12 o'clock

The story is told of a certain minister who was disturbed to see a shabby old man go into his church at noon every day and come out again after a few minutes. What could he be doing? 

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He informed the caretaker and bade him question the old man. After all the place contained valuable furnishings. 

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`I go to pray,' the old man said in reply to the caretaker's questioning. 

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`Come, come now,' said the other, 'you are never long enough in the church to pray.' 

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`Well, you see,' the shabby old man went on, `I cannot pray a long prayer, but every day at twelve o'clock I just comes and says, "Jesus, it's Jim" and waits a minute and then comes away. It's just a little prayer, but I guess He hears me.' 

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When Jim was injured some time later and taken to hospital, he had a wonderful influence in the ward. Grumbling patients became cheerful and often the ward would ring with laughter. 

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`Well, Jim,' said the sister to him one day, `the men say you are responsible for this change in the ward. They say you are always happy.'

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`Aye, sister, that I am. I can't help being happy. You see, it's my Visitor. Every day He makes me happy.' 

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`Your visitor?' The sister was puzzled. She always noticed that Jim's chair was empty on visiting days, for he was a lonely old man, with no relations. 

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'Your visitor? But when does he come?'`

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Every day,' Jim replied, the light in his eyes growing brighter. 'Yes, every day at twelve o'clock He comes and stands at the foot of my bed. 

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I see Him and He smiles and says, "Jim, it's Jesus".

Pilgrimage Day At Aylesford Priory

Fr. Cyril in full flow!

Statue of Our Lady, Aylesford Priory

The annual pilgrimage in honour of Our Lady Queen of Peace took place again this year in the beautiful surroundings of Aylesford Priory. The event was well attended - about 300 people roughly. The Carmelite Friars, led by Fr. Brendan, welcomed us warmly and led us in a day of celebration and reflection which was both uplifting and spiritually refreshing. Fr Cyril Edamana, a Salesian priest, gave an inspiring talk full of energy and insight into the seven sorrows of Mary on her journey as the Mother of Christ. The weather just about behaved itself for the day but just as a precaution Mass was held inside in the main in chapel and everyone just about managed to squeeze in with the help of extra chairs and benches crammed into all parts of the church. There was a great atmosphere on the day. If you didn't make it then look out for it next year.

Mary TV - New Web TV Show on Medjugorje's Fruits

Ordinary people’s not so ordinary experiences in Medjugorje are at the forefront of MaryTV’s new bi-weekly show. “We would like to make the incredible fruits of what Our Lady is accomplishing in Medjugorje available to the public worldwide” MaryTV states before the debut on Monday.

Preparations in MaryTV’s US studio in South Bend, IN

Medjugorje gets an online tv show devoted to showing forth the fruits of 31 years of apparitions. Debuting on July 16 at 8 pm EST, MaryTV zooms in on personal testimonies with “Fruit of Medjugorje”, to be aired every Monday and Thursday.

Most of the programme will be filmed in Medjugorje, with the exception of some testimonies given at Medjugorje conferences and at MaryTV’s studio in the US. Many accounts have been captured on location.

“We would like to make the incredible fruits of what Our Lady is accomplishing in Medjugorje available to the public worldwide, in a consumable, accessible format.The programme will usually be close to an hour, sometimes more, sometimes less. Because we are streaming on the internet, we don’t have conventional time restraints” editor Michael Nolan tells Medjugorje Today.

Michael Nolan

“The conception of this show really came from the Holy Spirit! We have collected quite a few testimonies and interviews, and needed a format for spreading them. It took the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to connect the dots through prayer.”

It has not been decided if the show will feature Medjugorje visionaries, too. But Michael Nolan tells that MaryTV has “several interviews with them that can be incorporated.”

The opening programme features the physician couple Joe and Sheila Kuzmic who traveled to Medjugorje during the civil war of 1992-95, to help with the treatment of refugees.

“Of course, Our Lady quickly took them under her mantle.  They met in Medugorje, were married soon after, and have built a family in the spirituality of the messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje” MaryTV editor Michael Nolan tells.

Cathy and Denis Nolan, message commentator and president of MaryTV

“It has come at great cost to them materially, professionally.  But they are filled with zeal, enthusiasm, and joy as they recount the incredible blessings and conversion they have received through the Queen of Peace in Medjugorje”.

“The second half of the opening program is a friend of the Kuzmics, who has also received both spiritual and physical blessings through Medjugorje” Michael Nolan announces.

Article written by Jakob Marschner in Medjugorje Today http://www.medjugorjetoday.tv/6333/new-web-tv-show-on-medjugorjes-fruits/

Medjugorje Mirjana Apparition February 2, 2014

Courtesy of Marytv

Message of 2 December 2013 in Croatian and English

Experiences from 2013 Pilgrimage to Medjugorje

Climbing Apparition Hill, one rock at a time, is made easier by the support of all those other pilgrims around.  May the next hill to climb, with your prayer support and that or our Blessed Virgin Mary, be to set up a prayer group in the parish of St. Thomas (Canterbury).  That others may hear Mary’s call and respond to it. (Mary McGillie)

We had a great experience.  There is a special grace of peace here.

I was greatly blessed to see my children fall more in love with Our Lady and Jesus.  The children want us to pray the rosary as a family.  The children loved praying, adoration and daily Mass.  (It is something they will never forget).  The children loved hearing about how Our Lady appearing to the young Croatian children and got to meet a visionary (Vicka).  They listened to the main messages of Our Lady and want to live them.  They went to confession and were full of joy afterwards. (Cathy Fava)

In my first pilgrimage to Medjugorje I received a conversion of mind and heart and was strengthened me in my faith.  I was not expecting to receive anything further from this pilgrimage.  How wrong I was.  I have received further blessings and now feel determined to encourage others to visit Medjugorje and to assist the set up of an RCIA program in my parish. 

For me this is a very big change as I have never been one to evangelize so with God's blessings I will be successful. (Tony Holt)

This trip to Medjugorje was my second, I was so excited to go on this one and I was not disappointed.  I am closer to God and to my prayers.  Please God when our parish receives our new priest I will be able to set up a prayer group.  I am so excited to be able to do this.

The people that were on this trip were lovely people.  Some that I met on my first trip and others that were new.  We all come for different reasons and it is so lovely to be able to share these reasons. I will be going again next year, please God.

God Bless Gwennie. Xx

This was my 16th trip to Medjugorje ... as the bus pulled into the village the guide said “welcome home” and that is exactly what I felt, and feel every time I visit Medjugorje ... home ... where Our Lady is waiting for me and welcoming me. Whilst all around the physicality of Medjugorje  changes Our Lady never changes.  Her love like her welcome and her messages are certain and strong.  I thank God daily for that certainty, strength, and consistency. (Yvonne Fitzpatrick-Grimes)

With my reduced mobility due to surgery climbing mountains was out of the question, but I did visit the foot of apparition hill taking a taxi there and back.  I very carefully got myself up a few paces holding on the rail, and sat on a rock with the statue of Mary by the Blue Cross in view and prayed the Joyful Mysteries aloud. I felt really very happy and joyful to be there again remembering my first visit to Medjugorje (2002) when I had trouble with my right knee.  I took a taxi up and sat a bit nearer in the same area praying the rosary while waiting for those of our group who were walking. I took a photograph (before the digital age) of the Blue Cross and the Statue of Mary before joining our Group.  The developed and enlarged photo shows a shaft of light beaming on to the head of Mary, sparkling ... and a smaller shaft on the head of a man in the crowd moving away. I bought a lot of peace rosaries and want to give them away in my prayer group encouraging them all to pray for peace in our hearts, families and the world.  Tonight I gave the mothers who come to Mothers Prayers a Peace rosary each and we prayed it at the end, which we will do from now on. (Ruth Kamalagharan)

This was my first journey to Medugorje, in celebration for having set up a new group in our parish.  By going to St. James church and the apparition hill, just to be there where Our Blessed Mother had appeared was out of this world.  Equally our visit to hear testimony from Vicka was just awesome.  The first thing on our return was to fly back to Medugorje on wings of prayer. My heartfelt thanks to John and the organisers for this momentous occasion. (Leo Willig)

Pope Francis at Thursday Mass: the languages of knowing Jesus

(26.9.13 Vatican Radio)To know Jesus, you have to get involved with Him, as pointed out by Pope Francis at Mass this morning in the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope said that Jesus is to be encountered in everyday life. He indicated the three languages needed to know Jesus: that of the mind, that of the heart, and that of action. 

Who is He? where does He come from? In remarks after the readings at Mass on Thursday morning in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence in the Vatican, Pope Francis focused on the question that Herod posed about Jesus – a question that all those who encounter Jesus eventually ask. The Pope said that the question is one, which, “one can ask out of curiosity,” or “that one might ask for safety.” He noted that, reading the Gospel, we see that “some people begin to feel afraid of this man, because he could have led them to a political conflict with the Romans.” One wonders, “Who is this man, who makes so many problems?” Because, the Pope said, “Jesus [really does cause trouble]”:
“You cannot know Jesus without having problems. And I dare say, ‘But if you want to have a problem, go to the street to know Jesus – you’ll end up having not one, but many!’ But that is the way to get to know Jesus! You cannot know Jesus in first class! One gets to know Jesus in going out [into] every day [life]. You cannot get to know Jesus in peace and quiet, nor even in the library: Know Jesus.”
Certainly, he added, “we can know Jesus in the Catechism,” for, “the Catechism teaches us many things about Jesus.” He said, "we have to study it, we have to learn it.” Thus, “We know the Son of God, who came to save us, we understand the beauty of the history of salvation, of the love of the Father, studying the Catechism.” Nevertheless, he asked, how many people have read the Catechism of the Catholic Church since it was published over 20 years ago?
“Yes, you have to come to know Jesus in the Catechism – but it is not enough to know Him with the mind: it is a step. However, it is necessary to get to know Jesus in dialogue with Him, talking with Him in prayer, kneeling. If you do not pray, if you do not talk with Jesus, you do not know Him. You know things about Jesus, but you do not go with that knowledge, which He gives your heart in prayer. Know Jesus with the mind - the study of the Catechism: know Jesus with the heart - in prayer, in dialogue with Him. This helps us a good bit, but it is not enough. There is a third way to know Jesus: it is by following Him. Go with Him, walk with Him.”
It is necessary, “to go, to walk along the streets, journeying.” It is necessary, said Pope Francis, “to know Jesus in the language of action.” Here, then, is how you can really know Jesus: with these “three languages ​​- of the mind, heart and action.” If, then, “I know Jesus in these ways,” he said in conclusion, “I involve myself with Him”​​:
“One cannot know Jesus without getting oneself involved with Him, without betting your life [on] Him. When so many people - including us – pose this question: ‘But, who is He?’, The Word of God responds, ‘You want to know who He is? Read what the Church tells you about Him, talk to Him in prayer and walk the street with him. Thus, will you know who this man is.’ This is the way! Everyone must make his choice.”