From: "joycelang"
Date: Fri Feb 1, 2002 8:05 am
Subject: Children of Medjugorje Report- Feb. 1, 2002

Feb. 1st, 2002

Dear Children of Medjugorje,

Praised be Jesus and Mary!

1) A great Franciscain priest, Fr. Leonard Orec, returned to the Father on Jan. 21 after a serious illness, aged 70. He had been the pastor of Medjugorje before Fr. Landeka and it was he who welcomed and blessed our little foundation of the Children of Medjugorje in 1990. Let us pray for him and with him!

2) No words can describe the joy and enthusiasm that surrounded Mario and Vicka at their wedding this past January 26th! What a blessing it was for all of us!

The young couple followed the local secular wedding custom: the bridegrooms family visits the bride's family, then the bride's family visits the bridegroom's family. They talk, they share, they cry, they laugh, they eat, they drink, they see to the final preparations. And then it's time for the Mass.

Seeing Vicka arriving in her wedding dress was very moving for everybody. She was radiant with joy and beauty! She looked totally at ease, keeping up her lovely habit of greeting everyone with the greatest love. Part of the ceremony was transmitted on television and related in the press, since it's no secret how popular Vicka is. It¹s not the popularity of a star, because the last thing on Vicka's mind is her worldly image. On the contrary, her grace lies in allowing the beauty and the tenderness of the One whom she sees every day and with whom she is in constant prayer, to shine through. This reflection is so strong in her that for twenty years multitudes of pilgrims have been coming in order to get close to it, attracted by this foretaste of Heaven. Mario, her husband, reflects this same grace, which goes to show that one can glow with the tenderness of the Blessed Mother without being a visionary.

It was Fr Branko Rados, the parish priest of Medjugorje, who celebrated the Mass and blessed the marriage. Fr Jozo read the Gospel: "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world". The vows were exchanged according to the tradition described below. After the Mass, the newlyweds knelt before the statue of Mary at the right of the choir and consecrated their new family to her. It was not easy to keep order when the couple came out of the church after the wedding, as you can imagine! Then, with great patience, Vicka and Mario allowed the traditional photos to be taken, as is customary.

Afterwards, tradition has it that both families and close friends accompanied the newlyweds into their new home. Then, Vicka took an apple with a coin in it and threw it over the roof of the house, like all new brides do in this region. This apple symbolizes life, health and prosperity. Then Mario lifted Vicka up in his arms and carried her over the threshold of their home. The families followed them in for more conversation. Then, it is usual for the young couple to have at last a time of peace and quiet on their own. This was when Vicka received her daily apparition. After this came the reception, and, at seven o'clock, the 1200 guests came together for a festive dinner interspersed with songs, dancing, testimonies and short prayers.

The Croats have a great practical sense when it comes to wedding receptions. Since it is impossible for the family to pay for a meal for the whole village, everyone makes a contribution. A plate is passed around just before the wedding cake is cut. There is an apple in the center surrounded with empty envelopes. Everyone takes an envelope and places an offering in it to help the young couple to start their life together and pay for the reception. In this way, even the daughters of poorer families can have a worthy reception which, far from impoverishing the family for the rest of their lives, actually helps them to get started. That is a method worth remembering! Vicka was the first to dance and she led everyone else. She showed incredible energy. Two days after the wedding, Vicka and Mario left for Rome, for the first stage of their honeymoon.

3) Now let me tell you about a most beautiful tradition the Croatian people have for marriages.

In the town of Siroki-Brijeg, not one single divorce has been recorded among its 13,000 inhabitants. Not one single family has broken up in living memory. Does Herzegovina enjoy a special favor from heaven? Is there a magic formula that keeps the demon of division at bay?

The answer is very simple! For centuries, because of the pressure from the Turks and then the Communists, the people suffered cruelly as their Christian faith was always threatened. They knew through experience that salvation comes through the Cross of Christ. It does not come from disarmament plans, from humanitarian aid or peace treaties, even if these things may bring limited benefits. The source of salvation is the Cross of Christ! These people possess a wisdom that does not allow them to be duped over questions of life and death. That is why they have indissolubly linked marriage with the Cross of Christ. They have founded marriage, which brings forth human life, on the Cross, which brings forth divine life.

The Croatian marriage tradition is so beautiful that it is beginning to take hold in Europe and America!

When a young couple is preparing for marriage, they are not told that they have found the ideal partner. No! What does the priest say?

"You have found your cross. And it is a cross to be loved, to be carried, a cross not to be thrown away, but to be cherished."

If the fiancés were told this in France, they would be struck dumb! But in Herzegovina, the Cross represents the greatest love and the crucifix is the treasure of the home.

When the bride and groom set off for the church, they bring a crucifix with them. The priest blesses the crucifix, which takes on a central role during the exchange of vows. The bride places her right hand on the crucifix and the groom places his hand over hers. Thus the two hands are bound together on the cross. The priest covers their hands with his stole as they proclaim their vows to be faithful, according to the rites of the Church. Fr. Jozo explains that the bride and groom do not then kiss each other, they rather kiss the cross. They know that they are kissing the source of love. Anyone close enough to see their two hands joined over the cross understands clearly that if the husband abandons his wife or if the wife abandons her husband, they let go of the cross. And if they abandon the cross, they have nothing left. They have lost everything for they have abandoned Jesus. They have lost Jesus.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds bring the crucifix back and give it a place of honor in their home. It becomes the focal point of family prayer, for the young couple believes deeply that the family is born of the Cross. When a trouble arises, or if a conflict breaks out, it is before this cross that they will seek help. They will not go to a lawyer, they will not consult a fortune-teller or an astrologer, they will not rely on a psychologist to solve the problem. No, they will go straight before their Jesus, before the cross. They'll get on their knees there and in front of Jesus, they will weep their tears and pour out their hearts, and above all exchange their forgiveness. They will not go to sleep with a heavy heart because they will have turned to their Jesus, the only One who has the power to save.

They will teach their children to kiss the cross every day and not to go to sleep like pagans without having thanked Jesus first. As for the children, as far back as they can remember, Jesus has always been the friend of the family, respected and embraced. They say "nighty-night" to Jesus and kiss the cross. (As Fr. Jozo says, "They go to sleep with Jesus, not with a teddy bear!"). They know that Jesus is holding them in his arms and that there is nothing to be afraid of, and their fears melt away in their kiss to Jesus.

Dearest Gospa, please extend the blessing of this beautiful marriage to the whole family of your children!

Sr. Emmanuel

(translated from French)

PS : The text of § 3 is an extract from Sr Emmanuel's book, "Medjugorje, The 90s", in the chapter, "A Rock Solid Marriage".

PPS: Children of Medjugorje is happy to announce two new audio tapes have been added to our series: W7 "Witness of a Professional Sinner" (David Parks shares his amazing testimony with Sr. Emmanuel), and M14 "Stressed? Oppressed? BLESS!!" (Sr. Emmanuel shares an incredible antidote Our Lady is bringing that turns sadness because of bad choices into blessings and joy!) Sorry, M 14 is only available in Canada and the US right now.

From: "joycelang"
Date: Tue Jan 15, 2002 4:23 pm
Subject: Children of Medjugorje Report- January 15, 2002

January 15, 2002

Dear Children Of Medjugorje,

Praised be Jesus and Mary!

1. Vicka and Marijo are preparing their wedding (Jan. 26) and many are talking about the event since for them Vicka represents someone who has happily embodied "the school of Mary" in Medjugorje, someone who brings heaven close and accessible, in a word: someone who allows them to truly touch the Heart of Our Lady. Blessings, conversions, and even healings derived from Vicka's prayers or testimony are numerous. Among many others, here is what Elizabeth (from London) told us this week:

"Last year I was at the Youth Festival. I had come to meet Mary and I really wasn't sure where she was. I was not really a believer. I didn't understand why everyone just went to church and prayed all the time. It seemed very meaningless to me. I hadn't read any books on Medjugorje. I wanted the experience to be completely fresh. I thought, 'If Mary is here she will let me know herself.' I didn't want anyone else's evidence. So I came knowing nothing about Medjugorje or the visionaries, even what they looked like. I spent most of my time on my own in cafes, wandering around crying, feeling really, absolutely lonely.

"Everyone else had gone up Apparition Hill praying the rosary. I didn't have a rosary and I didn't know what it was or why people prayed it. It seemed a very meaningless repetition of prayer, and I thought 'This doesn't seem to have much to do with God for me...' and so I was walking along the street in the village at the foot of the hill and I saw Vicka, one of the visionaries, in her garden. I didn't know it was Vicka because I didn't know what she looked like, yet at the moment I saw her I knew it was a visionary. I saw her from across the street. She could have been anyone. But I burst into tears immediately because I'd never seen anyone so full of light and so full of love. She actually shone. Her face shone like a beacon of light; and so I rushed across the street and lingered in a portion of her garden, just staring at her as if she were an angel or Mary herself. I didn't speak with her. From that moment on I knew that the Blessed Mother was here and Medjugorje was a holy place."

Elizabeth is back in Medjugorje these days and she is bearing witness that her whole life has been tranformed by the school of Mary and her messages. The sun of God's love came to triumph over the shapeless fog which had been weighing heavily upon her heart.

2. Last Thursday, Denis Nolan and I went to see Vicka. Here are some of the things we talked about. (It is amazing how Vicka reflects deep doctrinal truths about personal freedom and responsiblity in such a natural way, having never studied.)

QUESTION: Vicka, how do you see this path of marriage that you've chosen?

Vicka: Look! Each time God calls us, we must be ready in the depth of our hearts to answer this call. I have tried to answer God's call by transmitting the messages for the past 20 years. I did it for God, for the Blessed MOTHER. For the past 20 years I have been doing it alone, and nothing will change now, except that I shall be doing it in a family situation. God is calling me to start a family, a holy family, a family for God. You know, I have a great responsibility to people. They look for role models, examples to follow. So I want to tell young people: do not be afraid to commit yourselves in marriage, to choose the path of marriage! But in order to be well assured in your path, whether it is that one or another, the most important thing is to put God first in your life, to put prayer first, to start the day with prayer and to end with prayer. A marriage in which there is no prayer, is a marriage that does not last, it is empty. Where there is love, there is everything. But one thing has to be emphasised: love, yes, but what love? Love for God first, then love for the person you are going to be living with. Then, on life's journey, you must not expect everything to be rosy, to be easy. No! When sacrifices become necessary, small penances, you must always offer them to the Lord with all your heart. Every day, thank the Lord for all that has happened that day. That is why I am saying: dear young people, dear new couples, do not be afraid. Make God the most important person in your family, make him the King of your family, put him first, and he will bless you - not only you yourselves but also all who come near you.

Question: Will you continue to live in Medjugorje after your wedding?

Vicka: I will be living a few kilometers from here but I guess I will be at my post (the stairs of the blue house) most mornings! I will not have to change my mission, I know where I belong! My marriage will not change that.

Question: You are going to marry Marijo. What can you tell us about him?

Vicka: It's hard for me to talk about him, but there is one sure thing between us: prayer. He is truly a man of prayer. He is a good, capable man. He is a profound man, which is very beautiful. And our relationship together is very good. There is truly love between us, so then, little by little, we will build on that.

Question: Vicka, how can a girl know which man to marry?

Vicka: You know, with prayer it is sure, the Lord and Our Lady are ready to answer you. If you ask in prayer what your vocation is, the Lord will answer without fail. You must have good will. But you must not hasten or rush. You must not go too quickly and say to yourself when you see the first boy that goes by: "this is the boy for me". No, you must not do that. You must take your time. Pray and wait for the time of God, the right time. You have to be patient and wait that it is he, God, who sends you the right person. Patience is very important. We all tend to lose patience, we go too fast and then, after we have made a mistake, we say, "But why, Lord, this boy was not really for me." That's true, he was not for you, you should have been patient. Without patience and without prayer, nothing can work. Today, we must be much more patient, more open to respond to what the Lord wants.

And once we have found the person to marry, if one or the other is afraid of changing his life and says to himself: "Oh, it is easier on my own", he is keeping a fear within himself. No, first we have to free ourselves of all that troubles us inside, and then we can do what the Lord wants. We cannot ask for a grace when we have a large block (obstacle) inside: we will never receive this grace, because inside we are not ready for it. The Lord has given us freedom. He has also given us good will, so we must rid ourselves of our blocks. After, it is up to us whether we are free or not. We all tend to say: "God this, God that, do this, do that... " God acts, of course, but I, myself, must co-operate with him and be willing. We must say, "That is what I want, so I will do it".

Q: Vicka, did you ask Our Lady's advice about your marriage?

Vicka: But you see, I'm like everyone else, the Lord gave me the choice. I must choose with all my heart. It would be all too easy if Our Lady told us "do this, do that". No, she does not work like that. God has given us all great inner gifts so that we may understand interiorly what he has prepared for us. (Vicka did not bring the subject up with Our Lady. "I never ask any question for myself," she says).

Q: Vicka, many people consecrated in celibacy saw you as their 'ideal' in Medjugorje. They see you are now getting married. Do you have anything to say to them?

Vicka: You see, during these 20 years God called me to be an instrument in his hands in this way (as single). If I represented an 'ideal' for those people, nothing has changed now! I cannot see the difference! If people take someone as an example, this person must also be allowed to answer God's calling. If God now wishes to call me to a family life, a holy family, it is that God wants that example, and I must respond to that. For our own lives, we must not look to see what someone else around us is doing, but look inside ourselves, and find within ourselves what God is calling us to. He called me to live in that way for 20 years, now he is calling me to something else and I must thank him. I must answer also for the other part of my life. Today, God needs the example of good families, and I believe the Gospa wants to make me an example in that way, now. It is not by looking at others that we will find the example, the witness that the Lord expects us to give, but by each one listening to God's personal calling. That is the witness that we can give! We must not seek our own satisfaction or do what we feel like. No, we must really do what God wants us to do. Sometimes we are very attached to what we like, and we look too little at what the Lord would like. So we can live our whole lives allowing the time to pass and see at the very end that we were wrong. The time has passed and we have done nothing. But it is today that God is giving you eyes in your heart, eyes in your soul, so that you can see and not waste your time. This time is a time of grace, but it is a time when we have to make choices and be more determined each day on the path we have chosen.

Dearest Gospa, how precisous is your school of love!

Please lead us into a deep relationship with God, help us experience true freedom!

From: Joyce Lang
Date: Tue Jan 1, 2002 9:03 pm
Subject: Children of Medjugorje Report- January 1, 2002

January 1st, 2002

Feast of the Mother of God

Dear Children of Medjugorje,

Praise be Jesus!

1. Here it is the first day of the year when the Mother of God has the place of honor, thank God! For without the protection of the Mother of life and the One she gives birth to, the Author of life, we might fear the predominance of the spirit of death during this new year. My heart is leaping with joy as I place each one of you and the whole world under the protective mantle of the Mother of God. It is the mantle that she received when the Holy Spirit came upon her and covered her with His shadow. Her mantle is not a coat that protects her from the cold, but a covering of the Holy Spirit who continuously embraces her.

Whoever is willing to come close to her Heart and her Son's Heart places himself under that mantle and Our Lady pulls him into this embrace of the Holy Spirit, who transforms him.

Today the world is not going well at all. So I do not want, in this new year, to send you pious hopes but rather make an objective offer.

What I wish for you is courage. Physical health? Yes, but we will not take it with us. Wealth? We will not take it either. Professional success? Neither. Tranquillity and an end to problems? Neither. I prefer to wish for you a treasure which will be your attire throughout eternity: courage. Our Lady needs our courage and she wants to give us her own courage because "the Mother's treasure belongs to the child". With your hand in hers and your heart close to hers, you will overcome your limits and your own self to bear lasting fruit. Such is my wish and my prayer for each one of you: that throughout each day of 2002 we will bear fruit that lasts forever.

The Mother of God is in need. She's looking for help, she is looking for us to help her. She lacks instruments, because she can only take those that have courage. On this January 1st, would you like to be one of them? Oh, say "Yes!" How could you not say "Yes!" to such an urgent and loving call? But let not your "Yes" be too light nor too quick. For those who want to work for the Gospa, the cross and the joy will be twin sisters who will accompany you to the door of Heaven. One day, Father Jozo shared this with me, "You know, there are many pilgrims who leave Medjugorje full of enthusiasm and desire to work for the Gospa. But when the cross comes and they have to suffer for Our Lady, then the great majority of them give up. Rare are the ones who persevere."

My wish for each one of you is to be one of the few who persevere, for then the fruit will be splendid. The Gospa will have her watchmen on all the walls of the world. They will spread her motherly mantle over their villages and cities. The Queen of Peace will cause hatred and fear to melt away like the snow in the sun. Is the world searching for terrorist dens? Fine! Through her apostles, Our Lady does better: she eradicates hatred and even Satan from the hearts of men. Starting today, let us answer a courageous "Yes" to the Mother of God and offer a small meaningful act along with it. Each one of us, inspired by love, will find one. Just one example among others: go to your nativity scene and look where little Jesus is resting. Straw! Our Lady knew how to make a bed of love with straw. In our turn, let's add to that bed our little straw which will bring delight to Baby Jesus: on a tiny piece of paper, write down a costly sacrifice that you will make today, and roll this fine sheet up like a straw. Neither Jesus nor Mary will ever forget this straw, neither for the year 2002 nor for eternity. What joy it will be for those who will be saved from hatred thanks to your little piece of straw!

2. An example comes to my mind about the twin sisters "Joy" and "Cross". An Italian friend of mine fell in love with Medjugorje eighteen years ago. This is a long story... For years she often came as a simple pilgrim. Then she received a call in prayer to found a work of mercy and to have a house built to that end in Medjugorje. She advertised her project and immediately received wonderful human and financial support: many hands showed up to help her. She was filled with wonder at seeing the gifts and the blessings of Divine Providence, and how God's blessing was upon her project. Joyful, she went to visit Father Jozo whom she knew well and had been helping for years. As soon as she started sharing with him how Providence had lavished her with blessings and opportunities for her project, his reaction was strange. He looked bored and left the room without saying a word. That really surprised and even hurt her. She had helped him so much in the past! Nevertheless, she continued her work of charity with determination. Then, shortly after, she was hit by a big storm of hardships, problems and difficulties. Everything became blocked. Doors closed and even her best friends turned their backs on her. Money also became sparse. Her trial was becoming heavy, almost cruel, and she found herself alone with her mountain of problems, alone to face the storm. The idea to go and talk to Father Jozo didn't cross her mind. But one day, their paths happened to cross. He nicely asked her how things were going. She kept silent because she thought that he was not really interested in her project. Yet he insisted that she tell him her progress. Then she broke down in tears and told him about all the difficulties that were crushing her. Father Jozo's face lit up and he showed a great deal of interest in everything she said. Then he blurted out, "But you have not understood anything!! Now you have received the cross. That's good. Don't you understand that now, at last, you are really working for the Gospa??!!"

I can see that my friend has matured and come a long way: the excitement of the easy days has been replaced by the great joy of giving herself completely for the Gospa's plans. Her cross has become "the way of joy." With conviction she says now, "I'm not going to quit!"

3. These days Denis Nolan is with us in Medjugorje. We pray a lot for you on the hills. We asked God what saint had chosen our apostolate "Children of Medjugorje" for the year 2002. Following the tradition, in prayer, Denis drew from a basket a little piece of paper with the name of a saint:

Our Lady of Guadalupe " Am I not here with you, who am your Mother? Is there anything else that you need?" (Mary to Juan Diego, Mexico, December 1531) Pray for an end to abortion

(See PPS. for information on this tradition.)

Each person can draw a saint for himself and for his apostolate, etc. Here in Medjugorje, we have drawn our individual saints on Christmas day. I was thrilled to receive Father Slavko Barbaric for 2002 with this mission: "Pray for the parish of Medjugorje!" His word: "Be assured that God has chosen what is best for us. Keep going!."

Dear Gospa, we immerse 2002 into your wonderful motherly Heart, May this year be as God wants it!

Sr. Emmanuel

PS. Tonight at 10:30, Marija will receive an apparition on Apparition Hill, and Our Lady will bless all present as well as those we carry in our hearts. Be sure we bring all of you before Her !

PPS. Receiving a saint for the year! The saints actually choose us rather than we choose them. The tradition consists in invoking the Holy Spirit through a hymn or spontaneous prayer, and asking God to bless us through the powerful intercession of the saints. Those who wish may then draw from a basket a small piece of paper bearing the name of a saint who will be their pal. Under the name of the saint (and the date of his feast day), one can also read a typical saying of the saint - or a suitable verse from the Bible or even a message of Medjugorje that fits with it - as well as an intention of prayer for the year. Upon receiving this little paper, each one will want to get to know better the life of his protector and companion for the year so that he may profit spiritually and develop a deep relationship with this saint.

The name of a saint can also be picked up for a whole apostolate, organization, company, prayer group or parish.

On a practical level, a person of each family, community, or parish should assume the job of collecting names of saints, finding appropriate sayings and tasks, and cutting out these little slips of paper. Ready made forms can also be photocopied (we have added a list below). It is important to select saints recognized by the Church, " blessed " or " venerable ", (but I guess it is not prohibited to add Mother Teresa of Calcutta or the French mystic Marthe Robin, whose causes in Rome are in process).

What a blessing it is to be picked by a saint each year, to have as an example, guide, and intercessor. Our heavenly "buddy" can accompany us through the year with extra strength and support.

A example of a list of Saints:

Marthe Robin (celebrated on 6 February) " Jesus, I thank you, because you take us as we are and you offer us to the Father as you are." Pray for priestly vocations.

Marthe Robin (celebrated on 6 February) " I depend especially on my beloved mother to keep me more than ever humble, gentle, trusting and small so that the Good Lord can be free in my soul. For humility, surrender to the divine will, is the foundation and the centre of intimate union and fruitfulness with Jesus." Pray for Fr Slatko Sudac and the mystics of today.

Marthe Robin (celebrated on 6 February) "It seems to me that the heart that is full of trust is the one, fascinated by the infinite power of divine love, that does not allow human impossibilities to limit its hope, but nourishes its trust with the immensity of love, with infinity, and expects from God with peaceful assurance, infinitely more than what we can hope or imagine." Pray for the brokenhearted.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (beatification cause in progress) "Two young people came to our house and gave me a lot of money to feed the poor... (they had not held a reception for their wedding so that they could give the money to Mother Teresa)...They said: "We love each other so much that we wanted to share the joy of our love with the people that you help. And we have experienced the joy of loving." Pray that love will conquer the world.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (beatification cause in progress) "The more we are united with God, the more eager we will be to love and serve the poor with our whole heart." Pray to serve the poor with joy.

The Holy Guardian Angels (celebrated on 2 October) " Whoever prays does not fear the future and whoever fasts does not fear evil." (Mary in Medjugorje - 25 January 2001) Help someone to meet and get to know their guardian angel.

Our Lady of Guadaloupe (celebrated on 12 December) "Am I not here, I who am your Mother? What more do you need?" Pray that abortion will stop.

Saint Anthony of Padoua (celebrated on 13 June) " We make God loved by loving as He loves." Pray for unbelievers.

Saint Anthony of Padoua (celebrated on 13 June) " Learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart" (Mt 11, 29) Pray for those who are tempted by suicide.

Saint Bernard (celebrated on 20 August) "When God forgives a sinner who humbly confesses his sin, the devil loses his dominion over the heart he had taken. Pray for those who are called and have not yet said "yes."

Saint Charbel (celebrated on 24 December) " Through Mary we are born, not to this world, but to God." Pray for the Lebanon.

Saint Dominic (celebrated on 8 August) "My God, what will become of sinners? My God, have mercy on sinners!" Intercede for hardened hearts.

Saint Dominic Savio (celebrated on 9 March) "Pray without ceasing and ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you always. In all that you ask, in all that you do, seek only the will of God." (Mary in Medjugorje - 13 October 1984) Pray for the young.

Saint Francis of Assisi (celebrated on 4 October) "Lord, I pray you, may the ardent and gentle power of your love detach my soul from all that is under heaven, so that I may die for love of your love, you who deigned to die for love of my love." Pray that Jesus be loved.

Saint Francis of Assisi (celebrated on 4 October) Be strong in God. I want the world to know the God of love through you. By your lives, be the witnesses of God's joy." (Mary in Medjugorje - 25 March 1988) Pray for hearts to find joy!

Saint Francis of Sales (celebrated on 24 January) "All through love and nothing through force." Pray for priests.

Saint Francis of Sales (celebrated on 24 January) "Worship God as often as you can by short but ardent flights of your heart; admire his goodness often; throw yourself at the foot of his Holy Cross, invoke his help, give him your soul a thousand times a day; sometimes, remain silent but simply gaze upon his gentleness." Pray that the world will be seized by a spirit of adoration.

Saint Francis Xavier (celebrated on 3 December) " We must be wary of our own strength and trust God immensely. Let us never show discouragement and never doubt victory!" Pray for missionaries.

Saint John Bosco (celebrated on 31 January) "What must console a sinner most is that he will not have to weep for long, at the first tear, the first 'I repent', the Lord will be moved with compassion." Pray for teenagers.

Saint John Bosco (celebrated on 31 January) "From now on, I no longer want to place any limit on my trust in God." (after an apparition of Saint Dominic Savio) Pray for teachers.

Saint John Bosco (celebrated on 31 January) "Take courage, afflicted soul, and you, poor sinner, courage and trust in the goodness of such a God! The number of your sins is great, but know that his Mercy, if you repent, will surpass them." Pray for the conversion of sinners.

Saint John Bosco (celebrated on 31 January) "Young People are my great, my greatest hope. But many young people search for happiness in the places where it is lost." (Mary in Medjugorje) Pray for the young.

Saint John of the Cross (celebrated on 14 December) "Soothing one's soul is no mean feat!" Pray that we may obtain good confessors and good spiritual directors.

Saint Gertrude (celebrated on 16 November) "If a soul afflicted by temptation takes refuge in me, it is of her that I can say: my dove is unique, chosen from a thousand, with one of her glances she has pierced my heart." Pray for priests who are tempted to forsake Christ.

Saint Helen "O innocent Jesus, your Cross is my Cross" Pray for children who are abused.

Saint Joan of Arc (celebrated on 30 May) " You know that I love you, that I burn with love for you. That is why, dear children, decide to love God; burn with love!" (Mary in Medjugorje - 25 June 1988) Pray for France and for the conversion of freemasons.

Saint Jeanne de Chantal (celebrated on 12 December) "May this Sweet Savior live and reign in our hearts for ever amid the desolation and darkness. He is our light, he leads us; let us fear nothing, he will never let us down." Pray for mothers.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (celebrated on 16 October) "Make your home in the adorable Heart of Jesus Christ, take your little worries and disappointments, and all will find peace there. You will find the remedy for your ills, the strength for your weaknesses and shelter in all your needs." Pray for those crushed by trials.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (celebrated on 16 October) " I would speak to all hearts, but they do not want to listen; and when I find one that opens to my graces, then I flood that heart." (Jesus to the saint) Pray for the broken hearted.

Saint Mary Magdalene (celebrated on 22 July) "She had brought with her a jar of perfume. She waited behind at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell at his feet, and she wiped them with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with ointment..."(Lk7:37) Pray for the conversion of sinners.

Saint Mechtilde " All those who love my gifts in others, will receive the same glory as those to whom I have given these gifts." (Jesus to the saint) Pray for the underprivileged and those in revolt.

Saint Teresa of Avila (celebrated on 15 October) "Our Lord looks less on the greatness of our works than at the love with which we carry them out." Pray for consecrated souls.

Saint Terese of Lisieux (celebrated on 1 October) "To suffer in peace, it is enough to want what Jesus wants." Pray for the dying.

Saint Therese of Lisieux (celebrated on 1 October) "I understand so well that it is only love that can make us pleasing to the Good Lord, and my ambition is for this love alone." Pray for an outpouring of love in families.

Saint Therese of Lisieux (celebrated on 1 October ) "O Jesus, let me tell you that your love reaches folly... How do you expect my heart not to leap towards you in the face of such folly? How could my trust have any limits?² Pray that no one will elude the sanctity that has been prepared for them.

Saint Veronica (celebrated on 4 February) " As a mother I want to call you all to holiness so that you can spread it to others. You are a mirror for others." (Mary in Medjugorje - 10 October 1985) Pray that all will recognize the dignity of human life.

Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin (parents of St Therese) "Dear Children, I want to say to you: pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on your families and your parishes. Pray and you will not regret it! God will give you gifts for which you will glorify Him until the end of your earthly lives. Thank you for having responded to my call." (Mary in Medjugorje - 2 June 1984) Pray that your families will become nurseries for saints.

Saint Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, Cure of Ars (celebrated on 4 August) "When the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, what good intentions He gives us! But we must live up to them, we must follow them." Pray for vocations.

Saint Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, Cure of Ars (celebrated on 4 August) "My children, we cannot comprehend the power of a soul over the Good Lord: it can obtain whatever it wants." Pray for priests.

Saint Joseph (celebrated on 19 March and 1 May) "Dear little children, each one of you is important in my plan of salvation. I invite you to be bearers of goodness and peace... That is why, my dear little children, pray, pray, pray, and do everything that the Holy Spirit will inspire you." (Mary in Medjugorje - 25 May 1993) Pray for fathers of families.

Saint Leopold Mandic (Hertzogovina) "The most important thing in the spiritual life is to ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes, then peace is established. When that happens, then everything changes around you." (Mary in Medjugorje - October 1984) Pray for peace in the hearts of terrorists.

Saint Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort (celebrated on 28 April) "The more the Holy Spirit finds Mary in a soul, the more active and powerful He becomes to bring forth Jesus Christ in that soul, and that soul in Jesus Christ.² Pray for Our Lady's intentions.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe (celebrated on 14 August) "It is not being very active of our own initiative that is important, but being in the hands of the Immaculate." Pray that the Immaculate will reign in our hearts.

Saint Michael the Archangel (celebrated on 29 September) "Satan is strong and that is why I am seeking your prayers for those who are under his influence, so that they may be saved." (Mary in Medjugorje) Pray for the workers of evil.

Saint Michael the Archangel (celebrated on 29 September) "Dear Children, put on the clothing of battle and be victorious with your rosaries in your hands." (Mary in Medjugorje - 8 August 1985) Pray for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Saint Nicodemus "I have come for the lost sheep of Israel" Pray for the illumination of Israel.

Saint Peter the Apostle (celebrated on 29 June) "Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you." Pray for the Pope and his intentions for the world.

Saint Peter Chanel (celebrated on 28 April) "To love Mary and make her loved." Pray for missionary vocations.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov (celebrated on 2 January) "The true goal of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit." Pray for a new Pentecost of Love.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov (celebrated on 2 January) "Acquire inner peace and thousands around you will find salvation." Pray for the unity of the Church.

Saint Simon of Cyrene "It is the Cross that carries you, not you that carries it." (St John Vianney) Pray for the dying.

Saint Thomas the Apostle (celebrated on 3 July) "Jesus said to him, "Put your hands in my side and do not doubt, but believe." Thomas replied, "My Lord and my God." (Jn 20: 27-28) Pray for unbelievers.

Saint Vincent de Paul (celebrated on 27 September) "You need the poor that you help, just as much as he needs you." Pray for a compassionate heart.

feel free to add more....

Children of Medjugorje

From: Joyce Lang
Date: Sat Dec 15, 2001 12:30 pm
Subject: Children of Medjugore Report- December 15, 2001

December 15, 2001

Dear Children of Medjugorje!

Praised be Jesus and Mary!

1. As we approach the beautiful Christmas Season, we long to prepare a place in our hearts for the newborn Savior. My 8 year old, Joseph, recently begged me to take him to confession. "I need to go to confession!! My sins are dragging me down, down, down!" he said with a grimace as he bent down toward the floor. "When I go to Holy Communion, my soul is so full of sins that there is hardly any room for Jesus in there!", he added waving his hands in a big circle to show how much room his sins take up. Isn't it true! Our Lady wishes us to include the sacrament of Reconciliation in our preparation for Christmas, "Today I call you to prepare yourselves for the coming of Jesus. In a special way, prepare your hearts. May holy Confession be the first act of conversion for you and then, dear children, decide for holiness" (11/25/98).

2. Little Joseph is not the only one who uses his arms when he speaks, Vicka also gestures energetically when she shares about the Gospa! Sr. Emmanuel told me recently: "I saw Vicka this morning, I asked her what is the best way to prepare our hearts for the coming of the King of Peace? She said that Gospa had given the answer already - prayer with the heart! Then she said :' Free your heart from everything that bothers you inside, and do your best to leave there only love, divine love for every person!.' She was using her hands to help me grasp what she meant, and said: ' You know, you get rid of all the bad in there, (she kind of excavated the bad from her chest), and then you open your heart wide (she extended her hands up and out), and you take in all the love that comes from God (she picked up invisible fruit from all around, as if to place them into her heart).' Then she said, "Jesus will have all that he needs there: love! Anyway, Sister, Jesus is born already, you know!! Therefore he just needs his loving space within us!'"

3. To help us prepare for a beautiful Christmas, we offer here a Novena inspired by messages for Advent and Christmas that Our Lady has given over the years. The novena begins on December 16! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget to prepare your heart for Jesus' coming! Indeed, Our Lady told us lately: "Dear children! In this time of grace, I call you anew to prayer. Little children, pray and prepare your hearts for the coming of the King of Peace, that with His blessing He may give peace to the whole world. Peacelessness has begun to reign in hearts and hatred reigns in the world. That is why, you who live my messages, be the light and extended hands to this faithless world that all may come to know the God of Love. Do not forget, little children, I am with you and bless you all. Thank you for having responded to my call" (11/25/01).

Read the meditation for each day, and follow it with your rosary, or other prayers that you wish to pray.

Day 1: Prepare yourselves! "Dear children, prepare youselves in these days before Christmas, spiritually and physically. In your prayers, say one prayer especially for my intentions. I invite you to give up something you like the most. ....Offer it with love, as during the first days of the apparitions." (12/15/89)

Dearest Mother, you are so wise. You help us to take small steps toward you. You ask us to pray for your intentions and then you take our intentions into your heart. It is the perfect trade. You also ask us to give up something we like the most. You are being a true mother, for this is demanding, but you know that with your help we can do it. And in this way we will find ourselves renewed as in the first days of the apparitions, excited and ready for the wonderful things Baby Jesus will do in our lives.

Day 2: Pray for Peace!

"Dear Children! ... In this time of grace, may the cross be a sign-post of love and unity for you through which true peace comes. That is why, little children, pray especially at this time that little Jesus, the Creator of peace, may be born in your hearts. Only through prayer will you become my apostles of peace in this world without peace. That is why, pray until prayer becomes a joy for you..." (11/25/99)

Dear Mother, you have come to us with a message of peace, that we may be carriers of peace in the world. Yet, now more than ever peace is eluding us. You have said, "If there is no peace, pray and you will receive it." Help us to change our lives. Help us put prayer on the top of our list of things to do each day. Let it be the first priority. If we face a busy day, let us increase our prayer, not diminish it. In that way, we will become centers of peace for our families, co-workers. and countries. That way, Jesus will be born in our hearts.

Day 3: The day of joy approaches!

Dear Children, you know that the day of joy is approaching but without love you will receive little. First, then start loving your family and everyone in the parish; then you will be able to love and accept all those who come here. Let these seven days be a week of learning to love. This Christmas will be unforgettable if you follow me. Disconnect your television sets and radios, and begin God's programs: meditation, prayer, reading the Gospels. Prepare yourselves with faith; then, having understood love, your life will be filled with happiness (12/13/84).

Dear Mother, you have told us over and over that you come to bring us joy! We are slow to understand your offer. We continue to seek joy in the material world, in our own programs for life and not from a deep union with God. So you give us practical steps to take: If we love, if we pray and study God's word, if we silence the distractions of the media, we will enter into the heart of Jesus as never before. Then we will find joy. We want joy!

Day 4: Give Jesus a gift on his birthday!

Dear children, rejoice with me, wait in joy with me for this great feast of the Nativity of the Savior of the world. The Kings brought to Jesus presents of great value, and you, give him your heart as a gift, because there is nothing greater than that. Let each of you say to Jesus: 'My heart is a gift for you!'" (12/21/89 to Jelena)

Dearest Mother, as we feverishly try to prepare for the feast of the Nativity, don't let us forget the gift that is most important. Baby Jesus will come on that day, and find us empty handed. How sad that would be. But there is still time, we can still prepare the gift that he dreams of. If we turn our eyes toward Heaven and open our hearts to the graces you are bringing for us, we'll definitely be ready. Our heart! Our deepest self, given over to Jesus with complete love and trust, this is what he yearns for.

Day 5: Give Jesus a happy home!

Dear Children, I am happy as I watch you praying and preparing your hearts for the coming of Jesus. Be totally open and be happy because Jesus is going to make his home in your hearts that are in need of love and peace. Jesus will do it" (12/19/89 to Jelena).

Dearest Mother, we want to prepare our hearts to be happy homes for Jesus. But how is this done? He is coming as a little baby. What do we need to keep him safe and well? We need our home to be clean, well scrubbed and cleansed of dust and dirt that accumulates over time. Help us to clean for Jesus. We need quiet and peace for the baby to rest in. Help us to quiet our hearts and rid them of all distractions and useless noise. We need warm bedding and clothes for the baby. Help us make our hearts warm through love, and help us clothe Jesus with our deeds of mercy for the poor and needy among us. Then he will flourish and grow. Then he will be at home.

Day 6: Open your heart to God!

"Dear Children, it is to openness that I especially want to invite you. I would like these days until Christmas to be an exercise in opening your hearts, more each day to Jesus, so that you can truly be ready for Christmas. This openness is not bound to the date of Christmas, because I want it to continue. That is why, dear children, help each other and try to open yourselves more to God" (11/28/90, to Jelena).

Dearest Mother, we long to be completely open to God as you were at the Annunciation. But we are hobbled by our sinfulness. Our gaze is only sometimes directed toward Jesus. Our attention is not constant. We are preoccupied with material things which hamper us from perceiving and receiving God's will for our life. Therefore we imitate you in prayer and say: "Behold the handmaiden of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word." In our imitation, Jesus will be so happy to come to us! He'll also be conceived in our hearts as he was in your womb. Then on Christmas we will rejoice at his birth into our lives.

Day 7: Let Little Jesus Reign!

"Dear Children! I invite you now in this time, as never before, to prepare for the coming of Jesus. Let little Jesus reign in your hearts, and only then, when Jesus is your friend, will you be happy. It will not be difficult for you either to pray or offer sacrifices or to witness Jesus' greatness in your life, because He will give you strength and joy in this time. I am close to you by my intercession and prayer and I love and bless all of you..." (11//23/93)

Dearest Mother, we have never lived under a king! But you say that if we let Jesus reign in our lives he will be our friend, and we will be happy. With Jesus as our King, we will be able to sacrifice and witness to his kingship without difficulty. This sounds unlike any king we have ever heard of. Jesus' kingship will heal us, empower us, fill us with joy. His rule will make us strong. We want a king like that. King Jesus, Baby King Jesus, come!

Day 8: Abandon yourself to Me!

"Dear children, I invite you to pray during this special time, so that you may experience the joy of meeting with the newborn Jesus. Dear children, I wish that you live these days as I lived them. I want to guide you and show you this joy, to which I want to bring all of you. That is why I ask you, dear children, to pray and abandon yourselves totally to me" (12/11/86)

Dearest Mother, you ask us to simply abandon ourselves to you and you will do everything for us. Yes please, show us how to meet the newborn Jesus as you did in the stable. This is a very big gift you offer us. We would have been very shy to be present that night at that moment when the King of Heaven and Earth was born. But you are inviting us to join you in that moment, and to experience what you experienced. We are humbled. We say yes.

Day 9: Put the Newborn Baby Jesus in the first place!

"Dear children! This is the time of grace. Little children, today in a special way with little Jesus, whom I hold in my embrace, I am giving you the possibility to decide for peace. Through your 'yes' for peace and your decision for God, a new possibility for peace is opened. Only in this way, little children, this century will be for you a time of peace and well-being. Therefore, put little newborn Jesus in the first place in your life and He will lead you on the way of salvation..." (12/25/99).

Dearest Mother, you have given us everything, you have given us Jesus. We thank you for our Savior. We put him in the first place. And tonight we will welcome him into our hearts at Holy Mass, when we receive him in Holy Communion. What joy to have the newborn Jesus in our very hearts. We are ravished with the anticipation. Come, Baby Jesus. We adore you!

Advisory Board: Cardinal Jaime Sin Cardinal Bernardino Echeverria, O.F.M. Archbishop Frane Franic Archbishop D. Peter Chung Bishop Nicholas D'Antonio, O.F.M. Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, O.M.I. Bishop Donald Montrose Bishop William Ellis Fr. Daniel Ange Ralph Mar