Medjugorje from 1970 to 1972 and from 1985 to 1988. He was secretary of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, formator of novices, formator of seminarians, guardian of the monastery of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina in Zagreb, where he was professor at the Faculty of Theology (KBF) and director of the chair of Sacred New Testament Scripture at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Zagreb. He writes specialty books, articles and reviews, translates, participates in professional conferences and forums and public journals, edits professional papers and is also a member of professional commissions. The manuscript of his 2004 book “Biblical Theology of the New Testament” was accepted as a textbook for the University of Zagreb. Since August 2013 he has been parochial vicar in Medjugorje.
Fr. Dragan Ružić
Fr. Dragan Ružić was born in 1962 in Sarajevo. He did high school in Visoko. He studied philosophy and theology in Sarajevo and Bologna, and postgraduate studies in Rome. He obtained his master’s degree in 1997 from the Salesianum on the subject of the impact of television commercials on minors. He was ordained a priest in 1989 in Bologna. He was spiritual assistant in Mostar and Tomislavgrad, and secretary of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina. He worked at the General Curia in Rome from February 1999 until his transfer to Medjugorje.
Fr. Mladen Herceg
Fr. Mladen Herceg was born in 1945, in Crveni Grm. He did high school in Visoko and Dubrovnik. He studied philosophy and theology in Visoko and Sarajevo, and postgraduate studies in Rome. The theme of his master’s degree was “Love as the foundation of interpersonal relationships according to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.” He was ordained a priest in 1968 in Vareš. He was spiritual adviser in Humac, Mostar, Drinovci and Medjugorje, and spiritual director of the religious sisters in Bijelo Polje and Medjugorje. He was formator of the seminarians in Poljud, and in Zagreb, also auxiliary formator and spiritual director of the seminarians, as was the vicar of the monastery. It is a guide to contemplative spiritual exercises. Since August 2013 he has been parochial vicar in Medjugorje.
Brother Slavko Soldo
Brother Slavko Soldo was born in 1946, in Medjugorje. He attended secondary school in Dubrovnik. He began his studies in Philosophy and Theology in Sarajevo, continued them in Trento and finished them in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1972 in Känigstein. In 1973 he went to the USA, to the Custody of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, specifically to the Convent of San Antonio, in Chicago. Shortly afterward he went to Washington DC where he studied English at Georgetown University. While in the Custody, he carried out the following pastoral work: spiritual advisor at St. Augustine Parish in West Allis, from 1974 to 1975; spiritual advisor at St. Cyril and Methodius parish in New York, from 1975 to 1977; spiritual advisor at St. Jerome Parish in Chicago, from 1977 to 1979; parish priest at St. Cyril and Methodius Parish in New York, from 1979 to 1986; pastor at St. Augustine Parish in West Allis, 1986 to 1988; parish priest in the parish of Santa María, from 1988 to 1989; parish priest at St. Cyril and Methodius Parish in New York, from 1989 to 1994; In 1994, he was elected president of the Chicago-based Franciscan Custody, and remained in that service until June 29, 2001; was provincial of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina, based in Mostar, from June 29, 2001 to April 2007; trainer of the novices at the Convent of San Antonio in Humac, from September 18, 2007 to July 15, 2016; in West Allis, in 1987, he founded and directed the “Radio Program on Religion for Croatians”. In 1991 he founded the “Fund for Aid to Those Affected by the Civil War.” The fund operated throughout the Civil War. He was editor of the “Herald of the Custody” from 1994 to 2001. Since August 2016 he has been parochial vicar in Medjugorje.
Brother Renato Galić
Brother Renato Galić was born in 1992, in Imotski. He finished primary and secondary school in Široki Brijeg. He began his studies in Philosophy and Theology at the University of Zagreb and continued them at the Pontifical University of Antonianum, where he graduated in 2019. He was ordained deacon on November 29, 2019 in Široki Brijeg, and priest in Mostar on June 30, 2020. During the diaconate year he serves in Medjugorje, where he remains after priestly ordination, carrying out the ministry of parochial vicar.
Brother Antonio Primorac
Brother Antonio Primorac was born in Stuttgart in 1993. He attended primary school in Humac and secondary school in Ljubuški. He took the Franciscan habit on July 13, 2014 in Mostar. He began his Theology studies in Zagreb and finished them in Rome. He was ordained a deacon on November 21, 2020 in the Cathedral of Mostar, and a priest on June 29, 2021 also in Mostar, after which he carried out pastoral work in the parish.
Deacon:
Brother Ivan Hrkać
Brother Ivan Hrkać was born in Posušje in 1996. He finished primary school in Široki Brijeg and secondary school in Visoko. He took the Franciscan habit on July 12, 2015 in Mostar. In 2021 he graduated from the Jesuit Institute of Philosophy and Theology (FTIDI) in Zagreb. He was ordained a deacon on October 30, 2021 at the Mostar Cathedral.
Lay brother
Josip Marija Katalinić
Br. Josip Marija Katalinić, OFM, was born on November 22, 1952 in Pepelana near Virovitica, where he also attended primary school. He entered the Franciscan noviciate in 1989 in Humac, where he made his final vows on September 17, 1994. He was serving in Franciscan monasteries in Mostar and Široki Brijeg. Since July 20, 2002, he has been serving in Medjugorje.
Franciscan School Sisters
The Franciscan School Sisters also serve in the parish: Sr. Blanka Vukadin, Sr. Mila Mikulić, Sr. Robertina Barbarić, Sr. Andjela Radić, Sr. Nera Glavaš, Sr. Irena Azinović and Sr. Vesna Glavota. They are in charge of the sacristy and singing, and they also do housework.
