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]
I implied nothing of the sort. I asked why the focus was on St. Paul's 'Epistle', rather than on Matthew's 'Gospel' that quotes our Lord, Jesus Christ. Matthew was an eyewitness to the life of Christ. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, where he intended to destroy the new christians. In a court of law, given the opportunity, who would you bring in as a witness to an event - someone who was actually present or someone who heard about it from those who were witnesses? My choice would be the eyewitness.
So far, not one of the individuals pinged in that post has offered a comment. Their silence speaks volumes.
***My choice would be the eyewitness.***
Paul's inspired words are A-OK by me. What's this preference for an eye witness? Are not Paul's words in 1 Corinthians a part of the canon?
*** In a court of law, given the opportunity, who would you bring in as a witness to an event - someone who was actually present or someone who heard about it from those who were witnesses? ***
The Holy Spirit inspired both the gospels and epistles. Your analogy is inappropriate in that it implies the witnesses are speaking on their own accord.
***So far, not one of the individuals pinged in that post has offered a comment. Their silence speaks volumes.***
Baloney, NYer. I just now read the ping. My "silence" only means I was doing something else.
St. Paul's words are A-OK by me, too!
What's this preference for an eye witness?
No need to play coy with me, Dr. Steve. This is my understanding of your question. Hypothetical situation: You are accused of murdering your neighbor, Mike, at his house. At the time of the incident, you and your good friend, Tom, were preparing Sunday's sermon at your house. Several weeks after the demise of your neighbor, the police show up at your door. They arrest you for the murder of your neighbor, Mike. A friend of Mike's has accused you of the murder. Meanwhile, one of Tom's friends, Bill, steps forward and advocates for you based on what he has heard frorm Tom. The case goes to trial in court. It is a murder trial. Who do you call as an eyewitness? Bill or Tom?
Did I suggest that you were the ONLY one pinged to that post?
Well, so far you have not responded to my post 60. Should I draw the conclusion that your silence speaks volumes, or have you just been busy with other things.
Please note post #60 and correct the title of this thread to the original: "PRIEST AND DOZENS OF OTHERS WITNESSED UNUSUAL IMAGES IN BLESSED SACRAMENT."
As it is posted it is misleading and inaccurate.
Unbelievable ... let's change the topic to avoid having to deal with the true words of Christ.
Admin ... please insert the words (former) in parantheses before the word Baptists in the title of this thread. Thank you VERY MUCH.
***No need to play coy with me, Dr. Steve.***
I am not being coy. Your court analogy is not valid. Your two witnesses are not analogous to the writers of Holy Scripture. If you believe in inerrancy, and I presume you do, then you should not elevate one above the other.
You presume that Bill only knows what Tom has told him. In reality, the Holy Spirit is directing the words/testimony of BOTH Bill and Tom and either is an infallible witness.
Neither is impeachable -- they are both canonical.
Your court room case is missing a witnes, the Holy Spirit.
The request to modify the title of this thread has been officially requested, are you now ready to address the distinction in words provided by the eyewitness, Matthew vs those words spoken by St. Paul who heard them, second hand, from the apostles. Which carries greater weight? The one who heard them or the one who heard of them?
I am not changing the topic. Nevertheless, I do think the header is misleading. I don't fault you and do not think it was deliberate.
Why insert (former) in the altered title? That is NOT the title the author used. The link says:
PRIEST AND DOZENS OF OTHERS WITNESSED UNUSUAL IMAGES IN BLESSED SACRAMENT
See post #69.
Both carry EQUAL weight. Why? THE HOLY SPIRIT directed both in the inerrant record.
Your analogy has a faulty premise. Do you believe the canon is without error?
So you equate Paul's statement: Christ lives in me and I in Him
with Christ's own words?
Yes, actually you did imply it the way you stated it and bolded the word Truth and the way the sentence was worded. No offense, but your analogy just doesn't work. You are trying to compare the ways of man with the Word of God. There is no comparison. It doesn't matter what someone did or who they were before they came to the Lord as with Saul. Once someone is converted, they are a new creation. And the Word of God does not have different levels of Truth. It is all the Word, breathed by the Holy Spirit, "living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." It doesn't say just the part that is in red. So my choice is all of it. Because all the writers were witnesses to God - the Holy Spirit.
I have no idea why others have not responded. There are many, many valid reasons for not answering. I would hate to be one who predecides someone's motives. Not only that, it has nothing to do with me.
In Jesus,
NYer, I am simply asking you to acknowledge Paul's words as inerrant? Is that so difficult?
Because the "DOZENS" of "OTHER WITNESSES" included (FORMER) BAPTISTS.
Good for you. Have a nice day.
I am a Roman Catholic that follows the liturgy of the Maronite Catholic Church. Each Sunday, following the reading of the Epistle, the priest incenses and reads the Gospel. When he has finished reading the Gospel, he elevates the Book of the Gospels and proclaims to all assembled, "This is the Truth". Would you deny that the Gospel is anything less than the Truth. There are truths in the other books of the Bible; the Gospels, however, are the actual words of Christ, as recorded by the Apostles - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. St. Paul was NOT an apostle.
That is not to say that his words bear less weight; rather, the words of the eyewitness Matthew carry far more significance as he was present when Christ, revealed His presence in the bread and wine.
Why is this so difficult for you to understand?
This discussion illustrates my earlier point that at best, Catholics and Protestants can agree to disagree on the doctrine of the Real Presence. Beyond that, it just turns into a “I believe this verse means” argument which can continue ad naseum.
I guess I'm confused by this statement. When does Paul present a gospel? Plenty of letters to the apostles, but Gospel? I see only Matthew, Mark, Luke and John doing that.
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