I don't know much about Fr. Sudac, please give me some background information.
Please see the Biography section of this Web site to find out more about Fr. Sudac.
Where is Fr. Sudac now?
Fr. Sudac is from an island called Krk, which is located in the northern Adriatic Sea of Croatia. He is a diocesan priest who belongs to the Krk diocese. Father has been back home in his own diocese on a full time basis since May 2002. He is the spiritual director of Bethany Retreat House, which is a diocesan-run retreat center that belongs to the Krk diocese and is located on Lošinj Island in the northern Adriatic Sea. Fr. Sudac spends the majority of his time at Bethany House where he conducts 6-day retreats for groups of up to 90 people, however, the retreats are limited to people who can understand Croatian or English.
How can I see Fr. Sudac?
If you would like to see Fr. Sudac in 2005, you will have to travel to Bethany Retreat House in Croatia. To get more information about the pilgrimages, please go to the Retreats section.
Where can I find out more information about Fr. Sudac?
There are no books or videos available about Fr. Sudac at this time, however, please keep checking our Web site periodically for the most current information about Fr. Sudac, and about his ministry.
Are there any plans for Fr. Sudac to come to the United States in the near future?
Fr. Sudac has been to the United States many times and has done numerous seminars and Masses throughout the country. For a couple of years, with the permission of his bishop, he was spending more time ministering in the United States than within his own diocese and country. Currently, Father's ministry is focused in Croatia, primarily through his work at Bethany House.
What is the position of Fr. Sudac's bishop about him?
Fr. Sudac is a priest of the Krk diocese, who is in good standing with the church. His bishop, Valter Zupan, has always been very supportive of Fr. Sudac's work, and continues to be so. Bishop Zupan was interviewed for the Croatian Catholic press, about Fr. Sudac, and you can read the translation of that interview, if you go to the Biography section.
Where is Bethany Retreat Center located?
Bethany Retreat House is located on Losinj Island (pronounced "Lowsheen"), in the far north of the Adriatic Sea. The retreat house is in the little village of Cunski (pronounced "Choonski"), close to the larger town of Mali Losinj. To find out more about Losinj Island, you can click on the following Web site: http://www.island-losinj.com/.
Will I have a chance to meet individually with Fr. Sudac while on retreat?
As the retreat director, Fr. Sudac's day is quite filled with guiding the retreat. He has to be available for the group as a whole, and therefore, he is not able to meet with individuals during the retreat. Fr. Sudac is well aware that people come on the retreat with various needs and problems, ranging from those who come seeking spiritual uplifting, to those who come with severe life problems. Please be assured that Father prays for each and every person who attends the retreat, and he trusts that God will give to each person exactly what they need.
Does Fr. Sudac speak English?
Father Sudac did spend many months in the USA, during which time, he studied English, however, his English abilities are very basic. For that reason, all of the retreats are translated into English by Ann Vucic, his interpreter
Will I have the opportunity to go to confession while I am on the retreat?
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a central part of any deep, authentic retreat experience. Fr. Sudac insists that, whenever possible, all the retreatants make a sincere confession, either just prior to the retreat, during it, or as soon after the retreat as is possible. However, we are not able to guarantee that we will have an English-speaking priest available at Bethany House to hear confessions. In fact, most of the time, unless there is an English-speaking priest in your group, we will not have one available. We recommend that you go to confession at home, just prior to leaving on pilgrimage, or while you are in Medjugorje.
Can non-English speaking people attend the retreat?
Unfortunately, at this time Bethany House can only accommodate Croatian and English speaking groups. Due to logistical reasons, it is not possible for the retreats to be translated into a third language.
Is Fr. Sudac from Medjugorje, or affiliated with Medjugorje?
Because so many people have read about Fr. Sudac through Medjugorje Magazine, they make the assumption that he is from Medjugorje or is somehow affiliated with it. Fr. Sudac is not from Medjugorje, nor is he a part of the phenomenon occurring there. He is a diocesan priest from the diocese of Krk, which is about a 7-hour drive from Medjugorje. Krk diocese is in Croatia, and Medjugorje is in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
I have heard of Medjugorje, but where can I find out more information about it?
If you are interested in learning more about Medjugorje, please go to the official Medjugorje Web site, run by the Franciscan community in Medjugorje: http://www.medjugorje.hr/.
Do I need a visa to go on this pilgrimage?
If you join us on this pilgrimage, you will be traveling to 2 countries, Bosnia-Herzegovina (where Medjugorje is located), and to Croatia (where Losinj Island is located). If you are a United States citizen, you do not need a visa for either of these countries. If you carry a passport from a country other than the USA, you will need to contact the embassy's of Croatia, and of Bosnia-Herzegovina to determine whether you need to obtain a visa. The Web sites for these embassy's are as follows:
http://www.croatiaemb.org/ and http://www.bosnianembassy.org/
Can I attend one of Fr. Sudac's retreat without going through an organized group?
We kindly request that people who wish to attend a retreat with Fr. Sudac at Bethany House, make those arrangements through the organizations or individuals that will be bringing groups to the retreats. Please look through the Web site to find out more about who to contact if you want to attend a retreat.
I am not from the United States. Who can I contact about coming to Bethany House?
We are getting more and more requests from people around the world who
would like to attend a retreat with Fr. Sudac. Please see our list of International
Organizers to see if there is someone in your area who is organizing a group.
If there is no one in your area who is organizing a group, then please Contact
Us, and we will help you to make the best arrangements possible.