EDITOR: JUNE KLINS PHONE: (814)

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1 THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE P.O. BOX 6614 ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA SUBSCRIPTION RATE - FREE WILL OFFERING - PLEASE SEE PAGE 8 If this is the first time you have received this newsletter, and you would like a Beginner s Guide, please contact us for one. EDITOR: JUNE KLINS PHONE: (814) jklins1981@verizon.net EDITOR EMERITUS: JOAN WIESZCZYK SPIRITUAL ADVISOR FR. WILLIAM KIEL VOL. 28, NO. 8 PUBLISHED MONTHLY August 2015 CURRENT MONThLY MESSAGE of JULY 25, 2015 ON THE 25TH DAY OF EACH MONTH, THE BLESSED VIRGIN GIVES A MESSAGE TO THE VISIONARY, MARIJA, THAT IS TO BE GIVEN TO THE WORLD. The heart-shaped stone pictured here was a gift from Medjugorje. In August, we have three days of celebration for Our Lady Her birthday on August 5, the Assumption on August 15, and the Queenship on August 22. Our Lady told the visionaries that Her real birthday is August 5. Happy birthday, dear Mother! We hope You are pleased with all the Masses which have been said for Your intentions. They now number 12,450. Dear children! With joy I am with you also today and I call all of you, little children, pray, pray, pray so as to comprehend the love which I have for you. My love is stronger than evil, little children, therefore draw closer to God so as to feel my joy in God. Without God, little children, you do not have a future, you do not have hope or salvation; therefore leave evil and choose good. I am with you and, with you, I intercede before God for all of your needs. Thank you for having responded to my call.

2 Fr. Bill Kiel in the liturgies and devotional services in the village and Saint James Church. When we open our hearts to God, He works miracles in our lives. By looking at the fruits, your heart fills with joy and gratitude to God for everything He does in your life and, also to others (10/25/02). For all the fruits thank God and glorify Him More Fruits of Medjugorje By Fr. Bill Kiel The stories and experiences of persons who have been to Medjugorje, or who have had prayers answered from petitions carried to Medjugorje, are beautiful fruits of Medjugorje. Also many prayers, sacrifices, days of fasting, participation in the Eucharist, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament are fruits of faith being strengthened as a result of participating Children who are being helped by Medjugorje Calls You (10/3/85). you will be led by the love and strength of my Son. Then you will be apostles who everywhere around them spread the fruits of God s love. My Son will act from within you and through you, because you will be one (1/2/14). The above mentioned words were the inspiration to live the gratitude of receiving many blessings from prayerful experiences in Medjugorje. A small group of individuals have come together to show their love and gratitude to God by organizing Medjugorje Calls You. It is a non-profit group who have formally and legally organized ways to help the needy in the greater Medjugorje area. The mission statement reflects hope to spread the fruits of God s love: With the belief that all things are possible through Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary, Medjugorje Calls You serves the families of Bosnia Herzegovina. We do so with love, compassion and friendship. With loving hearts and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we provide the necessities for children, families and the elderly to live comfortably and with human dignity. We strive to be an example of God s unconditional love for all people by our character, words and actions. A few of the current priorities are to provide food, clothing, shoes, Prayer intentions of Pope Francis for August Volunteers: That volunteers may give themselves generously to the service of the needy. Outreach to the marginalized: That setting aside our very selves we may learn to be neighbors to those who find themselves on the margins of human life and society. medical supplies and school costs. Spiritual and emotional friendships will be ongoing with the people who are being helped. Through the encounters with the individuals and families, hopefully, they will be able to learn to sustain and support themselves in the future. In recent years, help to the needy of the Medjugorje area has been taking place. Pilgrims have been quietly, but powerfully, helping many individuals and families. The compassion and love shown to the needy are a reflection of gratitude of the many blessings or fruits they have received through their spiritual experiences in Medjugorje. Please pray for the members of Medjugorje Calls You and the individuals whom they are supporting. Updates of their work will be forthcoming. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for them. Editor s note: Fr. Bill s schedule has been updated on our website. He will be the spiritual director for a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, November 11-22, For more information, call Nancy at Message to Mirjana on July 2, 2015 Dear children, I am calling you to spread the faith in my Son your faith. You, my children illuminated by the Holy Spirit, my apostles, transmit it to others to those who do not believe, who do not know, who do not want to know but for that you must pray a lot for the gift of love, because love is the mark of true faith and you will be apostles of my love. Love always, anew, revives the pain and the joy of the Eucharist, it revives the pain of the Passion of my Son, by which He showed you what it means to love immeasurably; it revives the joy for having left you His body and blood to feed you with Himself and in this way, to be one with you. Looking at you with tenderness, I feel immeasurable love which strengthens me in my desire to bring you to a firm faith. Firm faith will give you joy and happiness on earth and in the end the encounter with my Son. This is His desire. Therefore, live Him, live love, live the light that always illuminates you in the Eucharist. I implore you to pray a lot for your shepherds, to pray so as to have all the more love for them because my Son gave them to you to feed you with His body and to teach you love. Therefore, also you are to love them. But, my children, remember, love means to endure and to give, and never, ever to judge. Thank you. Our thanks to Sue Taccone, Chris Falk, Marge Spase, Nicole DiLuzio, Joanne Warren, Georgia Chludzinski, Dianne Yochim, Irene and Dan Zuba, Mary Tirak, Estrella Igras, Cindy Bielanin, Diane Niebauer, Louise Lotze, and the people who want to remain anonymous for their help with the July mailing. We thank Johannes Dittrich and Chris Falk for their photos in this issue. And as always, we thank Pat Berrier, our proofreader, and Jason Klins, our webmaster THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE August 2015

3 Lynda, from Scotland, shared a powerful event that occurred in her family, specifically with her brother Patrick who was heavily involved in drinking and gambling. Here is her story: My brother was the youngest in the family. Growing up, he was a very good child. He was obedient and quiet, but at the same time, full of fun. When he was 18, he went to college to train to be a medical doctor. He joined all the social groups and clubs that were available and partied with the best of them! He was really living it up. He was drinking heavily and also got involved in gambling. He qualified as a doctor and started working, but his career was not progressing. My family and I were very concerned about him and the amount of gambling he was doing. He had become seriously addicted. We tried talking to him, especially me in particular, as I am his only sister and also his Godmother. I used to spend a lot of time visiting him at his apartment, helping him to sort out his finances, manage his money and essentially get him back on the straight and narrow, but unfortunately it wasn t working. My mother was very worried about him and so we both decided to go to Medjugorje in October of We were walking to Fr. Slavko s grave when my mother said to me, Look! There s Sister Emmanuel over there. I want to go and ask her to pray for Patrick. She went over to her and asked her to pray. Sr. Emmanuel responded by saying, What does Our Lady ask? and my mother replied, Prayer and fasting. Sr. Emmanuel told her that in order to win such a war, she should do her whole part and not just half she should pray AND fast for her son, and God would do the rest. Our Lady said, Through prayer and fasting, you can obtain everything! When my mother told me what Sr. Emmanuel had said, my reaction was, Thank God it wasn t me whom Sr. Emmanuel she said that to! However, when we returned home, as well as praying for Alcohol and Gambling By Sr. Emmanuel my brother, we also started to fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays for him. Then we really saw a miracle happening. That was two years ago, and my brother completely stopped gambling. He is totally debt free! He has progressed a lot in his career. He s highly thought of as a doctor, and he has joined a team so that he can advance his career even further. Now he very rarely drinks alcohol he may have a drink every now and again, but that is it. He s living a very good life, and has a lovely girlfriend. It was once we started to pray and fast that we really saw the miracle happening. Trying to talk to him before was like banging my head against a brick wall. Fasting had the power to break something within him that my family and I couldn t break through simple talking and prayer. Fasting was needed, too. My brother grew up in a house of faith and love, but despite this, more was needed, and that was the power of both prayer AND fasting. Lynda s testimony speaks to the hearts of many, because the rate of addiction is massively increasing in today s world. Alcohol, drugs of all kinds, wrong sexual practices, gambling, etc. are destroying so many families. If someone is not convinced by Jesus words or Mary s messages about prayer and fasting, let him try it anyway; he has nothing to lose, but has a lot to gain! Children of Medjugorje, June 2015 report Editor s note: You might also want to invoke the intercession of our late spiritual advisor, Fr. James Peterson, who founded a ministry for addicts, and is most likely interceding for them now. Two people remarked to me that right after they prayed for his intercession, things got worse. My reply was that this may actually be good, as some people need to hit rock bottom before they get better. I heard a psychologist on Catholic radio say that the best way for an addict to be cured is through his own will to change, which usually occurs after he/she hits the depths of despair and admits there is a problem. Prayer and fasting can speed up the process. In an interview on Radio Maria, Sr. Emmanuel quoted Fr. Amorth, a Vatican exorcist, as saying that fasting is so powerful because it is costly, meaning it is hard and takes much effort. Fasting Temptations Here are some temptations to be aware of, courtesy of Delay - I ll start up again next week. I m not ready yet. Discomfort - I don t want to be uncomfortable (especially when I don t have my coffee). Self-Condemnation - I m not even good at fasting. Why should I bother? Do not fall into these traps! To overcome the three temptations above, let us pray for diligence (zeal for starting our day, for prayer and for holiness), to fight delay; second, humility in all things to fight discomfort (and pride/vanity); third, mercy and forgiveness towards ourselves and others to fight selfcondemnation. Mother Mary, perfect in all virtue, pray for us! Editor s note: Andy LaVallee, founder of Live the Fast, has written an inspirational book about his conversion after actor Jim Caveziel challenged him to make a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. His book, From the Hub to the Heart: My Journey, is available at livethefast.com. Live the Fast starter kit August THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE

4 There has been a lot of talk about Medjugorje... having to do with speculation about the Vatican commission, etc. It has been a bit unsettling for some. I have transcribed the homily given on Sunday, June 28, 2015, at the English Mass in Medjugorje, because I believe it answers the unsettling speculators very well. It gave me much peace, and I hope it will give you peace as well. Homily for English Mass, Medjugorje, June 28, 2015 Fr. Rory O Donnell: My dear friends, would you believe that is has been 28 years since I first set foot in this parish of Medjugorje. I was a seventeen year-old boy, and one of my priest/teachers challenged me to come here to Medjugorje. Religion class had become a series of stand-up rows between himself and I. The political situation in Ireland at the time was very tense at the time, especially in the North, and the views that I held, and that my family held, were in sharp contrast to anything that the Church was saying at the time. But eventually, one day, in exasperation as myself and this priest were rowing back and forth at each other in the classroom, he said to me, Have you ever heard of Medjugorje? If you went there, you would change your views. And you know something, what he said was true beyond his or my wildest dreams. Each time I come to Medjugorje...(I have been here countless times)...each time I come here and alight from the bus or the car, I have to stop myself from throwing myself down on the ground and kissing the sacred, sandy soil of Medjugorje, because it was here, 28 years ago, that I was born, at the age of 17. Our first reading [Wis 1:13-15] reminds us that there is death and there is life. God s desire for us is to exist for all eternity. But the enemy of our souls is jealous. He wants to bring us to death. The evil one had a plan for me, and he had me walking on a certain path. But Mary stepped in and She snatched me from him. And through Her direction, like the woman in today s Gospel [the woman with hemorrhages in Mark 5:25-34], I came closer to Jesus than I ever thought possible. On my third day here in Medjugorje, the joy and peace was already dawning in my soul. And at that time, the people used to gather up there where the parish office is now, and we would kneel outside to welcome the presence of Our Lady. And on that third day, just after I had knelt and I stood up, a woman approached me and she was crying. And she said to me, Rory, during the last few minutes, as we were kneeling down, I looked over in your direction. And all of a sudden, you were enveloped in a circle of light, and everything else became dark. And I heard a voice, and it was the voice of a woman, and the voice simply said, He is going to be a priest. I was shocked. I was stunned. I walked away, but for some The Truth of Medjugorje By Cathy Nolan Fr. Rory O Donnell strange reason, it was as if someone had put the final piece in the jigsaw of my life. And I began to feel this great sense of joy. I remember going to Confession, and many of you here know Fr. Svet. Fr. Svet was hearing confessions and I told him my sins, and then he said to me, What will you do with your life? And I told him what had just occurred, and he said, Well you know, the Church in Ireland needs you. I came back, and that was in April. And my family thought that it was a different son who had returned because I was so different to the person who had gone. And years later, my mother told me that my four brothers and two sisters had said to her, What happened to Rory in Medjugorje, because he is so different from the young man who went there in the first place? In fact, a few weeks later, I was going into Sunday Mass, and I went with my older brother, Seany, and as we were walking into Mass, he turned to me and said, Rory, please, please stop that! And as we were walking into the church yard, I said, Stop what? And he said, You know what you are doing. Please stop it. It s embarrassing. And I said, Seany, I don t know what you are talking about. And he said, Rory, stop smiling at everyone. It was true, the joy was so deep in my heart when I came back. But you can imagine as the weeks and months went on, I began to wonder about the calling from Medjugorje. Was it really true; was it this woman s imagination?? Maybe it was something else. I saved every penny I had, I collected copper coins to get back to Medjugorje on the following October. And I was out here in the fields one day, and there were some Irish women kneeling on the ground, looking up at the sun. I was with two friends of mine, and they said to me, Can you see the sun spinning? And I was dismissive of it, and I said to them, You know if you look at the sun long enough, you know it s going to spin. And one of the women got very angry with me. And she said to me, I cannot understand why people with no faith come to Medjugorje. The next day, two of the women who were with her said to me, Did you catch up with Mary? I said No. They said, Oh, she really wants to talk with you. I thought she wanted to apologize because she was a little bit intemperate the day before. Finally she caught up with me, and she sat me down and she said to me, I have to tell you something that happened yesterday. I was so angry with you. And I began to say in my mind, Why do people who don t believe come to Medjugorje? And she said, I heard a voice, and it was the voice of a woman. And the voice simply said, Why, he is going to be a priest. Twice in one year that was confirmed for me here in Medjugorje. My road to priesthood was long and it was difficult. I trained for ten years. I was in three seminaries, and I was THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE August 2015

5 in two different dioceses. I was kicked out of one seminary twice! Can anyone beat that record? But here I am now, 28 years later. And the truth of what Mary said, the truth of what I received here in Medjugorje, has become a reality. Because on the 20th of June, 1998, I was ordained to the priesthood, and incidentally, the 20th of June, 1998, was the Feast of the Triumph of Immaculate Heart of Mary! It was on that day that I was ordained. You know, over the last few weeks and months, and years really, there has been a lot of talk about what is the truth of Medjugorje. There are many opinions, and many of them contrast, and many of them say it is a hoax and it s nonsense, it is not true. The story I just told you is the truth of Medjugorje. Because it is true that a young boy came here 28 years ago, and here he was called to the priesthood. Here he left his old life behind. Here he took something new. That is the truth of Medjugorje. I know that many of my brother priests who are here today, many of them have sat for many hours over the years, hearing confessions here in the parish. And we have heard the stories of lives that have been changed, of healings, of recoveries, of all kinds of extraordinary miracles. We ourselves know the truth of Medjugorje. And we ourselves have experienced that truth through the stories that we have heard. I am sure that many of you have gone to Cenacolo. You have heard the stories of broken lives that have been mended, of young men who were on one path that was leading them to death, being called to a path towards the fullness of life. That is the truth of Medjugorje. And there is no commission and there is no inquiry and there is no churchman who can ever contradict or deny that truth of Medjugorje. So my dear friends, your role now is to go back home and to be the truth of Medjugorje. Your role is to go back to your family, your countries, your families, Men giving their witness at Cenacolo Distributing Holy Communion at outdoor Mass in Medjugorje Can You Tell Me Where? your homes, your loved ones, and by the ways your lives have changed, you become the truth of Medjugorje. No one can ever contradict that my brother, my sister, my dad, my mum, my son, my daughter went to Medjugorje and came back and all of a sudden Sunday Mass is the most important thing in their life. They won t allow a day to pass without praying. They won t allow a month pass without trying to get to Confession. Your role, your job, your task now, given to you by Our Lady, is to go back and be the truth of Medjugorje. And you know, as I look out and see the young people here, you have a very particular call. Our Lady has called you here. There is nothing more wonderful than when I hear parents say to me, You know we are not Mass goers, but my son, my daughter, they went to Medjugorje and came back and they won t miss Mass for the world. They are there every Sunday no matter how late they are out Saturday evening, they are up for Mass on Sunday. My son, my daughter, they went to Medjugorje, and they came back with Rosary beads in their pocket and they pray it every night. That is the greatest witness, as young people you have a far greater witness to give to the world than those of us who are a little bit more advanced in years. So, my dear young people, you need to go back and be the truth of Medjugorje, a truth that can never be denied and never be contradicted. Because, please God, no matter what happens here, someday I will hear a father or a mother say, You know, my child is a living word of God, because my child went as one person when they went to Medjugorje and when they came back, like the woman in the Gospel, they had come closer to Jesus. Thank you, Father Rory! Thank you for the clarity of your words. Can you tell me where 748,336 priests came and concelebrated Mass People stand in line to get into the church for Mass Thousands of people gather for Mass daily Thousands climb mountains praying the Rosary Thousands attend Adoration Thousands have received their conversions Thousands have received their vocational calling Thousands go to Confession 1,014,550 Consecrated Host have been distributed More than 50,000 youths gather annually to pray, sing and give testimonies? Answer: Medjugorje These facts will not be changed. They are authentic as of June, Statistics from the official Medjugorje website: THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE August 2015

6 In July, I attended a talk entitled The Art of Petition: Learning to Ask. The priest, Fr. David, defined petition as the desire for something we do not have and cannot obtain on our own. He said there is actually an art to petitioning and that we can learn this art from Jesus in the gospels, from reading how the saints such as St. Teresa of Avila did it, and from our own experience. Father stated, Most of us think that petition is getting what we want. The art of petition is wanting what we get. The art of petition both demands and fosters faith in God, Father said, and as we practice it, it will grow. So even if we don t receive what we are asking for, we get something better in that our prayer life has grown! The contrary can also be true if our faith does not grow, or if it decreases, then this is a sign that we are lacking in our practice of petition. The art of petition also demands and fosters humility. Father spoke about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who went to the temple to pray (Luke 18:9-14). The Pharisee never even asked for anything, because he did not recognize his need. He lacked humility. The tax collector, however, recognized his great need for mercy. This was a humbling experience for him, and he went home justified. Father stated, If our petition does not express faith and humility, it is not an authentic petition. Petition also demands and fosters patience and perseverance. Father said that the parables in the gospels regarding perseverance in prayer can be easily misunderstood. The art of petition is not so much learning how to change God s mind, but learning to conform our minds and wills to His. Patience and perseverance do not so much await God s change as they seek our change. It s more important what happens to us in the asking. Since Father David s time was limited, he shared his notes with us to fill in the gaps of what he was not able to cover. Father wrote in his notes: Confidence and trust are two of what we might call the mushroom virtues. That is, like mushrooms, they grow in the dark. In other words, in order for these virtues to grow and develop, they must be practiced, and practiced specifically by being put to the test. Therefore, it should be no surprise that God will often send us the rather uncomfortable and even painful opportunities to put our confidence and trust in Him. On the contrary, without these opportunities, there would be little chance of developing these virtues, and without these virtues, the art of petition would be scant at best, and probably nonexistent. Fr. David pointed out that the word anxiety is used six times in Matthew 6:25-34 (which happens to be the reading that Our Lady of Medjugorje has asked us to read every Thursday except Our Lady starts us one verse earlier, at verse 24). Father wrote, Matthew makes anxiety enemy number one. Father stressed that confidence and trust should be enough to bring one peace even in the most difficult and trying times. Asking or petitioning if done properly is actually an exercise in confidence and trust. It is placing in His hands the course of one s life with all its common details while believing both that He can provide and will The Art of Petition By June Klins do so, because of His power and His care. At the same time, however, confidence and trust demand that one be willing to wait for the answer, and especially to be willing to accept His response, and surrender oneself to it in peace. Father also wrote in his notes that the art of petition demands and fosters acceptance and surrender. Perhaps the most difficult aspect in the art of petition is the need for acceptance and surrender. If one is indeed asking and not demanding then there will always be the possibility that what one asks for will be denied, postponed, or even substituted with something else. To accept this and to freely surrender to it is a sign that one has truly matured in the art of petitioning. We thank Fr. David for his enlightening talk and notes. Someone who illustrates the mature art of petition is visionary Vicka. This can be seen in the following story, which was excerpted from The Hidden Child of Medjugorje by Sr. Emmanuel. Vicka came back from Rome, September 1, 2000, after having had major surgery, which left a 2 1/2 inch scar on her neck at the level of her Adam s apple. Impulsively, I asked her, How was the operation? Not too painful, I hope! Vicka s eyes indicated to me that there was a feast day happening in her heart. A strange joy radiated from her. You know, Sr. Emmanuel, she answered, we love Jesus so much that we always look for occasions to give Him a present. So, you see, when we find some pain to offer Him, we re happy! It s also a present for us to have a chance to offer Him something that costs us! You re right, I said, but how did it go in the hospital? Well, before the operation, the surgeon warned me and said, Vicka, I ll be straight with you. This surgery is not easy. The vocal cords are very Vicka delicate organs, and I m not sure you ll be able to keep your voice. So, when you wake up, I ll hold your hand, and you try to say a word to me. We ll know then if you can talk or not. When I climbed up on the operating table, I found myself telling Jesus, Jesus! You re not going to take my voice away! You know that I need it to transmit the messages! How would I answer the pilgrims questions if you take my voice? Then I lay down under the operating light, and all of a sudden I realized how silly of me! What if Jesus wanted to take my voice? If He asked this sacrifice of me, was I going to refuse Him? Of course not! If He needed my voice, let Him have it! Was I that attached my voice? So then I told Him, My Sweet Jesus, if you want my voice, take it, I am giving it to you wholeheartedly! You see, Sister Emmanuel, how easily we can let ourselves be disturbed in an emotional moment like surgery! When I woke up and opened my eyes, I saw the doctor at my side. He asked me, Tutto bene? (Is everything okay?) And I answered him, Tutto bene! I still had my voice! August THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE

7 The Prayer in Vicka s Wall The Rosary of Abandonment By June Klins Recently I came across an old I had saved from a pilgrim named God come to my assistance. Beth, who was on my trip to Medjugorje in Beth wrote: This past Lord make haste to help me. Glory be, Our summer (2013), my daughter Chelsea found a folded prayer tucked away Father, Hail Mary. between the bricks in a wall outside of Vicka s [grandmother s] home in 1st Decade: Jesus, You take over! (10 times Medjugorje. I think it s very beautiful, so I would like to share it with on the beads of the Hail Mary) Glory be. you. I googled the title of the prayer and found it online. The name of the 2nd Decade: Mother Mary, guide me. prayer is O Jesus, I Surrender Myself to You. Beth included the entire (10 times on the beads of the Hail Mary) prayer, which is actually a novena. It can be found at Glory be. My friend, Dolores, accidentally came upon this same novena back in 3rd Decade: Jesus you take over! (10 times March of this year. When she shared it with me, I felt prompted to share on the beads of the Hail Mary) Glory be. it with our readers, so I wrote about it in our April issue. The words of 4th Decade: Mother Mary, guide me. the novena are words of Jesus to Servant of God Fr. Dolindo Ruotolo. (10 times on the beads of the Hail Mary) Each day the prayer ends with the words, O Jesus, I surrender myself to Glory be. You, take care of everything, which is repeated 10 times. 5th Decade: Jesus, you take over! Several people who wrote back about this prayer shared another (10 times on the beads of the Hail Mary) prayer of Fr. Dolindo, called The Rosary of Abandonment. Here is the Glory be. format for it: In conclusion: Hail Holy Queen. St. Rita, a Model of Patience and Humility The patron saint of The Spirit of Medjugorje this year, St. Rita, had many virtues, which Our Lady would like us to have as well. According to St. Rita s biography by Fr. Joseph Sicardo, O.S.A., Rita s husband, Ferdinando, began to show his true character shortly after their marriage. Words cannot describe the almost inhuman conduct of Ferdinando with regard to his wife, Rita. Rita suffered everything with patience and humility. Sometimes she observed a strict silence, and did not utter a single word. At other times she performed with humility whatever Ferdinando commanded her to do, and very often answered him when forced to do so, with words of holiness and sweetness, such as angels use. However, Ferdinando, became more and more an instrument of torture to Rita, who suffered all this cruel treatment with heroic patience, because it was the will of God that she should become a mirror of patience. It was through her virtues of patience and humility that she eventually converted her husband. Whenever her Update on Green Village By June Klins By June Klins In our March, 2015 issue, we wrote about the Green Village Children s Center in Uganda, as a fruit of Medjugorje. Thanks to the great generosity of our subscribers, the data collection on the children was completed and the website set up ( where one can choose a child to sponsor for the school, which will be called St. Philomena Primary School. A donation of $25 per month will provide a child with not only an education (which includes a desk, scholastic materials, and teachers salaries), but also a uniform, two meals a day, medical services and transportation. (There are no free public schools there.) Although your donation at this point is not tax-deductible, as they are still in the process of getting the U.S. non-profit set up, it would be an act of true charity, because you are not getting anything back in return (other than the great graces you will receive). If you do not have internet access, husband became angry, she studied to sweeten his temper; sometimes by silence, and indeed her silence was a wordless prayer that ascended to Heaven; and at other times she waited until his fit of anger was over, and then she would try with sweet and holy words, to reason with him, and make him understand how great was his offense against God and how little he thought of his intelligence, to allow himself to become the prey and slave of anger and passion. As time went on, Ferdinando began to be embarrassed and ashamed. Eventually, through her prayers, tears, patience, and humility, Ferdinando became a changed man. He would frequently give thanks to God for giving him a wife as virtuous as Rita. On her part, Rita was untiring in her thanksgiving to God for her husband s conversion. St. Rita exemplified Our Lady s words of March 2, 2015: You are my strength. You, my apostles, who with your love, humility and silence of prayer are making it possible for one to come to know my Son. Construction of St. Philomena Primary School but would like to donate, you can send a check to Mary s Mission, 3270 Bethany Loop, Bismarck, ND or contact them at or kossanjj@bis.midco.net for more information. If you are not able to donate monthly, they will also accept a one-time donation to help the children. A Mass will be said for all the donors at the end of every month. August THE SPIRIT OF MEDJUGORJE

8 The Spirit of Medjugorje Information Center P.O. Box 6614 Erie, PA U.S.A. RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID ERIE, PA PERMIT NO. 685 DATED MATERIAL On June 24, 1981 in Medjugorje, Our Lady appeared to six children. She identified Herself as the Blessed Virgin, Queen of Peace, and has continued to appear daily. Her message is PEACE, peace with God and man. Her words to the visionaries, I have come to tell the world that God exists. He is the fullness of life, and to enjoy this fullness and obtain peace, you must return to God. Today, all but three of the visionaries have daily apparitions of the Blessed Mother. During the apparitions, the visionaries do not react to light, don t hear any sound or react to being touched. They feel that they are outside of time and space. All the visionaries declare to see the Blessed Virgin as they see other people - in three dimension. They pray and speak with Her. The Blessed Mother is confiding ten secrets to each visionary (some are chastisements for the world) and promises to leave a visible sign at the place of the apparitions in Medjugorje for all humanity. This time, this period of grace, is for CONVERSION Permission is given to spread the text of any original works and may be used with the following conditions: 1) No words are changed; 2) Spirit of Medjugorje is cited. For articles by other sources, permission must be obtained from the original source. If you want to receive The Spirit of Medjugorje monthly newsletter, please fill out the form below and return to: P.O. Box 6614, Erie, PA If you are able to send a donation to help spread Mary s messages, it would be greatly appreciated. We request that you renew your subscription annually to remain on our mailing list. May God bless you. Please check one: New Renew Distribute Adoration Newsletters Issue #1 or Issue #2 (please circle) (# of newsletters) Name Street Address MARY IS CALLING YOU and a DEEPENING OF FAITH. After the visible sign, those still living will have little time for conversion. Father Jozo Zovko, who was the pastor of St. James when the apparitions began, has spoken about what he calls the weapons or the the five stones of Our Lady. They are: prayer with the heart, especially the Rosary; Eucharist; Holy Bible; monthly Confession; and fasting. The publisher recognizes and accepts that the final authority regarding the apparitions at Medjugorje rest with the Holy See in Rome. To borrow an original prayer cloth from Medjugorje for a week, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the address below. You must include your phone number. If you want a prayer cloth we made to keep, send a self-addressed stamped business size (4 1 / 8 x 9 1 / 2 ) envelope with $.71 postage on it. Sponsor a subscription for someone overseas (suggested donation: $13 to cover postage) Distribute Beginner s Guides (# of guides) (Please, no foreign checks or money orders, except postal money orders. U.S. FUNDS only) City, State and Zip Code VOL. 28, NO. 8