It is impossible for us to refrain from speaking of what we have seen and heard...Acts of the Apostles 4:20RESPONSE TO PRAYER• One day in 1987, Kathleen Martin was introduced to a friend of the visionary, Marija, a young Croat man from Split who had decided to become a priest. He asked Marija if, during her apparition that night, she would offer his priesthood to the Holy Mother. Marija did so. During the apparition, Kathleen also made a request to Our Lady, concerning the young man, and prayed: “O Mother, a priest is being born tonight. He is giving you his ‘yes’. I would really like to go to his ordination.” As the years passed and war came to Yugoslavia, Kathleen left Medjugorje and moved to Italy, travelling and giving testimony to Our Lady’s messages and the events in Medjugorje. One weekend, she and a group of friends were on an overnight train returning home from a conference in Sicily. The train was delayed and because the party missed their connection in Rome they had to stay overnight in the Eternal City. For Kathleen, this presented a wonderful opportunity to attend Mass in St Peter’s the next day, Trinity Sunday. As she entered the basilica and dipped her finger in the holy water fount, she heard the voice of the Holy Father begin Mass. The centre section of seating was cordoned off and so to get closer to the altar Kathleen made her way to the wing seating. As she did so, she saw an usher with Mass books and promptly requested copies for herself and her companions. It was then that a man, holding a child in his arms, called out: “Hey! They’re only for the people inside the cordon!” The voice seemed familiar to Kathleen, and when she turned around she saw the brother of the boy who many years ago had made the decision to become a priest. “Anton, what are you doing here?” exclaimed Kathleen. He replied, proudly: “My brother is being ordained by the Holy Father this morning!”
FAMILY GRACE...• Medjugorje impressed on me the power of prayer, that we are not stuck with the world as it is, and if enough of us pray with enough conviction, we CAN change things – ‘even avert wars’ Our Lady told the visionaries. I was what was known as a ‘practising Catholic’ with an awful lot of Pharisee about me – doing what was required, sometimes a little more, but without any strong conviction. Now I really do believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, that it WILL be ‘alright on the night’ and that grace is provided WHEN I need it, and not before. I have now come to believe that the power of God is stronger that that of satan (thank you Fr John). The Peace of Medjugorje has also made me realise how many family arguments were unimportant – and so many caused by my impatience and bad temper. And now whenever there are difficulties my daughter Claire will say: “Mum, remember the spirit of Medjugorje.” My son Simon also has a saying: “Grace is something my Mum brings back from Medjugorje.” Since my family’s involvement with Medjugorje, my father has returned to the Church after an absence of 43 years. The day he returned to confession was 25 June 1988, the seventh anniversary of the Medjugorje apparitions.
• Angela CallanGIFTS FOR EVERYONE...• Yes, Our Lady is still touching hearts. My first visit to Medjugorje was as recent as September 2000 – and I experienced a dramatic change in heart, with very little effort on my part. There is such a special grace available in Medjugorje that I feel cannot be found so freely available anywhere else in the world. I remember as a child, my mother taking me to see Father Christmas in a city centre store. Of course, I was excited, because I was promised I would receive a special gift from Santa. Sometimes the gift did not live up to my expectations and I soon tired of whatever toy I had been given. It was years later, as an adult with my own children, that I learned that my mother had to purchase the ticket for my present. Now, I almost feel childlike again – excited – at the prospect of buying my flight ticket to Medjugorje, knowing that gifts of infinite more value are waiting to be collected, gifts of joy and peace that will last my lifetime. I always say to any person travelling to Medjugorje for the first time: keep an open mind and an open heart. It doesn’t matter if you lie in bed all day, spend the week in Colombo’s, or go on your knees all week, Our Lady will touch you in some way. What mother, when a child visits, sends her child away empty-handed – without slipping a few bob in the purse or pocket, or sandwiches for the journey! Our Lady is still appearing every day, continuing to meet the needs of all her children that she calls to visit. I feel compelled to encourage everyone to travel to Medjugorje. The gift I received is one I want to share with the whole world! I just can’t keep it to myself – it excites my heart constantly There is a line from the Acts of the Apostles that expresses this feeling: “It is impossible for us to refrain from speaking of what we have seen and heard.”
(Acts 4-20) • Bernard Gallagher
JIM’S PASSION• I received the role thanks to Medjugorje, thanks to Our Lady. During the preparations, I was using all that I learned through Medjugorje. Mel Gibson and myself went to Mass together every day I was also fasting. I was reading Our Lady’s messages all the time. I was praying the Rosary every day.
• Jim Caviezel, who played the role of Jesus in the film, The Passion of The ChristCOME AND SEE...I am here as a messenger of Medjugorje. I was born in 1946 and ordained in 1969. Medjugorje has become the main part of my life. It is more important to be a sign than to look for signs. No sin can make us happy. We are told (Romans 14:17) that the Kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy brought by the Holy Spirit. People are coming to Medjugorje with empty hearts looking for God. This year 25,000 young people came to Medjugorje for the seven-day Youth Festival. They were from 40 nations. There were confessions around the clock and 400 priests were there. One day there was a procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the village, stretching for four miles. For me, this is the biggest spiritual event of the Church. On the Feast of the Transfiguration, Mass was celebrated in the late afternoon on Mt Krizevac. There were 100 priests present. It seemed like a miracle. Who is calling these young people? Who is leading them? It’s only a one-hour drive to the coast, yet they prefer to be in Medjugorje. The seven days of the Youth Festival are the highlight of the whole Medjugorje event – and they bring deep peace, even more than for the Anniversary when up to 100,000 people are here for a week. All the talks and messages are translated into 17 languages, available on FM radio. Medjugorje can be summarised with these words: Come and see, and experience peace and grace. All those who come as true pilgrims will find peace. Medjugorje has become the biggest place of conversion, even for those who come as tourists. Medjugorje is a matter of heart – approach with your heart, not with your head. Then you will become a new creation, renewed by the Holy Spirit. Come and see – this is what Jesus said to his disciples, yet Jesus had no home. Jesus is something like Utopia – no place – but in his heart there is room for everyone. And Our Lady is our Mother and Queen. •
Fr Tomislav Pervan OFMTOGETHER AGAIN...• Nancy, a woman in her forties and a mother of four children, lived what she had totally tried to exclude from her life: division and separation. “My sufferings and my disillusionment were endless and deep, as strong as my hope had been when we first were married. But the worst thing that could have happened to me, did happen. My husband threw me out of our home; he no longer financially supported me. All this happened very slowly. “He drank at lot and justified his behaviour thusly: ‘In this society everyone drinks. I have problems at work etc.’ “Each time I would forgive him, and I was cultivating good prayer habits, but he was not praying at all, and the faith meant practically nothing to him. Nevertheless, he would send us to Mass, me and the children. This practice continued, but after a while I was no longer praying. “In time, my husband became more satisfied with his bottle. This is when he became aggressive and I was more dissatisfied with the whole thing. It was getting harder and harder to forgive him. Bitterness was creeping into my heart and into our relationship, and this was now affecting our children. “When our conflict became unbearable, my husband would insist that I leave... finally peace. Wounded, I left, and a large void took over my life. Mornings, I went to work without interest in my job, and at night I would return without joy to my sad apartment. My solitary evenings went by like years. My nights were filled with insomnia and nightmares, with grief and tears. With nothing else in my life, I went back to Church. “One day I came across a pamphlet with testimonies from Medjugorje with the following message: ‘Pray and you will overcome the difficulties in your life.’ “So, without another thought, I asked for a week off from work and I left on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. “At the foot of the cross, in the presence of Mary, I laid all the bitterness in my mixed-up life. I left Medjugorje with a certain peace in my heart and a determination as soon as I got back home, to contact my husband and my children, and ask their pardon for the suffering I had inflicted on them. I would tell them that for one week, I carried them in my prayers to the Virgin, so that the whole family would be healed, and that peace and love would return to the heart of my home. “I didn’t dare think that the grace would work in them as it had worked in me. And I promised myself to return to Medjugorje with my whole family if Mary could obtain for us this immense grace.” Another witness relates the following: “A few months later, a radiant family of six people was waiting in front of the parish office in Medjugorje, It was Nancy, with her whole family. On seeing the Franciscan Father, Nancy cried: ‘Remember me? I was the woman who... It is the prayer and the powerful intercession of the Queen of Peace who performed this miracle. We didn’t know that prayer could have such an impact. If I had discovered this earlier, everything that happened to me might not have happened.’ “The Virgin is right when she says that fasting and prayer can conquer all evil. Each day, as a family, we pray for all the families of the world because the peace and the reconciliation, the joy and the rekindled love, is all possible with God. Nothing is impossible for God.”
BUS TO CONVERSION...• Stefan, a Scot, was a lapsed Catholic, and for many years his life “became endless darkness as a result of self-centred fulfilment.” In desperation he started turning back to God who, “appeared deaf to my prayers, before answering in dramatic fashion. “The summer of 1985 saw me on holiday in Dubrovnik, waiting for three days to join up with some friends. I was bored on my own, and whilst considering how to amuse myself, the words of a Sunday Times article from a couple of years back were put into my mind: ‘Medjugorje – people are going there and being changed’. “I caught a bus to Medjugorje that day. Apart from the vibrancy and charged atmosphere of the place, what completely penetrated my heart was the intense and visible expression of faith being shown by the local people as they worshiped – this patent and tangible sincerity, in effect, triggered the start of my conversion experience. And with all these things came great joy and willingness to do anything for God.” Whilst it is reported that some pilgrims assert supernatural experiences at, or after returning from Medjugorje, Stefan’s experience, and many like him, was effected by normal and visible means, through human example and inspiration. Stefan’s life continued its dramatic course when on 13 October, 2001, he was ordained an Augustinian priest. In his words, “God is amazing!”
AN AMAZING CONVERSION!The gathering on a warm September Thursday did not appear unlike any other English Mass in St James’ Church, Medjugorje. It included some 160 souls who had arrived from Birmingham in the early hours of that morning and had managed to be up and seated on time ready for 10am Mass. The priests gathered in number on the altar and the congregation was in fine voice, packed into the pews and spilling over into the aisles. Fr Donald Calloway was the celebrant, an American priest blessed, as he said, to be in Medjugorje for his first time and celebrating his first Mass there. During his homily, in a clear and resonant voice, Fr Donald spoke of the boy he once knew who had started experimenting with drugs at the age of 12. By his late teens the young man had sampled every drug in the book, even heroin and crack-cocaine. He just lived for the life of ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll’ and dressed and acted accordingly. Not surprisingly he had been convicted and imprisoned several times, even thrown out of three countries. The stress this young man gave his parents drove them to become Catholics! Then one day, when their son came out of his teen years, he picked up a book lying on the coffee table in his parents’ home. It was titled The Queen of Peace Visits Medjugorje, and it was to change the 20-year-old drug addict’s life. Encouraged to join a community and ‘clean up’ – which he did – he too joined the Catholic Church. It was then that Fr Donald’s voice penetrated every listening heart in St James church, when he proclaimed: “That young man is celebrating Mass before you today!” Applause is not encouraged during Mass, but it happened – although not in the usual way – as every heart of every person present, pounded loudly with joy. Needless to say, Fr Donald was a priest in demand after Mass as he patiently attended to everyone who presented themselves, whatever their need or desire. As a high school dropout, it took Fr Donald ten years of studies in the seminary before he was ordained a priest in the order of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception – an order by his choice, because it twice contains Our Lady’s name! “Right now we have nine men in formation back in Stockbridge and all their vocations came from Medjugorje,” says Fr Donald, who is Assistant Rector of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass. (USA). Fr Calloway is not frightened about confronting or owning up to his past life. In fact, he doesn’t have to look too far back to be reminded. Just to the tattoos still on his shoulder!
HAPPY AT THE END...• Gabriele, or Gabi as her mother called her, was a pleasant and quite often serious child She was happy at school and studied well. Although she loved her younger brother, she was at times, jealous of him, and when her mother gave birth to another daughter, a real sunshine, it seemed that Gabi suffered. She became difficult and moody. By the time she reached 15 Gabi would lock herself in her bedroom and by candlelight burn joss sticks and play loud music. It was about this time that she started to experiment with drugs. The peace in the family was gone and Gabi could not wait to leave home – a most painful experience for her family to see her leave in the condition she was. Gabi lived in various communes, worked here and there, but stayed away from her family. In 1987 Gabriele’s mother, Inge, heard of Medjugorje and decided to make a pilgrimage there to ask Our Lady for help, after all She was a mother, too, and would know. At Medjugorje Inge was blessed with the grace of inner peace, hope and even joy, despite her concerns for Gabi. But even more graces awaited. Three days after Inge returned home, Gabi also came back. For Inge and her family, this truly was a prayer answered – a miracle. Inge was able to forgive her daughter and love her just as she was – a grace she believes she received from Our Lady of Medjugorje. Because Mary asks us to pray and to fast, Inge, her husband and youngest daughter started to do just this, imploring Our Lady for help – and the Lord answered their prayer! Later, Gabi said to her mother about this reconciliation: “Mama, I could feel a change in you. All of you gave me so much love. Your faith and trust became my safety anchor.” After a while Gabi informed her mother that she had begun to say one Our Father each day. And it was the prayer that Jesus taught us that gave Gabi the strength to return to Mass. “All because of one Our Father, the Lord gave me the grace to overcome my reluctance to go to Mass,” said Gabi. Gabriele then started to study theology in Innsbruck, and it was there that she met with a community of sisters known as The Family Of Mary, The Co-Redemptress, who gave her much support and help. It was around this time she decided to give her life to God – she had what she had been looking for at last. On 8 July 1974, Gabi entered the Family of Maria The Co-Redemptress and took the name of Sr Maria Gabriele. Her mission work took her to Kiev, capital of Ukraine. It was there she discovered she had breast cancer. Despite returning to Austria for surgery, the family were informed that there was no hope of a recovery. However, the following year Sr Maria made an amazing recovery – a great joy for the family but Sr Maria expressed her disappointment. She had been looking forward to going to Heaven! But sometime later the cancer returned and once more the family were plunged into sadness – they did not know that Sr Maria had offered her life to the Lord for the intention of the Holy Father and healing of priests. A week before she died, Sr Maria said to her mother: “Mama, promise me not to be sad when I go to Heaven. I will help you.” And help she did. Inge said: “After her death, I experienced such deep inner joy and peace, in the knowledge that she is home with God.”And to her spiritual director, Fr Paul Maria, Gabi said: “When people hear of my death, tell them to rejoice.”
Heidi Howell
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY...• My life has changed since I made that first trip to Medjugorje. It has been enriched by prayer and the fact that I belong to two fulfiling prayer groups. And I am beginning to understand those words of St Paul which say: “May I never boast in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is life and salvation.” I pray that all people will understand the beauty and reality of these words.
• Fr Kenneth BrockelROSARY INSPIRES CHANGE OF HEART• Michael had heard of the various ‘miracles’ which took place in Medjugorje. But when he was there he neither expected nor saw any such ‘miracles’. However, during the return journey one of the pilgrims found that the silver chain of his Rosary had become a light gold colour. This caused excitement amongst the pilgrims and Michael wasn’t alone in looking at his Rosary to find out whether his had changed. But no, it hadn’t. The plane carrying the pilgrims landed in England and Michael drove himself home. It was only when he arrived home that he next looked at his Rosary. The silver chain had now changed and was a light gold colour. Nothing happens without a reason and over the next few weeks Michael was to discover that reason.
Michael is a Eucharist Minister and takes Holy Communion to residential and nursing homes for the elderly. In one of the homes were husband and wife, Philip and Nellie. When Michael next visited he told them about his Rosary and showed it to them. Philip is an exemplary Catholic, very devoted to Our Lady and to the Rosary. He is also blind; so Nellie explained to her husband about the light gold colour of the chain. When Michael visited the following week, Nellie was excited to show him Philip’s Rosary. The silver had become bright gold, as bright as brass! Nothing happens without a reason and there is a happy sequel to this story. Philip and Nellie preferred not to receive Holy Communion from a lay person; so week after week they missed the chance of receiving the Eucharist. But following the change to Philip’s Rosary, he and Nellie had second thoughts and decided that they would receive communion from Michael. Five weeks later Philip died, fortified by the Rites of the Church. But on his death-bed he was to ill to receive Holy Communion. The last time he received was a few days earlier when Michael had visited. It was not too difficult to understand the change in Michael’s and Philip’s Rosaries was Our Lady’s way of ensuring Philip would receive the Eucharist before he died!
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Have you a testimony or story, or any experience about Medjugorje that you would like to share with others? Then contact us at the address or telephone number on page two – and if you need any assistance in writing or typing your story, help is at hand.
• Dear Children is a hard-copy tabloid publication distributed through the UK explaining the events and messages of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje, a small village in Bosnia Herzegovina.
