Medjugorje 101

I think I am finally caught up on most of my summer blogging so that I can start sharing more about my Medjugorje pilgrimage!  Yay!  But first I thought it might be helpful to give a quick "Medjugorje 101" class for those who aren't familiar with the miraculous story.  :)   I will briefly cover the history of Medjugorje, the main messages from Mary, the secrets given by Mary to the visionaries, the visionaries' background information, and the position of the Catholic Church regarding the alleged apparitions.  It's hard for me to even type the word "alleged," because after being there twice, meeting the visionaries, experiencing the graces first-hand, and following the fruits that have been happening there for the past 34 years, I have no doubt in my mind that the Blessed Virgin Mary is really appearing there. But there is so much misunderstanding about Medjugorje--even among faith-filled Catholics--which makes me so sad because it prevents many hearts from hearing the messages that God is so urgently trying to give to the world through His loving mother.  Hopefully my words can help clear up some of the confusion surrounding this holy place. I pray you will open your hearts to the Holy Spirit and read on!  :)

The History:

Medjugorje is a small village tucked in the tree-covered mountains of former Yugoslavia, now known as Bosnia-Herzegovina.  The name Medjugorje literally means "between two mountains," because it is nestled between to large hills, which are now called Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain to the pilgrims who come there.  The miracle of Medjugorje started on the afternoon of June 24, 1981, when two girls, Ivanka Ivankovic, age 15, and Mirjana Dragicevic, age 16, were returning home from a walk. Looking toward the hill called Crnica or Podbrdo, Ivanka saw a bright silhouette of a woman who was holding a baby in one hand and beckoning to them with the other.  Ivanka said to Mirjana, "It is the Gospa!" (Gospa is the Croatian word for Our Lady).  The young girls ran away in fear.

The very next day the two girls returned to the hill with four others:  Vicka Ivankovic, age 16, Ivan Dragivevic, age 16, Marija Pavlovic, age 16 and Jakov Colo, age 10. A shining figure was calling them to come up the hill. The children climbed up the hill with miraculous speed despite sharp, rugged terrain and thick brush to meet the beautiful lady who called herself the Queen of Peace. The Lady began to give messages to the children that were meant for the whole world.  Her first message was simply the words:  "Peace, peace, peace, and only peace.”  

Mary continued to appear to the 6 visionaries every day no matter where they were at, giving thousands of messages to lead the world back to God.  She told the visionaries that this is a time of great grace for the world, unprecedented in history.  She said, "I wish to keep giving you messages as it has never been done before in history from the beginning of the world...  I have come to call the world to conversion for the last time.  Afterwards, I will not appear any more on this earth." (messages from April 4, 1985 and May 2, 1982 respectively)  The apparitions in Medjugorje are the longest occurring apparitions in Church history, which is a testament to the importance of her messages.  God is granting our generation a tremendous grace by sending His Blessed Mother to us for so long to get our attention and point us back to the path that leads to Him.

The visionaries describe Our Lady as beautiful beyond words--radiant with holiness and love. Struck with awe at her beauty during one of the early apparitions, the children asked her why she was so beautiful, and she replied, “I am beautiful because I love.  If you want to be beautiful, dear children, then love.” (March 25, 1985) She appears to the six visionaries as a three-dimensional image, as if they were looking at a real person, and she always appears amid brilliant light.  The visionaries describe Our Lady as wearing a long grey dress with a white veil.  She has blue eyes, long black hair, and rosy cheeks.  She has a crown of twelve stars around her head and floats on a cloud.  On Christmas and special feast days she comes dressed all in gold.  Each Christmas, she appears with baby Jesus in her arms.  The visionaries feel such intense love from Mary when she appears to them.  During one apparition Mary told them, "If you truly knew how much I love you, you would cry for joy."  It is beautiful to notice that during many apparitions, the visionaries have joyful tears gently streaming down their cheeks.

Mary usually appears to the visionaries at approximately 6:40 pm every day (although she also appears at other times of the day and sometimes more than once a day on special occasions). Thousands of people come daily for the evening apparition to participate in the event with prayer, song, the rosary, the Mass, which is often con-celebrated by thirty or more priests, and usually followed by Eucharistic adoration. The entire evening service lasts about three hours, and this has been happening daily since 1981!  One of the common misconceptions about Medjugorje is that it is all about Mary, but when you take a pilgrimage there you discover that is far from the truth.  The focus of all the events in Medjugorje and even Mary's messages are all about GOD---finding God in a deeper way through prayer, fasting, the Mass, the Bible, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Mary is always pointing us to her Son, never at herself.

During the apparitions the visionaries do not react to light, they do not hear any sounds other than Mary’s voice, and they do not react to being touched—even by sharp pin-pricks or fire.  Many saints, as well as the visionaries of Fatima and Lourdes experienced this same supernatural phenomenon, which theologians call a "religious ecstasy."  The Medjugorje visionaries have been subjected to many scientific tests during the apparitions, and the findings are well documented and show clearly that something supernatural is occurring.

The news that Our Lady might be appearing immediately began to attract pilgrims to Medjugorje, first from the surrounding countryside, and then from all over whole world. These included clergy and theologians, as well as experts from the physical and medical sciences who testified to some kind of phenomenon taking place when the apparition was said to be occurring. The private judgement of these early visitors did much to bolster people's belief in the events at Medjugorje. In addition, many pilgrims (then and now) report miracles such as seeing the sun spin and being able to look at it without pain or eye damage (similar to the miracle of the sun in Fatima); others that their rosaries turned from silver to gold; still others that remarkable physical healings or spiritual conversions had taken place; and many others who have received their clear vocational calling to the priesthood or religious life while they were in Medjugorje.  These miracles and many other good fruits contribute to the fame of the alleged apparitions and seem to show that God’s graces are at work there.

The Messages:

Even though there are many messages that Our Lady has given over the past 34 years, they can be summarized by five themes:  Peace, Faith, Conversion, Prayer, and Fasting

PEACE
Peace was the first word spoken by Our Lady in Medjugorje to the visionaries, and two months after the apparitions began another miracle took place that involved the word “Peace.”  On August 6, 1981, the word “Mir” (or “Peace” in English) appeared in the sky and was seen by many people.  It was on this day during the apparition to the visionaries that Our Lady gave her title for the first time, saying, “I am the Queen of Peace.”  She invites us to peace in four ways: 1) peace in our hearts through reconciliation; she specifically requests that people go to monthly confession to achieve this goal 2) peace in our families by making God the center of our homes 3) peace in our communities by love and forgiveness of our neighbor 4) peace in the world by conversion and union with God.

FAITH
Faith is the belief that there is a God. It may sound simplistic, but in this world of unbelief and pagan lifestyles, belief in God is of major importance. Mary calls souls to believe that God exists and that He loves them immeasurably.  Our Lady once told the visionaries that her favorite prayer is "The Apostle's Creed,” which is a summary of the mysteries of our faith, and she urged that we pray it often.

CONVERSION

Many of Mary’s messages are pleas for conversion, conversion back to God so that souls can be saved from eternal punishment in hell.  On February 25, 1996, she actually told the visionaries that conversion is the most important of her messages:  "Dear children!  Today I invite you to conversion.  This is the most important message that I have given you here."  She is the most loving mother and clearly does not want any of her children to perish, which is why God has granted her this grace of appearing to the world for so long, to help lead as many souls back to God as possible.  Our Lady said on May 2, 1982, "I have come to call the world to conversion for the last time.  Afterwards I will not appear any more on this earth."

PRAYER

Mary is constantly asking the world to pray.  On April 24th, 1984, Our Lady asked us all to "Pray as much as you can, pray however you can, but pray more always.  Each of you could pray even four hours a day."  Prayer draws us nearer to God, and leads to a deeper faith and a constant conversion of ourselves and those who we pray for.  In September of 1984 she said, "Without prayer there is no peace,” and again in March of 1985 she said, “PRAY, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! In prayer you will find the solution to every difficult situation. Thank you for the progress you are making in prayer! Each one of you is dear to my heart, and I thank all those who have encouraged prayer within their families.”  Our Lady recommends praying the Creed, along with 7 Our Fathers, 7 Hail Mary's and 7 Glory Be's for peace.  This has become known as "The Peace Rosary." She also asks us to pray the complete rosary every day, and she speaks of the importance of praying the Consecration prayer to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  But the Blessed Mother says that the highest form of prayer is the Holy Mass and that we are to live the Mass with the example of our lives. 

FASTING

Already on the 6th day of the apparitions, Our Lady recommended fasting because it aids faith and teaches self-control.  Only the person who has enough self control to fast is truly free and is capable of abandoning oneself to doing God's will instead of one's own selfish will.  The Virgin Mary asks that we fast on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays. If we cannot fast on bread and water, we should fast from other pleasures, such as television or things that distract us from prayer. Fasting and prayer together are necessary to help us convert and Our Lady even said that “Through prayer and fasting one can stop wars and suspend the laws of nature.” (July 21, 1982).  Fasting shows us our dependence on God and opens our hearts to His grace. Fasting also takes power away from the devil.

The Secrets:
In the church-approved apparitions of Fatima, Portugal and LaSalete, France, the Blessed Virgin Mary gave secrets to the visionaries which were eventually revealed to the world, and the same is true with the apparitions of Medjugorje. Our Lady began imparting secrets to the visionaries in Medjugorje very early on. She told the visionaries that each of them would receive ten secrets. Our Lady has imparted these secrets to the six visionaries progressively over these past 34 years. Three visionaries (Mirjana, Jakov, and Ivanka) have received all ten secrets, and subsequently, they have stopped having the daily apparition with Our Lady. The other three visionaries (Ivan, Marija, and Vicka) each have nine; therefore, they still receive daily apparitions. Obviously secrets are secrets, and the visionaries have been told by the Blessed Mother not to share them yet with the world, but they have been able to share a few things relating to the secrets.  For example, the visionaries have said that the secrets pertain to many things: the visionaries themselves, to Medjugorje, to the Church, and to the whole world.  Also, that the ninth and tenth secrets are grave matters relating to a chastisement for the sins of the world. The chastisement can be mitigated by prayers and penance, but it cannot be eliminated completely.  According to the visionary Mirjana, an evil which threatened the world which was part of the seventh secret, has been eliminated through prayer and fasting.  On August 25, 1991, the Blessed Mother referred to the secrets of Medjugorje as being a fulfillment of the secrets she shared in Fatima, and she asked us to pray and fast fervently during this time in history:  "...I call all of you, dear children, to pray and fast still more firmly...so that, with your help, everything I desire to realize through the secrets I began in Fatima may be fulfilled.  I call you, dear children, to grasp the importance of my coming and the seriousness of the situation."

The Warnings and Lasting Sign:

One secret has been partially revealed already, which is that there will be a permanent sign--beautiful, tangible, and indestructible--left on Apparition Hill in Medjugorje.  The visionaries know the date that the sign will appear and what it will be.  Mary told the children that before the visible sign is given to the world, there will be three warnings given.  Mirjana will witness the secrets and has been given the special role of revealing the secrets at the appointed time. Ten days before each one of these warnings, she will tell a priest whom she has already chosen named Fr. Petar Ljubicic.  After seven day of prayer and fasting, Fr. Petar will reveal each of the ten secrets to the world 3 days before it happens. Mirjana's testimony will be a confirmation of the apparitions and an incentive for many people to convert before it is too late. After these warnings, the visible sign will be given for all humanity at the place of the apparitions in Medjugorje. The sign will be given as the testimony of the apparitions and a call back to faith.  After the first warning, the others will follow within a rather brief period of time.  After the visible sign, those who are still alive will have little time for conversion. For that reason, the Blessed Virgin has been calling all people to urgent conversion and reconciliation since 1981.  Mary and the visionaries tell us not to focus on the secrets or the warnings, but rather to focus on personal conversion and praying for the conversion of non-believers.

The 6 Visionaries:

Marija Pavlovic Lunetti: Born April 1, 1965. Marija is always described as being deeply spiritual, prayerful, sensitive, and humble.  She contemplated the vocation of religious life for many years until she realized that if she became a nun, she would not be able to spread the messages of Medjugorje to the world as she felt God was calling her to do.  Many people thought all the visionaries would enter the religious life.  And yet, Our Lady made it clear to all of them that they had freedom in deciding their vocations.  Now that all of the visionaries are married, it would appear that the world was in need of witnesses to holy family life.  Marija has received nine secrets and continues to have daily apparitions.  Marija also receives an extra apparition on the 25th of each month that Mary says is a message intended for the entire world.  She was married in 1993 to an Italian man and has four sons. The family resides in Italy.  It is interesting that Marija ended up marrying an Italian man, as one of the miraculous gifts that Our Lady gave to Marija early in the apparitions was the ability to understand and fluently speak native Italian in an instant.



Ivanka Ivankovic Elez: Born June 21, 1966. Ivanka was the first visionary to see Mary.  One month before Mary appeared to her, Ivanka's mother died.  One of the first things Ivanka asked Mary was if her mother was in heaven and Mary replied, "Yes, she is happy and here with me."  On May 6, 1985, Ivanka's apparition lasted longer than the other 5 visionaries, which was very unusual.  The other visionaries were astounded to see Ivanka's expression, realizing that she was still seeing Our Lady, for they had never seen each other in ecstasy during an apparition before.  They all learned afterwards, much to Ivanka's grief, that the next day would be Our Lady's last daily meeting with her.  During Ivanka's last apparition, two angels appeared with Mary, and Mary gave Ivanka the special grace of seeing her mother again.  Her mother even embraced her and said, "My dearest Ivanka, I am so proud of you."  Ivanka has received all ten secrets. She sees Our Lady annually on June 25th, the anniversary of the apparitions. She is married, lives in Medjugorje, and has three children.



Mirjana Dragicevic Soldo: Born Mary 18, 1965. Marjana is a college graduate from the University of Sarajevo (she is the only visionary to attend college).  Mirjana has received all ten secrets and has been given the role of revealing the secrets to the world at the appointed time.  Mirjana was so afraid that she would not be able to remember all the dates and times that are contained in the secrets, so Our Lady gave her a miraculous parchment-type material upon which all the secrets were written.  Only Mirjana is able to read what is written there, which is another miracle. Because Mirjana has received all 10 secrets, she no longer sees Our Lady daily, but has the grace of seeing her annually on her birthday and also on the 2nd of each month for a message intended for non-believers. Anyone who is in Medjugorje on the 2nd of the month can be present with Our Lady and Mirjana during the apparition, which is held at the blue cross at the base of Apparition Hill.  To see Mirjana's face during this apparition removes all doubt from most people's minds as to whether or not she is seeing the Blessed Mother.  Mirjana's face is so joy-filled the moment she sees Our Lady, and tears of love usually fall freely from her eyes.  Then her expression turns serious as Our Lady gives her the message intended for the conversion of non-believers.  One can seen the seriousness of these apparitions and the weight of a sinful world upon Mirjana's shoulders during the later part of the apparition.  Mirjana is married, lives in Medjugorje, and has two daughters.



Ivan Dragicevic: Born May 25, 1965.  Ivan entered the seminary shortly after the apparitions began, but experienced great difficulties their, not only academically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. His professors and fellow students in the seminary did not believe Ivan was seeing Our Lady; therefore, he was constantly mocked and scorned.  During that time, Our Lady told him, "Don't worry.  I will guide you through your life."  Ivan eventually left the seminary and married an American woman from Massachusetts named Laureen Murphy.  Laureen experienced conversion through Medjugorje, which eventually led to her meeting Ivan.  They have three children and live in Boston, Massachusetts most of the year, but spend their summers in Medjugorje. Ivan has nine secrets and continues to see Our Lady daily.   He often allows priests and religious to come to the chapel in his home to witness his daily apparition. Occasionally, Ivan receives an extra apparition late in the evening during the Catholic youth group that he began through Our Lady's request years ago, and these messages from Mary usually are intended for the youth of the world.



Vicka Ivankovic: Born September 3, 1964.  Vicka has been the visionary most available to pilgrims, giving testimony about the apparitions almost daily from the balcony of her home. Many pilgrims who meet Vicka say that she radiates joy with her contagious, captivating smile.  She has nine secrets and sees Our Lady daily.  Vicka and Jakov were the only two visionaries who were miraculously taken to see Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell.  Vicka was so moved with compassion for the suffering souls in Purgatory that she offered to suffer herself for their expiation.  Our Lady accepted Vicka's offer, and shortly afterwards Vicka was struck with a mysterious illness, causing her painful headaches, high fevers, and periods of a coma.  In January 1988, Our Lady told Vicka her suffering would soon come to an end, giving her the exact date, which she was to write down, place in a sealed envelope, and give to her confessor and to the Vatican commission investigating the apparitions.  On September 25, 1988, her illness disappeared, which was the exact date written in the sealed envelope.  Vicka's experience of suffering with joy has helped countless individuals to accept their crosses with perseverance and joy for the Lord.  Vicka married in 2002 at the age of 37.  She and her husband live a few miles outside of Medjugorje, and they have two children.

Jakov Colo: Born March 6, 1971. Jakov, an only child, was only 10 years old when the apparitions began and shortly thereafter both of his parents died.  It is Jakov who steals the heart when looking at old pictures of the visionaries in ecstasy during those early apparitions.  For many people, it is he who convinced them that that apparitions were real because of the childlike honesty he had when telling the story of the apparition and the way he joyfully endured 3 hours of prayer, on his knees, every single night, year after year.  If the apparitions had been a trick or a lie, any 10 year old boy would not have been able to endure such a pious act for so long. He has ten secrets and was devastated for many months after Our Lady stopped appearing to him daily.  He is consoled by the fact that he gets to see Our Lady annually on Christmas Day with baby Jesus in her arms.  Jakov is married and lives in Medjugorje; he and his Italian wife have three children.

The Position of the Church:
Many priests and bishops feel that they must not be supportive of Medjugorje until formal Church approval is given. However, many people do not realize that the Vatican has actually granted provisional support. The Church has NOT banned, condemned, or disproved the reported apparitions in Medjugorje. The investigation of Medjugorje is still in progress because the apparitions are still in progress. No final directive or conclusion has been reached.  Historically, the Church has never given its approval of an apparition site until the apparitions have completed ceased, allowing the Church to make a full investigation of all the messages to make sure none of them contradict Church teaching.  For example, Fatima was not formally approved by the Church until 13 years after the apparitions had ceased, and the apparitions of Guadalupe were not approved until 200 years later.

A key phrase which has been quoted frequently from the 1991 Bishops Conference in Zadar has been taken frequently to mean the apparitions, or Medjugorje in general, has been condemned or disproved: "On the basis of investigations so far it can not be affirmed that one is dealing with supernatural apparitions and revelations."  However, this phrase simply states that no definitive declaration has been made yet to affirm the apparitions.  The Church must be prudent and cautious regarding its approval of any alleged apparition site. This quote should not be considered negative, but rather, seen as a cautious stance taken by the Church while its investigations continue, and before a final decision is reached. The last official statement was made by the 1993 Committee of Bishops, organized by St John Paul II, and gives us positive insight into the Church's current position:

"We bishops, after a three-year-long commission study accept Medjugorje as a holy place, as a shrine.  This means that we have nothing against it if someone venerates the Mother of God in a manner also in agreement with the teaching and belief of the Church...Therefore, we are leaving that to further study.  The Church does not hurry:"  (Glas Koncila, August 15, 1933).

The most recent commission investigating Medjugorje rendered its findings to the Congregation for the Doctorine of Faith on January 19, 2014.  It is now up to Pope Francis to decide when he will make the findings public.  While no "official" pilgrimages can be endorsed or organized until a final decision has been reached, private pilgrimages are accepted and encouraged by many clergy, including Pope John Paul II.  An official pilgrimage is defined as a group organized and led by clergy.  A private pilgrimage is one which is organized by laity, but can also include clergy.  An informal type of recognition is granted to apparitions while they are still happening. It is granted as a result of careful and continuing scrutiny of their content and fruits. This kind of provisional approval is important because it provides exactly the kind of guidance that Church leaders around the world need from Rome, as to how much influence an apparition should be allowed to exert while it is still going on. The Vatican and the Yugoslavian Bishops have granted to Medjugorje the fullest possible measure of informal approval.  It is true, though, that the last two bishops in charge of the diocese of Medjugorje have not been vocal supporters of Medjugorje, which has caused many people to disapprove of the apparitions.  However, if you look back at the history of other apparitions such as Fatima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe, the local bishops initially did not support those apparitions either.  So, I guess I feel it is more important to study the messages of Mary to make sure they are in alignment with the Gospel (which they are) and to look at the spiritual fruits that have grown out of Medjugorje (which are positive and plentiful).  

It is worth noting that St. Pope John Paul II seemed to be an avid supporter of Medjugorje. To Monsignor Kreiger of Brazil, the pope said, "Medjugorje, Medjugorje, it is the spiritual heart of the world."  To Bishop Paul Hnlica of Czechoslovakia, Pope JPII wrote: " Yes, today the world has lost the sense of the supernatural. In Medjugojre, many have looked for it and found it in prayer, fasting, and confession." To Cardinal Franizec Tomizec of Poland, Pope JPII wrote: "If I were not Pope, I would long since have gone there to assist at the work with the pilgrims." To the American Bishop's questions: " Let the people go there, they pray there." Bishop Flores replied, "But they are inviting me to go with them".  Pope JPII answered: " Go and pray for me". To the Korean Bishops in response to thanks for what he did to free Poland from communism: "No, not me, but by the works of the Blessed Virgin according to her affirmations at Fatima and Medjugorje.”  Another telling story of Pope JPII's feelings towards Medjugorje is the fact that he met with the visionary Mirjana in Rome, and told her:  "I know everything about Medjugorje.  I have been following Medjugorje.  Ask pilgrims to pray for my intentions...to take care of Medjugorje because it is hope for the entire world.  And if I were not Pope, I would have been in Medjugorje a long time ago."   Some time after their meeting he sent her a pair of his papal shoes, telling her that he desired to come to Medjugorje, but since circumstances had prevented him thus far, he at least wanted to send his shoes!  :)

So, it is correct to say that the Church has not officially endorsed Medjugorje as an authentic apparition site yet, but the Church is not dissuading anyone from going there to seek to grow in holiness.   Thousands of priests, religious, and bishops have made the pilgrimage to Medjugorje and found it to be a place of peace, hope, and conversion, so I do not understand why anyone would oppose the apparitions until the Church makes an official statement of disapproval.  It is my opinion that the devil, the deceiver, is the one who tries to create the confusion surrounding Medjugorje to prevent the salvation of souls.  Jesus said that we will know a tree by its fruits (Matthew 7:16, Luke 6:44) and the good fruits of Medjugorje speak for themselves!  Medjugorje has certainly helped my faith to grow, and I pray that God will somehow use my pilgrimage there to spread Our Lady's messages to bear more good fruit for the Kingdom!

The fruits of Medjugorje sure look abundant and good to me!  :)

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

Sources: 

http://www.marypages.com/MedjugorjeEng.htm

http://www.medjugorje.org/shistory.htm

http://www.medjugorje.org/church.htm
http://www.medjugorje.com/medjugorje/questions-and-answers.html
http://www.medjugorje.com/medjugorje/medjugorje-visionaries
Medjugorje:  What's Happening?  by Fr. James Mulligan

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to school we go!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho,

It's off to school we go!

We had some fun, but it's just begun,

Hi ho, hi ho, hi ho, hi ho!

After our crazy summer of being away from home and then returning to the chaos of moving into a rental, it was kind of nice for all of us to start the routine of school to bring some stability and normalcy back to our family.  Our 3 oldest boys were eager to see their friends again and begin the adventure of conquering a new grade level.  For Joseph it is 8th grade, which is exciting because he is in the high school wing of the school building now, for Michael it is 7th grade, and for Dominic it is 3rd grade.

Nathanael was so excited to be in the "Big School Kid" category this year as he embarked upon his first year of Pre-Kindergarten four afternoons each week.  Next year he will be at St. Andrew School with his big brothers, which is hard for me to wrap my head around.

Here is Nathanael on his first day of preschool.

This photo reminds me that he is covered by the grace of the cross--

so I know he will be fine (but I'm not sure I will be without his smile all day long!)

The years seem to be sweeping by faster each year as I watch them grow and move from grade to grade.  Bittersweet indeed.  But I love that they love their school, their friends, and that they are getting a Christ-centered Catholic education.  Every year I beat myself up a bit about not homeschooling the boys, because that was my dream when I started having children.  But so far God seems to be telling me that homeschooling is not His will for our family right now for various reasons.  One of which being that there is such an exceptional Catholic School available for the boys.   St. Andrew School puts faith first, which can be seen in countless ways, like praying the Morning Offering, the Angelus, and the Act of Contrition daily as a student body.  Their school motto is:  "Vitam Impedere Vero," which translates "Hang Your Life on Truth," and I see the teachers instilling that motto and other Catholic virtues constantly, which confirms that my kids are where they are supposed to be right now.  If God calls me to homeschooling again someday, I will answer that call and do the best that I can, but for now I am so grateful for a school like St. Andrew's.

Here is Nathanael catching bugs for a few minutes before it was time to go to school :)

I take it for granted that my kids will love school, choose holy friends, grow in their faith, and excel in their studies.  I forget that that is not the case for all kids at school.  I was reminded of that fact this year when one of my best friends shared the struggles her kids were having in school---tears every morning and every night because of how much they disliked school.  She and her husband agonized and prayed over what to do, and finally decided that homeschooling was the best option.  I have two other friends whose kids were being bullied and had to switch schools.  And yet another friend has a daughter who has been battling anxiety attacks and severe depression, making school a very difficult challenge.  Stories like these remind me to pray more for other families who are struggling with the transition of school right now and to be grateful that our kids love school so far and continue to grow in their learning and in their faith.

May this school year be filled with exciting adventures for my kids and yours!

God bless and keep all of our children

and draw them ever nearer to Jesus' Sacred Heart 

to experience the wide expanse of His love and mercy!

Happy Belated Birthdays

Dominic celebrated his 9th birthday in July while we were in South Dakota.  It was a rare treat to be able to celebrate with grandma, grandpa, Uncle Mike, Aunt Shawna, and cousin Elizabeth.  Dominic was going through a LEGO-craze at the time (still is), so nearly every single present was LEGO related.  I think he built 15 LEGO sets in a matter of 2 days!

Happy Birthday my beautiful Dominic!

You truly are a master builder--so talented and so creative!

What I love most about you is your super-sized, sensitive heart.

I also love your freckles, your hugs, and your non-stop stories :)

Your kind heart and your huge smile make others feel so loved.

I am so proud of the big brother that you are--

you always take time to play with your little siblings even though you are such a big kid now.

Your deep love of the Eucharist consoles my heart and Jesus' heart,
and I pray your love and enthusiasm for receiving Jesus just keeps on growing!

I know you will set the world on fire with your love of the Lord:

there is no greater gift you could give your mother.

I thank you and I love you more than all the LEGOs ever made in the world!

Make a wish!

LEGOs you say?

Wish granted:

Joseph turned 14 on September 10th.  Literally, he was born the day before 9/11, which was bizarre to watch such horrible news from my hospital bed while holding a bundle of pure joy in my arms.  It astounds me that I have a 14 year old.  My first baby is now a teenager taller than me; how can this be?  We took him out to his favorite restaurant for his birthday--Chili's--and he is so proud to order off of the adult menu now :)  For gifts, he received a "Lord of the Rings" violin book, "The Philosophy of Tolkien" by Peter Kreeft, "Tolkein's Sacramental Vision" by Craig Bernthal, and some hunting clothes so that he can help fill our freezer with elk or deer meat.  With his own birthday money he bought a new fishing pole and a very nice baseball glove.  He didn't want a big party for his birthday; rather, he simply wanted to go mountain biking with a few buddies.  They had a blast conquering the trails, and then biked into town to have ice cream at the Big Dipper.  

Happy Birthday, Joseph!

I watch you grow in wisdom and stature before my eyes,

and yet I still love you like a sweet newborn in my arms.

I couldn't be more proud of the young man you are becoming:

calm, confident (yet humble), kind, introspective, intelligent, musical, and holy.

It is pure joy to watch you play baseball, to hear you play violin or piano, 

and to see you having fun fishing, biking, and other "guy" stuff with your awesome friends.

God has gifted you with so many talents that I'm not sure how you will choose which ones to use,

but I know you will use them to glorify God---and that's what matters.

Thank you for being such a great help and example to your younger siblings.

Being the eldest child is a tough position to fill, but you fill it so very well.

I love you more than the number of pitches you will ever throw,
or the number of fish you will ever catch!

Baseball Bliss

This Spring and Summer was baseball bliss for our boys...

First came the Spring season of baseball in Helena for Joseph and Michael.  This year, Joseph was the lead pitcher for his team; he also played catcher and 2nd base.  He was number 2 in the batting line-up.   This was his first year moving up to the teenage bracket (13-16 year olds), so he was a bit concerned how he would compare to the older kids in his division, but he was quickly able to prove his talents to his team.  His pitching skills took on a whole new level this year---more speed, greater accuracy, and more types of pitches added to his repertoire (the curve ball, fastball, change-up, and knuckle ball).  What made this even more impressive is this older league he played on larger fields with the pitching mound at MLB distance to home-plate (60 feet!)---that is a crazy long way to throw an accurate pitch!  Last year his team won the championship, but this year was less climactic because he did not have a heavy-hitting team.  His team got eliminated from the championship bracket early on in the city tournament, but he still had a great time at every game and grew in his skills and in the love of the game!

Michael played pitcher and short-stop for his team, and he was number 1 in the hitting line-up.  His favorite position was short-stop and he played it well---nothing got by that boy.  He is scrappy and competitive, which is the perfect combination for a short-stop :)  He was also one of the his team's best pitchers.  He couldn't throw with as much speed as some of the other pitchers, but he made up for that with his accuracy and his wicked "slurve ball" (a cross between a slider and curve).  It was so fun to watch him pitch 2 fast balls in a row and then the slurve ball---it tricked the batter every time!  The curve was so significant that the batter would think the ball was going to hit him, and then it would slide into the strike zone at the last second while the batter was jumping out of the batting box! :)  Michael's team had a very exciting season.  They were ranked #3 going into the city tournament, and then they beat the #1 team twice to win the championship!  Michael was the  closing pitcher and won the MVP, so he and his parents were quite proud to say the least.  So far all of our boys appear to be very talented at whatever they do, so I worry a bit that they will get cocky.  We try to talk a lot about giving the glory to God and thanking Him for their talents, as well as saying the following prayer every day after the meal prayer: "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours." I truly want my boys to succeed, but more importantly, I want them to be humble and holy.  I think they are off to a good start!  :)

The day after their Helena baseball season ended, we jumped in the car to head to South Dakota for the summer...and the SD baseball season was just beginning, so the boys got to play another entire season!!!  They were elated.  I was especially thankful that Dominic was able to play, otherwise he would have missed a whole season of baseball.  His age group was non-competitive and didn't even keep score, but he still had a blast.  He was quite the slugger and often hit the ball way over the out-fielders and into the adjacent baseball field!  I think he had an advantage over the other kids because of how often he plays ball with his older brothers.  He was a joy to watch, mainly because he is always joyful.  This boy has the biggest heart and the biggest smile of our family!  :)

In South Dakota, Joseph and Michael miraculously got to be on the same time for the first time ever, so it was super fun to watch them play at the same time and not have to run back and forth from one field to the next.  Joseph was one of the team's best hitters, even hitting a few home runs!  Michael didn't hit quite as far as Joseph, but had one of the best batting averages for the team, which is certainly something to be proud of, and I would say he was the best in-fielder by far (but I'm a bit biased).  :}  They were on a great team this year and were ranked #2 going into the final tournament.  They made it to the championship round and Joseph was chosen to pitch for the championship game.  It was a nail biter...  I was so nervous that I couldn't watch the last inning, so I walked away to pray Hail Mary's.  Perhaps the Blessed Mother had pity on my anxious mother's heart, because Joseph and Michael's team WON!!!  Joseph pitched great and handled the stress with such calmness and confidence (he definitely gets that from his father!).  Michael helped his team clinch the win with his amazing in-fielding, making some impressive diving catches. What made this season the most special, however, was that Grandpa Pat was able to watch every single game, and there is no doubt that he was their biggest fan!  :)   The boys think we should spend every summer in Aberdeen just so that they can play 2 seasons of baseball!  :)  I kinda like their logic for my own selfish reasons :)

After the championship game the boys had to turn in their jerseys,

and their mother forgot to bring extra shirts---oops!

It made for a fun photo opportunity though!  :)

Happy Birthday Blessed Mother!!!

Today, September 8th, the Catholic Church celebrates the birthday of the Blessed Mother, which is exactly 9 months after the celebration of Mary's Immaculate Conception.  What a joyous day!  Personally, I wish it was celebrated by the whole world with as much joy as Christmas; after all, Mary had (and continues to have) such an important role in the history of salvation, but there I go being a crazy Catholic again! :}    It is on feast days like today that I just love being Catholic because I am reminded of the blessings God continues to give us through the saints---especially His Blessed Mother who intercedes for us constantly, loves us unconditionally, and longs to guide us closer to her Son so that all will be saved.  How I wish the whole world knew how much she loves us!  I am reminded of one of Mary's messages in Medjugorje when she said:  "If you knew how much I, your mother, love you, you would cry for joy."  And this message was confirmed in my heart when I was able to watch the visionary Mirijana have her apparition in Medjugorje in July...  As soon as the Blessed Mother appeared, Mirajana's whole countenance changed.  She was completely overcome with pure joy and tears silently slipped down her cheeks as she gazed at Our Lady and conversed with her.  Just seeing Mirijana's joy made me start to cry for joy!  How blessed we are to be loved so much by God our Father and Mary our heavenly Mother!  I pray for the grace to be able to love them back as much as my little heart is capable of!

Happy Birthday, Blessed Mother!  

Thank you for loving us so much, for constantly praying for us, for protecting us under your mantle, and for giving us the graces we need to grow closer to God.  I love you so much!  You are my hope in this valley of tears, and I long to see your loving face someday in Heaven.  I hope your heart is filled with joy today at all the people who are celebrating your Birthday!

*As a side note, some Catholics celebrate Mary's birthday on August 5th because Mary revealed that to be her real birthday during one of her apparitions in Medjugorje.  I think it's fun to celebrate her birthday twice!  :)  The picture above is the first sneek-peek of our Medjugoje pictures.  This is Paul and I standing in front of the visionary Jakov's house, where we were blessed to stay for part of our pilgrimage.