(194) Poland: the Biggest Rosary Rally Ever?

AMDG

The promotional drawing has a Rosary surrounding the map of Poland with the theme, “Rosary at the Borders”.  In this unique Rosary Rally the organizers asked the people to travel to the nearest border and pray at one of the 4000 prayer zones for reparation and for peace as well as for the faith in Poland, Europe and the world.  This was really a reaction against the threat of secularism.  Thus for a couple of hours Poland is surrounded by people praying the Rosary. 

       The United States has its National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May in front of almost every county courthouse in the land and some schools and colleges.  Thousands participate.  The American Needs Fatima (www.americaneedsfatima.org) group promotes Rosary rallies all over the country at noon on the Saturday closest the October 13, the anniversary of the final appearance to the three shepherd children and the Miracle of the Sun.  Thousands participate.  This year they expect 21,570 rosary rallies.  In addition there is a National Prayer Rally at the Upper State Park, 200 New Jersey Ave NW in Washington D.C. and also in San Francisco today.

       The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  As laudable as those efforts are, they cannot compare in participation with the Rosary Rally that Poland had today, October 7, to commemorate the Feast of the Queen of the Holy Rosary and also Our Lady of Victory, both of which coincide with the anniversary of the decisive Battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571).  The Rosary Rally also commemorates the centennial of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima and her promised Miracle of the Sun (October 13, 1917) along with the 140^th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Gietrzwald.  Finally, today is the First Saturday of the Month, which is Mary's Day.  She had asked us to go to Mass, Confession, Holy Communion, and say the Rosary with 15 minutes of meditation on five consecutive first Saturdays.  She promised to assist those at the hour of their deaths.
 
      In 1571 Pope Pius V had organized the victorious Holy League, an alliance of Western European nations, to stop the advance of the radical Islam of Turkey which threatened to conquer all of Europe.  One goal was to take Italy and to convert the Basilica of St. Peter into a mosque.
 
   Realizing that this was also spiritual, a clash of civilizations of Christianity and radical Islam, he mobilized the faithful to pray the Rosary for victory to halt the advance of radical Islam.  Although outnumbered, almost 3 – 1, miraculously, the wind favored the Holy Alliance flotilla under the command of Don Juan of Austria and put the Turkish ships into disarray.  Europe was saved from radical Islam for the next 112 years although Hungary and Slovakia continued to be occupied by the Ottoman Turks (1541-1699).

         Goals and Prayer Intentions. Organized by Catholic laypeople of the Solo Dios Basta (“God Alone Suffices”) Foundation, the event was sponsored by various state-owned companies.  Radio Maryja (and its TV affiliates) helped in the promotion and the Polish Bishops Conference endorsed the rally.  They called the people to travel to the nearest border in order to pray the Rosary in reparation and for Poland…….for protection from the secular influences of the European Union and for the preservation of its Christian roots, for the people of Poland to remain faithful to the Church, for the solution of its socioeconomic problems, for peace, for Europe and for the world.

       Although people did pray for protection against Islamization and terrorism, the Rosary Rally was not anti-Muslim.  It was to celebrate the October 7 feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  True, Catholics attribute the October 7, 1571 victory that halted the advance of radical Islam in Europe to the mobilization of prayer, particularly the Rosary.  It is also true that Poland refuses to accept refuges, but is willing to help in other ways such as providing safe haven for them in a Muslim country for the purpose of returning them to their original homes and culture when peace is restored instead of permanently uprooting them.  Furthermore, Poland and Hungary had to fight the threat of conquest by radical Islam through much of its history.   Hungary was forced to live under the yoke of radical Islam for 158 years.  The fear is terrorism and the threat to its rather homogeneous culture because Muslims don’t assimilate as most immigrants do.  Western Europe has learned this the hard way.

   

       Priests I talked to in Poland say that the number of vocations is still sufficient to man each parish with two or three priests, sometimes four and to send missionaries to foreign lands.  Sunday Mass attendance is still very good with most churches filled to capacity.  But a significant number of people have fallen away from the faith or have become lax.  But a significant number of people have fallen away from the faith or have become lax.  As in the U.S., they bring up as an excuse the small minority of lax priests who have betrayed  their vocations.  Secularism, rampant in western Europe, is perhaps the greatest threat to Poland in all of its history.  

     A few thousand demonstrated in the capital demonstrated against the pro-life laws, known as the Black Protest for their black clothes.  They received $270,000 in monetary support from abroad.  Thus there are fears that Poland is slipping and vocations will decrease in the future.  All seem to agree that the Church was strongest under the scourge of Communism, the enemy of freedom.  It was the Church that united the people and kept the culture alive during the 125 years of the Partition (Austria, Prussia, and Russia each took about a third of the country), Nazism, and Communism.

The image of Our Lady of Czestochowa over the altar of the chapel of the shrine.  According to tradition, it was painted by St. Luke.  It is called the Black Madonna because of the soot from so many candles over the centuries.  The scratches on her right cheek are the result of a Tartar who tried to destroy the image with his sword.

       Impressive was an experience we had while visiting relatives in Kielce, Poland in September.......an all night (8 pm – 3:30 am) prayer vigil at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa two hours away.  Each diocese of Poland has a designated day of the month to promote.  Thus there is an all night prayer vigil at the shrine practically every day of the year.  The parish filled up the bus it chartered.  Close to 500 people crammed the chapel that houses the precious centuries old image of Madonna and Child.  The evening consisted of song, a homily, and prayer which included the Stations of the Cross and all 20 decades of the Rosary.

          Poles even go abroad to enrich their faith.  A couple of weeks ago we joined 238 people from the Diocese of Rzeszow in southern Poland for an eight day pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  It was enough people to charter an Israeli jet for the three hour flight to Tel Aviv.  They were all subdivided into four groups, each with its own bus and hotel.  Our group had two priests, who said Mass each day in a different holy place with vestments and sacred vessels provided by the Franciscans, the principle custodians of the holy places.  One of the priests, a professor in the seminary  gave theological depth to the pilgrimage as we followed in the footsteps of the Lord.  On the River Jordan we renewed our baptismal vows and at Cana we renewed our marital vows.  There were a number of other groups from other dioceses as well during the month and there will be more pilgrimages next year.  The fellowship was also beautiful.   

       The people were asked to register for the Rosary Rally in advance in choosing one of 320 designated churches and 400 prayer zones near their closest border.  The goal was to surround the country with people praying the Rosary for Poland.  Thus the organizers expected over a million people to pray the Rosary at their chosen churches near the border.  My wife’s sister and brother-in-law, the Pozogas of Kielce traveled over three hours south to Zakopane; our friends, the Kaplitas from Rzeszow drove well over an hour to the Slovakian border.  Over its 2000 mile border that encloses an area of 120,726 sq. miles, Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea and Russia in the North; Lithuania, Belarus, and the Ukraine in the East; Slovakia and the Czech Republic in the South; and Germany in the West.

Praying along one of  Poland's borders.  For a video of one of the border rallies, click on https://youtu.be/jzpRWHqj7uI.

        The eastern and northern borders were not as well attended since the faith is weaker there.  In southern Poland Sunday Mass attendance is about 80%, but in the north it’s about 40%.  The typical border church had Mass at about 11 am and an hour or so of adoration before going to their prayer zone and then pray all 20 decades of the Rosary at 2 pm.  At the same time millions more assembled in their neighborhood churches, major airports (the largest was in Warsaw), invalids in their homes through television), and 70 locations abroad to pray in a similar way.  Thus 10 – 15% of the population of 38 million participated.  Overall, about 90% of the people are Catholic.  At the same time millions more assembled in their neighborhood churches to pray in a similar way.  

Walking through a forest to the Czech border and praying on the way.

       Clearly the Church continues to thrive in Poland as a beacon of faith for all of secular Europe.  Since 1717, 300 years ago the Polish people chose Mary to be the Queen of Poland with a Canonical Coronation (approval of the Pope).  The tercentennial was designated as a National Jubilee Year.     Just last November the Hierarchy of Poland designated Christ as the King of Poland in the presence of President Andrzej Duda which is tacit approval (http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/182-poland-peru-and-ukraine-consecrate.html).  Perhaps there is considerable truth in the claims of a few mystics who say that Poland is a chosen nation, despite having suffered so much in its history.  Can any nation in the world come up with a Rosary Rally of the same magnitude?   Let us at least try to follow the example of the Polish people.  All of this makes me proud of being Polish by marriage.

APPENDIX

http://rozaniecdogranic.pl/start - The Rosary On the Borders (in Polish)

www.radiomaryja.pl/live/ - Radio Maryja live broadcasting (in Polish)

https://www.youtube.com/user/RadioMaryjaOfficial/videos - A large selection of videos in Polish.

http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2017/10/breakingnews-hundreds-of-thousands-join.html - Breaking News & video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYVdCWoAvEc – The Rosary led by St. Pope John Paul II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMB1zxZBRnA – Another Rosary led by St. Pope John Paul II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUTUliwv40I – Mass October 7, 2017 for Rosary on the Borders (in Polish).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGCmo9Vkbnw  – Short Report of the October 7, 2017 Rosary on the Borders (in Polish). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BaZHy2jQY – Detailed Report of the October 7, 2017 Rosary on the Borders (in Polish).

http://www.fatima.org/news/newsviews/2017/newsviews0928.asp - a report on the rally in English.

https://churchpop.com/2017/10/07/thousands-form-human-chain-around-poland-pray-rosary-to-save-the-world/ - news report.
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=33257 - news report.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2017/10/09/praying-the-rosary-is-not-controversial-its-our-best-weapon-against-evil/ - why Poland holds on to its sovereignty.

http://www.fatima.org/news/newsviews/2017/newsviews0928.asp - a report in English.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/07/world/europe/poland-rosary-border-prayer.html - The New York Times. 
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/polands-catholic-identity-draws-ire-from-secular-world  

(193) OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT 100……..The September 13, 1917 Apparition

AMDG

Our Lady of the Rosary and its mysteries to meditate upon as we consecrate ourselves and our world to the  Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The Rosary is very biblical, especially the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.  The most important part of the rosary is meditation upon the mostly biblical mysteries from the life of Mary and her son while the rhythmic repetitive prayer serves as background music.  During each mystery, imagine that you are there as a witness.  At Fatima Mary asked us to pray the Rosary every day for peace and for sinners.

             The words of Mary in the August apparition at Valinhos that had the greatest impact upon the three children were: “Pray!  Pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them.”  This motivated a strong desire to pray and joyfully offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners and thus save souls from the fires of hell.  The children made up sacrifices, such as giving up treats which they would give to a poor child.  

         If we ourselves would at least be willing to offer up illness, handicaps, grief, accident, loss, inconveniences, frustrations, irritations, problems, setbacks, defeat, misunderstandings, the aches and pains of old age, etc. that come our way, we would be making a big contribution in helping Mary in her great missionary work of saving souls.  Mary can't do it alone; she needs and appeals for our help.

  

       In whatever situation we are in, each one of us can participate with Mary and her son in the great work of saving souls.  Don't let your sufferings (crosses) that come to all of us go to waste!  Offer them up!  For example, I resolved to not scratch myself during great itching from a bad case of poison ivy and offered it up.  Alms-giving and good works are big.  Fasting on bread and water on the First Friday of the month would be great spiritually as well as good for health and for the waistline.  Participating with the priest at daily Mass, the most perfect prayer, from time to time and spending an hour or two in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament are wonderful sacrifices.  Our Lord is greatly offended when we miss Mass on Sunday for no grave reason.  He thirsts for our presence and for our love.

 

       After four apparitions and many people coming on the 13^th of the month, the children became very controversial in the entire region. Many believed and many did not, thinking it was all a hoax, a mirage,  hallucinations, or even diabolical.  Mocked, accused of deceit, and threatened, Lucia repeatedly asked Mary “to perform a miracle for all to believe”.  Even the clergy was divided as the local Bishop sent a commission of priests to observe and investigate.   Jose do Vale, the editor of a leftist newspaper, saw these apparitions as an opportunity to destroy the Church in Portugal.  Thus he wrote article after article to “expose” it all with his distorted version.

       At the same time people continued to look for the children at their homes and ask many frivolous questions to satisfy their curiosity.  Many others bombarded them with petitions to convey to Mary for healing and other personal favors, even shouting from the trees.  The children heard most of the miseries and afflictions of mankind.  On the September 13^th, the children had a hard time walking through so many people to the Cova de Iria to meet Mary.

       Upon arrival at the holm oak, Lucia would start the Rosary with the people responding.  None of the 30,000 people actually saw Mary, but most, including Msgr. John Quaresma, the Vicar General and another clerical investigator, with cries of joy did see a globe of light and cloud majestically coming from the east in a cloudless sky at high noon.  Thousands felt a  sudden cooling of the air and saw the sun dim to the point of being able to see the stars.  Many saw a rain of iridescent petals that vanished before reaching the ground.  So much of it all is well documented.

  

       Generally it was Lucia who spoke to Mary, who was surrounded by dazzling light, absolutely beautiful, dressed in white with gold lines and holding a white rosary with her hands joined and fingers pointed upwards.  Francisco saw Mary, but did not hear her.  As at the other apparitions, Lucia humbly greeted Mary saying:  “What do you want of me?”  “Let the people continue to say the Rosary every day to obtain the end of the war.........In the last month, in October, I shall perform a miracle so that all may believe in my apparitions.  If they had not taken you to the the village, the miracle would have been greater.  St. Joseph will come with the Baby Jesus to give peace to the world.  Our Lord also will come to bless the people.  Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Sorrows will also come.  God is pleased with your sacrifices, but does not wish that you wear the rope when you go to sleep.  Wear it only during the day.”  A little time afterwords the world will have peace.

    

       Lucy then said the people are requesting that “I ask many things of you.  This girl is a deaf mute.......Will you help these other people?”  “In the course of the year she will be improved........Some I will cure; but the others, no.  Our Lord does not have confidence in them.”  Notice that Mary only does God's will.  Apparently, for some people a cure would do more harm than good if they revert back to their sinful ways or fall into different sins.  In other words an illness can be beneficial to the soul and can bring a person closer to God if taken in positive way.

       Lucia then said: “Some people gave me these two letters for you and a bottle of cologne”.  Mary must have had a loving smile in answering: “None of that is needed in Heaven”.  So much that we value on earth is worthless in eternity.  God answers every prayer, not necessarily the way we want, but in His great mercy and love for us, only looks for our greater good from the perspective of eternity.........the four last things in our lives:  Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.  Ultimately, all that matters is salvation.

    

       At Fatima and everywhere, for that matter, including the Marian altar in our church and her image on a wall of our  homes, Mary, our model of woman and mother, continues to be the ultimate missionary over the centuries.  It all began with her fiat (yes) to the Archangel Gabriel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word”  (Luke 1:38).   Then at Calvary Christ himself gave His mother the great mission of being our mother, your mother to nurture our faith and bring each one of us to her son........."Behold, your mother" (John 19:27).  

           Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Lourdes are shrines for the whole world.  The charism of Fatima is the Rosary for  peace, repentance, and penance.  For Lourdes it's suffering and healing.  In addition there must be well over a thousand regional shrines all over the world in which Mary adapts to each culture.  Almost every country in the world has at least one Marian shrine.  Ohio alone has over 20.  The most prominent is the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio near Findlay and Toledo.  Each has it own special story to tell.  An extensive but very incomplete list of Marian shrines may be found at  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrines_to_the_Virgin_Mary.  For the location of the shrines in Ohio go to http://catholicplaces.org/shrineOH.htm.

   

       As Mary departed, Lucia shouted:  “If you  want to see Our Lady, look that way!”  In the east many saw a luminous globe now ascending towards Heaven.  Now we look forward to learning about the great miracle of October 13, 1917.  In the meantime let's live and spread the Fatima message throughout our lives by prayer and example, word and deed. 

(192) OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT 100: The August 13 & 19 Apparitions and Jail

AMDG

       Mary promised to meet Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta (from left to right in the above photo) on August 13, but the children were no shows.  Could it be that they stood Mary up?  What happened? 

       Portugal was caught up in the same secularism or unbelief that is rapidly taking over America today and already has much of Europe in its clutches.  The Chief Magistrate of Ourem County, Arthur Oliveira Santos, was the most powerful political leader in the area.  Although brought up in the faith, he rejected the Church at the age of 20 and joined the Freemasons, known to be vehemently anti-Catholic at the time.  He also owned a newspaper that did everything possible to undermine the faith of the people and attack the clergy.  The Magistrate would be scorned by his fellow Freemasons if the Marian revival were to flourish and strengthen the Church on his watch.

.

       Ti Marto, the father of Francisco and Jacinta as well as Lucia's father were summoned to appear with the children at the county courthouse.  Lucia expected the worst, but comforted herself: “I expect to have to suffer more for Thy love, O my God, and it is for the conversion of sinners”.  After questioning, Lucia was dismissed and warned that she must reveal the secret or else......death.

       On August 13 the Magistrate showed up at the Marto home and said: “I want to see the miracle too”.   He urged the reluctant children to get into his carriage which stopped at the rectory for further questions.  The Pastor, believing the apparitions were made up, tried to impress the Magistrate that he had no responsibility for the situation.  Lucia  emphasized: “I will not go to Hell for I don't lie”.  Then the Magistrate tricked the children to go back into the carriage to go to his house in the county seat.  Some people, realizing the children were kidnapped, threw stones at the carriage.  Upon arriving at his home, the Magistrate locked up the children:  “You won't leave this room until you tell me the secret”.  Jacinta consoled the others: “If they kill us, it doesn't matter.  We'll go straight to Heaven”.

       The crowd at the Cova was larger than ever.  Realizing that the children were kidnapped, they were on the point of rioting. Suddenly, there was thunder and a flash.  As in previous apparitions, a little white cloud, beautiful and bright, stayed over the holm oak.  After a few minutes, the cloud rose towards the heavens and disappeared.  Apparently, Mary did come, but left.  However, everyone's face glowed.  The trees seemed to be covered with flowers.  The people left frustrated and clamored against those responsible for the arrest of the children.  The inspired Ti Marto intervened:  “Be calm, men, be calm. Don't hurt anyone.  Whoever deserves punishment will get it.  All of this is  by the power of the One above”.  The Pastor was grateful for his life.

       The children spent the night of the 13^th in prayer, asking for strength to remain faithful to Mary.  The next day the Magistrate tried everything to obtain the secret.......bribes, threats, etc.  He deposited them in the jail with hardened criminals, who consoled and entertained them.  Soon the children had them all praying the rosary.

Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta

       The next morning the Magistrate threatened the children one by one for supposedly a final last chance  before “being thrown into a tank of boiling oil”.  With each refusal, he sent each child alone to their supposed fate.  The thought of dying for Our Lady made them all the happier.  The interrogation became a matter of official record and thus documentation for incredulous historians a century later.

       Finally, on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, the Magistrate, realizing that he was getting nowhere  and fearing the enraged people, took the children back to Fatima and let them go.  With tears of joy running down his face, Ti Marto told the people who were angry at the Magistrate as well as their pastor: “No one is to blame.  The blame lies with lack of faith all has been allowed by the One above”.  He even accepted a glass of wine from the Magistrate in order to pacify the crowd and save him from harm. 

       On Sunday, the 19^th, Lucia, her family, and Francisco went for an outing to nearby Valinhos.  At 4 pm, Lucia noticed the signs that Our Lady was coming (the sudden cooling of the air, the paling of the sun, and a flash), but Jacinta was not there.  Lucia sent her brother John to quickly fetch Jacinta.  Just as she arrived, there was another flash and Mary appeared on a different holm oak tree.  Mary waited!  “I want you to continue to come to the Cova da Iria on the 13^th and to continue to say the Rosary every day”.  Dismayed that so many did not believe in the reality of her appearances, Lucia asked for a miraculous sign so that they would believe.  “In the last month, in October, I shall perform a miracle so that all may believe in my apparitions. If they had not taken you to the village, the miracle would be greater”........Our Lord will also come to bless the people.”  She instructed Lucia to use the donated money “for the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the money that is left over will help towards the construction of a chapel that is to be built”.  Lucia then spoke about the sick who had been recommended to her.  “Yes, I shall cure some of them within the year.”  But Mary went on teaching them to pray rather for the health of soul than of bodies: “Pray!  Pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them.”

       The children cut off a branch upon which Mary stood.  It had a heavenly fragrance that they had not experienced before.  From then on, Lucia's family began to believe that Mary did indeed appear to the children.  What will Mary have to say in her next to last appearance on September 13?   

(191) Irene Kobak Surber (1931-2017).........She was ready to personally meet her Good Shepherd

AMDG

Charles and Irene Surber

      The following are excerpts of the letter Irene wrote to her family, friends, and fellow members of the Secular  Franciscan Order a month before she died.  As requested, parts specifically addressed to her extended family are omitted.

“COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND ARE BURDENED…….AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.”  (Matthew 11:28)

My Dearest Charles and Friends:

My earthly pilgrimage has ended.  As my life drew closer to the 11^th hour, I felt a need to share some final thoughts with those who have touched my life in so many meaningful ways and supported me along the journey HOME….I re-wrote this message several times…..this is my final revision.  I return to the ONE who fashioned the stars, wove the tapestry of the skies, crafted the universe with HIS word alone and created all of us in His Image and Likeness.

Countless graces and blessings energized my life of Faith, sustaining me through joys, questions, sorrows, doubts and challenges.  Believing that Jesus’ life, teachings and resurrection set us free, that we are a redeemed people, made it comforting to listen expectantly for the voice calling me HOME.  Like all faith-filled Christians, I realized life is a brief journey in which we walk hand in hand with life’s companions, reaching for the PEARL of great Price, trusting in God’s eternal promise.

As the years wore on, the lessons our dear parents, Joseph and Helen instilled were never forgotten.  We were raised in a home where prayer, Church attendance, Mass, the Holy Eucharist, religious practices and expressions were of primary value.  Ours was a faith-filled Catholic Christian home.  Mom and Dad set an example to the best of their capability and understanding.  What a joy to be seeing them again, meeting our deceased relatives and above all……meeting our Grandparents for the very first time.

Religious life added a rich spiritual and social dimension on the Journey affording innumerable opportunities for spiritual and professional growth and guidance…..As we know, vocations are nurtured in a family setting.  We were not short on encouragement.  We grew up being challenged and reaching for the IDEAL!

I was accompanied on my journey by members of the Secular Franciscan Order.  They provided the companionship, challenge and Franciscan spirituality that filled my heart and enlivened my spirit.  We walked the journey with freedom and fraternity, inspired by the example of our dear St. Francis and St. Clare.

I can never thank you enough for all your love and generous FORGIVENESS.  I beg you to remember me in prayer and ask you to rejoice with me.

 

And like the repentant thief, I beg YOU, Lord Jesus, for mercy and forgiveness.  I pray that I am worthy to hear Jesus’ reassuring words:

“TODAY, YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.”

(Luke 23:43)

Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd (John10:11)

EULOGY (Delivered at Irene Kobak Surber’s Funeral at St. Louis Church on July 17, 2017)

       As an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister since 2009, I had the opportunity to know Irene well.  In fact it was Irene who encouraged me to volunteer for that ministry and my wife Jaga joined me.  It was an awesome privilege to bring Christ Himself and His love to her in Holy Communion every Sunday, to pray with her, and to help her in a little way for her encounter with the Lord in eternity.

I was supposed to minister to Irene, but she ministered to me more than I did to her.  She placed great value on the Eucharist and she did a lot of spiritual reading.  She was faithful to her Catholic Church to the very end.  She kept coming to Sunday Mass until only a couple of months ago when it became practically impossible since she was dependent upon oxygen.  Even then she would assist at Mass via EWTN television and we would complement that by bringing her Holy Communion.

Irene never bore any children of her own, but over a career of some 40 years she was like a mother to hundreds if not thousands of children, most of whom were developmentally challenged.  She recognized their great dignity, created according to the image and likeness of God.   She loved them dearly; she saw their potential; and helped to make them productive members of society.  In retirement she visited the aged as a volunteer in nursing homes in the area.  She was a Third Order Franciscan and emulated St. Francis as well as St. Clare.

Irene was a Pollyanna type, always positive, encouraging, kind, and patient.  I really appreciate her encouragement of my writing.  I never heard her make any disparaging remark against anyone. 

   

       One priest commented that “Those who die of cancer die like saints.  That statement is certainly true in regard to Irene.  She was ready.  She taught us how to live and she taught us how to die.  She confronted her cancer with faith and courage.  Irene did not give up; she really wanted to take care of Charlie and did not want to leave him, her extended family, and friends, but was completely resigned to the will of God with great trust in His Providence……..that no matter what, it would all turn out for the best in the long run.  Each time I saw Irene, there was a certain joy and peace about her……..even a joyful expectation of eternity.

       Irene planned out every aspect of her funeral.  For the first time in my memory, has a laywoman been laid out at the front of our church.  We’re going to have a luncheon this afternoon; the hostess is really Irene and she has invited all of you with typically warm Polish hospitality, entrusting the Catholic Women’s Club and others to put it on.  At some of our Communion services with her, we would say the “Our Father” (Ojcze Nasz) in Polish.  You see, I’m Polish by marriage and proud of it.

     

Irene had a devotion to Mary, who perhaps interceded that she die on July 13, the 100th anniversary of the third and most prophetic apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.  The whole Fatima series will be on this blog.

 

In that apparition Mary reiterated her plea: “Make of everything you can a sacrifice and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and in supplication for the conversion of sinners.”  Indeed, Irene offered up her aches and her pains, the effects of chemo, and all of her suffering for that intention.

 

She united her cross with the Lord’s cross and offered it all up as a dynamic prayer for the Church, the missions, for our country, for a better world and for her loved ones.  God knows how much our country and our world need prayer.  The prayers of the sick and the suffering are most valuable and very effective.  Thus Irene was very productive until the moment she died.

Irene loved the image of the Good Shepherd and liked to imagine herself being a little lamb in His arms.  Her prayers to the Good Shepherd were surely answered as He gave her the strength to carry her cross and led His little lamb to eternity.  The Good Shepherd never sleeps.  The Good Shepherd is real.

Thank you Irene for all that you have done for us and the Church.  We love you.  Good-by until we see you again. I know that you will be waiting for us for one big joyful reunion in Heaven.  Let’s make sure that we all get there by being faithful practicing Christians with our lives……everyone of us!  I’m sure Irene will be praying for us along the way. 

Appendix

Obituary

Sunday Times-Sentinel (Gallipolis, Ohio) & Point Pleasant Register July 16, 2017

Irene Surber

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BIDWELL — Irene M. Surber, 85, of Bidwell, passed away on Thursday, July 13, 2017 at her residence.

She was born September 28, 1931 in Cleveland, daughter of the late Joseph A. and Helen Dentkos Kobak. Irene married Charles M. Surber and he survives her. She graduated from St. John's College and received her Master's Degree at Case Western University.

Irene was a member of Third Order of St. Francis as a sister of St. Joseph for 33 years, a member of St. Louis Catholic Church in Gallipolis, worked for Catholic Charities, worked in California at Director of Services for the Developmentally Disabled, worked for Tap Center in California along with Sister Mary Grace, and worked as a special education teacher for 30 years. A faithful longtime friend to Irene was Sister Mary Lou Wojtusik of Garfield Heights., she visited nursing home patients along with Ella Bokovitz for many years in the local assisted living facilities, played organ in the Catholic churches, enjoyed camping, walking, and various activities. She was a great conversationalist and had many friends.

Surviving are her husband, Charles M. Surber of Bidwell, five sisters, Wanda DiVencenzo, of Grafton, Mary Ann Bliss, of North Royalton,, Theresa (Kobak) Bird of El Sobrante, Calif., Christine Berger, of Avon, and Helen Smith of Horshoe Bay, Texas.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Sister Clementia.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:30 a.m., Monday, July 17, 2017 at St. Louis Catholic Church with Father Thomas Hamm officiating. Entombment will follow at Ohio Valley Memory Gardens. Friends may call 10 – 11:30 a.m. at the church prior to the mass. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the St. Louis Catholic Church building Fund. Please visit www.willisfuneralhome.com to send e-mail condolences.

(190) OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT 100……..The Prophetic Apparition of July 13, 1917……..to Hell and Back

        With great happiness Jacinta and Francisco Marto were looking forward to meeting Mary on July 13 at the Cova de Iria as she requested.  Lucia, however, filled with gloom and despair, resolved not to go, fearing that her pastor was right…….”the apparitions are the work of the devil”.  Believing the pastor, Lucia’s mother incessantly nagged her daughter and even thrashed her for lying.  On the contrary Ti Marto believed.in the authenticity of the apparitions. 

        On the morning of the 13^th, Lucia still had the same confusion and doubt.  But when it was time to leave for the Cova, Lucia felt a strange prodding and her fears and doubts suddenly disappeared.  Joyfully, she went to the house of Jacinta and Francisco to see if they had left yet.  She found them in tears because they would not go without Lucia.  Their tears were transformed into joy, when Lucia said:  “LET’S Go!” and off they went happily moving through the crowds of people that jammed the way to the Cova.  It was slow since so many asked them to ask Mary for special personal favors.

        Lucia, the leader, led the rosary.  Then she cried out:  “Close the umbrellas (against the sun); Our Lady is coming!”  The sun turned hazy and there was a refreshing breeze on that hot day.  The crowd was silent.  Ti Marto testified that he saw a greyish cloud over the holm oak.  He heard a hum, but did not hear a word.  With the abounded love of a mother bending over her sick child, the beautiful lady engulfed the three children in her immense light and rested her loving eyes on Lucia, who could not speak for joy.

 

        Mary instructed them:  “Continue to say the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war; for only she can help you.  Continue to come here every month.  In October, I will say who I am and what I desire and I will perform a miracle for all to see, so that they believe.”  Lucia told her of the case of a sick person who wished to be taken to Heaven soon.  “He should not try to hurry things.  I know well when I shall come for him.”  Apparently, Our Lord wanted him to be better prepared to die as Mary implicitly condemned euthanasia and doctor assisted suicide.  Mary reiterated the need to offer up suffering, misfortune, irritations, prayers, rosaries, weekday Masses, etc.  “Sacrifice yourselves for sinners; and say often, especially when you make some sacrifice: ‘O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary I offer this sacrifice to Thee.”’

 

        Then came a terrifying experience for the three children.  Mary let them see hell.  Lucia described “a sea of fire, and immersed in that fire were horrendous looking creatures (devils) and souls with human form, as if they were transparent black or bronze embers floating in the fire……amidst wailing and cries of pain and despair that horrified and shook us with terror.”  As Mother Angelica, the spunky founder of EWTN once told the hell deniers:  “you’ll believe it when you get there.”  Satan worshipers don’t know what awaits them.  May we have a healthy fear of hell, especially when we drift away from God and are lax in following Church teaching as our Sunday obligation.

        

Our Lady then explained: “You have seen hell ---where the souls of poor sinners go.  To save them God wills to establish throughout the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart.  If people will do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace.  The war is going to end.  But if they do not stop offending God, another and worse war will break out in the reign of Pius XI.  When you see a night illumined by an unknown light (January 25-26, 1938 – Google Fatima Storm) , know that it is the great sign that God gives you, that He is going to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, hunger, persecution of the Church and of the Holy Father.  To forestall this, I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.  If they heed my requests, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace.  If not, she shall spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecutions of the Church; the good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated; in the end, my Immaculate Heart shall triumph……and some time of peace will be given to the world.......Do not tell this to anyone.”

After this third apparition, the three children had a greater resolve to pray a great deal to save souls from hell.  They yearned more and more to be left alone to say their prayers and make sacrifices for Our Lady, but whenever they would go out in the town, crowds of people would gather to ask them all kinds of questions, many of them of the stupid variety.  Some were devout, but many were curious and anxious to pump them for the secret with gifts to find the sensational. Some even came to laugh and make fun of the children. 

Even relatives and neighbors ridiculed them, called them names, and even smacked them.  Lucia’s family was the worst of all, especially after crowds would trample on the family vegetable garden: “When you want to eat, go and ask that lady.”  Newspapers reported the apparitions with scorn and distortions, accusing the priests of setting up a “factory of miracles”.  The children pitied them all for their lack of faith.  Thus they would take back roads to avoid the crowds.  When people came knocking on their doors, the children would hide.  Clearly, the apparitions were a great joy, but also a great cross to bear.  The children had a lot to offer up for the conversion of sinners and they did it joyfully.

Jacinta’s father. Ti Marto kept an open mind as he mulled over the facts to find the truth while protecting his children.  He was thinking and praying, waiting for God to direct his course of thought and action.

The children learned some short prayers that gave them consolation: “My God, I love you” and Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation”.  Jacinta said: “I want to tell Jesus that I love Him so much!  When I say this to Him, it seems that I have a fire in my heart.  I love Our Lord and Our Lady so much that I never get tired of telling Them that I love Them.”  If we can develop only a fraction of their intense love for Jesus and Mary!  We shall see that in August, the situation will begin to build up to a climax as the unbelieving authorities get involved.  Throughout this centennial year of Our Lady of Fatima, EWTN television (cable, satellite & internet at ewtn.com) is showing many documentaries on Fatima, especially around the 13^th of the month.   

APPENDIX

QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR LADY OF FATIMA

* It is often asked why the Blessed Mother would reveal horrifying images to innocent children such as the visions of Hell? To many people this seems incongruent with a pure, loving, gentle Mother who loves us and is in Heaven. It would almost seem like child abuse?

Secondly, during the miracle of the sun, which the Blessed Mother orchestrated to help prove to people that indeed it was her that the children were seeing, why again would part of that miracle be the horrifying moment when the sun seem to come charging toward the earth?  The accounts of the eye witnesses all say they were terrified and thought the sun was going to crash on top of them and that this was the end of the world.

        I've never heard that interesting and valid question.  To anybody who would ask me, I would say this.  I don't think Mary's showing Hell to the children and the horrifying aspects of the Miracle of the Sun are incongruent with her as a pure, loving, gentle, mother.  Is tough love incongruent?

        First of all, Mary, as the ultimate missionary and messenger of God, does not go off on her own to bring souls to her Son.  She is completely subservient to the will of her Son.  Since the Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart are united as one, Mary knows exactly what her Son wills.  I'm sure that Our Lord sends Mary on every mission the same as He sends each one of us on a special mission.  Mary would not do anything that does not conform to the will of her Son.  In any event she has no power of her own, only that given to her by God to be used as He wills.  All of Mary's actions are from the perspective of eternity for our good and to get us to Heaven.  That's what it is all about.

        We can only speculate why Mary, following the will of her Son, would show the children Hell and permit the horrifying aspects of the Miracle of the Sun.  There is no way that we can get into the mind of God.  He knows what He is doing; His ways are not our ways.  His mind is beyond our comprehension and the greatest human brain.

        As to show innocent children hell, the Angel of Peace prepared Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta for their great mission in three apparitions in 1916.  Mary continued that spiritual formation.  Thus the children had an amazing amount of spiritual maturity and holiness, more than we can develop in a lifetime.  They could handle seeing Hell, especially through actual grace.  Mary is acting not only as mother of the three children, but also as mother of all humanity.  The apparitions and message are directed not only to the three children, but also to all humanity.  Any mother would or should vividly show the consequences and dangers to her children of their deeds........both to body and soul.  An example might be the danger of running onto the street and its consequences.  Mary wanted to show all mankind the reality of hell (not theoretically) and that Our Lord is not only a God of mercy, but also of justice.  As a loving mother, she had to tell it like it is.  Mother Mary continues trying through the Fatima message to mobilize us to pray (the rosary especially), make sacrifices, and offer up crosses for the conversion of sinners.  Showing Hell, vividly demonstrates the urgency in a very convincing way not easily forgotten.

 
        As for the horrifying aspects of the Miracle of the Sun, it's a wake up call to straighten out our lives.  It demonstrates the power of God.  It took 9/11 to wake us up at least for a while.  The Miracle of the Sun must have had a deep and lasting impression on the 70,000 plus people, not to mention all of Portugal (it got little newspaper coverage outside of the country) and millions in the generations that followed to the present.  I wonder how many of the 70,000+ made it to Heaven because of the Miracle of the Sun.  Without the horrifying aspect, the Miracle of the Sun would have been more like a glorified fireworks display.  Of course the sudden drying of the drenched people and their ability to see the sun were miraculous.  What people remember today from the Fatima story is the horrifying aspect, not the beautiful aspects.

        I hope that during this centennial year the Fatima Message gets through.  I fear that the way the world is going this is our last chance to live the Fatima Message and thus avoid a loving chastisement.

* Did World War II start during the reign of Pius XI as Mary prophesized or during the reign of Pius XII?

The official start of World War II is considered to be September 1, 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.  Pope Pius XI died on February 10, 1939.  Since Hitler annexed Austria on March 13, 1938, it can be said that World War II really started on that date.  Furthermore, during the might of the great unknown light of January 25-26, 1938, leaders of the Soviet Union were plotting a deal to make with Germany to divide up Poland, ceding western Poland to Germany and taking eastern Poland for the Soviet Union.  Both sides probably saw it as the 4^th Partition.  From 1795 to 1918, Germany, Austria, and Russia each took a third of Poland, wiping the country off the map for 123 years.  The Soviets craftily believed that Germany would be blamed and the allies would retaliate against Germany. From the perspective of Heaven World War II did indeed start during the reign of Pius XI.