Disclaimer

NOTICE: I am a practicing Catholic, active and in good-standing with my local diocese, who professes faith and loyalty to the Church. This ministry - my "little work" - is strictly a personal expression of that faith and loyalty, and not an officially recognized ministry in the Diocese of Honolulu.

~ Peter, Ministry Administrator


Sunday, March 17, 2024

The Flame of Love graces Hawaii!



"... I am providing you with so powerful
a grace: the burning Flame of Love from
My Heart, that has never before been
offered as it is now."

- Our Lady to Elizabeth Kindelmann

This author had the joy and blessing of attending one of two presentations given today about the Church-approved devotion called the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary or simply the Flame of Love.  The speaker was none other than Mr. John Sullivan III, the International Coordinator of the devotion's worldwide apostolate.

Mr. Sullivan speaking at St. Pius X
Church in Manoa, Honolulu.

I recall first reading bits about the Flame of Love over 25 years ago from pamphlets, and it's exciting for me to see how the devotion has spread exponentially in recent years!  It now seems to be a frequently discussed topic in various faith-based social media platforms, and there are prayer cenacles throughout the world.  In a time when our society is becoming increasingly godless and, consequently darker, these private revelations received by the late Elizabeth Kindelmann (d. 1985) from Jesus and our Blessed Mother are also highly relevant.  It really does appear to be the hand of God at work.

From what I gathered from this afternoon's talk, the gist of the messages are:

  • The Holy Virgin is lamenting the sins of the world and is offering us her own love - the Flame of Love of her Immaculate Heart - which she desires to ignite in our own hearts.

  • Our Lady desires that we not only open ourselves to the gift of the Flame of Love, but to also "add our love to this Flame and pass it on to others..." in order to bring about a positive, spiritual change in the world.

  • The Flame of Love is none other than Jesus, himself, who desires to fill us with Sanctifying Grace and, thus, intimately live within us and work through us.

  • The actual miracle of the Flame of Love is its spreading from one heart to another, causing a blazing conflagration of Divine Love and Light that will "blind" Satan, rendering him powerless in our personal lives; within our families; and throughout the world.  Thus, ushering in the era of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as prophesied at Fatima.

It was a great presentation and I found the Flame of Love revelations beautiful and inspiring ... and John's delivery was excellent.  I actually picked him up from the airport this morning so had a one-on-one conversation with John while driving to the church-venue where we attended Mass together - my impression of the man is that he doesn't only tirelessly preach the message, but he is totally committed to living it!  Hence, the sincerity and the passion that was evident during his talk.

Me, with Mr. John Sullivan in St. Pius X
Church prior to the first presentation.

I anticipate our local Church will reap an abundant harvest of good spiritual fruit from these presentations.  In fact, there were clear indications that God was providentially behind John's coming to Hawaii with the Flame of Love message.  First off, he was only initially scheduled to make a 6-hour layover in Honolulu during which he planned to meet with a friend of mine named Margaret ... but when John's scheduled visit to Papua New Guinea fell through, time opened up and Margaret seized the opportunity to connect him with the Coordinator of our Diocesan Evangelization Task Force (another close friend named Dominic).  Amazingly, within an unusually short span of time, Dominic received the necessary approval for John to speak in our diocese and the venues were secured! 

Then, yesterday morning (a day before John's talks), after attending morning Mass at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua, I stopped to pray at the parish's outdoor shrine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  I asked the Blessed Mother for the favor of a solid response to a question I had and snapped a photo of the sky - below is the remarkable pic that resulted:


"I place a beam of light in your hands;
it is the Flame of Love of my heart.  Add
your love to this Flame and pass it
on to others ..."

- Our Lady to Elizabeth Kindelmann,
April 13, 1962


For me and several friends, we discerned the brilliant figure of the Holy Virgin amongst the clouds ... and note the "beams of light" streaming down from her!  The photo not only answered my question but was it also a prophetic, visible sign of special graces to descend upon Hawaii through the Flame of Love?  Upon careful reflection, I believe so.  We are indeed being graced in an extraordinary manner, and I thank our Lord and dear Blessed Mother profusely for their kindness towards us.  Praises be to God!

The shrine to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary at St. John Vianney Church (note the
golden flames of love above her heart).

There are more talks scheduled for tomorrow - see here - which I strongly encourage Oahu Residents to attend, if possible.  Otherwise, to learn more about the Flame of Love Devotion, visit its official website by clicking here.

Prayers revealed to Elizabeth Kindelmann.

"We shall fight fire with fire: the fire
of hate with the Fire of Love!  I obtained
this grace from the Eternal Father on
your behalf by virtue of the five Blessed
Wounds of My Divine Son.”

- Our Lady to Elizabeth Kindelmann

Friday, March 8, 2024

Annual Novena to St. Joseph: March 11th - 19th


It's that time again - this ministry cordially invites readers to honor and celebrate St. Joseph through this annual novena.  The novena will be prayed begining from March 11th through March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph.  All those participating and their respective prayer petitions will be commended to St. Joseph in the special presence of his relic in this ministry's custody.  So let's pray together - for each other - in the course of these 9 days of prayer.

Blessings and best wishes to all participants - St. Joseph, pray for us!


Dear St. Joseph, glorious foster father
of our Lord Jesus Christ; protector of
His Mystical Body, the Church - I entrust
myself, this day, to your fatherly care.
As you lovingly did for Jesus and your
beloved spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary,
watch over me and assist me with my
daily needs... and through the intercession
of your most Chaste Heart, obtain for
me from your Divine Son, this favor
humbly ask of you:

[mention or describe your petition]

St. Joseph, benevolent and efficacious
advocate, pray for us who have recourse
to you.  Amen.

[Add an Our Father, a Hail Mary,
and a Glory Be in honor of St. Joseph]

Friday, March 1, 2024

Saint of the Month - March 2024: Blessed Giustina Bezzoli Francucci


Bl. Giustina Bezzoli Francucci
An Enemy of Demons
Memorial: March 12th

Our featured holy person for March 2024 is Bl. Giustina Bezzoli Francucci.  Born in Arezzo, Italy, circa 1237, she was a woman of noble birth who was apparently touched by the Holy Spirit from a very young age.  Biographers report that, as a child, she displayed pious and penitential tendencies that were exceptionally mature for her age.  For example, she preferred praying in solitude rather playing with other youngsters, and she often skipped meals in favor of giving her food to the poor.

At just 12-years-old, Giustina disclosed her desire to enter religious life to her family, but was met with intense opposition from both her father and paternal uncle.  A serious illness then struck her father, which caused him to reconsider, granting her leave to follow-through with her plan to become a nun.

Giustina chose the Benedictine Monastery of San Marco, where she entered at 13.  Upon crossing the threshold, a dove alighted on her head, indicating the special presence of the Holy Spirit upon her.  Once inside, she cast aside her fine clothing to wear the coarse habit of the sisters; the only personal belonging from the outside world that she kept was a crucifix, which she treasured all her life.  

As a young nun, by all accounts, she was a model religious who impressed her companions with her faithful adherence to the Benedictine Rule, her humility, and obedience to her superiors.

The incorrupt body of Bl. Giustina
enshrined in Florence, Italy.

Four years after Giustina’s entry, war forced the Sisters of San Marco to merge with the Benedictine community in the nearby Monastery of All Saints, where the Beata’s stay was short-lived.  At their new home, word came to her of a holy hermitess named Lucia, who had taken up a solitary life of contemplation amongst the ruins of a remote abandoned castle in Civitella.  Inspired, Giustina obtained necessary permission from her Bishop to become a recluse, herself, and was welcomed by Lucia.

In the woods, the two women quickly became solid friends and lived a spiritual regimen of poverty and austerity.  They lived off the land and spent their days in prayer and meditation; signal graces were granted by our Lord to the pair.  For example, packs of wolves roamed the area, but the protection of their angelic guardians kept the two anchorites free from their attacks.

After a few years of peaceful coexistence, Lucia fell ill and was lovingly cared for by her companion. She died after a year, leaving Giustina alone in their tiny hermitage … but the Beata persevered in her voluntary isolation, adding extreme mortifications to her spiritual exercises in her desire to conform closely to Christ Crucified: she wrapped an iron chain around her waist; wore a hair-shirt under her outer clothing; and regularly used a flagrum.  Ecstasies and visits from her Divine Spouse were sublime consolations that sustained her in her difficult mode of life.

Giustina remained 35 years in the castle ruins before her rigorous lifestyle took a toll on her health – her eyesight began failing, which prompted her to return to the Monastery of All Saints where the Benedictines welcomed her back with open arms, given her fame of sanctity.

A closer view of Bl. Giustina's face.

The Blessed lived her last 20 years completely blind but still in fruitful ministry.  Her charisms of effecting cures and working miracles became well-known in the region, attracting pilgrims to her monastery ... and it was also noted that to be in her presence was enough to cast out demons from the possessed!  Such was the great power of the Holy Spirit working through her.

By the time she died on March 12, 1319, Giustina was already revered as a local Saint.  Cures occurred at her grave, on which a lily sprouted after her burial ... and spontaneous exorcisms of possessed individuals continued to occur.  Her body, discovered incorrupt 10 years after her passing, was initially enshrined in the Arezzo monastery, but was later transferred in 1968 to the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Maria del Fiore in Lapo, Florence.  It remains there, today, in a simple glass-sided shrine for the public to venerate.

Bl. Giustina Bezzoli Francucci's cultus was recognized and approved in January 1891 by Pope Leo XIII, effectively Beatifying her.  Presently, a second "official" miracle is still needed for her Cause to advance to Sainthood.  Let us pray for it.

Bl. Giustina Bezzoli,
advocate against evil spirits,
pray for us!