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The Miracle Hunter featured on Relevant RadioJUNE 24, 2010 - Michael O'Neill, the creator of Miraclehunter.com, was interviewed by Drew Mariani of Relevant Radio on Thursday, June 24th as part of a special program commemorating the 29th anniversary of the alleged apparitions at Medjugorje in Bosnia, Hercegovinia. Church Cautious about "Bleeding" Last Supper ImageYERBA BUENA, Argentina, JUNE 14, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Archdiocesan officials are calling for prudence regarding an image of the Last Supper that some claim shows Christ's forehead seeping blood that runs down his left cheek. The Oratory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Yerba Buena -- where the image is kept -- was so overwhelmed by faithful last Sunday that Father Jorge Gandur and Father Luis Brandán concelebrated Mass outside. But the Archdiocese of Tucuman appealed for prudence and caution, until scientific evaluations shed light on the occurrence. "If this is something wrought by God, it will have continuity, and if it is of men, it will disappear," Father Gandur affirmed. "As a priest, at no time have I wished to create false expectations. I am not going to support deceit. Something happened here that divine wisdom will explain in time." Click here for the entire Zenit story Beatification of Visionary Mother Pierina of the Holy Face of ChristROME (Zenit.org) - This Sunday the Basilica of St. Mary Major will be the site of the first beatification ever held within its walls -- that of a woman religious from Milan, Pierina de Micheli. "It is the first time that a beatification takes place in this basilica," said an emotional Sister Nora Antonelli, superior general of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception of Buenos Aires, the community to which Pierina belonged. "We are delighted that our request was accepted." Vatican cardinal: There is no fourth secret of FatimaROME (EWTN News) -- The prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, rejected claims this week that the Church is hiding a supposed “fourth secret” of Fatima and recalled that the third secret was revealed on May 13, 2000. Speaking on Vatican Radio, the cardinal said, “The third secret is the last part of the message. There is no reason to claim that a fourth part exists. I know many people have made the claim and someone has even written a book making the argument, but I find no basis for such a claim.” During the beatification of Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the Fatima seers, on May 13, 2000, Pope John Paul II asked Cardinal Angelo Sodano to read the contents of the “third secret.” It was then published on the following June 26, together with a theological commentary by then-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The interpretation of the text centered mostly on Communism’s fight against the Church and on the sufferings of the victims of the anti-Christian persecutions of the 20th century. One portion of the third secret speaks of a “priest dressed in white” who climbs a mountain covered with the bodies of thousands of people, and when he reaches the summit he is pierced with arrows and falls to the ground. John Paul II understood this to be a reference to the assassination attempt against him by Ali Agca on May 13, 1981, which he survived thanks to the intervention of Our Lady of Fatima Thousands at Papal Mass in FatimaFATIMA (BBC) -- Up to half a million people have attended an open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the Catholic shrine of Fatima in Portugal. The Church said the crowd was a message of support for the Pope, who is marking the 93rd anniversary of the Virgin Mary's reported apparitions there. In Fatima the Pope has shown he retains the support and the loyalty of the vast majority of Catholics despite the paedophile priest scandals. The pontiff appeared buoyed up by the size of the huge and enthusiastic crowd of pilgrims from many countries who gathered in front of the basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. "I have come to Fatima to pray, in union with Mary and so many pilgrims, for our human family, afflicted as it is by various ills and sufferings," Benedict told the crowd. Fatima debate: Some say 'third secret' is still secretVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Ten years after the Vatican divulged one of the church's best-kept secrets -- the third part of the message of Fatima -- a small band of skeptics and critics are still questioning the official explanation. More than 100 of them gathered at a hotel not far from the Vatican in early May for a weeklong conference on such topics as "Fatima and the Global Economic Crisis," "The Present Need for the Consecration of Russia" and "Is There a Missing Text of the Third Secret?" For those in attendance, the answer to that last question is a no-brainer. "The evidence points to only one conclusion: that something has to be missing," said Christopher A. Ferrara, a U.S. attorney and Catholic commentator who spoke at the conference. Ferrara pointed to what he described as a series of incongruities and inconsistencies in the Vatican's version. Among people truly familiar with the events at Fatima, he said, only a minority "cling steadfastly to the notion that an ambiguous vision of a bishop dressed in white outside a half-ruined city is all there is to the third secret." That's the heart of the question for people in the "Fatima Challenge" movement. They argue that the third secret of Fatima was a prophecy so traumatic and dire that several popes decided not to make it known to the faithful, and yet the text published in 2000 contained little more than an allegory about the church's past struggles with 20th-century ideologies. No new Virgin Mary apparition at Knock as alleged visionary falls illCOUNTY MAYO, IRELAND (Irish Central) -- Over 300 people gathered at the Holy Shrine in Knock, County Mayo, today where they were told the Virgin Mary would appear at 3pm. Joe Coleman, the Dublin-based self proclaimed visionary, predicted that the Virgin Mary would appear at Knock after crosses appeared in the sky. Coleman left the 300-strong crowd after a number of hours. Clutching his side and saying that he felt ill he said he had received another message from the Virgin Mary. So far there have been no reports of any apparitions. Coleman was refused permission to pray in the grotto by officials when he approached. He was forced to await the apparition with the other pilgrims in the grounds outside. The Catholic Church has dismissed any claims or proclamations that he has made. This year the pilgrims, at least, came prepared. Those starring the sky in wait were, for the most part, wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes for the sun. Last year there were at least five cases of retina damage following a similar pilgrimage. In September and October last year thousands of pilgrims travelled with Coleman to the Knock Shrine where he claims he has received various messages from the Virgin Mary. In December Coleman was joined, in inclement weather, by 700 pilgrims along with BBC Radio 4, Sky News and Irish broadcasters RTE and TV3 as well as various local news stations. Coleman has claimed that crosses would appear in the sky above Mayo and that the Virgin Mary would appear today at 3pm. He said that these apparitions would be precursors to the Second Coming of Jesus. Benedict XVI's devotion to the Virgin MaryVATICAN CITY (AFP) -- Pope Benedict XVI, a bookish theologian, holds a deep-rooted interest in the popular cult of the Virgin Mary, which will be on display during his visit to the shrine of Fatima in Portugal. "Contrary to what one could imagine, Benedict XVI has a very positive opinion of demonstrations of popular faith like the one you can see in Fatima," Vatican expert Sandro Magister told AFP. The pope heads to Portugal on Tuesday to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the beatification of young shepherds who claim to have seen the Virgin Mary appear. "Like his predecessor John Paul II, Benedict XVI is very pious with regards to Mary," French Cardinal Paul Poupard told AFP. Several trips have already brought Benedict to sanctuaries devoted to the Virgin Mary, where he celebrated masses in front of thousands of faithful: Marizell in Austria, Loreto in Italy, Aparecida in Brasil, Altotting in Germany, the "house of Mary" in Turkey and Lourdes in France. As prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, the pope - then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - dealt thoroughly with apparitions and miracles. In 2000, John Paul II entrusted Ratzinger with writing a theological document on an aspect of the Virgin's six apparitions to three shepherds in Fatima between May 13 and October 13 in 1917. The text dealt with what is known as the third secret of Fatima, which John Paul II believed to be a prophecy of the assassination attempt he survived on May 13 1981. The three secrets of Fatima are visions and prophecies allegedly given by an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three young Portuguese shepherds. "The pope's visit to Fatima is not a visit to any sanctuary dedicated to Mary, as it was in other trips," the pope's spokesman Federico Lombardi said. "The pope dealt thoroughly with these events from the theological and spiritual point of view," he said. Researchers gather to discuss Guadalupan tilma and Shroud of TurinVATICAN CITY (CNA) -- Professor Paolo Di Lazzaro, who is head of a group of researchers from the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Development in Italy, organized a seminar entitled "International Workshop on the Scientific Approach to the Acheiropoietos Images" May 4 - 6th in Frascati, Italy, during which 48 experts from around the world gathered together to discuss images called Acheiropoietos, that is, “not made by hands.” They also examined the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Manopello Veil, which, according to tradition, is the veil used by Veronica to wipe the face of Jesus. He noted this week that the latest discoveries on the Shroud of Turin “are not in contradiction with the theory of the Resurrection” of Christ. Di Lazzaro said that scientists have not been able to reproduce an image, similar to the one on the shroud, with any kind of contact technique. While from far away, differences in the replications may appear unnoticeable, under a microscope they appear drastically different, he added At Fatima, pope will address spiritual and political challengesVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI's four-day visit to Portugal will focus on spiritual, political and economic questions seen as crucial for the country and the rest of modern Europe. There has been speculation that during the visit that the pope may announce the future beatification of Carmelite Sister Lucia dos Santos, the only one of the Fatima visionaries to survive to adulthood. She died in 2005 and two years ago the pope lifted the normal five-year waiting period to begin her canonization process. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican's top doctrinal official, the pope was often a voice of caution when it came to apparitions and supernatural messages. In 2000, however, he played a central role when the Vatican published the so-called third secret of Fatima; Cardinal Ratzinger said the secret, written down by Sister Lucia after Mary's appearances, made sense as a symbolic prophecy of the church's 20th-century struggles against evil political systems. Click here to read the statement The future pope at that time described such apparitions as "interior visions" that were not mere fantasy and that reflected Mary's continuing role in the church: that of intervening in support of the saving mission of her son. These are typically fleeting appearances to humble people, he said, and they rely on powerful symbolic images and language rather than "lengthy speeches." In Fatima, the pope is expected to talk about the relevance of such visions in modern society. He will also pray for his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, who believed that Mary had saved his life after he was shot May 13, 1981 -- the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Alleged Knock Visionary Predicts New Apparition on May 11th(PRESS RELEASE) Dublin Thursday 29th April 2010 - Joe Coleman, who says he is a genuine Visionary for Our Lady, has today urged people all over Ireland to have Masses said on 11th May 2010 at 3pm for peace and reconciliation in Ireland – at the exact same time as the next Apparition of Our Lady which he says will take place at Knock on that date. He also claims that crosses will appear in the skies all over Ireland in the days leading up to and on the day itself as a sign from Our Lady to help people convert back to their faith. He claims “I have been told by Our Lady that mankind is now undergoing the ‘cleansing’ that has been foretold in the Holy Bible. We now in throes of the immediate lead up to the Second Coming of Jesus, back to this Earth. It is important, she says, to seek redemption at this important time to save souls. Coleman who predicted a number of public apparitions of Our Lady of Knock during 2009 and again this year says “During the last apparition, which were not made public, took place in Knock on 10th March and which was attended by 80 people from various parts of the country. Our Lady is pleading with the Irish people to return to their faith and to seek reconciliation at this time of great hardship in Ireland. This is a time when people are not only disillusioned with the Catholic Church but when they are now enduring one of the toughest times in their lives during this recession. “Most of the messages I have received from Our Blessed Mother since December are, she has told me, related to the Second Coming of Jesus on the Earth, the time of which, she has told me, is drawing very close. Commission on Medjugorje Meets in Vatican(April 13, 2010 - Vatican Radio) The following statement was released by the Vatican Press Office on Tuesday afternoon:The International Investigative Commission on Medjugorje met for its first session on 26 March 2010." Shroud of Turin on display for first time in decade April 10, 2010 (AFP) - TURIN, Italy — The Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ, will go on public display here Saturday for the first time in a decade. Irishman again predicts new Knock apparitions Belfast, Ireland April 1, 2010 (Telegraph) - An apparition of the Virgin Mary will appear in Knock on May 11, according to Irish clairvoyant Joe Coleman. Possibility of new diocese for MedjugorjeRome, Italy, Mar 22, 2010 (CNA) - Following last week's announcement that a commission is being formed to investigate possible Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, a typically well-informed Vatican journalist has reported that a new diocese could be formed in the area to include the Bosnian city. Taking territory currently under the jurisdiction of three other dioceses, including Mostar, where Medjugorje is located, the diocese would “permit a better administration of the flow of pilgrims.” The veteran Vatican writer Andrea Tornielli reported in the Saturday edition of Il Giornale, an Italian newspaper, of the renewed possibility of the erection of a diocese that would make Medjugorje independent from the Diocese of Mostar, which is run by Bishop Ratko Peric. He has been vocal in his skepticism of the authenticity of the apparitions. Read the full article at Catholic News Agency >> Vatican journalist names members of Medjugorje commissionVATICAN March 18, 2010 (CWN) - Following the Vatican's official confirmation that a commission has been established to investigate the reported Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, journalist Andrea Tornielli of the Italian daily Il Giornale has named several members of that commission. The formal Vatican announcement indicated only that the investigatory commission would be chaired by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the former vicar of the Rome diocese; no other names were given. But Tornielli-- whose reports on internal Vatican affairs have been consistently accurate-- says that the other members include Cardinal Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo; Archbishop Josip Boznic of Zagreb; Cardinal Julian Herranz, the former president of the Pontifical Commission for Legislative Texts; and Father Tony Anatrella, a French psychologist and Marian expert. The commission will also include lay members, the Giornale reporter says. Conspicuously absent from the list of commission members, Tornielli points out, is Bishop Ratko Peric of the Mostar diocese where Medjugorje is located. Bishop Peric's stand on Medjugorje is already well known; he has indicated that he does not consider the reported apparitions authentic. Vatican confirms commission to study MedjugorjeVATICAN March 17, 2010 (CWN) - The Vatican has confirmed the formation of a commission to investigate the reported Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, presumably leading up to a formal Vatican statement on the subject. As was reported earlier this month, the commission will be headed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the retired vicar of the Rome diocese. A March 17 statement from the Vatican press office did not name any other members of the commission, but said the group would be "made up of cardinals, bishops, specialists and experts." The commission will work under the auspices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and present its findings to that body. Doctor Says Many Are Cured in LourdesInvites Physicians to Attend Congress for Their Own Healing LOURDES, FRANCE (Zenit.org) - The former head of the Lourdes Medical Bureau is affirming that all people can receive a cure at Our Lady's shrine if they pray and hope for it with perseverance. Doctor Patrick Theillier, who retired from leadership of the bureau last year, stated this in an interview with France Catholique. The cure, he explained, "might not be as spectacular as to be considered a miracle." However, the physician added, it can affect "in a profound and lasting way the person who experiences it, in all his being, body, soul and spirit." Doctor Theillier affirmed that "these cures are truly innumerable." The bureau is a medical organization run by doctors that operates within the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, which, among other things, is responsible for the medical investigation of cures associated with the shrine. Vatican commission reportedly formed to investigate Medjugorje apparitionsVatican City, Mar 6, 2010 (CNA).- The Italian media is reporting that Pope Benedict XVI authorized an official inquiry into the Marian apparitions at Medjugorje. The commission to examine the case is said to be led by Cardinal Camillo Ruini. According to the Italian weekly magazine "Panorama," the Pope has made the decision to go ahead with the investigations, nearly 30 years after the first reported apparition of Mary to the visionaries of Medjugorje took place. Long time collaborator and former cardinal vicar of Rome as well as ex-president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Camillo Ruini is said to be leading the investigation. There has been no confirmation from the Vatican on the formation of the commission. Read the entire Catholic News Agency article >> New Lourdes FilmFebruary 17, 2010 (Zenit.org) - “Lourdes,” a new film by Austrian director Jessica Hausner, premiered to accolades at the Venice Film Festival. Catholic film critic Elizabeth Lev of Zenit.org, while admitting her initial concern about a secular depiction of any scared, calls it a "warm and very human movie; not pious, but respectful, not evangelizing but not off-putting either." Her review continues: Coptic Orthodox Bishopric of Giza Approves Current Virgin Mary Apparitions(Warraq el-Hadar, Egypt) - The Coptic Orthodox Bishopric of Giza on December 11, 2009, issued this statement approving the apparitions occurring in Warraq el-Hadar, a small island in greater Cairo's Nile river: Anniversary Year of Devotion to Our Lady of Good SuccessDEC 28, 2009 (Quito, Ecuador) The Monastery of the Immaculate Conception announced the 400th Anniversary Year of Devotion to Our Lady of Good Success (Nuestra Senora del Buen Suceso) from February 2, 2010 through February 2, 2011. The Conceptionist Sisters have invited the public to venerate the miraculous statue which resides in the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception. For more info call the The Apostolate of Our Lady of Good Success at 262-567-0920, email them at ladyofgoodsuccess@sbcglobal.net or visit their website, ourladyofgoodsuccess.com New Virgin Mary Apparitions in Egypt?DEC 17, 2009 (SpiritDaily.com) Videos on YouTube indicate that unusual lights are again appearing on a Coptic Orthodox church in the Cairo metropolitan area, this time in a neighborhood known as Warraq. There are no details as yet as to when the phenomena began, but according to blog reports crowds began forming on December 9 -- a day after the Immaculate Conception feast -- and thousands are now gathering each night, chanting, singing Arabic-style Christian songs, and loudly exclaiming as forms or flashes of light materialize. The forms of light are vague as taken with what appear to be cell phones and presented on internet videos but like apparitions that occurred in the late 1960s and early 1970s at other Orthodox churches in Cairo seem to show a bright light in the form of Mary moving amid the domes or over an entrance near an illuminated Cross as a frenzied crowd and beeping taxi horns form an audio backdrop. 6.1 Million Pilgrims Visit Guadalupe ShrineSet New Attendance Record for Feast Day Celebrations MEXICO CITY, DEC. 14, 2009 (Zenit.org).- More than 6.1 million pilgrims visited the Basilica of Guadalupe on Friday and Saturday to mark the 478th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac, according to the official figures made public Saturday night. A recent surveyed showed that one out of every four Mexicans say they have received a favor or miracle through the intercession of the Virgin, who is patron of the Americas. Program Readied for Papal Fatima TripBenedict XVI Heads to Portugal in May LISBON, Portugal, DEC. 10, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The program for Benedict XVI's May 11-14 trip to Portugal has been confirmed, with visits to Lisbon, Porto, and Fatima, the site of the famous 1917 apparitions of the Virgin Mary to shepherd children. The program of the visit was announced on Monday in Lisbon by Bishop Carlos Azevedo, coordinator-general of the papal visit. Read the entire Zenit article here >> Hundreds left disappointed as Knock apparition is 'no-show'Knock, Ireland Dec 7, 2009 (Independent.ie) - THE small crowd that travelled to Knock over the weekend hoping for an apparition of the Virgin Mary was left disappointed. The pair had claimed that the Virgin Mary would appear in the Knock Basilica at 3pm on Saturday -- the third such apparition they have predicted this year -- and earlier that morning Mr Coleman had said she was bringing an extremely important message that would rock the Church -- but which he was not prepared to tell the media. The 'visionaries' entered the basilica at 2.45pm, ahead of the predicted appearance time, followed by a frenzy of media and large crowds. Read the entire Independent article here >> Movie about Fatima released on DVDSan Francisco, Calif., Dec 1, 2009 (CNA).- “The 13th Day,” a movie based on the memoirs of Sister Maria Lucia de Jesus, is being released today on DVD by Ignatius Press. The movie is a “dramatic and artistic presentation with a powerful message about what Our Lady requested at Fatima," said Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, a Fatima expert. The film, which is the first major motion picture from directors Ian and Dominic Higgins, recounts the appearances of the Blessed Mother to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal during the year 1917. Read the entire Catholic News Agency article here >> Metuchen, N.J. Diocese to open Beatification Cause of Maria EsperanzaMETUCHEN, NJ, NOV. 25, 2009 (SpiritDaily).- Bishop Paul Bootkoski, Ordinary of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey, has decided that there are sufficient grounds to open the cause for beatification and canonization of Mrs. Maria Esperanza de Bianchini, a Venezuelan mother of numerous children and alleged mystic, who lived between the years of 1928 and 2004. Bishop Bootkoski will give a truly religious sense to this juridical act by conducting the opening of the cause in the context of a Mass to be celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Metuchen, on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 3:00 pm. The Betania Choir of Venezuela, composed of the family members and spiritual followers of the servant of God, Maria Esperanza, will provide the music for this liturgical celebration. Read the entire SpiritDaily report here >> Cardinal Puljic on Medjugorje: God Blesses PrayerROME, NOV. 23, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The president of the Bosnian episcopal conference has been in Rome, but not to discuss the controversy surrounding Medjugorje, as some reports have contended. Instead, Cardinal Vinko Puljic participated last week in the plenary assembly of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, which focused on St. Paul and the "new areopagi." The cardinal did talk to ZENIT about Medjugorje, affirming that the reports of apparitions there and the consequent popularity of the site for pilgrimages is a matter dealt with by the bishop of Mostar, Ratko Peric, and the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. "As an episcopal conference, we await suggestions and proposals on how to proceed, and I believe the Holy See wants to carry on in this way," he added. Read the entire ZENIT story here >> Visionary nun takes step toward sainthood
Thousands of worshippers gathered in the biblical town of Nazareth to attend the beatification of the late Sister Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas. Ghattas helped found the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem in the 1880s. The order, highly regarded in Palestinian communities, continues to run schools for Palestinian girls in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Read the entire Google News story here >> Vindicated, novice of Lipa apparitions keeps low profile(Phillipine Daily Inquirer) November 23, 2009 MANILA, Philippines--Teresita Castillo, to whom the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared in 1948 when Castillo was a young Carmelite novice, has been declining interview requests following the lifting of the Church ban against the public veneration of the image of Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace, a devotion that stemmed from the apparitions. “She [Castillo] has decided to maintain a low profile. We have to respect her [wishes],” said Fr. Richard Hernandez, the chair of the new commission created by the Church to reopen the investigation into the apparitions in Lipa. Read the entire Inquirer.net article here >> New probe into Virgin Mary’s apparition in Lipa set(Phillipine Daily Inquirer) November 21, 2009 MANILA, Philippines -- Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles has formed a new commission to revisit the series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the Carmel monastery in Lipa, Batangas, in 1948. The commission was created in a decree that Arguelles issued on Nov. 12, the same day the archbishop issued another decree, formally lifting the 1951 Church ban against the public veneration of the image of the Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace, in Lipa. Nov. 12 this year was the 61st anniversary of the last of the series of apparitions that occurred from September to November 1948 in Lipa. In 1948, the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared 19 times to Teresita Castillo, a novice in the Carmelite convent. Rose petals with holy images reportedly fell from the sky. In her last apparition to Castillo, the Blessed Virgin identified herself, saying, “I am the Mediatrix of All Grace.” Read the entire Inquirer.net article here >> Bishop Lifts Ban on Veneration at Phillipines Apparition Site(Phillipine Daily Inquirer) November 20, 2009 BATANGAS CITY — Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles confirmed that he had lifted the 1951 ban on the public veneration of Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace. In a phone interview Tuesday night, Arguelles said he lifted the ban on Nov. 12 as “there was nothing wrong in praising apparitions” as he was well-aware of “the love of the people for the Blessed Mother.” “The Blessed Mother has [protected] the country from calamities,” he said. In 1948, the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared 19 times to Teresita Castillo, a novice in the Carmelite Order in Lipa City. Rose petals with holy images reportedly fell from the sky. In her last apparition to Castillo, the Blessed Virgin identified herself: “I am the Mediatrix of All Grace.” Cleveland Bishop Issues statement against 'Holy Love' movement (Morning Journal) November 14, 2009 —Bishop Richard Lennon, head of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese, has issued a decree to clergy and laity of the diocese that Holy Love Ministries of Lorain County is officially off limits. Click here to read the entire Morning Journal story. Knock 'apparition' criticized by bishop(RTE) October 26, 2009 —Archbishop of Tuam Dr Michael Neary has criticised those involved in encouraging people to believe there was to be an apparition at the Knock shrine. In a statement issued today, he claimed that the apparition in Knock in 1879 was neither sought nor expected by humble, honest people who were its astonished witnesses. He said that unfortunately, recent events at the shrine risk misleading God's people and undermining faith. For this reason such events are to be regretted rather than be encouraged. He said the shrine would be best served by maintaining its authentic identity. Click here to read the entire RTE News story. Thousands wait for Knock "apparition"(Irish Times) October 11, 2009 —Thousands gathered at Knock Shrine, Co Mayo, yesterday hoping to see an apparition of Our Lady. There were ripples of applause from a crowd estimated at more than 5,000 as some people believed they could see the sun shimmering, changing colour and dancing in the sky. Some people were rapturous afterwards. Others were highly sceptical. “It’s an optical illusion, pure and simple,” one sceptic, who did not wish to be named, said. “Anybody looking at the bright sun long enough would begin to imagine things.” But other pilgrims were adamant that something supernatural, possibly life changing, had occurred. Vatican ruling on disputed Medjugorje shrine expected soon (Reuters) October 7, 2009 — After observing events of Medjugorje sceptically for many years, the Vatican may soon issue firmer guidance for Catholics on the claim that the mother of Jesus has been visiting the Balkans, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, head of the bishops’ conference in Bosnia, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. That guidance, if it clearly expresses the scepticism the official Church has long shown towards the Medjugorje phenomenon, could deal a serious blow to a site some Catholics see as a “new Lourdes.” Pope Benedict XVI to visit FatimaLISBON, Portugal (Google News) — Pope Benedict XVI will visit the Fatima shrine in Portugal next year, the Portuguese president's office announced Thursday. Mystic’s followers apply to sanction Girgenti shrineGIRGENTI, Malta (Malta Today) —Followers of religious mystic Guza Mifsud have applied to “sanction the use” of the shrine in Girgenti, Malta, where Mifsud is believed to have been visited by the Virgin Mary. The Moviment Madonna Tal-Konsagrazzjoni wants to formalise their shrine as a meeting place for prayers and worship, and to sanction “additions” made in the past years and to erect bronze statue of Jesus Christ. It is unclear whether the shrine itself was an illegal construction, given that no enforcement notice was ever issued by MEPA. The shrine attracts pilgrims who come to pray to the statue of the Virgin Mary, erected by Mifsud in 1986. When Mifsud had been asked whether she had a permit from the civil and ecclesiastical authorities to erect this statue, she replied that she had the permission of Our Lady. Over 1,000 pilgrims to read Bible for 130 hours in LourdesMOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - A total of 1,400 believers will read the Bible for 130 hours at Europe's most popular Christian pilgrimage site dedicated to the Mother of God in the French city of Lourdes, Polish Catholic news agency KAI reported Sunday. Marian visionary Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas to be Beatified November 22
- Servant of God Eustachio Kugler (ne Joseph), German professed religious of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God: at 2 p.m. on Sunday 4 October in the cathedral of Regensburg, Germany. - Servant of God Ciriaco Maria Sancha y Hervas, Spanish cardinal and archbishop, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Cardinal Sancha, at 10 a.m. on Sunday 18 October in the cathedral of Toledo, Spain. - Servant of God Carlo Gnocchi, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the "Pro Juventute" Foundation: at 10 a.m. on Sunday 25 October in the Piazza del Duomo in Milan, Italy. - Servant of God Zoltan Lajos Meszlenyi, Hungarian bishop and martyr: at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday 31 October in the cathedral of Esztergom, Hungary. - Servant of God Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas (nee Soultaneh Maria), co- foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem: at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday 22 November, Solemnity of Christ the King, in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Israel. Millions attend Vailankanni Marian feastVailankanni, Tamil Nadu, India , Sept 10, 2009 (Indian Catholic).- Despite swine flu threats, a record number of some 2.3 million people attended the nine-day festivities of the popular Shrine in honor of Our Lady of Vailankanni, an official said. “This year we had more people. Nothing could stop people. May be it (swine flue) was a problem elsewhere,” said Father Michael, rector of Our Lady of Vailankanni in Vailankanni, Tamil Nadu. Traditionally a nine-day prayer or novena leads to the culmination of the feast of Nativity of the Blessed Mother celebrated on Sept. 8. The shrine located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal in Nagapattinam district attracts crowds of people from all religions seeking favors from the Blessed Mother. The shrine’s tradition goes back to 15th century Portuguese sailors and missioners. The popularity of Vailankanni Matha (mother of Vailankanni) has led to Indian Catholics establishing Vailankanni shrines in several parts of India and abroad. New Guadalupe book makes national bestseller listsNew York City, N.Y., Aug 22, 2009 / 06:07 pm (CNA).- A new book on Our Lady of Guadalupe intended to explore her history and her message of love has debuted on major U.S. bestseller lists. “Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of a Civilization of Love” debuted at number six on the August 14, 2009 release of the New York Times bestseller list. It has also appeared on the bestseller list of the Wall Street Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. The book is authored by Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and Guadalupe expert Msgr. Eduardo Chávez. It traces her history as a religious and cultural symbol from the sixteenth century to the present. ALS Victim Healed at LourdesTurin, Italy, Aug 25, 2009 / 12:03 am (CNA).- A woman who suffered from a severe nerve disease now no longer uses her wheelchair and has even gone for a run, after she visited to Lourdes earlier in August. The woman credits the baths at Lourdes for the ‘gift’ of her improved health. Antonia Raco, 50, had been in a wheelchair for four years because of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. She made a trip to the shrine at Lourdes on August 5. ''Ever since I came back I have been walking, doing everything normally, and I've even run,'' Raco told ANSA. Raco, who is from a village near the southern Italian city of Potenza, said she would rather talk about the change as “a gift, an act of mercy, rather than a miracle.” Controversial Screenplay Writer Chosen for New Guadalupe FilmNEW YORK (Reuters) He may have sanded his jagged edge, but Joe Eszterhas still, apparently, has the basic instinct. The polarizing scribe, who hasn't had a film released theatrically in the U.S. in more than a decade, has signed on to a project about the mystical sighting of a virgin in 16th century Mexico. Eszterhas will write the screenplay about the virgin of Guadalupe, a vision that appeared to the Aztec peasant Juan Diego in 1531. While some scholars question Diego's existence, the event is credited with helping to spread Catholicism at a time of economic and social turmoil in the country. Earlier this decade, Diego was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church. Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse, WI Celebrates First AnniversaryLA CROSSE, WI (La Crosse Tribune ) Archbishop Raymond Burke will celebrate the first anniversary of the dedication of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe church Friday with the blessing of a new sculpture of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Memorial to the Unborn. The former head of the La Crosse Catholic Diocese now leads the Vatican’s supreme court. He had been archbishop in St. Louis for more than four years until his Vatican appointment. In addition, the shrine will host a conference Sunday with the son of a Catholic saint. Pierluigi Molla will talk about the decision his mother, St. Gianna Molla, made in 1961 to continue her pregnancy despite the advice of doctors. She died a week after giving birth to her fourth child and in 2004 was canonized by Pope John Paul II. Pope Benedict laicizes priest connected to alleged Medjugorje apparitions Vatican City, Jul 27, 2009 (CNA) Pope Benedict XVI has approved the laicization of Fr. Tomislav Vlasic, a priest leading the claims that the Virgin Mary has been appearing in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje. The priest has reportedly decided to leave the priesthood and his religious order. MiracleHunter.com Featured on Relevant Radio - Thursday, July 23rd Betania Apparition Site Now Official Sanctuary The proclamation is an added measure of approval. The apparitions are already fully acknowledged by the 1987 declaration by Bishop Ricardo. Betania -- largely associated with now-deceased mystic Maria Esperanza de Bianchini -- was approved as an authentic apparition by one of Bishop Fuenmayor's predecessors, Bishop Pio Bello Ricardo, in 1987. Apparitions began there in 1976 and included messages about the world and future events. Religious flame burns in Knock No worship on Burundi's 'Virgin Mary' hill BUJUMBURA (BBC News) Worship has been banned on a small rural hill in Burundi, where a woman claims to see the Virgin Mary on the same day of every month. ARCHIVE 2008 |
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