Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Thu, 20 Aug 1992 12:14:50 CDT
From:         Elizabeth Stevens <CCCAMPER@MIZZOU1.BITNET>
Subject:      Fatima, Medjugorje...

Brad,
I have loaned out my book on Medjugorje and after calling around
every Christian bookstore in town is out of stock.  :) If Marty
doesn't have the details on the local bishop for Medjugorje I'll
get my book back and briefly describe the situation. I don't
want to attempt it without reference and misstate something.

It is very common for local authorities to oppose apparitions.
An obvious reason is that if God wants to speak to His children
satan is bound to be right there trying to lessen or destroy
the impact of His Gift. While I don't have my references here
at work, there have been serious difficulties for most
visionaries to endure. At Fatima in 1917 Lucia, Jacinta, and
Fransisco (ages approx 7 to 10) were treated quite severly
in order to expose their "lie". I believe it was Lucia didn't
even have the support of her own mother. At one point these
small children were tricked into going to an nearby town
all alone with (i believe) an official who represented the
gov't, not the church. (I can check these facts tonight
to define them better). Anyway, one by one, from the youngest
on up they were told that they would be killed in a vat of
boiling oil (?) if they did not recant their story. One
by one they refused and were led off. Lucia was last and
oldest and she truly believed her two cousins were murdered,
but she would not recant her testimony. In other words, these
tiny children had the incredible grace of faith strong
enough to not be intimated by death. Also, after seeing
a vision of hell they did continual penances for the
souls of others. Jacinta and Fransisco died within a few
years, the Blessed Mother had told them they would, and
they both suffered greatly (at their own agreement) for
reparation of other souls.

Our Lady tod the children that souls could be saved from
hell by devotion to her Immaculate Heart (which God considers
gravely offended, especially today) and by reparation.
She told the children that another more terrible war would
begin in the reign of Pope Pius XI if offenses of God
continued. ( the beginnings of the war with the assasination
of the archduke did indeed occur in this popes reign.)
She also asked the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate
Heart, which as discussed earlier, did not occur when requested.

Garabandal in the 1960's has still not been approved due
to the handling by the local bureaucracy, which included
such things as forcing the visionaries to meet privately
with only one person, rather than a board of examiners
( without notes i'm probably using the wrong words here!)
and in the private meetings they were intimidated and
coerced into recanting. However, this is currently being
studied, by my understanding, and Garabandal is a vital
link between Fatima and Medjugorje. This is a major
part of the messages from Jesus to Vassula Ryden.

It is interesting to note that while God has allowed
the Our Blessed Mother to appear since the first century,
(i don't have details of these early apparitions) she
has told the visionaries in Medjugorje that when she
is done appearing there, she will not be back again
on earth.

The visionaries in Medjugorje has passed with "flying
colors" a variety of medical and scientific tests to
verify their ecstacies during apparitions. The fruits of
these apparitions are incredible, many blind see, cripples
walk, additions are loosed, marriages healed and families
reunited. Over 300 medical cures are listed in the files
at the Parish house. But its the conversion to God
which is by far the most important. After an estimated
20 million pilgrims of many faiths, we can only guess at
numbers, but they are phenomanal. Many people I know have
experienced this grace of conversion without even going
to Medjugorje, by being touched through others who have been
there. (myself included, and now my husband and son)

The best book for a non-Catholic to read is "Medjugorje,
the Message" by Wayne Weible. Being a Lutheran and a journalist,
he explored all the questions that I had, and found amazing
answers. This book is published by Paraclete Press.


I have lots of books and have been asking lots of questions
myself. So I'm happy to look up anything any non Catholic
like myself may want to ask. (or Catholic, for that matter!)

The *wonderful* part of all of this is that God is showing
us how INCREDIBLY He loves us.
"Be not afraid, I go before you always". :)

In His Love,
Elizabeth
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia