Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Run With Life: A Christmas message for Justin Trudeau

Run With Life: A Christmas message for Justin Trudeau: This letter to Justin Trudeau and Chandra Arya, Patty Hajdu, Rachael Harder was forwarded to me. December 18, 2017 The Right Honourable ...

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Run With Life: Global Affairs ATIP Part 3 - Bill Clinton - do we ...

Run With Life: Global Affairs ATIP Part 3 - Bill Clinton - do we ...: Global Affairs ATIP Part 2 - Canadians are safer when the world shares our abortion values Part 3 From  Bill Clinton: A Reckoning :
 

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

I will miss you dear friend.

"Nobody is a Christian for oneself alone. The gift of faith is given to us so that by word and example we may become witnesses before others." Pope John Paul II

In my opinion Marjorie Riopelle exemplified what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. She never missed an opportunity to share her Catholic Faith, and always did so with a joyful heart. And her joy was contagious. I thank God that I was blessed to have had Marjorie as a friend for almost 40 years. I will miss you dear friend.

Yesterday on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe  I attended her  funeral at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Ottawa. Father Bob Wild, Marjorie's Spiritual Director for many years gave a wonderful homily at the link below. May Marjorie's soul and all the souls of the Faithful departed, through the Mercy of God Rest in Peace Amen


 
 

Transcript of Fr. Wild's homily
 
Dear daughters and sons  of both Marjorie’s families, and relatives and friends, parishioners  of St. Mary’s, and Fr. Sean of the Companions that Marjorie loved so much,
I’ve had the privilege of accompanying Marjorie in her life with the Lord for over 45 years. We often spoke on the phone, and I visited her a number of times at her home. Every once in while we spoke about her funeral Mass and her wish that I celebrate it. I’m only a few years younger than Marjorie was, so I didn’t know if I would be here or not. At my age I`m not only glad to be here but glad to be anywhere.
Besides asking me to celebrate this Mass she also made the point that she didn`t want me to talk too much about herself but about the Lord. I`ve been trying to figure out a way to get around this request! So what I`ve come up with is this: to talk about things in her life with the Lord, and give glory to the Lord for them. This desire was very much in Marjorie’s heart as she chose for the first reading this morning the beautiful hymn from Daniel. Each phrase concludes with “ praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.” That’s my intention as  I relates some of Marjorie’s graces—to give glory to God for them
 Secondly, I’d like us to see these graces as a confirmation that the Lord will be faithful now in keeping his promises to her. My we be filled with the firm hope that she is now in the arms of Infinite Love.
So, besides giving thanks this morning for Marjorie’s life and the place she had in our lives, I invite you to grow in your own faith in the resurrection. 
To increase our faith that Marjorie will receive the Lord`s promises, listen again to what St. Paul wrote to the Romans in the second reading Marjorie chose:  Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
And a reminder what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:  “We do not want you to be unaware about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have died.” In this letter Paul is in no doubt about those who have died in the Lord. This is not presumption but faith.
And in the gospel that Marjorie chose, you just heard the Lord say:  I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
How many thousands of times has Marjorie eaten this living bread! She had a great love for the Mass and in her later years was sorry she could not always get to Mass. A few months ago I visited with Marjorie and Ruth and brought her Communion. She was so glad to receive it. We should trust absolutely that this promise  of the Lord’s “whoever eats this bread will live forever,” will be fulfilled in her.
The Lord said what we do for one another we do to him, and we will not lose our reward.  How many times did Marjorie open her home for people to stay?  “I was in need of a place to stay, and you welcomed me.” In her later years I had to often remind her that she wasn’t as young as she used to be! so she might not be able to take in people any more.  But her heart was always ready to do so. We can trust that she will not lose her reward.
She was very generous with helping people in a monetary way. Some of you here may have been recipients of such generosity. You all have your own experiences of this.
One of my memories of her generosity was when I was stationed in England and got a call from her. In the course of the conversation she said, “Would you like to go to Padre Pio’s canonization?  I’ll pay for it.”  I thought for about 5 seconds and said, ‘OK, alright. Thanks so much!
When Jesus came after the death of Lazarus he said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” I can testify to Marjorie’s faith and love for Jesus. I trust absolutely that his promise in her will be fulfilled.
 I remember reading in Pope Benedict’s encyclical on hope a very, very encouraging opinion about people when they die that I’d like to share with you this morning.
He said that the majority of people are neither entirely bad or entirely good. Marjorie would agree that she was not entirely good! Most of us, like her,  are in between those two extremes.  That means, Pope Benedict said, that the majority of people when they die have some love in their hearts, some desire for truth and beauty and goodness.  After death, when they experience God’s love for them, this goodness in their hearts will be purified and they will enter into his loving embrace.  Again, I can testify to this love in Marjorie’s heart up to her last days.
I’d like to close with an experience I had in the Holy Land, and apply it to Marjorie.
I went to visit the tomb of Lazarus in Bethany.  I had to smile, at the entrance there was a sign, “Open all day.”  It’s been open for 2, 200 years! You go down a flight of stairs and come to an enclosure with a stone slab. Presumable the body was placed there. As I sat down on a chair the lights went out! I let out a little cry, but then remembered the sign. They probably didn’t see me go in.
I decided to stay there and meditate on what happened there.  I imagined myself on that slab, and then hearing, ever so faintly, the voice of Jesus calling me: “Robert, come out!” I imagined myself struggling to get up and walking towards the stone entrance, and the stone being taken away, and seeing Jesus there.
My dear friends, that is what is happening now. Jesus is calling Marjorie by name, “Marjorie, come to me!”  And nothing in the whole universe can prevent her from entering the arms of his Love.


 

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

40 Days for Life, Fall 2017, Ottawa, Closing Rally

 
40 Days for Life Closing Rally:
 
Sunday November 5 at 7:00 pm
Due to the recent bubble zone law, 
the entire rally and reception was held at
St. Patrick’s Basilica in the Scavi
starting at 7:00 pm.
 
Guest Speaker was Marie-Claire Bissonnette, Youth Co-ordinator, Campaign Life Coalition.
 
 
Photos
Paul Lauzon
 
 
 
 



 
 


Saturday, November 4, 2017

Pro Life Conference, Ottawa, November 2017

Sponsored by LifeCanada, along with  Action Life Ottawa  

Friday November 3, 2017
I didn't attend the evening session however I found this from Archbishop Terrence Prendergast on twitter
Thank you your Grace.


Saturday November 4 2017

Before lunch today, at the request of Peter Ryan, Father Shroff repeated his homily which he gave during mass earlier today.

Homily - Father Shroff
____________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Speakers Patricia Maloney and John Sikkema
 
Questions and Answers - John and Pat 
 
Jonathon Van Maren
_________________________________________________

Photos from Saturday November 4, 2017











































































 

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Run With Life: Abortion bubble zone - law of unintended consequen...

Run With Life: Abortion bubble zone - law of unintended consequen...: There is an interesting side effect to the abortion bubble zone law . Because of this law, I am far more inclined to go and pray at the abortion site...

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Ontario MPPs pass anti-free speech bubble zones

https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/press-room/id/195

Ontario MPPs pass anti-free speech bubble zones

Toronto, Oct 25, 2017 – Campaign Life Coalition condemns members of the Ontario Legislature for passing Bill 163, An Act to enact the Safe Access to Abortion Services Act, 2017 by an 86-1 vote. Campaign Life Coalition will pursue, if necessary, a challenge through the legal system to overturn this totalitarian law which directly attacks the freedom of speech, expression and assembly of Ontarians, and prevents pregnant women from having access to alternatives to abortion.
“This law, which was drafted by Planned Parenthood and their allies in the abortion business, using feeling-based anecdotes and hearsays, lacked any real evidence that backed their claims of the war-like atmosphere outside abortion facilities,” said Jim Hughes, national president of Campaign Life Coalition. “This law is the first step in silencing and criminalizing speech that is not the official opinion of the state. The whole process of fast-tracking this bill, and slandering pro-life people throughout, was a shame.”
“This law proves that the Wynne government and the fake opposition is kowtowing to Planned Parenthood,” said Mary Ellen Douglas, Ontario President, Campaign Life Coalition. “Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women and now this law will prevent women from receiving help and support from people who care deeply about the best outcome for both mother and child, something Planned Parenthood doesn’t care about.”
Leading up to this bill, Campaign Life Coalition attended consultations with the Attorney General, presented at the committee hearing, and delivered thousands of signed petitions against Bill 163. During third reading, MPP Yasir Naqvi suggested that all 17 speakers at committee hearings “confirmed for us that we struck the right balance." In fact, almost half of the speakers opposed this bill entirely. Additionally, during the same reading, MPP Lisa Maclead defamed pro-life people, claiming that they just want to harass vulnerable women.
About Campaign Life Coalition
Campaign Life Coalition is a national, non-profit organization involved in political action and advocacy for legal and cultural change in Canada with respect to protecting human life and the family. It is non-partisan and encourages voting based on principles, not party. For more information visit www.campaignlifecoalition.com.
Media Contacts:
Jeff Gunnarson, Vice-President, Campaign Life Coalition 416-204-9749 ext 249
Mary Ellen Douglas, Ontario President, 613-329-1488
Johanne Brownrigg, Campaign Life Coalition , 613-857-0236
-30-

ADDENDUM:   VOTE RECORD ON THIRD READING, OCTOBER 25, 2017

AYES  (those who voted to suppress free speech, freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to protest)
Albanese, Laura (LIB)
Anderson, Granville  (LIB)
Armstrong, Teresa J. (NDP)
Arnott, Ted  (PC)
Bailey, Robert  (PC)
Baker, Yvan  (LIB)
Ballard, Chris  (LIB)
Barrett, Toby  (PC)
Berardinetti, Lorenzo  (LIB)
Brown, Patrick  (PC)
Chan, Michael  (LIB)
Chiarelli, Bob  (LIB)
Cho, Raymond Sung Joon  (PC)
Clark, Steve  (PC)
Coe, Lorne  (PC)
Colle, Mike  (LIB)
Coteau, Michael  (LIB)
Crack, Grant  (LIB)
Damerla, Dipika  (LIB)
Del Duca, Steven  (LIB)
Delaney, Bob (LIB)
Des Rosiers, Nathalie (LIB)
Dhillon, Vic  (LIB)
DiNovo, Cheri  (NDP)
Dong, Han  (LIB)
Duguid, Brad  (LIB)
Fedeli, Victor  (PC)
Fife, Catherine  (NDP)
Flynn, Kevin Daniel  (LIB)
Forster, Cindy  (NDP)
French, Jennifer K.  (NDP)
Gélinas, France  (NDP)
Gretzky, Lisa  (NDP)
Hardeman, Ernie  (PC)
Harris, Michael  (PC)
Hatfield, Percy  (NDP)
Hoggarth, Ann  (NDP)
Hoskins, Eric  (LIB)
Hunter, Mitzie  (LIB)
Jaczek, Helena  (LIB)
Jones, Sylvia  (PC)
Kiwala, Sophie  (LIB)
Lalonde, Marie-France  (LIB)
Leal, Jeff  (LIB)
MacCharles, Tracy  (LIB)
MacLeod, Lisa  (PC)
Malhi, Harinder  (LIB)
Mangat, Amrit  (LIB)
Mantha, Michael  (NDP)
Martins, Cristina  (LIB)
Martow, Gila  (PC)
Matthews, Deborah  (LIB)
Mauro, Bill  (LIB)
McGarry, Kathryn  (LIB)
McMahon, Eleanor  (LIB)
Milczyn, Peter  (LIB)
Miller, Norm  (PC)
Miller, Paul  (NDP)
Moridi, Reza  (LIB)
Munro, Julia  (PC)
Naidoo-Harris, Indira  (LIB)
Naqvi, Yasir  (LIB)
Natyshak, Taras  (NDP)
Pettapiece, Randy  (PC)
Potts, Arthur  (LIB)
Qaadri, Shafiq  (LIB)
Rinaldi, Lou  (LIB)
Romano, Ross  (PC)
Sandals, Liz  (LIB)
Sattler, Peggy  (NDP)
Scott, Laurie  (PC)
Smith, Todd  (PC)
Sousa, Charles  (LIB)
Tabuns, Peter  (NDP)
Takhar, Harinder  (LIB)
Taylor, Monique  (NDP)
Thibeault, Glenn  (LIB)
Thompson, Lisa  (PC)
Vanthof, John  (NDP)
Vernile, Daiene  (LIB)
Walker, Bill  (PC)
Wilson, Jim  (PC)
Wong, Soo  (LIB)
Wynne, Kathleen  (LIB)
Yakabuski, John  (PC)
Zimmer, David  (LIB)

NAYS (those who voted against the suppression of free speech and constitutional rights)
MacLaren, Jack  (Trillium)  

ABSENT OR ABSTAINED FROM THE VOTE
Bisson, Gilles  (NDP)
Bradley, James  (LIB)
Campbell, Sarah (NDP)
Dickson, Joe  (LIB)
Fraser, John  (LIB)
Gates, Wayne  (NDP)
Gravelle, Michael  (LIB)
Hillier, Randy  (PC)
Horwath, Andrea  (NDP)
Kwinter, Monte  (LIB)
Levac, Dave  (LIB)
McDonell, Jim  (PC)
McMeekin, Ted  (LIB)
McNaughton, Monte  (PC)
Nicholls, Rick  (PC)
Oosterhoff, Sam  (PC)
Sergio, Mario  (LIB)
Yurek, Jeff  (PC)
 

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

“The World the Woman Loves” - talk by Father Allan MacDonald C.C - October 14, 2017, Saint Maurice Parish, Ottawa, ON

http://www.companionscross.org/articles-blogs/articles/world-woman-loves
“The World the Woman Loves”
Marian Retreat Day,
St. Maurice Parish,
Ottawa, ON
October 14, 2017

Introduction
“The key to understanding Mary is this – We do not start with Mary – We start with
Christ, the Son of the Living God … The less we think of Him, the less we think of her;
the more we think of Him, the more we think of her – The less we adore His Divinity, the
less reason we have for respecting her …We did not make her different, we found her
different.”
(Fulton Sheen, The World’s First Love, p. 67-68)
Why We Love Mary
i. As Companions of the Cross we have as one of the 4 pillars of our
spirituality a great love of Mary – She is our Mother, given to us by Jesus
Himself as He hung on the Cross = The “First Companion of the Cross”
We pray the Rosary daily and know she is with us as we celebrate the
Eucharist.
ii. My relationship with Mary comes from the example of my father –
depressed for many years – but always prayed the Rosary and trusted in
Mary’s powerful intercession.
He died 19 years ago “alone”, but I know he was not alone because Mary
was there with him – “… pray for us sinners now and at the hour of
our death” – why I always pray for those who will die alone.
iii. My father was 19 years older than my mother – it was easier for me and
my siblings to relate to my mother than to my father – Maybe this has
something to do with my love of Mary (and my mother’s name is Marie)
When we would ask our father for something he would always give us the
same answer – “Go and ask your mother!”
I have always known of Mary’s love for me and her role as an intercessor
in my life.
She got me back on track as a young priest after I first went to Medjugorje
in 1995.
Many of my CC brothers will tell you of how Mary played an important
part in their vocation.
B. Praying for Peace
i. We stand here today in a world torn apart by wars/violence and threats of
wars/violence – Mary calls us to join together in storming heaven for
peace – She has been calling us to this for a long time – Are we listening?
ii. This peace will only come about when we have peace in our own hearts
FIRST = Meditate on Christ, the Prince of Peace = Be quiet and still.
“If we have a box in which we keep our money, we know that one thing
we must always give attention to is to the key … without the key we
cannot get to the money … Mary is the key to Jesus.” (Ibid, p. 77)
iii. Let’s take a look at some of the key appearances of Mary around the world
– some popular/known and other not so – But in all of them she’s been
calling us to conversion to her Son, Jesus – She been warning us too of the
consequences of not doing so.
Various Apparition Sites Around the World – What is Mary Saying to the World?

Lourdes (1858)
i. Mary is a missionary disciple (the preeminent one!) = Calling all of us to
join with her in proclaiming the name of Jesus, calling the world to
repentance (beginning with ourselves), and speaking of God’s universal
call for our lives = To be saints with Him forever in heaven!
Saint Bernadette’s encounters with Our Lady began on Thursday February 11,
1858 – when Bernadette was 14 years old – 

you can read for yourself the whole story of the 18 apparitions of Mary to Bernadette.
 ii. Mary’s messages to Bernadette are ageless and apply to all of us today – both
because of where they were given and their content:
First, “Where” = Mary appeared in the Grotto at Massabielle = A dirty,
hidden, damp and cold place - Called the "pigs' shelter" because that was
where the pigs feeding in the area usually took shelter.
The Virgin Mary – “The Immaculate Conception” (she revealed herself to
Bernadette by this title) – appears dressed in white, a sign of total purity.
The “where” of this apparition reminds us of the Gospel: the meeting of the
wealth and goodness of God with the poverty of the human person.
Where do I meet God? – In my poverty (God’s grace is like water, it settles at
the lowest place)

God is not afraid, embarrassed or uncomfortable to join us where we are

In the midst of our poverty and failures.
He sends Mary to the “sheep shelter” to tell us that he loves us - 
This is the heart of the Message of Lourdes = He loves us as we are = With our successes but also with our wounds, our weaknesses and our limitations.
He meets us where we are so He can take to where He wishes us to be!
iii. We serve a God who wishes to relate to us a person = 3 of Mary’s words to
Bernadette:
"What I have to say to you does not have to be written down"
Mary speaks to us at the level of the heart = The very centre of the person =
Bernadette was invited to open the depths of her heart to this Message of Love
= Words that strike the heart are always remembered – They do not need to be
written down.

"Would you do me the kindness of coming here for 15 days?"
The first time anyone had addressed Bernadette in a formal way - The Virgin
looked at her as one person looks at another person = Bernadette felt that she
was being respected and loved = We are all worthy of our dignity in the eyes
of God - Because each of us is loved by God.
"Go to the spring, drink of it and wash yourself there"
Mary asked Bernadette to scrape the ground, at the back of this "pigs’ shelter"
- At first this water is muddy and dirty then, little by little, it becomes clear.
The mystery of the heart of Jesus is revealed for us:
The grass and the mud signify the human heart, wounded by sin - But in the
bottom of this heart, there is the life of God, as signified by the spring = Are
we willing to dig away the grass and the mud surrounding our hearts to
 discover God’s grace?

Our Lady of Knock (1879)
This visitation of Mary is best understood in the context of a Scripture passage:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

i. On the evening of August 21, 1879 two women from the village of Knock
were walking back to their home in the rain when they passed by the back of
the village church - It was then that they saw the apparition.
But first, what was the historical context?
The years preceding the apparitions were the most tragic years in the history
of Ireland = Famine and unimagined misery engulfed the entire Catholic
country - Priests often anointed as many as 40 parishioners a day as they faced
death - The magnitude of such suffering was unimaginable.
In 1879, the potato crop was threatened once again – Land rents rose - Money
was borrowed - Evictions occurred daily - People became desperate.
The pastor of Knock had begun a series of 100 consecutive Masses for the
repose of the souls of those who had died.
Mary's apparition took place on the evening of the day when the 100th
Mass was celebrated = August 21, 1879.
It was into this time of sorrow and distress that our Lady came, but not alone.
Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the South gable
of the church.
ii. It is recorded that Mary said nothing at all during these apparitions – She
came to be with the people in their hour of need.
In the midst of Ireland's agony, the mother of the Lord came to her
people to be with them, to be present to them, to share their fate in
silence.
My first pastor gave me some good advice = “Allan, at the end of the day,
people may not remember the things you said … but they will remember that
you were there.” = “Father came to the house … the hospital … the funeral
home.”
iii. Mary comes again to be with us – To comfort us and to strengthen us in our
times of trial, weakness and distress – She is the Queen of Peace and wants to
be bring us to Christ so we can experience His peace.

Fatima (1917)
i. The story begins in the village of Fatima, Portugal, on May 13, 1917 –
Mary appeared to three young children (note the appearance of Mary to
children): Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia; ages 10, 9 and 7 – You can read
for yourself the details of the apparitions of Mary from May through
October 1917 (save August, when imprisonment by the anti-clerical
authorities prevented it),
Mary promised that God would grant peace to the entire world if Her
three requests were heard and obeyed.
a. Prayer
She announced herself = “I am the Lady of the Rosary. Pray the
Rosary every day.”
She also asked for prayers for the Holy Father = “the Bishop
clothed in white” – The children saw a vision of him making his
way with great difficulty towards the Cross amid the corpses of
those who were martyred - He too falls to the ground, apparently
dead, under a hail of gunfire.
[It is possible that the vision predicted the 1981 attack on Pope
John Paul II’s life. The Pope has always credited the Virgin for his
survival.]
b. Reparation
The children were shown a frightening vision of hell, “where the
souls of poor sinners go” – Mary asked for acts of prayer and
sacrifice to save souls, with particular emphasis on devotion to the
 
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
c. Consecration
Mary spoke of the immense damage that Russia would do to
humanity by abandoning the Christian faith and embracing
Communists’ totalitarianism.
Our Lady asked that Russia be consecrated to her Immaculate
Heart so its errors and evils would not spread throughout the
world.
ii. Mary visited the children for the last time on October 13, 1917 –
She had promised a sign that would convince the world she had
appeared = We know this as the “miracle of the Sun” (you can
read more about it yourself) = Every single person who was
there testified to seeing the sun dance - Non- believers dropped
onto their knees and begged for forgiveness.
= Their eyes of their hearts were opened to “see” their need for
God’s mercy!
iii. Our Lady of Fatima promised that the world would be in peace,
and many souls would go to Heaven if Her requests were listened
to and obeyed.
At Lourdes Mary reminds us that we are all sinners in need of
God’s mercy and forgiveness – God comes to us where we are
and invites us to drink of the fountain of His mercy where we find
healing and strength.
At Fatima we hear the anguished appeal of our Heavenly Mother
= She sees us in great danger and comes to offer us Her help and
advice.
Mary loves us and calls us to return to Her Son.
Are we willing to let Jesus show us our spiritual blindness?
How? = Let us call out to Jesus for mercy with the words that we learned
in Fatima:
“Oh my, Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead
all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of your mercy. Amen.”
Another prayer is the one taught to the children by the angel who appeared
to them in 1916 ahead of Mary’s apparition – A prayer we can say in
reparation = Ask for assistance for ourselves and our contemporaries who
need grace to convert and change:
"My God I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask pardon of you for
those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you."
(3X)

Our Lady of Akita (1973
 i. This apparition of Mary involves Sister Agnes Sasagawa of the Handmaids of
the Eucharist in Akita, Japan.
Sister Agnes had a great love for Jesus in the Eucharist - When she went to
visit Jesus in the Tabernacle, it was just Him and her = She could hear Him,
not with her ears, but with her heart Sister Agnes was deaf
She told him all that was in her heart – Then she remained silent, while He spoke
to her On Tuesday, June 26, 1973 the Lord had a special plan for her = 
He was to bestow upon her a blessing which would remain with her for the rest of her
life.
ii. In her own words, Sister Agnes tells us:
"When I approached to open the Tabernacle...an overwhelming, unknown light
suddenly shone forth. Seized with emotion, I prostrated myself immediately with
my face to the floor...I remained perhaps an hour in this position, subjugated by a
power which overwhelmed me."
The next day, she went towards the Tabernacle, her heart pounding, and again,
was overcome by a great light, which blinded her.
She immediately went down on her knees and prostrated herself before the
Tabernacle.
Stigmata
On Thursday, June 28 = Eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart - Sister Agnes felt
 as though something pierced the palm of her left hand = In the centre of her palm,
were two red scratches in the form of a cross.
This phenomenon lasted the whole month of July = On Thursday evenings, the
wound began to swell up - On Friday mornings, blood flowed - On Saturday
mornings, the wound stopped bleeding and became dry again.
On July 6, her Guardian Angel appeared to Sister Agnes, and said:
“Do not fear - I am the one who is with you and watches over you - Pray with
fervour not only because of your sins, but in reparation for those of the whole
world.
“The world today wounds the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord by its ingratitude
and injuries - The wounds of Mary are much deeper and sorrowful than yours -
Let us go and pray together in the chapel.”
iii. The Statue of Mary
It was there the statue of Mary became alive = Over the course of a few years it
spoke and shed tears & blood.
A voice of indescribable beauty struck Sister’s totally-deaf ears.
This statue, from which the voice came, wept 101 times over a course of several
years, from January 4, 1975, to September 15, 1981, the Feast of Our Lady of
 Seven Sorrows.
Unlike other cases the entire nation of Japan was able to view the tears of the
statue of the Virgin Mary on national television.
It also perspired abundantly, sending out a sweet perfume.
Sister Agnes reported that she heard the statue calling her and giving her
messages for the whole world.
iii. Three Messages of Akita:
The First Message “Spoken” to Sister Agnes
“My daughter, my novice, you have obeyed Me well in abandoning all to follow
Me - Is the infirmity of your ears painful? - Your deafness will be healed, be sure
- Be patient - It is the last trial - Does the wound of your hand cause you to suffer?
Pray in reparation for the sins of men.”
The Second Message “Spoken” to Sister Agnes
On August 3, 1973, the First Friday of the month, Sister Agnes received the
second Message from Mary:
“Many men in this world afflict the Lord - I desire souls to console Him.
“The Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind -
With My Son, I have intervened so many times to appease the wrath of the Father
- I have prevented the coming of calamities by offering Him the sufferings of the
Son on the Cross - His Precious Blood, and beloved souls who console Him and
form a cohort of victim souls.
Prayer, penance, and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father's anger.
“Be faithful and fervent in prayer to console the Master.”
The Third Message “Spoken” to Sister Agnes
It was on Saturday, October 13th = The anniversary day of the last Apparition of
the Virgin Mary to the three children of Fatima = the most important and
serious one:
“If men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible
punishment on all humanity - It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such
as one will never have seen before - Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a
great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor
faithful.
“The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The
only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My
Son. “Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the
Pope, the Bishops and the priests.
“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one
will see Cardinals opposing Cardinals, Bishops against other Bishops. The priests
who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by other priests.
“Churches and altars will be sacked. The Church will be full of those who accept
compromises, and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to
leave the service of the Lord.
“The demon will be especially ruthless against the souls consecrated to God. The
thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness.
“...Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. Those who place their
confidence in me will be saved.”
On the last Sunday of May, 1982, during the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament,
Sister Agnes was completely cured from her deafness.
At Akita Our Lady stressed the importance of
a. Praying the Rosary
b. Accepting from God whatever He may send in the course of each day
c. Offer it up in reparation for so many sins committed throughout the
world at this time.
Our Lady begged especially for prayers for bishops, priests, and religious, and for
reparation before the Blessed Sacrament that they be strong and not “sifted
like wheat” (G).
The impending chastisement can be averted if enough people pray the Rosary
daily and do penance which Our Lady requested at Fatima in 1917.
Akita is really a repeat of the Messages of Fatima.
Our Lady of Kibeho (1981)
The Message of Kibeho:
 1. An urgent call to repentance and to the conversion of hearts: “Repent, repent,
 repent! … Convert your heart while there is still time.”
2. A diagnosis of the moral state of the world: “The world is very unwell.” 
“The world races to its loss, it risks falling into the abyss, which means it will be
immersed in innumerable and unceasing tragedies. The world is in rebellion
against God. Too many sins are committed in it. There is neither love nor peace.”
“If you don’t repent and don’t convert your hearts, you will all fall into the
abyss.”
3. “The door was opened and you did not enter”.
 The apparitions begin in 1981 – 13 years before the genocide in Rwanda of 1994 when 1
million people were killed over a one hundred day period. – in a small rural village of
Kibeho.
Mary appeared first to 16 year old Alphonsine – She described Mary as, “Imagine how
much you mother loves you, and then multiply that love a million times – the lady loves
us a million times more than that.”
Mary then began to appear to Anathalie Mary, the most popular student in the school,
then to 23 year old Marie-Claire (who challenged Mary to a fist fight when she appeared
and called Marie-Claire by name).
Mary’s message to the girls was:
- Love God
- Be kind to one another.
- Read the Bible
- Follow God’s commandments
- Accept the love of Christ
- Repent of sin
- Be humble
- Seek and offer forgiveness.
- Live with a clear and open heart and clear conscience.
- Pray the Rosary daily.
Most significant day – August 15, 1982 – Mary was full of grief and crying unconsolably
– Few people were responding to her messages.
The visionaries were given a glimpse of what was to come to Rwanda – They saw rivers
of blood & dead bodies (too many to be counted)
Most people refused to soften their hearts – 12 years after the warning was given,
Rwanda experienced one of the worst genocides ever – the Hutus took up machetes and
slaughtered Tutsis.
In 2001 (after 20 years of rigorous investigation) the Church officially approved the
apparitions of Kibeho as “worthy of belief”.
Kibeho is the one and only Marian apparition site in Africa that has Vatican
approval.
What does our Lady say to us through Kibeho?
- We need to examine our hearts to see if there is any anger, resentment, self pity
that needs to be rooted out.
God wants to heal our hearts! Will we let Him?
Medjugorje (1981 – present?)
i. Here I speak of the alleged apparitions of our Blessed Mother in Medjugorje
= I say “alleged” because they are still under investigation = They have not
been declared by the Vatican to be “worthy of belief”
As Catholics, we are free to go there – and can expect to receive spiritual
support while there.
In March, 2010, the Vatican confirmed that a Commission has been
established to investigate Medjugorje, under the direct supervision of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
This constitutes the first time in Church history wherein the highest office of
the Holy See will investigate an ongoing apparition site.
Normally, it is custom for Church authorities to wait until the reported
supernatural phenomenon concludes before passing judgment on the matter.
With this exception Vatican officials are recognizing what a significant and
serious event Medjugorje is for the faithful on a global scale.
ii. On June 24th, 1981 this village was illuminated by a light seeming to come
from above a nearby mountain - Two teenage girls, Mirjana Dragicevic from
Sarajevo and her friend Ivanka Ivankovic from Mostar, saw what they
described as a "beautiful woman holding a child surrounded by a brilliant
white light" - As time progressed Mary appeared not only to Mirjana and
Ivanka, but also to four other children: Jakov, Ivan, Vicka, and Marija.
iii. In the visions, Mary is said to convey messages to us that can be summarized
into nine basic themes:
1. God is revealing himself to man in order to help man prepare for the coming
days.
2. Faith: Without it, it is impossible to please God as you cannot love Him if you
do not believe.
3. Love God as love is the power behind our faith.
4. Convert: Give your heart to God.
5. Reconcile: Reconciliation is the way to open your heart to God's love.
6. Pray: Through prayer you will come to know the greatest joy and the way out
of every situation that seemingly has no way out.
7. Fast: Fasting brings union of thought, spirit and body.
8. Acceptance: Accept the will of God to bring you clarity of soul and peace in
your heart.
9. Peace: Peace in our hearts, peace in our family, peace in our community and
finally peace in our world
Since 1981 between 20 and 30 million people of all races and creeds have visited
this alleged apparition sight to decide for themselves.
The message of Medjugorje is a call to Conversion, back to God.
Our Lady's purpose for coming to earth is to guide each one of us back to her Son
Jesus.
The time for decision is NOW!!. Our Lady's call is URGENT!!.
Conclusion
Our Lady’s Main Message throughout the World
i. Our Lady's mission (wherever her appearances have been declared as “worthy of
belief”) is one of peace and love.
ii. She comes to earth to re-educate us and to help us convert and center our lives
back to God. Our Lady's role has always been one of guiding people to Her Son,
Jesus.
iii. What an amazing opportunity we have before us! It is important that we
understand both the magnitude and the urgency of Our Lady's call to conversion,
and that we respond with all our hearts.