Christmas Travel

My husband and I returned late last night from a several day visit to his family in Montreal, Quebec. We typically stay in a residence for pilgrims to St. Joseph's Oratory or L'Oratoire Saint-Joseph which is located at the corner of Côte-des-Neiges and Queen Mary Road. This site is of international renown and is the largest shrine dedicated to St-Joseph in the world. The body of Blessed Andre Bessette is also here for public veneration along with his incorrupt heart. Read more about this great miracle worker here. People come to this holy place by the bus load from all over the world. Unfortunately, it is located in a city which has lost its faith.

Montreal was once the cradle of Catholicism for all of North America. Now most parishes are empty and dying.... My husband veritably fled from Quebec and strongly dislikes visiting there. I find the city beautiful and exciting - I love le metro, the restaurants, the coffee shops (big sigh) but the lack of faith and belief is rather shocking. If you think the US has lost its faith, try spending any amount of time in Montreal. That said, I do have a great love and affection for this city and I pray for her people's conversion. I invite you all to join with me and perhaps just utter one Hail Mary for Quebec, Canada and her bishops and priests.

May Mary's prayers go with you always. Amen+

Our Lady of Kibeho VI

Other Apparition sites

The Apparitions of Mary, that followed the first one to Alphonsine, take place in the dormitory until January 16, 1982, and from that date, either in the schoolyard, for public Apparitions, or in the dormitory of the students, or in a place converted into a chapel. It is there that the students come to pray in the evening, and it will be the moment favored by the Blessed Virgin to visit one of the seers of the school. The students are present during the Apparition, and often the talks with the Virgin are about school life. These Apparitions are considered private, and the public is not allowed.
However, all can attend the Apparitions in the schoolyard. There is a conversation between the seer and the Apparition. All can hear and record the words of the seer, but they obviously cannot hear the words of the Virgin Mary. Very soon, the crowds become larger, especially in May, 1982, the month dedicated to Mary.
A podium and powerful speakers are installed to allow journalists and the members of the medical and theological commission to circulate freely, and above all, to allow the population to hear the dialogue of the seers. On August 15, 1982, there were 20,000 people.
Towards the end of an Apparition, the Blessed Virgin asks the seers to bless the crowd. The seers are in ecstasy; they do not see the crowd, but a garden of flowers, some fresh, and others faded. Our Lady asks the seers to water the flowers, and explains that the fresh flowers represent people whose hearts are turned to God, whereas the faded flowers represent those whose hearts are turned to earthly things, especially to money.

Mystical journeys

There are also the mystical journeys. Alphonsine experienced this phenomenon on March 20 and 21, 1982. She informs the Sister directress and her classmates in advance: “I will look dead, but don't be afraid; don't bury me!” The journey lasts eighteen hours. Priests, nurses, religious, the medical assistant of the Red Cross, all can see Alphonsine plunged into a deep sleep, her body straight and very heavy. They cannot lift her nor separate her hands that are joined. During this journey, the Blessed Virgin shows her Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell.
Another impressive phenomenon that took place in Kibeho was the fasts and the silences requested by Jesus or Mary. This was also checked by the commission of inquiry. These fasts could last up to fourteen days, without harming the health of the seers.

Our Lady of Kibeho V

Anathalie presents rosaries to be blessed by Mary

Two other seers

On January 12, 1982, Our Lady grants the prayers of the students, and also appears to a young girl, Anathalie Mukamazimpaka, and will appear to her until December 3, 1983.

And on March 2, 1982, to the surprise of all, Our Lady appears to Marie Claire Mukangango. It is like a bomb in the school, for Marie Claire was one of those who had showed her unbelief the most. Her Christian life was nothing special, and was even far from being exemplary! She called Alphonsine “a fool”. And now, it is her turn to be seized by a mysterious power. The Virgin Mary chose her to spread Her message, and from now on, Marie Claire keeps saying: “One must meditate on the Passion of Jesus, and on the deep sorrows of His Mother. One must recite the Rosary every day, and also the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, to obtain the favour of repentance.” Marie Claire will have Apparitions until September 15, 1982.

Marie Claire Mukangango presents the Rosary of Seven Sorrows. She was killed during the war in 1994.

The blessing of water
In January and February, 1982, diabolical phenomena take place in the dormitory. To cast away these unknown forces, the nuns use Lourdes' water, which has a soothing effect, but soon there is no more water left. So Anathalie is asked to have some water blessed by the Virgin Mary during the Apparitions. This was on March 2, 1982. Thus started, at Kibeho, the habit of having water blessed by the Virgin Mary before the Apparition.
There are now three seers at Kibeho, all from the college. The three of them are now recognized by the Church: Alphonsine, Anathalie, and Marie Claire.

Our Lady of Kibeho IV

Dorm in Kibeho where Mary appeared

Mary will progressively make Herself known to the students, and win them over. She gives advice, encourages, makes remarks to bring them on the right path. She is really the Mother who, in Her motherly love, educates Her children. Our Lady really became the Queen of this school. She should be the Queen of all schools!
One knows that the present situation in schools worldwide is awful, because God has been chased out, because His law is no longer taught. It is even forbidden to pray to Him in schools! Every morning, when we go to Mass, our heart breaks when we see school buses arriving to school, loaded with children. Poor little ones, who are taught that God does not exist! Mary came to Kibeho in a school, to set the example to the whole world, and to show how students can be transformed when God's law is taught in schools.
Because of the strong opposition that the first Apparitions had caused, some teachers and students had said: “We will believe in the coming in our school of Mary, the Mother of God, only if She appears to others besides Alphonsine.” The seer replied to them: “Pray yourselves to obtain this favor.”

Our Lady of Kibeho - Bonus Post

I found the website for one of the seers of Kibeho. She is actively trying to spread devotion to Our Lady's Sorrows specifially via Our Lady's Chaplet or Rosary of Seven Sorrows. The following is an excerpt - I urge each of you to read this and take the message of Our Lady to heart. I have been telling you for some time the great and abundant spiritual benefits for the soul who is devoted to Mary's Sorrows:

The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin dates back to the Middle Ages but was lost to time and disappeared in history.
The rosary recalls the major Seven Sorrows the Blessed Mother suffered through with love and compassion during the life, trials, and agonizing death of her son Jesus Christ.
The Seven Sorrows Rosary is very special to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin, and she wants all of us to say it as often as possible. During the Holy Mother’s apparitions to Marie-Claire in Kibeho, she assigned the young visionary with a mission to reintroduce the Rosary of The Seven Sorrows to the world. Before her death during the Rwandan genocide, Marie-Claire travelled widely teaching the rosary to thousands of people, who have taught it to thousands of others. This special rosary has been gaining new international popularity since the Church approved the Marian apparitions in Kibeho in 2001. It is my hope even more people will learn about this amazing rosary.
The following is a description of, and directions for saying, The Seven Sorrows Rosary as the Virgin Mother herself taught it to Marie-Claire in Kibeho. It may be prayed aloud, or in silent contemplation, alone or with others, but the key is for the prayers, reflections, and meditations always to come from the depths of your heart.
During her visitations to Kibeho, the Virgin revealed that The Seven Sorrows Rosary possessed immense spiritual power for those who said it sincerely. She promised that when prayed with an open and repentant heart, the rosary would win us the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins and free our souls from guilt and remorse. She also promised that overtime the rosary would develop within us a deep understating of why we sin, and knowledge would give us he wisdom and strength to change or remove any internal flaws, weaknesses of character, or personality faults causing unhappiness and keeping us from enjoying the joyous life God intended for us to live.
The Rosary of The Seven Sorrows contains all the power you need to change your life for the better, to obtain peace and happiness, to realize your true potential, fulfill all your dreams, and grown closer to God’s light. It is a glorious gift to us from Our Lady of Kibeho; learn how to say it and say it often. I speak from experience when I promise that you will never regret leaning this wonderful rosary and that you will soon lose track of the countless blessing praying with The Seven Sorrows Rosary will bring into your life.

Source: Immaculee Ilibagiza website - Go here to continue on and read the directions for praying this powerful rosary! You can also purchase there her book and a CD on praying this rosary.

Our Lady of Kibeho III

Alphonsine Mumureke, seer of Kibeho

First Apparition

Alphonsine Mumreke, the first seer of Kibeho, is 17 years old, and is in her first year at the secondary school of Kibeho. She is very pious, and has always shown a great love for the Blessed Virgin. She also likes to attend Holy Mass. Here is how she relates the first Apparition:
“It took place on Saturday, November 28, 1981, at 12:35 p.m. I was in the dining room of the school, serving my classmates. All of a sudden, I heard a voice calling me.”
Mary: “My daughter.”
Alphonsine: “Here I am.”
“I went to the corridor, and saw a very beautiful woman. I knelt down, made the Sign of the Cross, and asked: ‘Who are you?’”
Mary: “Ndi Nyina Wa Jambo (in the local language, ‘I am the Mother of the Word’). In the religion, what do you prefer?”
Alphonsine: “I love God and His Mother, who gave us the Child who redeemed us.”
Mary: “If it is so, I have come to calm you, because I have heard your prayers. I would like your friends to have Faith, because they do not believe strongly enough.”
Alphonsine: “Mother of the Saviour, if it is really You who has come to tell us that here, in this school, we have little Faith, You do love us. I am really filled with joy that You appear to me.”
Alphonsine relates: “The Virgin was not white as She is usually seen in holy pictures. I could not determine the color of Her skin, but She was of incomparable beauty. She was barefoot and had a seamless white dress, and also a white veil on Her head. Her hands were clasped together on Her breast, and Her fingers pointed to the sky. Later, I was told that I was in the dining room. My classmates told me that I was speaking in several languages: French, English, Kinyarwanda, etc.
“When the Blessed Virgin was about to leave, I said three ‘Hail Marys’ and the prayer, ‘Come, Holy Spirit’. When She left, I saw Her rise to Heaven like Jesus.”
At the end of the Apparition, the seer remained motionless for a quarter of an hour, as if she was paralyzed, and all the efforts to get her out of ecstasy were in vain. Neither the teachers nor the nuns gave credence to what Alphonsine said. They rather spoke of illness instead of apparitions. (source)

Great Blog Post

Christine Mirabilis (or the Astonishing)

Virgin, 1224 A.D.
Feast day: July 24th

Go here for a MUST read on St. Christine the Astonishing. She is one of my favorite saints, being a lover of the extreme side of Catholicism. A story of a saint such as this begs the question - "Do you really believe this stuff?" And for me, the answer is...yes I certainly do for nothing is impossible for God.

Our Lady of Kibeho II

Kibeho Seconday School

Rwanda in 1980

Vandalism was rampant all over the country from 1980 to 1981. Almost all of the statues of the Virgin Mary that were at the entrance of villages were mutilated, destroyed, or stolen. This was a sad time when Mary was almost forgotten, and barely prayed to. Even several priests did not pray the Rosary any more, influenced by the propaganda of false theologians who would like to make us believe that this devotion is out of date. Catholics are humiliated; the clergy begins to give up.
It is in this time of discouragement that Mary chose to visit Rwanda. From 1981 to 1989, this country heard of the Virgin Mary as never before. Kibeho is located in the south of the country, the poorest area of Rwanda. The presence, in this place, of two dynamic priests made the population fervent.

The school of the Apparitions

At the start of the new school year in 1981, there were 120 students, divided into three classes. Three nuns are directing the school. The other teachers – one woman and five men – are lay people. They are all Rwandans. Two are Protestant, the others are Catholic. The majority of the students are Catholic, but there are also 17 Protestant and 2 Moslem students. Morals are far from being exemplary. (source)

Our Lady of Kibeho I

The Blessed Virgin Mother of God appeared in Kibeho Rwanda as Our Lady of Sorrows. The next several postings will be a series on this apparition and Our Lady's message. This apparition has the official approval from the Roman Catholic Church.

On July 2, 2001, the Holy See released the declaration of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, on the Apparitions that took place in 1982-83 in Kibeho. Here are some excerpts:
“Two study commissions, one of doctors and one of theologians, were immediately set up by the local Bishop; they have been at work since April 1982... The advanced state of the study commissions' work now offers sufficient elements to allow competent ecclesiastical authorities to pronounce definitively on this question.
“As a result, Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, who represents this authority, has published his declaration concerning the definitive judgement on the Apparitions of Kibeho, Rwanda. This important event in the history of the Diocese of Gikongoro, as in the life of the Church in Rwanda, took place on 29 June 2001, on the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, during a solemn Mass concelebrated in the cathedral of Gikongoro. All the Catholic bishops of Rwanda, with the Apostolic Nuncio of Kigali, were present...
“The Bishop declared: Yes, the Virgin Mary appeared at Kibeho on November 28, 1981, and in the months that followed. There are more reasons to believe in the Apparitions than to deny them... The Apparitions of Kibeho are now officially recognized... The name given to the Marian sanctuary at Kibeho is "Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows". (emphasis added)
“That Kibeho become a place of pilgrimage and of encounter for all who seek Christ and who come there to pray, a fundamental centre of conversion, of reparation for the sins of the world and of reconciliation, a point of meeting for all who were dispersed, as for those who aspire to the values of compassion and fraternity without borders, a fundamental centre that recalls the Gospel of the Cross.
“This Declaration makes it possible to respond to the expectations of the People of God and to bring new enthusiasm to the public devotion recognized already for 13 years”. (Taken from “L'Osservatore Romano”, weekly edition in English, July 11, 2001, page 8.)
In 1988, without officially approving of the Apparitions, Bishop Jean Baptiste Gahamanyi, of the Diocese of Butare, of which Kibeho was a part at that time, authorized public devotion at the site of the Apparitions. Today, Kinbeho is part of the Diocese of Gikongoro, led by Bishop Augustin Misago.

Blight of Error

(photo credit) "Tip blight caused by Phomposis"

My husband and I recently completed a novena to St. Joseph. There is one line in this novena which made a particular impression on me as he read it each night:

"Save us from all blight of error"

Isn't this an apt term for what is going on so commonly today? I read the news and I think "Lord save us from this blight of error." I sometimes look in the faces of my patients, so much sadness, depression and anxiety and my soul will utter the word "blight" silently of course...

The definition of BLIGHT:

Blight\ (bl[imac]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Blighting.] [Perh. contr. from AS. bl[=i]cettan to glitter, fr. the same root as E. bleak. The meaning "to blight" comes in that case from to glitter, hence, to be white or pale, grow pale, make pale, bleach. Cf. Bleach, Bleak.]

1. To affect with blight; to blast; to prevent the growth and fertility of.
"[This vapor] blasts vegetables, blights corn and fruit, and is sometimes injurious even to man." --Woodward.
2. Hence: To destroy the happiness of; to ruin; to mar essentially; to frustrate; as, to blight one's prospects.
"Seared in heart and lone and blighted." --Byron.

ALSO:

Blight. verb; That which frustrates one's plans or withers one's hopes; that which impairs or destroys.
"A blight seemed to have fallen over our fortunes." --Disraeli.

For all those abused by those whose duty it is to care...

"Once in winter her stepmother, Hortense, accused her of stealing bread, and threatened to beat her with a stick. Germaine opened her apron, and summer flowers tumbled out. Neighbors and her parents were awed and began to treat her as a holy person. Her parents invited her to rejoin the household, but Germaine chose to live as she had."

There are far too many children who become the victims of those who ought to care for them. This is a great evil. Our culture of death, so in love with contraception and abortion, has become calloused. Child abuse is one of the many rotten fruits of the devil.

I wish to offer this post along with my small prayers through the intercession of St. Germaine Cousin - the patron of abused children.

Lord I beg you to hear the cries of the little ones who through no fault of their own, suffer the wickedness and cruelty of those who should be loving them. Lord, let the sound of my supplication ascend to your ears. I recommend each suffering soul to your Divine and Infinite Mercy. Release them from the bondage of abuse, the victims as well as the perpetrators. Lord, let my cry come unto You, I beg you to heal the heart and soul of the little one of whom I have had recent contact, do not allow any more abuse for this child. Heal her soul Lord and make of her and her sister great saints! Do not allow this injustice to offend You any longer, for all sins are committed against Thee. Lord have mercy. Amen+

"In 1601 she was found dead on her straw pallet under the stairs, and she was buried in the Church of Pibrac opposite the pulpit. When accidentally exhumed in 1644 during a renovation, her body was found incorrupt."

~ Picture of St. Germaine Cousin's incorrupt body

Documents attest to more than 400 miracles or extraordinary graces through the intervention of Saint Germain. They include cures of every kind (of blindness, both congenital and resulting from disease, of hip and spinal disease), and the multiplication of food for the distressed community of the Good Shepherd at Bourges in 1845.

Read more about this incredible saint here and here.

The 56 Meme

Open the book nearest to you and post from page 56 the 5th sentence and 2 to 5 sentences thereafter:

"All women who give a family history of boys with developmental delay, extreme hyperactivity, and speech and language problems should be offered fragile X carrier testing. All DNA tests require recovery of DNA; this is accomplished by obtaining nucleated cells. For DNA analysis of newborns, children, or adults, nucleated cells are easily recoverable from peripheral blood samples."

~Obstectrics and Gynecology 4th ed. Beckmann et al; Lippincott.

Tells you what sort of books I have around me! :) Now go to mass, its a holy day of obligation!

Persecution & Hope

Pope Benedict XVI (far right) on the day of his ordination 6/21/51

"It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater. It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love." —POPE BENEDICT XVI, —Spe Salvi, n. 37

No truer words were ever spoken. Persecution is coming, perhaps not to every part of every nation, but to the Christian who lives a Christian life, very real persecution is coming. Can't you feel the wicked wind coming? The secret is to not be of this world, be unattached to your things for they are just so much rubbish. Cast yourself upon the feet of Jesus, call upon Mary - bow down to the ground at her feet before the cross of Christ and the floodgates of mercy will be open to you! Joy is found in embracing the crosses in your life!

"Turn me over, I am done on this side!"

~St. Lawrence as he was being burned to death

Did Jesus always know He was God??

"Jesus in the Synagogue at Nazareth" By: Greg Olson

Jesus, reading from the prophet Isaiah in his home town of Nazareth, to fulfill the prophecy about himself. Luke 4:15-21

The answer of course is YES. Go here for an excellent post explaning this better than I could: "Q: Was Jesus confused about who He was and what He was here for? A. No. He always knew Who He was and what He was here for. He was NOT confused. However, there are many theologians who are confused." LOL!

I cannot tell you how often this error in understanding of the nature of Jesus comes up. I have been told on several occasions that Jesus did not know He was God until the earlier part of His ministry, or until the Transfiguration or some other stupid time. Jesus always was, always is and always will be the Eternal Word, the all knowing, all seeing, omnipotent GOD. May His name be blessed forever!

Here is a list of associated common and condemned heresies:
Adoptionism- God granted Jesus powers and then adopted him as a Son. He was not eternally existent with the Father, He was adopted by the Father after testing at his baptism. (I used to believe this-no one taught it to me.)
Apollinarianism- Jesus’ divine will overshadowed and replaced the human.
Arianism - Jesus was a lesser, created being.
Docetism- Jesus was divine, but only seemed to be human.
Gnosticism - Dualism of good and bad and special knowledge for salvation.
Kenosis - Jesus gave up some divine attributes while on earth.
Modalism - God is one person in three modes. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit just three names for same, one person, God.
Monophysitism- Jesus had only one nature: divine. He was not fully human.
Nestorianism - Jesus was two persons. Mary did not give birth to God the Son
Socinianism - Denial of the Trinity. Jesus is a deified man.

Blessed Virgin Mary's Wedding Ring?

Thank you to Vincenzo who sent me a link to this image. This ring is located in the Cattedrale Santo Anello. Again, I cannot read italian so I'm posting this here in the hopes that someone can go to this site and interpret for us what is said of this ring.

Here is the description Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich gives of the Blessed Virgin Mary's wedding ring: "I saw the Blessed Virgin’s wedding-ring; it is neither of silver nor of gold, nor of any other metal; it is dark in color and iridescent; it is not a thin narrow ring, but rather thick and at least a finger broad. I saw it smooth and yet as if covered with little regular triangles in which were letters. On the inside was a flat surface. The ring is engraved with something. I saw it kept behind many locks in a beautiful church. Devout people about to be married take their wedding-rings to touch it. "

If this is Mary's ring, this would be an apt description of it.