Categories
In Factum Marian Apparition Mariology

Third Secret of Fatima

Scribe: The common knowledge or information circulating concerning something of vital importance.

Pharisee: The shared knowledge or belief system of religious sectarian or denominational positions which project their own bigoted stance on the matter.

Saducee: The shared artistic sophistication and scientific sophistry which project the present pleasure of humanity.

Zealot: The revolutionary expression of rage and disatisfaction of some people concerning the matter at hand.

Herodian: The seemingly beneficial stance of occult and technologically covert diabolical systems.

Conclusion: The stance of the few who recognize the mesianic role of Jesus as King of the Jews: circumcised gentiles or Jewish converts to the real and beautiful practice of Good Christianity.

Topic #1

The Third Secret of Fatima

Scribe: 

Those in the media and some in the hierarchy would say: The Third Secret of Fatima had already been divulged as early as the potinficate of John XXIII who is now a canonized saint. The manner by which it was kept hidden by the church hierarchy makes mankind wonder concerning its content. Especially, why has it been kept secret for so long or in fact if it indeed was revealed already, what are its real content?

Pharisee:

Those who are established princes of the church and bishop would say: As far as we can see, the secret as already been unravelled. There is no need to sensationalize on its contents because the only reason for its being hidden is because in the 1960s such changes would have cause some uproar in some sectors of the church which are still sensitive to winds of change.

Saducee:

Those who are not happy with church affairs may say: Sad to say, the secret needs to be kept even up to this time because some in the church hierarchy are involved. The winds of change continue to blow and many revelations continue to shock members of the church.

Zealot:

The crimes committed by some clergymen are outrageous! The cardinals and bishops continue to perpetrate these crimes and even the Pope was derelict in his duty as shepherd of the flock. Perpetrators of crime against their fellow priests, women especially nuns and children who were grievously molested should pay for their crimes.

In Conclusion: The militant church member should be aware that there is a resident evil within the church and its influence must have reached the papal throne. In purifying the church which has become so worldly in its attempt to be relevant to modern times, the only possible way is to gradually be liberated from its fatal contagion by returning to its simple and positive origins.

Categories
Holy Rosary Marian Apparition Mariology Sacramental

Our Lady of Lourdes And The Rosary

On February 11, 1985 Saint Bernadette together with her sister and a friend went to the Grotto of Massabielle to gather firewood. Her companion went first to the woods while St. Bernadette remove her socks and shoes. Then she started to hear two gusts of wind. But the trees didn’t move except for the wild rose in the niche of the Grotto. At the grotto, a beautiful lady appeared to her with a blue girdle, a golden rosary on her hands and colored gold roses on each foot. The lady also covered by white light but she can clearly see the beautiful lady. The lady smiled at her and prompted her to approach her. St. Bernadette took the rosary from her pocket and kneeled before the Lady. When she was starting to make a sign of a cross, her body cannot move. After the sign of the cross of the beautiful lady, she was now able to move her body and also do the sign. Then, they started to praying the Holy Rosary. While praying, the lady is silent but her fingers are moving on every bead of her rosary. When starting to pray the “Glory be”, this is where the Lady accompanied her. St. Bernadette always pray the Rosary on every day she met the Beautiful Lady.

On March 25, 1858, the Beautiful Lady told her that she is “The Immaculate Conception”. This is where the church recognizer her as the Blessed Virgin Mary because at that time, that title is still on debate. Only the clergy knows this title and not the people outside the church, including the young Saint Bernadette. Until it became an official dogma on 1854.

 

WHY DOES ST. BERNADETTE KNEEL BEFORE THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY? SHE IS NOT A GOD.

Yes, she is not God, but we kneel before her because she is our Queen. Kneeling before her also gives adoration to our Lord Jesus Christ because she is His Mother. The Ark of the New Covenant.

WHY DOES THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ONLY SAY THE “GLORY BE” AND NOT THE OTHER PRAYERS IN THE HOLY ROSARY?

The reason why she didn’t pray the other prayers because these prayers are meant to pray for those who still on earth, who are still suffering and capable to sin again. Our Blessed Mother, is already a saint in heaven. For Example, in Our Father, the prayer indicates “give us this our daily bread”, the Holy people in Heaven like the Blessed Virgin will never be hungry or thirsty. Then, on “forgive us our sins”, the Holy People or Saints in heaven are not capable to sin again because they are already Holy. The Hail Mary will never be prayed by the Blessed Mother because she is the person that we prayed to. The Glory Be is a prayer praising the Holy Trinity, the Three Persona of God. This prayer is both prayed or sung by the people on earth and the angels and saints on heaven. As for the Fatima Prayer, the prayer does not exist yet at the time when the Blessed Mother appeared in Lourdes because it was created by the Blessed Mother on 1917.

Categories
Hagiography Marian Apparition

The Faith of Bernadette

These are the words of Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the humble seer of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. Indeed, she reminded us of how important love is and embrace life including its trials. Love in order to reach heaven where Jesus and Mary awaits in our true home.

In February 11, 1858, a woman appeared in a grotto in Massabielle in Lourdes, France to a 14-year old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous. The apparition now known as Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the recognizable image of the Virgin Mary. In this apparition she introduced herself as the Immaculate Conception. Lourdes had become a popular pilgrim site of spirituality and faith as many miracles are attributed to the devotion and to the water of Lourdes, from the spring that flows from the Grotto of Massabielle.

Bernadette was born in January 7, 1844 in Lourdes from a poverty-stricken family. She was the eldest of the nine children of Francois and Louise Soubirous, a miller and laundress respectively. She had a weak health having asthma and other ailments.

The vision in Massabielle started when Bernadette with her sister and a friend gathered wood near the grotto. It was the start of series of visions that happened 18 times from February 11 to July 16, 1858. During these occasions she was asked to drink water from a spring near the grotto, the need of prayer and penance, and to have a chapel built and a procession be done. On the seventeenth apparition the lady revealed herself as the Immaculate Concepcion.

Bernadette describes the lady “dressed in a flowing white robe, with a blue sash around her waist with a yellow rose on each foot.”

The phenomenal event was trying times for young Bernadette since her family were initially embarrassed with the attention and forbade her to go. The incident was too much for a young girl telling her vision was indeed true. However, Bernadette with her innocence and simplicity was resolute and showed courage. The townspeople where divided as usual in any community. Some believed she saw the Blessed Virgin although she never said it was her. Some thinks she was suffering from some mental illness and imagining things.

She boarded a local school and eventually admitted as a novitiate at Nevers. Her superior gave her the name Marie-Bernard, which suits her having devotion to Saint Bernard.

She was questioned multiple times and many inquiries were made. Bernadette was firm as to the truth and genuiness of her visions. She was investigated thoroughly by both the Catholic church and government officials. These ordeal continued even until her last days of suffering from illness. Her suffering of tuberculosis of the lungs and bones lead to her death in April 16, 1879 at Nevers. Her last words were,

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for me, a poor sinner, a poor sinner”.

There were several challenges, penances and sacrifices were endured by the humble saint. Heaven and Mary had divine plans for her:

“I do not promise you happiness in this world but in the next.”, the words of Our Lady of Lourdes to Bernadette. For someone who knows her and the beauty of her faith, her courage and simplicity, the virtues of Bernadette is worthy of emulation.

December 8, 1933, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the humble saint of Lourdes, St. Bernadette Soubirous, was canonized by Pope Pius XI. Her body was also found to be incorrupt, and was placed on a glass casket in St Gildard Convent in Never for veneration.

The faith of Bernadette was pure and holy. She completely offered her will, life and soul to God. She trusted the beautiful lady in Massabielle. It was no surprise that her simple virtues had chosen her to bring Our Lady’s message to the world and people of Lourdes. Her words sum it up, to inspire us how we should offer or faith and trust to Mary and Jesus;

“Oh my Mother, to you I sacrifice all other attachments so that my heart may belong entirely to you and to my Jesus.”

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous#Results_of_her_visions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Lourdes

Categories
Dogma Eucharist Hagiography Marian Apparition Mariology

St. Bernadette and the Immaculate Conception

Saint Bernadette’s story is popular when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared on her on February 11, 1858, when she went to collect woods near the Grotto of Massabielle. Her companions went to the woods first while Saint Bernadette started to remove her socks and shoes. Then she heard two gusts of wind but the trees and bushes did not move except for the wild rose in the niche of the Grotto. There was beautiful lady who appeared to her wearing a white gown with blue girdle with a golden rosary on her hands and colored gold roses on each feet. The lady smiled on her and then they start to pray the rosary. The Lady is silent while praying the rosary, but start to speak in the “Glory be” part. After the rosary, the Lady disappeared.

In the next day, Saint Bernadette want to see the beautiful lady so she returned to grotto which the beautiful lady appeared again. The Lady wishes that Saint Bernadette to visit the grotto in 15 days which the saint agreed. During those 15 days, Saint Bernadette followed the wishes of the lady including the praying for the sinners, asking the priest to build a chapel and have a procession. The Lady also told her “I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next”. One of the popular wishes of the Lady to done by Saint Bernadette is eating the grass, digging on the ground and drinking from the spring of water. Many people thought that she is crazy the miraculous spring appeared on the next day on the ground where she dug. Here many people from different places went to the miraculous spring and believed that the Blessed Virgin is the beautiful lady, but at that time, Saint Bernadette never told anyone that the Blessed Mother is the one who appeared to her, only a Beautiful Lady. Saint Bernadette always asked the Lady what is her name, but the Lady always response in a smile. Until March 25, the Lady finally revealed her name , “I am the Immaculate Conception”. The young saint did not understand what the Lady means, but the people of the church does. Because the “Immaculate Conception” title for the Blessed Virgin Mary is still on debated at that time before it becomes an official dogma of the Church.

Saint Bernadette become popular but she don’t want this kind of attention so she and her family decided that she will go to the Sisters of Charity of Nevers to stay and to study. Then she became a nun on July 29, 1866 and named “Sister Marie Bernard”. Because of her unhealthy body, she had a tuberculosis on lungs and bones. Her fellow Nuns advised her to take the water from the miraculous spring in Lourdes, but she declined and replied that the spring is not for her.

On April 16, 1879, Saint Bernadette died in the age of 35 while holding her rosary. She was canonized as a saint on December 8, 1933 by Pope Pius XI. Saint Bernadette is one of the saints that has an incorruptible body after death.

Categories
Holy Rosary Marian Apparition

The Holy Rosary

Saint Dominic went into a forest near Toulouse, France. He prayed continuously for three days and three nights and did nothing but weep and do harsh penances and asking to appease the anger of God. His body was lacerated, and finally he fell into a coma.

Then our Lady appeared to him, accompanied by three angels, and she said, “Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?” “Oh, my Lady,” answered Saint Dominic, “you know far better than I do, because next to your Son Jesus Christ you have always been the chief instrument of our salvation.”

It was then Saint Dominic received the Holy Rosary from the Blessed Virgin Mary and used this in converting the heretics and sinners.

He went back straight to the cathedral and unseen angels rang the bells as a signal in calling the people to gather and Saint Dominic began to preach.

At first a storm broke out, the earth shook, the sun was darkened, and there was so much thunder and lightning that all were very much afraid. People felt greater fear upon looking at a picture of Holy Mary when they saw Her raise Her arms to heaven three times to call down God’s vengeance upon them if they failed to be converted, to amend their lives, and seek the protection of the holy Mother of God.

God used supernatural phenomena, to stress and spread the new devotion of the Holy Rosary and to make it more widely known.

The storm came to an end after the prayer of Saint Dominic, and he went on preaching again. He explained the importance and value of the Rosary that almost all the people of Toulouse embraced it and renounced their false beliefs. In a very short time, people began leading Christian lives and gave up their former bad habits. 

PROMISES OF THE HOLY ROSARY
  1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
  2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
  3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
  4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
  5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
  6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered and never overwhelmed by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death (unprepared for heaven). The sinner shall convert. The just shall grow in grace and become worthy of eternal life.
  7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
  8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have, during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
  9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
  10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
  11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary
  12. All those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
  13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
  14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only son Jesus Christ.
  15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
Categories
Marian Apparition Miracle

God’s Message in Various Ways

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

In the old covenant, God the Father directly spoke from a voice in heaven to patriarchs such as Noah, and Abraham. The book of Exodus records the presence of God in a burning bush without burning its parts (Exodus 3: 1-21).

Prophets received messages from a voice that they can clearly recognized coming from God. Messages for the people and commandments to remind and guide the people of what is pleasing to the Almighty.

Like the prophet Jonah, God warned that the Ninevites would be punished if they did not turn to God. Driven by his human weakness, it was only natural for the prophet to be afraid and not follow immediately out of fear and self-doubt. However, when the prophet acted on the message, the Ninevites believed and obeyed. Thus, the punishment that was looming did not take place (Jonah 1: 2).

On the other hand, God may appear to other prophets with heavenly beings in majestic glory. Like what happened to prophet Ezekiel who revealed and made known the destiny of Israel in the future.

I heard the sound of their wings, like the roaring sound of the sea, as they moved. It was like the voice of God Almighty, a roaring sound like a noisy army. When the living creatures stopped, they lowered their wings. Now above the dome there was something that looked like a throne. It looked like a sapphire gem. And on the throne was a shape like a human. Then I noticed that from the waist up the shape looked like glowing metal with fire inside. From the waist down it looked like fire, and a bright light was all around. The surrounding glow looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. It seemed to look like the glory of the LORD. So, when I saw it, I bowed facedown on the ground and heard a voice speaking. 

Ezekiel 6: 24-28.

IN DREAMS

Dreams is a way that is definitely mysterious in the spiritual life. In the old testament, God gave holy people the gift to receive and understand dreams. Joseph the son of the patriarch Jacob recorded in the book of Genesis was endowed with the ability to interpret dreams. Even in the new testament God’s plan for the Holy Family were conveyed many times in a dream to another Joseph, St. Joseph the carpenter by an angel.

ANGELIC APPEARANCES

In many instances, heavenly beings like angels also show up and live with man. They are seen not as a spirit but with human flesh. God allowed these in order to put His plans into place.

As in Sodom and Gomorrah, the patriarch Abraham negotiated with God that if he saw at least ten good people in the city, the place would be spared from punishment. God sent two angels to see the condition of the place. They went to Lot, Abraham’s nephew. But the angels in disguised was seen and desired by the locals. They were rowdy and demanded to surrender his guest to them. The angelic guests came to his rescue and blinded them. They revealed their mission to Lot and it was time to escape. And we already know the story after that, a rain of fire punished Sodom and Gomorrah.

One of the seven archangels St. Raphael also appeared to Tobias. The archangel also disguised as a traveler and paced their journey. He went fishing and even helped cure Tobias’ blind father on their return. In the book of Tobit 12:15 he revealed to be “one of the seven holy angels [archangels] who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One.”

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The book of Luke had the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, father of St. John the Baptist, “The angel replied,‘ I am Gabriel, who stands in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. ” Luke 1:19, And the archangel returned again to send greetings from God to the Blessed Virgin, Luke 1: 26-38, “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favor! The Lord is with you.’ “

Before the passion of Christ in the garden of Gethsemany the Lord prayed, and here the three apostles St. Peter, St. John and St. James saw the Transfiguration of the Lord. This incident was very important because it is a miracle confirming that Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth. Showing the glory of Christ, and as God the Father said on that occasion, “And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’, Luke 9:35.

ON THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

After the resurrection and the ascension of Christ, God the Holy Spirit descended. Its spirit and power came to the Apostles in the form of a tongue of fire. Filled their hearts and minds to be more enlightened to the truth and prepared to testify of Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit are evident in the fervent love of saints in the history of the Catholic Church. Their great contributions, writings, miracles and great charity they have shown to those in need.

VISIONS

Visions are supernatural events, usually these are private revelations and experiences recorded by the saint or the visionary. In an extraordinary way the mysteries and messages revealed to him are spoken to or shown to the visionary. Similar to the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich in the life of the Blessed Virgin and Jesus Christ.

APPARITIONS

Apparitions are supernatural appearances usually of the Virgin Mary, they usually give a message of significant for those times or may also be warnings of the future.

For the last 500 years, God has continued to make us feel His love by bringing the Blessed Virgin, her mother, to apparitions here on earth.

While Martin Luther committed heresy in Europe that led to the apostasy of so many Catholics in the 16th century, the Blessed Virgin appeared in Guadalupe, Mexico in 1531 to Juan Diego. The apparitions led to many miracles and left an imprint of an image of Our Lady. According to historians, in just ten years there were nine million converts to Catholicism.

The apparitions of the Virgin Mary are a sign of God’s continuous generosity with mankind to attain the sanctifying grace it needs.
In 1830 she appeared in France, as Our Lady of Graces and left the Miraculous Medal. At La Salette in also France in 1846 the importance of the day of worship was reminded. In Lourdes, France again in 1858 he introduced himself as the Immaculate Conception. Leaving a spring that until now brings miracles to the needy and the sick. In Ireland the apparition of Our Lady of Knock, Mary with angels, Jesus, St. Joseph and St. John. In Fatima, Portugal in 1917 the Virgin of the Rosary appeared and miraculously witnessed the miracle of the sun by nearly 70,000 people. Here the Blessed Virgin left so many messages and warnings for these times.

Now that there is a pandemic these messages may have been missed. If not, ignored and forgotten, but human’s strength is never material. It is therefore wise to remember that in the course of tragedies in history there is a God who is willing to help His people.

God’s love never ends. That is why one should only listen and receive His messages. 

God says in Matthew 28:20 “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”

Categories
Feast Day Marian Apparition Mariology Miracle

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Patroness of the Americas and the Philippines.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe, is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a series of five Marian apparitions.

In an early morning of dawn in December 9, 1531, the Virgin  Mother of God appeared to a native convert Saint Juan Diego. Our Lady asked him to go to the Bishop of Mexico and request him to build a church on the barren hill of Tepeyac Hill outside Mexico City in Her honor and to show her love and compassion to all of her children. Juan Zumamaraga, who was then the Bishop asked Juan Diego to ask Our Lady for a sign. Saint Juan Diego did what the Bishop have asked and Our Lady promised for a sign.

On December 12, 1531, The ever Blessed Mother appeared again to Saint Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill and instructed him to pick the roses of different colors that miraculously bloomed on the hill. These are species of Castillian roses that normally grows in Castile Spain. Saint Juan Diego gather these roses on his Tilma and brought them to Bishop Zummaraga as a sign for him to believe the request of our Lady. He opened the Tilma and to everyone’s surprise, the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on it as Juan Diego have seen it on Tepeyac Hill.

After this miracle, the Bishop then built the Church as Our Lady had requested. More than 10 million natives were converted and baptized to Catholic faith for the next 10 years. Her miraculous portrait continued to venerated at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City until to this day.

The Sanhedrin was the forum for the pharisees, who believed in the resurrection and in angels, and the saducees, who are akin to new theories and philosophies. All beliefs and philosophies concerning God and His creation are allowed to be expressed here.

 

Copyright © 2021-2023
The Sanhedrin. All rights reserved.