11/28/14

Pope: don't be depressed – despite our ugly reality, we have hope


Pope Francis gives the Wednesday general audience in St. Peters Square Oct. 2, 2013. Credit: Elise Harris/CNA.
Pope Francis gives the Wednesday general audience in St. Peters Square Oct. 2, 2013. Credit: Elise Harris/CNA.
.- In his homily on Thursday Pope Francis said that although sin and corruption often seem to win out over good, Jesus gives us a promise of hope which enables us to keep “our heads held high.”

“Do not give way to depression: Hope! Reality is ugly: there are many, many cities and people, so many people who are suffering; many wars, so much hatred, so much envy, so much spiritual worldliness and so much corruption. Yes, it's true, (but) all of this will fall!” the Pope said on Nov. 27.

The Roman Pontiff offered his reflections to those present in the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse for his daily mass. He began by turning to the day’s readings, which recount the ill fate of the biblical cities of Babylon and Jerusalem.

Both cities fell for different reasons, he said, explaining that Babylon “falls because of its corruption” and warned that when sin accumulates, “you lose the ability to react and you start to rot.”

Corruption gives a person a certain level of happiness, so they feel that they have power and that they are satisfied with themselves, the Pope said, however it leaves no room for God or for conversion.

“(The) word 'corruption' says a lot to us today: not only economic corruption, but corruption with many different sins; the corruption of that pagan spirit, that worldly spirit. The worst (form of) corruption is the spirit of worldliness!”

A corrupt culture makes you feel like you are already in heaven, however the truth is that “the corrupt culture is rotten.” Babylon, the Bishop of Rome said, is an example of every person and society who have distanced themselves from God, leading to corruption that eventually gives way to rot.

Jerusalem, on the other hand, falls because she fails to welcome her Bridegroom, the pontiff said. The city was “distracted,” and because of this it fails “to welcome the Lord who comes to her rescue.”

Pope Francis noted that although Jerusalem had the writings of Moses and all the prophets, “She did not feel in need of salvation. She left no room for salvation: her door was closed to the Lord!”

Although the Lord was knocking on Jerusalem’s door, her people were not willing to let him in, listen to him or be rescued by him, the Roman Pontiff observed, so she falls.

He then took the fate of the cities to a personal level, and asked those present which city they identified with: the “corrupt and self-sufficient Babylon (or the) distracted Jerusalem?”

Pope Francis continued, alluding to how the coming end of the Church’s liturgical calendar is a reminder of the end of times and of the Lord’s second coming.

Despite the fate of the two cities in the day’s reading, the pontiff stressed that “the message of the Church in these days does not end with destruction: in both texts, there is a promise of hope,” and Jesus urges us to lift our heads and not to be afraid.

“When we think of the end of time, with all of our sins, with our history, let us think of the banquet which will be freely offered us and let us lift up our heads,” he said, noting that while the world is still full of suffering and hatred, we know it will come to an end.

The Pope explained that the different evils and trials that we face “have their time,” which is now, and that we must endure this time with patience, like Jesus endured his passion and death.

He concluded his homily by praying that the Lord would give to all “the grace to be prepared for the banquet that awaits us, always with our heads held high.

11/27/14

George Washington's Prayer for the Nation.



George Washington's prayer for the nation:


O eternal and everlasting God, I presume to present myself this morning before thy Divine majesty, beseeching thee to accept of my humble and hearty thanks, that it hath pleased thy great goodness to keep and preserve me the night past from all the dangers poor mortals are subject to, and has given me sweet and pleasant sleep, whereby I find my body refreshed and comforted for performing the duties of this day, in which I beseech thee to defend me from all perils of body and soul. Direct my thoughts, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption, that I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee, the ever lasting God, in righteousness and holiness this day, and all the days of my life. Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the gospel; give me repentance from dead works; pardon my wanderings, and direct my thoughts unto thyself, the God of my salvation; teach me how to live in thy fear, labor in thy service, and ever to run in the ways of thy commandments; make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual slumber, but daily frame me more and more into the likeness of thy son Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life. Bless my family, friends and kindred unite us all in praising and glorifying thee in all our works begun, continued, and ended, when we shall come to make our last account before thee blessed Saviour…

Dear Family of Mary



       BE it done unto me...   
(c)Mary TV 2014


J.M.J
November 27, 2014
Thanksgiving Day in the USA

Dear Family of Mary!

No one can explain the spiritual virtue of thanksgiving better than Our Lady. It seems that Mary's way of thinking is really the way of gratitude. Just read her Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55). It is a glorious hymn of gratitude to God for all He has done for her.

Here are three messages Our Lady has given us in which she teaches us how to give thanks. Her precious words can mold us and change our hearts, transforming us into souls that give thanks continually.

"Dear children! I wish to tell you to thank God for all the graces which God has given you. For all the fruits thank the Lord and glorify him! Dear children, learn to give thanks in little things and then you will be able to give thanks also for the big things. Thank you for having responded to my call." October 3, 1985

"Dear children! Today I invite you all to rejoice in the life which God gives you. Little children, rejoice in God, the Creator, because He has created you so wonderfully. Pray that your life be joyful thanksgiving which flows out of your heart like a river of joy. Little children, give thanks unceasingly for all that you possess, for each little gift which God has given you, so that a joyful blessing always comes down from God upon your life. Thank you for having responded to my call." August 25, 1988

"Dear children! I am calling you to a complete surrender to God. Let everything that you possess be in the hands of God. Only in that way shall you have joy in your heart. Little children, rejoice in everything that you have. Give thanks to God because everything is God's gift to you. That way in your life you shall be able to give thanks for everything and discover God in everything even in the smallest flower. Thank you for having responded to my call." April 25, 1989

Have a blessed day!! We are having a big feast in our home. So I have to get busy and cook! But I do want to say that I am very thankful for all of you who receive these little reflections on Our Lady's messages. You have been my encouragement and strength over the years to keep going. Thanks for all your kind emails. I truly am thankful for your presence and your support! And thank you dearest Mother, for being with us for so long in such a profound way. We love you!!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2014

11/26/14

The Medjugorje Message: Identity and mission...

The Medjugorje Message: Identity and mission...: Pray, little children, so that you may comprehend who you are and where you need to go . part message, November 25, 2014 Jesus clearly...

11/25/14

Medjugorje Our Lady Queen of Peace HD


Published on Nov 14, 2014

Our Lady's Medjugorje message of November 25th, 2014

“Dear children! In a special way, today I am calling you to prayer. Pray, little children, so that you may comprehend who you are and where you need to go. Be carriers of the good news and be people of hope. Be love for all those who are without love. Little children, you will be everything and will achieve everything only if you pray and are open to God’s will – to God who desires to lead you towards eternal life. I am with you and intercede for you from day to day before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.”


A Little Reflection (by Sr. Isabel)
There is  no question that prayer is the answer to all our concerns and desires. Pray, pray, pray is a constant reminder from Our Lady. Only through prayer can we come to experience the peace which results from doing God's will. Through prayer we can be strengthened to live lives full of hope. The world around us is in need of hope. We can be good examples through our prayer and living the Gospel message of love. In all that we do, the goal should be eternal life. With our eyes on the pearl of great price, we will be drawn more and more to deeper prayer. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. There is much we have to be thankful for to the Lord, the giver of all good gifts. One great gift is this monthly message reportedly from Our Lady which constantly steers us on the right path to eternity.

11/24/14

Dragon school Oxford : Make me a channel of your peace


An exquisite, refined way (wait until the end !) to perform this (too)well-known piece. The choirmaster (Mrs. Liz Van Tromp) took a big risk by designing such an ending : strong trust was required there. As we say in French, "chapeau bas" to the young performers !

11/23/14

Dear Family of Mary



      Fr. Slavko's remembrance on Krizevac   
(c)Mary TV 2014


J.M.J
November 24, 2014
St. Andrew Dung Lac and companions, martyrs
14th Anniversary of the Death of Fr. Slavko Barbaric

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Today when Heaven is near to you in a special way, I call you to prayer so that through prayer you place God in the first place. Little children, today I am near you and I bless each of you with my motherly blessing so that you have the strength and love for all the people you meet in your earthly life and that you can give God's love. I rejoice with you and I desire to tell you that your brother Slavko has been born into Heaven and intercedes for you. Thank you for having responded to my call." November 25, 2000

This message was given the day after Fr. Slavko Barbaric passed away on top of Krizevac. Everyone was stunned. Fr. Slavko was not yet 60 years old when he died. We all depended upon him for spiritual instruction and wisdom. It seemed that he was indispensable to Medjugorje. And in a moment he was gone.

It is not surprising then that in this message Our Lady made a point of telling us, "Little children, today I am near you and I bless each of you with my motherly blessing so that you have the strength and love for all the people you meet in your earthly life and that you can give God's love." She did not want us to feel abandoned or alone without Fr. Slavko. Our Lady wanted us to know that she was still near us! She was still blessing us! She would give us strength and love here in our earthly life. These are words of a Mother to her children who might be frightened or stunned.

And then she told us something amazing, "I rejoice with you and I desire to tell you that your brother Slavko has been born into Heaven and intercedes for you."What a comfort and delight for us all to be told that Fr. Slavko was in heaven and praying for each of us! Our Mother did not want us to be left alone at this moment. Slavko could now be even closer to us, through prayer, than he ever was while alive on earth.

As I was looking through the many books Fr. Slavko wrote, I found a prayer that he included in the book "Mother Lead Us To Peace!!" which is a compilation of Fr. Slavko's reflections on the messages from 1990 to 1994, prepared by Nicky Eltz. We can believe that Fr. Slavko is praying this prayer with us and for us from heaven:

O, Father Almighty, in that we thank You that You have sent us Mary to lead us to Paradise and who wants to bring us closer to You, we ask of You to give all of us, our families and the entire Church a new spirit of prayer. We ask that we may experience You in prayer and in fasting as our salvation. Free us of all that hinders our way to You. Release us of all that suffocates our yearning for You and from our path to Paradise. Bless all those who now live in conflict, in distrust, in wars and in difficulties. Free all the youth who have suffocated themselves in drugs, alcohol and immoral lifestyles that have caused them to be unable to respond to this call. Bless all those whose ears are listening to entirely different voices and who therefore do not listen to Your voice. Heal them and open them so that their hearts may open themselves to You and so that You can fill them with your light and with your salvation. O Father, bless also all the sick and all those who in their suffering have lost all love and hope. Father, bless all prayer groups and all others who seek You. Bless them all through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace, Your humble servant and Mother of Your son, Jesus, who lives and reigns with You throughout all eternity. Amen.

Fr. Slavko, pray for us!!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2014

PS. "Fruit of Medjugorje!" Tonight!

PPS.  Mary TV (< www.marytv.tv>) will LIVE stream the parish going up Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain) on Monday, November 24, 2014, the 14th the anniversary of the death of Fr. Slavko Barbaric, OFM, at 2:00pm Medjugorje time, 8:00am EST in the US.   

11/21/14

The Medjugorje Message: Recognising our time of visitation...

The Medjugorje Message: Recognising our time of visitation...: As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city, he shed tears over it and said, “If you in your turn had only understood on this...

Miracle? Fire destroys church, but crucifix is discovered intact


SJM-HOLYCROSS-1118-23-L
Photo: Gary Reyes / Bay Area News Group
The morning after the spectacular fire, the Rev. Firmo Mantovani and bleary-eyed members of his parish were stunned by the wondrous sight inside the burned out shell of Holy Cross Catholic Church.
“I can’t believe what I’m seeing,” said Sam Arlotta, a parishioner for all of his 86 years.
“Milagro!” added Cecilia Calderon, using the Spanish word for miracle. “God loves us very much.”
Standing on Jackson Street in the city’s Northside neighborhood, they gazed through a fence and the open front doors at the heavy, 10-foot-tall, Italian-made gilded wooden crucifix that somehow survived the four-alarm fire Sunday afternoon. Like Arlotta and Calderon, Mantovani figured the crucifix and everything else inside the century-old church had been incinerated.
That’s important as a sign that the church should be rebuilt,” Mantovani said. “But a miracle? That is a question of semantics. It is a miracle, but it was also a real possibility.”
San Jose fire Battalion Chief Richard Toledo couldn’t explain it either.
“I wish I could tell you,” he said. “It was open to all of the elements — the fire and smoke and the collapsing roof, and yet it’s there in almost perfect shape.”
What started the blaze is unknown, but fire officials suspect it ignited near the organ. Though fire department spokesman Capt. Reggie Williams said the church was salvageable, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of San Jose said that no decision had been made yet on whether it would be rebuilt.
To remove the crucifix, Toledo called in a crew trained to use ropes in rescue situations. As the pastor and parishioners watched from the street, a half dozen firefighters carefully probed the charred beams holding up the cross. The day before, about 20 firefighters had battled the blaze from inside before making a hasty retreat.
Monday, a lone firefighter lowered a special rope from a tall fire engine ladder into the gaping hole above the altar and crucifix. Firefighters below carefully fastened the rope around the arms of the image of Jesus nailed to a cross and guided the crucifix upward as the engine pulled.
Read more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2014/11/miracle-church-destroyed-by-fire-but-crucifix-is-discovered-intact/#ixzz3JkcQW9DR

11/18/14

THE NECESSITY OF PRAYING ALWAYS


"Jesus asked him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' " -Luke 18:40-41

Jesus spoke of "the necessity of praying always and not losing heart" (Lk 18:1). We are to never stop praying (1 Thes 5:17). Many centuries ago, a Christian went on pilgrimage and asked holy person after holy person how it could be possible to pray always. The answer he finally received was what is called the "Jesus prayer." This prayer is a combination of Luke 18:39 and Luke 18:13. The Jesus prayer is: "Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me, a sinner." The prayer is sometimes shortened to "Lord Jesus, mercy" or even to only the name "Jesus." The Christian pilgrim was taught to pray this many times, to pray it almost with every breath to the point that he was thinking of Jesus even when he was not praying it. Thus, he was obeying the Lord's command to pray always.

Be like the Christian pilgrim. Try to learn to pray always. Keep trying no matter how long it takes. Even if others discourage you, cry "out all the more, 'Son of David, have pity on me!' " (Lk 18:39) Because there is the necessity to pray always, there is the necessity to learn to pray always. The Holy Spirit will teach you (Jn 14:26). Pray in the Spirit (see Jude 20). Pray always.

Father, by the Holy Spirit, may I not only have a life of prayer but a life of praying always.

 "Happy is the man who reads this prophetic message, and happy are those who hear it and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near!" -Rv 1:3

11/16/14

NOT GOOD, NOT BETTER, BUT BEST


"Well done! You are an industrious and reliable servant. Since you were dependable in a small matter I will put you in charge of larger affairs. Come, share your master's joy!" -Matthew 25:21

The Lord doesn't call us to do good. "No one is good but God alone" (Mk 10:18). He doesn't call us to do better - better than others or even better than before. The Lord doesn't like to compare. He simply wants us to do our best. Our best may not be better. It may not even be that good. Nonetheless, the Lord is pleased with our best. It is a sacrifice acceptable to Him.

We all can do our best any time we want to. Our best doesn't require ability, skill, training, or even maturity. A little boy can do his best. A feeble elderly man can do his best. We can always do our best. It's just a matter of trying our best. The Lord is not concerned with how many talents we start with (Mt 25:15). He just wants us to do our best with what we've got. Ten talents are pleasing to Him if they're our best. A thousand talents are displeasing if they're not our best.

So "whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men" (Col 3:23). To do our best, we must give our all. This is the first commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" (Lk 10:27).

 Father, may I not have good days but best days for Your glory.

 "We belong neither to darkness nor to night; therefore let us not be asleep like the rest, but awake and sober!" -1 Thes 5:5-6

 Praise the risen Jesus, teaching us to pray (Lk 11:2) and baptizing us in the Spirit (Mk 1:8).

To Praise You


Lord, my God, this I pray all my life to Praise You.

11/15/14

Angel is Real! Boy Survived from Ski Jet Accident - Josiah Lamb


A 12 year old boy might had died from ski jet accident if God and angel did not intervened.

The Medjugorje Message: A message for you...

by Bernard Gallagher
http://crownofstars.blogspot.com/
The Medjugorje Message: A message for you...: The annual Medjugorje prayer meeting at Vienna’s St Stephen’s Cathedral has become one of the largest religious events in Austria. This ...

The Medjugorje Message: Ivan gives testimony in Paderborn, Germany

The Medjugorje Message: Ivan gives testimony in Paderborn, Germany: Yesterday evening, before travelling on to Vienna today, Ivan Dragicevic gave witness to the Medjugorje phenomenon in front of a congregatio...

11/9/14

Dear Apostles of Our Lady of Medjugorje



    

On Saturday, November 15, 2014,  
Mary TV will Live stream in English  
the Evening of Prayer with Cardinal Schoenborn  
and Medjugorje visionary Ivan Dragicevic  
in St. Stevens Cathedral in Vienna...  
The evening begins at 4:00 pm Vienna time,  
10:00 am EDT in the US...   


November 7, 2014

Dear Apostles of Our Lady of Medjugorje,

"Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided!"

*Satan came to collect what he owned. The devil owned 20 year-old Don Calloway.  
Having just become aware of Medjugorje - at the moment he felt himself leaving his body he called out "Mary!" She came immediately! "Donnie, I am so happy!" (Fr. Calloway's relates this experience at 47:10 into his testimony: http://marytv.tv/video-library/testimonies/fr-calloway-testimony)

"Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided!"

We're grateful to those who have been praying a Novena of Memories for Mary TV to have the funds to continue bringing Medjugorje Live to the world - also on iPhones and all smart phones - helping make the grace of Medjugorje available to Our Lady's children.

The sad truth is that many are living lives like that of young Don Calloway - as if God doesn't exist. They could find themselves in the terrible situation he found himself in... It could turn out that many, having become aware of Medjugorje through modern communication technologies, will call on her name at their own critical moment, and be saved too! Your donations are making it possible for us to reach them with this good news.

"Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided!"

Nodding to our camera in St. James Church in Medjugorje, the priest giving the homily at today's English Mass said, "There's going to be a lot of people around the world looking at this Mass!"
 


Today Angela M. emailed from Pennsylvania:  "I recently discovered Mary TV...So far I have been able to be present during two of the live apparitions and honestly feel so blessed and like I am actually in Medjugorje...completely amazing!!!!"

In a letter I received today from Delaware, Joan writes: "I feel that Mary TV is a lifeline of hope to those of us who feel at times hopeless. I find it comforting and in a way, healing to pray with you!" Mary TV is putting Our Lady's children around the world in touch every day with the LIVE prayer taking place in Medjugorje.

Today M. Christina emailed us from San Diego: "I continually get on Marytv.tv... so much Grace is pouring down from our Blessed Mother Mary...I used to have a glass or two of wine every day and looked forward to it, feeling that it was a necessary relaxant, but through the continuous support of Marytv.tv and its recordings, I have given the "every day" up and now look forward to my Rosary instead because I want to love and sacrifice for our Lord in these small ways and feel better about myself about doing the right thing. I grew up going to private Catholic School, but now after so many years, am beginning to embrace the true beauty of Catholicism and through YOUR HELP because of what you put out there on this Marytv.tv... It is amazingly wonderful and I want to THANK YOU!"

Our Lady wants to thank you! It's your donations that allow us to continue LIVE streaming.....And now that Mary TV is becoming an Internet TV channel, we want to set our sights on finishing the TV station in Medjugorje!

Towards that end I'm asking us to go one step further in our mission together, for each of us to become a fund raiser for Mary TV! Go out and find donors. Together we can do this! Our Lady just told us we're headed towards the victory of her heart (Nov. 2, 2014 message).

Thank you & God bless you!

Denis Nolan
www.MaryTV.tv 

PS. Please spread this email to family and friends - to all the addresses in your email list. You can copy and paste, but if you forward this email, only do so by clicking on the Constant Contact forwarding option below, labeled "Forward Email"....Otherwise your own email address could inadvertently be deleted from my email list...    





"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"   
Saint John Paul II  -
Be connected! 
MISSION STATEMENT: MARYTV is a lay apostolate founded to put at the Gospa's service (Our Lady's service) modern communication technologies to bring her presence in Medjugorje - and her school in Medjugorje - to the world.

11/8/14

Champion of Medjugorje Shrine


Priest, scholar and champion of Medjugorje shrine

John Chisholm: January 25th, 1922 - October 25th, 2014

Fr. John Chisholm



When a person with a richly layered life dies, the phrase “ renaissance man” is often deployed to unite the whole.
With the passing of John Chisholm, a more apt summation of his 92 years might be that he was a “man for all seasons”.
First there was his priesthood – his was a traditional Catholic faith – but also his interest in choral music, his philosophy and theology, and a body of significant historical research.
His hobbies included gardening, growing fruit and vegetables and making jam, watch and clock repairing and overseeing building projects for members of his family.
A polyglot who proudly sported a gold fáinne, his other languages included a good mastery of Croatian, in which he heard confessions. He died while on a visit to the Marian shrine at Medjugorje, in Bosnia Herzogovina, where he had been ministering to pilgrims from Ireland during the last decades of his life.

Decision to serve

For John Chisholm, it was all part of the decision to serve that dates from when he made his vows as a member of the Holy Ghost (Spiritan) order in 1941. Europe was in the throes of the second World War and Ireland, though not a combatant, was struggling to understand and to heal the wounds of its own recent turbulent past.
John Chisholm was born in 1922 in Dublin to Mary (née Brennan) and Edward Chisholm. After attending O’Connell CBS in Dublin, he entered the Spiritan order and was awarded a BA in philosophy by UCD in 1944.
He taught for a while at Blackrock College in Dublin, obtaining a diploma in education. He was ordained in 1949, and taught theology and philosophy to student missionaries at the Spiritan house in Kimmage, Dublin.
Leading the choir there, he expanded its repertoire to include ancient Irish sacred music, inviting leading composer Seóirse Bodley to arrange material. Televised broadcasts included the annual Christmas midnight Mass.

Academic career

In January 1966 he began a 22-year teaching career in UCD in the department of ethics and politics and, subsequently, in the department of metaphysics and in the department of psychology. In 1976 he was appointed statutory lecturer in philosophy. He was awarded a doctorate in philosophy by the NUI in 1978.
Anxious to learn more about the troubled “birth of the nation” Chisholm interviewed survivors of the notorious Kilmichael ambush in November 1920, as research leading to participant Liam Deasy’s memoir Towards Ireland Free (1973), which Chisholm edited.
Historian Peter Hart later relied in part on the “Chisholm interviews” to support his assertion that IRA leader Tom Barry had ordered the killing of helpless prisoners. This is hotly contested, but Chisholm’s timely research remains an essential source for a difficult period.
More recently, when lesser men were winding down, he switched track from academic work to pastoral ministry.
His energetic promotion of the Marian devotion at Medjugorje, where six local people are said to be in communication with the Mother of God, who bade them to pray and do penance, brought him into conflict with bishop of Mostar Pavao Zanic. The local prelate had little time for apparitions, whether they occurred in the Pyrenees or Portugal in the 19th century or 20th centuries or Bosnia in the 20th and 21st.
Some of Chisholm’s published work is still cited in academic publications. He gave public lectures in Oxford – including at the International Conference for Patristic Studies – Ireland, Fribourg in Switzerland and Rome.

Irish martyrs

He was vice-chairman of the Irish-Arab Society in the 1970s, and took an active interest in the cause of the Irish martyrs, persecuted for their faith in the 16th and 17th centuries.
His formal retirement took place in 1988, but this was really a fiction – he carried on trying to find new ways of doing what he believed in until the day he died. John E Chisholm is survived by a sister, Helen, and his brothers, Patrick and Cyril.         The Irish Times

11/6/14

A Young Man's Last Day of Life, In Medjugorje


Featured article from November's Spirit of Medjugorje
Alan’s Wish
By June Klins
     Every Monday evening, the website, marytv.tv broadcasts a wonderful program called “Fruit of Medjugorje” at 8:00 P.M. Each episode features the testimony of one or more people whose lives have been changed through Our Lady of Medjugorje. All of the programs can be accessed in the archives on their website. The following testimony was taken from Episode #133, which was originally aired on September 29, 2014. This is the testimony of Barbara Labrosse.

     As she introduced herself, Barbara explained that she wanted to share a story that happened to her brother, Alan. She began by saying that her family was from a town in Northern Ireland called Ballymena. Her mother was Catholic and her father was Protestant. After her mother’s first pilgrimage to Medjugorje in the 1980s, she began leading pilgrimages there, and after 25 years of going there and praying, her father converted to Catholicism.

     In 2009, Alan, the youngest of Barbara’s three brothers, was invited to go on a pilgrimage with his cousin and aunt. Alan protested, “I’m not going there among those holy rollers.” But his cousin did not want to go without him, so he finally agreed.
     His aunt attested that Alan was the first one to come up with the deposit. Barbara was surprised at that, because Alan, who was 29 at the time, spent what little money he had for partying.

Ave Maria” spelled out in stones on Cross Mountain

     The first day that Alan arrived in Medjugorje, he climbed Cross Mountain. He did the same on the second day. He said that he did not know why he was in Medjugorje, but he knew that there was a reason. On the third day, he mentioned to someone, “If there was anywhere I’d like to die in the world, it would be here.” On that same day, he climbed Cross Mountain again, while his friends waited for him in the café below. He asked them to keep an eye on him because it was very dark. He sent a text message which read, “I knew I was meant to come here. This is the most beautiful place on earth.” When he descended the mountain, he met his friends in the café.
     As he was leaving, Alan phoned his mother, Teresa, in Ireland. He told her, “I love it here. It is the most beautiful place. I was meant to come here.” His mother said that he sounded happy and said that he had had a full Confession – a good Confession. His mother was pleased because he had not been attending Mass and had not gone to Confession for many years, although he had been brought up in the faith. His mother said, after that, there was a pause, as if he wanted to tell her something. But they hung up, and she went to bed at midnight, after saying her prayers. At 2:45, Teresa was awakened to use the facilities. Upon her return to the bedroom, she heard a voice she described as coming from the Holy Spirit, clearly say, “Teresa, you must pray for Alan’s soul.” She really didn’t think much of it, because she had just spoken with Alan hours before and he sounded good. Nevertheless, she prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet for him, and then went back to sleep.
     The next morning, Barbara’s aunt went to awaken Alan and her cousin, who were sharing a room. As her cousin tried to wake Alan, he realized that Alan was no longer alive.
     Barbara’s aunt called two priests in Ireland with the news and they came to the house to break the news to Teresa and her husband. Barbara was living in England at the time, so she flew back to Ireland. She tried to make some phone calls to find out about Alan’s body, but it was difficult with the language barrier. Finally she was able to connect with someone who spoke English. They explained to her that Alan’s body could not be released until an autopsy was done. Alan died on Saturday, September 26, 2009. The following Wednesday, they got a phone call saying that Alan’s body was sent to Mostar for the autopsy and would be sent home after that.
     The undertaker who most of the Catholics in Ballymena used, Wally John, came to see Barbara and her family and explained that they would not be able to see Alan because he would not be embalmed. He said that in Bosnia, they do not embalm the bodies and usually bury them within a day because of the heat. Teresa and her husband were very distressed. Teresa cried, “I will not accept that. I need to see his face. I need to see that it was my son!” So Wally John explained that all he could do was put a glass thing over his face and under a special light, and they could see him for 10 minutes.
     In the meantime, Barbara’s aunt was still in Medjugorje, and she shared with the people there how distressed Teresa was because she would not be able to see the face of her son. People in Medjugorje they didn’t even know started to fast and pray that Barbara’s mother and father would be able to see the face of their son.
     After the autopsy in Mostar, Alan’s body was flown to Vienna and then on to Heathrow. His body stayed overnight there in a car and was brought to Belfast the next day, where it was picked up. It had been seven days now since Alan’s death. His body, which had not been embalmed, had traveled in the heat through all those different countries and climates.
     When Wally John, the undertaker, arrived at their house, they were surprised to see a smile on his face. He brought the body into the sitting room. While they sat in another room waiting, Barbara dreaded what would happen when her parents would see their son. Soon Wally John called the family into the room and opened the coffin. They were all shocked when they saw that Alan had no signs of rigor mortis. There was not a mark on him. Barbara related, “He actually was dressed and looked like a saint. He had a black suit on him, a white shirt, and a black tie.” Wally John the airport that morning. Apparently a gentleman in Mostar dressed her brother. He personally bought the suit. On the pocket it said, “To my Mama.” This gentleman wrote a letter to explain that he wanted Alan’s mother to see her son in a beautiful suit to go home.
     Wally John said that he couldn’t understand – that this was a miracle – a miracle due to the people’s prayer and fasting in Medjugorje. He said that after 25 years of being an undertaker, he could only describe it as a miracle. Alan was laid out until the third day. He was buried on the feast day of St. Faustina, October 5.
     As if this were not incredible enough, Barbara said there was more to the story. When they got the autopsy report, it said that Alan had died of natural causes. It is called “Sudden Death Syndrome.” He did not have a heart attack; his heart just stopped beating. The report said that he had died between 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning, but the pathologist in Mostar said that his heart stopped beating at 3:00 A.M. When Barbara told her parents this information, her mother jumped off the sofa and was hysterical. After she calmed down, Teresa related that the night that Alan died, she was praying at 3:00 A.M. for her son’s soul as Our Lord had requested, as He was coming for him. Here she was thousands of miles away, praying for his soul as he passed away!
     Theresa passed away 18 months later. Up until that time, she had been to Medjugorje 60 times! She had witnessed many miracles, but this one was the greatest. Barbara said, “And the greatest thing that Our Lady repaid her back for was my mother needed to see the face of her son. And [through] Our Lady – due to the people of Medjugorje praying and fasting and believing – she got her wish. She didn’t just get to see his face – she got to spend three beautiful days with him.” Barbara repeated that Alan was sent home looking like a saint – no marks or embellishments. She concluded her testimony: “And in his pocket, when his body was taken from the hotel where he had passed away – there was a medal. And on this medal was the Divine Mercy. It was sent home with him in his coffin. Amen.”
     Following Barbara’s testimony was the testimony of a funeral director from Ireland. He said: “My name is Martin and I’m a funeral director in Ireland and I just listened to Barbara’s testimony and I’m just giving a professional opinion in regard to the human remains being dead for 10 days. We’re sitting here [in Medjugorje] at the minute and it’s into the middle of September, and it’s quite warm. The human body can start to break down quite quickly after death– within a very short period of time, discoloration of the body. The more the body is moved, the more discoloration takes place… I think the family has received a great grace from the prayers and fasting of the people of Medjugorje, that [they] were able to see their brother [and son], which is a very important part of Irish culture – to be able to see this body before burial. Our Lord came back to the apostles to let them see Him after the Resurrection. I think that tells us as human beings that a loving God has given them a great grace where he has allowed the family to do their goodbyes.”
http://www.spiritofmedjugorje.org/index.php

Video--Fruit of Medjugorje Episode #133 Barbara Labrosse Testimony--http://marytv.tv/fruit-of-medjugorje-episode-archive/1445-fm132-9-29-14  

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The Medjugorje Message: What does Our Lady say about Purgatory?

Photo by Bernard Gallagher
http://crownofstars.blogspot.com/
The Medjugorje Message: What does Our Lady say about Purgatory?: We all want to believe that our deceased friends and loved ones are now happy and at peace with God in Heaven, and yet the Catholic Church t...

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