One of my favorite passages in the New Testament is   St. Paul’s Romans 8. It teaches us that for those who love God all things will turn out for good.

   One of the reasons I like this passage is that so many people I have met believe that everything that happens to them is God’s will. It is not. God brings good out of evil, out of everything. But in life there really are things that happen to you that God would like not to have happened, but He is with you all through them. And for those who love God, He will bring good from them. If we believe that God does not let “nature take its course” or that people have free will to do things to us that God does not will, then we deny miracles, which is when God intervenes and nature does not take its course. But the main thing is that we should trust that God will help us through all difficulties, and that for those who love God will turn out for good.  Trusting in God is a very important aspect of the spiritual life. Just remember for those who love God all things will turn out good.  

Brother Craig can be contacted through his community’s web site at www.monksofadoration.org

 

“Were it not for the Blessed Virgin and the Blessed Sacrament, the world would now be in ruins.” ~St. John Bosco

Message to Mirjana on March 2, 2009

The Bishop of Mostar has requested that the apparitions of the 2^nd of the month no longer take place at the Community of the Cenacolo. Mirjana is currently praying about where to have her apparitions to accommodate more people. Her apparition on March 2 took place in her home. A pilgrim who was present said that Mirjana described Our Lady as “sad” that day.
"Dear children! I am here among you. I am looking into your wounded and restless hearts. You have become lost, my children. Your wounds from sin are becoming greater and greater and are distancing you all the more from the real truth. You are seeking hope and consolation in the wrong places, while I am offering to you sincere devotion which is nurtured by love, sacrifice and truth. I am giving you my Son."

Gifts Exuding from the Statue at Medjugorje Increase During the Hour of Mercy

By Andrea Toto-Walshe

   I met my husband in April of 2005 during a pilgrimage with Penny Abbruzzese and Fr. Moyna to Fatima, Lourdes, and Garabandal. Both of us booked relatively close to the date of departure unbeknownst to each other. There was a special calling that we both felt we needed to respond to, not realizing that a unique bond was being created by all of Heaven for us to be joined.    From our very first trip many unexplained happenings occurred, sometimes on a regular basis.  

   We were married on December 10, 2005, and since my husband's family traveled from Europe for our wedding, we postponed our honeymoon till February, 2006. As we wanted to consecrate our marriage to the Blessed Mother and give thanks, we went to Medjugorje with Our Lady Queen of Prayer Group from February 11th until February 19th. The gifts that we were showered with from our Blessed Mother were incredible. There is a castle in Medjugorje that is owned by a couple named Nancy and Patrick Latta. Nancy is Fr. Jozo Zovko's translator. Fr. Jozo is the priest who saved the children from the authorities when no one believed that they were seeing the Blessed Virgin.

   We were invited for breakfast Saturday morning along with some priests and sisters in our group. After a wonderful breakfast. Nancy asked us if we would stand in the middle of the kitchen, close our eyes, and open our hands. We thought we would be given a special blessing. We were known as the "newlyweds" and Patrick (my husband) was always asking priests for special wedding blessings. Nancy told us that the Blessed Mother appeared on Apparition Hill holding this heart made of red baby roses. The Blessed Mother gave it to one of the visionaries, who in turn gave it to Nancy and told her, "You will know who to give it to."  To our utter surprise, Nancy gave it to us!  We received a wedding gift from the Blessed Mother!  Needless to say we couldn't find a scraper large enough to peel my husband Patrick off the ceiling!

   There is a fifteen foot bronze statue of the 'Cross of the Risen Christ' that has been exuding a substance that drips from the knee. This has been happening since the apparition's 20th anniversary in 2001.  A friend of ours was here about six months prior and she had this liquid tested. It came back human tears. We believe that when Jesus was crucified, our Blessed Mother was holding him around the knees, and that these are the tears of Our Blessed Mother. We wanted to bring home some of the handkerchiefs with the tears to those who were sick.

   It was approximately 3 p.m. when we went and we brought with us ten white and ten blue handkerchiefs to absorb the liquid. Also note that at sometimes this liquid smelled like roses. My husband tasted the liquid and said it had a salty taste, like tears. We noticed that between 3 and 4 p.m. (the hour of Divine Mercy,) the liquid ran out instead of shedding several droplets every ten seconds.

   Patrick was taking each handkerchief and soaking it with the "tears." He handed it to me and we both noticed there was blood on it! The first thing Patrick said was "bronze does not rust." It looked like blood and water mixed.

   We took it back to the house where we were staying at to show everyone. We were still in shock. When we arrived home I had no idea where we were going to keep the heart and the blood soaked handkerchief. By accident I noticed a small hat box and mentioned to Patrick I must have purchased this during my compulsive days, because I do not remember buying it. Patrick commented that it would be perfect for our heart and handkerchief. What I did not notice was the top of the box was a blue butterfly (seen at other sites of apparition.) Perfect !

                                                                                                                                            Mary's Mantle, Winter Issue 2007

THE FOLDED NAPKIN

   Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? The Gospel of John tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.  "And the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." (John 20:7)

   Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put Him!”

   Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

   Is that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes!  In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished.  Now if the master was done eating, he would rise from the table wipe his fingers and mouth with that napkin and toss it on to the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done.' But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, 'I'm not finished yet.'  The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

   Are you ready???

                                                                                                                                                          www.spiritdaily.com

Our Lady and the Resurrection

By Saint Vincent Ferrer, Spanish Dominican (d.1419)

   The Virgin was absolutely certain of the Resurrection of Her Son because He had so openly predicted it. However, She did not know the hour, which is, in fact, determined nowhere. Therefore, the night of Holy Saturday seemed very long indeed and She spent the time reflecting on the possible time of the Resurrection. She was aware that David, more than the other prophets, had spoken of the Passion of Christ and She skimmed through the psalms, but found no indication of the hour.

   However, in Psalm 57, David, speaking in the person of the Father to His Son, said: "Awake, my glory, awake my lyre and harp..." And the Son answered: "I will awake at dawn ..." When the Virgin Mary realized the hour of the Resurrection, I will let you imagine how quickly She must have got up to see if the dawn had risen. When She found that it had not, She continued reading the psalms. She wanted to find out if any of the other prophets had mentioned the time of the Resurrection and She found this text in chapter 6: 2-3 of Hosea: "After two days He will revive us, on the third day He will raise us up and we will live in His presence. Let us strive to know the Lord, for His coming is as sure as the dawn." 

   The Virgin got up and said: "The witnesses to the time of my Son's Resurrection are known to me..." Then She looked out the window and saw that the dawn was breaking. Her joy was great: "My son will soon awake," She said. Then, kneeling down, She prayed: "Awake, stand in front of me and look, and you, Lord God Sabaoth, awake." Immediately, Christ sent the angel Gabriel to Her saying, "You announced to My Mother the Incarnation of the Word, announce to Her now His Resurrection." Then the Angel flew to Mary and said to Her, "Queen of Heaven, rejoice!  The One you carried in Your womb is now risen as He said." And Christ greeted His Mother, saying: "Peace be with You"... And Mary said to Her Son: "Before, my Son, I worshipped on Saturday, in honor of the holy rest after creation. Now I will worship on Sunday in remembrance of your Resurrection and glory." And Christ approved.            

 

 

Questions and Answers with Mirjana

The following is taken from a question and answer session with Mirjana on 6/19/06:

Q: A lady feels guilty that she does not have deep devotion to Our Lady and that is the reason she came here, to pray for that. What do you think about that?

A: Our Lady has been teaching us that we should have that relation with Jesus. Our Lady never emphasizes Herself. Now, somehow, it’s always easier to go to a mother, same as on earth. If you, as a child, want something, it’s always easier to go to your mother because she knows how to deal with father. Somehow it’s always easier to go to Our Lady.So just open your heart. Invite your Mother to be with you. Talk to Her. Tell Her why you feel like that and tell Her what you wish. And She will be with you for sure because you are important for Her. You see, She brought you here [Medjugorje] because She needs you. Just open your heart and invite Her.

Q: The world is trying to say that Satan is not real. What do you have to say about that?

A: There is good; there is evil. I can say Satan does exist, but Satan is only as strong as we allow him to be. If we already have Jesus, Our Lady, and dear God in our hearts, then Satan cannot do any harm to us. I always say Satan belongs below Our Lady’s feet, and that is where Satan should remain. I don’t like to talk about that, especially when we’re talking about Our Lady. I could say again, yes, Satan exists, but has as much importance as we want him to have.

 

Q: What answer do you have for people who pray and think their prayers aren’t answered?

A: We go on with prayer because it’s not up to us to decide when prayers will be answered. Dear God knows when is the right time. We should have confidence and love of dear God. And, as brothers and sisters, we have to pray for those people to help them to understand.

 

Editor's note:  Mirjana will be speaking on Divine Mercy Sunday at the A.J. Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh, PA.  for more infomration go to www.mothershope.org  Mirjana will also be speaking in Chicago April 25-26 at the Totally Yours conference. For more information, go to www.medj1.com.

Mirjana’s Message of March 18

The visionary Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo had daily apparitions from June 24th 1981 to December 25th 1982. During the last daily apparition, Our Lady gave her the 10th secret, and told her that She would appear to her once a year, on the 18th of March.  It has been this way through the years. Several thousand pilgrims gathered in prayer of the Rosary at the 'Blue Cross'. The apparition lasted from  1:52 PM to 1:58 PM.

“Dear children! Today I call you to look into your hearts sincerely and for a long time. What will you see in them? Where is my Son in them and where is the desire to follow me to Him? My children, may this time of renunciation be a time when you will ask yourself: 'What does my God desire of me personally? What am I to do?' Pray, fast and have a heart full of mercy. Do not forget your shepherds. Pray that they may not get lost, that they may remain in my Son so as to be good shepherds to their flock.”

Our Lady looked at all those present and added: “ Again I say to you, if you knew how much I love you, you would cry with happiness. Thank you.”

Spreading the Messages Via Community Access

By Armond Nirdlinger

   Sometime around January, 1996 I was converted (I was a physicist with no religious upbringing.) as a result of reading a book about Medjugorje – The Visions of the Children - by Jan Connell. Sometime later I went to a meeting in San Francisco where Sr. Emmanuel and Denis Nolan were speaking.  I decided to order the series of 56 half -hour videos which they had filmed in Medjugorje. (Note: Denis is busy with an exciting new project: building a TV satellite uplink studio across from St. James Church in Medjugorje.  Check out his Marytv.tv website.)

   Being a little possessive, I was reluctant to start loaning them out to my new circle of friends.  Then someone suggested that I contact the local Community Access Channel about having them broadcast.  To my surprise and delight they were quite happy with them and for two years, broadcast them on the local Cable network in Santa Rosa, CA.

   Then I expanded my horizons.  I contacted friends in the surrounding towns (Petaluma, Novato, Marin, Napa and Fort Bragg) and had them join their local Community Access organization and provided them with copies of the videos (with Denis’ blessing).  Now the shows are being shown five times a week in Healdsburg and they have begun their second year in Sacramento! Also Anchorage, Alaska!

   What I discovered is that the Community Access organizations have very little material of interest to the general community other than the meetings of the City Chambers.  Usually they have training classes in the use of video equipment, editing and the production of simple programs, so they are happy to have a local resident provide these exciting programs about the miraculous events taking place in the former Yugoslavia.  Once I am given a time slot, I get notices to all the churches within that Access Channel’s range.

   It is very gratifying to get excited comments from someone who hears about these events for the first time and Mary is very generous with Her hugs and kisses!

   I am constantly amazed at how few people know about these events, especially among Catholics.  You almost never hear anything about it on commercial secular television or the printed media and on the rare occasions it is mentioned, it is usually a distorted version. These Community Access Channels may be the only way to get the word out by slipping under the “fog of secular political correctness”.

   “Dear children, you are the ones responsible for the messages.  The source of grace is here, but you, dear children, are the vessels which transport the gifts. Therefore, dear children, I am calling you to do your job with responsibility. (5/8/86).” 

   I will be happy to work with anyone who would like to look into this important and rewarding apostolate.  Contact me at armond137@yahoo.com.    I personally feel a sense of urgency at this time.  After all, three of the seers have all ten of the secrets and the other three have nine!  When those last three each receive the last secret, then Mirjana and Fr. Petar Ljubicic start the process of revealing them!

Editor’s note: Armond is from CA. The videos are available in DVD format from www.ChildrenofMedjugorje.com. We also have another DVD available for use on Community Access, “Medjugorje Mustard Seed,” thanks to the generosity of Jeff Pettit who has made these available to us free of charge and has given us permission for use on Community Access. (Jeff’s story was in our January 2008 issue and can be read online at our website.)

Father Jozo Zovko on Sabbatical

By Sr. Emmanuel

   Here is the official letter circulated on Father’s behalf by his assistant, Mrs. Vesna Curic:

Siroki Brijeg, February 9, 2009

    With this notice we desire to inform you that due to health reasons, the need for rest and recuperation, and due to the commencement of construction on Badija, Fr. Jozo Zovko has asked his superiors for permission to reside outside of the Province. The Province Board approved this request.

    For this reason, we are canceling all programs planned for the ensuing year. We kindly ask all our co-ordinators and co-workers, organizers of pilgrimages to Medjugorje, organizers of prayer meetings and seminars, and all Medjugorje Centers and pilgrims to respect this and not to plan or ask for a meeting with Fr. Jozo during this time.

   We thank you for your understanding, and united in prayer we remain yours truly in Christ.

-Vesna Cuzic- on behalf of Fr. Jozo

International God-Parenthood for the Herceg-Bosnian Child

   The Lord knows why He sometimes allows a gap or a painful absence to enter into our lives – He always has a plan.  Remember when Abraham renounced his son Isaac, only to bear even greater fruit for humanity?  When Saint Joseph thought that he had to give up marrying Mary, it was to finally find Her in a more pure and beautiful way. But he had to go through an agony so that his own heart would enlarge to match Hers!

   If Fr. Jozo’s absence is a painful pruning process for the pilgrims and for each one of us here, it would be good nevertheless for all of us to welcome the event with a positive attitude, not as a calamity, but rather as a gift from God Who will use it for a greater purpose.  Just imagine, it is quite possible that this time of sabbatical may save Fr. Jozo’s life, and prevent him from collapsing from exhaustion without warning as Fr. Slavko did! Isn’t it also possible that a change in his life pattern may permit him to perceive other aspects of Mary’s plan for Medjugorje that he may reveal to us later on?  The possibilities for why God chose this time to give Father Jozo a break are endless.

   One thing we can be sure of is that if we welcome this time of trial with faith and even with gratitude, we will free the way for the Lord to harvest all its fruit, in our day and in Eternity. But if we mourn what was ours before and now seems lost, or even worse, if we attempted to blame someone for having robbed us of it, we certainly would be wasting our time and ruining God’s plan.

   I’m sure that Fr. Jozo is expecting us to display an attitude of faith.  Let’s make this our way to thank him for his 27 years of service to us!  Let us also pray for him, and continue to study his teachings that are still available on CDs, DVDs and books at Siroki Brijeg.

                                                                                                 Children of Medjugorje, www.childrenofmedjugorje.com                         

Is Medjugorje Real? (Part 5)

   The following is a transcription of a talk given by Dr. Mark Miravalle at the Medjugorje Conference at Notre Dame University in May, 2008.  It is continued from previous issues and will conclude in the next issue. The Conference at Notre Dame University this year will be held on May 29-31.  For more information call 574-288-8777.

Question number five: This concerns the possibility of false visionaries.”I’ve heard that the visionaries were not particularly devout before the apparitions began. How do we know they have not simply falsified these apparitions for reasons of their own personal gain?”

   We once again go back to the Church’s criteria. The Church does not require great holiness for the reception of  a supernatural visit from Heaven. What the Church does require is a fundamental moral integrity. Why does the Church not require it? Because in the history of the Church, God Himself does not require exceptional holiness. In fact, in history, there are cases of individuals that from external sights could have been out of grace when Jesus or Mary or one of the saints chose to appear to them. And we have to be consistent, because if we’re looking at the authenticity of Jesus Christ in the gospels, what would we do with a situation of having a tax collector, let alone a prostitute, be among His closest apostles and disciples?  And yet indeed we have St. Matthew and by the love of God, we have St. Mary Magdalene. So to look back in the history of an individual before a supernatural intervention, the Church considers in terms of commission evaluation irrelevant, invalid. The issue is number one – is there a moral integrity from the time the apparitions began? Therefore, once again it doesn’t require a good track record before the apparitions began. And again, this is Catholic Church precedence.

   Having said that, I want to say a word about the visionaries of Medjugorje. Now, they have been under the public microscope for over a quarter of a century. They have been interviewed by hundreds of bishops and priests and theologians and laity and journalists. The overall consensus of a quarter century of interviews can be summarized as follows: 1. That the visionaries conduct a very positive model of Christian faith and life. 2. The visionaries are straightforward and down to earth. As one theologian said, “ What you see is what you get with the visionaries.” There is no pretense. 3. That their lives overall reflect not of self gain, but of sacrifice, as one person was commenting, “It would be fun to be a visionary for about 2 weeks.” You get attention, you get notoriety, but then you’d be ready to go back to a real life where you wouldn’t have sacrifice every private moment of existence. There’s great crosses that come with receiving Heavenly messages.

   Of the 6 visionaries, I think of particular mention, deserves pointing out, highlighting, is the visionary Vicka. Vicka, I would say, from an objective perspective, does manifest indications of exceptional holiness. I do not say this in discouragement of the other visionaries. I’m simply trying to examine objectively, saying there’s indication of exceptional holiness with Vicka.  Why do I say so?  For two fundamental reasons. Number one – She has had a great degree of victim suffering, things like an inoperable brain cyst, extreme spinal pain and other penances, which she has received, and she continues to offer all with a remarkable charitable smile. So I think Vicka has some grounds for being beyond moral integrity and beyond just very positive Christian faith and life. I think there are grounds for holiness in an objective examination of her life. And again, I don’t say that in detriment to the other visionaries, but I think there’s something documentable in the case of Vicka.

   I also want to note two medical teams that have investigated the visionaries in terms of Medjugorje. After examining the visionaries, their conclusion was: “These children are communicating with someone outside their own time/space reality.”

They could not say it was the Blessed Virgin, because science can’t predicate that, but they could say (a) that there is no collective hallucination and (b) they are, in fact, communicating with a person. The second team was from Milan, a medical scientific team. They came to exactly the same conclusion: no hallucinations, no deception, indications of authentic communication with someone outside of our time/space reality.

   In terms of what the Church’s criteria look for -  message, phenomena, fruits, I would make the following conclusions:

That the message is without error, that the phenomena, ecstasies, solar miracles, healing are completely in the heart of the tradition of the mystical Church, that the spiritual fruits that have been testified by over 33 million pilgrims who have been to Medjugorje are ubiquitous.

Angels of Mercy

By Dianne Yochim

   Recently my husband and I got word that a friend’s father, Leo, was close to death.  We knew that Jesus told St. Faustina about great gaces that would be given when the Chaplet of Divine Mercy was said at the bedside of the dying,  "My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one. ....Write that when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the merciful Savior." (Diary, 1541)

   Since he was in a hospital out of town and we could not be at his bedside to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for him, my husband and I prayed the Chaplet for him at home and sent it with our guardian angels to his bedside.

   The next day we got an email that Leo had died at 3 o’clock – the hour of Divine Mercy!  Praise You, O Jesus of Mercy!

Editor’s note:  Dianne is from Erie, PA. To hear a beautiful musical recording of the Divine Mercy Chaplet you can visit. http://mustardseedrecording.com/html/StFaustina.htm .

 

The Little Audrey Santo Foundation, Inc. (for her beatification and canonization) at 68 Flagg St., Worcester, MA will be commemorating Little Audrey in a 3 day event: Saturday, April 18, 1 PM-5 PM, Sunday, April 19, 2 PM-7 PM and Monday, April 20, 1 PM - 5 PM.  Prayer in Audrey's bedroom, visit to cemetery, Mass, Benediction, Adoration, Confession, Talks on Audrey. For more information call  508-755-8712.