What Happened on July 20, 21& 22, 2005: Caritas Silver Jubilee

What Happened on July 20, 2005?

Medjugorje visionary Marija and her four boys arrived in Atlanta coming a week and a half earlier before the Five Days of Prayer with Our Lady would begin on August 1. They stayed the night in Atlanta after meeting up with Caritas’ founder and family, and planned on making the drive to Birmingham and Caritas the next day. Marija’s husband, Paolo, would be arriving to join his family in a week’s time. It was a joyful reunion. The first apparition with the founder’s family took place on July 20, 2005, at 6:40 p.m. Most of the apparitions would take place in the evening at this time every day during Her July-August 2005 visit.

When Our Lady came tonight, She blessed everyone and prayed over everyone with Her hands extended. Our Lady said the apparition the next day would be at the same time, but She did not say where it would be.

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Marija kneels beside her children for the apparition on July 20, 2005.

A statue of Our Lady, flowers, candles, altar cloths—all were brought along to make an altar for Our Lady in anticipation of being with Her in the apparitions.

What Happened on July 21, 2005?

The apparition was in the Bedroom with our founder, and all the community. Marija, her boys and the founder with his family arrived in the evening. All the community was down at their house to greet them. Shortly after, it was time to begin the Rosary. The rain that had shortened their stay in Atlanta, had caught up with us in Birmingham. The window blinds were open in the Bedroom so you could see outside but because of the overcast skies, the Bedroom was dark, even though it was an early summer evening. The candles were lit on the bed stands to bring light into the room.

Before beginning the Rosary, our founder took a few moments to thank everyone for all the hard work in getting everything prepared for Our Lady’s arrival. He helped everyone prepare for Our Lady’s apparition by reflecting over these last few months of preparation. He encouraged everyone to offer this work to Our Lady with love for the conversion of all those who would be attending the apparitions, August 1-5. It was a prayer of deep gratitude for all Our Lady had given to us.

Marija’s description of the apparition follows:

“I said to Our Lady, welcome here. Our Lady is smiling and She pray over us and give to us Her Special Blessing. She pray before, and after She give Special Blessing. She smiling. I think to myself we make some special things for you; ask many graces (because the community had been working so much)”

This apparition was the cause of great joy for the community. We were shocked that Our Lady gave to us in this apparition Her Special Blessing. It is such a rare gift to receive directly from Our Lady, and it was given without asking Her for it. It touched us for another reason as well. The first time Our Lady ever gave Her Special Blessing was on Her birthday, August 5. Because of that the Special Blessing will always be associated with Our Lady’s birthday. The fact that She gave it on the first day of Her arrival at Caritas was a sign to us that She was recognizing the whole reason for Her coming was for Her birthday. It was so beautiful to hear Marija say that Our Lady smiled throughout the apparition while She prayed over us, and while giving Her Special Blessing. This apparition revealed something of Our Lady’s heart to our founder and community concerning the celebration of Her birthday and though there was still a mountain of work ahead of us before August 1st arrived, we looked forward to these days with great anticipation of what further things Our Lady would reveal.

What Happened on July 22, 2005?

On their first full day at Caritas, Marija’s boys became reacquainted with all the Caritas children, the animals, and the locations they remembered from past visits. The community gathered in the Bedroom in the evening for the apparition. Our founder asked Marija to ask Our Lady something in private concerning the days of prayer. Marija relayed that upon hearing the question, Our Lady went immediately into prayer, an indication that more prayer is needed before an answer is given. Also, one of the community members was celebrating his birthday today. To the envy of everyone in the room, he is given a personal blessing from Our Lady. Following is Marija’s description:

“When Our Lady come, I recommend all our intentions, Our Lady pray over us with hands extended and I ask for Will Our Lady to bless for his birthday today. And Our Lady, like She know. (The founder) send me to ask Our Lady some special things for is possible to do these days, and Our Lady begins to pray. And after She pray over us and She bless us. And I recommend all our intentions.”

In the apparition today, Marija’s youngest son, Giovanni was fussing a little. When the daughter of our founder tried to take him out of the room, he grabbed hold of Marija’s arm trying to stay. Marija was oblivious to all this, even though her body was being pulled in two different directions at the time. It was an amazing scene to watch, with Marija in ecstasy. After the apparition ended, our founder explained to Marija what had been happening while she was seeing Our Lady. She smiled shaking her head at her young son as she heard the story.

Marija , with her small son, Giovanni, joins the little Caritas girls on their blanket in the Field. They are all curious about this woman who will bring thousands to their home in just over a week’s time. They also are eager to help take care of little Giovanni. However, Giovanni much preferred to be with the boys.

*****

Though Our Lady has set the pattern for the apparitions at 6:40 p.m. in the evening, the Caritas community still gathers out in the Field for their morning Rosary, coinciding with the time the Rosary is being prayed in Medjugorje that will lead to apparition time at 6:40 p.m. Medjugorje time, which is 11:40 a.m. Alabama time. Not only the community members come to the Rosary but also others of God’s creation.

Marija’s boys, with one of our own, share the duty of “herding up” the ducks as they waddle down the Rosary trail to Our Lady’s statue in the Field. These are the simple joys of our lives, that bring such happiness to children that can’t be compared with Nintendo games on TV. The care of animals not only brings joy on a daily basis, but also responsibilities and a host of lessons that will serve these children for a life time.

*****

Ten year old Joshua, fifth son of our founder, raised this goose from a young gosling. The gosling had a twin, the other of which was stronger and who had immediately become so attached to Joshua that he began following Joshua wherever he went. Joshua was amazed, seeing this little bird wanting to be with him all the time. That amazement turned into a strong affection and love. The two of them became inseparable. The other gosling was weaker and needed more care. It was not as independent as its twin and stayed close to home.

One day, Joshua’s pet goose was swimming on a small lake next to our founder’s house and was bit by a snapping turtle. At first, no wound was found on it, and everything was thought to be okay. Several days later they discovered a very bad wound that had been hidden amongst its feathers and it had become deeply infected. The young goose would not make it. For anyone who has ever lost a beloved pet, you will know the sorrow that filled up Joshua’s heart. He was inconsolable.

He had no interest in the other gosling. However, his wise parents encouraged him to help with the care of the little goose, and little by little, it became stronger and less timid. One day, after Joshua had finished feeding it, as he was walking away he saw the little gosling tagging along behind him. From that moment on, he followed Joshua everywhere he went, just as the other one had. He grew and grew, and whenever he would see Joshua he would hurry to catch up with him. It was always a heartwarming sight seeing the two of them coming out to the Field each morning for Rosary, the goose always right behind Joshua.

One day, Joshua came running out from the woods towards the tree in the Field, with his goose running behind him, when suddenly, with its wings flapping wildly, the goose became airborne, and glided across the Field to land near Our Lady’s statue. It was an incredible sight, and Joshua was so proud of his goose. Just a few weeks later, Marija arrived with her boys and Joshua wanted to show off his goose to them, running to Rosary with Marija’s son, Marco, behind them.

When autumn came, we knew that Joshua would have to say good-bye to this friend as well. One day he knew it would leave, and it did. But there were no tears on that day. Joshua was learning that good-byes are a part of life. He was happy seeing his goose grow up and felt something of a victory in knowing his love and care had helped it become strong to be able to one day fly away becoming a part of a flock of geese heading south for the winter. It was a lesson for a lifetime.

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