Miracle Moments

My Family

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 08:41:00 -0500

Emily, Ben, Johnny, me, Mac, Jake, Zack and their dad John last Thanksgiving.

Friday August 22 on the Queenship of Mary I celebrated my birthday with my sons and my daughter-in-law Emily who thanked me on mother's day for giving her her best friend. Isn't that who every girl wants...

to marry-their best friend?! Anywho I'd now like to share this blog I recently wrote but never posted because, quite frankly, I couldn't get the picture uploaded. Technically challenged.

So I woke up tonite as I often do in the middle of the night..and I thought of how grateful I am for my five sons….I’ve written in the past about our struggles, however today, I want you to know the power of unrelenting prayer.

My oldest son Johnny is getting his Doctorate in International Development. He is a missionary in Liberia west Africa where he spent 8 years….earned his mba (straight A’s) online to run a Catholic school there for orphans and other children…now he’s stateside as Executive Director of Fransiscan Works, a non profit in Chicago that raises the money for the school...And he's engaged to a Liberian woman who is in nursing school. Johnny boy as we affectionately call him is a soulful, faith inspired young man with a generous heart for humankind. Like me, he is a daily communicant.

My 2^nd son Mackie is an entrepreneur who has taught health programs for the elderly and public school kids -a program which he designed by the way. He is a passionate, strong willed human ...and warm hearted and artistic…always has been. Both he and Johnny are the survivors of pedophilia. That’s a big accomplishment. They are wonderful young men with a burning desire to help the less fortunate. I admire them.

Benjamin my middle son is the essence of Agape Love. He is a 4^th year anesthesiology resident…a doctor who is anesthetizing the pain of sick people. Ben chose life over death in high school because he loves me. His choice is miraculous …but then, he is the old soul who always understood the heart of what is important in this life…he is now married to his best friend…a doctor who loves him with an everlasting love. Thank you Ben for the gift you gave me...and for the gift of new life-a baby due in January!

Jacob my 4^th son is such a quick witted smart and kind young man. He can say in one sentence what it takes me to say in 3 sentences. After college he went to coding school….a mathematical

challenge that only the very bright can venture into. Who knew how bright he is?! I did. As a young child Jake always had a quirky, colorful personality. Such JOY!

So the caboose…Zachary is a big teddy bear. He is bright and kind and gifted with a confidence that is infectious. He's the guy every girl wants to marry...he calls regularly to check up on me since he now lives in Houston and works in industrial real estate at Stream. I am certain Zack is making his mark there because wherever he goes, people absolutely love him…his friends, their parents…

They love him. And so do we.

Never give up on your kids. Never. Where there is life there is hope...because life equates to God…and He is the God of miracles!

Second Act

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 10:25:00 -0500

SECOND ACT

Second Act Sometimes the second act is the best act and the one act that is truly life giving. The people, the places, and the personalities we encounter generate a renewal that is deeply satisfying and soulfully transformative. That’s the gift I’ve experienced at my friend Pam’s consignment boutique in Metairie Louisiana, aptly named “Second Act.” This banker turned retailer is walking in the shoes of her mom who founded this shop in 1972. And yes, her store is filled to overflowing with beautiful clothes, accessories, shoes, and jewelry. However, the real jewels are the collection of women who support Pam and the loyal customers who discover that retail therapy takes on a whole new meaning here. Pam, who is very bright, outgoing, refreshingly direct, and genuinely kind, has created a home for some highly successful women who are now in their second and possibly, third act. The cast of characters include a former FBI employee, a nurse, a teacher, a marketing specialist, an engineer, a Lock Heed Martin professional, and a documentary producer. Although they’re very different in so many ways, they have found common ground-a space where they can laugh or cry, where transparency is respected, and where the crazy in their heads can flow right out of their mouths without the fear of judgement or ridicule. So many customers have joined in the hilarious conversations and the joy that pours forth from loving women who have learned to embrace the complexity of the human condition. I am personally drawn to these amazingly gifted ladies and their fearless leader, Pam. As a matter of fact, I have told her more than once, I could film a reality show within the walls of her store. The added bonus is her husband Peter who consistently drops off doughnuts, apple fritters, and coffee.

God wired us for relationships…to be in communion with him and others. While Pam probably doesn’t realize it, she has carried out that mission gracefully. So, on this day, Pam’s birthday, I want her to know that she has been a bountiful blessing to more women than she could possibly imagine. “Second Act” is much more than a store. It is an oasis where women can walk in to escape the challenges that often weigh us down and walk out feeling renewed, restored, and reveling at the deals they have acquired.

Pam we are so very grateful for the gift of your life and for sharing your heart with us. It is an anointed gift that keeps on giving more than we had ever imagined possible.

We Love you. Happy Blessed Birthday!

MLM and the gals

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 08:19:00 -0500

Ed and Rita

Agape Love

Gift of Life

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Wed, 3 Jul 2024 01:01:00 -0500

Sometimes God gets our attention through miracles, meteor explosions, and mind blowing human beings. The latter is my friend Hedy. On this day -July 3-many moons ago, God sent her into the world to rock our reality. She single-handedly infuses God‘s presence in our lives. She never shys away from cultural expectations and judgments, which demean and even deny the one and only God of creation. Her love for Jesus and his mom Mary pours forth a resounding and anointed spirit of heavenly grace and light that transfigures each and every life that is blessed to come to know her🌅

Praying for amazing supernatural blessings on this your day of birth🙏💝🌹

2 Corinthians 12:2

God is with us

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Mon, 1 Jul 2024 08:19:00 -0500

I’m in Germany, helping my uncles …one of them had to go to the hospital because his wounds were infected…and as I returned home from the hospital -this is what I saw

“in the car driving through the lush green countryside of Germany the Lord gave me a glimpse of his over arching presence in my life, the miracle of the sun I always like to call it…a solar heartbeat…….the pulsating sun with a disk that looks just like the Eucharist …tonight the colors were just beautiful. …rose and blue and then as time went by - more vibrant, royal blue, lime, green, deep rich violet it was just amazing and it was like it was following me and my second cousin Ursula.

Such a beautiful anointed gift and all I could say was I love you Jesus because I knew he wanted me to know I’ve got this. I’m here, it’s OK and I have felt a tremendous peace this entire trip so thank you for all your prayers.

Honoring Life

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 08:13:00 -0500

I’m in Germany helping my two uncles who are 89 and 90 because they have leg wounds that have caused them a lot of issues and my second cousin is worn out so I’m here to help. I don’t know how much help I can actually give but I know I can help reduce the stress. Stress is a killer…and as I took a few moments to relax, I was looking through some of my old blogs cause I haven’t written in a very long time …I came across a comment from an old friend, Matthew, who apparently still reads my blog and I was praying that he’s happy that he’s found his purpose and the people that make him happy. I don’t know how to contact him , but I want him to know that you can reach out and connect…

Through helping the elderly who are my friends I’ve learned that life is a very short journey and connecting with those we love and giving of ourselves -breathes resurrecting life into us… through their suffering, and our yes-life begins anew💝

Pedophilia

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 12:25:00 -0500

Link to I am writing to all the precious human beings who have been ravaged by the soul binding effects of rape by members of the Catholic clergy. My heart bleeds for you and I’m so sorry for the systemic coverups, and that you have not received more public empathy from the Church hierarchy or the Catholic laity. However, I am very grateful to all the voices that have cried out in this darkness: my son, the press, and the lawyers. I am a mom of two sons victimized by a pedophile, as well as a Catholic graduate of Notre Dame Seminary who continues to kneel before the Lord at daily Mass. I want you to know that I see you, that I am here for you, and that your lives matter to me. I want you to know that you are God’s beloved and that he sees clearly the evil that has been inflicted upon you by those who stand in persona Christi who promised to protect and nourish your soul. Please hang on to hope and cling to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the very same God who delivered on His promise to redeem mankind. He will purify our beloved Church. He will also raise you up and saturate your wounds with His transcendent love which will transform this “life sentence” you are carrying, into an eternal gift of grace that will purify and bless your life as well as the hearts and minds of all those you come in contact with.

I pray for you daily,

Mary Lou McCall, M.A.P.L

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 17:02:00 -0600

i felt the holy spirit urging me to re-post this today....

The deeper meaning speaks volumes to me...

A little over a year ago I sat with a half dozen other women waiting for a mammogram. The lady next to me asked, “How long has it been since you had your last one?” Taking a deep breath I replied, “Several years.” “So, you’re that woman?” She asked in disbelief. “Yes-I am,” I answered. I didn’t even try to explain why, because in that moment, the reasons rang hollow.

The next day I got a call to return for a follow up mammogram because of suspicious calcification. After the experts read that one, I got another phone call. I would have to go under the knife for a breast biopsy to see if I had cancer. At that point I was really worried. My dear mother had died of breast cancer.

So I told the Lord begrudgingly, “Fine, if you want me to have cancer for the conversion of so and so and so and so, then fine…I’ll accept it.” I was convinced it was a done deal. God however, was just beginning-to teach me a very valuable lesson.

Back then I was in the middle of praying the second part of an intense three part Ignatian prayer series, “Lord Teach Me to Pray.” As I sat in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel reflecting on the gospel readings the Lord spoke to me, “If you want intimacy with me or anyone else, you have got to learn to ask for what you want.”

Without missing a beat I replied, “Fine, I don’t want cancer. You know all the reasons why. My children need me, we’ve had so many illnesses-you know everything. I really don’t want cancer so please don’t give it to me. Now having said that, you know my heart, so if you really want me to carry this cross, I will do it for you.”

Asking for good health or anything else was difficult because I have NEVER been comfortable asking for what I want. I am a military brat and I have been trained subconsciously to accept even the unacceptable.

On the day of surgery as the nurse is prepping me, she reads my blood pressure and remarks, “You are really calm!.” She was right...I was calm. I understood beyond a doubt that God had my back!

A few days later on February 11, 2014, exactly one year ago today, I received the phone call that I was cancer free! “Thank you thank you!” I blurted out to the Lord! Then I called my friend Judy who squealed, “Do you know what today is?” “No, I don’t” I replied. (She’s like a date encyclopedia-I kid you not). “It’s the Feast of Our lady of Lourdes!” she replied happily.

Lourdes has become a place of spiritual and physical healing following the apparitions of the Blessed Mother to a young girl in 1858. There have been thousands of reported miracle healings and more than 60 church approved miraculous cures.

This feast day also marks the observance of the World Day of the Sick instituted by Pope John Paul II. I have never been to Lourdes however, I have a 6 foot statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in my home-a gift from a complete stranger. How's that for a Godincidence?!

So today, on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, I will continue to pray in thanksgiving for my miracle moment and for the joy of intimacy with God who is always faithful, always listening and patiently waiting to give us the desires of our heart, when it is in our best interests. All he desires is that we ask…

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sun, 22 May 2022 18:26:00 -0500

Dr. Benjamin

Ukraine Documentary 1990 "Prison of Nations"

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Tue, 8 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0600

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:20:00 -0600

Please Pray for Peace in Ukraine

Thirty five years ago, April 27, 1987 the Blessed Mother allegedly appeared in Hrushiv Ukraine with a warning and words of consolation. She came on the Feast of the Ascension, exactly one year after the nuclear reactor disaster at Chernobyl saying "Do not forget those who have died...Chernobyl is a reminder and a sign for the whole world." In 1990 while producing a television documentary in Ukraine, I visited Hrushi and interviewed a handful of people who had witnessed the apparition above the church of the Holy Trinity. In all, some five hundred thousand witnesses claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary over a four month period. Mary apparently told them she came to thank the Ukrainian people because they had suffered so much at the hands of a raging lion who had been prowling around seeking whom he could devour. She said their suffering would come to an end and one day Ukraine would become an independent state. She then urged disciplined, Christian fortitude, "Forgive your enemies. Through you and the blood of the martyrs will come the conversion of Russia. Repent and Love one another...Teach the children to pray. Teach them to live in truth and live yourselves in truth. Say the Rosary. It is the weapon against Satan. He fears the Rosary. Recite the Rosary at any gathering of people." The apparitions were significant because 73 years before the Blessed Mother appeared in the same village and warned, "There will be a war. Russia will become a Godless country and Ukraine, as a nation, will suffer terribly for 80 years and will live through the world wars, but it will be free afterward." Her prediction came to pass after decades of diabolical slavery to the notorious KGB. Ukraine became an independent, democratic state on August 24, 1991. I ran across the notes I took while working in Ukraine and I was reminded of the power of persistent, persevering prayer in the face of the most outrageous odds... And of the immensity of God's unending mercy and his desire to let us know that he is with us-even when everyone and everything seems to be against us. So let us all remember the simple yet powerful words she proclaimed in that faraway village, "The eternal God is calling you!"

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:21:00 -0500

Discovering the Christian meaning of

"Suffering"

The Christian meaning of suffering as explained so beautifully by Pope St. John Paul II in “Salvifici Doloris,” is deeply rooted in our Christian anthropology and correspondingly, in our corporal and metaphysical intelligence. “Suffering seems to belong to man’s transcendence…” (Salvifici Doloris 2). We are actually wired by God, to benefit individually and collectively from the experience of suffering which, paradoxically, has the capacity to push us beyond the boundaries of self-will into the will of God. Ironically, that which separates us from the Father may draw us closer to Him than we ever imagined by rebooting the divine purpose for our lives which is to grow in wisdom and love.

The original sin of pride triggered suffering in the world by hi-jacking man’s natural harmony with God, within ourselves, between man and woman, and with the rest of creation. This disharmony fragmented the divine order of our lives, and opened the door to the pervasive parasitic privation of good that we call evil. As the Holy Father says, “Man suffers on account of evil, which is a certain lack, limitation or distortion of good.” (7) In essence, when we are separated from the good that naturally belongs to us, we experience suffering and evil. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the cause of all suffering is objectively evil. As with the case of Job, the providential hand of God allowed Job to be tested by the devil for the greater purpose of character building, and to prove that faith in God is the supernatural weapon against the devil’s cunning, baffling, and powerful attacks against mankind.

From a Christian perspective, the intense physical suffering when “the body is hurting” (5) and moral suffering which is the “pain of the soul,” (5) propels us along the path of holiness. As the Pope wrote, “It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls.” (27) All too often, natural disasters, unexpected illnesses, and other psychological, physical, or spiritual suffering produces deep seeded feelings of hopelessness and despair if we’ve detached ourselves from the overarching love of God. Therefore, faith is the key that unlocks the uncomfortable, yet ethereal mystery of suffering, which is deeply rooted in the revelation of divine love at the heart of Christ’s salvific mission. As the Pope explains, the absence of faith, can render suffering senseless.

In His mercy and justice, God put a face on the mystery and meaning of suffering by literally giving humanity His son Jesus Christ whose self-sacrifice saved us from the worst suffering possible; the eternal and definitive separation from God. Through the sacrificial gift of the Paschal Mystery, Jesus conquered sin and death and restored original justice in the world. He also witnessed superabundant, agape love which culminated with His resurrection and the corresponding transfiguration of pain and suffering through the graces of mercy and redemption that are at the heart of cruciform love offered to each and every one of us. “Precisely by means of his Cross he must strike at the roots of evil, planted in the history of man and in human souls. Precisely by means of his Cross he must accomplish the work of salvation.”(16) God’s justice ransomed our souls for eternity, and triggered the intimacy of divine love which is the driving force behind Christ’s supernatural mission.

Essentially, suffering saturates our soul with a healing, heavenly balm that synchronizes our humanity with our divinity by purging us of the sins that sever our relationship with God and with others. Since we are created in the Imago Dei, humility and acceptance activates the natural good within man which helps realign our character so that we can develop a virtuous life of compassion, respect, honesty, and service to others. As we push through the pain and die to ourselves, we are reborn in Christ, and consecrated to the Church’s salvific mission. The unexpected wellspring of joy primes us for an illumination of body and soul that is life-giving, life transforming, and soulfully liberating. “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church,” (Col 1:24).

Unfortunately, our culture is saturated with conflicting philosophies of autonomy, like nominalism, which claims that suffering doesn’t make sense and thus we can impose our will according to our own convenience. Euthanasia is a prime example. Proponents argue that people have a right to die with “dignity” if suffering becomes a burden to us and/or to others. This presupposes that man, rather than God, is the measure of our self-worth. Unfortunately, such a radical view ignores the sanctity of all human life from the moment of conception until our natural death and paves the way for killing at will. The dignity of a human person is a gift from God who created us in His image and likeness and so, our value is not contingent on our health, our productivity, or whether or not we are considered a burden to others. Sick, suffering people are spiritual blessings because they are actually living icons of our loving Savior who set the standard for life and for death. In the final analysis, end of life suffering is a farewell gift of purgation and preparation before man’s final meeting with God in the fullness of perfection that is our eternal inheritance in heaven.

Tragic suffering is psychologically and physically shocking because it so often blindsides us. No human explanation can ever satisfy the devastation of such unexpected pain. I’ve experienced this kind of suffering many times in my life and, I have learned that unbearable loss claims what we never really possessed. Tragic suffering is the catalytic converter of the soul which satiates our brokenness with the supernatural graces that flow forth from the Cross through the Church into our lives. The Cross is without a doubt the only answer that makes any sense. As Catholic nun Mother Elvira Petrozzi so beautifully stated, “We need Jesus more than the air we breathe!” As we immerse ourselves in the healing, hopeful love of Jesus Christ, a mighty wind blows through our pain and the self-destructive remnants of sin, and activates all the hidden gifts that God has stored inside of us. The Holy Spirit dilates our hearts and we become one with Jesus whose unbridled love carries us through the valley of the shadow of death, into a place of unexpected joy and peace. “Love is also the richest source of the meaning of suffering, which always remains a mystery: we are conscious of the insufficiency and inadequacy of our explanations. Christ causes us to enter into the mystery and to discover the “why” of suffering, as far as we are capable of grasping the sublimity of divine love (SD13).

Authentic intimacy with Jesus Christ has the power to heal our wounded hearts and through our healing, to save other lost souls. “In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus, each man in his sufferings, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.” Therefore, the salvation of many souls depends on our gift of self-sacrificing suffering on behalf of the mystical body of Christ for the sake of the salvation of souls. “ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18).

HEALING HOPE

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 11:09:00 -0500

I am publishing this blog today asking for prayers for a friends 20 year old son who is entering Comunita Cenacolo today, after a long, difficult battle with his addiction to opiates, cocaine and other life threatening substances. I first wrote this for a blog published by my professor at Notre Dame Seminary here in New Orleans.

From the Darkness Into the Light

There is no challenge that will stretch a parent’s capacity to love with the merciful heart of Christ more than when their child is suffering from the brain disease of addiction. This is one darkness that will also push a parent to climb up on the cross with Jesus and cling in desperation to his battered and bloody body. The agony of the crucifixion and the pain wrought by active addiction are parallel journeys intimately embedded in the mystery of the Cross where victory over sin has been claimed for eternity. Meditating upon the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, fully absorbing his sacrificial love, is essential for parents whose children have been seduced by this very cunning, baffling and powerful force.

“Nothing is more beneficial…No remedy could be as effective for the healing of our wounded souls as the continuous contemplation on the suffering of Christ.” St. Augustine

Addiction amplifies our disordered nature brought on by original sin. The horrific harnessing of the human mind through pornography or gambling, or through the abuse of drugs like alcohol and opiates, rewires the person’s brain producing the uncontrollable urge to continue doing the behaviors that are destroying them and using the drugs that are killing them.

Addiction simultaneously suffocates the light in the soul and leads to the sinister oppression of free will. It is as though a force has taken over their battered yet breathing corpse. What happened to the child that nursed at your breast, who squealed with delight at Christmas, who brought you such incandescent joy just because they existed? They are still there and because they are still among the living, we must never give up hope!

Addiction is a progressive, insidious attack against the sanctity of human life; it distorts the sacred intent of family life; and it eventually spoils the community through the resulting increase in crime. The consequences of addiction and the shame produced by this dark human bondage seeps into every level of society, cutting across all socio-economic and religious divides. No one is immune.

I experienced this powerful plague as it hemorrhaged the lives of two of my five sons. One of them confessed to me years later that he had been so tired and depressed that he was one click away from shooting himself with a gun. I firmly believe that God and the Blessed Mother heard the anguished cry of my son’s soul and intervened on his behalf.

The soul-binding fear and despair that I felt during those dark days, pummeled me into complete submission to the Lord’s will because none of the medical solutions were helping. I prayed for the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit as I fell to my knees before the tabernacle of the Lord and begged for God’s mercy on my children and for the strength to carry me through each day. Jesus did not let me down.

He gently lifted me up and carried me deep into his Sacred Heart where His pulsating love pumped new life into every fragment of my fragile nature. I grew progressively hopeful as He inspired me to seize with complete abandon the graces of my baptism and my children’s baptism. He urged me to humbly enter daily into that sacred space, Holy Mass, where the paschal mystery is celebrated in the eternal now. The word made flesh, the flesh transforming life and the circular love that has no beginning and no end propelled me along a spiritual trajectory that changed my life and lifted the darkness that had shrouded my family.

Before I knew it, the sanctifying graces that were transforming me, spilled over to my sons and saturated their wounds with His healing love. Ever so slowly they grew stronger as they literally willed themselves into recovery and the long progressive process of restoration and renewal.

We are intimately connected to our children as we are to our God, and the synchronicity of our DNA and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is more powerful than we can humanly understand. So, hang on tight to your faith and believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who delivered on his promise to redeem mankind, and the same God who designed for us the most powerful toolbox in the world, the Sacraments of our Catholic faith.

Pick up those tools so that you can look with compassion and love into the eyes of your children, deep into their soul where Jesus resides. Love them with the same everlasting love that Jesus gives to all of us each and every day; hold them tightly as He is holding us, and always remember that victory has already been won!

“We believe that in the darkest night, it is possible to find light again.”
Mother Elvira Petrozzi, Comunita Cenacolo

"FINDING DORY"

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 09:18:00 -0500

So many of you are “Finding Dory” on the movie screen. I found Dori in 1986 high atop a mountain in Medjugorje Bosnia Herzegovina.

“This is a holy place, not a Catholic place, a holy place.” Dori’s words of wisdom captured my heart as I interviewed her for a television documentary on the reported apparitions of the Blessed Mother to six young visionaries.

"...a holy place." This profoundly simple proclamation of heaven’s earthly anointing spoke to my soul-and I immediately felt drawn to Dori! Who knew that this groundbreaking news assignment would lay the groundwork for a deeply spiritual connection with Dori that has spanned nearly 31 years.

What touched me back then and continues to inspire me to this day is Dori’s natural willingness to look at life through an unfiltered lense of universal love; her deeply pragmatic yet prophetic view of the gifts that God has given her; and her willingness to carry her crosses and imperfections with quiet dignity.

Dori’s stepson became her own as she cradled him for years with a mother’s love until the day he lost his battle to M.S. Dori poured every ounce of her strength and devotion into the love of her life, Lou, until the Lord called him home a year and a half ago.

Like Dory in the movie my Dori has understood the core value of life as she consistently and persistently searches out her family and friends to gather them home with joyful gratitude and heartfelt appreciation.

Today Dori turns 86 and I marvel at God’s goodness, gifting me with a friend who is not only loyal and giving, but overflowing with a contagious spirit of adventure and an overarching desire to unite individuals from all walks of life.

The best part is that I can actually keep up with her! Seriously-I’m not joking! If we were the same age she would have left me in the dust a long time ago!

So thank you Dori for the uending laughter, for teaching me by your example how to climb over the walls of separation that conquer and divide others, and for the hope that you have given me through your unquenchable thirst for life! You are an inspiration and a gift that I am praying will keep on giving for many many years to come!

Happy Blessed Birthday my friend!

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016 KRAKOW POLAND

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 17:31:00 -0500

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven..."
Matthew 18:3-5

Out of the mouths of babes!

World Youth Day in Krakow Poland announced to the world that God is very much alive, hope is in endless supply and the future of humanity rests in the energizing faith of our youth!

Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the globe converged to make this the largest gathering of its kind in the world! They inspired unity among diverse cultures and their obvious joy yielded an outpouring of love that is certain to spread far and wide well into the future.

On a personal note I am so proud of my friend Benny's son Daniel who is on the video! Go Comunita Cenacolo!

Check out this story at the link below-
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154005834943821&id=181277843820&_rdr

CELEBRATING LIFE AFTER DEATH

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 16:25:00 -0500

My friend Karen bid farewell to her husband this weekend and I know the passing of his life from here to eternity has been painful.

She celebrated anyway, because that’s what loving someone is really all about; celebrating their life and their love and their unique imprint on our world…even when they are no longer here.

Great loves always leave an indelible imprint that never fades. It is as though an ethereal spirit remains to remind us of the value of that person and their place in our life.

We feel them in the raw and rigorous process of grief that only time can carry away. We embrace them in the joy that, for now, is secondary to the loss that lingers longer than we would like. We hold them in our hurting hearts because it is so true, “parting is such sweet sorrow.”

In a special ceremony Karen celebrated Mel in one last dance of love that honors the gift of their marriage, the joy of their lives together and the hope that they brought to so many by their bold choice to live a life of love, “until death do we part.”

For the living, death often destroys us because when we define life only as a tangible physical reality then we close the door to the unlimited potential of our supernatural forever. Karen’s celebration of life after death reinforces that living and dying co-exist in a natural unfolding of our eternal destiny.

Karen released the pain of Mel’s passing to the resurrection of beautiful memories; soulful laughter, humble forgiveness and heartfelt moments of truth. And though she probably didn’t know it, she also honored her husband and her friends with renewed hope….For out of the darkness of Mel’s death came an illuminating light of love and an inspiring peace that can never be put to rest.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL IN LIBERIA

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 10:11:00 -0500

Where there is life there is hope and where there is hope, there is God. I’ve always believed in that uncompromising truth despite the debilitating darkness that refuses to dissipate during active addiction.

As I watched my oldest son Johnny slipping deep into the abyss I clung to hope, praying through the paralyzing terrain of relapse and recovery, believing with every fiber of my human will in the saving grace of God who is the source and the summit of all hope!

Last December I witnessed the powerful manifestation of hope in action during my 24 day visit to Liberia West Africa where Johnny has now been a missionary for 31 months. I watched with gratitude as he juggled his daily work routine, which is wrapped around prayer, with his responsibilities to the other missionaries and to the orphans, 31 children ages 1 and a half to 17. I marveled at his strength and resiliency amid the long hours, the sweltering heat, and the humble living conditions.

I was deeply touched by his desire to reach out to a badly battered nation reeling from poverty following two civil wars and life threatening diseases like Ebola, Typhoid and Yellow fever, and Malaria which Johnny survived three times.

Seven and a half years sober, Johnny is a man for others and the man I always believed he could become. As we strolled down a winding dirt road in the “bush” where mud houses are nestled in between overgrown shrubs and palm trees he introduced me to his Liberian friends. Laughing and joking with them in “Bassa” the local dialect he has been teaching himself, Johnny proudly announced. “This is my “ma,” she’s come to visit me and Liberia.” The villagers beamed with pride, hugged me tightly and said, “He is a good man. He is also our son!”

During those precious weeks with Johnny I experienced his humility and yes-his humanity, as he talked about the future. “I don’t have to make a lot of money, but I want a career that has meaning,” he shared. “I’d like to get married, but I want a wife who prays.” We can only hope!

Hope is the eternal whisper, the persuasive knowing that prods us to hang on when we are feeling helpless and afraid. Hope pushes us to believe in a solution even though we may be blinded by disbelief. Hope is heaven’s promise to carry us when we think we cannot go one step further. Hope harnesses the power within that propels us forward so we can rise above the darkness until we reach the inevitable light that always comes after the storm.

It takes an act of our human will to reach out to the hand of hope; to believe in a power greater than ourselves; to summon every ounce of strength when we are depleted by one more disappointment. Hang on anyway and remember my son Johnny who is living, breathing proof that Hope springs eternal!

Mary Lou McCall
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LANDING IN LIBERIA: PROVIDENCE PREVAILS!

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 15:21:00 -0600

“God calls us specifically to love this world, to be carriers of hope and sparks of light and kindness that resurrect humanity.” Mother Elvira

Dec. 3-4, 2015
In the chalice of my being I could not contain my joy! Ripples of laughter flowed across the vast ocean from Brussels to Africa as my new friend and fellow passenger Margiah and I joked about the comedy of errors that brought us to this space. Providence had provided me with a seat on the final flight to Liberia, right next to a wonderfully entertaining Liberian woman!

Margiah wore a festive skirt called a Lapa and a headdress which only accentuated her colorful personality. She told me she lived in Houston but was returning to her homeland for the holidays. Since neither of us could sleep we giggled away the miles like two school girls on Christmas break! I felt warmly connected to her spirit and the peace that flowed heart to heart. In fact, I felt at home among all the passengers the majority of whom were African.

Exhausted, exhilarated, excited-so many emotions welled up inside of me as we approached our final destination and the conclusion of a nearly two day pilgrimage from New Orleans to New Jersey to Brussels to Sierra Leone and finally to Liberia.

As we began our final descent through the pitch black night I noticed through the window tiny flickers of light drawing us to the small airstrip where my son Johnny would be waiting.

What a journey! Logistical issues, Ebola...everywhere I turned there were roadblocks. Six months ago I wondered if I'd ever make this trip. “I’ve been waiting for more than six years to do an experience with Johnny,” I said in frustration to Albino the Italian gentleman who runs Comunita Cenacolo in America. “Yes,” Albino replied. “And when you go it will be a very good experience!”

I knew Albino was right but the wait tested my patience and my trust. Now-at this moment all those challenging years melted away and I understood the wisdom in the wait. “I have hit the jackpot of experiences,” I thought to myself.

We landed at a small airstrip about 2 hours outside of Monrovia, the capitol of Liberia, in the middle of the “bush.” “I won’t need this sweater,” I mumbled to myself, as I stepped out of the plane into the December heat.

A man directed me to wash my hands at a barrel with a spicket that contained water and chlorine and then a woman pointed a thermometer at my temple to check for fever before allowing me to enter the airport building to retrieve my bags. “Ebola precautions,” I whispered to Grace.

Miraculously my five suitcases arrived along with the luggage of Grace, Joe and Mitch. God had protected our providence and our travels!

“Wow,” that’s a shock, I laughed when I spotted my handsome son Johnny sporting long blonde hair and a beard. “We’re doing a play tomorrow and I’m Jesus,” he laughed as we hugged tightly. “Thank you God for this beautiful gift,” I whispered to myself.

Johnny introduced me to his friend Marlin, the missionary surgeon from Costa Rica who had requested the medical supplies and then we loaded up the SUV with the luggage, and exited the airport down a rocky, winding road to our final destination 2 ½ hours away.

“What’s this?” My heart skipped a beat when I saw the roadblock. Johnny smiled reassuringly, “Don’t worry mom you just have to know how to speak to the Liberian people.” He leaned out of the window and said, “Hey man we have no money today, we are just coming from the airport…next time…yes next time.” Johnny was confident, kind and respectful. I was impressed.

The roadblocks were set up by local authorities who were conducting security checks and in some cases by locals who were trying to score money. An Archdiocesan decal on the side of the vehicle gave us instant legitimacy and so we sailed through at least seven different roadblocks with no real problems.

We passed through overgrown shrubs, palm trees and a scattering of small mud homes with tin roofs, through the outskirts of Monrovia and eventually into the mission compound just past midnight.

What a glorious, joyful welcome! The guitar playing missionaries were lined up outside serenading us into the kitchen for cake, pizza and old fashioned fraternity! It was surreal! I have never received such a warm welcome anywhere and my eyes brimmed with tears at this special anointing!

The missionaries and the children sleep bunkhouse style however, as the mom I was given a private room with a private bathroom. A mosquito net covered my bed and screens and bars covered my open windows. There is no air conditioning or hot water but there is filtered water for drinking. None of the sacrifices mattered to me and I made a mental decision to ignore the heat and to concentrate on the gift of this profoundly personal experience.

Before leaving America, I fielded a lot of questions from people who couldn’t understand why I would go to Africa, especially after Ebola and with all the unrest in the world. A close relative warned, “If you disappear I’m not coming to look for you!” “And I wouldn’t," I replied "because you won’t find me.” I honestly did not fear the destination, though I was grateful to be traveling with other people.

Physically exhausted, I lay down on the top of my sheets just before 2 a.m. and as I drifted off to sleep I felt deep within my core that God had personally called me to Liberia and I couldn't wait to experience why!

DIVINE INTERVENTION: Mercy, Love and Liberia

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 21:15:00 -0600

“We believe that in the darkest night, it is possible to find light again.” -Mother Elvira Petrozzi

Lent is a perfect time for me to reflect on the lessons I learned recently in Liberia West Africa thanks to a living saint, Mother Elvira. In the next few posts I will share excerpts from my daily journal.

December 3, 2015

As United Flight 1140 taxies down the runway in New Orleans, my heart is overflowing with gratitude! Divine intervention is literally leading me to Liberia to spend the next few weeks with my Catholic missionary son Johnny; to walk in his shoes; to learn the Lord’s will for my life. Johnny has been in Liberia for two years so initially I think this trip is about seeing him. However, something is telling me this is a mission of mercy for the benefit of my soul!

Today is the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit missionary Priest who-yes-traveled to Africa to share his contagious love for God by the example of his life. Shivers still run down my spine when I think about the fact that my son traveled to Liberia on this feast day two years ago! God is surprisingly wonderful all the time!

Settling back into my seat, I resolve to ignore the irritating reminder that my broken arm has left me weak and hurting. I stare out of the airplane window and my mind wanders back to the beginning in 2009.

‘I am storming the heavens inside the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at St. Francis Xavier Church, begging Jesus to help the oldest of my five sons. Our broken family is a mess and Johnny is sinking deeper into the corrupting darkness of drug addiction. “Are you going to talk to Jesus?!” My son’s sarcasm replays in my head. “This is not my child speaking,” I remind myself. Besides, a tinge of guilt reminds me he comes by his problems honestly.

Suddenly a light goes on in my head-Medjugorje! “Johnny is supposed to go to Comunita Cenacolo in Medjugorje!” I recall the TV interview I did there at the end of the Bosnian war with a former heroin addict named Francesco. I couldn’t believe it when he told me he’d been heroin free for two and a half years without the help of doctors or medicine! Francesco said hard work “prayer and the love of his brothers” were healing him. Visionary Viska Ivankovic confirmed, “With God all things are possible.”

Francesco had been living with other troubled youth at the community founded by an Italian nun Mother Elvira Petrozzi. Back then I knew nothing about addiction and so I assumed I had simply stumbled on a great story. Who knew God had planted a seed!

More than a decade after that interview another Medjugorje visionary, Ivan Draicevic, visits New Orleans and prays with my hurting child. “There are two paths for your life. The path you are on which will lead to death and the path that God has designed for you which will lead to a life of peace,” Ivan says. “I will bring you in prayer before the Blessed Mother tonight when I have my apparition and ask her to intercede on your behalf.” As we hug goodbye Ivan whispers, “Do not worry, I will be praying for him.”

Miracle of miracles, soon after Johnny’s 24th birthday he harnesses his free will and enters “Our Lady of Hope,” another community house in St. Augustine Florida. Though it’s a three year program I’m not even thinking that boldly. “Please, just commit to six months. Then it’s between you and God,” I plead looking into his tormented eyes.

Johnny is sequestered from all family contact until the fall family retreat which is six months later. But what a reunion!

I am praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament at an outdoor altar at “Our Lady of Hope” when I see a group of young men walking up the side steps of the altar. As they cross over to the monstrance I can hardly believe my eyes because Johnny ends up kneeling smack dab in front of Jesus! I burst into tears of joy! Later he tells me, “I don’t know how long I will stay…but now it’s between God and me.” Alleluia! The prodigal son returns!'

The airline stewardess’s voice snaps me back into reality. We are landing in New Jersey. A nice man offers to retrieve my overhead bag which is weighed down by a heavy piece of medical equipment that will help in the diagnosis of yellow fever.

A few minutes later I am standing in front of a New Jersey ticket agent silently praying, “Sacred heart of Jesus I trust in you.” Someone canceled the rest of my airline tickets! The agent is able to get me back on the plane to Belgium, but she says the flight to Liberia is now completely full. I place my trust in divine providence knowing full well it is his merciful love that has gotten me this far!

Grace and Joe, two young community missionaries, and Mitch a friend of community meet up with me just in time to board the plane to Belgium. Sitting next to Grace I think about the irony of literally being carried on the wings of grace to see my son and so I continue to trust that “His” amazing grace will also carry me over the obstacles that are sabotaging my journey.

I pray. “Dear Sweet Jesus carry me, caress me, keep me in your loving embrace. I fear not my fate, for you are my peace, my hope my resting place. Wrapped securely in your mercy I am soothed into submission to your holy will.”
---Stay tuned---

MISSION TO LIBERIA

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 19:48:00 -0600

I felt vulnerable and weak. It was an uncomfortable feeling because I generally feel in control and strong. However, in late October I tripped on a hidden vine at the top of a small hill and the next thing I knew, the full weight of my body slammed down onto my left arm and the side of my face. One moment I was standing, and the next moment I lay on the ground in searing pain. “Please don’t be broken,” I whispered. It was.

The x-rays showed not one but two breaks in my upper arm. “I don’t think you’ll need surgery,” the doctor said. Thank you Jesus I thought. However, the doctor told me he couldn’t cast the upper arm, so I would just have to wear a sling and be very careful. “How long will it take to heal?” I asked worried. “I’m going to Liberia West Africa in December to be with my son.” “You won’t be fully healed,” he replied “But you should be able to travel.” I was worried.

Here I had waited six and a half years to do an experience with my son who is in Comunita Cenacolo, and now I was broken and feeling weak. Later that same day my 93 year old friend died. 2015 was ending with quite a bang. I prayed for strength.

Pushing ahead, finishing work projects and securing an airline ticket for my departure I maneuvered through the days with one mobile arm refusing to give in to the despair and throbbing pain that always comes before the healing. At night I could barely sleep and so I cried out to God asking him to help me carry this heavy cross which had certainly cast a glaring light on my own personal poverties.

“What day did you say you are leaving?” my son Johnny asked during a rare phone conversation from Liberia. “December 3rd,” I repeated. “Mom, that’s the exact date I left two years ago, the feast of St. Francis Xavier!” He exclaimed! “Wow, that’s amazing,” I replied in awe, “Especially since St. Francis Xavier Parish is the Catholic parish where you were raised!” God’s guiding hand never ceases to amaze me!

Departure day I arrived at the airport with five suitcases bulging with medical supplies and other donations and two pieces of carry-on luggage one of which contained a very heavy centrifuge that would help diagnose diseases like yellow fever. I knew I couldn’t lift the suitcase into the overhead bin and so I’d have to ask for help which is not my best attribute.

Much to my surprise the airline clerk announced that I had been rerouted and would fly from New Orleans to Washington instead of to New Jersey. “The plane is overbooked,” he said. “Well I’m sorry about that, but you cannot change my ticket,” I stammered. “I am meeting three other people in New Jersey who will be flying with me to Africa.”

Obviously embarrassed, the ticket agent apologized and scrambled to get me back on my original flight. However, when I landed in New Jersey I discovered my ticket to Brussels had been canceled along with my ticket from Brussels to Liberia. Mother Mary…this is going to be a powerful spiritual trip I thought to myself.

The New Jersey airline agent also apologized for the mess up and said the best she could do was to get me back on the plane to Brussels. “But the flight to Liberia is now full, so you may get stuck in Belgium,” she warned. “Just get me to Brussels,” I responded holding my emotions in check.

Last year the Ebola epidemic thwarted my travel plans and now human error was the culprit. My mind wandered to my son who would be so disappointed if I didn’t show up. As you can imagine, I prayed my way across the ocean, surrendering all the obstacles and the mind games to God and knowing full well that I would arrive in Liberia at the anointed time.

Why should my missionary voyage be any different than anyone elses?! St. Francis Xavier faced tremendous obstacles but he never lost his missionary zeal and as a result he performed amazing miracles while inspiring vast numbers of lost souls who were eventually converted to Catholicism.

In Brussels I stood before an unhappy airline agent who could not believe he had to juggle the mess someone else had made. After a lot of head shaking, complaining and phone calls he issued me a new ticket and away I went on the final leg of a long anticipated journey of the soul.

That’s exactly what I experienced during my nearly month long visit; an inward journey up and over the often perilous terrain of my humanity through the sacred space of the soul where the holy spirit illuminates God’s will for our lives.

The spiritual journey like my physical journey to Liberia was at times painfully challenging, scattered with thorns and roadblocks; and exhaustingly unnerving. I kept pushing myself anyway and with an open heart I asked the Lord to place his sovereign hand at my back.

I am pleased to tell you this, through my cooperation and his guidance I arrived at a beautiful, anointed destination that has forever changed my life. Thank you God!

---Stay Tuned ---

ZACHARY'S MIRACLE MOMENT! GO JESUIT BLUE JAYS!

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sun, 4 Oct 2015 18:56:00 -0500

The crowd roared as my son Zachary dove through the air, caught the football and clutched it tightly to his chest before his 200 pound body hit the ground! As you can imagine, I flew out of my seat, jumping with excitement and shouting for joy as the surprise and the gratitude poured through me and my eyes welled with tears! I was exhilaratingly happy for my youngest child because I knew in my heart that this hard earned miracle moment would make all the hours of practice and pain worthwhile!

A natural born athlete, Zack has been playing sports from the moment he could walk and his steely determination and resiliency has gotten him through some grueling training sessions in the punishing Louisiana humidity and scorching heat. However, there's much more at play because Zack does not stand alone.

He is part of a team of young leaders many of whom have become his closest friends and strongest allies. Through football he’s developed a consistent camaraderie and brotherhood that is soulfully supportive, life giving and deeply satisfying. Kids need that kind of human connection, especially during the challenging years of adolescence. My youngest son Zachary really benefits since he has been raised for the last ten years by a single mom.

I was thinking this football season how very much I have enjoyed the game and the gifted moms and dads who are behind the scenes supporting their own kids while supplying everyone’s children with unconditional love and lots of delicious treats! This kind of human bonding dilates the human heart and inspires a generous pride that pushes our young people to excel beyond their own expectations.

Yes, I am well aware of the dangers of football because there are inevitable injuries to heads and limbs and sometimes those injuries have long term consequences. For years I’ve had mixed feelings about the game. My dad sat glued to the TV during football season while my German mom clearly did not approve. “Those crazy American men pushing each other down for a football!”

What’s a mom to do but pray...and believe me-I spend countless hours storming the heavens imploring God to protect Zack and his teammates!

Today however, I am simply grateful for Zachary’s victory and I continue to marvel at his desire to honor his teammates and his coaches by placing his human will into their guiding hands so they can mold him into a winner who is willing to sacrifice a piece of himself so others may triumph.

That's the makings of a great leader and as we all witnessed Friday night, that kind of self sacrifice and surrender also stretches us so that every once in a while we "catch" a rare glimpse of our exceptional abilities and the level of success we can achieve!

AWESOME JOB ZACHARY!
I LOVE YOU!
MOM
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www.Walk4Recoverynola.org

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 14:25:00 -0500

A HEAVENLY HUG!

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Sun, 5 Jul 2015 15:34:00 -0500

The Holy Spirit speaks to me at the oddest times.

Here I am, laid back in a dental chair for an oral examination, when suddenly an overwhelming sense of compassionate, caring love pours through me. I felt like I was receiving a huge hug from heaven as my longtime friend Dr. Kristi Soileau prodded and probed my gums. No kidding!

There were no words yet I experienced an intimately intense feeling of being cared for, much like the feeling a child gets from their loving parent. It was very emotional because I had an interior understanding that Kristi had been placed in my path for protection and support in a weak area of my life that needed her particular skills. Believe me when I say this, my mouth had been like a minefield from years of inconsistent and poor dental care as a child of the military and Kristi has helped repair the damage.

I felt immense gratitude.

Sometimes the Lord sends us a heavenly embrace when we are feeling anxious and vulnerable to remind us that we are not alone; that he is present in all things. It was a grace-filled moment that I really needed to experience.

Much of my life's energy has been poured into people and jobs and for the last ten years as a single mom into raising my children alone. Consequently I am sometimes feeling empty and yes-alone.

Who knew that while lying flat on my back, the Lord would show me he’s got my back; that he is consistently laboring on my behalf and this time through my very talented friend!

Of course Kristi has no idea the power of her actions or that she has brought God’s comfort to me and my sons while pleasing him. She’s too busy doing the next right thing which includes being the best in her field.

Kristi is a New Orleans Peridontist which means she’s in the business of saving teeth by cultivating healthy gums. Well, she can add cultivating suffering souls to her resume, because here’s the thing.

Stepping out in service, using our skills to help others without judgment or condemnation, can trigger a spiritual shift inside a person that is motivating, mind-altering and often-life changing. By rendering service to others we crack open wide the floodgates of healing hope and unlock the indwelling of the holy spirit which then pours through our veins revitalizing our weary hearts and rebooting the best of intentions!

God is with us, he is in us and each and every one of us has the power to unlock the divine mysteries that will transform this weary and broken world, one human being at a time!

This one’s for you Kristi!

“Thus says the Lord; Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord: they shall come back from the land of the enemy; there is hope for your future, says the Lord: your children shall come back to their own country.” Jeremiah 31:16-17

"MEDICAL" MARIJUANA: AN OXYMORON!

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 22:04:00 -0500

The term “medical marijuana” is an oxymoron.

Marijuana is not medicine. Let me say that again. Marijuana is not medicine. Marijuana is a DEA schedule 1 drug because of its potential for abuse and the associated health risks that include brain damage, birth defects, mental illness, cancer and addiction. Other schedule 1 drugs include LSD, quaaludes, heroin, ecstasy and bath salts.

In order for marijuana to be considered medicine it would have to go through the same strict FDA approval process that every prescription drug goes through and that hasn't happened.

With all the hype and misinformation marketed to our youth-and yes to parents-by pro marijuana advocacy groups and the millionaires backing them there is a growing perception that marijuana is safe. After all marijuana is “natural” because it grows in the earth. Well, so does arsenic and I don’t see that being marketed and smoked. Marijuana contains carcinogens. In other words poisons. People are smoking poison and innocent little kids who are accidentally eating brownies, or cookies or candy laced with marijuana are being poisoned.

The age of initiation among youth in our nation is declining while the THC levels which determine the drugs strength are 3 to 5 times more powerful than ever before. So adolescents who begin smoking marijuana at 14 or younger are 6 times more likely to become addicted.

Consequently, one in 6 weed smoking youth have slipped into addiction because the marijuana successfully rewires the brain by hi-jacking the communication network that is responsible for normal brain development and function. The drug interferes with the brain’s pleasure center triggering an unnatural dependency on this brain poison and the fuzzy feelings fueled by the THC.

Inevitably, the brain begins craving a stronger high and so addiction to marijuana opens the door to other illicit drugs like heroin, crystal meth, cocaine and Oxycontin. I can tell you from personal experience that’s when a parent’s worst nightmare begins.

Marijuana is dumbing down America. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA says one study shows early persistent marijuana users who had an ongoing cannabis use disorder lost an average of 8 IQ points between 13 and 38. That’s a big hit since the average IQ is around 100. In addition getting stoned impairs cognitive functions which makes learning more difficult. It also messes up motor skills which dilutes an athlete’s performance.

I’m writing this blog because my beloved adopted state of Louisiana has just passed a “medical” marijuana bill that ignores the science, side steps medical safeguards and places the patient and the public at risk. For me, the scariest part is that the lawmakers I spoke with really didn’t understand the science, the long term consequences-and they didn’t seem to care.

In states where medical marijuana is now legal there’s been an increase in marijuana use across the board and less than 3 % of people using “medical” marijuana have the diseases marijuana is being touted for. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that the number of teens who smoked pot increased by 33 percent in “medical” marijuana states vs 6 percent in the rest of the country.

Colorado is just one state where “medical” marijuana is being diverted to youth use and now 74% of kids in treatment in Denver admitted they used someone else’s “medical” marijuana card. In California there are now more “medical” marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Society of Addiction Medicine are both against “medical” marijuana laws as is the American Medical Association. The American Cancer Society isn’t demanding the passage of these laws and the Glaucoma Foundation warns against using so called “medical” marijuana.

Addiction psychiatrist Dr. Ed Gogek is quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Not only are these laws harmful, but they're completely unnecessary. While some seriously ill patients are helped by marijuana, there are four prescription cannabinoid medications that are just as helpful. So there's no reason to use marijuana itself as medicine.”

He explained, “Two of these medicines, Marinol and Cesamet, are available by prescription in the United States. A third, Epidiolex, or pure cannabidiol, is available for children with seizures through a special Food and Drug Administration program. The fourth, Sativex, is in the last stages of approval.

Dr. Gogek says, “Some of these medicines have fewer side effects than marijuana and are longer-acting, which means they are better for genuine patients who don't want to be stoned all the time. However, the biggest advantage of prescription cannabinoids is that they're much less likely to be abused or diverted to teenage use than medical marijuana is.”

So what’s really going on? Follow the dollar! Marijuana is lucrative and lots of people are cashing in on other people’s misery. And believe me when I say this, legalization will trigger more misery-in families, businesses, hospitals and jail cells.

So on this Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, please pray that the dark veil covering the eyes of lawmakers, governors and the public will be lifted!

Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in you!

ADDICTION IS A PREVENTABLE BRAIN DISEASE!

miracle.moments.mccall@gmail.com (Mary Lou McCall) — Wed, 6 May 2015 17:52:00 -0500

For nearly five years I’ve had the privilege of teaching thousands of public and private school children the science that could prevent them from developing the brain disease of addiction.

There is nothing I would like more than to see these beautiful kids escape the painful ravages of this terrible disease and the ugly consequences that follow.

Through the non-profit, Action Against Addiction, I’ve taught grades k-8th evidence based programs which provide youth with the science and the skills that will help them make healthy life choices that do not include using or abusing legal and/or illegal drugs.

The science tells us that addiction is a preventable brain disease, and it’s critical that children learn early how to protect their growing brain because it is not fully developed until they are at least 21 years old.

The lessons emphasize that children should wear a bicycle helmet to protect their brain in case they fall off their bike and hit their head. They learn why the law requires them to sit in the back seat of a car with their seatbelts fastened. Airbags in the steering wheel and dashboard of a car deploy at 60 miles an hour and that kind of force could kill a young child.

The age of first use of alcohol, which is a gateway drug, is 11 years old in New Orleans and across Louisiana so we teach kids that young people who start drinking alcohol at 15 or younger are four to five times more likely to become addicted than if they wait until the legal drinking age of 21. The alcohol literally hi-jacks their brain.

Empowering children with the knowledge and the confidence to make the tough choices despite peer pressure, problem parents and perilous poverty can be challenging. During a writing assignment one child shared a painful personal tragedy.

“I was sitting at my mother’s funeral and I kicked my brother because I was mad that my dad was in prison for killing our mom.” As this child began sobbing my heart ached because this kind of unresolved trauma can lead a person to drinking, drugging and other risky behaviors.

In the public school setting I can’t tell the children they’re not alone and to place their trust and their hope in the almighty God. However, I can certainly bring his light to school by modeling his joy, his compassion and his unrestricted love as I inspire excitement about their unique talents and gifts and their greatest asset, their brain!

When I’m asked, I share my knowledge, my experience and yes-my hope with parents, community leaders, the media and even seminarians at Notre Dame Seminary.

Here’s the thing, knowledge is power and wisdom is liberating. So if we can all learn the science behind the brain disease of addiction, if we can accept the fact that it is a preventable brain disease, then maybe, just maybe we will unite to save the children and future generations from the insidious and damaging effects caused by adolescent use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs!

The sobering truth is that it doesn't take a brain scientist to figure out that investing in the prevention of addiction is the smart choice and it is a whole lot easier than trying to help someone recover from it!