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!

Monthly Message from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: August 2025

  "Dear children, my little children, my beloved ones; you are chosen because you have responded, you have put into practice my instructions and love God above all else.  Therefore, little children, pray with all your heart that my words may be realized.  Fast, sacrifice yourselves, love out of love for God who created you, and be, little children, my extended hands to this world that has not come to know the God of love.  Thank you for having responded to my call."

Saints & Relics Presentation: Sacred Hearts Academy, 8/18/2025

Today, this ministry had the joy and blessing of visiting Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu to conduct a presentation/relic exhibit for approximately 60 Sophomore students.  I've never been to this historic parochial school so I was excited to speak at a new venue - plus the gothic-style architecture in the chapel was beautiful, along with the campus.

As for the presentation, it turned out to be an enlightening experience for the students.  For example, before speaking about St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes to the girls, I first asked if any of them had ever heard of the French Saint and the Holy Grotto associated with her; not one participant raised a hand (and it wasn't because they were being shy)!  I was somewhat surprised by this because there's actually a huge replica of the Lourdes Grotto prominently located in their campus, as seen below ...

A replica of the Lourdes Grotto at the

Sacred Hearts Academy campus

And sure - not all of the students there are Catholic so those girls have a reason for not knowing about Lourdes, but I'm certain the majority are Catholic so it struck me that they've never been schooled about the spiritual significance behind their own grotto.

So I shared the story of St. Bernadette: her 18 apparitions of the Blessed Virgin in the grotto; the discovery of the miraculous spring; her holy life as a nun; and her incorrupt body.  The facial expressions I scanned in the audience - both the students and their respective teachers - shown with genuine interest and wide-eyed wonder, as I told the Saint's story and shared photos.  The same look was repeated over and over as the stories of several other holy individuals were narrated.

Relics on display for the students

In all, 11 relics were shared with the students, which included those belonging to St. Bernadette, Visionary of Lourdes; Bl. Carlo Acutis, Patron of Youth; St. Faustina Kowalska of Divine Mercy; St. Gianna Beretta Molla, Patroness of the Pro-Life Movement; Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin, Patrons of Families; St. Peregrine Laziosi, Patron of Cancer Patients; Bl. Pierina Morosini, Virgin & Martyr; Bl. Rolando Rivi, Martyr; St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower; and Our Lady's veil.

I often gauge the level of success of each presentation by the reaction of my audiences and by the feedback I receive after.  Today's talk seemed exceptionally successful because of what I saw reflected in the girls' faces and by their enthusiastic veneration of the relics present.  For sure, they all walked away knowing more than they did about our Saints ... and with greater appreciation for them, too - PRICELESS!

Students going up in small groups to view and

venerate the Saints and their respective relics.

All thanks and praises be to God!

The Marian Apparitions at Tre Fontane: From Prophecy to Revelation

This blog has been a long-time coming.  It's about the history of little-known Marian apparitions that took place in a grotto on a hill to the south of Rome, beginning in 1947.  The place is Tre Fontane ("Three Fountains") and I've been to this hallowed sanctuary four times during three pilgrimages I made to Italy - most recently in October 2024 - and it personally ranks high among the holy sites I've been blessed to visit so far.  Although this shrine has been mentioned in this blog before, I've been intending to exclusively feature Tre Fontane in its own post but never got around to it until I felt strongly prompted by a remarkable photo I took this past Saturday (see it here).  So, without any further ado, this is the amazing and inspirational story of the "Virgin of Revelation" of Tre Fontane ...

Prelude: Luigina Sinapi’s Prophetic Encounter (1937)

On April 12, 1937, a devout Roman catechist named Luigina Sinapi (a mystic-soul who is now a Venerable in the Sainthood Process) led a pilgrimage to the Abbey of Tre Fontane, the site traditionally associated with the martyrdom of St. Paul.  As she walked with her group through the eucalyptus grove that surrounded the area, Luigina separated for private prayer and discovered the remains of an aborted infant in a grotto (the secluded hillsides in the area were commonly known for illicit activity during the night).  With reverence, Luigina buried the remains with a Miraculous Medal.  It was then that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her in radiant light.

Ven. Luigina Sinapi and the grotto of Tre

Fontane at the time of the apparitions

The Virgin delivered a striking prophecy: “I will return to this place.  I will make use of a man who today persecutes the Church, who wants to kill the Pope.”  She then instructed Luigina to go to St. Peter’s Basilica, where she would meet a woman dressed in black who would lead her to her brother, a cardinal destined to become Pope, and she was to reveal to him what transpired at Tre Fontane.  True to the Our Lady's words, Luigina met a woman - Elisabeth Pacelli - who introduced the mystic to her brother, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli to whom Luigina relayed the Virgin's predictions; the same prelate later ascended to the papacy as Pope Pius XII in 1939.

Luigina's divine encounter, largely unknown outside devout circles, laid the spiritual groundwork for what would unfold exactly ten years later ... with Pope Pius XII later playing a prominent role in the history of Tre Fontane and Marian Devotion, in general.

The Apparition to Bruno Cornacchiola (1947)

Bruno Cornacchiola was a local street tram operator.  He was a rough man - a bitter anti-Catholic who had become a communist sympathizer and a member of the Seventh Day Adventist sect.  On April 12, 1947, he took his three children to the eucalyptus hills of Tre Fontane for a picnic.  He was preparing a speech to denounce the Virgin Mary’s perpetual virginity, intending to deliver it the next day.  Unknown to him, divine intervention awaited.

The seer of Tre Fontane with his wife

and their three children

While playing with a ball, his children wandered near the entrance of the same grotto where Ven. Luigina had received her apparition.  One by one, they knelt, transfixed while staring into the cavern and repeating “Beautiful Lady! Beautiful Lady!”  Bruno, who saw nothing, became confused and alarmed, and he tried lifting them but found each were immovable despite their diminutive sizes.  Struck with fear, he cried out in desperation, “God help us!” and suddenly he saw two disembodied luminous hands floating towards him, which touched his eyes.  The visionary felt "scales" painfully fall from his eyes and a brilliant light began forming in the grotto in which stood a woman of indescribable beauty: dressed in a simple white gown with a rose-colored sash, a green mantle, and black hair.  She held a Bible close to her heart and her expression was somber but maternal.  A sweet floral aroma filled the grotto, while near her feet a broken crucifix and a cassock were seen.

The woman spoke: “I am she who is in the Divine Trinity: the Daughter of the Father; the Mother of the Son; and the Spouse and Temple of the Holy Spirit.  I am the Virgin of the Revelation.  You persecute me: enough of it now!  Enter into the Holy Fold, the Heavenly Court on Earth (the Catholic Church).”  She revealed that Bruno’s soul had been saved by the Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus he had once reluctantly agreed to do to please his devout wife, Iolanda.  Our Lady then added: “Live the Divine Doctrine.  Practice Christianity.  Live the Faith.  The Hail Marys that you pray with faith and love are like golden arrows that go straight to the heart of Jesus.”

 

The beautiful statue of the Virgin of

Revelation in the Sacred Grotto

The Virgin further urged Bruno to pray the Rosary daily for the conversion of sinners and the unity of Christians.  Then, as if anticipating the proclamation of her Assumption into Heaven, she stated: “My body did not decay, for it could not decay.  My Divine Son and the angels came to meet me at the hour of my death.”  Before departing, Our Lady warned him of trials ahead and instructed him to deliver her message personally to the Pope.

Aftermath and Bruno’s Life of Witness

Bruno’s conversion was immediate and profound.  He abandoned his plans to assassinate Pope Pius XII and instead became a tireless witness to the truth of the Catholic Faith.  He met with the Pope on July 22, 1947, and presented him with the makeshift dagger on which he had carved "Death to the Pope"; he begged for forgiveness.  Pius XII, on his part, was deeply moved upon hearing Bruno's story and the Virgin’s personal message delivered to him.  The same Pope later blessed the beautiful statue of the Virgin of Revelation in St. Peter’s Square before its transfer to Tre Fontane ... and it was Pope Pius XII who proclaimed the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary three years later on November 1st, 1950.

Bruno (center) during a group audience

with Pope Pius XII

Bruno dedicated the rest of his life to evangelization, often speaking publicly about the apparitions and urging devotion to the Virgin Mary.  He suffered trials - poverty, skepticism, and spiritual attacks - but remained steadfast.  He also founded a lay-apostolate called SACRI for the purpose of teaching the truths of the Catholic Church, and he continued to receive private apparitions along with messages, some prophetic in nature - for example, in February 1982, Our Lady allegedly said to him: “The thirsty and the lost will come to pray here.  They will find love, understanding, consolation: the true meaning of life.  Here, in this place of the grotto where I appeared several times, will be the sanctuary of expiation, as if it were purgatory on Earth.  There will be a gate with the significant name of "Gate of Peace".  All must enter through this gate.”

Bruno Cornacchiola died a holy death in 2001, and his Cause for Canonization has been initiated in Rome in 2017.  His fruitful legacy lives on through the association he started and the sanctuary built at the site of his heavenly visitations; his writings and testimony inspired countless conversions.  It goes without saying that Bruno’s story is a powerful affirmation of the Blessed Virgin's maternal intercession and the transformative grace of God's Love and Mercy.

Epilogue: Graces Continue to Flow from Tre Fontane

Today, the Holy Grotto at Tre Fontane remains a place of pilgrimage and quiet prayer.  Although the Church has not proclaimed an official approval of the apparitions, the shrine enjoys the tacit approval of the Vatican.  The chapel built over the site was authorized by Pope Pius XII in 1956 and entrusted by him to the care of the Franciscan Conventuals.  Mass is celebrated daily and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is administered regularly.  Tre Fontane is, as Our Lady indicated, a place of profound PEACE and CONVERSION.

And finally, the miracles witnessed from the very start of these apparitions continue to be reported, mainly through the devout use of the blessed soil from the grotto, fulfilling these words Our Lady spoke to Bruno back in 1947: “I promise this special favor: With this sinful soil I shall perform great miracles for the conversion of unbelievers and of sinners.”

The Servant of God, Bruno Cornacchiola, and

a packet of blessed soil from the Holy Grotto

If one is ever in Rome, this author highly recommends a stop at the Sanctuary of Tre Fontane.  One will not regret it.

Our Lady of Revelation, pray for us!

God makes the most ordinary things extraordinary! (UPDATED 8/21/2025)

Happy Birthday to

our Heavenly Mama Mary!

If one isn't aware, today - August 5th - is the Blessed Virgin's historical birthday.  At least that's what she supposedly said to several of the visionaries from the Church-approved apparition site of Medjugorje, although the Feast of Our Lady's Nativity is officially observed on September 8th.  What's more is that the Holy Virgin allegedly made the same revelation to another group of seers during the reported Marian apparitions at Oliveto Citra (Italy), which are still ongoing and under ecclesiastical investigation.

Anyway, concerning this date, allow me to share an amusing story that happened this afternoon: being a believer in the Medjugorje events and a devotee of the Virgin Mary, I privately observe each August 5th as her birthday ... and today was no different.  I went to Mass at Noon and sang "Happy Birthday" within my heart before a statue of our Heavenly Mother.  

Before returning to my office, I took a break on a bench, in the shade, next to a large planter.  Casually glancing into the planter, my eyes happened to rest on a leaf in the shrubbery that stood out because of its peculiar white pattern.  I was immediately captivated.

Just look at the photo I took of it and one will understand why ...

I won't state more about that unusual leaf because I think the photo - the specific pattern on its surface - is pretty self-explanatory, given the occasion.  Indeed, God has a way of transforming the most ordinary circumstances into the extraordinary!  I chuckled to myself, snapped pics, then went back to work smiling and uplifted - Thanks be to God!

Reflecting on today's happenings, I think this message from Medjugorje given by Our Lady back in 8/25/2003, fits the scenario perfectly:

“Dear children!  Also today I call you to give thanks to God in your heart for all the graces which He gives you, also through the signs and colors that are in nature.  God wants to draw you closer to Himself and moves you to give Him glory and thanks.  Therefore, little children, I call you anew to pray, pray, pray and do not forget that I am with you.  I intercede before God for each of you until your joy in Him is complete.  Thank you for having responded to my call.”

You can't make this stuff up.

* * *  U P D A T E :  8 / 2 1 / 2 0 2 5  * * *

Here's an amusing update concerning the leaf pictured above.  After Mass, today, I took another break next to the same planter to make a quick phone call.  I looked for the leaf and found it, only to discover the white pattern had changed a little - see for yourself:

Now she has a child with her - unbelievable!  Again, God has a way of making ordinary things extraordinary!

After 15 years, this blog has another thing to celebrate 🥳

Saint of the Month - August 2025: Saint Jeanne Delanoue

St. Jeanne Delanoue

A Soul Transformed by God's Mercy

Feast: August 17th

St. Jeanne Delanoue was born on June 18, 1666, in the city of Saumur, France, into a devout family who operated a small religious goods store near the local shrine of Our Lady of Ardilliers.  From a young age, Jeanne exhibited great intelligence, resourcefulness, and a keen business sense.  Yet despite her pious upbringing and proximity to a sacred place, her early life was marked more by ambition than holiness.  After the death of her parents, she took over the shop and expanded its profits, running it with keen efficiency but a hardened heart, even keeping her store open on Sundays and feast days, which was a scandal in her time.

But God had greater plans for Jeanne.

In 1693, her life changed profoundly through an encounter with a poor widow named Françoise Fouchet, who prophetically told her that she was destined for a much higher calling: to care for the poor.  At first skeptical, Jeanne resisted, but grace began to stir within her.  Soon after, she experienced a radical interior conversion and she abandoned her materialistic ways, closed her shop on Sundays, and began to visit the sick and destitute in the caves, cellars, and hovels of Saumur.  What had once been a heart of indifference was now set ablaze with divine charity.

Jeanne began welcoming orphans, the elderly, the sick, and the mentally ill into her own home.  Despite the ridicule of neighbors and even physical assaults from those who misunderstood her mission, she remained steadfast.  In 1704, she founded the Congregation of St. Anne of Providence, dedicated to the service of the most abandoned.  Trusting entirely in Divine Providence, Jeanne accepted no regular income or stable funding, relying solely on the mercy of God and the generosity He inspired in others.

The Saint’s work quickly expanded, and by the time of her death, Jeanne had founded or inspired the establishment of over a dozen homes for the poor across western France.  She became known not only for her boundless compassion but for her mystical life of prayer, penance, and spiritual discernment; she was known to heal the sick through her prayers and blessing.  Though she bore many sufferings in silence, her union with Christ deepened, and she often spoke of seeing Him in the faces of the poor.

St. Jeanne Delanoue died on August 17, 1736, worn out by a life of total self-giving.  She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 31, 1982, as a radiant example of how God can transform even the most self-centered heart into one consumed by love.

A relic from St. Jeanne's bones, gifted to

this ministry by her congregation.

This Saint’s life remains a testimony that sanctity begins not with perfection, but with surrender - when the soul opens itself fully to God’s mercy and allows Divine Love to remake it into a likeness of Jesus Christ.

St. Jeanne Delanoue, pray for us!

Monthly Message from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: July 2025

  "Dear children!  In this time of grace, when the Most High permits me to love you and lead you on the way of holiness, Satan wants to entangle you with the cord of peacelessness and hatred.  Do not permit him to prevail, but, little children, fight for the holiness of every life.  Thank you for having responded to my call."

A photo taken this morning after Mass

at St. John Vianney Church, Kailua (the

day this message was given at Medjugorje)

- note Our Lady to the left of the sun.

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!

Breaking News: Another Marian Apparition approved by the Vatican!

  

Just a few days ago, on July 9, 2025, the Vatican issued a "nihil obstat" related to the reported Marian apparitions of Litmanová.  It's basically a green light - an official Church approval - for public devotions to be held at the site of the appearances and also for its associated messages.

These notable events occurred between August 1990 and August 1995 on Mount Zvir in northern Slovakia, where two young girls, Ivetka Korčáková and Katka Češelková, reported seeing the Virgin Mary, who identified herself as the “Immaculate Purity”.  The visionaries were 11 (Ivetka) and 12 when the visitations first began in a humble woodcutter's shack in the forest where they were resting from playing before Our Lady appeared in the midst of a bright light.  The shack has since been transformed into a rustic chapel atop the holy mountain.

"My dear children!  My Son invites

you.  Go to Him, and you will experience

true happiness and true peace.  My

dear children, I desire to lead you!  Open

your hearts to me, and you will

experience true peace and true joy.

Give thanks to the Cross!"

- Message of April 5, 1992

The apparitions commenced during a time of political upheaval and drew thousands of pilgrims, many of whom witnessed phenomena such as solar miracles and sought healing from a nearby spring reportedly blessed by the Holy Virgin.  Her messages emphasized conversion, simplicity, and spiritual renewal, similar to other approved Marian apparitions.

"My dear children!  Please take

more time to reflect on my messages.

I pray to God for one thing - to leave

His peace within you.  The current time

is a thief of peace.  Please say to God:

I love, therefore, I repent.

I love, therefore, I forgive.

I love, and that is my peace."

-  Message of March 5, 1995

Initially, Our Lady appeared on Sundays and Feast Days to the child seers, but later she came to the mountain on the First Sunday of each month and delivered public messages, just a few of which are posted here.

"My dear children, this revelation is

my last.  I love you ... and I thank you all

for what you have done for me here.

My beloved children!  I wanted

this to happen, to wake you up

from the dream of emptiness, so you

may understand the need for

conversion.  In this time, conversion

is essential!  Please, I beg you.

I will remain on this mountain.

Reflect on my messages!  Stay in

my heart during this time!

Stay, for you must become more

vigilant and simple.

The time that is coming has already

begun.  Remain like children - completely

free for God.  Please, take my words

to heart!  I love you and wait for

you in heaven."

- Final message of August 6, 1995

The seers, Ivetka (left) and Katka.

For more information about the apparitions

and messages of Litmanova, click here.

O Mary, Immaculate Purity,

pray for us!