Catholic Life Ministries

By a friend who wishes to remain anonymous

I grew up in a loving Catholic family who taught me to love God as a Father and Mary as a Mother. During my teenage years and youth, l became somewhat distant and didn’t practice my faith as I now know I should have.

When I met the love of my life, who had been raised in a Protestant denomination, I knew in my heart that I wanted to marry in the Catholic faith. He agreed and supported me, though in order to be graceful to my in-laws, we had a mixed faith ceremony led by a Catholic priest and a Presbyterian minister.

Time went by and looking in retrospect, I had put my faith on the side. Despite my indifference, I had a strong longing for God and one day…….by accident or by God’s providence, I found out about the appearances of our Lady in a distant Bosnian town, Medjugorje. It was a pamphlet that was placed in our mailbox. It talked about the end times. At the bottom, in tiny letters it mentioned our Lady’s coming to Medjugorje. I was instantly intrigued though I discarded the pamphlet. I didn’t trust its content.

In those days, we had just bought a new computer and had our first internet connection. I typed in Med..guessing how to spell the word. A website appeared, medjugorje.org. It told the story of the apparitions and contained the messages our Lady was sending to the parish and to the world. I was ecstatic, happy as a child, filled with awe at what was happening. Our Lady was teaching us how to love with a love that was pleasing to God in all her messages! She started by affirming that God exists and that He is the fullness of life. With a call that shows urgency, she invites everyone to come back to Him.

She talks about 5 “stones” needed to return to God:

1. Attend Mass, every day if possible (fall in love with her Son in the Blessed Sacrament).

2. Read and pray the Bible.

3. Pray the rosary with the heart, all mysteries daily.

4. Receive the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a month.

5. Fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays.

I read, prayed and savored her messages and began slowly to do all the things she was asking of us. And I still do, 45 years after her first apparition. The hardest task was going to Reconciliation. I hadn’t done it for the last 35 years. I retaught myself to say the rosary and prayed it daily with our youngest daughter who was learning it in religious education. I started going to daily Mass, still do, and strive every day to make Jesus the center of my life. Fasting was hard at the beginning and still is. I have fallen many times, and she has picked me up!

Our Lady says that with prayer and fasting you can change the laws of nature! Without me really noticing, things started changing around me. My husband was invited to attend OCIA classes. I prayed for him a lot during those months and listened to his reflections. He joined the church during Easter and it was a beautiful, heartwarming celebration. On another note, my dad had not been to reconciliation in years. He was getting older, and I worried about him. On every visit I would invite him to go.

He always responded that he talked to God directly, until one day he asked me to make an appointment with the parish priest. He wanted to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. So I arranged a meeting, and at age 92, he walked over with me to his appointment with the Lord. He received all 3 sacraments, Reconciliation, Eucharist and Anointing, and I don’t remember ever seeing him as happy as at that moment. It was a kind and loving priest who made all this possible.

In all these years I have longed to go to Medjugorje. Life would always get in the way. Last year, finally, my husband and I were able to make the trip. It was a very beautiful trip. Words don’t do justice to what is happening in that place. Our Faith is so alive! People are seen walking down the streets praying the rosary in many different languages; the church is always packed full every day; thousands attend Adoration daily. …there is an atmosphere of love and peace beyond description.

I can’t wait to go back again!