Marian Apparitions Presentation, 9/8/2024: Blessed Sacrament Church, Honolulu

On this Feast of Our Lady's Nativity this ministry had the privilege of honoring our Blessed Mother through a speaking presentation about her approved apparitions/messages throughout history.  The venue was at Blessed Sacrament Church in Honolulu, and the turnout was great with people from the parish attending, as well as guests from other churches (including a visitor from California and a woman who flew in from Kauai Island specifically for the event!).

A relic of Our Lady's clothing and a small copy

of Hawaii's streaming Iveron Icon displayed

next to this ministry's Fatima Pilgrim Statue (the

Iveron Icon was discussed during the talk).

Feedback afterwards was highly positive with many expressing their appreciation for all the information that was shared and also the presence of several great Marian Saints, via their relics, which were publicly displayed for veneration.

Relics displayed for veneration (L to R):

St. Simon Stock, St. Bernadette of Lourdes,

the Fatima Seers, Our Lady's garment, St.

Catherine Laboure, St. Maximilian Kolbe,

and St. Padre Pio.

At the end, this author was invited to speak on Kauai by the neighbor-island participant ... so it's exciting to know that Our Lady's urgent messages are being heard and taken to heart by the attendees ... and spreading - Happy Feast Day to our Holy Mother Mary!

Attendees venerating the relics; praying and

touching their sacramentals to them.

* * T E S T I M O N I E S * *

"Thank-you so much Peter, for bringing

your love of our Blessed Mother and the saints,

and making it a remarkable event.  I know

many were touched and I was glad to see many

from the parish.  That's enough to set

the flame on fire. 🔥

- Lei (organizer)

"I was just thinking of what a very special

morning it was.  It truly was all arranged by

our Lord and blessed by our Blessed Mother! 🌹

The gold dust on your hands was very special

... Thank you, Peter, for giving me the

opportunity to experience all of the

blessings of this morning."

- Gaye

Saint of the Month - September 2024: Santina Campana

The Servant of God

Santina Campana

The Angel of Pescina

September's featured holy person died at just 21-years-old, but despite of her youth, Santina Campana achieved a level of spiritual and mystical maturity rare for one so young.  She was born on February 2, 1929, in the Italian town of Alfedena to a highly devout Catholic family; the 7th child of Giuseppe and Margherita Campana.

To the credit of Santina's worthy parents, she had 2 older brothers who entered the priesthood and 3 sisters who became nuns!  Santina, herself, from a tender age was unusually prayerful, taking as a role-model St. Therese the Little Flower (d. 1897).  By the time she made her First Holy Communion at 7, she was already fasting and performing acts of voluntary mortification (she wore a cilice during Lent); even going so far as to offer herself to Jesus as a "victim soul" for the sanctification of her consecrated siblings.  She was recorded as once stating: "Where there is a vocation, there cannot be a lack of a victim".

In 1943, when the Servant of God was just 14, she was reportedly stigmatized in an invisible manner.  At around this time the Campana Family was forced to relocate to Abruzzo and then to Molise because of bombings in the wake of World War II.  Santina was not only undergoing the pain of the wounds of Christ, but she was also afflicted with chronic respitory issues caused by pleurisy, which only worsened over time due to inadequate care.

In the face of her moral and physical challenges, the teenager displayed admirable calm and peace; consciously offering her pains for the spiritual benefit of the Pope, bishops, priests, and the Missions.  She was also a source of consolation for those around her and was once quoted as saying: "Courage, it will be what the Lord wants: if He does not allow it, no one will be able to harm us".

Inspite of her precarious health, Santina was a member of the Catholic Action association beginning from her time in Alfedena, and was an active parishioner in her local church.

A somber photo of the Servant of God

In addition to her devotion to St. Therese, Santina also admired the French foundress, St. Jeanne Antide Thouret (d. 1826).  As such, she sought admission with the Sisters of Charity named after St. Jeanne and was accepted in June 1945; she entered the congregation's house in Rome in October of the same year at 16-years-old.  Her goal was simple: "I will be a nun and a saint".

In the convent, Santina's suffering of the hidden Stigmata became somewhat visible in 1946, the year following her entry.  It was reported that on several occasions, she exhibited ecstatic states during which she sweat blood.

The young novice's plans at being a nun did not come to pass as she had hoped.  In 1947, Santina was diagnosed with dreaded tuberculosis after coughing up blood.  She left the novitiate of the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret for treatment in a sanatorium in Pescina.  Unfortunately, she never got better.

In the sanatorium, Santina progressively grew worse but continued to minister the best she could to the other patients and visitors.  She even formed and led a Catholic Action club from her bed, which she joyfully referred to as her "white throne" ... while continuing to offer sacrifices for the clergy and souls.  By her example of faith, patience, and resignation to God's will, Santina encouraged the other sanatorium residents in their own trials, often exorting them, as well: "Courage, suffering passes".  She was affectionately referred to as the "Angel of Pescina".

Santina succumbed to tuberculosis on October 4, 1950.  She was lucid in her final hours while being assisted by her brother - Fr. Bruno Campana.  She was 21-years-old when she passed and was initially buried in the cemetery of Pescina. However, because of the reverence for her memory maintained by the locals, her remains were transferred to a tomb in the town's parish church of San Giuseppe in 1967.

Above: Santina in death

Below: Her tomb in the parish

church of Pescina

Santina Campana's Cause for Canonization was officially opened in 1979 and is currently active.  Please join this ministry in praying for her speedy Canonization.

"God alone, as my goal; Jesus as my model;

Mary as my guide; the Angel as my help;

I, always in sacrifice".

- Santina's Personal Motto

A relic of Santina's clothing

in this ministry's custody

Santina Campana, pray for us!

Our Lady of Guadalupe Presentation: Dela Cruz Residence, 8-31-2024

What a beautiful, blessed event this presentation turned out to be!  My host is a long-time devotee of Our Lady of Guadalupe and was a regular member of this ministry's now-defunct Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer Group in Kailua back in the 1990s.

Praying the Rosary

Feeling nostalgic over her past experiences with our former group, she invited this author to speak to her family and friends about the story and significance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which I was happy to oblige.

After prayer, our fellowship luncheon

The talk included a history of the famous Mexico apparitions; detailed scientific confirmation of the Guadalupe image's supernatural origin; subsequent miracles related to the Virgin of Guadalupe; and personal testimonies (including photos) of special graces and signs experienced by our prayer group.

The presentation was well-received by the attendees after which we prayed the Rosary to honor the Holy Mother.  The gathering then concluded with a delicious luncheon courtesy of our host who was thrilled at the successful outcome of her endeavor for our illustrious Patroness.

This author with our host and some

of the presentation attendees

As an added blessing, 6 past participants of our former prayer group, including me and our host were in attendance at this event, which made for a heartwarming reunion and reminiscing of fond memories of our weekly meetings together - Praise the Lord!

A photo taken right before Mass at

St. John Vianney Church, just a few hours

before the presentation.  Notice the bright

 silhouette to the upper-right?  (Note: I had

asked Our Lady's special blessing for the

event just moments before snapping the

above photo - incredible!).

* * T E S T I M O N I A L S * *

"Peter, thank you so much for leading us

again to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Everyone

was so thankful and asking if it's possible

to have a group prayer for OLGuadalupe

each month.  You inspired us all."

- Zeny

"Mahalo for sharing your precious

fellowship, Peter; it was inspiring to know

more about our Lady of Guadalupe."

- Myrna