Children of Medjugorje September Newsletter

© Children of Medjugorje 2009
Permission is given to spread the text of these reports under two conditions: 1) no words are changed,
2) “Children of Medjugorje” is cited along with our website   www.childrenofmedjugorje.com

                                                                                                                                                     

  

September 15, 2009

Dear Children of Medjugorje, praised be Jesus and Mary! 

1 – On September 2^nd Mirjana received her monthly apparition in the presence of a crowd gathered at the Blue Cross, at the foot of Apparition Hill.  After the apparition, she shared the following message:

“Dear children! Today, with a motherly heart, I call you to learn to forgive, completely and unconditionally.  You suffer injustice, betrayals and persecutions, but by that you are closer to and dearer to God.  My children, pray for the gift of love.  Only love forgives all, as my Son forgives - follow Him.  I am among you and am praying that when you come before your Father you can say: ‘Here I am Father; I followed your Son; I had love and forgave with the heart, because I believed in your judgment and trusted in you.’  Thank you!”

 

2 – On September 15^th, St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, welcomed the visionary, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti.  The Cathedral, packed with people, hosted a beautiful evening which included Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.  It lasted from 4pm to 9:30pm!  At the end of the evening a very powerful and happy surprise came when Cardinal Schönborn gave the final benediction to the whole assembly.  Afterward, he highlighted the importance of Medjugorje for our times.  He told of the graces of liberation obtained in Medjugorje.  In particular he featured stories about addictions (drug, alcohol, etc) and the graces that come to those who participate in the life of the Church. 

Here are a few words from the Cardinal: “We can give thanks to Our Lord because through His mother, so many people are lead to the Love of God, so many conversions happen, people go back to Confession and they develop a love for the Eucharist.  Reconciliations happen in families, and some people are cured from drug and other types of addictions.  The fact that the mother of God wishes to be so close to all her children is an immense gift.  She has already showed this proximity in many places and for many years in a special way in Medjugorje.”  (See www.kath.net, 9/16 and 9/18, 2009).

Such events speak for themselves!  They spare us fruitless wars against those who publish negativity on Medjugorje.  Let us recall here that Cardinal Schönborn is one of the main authors, with Pope JPII, of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

 

3 – Exhausted with cigarettes?

My assistant Rosie tells this story to several of her friends:

“For a long time I had been smoking one pack of cigarettes a day.  Many times I tried to quit, but it seemed absolutely impossible. I felt like it would just be too hard.  I thought, “I just don’t have the grace!  Besides if I quit, I will become terrible to live with. It’s not that I want to quit, but my body needs it.”

 

On June 25, 2009, I decided that I was going to give the Gospa a gift for the 28th Anniversary of her apparitions in Medjugorje.  I knew it would be hard not to smoke for a full day, so I saw it as the best gift to offer. During the apparition that day, I decided: ‘ok, I will not smoke until tomorrow evening.’ Let me be clear, quitting was not the goal.

 

I knew nothing about “the 24 hour Gospa” or how it worked.  I simply figured out that I was able to withstand not smoking if I knew that I could have a cigarette later that day.  The next day went by, and I kept in mind my gift to Our Lady.  All I could think about was the cigarette I would enjoy later that day.  I could not wait. I thought, ‘my body is craving it.’ 

At last, the time came for my cigarette.  The moment I had been waiting for all day was finally here.  I could only think about how good it would taste and how much better I would feel.  To my surprise, as I inhaled my long awaited cigarette, the taste was loathsome. I couldn’t stand the taste.  I threw it out thinking, ‘what is wrong with me?’

 

I came inside the house and told everyone what had happened, expecting the next cigarette to be better.  But it was the same with each one that came after that.  I found it odd and figured that Our Lady wanted me not to smoke a little longer.  The next day I tried again, but the same thing just kept happening.  I haven't smoked a cigarette since, it has been almost 3 months.

Then a time of “purification” came for a few weeks.  I spat a thick, dark brown, almost black, mucus which constantly formed in my throat.  I never thought of what I was putting into my body until I saw and felt these gross blobs of mucus.  Now that the “purging” has stopped, I feel so much better.  I used to struggle to climb up and down the mountains, feeling exhausted afterwards.  Now I can climb without being out of breath and I can actually concentrate on prayer.  Another unexpected aspect is that I no longer have to worry about how to excuse myself from a nice gathering of people in order to have a cigarette.  I can stay and enjoy the company without interrupting the conversation.

The Gospa did all the work!  Although I wanted to give Her a ‘something’, it was I who received the gift.

 

4 - As the summer winds down to an end, we thank the Lord for the abundance of graces we received! Of course, Vicka’s absence was sorely felt (she is still under painful therapy) as was Father Jozo’s, but the other visionaries rose to the challenge of filling in the spaces, offering their testimony almost every day, for the joy of the pilgrims!  They allowed us to concentrate on what matters the most: the Gospel, as told by a Mother to her children in Medjugorje.  In such places like Medjugorje, there is always the risk to focus on distractions, missing the grace of a deep conversion.  As Father Slavko used to say, “If, when you come to Medjugorje, all you see is the sun spinning, then your ticket was too expensive!”

Another grace of the summer came in the form of a visit to our home by inner locutionist, Jelena Vasilj-Valente.  One of the questions came from a young mother who happened to be with us:  “Jelena, how do you pray in the family everyday when you have 4 little children, your husband and so much work?" (Jelena and Massimiliano have four young children under the age of six years.) Jelena answered, “Well, how could I possibly do it if we were not praying together?  Without prayer I wouldn’t survive!  It’s the prayer that keeps us together, it’s from prayer that I draw all my strength and my peace.”  Then another question came, “What if someone just cannot pray?”  Jelena answered, “While it’s difficult, it’s also very easy.  The simple fact that we pray is already a promise. Our Lady will lead you.  Maybe, you can join a prayer group.  If you are trying to pray, it means that Our Lady is already doing something in your heart, so don’t be discouraged!  A priest I admire once said, ‘The worst prayer is the prayer that is not said!’”

 

 5 - The year of Priesthood: Here is another prayer that we can say especially for priests, it is the prayer Jesus himself said on the night of his Passion, the most beautiful of prayers! (To say every day for a month, as announced in the Report of July 15th).

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.  (John 17:9-19) *See PS 1

 

6 – Mission in the United States and Canada, October 11^th – 26^th, 2009. 
Sister Emmanuel is coming to the States!  Announcing a ten day mission following a very special three day retreat hosted by Children of Medjugorje at St Malo Retreat Center in Allenspark, Colorado.  Mark your calendars now and help us spread the word about the following talks scheduled for Sister: 

October 14                 McAllen, TX                         Holy Spirit Parish 

October 17                 Buda, TX                              Santa Cruz Catholic Church

October 18                 Austin, TX                            St John Newman Parish

October 20                 St Louis, MO                        Our Lady of the Pillar

October 22                 Toronto, ON                         TBD                                                 

October 23                 Riverview, MI                        Our Lady of Fatima Chapel (Blue Army)

October 25                 Ave Maria, FL                       Ave Maria University Lecture Hall

 *We will be sending out an email next week with a complete list of dates and times for Sister’s scheduled talks.  Please keep this retreat and mission in your prayers! 

 

Dearest Gospa, in the midst of injustices, treasons and persecutions,

You shine like a marvelous star, and to have you for a mother brings us immense joy! 

Sister Emmanuel +

(Translated from French)

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PS1 – John 17:9-19 translation from The New American Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

PS2 - August is a month to celebrate the feasts of many GREAT SAINTS!  St John Vianney, St Lawrence, St Clare, St Teresa Bendedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), St John Eudes, St Stephen of Hungary, St Jane Frances de Chantal, St Bernard of Clairvaux, St Rose of Lima, St Bartholomew, St Louis of France, St Monica, St Augustine, and St Jeanne Jugan (just to name a few) are all such wonderful examples who have shown us how to live in holiness, no matter what our vocation in life!  Whether married, religious or consecrated, our vocation is to love, and to live a life set apart for God: a life of holiness.  Read the lives and stories of these great saints!  For more inspiration, check out Sister Emmanuel’s DVDs and CDs:

DVD: Volume Five (Take the Saints and an interview with Fr Daniel Ange on JPII)

CD:  The Most Handsome Saint in Heaven (The Story of Blessed Giorgio Frassati)

CD:  Oh Come Let Us Adore Him, a very special CD for this Year of the Priests where Sister Emmanuel shares the stories of Fulton Sheen, Cure d’Ars –two great priests with a zealous love for Jesus in the Eucharist.  (Also hear the story of Little Li, who gave her life for the Eucharist –a story that inspired and committed Fulton Sheen to Adoration every day!)

PS 3 – Read it. Spread it! The Hidden Child of Medjugorje by Sr. Emmanuel. You won’t regret giving this book to a friend as a shower gift or a wedding gift!  In the US go to our store: http://www.childrenofmedjugorje.com  then click “Shop COM.”

English version in UK, 7£, +44 2920 460 189 - r.fenlon@ntlworld.com - In Ireland, 9€ Veritas, Dublin, +353 1878 8177 - sales@veritas.ie - In S. Africa, +27 393 172 825. alexknox@telkomsa.net - In Malaysia: dongjiadu@catholic.org - In Medjugorje at the Parish bookstore, Devotions and Catholic Bookstore –

French: www.editions-beatitudes.fr - Spanish: “Hijos de Medjugorje”, Barcelona (Spain). +34 62979 2849 - gsba15@yahoo.es, at the Paulinas (Argentina), paulinas@satlink.com - Croatian in Medjugorje (7.50€), at “Devotions”, +387 6337 7497 - devotions@tel.net.ba and “Catholic Bookstore”, +387 6332 2492. In Zagreb at “AGM”, agm@agm.hr - Portuguese: 13€ (holding an Imprimatur) at Diel, Lisboa - www.diel.pt - German: 22€ Parvis Verlag, Swizerland +41 269 159399 - www.parvis.ch - Polish, 8€ Wyd. Marianow, Warsaw +48 22 6425082 - www.wydawnictwo.pl - Italian, 9€ Shalom, Ancona +39 071745 0440 - www.editriceshalom.it  - Dutch, 15€, n.imkamp@tele2.nl or veys.stefaan@skynet.be +32 56 777373 - Lettonien, “Dzīvības Straumes” +371 29544267 - info@dzivibasstraumes - Arabic in Lebanon. +961 1255 500 - office@medugorjeliban.org - Chinese, com.hongkong@gmail.com - In Thailand: mikepich@hotmail.com

Bookstores may contact us at pray@childrenofmedjugorje.com  

 

© 2009 Children of Medjugorje, Inc
www.childrenofmedjugorje.com
PO Box 18430, Denver CO 80218, USA. Tel. 877-MIR-MEDJ

 

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