Miracle at the Tomb

Before the age of 15, Maureen Digan enjoyed a normal healthylife. Then she was struck down with a very serious, slowly progressive but terminal disease called Lymphedima. This is a disease that does not respond to medication and does not go into remission.

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Within the next ten years Maureen had fifty operations and had lengthy confinements in Hospital of up to a year at a time. Friends and relations suggested she should pray and put her trust in God. But Maureen could not understand why God had allowed her to get this disease in the first place, and had lost her faith completely.
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Eventually her deteriorating condition necessitated the amputation of one leg. One evening while Maureen was in hospital her husband Bob went to a film called Divine Mercy, No Escape,and there he became convinced of the healing power of intercession by Sr. Faustina. Bob persuaded Maureen and the Doctors that she should go to the tomb of Sr. Faustina in Poland.

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They arrived in Poland on March 23rd 1981 and Maureen went to confession for the first time since she was a young girl. At the tomb (now the Shrine of Blessed Faustina) Maureen remembers saying in her own inimitable style "O.k. Faustina I came a long way, now do something". Interiorly she heard Sister Faustina say: "If you ask for my help, I will give it to you."

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Suddenly all the pain seemed to drain out of her body and her swollen leg which was due to be amputated shortly, went back to its normal size. When she returned to the U.S.A. she was examined by five independent doctors who came to the conclusion that she was completely healed. They had no medical explanation for the sudden healing of this incurable disease.

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The accumulated evidence of this miracle was examined in consultation by five doctors appointed by the Sacred congregation for the causes of saints, having passed this test it was examined by a team of theologians, and finally by a team of cardinals and bishops. The cure was accepted by all as a miracle caused by Sr. Faustina's intercession to the Divine Mercy

A Light for God's House

In a mountain village in Europe a long time ago, a nobleman wondered what gift he could present to his townspeople. At last he decided to build them a church.

No one saw the complete plans for the church until it was finished. When the people gathered, they marvelled at it's beauty. Then someone asked, "But where are the lamps? How will it be lighted?"

The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls. Then he gave each family a lamp, asking them to bring these with them each time they came to worship. "Each time you are in church, the area where you are seated will be lighted," the nobleman said.

"Each time you are not here, that area will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark."

The Legionaires of Sheshan ..a story from China

If you take the number 36 bus northwest of Shanghai and can put up with it rattling through dense traffic for 30 mins,you reach the terminus of the route in the shade of the hill of Sheshan. 

On the top of the hill is a beautiful old church. You can walk up winding paths to the church as I did one cold January day, taking care of the black ice that rimmed the paths.

I came across three ladies who looked as if they were in their 70's, kneeling on the ice in front of a statue of Our Lady. They were praying the Rosary and I watched them for a while. They completed 15 decades, unfazed and unflinching as gusts of cold air rattled up the path and made me shiver.

When they finished and stood up, the youngest lady turned to me and smiled. I said 'hello' and asked where they were from. She told me that she and her companions were from a rural village about 2 hours away by bus.

I asked why she came. Her story was simple. She and her 2 friends are members of the Leigon of Mary. They worked in their tiny village, visiting the sick and the needy. Her 2 friends had visited a sick farmer taking him a hot meal every day and on one visit left him a miraculous medal. 

Another visitor saw the medal and reported the 2 ladies to the magistrate. (Its an offense for Christians to spread their faith in China). He sentenced them both to three months in a labour camp for the crime of spreading their religion.

They had just completed their sentence the previous day and had come immediately to the shrine of Sheshan to say thank you to Our Lady for helping them get through their sentence and also for the opportunity to do penance in a small way (Xiao - Xiao) in suffering for their faith.

I watched them walk slowly away up the hill to the main church. One had a limp. I wondered if their experience would stop them visiting the sick and giving out miraculous medals in the future..but I doubt it somehow..

Straight Ahead !

At sometime during World War II, a passenger ship set sail from Great Britain headed for port in New York City. The Captain of the ship being afraid of enemy vessels, sought the advise and guidance of the British Admiral.

The Admiral calmly assured the captain that no matter what happens, he should be sure to sail his ship straight ahead. "Do not take any detours -- sail the ship straight ahead -- continue on-ward, heading straight towards the intended mark" he said.

After several days of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean which was undeniably filled with submarines and enemy vessels of all kinds, the Captain spotted an enemy destroyer off his forward bow. Nervously he grasped the handset and called for assistance.

The calm voice replied, "Keep on straight, Do not detour, just sail the ship straight ahead. Everything will be just fine. Just keep on going - straight ahead."

After a couple more days the ship pulled safely into the great harbor of New York city.

Shortly after docking the great British battleship "Man-of-War" pulled into port behind the passenger vessel.

The Captain realized that while he did not see the British battleship, she was there, standing bye. Standing ready to come to his defense should it prove necessary.

So it is in our lives. God is standing by. We may not always see Him there, but He is. Waiting. Bidding us onward toward the mark...

The Good Shepherd ... a story from Australia

A young girl, a lapsed Catholic, broke her leg . As she was unable to do much, one of her friends asked her if she would like to go to Mass with her and she went along.

The reading was about the Good shepherd going after the lost sheep. And in the sermon the priest was saying that in olden times when a lamb was a bit wayward sometimes the shepherd would break one of its legs, so it would be immobile and unable to run off and would then carry it around on his shoulders while the leg healed.

In that way the lamb would become familiar with the shepherd and less inclined to stray. As the girl was listening to this, its application in her life became clear and she came home to the church and counted the broken leg as a blessing !