Adventure 🚌🎆

‘We are the Bibles the world is reading; We are the creeds the world is needing; We are the sermons the world is heeding’. (Billy Graham) 

Enjoying sausage rolls exceptionally early this morning in Grafton Street, designated train fully booked, so Derm accompanied me as we made our way to Burgh Quay to catch Green bus back home to Kerry. Torrential rain!! conditions definitely not perfect ☔️ 

Rosary beads, St. Benedict medals and widow’s mite at the ready for any homeless folk but none to be found except finally Natasha sitting on a blanket with another blanket covering her head. Thrilled to receive St. Benedict medal, she will find a string and wear it, she told us. Emaciated, I could not help noticing as we chatted how extremely pretty she must have been once upon a time.

Kelby from Ukraine sitting at bus stop, traumatised but hugely relieved to be in Ireland with his little girl, both blessed to make it out alive. He put my Rosary Beads on his wrist and uttered meaningfully: ‘My little girl is my hero. I believe you and I were meant to meet today’. 

Young guy who lifted my case on and off the bus totally taken aback and over the moon with his St, Benedict medal. Injured guy hoping to play his part in a football match today (even for a few minutes) too. Young girl shattered for family member who’s baby died last week. Cot death😭 ‘Our family torn apart’, she told me.

Mother Mary didn’t just place in my heart in Medugorje that my gifts are absolutely from Her, I the humble simple conduit. More than that, She is very clearly walking with me as I share them with folk. No doubt about it!! None whatsoever!! 

Three bus journeys before I finally touch down in my little cottage I call 🏡. Not a shred of tiredness. Instead heart brimming with joy and gigantic gratitude to Jesus and Mother Mary for bestowing beautiful smiles for a moment in time on downcast countenances. 

Had I got to travel by train as was my own desire and plan, how much poorer I would be this night unbeknownst to myself.👵

‘Only in Christ can men and women find answers to the ultimate questions that trouble them. Only in Christ can they fully understand their dignity as persons created and loved by God’. (St. Pope John Paul)

                                  Constant crows excited and delighted to welcome me home.🥳🎶

                                                            ‘Like a bird on a wire......🎶🎶🎶

                                                         Derm and Mom in Grafton Street.💞🙏🏻

       My beloved Kells☀️ - photo taken as my final bus whizzed by. Almost home Thank God. 🥳🏡

‘God is all-wisdom and gives so much of it to His friends, they’ll never have to ask for anything because they’ll have everything they desire’. ((Marguerite d’Oingt)

Try a little kindness 🌸

‘We do the works, but God in us the doing of the works’. (St. Augustine)

My dear mother-in-law, lovingly known to all of us as Granny💞 would always make sure no matter what, (money never in plentiful supply) to have marmalade in cupboard for my breakfast every time we visited with her and grandad. She knew I loved tea, toast and marmalade. Today, myriad years later, here I am enjoying my ‘favourite meal’ all because my lovely daughter-in-law Shona always makes sure there is marmalade in fridge every time I come to call. How beautiful is that!🎆

When we yearn to bring about that which bestows most joy in another’s heart - then we are loving as Jesus loves.❤️🙏🏻

‘The melody that you and I are destined to produce on this earth, no one has ever heard before. We are to show forth something of the intense beauty and radiance and Love of the God who lives within us’.           (Fr. Leo Clifford)

 

‘The Spring has its glory of daffodil gold. When primroses open and green buds unfold. But sometimes I think as I watch the leaves fall that Autumn’s fair days are the fairest of all’.            (Patience Strong)                

Homeward bound.😀

Thrilled to be stopping over with Derm and Shona before I embark on train journey to Kerry, Saturday next please God. Kindness personified, everything I could possibly need or want at my fingertips. God bless their big beautiful hearts.❤️

Handmade Holy Family from Medugorje for Derm and Shona. Beautiful Jesus, Mary and Joseph watching over them as they await the birth of their baby in April please God.

Rosary beads, St. Benedict medals, Holy Family statues and bracelets I purchased in Medjurjie, gifts from Mother Mary for anyone who crosses my path in days to come. Brigid in Church earlier delighted to accept St. Benedict medal. Greta and Noreen too. Young girl on her lunch-break from local store super thrilled to accept rosary beads and as often happens, when she took the beads from my hands, goosebumps enveloped me powerfully. Holy Spirit definitely present, glory to God in the Highest. 

Rory on flight home yesterday showed me his St. Christopher medal on a chain around his neck and was delighted to place my St. Benedict there too. Everyone loves to receive a gift from our beautiful Mother Mary.

This evening as night began to fall, we strolled in the scenic woods nearby. Awe-inspiring autumn.🍁 

‘All we have is the moment in front of us and what it holds. The only life we have to live and to give is the life we are living at this precise instant and the only way to give it to God is to love right now’.                   (Fr. Denis Lemieux/Restoration magazine)

 

O Sacrament most Holy.☀️🙏🏻

Adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament right through the night in Church of St. James. Precious parting gift - we return home to Ireland tomorrow morning please God.

‘Come to me all you who labour and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’. (Matthew 11:28-30)

 

                                                  Holy Mass. Croatian at 7.30 AM. ☀️🕯🙏🏻

                                                     About to touch down in Dublin airport. ☀️

‘All we have is the moment in front of us and what it holds. The only life we have to live and to give is the life we are living at this precise instant and the only way to give it to God is to love right now’.

(Fr. Denis Lemieux/Restoration magazine)

The Peace of Christ.🕯

‘It is time to leave all the negative stuff in the past, leave it behind. Jesus wants to walk with us today into tomorrow and every day. This is the day the Lord has made - let us receive it as a precious gift. Imagine you are sitting on a bench, Jesus is sitting with you and you know you are loved. Leave here today knowing how precious you are to the Lord and abide in that Love. Let us be at peace. That is what Jesus wants for us this day’.

Even though I only managed to scribble down a smidgen of Father’s inspiring homily at Holy Mass this morning, there is more than enough to imbibe and meditate on with grateful hearts.

‘This is the day that the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it’. (Psalm 118:24)

Lots of young folk accepted my prayer I am glad to say. They are so open to the good, the true and the beautiful. They need authenticity and consistency from us older folk, now more than ever. They badly need wisdom gleaned through our long years on God’s green earth.

Donatello, Daniela and I had a ton of fun. They promised to pray my prayer every morning and visit with me in Ireland some day too please God. 

Nevena (shop assistant too) accepted my prayer. ‘I never speak about my life but you look nice’ she said as she began to relate her story, impromptu. Her parents were less than thrilled when they were told they were expecting a baby, yet again. Number eight!! Enough already🤨 When she was born the midwife suggested she be named Nevena just like the flower that opens up beautifully in time. Profoundly beautiful encounter for us both.🌸

Barry who accepted my prayer a few days ago told me tonight that just as I offered it to him, he will now copy my prayer and pass it on to another. ‘Wisdom must be shared’, says Barry☀️

Two heavenly hours adoring Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament in this beautiful little Chapel.☀️🙏🏻

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner. Amen

                                                                          My prayer.🙏🏻

 

Sunday ☀️

I placed Eric’s mortuary card in the cozy care of Mother Mary this morning. Deeply comforting and consoling.

Afterwards Paul approached me smiling. He began talking of his twenty year long sobriety and searing loneliness and mayhem of his alcohol years. We had never before met, I have no idea why he choose me out of the crowd but I am so glad he did. ‘Alcohol robbed us of Eric a long time before it killed him’, I told Paul. ‘I know’, he replied, ‘The bad we do on alcohol is not us at all. It is the demon drink’.

We prayed Hail Mary together before parting company. Amazing encounter, spoke volumes.

                                                             Nuala and I at the Blue Cross.🙏🏻

Fr. Leon preached on ‘Forgiveness’ at Holy Mass. We forgive others because we deserve to be free!!

Beautiful young shop assistant told me as she joyfully accepted my prayer: ‘You are so like my grandmother. She would always give me prayers’. I get that a lot😀 Thank God for grandmothers👵👵

Queueing for Sacrament of Confession gentle prayerful lady Phyllis and I enjoyed wonderful sharing. She and her elderly sister have dwelled together in harmony up and down the long years. Somebody one time lovingly bestowed on them the title: ‘Unclaimed Treasures’, she told me in fits of laughter. I just love those random conversations, food for the soul🌸

Priest who heard my Confession granting me absolution spoke with extremely poor English😀. God writes straight with crooked lines!! He understands all languages 🎆

Many folk back home asked if I would light Holy candles for their intentions. So many candles. So many intentions. 🙏🏻🕯🕯🙏🏻

                        “Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness”. (Anne Frank)

O good and tender Mother, Thou will always be our love and hope. 🙏🏻

So beautiful praying Holy Rosary and singing hymns as we waited expectantly. Suddenly, everything ground to a halt, deafening silence as we were invited to: ‘Kneel down. Mother Mary is coming’. Surreal, breathtaking.

Piercing the calm, somebody began to weep aloud. At first it sounded like an upset child but quite quickly the crying morphed into loud angry screaming. Guttural, devastatingly gruesome, ugly. No let up whatsoever throughout the whole time of apparition.

Many folk extremely upset, frightened too. One young girl in floods of tears whispered: ‘I will never not pray again’.

My paltry words fall short. There is no way to articulate what took place at Our Beautiful Mother Mary’s Apparition here this evening. Except to say that we who were present are left in no doubt whatsoever that evil does exist in our world. 

Pope Francis words are comforting this night: ‘The devil is strong but God is stronger’. Amen.

Dearest Mother Mary, please pray to Jesus for us. Amen

Adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament tonight. Nothing to fear - Jesus is HERE!

Stations of the Holy Cross this afternoon led by Father Bernardine. Devoutly moving.🌸🙏🏻

                                               Our happy ladylike three legged House cat.🐈‍⬛😄

A day of wonderful encounters, amazing prayer-sharing, tears and laughter. For sure joy and sadness can exist simultaneously in the human heart. Folk converse freely here in Medjugorje, swapping stories, sharing and caring, compassion and kindness hanging heavy in the air. 

G.K. Chesterton’s quote dances into my heart: 

                              ‘We are all in the same boat and we are all seasick’.🎶🙏🏻

POWERFUL  DAILY  PRAYER

August Queen of the Heavens, heavenly sovereign of the Angels, Thou who from the beginning received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of satan, we humbly beseech Thee to send your Holy Legions, so that under Thy command and through Thy power, they may pursue the demons and combat them everywhere, suppress their boldness, and drive them back into the abyss. Who is like God? O good and tender Mother, Thou will always be our love and hope! O Divine Mother, send Thy Holy Angels to defend me and to drive far away from me the cruel enemy. Holy Angels and Archangels, defend us, guard us. Amen 

Heaven on earth.🌸🙏🏻

                                                           Early morning in Medugorje.☀️ 

 After 10 AM Holy Mass this morning, insightful enjoyable talk by gentle Visionary Jakov on his exceedingly worthy Charity ‘Mary’s Hands’ and much more. 🌸

                                                         Awesome’Risen Christ’ statue.☀️🙏🏻

I shared my widow’s mite with Stefan, He shared his story with me - in his own mother tongue. Distraught demeanour as he uttered: ‘My son. Only twenty years old. Bullets’. Still, he could smile for our selfie 😀 despite everything.......poor man. 😌😀

                    I purchased this today and the first verse I randomly selected: Matthew 11:28.

‘Come to me all you who are weary and over burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls’. 😄😄

Veneration of the Holy Cross tonight. Beautiful beyond words. Violins, tears and starry sky again..🌸

Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy. Be with us on our way - for all your ways are beautiful and all your paths are peace. Amen💞

                                          Pansion Nicole🏠. Esther (Ogie’s rip Mom) & me. 🎆

Medugorje - where supernatural meets the natural.❤️

5AM this morning we eventually touched down in Medugorje. Flight delayed due to thunderstorms and torrential downpours. Dublin airport jam packed and yet all went smoothly. Folk generous and understanding, moods upbeat, celebratory.

Never having gone through security on my own before, apprehensive to say the least. Beautiful lady called Cliona (customer, not staff member) dashed to my side ushering me through painlessly. She appeared out of nowhere and gone again but not without my prayer! Definitely my Angel and I told her so.

My suitcase held back because ‘steel object’ detected inside. Ryan, air Security guy stood by perplexed, as I opened my case. There in full view for all to see - ‘steel object’ -  my beautiful crucifix. Without thinking I picked it up and said aloud: ‘Look, it is Jesus’. Kindly security guy took it from my hands, kissed Jesus tenderly and returned my beautiful crucifix to me with the words: ‘Thank you very much Madam’. Moving unforgettable experience for both of us.

This evening Holy Mass and Adoration of most Blessed Sacrament out-doors. All of us gathered together under the starry sky adoring and praising our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Lonesome violin tones piercing our heart and soul causing healing tears to fall from our eyes. Indescribably incredibly beautiful. ❤️🙏🏻

I recognised Christine from her interview with Medugorje Tom on YouTube.😄

Many joyful encounters today. In this Sacred sacrosanct space on God’s green earth, I catch a glimpse of Heaven.💞

Dearest Mother Mary, Queen of peace, keep our troubled minds at ease. Amen

Grateful ❤️

I had just sat down beside Joan in Church when without warning she collapsed cosily onto my lap. Had I not been in that place at that moment, Joan would most certainly have been hurt on the hard cold floor. Perfect timing! (Joan is fine again Thank God.)

Reminding me of a similar incident over twenty years ago. Fast car threw my son Eric onto a parked car. Confused driver took wrong turn it seems. Having spent some time in hospital, Eric returned home minus his spleen. However, Docters assured us that he got off light, thank God. Eric’s aorta by the glorious Grace of God miraculously escaped unscathed.  

Thing is, owner of parked car told me later that he had parked his car just seconds before my son was catapulted through the air and onto it’s bonnet. Had that car not been there, outcome indeed would have been pretty horrendous. Perfect timing!

Pondering how I might articulate my gigantic gratitude right now when my dear friend Eve’s uplifting message from this morning danced into my heart: 

‘Hallelujah! God is good every time, every hour, every minute, every day, every night, all the time’. 

Enough said. Perfect timing! 

Thank you God for EVERYTHING.🙏🏻

‘Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’. (Philippians 4:6-7)

‘What prevents us from receiving more abundant graces from God may be quite simply our not being sufficiently grateful and not thanking Him for the graces He has already given us. There is no doubt that if we thank God with all our heart for each grace received especially for the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, He will grant us more. (Fr. Jacques Philippe)