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.

It's the same Woman ...

The cloud-figure below was photographed yesterday morning - Friday, 7/18/2025.  It appeared as I drove to work just when I started praying the Rosary; the Luminous Mysteries, to be exact, which I always offer for the conversion of sinners, beginning with myself.

In person, the figure clearly resembled a familiar depiction of the Virgin Mary and, given its opportune timing, I was convinced it represented her maternal presence.  I sensed she gave this latest sign to encourage ... to intercede ... to pray and to receive prayer on behalf of her Son.

This author admits - it seems like I'm sometimes blogging the same, exact story over and over when it comes to signal graces I've unexpectedly received from Our Lady while engaged in the Rosary ... but it's generally how these unusual events occur: 90% of my personal encounters with seemingly holy images involve the Rosary Prayer before, during, or after.  If one lumps all of these similar stories together, they actually amount to a coherent testimonial as to the extraordinary blessings that are possible if one just commits to a filial relationship with our Heavenly Mother, and recite her favorite prayer frequently.

... and it just dawned on me how the figures look remarkably the same from one sighting to the next (note the above examples), but it makes sense, though - it is, after all, the same Woman.

"And there appeared a great wonder in

heaven; a woman clothed with the sun ..."

- Revelation 12:12

... and how she loves us very, very much!  So, if you aren't already practicing it, LOVE OUR HOLY MOTHER MARY ... FOLLOW WHAT SHE SAYS (see here and here) ... and PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY.  Her motherly presence and love will come alive in your own life, too!

Our Lady of the Rosary,

pray for us!

Prayer & Discernment

This First Saturday I had another unusual experience.  I'm sharing about it here without any expectation of being believed and prepared for any ridicule it may entail.  Each reader should prayerfully discern this story on his/her own.  In fact, the subject of this blog is essentially about Prayer and Discernment, and I want people to seriously think about both.

Earlier this morning, as I was praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary before the 8:00 AM Mass at St. John Vianney Church (Kailua), I sensed the gentle presence of our Blessed Mother.  So I asked her, "My Lady, what is it that you want?" which was followed by a verbal response.  To my best recollection, the words I heard were: 

"I desire prayer ... and be vigilant,

my children, for the forces of evil are

preparing an assault like never before.

Pray for the gift of discernment."

That was it.  I actually didn't give it much credence at the time, but I also didn't outright dismiss it, either.  I went on with my Rosary but kept the words in the back of my mind.

After the Mass and some time in Eucharistic Adoration (this parish holds monthly Adoration after every First Saturday morning Mass), I did my customary visit to the parish's Immaculate Heart of Mary garden shrine to also spend prayer time with Our Lady.  I believe the place emanates grace ...

One of my favorites places to pray at -

the Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

at St. John Vianney Church in Kailua.

Before concluding, I knelt to receive the Virgin’s blessing and, remembering the words I heard earlier, I asked her to pray for me to the Holy Spirit for the gift of Discernment.  I then prayed the 3 Hail Marys that I usually end with.

As I stood up to leave, I glanced at my cellphone to check the time and was surprised to discover an oily stain on the surface of the screen ... but rather than appearing like a random smudge, it had a distinct and familiar form - see below:

I'm not claiming it's a bonafide miracle, but come on!  What are the odds of these circumstances occurring one after the other on a First Saturday (when the Blessed Virgin's influence is particularly strong)?  First, the mysterious voice; second, at the parish's exceptionally graced Marian Shrine (this is not the only strange experience I've had there); third, me asking for prayers from Our Lady, followed by an immediate appearance of a striking silhouette of a torso of a woman draped in a veil with hands together in prayer!  (You can't make this stuff up!)

Again, not trying to convince anyone that all of this is divine intervention ... but taken as a whole, it all goes beyond mere coincidences for me; beyond my own imagination and it's now resonating with on so many levels, including those words.

Our Lady, Loving Mother, pray for us.

The simple fact is - our society has spiraled down to a level where many evils are no longer viewed as evil, and truths have been twisted in a diabolic manner.  So it makes sense that we're being asked to Pray and Discern.  These are practices every serious Christian should routinely be engaging in to navigate our way through the jumble of good and bad in our present times.  However, ideally, we shouldn't need "messages" from Heaven prompting us ... but for those out there who do need some sort of encouragement, I hope and pray this story will be that gentle nudge.

Even if one thinks this is all just nonsense, one solid truth stands - Our Lady loves us dearly and she's been trying for centuries to guide us to a peaceful existence and then Heaven, via many apparitions, locutions, and signs.  Anyone needing her help can get it - starting right now - by simply opening one's heart to our Holy Mother then by saying a prayer.

"I am your servant; give me discernment

that I may understand your statutes."

- Psalm 119:125

A Feast Day Blessing

It was a Marian Feast Day yesterday - the Feast of Our Lady's Visitation ... and today is yet another Feast Day - this time celebrating the Lord’s glorious Ascension!

After the Saturday evening Vigil Mass last night - a Mass that bridged both Feasts - a close friend and I conversed about the maternal love of our Blessed Mother, and wondered out loud if she was going to grant us a special blessing on her Feast.  The photo below seems to affirm she did.

Taken from our church's driveway, the above captures a luminous silhouette that appeared in the sky just a few moments after my friend said something to this effect: "I wonder if Our Lady's going to show up today."  In person, it looked like a lady draped in a white sheet hovering in the sky.  How serendipitous and relevant, given it's timing.

We love you, Our Lady - we thank you for being our loving mother.

  My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name; And His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.

- From The Canticle of Mary

(Luke 1:46-50)

For Discernment: Let us follow Our Lady to the Cross

While driving to work and praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary this morning, a familiar figure appeared in the sky ahead of me.  I managed to snap a few photos ...

Upon reflection, I discerned Our Lady's desire to "prepare" us for the upcoming Paschal Triduum and Easter Sunday.  She is also inviting us to especially accompany her to the foot of the Holy Cross this Good Friday; to prayerfully contemplate in a personal manner our Lord's painful sacrifice and his unconditional love.  After which she will lead us to Christ's empty tomb where an "infusion of grace" awaits.

There's an expectation of joy to all of this but there's also a sense of urgency, and I can't help but ponder this from Luke 21:11 in light of current events:

"There will be great earthquakes,

and in various places famines and

pestilences.  And there will be terrors

and great signs from heaven."

This recent experience and the Bible passage cited above are highly pertinent.  Truly, disasters and signs are escalating all over the world in our present times and much prayer is needed ... but are we paying attention?

O Mary, our Heavenly Mother,

pray for us who have recourse to

thee.  Amen.

Are these extraordinary blessings for St. Anthony of Padua Parish?

Strange things are happening at my Kailua parish of St. Anthony of Padua Church; wonderful things ... and this author suspects perhaps the Good Lord and the Holy Virgin is trying to tell Hawaii something and maybe has plans for the parish.  May our priests and faith community respond worthily with opens hearts.  Allow me to elaborate.

It started 10 days ago on March 20, 2025.  While praying after the morning Mass, I felt a powerful presence within the church; a living and holy presence that was so tangible I could pinpoint it hovering up in the highest part of the church interior.  I couldn't see anything but I sensed it was there ... and after I was done praying and left the church, it followed me; it was around me.  I couldn't help but think to myself, "Something special is gonna happen today." and I looked up searching at the sky but didn't see anything extraordinary.

However, while walking across the street to my car, I heard a woman's voice say to me, "Go ahead - take a picture."  I recognized the voice as Our Lady's, and without hesitation I snapped three photos towards the church.  Upon reviewing the pics, I was amazed to discover that one of them showed her silhouette atop a palm tree in front of the church - it reminded me of a classic depiction of the Virgin of Fatima on her little tree!  So the "presence" was her, after all.

We observe First Saturdays with a special

Rosary so was it Our Lady of Fatima?

Fast forward to yesterday - March 29th - after the Saturday evening Vigil Mass, a huge cloud above the church began taking a human-like silhouette - a familiar form.  In awe, I recall thinking something to this effect, "It can't be.  Not again."  I don't know why but I actually ignored what I was seeing and drove off to a nearby Aunt's house ... and when I got out of my car, the cloud-figure was still above - impossibly intact! - so I took a few photos, which I post a couple below.

   

Showing both sets of the pics to family and a few friends, collectively we came to the same conclusion - we see the outline/figure of the Virgin Mary.  But the big question is ... WHY?  Why an influx of signs?  I can only assume that there is a special grace being granted to St. Anthony of Padua Church and a lesson to be learned.  The truth is, these two photos aren't the only unusual ones taken at the parish.  If one browses this ministry's Photo Albums of Little Signs to the right, one will find others taken within the past 10 years so it can't be mere coincidences.  I believe all of it has something to do with the faith and dedication of certain parishioners there; a few of them are co-members with me in our parish's FIAT: Faith In Action Today Prayer Group so I know them very well.  All are active in parish ministries and involved in spreading the Faith; all have a loving, filial relationship with Our Lady, especially through the Holy Rosary.  

What a privilege it is to know such good people; to pray and serve alongside them.  I believe that it's because of our collaborative efforts to spread devotion to the Blessed Virgin that she responds as our "Mom" to encourage and remind us of her abiding maternal love.  And the pics - they're only a visible sign of something more important, which is the invisible grace Our Lady brings that is working in the life of our parish.  I discern its power ... and I'm humbled, uplifted, and grateful.  I also sense that we haven't seen the last of her.

Above:  My parish's 2 "Pilgrim Madonnas",

which make their rounds to various private

homes in May and October.

Below:  Our First Saturday Rosary for Peace; still ongoing after 14 years.

So long as the parish continues doing what it's doing for our dear Heavenly Mother, blessings will blossom into good fruit in our faith-community; she'll also continue dropping by on occasion to check-in with us - her "kids" - knowing that she's invited and welcomed.  That's the special grace and, ultimately, the big lesson ... and it applies to every other parish not just mine.  Make Mother Mary welcomed - she will come bearing gifts.  Ave Maria!

[If you're ever in Kailua, please visit us

too - we welcome you!  For directions to

our beautiful church, click here]

A Presentation and a Special Blessing from Our Lady

Yesterday morning this ministry conducted a presentation at St. John Vianney Church - it was another Saints & Relics talk tailored for the parish's CCD kids and their parents/adult sponsors; I've been conducting this talk for this group every February since 2021 and it's always well-received.  This year there was a different vibe, though, but in a very good way - the audience was larger than usual and seemed extra-receptive to what was being shared.

First off, I like it when parish's include parents in their children’s CCD journey because I strongly feel that some parents could use a Catholic education, too.  As with prior talks I've done, I emphasized the fact that "church begins at home"; the importance of praying together as a family outside of Mass for the general and spiritual well-being of the family ... especially for the protection of the children against negative worldly influences.  I also use the example of the virtues of the Holy Family or St. Therese of Lisieux, her canonized parents (Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin), and her four holy nun-sisters to drive the point home.  That part of the talk is usually received with a lukewarm response from some of the adults, but at this year's presentation, most adults and children were really paying closer attention throughout the entire talk; I sensed there was a deep "thirst" for the message.

Relics of the Holy Family on display.  Other Holy Persons/Relics featured were the Servant of God Nina Ruiz Abad, Bl. Carlo Acutis, St. Damien of Molokai, St. Germaine Cousin, and St. Giuseppe Moscati, and Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati.

As confirmation, after the presentation this author received positive feedback that made me hopeful that people got a measure of satisfaction from the message shared about our Spiritual Heroes, and faith-seeds had also been planted - one father approached me and commented: "Thank you for doing this.  I really enjoyed it.  This was inspirational.  I didn't know much about the Saints." ... and a young mother had the following feedback: "Thank you for coming.  I enjoyed your talk.  I brought my older kids along to listen and your presentation addressed questions they had about Saints and how relevant they are to our faith."

... and to see the parents and their children up at the relic display - discussing the Saints; praying together; and touching the reliquaries with awe and reverence - is always priceless.  Again, one could sense the thirst for a personal connection with God, and the Saints/Relics were providing something tangible to satisfy that need.  May the Lord, Our Lady, and the Saints continue working on these families to help them grow in their Catholic Faith.

The children and parents making personal connections with our Saints and Blesseds through their precious and holy relics.

And speaking of Our Lady, I commend every presentation to her maternal intercession before conducting them.  This presentation was no exception - I asked our Heavenly Mother to obtain graces for a successful talk; for all the attendees to open their hearts to Jesus's message, especially the parents.  After the event, shortly after reaching home and parking my car, my attention was strongly drawn to the sky, which was immediately followed by an inner voice telling me to "take a picture".  Although I didn't discern anything specific in the clouds I immediately obeyed and snapped two pics.

Later, when I reviewed the photos, I was amazed to discover the luminous figure of the Blessed Virgin in both photos - I understood that she had shown herself to affirm her maternal solicitude and blessing upon the families, which made yesterday's event all the more special for me.  Below are the photos ...

   

ABOVE: The Blessed Virgin appears in

these photos taken after the presentation.

BELOW: My visual interpretation of the

holy figures I discern in the two photos.

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

  "I had so many wonderful comments and words of gratitude from the families.  The mom of Annabelle pulled me aside with tears slipping down her face thanking us and yourself for the wonderful affirmations.  Annabelle was so full of joy. Her mom was touched by her faith in God's power and a desire to be more like the saints herself. Aren't we all drawn closer to Jesus through these children who believe wholeheartedly?  May God continue to bless you through your ministry."

- Joan H., CCD Youth Coordinator

All Thanks and Praises be to our Lord, to His most Holy Mother Mary, and all the Saints who touched lives today.  GOD IS GOOD.

New Year Blessings to All

This ministry wishes its readers a prosperous 2025 filled with the good Lord's presence and benedictions!

... and speaking of divine presence and blessings, this author unexpectedly witnessed another unusual manifestation above my Kailua parish of St. Anthony of Padua Church shortly before a New Year's Mass - it was in the form of an uncanny image of a veiled woman carrying a baby.  The figures looked like a white statue nestled amongst the clouds, of which I managed to snap a couple of pictures although they turned out disappointingly inadequate compared to what I actually saw in-person ...

Was it the Madonna & Christ Child?

Still, the pics manage to convey a glimpse of the figures I saw and how appropriate they were since today the Church is also celebrating a sublime Marian Feast ... and let's not forget it's the Jubilee Year of Hope!  What a great way to start the new year off!

Happy Solemnity of Mary,

Mother of God!

European Pilgrimage, October 2024 - Part III: Signs & Signal Graces

“You are the God who

performs miracles; you display your

power among the peoples.”

- Psalms 77:14

This Part III and final installment about my October 2024 European Pilgrimage is my personal testimonial to the power of prayer and the signal graces received by myself and others during our journey.  The truth is - from the moment I signed on, I had faith that Jesus and Our Lady would bless us.  There was even a wonderful event that happened in early October that seemed to foretell that we would have a grace-filled pilgrimage (see it here).

What this author didn't expect was the abundance of the graces and signs I witnessed ... and it started on the very first plane ride!  Let me start there ...

🌹 WAS IT A MIRACLE?

During our flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles, one of the members of our group  - "Don" - suddenly lost consciousness and turned pale.  His wife's distress attracted flight attendants who attempted to revive the man using an oxygen mask, but he remained unresponsive despite their efforts.  It was then that our chaplain, Fr. Paul, turned to me saying "You need to pray", after which he, myself, and a few others in our group immediately began offering intense prayers for Don (I even stood up in the central aisle with hands extended towards him) ... and amazingly, within about a minute, he opened his eyes on his own and slowly began regaining color!  One may not think this significant, except for the fact that I later overheard a flight attendants telling our priest: "Father, I thought we were gonna lose him - he wasn't breathing and he had no pulse.  I think it was a miracle."

Don went on to complete the entire trip with no further adverse episodes ... and, per his own words to me, he had the most unforgettable experiences of his life in Fatima and Lourdes.  His "recovery" set an enthusiastic and supernatural tone for the entire pilgrimage for me ... and for Don, his wife, and several others.  I sensed then that tremendous things were in-store for us and the Lord didn't disappoint.

🌹 AT FATIMA ...

At the Fatima Sanctuary, there were a few unusual incidences that I'd like to share about.  The first occurred on October 9th, during the first night we were there.  Our Hawaii Group was gathered at the sanctuary beginning at 9:00 PM praying the Rosary with hundreds of other pilgrims.  At the beginning of the final Glorious Mystery it started raining steadily, forcing people without umbrellas or raincoats to shelter tightly under the roofing of the Chapel of the Apparitions.  However, no sooner was the processional statue of Our Lady of Fatima wheeled outside the chapel at the end of our prayer then the rain immediately stopped!  The timing couldn't have been more perfect ... and the rain did not resume for the duration of the 45 minutes, or so, that it took for us to walk the procession.  We then returned to our hotel dry and comfortable.

Scenes from the October 9th, 2024 candlelight

procession at the Fatima Sanctuary.

I also witnessed two visible manifestations on my second night at the sanctuary, while I watched the candlelight procession from the steps of the older basilica.  As the procession moved along in the plaza below, I unexpectedly heard the Lord’s voice say to me: "Pray for Fr. Shenan Boquet." (Note: Fr. Boquet is the current President of Human Life International, a pro-life/pro-family apostolate, and an acquaintance of mine.)  No other words were heard and I was immediately concerned for the priest so offered a prayer, as directed ... then glancing up at the sky I was struck by the sight of the moon mysteriously transforming itself into a human fetus up above the front of the procession!  The likeness was so uncanny I had to snap a photo, which I post below ...

I'm not certain what the full significance of this occurrence was, but I have no doubt it's all connected to the Pro-Life Movement and the urgent plight of the Unborn (God preserve them!) ... and keep in mind - October is Respect Life Month.

Bottom-Left: A candle flame resembling

a silhouette of the Virgin Mary.

Bottom-Right: A second mysterious

silhouette above the flame.

The other incident involved a friend/fellow pilgrim named "Lita".  During the same procession, we took a selfie together and upon later reviewing the photo, we both noticed that the flame on her procession candle was unusually big ... and was in the familiar form of a silhouette of the Virgin Mary, of all things!  It may have just been a coincidence except that above the flame was another discernible human-like figure (the Fatima "Angel of Peace"?).  What's the odds of two seemingly holy images appearing in one pic?!  Plus, it needs to be mentioned that it was also Lita's Birthday that day and she had prayed to Our Lady for a special blessing.  We have no doubt she got it.

🌹 AT LOURDES ...

This next remarkable grace was granted at Lourdes during that sanctuary's candlelight procession.  It was our first night there and I snapped a few pics of the massive crowd as we started to follow the shrine's large Marian statue.  Later, while viewing the photos in the hotel, I was stunned to discover that one of them inadvertently captured the Blessed Virgin carrying her Divine Son!  The luminous figure was strongly reminiscent of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the Capelinha and it just so happened to be October 13th, the anniversary of the final and most significant apparition at Fatima.  Readers, I can't make this up!

Note the glowing figure above the crowd

to the left; enlarged below and compared

to the famous Marian statue at Fatima.

As I wrote in the first blog, the presence of our Holy Mother is strongly felt at Lourdes but to have this heavenly affirmation captured on camera is simply a priceless gift from her ... and I am humbled.

There were a couple other photos taken while we were in procession at Lourdes that appear to reveal unusual figures ... but unlike the above photo, I can't say for certain that they are actual signs, versus the natural effects of light.  Nonetheless, they are quite thought-provoking ...

🌹 IN ROME ...

Lastly, in my hotel room in Rome, there was another anomaly that had me scratching my head.  I wasn't looking to see anything else unusual in Rome but - BOOM - there it was on a conspicuous part of the door: a figure that looked notably like the Virgin Mary!  I took a photo and showed it to several friends and prayer group members - they all see "Mama Mary" ... and some say there's even the Holy Face of Jesus on the door, but I'll let the viewer discern that.

The figure on the door with outlining.

Again, with this particular incident, I'm not claiming it's supernatural ... but what does strike me about the whole scenario is the figure's close resemblance to the "Virgin of Revelation" honored at the Roman Marian apparition site of Tre Fontane that I also visited on this trip, and for which I have a deep affinity for.  Not to mention that a similar figure was on a wall in my hotel room in Mexico City when I was on a prior pilgrimage back in April 2023 to see the miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe (see the other image here).

The figure on the door compared to

Our Lady of Tre Fontane in Rome.

Given my prior experiences, I can't help but believe that Our Lady had a hand in arranging this moment of "spiritual serendipity", as I like to refer to it; that she was simply signaling that she was watching over me and the rest of the travel group, which is very reassuring.  I love that about our Blessed Mother.

... and so ends this blog about my incredible European Pilgrimage.  My heart will forever be grateful to Jesus and Mary, and the Angels and Saints, for everything I saw and experienced in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy.  God never fails to exceed our expectations when we surrender everything to His Divine Will - all Thanks and Praises be to Him!

“Who is like You, O Lord,

among the gods?  Who is like You,

majestic in holiness, awesome in

glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

‐ Exodus 15:11

** To view Part I of my European Pilgrimage Blog: Apparition Shrines, click here.

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

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!

For Discernment: MARY the QUEEN OF PEACE

The glowing figure captured in the photos below appeared in my home very early this morning.  This is my personal testimonial:

It all started from yesterday, 9/28 - I had a challenging day juggling attendance at morning Mass; exercising my daily prayers; prepping and packing for an upcoming European Pilgrimage; refurbishing two statues for a Pilgrim Madonna initiative that my parish is doing in October; ironing out details for the Pilgrim Madonna scheduling and guidelines; serving at the Altar at a Saturday evening Vigil Mass; dealing with a disgruntled parishioner over a chapel Sanctuary candle that had inadvertently gone out; then clearing up a misunderstanding with one of my priests.  By the end of it all, I was deflated and exhausted and, after getting home, fell fast asleep.   Ever had one of those days?

Fast forward several hours to about 2:40AM this morning - I awoke and shortly after was shocked to discover a light formation on a wall in the uncanny likeness of the Virgin Mary.

       

It goes without saying that, as I gazed upon the sight with awe, I felt the stress and anxiety from the prior day immediately lift.  At the same time a sensation seemed to well-up inside of me ‐ a warm presence and a voice - and it pronounced a single word, almost like a command:

"PEACE"

... and I felt the peace, along with heightened joy, gratitude, and a deep sense of being loved; I was also convinced that everything I was worried about was going to be OK ... and abundant blessings would be granted for my parish's Pilgrim Madonna initiative.  GOD IS GOOD.

St. Anthony of Padua Parish's two

Pilgrim Madonna statues

So thanks and praises be to our Lord Jesus Christ ... and of course, thanks, also, to our dear Holy Mother Mary.  She is, indeed, the QUEEN OF PEACE.