Message

Message from Mary for February 2006.
"Dear children! In this Lenten time of grace, I call you to open your hearts to the gifts that God desires to give you. Do not be closed, but with prayer and renunciation say ‘yes’ to God and He will give to you in abundance. As in springtime the earth opens to the seed and yields a hundredfold, so also your heavenly Father will give to you in abundance. I am with you and love you, little children, with a tender love. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Thank you Lord for this wonderful gift to your children.

Beginnings...

The Village Sees The Light is the title of a story which "Reader's Digest" published in February 1986. It was the first major news on a mass scale that told of Mary visiting the tiny village of Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina, population 400 families.

It was June24, 1981, the Feast of John the Baptist, the proclaimer of the coming Messiah. In the evening the Virgin Mary appeared to two young people, Mirjana Dragicevic and Ivanka Ivankovic. The next day, four more young people, Marija Pavlovic, Jakov Colo, Vicka Ivankovic, and Ivan Dragicevic saw the Virgin Mary, bringing the total to six visionaries. These visionaries are not related to one another. As of June 2003, there were well over 10,567 apparitions. The supernatural event has survived all efforts of the Communists to put a stop to it, many scientific studies, and even the condemnation by the local bishop; yet, the apparitions have survived, giving strong evidence that this is from God because nothing and no one has been able to stop it.

Why?

Why does she come?
June 26, 1981
"I have come... I wish to be with you to convert and reconcile the whole world."

August 2, 1981
"...A great struggle is about to unfold. A struggle between My Son and satan. Human souls are at stake."
March 21, 1985
"...I have chosen this parish, one more dear to me than the others, in which I have gladly remained when the Almighty sent me..."
August 29, 1982
"...I cannot do anything without the help of God. I, too, must pray like you..."

Protestants and Mary

I attend a wonderful, Spirit filled, Protestant, Evangelical, Bible loving church and almost everyone who comes to our 2 hour (or so) services on Sunday morning is there because they want to spend their time worshipping the Lord with the other members of the Body. We only mention Mary when we speak of the Nativity at Christmas. When and why did we forget her? I don't know the answer to this question.
From an article of T. A. McMahon...

More and more Protestants are becoming attracted to Mary. The historic St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York City prominently displays a statue of Our Lady of Fifth Avenue. The late John Cardinal O'Connor and Orthodox Archbishop Peter were on hand for its dedication in 1991. Charles Dickson wrote a popular little book in 1996 encouraging a reconsideration of Mary among evangelicals. In A Protestant Pastor Looks at Mary, he points out that Luther and Calvin were more agreeable toward Mary than later generations of their followers. Dickson quotes from a letter Luther wrote to the Duke of Saxony: "May the tender Mother of God herself procure for me the spirit of wisdom profitably and thoroughly to expound this song of hers." One enthusiastic Amazon.com reviewer writes, "[Dickson's] book is superb!....this book by a Protestant is the best book about the Holy Virgin I have read to date. This book made me cry and it made my spirit laugh. After reading this book, few people will be able to deny Mary's role in the lives of all Christians... [and] how the Rosary is for all Christians. ...This book also helps construct a bridge between Christian groups. It attempts to establish some much needed common ground (with lots of success). Will Protestants and Catholics ever be able to agree about Mary? Well, this book sure will help that happen!"

I am planning on reading Charles Dickson's book soon.

Are there any Non Catholics out there who believe in the apparitions of Mary?

Turned to gold

This rosary picture was taken by a pilgrim while in Medjugorje.

I have recently been blessed to see rosary beads metal parts which had miraculously turned a gold color. As far as I know the particular rosary that I saw had not been in Medjugorje and I did not witness this phenomenon while I was there myself. From what I have read, Medjugorje pilgrims have witnessed this phenomenon probably thousands of times since 1981. With so many witnesses, it is difficult not to believe in this miracle.

I would be glad to hear from someone who may know more about the phenomenon (gift) or who may have been a recipient themselves. Would you like to share your testimony?

What I saw..

The Statue of the Risen Christ is a short walk behind St. James Church. Many people who are on pilgrimage in Medjugorje do not know about the unexplained phenomenon associated with this statue. We encouraged some of our fellow tour pilgrims to go to see for themselves. When asked about the statue the tour guide said that they do not promote or advertise the phenomenon because they do not know why it is happening. There has been no scientific testing done, at least they didn't know of any. Of course, the Church does not say anything because they are very careful about such things. I liked the fact that they do not promote it. This goes along with the genuine feeling of respect and awe that these people have for the great gift that they have been given, the gift of visits from Heaven. I do hope that scientific testing is done, I would like to know for myself if this is miraculous.
I spent many hours and many visits to the statue. The watery substance would appear as a drop of water, seemingly out of nowhere, right below the right knee, and drip down the leg. If left alone you could see many streams of water(a waterlike substance). dripping down the leg. The weather was beautiful and it rained very little the whole time I was there.
It certainly seemed to be a miraculous event. The only think that I question is why from the knee?

Unexplained oozing statue

The statue of the Risen Christ was placed behind St. James Church sometime around 1998. A watery like substance has been seeping or oozing from the right knee area of this statue since the time around the 20th anniversary of the apparitions. I am unaware of any study done to test this substance and I am not sure if this has been a steady flow since 2001 or an intermittent flow. I can attest to the fact that I was there in November 2004 and November 2005, each time for at least one week, and the substance oozed from the knee, day and night, the whole time I was there. From what I have read, neither the weather nor the time of year seems to have any effect on the seeping substance. It seeps steadily. Is it miraculous? We don't know, but who can explain it? Certainly God can do anything.

Sun Miracle

Imagine looking into the sun without injury to your eyes. Imagine watching the sun spin, pulsate, change color, or jump around in the sky. This is called the miracle of the sun and thousands have witnessed this phenomenon at Medugorje.
Many people say the chain links on their rosary beads change from silver to a gold looking color. This happened to thousand of pilgrims both those who were on their way to Medjugorje, as well as those already in Medjugorje.
The visionaries say that all these things are signs being sent by God, so that we will believe better. The documentation and testimonies of these events have lead the poor, the rich, the famous, the unknown, the sick and the healthy on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. Protestant, Episcopal, Baptist, Jew, Catholic, believers, and non-believers alike, the miracles and wonders have extended beyond any singular profession of faith. Medjugorje is for everyone.

All are His Children

At Medujorje Mary has said "...tell everyone, that it is you who are divided on earth. The Muslims and the Orthodox, for the same reason as Catholics, are equal before my Son and me. You are all my children. Certainly, all religions are not equal, but all men are equal before God, as St Paul says. It does not suffice to belong to the Catholic Church to be saved, but it is necessary to respect the commandments of God in following one's conscience.
Those who are not Catholics, are no less creatures made in the image of God, and destined to rejoin someday, the House of the Father. Salvation is available to everyone, without exception. Only those who refuse God deliberately are condemned. To him who has been given little, little will be asked for. To whomever has been given much, very much will be required. It is God alone, in His infinite justice, Who determines the degree of responsibity and pronounces judgment.

Cross Mountain

The Cross of Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain) is the most significant, and dominant feature in the landscape of Medjugorje. It gives us a clue as to why Our Lady chose this village and region for the manifestation of Her love and concern for her children of the earth. Overlooking the church of Saint James, and visible for miles and miles around the valley below, this Cross speaks powerfully of the strong message of penance and atonement which Our Lady has brought to the world. It does so, not only by reminding us of the suffering of Christ, but also, in a very special way, through the story of its construction.

The fifteen ton concrete Cross was constructed by the people of the area in 1933 in thanksgiving for the cessation of crop damaging hail storms, and to commemorate the nineteenth centenary of the Redemption. Their spirit of penance, and the understanding of its importance, were shown by the simple fact that all the material which went into its construction, was carried up the 1770 foot mountain by hand. The cross was so important to the people that they changed the name of it from Sipovac to Krizevac (Kriz is the Croatian word for Cross). It became the custom, even prior to the apparitions, to celebrate Mass there each year on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14). On every Friday, people would climb the mountain to pray the Stations of the Cross which were led by the parish priest. Clearly, the little village of Medjugorje was filled with the faith and love of God even before the apparitions began.