Audrey Santo Update

By June Klins

  In the May issue we reported that Little Audrey Santo died this year on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday. Recently I spoke with her mother Linda, who told me that Rome has been investigating her cause for canonization.  I think this is exciting because her story is directly related to Medjugorje. Father Sylvester Catallo O.F.M. regarded Audrey as a "pure" soul: “Having resigned herself to God’s will prior to the age of seven (the age of reason), it is unlikely that Audrey has ever sinned.”  

  We have written about Audrey numerous times in this newsletter. Her story is in  our book Volume I of The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje.”  Many healings have occurred through Audrey's intercession. The story of one of those healings is in Volume II.  

  When I was in the chapel at Audrey's two years ago, I witnessed pictures and statues oozing oil, blood dripping from a crucifix, and gold dust on many pictures. Linda told me this continues to occur and that people can still send a self-addressed stamped envelope to receive a cotton ball with the oil on it. The 5 Bleeding Hosts that were in the tabernacle in Audrey's room have been handed over to the bishop since her death.
  People are encouraged to ask for Audrey’s intercession, which is even more powerful now.  If someone has a healing through Audrey's intercession they should report it to the family. Donations will be gratefully accepted by the Santo family to help with all the expenses of the canonization process.

  Since Vicka says our names come from God, I looked up "Audrey "and  "Santo" and found that Audrey means "noble strength" and Santo of course means "saint!"  These words describe her perfectly!

   You can read more about Audrey at her website, www.littleaudreysanto.org. To send for a cotton ball with oil. mail to  Apostolate of a Silent Soul, Inc.,  68 S. Flagg St., Worcester, MA 01602. For visiting hours to the chapel call                                    508-755-8712.

On Prayer 

   Once again it is November, the month of the Holy Souls. We should pray for the Holy Souls every day, but during November pray a little extra. It is also good to pray for the Holy Souls who have been forgotten by family and friends. Also, please pray for the most forgotten soul in Purgatory. You may also pray to the Holy Souls for your intentions. They cannot pray for themselves, but they can pray for us. So during this month of November let us pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Saints

By Fr. Jozo

Message of July 25, 2007

“Dear children! Today, on the day of the Patron of your Parish, I call you to imitate the lives of the Saints. May they be, for you, an example and encouragement to a life of holiness. May prayer for you be like the air you breathe in and not a burden. Little children, God will reveal His love to you and you will experience the joy that you are my beloved. God will bless you and give you an abundance of grace. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

   So often Our Lady points to the lives of the saints, who have left an inerasable imprint in the history of the Church. Saints are people for all times. With their lives, always in a new and exceptional way, they have shown love for God and for neighbor.

   The life of a saint is a fruitful tree, whose beauty and value do not pass. As there are abandoned, uncultivated and fruitless orchards, so there are poor people who invest very little or nothing into their lives, their family, or their faith. Saints are those who resolve to live according to the Gospel, led by the Holy Spirit. That wondrous climate of grace has given us saints - the great spiritual athletes – giving them to the Church for all times.

   Saints are those who had a goal in life and put in a maximum effort to realize it. Through all times, the Church had the saints as proof that God lives with His people. By living with these prophets, we come to know the goodness of God and to live in His nearness. To meet a saint means to see Jesus at work. To meet a saint means to discover the beauty of faith and discover the power of holiness. Saints are ‘the living Gospel’ which is, in truth, the only choice for all generations.

   To meet a saint in his time is always a new inspiration, as St. Augustine expressed in the words directed to himself and to each of us. “Augustine, if so very many were able to realize holiness and were witnesses, why can’t you?”

   Yes, I too can daily renounce my selfishness and myself more and more and witness the Gospel so as to bring Jesus closer to others. Yes, I too can learn to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays and, in this way, free myself from evil vices and open my heart to love. Yes, I can pray with the heart, with my family, my community and the Church. Yes, with greater solidarity and love I can participate in Our Lady’s plans, which She reveals in Medjugorje through the 26 years and one month.

   Often before our eyes are the life and the life’s journey of St. Joseph. He understood that he was chosen by God and was therefore always open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He never put his reflection or desire in front of God’s plan. It is important today to decide to accept God’s call and humbly respond to it.

   By their lives, the saints raise the dignity of man to the greatest level – to the level of Sons of God. For this reason, every saint is a great ‘sheet of paper’ on which the Lord writes His Name and evidences His love. Every saint leaves a message in his time. Saints do not live their lives for a scene or for the applause of their generation. To the contrary, they are humble and patient builders of a new world – the world of Christ.

   When among a nation or in a given time there are no saints, the world enters into a crisis and darkness falls on the entire generation, because the voice providing security is not heard. In such circumstance, voices of saints who are an echo of God’s voice and a sign of His presence with us are not heard. Without saints, the world would be in a state of hopelessness and chaos. Without saints, humanity would be disoriented like a large city without traffic lights. Our Lady calls us to find our examples and the measure of our activity and love in the saints - in our lives, in our families, and in our work places.

   To denounce saints, or to erase them from the life of the Church is to deny God, who loves and saves man made in His own image. We are called to honor and imitate the saints who have shown exceptional courage as witnesses for Christ. We need them because they help us on our life’s journey. We need saints to find the answers to the most profound questions of our existence. Their lives are like the most beautiful music, which God gave to humanity. We are blest when we honor the saints because they inspire us not to wane on our life’s journey.

Fr. Slavko’s Prayer

I adore You, Jesus! You are my God.  Thank You because You have an ardent desire to be among mankind! This means You have an ardent desire to be with me. May You be blessed for the love that inspired You to remain with me in this way! Your yearning to be with me is put into effect so simply. You are present in this Host. Almighty God, Son of God, hidden in this little Host. Infinite Mystery! I believe and I adore You! I yearn for Your face, Jesus!

Editor’s note: Fr. Slavko Barbaric died on Cross Mountain on 11/24/00. You can read about the incredible events surrounding his death in Volume II of The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje.”

Medjugorje USA's POW Apostolate

By Michael K. Jones

   I have learned so much from Our Lady in the past 26 years of Medjugorje apparitions. On the 25th of every month I can still be found impatiently awaiting the new message of Our Lady much like a child awaiting a special treat. In the beginning I often noticed that Our Lady repeated Herself on certain topics. In 2000, I decided to reflect on all the messages and try to figure out why Our Lady was repeating some things over and over again. It seemed to me that there must be some importance which we need to better understand.

   So I started searching for keywords in Our Lady's messages, words such as grace, faith, prayer, fasting, etc.   One word that I noted several times was the word Purgatory. It seems most Catholics think of Purgatory as a place between Heaven and Hell and the subject matter pretty much stops there. Yet after hearing Vicka talk about Heaven, Hell and Purgatory in 1989, I had a deeper knowledge of these places, so I knew Purgatory was far more than just a place between Heaven and Hell.

   After looking at all the messages of Our Lady on the 25th of each month, I decided to look at the early messages of the apparitions. This was something I had never done before. While doing this I discovered a message Our Lady of Medjugorje gave on July 21, 1982. Our Lady says, "Concerning Purgatory: There are many souls in Purgatory. There are also persons who have been consecrated to God - some priests, some Religious. Pray for their intentions, at least the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be seven times each, and the Creed. I recommend it to you. There is a large number of souls who have been in Purgatory for a long time because no one prays for them."

   On earth in times of ill health and sadness, we are comforted by the offering of prayer. Yet Our Lady tells us in Her message that no one comforts the suffering souls in Purgatory. When I realized this, I decided that Medjugorje USA's main mission would be to form a prayer group dedicated to praying for the suffering souls in Purgatory, based on this message.

   I prayed to Our Lady asking I receive confirmation to form this prayer group. It was just a few days later when I lay across my bed still searching and studying the Purgatory messages from Medjugorje that the confirmation came. All of a sudden I heard a loud pop, and a quick moment later, there on the notes I was reviewing on Purgatory was the crown from the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The crown landed right on the name of the prayer group. This was the sign of confirmation. There is no way the crown could have popped out. Besides this, the chances that it landed right in front of me on the Purgatory notes I was studying were slim to none. I know this most unusual event was in answer to my prayer seeking confirmation to begin the prayer group.

   Thus, the prayer group was formed in 2001. The name of the prayer group is called "The Purgatory Oblation Warriors,” or affectionately called POW.  When men fight amongst themselves, prisoners are taken and labeled, "Prisoners of War" or POW's. Diplomatic source and organizations such as the Red Cross try to intercede. These attempts of intercession offer hope, comfort and gain the release of POW's. Purgatory Oblation Warriors are much the same, in that we are dedicated warriors through daily devotional prayer to intercede for the release of the POW's in purgatory, who cannot release themselves. It seemed fitting to me that the prayer group should be called the POW Prayer Group as the souls in Purgatory are prisoners of the war because of sin. So in fact, the POW factor has a double meaning in that it relates to the prisoners in Purgatory, and also is the abbreviation of the Purgatory Oblation Warriors.

  The POW's are the only organized prayer group living the July 21, 1982 message of Our Lady of Medjugorje. A POW (Purgatory Oblation Warrior) membership means that we agree to offer  7 Our Father’s, 7 Hail Mary's, 7 Glory Be's and the Creed for the poor souls in Purgatory who cannot pray for themselves. This takes only a few minutes a day. Membership is free and only requires your name and the state or country you live in. Our mission is simple: release the poor souls from Purgatory.

Editor’s note: If you would like to join the POW prayer group, email: info@medjugorjeusa.org

Greetings from Medjugorje

By Fr. Neil Buchlein

  This morning (October 2) we went to Cenacolo to see and hear Mirjana’s apparition.  Here is what was revealed:
"Dear Children, I call you to accompany me in my mission of God with an open heart and complete trust.  The way on which I lead you through God, is difficult, but persevere and in the end we will all rejoice through God.
Therefore, my children, do not stop praying for the gift of faith. Only through faith will the Word of God be light in this darkness which desires to envelope us.  Do not be afraid, I am with you.  Thank you."
   Mirjana described that, at the end of the apparition, she saw an intense, strong light as Heaven was opening and Our Lady entering into Heaven through that light.  In looking at her face, Mirjana seemed rather concerned and very serious while receiving the message.  She rarely smiled, if at all.
Editor’s note: Fr. Buchlein is from Hurricane, WV.

All Aboard for Heaven…

By June Klins

   Our Lady has said that we should pray always.

   One winter evening a few years ago, I drank some diet Coke with my supper even though I knew that the caffeine could possibly keep me awake. I did it anyway. I should not have indulged, but should have offered it up as a sacrifice for Our Lady’s intentions. But the flesh is weak and I succumbed. So, I paid for it later by not being able to sleep. As I lay there wide awake, I prayed.

   It was a very strange night though. The whole night I could hear train whistles. I have never heard so many trains in my life. It was constant. And what was really odd is that it was winter and all the windows were shut. But the trains were so LOUD!  I kept thinking, "What is with all the trains?"

   At 3:00 AM I got on my knees and prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I always pray it for someone in the world who is dying and needs mercy. After I got back into bed I continued to hear trains until morning.

   Later that day I called a friend of mine, and she asked me if I would pray for a girl she knew of who had thrown herself in front of a train the night before and killed herself.

   I was dumbfounded!  In that moment I knew why I had heard the trains all night.  I think that God, in His permissive will and infinite mercy, allowed me to drink that caffeine so that I would be awake and hear the trains and pray. I really feel with all my heart that my prayers were for that girl and that she was saved from eternal damnation, especially because I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

   How thankful I am that I did not count sheep when I could not sleep that night, but tried to save one of God’s sheep instead. How important it is to “ pray, pray, pray” as Our Lady asks us.

   Ever since that night in January, four years ago, whenever I hear the whistle of a train, no matter where I am, I mentally pray the “Eternal rest” prayer for the souls who are in Purgatory because they took their own lives. I would love to have others join me in this prayer. "Dear children! Today I wish to call you to pray daily for souls in Purgatory.” (11/6/86)

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The Amazing Secret of the Souls in Purgatory

  In her book The Amazing Secret of the Souls in Purgatory, Sr. Emmanuel of Medjugorje interviewed Maria Simma, an Austrian woman, who during her life was visited by the souls in Purgatory. Sr. Emmanuel asked Maria if the souls who committed suicide regretted it. Maria answered yes. “These souls do regret their act because, as they see things in the light of God, they understand instantly all the graces that were in store for them during the time remaining for them to live – and they see this time which remained for them, sometimes months or years – and they also see all the souls they could have helped by offering the rest of their lives to God. In the end, what hurts them most is to see the good that they could have done, but didn’t, because they shortened their lives. But when the cause is illness, the Lord takes this into account, of course.”

Reader’s Question

  One of our readers had a question about an article published in the October newsletter. The article mentioned that Mirjana had been hypnotized as she went through scientific investigations. The reader was surprised because he had heard it was against Church teachings to allow yourself to be hypnotized.

   The following is an excerpt from the EWTN website. This excerpt was taken from an article entitled "Medical Ethics" by Edwin F. Healy, S.J. published by Loyola University Press, 1956:

   “There is of course nothing wrong in itself with the practice of hypnotism, and therefore under certain conditions its use would be licit. Since hypnotism, however, violently deprives the subject of the full use of reason and free will, a justifying cause is required for allowing it to be practiced. Hypnotism may be licitly used provided three conditions are verified: (1) there is present a grave reason, (2) the consent of the subject is obtained, and (3) due precautions are observed… The first precaution which must be observed is that the hypnotist be one who is medically qualified to exercise this art. An unskillful hypnotist may injure the patient's mental faculties. A competent physician can, as a rule, prevent the evil effects which sometimes result from the use of hypnosis. The second requirement is that there be present an authorized witness of unimpeachable character who will serve as a protection both to the physician and to the patient.”   We presume that all of those conditions were fulfilled when Mirjana was hypnotized.

   If you have a question about any of the articles we print, please write, and we will do our best to answer it. If it is a question of interest to the general public we will print it in a future newsletter.                                                                                  

Vicka : “We Live What We Have Chosen”

                                                                                  By Sr. Emmanuel

   Visiting the cemeteries of Medjugorje on All Saints Day at night is really moving since the multitude of vibrant, colored candles give them almost a fairy tale aspect.  It is lovely to think that each candle represents a relative or friend who has come to the aid of a dearly departed soul, helping them cross the threshold of Heaven.  

   However, it would be a pity to wait for someone to die before helping him with our prayers since the choices we make on earth hold immense consequences.  We don't always realize this.

   Taking advantage of All Saints Day, I asked Vicka what would be the best way to transmit this message during my missions.  She replied, "As the Gospa has told us, it is already here on earth that we each make the

choice of going either to Heaven, or to Purgatory, or to Hell.  After death we then continue to live what we have chosen on earth.  Each one knows how they are living on earth.  As for me, I try my best to do all I can to go to Heaven with all of my heart.  I have a great desire to go to Paradise since I am a Christian (here Vicka speaks as a person who has suffered under atheistic communism).  On earth some people choose Purgatory, that is to say, they have not completely decided for God, they deliberately pick and choose with the Gospel.  Other people

here on earth choose to do everything against God and against the will of God.  In doing so they choose to live in hell.  They start a hell in their heart and after death it is the same hell that continues for them. What we become after death depends on us, since God has given free will to everyone.  It is we who choose our future in all freedom.

  “After death, life continues, our life on earth is a short journey, a kind of a walk!  The Gospa has said to us, ‘Many live only for this world.  They believe that after death everything stops, that it's all over, that there is nothing more.’  ‘No!’ She said, ‘this is a big mistake!  Life continues and after death there is eternity!’ "  

   May these words become little candles for us that twinkle to remind us how unique and precious every hour of our existence is here on earth.

   Dearest Gospa, we definitely choose Heaven, please help us persevere in our decision!

                                         Children of  Medjugorje, www.childrenofmedjugorje.com (11/15/99)                                                            

Thanksgiving for an Unexpected Blessing

                                                                                    By June Klins

  One day my friend Joy* called me and asked me to pray for a special intention. She had lost her late husband’s wedding ring that she had been wearing since his untimely death, and she was sick about it. She had torn the house apart looking for it and retraced her steps from work to a funeral home she visited that day to parking lots, etc. She said that she felt that the loss of the ring meant that her husband did not love her any more. I reminded her of what Fr. John Hampsch had said when I wrote two years ago and asked him to pray for her after her husband died suddenly. Father Hampsch, a priest who has written extensively on healing, told me to tell Joy that her husband loves her even more now than he did on earth because now he loves her with God’s love, not just human love. It is a love we cannot fathom in this life. What a consoling thought!

   Joy thanked me for the reminder. I then told Joy that when I was in grade school the good sisters told us when something was lost to pray 9 Glory Be’s together with St. Anthony’s intercession. In recent years I have added an extra Glory Be in thanksgiving, because he comes through for me 99% of the time. I hung up the phone and prayed the Glory Be’s. 

   A few days later Joy told me that she found the ring that very night we prayed. She found it when she took the cap off a water bottle she had used to hold holy water from the Lourdes Shrine in Euclid, Ohio. We had stopped there before going to see Medjugorje visionary, Ivan, in April when he spoke in a city near Cleveland. The ring was on the neck of the bottle!  Never in a million years would she have thought to look there.  She then realized what had happened. Earlier in the week she had put her finger in the bottle to make sure all the water was gone from it because she did not want to throw the bottle out with even a drop of water in it because the water had also been blessed by Our Lady during Ivan’s apparition. So the ring must have come off when she did that.

   Joy was so grateful to God for this blessing that she went to Adoration and made a holy hour of thanksgiving. 

   What will you do this Thanksgiving to show Our Lord you are truly thankful for your blessings?

* Her name was changed to protect her privacy.

The “Miracle Medal”

                                                                         By Denise Curtis        

   In America, a priest was drawn to a very prayerful woman called Kay. When Kay heard that this priest had been to Medjugorje, she hesitantly approached him and asked if he had a small medal to give to her sister, Mary. She revealed to the priest that her sister was in charge of a house of prostitution.  They sat and prayed to Our Lady for her sister, and later Kay handed Mary the miraculous medal.

   Mary was amazed that a priest should give her a holy medal, and she decided to wear the medal. Within weeks, the other women of the house also requested a medal. Kay returned to the priest, who gave her a medal each for the other women.  The women then began to pray together and to watch Mother Angelica on EWTN. One by one the women left the house and it closed down!

   The priest became afraid that the man who owned this house and others like it would come after him.  He did, but not to harm the priest. Instead he asked for a miraculous medal, and afterwards closed all his prostitution houses!

   It is so easy to judge others.  A simple, inexpensive medal handed to Mary, and accepting her worth as a person, brought a complete transformation in her life and to those around her.  

                                                                                                                                The Medjugorje Message, UK

   “… Today is the feast day of the miraculous medal, and I want that you pray, in a special way, for the salvation of those people who are carrying this miraculous medal. I want you to spread the devotion and the carrying of this medal, so that more souls may be saved, and that you pray in a special way."  (11/27/89)

A Christmas Present That Keeps on Giving

   For the person on your Christmas list who has everything, we recommend something they most likely do not already have - our book, Volume II of The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje.”  Any bookstore should be able to order it for you. You can also get it from www.amazon.com or www.AuthorHouse.

   Pilgrimage leader Carolanne Kilichowski wrote, “The articles help you to not only know the messages of Our Lady but motivates you to live them. Chapters come alive as you read personal testimonies of experiences in every day life. A must read for everyone!”
 Editor’s note: Carolanne will be leading a pilgrimage to Medjugorje next year from Sept. 29- October 7, 2008. If interested call Blessed Journeys by Carolanne at 716 491 9431 or email BlessedJourneys@gmail.com.

Thanks to Bernard Gallagher and the Caggeso family for their photos in this issue.