Rosa Mystica Speaking Presentation2: Perez Residence, 6/23/2014

"Where I stop as Pilgrim Madonna;

where I am invoked; where many prayers

are said... my Divine Son Jesus Christ, in

every such place, cause special graces to

flow down from Heaven into souls."

~ Words of Mary, the Rosa Mystica,

to Pierina Gilli (8/31/1975)

Last night I was given the opportunity to faith-share about the Rosa Mystica Devotion with another Basic Christian Community (BCC) cell group.  This time around the presentation was conducted in the Perez Residence, in Kapolei Town, on the other side of the island from where I live.  A dear friend who attends the group invited me because the BCC's Rosa Mystica pilgrim statue (pictured below) was currently staying in the home.

I always feel nervous when I speak in public, but the thought of going to the home of complete strangers made me extra anxious... that is, until I spotted a large framed picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe (my "mom") hanging in the Perez Home.  After that I felt a sudden sense of peace and a spiritual kinship with my hosts; I recognized they were also fellow children of our dear Blessed Mother.

The presentation, itself, was received positively. As with the one I conducted with the Kailua cell group, I shared about the history of the Rosa Mystica devotion and apparitions of Montichiari-Fontanelle; the relevance of Our Lady's messages directed towards consecrated souls; and my own personal experiences involving my large Rosa Mystica pilgrim statue.

After my talk, the group held their "closest moments" part of their weekly meeting during which its members were invited to share about their recent, closest moments with the Lord.  I guess because of the presentation topic, most of the sharing that ensued were about people's personal experiences with Our Lady.  I was deeply impressed and could totally relate to most of the testimonies.

One lady in particular stood out for me... she sat at the very back of the room and was quiet and reserved.  As I was leaving, she was leaving, too, and it was then that I finally heard her speak.  The woman confided with me that she was normally talkative, but she couldn't find her voice because she was feeling very emotional and teary throughout the night.  The reason was because of a strong fragrance of roses that she kept smelling during the Rosa Mystica presentation (there were no roses in the room).  She was wondering if others had sensed the aroma, too... and I admitted that I had also smelled the perfume of roses although I didn't mention it at the time.  I thanked the woman for speaking up because it confirmed to the both of us that we hadn't imagined it; that Our Lady had actually paid us a special visit.

So that was how my night ended at the Perez's.  Despite my earlier apprehensions, I left feeling completely at peace... and happy that I made a whole new set of friends; new spiritual brethren with whom I am united under the mantle of our Heavenly Mother, the Mystical Rose.  Much MAHALO to the Kapolei BCC Cell Group!