NUMBER 295 : December 2015 : FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER MEDJUGORJE CENTRE NORTH EAST. (Established since 1989)

Transcription

1 NUMBER 295 : December 2015 : FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER MEDJUGORJE CENTRE NORTH EAST (Established since 1989) OUR MINISTRY To spread the messages of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, given through the visionaries in Medjugorje. PEACE CONVERSION FAITH PRAYER FASTING OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE PRAY FOR US

2 1 MEDJUGORJE AFTERNOON OF PRAYER led by Fr. Martin Morris ( 2nd Sunday of the Month ) NO afternoon of prayer JANUARY 2016 Sunday 14th February pm to 5.00pm Adoration 5.00pm to 6.00pm Rosary, Benediction and Reflection ST ALOYSIUS CHURCH PRINCE CONSORT ROAD HEBBURN, TYNE AND WEAR NE31 1BE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORJE th 15th June 2016 FULL Cost 499 Single room supplement 125 Flying from Newcastle Half Board Hotel Orbis Close to St. James Church Travelling with Aglow Pilgrimages, Harrogate Stand-by list available ring Kath Ash Medjugorje Centre (North East) ANNUAL DAY OF PRAYER Led by Fr. Martin Morris Saturday 9th April 2016 Coffee from 9.45 am Rosary, and Talk Shared lunch, Followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Mass SACRED HEART Church North Gosforth, NE3 5EB

3 2 OUR LADY S MESSAGE To the World Given 25th December 2015 to Marija Pavlovic D ear children! Also today I am carrying my Son Jesus to you and from this embrace I am giving you His peace and a longing for Heaven. I am praying with you for peace and am calling you to be peace. I am blessing all of you with my motherly blessing of peace. Thank you for having responded to my call. Glory to God in the Highest! A Child is born for us, a Son is given to us! The Mother of God appeared in Medjugorje at Christmas, dressed in gold and radiant with joy, carrying in her arms our newborn God wrapped in her golden veil. Fr. Martin Morris s Reflection Spiritual Director of Medjugorje Centre NE Dear Brothers and Sisters of Medjugorje North East and Beyond, Praise be Jesus and Mary, as we enter 2016 this Holy Jubilee Year of Mercy and mark The Thirty Fifth Anniversary of the coming of Our Lady Queen of Peace, 24 th June In his letter for the Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis writes, Jesus Christ is the face of the Father s Mercy. He invites us during this year to contemplate the face of Christ, A face of Joy, serenity and peace. (MV:p3) On December 25 th Our Holy Mother Queen of Peace came carrying the Christ Child. Visionary Maria Pavlovic Lunetti told us: Our Lady holding the Prince of Peace was beautiful and reminded us that in Him, Jesus Christ we find true Peace Also today I am carrying my Son Jesus to you and from this embrace I am giving you his Peace and a longing for Heaven. Mary is Theotokos The God Bearer she always directs us to her Son, she is Mother of God. As Christ came

4 3 into the world through her, so too she bears Him again to our world. Mary carries our source of Peace; she brings us the answer to all our longings. Jesus is the true source of all Peace, and in Him we are able to transcend everything that is passing, everything that is worldly, and material. Only Christ and eternal life remain, and it is from this maternal embrace that Mary says we receive two graces, Peace and a longing for Heaven. This maternal embrace is for each one of us, each of us are included in the circle of her arms. At the beginning of a new year, a Holy Year of Mercy let us recall that we are all pilgrims, that we are on a path and that our life will end at some point. At the end we can expect eternal life. What sustains us on this Pilgrim path of Faith? Mary says she is giving to us a Longing for Heaven. This is a true Holy Desire that God alone can place in our hearts as Mary says, it comes from Jesus. This Holy grace of Longing for Heaven, helps us to surpass all worldly attractions and material desires. It is the result from working on our own conversion and praying for the gift of an expectant Faith. We must learn to cultivate a sense of Faith that enables us to see and hear everything that happens to us in the light of eternity. I would like to suggest three practical ways that might help us to open our Hearts to this Longing for Heaven that Mary is giving us from her embrace. Let us remember that we have one sole purpose in life: The enthralling vision of the Blessed Trinity in Glory in our Risen Body. This will be the final embrace with beauty and love that Mary mentions in this month s message. Firstly: Draw near to the Gospels. Meditating on them and thinking about them in our daily lives is the best way to understand Jesus and bring him to others. Did not our Hearts burn within us as he spoke to us. (Luke: 24:32) Secondly: Devotion to the Holy Spirit. Pray and Adore the Spirit of God. Ask for a new outpouring of the Spirit s Grace, call on the Holy Spirit regularly. The desire or Longing for Heaven that Mary encourages us to seek is placed within our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Thirdly: Renunciation. What do I need to detach myself from that is in excess in my life? This is where Fasting can give us a new and holy desire for the Kingdom. In his book, God or nothing Cardinal Robert Sarah says that Fasting has almost disappeared from the Church, and so we no longer have the yearning for the Kingdom, here and now. We don t have to do long fasts, but maybe we can ask ourselves what we need to detach oneself from, in order to enhance our spiritual growth. Little fasts and acts of renunciation can be liberating. What is in excess in my life? Eating, Drinking, working, speaking, shopping?

5 4 When Mary asks us to become aware of the two gifts she is giving Peace, and a longing for Heaven she is showing us how to transcend worldly spirits and live in her Son. Let us all cry out, Maranatha - Come Lord Jesus Come. God Bless, Fr. Martin Pray and be carriers of peace Blessings For The New Year Medjugorje Centre N.E Our Lady s message to Mirjana 2nd December 2015 Dear children! I am always with you because my Son entrusted you to me. And you, my children, you need me, you are seeking me, you are coming to me and you are bringing joy to my motherly heart. I have, and always will have, love for you; for you who suffer and who offer your pains and sufferings to my Son and to me. My love seeks the love of all of my children, and my children seek my love. Through love, Jesus seeks unity between Heaven and earth; between the Heavenly Father and you, my children - His Church. Therefore, it is necessary to pray much, to pray and love the Church to which you belong. Now, the Church is suffering and needs apostles who by loving unity, by witnessing and giving, show the ways of God. The Church needs apostles who by living the Eucharist with the heart do great works; it needs you, my apostles of love. My children, from the very beginning the Church was persecuted and betrayed, but day by day it grew. It is indestructible because my Son gave it a heart - the Eucharist, and the light of His resurrection shone and will continue to shine upon it. Therefore, do not be afraid. Pray for your shepherds that they may have the strength and the love to be bridges of salvation. Thank you.

6 5 REPORT FROM SISTER EMMANUEL of The Community of The Beatitudes Medjugorje, December 12, 2015 Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of America. (See PS1) Dear Children of Medjugorje, Praised be Jesus and Mary! 1. On 2 December 2015, Mirjana received her monthly apparition at the Blue Cross, in front of a small crowd, as we are now in the winter months. After the apparition, Mirjana conveyed her message: 2. How About The Pope? Meditating on the call of the Blessed Mother to pray and love the Church to which we belong, one of us asked the Lord in prayer: What can I do to better pray for the Church and the Pope? After this prayer, he began to read the Diary of Sr. Faustina, and came across precisely these words spoken by Jesus to the saint: "Make a Novena for the Holy Father's intention. It should consist of 33 acts, that is, repetition that many times of the short prayer - which I have taught you - to the Divine Mercy," ( 341 of the Diary). Now this prayer Jesus is speaking about is the one that He had already recommended to the Saint, by which we invoke the blood and water represented by the rays gushing from the Heart of Jesus, hence its great power. This river of blessings has flowed for 2,000 years for our salvation, and will keep flowing into eternity: "O blood and water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in you!" (Diary, 84). This prayer never ceases to move the heart of the Father in our favour. Our Pope Francis is in great need of our prayer, considering the very delicate situation of the Church today; so let's not hold back this gift for him, especially in this Jubilee Year of Mercy that he gave to us all. 3. Believing the unbelievable Last month, I was in East Malaysia to convey Our Lady's messages. Near the city of Kota Kinabalu, one of the priests who invited me told me about the extraordinary experiences he has had with the Child Jesus in his parish since Because Christmas is fast approaching, his testimony can only help us worship more fervently the God Child, who has made Himself so near, so accessible, so tangible. Father Nick has a heart of a real shepherd, focusing on the good he can provide his sheep with! He fell in love with the Child Jesus. He was offered a beautiful statue of the Newborn and it dawned on him to pass it around from family to family throughout the year. His goal was to allow the Holy Child to be born in the

7 6 hearts of these families. There, most of the families are still united and have many children. From the very first weeks, blessings and miracles began to happen! So many families wanted the Child in their homes that they could only keep it one hour before having to let it go. In fact, in His great love, the Child granted these families wonder upon wonder. Several examples struck me: - From Laurence Imbungan: "My granddaughter Jaklyne, 2 years old, was suffering from a serious lung infection. Since her health wasn't getting any better, she had to go to the hospital. The day before she had to leave, our home was the first one in the village of Tuaran to welcome the Child Jesus. The atmosphere was joyful: traditional songs and music could be heard. Jaklyne kept on asking for a doll, but was never satisfied with the ones she was given. However, when the Child Jesus arrived in our home, she expressed great joy, as if she had finally found what she yearned for. When we placed the Child Jesus on our small altar and began to pray, she started vomiting profusely and what came out of her mouth was horrible! The next day, at the hospital, the doctor examined her and declared that the infection had disappeared from her lungs. Since that day, in my family, we remember the Child Jesus and how he brought us healing. We give thanks to God!" - From Molin, village of Tangilan: "My desire was to see in a home 3 families who rejected God and did not go to church, to be touched by the Child Jesus. Their place was so poor that they were ashamed to welcome anyone in there, especially since the rain would drip into the house through the roof. But seeing the enthusiasm of the people who greeted the Child, these families also accepted His visit. They prayed for quite a while with Him, and God granted their prayer: the government gave them a new house. -In another village, a young boy was lying on a bed, completely paralyzed. When the statue of the Child Jesus arrived in his house, his eyes opened wide with joy, he suddenly straightened out as if to go hug Him, and he was cured of his paralysis! Now he lives a normal life. A couple had not been going to church for many years, especially the man who intended to express his atheism for all to hear. They were offered the visit of the Child, and they agreed without knowing why. When the man received the statue in his arms a little reluctantly, he heard the Child talk to him and tell him, "So, now, do you believe?" He burst into tears, and has since then, with his wife, become a staunch pillar of his parish. -A simple woman, a housewife and mother, received the Child in her home. She wanted to treat it like a normal baby and began to wash it. After the bath, she noticed that the skin of the Child "smelled like a baby" as if it were alive. Sometimes He would blink His eye, smile and

8 7 moved His tiny hands... It would take too long to tell all the stories I heard there. But what touched me the most was the simple faith of these villagers, and the sincere way in which they worship God. Father Nick has composed a special liturgy dedicated to the Baby's arrival in the homes, with words of welcome, hymns, etc. The spiritual fruit is abundant: joy is restored in the homes, mutual forgiveness and reconciliations happen, love is rekindled among family members, people return to the sacraments, especially to confession... Children and young people especially are moved, they put their whole hearts into helping the pilgrim statue of Jesus to enter villages and homes in their area. And what about us, in our Western world that is so materialistic, anxious and often so sad, what are we going to do to welcome Baby Jesus at Christmas? (See PS4). He comes loaded with gifts and blessings, and we need them so much! What joy to give Him the place of honor! His innocence is the best weapon against the evil which eats up our families from inside, Satan is so afraid of it! "I am your peace. Live my commandments," He said on Christmas 2012, while appearing as a newborn in the arms of His mother. True peace, lasting peace, solid peace won't be found outside of Him! 4. My Mom, Odile Last month I spoke about the consecration of death. I did not know at that time that my sweet mother Odile was to be born into heaven. I found out through my brother that she was having trouble breathing, and because I was in China at that time, I asked Fr. Slavko (whom she loved so much) to come and pick her up as soon as possible; she was already 94 years old. So my mother went up to the Heavenly Father in great peace, on November 24, the same day that Fr. Slavko was born into Heaven, in Then, this is what I realized: one should not say that we have "lost" someone. We don't "lose" anyone, there is no loss here! Our loved ones enter into their eternity where not only do they await us, but where they work for us as never before, enriched by the very love of God for us. Where is the loss? On the contrary, it is a new kind of relationship that is established between Heaven and Earth, even if the person is in purgatory for a while (See PS3). Vicka, who saw life after death with Jakov in 1981, is radiant when someone dies, whether young or old. She told me, "If people knew how good God is, they would never fear death." By the way, I would like to warmly thank all those who prayed for my mum, or who had a mass celebrated for her. May they be blessed! Dearest Child Jesus, Your birthday is coming soon, so please, inspire in us the gift you are dreaming to receive from us! Dearest friends, this Christmas will be the most beautiful one you have ever had, because you will put Jesus at the first place in your life! May Divine peace flow into your hearts! A blessed year of Mercy to you. Sister Emmanuel +

9 8 P.S. 1. The image of Our Lady seen on the Tilma is a constant miracle! Recently, a musician from Florida found out that he could capture on his computer the music expressed by the position of the stars visible on Mary's mantel. A Heavenly melody, indeed! (These stars also give the exact image of the sky of that day, but as seen from above, not from the earth). See link : watch?v=6pflc44qz84 P.S. 2. Don't forget to pick your saint for the New Year 2016, either at your family celebration on Christmas or at the get-together of the New Year! You'll find the explanation and the list of saints on our website P.S. 3. It is during the night of Christmas that the largest group of Poor Souls go to Heaven, more than on All Saints day. Let us not forget them in our family celebrations! They will intercede for us in return. P.S. 4. During Advent Our Lady invites us to build up our manger so that we may expect Baby Jesus in a better way. Here is an idea for the children: May they lay many little pieces of straw in the crib of Baby Jesus (or bits of paper), preparing in this way a bed of love for Him. Each piece of straw would carry a prayer or a sacrifice that they offered. On each little paper, let them write which sacrifice or prayer they made. P.S. 5. Watch our short video! Watch the videos of sr. Emmanuel in English, go to P.S. 8. Sister Emmanuel's Newsletter can be received in many languages! R.I.P George Wilkins Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne. We are sad to announce the death of George Wilkins Aged 84. On 22 nd December As a friend of Medjugorje North East, and fellow Pilgrim along with Sheila his wife over many years, George supported and proclaimed the Message of Our Lady of Medjugorje. George was Retired Head teacher of St. Bernadette School, Wallsend. His Career followed a path with British Rail before at the age of 40 he entered the Teaching Profession in Wallsend, starting at St. Columba s & St. Aidan Schools, retiring from St. Bernadette s in 1988 He was an inspiration to many thankful pupils during his teaching Career, especially our own Marian Priest Fr. Jeff Dodds PP of The Immaculate Heart of Mary Whickham, they shared a love and devotion of Our Lady Queen of Peace. George s Requiem Mass took place in his own beloved Parish Church of Our Lady & St. Columba s led by Fr. Anthony Donaghue and concelebrated with Fr. Jeff Dodds, where George served faithfully as a Lay Leader. We offer Our deepest sympathy to Georges wife Sheila and sons Ian & Paul and family. Prayers & Holy Mass will be offered in Medjugorje during our Pilgrimage. Pax Christie.

10 9 R.I.P Fr. Michael Corbett ( ) Parish Priest St Andrews, Worswick Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. Catholic Chaplain to The Newcastle Hospital Trust, Newcastle General, RVI & Freeman. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Fr. Michael Corbett on 9th December 2015 aged 70. Tributes have poured in for Fr. Corbett. The North East is in mourning for its very own humble and dearly loved Priest of The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Medjugorje North East is forever grateful for the love and support he gave us over the last few years offering us St. Andrews Church as a venue for The Evening of Prayer for The Anniversary of Medjugorje 25th June. We are so grateful for his generosity and thankful for donating the collection. Which was as tremendous help toward producing and posting The Medjugorje NE Newsletter, which enables the spreading of Our Lady of Medjugorje messages throughout the UK. Fr Ciaran McDonnell (deceased) during his illness and stay in hospital in 2012 personally asked Fr. Corbett to take his place on the pilgrimage and go to Medjugorje. Fr. Corbett, although a bit reluctant, agreed. It was a decision that was a great inspiration and Blessing for him. It was after he returned from his second Pilgrimage to Medjugorje just last year in 2015, that he said I wished I had discovered a place like Medjugorje as a young Priest During his Homily on 25th June 2015 at The Anniversary Mass at St. Andrews, Fr. Corbett said: Although, no decision has yet been made by the papal commission about Medjugorje, all the gospel values are to be found there, and this is Mary's vision and mission for us. The hand does not reach out to the heart that does not long for him. Fr Michael told us how impressed he was by the thousands and millions who have travelled to Medjugorje. He said there are no gimmicks to be found in Medjugorje only a sense of peace, particularly at evening adoration among the thousands of pilgrims who want the same thing - peace. The witness of prayer and confession every evening in the 54 confessionals, as well as the many priests hearing confession on benches under trees was very powerful. Medjugorje remains uncontaminated, it does not have any big churches or basilicas, only pure simplicity with the beauty of the mountains and hills in the background. Fr Michael talked of the many positive signs in Medjugorje, the good fruits and many deep personal conversions which all make it a very holy place. Our Lady s monthly messages are echoes of the gospel and contain nothing new but, like many mothers, in her messages she repeats and reminds us of what we have forgotten - love and forgiveness.

11 10 Father Michael was ordained to the priesthood at Castletownroche, Co. Cork on the 12th June He has faithfully served the people of our Diocese in the following parishes: Curate: Our Lady & St Joseph s, Brooms Aug 1971 Jan 1978 St Andrew s, Newcastle Jan 1978 Mar 1984 St Aloysius, Hebburn Mar 1984 Sep 1987 Parish Priest: St Mary s, Stockton Sep 1987 Feb 1996 St Joseph s, Durham Feb 1996 Apr 2005 St Andrew s, Newcastle Apr 2005 Present Fr Michael s body was received into a packed St Andrew s, Newcastle on Wednesday 16th December Followed by his Requiem Mass on Thursday 17th December 2015 at St Mary s Cathedral, Newcastle. People overflowed out into the street and courtyard to honour the life of one of our great Priests His body was then taken back to his beloved Castletownroche Co Cork, Ireland, for burial. It is not easy to put into words the extraordinary life of a great priest. The love for him perhaps speaks volumes. We remember Fr. Michael s family in our prayers. Requiescat in Pace. Catherine only experienced TLC Through Our Lady Queen of Peace ( Medjugorje Pilgrimage 2015 ) Many of you will remember, on the last day of The Pilgrimage in Medjugorje May One of our Pilgrims had a nasty fall on Prodbordo Hill of Apparitions. Medjugorje Despite breaking her hand and leg the day before departure, Catherine managed to make the journey back to England with the help of her sister in law, and granddaughter Emily, surrounded by many Pilgrim friends. From the Local Shopkeeper at the bottom of Apparition Hill and Irish Priest who assisted her down, only Kindness and TLC was shown. Catherine would like to thank everyone who rallied around to help make her journey pain free and get her back to the UK. Catherine witnessed to the power of prayer of Our Lady, not only for herself but also her Grandson Joseph. He was the reason for her Pilgrimage to Medjugorje and climbing the mountains of prayer. Joseph suffers from a serious back problem. While Catherine and the family were in Medjugorje Joseph underwent 14 hours of surgery. He is a very brave young man and we are told he is doing well now. We ask you to continue to pray for Joseph. Medjugorje Centre NE

12 11 Jakov Colo Annual Apparition 25th December 2015 At the last daily apparition to Jakov Colo on September 12th, 1998, Our Lady told him that henceforth he would have one apparition per year, every December 25th, on Christmas Day. This is also how it was this year. The apparition began at 2:08pm and lasted 10 minutes. Afterwards Jakov transmitted the following message: "Dear children! All these years that God permits me to be with you are a sign of the immeasurable love which God has for each one of you and a sign of how much God loves you. Little children, how many graces the Most High has given to you and how many graces he desires to give to you. But, little children, your hearts are closed and live in fear, and do not permit Jesus to have His love and His peace overcome your hearts and to begin to reign in your lives. To live without God means to live in darkness and never to come to know the Father s love and His care for each of you. Therefore, little children, today in a special way pray to Jesus that as of today your life may experience a new birth in God and become a light which will radiate from within you, and thus that you may become witnesses of God's presence in the world to every person who lives in darkness. Little children, I love you and daily intercede before the Most High for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.." Jakov describes his Apparition The following talk by visionary Jakov was transcribed from a video from betweenthefoldsofhermantle.com. We thank Michael Stanton for making the videos available. When Our Lady said to me She would not come to me on a daily basis anymore that She would just come to me for Christmas the first question I asked myself was, What did I do wrong? How can this be? I will not be able to see Her anymore every day. What will I be doing at the time of the apparition at 5:40pm? And Our Lady said, Through prayer, you will be given all answers. And through prayer, I understood that it s not important to see Our Lady with your eyes, but it s important to have Our Lady in your hearts, because we can all look at Our Lady with the eyes of our heart every day. Now I do not see Our Lady every day with my eyes, but Her love, Her goodness, Her peace is always in my heart. I am always waiting, expecting, and preparing myself for Christmas and for the moment when I will be able to see Our Lady again.

13 12 And truly when Our Lady comes for Christmas, I recall all those 17 years that I passed with Her when I was able to see Her on a daily basis every day. But on Christmas, what happens when Our Lady appears to me on Christmas, She appears with Baby Jesus in Her arms. I can t see the Baby because the Baby is clothed with Her veil. And sometimes I ask myself, Why don t I ask Our Lady, How come I can t see the Baby? But when Our Lady comes and appears, those questions stop. And then on Christmas Day, I really understand that Our Lady desires to say, Dear children, I m bringing you Jesus. I want to give Jesus to you. I want Jesus to be born in your heart. And that s the reason why She comes and appears to me holding Baby Jesus. Holy Jubilee year of Mercy Description of Logo The logo and the motto together provide a fitting summary of what the Jubilee Year is all about. The motto Merciful Like the Father (taken from the Gospel of Luke, 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the merciful example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to give love and forgiveness without measure (cfr. Lk 6:37-38). The logo the work of Jesuit Father Marko I. Rupnik presents a small summa theologiae of the theme of mercy. In fact, it represents an image quite important to the early Church: that of the Son having taken upon his shoulders the lost soul demonstrating that it is the love of Christ that brings to completion the mystery of his incarnation culminating in redemption. The logo has been designed in such a way so as to express the profound way in which the Good Shepherd touches the flesh of humanity and does so with a love with the power to change one s life. One particular feature worthy of note is that while the Good Shepherd, in his great mercy, takes humanity upon himself, his eyes are merged with those of man. Christ sees with the eyes of Adam, and Adam with the eyes of Christ. Every person discovers in Christ, the new Adam, one s own humanity and the future that lies ahead, contemplating, in his gaze, the love of the Father.

14 13 Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham granted Minor Basilica status by Pope Francis The rare designation is given by the Holy Father to places of worship which are of particular historical significance. The Pope's decree was announced at Walsingham, known as England's Nazareth, at the feast of the Holy Family on Sunday December 27, by Bishop Alan Hopes, the Bishop of East Anglia, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs and Peterborough. The title has been granted to the Slipper Chapel, the Chapel of Reconciliation and the Domain. Making the announcement, Bishop Alan said: "The Holy See's recognition of the importance of the church in Walsingham is a recognition of the growth and witness of the Shrine over these many years since its reestablishment after its destruction during the period of the Reformation, for its constant witness to the importance of marriage and family life and its pastoral care of the tens of thousands of pilgrims who make their journey to the Shrine every year. "It has also come at a very important moment in the life of the Shrine as it seeks to develop and refurbish its facilities in the light of the ever growing number of pilgrims, a work being led by Mgr John Armitage, the recently appointed Rector of the Shrine. "I am quite sure that this moment will bring many blessings and graces to all pilgrims in the coming years."mgr John Armitage, Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady, said: "This is wonderful news because it represents so much of what has been happening in the Shrine for so long. It's a recognition by the Holy Father of the long history of this shrine. "It's recognition of the remarkable devotion, particularly of the people who work here, the volunteers and all the loyal pilgrims who come from so far, for so often and from such great distances." The Bishop of Norwich, Rt Rev Graham James, said: "In a BBC survey nine years ago Walsingham was given the accolade of being England's most spiritual place. Now the Pope has added to the honour in which Walsingham is held. Anglicans as well as Roman Catholics come to Walsingham in big numbers and the relationship between the two shrines is close and supportive. I came first to Walsingham as a pilgrim in 1971, and I hope the new status the Pope has granted Walsingham will encourage many more people to discover the spiritual treasures of England's Nazareth." The shrine dates back to the 11th century, when the Virgin Mary appeared in a vision to the then lady of the manor, Richeldis de Faverches, who prayed that she might undertake some special work in honour of Our Lady. In answer to her prayer, the Virgin Mary led her in spirit to Nazareth, showed her the house where the Annunciation (when the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to Jesus) occurred, and asked her to build a replica in Walsingham to serve as a perpetual memorial. Minor Basilica status has only previously been awarded to three locations in Britain - Corpus Christi in Manchester, Downside Abbey in Somerset and St Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham being the others. Walsingham is the first to be given such status since For more information visit:

15 14 Medjugorje Centre North East St Joseph s Gateshead Mass with Anointing of the Sick Diocese Hexham & Newcastle Every 2nd Wednesday of the month All are Welcome Second Wednesday of each Month: Mass with anointing of the Sick, 12 noon at - St Joseph's Pastoral Centre, Gateshead 2016 Jan. 13th., Feb. 10th., March 9th. April 13th., May 11th., June 8th. July 13th., Aug.10th.,Sept. 14th. Oct. 12th., Nov. 9th, Dec. 14th. MIDDLESBROUGH CENTRE FOR PEACE MEDJUGORJE EVENING Friday 8th January 2016 Friday 12th February pm to 9.30pm Rosary : Holy Mass : Talk : Witness JOHN PAUL CENTRE 55 GRANGE ROAD, MIDDLESBROUGH, TS1 5AU For further details please contact: Mrs Marie Bedingfield Tel: Medjugorje Youth Festival Donations We would like to Thank Readers for their generosity to sponsor Young People to get to The Medjugorje Youth Festival in 2016 We continue with our sponsorship appeal. St Andrews Prayer Group Prayer for Priest 3rd Sunday of the month ( 2pm to 4pm ) Worswick Street Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6UW All are welcome Donations made payable to Medjugorje Centre North East and send to : Fiona Johnston. Treasurer, Medjugorje Centre North East, 26 Oakfield Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4RQ The Centre recognizes and accepts that the final authority regarding the apparitions at Medjugorje rests with the Holy See of Rome. We willingly submit to that judgement.