Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, DC, Servant of God, Foundress of Mary's House, Ephesus, Turkey

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

2012-02-11T16:48:00.000-05:00

The Son Rise Morning Show welcomes Sr. Marie...again!

2012-02-09T13:37:00.001-05:00

Radio program host Brian Patrick of the Son Rise Morning Show will conduct an interview with me tomorrow, Friday, February 10, at 8:10 a.m. Eastern on the life of Sr. Marie, her Cause for Beatification, and the new book on her life by Rev. Carl Schulte, CM, entitled Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey and Mary's House in Ephesus. This is an encore invitation following the fabulous interview given by Erin von Uffel last month.

Here’s a link to their website where you can listen live. http://www.sonrisemorningshow.com/

Please say a prayer that Sr. Marie will find many new friends tomorrow! Thank you.

Update: Interview will re-air Monday morning, Feb., 27, at 6:45 AM.

Archbishop Bernardini

2012-02-08T11:27:00.004-05:00

Arbp Bernardini, pictured on the left in black, at the opening of the Cause for the Beatification of Sr. Marie in Kansas City on January 21, 2011.

Please keep Archbishop Emeritus Giuseppe G. Bernardini in your prayers. He was hospitalized yesterday. We have few details at the moment. He is the very holy Archbishop Emeritus of Izmir, Turkey to give the Imprimatur to the Sr. Marie Prayer Card on October 6, 2004. Let's offer many prayers for his good health and speedy recovery through the intercession of Sr. Marie. Thank you.

UPDATE 2/9/12: Prayers are helping!

We just spoke with Archbishop Bernardini who was brought to the hospital yesterday. He was very relieved because he was able to breath so much better today. He is in good spirits. He is still undergoing medical tests on his heart, etc. Let's keep the prayers going for a full recovery!

Be refreshed at Mary's Home with Sr. Marie today...

2012-01-23T07:13:00.002-05:00

...without even leaving your home! Here is an interesting set of panorama views of different areas surrounding Mary's House. You'll see the little shopping area at the base of the hill, the pathway leading up to the house, the upper level where the House is situated, the lower level with the prayer wall and water founts. Also, enter Mary's House via virtual tour and there pray the Sr. Marie Prayer for peace in your heart and between faiths, for your own personal intentions, and for the intentions of all those praying through the intercession of Sr. Marie. Please include in a special way Bishop Finn, Fr. Carl Schulte, CM and all those working on the Cause for Sr. Marie. Thank you. Enjoy!

One Year Anniversary of the Opening of the Cause for the Beatification of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey

2012-01-21T09:48:00.002-05:00

Friends, it was one year ago today, January 21, 2011, Feast of St. Agnes, Patroness of our Diocese of Rockville Center here on Long Island, that the Cause for the Beatification of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey was opened in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph by the Most Reverend Robert W. Finn. It was a holy and reverent ceremony of Solemn Vespers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catherdral of the Immaculate Conception, Kansas City, Missouri. On the anniversary of this joyous day enjoy this short video clip (also above) of the Ceremony and the beautiful Homily delivered by Bishop Finn .

From Bishop Finn this morning via email:

A year ago today we opened the Cause.

All praise to Jesus Christ. Honor to Our Lady of Ephesus, St. John, Blessed Catherine Emmerich!

Sr. Marie de Mandat Grancey, intercede for us!

Thanks to you all,

+Bishop Finn

French Nun's Cause for Beatification Continues

2012-01-12T20:16:00.000-05:00

http://catholickey.org/2012/01/12/french-nun%E2%80%99s-cause-for-beatification-continues/

Posted by The Catholic Keyon 12:30 pmin Catholic Key, News

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Erin Von Uffel, Father Carl Schulte, Bishop Finn and Lorraine Fusaro at the Catholic Center Jan. 5. (Marty Denzer/Key photo)

By Marty Denzer
Catholic Key Reporter
KANSAS CITY — Almost exactly a year ago, on Jan. 21, 2011, the Cause for Beatification of Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey was officially opened in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, by Bishop Robert W. Finn. Sister Marie, a French Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, is recognized by the Catholic Church as the foundress of Mary’s House in Ephesus, Turkey. The process attempts to investigate her heroic sanctity and present it for consideration by the Church.

Although her cause opened just last year, beatification promoters in France, England and more recently the United States, had been working for some years to advance her candidacy. Many were beneficiaries of Sister Marie’s intercession through prayer.
The Daughters of Charity approved the beatification initiative in 2005.
Part of the process is the researching and writing of a biography of the candidate, who is now called a Servant of God. Retired Vincentian Father Carl G. Schulte, who for 12 years served as the Provincial Director of the Daughters of Charity of the Mater Dei (Mother of God) Province in Evansville, Ind., received a prayer card promoting beatification of Sister Marie about five years ago. The priest, then 87 and serving as unofficial chaplain for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Eucharist on whose campus in Independence the Vincentian Ministry Center is located, had “never heard anyone mention Sister Marie’s name,” but wanted to learn more about her and Mary’s House. A web site was printed on the prayer card, and Father Schulte ordered 100 more prayer cards to distribute among Daughters of Charity who were gathering for a meeting. “The cards vanished in five minutes,” he later wrote.
Through the web site, Father Schulte became acquainted with Erin Von Uffel, a New Yorker and a promoter for the Cause of Beatification for Sister Marie. She requested his assistance in finding a Vincentian priest or a Daughter of Charity to write a biography of Sister Marie, and he agreed. Unable to find anyone, Father Schulte gave in to Von Uffel’s pleas and agreed to undertake to write Sister Marie’s story. The book was published in 2011 by the Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey Foundation.
A book signing hosted by the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis and the Bishop Helmsing Institute was held at the Catholic Center Jan. 5 with Father Schulte, Von Uffel and her friend and co-promoter, Lorraine Fusaro. Father Schulte, now 91, was making his last public appearance before leaving the diocese and entering complete retirement. Also present at the book signing was the Father Matthew Bartulica, Episcopal Delegate to the Tribunal, which oversees the beatification work.
Adele Louise Marie de Mandat-Grancey was born in 1837, the fifth of six children of the Comte and Comtesse de Mandat-Grancey. While still a child, she began to consider the religious life. Marie joined the Daughters of Charity in 1858, and made her first solemn profession of vows in 1862. Her first mission was an orphanage in northwestern France, where she served as a nurse and in the pharmacy; she also taught 55 orphans and 60 day students. While there, she started the Children of Mary association.
In 1870, Sister Marie was asked to serve as Sister Servant, or superior, for the orphanage at Le Pecq, a suburb of Paris. In 1880, the private revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich, a German nun and mystic who had visions of the life and death of the mother of Christ, were published. Although the nun had never traveled outside Germany, in the 1850s she dictated her visions of the ruins of Mary’s house in detail to Clemens Brentano, who later wrote the book. Sister Marie obtained a copy to share with her community, and it made a deep impression on her.
In 1886, she answered a call by Pope Leo XIII for volunteers to Asia Minor and was assigned to the French Naval Hospital in Smyrna, now Izmir, Turkey. It was not lost on her that Smyrna was a mere 75 kilometers or 46.6 miles from Ephesus, where Emmerich had said Mary lived out her final years in the company of St. John and visiting Apostles.
Sister Marie was appointed Sister Servant of the hospital in 1890 and dedicated herself to the care of the sick and children. Father Schulte said she met Christ in each student, patient and the poor, whether Christian or Muslim. She “brought all the beauty of God’s world in prayer to all she met,” he said.
In 1891, she encouraged Lazarist (as Vincentian priests are known in France) Fathers Henri Jung and Eugene Poulin to travel to Ephesus, following the roadmap given by Emmerich’s revelations, and see if there was compelling evidence that Mary truly had lived there.
Closely following Emmerich’s revelations, the priests found the house said to have been built for Mary by St. John and local Christians on the mountain top named Bulbul Hill (Nightingale Hill). Greek Orthodox and Muslim oral traditions have held for centuries that that is where St. John took Mary, the mother of Jesus, after the Crucifixion, fleeing persecution of Christians in Judea. On the Aegean Sea, Ephesus, some 700 miles from Jerusalem, became a haven for early Christians. St. Paul is said to have lived there for three years around 45 A.D.
Sister Marie used her personal fortune to acquire and restore the ruins, and five years before her death in 1915, signed the deed to Meryem Ana Evi, Mary’s House, over to Father Poulin. The American Society of Ephesus, founded in 1955 by telecommunications pioneer George Quatman, has since then organized and helped fund large-scale reconstruction and restoration efforts of Mary’s House, the nearby tomb and basilica of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, and other shrines around the world.
Kansas City attorney Bill Quatman, a grandson of George Quatman, who serves as Tribunal Notary for Sister Marie’s Cause, told The Key, “The cause for beatification often takes many years, sometimes decades. It was 6 years each for Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. For Saint Therese of Lisieux it was 26 years. For Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, it was 112 years! So, our work is progressing nicely with witness statements and document review. We have taken statements from witnesses from several different countries. (Should Sister Marie be beatified) it will elevate the popularity of Mary’s House in Ephesus, which is a joint Christian and Muslim shrine. The Mayor of Selcuk, Turkey, is fully supportive of this Cause as he realizes it will bring international attention to nearby Ephesus. At a time when there seems to be so much friction between Christians and Muslims, it would be remarkable to focus attention on a mutual shrine dedicated to the Blessed Mother, who is the most important woman in both the Qu’ran and the Bible.”
In fact, Mary is mentioned 34 times in the Qu’ran, more than in the New Testament.
Dr. Claude Sasso, Vice Chancellor for Evangelization and Catechesis and head of the cause’s Historical Commission, said the work of the commission is progressing in its research concerning Sister Marie “but we still have archives in the U.S.A., Paris and Rome to visit and research and therefore, have much work to do!”
Scott McKellar, director of the Bishop Helmsing Institute and head of the cause’s Theology Commission, said the commission is still working in the very preliminary stages as new documents continue to emerge from Archives and the Historical Commission.
Mary’s House at Ephesus has become a place of pilgrimage for millions of people every year, the majority of whom are Muslims. Also known as the Lourdes of the East, it is a place of reconciliation and healing, Von Uffel said. Pope Paul VI visited there in 1967, John Paul II in 1979 and, during his first papal trip outside of Italy in 2006, Benedict XVI went to Mary’s House — and all celebrated Mass there.
Erin Von Uffel said she believes that Sister Marie may one day be canonized and “intercede for us with the Muslims. She gave us Mary’s House, which is one of the few places in the world where Christians, Muslims and Orthodox Christians gather in the home of a beloved Jewish mother. Perhaps Sister Marie will intercede for us for peace.”
Father Schulte said, “When people would ask Sister Marie, ‘What do we do now?’ she would tell them, ‘Ask Mary, she’ll take care of it!’ Mary is the patroness of all who seek God.”
Report any spiritual or physical favors granted in Sister Marie’s name to: Cause of Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, DC, P. O. Box 419037, Kansas City, Mo., 64141-6037.

Tomorrow, 1/13/12: Another Radio Interview for Sr. Marie!

2012-01-12T16:16:00.002-05:00

TOMORROW!

January 13, 2012 at 10:15-11:00 Easter time, KFHC Radio Station of Soiux City will air an interview about SERVANT OF GOD, Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey, DC, Foundress of Mary's House in Ephesus.

Listen Live at KFHC at www.fhcradio.com. Just click the "listen live" button for live streaming of the program: Blessed John Paul the Great's Leafeaters' Club.

Or visit their Archives to listen later.

The Sonrise Morning Show and Sr. Marie.

2012-01-10T17:21:00.001-05:00

Erin von Uffel was interviewed today by Brian Patrick of EWTN's The Sonrise Morning Show on the life of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey and her new biography written by Fr. Carl Schulte, CM. The radio program will air tomorrow, January 11, at 6:45 am. You can catch it on SiriusXM Satelite Radio Channel 130 or on the EWTN website linked to above. So rise and shine with Sr. Marie! Once it has aired you will also be able to access a recording of the radio program at their Audio Archives link.

Sr. Marie, pray for us!

Meet the Author!

2012-01-03T18:22:00.001-05:00

Fr. Carl Schulte arrives at the Book Signing of his new book Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey and Mary's House in Ephesus.

Bishop Robert Finn congratulates Fr. Schulte for a job well done!

Fr. Caldwell intorduces Fr. Schulte and shares a lovely tribute.

Sr. Connie, Erin, Fr. Schulte, Lorraine and Sr. Lorretto

Fr. Schulte reviewing his notes.

Fr. Schulte signing his book!

Deo Gratias!

Sr. Marie at the heart and center of it all.

Visit this LINK at TAN's website for the printed announcement of this event.

Christmas Blessings from Mary's House in Ephesus 2011

2011-12-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

December 12, 1891

2011-12-12T09:08:00.002-05:00

Today, December 12th, marks the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe. It is also the anniversary of the day Sister Marie arrived by donkey to Mary's House for the first time. I can imagine that it must have been a joy filled day for Sister Marie, even after hours and hours riding up a mountain on a donkey! But also I wonder if the experience held for her a new understanding of the enormity that this work of God would entail. Was it on this day in 1891 that it dawned upon Sister Marie for the first time the years and years of struggle and labor that lie ahead of her to answer God's call?...to fulfill the desire God had placed so urgently on her heart to rescue and restore the precious treasure of Mary's House for all future generations to come? Thank you Sister Marie for being faithful and persevering in your Fiat to God's invitation to find, restore and then give to the children of God the House of Mary; a common ground of Marian devotion across religious lines. A hope for peace in these times.

Visit here for a previous post on the

Virgin of Guadalupe!

Quick additional UPDATE note: Erin and I are just back from a quick trip to EWTN in Alabama where on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we were invited to tape a Bookmark Show with Doug Keck for Fr. Carl Schulte's new book The Life of Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey and Mary's House in Ephesus. Praise God! Thank you Blessed Mother for this gift on your day.

Walking Together on the Road to Salvation

2011-11-14T11:02:00.005-05:00

Published on National Catholic Reporter (http://ncronline.org)
by Tom Gallagher

Nov. 14, 2011

Vincentian, Fr. Carl Schulte

Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, was the founder of the House of Mary, located in Ephesus, Turkey. The stone house has attracted pilgrims since the late 19th century as the place where the Blessed Virgin was brought by the Apostle John to live until her assumption. De Mandat-Grancey helped restore and preserve Mary’s House from 1891 until her death in 1915. Today, Mary’s House provides a unique venue for millions of both Christians and Muslims as a place of peace and prayer.

In December 2010, I wrote an NCR story titled, “An ‘intercessor with Muslims,’ ” which tells how two Catholic women, Erin von Uffel and Lorraine Fusaro, longtime friends and residents of Long Island, N.Y., believe they have identified a way to model peaceful coexistence and respect between Christians and Muslims by making people aware of de Mandat-Grancey and Mary’s House.

Vincentian Fr. Carl Schulte has written de Mandat-Grancey’s biography, using archives and materials sent by von Uffel. The Life of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey & Mary’s House in Ephesus was recently published by St. Benedict Press/TAN Books. NCR recently spoke with Schulte, 91, about his book.

NCR: Did you know of Sister Marie and her life’s work?
Schulte: I had no idea of who she was and I worked closely for 12 years with the Daughters of Charity and they never mentioned her name. It was the “touch of the divine” because I got dragged into it.

Why did you believe so strongly that this book needed to be written?
In pre-World War I, the French press covered this, but the story never broke in the United States. Mary’s House presents a tremendous opportunity to strengthen the relationship between Christians and Muslims. Sister Marie had the attitude to reach out to Muslims, the Greek Orthodox and others. I believe the book will be valuable to the time we live in, not as a tool to convert Muslims, but because we are all walking toward the same God.

You have written that Sister Marie’s life aligns itself with the privacy manifested in Mary’s life. How so?
Sister Marie tried to serve God in a quiet way. St. Vincent de Paul encourages us to see Jesus in the suffering of the other, to smile at the other person. Sister Marie reflected a kindness toward others, letting God to do the work. The first person hired by Sister Marie to care for Mary’s House was a Muslim.

Does your study of Sister Marie lead you to any insights into how Christians and Muslims can overcome fear and prejudice toward each other?
First of all, I am not a Muslim expert. In my view, we can’t take the attitude that Muslims are trained to hate us. We cannot judge before we know the other. We are companions on the road to salvation.

The Quran mentions Mary’s name more than any other woman and dedicates an entire chapter to her. How does this help Christian-Muslim understanding?
Mary is a starting point in discussion with Muslims and in creating a friendship with Muslims. Most of us love our own mothers and our mothers love us. We need to realize that Muslims are honest people who relate to Mary, and who love the Blessed Mother.

On Oct. 27, Pope Benedict XVI will be in Assisi, Italy, to host the interreligious prayer meeting for peace on the 25th anniversary of the event started by Pope John Paul II. If you were to attend, what message would you share?
I go back to St. Vincent de Paul, who recommends beginning everything with a smile and to go out and meet the other, show respect to the other and appreciation for who they are. It is not an easy task, but we have to listen. People are ready to find answers. We all have the same God and we are walking together.

On the Web

Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey Foundation
www.sistermarie.com

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Pilgrimage Continues Cause for Finder of Mary’s House

2011-11-12T11:54:00.001-05:00

The Tribunal, Bishop Finn and Erin von Uffel pause after morning Mass outside of Mary’s House, the house built by St. John for the Blessed Mother, later converted by the apostles into a chapel still used today. (photo courtesy of Bill Quatman)

http://catholickey.org/2011/11/11/pilgrimage-continues-cause-for-finder-of-mary%e2%80%99s-house/

By G. William Quatman
Special to the Catholic Key
(SELCUK, Turkey) — The Cause of the Beatification and Canonization of Servant of God, Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey took a major step forward in early October when Bishop Robert Finn led the Tribunal to Turkey for five days of meetings and interviews. The four-member contingency from the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese consisted of Bishop Finn and the three-man Tribunal of Rev. Matthew Bartulica (Episcopal Delegate), Rev. Joseph Totton (Promoter of Justice) and Mr. Bill Quatman (Notary). The work of the Tribunal requires interviews of witnesses who can provide testimony on the virtues of Sister Marie, including the impact that the nun’s life has had on others. Witnesses interviewed included a woman from Ireland, two ladies from Turkey, a priest from Malta, and Archbishop Ruggero Francheschini of Izmir.

The Tribunal arrived in Izmir, Turkey on October 8th, a modern city of over four million, where they rode south about forty miles to the town of Selcuk, near the ancient city of Ephesus. In Ephesus over half of the New Testament was written, including most of Paul’s letters, the Gospels of Luke and John, Acts of the Apostles (also written by St. Luke), and the “pastoral epistles” of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. The book of Revelation was written nearby by John on the island of Patmos. To walk the ancient street of Ephesus is to follow in the footsteps of the apostles and, many believe, in the steps of the Blessed Virgin herself.

It is widely accepted that after persecutions broke out against the followers of Christ in Jerusalem, the apostles dispersed into other regions. John went to Ephesus in Asia Minor. Visionaries such as Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and Venerable Mary of Agreda, Spain each saw John and Mary making their way from Jerusalem to Ephesus. There, John built a stone house on a peaceful hilltop where she was safe and lived out her final days. That stone house was discovered in 1891 by French Lazarist priests following the visions of Emmerich, after encouragement by Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey. Today, over one million pilgrims and tourists visit the restored home on that same hilltop. Bishop Finn and the Tribunal were blessed to be able to celebrate Mass each morning at 7 a.m. at the same altar where St. John is believed to have prayed with other apostles after Mary’s death and assumption.

“This is an incredible place,” said Bishop Finn, “to stand in the same space where Mary and St. John stood. It is steeped in a sense of spirituality, a sacred peacefulness that invades your soul.” Tourists from cruise ships that have docked in the nearby port of Kusidasi arrive all day long and line up in silence for their turn to enter the house. They are uniformly surprised at the sense of Mary’s presence that fills the small chapel. One by one, they enter the foyer, then the main room of the house where a statue of the Blessed Virgin greets them on the small altar. Visitors stop, remove their hats, some kneel, others cross themselves and say a silent prayer. Many emerge in tears of joy.

“It is remarkable to see hundreds of visitors each morning arrive off of buses, and stop to light candles, say prayers and take a photo of themselves in front of this holy house,” said Rev. Joseph Totton of St. James Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Most then walk down a flight of stone steps where an ancient artesian stream flows from Mary’s House to four fountains where visitors fill bottles with “holy water.” More than half of the pilgrims are Muslims who feel that Mary’s House is the home to Meryem, the mother of Isa (Jesus) the great prophet of Islam. The Koran mentions Mary more times than the Bible, and devotes an entire chapter to Mary. One verse in the Koran states that, “We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign to mankind, and gave them a shelter on a peaceful hillside watered by a fresh spring.” (The Believers 23:50). For this reason, Muslims from Turkey, Iran and other nations make pilgrimages to see the stone house.

“It is remarkable to see Christians and Muslims praying side-by-side,” said Bill Quatman, the notary for the Tribunal. “I have seen Muslims ask Catholic priests to pray for them at this place, ask prayers for healing and for health of their children. It seems that in Ephesus, at Mary’s House, the two religions find a common ground in the Blessed Virgin. It is a beautiful thing to witness.”
To the left of the fountains is a long stone wall on which thousands of people have followed a local custom and tied scarves, tissues, and other pieces of paper on which they have written a prayer to Mary for intercession. Muslim women with covered heads, Orthodox pilgrims, Protestants and Catholics all stop at what is called the “prayer wall” to write a prayer and add it to the wall. The wall contains prayers of thanksgiving, prayers for intercession and photos of loved ones. Some are in bundles, obviously sent by bible study groups, families and friends along with pilgrims who have been asked to add their prayers to the wall. “I had several people from Kansas City ask me to either take their prayers with me, or to write one for them,” Quatman said. “Their prayers are now mixed with the thousands of others on that wall in Ephesus.”

The Tribunal’s work took them to the large city of Izmir on two separate days, where they visited St. Polycarp’s Church, believed to be the successor to the Church of Smyrna which is mentioned by John in Revelations. John writes to the seven churches of Asia Minor, including the ones at Ephesus and Smyrna. In Izmir, the Tribunal met with Archbishop Franchescini and reviewed the archives of the archdiocese on Sister Marie. They also met with the president of the Dernek, Mr. Noel Micaleff, who oversees and maintains Mary’s House and its property. During a fortuitous dinner meeting in Izmir, the Tribunal was introduced to Mr. Roland Richichi, an officer of the local Christian Cemetery Association. With Mr. Richichi’s assistance, the Tribunal was able to make progress on plans to exhume the remains of Sister Marie for examination. “Unfortunately, the Daughters of Charity were all buried in a mass grave in Izmir,” said Fr. Matthew Bartulica, “which complicates things a bit for the Tribunal.” With over forty nuns buried in the same grave, it will be necessary to conduct DNA samples from the current members of the Mandat-Grancey family to check against the remains in the mass grave. A positive match will identify Sister Marie among the other blessed nuns who are buried together.

Bishop Finn and Mr. Quatman also met with the mayor of Selcuk, Mr. Hüseyin Vefa Ülgür for an hour to discuss the possible relocation of Sr. Marie’s grave closer to Mary’s House. The mayor was not aware of the opening of the cause for Sr. Marie’s beatification but was duly impressed with the life of Sr. Marie. The town of Selcuk is designing a new museum that will tell the history of this ancient city and Mayor Ülgür indicated that possibly there could be an exhibit on Sr. Marie. “We were greeted with open arms by the mayor,” Bishop Finn remarked, “who understands the multicultural aspects of his town and the draw to the Blessed Mother.” In fact, only one week before our arrival in Selcuk, the mayor announced that he had finalized plans to become a Sister City to Fatima, Portugal. “The mayor and a small contingency is planning a trip to Fatima later this month to meet with their counterparts in Fatima,” the Bishop added.

Another highlight of the Tribunal’s visit to Turkey was to visit the Church of Mary, the site of the Third Ecumenical Council in 431 A.D., where Mary was declared “Theotokos” or “Mother of God.” The church is believed to be the first named for the Blessed Mother. On Sunday, October 9th a special Mass was celebrated in Ephesus to commemorate the Council of Ephesus. Bishop Robert Finn was a co-celebrant at the Mass with Archbishop Franchescini of Izmir and another retired bishop who was visiting from Rome. The Tribunal also paid its respects at the Basilica of St. John, where the beloved apostle was buried. Dr. Mustafa Büyükkolanci, who heads up the archeological restoration team there, gave a tour of not only the ancient church of St. John, but a special tour of the hilltop citadel which is undergoing reconstruction. Dr. Mustafa showed the bishop and other members of the Tribunal an ancient Byzantine church on the hilltop that is believed to have been erected over the spot where St. John wrote his gospel. “We prayed inside the ruins of this holy place,” said Bishop Finn, “perhaps the first Christian prayers said there in decades. It was a remarkable trip and pilgrimage for us all.”

All Saints Day with Sr. Marie

2011-11-01T10:26:00.005-04:00

May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to the Lord's call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. Amen.
~ Ephesians 1:18.~

Merciful Father, we humbly ask that Sr. Marie soon be raised to the Altar of Saints. Amen.

Follow the "Read More..." prompt below to listen to and sing a lovely Litany of the Saints!

DISABLE ( HIT PAUSE) MUSIC PLAYER TO THE LEFT TO LISTEN TO THE BEAUTIFUL LITANY BELOW.

LITANY OF THE SAINTS
John D. Becker

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

1.
Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Michael and all angels, pray for us.
Anna, Joachim, Elizabeth, pray for us.
Elijah, Moses, John the Baptist, pray for us.
Isaac, Sarah, Abraham, pray for us.
Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, pray for us.
Ruth, David and Solomon, pray for us.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

2.
Peter, Paul, Andrew, pray for us.
James, John, and all apostles, pray for us.
Mary Magdalene, Veronica, pray for us.
Barnabas, Matthias, pray for us.
Stephen, Philip, and Cornelius, pray for us.
Prisca and Aquila, pray for us.
Timothy and Titus, pray for us.
Linus, Cletus, and Clement,pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

3.
Lawrence and Chrysogonus, pray for us.
Innocent, and Boniface, pray for us.
Hippolytus and Origen, pray for us.
Athanasius and Basil, pray for us.
Felicity, Perpetua, pray for us.
Cosmos and Damien, pray for us.
John, Chrysostom, and Justin, pray for us.
Lucy, Agatha, and Agnes, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

4.
Jerome and Eusebius, pray for us.
Scholastica and Benedict, pray for us.
Ambrose, Monica, Augustine, pray for us.
Martin and Gregory, pray for us.
Clare, Francis, and Dominic, pray for us.
Francis Xavier, Ignatius, pray for us.
Elizabeth and Catherine, pray for us.
Louis and Wenceslaus*, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

5.
Lord, be merciful, save your people.
From all evil, save your people.
From every sin, save your people.
From everlasting death, save your people.
By your incarnation, save your people.
By your death and resurrection, save your people.
By your gift of the Spirit, save your people.
Have mercy on us sinners, save your people.

Christ, hear us. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

(The following section is not included in the video.)
6.
Lord, give new life, hear our prayer.
To these chosen, hear our prayer.
By the grace of baptism, hear our prayer.
O Jesus, Son of the living God, our prayer.
Send your Spirit, hear our prayer.
In its fullness, hear our prayer.
On your sons and daughters, hear our prayer.
Who believe and profess you, hear our prayer.

Christ, hear us. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

*In this recording, Wenceslaus is changed to Matthew.
Copyright © 1987 by OCP Publications, Portland, OR, 97213. All rights reserved.

St. Raphael

2011-10-24T07:57:00.000-04:00

October 24th on the old Catholic Calendar...

Glorious Archangel St. Raphael , great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea, or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Be cause you are the "medicine of God" I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body, mind, and spirit. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Fr. Benedict Groeschel,CFR,and the book of Sr. Marie

2011-10-18T16:18:00.002-04:00

Excerpt from the Preface written by Fr. Groeschel for the book The Life of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey & Mary's House in Ephesus by Rev. Carl Schulte, CM.

"... I found its account of the discovery of the House of Mary outside the ruins of Ephesus to be absolutely fascinating, and I'm sure many other readers will feel the same way....This book will give a great many readers the opportunity to grow. It gives an experience that involves adventure, history, archeology, and insight into possible mystical happenings. And most importantly it fulfills Sister Marie's lifelong dream -- it brings us a little closer to our Blessed Mother. "

Order your book here!

IN TIME OF WAR, A PLACE OF PEACE: Site in Turkey honored as home of Mary by Christians and Muslims

2011-10-12T19:49:00.000-04:00

9/27/2011 - 1:14 PM PST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY
Catholic PRWire

Charlotte, NC (September 27, 2011) - Ten years after the horrific events of September 11, 2001, relations between Muslims and Christians continue to suffer deep wounds, with conflicts between the world’s two largest faiths simmering and flaring across the globe. But at a humble site in Ephesus, Turkey, these wounds are beginning to heal as Muslims and Christians gather together in silent prayer at a house they believe once sheltered the Virgin Mary.

The remarkable story of this special house is told in a new book from Saint Benedict Press, The Life of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey and Mary’s House in Ephesus.

The book recounts the inspiring story of Sister Marie, who gave up a life of opulence to serve the poor as one of the Daughters of Charity. Inspired by the writings and visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, Sr. Marie embarked on a mission to rediscover the lost house at Ephesus which, according to ancient tradition, was built for Mary by the Apostle John.

After years of trials and setbacks, on June 29, 1891 Sr. Marie discovered a house that matched the one seen by Anne Catherine Emmerich in her visions. Sr. Marie acquired and restored the home, and today it is a place of pilgrimage, not only for Catholics but for people of all faiths.

Many are surprised by the significant Muslim presence at Mary’s house. “I was astonished to learn that Muslims visit this House to honor Mary, Mother of Jesus each August 15th…the Catholic Feast of the Assumption of Mary,” says Lorraine Fusaro, who, together with her friend Erin von Uffel, is a leading lay proponent of Sr. Marie’s cause for canonization. The House is “a singular place in the world,” says Fusaro, “where Christians and Muslims pray together in their own way to God the Father while honoring Jesus’ Mother, Mary.”

Mary’s House maintains a tradition of silence and prayer, serving as a place where arguments and tensions between religions—whether Christian, Orthodox, Muslim, or Jewish—give way to silent reverence for the Mother of Jesus. In a time torn by division, the unity and peace found in the home and hospitality of Mary serve as a beacon of hope for forgiveness and peace. The Life of Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey and Mary’s House in Ephesus brings this stunning story of faith and message of peace to life.

Contact:	Saint Benedict Press, LLC/TAN Books http://www.saintbenedictpress.com NC, 28273 US Catherine Brandolini - Publicity Assistant/Copywriter, -704.731.0651
Keywords:	Mary's house, Muslims, Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich, Sr. Marie de Mandat-Grancey, interfaith, Ephesus
Category:	Marian

October, Month of the Holy Rosary

2011-10-09T10:39:00.000-04:00

“The Most Holy Virgin, in these last times in which we live, has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, temporal or especially spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families, of the families of the world or of the religious communities, or even of the life of peoples and nations, that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. With the Holy Rosary, we will save ourselves. We will sanctify ourselves. We will console Our Lord and obtain the salvation of many souls.”

Sister Lucia (seer at Fatima)

To Father Fuentes, 1957

October 7 - Mothers

2011-10-07T07:41:00.000-04:00

A post from a few years ago. Some things never change, thanks be to God.

Saint Faustina - October 5

2011-10-05T12:47:00.000-04:00

On October 5, 1938, a young religious by the name Sister Faustina (Helen Kowalska) died in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Cracow, Poland. She came from a very poor family that had struggled hard on their little farm during the terrible years of WWI. Sister had had only three years of very simple education. Hers were the humblest of tasks in the convent, usually in the kitchen or the vegetable garden, or as a porter.

On February 22, 1931, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared to this simple nun, bringing with Him a wonderful message of Mercy for all mankind. Saint Faustina tells us in her diary under this date:

"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

Some time later, Our Lord again spoke to her:

"The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross....Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him."

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/stfaust.htm

Selcuk to Become Sister City to Fatima!

2011-10-04T14:07:00.000-04:00

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=selcuk-to-become-sister-city-to-fatima-2011-09-28

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

SELÇUK, İzmir - Anatolia News Agency

The Portuguese city of Fatima, which is famous for visions of the Virgin Mary, is set to become the sister city of the Aegean district of Selçuk, the site of the House of the Virgin Mary.

“We are highly excited about Selçuk and Fatima becoming sister cities, both carry traces of the Virgin Mary. Selçuk and Fatima will bring together the eastern and western Mediterranean,” Selçuk Mayor Vefa Ülgür said earlier this week, adding that he hoped to conclude the sister city agreement soon after meeting officials from the Portuguese city.

The agreement will contribute to tourism in Turkey as Christians visiting Fatima will also become acquainted with Selçuk, he added. ”We expect around 2 million people to visit Selçuk every year after the sister city agreement goes into effect.”

Ülgür originally sent a letter to Fatima on Aug. 28, proposing that the two cities become sister cities; his offer received a positive response from the speaker of Fatima’s council, Natalio de Oliviera Reis.
“We would be happy to establish cooperation and closer relations with Selçuk,” Reis said. “While the two cities are important for the Christian world, we aim to boost economic and cultural relations as well.”

“The seven churches mentioned in the Bible are in Turkey, including the House of the Virgin Mary,” Ülgür said, adding that if Turkey could better promote these seven churches, it could become the world center of faith tourism.

Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Holy Virgin Mary, there is none like you among women born in the world. Daughter and handmaid of the heavenly Father, the almighty King, Mother of our most high Lord Jesus Christ, and Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us to your most holy Son, our Lord and Master.

Hail holy Lady, most noble Queen, Mother of God, and Mary ever Virgin. You were chosen by the heavenly Father, who has been pleased to honor you with the presence of his most holy Son and the Divine Paraclete.

You were blessed with the fullness of grace and goodness. Hail, Temple of God, his dwelling place, his masterpiece, his handmaid. Hail, Mother of God, I venerate you for the holy virtues that–through the grace and light of the Holy Spirit–you bring into the hearts of your devoted ones to change them from unfaithful Christians to faithful children of God. Amen.

Spirit Daily Article

2011-09-29T19:49:00.001-04:00

REMARKABLE DETAILS CONTINUE TO EMERGE ON THE WAY 'MARY'S HOUSE' WAS FOUND IN EPHESUS

It doesn't get much more dramatic:

At left is a photograph of what investigators first saw upon reaching what is now widely believed (including by the official Church) to be the last home of the Blessed Mother, in Ephesus, Turkey.

It came about through the mystical writings of Anne Catherine Emmerich -- whose diaries contained an extremely detailed description of where Mary spent her last days and led two different teams of searchers to the same spot. (If there is interest, we may lead a pilgrimage here next summer; for time and again, those who visit say they felt a grace there like no other. There is even a replica now of the House of Ephesus in New England.) We have written of this before.

Let's focus on how one team -- led by a Father Eugene Poulin of Smyrna -- located a truly incomparable treasure.

Fascinating it is to read how this priest-scholar -- initially intensely skeptical of Emmerich, even hostile -- came to put stock in what she had written and with the prayers and prodding of a holy nun named Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey eventually turned into a champion of the discovery!

The incredible events seemed to start when Father Poulin, superior of the Vincentian monastery where Sister Marie lived, happened on an old book by Emmerich called The Suffering, Passion, and Death of Jesus Christ as he was looking through his bookcase. This is the book that inspired a recent Passion movie and described the Crucifixion in tremendous, excruciating detail -- as seen mystically by Emmerich.

It was not something Father Poulin had or would have read.

As a well-known scholar on the classics, the Vincentian in fact reviled mysticism and derided it when the subject was brought up. According to the new, compelling book, The Life of Sister Marie and Mary's House in Ephesus, Father Poulin felt "revulsion" for the Emmerich work and shoved it aside with contempt.

That's when the extraordinary events began.

For this same evening -- when Father Poulin returned from classes -- Emmerich's book somehow had found its way back on his desk!

He returned it to the shelf.

But the next evening it was there again.

Disturbed (was someone playing a joke?), the scholar now tossed the book across the room to the farthest corner where it remained for an entire week. Somehow, the houseman wasn't picking it up. The priest left it there, strangely content with looking on it like so much litter.

After Mass one day, however, a sudden, inexplicable, and startling desire arose in Father Poulin to take a closer look at The Passion. In fact -- oddly enough -- so strong was the compunction that he felt blood pounding in his veins!

Yet fearful that a student or another priest would walk in on him, Father Poulin resisted this strange urge until finally giving in to read a little and then a lot -- astonished that he couldn't put it down and could not find a single theological error and in fact was finding the mystical rendition from Blessed Emmerich intense and powerful.

Soon -- more remarkably still -- he was touting the revelation to others -- which met with what he feared: the derisive laughter of younger priests who were as skeptical as he had been.

He talked it over with an elder priest who did believe and who recommended another Emmerich book -- The Life of the Blessed Virgin.

Here is where we get to the crux of this remarkable story.

For in this second book of revelations, Emmerich had focused on Mary and described the location, views, landmarks, terrain, and characteristics of the Blessed Mother's last home not so far from the monastery in Ephesus!

It was virtually a road map to the site on a hillside overlooking that city and one called Samos.

The revelations were exact -- leading a team directed by Father Poulin (who had fallen ill and couldn't go himself) to finding the spot on July 29, 1891.

There was even an artesian well that Emmerich -- who lived in Germany, and certainly had never ventured anywhere nearby -- had also depicted.

A mystery that had endured for centuries was solved. And soon, the site was excavated and parts of the home restored -- such that now it is a major pilgrim spot (especially for Muslims!).

In fact, it was two Turkish Muslims [left] who helped the team search and protected them against brigands.

"He stood still, frozen in astonishment!" says the book of Father Henry Jung, a priest on the expedition.

They wondered over the gorgeous terrain, which seemed like God loved it specially. It was mesmerizing. Was this where the Blessed Mother was assumed? As it turns out, the Church has long suspected Ephesus as Mary's final residence and as far back as 431 A.D., an ecumenical council took place in Ephesus, during which Mary was given the title "Mother of God" (Theotokos). The meeting was in the Church of the Virgin Mary, which had been built in the Second Century. Noteworthy is the fact that back then, a church was only dedicated to a person if he or she died in that place. Meanwhile, after Father Poulin and the expedition he had sent found the house, a report was sent to Rome where Pope Leo XIII discontinued for all time indulgence formerly attached to the "tomb" of Mary in Jerusalem and instead now obviously favored Ephesus as the true last place for Mary. His successor, Pope Pius X, even met with Sister Marie. Fascinating stuff! Not just for the history buff, but those interested in the Blessed Mother and devotion. As one reviewer, Father Benedict Groeschel, himself a skeptical scholar, said, "I found this account of the discovery of the ruins of Ephesus to be absolutely fascinating, and I'm sure many other readers will feel the same way."

Pilgrimage to Ephesus by Robin Senior

2011-09-22T20:12:00.002-04:00

We had the distinct pleasure of meeting Robin Senior, author of this piece, a couple of days ago while visiting a local Rosary Group to tell about Sr. Marie and Mary's House. She shared with us her tale of visiting Mary's House and how the lyrics of certain songs "played in her heart." The little excerpts from these hymns seem to be chosen by Mary herself. When we visit Mary in her home, she teaches us about her Son.

“Come and see what I have done, I’ve given my only son. He lived for you and he died for you. Come and see.” Tom Kendzia’s Pieta echoed in my ears as we ascended the mountain approaching Meryem Ana Evi, the remains of the house where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last years with the disciple John, in Ephesus, Turkey. Often the Lord speaks to me in hymns and today was no exception.

We, my sister Tracy and youngest daughter Seanna, were on the fifth day of our trip, a quasi pilgrimage. In Istanbul we discovered two Roman Catholic Churches, but neither celebrated weekday Masses. In Capadoccia we entered many cave churches, replete with colorful frescoes depicting scenes from the New Testament, remnants of places Christians worshipped secretly in the sixth through ninth centuries.

Finally we arrived in Ephesus on Sunday, August 16, the day after the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we entered the house now attached to a small chapel, with a throng of other tourists, emotion overtook me. Tears streamed from my eyes. I wanted to stay and pray, but we were herded through like cattle. However, I was afforded an opportunity the following day.

Early Monday morning my sister and I set out. Again as the car took us up the mountain, I heard, “he lived for you and he died for you, come and see;” upon reaching the site, “here in this place new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away;” and entering the house, “shepherd me oh God, from all my wants, from all my fears, from death into life.”

The place was cool and peaceful at this early hour. Unlike the previous day, Tracy and I were alone except for two nuns and a monk preparing the altar for Mass. Soon, two other monks and a priest entered. I do not remember what hymns we sang, but there was an otherworldly quality about the sound of a cappella voices. Again I felt Mary’s presence and tears welled.

The gospel was that of the wealthy young man who asks Jesus what he must do to enter the kingdom of God and when told to sell everything, give to the poor and follow Him, went away sad for he had many possessions. The priest spoke in soft Italian, for us it is not many things that separate us from God, but rather one thing - one sin. And I knew the sin for me involves disobedience, the antithesis of Mary’s fiat! As we descended her mountain I knew she had touched me and something within had shifted.

Pieta by Tom Kendzia
Come and see what I have done.
I've given you my only Son.
He lived for you and He died for you.
Come and See.
Lamb of God, Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, forgive us Lord.
Come and see what I have done.
I've given you my only Son.
He lived for you and He died for you.
Come and See.

Shepherd Me, O God (Psalm 23)

Marty Haugen
Refrain: Shepherd me, O God beyond my wants,
beyond my fears, from death into life.

God is my shepherd, so nothing shall I want,
I rest in the meadows of faithfulness and love,
I walk by the quiet waters of peace. Refrain

Gently you raise me and heal my weary soul,
You lead me by pathways of righteousness and truth,
my spirit shall sing the music of your Name. Refrain
Though I should wander the valley of death
I fear no evil for you are at my side
Your rod and your staff, my comfort and my hope. Refrain

Gather Us In
Marty Haugen
© 1982 GIA Publications
Verse 1
Here in this place new light is streaming,
Now is the darkness vanished away,
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to You in the light of this day.
Chorus 1
Gather us in the lost and forsaken,
Gather us in the blind and the lame;
Call to us now and we shall awaken,
We shall arise at the sound of our name.
Verse 2
We are the young our lives are a mystery,
we are the old who yearn for your face.
We have been sung throughout all of history,
Called to be light to the whole human race.
Chorus 2
Gather us in the rich and the haughty
Gather us in the proud and the strong,
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly,
Give us the courage to enter the song.
Verse 3
Here we will take the wine and the water,
Here we will take the bread of new birth,
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters,
Call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Chorus 3
Give us to drink the wine of compassion,
Give us to eat the bread that is you;
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion,
lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
Verse 4
Not in the dark of buildings confining,
Not in some heaven light years away,
But here in this place the new light is shining,
Now is the Kingdom, now is the day.
Chorus 4
Gather us in and hold us forever,
Gather us in and make us your own;
fire of love in our flesh and our bones.

A Day with Mary III, Marian Conference

2011-09-17T07:22:00.003-04:00