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     It was the thirteenth century which God chose to dispatch His very Own Blessed Mother to bequeath to His children two very special gifts - gifts that would ultimately be the most powerful weapons man would ever know: not nuclear, not atomic, but rather the potent power of the Holy Rosary and the protection of the Scapular. In this second installment of our special retro week II for the summer we bring you the chapter The Rosary and Scapular - timely vital signs for all times! as part of our marathon summer week in providing the early chapters of this on-going megaseries that the reader might have missed. For the second installment, click on THE AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS.

INTRODUCTION
      The second chapter of the Age of Marian Apparitions picks up where chapter one left off, in the middle centuries, specifically the 13th Century, when Jesus Christ answered the prayers of His faithful ones by sending His Very Own Blessed Mother Mary with a promise to all: Wear the Scapular and pray the Rosary and you will be protected always. In this second installment we follow the appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she continues a pattern of persistance in calling all God's children to the Will of God. No matter the age, Our Lady has been imparting the same message from Saint Dominic and Saint Simon Stock to Medjugorje and beyond: "Pray! Pray! Pray!" It is only through constant prayer, taken as a bouquet in loving, motherly intercession before the Throne of God, that the hearts of mankind will eventually be softened and all her little ones brought into accord with the Will of God. This continuing in-depth series on the grace-filled mystical phenomena of Our Lady's appearances and the meaning of her messages will open eyes and hearts because she is the mother of us all and her words of wisdom and warnings must be taken seriously...very seriously!

      As we chronologically listed in chapter one, from the 6th Century to the 11th Century there is no known apparition of the Mother of God. In 1061 Our Lady appeared to Lady Richeldis in Wasisingham, England and was told to recreate the Holy House there on the British Isles. Five years later Mary appeared again, this time in France which would be the first of countless apparitions in this country, leading up to the famous apparitions at Lourdes. Saint Albert was the visionary in Espain, France and the Blessed Mother came to him as the "Queen of Heaven". She appeared in the clouds as the "Queen of the Universe" less than 30 years later above the village of Arras, France. Five years later at the turn of the 12th Century she appeared to Saint Anselm in Canterbury, England asking him to promote devotion to Jesus' Mother and establish the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Ten years later, Our Lady returned to France appearing with a chorus of angels in Clairvaux to Saint Bernard who composed the first Memorare in her honor. The prayer we say today did not come directly from St. Bernard, for it was later revised by Father Giacomo Digione in 1640, and the middle of the century saw reports of her appearances in Rostov, Russia to Prince Yurly Dolgoruky who was instructed to present an Icon to her and, which subsequently, oozed forth a miraculous oil...similar to so many accounts we hear of today throughout the world.

a most powerful prayer is revealed

     Shortly after the turn of the 13th Century in the summer of 1206, while Saint Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers, knelt in prayer in the tiny chapel of Notre Dame at the headquarters of the Dominicans in Prouille, Our Lady appeared to him and imparted the charge to spread the devotion of her "Psalter" (150 Hail Mary's) and his mission would be successful. This was, of course, the Rosary. The first role the Rosary would play was in Dominic's mission to defend the Church against the Albigensianism heresy throughout France. True to her word Our Lady's intercession paid off. Wherever Dominic preached, aided by the Blessed Mother whispering words of wisdom to him as he spoke, he promoted the Rosary. With beads always in hand, his tireless efforts revived the courage of the Catholic troops, spurring them on to victory against overwhelming odds at the Battle of Muret in 1213. Through the special instrument of grace - the Rosary - the heresy was crushed.

      What the Virgin Mary had begun with Dominic she continued with Saint Peter Nolasco thirteen years later in Spain, requesting that he found the Order of Our Lady of Ransom. Her choice of saints continued with an appearance to the beloved Saint Anthony of Padua where she brought the Christ Child with her and placed the Infant Jesus in Anthony's gentle arms on top of the bible Anthony was holding. That is why he is so often depicted holding the young Jesus in that manor. It was also a sign that he was indeed chosen and all that Saint Francis of Assisi had begun with the Order of Friars Minor was truly of and from God. For this was the period in history when Holy Mother Church was in decline and Jesus' charge to Francis from the Cross, "Rebuild My Church" meant for a revival of all that Our Lord had established. He sent His Own Mother to help and guide those He had chosen. She made her first appearance in Germany in the town of Eifel to a Hermann Joseph in 1232.

the protective garment that became a holy habit

     In 1240 the Blessed Mother again appeared in Italy, this time southeast of Padua in Florence, to the Seven Founders of the Servite Order, where she bestowed the Black Scapular and Devotion to her Seven Sorrows. But it was her gift twelve years later in Aylsesford, England that carried the most impact.

      The 13th Century had seen the Fourth Council of Lateran wherein the decree was pronounced by Pope Innocent III and his successor Pope Honorius III that all must go to confession and receive Holy Communion. The Franciscan and Dominican fruits, as well as other Orders, were producing ripe dividends within the Church. The Angelical Salutation, namely the Hail Mary was being recited everywhere and often, prompting many to string beads together to keep count, thus fulfilling Dominic's charge to pray the Rosary. The Church was on the rise. New orders were springing up throughout Europe, but Holy Mother Church's people needed a protection from outside forces that threatened the bastions of the Church. Enter once again Our Lady, this time to a holy Friar of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Cambridge on the evening of July 16th, 1251. She bestowed the holy Brown Scapular on him as an assurance of protection.

      The scapular per se was a piece of long broad cloth which covered the front and back of a person. This had been adapted from the earliest times and carried on by numerous religious orders as an important uniform ingredient to their habits. The Brown Scapular, however, was not only meant for religious to wear but all laity. As is always the case, if it's from God it will spread and grow. This blessed habit spread quickly throughout Europe and beyond. Every pontiff enriched its existence with more indulgences and accounts of the miracles wrought from wearing this small cloth habit became legendary.

      One such tale was about a soldier who was mortally wounded in the Battle of Tehin. A bullet had lodged in his heart. Though in the state of mortal sin, he was given enough time to live in order to make his confession. Once the priest gave absolution, the infantry doctor on hand probed his wound and discovered that the bullet had driven the scapular he was wearing literally into his human heart. As he was giving verbal thanks to Our Lady for preserving him until he could make amends with God, the physician's crude scalpel extracted the scapular. At that very moment, the soldier expired joyfully. There are countless other stories of similar miracles that have been passed down through the centuries.

      In the same century Mary bestowed the Scapular, she also appeared at Loretto in Italy. Legend has it that the angels miraculously transported the humble home of the Holy Family from Nazareth to this central Italian coastal village on the Adriatic Sea. With so many appearances for those times, the Church wisely began the custom of dedicating the month of May to Mary.

      In the next issue we will detail the Blessed Mother's impact on the 14th and 15th Centuries leading up to the tumultous 16th Century. We will detail the Promises to Saint Bridget and more on the Brown Scapular as we continue this on-going series on The Age of Marian Apparitions.

TOMORROW: More promises of protection

Above we have been given the means; in her messages we have the finite method to activate the spiritual artillery for infinite ends

     In everything the Almighty does there is a special purpose and God has it all so organized that no finite mind can comprehend the vastness and rewards, but only if we comply with His Will through prayer. That is the essence of the Blessed Mother Mary's words in her 163rd and 164th messages to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart, which we bring you today. Our Lady urges her children to use the tools we have been given to "Pray! Pray! Pray!" Only by praying can we activate the weapon of the Rosary to make it effective. Click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Messages One Hundred Sixty-Three and Sixty-Four

      Dear children, behold your Father's hand. It is set to strike. Already you suffer grave tribulation on every front yet stubbornly you refuse to see. You have now the plagues as set forth in the Apocalypse, but you fail to recognize them because you have not understood Sacred Scripture. The plagues shall spread with dreadful suffering for many, many souls.

      I solemnly tell you that war shall erupt again and it shall be a cause of much sorrow and suffering to your country. I weep because even now my words shall be misunderstood and hearts will remain closed. But the Scriptures are to be fulfilled and God permits me to prepare you and to announce the glorious return of my Divine Son. Beware the false peace! Even more beware the false rumors which malign the authority of God. Has not God revealed to youth that many, many of His chosen ones, His consecrated ones shall fail to perceive the truth and will thus lead countless souls away from Him?

      Woe! Triple woe to all shepherds who speak in my Son's Name yet have not understood. They shall be held accountable on the Last Day.

      I weep for the world which has no awareness of their Heavenly Father. I cry for poor, lukewarm souls who are so blinded by the beast.

      Pray! You must pray because only in this way will satan be bound forever, and all his demons.

      Heed my words. Pray! Prepare! Love God alone and trust in Him completely. The work is so great and my words have not been heard by so many, while others choose to throw them away as rubbish.

      Be united in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Surrender all to God and become a little child. All who are little shall be saved. Those who willingly choose to have their reward in this life shall find no reward in the next.

      Pray for my priest-sons, your bishops and the Vicar of Christ, my cherished son. Defend Him, obey him and seek God's assistance that he shall yet remain your Shepherd. He has been formed in my Heart and is in union with God. Listen attentively to Him and obey in all things. You shall then deserve God's benevolence and you shall be fruitful vines.

      Live a holy, chaste Lent. Prepare with sacrifices and take up your cross in loving acceptance. I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

      Beloved Hidden Flower, I bless you O! How I long for all of my children to say: "Praise to the Trinity, now and forever!" But, my little one, you must say to my children that my Immaculate Heart is very sad. I am among you as never before, and so many ears are deaf, so many hearts cold. You do not understand my words and therefore they are not lived.

      I solemnly tell you that satan shall inflict cruel sorrow on my Divine Son's Church. Do you not yet recognize how insidiously he works? He confuses, causes doubts, contradicts on every front. Woe! Triple woe to my priest-sons who willingly cast their lot with the beast and lead my little ones away from my Son.

      O! I weep because you have not listened and now satan, blackened with pride, considers his battle plans to be the victorious ones. He desires disunity. How shall he achieve this? By destroying the places of my appearances, casting hideous doubts on my chosen ones who have willingly received my words and given them to the world. He has so entrenched himself in the world and in the church that the very heartbeat of Truth seems nearly extinguished. To many souls it shall seem a new age of a new enlightened truth, when in reality all are lies.

      I solemnly tell you shall see the rise of the great apostasy before you bid farewell to this year. By your loving prayers and sacrifices you can halt satan's plans and mitigate the punishment.

      My little ones, do not be afraid. Pray and be faithful little children who, each day, renew their total "Yes" to God. Go to Mass. Receive the Sacraments. Pray and fast as Nineveh did and God's mercy shall sustain you, His Wisdom shall enlighten you in the terrible darkness.

      O! I love you. Each one of you. Do not reject the gifts of God. Do not grow conceited. Be ever humble little children and know I shall be with you as ordained by Almighty God.

      I send forth all my little ones into the battle. You are well-armed and strong as long as you remain humble and contrite of heart, filled with love, trust and faith in your Heavenly Father. Fight valiantly. Call upon all the Heavenly host!

      I repeat: Look to the heavens for God's powerful signs. Be dead to the world of men which reeks of evil. Come and dwell in Celestial Purity.

      The time is already upon you, its fulfillment near. Do not grieve; rejoice and believe for God shall be victorious. The triumph of my Immaculate Heart is near at hand. Work, suffer willingly, to cooperate in God's glorious plan.

      I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

      Today is the Thirteenth Thursday in Ordinary Time, while tomorrow is the feast of SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE. For the liturgy, readings and meditations for both days, click on LITURGY FOR THE DAY.

Thursday July 2: Thirteenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

Green vestments

First Reading: Amos 7: 10-17
Psalms: Psalm 19: 8-11
Gospel Reading: Matthew 9: 1-8

Friday July 3:
FEAST OF SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE

Red vestments

First Reading: Ephesians 2: 19-22
Psalms: Psalm 117: 1-2
Gospel Reading: John 20: 24-29

      Though Saint Thomas the Apostle is often referred to as the "Doubting Apostle," in truth he was one of the most faithful, believing of Christ's disciples. This is confirmed in John 11: 16 when Thomas boldly encourages his fellow apostles to go with Jesus to Lazarus where the fear was that they might be stoned, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." That does not display doubt, but rather undying faith. But Thomas, being human and having withered the many storms Christ underwent, expressed the sentiment many would. In other words, it was almost too much to believe that Jesus had risen. To allay any further sorrow, Thomas put up a defense to the other Apostles with his famous, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." In other words, "don't tease me!" Christ understood and was gentle with Thomas, rebuking him mildly in John 20: 27-29 with "...and be not unbelieving, but believing...Because thou hast seen Me, thou has believed. Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed." The last sentence is a great lesson in faith for the majority of us have not seen, yet we believe. That's faith. This event also occurred before the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Even before this Thomas had pledged his undying loyalty with his famous response to Our Lord in John 20: 28, "My Lord and my God!" It was Thomas' way of asking forgiveness for doubting. After Christ's Ascension Thomas was sent to preach in Parthia and the Indies where he gained the glorious crown of martyrdom. In 1972 Pope Paul VI proclaimed him "Patron Saint of India."

   Dear children! Today I desire to thank you for living my messages. I bless you all with my motherly blessing and I bring you all before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.

For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE

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PROVERB OF THE DAY

"The mind of the intelligent man seeks knowledge, but the mouth of the fool feeds on folly."

Proverbs 15: 14

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July 2, 1998 volume 9, no. 128   DAILY CATHOLIC