On two separate occasions Catholics on retreat at a parish in Jacksonville, Florida, have reported remarkable images in and around exposition of the large Host known as the Blessed Sacrament.Posted on 07/14/2004 6:12:39 AM PDT by NYer
On two separate occasions Catholics on retreat at a parish in Jacksonville, Florida, have reported remarkable images in and around exposition of the large Host known as the Blessed Sacrament.
The events were recorded at St. Joseph's Church in the Mandarin area of the city and join a growing number of reports concerning Eucharistic phenomena from around the world -- as if to remind that world of the True Presence.
A few days ago we reported the spiritual benefits of adoration in front of the Host and quoted a woman who claimed to see a radiant mist in connection with it. The phenomena often go beyond that, to reports of details visual effects witnessed -- as in the case of Jacksonville -- by dozens of people.
The events began on November 6, 1999, and were also witnessed by priests, including Father Bernard Ahern, a retired Navy chaplain who recounted that in the midst of the retreat -- the middle of Saturday afternoon -- a woman came into the room "hysterically" crying that she had seen Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, which was exposed during the retreat.
"I then went into the chapel myself to find out what was happening, and I, also, saw the Face of Jesus in the Eucharist," the priest told two chroniclers of the events, who produced a booklet on the occurrences. "The color of the image was a sepia color, a light brown and white. There were many other people who also saw Him. I was skeptical and thought that there might be some shadows in the back of the monstrance, or light in front of it causing the image. But I found no basis for this after checking the surrounding area, and realized I saw what I saw."
The admission of witnessing such an event by a priest is a rare event at a time when clergy are often more skeptical than even secular authorities and at a time when seminaries have all but extinguished training in mystical theology. Actually the events were first initiated when a woman named Cathy Duncan -- like Father Ahern wondering at first if it was just shadows from the sun or candlelight -- saw the Face of Christ earlier in the day and had it confirmed around dinnertime when she ran into the woman referred to by Father Ahern, who was in the chapel and blurted out, "Do you see Him?" -- referring to the remarkable image.
Duncan noted that by now the sun had gone down and the candles had been burning all day, changing their angles.
It wasn't the candles.
Later in the day the Host turned a very bright red that appeared to be glowing -- according to witnesses. There were about 35 retreat participants in the first event along with thirty or so retreat givers and women who had attended previous retreats. About a third presented formal testimony. So dramatic was this event that it made a secular newspaper, The Florida Times-Union, which noted that "most of those interviewed recounted seeing Jesus' Head and Shoulders, though the level of detail varied." Some said they saw features -- ears, eyes, mouth; others glimpsed a vaguer silhouette.
"I looked at the Host and noticed the color was not the usual color of off-white but was light pink in the center, which became darker and darker until it reached the rim where it was deep red," said yet another observer, Trish Kessler, describing a resemblance to the Shroud of Turin. "I felt like I was walking in the Holy of Holies."
"I was in shock, and yet so happy," added Cherrie Martinez. "I saw with my own eyes the silhouette of the Sacred Heart. It was like a pencil drawing of His hair, head, and shoulders. This shows how powerful prayers are!"
It also indicated the reality of the True Presence -- long a point of contention between Catholics and Protestants. Similar events have been logged from Canada to Venezuela and Australia.
In Jacksonville, even former Baptists -- often loathe to report such manifestations -- were witnesses.
One, Chrys Sills, also observed what she described in the monstrance as an apparition of the Turin Shroud.
Others reported the Host glowing brightly despite the dark room and some said the Host appeared gold. "I stood in front of the monstrance and saw Jesus' Face as an outline in silhouette," reported Helen Targonski, a woman who had recently lost a husband to cancer. "I saw the top of His Head with a crown of thorns and His Face faintly but His eyes were more predominant, looking straight out. His eyes looked real and were radiating with tremendous love. Everywhere I looked, I saw other members kneeling and crying or lying prostrate."
The message: God is with us even in our most trying moments.
It was spiritual bedlam and it repeated itself at the same church four years later, during a men's retreat from October 18 to 19, 2003.
In a series of events that some like to compare to an historical occurrence in Bordeaux, France [left, a witness], the men reported similar images -- pencil-like etchings -- on a cloth placed behind the Blessed Sacrament as a white backdrop.
"These pencil drawings began to develop into very distinct and clear images," noted one newsletter from Journey to Our Father Ministries. "Some people saw them in black and white, while others saw them in various shades of gold. Witnesses first saw an image of a lamb, which was over the shoulders of Jesus. Many people saw Jesus' Image as a side view looking right and down, while others saw Him in a frontal view. One person came nearer and said, 'Do you also see the baby Jesus?' You could see the baby Jesus, then a dove, and then Mary, and also God the Father. All these different images were visible within the overall image. The detail was so great that you could actually see the individual hairs on God the Father's Head."
While in both cases many of the images were sketched, at least one person saw an entire image in color.
Once again, the Host was "glowing." During the Rosary, a picture of Mary reportedly moved.
The theme of the retreat was "Open the eyes of my heart."
On the way home, as one couple boarded their car, on the radio was the song, "Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see You"!
Each person felt as if he or she had a personal experience -- often seeing something uniquely his or her own. "This was a day that would forever change my life," said one of the former Baptists. "Not because I saw what I already knew was there, but to know that He is with us every minute that we take time to spend with Him."
[resources: Jesus Unveils His True Presence Within the Holy Eucharist, by Jim and Barbara Wasel, adoregod@ids.net]
[see also Secrets of the Eucharist]
An 'ecumenical' story to begin your day.
As Adoration takes hold across the country, I think we'll be reading more stories like this. In our parish we have Adoration once a week. Our pastor says he has seen the faith of parishoners grow exponentially as a result. He's thinking of adding a second day.
Wow. Truly amazing.
We have "perpetual" adoration at our Parish. I signed up for a designated hour about a year ago. I have had remarkable experiences in our chapel, especially while alone with Jesus. On one occassion, while staring at the large portrait of the DIVINE MERCY in our chapel, a white cloud began to envelop the room but the image of Jesus was shining through. It was a surreal yet peaceful experience. I've had many experiences in our chapel like this.
If anyone wants to take their relationship with Jesus to another level I highly recommend Eucharistic Adoration. It will begin to change your life in ways you never suspected. It will also become a part of your life you will never let go of.
If anyone would like to know more about this devotion and how it can change your life, please freepmail me and I will go into greater personal detail.
Thank you! for posting your comments. Here is an excellent resource on the history of Eucharistic Adoration.
Has the Vatican authenticated this event?
I do not believe that Catholics can accept this as a "miracle " from God until the pope weighs in .
Seems to me , that different people saw different things, this sounds like a group hysteria .
Have you ever looked at a cloud that looked like something ?
This does prove the effect of group hysteria IMO
Why should they? No one is proclaiming a miracle.
No and I doubt it ever will.
I do not believe that Catholics can accept this as a "miracle " from God until the pope weighs in .
Perhaps. This is my Parish and I have spoken to a number of people who were there. They are convinced what they saw was a eucharistic miracle. Whether Rome weighs in or not doesn't matter to them. Also Father Bernie hasn't made a big deal about this. This story is about five years old, I don't know why it's being resurfaced now.
Seems to me , that different people saw different things, this sounds like a group hysteria .
Well it was a woman's retreat group that was in the chapel when this happened :-)
Have you ever looked at a cloud that looked like something ?
The host is not the size of a cloud but I see your point.
Haven't you ever had a revelation while praying? Our Lord speaks to us in the Blessed Sacrament. As Adoration once again becomes popular, I am confident stories like this one will become commonplace.
p.s. I also find little ones can sense the awesomeness of the moment and are usually on their best behavior. Or sleeping.
I heard about this after it originally happened. The Pastor of my parish, Fr. Leon, told our Carmelite group about it. The two priests involved had contacted him after it happened and he had asked them why they hadn't notified the Bishop during the almost hour that it was observed. He told us that the priest felt rather foolish for not calling the Bishop immediately. This happened in the chapel of what was the older Church built before there new Church was built. They are still maintaining the older Church since it is part of the grounds where they have a school. Even though this is pretty close to where I live I have never visited their previous Chapel. While I found the story interesting and relying on my pastor's opinion to be credible, I don't worry about following signs. That Jesus is in the Eucharist is already something I firmly believe and I would prefer to rely on the eyes of faith.
Fr. Leon also told us that one of the people there that he talked to was upset that his wife who is a convert saw it and that he as a cradle Catholic did not. I would hope that I myself would not react that way. That hopefully I would rejoice in a visible sign given my wife and to rejoice that perhaps God thought that my faith was strong enough with out it.
Wow! Has the experience caused them to be better Catholics? I'm asking not so much for your personal observations (though I certainly wouldn't avert my eyes), but rather their public Christian witness since this day.
Now wait a minute. I was at the Mens CRHP retreat that weekend at St. Joseph’s and this is news to me. It’s interesting they don’t name a source for this part of the story but I suspect I know who it was.
We were having adoration in the Chapel on Saturday evening and ONE of the guys said he saw the face of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I was with the majority of the guys and attributed whatever he was seeing to lighting and shadows. I was dark and the only light in the Chapel was from the flickering candles.
My observation is the women who were on that retreat for the most part are very active in various Parish Ministries. And Father Bernie is a treat. This guy just celebrated his 50th year as a priest. He is about 75 years old and his 99 year old mother lives with him. He's always bringing her to various Parish functions. Also, when he offers Mass, his Mother sits in the front pew and he brings Communion to her. She doesn’t quite get around like she used to:-)
I have no desire to argue this out to a conclusion.
We know that there are many miracles that the vatican refuses to affirm. Without that confirmation it is strictly rumor, or the work of a charlatan .
I adore God, not a piece of bread, I trust Jesus to save me, not a piece of bread .
God illuminates through His word. To that end I would like to suggest that you read the account of the staff of Moses.
That staff which God used as a visible instrument became sin when there was more emphasis on the rod than on the one that ordained it.
2Ki 18:4
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
2Ki 18:5
He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [any] that were before him.
I love Immaculate Conception. Father Leon is a little difficult to understand in the confessional though. I find myself straining to understand him. Father Keen is wonderful also.
This happened in the chapel of what was the older Church built before there new Church was built.
Actually it happened in the School Chapel
They are still maintaining the older Church since it is part of the grounds where they have a school.
We’ll always have the “Historic Church”. It’s considered a historical landmark and we still use it for Weddings.
Even though this is pretty close to where I live I have never visited their previous Chapel.
You should visit us sometime. All three of the Priests we have are wonderful.
Would this be Fr. Bartholomew Leon?
A consecrated host is NOT a piece of bread and you especially, as a former catholic, know better than to post that comment.
That staff which God used as a visible instrument became sin when there was more emphasis on the rod than on the one that ordained it.
During the 13th century St. Anthony of Padua was reported to have converted a hardened heretic through a rather unique contest. The heretic, by the name of Bononillo, was unmoved by the reasoning of the "hammer of heretics," as St. Anthony was called. Bononillo was as stubborn as the mule that stood beside him.
Eyeing the mule, Anthony made an offer to Bononillo. He asked him whether he would give up his heresy if the mule were to bow down and adore its Creator present in the Blessed Sacrament. The heretic answered he would, provided he could lay down certain conditions: for two days the mule was not to be fed, and on the third day it was to be led into the public square. On one side of the square would be placed a tempting pile of fresh feed, on the opposite side Anthony could stand with what Bononillo contemptuously called the "body of Christ." Anthony agreed, but in all humility made one condition. If the animal did not kneel before the Blessed Sacrament, his sins alone were to be blamed.
The day arrived for this strange contest and the square was crowded with people. When the derisive Bononillo arrived with his half-starved mule, he was fully confident that his mule had sense and appetite enough to go after the feed. But he was wrong. Anthony had implored his Lord in the intervening two days for the soul of this heretic. God did not let his faithful servant down. When turned loose, the mule without the least hesitation advanced towards Anthony and knelt in an attitude of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. With much emotion and contrition the heretic too fell on his knees and gave up his heresy. Of course the greatest miracle of all, transubstantiation, has to be viewed with the eyes of faith.
I thought it was very clever. Not to mention funny.
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