European Pilgrimage, October 2024 - Part I: Apparition Shrines

"You are the God of great wonders!

You demonstrate your awesome power

among the nations."

- Psalm 77:14

Ave Maria!  This blogger recently returned from Europe where I was on pilgrimage to several major Catholic shrines that I've had on my bucket list for decades: the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima; the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes; the Shrine of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo; the Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel on Monte Gargano; the Shrine of St. Philomena in Mugnano del Cardinale!

It goes without saying that I had an awesome, memorable, and blessed time - the sacred sites I visited far exceeded my expectations and the holy presence of our Lord and His Blessed Mother, as well as the Saints, was tangible throughout my journey through serendipitous moments and signal graces.

I will share my experiences and personal impressions in 3 separate blogs, of which this is Part I, dealing specifically about apparition shrines I visited.  So let's begin ...

🌹 THE SANCTUARY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA, PORTUGAL

Most Catholics are already aware of the story of the 1917 Portuguese apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima (OLF) so I won't write much about this Sanctuary's history.  Plus a Google search will readily turn up abundant information.

On the very afternoon our Hawaii group arrived in Fatima, a friend and I wasted no time in visiting the Sanctuary although it wasn't in our official itinerary until the evening.  Fortunately for us, our hotel was less than a 10 minute walk away from the shrine so it wasn't difficult to reach ... and, as soon as I stepped foot into the sanctuary's grand plaza, I was immediately struck by an aura of SANCTITY, POWER, and PEACE!

ABOVE:  The Chapel of the Apparitions, the 

actual place of Our Lady's appearances.

BELOW:  A closer view of the Capelinha.

As with all famed Catholic Shrines, the Sanctuary complex is massive and includes the Chapel of the Apparitions that was built over, and around, the diminutive "Capelinha" (the original rustic chapel built on the very site of the heavenly visitations) and two grand basilicas - the older built in traditional gothic architecture (Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary) and the most recent in a modern design (Basilica of the Holy Trinity).

   

Outside & inside the older Basilica

of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima.

Multiple Masses and Rosary Prayers are offered at convenient intervals in the Chapel of the Apparitions - in several languages - undoubtedly, in response to OLF's request that we "pray the Rosary ever day to obtain Peace in the World."

Outside & inside the newer

Basilica of the Holy Trinity.

A must-do activity when visiting this sanctuary is to participate in the daily 9:00pm Rosary Prayer followed immediately by a candlelight procession.  For this author, this event touched me to my core.

Hundreds of candles flicker during the

Fatima Shrine's nightly procession.

And finally, another highlight of my Fatima experience is the hamlet of Aljustrel, about a 10 minute drive away from the Sanctuary, where the three shepherd seers lived.  Here, we visited their former homes and the well behind Lucia's family home where the "Angel of Peace" appeared for the second time to the children in the Summer of 1916 to prepare them for their mission with OLF.

ABOVE:  The home of Sts. Francisco & Jacinta.

BELOW:  The room in which St. Francisco died.

ABOVE:  The childhood home of Sr. Lucia

(that's her great grand niece at the door).

BELOW:  The well of the angel's apparition.

I left Fatima inspired and more committed than ever to living and spreading its message; to also promoting devotion to the Holy Rosary.  Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

🌹 THE SANCTUARY OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES, FRANCE

A priest prays before his Mother

- very moving!

As with Fatima, the story of St. Bernadette Soubirous and her celebrated 18 apparitions of Our Lady (OLL) in the Grotto of Massabielle is already a familiar one to most Catholics so I also won't go into detail about Lourdes.

This Marian Sanctuary is also quite extensive, actually straddling both sides of the Gave River; on one side is the Holy Grotto, the main plaza, shrine administration buildings, and not one but three basilicas: the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (situated on the hill directly above the Grotto of Apparitions), the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary (at ground level with the plaza), and the modern Basilica of Pope St. Pius X.  On the other side of the Gave are chapels for candle lighting, an outdoor chapel, the Church of St. Bernadette, and medical facilities.

ABOVE:  In the OLL Sanctuary Plaza.

BELOW:  Two views of the Holy Grotto

of apparitions ...

The Grotto, seen below the Basilica of

the Immaculate Conception from across

the Gave River.

Highlights for me at Lourdes were attending Holy Mass at the Grotto and simply spending time there in prayer and/or silently soaking in the loving presence of Our Lady and the DIVINE that permeates Lourdes ... and participating in the nightly 9:00pm Candlelight Rosary Procession.

Still-images from the Lourdes live webcam

on YouTube, captured by a friend in Hawaii.

One of my best memories at the Sanctuary

- my walk through the grotto!

[Note: Photo-taking is not allowed in the

Holy Grotto so thanks C.B. for spotting me

in there and snapping these pics!]

The Lourdes Sanctuary at night -

photos taken during a procession.  Note

the massive crowd of pilgrims.

I left Lourdes completely understanding what I've heard others say about it - that it's a holy place of PRAYER, RECONCILIATION, and HEALING ... and that conviction will remain with me until my dying day.  Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!

🌹 THE SANCTUARY OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL OF MONTE GARGANO, ITALY

Located in a grotto on a mountaintop just about a 30-minute drive from St. Padre Pio's Shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo, this hallowed site is worth visiting - it, too, is POWERFUL!

I'm not sure if it's because this author has a very strong devotion to St. Michael the Archangel or it's the place, itself (or maybe it's both) ... but I sensed his presence keenly in this sanctuary; the presence of other angels was also tangible, which gave me the strong impression that the Sacred Grotto is an earthly "stronghold" for the Angelic Hosts.

   

Outside & inside the Sanctuary of St. Michael

the Archangel on Mt. Gargano.

For those not familiar with the history of Mt. Gargano, it began in 490 AD when the Archangel first showed himself to the local Bishop and took possession of the site with these words:

"I am the Archangel Michael and I am

always in the presence of God.  The cave

is sacred to me.  I have chosen it."

At least three other appearances of St. Michael were reported in the Mt. Gargano Sanctuary in subsequent years, which made it a popular pilgrimage destination during the Middle Ages.  Its countless pilgrims have included many Saints (e.g. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Francis of Assisi, etc.).  If one is ever in the Puglia Region (southern peninsula) of Italy, go to Monte Gargano!  (NOTE: St. Padre Pio often made the same recommendation to his visitors.).  St. Michael the Archangel, protect us always!

🌹 THE SANCTUARY OF THE VIRGIN OF THE REVELATION OF TRE FONTANE (ROME), ITALY

And finally, I'd like to feature this very special, but little-known shrine.  Although not an officially approved apparition site, and significantly smaller than Fatima and Lourdes, this Sanctuary still makes a spiritual impact on the same level as its larger counterparts.

The Tre Fontane Sanctuary enjoys the authorization of the Church, which placed it under the administration of the Conventual Franciscans to offer Masses and provide other Sacraments to pilgrims.  Furthermore, the visionary - Bruno Cornachiolla (d. 2001) ‐ is currently being investigated for Sainthood after living a worthy Christian life since his encounter with Our Lady in the grotto.

I actually visited this shrine twice during an earlier trip to Italy in 1989, and was so touched by the spiritual presence of Our Lady, I returned there during a 2005 trip to Rome ... and with this 2024 pilgrimage, I couldn't pass up a 4th visit during the Rome segment of our itinerary.  This Sanctuary is that SPECIAL to me.

As for its history, Our Lady first appeared at the site on April 12, 1947 to Bruno, a Street Tram Operator and his three young children (at the time he was a hardened ex-soldier, a convert to Protestantism, and a Communist).  The seer was strongly anti-Catholic and was even plotting to assassinate the Pontif - Ven. Pope Pius XII.  He was on the slopes of Tre Fontane preparing a speech against Our Lady when she appeared in one of the grottos and admonished him sternly with the following words:

"I am the one who is in the Blessed

Trinity.  I am the Virgin of the Revelation.

You persecute me.  Enough of this.  Come

back into the Sacred Fold, the

Heavenly Court on earth."

Bruno was immediately changed.  Subsequent apparitions were later reported by the visionary and many signs have occurred at the grotto, including healings (Our Lady promised to work miracles through the soil in the cave).  The 'Dancing Sun' has also been witnessed and filmed on several occasions by crowds usually during the April 12th anniversary celebrations.

The strikingly beautiful statue in

the place of the apparitions.

Something personally interesting that occurred this time around was ... as soon as me and my two companions from my pilgrimage group stepped onto the Sanctuary's pavement - just a few steps after getting out of our taxi - the three of us were hit by a sudden breeze accompanied by a delicate floral aroma (there were no flowers in our immediate surroundings).  It was so obvious, we all immediately remarked on the mysterious scent, which lingered for a bit before dissipating (it never returned).  It was as though our Blessed Mother was saying to us upon our arrival: "Welcome to Tre Fontane - I've been waiting for you!"

Needless to say, it turned out to be another AWESOME visit to this shrine.  In fact, my two friends who accompanied me both couldn't stop thanking me for taking them along.  So if one is ever in Rome, GO ... GO ... GO to Tre Fontane and bask in our Blessed Mother's maternal love - she is also present there in a special way!  Plus the Sanctuary is only a 15 minute drive from Rome's central city!  Our Lady of Tre Fontane, pray for us!

I cannot thank God and Our Lady enough for all that I saw and experienced at each of these hallowed places I visited.  The graces I received can only be adequately described with one word - PRICELESS.  With that being said, I end this first blog about my October Pilgrimage.

** To view Part II of my European Pilgrimage Blog: Saints & Relics, click here.

** To view Part III of my European Pilgrimage Blog: Signs & Signal Graces, click here.

Monthly Message from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: October 2024

  “Dear Children, at this time, when you are celebrating the day of All Saints, seek their intercession and prayers so that in union with them, you may find peace.  May the Saints be your intercessors and example, that you imitate them and live holily.  I am with you and intercede before God for each of you.  Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Another curious photo ...

This author attends Mass on Saturday mornings at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua.  I go there because the Mass start time is convenient (8am); I like the priest; Confession is available after the Mass and there's no ridiculous cut-off time (e.g. 30 minutes to hear 20 penitents!); and lastly, there's a beautiful and peaceful outdoor shrine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary that I like to frequent (see below) ... and because of graces I've experienced at that particular place, I can't help but believe it's especially hallowed ground.  I've even taken photographs from that spot showing seemingly holy figures in the sky and yesterday it may have happened again.

The shrine to Mother Mary at

St. John Vianney Church, Kailua.

It was the First Saturday and after attending Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, I made my way to the garden to say a few more prayers at the shrine and its lovely statue.  On the way, I asked Our Lady for a special favor ... then randomly snapped about four photos of the sky.

Later, when reviewing the pics, I didn't initially see anything remarkable, but I did notice that a couple showed a bright ray of light descending toward a certain cloud - see one of the photos below.

I focused on the cloud, but still, nothing popped out for me ... that is, not until I happened to turn my phone about 45 degrees to the right and recognized what potentially could be a sign.  And to make sure it wasn't just me seeing things, I showed the photo to two friends - both immediately blurted, "It's Our Lady ... wearing a veil ... and she's praying!" (one friend thinks she's also clutching a crucifix)

The cloud-image zoomed in - the figure

of Our Lady, gazing upward while praying?

(Look close - there's even a face!)

So one might be wondering what was that favor I asked for from Our Lady that prompted all of this?  I'm leaving tomorrow on a pilgrimage to several European Shrines: Fatima, Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela (St. James the Apostle's shrine), San Giovanni Rotondo (St. Padre Pio's tomb/shrine), Monte Gargano (St. Michael's Grotto), Mugnano del Cardinale (St. Philomena's tomb/shrine), and Rome ... and asked our Heavenly Mother to intercede for our Hawaii group to obtain deeper faith and abundant spiritual graces for each of us; to accompany us every step of the trip.  Therefore, I presume the photo - the cloud image - is the Blessed Virgin's way of confirming that she's interceding.  Besides, the figure is just too uncanny to be random.

So, going back to that little outdoor shrine at St. John Vianney Church, there's something "anointed" about it; a holy presence that emanates.  In fact, this photo is the fourth unusual pic I've captured from that garden (others can be viewed here).  If one is ever in Kailua Town, drop by the parish for Mass ... then stop by their Immaculate Heart of Mary shrine to greet Our Lady.  Petition her for your own personal needs and see what happens.  The Blessed Virgin's maternal responsiveness to every concern may just surprise you!

Saint of the Month - October 2024: Saint Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila

A Master of Mystical Contemplation

Feast: October 15th

Considered one of the greatest and influential figures in the Catholic Church, St. Teresa of Jesus was a multifaceted Saint - she was a Carmelite nun; a reformer and founder; a practical administrator; a renowned spiritual writer; and a contemplative mystic of the highest order.

Born Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada on March 28, 1515, in Avila, Spain.  Her parents were highly pious and raised their offspring to be faithful, as well.  In fact, when Teresa was just 7, she was inspired by the lives of the Saints to run away with her brother, Rodrigo, in an attempt to become little Martyrs at the hands of the Moors, but both were returned home by an uncle who found them wandering outside the city walls.

The youngster suffered a deep blow when she lost her devout mother, Beatriz, at 14.  At this stage in her life, she succumbed to distractions (e.g. romantic novels, fashion, and social events) but developed aspirations to consecrated life after her father - Don Alonso - sent her to board with the local Augustinian nuns; recovery from a serious bout with Malaria was another factor in her first "reversion".

In the meantime, being that his daughter had matured into a beautiful, intelligent, witty, and charming young woman, Alonso sought an advantageous marriage for her.  Teresa resisted the idea of marriage and secretly left home at age 20 to enter the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila (simply known as the Incarnation).  When her father found out, he relented and supported his daughter's vocation.  She was professed under the name of Sr. Teresa of Jesus.  

It needs to be mentioned that the monastery Teresa entered had become lax since its establishment.  Rather than observing the original, strict Carmelite Rule the monastery was a social gathering place for women of high society to chat and mingle with the nuns, and each other.  The residents, themselves, had lost the sense of discipline and austerity that their vows entailed (nuns from elite families retained personal possessions and accepted gifts from their wealthy relatives), and Teresa was caught up in it along with about 150 other nuns of the Incarnation!

Two years into religious life our Saint again fell seriously ill.  Despite the best treatments arranged for her by Don Alonso, she progressively worsened and was taken home where she was soon bed-ridden.  After three years, Teresa made a partial recovery, thanks to prayers invoking St. Joseph, and she was reflective not only because of the suffering she endured but also because of divine illuminations she started receiving in contemplative prayer.  She resumed life at the Incarnation and for the next 15 years progressively transitioned from living the mediocre lifestyle of her community to greater commitment to the spirit of the Carmelite vocation.  This process was facilitated by the direct intervention of the Lord, who began granting Sr. Teresa spiritual charisms, including visions and locutions.

Among her most pivotal mystical visions was a visit to hell where she saw the place prepared for her should she choose to live contrary to the will of God; this time around, Teresa's "reversion" was solid and lasting. 

Now concerned over the poor spiritual state of the monastery, Sr. Teresa of Jesus conceived the idea of a reform.  She sought guidance about her mystical inspirations and experiences with learned Churchmen, but was initially judged as either deluded or under diabolic influences.  Amidst tremendous moral suffering, she persevered in humility and obedience to her confessors, and eventually found support and encouragement from certain holy priests, a few of whom are now Saints like her, e.g. St. Francis Borgia, St. Peter of Alcantara, and St. John of the Cross.

The piercing of St. Teresa's heart

with Divine Love

In the meantime, Teresa's spirituality escalated and she was sometimes levitated in full view of witnesses while in ecstatic prayer; Mass and Holy Communion was usually a trigger.  During one of these raptures, her famous encounter with a Seraph occurred in which her soul was infused with Divine Love, represented by a long dart tipped with a flame that the angel repeatedly pierced her heart with!  In addition, at another time, she underwent the sublime grace of Mystical Marriage with Christ and received the hidden Stigmata.

In 1562, at the age of 47, Teresa left the Incarnation with a handful of like-minded companions to enter her first reformed monastery in Avila, which she dedicated to her beloved St. Joseph.  The project was covertly papal-approved and funded by one of her married sisters.  In their new house Teresa and her nuns were strictly cloistered and observed poverty and discipline, unlike their previous monastery.

Vehement opposition from within her Order and secular officials soon followed the reform, but Teresa bravely stood firm and weathered all obstacles, which dissipated, as she went on to successively establish a total of 16 monasteries (including the Incarnation in Avila) in the span of 20 years.  It all goes to show her proficient skills as a diplomat, negotiator, and organizer.  And not to be overlooked are the miracles Teresa worked along the way (e.g. she raised a young nephew to life after he was crushed by a collapsed wall during the construction of her first monastery).

The reform that Teresa started with the Carmelite nuns was later taken up by St. John of the Cross in the male branch of Carmelites.  His efforts also met with success amidst similar push-back and persecution (sometimes violent) from other members of the Order.  Those who embraced the reform came to be known as the Discalced ("shoeless") Carmelites, versus those of the "ancient observance".  Providentially, the bitter dispute between the two branches was resolved in 1579, per a Papal edict that granted autonomy to the Discalced Carmelites from their predecessors.

... and finally, a biography about St. Teresa of Avila would not be complete without mentioning her literary works.  Fortunately for us, her rich spirituality and teachings are preserved, thanks to her confessor's specific commands to her to write them down.  Of particular value are the following spiritual classics:

• Her autobiography - the "Life of Sr. Teresa of Jesus" in which she describes her soul's transformation in four stages, using the symbolism of a garden.

• "The Way of Perfection", a guide to prayer and meditation she wrote for her nuns.

• "The Interior Castle" in which she describes the successive seven stages of transformation a soul undergoes in its quest for ultimate union with God.

Teresa died in her Carmel of the Annunciation in Alba de Tormes, on October 4, 1582.  She was 67-years-old and her body exuded a delightful floral fragrance that was known to surround her even in life; 9 months later her body was unearthed and discovered perfectly intact although the habit she was wearing was in tattered condition.  Today, her major relics can still be venerated in Alba de Tormes, Spain.

Above:  The Saint's incorrupt body,

captured in a rare photo from 1914.

Below:  The relic of St. Teresa's heart

(the wound left by the angel's dart is

still seen in the preserved heart)

Without a doubt, this Saint's illustrious life is the work of the Holy Spirit, as good fruit continue manifesting in the wake of her passing.  Canonized in 1622, St. Teresa of Avila was further bestowed the rare honor of being named a Doctor of the Church in 1970 ... and let's not forget that among her spiritual children are other Saints, such as St. John of the Cross; St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart; St. Therese the Little Flower (also a Doctor of the Church); St. Mariam Baouardy of Bethlehem; the Holocaust Martyr - St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein); and the celebrated Sr. Lucia of Fatima, to name just a few ... and other new Saints from the Discalced Carmelite spiritual family will surely follow.

St. Teresa of Jesus, pray for us, as we

journey through the stages of spiritual

growth and transformation.  Amen.