FOR DISCERNMENT: Pray and Read Scriptures

I had another unusual experience; actually two successive ones.  It started two days ago - Friday morning, 9/19/2025 - at about 6:45am as I began my daily Rosary Prayer.  Not long after, I felt the spiritual presence of Our Lady and immediately asked her if there was something she needed from me, or if she wanted to tell me something for myself or for the world in general.  There was no response.

After several moments, still sensing her presence, I again inquired with our Blessed Mother if she wanted to say something.  The second time around she answered and this is what I heard:

"There is really nothing more

to say.  I have already spoken in

the past - read the messages of

Fatima.  I continue to urge you to

take up your Rosaries and pray.

This is your weapon.

And read Scriptures.  Read

Daniel and Revelation.

All has already been revealed."

Familiar with the Book of Revelation, I understood it was prophetically apocalyptic in nature, but I wasn't too certain what the Book of Daniel contained other than references about St. Michael the Archangel rising in our troubled times in Chapter 12.  I did further research and was surprised to learn that the Book of Daniel is also highly apocalyptic in nature and more prophecies about the Latter Days could be read in the book's Chapter 7.

Fast forward to yesterday morning - Saturday,  9/20/2025.  Before attending Mass in St. John Vianney Church, I paid my respect to Our Lady, via her statue at the parish's outdoor Marian shrine.  I asked our Blessed Mother to grant me a sign that the message I heard the day before were truly from her and not a figment of my imagination.  I then felt her presence again, along with a strong "inner prompting" to snap a photo.  Without seeing anything unusual up in the sky, I went ahead and took several.  Later after reviewing the pics, I was amazed to discover a remarkable cloud image in one of the photos - it was the confirmation I needed before posting this blog.

Pray the Rosary and read the Word of God!  These are our weapons!  I get the strong impression from the words I heard that Our Lady is strongly indicating (at least to my understanding) that the time for messages is passing as she has nothing new to add to the many messages she has already given us at several Church-approved Marian Apparitions.  We now need to live them.

May each reader discern.  

What have we become?

In roughly two short weeks it seems our headlines have been dominated by news of one violent crime after another:

• the horrific Minneapolis church shooting of children in a Catholic church

• the stabbing of an innocent young woman in a subway train in North Carolina (bystanders did nothing to help the girl or stop the suspect)

• another school shooting in Colorado

• and a culmination two days ago with the assassination of conservative Christian political activist, Charlie Kirk, in a college campus in Utah

It's especially troubling because, when one takes a close look at these events, one will see a clear trend - most were committed by fairly young individuals ... and I strongly suspect there were direct diabolic influences at play.

The 23-year-old Minneapolis church shooter

and a drawing he did in his notebook ...

It all begs the question: What have we become as a society?  The Bible - in II Timothy 3:1-4 - provides an accurate answer:

  "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."

Considering all that's occurring, I think that particular Scriptural Prophecy is spot on ... and when youth in their teens (or barely out of it) are plotting and committing murders as easily as playing video games, it means there's something seriously broken with our society; extremely DARK and sinister ... and it's basically OUR fault.  It all boils down to one reason: We've drifted far, far away from GOD who is the true LIGHT.

The shooting in Colorado

I'm personally disturbed because it wasn't like this 40 years ago when I was in my teens; things were much more simple back then and kids were ... well ... behaving like kids!  We actually played with each other - dodge ball, bike rides, street football, camping in our neighborhood treehouse, etc. - and the thought of committing such heinous acts of violence against each other never crossed our minds.  But slowly, deliberately, and systematically certain groups started pushing Jesus/God out of schools and, when that was accomplished, there followed a brewing storm of dangerous trends and philosophies (e.g. hedonism, socialism, gender ideologies, euthanasia, etc.) and occultism (e.g. esoteric mysticism, witchcraft, satanism, etc.), which have escalated today due to the aggressive mainstream promotion given them by certain celebrities, politicians, news reporters, and social media "influencers", most of who are clearly narcissists.  Their collective message can be summed up in one phrase: "Do what thou wilt", which is often purposely misrepresented as "enlightenment" and "personal liberation" from oppressive, outdated laws/rules.  But the phrase contradicts the hallowed and timeless words from the Lord’s Prayer - "Thy (God's) will be done" - and, essentially, God has been replaced by self-worship and/or worship of demonic spirits.  Ironically, rather than finding light, we've allowed darkness to grow exponentially and are now reaping what was sowed.

The suspect in the Charlie Kirk murder -

a 22-year-old man

What's unfortunate is - it didn't have to be like this.  Heaven has been warning us for centuries that if we stray from Jesus and the Gospel Truth things will only get worse.  Just research the approved, urgent messages Our Lady delivered at Lourdes (1858), Fatima (1917), Akita (1970s), and most recently Medjugorje (1981 - present).  With the two latest apparitions cited, those commenced with the onset of many of the self-destructive ideologies that have exploded in our present time, without a doubt to counteract them ... but the Virgin’s warnings are mostly ignored by the general public, including Catholics.

A tragedy prevented (note the suspect's age)

Yet despite the increased evil that surrounds us, there's still HOPE: the Gospel Message remains relevant and an effective solution ... we still have the saving grace of the Sacraments ... and Heaven continues to mercifully reach out - God has not abandoned us ... and if we just repent and commit ourselves to living His Divine Will, we can, at the very least, bring LIGHT into our own personal worlds in the form of Peace, Love, Joy, and Protection.  It's not too late to return to the Lord.

      

One way God is responding to the youth crisis -

the prophetic rise of young, holy role models

(L to R: St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Bl. Chiara

Badano, & St. Carlo Acutis)

To end this blog on a positive note, I share the footage below, which I filmed early this morning after Mass at St. Augustine by the Sea Church in Waikiki.  I believe it's an example of Heaven reaching out to remind us that we're not forgotten.  It captures a strange shadowy formation above the Tabernacle and Crucifix, which to this author uncannily resembled a silhouette of the Blessed Virgin Mary (it was an impressive sight in-person!).  Coincidentally, today is also the Marian Feast of the Holy Name of Mary ... so was it meant to represent Our Lady's maternal presence with us and a visible message of Hope?  I'd like to think so and what a comfort it was to have an affirmation that our Heavenly Mother is always close by watching over us.  Let us pray together with her for the conversion of sinners, especially our misguided children.  Ave Maria!

An unusual, yet familiar figure, appears

formed by a shadow seen above the crucifix

in St. Augustine Church in Waikiki.

9/20 - 9/25/2025: The Jubilee Pilgrim Cross Visitation at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Kailua

The Diocese of Honolulu's Jubilee Year Pilgrim Cross will be making a stop in our home parish later this month.  The "Pilgrim Cross" is part of our local Church's initiative to assist the Faithful in gaining the special Jubilee Year of Hope Plenary Indulgence.  Normally, to gain the indulgence, one must walk through one of the Holy Doors in Rome in conjunction with performing other pious acts, but for the majority who cannot make a pilgrimage to the Eternal City, praying in the presence of a Pilgrim Cross substitutes for the pilgrimage ... and affords people the opportunity to gain the Indulgence in their own dioceses.

More information about the Jubilee Year of Hope along with the necessary requirements to gain the Plenary Indulgence can be found here.

Below is the schedule of events at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Kailua - this is a great grace from the Church that shouldn't be missed!

All are welcome to participate!

Walking the Path of the Divine Will

A remarkable photo recently taken this past week after a FIAT: Faith In Action Today prayer meeting - I believe there's an important reminder in it and it's this: when we walk a path in accordance with God's Divine Will, we don't walk it alone.  Our Mother Mary and the inhabitants of Heaven journey with us every step of the way.

FIAT Marian Consecration Prayer

  O Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven, whose

Fiat was the dawn of the world’s salvation,

I consecrate myself to your Immaculate

Heart, invoking your special guidance this

day, as I strive to follow your example of

complete trust and surrender to the

Divine Will of God.

  Assist me in my efforts to live the way of

your Fiat and obtain for me from your Son

– our Lord, Jesus Christ – the grace of deeper

union with God so that, in all I do, His Will

may be accomplished through me.  And, thus,

transformed into a beacon of light against

the darkness of this world, may I serve to

draw others to His Kingdom.  Amen.

To learn more about the Divine Will Revelations, as revealed to the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, click here.

Saint of the Month - September 2025: St. Hildegard of Bingen

St. Hildegard of Bingen

Prophetess, Visionary, & Doctor of the Church

Feast: September 17th

St. Hildegard of Bingen, often called the “Sibyl of the Rhine”, was one of the most remarkable women of the Middle Ages.  Born in Bermersheim, Germany, she was the tenth child of a noble family.  From early childhood she experienced profound mystical visions, though she often kept them hidden out of humility.  Recognizing a special call upon her life, her parents entrusted her to the care of Bl. Jutta of Sponheim, an anchoress at the Benedictine monastery of Disibodenberg.  There, Hildegard received her formation in prayer, Scripture, and the monastic way of life.  At 15 she professed religious vows, dedicating her life entirely to God.

+ Life and Leadership

After the death of her mentor Jutta in 1136, Hildegard was chosen as prioress of the community.  She soon distinguished herself as a wise and courageous leader, guiding her nuns with maternal care and spiritual depth.  Eventually, she founded her own convent at Rupertsberg near Bingen, and later another house at Eibingen.  Her leadership was marked by strength, vision, and profound reliance on Divine Providence.  She insisted on discipline and integrity but also cultivated a joyful atmosphere rooted in beauty, music, and the love of God.

Though a woman in a time when authority in the Church was dominated by men, Hildegard’s sanctity and wisdom earned her respect from abbots, bishops, emperors, and even popes.  She corresponded with figures such as Pope Eugenius III, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, and King Henry II of England, offering counsel, prophetic warnings, and encouragement.

+ Mystical Experiences

From 3-years-old, Hildegard began experiencing luminous visions filled with Divine Light.  She described these encounters as the “Living Light,” in which she received knowledge that surpassed her natural capacity.  These visions revealed to her the mysteries of salvation, the beauty of creation, and the harmony of God’s design for the world.  At first reluctant to record them, she only began writing at the command of God and with the encouragement of St. Bernard and Pope Eugenius.

A depiction of St. Hildegard in her visionary

state, receiving the "Living Light"

Her first major work, “Scivias (Know the Ways)”, contains 26 visions illustrating the history of salvation from Creation to the end of time.  Later, she composed “Liber Vitae Meritorum (The Book of Life’s Merits)” and “Liber Divinorum Operum (The Book of Divine Works)”, which delve into theology, ethics, and the cosmic relationship between God and creation.  Her writings reveal a soul immersed in Divine Wisdom and aflame with zeal for truth.

+ Intellectual Gifts and Virtues

Hildegard was not only a visionary but also a polymath.  She wrote extensively on natural science, medicine, and music, seeing all creation as a reflection of God’s sublime beauty.  Her Physica and Causae et Curae examine the medicinal properties of plants, animals, and minerals, demonstrating her deep respect for the healing power of nature.  She also composed an astonishing body of sacred music—antiphons, hymns, and sequences—that continue to be performed today for their haunting beauty and spiritual power.

St. Hildegard’s beautiful vision of

the nine Choirs of Angels.

Her virtues shone clearly in her life.  She embodied humility, often calling herself a “poor little woman” unworthy of her gifts.  Yet this humility did not diminish her courage; she boldly admonished rulers and prelates when they strayed from justice and truth.  Her obedience to God was total, especially in her willingness to proclaim her visions despite fear of criticism.  Her charity was evident in her pastoral care, her guidance of souls, and her compassion for the sick through both spiritual and medicinal remedies.  Above all, Hildegard’s deep love for God was the source of her joy, creativity, and tireless service.

+ Final Years and Canonization

Hildegard continued to write, compose, and advise until her death in 1179 at the age of 81.  Her convents remembered her as a luminous figure of holiness, and veneration of her sanctity spread quickly.  Although she was revered locally as a saint for centuries, her canonization was not formally completed until Pope Benedict XVI declared her a saint and Doctor of the Church in 2012.  She is one of only four women Doctors, recognized for her extraordinary contribution to theology, spirituality, and culture.

An A.I. rendered, realistic image of

St. Hildegard based on an old woodcut

print shown above.

+ Legacy

St. Hildegard of Bingen stands as a radiant example of a life wholly surrendered to God.  Her mystical visions illuminate the Lord's plan of salvation, her writings reveal a mind of profound depth, and her music sings of the eternal harmony between heaven and earth.  Courageous in truth, humble in service, and aflame with Divine Love, she remains a guide for all who seek to unite intellect, faith, and creativity in the service of God.

St. Hildegard, pray for us!