“Dear children! Today I call you to pray for my intentions.
Renew fasting and prayer because Satan is cunning and attracts many hearts to
sin and perdition. I call you, little children, to holiness and to live in
grace. Adore my Son so that He may fill you with His peace and love for which
you yearn. Thank you for having responded to my call.” BVM, Medjugorje, 10/25/2012
And when he was coming into the house,
his disciples secretly asked him: Why couldn't we cast him out?... And he said to them: This kind can come out only by
prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:27, 29)
"The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting... Everyone except the sick, has to fast." BVM, Medjugorje. 7/21/1982
Today, we know that many illnesses are caused by excessive eating and drinking. Obesity is on the rise in adults and children and many of us have developed a disorderly relationship with food in general. As a result of this, many people are returning to a more natural and healthy way of eating.
Throughout the Old and New Testament we see that fasting has always been connected with prayer as a means to peace. Prophets fasted before accepting their service as prophets and before special revelations. Jesus fasted prior to His public life and said that those that are His own will also fast.
When Jesus spoke to His disciples about how to fast, He clearly was expecting that they would fast (Matthew 6:16-18 ). He did not say "if you fast" but "when you fast."
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, fasting and abstinence
“help us to acquire mastery over our instinct and freedom of
heart. (CCC 2043) 1
Our Lady asks everyone to pray all three Mysteries of the Rosary and to fast two days a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays.
To many people this call seems excessive, unrealistic and impossible. Yet, the history of fasting shows the Jewish people already fasted two days, on Mondays and Thursdays.
Jesus did not discard the value of fasting nor did He forbid fasting twice a week. He only forbade judging others.
In calling us to fast two days a week, Mary remains in the tradition of Her Israelite nation and reminds us of the multi- century tradition of the Eastern and Western Church.
1. Big C Cathoics
Reverend Kerry Beaulieu is
pastor of Our Lady Queen of Angeles Church, Newport Beach, CA In
addition to serving in five parishes he has taught at St. John’s
Seminary in Camarillo, CA and was vicar for priests for the Diocese of
Orange from 1999 until 2004. Father is an elected member of the Council
of Priests and active in Worldwide Marriage Encounter as a team priest.
His first love is parish life and the call of the parish to be an
Evangelizing community.
Tajci Cameron is
a singer/songwriter and inspirational speaker from Croatia. She and
her husband and producer, Matthew, developed a unique model of narrative
concerts that have seasonally aired on EWTN and TBN and are available
on DVD and CD. With her “iDoBelieve” concert series, Tajci performed
over 900 events including 2006 Youth Day in Medjugorje for over 30,000
people. Previously she performed at Madison Square Gardens and Carnegie
Hall in NY. Presently she and her husband live in Cincinnati with their
three young sons.
Michael Crotty,
raised in a devout Catholic family in San Francisco, was lured by the
excitement of crossing moral boundaries and soon became addicted to
crack cocaine. After countless failures in rehab facilities, he traveled
to Medjugorje with his father. There, in an encounter with the Gospa,
he found the courage to enter Comunita Cenacolo a unique rehab community
in the village. While recovering, he helped other young people save
their lives by facilitating their entry into the program.
Reverend Timothy Deeter was
born and ordained to the priesthood in Chicago. For the past fifteen
years he has ministered in Perth and Sydney, Australia in the areas of
liturgical music, vocations discernment, young adult ministry and World
Youth Day 2008. In Perth, he is pastor of St. Paul’s Parish and chaplain
of Edith Cowan University. His visits to Medjugorje led him to avidly
promoting devotion to Our Lady and the need to live her messages. Father
is a dynamic and resourceful speaker.
Josip Elez
was born in 1990 in Caplina, a village close to St. James Church in
Medjugorje. His mother, Ivanka, is one of the six Medjugorje
visionaries. When at home, he is graced to be present during the
Gospa’s annual apparition to his mother on June 25. His family
earnestly endeavors to live the Gospa’s call to conversion through
prayer, fasting, the Sacraments and peace. Their family rosaries are
offered for families around the world. Josip currently, attends Irvine
Valley College in California.
Reverend Joseph Grbes, OFM
was born in Rama, Bosnia-Herzegovina. He joined the Franciscan Order
in 1986 and studied in Bosnia-Hercegovina, England and the USA. He
presently serves in Chicago as Pastor of St. Jerome Croatian Parish,
while continuing his post-graduate work in pastoral theology at the
Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. A young man when the Medjugorje
visions began in 1981, Father has studied Our Lady’s messages and
encourages all to respond to her urgent call to peace and frequent
confession.
Reverend Svetozar Kraljevic, OFM
of St. James Parish in Medjugorje has been closely involved with the
reported apparitions there. He has written two books that give clear
spiritual insights into what has become the spiritual event of our time.
Father “Svet” is loved and admired for his efforts in maintaining
Mothers Village, which provides a home, school, and medical and dental
care for orphans and single mothers, and for assisting other homeless
families. Father also devotes many hours almost every day to hearing
confessions.
Monsignor James Lisante
is pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Massapequa, NY. While
devotedly guiding the faith of his parish congregation, he often can be
seen on Fox News Channel and ABC Eyewitness News defending Catholic
ethics on right to life for the unborn, faith and family relationships.
Monsignor has originated a TV show for PBS called Close Encounter in
which he interviews screen stars and sports figures who express their
joy in actively living their Catholic faith. His delivery is highly
stimulating.
Reverend Doug Lorig
is Pastor of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Scottsdale, AZ and has been
the Spiritual Director for the Arizona Mir Center for 20 years. He was
an Episcopal Priest until 1979 when he, his wife Nancy and their four
children converted to the Catholic Church. He was ordained to the
Priesthood of the Catholic Church in 1984, through the Pastoral
Provision of John Paul II, which has allowed more than a hundred such
ordinations. He and his wife have 15 grandchildren.
Most Reverend Dominic M. Luong
was born in Vietnam. In 1958, he emigrated to the United States where
he continued his seminary studies in Buffalo, NY and in 1966, was
ordained a priest. He eventually was incardinated in Archdiocese of New
Orleans where he served as the Director of National Center for
Vietnamese Apostolate. In 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed him
Auxiliary Bishop of Orange, California. His motto is, “You are strangers and aliens no longer” (Eph. 2:19).
Chris Mattson is
Mistress of Ceremonies for this Conference. Chris holds a Master’s
Degree in Theological Studies from the University of Dallas. For 17
years she worked for the Diocese of San Diego, CA. including several
years as diocesan pro-life coordinator She is an Oblate of the Order of
St. Benedict and is active in prison ministry. Chris has been married
to Eric for 38 years; they have three grown children. She made her
first pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 1988.
Valentyna Pavsyukova,
upon moving to the USA from the Ukraine—a communist regime disavowing
God’s existence—she underwent conversion, becoming a Catholic.
Dedicating her life to serving God, in 2007 she and friends founded Chalice of Mercy
nonprofit group working to protect the dignity of life from conception
to natural death and to aid poor Ukrainian people. She brings Ukrainian
physicians to retreats in Medjugorje. Many, upon returning to Ukraine,
return to their faith determined to protect life at all its stages.
Connie Salazar
of Irvine, CA is an accomplished vocalist and recording artist.
Because of her inspirational voice, she is invited to cantor at local
diocesan liturgical celebrations and to sing for religious conferences
throughout the United States. Connie has produced three cd’s. Her
music has been carried on a variety of Christian radio stations
including EWTN, Vatican Radio, Indie Gospel Radio (Internet) and
Ireland’s Highland Radio. Julianne Choi will accompany Connie on the
piano.
Reverend Edward Sousa, Jr.
wanted to be a successful Chef, marry and have children. He became
that successful Chef, but Our Lady tugged at his heart, calling him to
enter the seminary. Unsure of his vocation, he traveled to Medjugorje
where he heard Father Jozo speak of the dignity of the call to
priesthood. Our Lady led him back to the seminary and in 2003 he was
ordained a priest for the Providence, RI Diocese. In thanksgiving to
Our Lady for his vocation, Father Sousa has often returned to
Medjugorje.
Spirit Alive Music Ministry
is located in the Los Angeles Diocese and consists of Lisa and Richard
Derleth, Docie and Tony Heim, and Suzie and Michael Wooldridge. They
are a lively and deeply spiritual music group and recording artists who
offer their music as an avenue of meditation and contact with God.
Their Ministry performs at churches and conferences and has produced
three CD’s. They will provide our conference music.
Dr. Alexandra Zagorodnia
is Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the National
Medical University of Bobomoletz in Kiev, Ukraine. During a retreat in
Medjugorje with 38 other doctors, she confronted the truth of the
sanctity of life from moment of conception. Returning to Kiev, she
re-evaluated her profession and discontinued recommending abortions.
Now, happy in living the truths of her faith, she openly advocates
protection for the child in the womb.
