The Spirit of Medjugorje Online

ON THE 25TH DAY OF EACH MONTH, THE BLESSED VIRGIN GIVES A MESSAGE TO THE VISIONARY MARIJA, THAT IS TO BE GIVEN TO THE WORLD.

Dear Children! Today the Lord permitted me to tell you again that you live in a time of grace. You are not conscious, little children, that God is giving you a great opportunity to convert and to live in peace and love. You are so blind and attached to earthly things and think of earthly life. God sent me to lead you toward eternal life. I, little children, am not tired, although I see that your hearts are heavy and tired for everything that is a grace and a gift. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Peace is not an achievement. Peace is a gift. Jesus says even, “Peace is what I leave with you. It is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset, do not be afraid.”

However, in our world, we can repeat the Old Testament lamentation, “Peace, peace, and there is no peace.”

For a fallen world where peace seems to be surrounded by and overcome by terror, peace seems so remote as to be impossible. When Mary saw a young couple heading for an embarrassment that would be a life-time memory, She went to Jesus and told him, “They have no wine.” Her prayer and the exercise of His power changed the whole situation. The couple had a memory that carried with it an amazing joy that lasted a lifetime.

Mary speaks again to Jesus and to all of us, “They have no peace.” What is that to you and to me?

If we respond as Jesus did, it will mean a God-given peace like an abundance of new wine.

Time to Give Thanks

At this Thanksgiving time, we want to acknowledge the people who have helped to bring you the newsletter this year. A big thank you to Joan, Val and Reine Wieszczyk who help every month with the newsletter mailing. We also want to thank Joann McIntire and Ruth Burick for their faithfulness in assisting in the mailing. Pat Berrier, Rose Figurski, Agnes Trott, Stephanie Koshinskie, Donna Arnson, and Dean Rose have also helped this year and we appreciate their efforts. We are grateful to Leah Hain and the rest of the staff at Action Printing for the great job they do and to Linda Kent who does our labels and Ginny Spaeder who helps with the proofreading. In addition, we want to thank Michael K. Jones for all the work he does each month putting our newsletter on the website. If you have not been to the site yet, please check it out!

We also want to thank the ladies who made the prayer cloths that we made available to our subscribers:

Pat Berrier, Chris Maxwell, Fran Stadler, Sue Taccone, Lauren Caggeso, and Carolanne Kilichowski.

And last, but certainly not least, we thank all those who renewed their subscriptions this year and donated to our book project. .

Father Jozo’s schedule in the US:

Father Jozo will arrive in the US on November 5. We do not have all the times. You will have to call the contact number.

Nov. 7 - Our Lady of Miraculous Medal, 75 Parkside Drive, Point Lookout, NY (516)431-2772
Nov. 9 - Sts. John and Paul Roman Catholic Parish, 2586 Wexford Bayne Road Sewickley, PA , 7PM

Nov 12 - Tinley Park Holiday Inn Convention Center, Tinley Park, IL, Call (630) 968-5268
Nov.14 - St. Brendan Catholic Church, 8725 SW 32nd St. Miami, FL, Call (305) 661-0393

On Prayer

Once again it is November. We no longer live in beautiful New England with the colorful Autumn leaves and bracing brisk temperatures. It only becomes cooler here in Florida. But we have our memories. For the Church, November is the month of the Holy Souls. Yes, I have mentioned this before, but as my father died this past March, I have been so grateful for people’s prayers and the Masses offered for the repose of his soul, that it encourages me to remind you again to pray for the Holy Souls. They are greatly in need of prayers and sacrifices and having Masses offered. Please do not forget your loved ones who have died. Many of the saints had a great dedication to praying for the Holy Souls such as the Augustinian St. Nicholas of Tolentino. Our Lady at Medjugorje told the visionaries that when we pray for a Holy Soul by name, he or she can see us!
You can contact Brother Craig through his community's website www.monksofadoration.org

“Prayer Cloth Library” in a Time of Grace

By June Klins

Although I had originally planned on writing about something else this issue, like the apostles, it is impossible for me not to speak about what I have seen and heard. (Acts 4:20) I would like to write once again about our “prayer cloth library,” which I know was inspired by the Holy Spirit during this time period which Our Lady calls “a time of grace.”

The “prayer cloth library” began in August, after my pilgrimage to Medjugorje for the 25^th anniversary. I had bought a number of handkerchiefs while I was there and touched them to the liquid (tested and found to be human tears) coming from the knee of the Risen Jesus statue behind St. James Church. I had heard about blessings associated with the prayer cloths, so we made these cloths available to our readers to borrow. In our October issue we wrote about how more cloths could be made from the originals and the blessings spread to many people.

Some people have asked what a prayer cloth is. Prayer cloths are sacramentals. As in the case of all sacramentals, its power comes not from the sign itself, but by means of the Church’s official prayer of blessing, a power the Church derives from Christ Himself. As the

Risen Jesus behind St. James

Vatican II document on the Liturgy states, both Sacraments and sacramentals sanctify us, not of themselves, but by power flowing from the redemptive act of Jesus, elicited by the Church’s intercession to be directed through those external signs and elements. Sacramentals like prayer cloths should never be used superstitiously as having self-contained power, but as “focus points” funneling one’s faith toward Jesus. As with the Sacraments, much depends on the faith and devotion of the person using this sacramental. In Acts 19:11-12, we read how cloths were touched to Peter and Paul and taken back to the sick who were often cured of their ills. The prayer cloth may be placed directly on the sick person or held while praying. In many places, the custom exists to place the prayer cloth on a special table and to place petitions on the cloth as well as pictures of our loved ones and those in need of spiritual or physical healing.

Some people have wondered why the “tears” have been coming from the knee of the statue. One reader remarked how awesome it was that Jesus would let the tears come from a part of the statue within reach of most people. According to Sean Bloomfield’s testimony in our April, 2003 issue, Vicka said, “Isn't that a big sign for us? Like a sign that this is the time to get on your knees, to get ready.”

Another person felt that all the blessings that are coming from the prayer cloths blessed with the tears seemed to be a sign for the world that Jesus is with us and still performs miracles in this day and age – that He did not just perform miracles 2000 years ago. We have heard many testimonies from those who have used the prayer cloths – both the original ones and the one that were made from the originals.

A cloth was rubbed on the arm of a man who had a stroke and he suffered no paralysis afterwards. A man returned to Mass after an absence of many years. A woman who had bladder cancer prayed with it and the next time she went for testing the cancer was gone. A lady who prayed with one was lifted from a deep depression. A lady who was unable to walk for 6 months was able to take some steps after having prayed with a cloth. A pregnant woman who was told there was something wrong with her baby’s stomach used it before traveling over 100 miles to a specialist, and found there was nothing wrong at all.

The most powerful testimony so far concerns a young girl who was in a coma for nearly a month, who had been given little hope and was predicted by the physicians to have severe brain damage if she did survive. She came out of the coma after having been prayed for with the cloth, without any brain damage whatsoever. Praise God for all these blessings and all the other blessings that He has bestowed on those who use these prayer cloths. As I wrote last month, the biggest response we are hearing is that it gives a sense of peace. Spiritual healings are the best and the ultimate reason for a physical healing.

One interesting story came from a reader who told us that she received a cloth to pray with while she was hospitalized. She wanted to share it with her roommate in the hospital but was unable to get out of bed to do this. The next day the roommate came to her bed to pray with her with a cloth that she had received from us too - sent to two different people, who were friends of the patients. She wrote, “We prayed on both cloths! Thanks be to God!” She added, “What are the odds of two friends sending for prayer cloths for friends in the same room in the same huge hospital (UPMC) with the same name (both were called ‘Bobby.’)?”

“In this time of grace again I call you to prayer.” (Our Lady, 1/25/05)

Editor’s note: If you would like to borrow one of our original prayer cloths for 3 days, send a self-addressed stamped envelope with your phone number. No cloths will be lent without a phone number. The instructions on how to make your own are in our October issue. If you would like one of the ones we made to keep, send a legal size or larger envelope with $.52 postage on it. You can only make your own from the original cloth. The quantity of the cloths is limited, so please be patient.

Questions and Answers with Jakov, 6/21/06

We will publish more of the questions and answers from this talk in future issues.

Q: Could Jakov describe to all of us what he saw in Purgatory, Hell, and Heaven?

A: When we had this apparition, I was only 11, and try to imagine a child of 11 years old – a child of that age really does not think about death. And, you see, that is one ugly word we are all afraid of. And we all think that you die and you are gone - nothing happens. So just try to imagine how I felt. Imagine how I felt when Our Lady said, “Now you are coming with me.” But, you see, I did not want to die, so I said to Our Lady, “Why don’t you take only Vicka? She has 8 children in her family, but I’m the only child my mother has.” So, you see, I was a gentleman and let Vicka go. But Our Lady said, “Do not be afraid. I am with you.” Jakov and his translator on June 21st

So the first thing Our Lady showed to us was Heaven. And Heaven is endless space. And we saw this special light, and we saw many people who were praying together, who were talking to each other, and all of them were wearing like garments, and we did not see any age differences. So this is what I can describe with words. And, you see, I told you really nothing, but you see what Heaven is. Heaven is what we feel in our hearts and the beauty of Heaven is what I felt in my heart. The beauty was in the peace I felt and this beauty was the joy I felt in my heart. And this is what I was able to feel of those people that I know in Heaven, and I’m sure in one thing – if we accept God here on earth, and we place God first in our lives, we already have Heaven in our hearts. This is a question I have always been asked, and this is a normal thing. But I always tell to all the people the same thing. We should ask ourselves one more important question: Are we ready to go to Heaven? Are we doing everything so we can get into Heaven? If God invites me today at this moment, am I ready to go to Him? So these are the most important questions we should ask ourselves.

Our Lady showed us Purgatory as well. But we saw the darkness in Purgatory. We were not able to see any people in Purgatory. But we felt the movement from this darkness, and Our Lady said, “Dear children, pray for the souls in Purgatory, because they are in great need of your prayers.” And how important it is to pray for the souls in Purgatory! We can see through the mission which Our Lady gave to Marija, visionary, so Marija prays for the souls in Purgatory, and this is what we are to do – all of us – to pray for the souls in Purgatory.

And I never talk about Hell. I always talk about more beautiful things. And I always talk about Jesus and God. But also we have to understand that there is another side. But also we have to be thankful to God because He gives us a chance so that we can get into Heaven. And let each new day in our lives become a thanksgiving to God. We have to thank Him because He gives us another chance that we become better people.

View of Cross Mountain from the cemetery behind St. James

I Didn’t Leave

By Lee Paolella

I peeked into your heart

To find it broken in two,

You stood in sorrow above me

I didn’t die, I’m still with you.

Don’t weep for me

I’ve gone nowhere,

I’m a part of your love

Because you really care!

Take pleasures in the memories

Of the times we shared,

I’ll never be gone

I’ll always be there.

Love is the link

Binding worlds set apart,

I didn’t leave

I’m that ache in your heart.

Editor’s note: The poem above was on the back of the author’s prayer card and was read at her funeral. The priest who celebrated the Mass said that she wrote her own homily. Lee was very devoted to Our Lady, and the hospice nurse and Lee’s daughter both told me that right before she died she opened her eyes and seemed to be looking at someone with great joy, and minutes later, they both saw a purplish light above her head. Lee was a published poet, and one of her poems is the first entry in our book, The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje.”

Our Eternal Home is in Heaven

By Fr. Slavko Barbaric

JULY 25, 2000: "Dear children! Do not forget that you are here on earth on the way to eternity and that your home is in Heaven. That is why, little children, be open to God's love and leave egoism and sin. May your joy be only in discovering God in daily prayer. That is why, make good use of this time and pray, pray, pray; and God is near to you in prayer and through prayer. Thank you for having responded to my call."
DO NOT FORGET THAT YOU ARE HERE ON EARTH ON THE WAY TO ETERNITY AND THAT YOUR HOME IS IN HEAVEN.
It is a truth of our lives that we are pilgrims here on earth. We know from where we have come. God has created us out of love and we also know where we are going - to our eternal home. This life here on earth is really only an introduction and a preparation for eternal life. That is why it is important for us to remain on this path, that we keep the right conditions on this path which is Jesus Christ, and the conditions are what He said about Himself: "I am the way, the truth, the light and life." Without light we cannot see, without truth we take wrong paths, and without the life that He gives, we are dead. For the path here on earth it is Painting of Fr. Slavko in Mother's Village important that we retain inner freedom and that we do not get stuck to anything or anybody, and here there are many dangers that people close themselves and then hang onto themselves or onto other people, other ideologies and the material. All this hinders the path toward our eternal home. When we remain really conscious that we are on this path, that our life here on earth will some day come to an end, and that death is only a transition, then it will be much simpler to remain on the right path. Then it will become much easier to forgive, to love, to be merciful, to be good, because we know that everything is transitory, but when we forget this, then we will lose ourselves somewhere. Everyone who hates, who is selfish, who is dependent has already lost himself and will not be able to keep going. That is why so many people today are really empty internally or sad or depressed and no longer can find the purpose of life, because they do not wish to take the path that Jesus has shown us. When Mary asks us to fast and to fast with bread and water, She is trying to awaken us and make us conscious of and help us to cross that bridge, because over the centuries and throughout the history of the Church it was always the pilgrims who over weeks, months or even years passed from town to town as pilgrims. Pilgrims are those who travel to places where God showed Himself, and on these pilgrimages the people could only take food that lasted and that was bread and along with it also water. So when we hear that we are supposed to fast with bread and water for two days, then we may deduce from this that Mary's intention is, in this fashion, to make us freer and so that we also behave like the pilgrims that we are. In this Jubilee Year (2000) and in all the years since the beginning of these apparitions, the Pope has often spoken about all of us being pilgrims and then called all Christians to visit holy places and especially the Holy Land and Rome in this Jubilee Year. Mary, as the one who comes to Medjugorje every day, is in a manner of speaking also a pilgrim and
through her being a pilgrim she has also moved many people to knowingly become pilgrims, and we must again be grateful for these 19 years and one month of Her presence here, and that many people by way of Her presence have really accepted this way of the pilgrim because they have accepted the path of our faith. And we must really remain conscious that our eternal home is in Heaven.
Editor’s mote: This excerpt from Fr. Slavko’s reflection was written on July 27, 2000, 4 months before he went to his eternal home, Heaven. He died unexpectedly on Cross Mountain on November 24, 2000, after having prayed the Stations of the Cross. The next day, Our Lady said, in Her monthly message, that he was in Heaven.

The Privilege of Saturday

We see in the revelations of the saints that on Saturday, the day especially consecrated to the Blessed Virgin, the sweet Mother of Mercy descends into the dungeons of Purgatory to visit and console Her devoted servants. Then, according to the pious belief of the faithful, She delivers those souls who, having worn the holy scapular, enjoy this Sabbatine privilege, and afterwards gives relief and consolation to other souls who had been particularly devout to Her. A witness to this was the Venerable Sister Paula of St. Teresa, a Dominican religious of the Convent of St. Catherine in Naples.

Being rapt in ecstasy one Saturday, and transported in spirit into Purgatory, she was quite surprised to find it transformed into a Paradise of delights, illuminated by a bright light, instead of the darkness which at other times prevailed. Whilst she was wondering what could be the cause of this change, she perceived the Queen of Heaven surrounded by a multitude of angels, to whom She gave orders to liberate those souls who had honored Her in a special manner, and conduct them to Heaven.

Excerpt from Purgatory by Fr. F.X. Schouppe, S.J., Imprimatur October 11, 1893

Statue on Apparition Hill

In Front of Mary’s Statue
By Sr. Emmanuel

A medical doctor, Bernard, came to Medjugorje for the first time this week. Even though he was baptized, Bernard violently rejected God and his faith at the age of 12. In 1998, thanks to some Catholic friends, a move toward conversion took root in his heart, but his spiritual life remained cloudy.

A couple of days ago, he went by himself to Apparition Hill. Seeing some trash thrown around here and there, he decided to clean up the area. He began by picking up the rubbish and putting it in a bag. All at once, he was overwhelmed by the feeling that Our Lady was calling him to pray in front of Her statue. But he ignored the call and continued cleaning up. A thought then came clear and loud in his mind: "It is fine to pick up trash, but I'd better take care of the ‘trash’ in my own heart and put it at the foot of Mary." The call became so strong and irrepressible that finally Bernard fell to his knees in front of the statue.

As soon as he began to pray, horrible scenes from his past, that he had forgotten a long time ago, came back to him! The name of a woman came very clearly to his mind and wouldn't leave him. It was the name of a patient, one among the thousands he had encountered during his medical career. This name in particular was from 35 years ago! As he prayed, he could see himself that night as a young medical student working in the hospital. He was placed in the ward for terminally ill patients. Without consulting the patient or asking anyone else for permission – something that was against the rules – he injected her with a high dose of morphine. He was well aware of the enormous risk for the patient, but because of the hardness of his heart and his selfish desire to try a new experiment, he did not hesitate one second. The next morning the woman was dead.

In front of Mary's statue, Bernard saw himself the way he was long ago, stuffed with pride and committing the most heinous sins. Each sin came up from the depths of his heart and was shown to him very clearly. Bernard was indeed cleaning up his own garbage; he was even mystified by the experience! He never thought he was holding within him such a pile of garbage! However, under the loving and non- judgmental gaze of Mary, in this most anointed encounter with his Heavenly Mother, Bernard did not lose hope. On the contrary, filled with a sincere repentance, he decided to throw all of those horrors into the Heart of Jesus so that He could burn them forever. Bernard ran to Confession and received the gift of a very profound interior peace, a peace he had been searching for and that had been eluding him for so long! This is the gift that Mary, Mother of Peace, had in store for this very dear son of Hers, here in Medjugorje!

This example shows us very clearly how the Mother of God works:

- She attracts to Her the sheep damaged by evil,

- She casts a light of grace onto them with gentleness and tremendous power,

- And, through Her beautiful, merciful gaze She gives them the desire to purify themselves,

- And then She brings them to Her sons - our priests!

A sinner who throws himself into the hands of Mary does not remain stuck to his sins for very long! Furthermore, a priest who works with Mary is a happy priest and never jobless in the confessional: he collects the lost sheep from the hands of Mary and brings them to Jesus!

Dearest Gospa, we place ourselves under your maternal gaze. Please help us purify and change our lives!

Rescue us from the oppression of sin, so we may have life!

Children of Medjugorje, www.childrenofmedjugorje

Message to Mirjana, October 2

Our Lady's message was given to the visionary Mirjana at Cenacolo on October 2, 2006 at 9:00 AM.
Mirjana reported that Our Lady said the following:

"Dear children, I am coming to you in this your time, to direct the call to eternity to you. This is the call of love. I call you to love, because only through love will you come to know the love of God. Many think that they have faith in God and that they know His laws. They try to live according to them, but they do not do what is the most
important; they do not love Him. My children, pray and fast. This is the way which will help you to open yourselves and to love. Only through the love of God is eternity gained. I am with you. I will lead you with the motherly love. Thank you for having responded."

Our Lady added: "My children, priests' hands are blessed hands of my Son, respect them."

Thanksgiving

By June Klins

My pastor, Fr. Larry Richards, gave a beautiful homily on Thanksgiving one year that I would like to share with our readers. Fr. Larry took each letter from the word "THANKS" and gave his interpretation of what each letter could stand for.
"T" is for "time"- He said we should take time EVERY DAY, not just one day a year, to reflect on what we are thankful for. He said we should include even the little things.

"H" is for "holy" - He said that Thanksgiving Day is about holiness, since everything God made is holy. He said we should thank God for our crosses because these are what make us holy. And he added that we should do
it joyfully.
"A" is for "always" - He said that St. Paul's letter to the Thessalonians says we should always be giving thanks. Father suggested that we start a thanksgiving journal and write in it every day.
"N" is for "never" as in "never cease praying," which again is from the letter to the Thessalonians. He said that when we go to Adoration and we are in the presence of Jesus, that is a prayer of thanksgiving in itself.
"K" is for "kindness" - Father said this was from the letter to the Galatians. Kindness is from the Holy Spirit and when we surrender to God in thanksgiving, God lives through us and His kindness lives in us and works though us.
"S" is for "speak" - Father said that we are supposed to speak up and publicly witness to what God has done for us. He quoted from scripture about the one leper of the ten who came back and gave thanks. "Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a LOUD voice." (Luke 10:15) Father emphasized the word "loud." He said the other lepers probably silently gave thanks, but this one stood out Praying at the cross next to St. James

because he proclaimed the glorious deeds of God. He said we are all called to be like that one leper and not like the other 9 who most likely did give thanks but quietly.

"...let your morning begin with morning prayer, and the evening end with thanksgiving.” (Our Lady, 8/25/95)

Editor’s note: To read and hear more of Father Larry’s teachings, and to download a free CD called “The Truth,” you can visit his new website, www.thereasonforourhope.org.

Adoration Chapel in Mostar

The Revealing Ways of Jesus

By Bernard Gallagher

It was Thursday, and there was all-day Adoration in St. Finlan’s. I popped in for a short while at midday before visiting Sarah who was in the nursing home across the road from the church. I asked Jesus for a blessing to take with me for Sarah as she lay bed-ridden and close to death.

Weak and very jaundiced, Sarah struggled to take any food or liquids, and was sustained by only a drip. The loving and patient caretakers persevered and brought her tea and liquidized food, but it was seldom anything passed her lips – until that day.

That afternoon a bowl of custard and milk was left on the portable table that stretched across Sarah’s bed. It lay there as she slept. She must have sensed someone was in the room and opened her eyes, not even recognizing her own son.

“Try this, Sarah, you’ll like it,” I said, as I started slowly spoon-feeding my mother. It must have taken 15 minutes or more, but Sarah finished the whole dish. My heart was full of joy, and I couldn’t help think of the many times she must have done the same for me as a child. But now the roles were reversed, and it was me doing the cajoling and giving encouragement with every spoonful she accepted.

It was a real effort for Sarah, and it wasn’t long before her eyes closed again in sleep.

But the joy remained with me, and I suddenly remembered about the blessing I had asked Jesus for earlier in the day. He had responded big-time.

I needed to talk with Him again, to say thank you. I rushed back across the street to the church. The Blessed Sacrament was still exposed.

And when I thanked and told Jesus of the joy in my heart, I heard these words: “ Now you know the joy and delight I have in feeding and nourishing my children!”

I had never ever realized that Jesus experienced joy in feeding us with His own Body and Blood. It was a revelation.

The Medjugorje Message

Thank you to Diana Stillwell, Bernard Gallagher and Joel Vidonish for their photos in this issue.