My Experience in Medjugorje, May 19

By Alice DiCarlo

   Our daughter, Maria, first introduced me to Medjugorje after she attended a talk by Wayne Weible.  She purchased his book, The Message. She told me that Wayne, a Protestant, said that the Blessed Mother was appearing in Medjugorje. After the talk, he gave Maria a medal. He said, “The medal was blessed by Our Lady,” and that She wanted Maria to have it. I was skeptical.

   I read The Message and could not get the events happening in Medjugorje out of my mind. My husband Mario also read the book.  I thought I would love to go there someday. However, how could I ever afford a trip to a Communist country? It seemed absurd.

   At that time, I was driving an old 1976 car. We decided it was time to sell it. I told Mario that I wanted to advertise the car for the price of a ticket to Medjugorje, $1,500. He said, “You will never get that price for that old car.”  The first call that I received was from a man who lived quite a distance away from our home. He and his wife came, looked at the car, never opened the hood, and said he would take it. I said, “Don’t you even want to test drive it?” He said “OK” and took it just to the end of our street, about a block, and came back. We came into our house and he counted out $1,500 in cash, in 100-dollar bills. Was this the confirmation that I needed to go to Medjugorje?  I obtained an application form for the pilgrimage, filled it out and had it in my purse, but didn’t mail it. Still, I was hesitant.

   I started praying the Rosary daily, sometimes all 3 Mysteries. The Lenten season was approaching, so I decided to attend daily Mass, praying, asking, our Blessed Mother if She was calling me to Medjugorje.  Our parish did not have daily Mass every day of the week, so I decided to attend a weekday Mass at a neighboring parish, one that I had never attended before. I’ll never forget that day. After Mass, while still sitting in the pew, a lady that I had never seen before came to sit beside me. She said, “Our Blessed Mother told me to give you this.” She placed a rosary in my hand. It was the most beautiful rosary that I have ever seen. It had filigree around each bead, in gold, except for the crucifix, which was silver. She said her husband had given her the rosary, it turned gold in Medjugorje, and that I was supposed to have it. I was stunned and tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn’t speak. She left, and I didn’t even ask her what her name was.  I remembered I still had the application to Medjugorje in my purse.

   I told Mario of this encounter. How much more confirmation than this did I need to affirm that I was supposed to go to Medjugorje?  We mailed the application for the May pilgrimage, to spend 8 days in Medjugorje, then leave the tour group, and visit Mario’s sister in Italy for another 7 days.  I invited my 81 year-old father, who had recently recovered from prostate cancer surgery, to come on the trip. He thought he would like to see Italy, but could not quite understand Medjugorje. He was slow in making a decision and did not have a passport. He applied for one, but I thought it was too late to receive it in time for the departure. The passport arrived within 10 days! Usually it takes 4-6 weeks. I went to a Catholic religious store and purchased a black rosary for Dad to take on the pilgrimage.

   My dad was Catholic, but did not go to Confession or Mass in 30 years, since my mother died.  For many years I prayed that Dad would return to the Sacraments. That April he called us to come to his house and attend Mass with him on Divine Mercy Sunday. I was a little surprised, but thought that he might be preparing for his trip. We attended Our Lady of Refuge Church. (What an appropriate name.) At Communion time, he came out of the pew right behind me. I turned around shocked, and he kept following me. Then, I realized that he would never receive Communion without first going to Confession. He knew Holy Communion was the Body and Blood of Jesus, and would never commit a sacrilege. Tears ran down my face, as I received Holy Communion. After Communion, I gave him a big hug and kiss. In the parking lot, he told me that he went to Confession to the priest privately in the rectory a few days before. He wanted to surprise me.

    That same month our daughter and son-in-law were expecting their first baby. I was present, with my son-in-law, during the delivery of our grandson, Joshua. Our daughter, Maria, held the golden rosary in her hands, during the labor pains and delivery. I stood behind the doctor, as she quickly worked to remove the umbilical cord, which was wrapped tightly around the baby’s neck three times. Joshua was fine, a strong and healthy baby boy.

   Soon we were off to Medjugorje. After a long flight, we arrived in Medjugorje with our group of 17 people. The minute you come into the village, you feel peace. Dad attended daily Mass, climbed Apparition Hill, and then early the next morning climbed Mt. Krizevac. It was a very hard and difficult climb. My dad made it up both mountains. And it was a miracle that all of us felt no pain at all, even in our legs. We walked around the village until 10 PM that same evening. The following day, all of us went to Confession, before the evening Mass, during the Rosary, after the apparition at 6:40 PM. We were outside, standing next to the Adoration chapel. Someone said, “Look at the sun. It is spinning! “ We could look directly into the sun, without harming our eyes. All different colors were spinning around the sun, pulsating. It looked like the Host was covering the center of the sun. Some people saw the face of Jesus in the Host. Other people saw Our Blessed Mother’s face in the center. My dad was the only one who saw a large cross above the sun. It lasted about 50 minutes. My dad sat down on a park bench, outside the Adoration chapel, crying. The only other time that I ever saw Dad cry, was at Mom’s funeral.  He took the black rosary from his pocket and started praying. I walked over to him and knelt down in front of him. He told me that this was the first time he had prayed the Rosary on his own. I cried too. Then, I asked him to do something.  I asked him to bless me. Kneeling before him, he took his thumb and made the sign of the cross on my forehead.

   The next morning, our group was waiting outside St. James Church. The 10 AM English Mass was soon to begin. One member said, “Look at my rosary - it is turning gold, right before our eyes.” All of us looked at our rosaries, and the silver links had turned to gold also, for almost every person there. I purchased my rosary 3 years before at the Vatican gift shop, and the links were silver for 3 years, and now they were gold.

   It was May 18, Pope John Paul II’s birthday. Our group decided to buy a bouquet of flowers to place at the statue of Our Lady of Medjugorje, in front of St. James church and to pray the Rosary altogether. We were all there except for one person. We decided to wait for her, before beginning the Rosary. While waiting, I looked up in the sky all around me. No clouds were visible, except for one tiny little cloud, far in the distance, in the back of me, near Apparition Mountain. The sky was so very blue and clear. Finally, we were altogether, praying the Rosary. Just as the Rosary was about to end, I opened my eyes and looked up at the sky, and a perfect shaped dove was made with clouds directly above the statue of Our Blessed Mother. It was huge. No other clouds were around it. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera with me. We were praying the last decade, so I could not tell anyone to look up. When the decade was finished, the clouds dispersed and floated away. I told no one. Tears came to my eyes, as I whispered, “Thank you.”  

   Our group left for the U.S, and we continued onto Italy for another week. It was not until I returned home, about 2 weeks later, that I would cry at home for no reason at all. I cried every time that I would think of Medjugorje. I felt lonesome. It is so hard to explain the feeling, a loss. I started to attend daily Mass, learning more about my faith and reading good Catholic books. Before Medjugorje, I was a Sunday Mass person only, and Confession perhaps twice a year, if that. Now TV programs did not interest me at all anymore, and I have a complete dislike for TV. I did not like the music that I liked before. I purchased the video called “Beyond the Fields” and would cry all through it, because it took me back to Medjugorje.

   In March of 1997, one year later, I had the feeling that I should return this beautiful golden rosary back to the lady who gave it to me, because my own rosary turned gold. I went to the church to find her. She was there. After Mass she stayed in her pew to pray. I didn’t want to interrupt her.  I loved this rosary, and I kept praying, asking, “Do I have to give it back?” I said to Jesus, “If she is still here when I come out of the Ladies’ room, then I’ll give it back.” When I came out, there she was, right in front of me. I took her hand, and placed the rosary in it, and said, “Thank you.” Tears came to her eyes. I knew then that this rosary meant as much to her as it did to me. It must have been very hard for her to give it away to me. Through her tears, she said, “Thank you” and said that it was her birthday that day.  What joy I felt! God is so good. 

    My life changed completely. I guess that is what is called a “conversion of heart.” Medjugorje also changed my dad’s life. He would tell everyone of his experience there. He even talked to people in stores while shopping, at the bank, and at the car dealer. He brought tears to the eyes of strangers, non-Catholics, when he told of his pilgrimage When his cancer came back and spread to his bones, he still attended Mass, until it was so painful to sit through it. I gave him Holy Communion at home until he was called Home at age 86 in 2001. He was buried holding the black rosary in his hands.

   In February of 2006, Mario and I made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and met some very wonderful people. While waiting in the lobby of the Notre Dame Hotel in Jerusalem, a lady and I started a conversation about some of the places that each of us had visited previously. I told her just a little bit about Medjugorje, and said, “What a wonderful peaceful place it was.” She said she would like to visit someday.

   This year, 2007, she emailed me, and said that she was planning to visit Rome and would also spend 3 days in Medjugorje. When she told me that she was going to Medjugorje, I wanted to ask her to purchase a rosary for me, made from the stones from the mountain. But, I didn’t ask. I realized that she only had 3 days in Medjugorje, and I did not want to impose shopping for me, interfere with what she was to experience. When she came home, she emailed me that she sent me a gift in the mail. When I opened it, it was a rosary bracelet made from the stones from the mountain! Wow!  Isn’t it amazing that Our Lord knows what is hidden in the recesses of our heart?

    I realized that the miracle of Medjugorje is NOT the spinning sun, or rosaries turning gold, but the conversion of hearts, millions of people returning to the Sacraments, with a deep love for the Holy Eucharist. Our Lady of Medjugorje is asking 5 things of us: Prayer from the heart (the Rosary daily),fasting (each week), monthly Confession, reading Holy Scripture, and receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. The Queen of Peace, our Blessed Mother, is coming to Medjugorje to lead Her dear children back to Jesus.

   I really believe there is no such thing as a coincidence. People are placed in our life for a reason, from God. Every encounter or chance meeting has a purpose. Thank you Jesus, for placing all these people in my life, to help direct me back to you. 

Editor’s note: Alice is from Clarkston, MI. Alice has been an email friend since her son went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje with my son. She first emailed me after reading of my son’s Rosary miracle on September 8, 2001. Another encounter from God! We have published that story twice and it is in Volume II of The Best of “The Spirit of Medjugorje.”

Teaching the Rosary to Protestants

By June Klins

   One year on the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, my pastor announced that we were going to start praying the Rosary before Mass every Sunday. In his homily he said that we MUST pray the Rosary every day!  AMEN! 
   After Mass a lady who was sitting several rows in front of me approached me and asked me if I pray the Rosary. I laughed to myself, and thought, “Of all people to ask – I give away rosaries!”  She told me that she wanted to ask a different lady, but that the Holy Spirit had directed her to me.  Dee (not her real name) said she had left the church at age 15 and had been Protestant for 35 years and was now returning and joining our parish.  She said she still had a problem with Mary and the Rosary though. She said that when Father said we had to pray the Rosary every day she felt he was speaking directly to her. Usually Mary brings us to Jesus, but in this case Jesus brought Mary to her!
    I reached into my bag to get Dee a rosary.  I usually carry rosaries with me that are in prescription bottles (I have written about this several times - but for the new people - the Rosary is a prescription for what ails you and for our world.).  I also wanted to give her a pamphlet on the Rosary.  Wouldn't you know - I forgot to replenish my supply after giving my last ones away and did not have either one with me!  Of all times.... 

    BUT the Holy Spirit had a better plan.  As I reached in my bag for a copy of my son's miracle story with the Rosary, something was bulging in the pocket of the folder where I keep the story.  I looked to see what it was and lo and behold - it was a little book of the scriptural Rosary.  I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to give it to Dee.  I have to admit that I did not want to because this book had been a gift from someone and I loved the book and used it all the time.  But I gave it to her anyway.  She was so excited as I showed her the Bible verses for each Hail Mary.  I know the Holy Spirit put that book in that folder like that just for her.  I have never had that happen before! 

   Then Dee asked me if I could meet with her the next day to teach her how to pray the Rosary.  We did meet and she told me that she LOVED the idea of the scriptural Rosary. It all made sense that this way of praying the Rosary would appeal to her more because of her Protestant background, which is usually very Bible-oriented. So my suggestion is that if you are trying to present the Rosary to Protestants, this may be the way to go. Meet them where they are at. 

   Editor’s note: When I asked Dee what brought her back to the Church, she replied that it happened as she was preparing a lesson to teach at her Protestant church. As she read over all the scripture verses about the Eucharist, especially John 6, she said she knew something was amiss with her church.  She said that she felt that Jesus would not have made such a big deal about the Eucharist if it were just to "remember Him.”  Dee said that the story on the road to Emmaus was a turning point for her. Wow!  Jesus revealed the scriptures to her just as He did for the disciples on the way to Emmaus! To download and print a free booklet for Adoration including the scriptural Rosary go to http://spiritofadoration.home.comcast.net/~spiritofadoration/. You can also download and print Issue #1 of "The Spirit of Adoration" at this site.    

 

           

 Hail Mary

The following is excerpted from The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Doctor of the Church:

   This angelical salutation is most pleasing to the ever-blessed Virgin; for, whenever She hears it, it would seem as if the joy which She experienced when St. Gabriel announced to Her that She was the chosen Mother of God, was renewed in Her; and with this object in view we should salute Her with the “Hail Mary.” …

   He who salutes Mary will also be saluted by Her. St. Bernard once heard a statue of the Blessed Virgin salute him, saying, “Hail, Bernard.” Mary’s salutation, says St. Bonaventure, will always be some grace corresponding to the wants of him who salutes Her: “She willingly salutes us with grace, if we willingly salute Her with a “Hail Mary.” Richard of St. Laurence adds, “that if we address the Mother of Our Lord, saying, ‘Hail Mary,’ She cannot refuse the grace which we ask.” Mary Herself promised St. Gertrude as many graces at death as she would have said “Hail Mary’s.” Blessed Alan asserts, “that all Heaven rejoices when the ‘Hail Mary’ is said, so also do the devils tremble and take flight.” This, Thomas a Kempis affirms on his own experience; for he says, that once the devil appeared to him, and instantly fled on hearing the “Hail Mary.” …

   “We therefore do well to begin and end all our actions with a “Hail Mary.” I say all our actions, whether spiritual, as prayer, confession, and Communion, spiritual reading, hearing sermons, and the like; or temporal, such as study, giving advice, working, going to table, to bed, etc. Happy are those who are enclosed between two “Hail Mary’s.”  So also should we do upon waking in the morning, on closing our eyes to sleep, in every temptation, in every danger, in every inclination to anger, and the like; on those occasions we should always say a “Hail Mary.”

   In his conversion story, Fr. John Corapi describes a prayer card his mother sent him at his lowest point with the “Hail Mary” on it that said to pray one “Hail Mary” a day. Fr. Corapi always quips, “No religious fanaticism for me” when he tells how that one Hail Mary a day changed his life. We would like to distribute prayer cards with the “Hail Mary” on it and someone has already promised to have it printed for us, but we need a picture for it – something that would grab the attention of people. If you have a photo that is not copyrighted that you would like to have us consider using, send it to the address on the cover along with your phone number. All entries will be taken to Adoration for Jesus and His Mother to choose. Thanks

 

Statue on Apparition Hill before it was damaged