Children of Medjugorje
President: Denis Nolan
Vice-President: Sister Emmanuel
Advisory Board:
Cardinal Jaime Sin
Cardinal Bernardino Echeverria, O.F.M.+
Archbishop Frane Franic
Archbishop D. Peter Chung
Bishop Nicholas D'Antonio, O.F.M.
Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, O.M.I.
Bishop Donald Montrose
Bishop William Ellis
Fr. Daniel Ange
Ralph Martin
August 1, 2002
Dear Children of Medjugorje,
Praised be Jesus and Mary!
1) Jelena Vasilj, the "inner locutionist", will be married on August 24th
in Medjugorje to Massimiliano Valente, from Italy. Like Jelena, Massimiliano
studied Theology in Rome, where they met. He works as an historian. The
couple will settle in Rome. Let's pray for this new family being created!
(see PPPS).
2) As you know, Georgette Faniel, a mystic, poet and martyr for Medjugorje,
passed away July 2, 2002. After publishing the last report about her, July
15, we received a letter from Rosa who has tirelessly devoted herself to
spreading Our Lady¹s messages throughout Latin America. I cannot help but
think Rosa¹s following testimony about Georgette is a celebration of Mary¹s
latest message. How powerful our patron saints and intercessors are when
we pray to them in our vulnerability!
About ten years ago Rosa worked on the Spanish version of "Queen of Peace,
stay with us!", a book about Medjugorje and Georgette written by her spiritual
directors in 1988. Immediately, Georgette became one of Rosa¹s favorite
mystics. Lately, life for Rosa has been very difficult. She has endured
many difficult trials involving issues with money, an overload of work and
her parents¹s poor health. She shares:
³As a result I have not been able to take part in any events related to Medjugorje
for a long time. Vicka, for example, came to Queretaro, Mexico, a few months
ago and I could not attend the talk she gave or the apparition she received.
I felt deserted by God and Our Lady. This made my work harder day by day
as I began to feel more and more disconnected from Medjugorje. I even asked
Our Lady to use someone else and release me from the task of spreading the
messages.
"Then something happened. I received a phone call from a friend who needed
help continuing her ministry sending images of the Queen of Peace to poor
countries in Latin America. At first I didn't know how I could help, but
through prayer, I felt that Our Lady wanted to visit convents and religious
houses where she could show her love to nuns and priests. When I told this
to my friend, she couldn't believe it: she had been petitioning for months
to Our Lady on behalf of consecrated people!² With the help of another
friend who owns a van, the Queen of Peace started her tour to different convents
and seminaries throughout Mexico City.
"But one day, as I was getting into the van to move Our Lady to another convent,
I fell on the ground. (It was as if someone had hit me on the head.) and
I almost lost consciousness. When everything went dark, I said to Jesus:
'We have to go and pick up your Mother! So You'd better do something for
me, otherwise You will have to go and pick her up Yourself!' I immediately
recovered. Still, my struggles persisted and my desperation increased.
Then, out of the blue, while I was walking home from Mass Georgette Faniel
came to my mind. I wondered if she still had conversations with God.
I was wishing I could ask her to intercede for me. I remembered the song
she received from heaven: "Mirtha o Mirtha!" (see PPS) and started to sing
it. And right then peace flowed into my heart like a river, taking out
every worry, anxiety, and depression. I was even able to accept God's will
and offer all my trials for the sake of Medjugorje. That day was indeed
a very special one: it was exactly the day when Georgette went back to the
Father, July 2nd, 2002!!! So Sister is right when she says that Georgette
is working very hard in heaven for Mary's children, especially for the children
of Medjugorje!"
3) Just before the big Youth gatherings (Toronto World Youth Day and Youth
Festival in Medjugorje...), the Gospa has given us a very special gift, and
this is not by chance: she tells us that she rejoices with our Patron saint
(St James, the patron saint of the parish of Medjugorje) and she calls us
to "ask our holy protectors the help to grow in love towards God". (July
25, 02 message)
Indeed, a lot of young people are going through many hardships today.
A major reason they feel unsecure is precisely the lack of connection with
the heavenly realities. So many are locked up in a shallow materialistic
world, totally ignorant of their true origin in God and the real purpose
of life, which is heaven! Others wander deprived of roots, hurt by their
parents' divorce, aimless, disappointed by the short-lived proposals that
society has to offer. They need faithful friends who can reveal to them
the spiritual world, a world more vast and fulfilling than what they now
know. What refreshing wind the Mother of God blows over us! She reminds
us that we do have powerful friends, never too tired nor too busy, always
eager to help and so efficient! Divinely efficient, just what we need to
find our way to happiness!
Many young people do not know their patron saints yet, others may think they
have none. But we all have at least one Patron saint! If our baptismal
name is not the name of a saint, why not then ask God in prayer to reveal
to us who our patron saint is? We sometimes feel attracted to one saint
or another, why not see in this a sign that this saint is particularly close
to us and that God wants him/her to be our special pal? God is never stingy
with his gifts!
What joy it would be for our Heavenly Mother if, following up on her latest
message, we discover or welcome again our patron Saint, and start with him/her
an intense relationship? Since that message, the copy machines have been
very busy here, copying lists of Saints (see our report of January 1, 02
on the web: www.ChildrenOfMedjugorje.com) so that not a single visitor should
leave our home without a holy protector, at least for the rest of the year.
As for Georgette Faniel, as well as I know her, I bet she'd love to count you among her protected ones!
Every parish, every country has its own Patron saint. The roles of these
"protectors" (Croatian _expression for "Patron saint") are numerous and unimaginable;
why should we leave them unemployed!? Helping us grow in love towards God
is the most precious gift we can dream of from them, isn't it?
Dearest Gospa, please give all young people the taste for heaven!
Invite them into these celestial friendships so they can experience true love!
PPS. English version of Georgette's prayer, received from Heaven on Feb. 24, 1986:
"Mirtha, Ô Mirtha!
Peace, O gentle peace,
be our constant hope.
Queen of the Peace,
accept our praise.
From all dangers, protect us all.
In our combats, remain with us.
To magnify the Eternal Father,
give all of us your love.
O Blessed Trinity, with our Mother,
let us proclaim your mercy,
the power of your eternal love.
Queen of Peace, hear the prayer
of your children of the earth
beseeching you to give them peace. Amen!
PPPS. At the age of 12, on Mary's request in 1982, Jelena founded a prayer
group for youth in Medjugorje. The Gospa asked them to remain at her school
during four years, so that she might form them. Actually, they continued
for several more years, until the 1992 war broke out. Jelena and her friend
Marijana received marvellous messages from Our Lady, as inner locutions accompanied
with images, but without any apparitions.
PPPPS. Message of July 25th, 2002 (St James's parish Feastday)
"Dear children! Today I rejoice with your patron saint and call you to be
open to God's will, so that in you and through you, faith may grow in the
people you meet in your everyday life. Little children, pray until prayer
becomes joy for you. Ask your holy protectors to help you grow in love
towards God. Thank you for having responded to my call."
