"A true miracle
through
the Blessed Mother"
Rev.
Peter Byung-Sub Choi, Incheon,
Korea
(August 19, 1987)
It
has been some time since I first heard about the messages and weeping of the
Blessed Mother in Naju. I thought that the messages were shocking and so
appropriate for our time. So, I hung the Blessed Mother's photograph in the
church and preached on the contents of the messages on several Sundays. As a
result, many people have repented their sins. I believe that this has been a
true miracle through the Blessed Mother. The confession line continued until
late at night. Confessions are sincere and from truly repentant hearts. I think
that these show that people are digesting at least some of the Blessed Mother's
messages. I pray that the Blessed Mother's profound intention for the
establishment of Christ's Kingdom be realized.
"My heart was
becoming torn apart
because of my sins"
Marie-Claire
Jeung-Ji Hong, Euijungbu, Gyeonggi Province, Korea (September 15, 1987)
My
name is Marie-Claire Hong from Euijungbu
City (north of Seoul, near DMZ). I saw the Blessed Mother
shedding blood from her nose and bloody tears from her eyes on the Feast of Our
Lady of Sorrows. Tears and blood were flowing down to her chin. I could see her
sweating also. Her upper lip was swollen. I felt that my heart was becoming
torn apart because of the sins that I had committed knowingly. From now on, I
will abandon worldly desires so that I may be forgiven of my sins.
"I touched the tear
with my finger"
Josefina
Tae-Hee Pyo together with her brother and his wife, Seoul, Korea (December 17, 1987)
When
I was in the Chapel at about 1:30 p.m. together with my brother and his wife, we could
not see any tears. Then, we finished praying and bade good-bye to the Blessed
Mother. Before leaving, my brother's wife and I again looked closely at the
Blessed Mother's statue and saw a teardrop flowing down slowly from the Blessed
Mother's right eye. It was hard to believe, but I touched the tear with my
finger. When my finger touched the tear, I felt deeply moved and kissed my
finger that was wet with the Blessed Mother's tear.
"Thank you, Blessed
Mother, for calling me to
this place"
Rev.
Matthew Yong-Soo Baik, Pastor of Nampyeong Catholic Church, Kwangju, Korea
Thank
you, Blessed Mother, for calling me to this place. Actually, I had earnestly
and anxiously wanted to come here for a long time. Thank you, Mother, for
hearing my prayers.
When
I arrived here on January 4, 1988, at about 2:30 p.m., I immediately saw the Blessed
Mother shedding tears. I stayed there for three days, repeatedly witnessing the
Mother's tears and also touching the tears. When her tears were on my fingers,
I felt sorrow in my heart and an ardent desire to participate in her
sufferings. I prayed sincerely for the conversion of sinners and for the
sanctification of families and priests. I felt a strong desire to be at the
Blessed Mother's side forever.
"I saw her tears of
blood flowing down
continuously"
Seraphina
Yang together with Helena Noh, Gunsan, Chungnam Province, Korea (December 8, 1988)
We
came to Naju on the Solemnity of the Blessed Mother's Immaculate Conception.
Helena Noh, also from Kunsan, and I entered the Blessed Mother's House (the
Chapel in Naju) and saw tears of blood flowing down from both of the Blessed
Mother's eyes. Tears of blood were flowing down to her chin, her dress and her
feet. Even at this moment while I am writing down this testimony, I can see her
tears of blood flowing down continuously. Father Lazarus Lee, Pastor of Naju,
and twelve other pilgrims also witnessed this.
"Even at this
moment, tears of blood are still flowing"
Lawrence Kap-Joo Choi, Naju,
Jeonnam Province, Korea
(October 14, 1989)
When
I came to the Chapel at about 9 a.m., I saw the Blessed Mother shedding more
tears of blood from both eyes than before. The tears of blood flowed down on
her cheeks and to her dress, her feet and the pillow under the statue. Even at
this moment, tears of blood continue to flow.
"I was a
Presbyterian, but felt the Blessed Mother's
love"
Kum-Jin
Kim, Gongju, Chungbuk Province,
Korea (October
27, 1989)
When
I arrived at the Blessed Mother's House, I first prayed and then approached the
Blessed Mother's statue. I saw both of her eyes filled with tears and the tears
flowing down on her cheeks. The tears were spreading to the area under the nose
and to the lips. I had been a Presbyterian for 20 years and felt the Blessed
Mother's love and grace for the first time.
"When I saw the
Blessed Mother's tears of blood, my whole body trembled"
Catherina
Sang-Myung Lee together with Clara Jae-Shin Lee, Seoul, Korea
(November 19, 1989)
On
November 18, 1989, when we had the season's first snow, we took an express bus
to Naju from Seoul
at 4:10 p.m.
Most of us in the bus were Legio Mariae members of the Daechee-dong
Parish in Seoul.
It snowed and rained heavily on the way. We arrived in Naju at 10:10 p.m. When I
entered the Chapel and saw the Blessed Mother shedding tears of blood for the
first time, my whole body trembled. We continued looking at the Blessed Mother,
also thinking about Julia, who had been suffering for our sake, and repenting
our sins. The Blessed Mother's tears of blood flowed from her eyes down to her
lips. Her eyes looked alive. With her bloodshot eyes, she was looking at us.
Her tears and tears of blood continued to flow down, making her dress wet. We
continued watching and feeling deeply moved. We continued our meditation and
prayers.
All forty-four
pilgrims in our group saw the tears
Theresa
Hye-Yeon Koh, Incheon, Korea
(December 13, 1989)
Our
group of forty- pilgrims (fourteen from Incheon
and thirty from Seoul)
arrived in Naju on December 12, 1989, at about 9:55 p.m. When we entered the Chapel and saw
the Blessed Mother, she had a small amount of tears in her left eye and more in
her right eye. As we continued watching, a large quantity of tears flowed down
to her cheeks and chin, and even to the lower ends of her dress and her feet.
All of us saw this. At about 8:50
a.m. the next day, even more tears were flowing down. When we were
about to leave at about 1:30
p.m., tears were still flowing, making her dress wet.
"I clearly saw and
firmly believe"
Bishop
Daniel Hak-Soon Chi, Wonju Diocese in Gangwon
Province, Korea
(January 20, 1990)
Bishop
Daniel Hak-Soon Chi of the Wonju Diocese in Korea came to Naju on January 14,
1990 and began a Novena prayer in the Chapel. On January 20, he witnessed the
Blessed Mother's statue shedding tears of blood and left a written testimony: I
clearly saw and firmly believe. He then visited Archbishop Victorinus Youn
of the Kwangju Archdiocese and urged him to officially recognize the events in
Naju.
"I did see the Blessed Mother's
weeping no matter what others may say"
Sister
Nicole Kim, Wonju, Gangwon Province,
Korea (January
20, 1990)
I
have been assigned to the Wonju diocesan office for the past four years to
assist Bishop Daniel Chi. I came to Naju on January 20, 1990, following Bishop
Chi who arrived in Naju ahead of me on January 14 and was praying in the
Chapel. At about 10 a.m. on January 20, I went to the Chapel together with
Bishop Chi and saw the Blessed Mother's eyes filled with tears mixed with blood
and the bloody tears flowing down. The Blessed Mother also moved herself
forward while weeping. Bishop Chi lifted the statue and returned her to her
original place. A while later, we began praying the rosary. While praying, I
looked straight ahead at the Blessed Mother's statue. Then, Bishop Chi said, “The
Blessed Mother moved herself forward again and looked to the side.?/i> He
noticed the Blessed Mother's move before others did. A while later, the Blessed
Mother went back to her original place by herself. I did see the Blessed
Mother's weeping no matter what others may say. I will pray quietly in Naju in
union with the weeping Blessed Mother. Thank you, Mother.
"She used to trample the rosary; now, she prays fifteen
decades every day for the conversion of her teenage girlfriends"
Gabriella
Chang, Seoul, Korea
I
write this testimony for the benefit of many people. Recently I visited Fr.
Raymond Spies in Anyang.
He told me that, when one goes to Naju, he should not go just to see the
Blessed Mother's tears and tears of blood but to reform his life based on the
messages. I would like to introduce one soul who has become a new person thanks
to the messages from the Blessed Mother of Naju.
I
first learned about Naju through the Blue Army in 1987. It was before the
Chapel was built. I wanted to do some good work and guided one poor soul to
Naju. She was a seventeen year-old girl by the name of Theresa. She quit school
during her last year of junior high school (ninth grade) and began leading a
dissolute life. She not only smoked and drank but was also into narcotics. She
was suffering from severe hallucinations. She became a prostitute. Her parents
passed every day in tears and pains. People avoided her and deserted her as a
delinquent person. I brought her into my house, thinking that she was Jesus or
the Blessed Mother.
After
we came back from a trip to Naju, we read the messages together. She asked me
what “sacrilegious communion?(mentioned in the message of June 5, 1988) meant.
I explained it in detail and asked her to examine herself. She said that
sometimes she hid some of her sins during confession because of shame and
received Communion sacrilegiously. She shed tears of repentance. She has been
reading the messages every day and making frequent confessions. Before, when I
asked her to pray the rosary together, she used to trample the rosary. Now, she
prays fifteen decades every day for the conversion of sinners. She is changing
every day through the messages. She says that everything has changed 180
degrees.
Before,
she almost went to jail several times for stealing, but now she refuses to take
gifts of money, saying that she is afraid of committing sins if she had money.
She does not watch TV or videos any longer. She says that she promised to the
Lord and the Blessed Mother not to watch TV or videos. She is leading a life of
offering up beautiful roses to the Lord and the Blessed Mother by making
sacrifices and reparations, saying that she had more sins than anyone else. She
is making strenuous efforts to practice the Blessed Mother's messages. She
prays the rosary fervently for the teenage girls who are committing sins as
prostitutes without knowing that they are committing sins. She says that she
will spread the Blessed Mother's messages to those girls, too.
"We saw her tears and tears of blood flowing down on her
cheeks"
Regina Ok-Ae Lee, Seoul, Korea
(May 9, 1990)
It
was about 5:30 p.m.
on May 8, 1990, when we left the Seoul office of
the Village of Flowers for Naju. Upon arriving in Naju,
we entered the Chapel and prayed the rosary. Then, we went closer to the
Blessed Mother's statue and saw her tears flowing down on her cheeks to her
chin. We watched her weeping until 9 o’clock in the evening. Then, at about 11:30 p.m., we saw her
shedding tears of blood from both of her eyes. Tears of blood stopped flowing
at about 1:20
the next morning (May 9), but clear tears continued flowing from both of her
eyes.
"I saw the Virgin Mary's statue
shedding tears and felt electricity in my body"
Su-Hyun
Kim, Naju, Jeonnam Province,
Korea (October
1, 1990)
I
am a carpenter and did some extension work in the Chapel in Naju. I was an
atheist and did not believe in God. When the work in the Chapel began on September
21, 1990, I heard about the Virgin Mary's statue weeping tears, but I did not
believe it. Then, this morning, at about 7:20, I went closer to the statue together
with other workers and saw the statue shedding tears. I felt electricity in my
body. A fellow worker, Bok-Man Lee, who did not believe in God, either, had
tears in his eyes. I was also deeply moved. I looked more closely at the tears
flowing from the Virgin Mary's two eyes down to her face, neck, and dress, and
dripping on her feet. The weeping continued. I informed my family and decided
to become a Catholic.
"We knelt and prayed
the rosary to participate in the Blessed Mother's sorrows"
Christopher
Han-Jung Choi and family, Gimhae, Gyeongnam Province, Korea (October 2, 1990)
My
permanent address is in Naju, but I now live in Busan because of my job. I had visited the
Blessed Mother's House several times before, but had not personally witnessed
the Blessed Mother's tears. Yesterday, however, I saw her weeping for the first
time. My family saw her weeping and prayed the rosary on our knees to
participate in the Blessed Mother's sorrows. This morning at 9:20, when we approached
the Blessed Mother's statue again, we saw her tears of yesterday having turned
into tears of blood already. Tears of blood were filling her eyes and flowing
down on her cheeks. They flowed further down to her dress and her feet. Right
at this moment, 10:12
a.m., when I am writing down this testimony in the Chapel, I can
still see her weeping tears of blood.
"Do not come as spectators but
meditate on the true meaning of the Blessed Mother's tears and amend life"
Rev.
John Young-Bae Kim, Suwon Diocese, Korea
(October 18, 1990)
I
came to Naju together with Sister Lucilla and Sister Esther, both of St. Vincent Hospital, and saw tears flowing from the
Blessed Mother's eyes down to her feet. I personally witnessed what I had only
been hearing about. I want to say one word to all who visit this place. Do not
come as spectators but meditate on the true meaning of the Blessed Mother's
tears and amend life.
"We all smelled the
fragrance and saw the Blessed
Mother's tears"
Gemma
Mi-Ae Kim, Goheung, Jeonnam Province, Korea (December 2, 1990)
I
am a teacher at Gwayuk
Junior High School in
Koheung. I arrived in Naju with my elder sister, Cecilia, on December 1, 1990,
at about 8:40 p.m.
We saw the Blessed Mother shedding tears from her statue. We attended the
overnight prayer meeting together with about 200 other pilgrims. We all smelled
the fragrance that filled the Chapel and saw the Blessed Mother's tears. We saw
her tears flowing from her both eyes down to her cheeks and chin and even to
her feet. When we looked again at 7:50 next morning, tears were still coming down from her
both eyes to both cheeks, lips and chin.
"In Naju I saw a miracle for the first time
in my life"
Methodio
Chang-Min Kim, New York;
also witnessed by Josefina Hyun-Sun Moon, Kwangju,
Korea (December
13, 1990)
I
came to Naju after hearing about it from my wife. In Naju, I witnessed a
miracle for the first time in my life. At first, it was hard to see any tears,
but from 9 a.m., tears from the eyes were flowing down on the right cheek to
the chin. I videotaped the tears. When I go back to the United States, I will testify to
many people and show them the video.
"The pillow and
cloth under the statue became wet with tears and tears of blood"
Sylvia
Jung-Suk Lee, Suwon, Korea;
also witnessed by Eui-Keun Park and Sun-Hee Chung, Kwangju, Korea
(March 25, 1991)
My
name is Sylvia Lee from Yuljun Parish in Suwon.
I have been praying in the Blessed Mother's House for the past several days. This
morning, at about 6:40,
while praying, I saw the Blessed Mother's both eyes sparkling with tears and
also her left foot wet with tears. Tears from the right eye were flowing down
to her cheeks and mouth and tears from the left eye were forming drops near her
lips. When I came back to the Chapel at about 7:40 this morning, the Blessed Mother was
shedding bloody tears and also had much nose-bleeding. Bloody tears were
flowing down on her cheeks to her lips, chin, neck, chest, blue sash and the
pillow under the statue. At about 8 a.m., bloody tears and blood from her nose
stopped flowing. Then, at about 8:30 a.m., they resumed flowing. Bloody tears from her
eyes and blood from her nose were flowing down to her lips, chin, neck, and
dress. The pillow and cloth under the statue became wet.
"I saw the Blessed
Mother weeping"
Magdalene
Kyung-Jin Byun, Namwon, Jeonbuk Province, Korea (April 2, 1991)
I
had heard about the Blessed Mother's weeping statue. So, I visited the Chapel
and personally witnessed the Blessed Mother's weeping. At first, I could not
clearly see any tears, but soon both of her eyes became filled with tears,
which then flowed down on her cheeks. Tears were making her lips, chin and
dress wet and were dripping on her feet. Other visitors were also looking. Some
were photographing or videotaping. The Blessed Mother continued weeping tears.
When I came back to the Chapel in the evening at about 8:40, she was still shedding tears.
"The rosary used to
look like Buddhist meditation
beads; now it looks like the Blessed Mother's sash"
Immanuela
Soon-Hee Yang, Chosun University Medical
Center, Kwangju, Korea
(1991)
I
am a nurse at Chosun
University Medical
Center. I write this
testimony for the Blessed Mother, who suffers pains for us, and also for the
benefit of our Protestant friends and those Catholics who are staying away from
the Church.
Several
years ago, one of my fellow nurses at the hospital said to me, ?i>I have heard
that the Virgin Mary is weeping tears of blood in Naju. Shall we not visit that
place together??/i> I said, ?i>Yes,?without thinking seriously. Later, I
regretted that I had said that. On the other hand, I had some curiosity also,
because I had seen a pamphlet about Naju three years earlier. I thought that it
was strange and amazing. Soon, twelve people who work at the same hospital left
for Naju. I was the only Protestant.
When
we arrived in Naju, I saw a large statue of the Virgin Mary in the front yard
of the Chapel. I tried to avoid looking at her and entered the Chapel. There
was a smaller statue of the Virgin Mary inside the Chapel. It was smaller than
I expected. I said to myself, “Can the tears of blood be real? They must be
a fake.?I could not believe that they were real. I was a deacon in a
Protestant church and did a lot of work in that church. I had been a Protestant
for 30 years and even established six mission churches. I felt very uneasy and
ashamed to be in the Chapel in Naju. After we prayed together in the Chapel for
a while, Julia gave us a brief talk. While she was speaking to the group, she
pointed to me and said, ?i>Sister, the Blessed Mother is specially calling you
to come here again!?I thought, ?i>You are making me laugh. I am not going
to come here any more.?Julia continued speaking, ?i>This is not by
accident. I have never invited anyone to come here, but since the Blessed
Mother is calling you, please come back on the coming First Saturday.?She
said further, ?i>Oh, why am I saying this? I have not asked even my family to
come here.?She made a small cross on her lips with her finger. I felt very
strange and more ashamed. While everyone was going to light a candle before the
Virgin Mary's statue, I stood hesitantly at the end of the line. But Julia
called me to the front and made me light a candle before others.
I
had lived a life of being indifferent to the Blessed Mother. I had been trained
that way since my childhood. She was just a woman who gave birth to Jesus. I
had no greater feelings about her. After I came home after the visit to Naju, I
said to myself, ?i>She asked me to come back on the First Saturday. She is
making me laugh. I am not coming back.?
When
the First Saturday came, I was struggling in my mind. On the one hand, I did
not want to go. On the other hand, I had an urge to go. Even before I made a
clear decision, I was already going to Naju. The overnight prayer meeting
began. While they were praying, I felt awkward, because I did not know Catholic
prayers. In the second part of the meeting, Julia spoke. Every word she spoke
penetrated my heart. It seemed that she was personally speaking to me. My
husband was a Protestant seminarian when we got married. I married him because
of his good faith. However, he quit the seminary after marriage and began
living a dissolute life for the next seven years.
Of
course, we were church-goers, but we fought once every two or three days.
Because our financial conditions were tight, I continued working at the
hospital despite my poor health. My stomach illness became worse and, because
of that, I had a real bad breath. When I was in bed, I turned my face away from
my husband. When my mother-in-law walked by me, she said, ?i>Ah, what a
problem for such a young one!?I always had sadness on my face. I also had
arthritis and had never worn high-heeled shoes. However, while I was attending
the First Saturday prayer meeting, I was healed of all my health problems! It
was May 2, a day that I will never forget. Before then, I had not experienced
true happiness. But, during that prayer meeting, I realized that every problem
was because of my fault. Tears of repentance were pouring out of my eyes. I
felt that the Blessed Mother, from whom I had felt remote and had alienated
myself. was my real Mother. Since then, I began calling her ?i>Mommy!?I
decided to convert to Catholicism. As I was changing, my husband began changing
also. He consented to my conversion. My mother-in-law and all other family
members clapped their hands with joy.
Soon,
the whole family began going to the Catholic Church. Before then, my husband
and I had fought three or four times every week, which had also hurt my
mother-in-law. My husband, who had been looking hateful, now looks so lovable.
So, I prayed to the Blessed Mother, ?i>Mother, I love my husband. Please love
him, too.?My husband was healed of his health problems also.
Since
our conversion to the Catholic Church, we have not had any more fights. My husband
began taking instruction in the Catholic Faith. After every class, he says
something nice like praising the Blessed Mother or making a positive comment on
the Catholic Church. My mother-in-law also was prayed over by Julia and was
completely healed of her fifty year-old stomach illness.
My
younger sister-in-law lives with us. I did not like her much, but, after my
conversion, she looks so lovable. So, before going to work every morning, I get
up earlier than usual and wash her baby's diapers. I feel so happy and full of
energy at work. My husband said to me, ?i>You went to the Protestant church
for thirty years, but you did not change much. But the Blessed Mother of Naju
is really changing you.?The Blessed Mother gave me another sign. I began
smelling fragrance from my rosary. Before my conversion, the rosary looked like
Buddhist meditation beads; now it looks like the Blessed Mother's sash. The Hail
Mary's that I offer are roses for the Blessed Mother. So, I thought that I
would pray more rosaries so that the Blessed Mother's hands may become full of
roses. As I prayed more rosaries, I had fewer worries. Even when my husband
comes home late, I don’t complain, because I have more time to pray. I say, ?i>Mother,
I entrust my husband to you. You take care of him as you wish.?My husband
continues changing. He has regained his faith. My mother-in-law had been a
Catholic and has a baptismal name of Maria. She came back to the Church also.
Moreover,
the family on my side also began coming to the Catholic Church one after
another. All together, more than twenty of my family converted. I hope this
will be a small consolation to the Blessed Mother and a small reparation for
our neglect of her. My family, which had been living in disputes and quarrels,
has found love and harmony. We are aboard the Blessed Mother's Ark of
Salvation. I said good-bye to the Protestant church after thirty years and
after establishing six mission churches. I thank the Lord and the Blessed
Mother for the changes and the fullness of joy in my family.
"God allowed this grace of conversion and restoration of
peace in my family because of the prayers by my mother and
Julia"
Raphael
Kim, Yeonggwang, Jeonnam Province,
Korea (May 20,
1992)
On
the day we first visited Naju, the Blessed Mother was weeping lots of tears of
blood through her statue. We cried loudly for a long time, repenting our sins
and our indifference to her, who was actually so close to us all the time.
Since then, we have visited Naju frequently, filled with the desire to see the
Blessed Mother.
On
October 19, 1990, we attended an overnight prayer meeting for the first time.
While listening to Julia relaying the Blessed Mother's messages, I could not
control myself and wept so much, repenting my sins.
When
Julia prayed for me at the end of the prayer meeting, I felt her hand as hot as
an iron as she touched my chest. I also felt an intense pain on the left side
of my chest, which lasted until the next day. But, on subsequent days, my
health improved visibly every day. My diabetes, which had afflicted me for
thirty years, was gone! I stopped all the medication, but felt as light as a
feather in my body. Now I can eat anything: rice, candy, chocolate, etc. My
twenty year-old arthritis was also cured. Before, I had trouble bending my
knees. Excess water had to be drained out of my knee joints. Now, it is all
history.
My
mother had her first stroke in October 1991. She was in a hospital for three
months. But, on May 1, 1992, she had another stroke. Doctors said that it was
hopeless. The whole family (there are twenty-five of us) gathered, expecting
the worst. But, because my mother loved the Blessed Mother in Naju so much, we
informed Julia. She came at about 10 p.m. on May 3. We were shocked, when we
saw Julia begin praying for my Mother's recovery. Everyone had already given up
hope. My mother remained unconscious.
A
while later, as Julia continued praying, my mother opened her eyes and, looking
at Julia, said, “The Holy Water!?/i> and, “Forgive me.?Julia prayed
so fervently. She prayed for each of us, too. She left a little past midnight.
My mother continued to recover and ate some food. By daybreak, she became fully
alert and spoke clearly.
All
of us were in such a shock that we could not even speak well. Our nine brothers
and sisters were all married, but had different religions. We had lots of
distrust and tension in the family. Now, because of Julia's prayers, we cried
and repented. Instead of blaming each other, we all admitted our own faults.
This was truly an amazing miracle. We embraced each other and cried loudly
asking for forgiveness. We offered up our endless gratitude to the Lord and the
Blessed Mother for the restored peace in our family.
In
fact, my mother was always sad about the different religions and tension among
her children and offered rosary prayers for each of us from 3:30 a.m. every day. God
allowed this grace of conversion and restoration of peace in my family because
of the prayers by my mother and Julia.
Through
Julia's prayers for each of us that night, my eighty-three year-old
father-in-law was cured of an intestinal inflammation, which everyone had said
was incurable. Four others were cured of various sicknesses like ulcers,
arthritis, and pleurisy. My whole family converted because of these amazing
miracles. We all came back to the Blessed Mother in Naju and began a life of
prayers.
Praise
to the Lord and the Blessed Mother in all eternity for curing and sanctifying
my family. Amen.
"I had a hole in my
heart, cancer in my bone
marrow and inflammation in
my spines"
Mary
Lee, Busan, Korea (May 1992)
My
name is Mary Lee living in Busan,
Korea. I was
born with a hole in my heart. Doctors said that I could not live more than a
few months, but I did not die. I left the hospital when I was three years old.
Since
then, I grew up without knowing God in my life. It was a sinful life. But my
condition deteriorated and I had to go to the hospital again. The doctor said
that the hole reappeared in my heart and was growing. He said that I needed
surgery. This was very painful to me, both psychologically and physically. I
was not able to pay for the surgery, either, but my parents and the rest of my
family helped. I was hospitalized on September 2, 1989, and went through many
tests. The surgery was performed on September 11 and took eight-and-a-half
hours.
One
month later, I left the hospital. I was weeping for joy in the taxi coming
home. Then, I visited the hospital periodically for checkup and treatment. But,
disappointingly, the chest pain got worse and there was also a lump growing on
my chest. At night, I was unable to sleep because of the pains. So, I had to go
through another surgery. One month later, there still was no improvement, and
so I had still another surgery. By that time, there was even inflammation in my
bones and cancer in my bone marrow. Parts of my ribs had to be cut off. These
operations were so painful. I had to take so many medicines and injections
every day. I even wanted to die.
But,
one day, I somehow began praying to the Blessed Mother before her statue the
entrance to the hospital. I prayed every evening, “Forgive me and rescue me.
Let me get out of this hospital, please.?About two months after I started
the prayer, I asked the doctor so persistently that he finally let me go home.
But my condition did not improve and my bones continued to decay.
One
day, I went to a prayer meeting in a church in Choryang, a northern suburb of Busan. There, I met a lady
who told me about the weeping statue of the Blessed Mother in Naju. Again, that
night, I was not able to sleep because of the pain.
The
next morning, I asked the same lady if I could visit Naju. She introduced me to
another lady who had experienced many blessings in Naju. She told me much about
Naju and also said that I could be cured, both spiritually and physically, if I
went there.
Later,
I was able to visit Naju. There, I watched a video showing Julia's sufferings.
I cried so much, repenting my sins. I was able to firmly believe that Jesus and
the Blessed Mother were alive. In the past, I hated many people around me, my
parents, brothers, sisters, husband, and neighbors. Sometimes, I was angry with
God, too. But, now, I realized that all the problems were because of my own
fault. I cried continuously, beating my chest and thinking that Julia was
suffering because of my sins. I felt so grateful to the Blessed Mother, because
I was led to the Lord and received so much grace from Him through the Blessed
Mother's tears and Julia's sufferings. I came home filled with grace and joy.
A
few days later, I wanted to go to Naju again. So, I did go with a few friends
of mine. Since then, I have gone to Naju several times every month and found my
health steadily improving. Soon, my bones were completely healed. I stopped
taking pills and shots altogether. My stomach, liver, and kidneys became
healthy. My heart problem disappeared completely. Before, my body was a total
mess with so many illnesses and seven surgeries. When I converted and repented
my sins before the Lord, He completely cured my physical illnesses as well. Our
Lord also took care of our dire poverty. Now we even run our own store.
Blessed
Mother! You called this wretched and unworthy sinner with your tears and led me
to the Lord. You are truly our Mediatrix of Graces! Truly living Jesus! All the
glory to Thee in all eternity! Amen.
"I came with Mommy
who had white wings (mantle)"
Barnabas
Kyu-Bong Hwang, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea (May 30, 1992)
Despite
my sinful life, I was called to Naju by the Lord and the Blessed Mother through
my second son, who was suffering pains. I write this testimony in thanksgiving
for the graces and love that the Blessed Mother of Naju has bestowed upon us. I
came to realize how sinful my life had been only when I found the love of the
Blessed Mother of Naju.
I
was a seminarian who had big hopes to become a priest, but I gave up in the
middle. Then, I began living a worldly life, believing in the power of money. I
did not pay any attention to the poor people around me and often missed Sunday
Masses. I was a sinner who was very busy trying to make money.
One
day, my son, Leo, who in the second grade, was diagnosed with a malignant brain
tumor. The MRI and CT scans at a larger hospital confirmed the diagnosis. He
was expected to live only two to three more months. I was totally shaken up.
Money was not important any more. My son's life was flickering like a
candlelight in the wind. I was trying to grab even a straw. I had my son
examined at six different hospitals, but the diagnosis was the same. His cancer
was so widely spread that doctors would not even recommend surgery. How can one
describe how parents feel when there is nothing they can do to help their son
who is dying? He was losing weight day after day. He weighed only 14 to 15
kilograms (31 to 33 pounds). He was so thin that it seemed as if he could be
blown away by wind. He was not able to walk and had to be carried. Doctors
would not even admit him to their hospitals. I asked a doctor, ?i>What would
you do, if this boy were your own son??He said, ?i>I would take him home
and do whatever the boy wants.?He meant that there was no hope. I walked
to a statue of the Blessed Mother in the hospital and wept a lot. ?i>Mother,
what sin has this boy committed??I continued to cry, but there was no way
out.
Several
hours later, Leo was crawling down the stairs toward me. I embraced him and
wept more. To console Leo, I told him, ?i>Yes, this Mother is going to make
you live. Let's pray together.?At that moment, a woman, who was passing
by, gave me a booklet. Momentarily, I thought to myself, ?i>Is this woman out
of her mind??She said, ?i>Please read it.?I thought, ?i>What's the
matter with her??But I looked at the booklet; it was about the Blessed
Mother of Naju. There were photographs of the Blessed Mother shedding tears and
tears of blood to convert numerous souls. She was crying like myself. In order
to offer up Leo's soul and body to the Blessed Mother, my wife, my first son,
and I went to Naju with Leo for the first time. We were not familiar with that
area and found the Chapel only after asking others many times. When we arrived
at the Chapel, I felt an unusual sense of peace from the moment we stepped into
the Chapel.
The
Blessed Mother's statue looked so merciful. She was welcoming us with a
fragrance of roses and her love. Rufino
Park, the Chapel
administrator, also greeted us warmly. Isn’t this all according to God's Will?
When we explained everything to Rufino
Park, he let us in a room
behind the Chapel. From that night, I kept praying and crying. ?i>Mother, if
you would take this boy, that is fine with me. However, let me suffer the
physical pains that he is suffering. Let him go to your bosom with a peaceful
mind.?
On
the third night, there were many people in the Blessed Mother's House (the
Chapel). Many of them were patients. I asked my wife and first son to go home.
Leo was crying a lot insisting on going with his Mom. But I told him. ?i>You
need to stay here longer. Be embraced in the bosom of the Blessed Mother.?
When I entered the Chapel again carrying the crying boy on my back, the Blessed
Mother looked particularly sad. ?i>Mother! Don’t cry. Forgive this miserable
sinner. I offer up this innocent little soul and body to you. He is your son
before he is my son. Do as you will. I will follow whatever you will.?Leo
was sleeping. I carried him to an inn, because there were so many people in and
around the Chapel.
I
continued feeling overwhelmed with sorrows over my little son, who was like a
flower bud that was not given a chance to blossom. Then, I fell asleep also.
When I woke up at about 11:30
p.m., I found my son missing. He was not in the inn. So, I went
outside carrying an umbrella. It was raining heavily. I went to Naju Hospital
three times and Naju Railroad Station three times, but could not find him
there. Several hours passed. While I was walking in the dark, I twisted my
ankle, but could not pay attention to the pain because I was anxious to find my
son. ?i>Is he alive??My anxiety was growing. Suddenly I thought that he
might be in the Blessed Mother's House. ?i>Why didn’t I think of that??I
ran to the Blessed Mother's House.
When
I entered the Chapel, I saw my son talking before the altar. The Chapel was
almost empty. The only other person was a lady by the name of Maria Chang who
was in an advanced stage of stomach cancer. I could not believe that Leo was
able to come to the Chapel, because he was not familiar with the streets in
Naju. I looked again and again, but it was undoubtedly my son. I ran to him and
hugged him. I could not control my tears. ?i>How did you come here???i>Daddy,
I came here a while ago. You are late.?I asked him again how he came here.
He said, ?i>I came with Mommy who had white wings (mantle).??i>What??
It was raining heavily outside, but he was not wet at all. I thought to myself,
?i>This is a lie. He is just imagining.?I asked Maria Chang who was
nearby, “Did you see anyone who brought him here??She answered, ?i>I did not
see anybody, but I heard the boy saying ‘Mommy, Goodbye!?‘Mommy, Goodbye!?
before he stepped into the Chapel. At the moment he came into the Chapel, I
smelled a strong fragrance of roses.?Maria Chang thought that Leo came
with his mother.
I
thought that the boy was approaching his last moments; he might soon go to his
Mother; I would have to suffer his pains from now on. I began praying the
rosary before the Blessed Mother's statue. The boy began sleeping; I also fell
asleep. When I opened my eyes, the sun was already high and the boy was missing
again. I rushed outside and saw my son vomiting blood in front of the larger
statue of the Blessed Mother. ?i>Does this mean that he is being cured or he
is near his last moments???i>Could this be one of those many miracles
that I have heard are happening here??
I
brought some water and washed my son before others could see his blood. Then, I
tried to carry Leo on my back as usual to take a walk. But Leo said, ?i>Why
carry me? Am I a baby??I said, ?i>Why? I always carry you on my back!?
But he only said, ?i>Daddy, I want to eat a roasted chicken! Buy me one, will
you??So, we went to eat a roasted chicken. I was surprised to see Leo
eating a whole chicken! I could not believe my eyes. I called my Pastor, Fr.
Romano Eui-sun Tae, who had been so helpful to us, and made a report to him.
Father Tae said, ?i>The Blessed Mother has touched you. Pray hard.?
Two
years have passed since then. Leo is now in the fourth grade now and weighs 54
kilograms (119 pounds). He is taller than I and is healthy. On those days when
I become drunk, he comes and carries me home. So, I try not to get drunk. Leo's
illness has not gone away completely yet. A recent MRI scan at Seoul National
University Hospital
showed that all the cancer cells disappeared, but the tumor was still there.
Some people ask, ?i>Why is he not healed completely at once??But I am
more grateful to the Blessed Mother for healing him gradually. If healing is
sudden, I may become proud again and may forget to rely totally on the Blessed
Mother. The Blessed Mother has called us from a sinful life through our son.
She calls us regardless of our sinful past. Now, we want to be her children who
wipe away her tears. I don’t know how we can thank Julia who prays so ardently
for my son during the overnight prayer meeting on First Saturdays. We only
promise to wipe away the Mother's tears with our tears of repentance and to
offer up sacrifices. Leo waits for the First Saturday prayer meetings
anxiously. I, his father, feel ashamed. I will live a consecrated life by
repenting my sins and by loving others and praying for others.
Glory
to the Lord and praise to the Blessed Mother! Amen.
"A sick family healed
by the Blessed Mother"
Angela
Lim, Busan, Korea (June 1992)
My
name is Angela Lim living in Busan,
Korea. I
divorced my husband eighteen years ago and have been raising two children. No
one will understand how many times I cried or how much pain I endured. Tears of
blood were flowing inside me.
I
was so resentful and decided to take revenge by earning as much money as possible
and raising the children in the best possible way. I worked like an ox, even
though I had some illness. My heart was always sizzling with resentment and
anger, unable to forgive. I was angry with the world and, sometimes, even with
God.
On
December 8, 1987, I had an opportunity to visit Naju. There was a prayer
meeting for the consecration of the newly built Chapel, to which the Blessed
Mother's statue was moved from Julia's apartment. At that meeting, Julia
relayed the Blessed Mother's messages to us:
The
just anger of God the Father is overflowing. Do not criticize or judge others,
but become converted yourself?Families are sick. Sanctify your family by
loving one another. Never blame others, but always blame yourself only. Those
who accept my messages will experience a renewal of their souls through my
messages of love?/span>
I
was totally shaken up by these messages and Julia's talk. I was crying loudly.
Until that time, I always thought that I was right. I never admitted any fault
on my part. As I had always been blaming others and been full of anger, I felt
so ashamed before the Lord and the Blessed Mother. My heart was shaken up in an
indescribable way and I was crying uncontrollably. I cried and cried as I
decided to forgive and accept my husband.
People
around me in the Chapel asked me to reduce the noise. So, I crawled out and
began cleaning the bathroom floor. I cleaned it thoroughly remembering Julia's
words: Let us become a mop that cleans souls. I wanted to become a mop
for cleaning my husband, who was sick both spiritually and physically. I
continued cleaning other corners around the Chapel. I felt so grateful to
Julia, who suffered pains for the conversion of others, including me.
I
went to the place where my husband was staying. He was in bed alone and very
sick. He also had many debts. Momentarily, I felt angry, but soon this was
replaced by an overwhelming sense of pity. We came home together and the
Blessed Mother gradually restored his health. I got my spouse back after
eighteen long years, thanks to the Blessed Mother and her love. “My dear
children! Love even your enemies. If you live according to the Love of God, you
will be saved.?These words of the Blessed Mother given to us through Julia
were the medicine that gave my family a new life.
How
can we say we love the Lord without loving our spouses, regardless of the
situation? When I see his shortcomings, I realize they are truly my own
shortcomings. My husband now looks like St.
Joseph to me, as the Blessed Mother is filling my
ignorant heart with her love.
The
grace I received was so precious that I have been encouraging others to accept
the Blessed Mother's love, too. Sometimes, we rent a bus, as there are quite a
few people who want to visit Naju. Many around me, my relatives, friends, and
neighbors have been baptized after their visit to Naju. Sometimes, even
Buddhist monks and Protestant ministers joined our group and shed tears in
front of the Blessed Mother's statue in Naju. My husband is always anxious that
I do not miss the trip to Naju. Frequently, he cannot come along because of
work. When I go to Naju without him, he waits for me at home in the evening,
praying with a candlelight on.
Now,
whenever we have any difficulties or pains, I rush to the Blessed Mother in
Naju. So far, she has taken care of all our problems. She knows all about our
problems, whether they are spiritual or physical. Whenever we rush to her,
trusting her, she helps us, not just me but, my whole family. We have
experienced this so many times. Our Lord also cures, through the Blessed
Mother, physical sicknesses which were declared incurable by doctors.
Before
visiting Naju, I had tried many other ways: charismatic prayer retreats,
fasting, overnight prayers, and so on, but could not find peace of mind from
them. The Blessed Mother cured my hardened heart and liberated me with love in
Naju.
I
am writing this testimony in immense gratitude to the Lord for curing my
spiritual and physical sicknesses. I hope that others who are in difficulties
will also find the boundless love of the Blessed Mother in Naju. Our Blessed
Mother frequently said that we could reach glory only through suffering.
I
cannot write here about all of the numerous sufferings I went through before
conversion. Now I realize that even those many sufferings were given to me,
because the Lord loves me. I give the Lord and the Blessed Mother my endless
gratitude. I pray that each and every family in the whole world experience this
healing by the Lord and become a little church.
"This sinner was
surely approaching death, but received a new life!"
Maria
Hye-Ja Moon, Mokpo, Jeonnam Province, Korea
(June 13, 1992)
This
sinner was surely approaching death, but received a new life by the love of the
Lord and the Blessed Mother. I write this testimony to share this love with all
my brothers and sisters who are in pains.
I
was in great pains and was visiting this hospital and that hospital without
even knowing the name of my illness. Eventually, my case was diagnosed as
cancer of the lymphatic glands. I received an operation, but was not expected
to live much longer. After receiving this death sentence, my husband and I
cried together. The only choice left to us was to wait for my death. I thought
that, if I was going to die, I wanted to go home, but I continued to stay in
hospital at the insistence of my family. In the hospital, painful treatments
continued. Because of severe pains, I had to take an analgesic every day. The
side effects of the medicine, however, made my whole body become swollen. It
was very difficult for me to move my body. I thought that, because the Lord was
alive, I was not going to die, but my prayers were still superficial.
Gradually, my mind was becoming filled with anger. I was developing a temper,
trying to do everything my way.
After
four months in the hospital, I had another X-ray taken in preparation for
discharge from the hospital, but the X-ray showed that I had a new tumor inside
my nose. Doctors said I needed another surgery. The sky was falling upon me. I
blamed the world and blamed the Lord. I thought that it was the end.
Because
people around me implored me to receive the surgery, I did. But I looked so
ugly after the surgery. I hated myself. The nurse said, ?i>Ma’am, pray. Pray
with confidence.?So, I began praying the rosary and regained some peace.
However, I had another test and the doctors said that I needed one more
surgery. I cried loudly. I wanted to be discharged from the hospital, even if I
was going to die. My husband made me receive the third surgery.
When
about six months passed after the third surgery, I was also found to have
diabetes and liver failure. I was discharged from the hospital, but I overheard
the doctor saying that I would only live for one to six more months. Knowing
that I might live one more month only, I begged the Blessed Mother to let me
live three more months. I said to her that I would do preparations during that
time. I cried continuously and came home and began the preparations. I gave all
my clothing to people, but not to anyone who knew me. I did not want my
children to see others wearing their mom's clothes.
One
day, with my swollen body and bald head, I stepped outside the house. Pains
pierced my head. I wore a scarf over my head to hide the baldness. I also wore
a mask to prevent cold air from getting into my lungs. The cancer was spreading
to my gums and teeth, but there was nothing I could do about them.
Some
time later, a man encouraged me to go to Naju. So, I went to Naju and attended
an overnight prayer service. My body was still swollen all over and looked
ugly. From the moment I entered the Blessed Mother's House, I continuously
wept. I wept all night. Every word that Julia spoke saying sounded like it was
meant for me and penetrated the core of my mistakes. I was totally shaken up. ?i>I
have lived so badly until now. The Blessed Mother has been weeping because of
me.?I felt unbearable sorrows in my heart. It was hard to describe, but
gradually my heart, which had been so burdended with thoughts of the
approaching death, was gradually becoming filled with hope. ?i>Now, even if I
die, I am yours. Your will be done.?I prayed and asked the Blessed Mother
to forgive me for having blamed others when it was my fault. I was ashamed of
my past and beat my chest. ?i>It was all because of this poor sinner. Forgive
me. From this moment, I will believe the Mother's words and live accordingly.?
I screamed and shed tears of repentance. When the overnight prayer meeting was
over and I was headed home, I felt more energy. The world, which had looked so
dark, now looked bright. People whom I had hated looked so lovely now. Since
that time, I have attended every First Saturday overnight prayer meeting and
Thursday night Holy Hour prayer meeting in Naju. In the mean time, I stopped
all the medications. Gradually my hair grew back and I became completely healed
all over my body.
It
has already been more than two-and-a-half years since then. I was asking the
Blessed Mother to extend my life by three more months. But I am still alive and
healthy. I am so grateful to the Blessed Mother of Naju. Now the time for
waiting for Thursday for the Holy Hour prayer meeting seems too long. The
Blessed Mother is calling sinners and is helping them pray and repent. I thank
God and the Blessed Mother for calling this sinner to every First Saturday
overnight prayer meeting and every Thursday evening Holy Hour meeting. I thank
everyone who has been praying for me and everyone who is reading this testimony.
I want everyone to be eternally blessed by the Lord who has performed miracles
of love for our sake.
?i>Lord!
Glory and praise be to Thee! Amen.?
"I was not very religious, but now I believe that
miracles do happen"
Danny
Guilas, Manila, the Philippines (October 1992)
Dear
Julia,
My
name is Danny C. Guilas, a civil engineer working for Mr. Nordy P. Diploma, an
attorney, in Manila, the Philippines.
I
have had a kidney problem since I graduated from college. It has become serious
since two years ago. Both kidneys were not functioning properly any more. I
also had a hard time financially, but did not blame God. When Mr. Diploma
commissioned me to an extension work at the Chapel in Manila. I was glad that I could continue
supporting my family and pay my medical bills. But the medications just gave me
a temporary relief from the pain. Both arms were numb, back pains were intense,
and every joint in my body was swollen for the last two years.
When
Mr. Diploma arrived from Korea,
he told me that Julia Kim, the visionary of the Blessed Mother, was coming soon
and informed me about her healing power. I was not that religious, but one
thing was sure: I wanted to be healed.
On
October 10, 1992, Saturday, Mr. Diploma told me to finish the work in his house
before the guests, including Julia, arrived. He also instructed me to attend
the Sunday Mass (the next day) and be prayed for by Julia.
On
Sunday morning, I felt very tired and had pains all over my body. I took
medicine which gave me some relief and enabled me to go to Mass.
My
wife and I attended Mass just as on any ordinary Sunday. Things began changing
when Mr. Diploma introduced me to Julia. Though I did not understand a single
word Julia was saying, I was listening intently, partially ignoring the
interpreter. When Julia asked us to close our eyes during prayers, I did so
without knowing what would happen next. Though my eyes were closed, I could
distinguish Julia's voice, because she was speaking Korean, followed by the
interpreter's. While I was listening to the prayer, I noticed that there were
three female voices praying. Knowing that there were only two, I opened my eyes
to see if someone else joined the prayer. I looked around, but could not see
the third woman.
Moments
later, Mr. Diploma passed by, saying, “Hi!?to me. A while later, he
came back and tapped me on my shoulders with both hands. At that moment, I felt
a cold wind on my back and felt freezing. I held on to my wife, sensing that I
might fall down.
After
Mass, I decided not to go to Mr. Diploma's residence, because it was hard to
sustain myself. I asked my wife to drive straight home so that I could rest. I
was going to visit the doctor for an injection by 6 p.m. When I woke up at
about 4 p.m., I still felt very tired. But I got up to go to the doctor and get
the injection, because I had to work on Monday. At that moment, blood was
coming out of my nose and did not stop. We hurriedly ran to the car. But, when
I tried to start the car, it would not. So, I told my wife that I was not going
to get the injection, remembering the strange things that were happening since
the Mass.
After dinner, while my wife was doing the dishes in the kitchen, I suddenly
smelled a fragrance of flowers. I told my wife about it, but she said she did
not smell any fragrance. But she said that she did smell the fragrance that
morning when we were leaving home for Mass.
I
went to bed earlier than usual that night. I was urinating more often than
normal that night. When I finally woke up at around 3 a.m., I found the
strangest but the greatest change that happened to me. The usual back pains,
the sore and swollen joints and chest pains were all gone. I was a little bit
hesitant moving my body because of the fear that the pain might come back. But
it didn’t.
For
more than two years, I had been limping. The people living and working in Mr.
Diploma's house can testify to it. I had not done any fast walking, but this
morning I ran two kilometers, just like three or four years ago. The village
manager of Bel-Air knows about my illness. She can also testify. The son of
Judge Caguiao also knows about my illness and can be a witness. I was not very
religious, but now believe that miracles do happen. I know that I was cured. I
know that, through Julia Kim, Mr. Diploma was made an instrument, an extension
of her healing power from the Almighty that Sunday morning.
Praise
God! Thank you very much, Julia and Mr. Diploma!
"My pride became a
poison and was soaring high
into the skies"
Cecilia
Lee, Korea
(1992)
I
had aspired to become a religious since my grade-school years and entered the
Caritas Order in Kwangju
in 1959. I was healthy when I entered the convent, but my health gradually
deteriorated because of a stomach illness. Eventually, I became seriously ill
and had to leave the convent before professing vows. As my condition improved
after more than a year in the hospital, I again entered the Order of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus. Two years later, my health worsened again and the doctor said
that I could live only four more months. Probably thanks to the medicine I was
taking, I did not die. I discontinued taking this medicine only after I
recently came to know the Blessed Mother of Naju.
When
I was six years old, I was so playful that I jumped down from the second floor
of a building. My left leg was broken into several pieces and I had to wear a
plaster cast for one year. My leg healed, but I felt severe pains in the leg
and could not sleep at night when it was raining or snowing. I also developed
aching shoulders because of the stress at my job for twenty-five years. Also,
because I practiced dancing too hard in my high-school years, I developed a
severe backache. Until I reached my fifties, these pains continued to afflict
me, especially in poor weather.
One
day in September 1990, I accidentally came across a pamphlet with a picture of
the Blessed Mother of Naju shedding tears of blood. I was shocked, and, with a
pounding heart, visited Naju soon afterwards. There, I realized how proud I had
been. I had experience in the religious life; I had one of my sons in the
seminary; I was leading an exemplary faith life; I did many charitable works; I
was active in the parish; and thus I was an important and praiseworthy person.
My pride became a poison and was soaring into the skies. I was causing wounds
to many souls and making them commit sins. I was joining hands with the devil
and was walking on the road to hell without even knowing it. How painful the
Blessed Mother must have felt in her Heart! The Blessed Mother awakened me with
a realization that I was the greatest among all sinners.
When
I first saw the Blessed Mother of Naju, she welcomed me with tears and tears of
blood and then embraced me with her merciful arms. She helped me open my heart
widely. Tears poured out of my eyes continuously after finding my shameful
self, not even worthier than dust. My tears continued even when I rode the bus
and walked in the street.
Since
then, I have attended the prayer meeting in Naju every Thursday evening and
every First Saturday. Now my mind is always filled with thoughts about the
Blessed Mother, day and night. In the mean time, my stomach illness and pains
in my leg, shoulders and back all disappeared. Even though I work hard and
frequently walk fast, I feel no more pains.
In
other words, as I was listening to the Blessed Mother's messages and trying to
practice them, praying for the conversion of all the sinners in the world and
for my spiritual growth, Jesus had pity on me and not only gave me spiritual
gifts of internal peace, joy, love, and faith and the sanctification of my
family but also gave me a complete physical healing. He is allowing me to feel
Heaven through Julia at every moment.
I
would like to give fervent gratitude to Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed
Mother and also share the graces I have received with my beloved brothers and
sisters.
"Gratitude and
praise to the Lord for accomplishing through His Mother what is impossible
by human power"
Veronica
Keum-Ja Cho, Ansung, Gyeonggi Province,
Korea (December
31, 1992)
Thank
you, Blessed Mother of Naju! O Holy Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother,
pray for us! I thank you for loving us so much and for converting sinners by
showing us your face stained with tears and tears of blood.
When
I first heard about Naju, I could not easily believe it and wanted anxiously to
visit Naju and see it myself. Blessed Mother, you called me, so foolish and
sinful, to bring many mothers and children to Naju. So, I brought the first
group there after getting my Pastor's permission.
It
was December 1987. As we entered the Blessed Mother's House, we could see tears
flowing down on the Blessed Mother's face even from a distance, because tears
were reflecting the fluorescent light on the ceiling. Momentarily, I felt
electricity in my whole body. On the one hand, I felt fearful; on the other, I
could not help shedding tears. Now, I understand that the Blessed Mother was
helping me repent. At that time, I did not know why I was crying so much.
From
the moment we entered the Chapel, we smelled an intense fragrance of roses.
There were more than fifty people in our group. At first, there were sounds of
weeping here and there, but, soon, the Chapel turned into a sea of tears.
People were crying uncontrollably, with their faces all wet with tears and from
runny noses. I also felt like crying without restraint, but, as the leader of
the group, I tried to control myself. I tried to pray and sing hymns instead,
but I cried more than I prayed or sang.
We
brought our lunches, but had trouble eating them. Being aware of our
sinfulness, we could not swallow food. Then, we greeted the Blessed Mother, two
at a time. In the afternoon, Julia came and gave us a talk. Her words so
penetrated our hearts that we cried more and repented our sins. I was a
murderer who had committed abortions many times. My self-centered, worldly
attitude was changing completely. We had to make a long, five-hour trip back to
Ansung (our home city south of Seoul),
but no one wanted to leave. Everyone was totally absorbed in Julia's talk.
Actually,
when we were leaving Ansung that morning in two buses, one lay leader in my
parish criticized us, saying that we were swarming to vain places like
migratory birds. However, many in our group experienced spiritual and physical
healings. Everyone became filled with joy and gratitude. They were healed of
arthritis, stomach disease, neuralgia, and more. That angry lay leader even
cursed us, as our buses were leaving for Naju, ?i>I hope you have an accident
on the way!?We later learned that, on the same day, the radiator in his
car exploded and he got a bad burn on one of his feet. He suffered for four
months because of it. He later said that he was being punished. It was a lesson
that we should never curse others but always bless each other.
Since
then, I have brought groups of pilgrims to Naju more than ten times. Many
people repented and experienced spiritual and physical healings. One person who
was unable to walk came to Naju. Because of the pain in his back, he was lying
down in the aisle of the bus. On the way back from Naju, he was able to walk
and was sitting in the bus instead of lying down.
A
couple who just returned from a pilgrimage to Europe
had a problem and decided to get divorced. They put their house up for sale and
were preparing divorce documents. The wife was reluctant to come to Naju, but
was almost forced to come by her friends. After her trip to Naju, she went to
her husband, and asked for forgiveness, shedding tears. She again went to her
daughter and her husband and begged for their forgiveness. They were all crying
together. Her daughter, who had not been practicing her faith, returned to the
Church.
There
also was a sick woman, over sixty, who was declared hopeless by her doctors and
was discharged from the hospital. She was not expected to live more than three
months. Her abdomen was enlarged, filled with fluid, and she looked like a
pregnant woman in her eighth month. Her face was swollen, too. She had
difficulty in urinating and breathing. When she visited Naju and came back to
her church in Ansung, her abdomen became normal and she was able to urinate
easily. She was breathing easily also. In the next two to three days, all the
swellings in her body disappeared. Now, it has been four years, but she is very
healthy and works hard as a member of the Legio Mariae.
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