Caritas Silver Jubilee: What Happened on February 11, 2009

Caritas Silver Jubilee: What Happened on February 11, 2009


The Unexpected Apparitions of February 11-18, 2009

 

On February 13, 2009, one of the young couples in the Community was married. In the midst of all the wedding preparations, two days before the wedding, one of the married women of the Community gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Just three weeks earlier, a baby boy was born to another Community mother. It was a month of beautiful new beginnings in the Community. In preparation, as we do with all the marriages here, the Community began a 54-day Rosary novena for the couple being married that would end the evening before the wedding day. However, the last night the Community would be able to say it all together would be two days before the wedding, on February 11, 2009.
 

February 11, 2009

All members of the Community, from the youngest to the oldest meet every Wednesday and Friday evenings for prayer group. We gather at various places each week. This Wednesday night payer group on February 11th took place amidst the busyness of preparing for the wedding on Friday. Our founder was gone half of the day but specifically had given instructions to have prayer group in the Bedroom at 5:00 p.m. He had said if he was not back, to not delay but go ahead and begin the Rosary. He had stressed, though we were very busy preparing for the wedding, we would not be Martha, but rather her sister, Mary Magdalene, who took the better part and was with Jesus; that our prayer group would not neglect our time in prayer with Our Lady. After the first decade, he finally arrived and stopped us. He told everyone that he wanted us to momentarily get our thoughts away from the wedding preparations and everything that still needed to be done, and to enter into prayer with all our thoughts on Our Lady. He asked us to close our eyes and to meditate on the gift of these new babies born into the Community as well as the wedding taking place in the next days. He said it was almost like we were experiencing Christmas all over again this week with so many special gifts and celebrations.

Before he left, earlier that day, he had prearranged to have a favorite community Christmas song played in the Bedroom during the prayer group. He relayed it was to help us realize we are gifted with the presence of Our Lady in our midst when we pray. He told us to close our eyes and meditate on all the gifts we received through Our Lady. After a while, he told us, “Open your eyes.” Gasps and cries of surprise and joy were heard throughout the room. We were shocked. While eyes were closed meditatively, without notice, the visionary Marija had slipped in at the foot of the Bed. The founder, while the song was still playing, said, “Open your eyes.” Marija Lunetti and her husband Paolo came into view before us. Our founder had picked them up at the airport and they stayed in the kitchen while the founder came on into the Bedroom. Their cue to come in was when they heard the music. When they came in, Marija then tiptoed in through the Community members and knelt in her normal place at the foot of the Bed when she is there for the apparitions, and several Community members commented that it was almost like having an apparition themselves. They closed their eyes—they were not there. They opened their eyes—and Marija, Paolo and Giovanni, their 6-year-old son, suddenly had appeared before them. To say it was a very joyful reunion cannot describe what everyone felt. Several in the Community said it was “shock and awe.”

Amidst the joy and hugs, we learned that they had come to attend the wedding, but it was kept a secret from everyone in order to add to the joy of this week. As if that surprise and that joy wasn’t enough, the Community learned that Our Lady had not appeared to Marija at her normal apparition time, but had waited so that the Community could be present in the apparition. The Community was stunned with joy. There are not many words that can describe such a moment when on an ordinary day, a day with no hint of anything coming, there suddenly comes the news, and within 30 minutes of Marija arriving, you are bowed before the Queen of all creation. Before Our Lady appeared, She allowed us to pray the entire Rosary novena which included two long prayers for the wedding couple, and it was when we had finished these prayers that Our Lady came. She appeared about 5:55 p.m. The following is a description given by one of the Community members of the apparition.
 

At the moment of the apparition, Marija recommended to Our Lady the Community and Our Lady immediately smiled. After the apparition, Marija, with joy but struggling for words, said “I think Our Lady was surprised too.” Our founder, wondering why Marija said that, asked, “Did Our Lady look surprised?” And Marija tried to find better words to describe and relay Our Lady’s expression, because it wasn’t exactly surprise, but that Our Lady was reacting to our surprise in some way. It was an emotional expression we had never heard used to describe Our Lady before. Our founder then asked, “Was it like She was amused?” And while Marija happily nodded yes, she said it was like joy but different. After discussing Our Lady’s reaction, it was more like an emotion of joy, sharing of the surprise and amusement. Marija said Our Lady then blessed us.

Our founder knew the next day would be a difficult day to get everyone together because some would be cleaning and decorating the church for the wedding, others would be preparing food and decorations for the reception, the wedding party rehearsal was to take place, etc. So he asked Marija to have Our Lady choose the time for the apparition the next day. Our Lady would know what would be best when all the Community could attend Her apparition. Marija asked, and Our Lady astounded us all when She said:
 

“I will come when you pray.”

Knowing how hectic the day would be with wedding preparations, the wedding rehearsal and dinner, and everything in-between, Our Lady allowed the founder to find the time of the day that would be best for everyone, when we would all be together, so no one would miss the apparition.

And so began a beautiful week with Our Lady, and Marija and Paolo.

 

community

The Caritas Community arrives at the hospital after their “shock and awe” experience less than an hour earlier, when to their surprise, Marija and Paolo arrive to attend the February 13, 2009 community wedding. The day had already been full with not only wedding preparations, but the birth of the newest community baby. After the Rosary and the apparition of Our Lady, our founder suggested that the whole community, with Paolo and Marija, go to the hospital and share the surprise with the young couple whose baby had just been born. Having the whole community burst into the hospital room was enough of a surprise to start with. Little Rebekah Grace is lifted up in the air to get a glimpse of her future playmate who had yet to receive a name.

community

Crouched behind everyone, and out of view, suddenly the group parts and Marija and Paolo come forward with their own surprise. It was “shock and awe” repeated, but this time the community had the joy of being in on the surprise.

medjugorje visionary marija and her husband

Marija holds the fourth grandchild of Caritas’ founder—all four are girls. By Marija’s sudden appearance this day, she unwittingly helped to confirm the name of the little bundle she holds. While walking down the hospital corridor with the wife of our founder, Annette explained to Marija how the community parents allow Our Lady to name each baby in the community. Marija offers the name “Victoria”, not knowing that this was one of the names that had come up often in the prayers of the couple. The fact that the little girl was born on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, and Our Lady arriving on this day in Her apparitions to Marija, made it clear that “Maria” was also to be a part of her name…Victoria Maria.

erin

Two-year-old Faith Marie, born on January 1, was also born on a feast day of Our Lady—the Feast of the Mother of God. She holds her new baby sister, while being held by her Mom who is still trying to comprehend the unbelievable events that just transpired through her hospital door.

andrew and victoria

The little baby in blue is Andrew Francis Pipp, born on January 16, 2009 and Victoria Maria. They were the two newest babies in the community at the time. Now these two are both expecting a new little brother or sister in the near future. Andrew and Victoria do not have any understanding how blessed they are—brand new in the world, and yet they have had the great grace of being in the presence of Our Lady to receive Her blessing in Her apparitions. Both babies were actually blessed by Our Lady in apparitions while they were still being carried in the womb while Marija was at Caritas for the July 1-5, 2008 apparitions. They are babies born in the Time of Grace. It is always amazing to us to meditate on the fact that all the people who walk the earth who were born on June 24, 1981 or after, have lived everyday of their lives while the visitations of the Mother of God have been going on. These will one day be among the final living eye-witnesses of the events surrounding the final apparitions of Our Lady upon the earth.

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18 thoughts on “Caritas Silver Jubilee: What Happened on February 11, 2009”

  1. I’m very thankful to Caritas for spreading this message of Our Lady, I’m eager to join the 9 days of bread & water fast, I’m doing this for the first time, Mother please give me the strength and dedication to do devoutly. Along with the fast I have also started the powerful 54 days of Rosary Novena for all my problems which I’m facing. Wish to receive some guidelines on fasting and procedure. Thanks, God bless.

  2. I am a true follower. There is NO any power above Lord Jesus Christ in this universe. satan is present everywhere now. I also join you in prayers. God Bless you all.Ireneus Fernando.

  3. I am a true follower. There is NO any power above Lord Jesus Christ in this universe. satan is present everywhere now. I also join you in prayers. God Bless you all. Ireneus Fernando.

  4. I have been fasting as our Lady asked for 24yrs. since I went to Medjugorje. I am now gluten intolerant but I see it as a different fast, one that is more difficult. I join you!God Bless you & Thankyou for your perseverance!Dianne Fessler

  5. Dear Mother Mary, Help me to fasting strengthen my faith, as I am weak. To be able to concentrate and communicate to you fully, to know you closer. Hear my prayers. Thank you Mother.

  6. ‘THE BLESSED MOTHER MARY’ has been so good to me and my family,thank you for all the good work you peopledo,and more rosaries are needed for the crisis going on in the middle east.’Take Care’ ‘GOD BLESS’

  7. Every time I read the articles from Caritas, I am filled with the awareness of community and support. We are all in this together, and I am not alone , I am with my heavenly family, all of you. When I called to sign up for the 9 day fast, the young lady on the phone was so helpful, and kind, answering my questions about fasting. I am strengthened and blessed. Many many thanks.

  8. I thank God for being part of you.I would like to participate in the nine day novena of bread and water my intention for the fast is I request you to help me pray to our Mother Mary for my husband Dancan Otieno who desires to take dowry to my people in Uganda after 10 years and after that we desire to have a wedding and get out of Mortal sin

  9. I wish to join in with my Mum for the 9 day fast and Prayer for our Nation, on the 26th September 2013 to 4th October 2013.My age is 61 years and my Mum 88 years old.I lived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, but now am in Anuradhapura where there are very few believers. Please can you email to me further details.Thank you.Shriyanee

  10. The’BLESSED MOTHER’ has been so good to me,I will never be able to’THANK HER’ enough, I would like to take part in the fasting of bread and water,but feel this couldbe a health factor for me. I will try to sacrifice in otherways,I would love to go to mass every day but seem to wake up too late and miss some of the mass when I do go.I would love if the’BLESSED MOTHER’ could wake me uprefreshed and in plenty of time to get to mass.’THANK YOU’ for this e-mail to me.I will try to pray more too.

  11. Hi,I have fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays since 2006. I have been good at sticking to drinking only water, with the occasional exception. However i dont eat meat or fish on the days, I simply cant get through the day just on water. Do you eat only white bread type of thing?? Or am i taking it too literally and you add things to the bread or eat different types of bread? Can you give me more info on what you guys do. Thanks, Daniel

  12. Bernadette Alleng

    Yes, I am interested, but I also want to extend to many of my co workers, parishioners and friends and family.

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