A week with our Mother Mary...

What a busy and intense week it was for me, but in a good way ... and it seemed to this author that the "veil" separating Heaven and Earth was especially thin this week; Our Lady was a factor and her influence seemed particularly palpable.  Did anyone else feel this way?

... and I think the recent events in Medjugorje was the catalyst, at least from my personal perspective.  This ongoing Church-approved Marian Apparition just celebrated its 45th Anniversary on June 24th, 2026, and the Queen of Peace again requested a special nine days of preparation - a "Novena of Rosaries" - calling for people to participate in late night vigils up on Apparition Hill, as if to encourage voluntary mortification and sacrifice amongst the pilgrims.

Marija in ecstasy during an apparition

For those familiar with this ministry, you likely already know that I personally believe in these apparitions and promote the monthly messages in this blog.  I cannot express enough how Medjugorje has deeply influenced my spiritual life for the better, and I attribute many special favors I've received to the maternal intercession of the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje.  So promoting devotion to her is the least I can do to repay her.

Two of the six Seers - Ivan and Marija -

present during an apparition

I followed that Medjugorje Rosary Novena in spiritual union, via YouTube, and performed whatever special instruction was given by the Blessed Virgin during each apparition (e.g. praying for the Poor Souls).  Then, on June 25th, a friend invited me to bring relics to her home for a prayer meeting she hosted for her parish's Fatima Pilgrim Madonna statue.  It just so happened to be the day that Our Lady gave her June monthly message for the world so I took the opportunity to speak not just about the Fatima message, but also about the events in Medjugorje.  There were a couple of people present who had actually never heard of Medjugorje and they were quite impressed by what they learned.  I also relayed how the Virgin once said to the Medjugorje seers: "What I started in Fatima, I will finish in Medjugorje.  My heart will triumph."   Our host then read the June 25th Message out loud.

   

Relic Pilgrim Visitation at the Manoa Residence in Aiea: Relics of the

Fatima Seers were displayed with the Medjugorje Peace Icon

Also making a positive impact were my ministry's relics of the three Fatima Seers (including a splinter of wood from the tree of apparitions) and my Medjugorje "Peace Icon" that has three stones taken from the shrine on Apparition Hill; from the Blue Cross shrine; and from the large cross atop Cross Mountain.  All of it, together, contributed to a certain heavenly presence that permeated the room we were in.

Finally, this morning (6/27), as I drove to St. John Vianney Church in Kailua to attend Mass, I was surprised to see a clear figure of the Blessed Virgin high in the sky ahead of me.  It looked like a cardboard cut-out of her pasted in the sky - the clearest photo is shown below.

     

Our Lady's figure in the sky above Enchanted Lakes,

Kailua (zoomed-in in the left photo)

I believe what I saw was intended as a sign for the parish priest (a friend of mine) who had asked me to pray with him for a certain, undisclosed petition (we were invoking Our Lady's intercession) ... but wait - if that weren't enough, after the Mass and joining in the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet with a few St. John Vianney parishioners, I again witnessed Our Lady's silhouette floating in the air - see below.

     

Our Lady's figure spotted in the sky above Kailua for a

second time in the same day (zoomed-in in the left photo)

So one can understand what I meant by the title of this blog.  Due to all that transpired in the past week, I really felt that I spent it with Mother Mary, the Queen of Peace ... and one might be surprised to learn that I've never been to Medjugorje despite my devotion; neither do I feel the need to go there because here's what I've learned throughout the years: one doesn't need to go to Medjugorje to experience its extraordinary grace and inspiration.  Just live the messages wherever you are - Convert, Pray "from the heart", live a Sacramental Life, and Fast regularly - and the blessed fruits of Medjugorje will come to you!  Indeed, putting her words into action is the best way we can show love and honor to our Heavenly Mother Mary.

Our Lady, Queen of Peace,

pray for us!

Messages from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: June 2026 (45th Anniversary of the Medjugorje Apparitions)

Medjugorje celebrates 45 years of fruitful grace!

(Click/Tap on the above image to hear the two

messages given by Our Lady in June 2026)

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

Saints & Relics Presentation: St. George Church, 6-14-2026

This ministry launched its very first Saints and Relics Presentation at St. George Church back in October 2010 so this parish holds a warm place in this author's heart.   Since that first talk, I have since returned a handful of times to the Waimanalo parish to conduct a few more ... and the parishioners have always responded enthusiastically, each time, and today's presentation was no different.

Relics on display in St. George Church (note

the beautiful stained-glass windows of Hawaii's own

Sts. Marianne & Damien & Bro. Joseph Dutton)

I brought 10 relics for my audience to venerate - St. Bartolo Longo, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, Ven. Francesca del Serrone, Bl. Josaphata Hordashevska, Bl. Karl of Austria, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Bl. Nicholas Kitbamrung, St. Peregrine Laziosi, St. Padre Pio, and Our Lady's veil - and spoke in detail about the lives of seven of them.  Again, the St. George parishioners were very receptive to the stories I shared of our Saints and holy role-models ...

Above: This author emphasizing the need to show

proper respect toward the Sacred Relics

Below: Parishioners lined up to venerate the relics

Fortunately for the group, they have a wonderful, supportive Pastor - Fr. Raymond Ellorin - who also has a lively devotion to the Saints, surrounding his parishioners with their presence to encourage deeper faith.  Fr. Ray had a special Reliquary Shrine constructed inside the church to house 1st Class Relics of St. George Martyr and St. Damien of Molokai; had a beautiful meditation garden created, which he surrounded with large statues of several Saints; and recently installed 6 stained-glass windows also featuring Saints!  And last, but not least, Hispanic members of the parish erected an outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe - see below.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

This parish is literally saturated with the positive spiritual influence and intercession of our holy heroes!  If one is ever in the Windward area of Oahu, St. George Church is definitely worth a visit.