Posted on 07/10/2012 6:22:06 AM PDT by C19fan
A visit from a Croatian woman who claims to see the Virgin Mary on a daily basis drew thousands of people to a small Alabama town this week. Many people travelled for days to be near the self-proclaimed visionary while one Washington woman even sold her home to take the trip. Despite skepticism of prominent Catholics, the faithful said they trekked to Sterrett with hopes of hearing a message from the mother of Jesus, witnessing miracles and receiving direction about how to follow their faith. The woman at the center of the gathering, Marija Pavlovic Lunetti, said she saw the apparition or appearance of Mary in 1981 at age 16 with a group of five other youth in Medjugorje, then part of Yugoslavia. Gina Hall, 49, of Washington, D.C., said she sold her condo and most of her possessions to drive to Birmingham and begin a life of discipleship.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Lot's of delusional people out there. The one idiot woman sold her house and her possessions etc. She is retired at age 49..oh yeah she is a RETIRED gov't worker.
there use to be woman in Wisconsin that could see the virgin Mary also. (Made millions off the gullible.)
Articles like this are put in British papers to mock Christians. Take a look at the comments under the article — a large number of them are trashing Christians as stupid and damning Christianity. The articles are simply a way to generate traffic from bigots who want an outlet for their Christian-bashing.
I believe the whole point is for others to be able to see Christ in us.
A guy I work with is hardcore and believes this stuff. Gave me a postcard of the the image of Mary on a window at a bank in Florida...really believes that is a sign from her. I just do double facepalm.jpgs.
I understand your point but it is the truth there are these people who throw reason aside and fall for snake oil salesmen like this woman. I had come across people like this and you never hear from the pulpit warnings about frauds like this.
While perhaps not approved by “The Church” nor some other catholics, this is the beast they created. It didn’t form out of a vacuum. This ‘oracle’ is basing her ‘visions’ off of doctrine and teachings that have permeated The Church either currently or in the past. Millions upon millions believe this stuff and there is a large portion of The Church that still pushes it (ahem south of the border perhaps). I feel no sympathy for either The Church nor those who flock to these things.
I think I’ll hold out for the one who can see Jesus himself. I’m not selling my house and moving to Alabama for a chance to see the see-er of assistant coach.
I have standards, don’t ya know !!
John 20:29
They're not making this stuff up.
It's wrong to trash ALL Christians because of the acts of a few, but people who see Jesus/Mary/whatever in shower mold / burnt toast / tree bark deserve to be mocked.
Marija Pavlovic Lunettic. Corrected.
Behold the Obammy voters.
in Alabammy where else?
Medjugorje is a fraud and has been proclaimed that by the local bishops.
However a lot of apologists are out there defending their gravy train from drying up.
Its a choice of what to emphasize. People do stupid things every day. People con other people every day. The question is what do you highlight? British papers tend to be the ones writing about people who see Jesus in burnt toast and who can talk to God. There are a number of schizophrenics who talk to God or who think they are Napoleon. Do we see articles in the Telegraph about them?
The institutionalization of prejudice always works this way. In the early days of film, it was Step-n-Fetchit. Were there some blacks who were that stupid and ignorant? Yes. But most weren’t. But blacks were portrayed that way in the media to get bigoted whites to view the movies and read the articles. Same here. The Telegraph puts these articles in the paper to get bigots to read the stories and feel superior.
Even approved private revelations are merely like little bits of candy the Heavenly Father gives to wayward, disobedient children to strengthen their fragile faith.
Mature Catholic Christians should understand that the real encounter with the Living Jesus takes place at Mass and in one's personal prayer life, the real "messages" are in the Bible, and the real "visionaries" that ought to inspire us are the saints and the stories of their lives. And when they understand that, they don't need to run after "apparitions" and "visions".
I see this as a way that people who may not be as well educated or as intelligent as your average freeper seek communion with God. It can make me sad if people exploit this innocence but it is something that has been going on since the days of the cave men. Probably me and Mr. Mercat going to Italy with our parish this year is not much different. At least for me its a pilgrimage.
We’ll all see Him pretty soon...
I hope “soon” is in my lifetime.
Well said.
and your views on scientology?
[facepalm]
Yeah.
Reminds me of a local story where a woman saw Mary in a pane of glass of her window. They tried to remove the window and the glass broke. I had never seen such wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Yes, much worship of the made up Goddess Mary.
The Church says nothing more than that Mary said, at the first miracle, the Wedding a Cana, “Do whatever He tells you”.
The Churchalso says that appearances at Mejugorjie have NOT been verified as miraculous.
The Church also says of those apparitions which have been verified, that it is not compulsory for the faithful to believe them.
Facts and truth.
I can see her too (shhhh don’t tell anyone)
It’s interesting how so many people can believe in ouiji boards, but not something like this.
Particularly in light of the scientific studies associated with this woman and the others, which make it difficult to completely dismiss out of hand.
One of my least favorite verses... "Blind Faith" is the most blessed? how convenient...
I guess leaps of faith are different for different folks.
I understand leaps of faith, but doesn’t God already know who will have or already has taken the required leap of faith?
These articles generate a lot of revenue. It’s just business.
Yep, much of what He said was offensive then and now. We haven’t changed. He asks the impossible, but God...
I don’t know either. It seems like a contradiction. He asks us to have faith. As if we do it under our own power, but then other scripture indicates that even faith is a gift. I know I believe, but I don’t know why. I know one other thing. I can’t argue someone else into believing.
Your facts are a bit off....
The local bishop did in fact have negative things to say about the apparitions and tried to forbid folks from visiting. That was however overruled by the Vatican and the Church’s official stance is something like....at the moment the supernatural nature cannot be confirmed, however pilgrims ARE NOT forbidden to visit. As a general rule the Vatican doesn’t rule positively for these things until the apparitions are done. They do however rule quickly if there is obvious problems or they feel that it may lead the flock astray.
I have been to the original site back in 2000 and there were hundreds of priests accompanying pilgrims and con-celebrating Mass. Another metric that the Vatican uses to assess these situations is the “Fruit”. The good fruit from Medj. has been phenomenal.
As with any of these things, discernment is needed.
Cheers,
Those folks could have saved a great deal of money.
For only $100, I would have been willing to send them a piece of toast.
I agree.
I agree. If it is not hurting anyone and it is bringing people closer to Jesus then why be so critical. I believe Mary has come and spoke to people. Medegorgia and Lordes France and Caraballa Spain. I mean bringing people to JEsus through his mother is not a bad thing.
I spoke with her this morning.
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