Medjugorje Forum

nice story...

Hi,

I think Our Lady did a lot of good work with people involved in the IRA. A few years ago, my aunt who is a nun based in a convent in Northern Ireland, travelled down to visit us in the South of Ireland with a friend. This friend was the most fascinating man I've met. He told me of his story. He was heavily involved in the IRA during the height of the troubles and was on the run from the British for years. He killed many British soldiers and the way that he put it was that he was a man full of anger and hatred that was eating away at him. He was responsible for training the top IRA snipers. They would practice up in the hills. He told me that they had to get their accuracy pin-point from a distance of one or two miles away. They used to focus on a church that was situated about a mile or two across the countryside. Outside this church was a statue of Our Lady. That was their training target. If they could manage to just graze this statue with a bullet, a cloud of white dust would blow into the air and they would know that their shot was successful. This was their training!!

Many years later, this same man, while on the run and hiding in the South of Ireland, came across a monestary in Co. Waterford. He was climibing a bit of a hill and happened to come across a statue of Our Lady. The hill was steep so in order to keep climbing, he put his hand on the statues foot (Our Lady's foot) to pull him up for better balance. All of a sudden, while his hand was on the foot, the foot became alive. He said he could feel the skin and the foot moving like a normal persons. In shock, he let go and fell a little bit. But from this moment on, he converted. He truly believed in God and took this as a sign that although he lived a terrible life of voilence and killing, God still loved him and wanted to convert and save him. Today, this same guy practices his religion devoutly and is truly a man of God.

Wow! Mary knows how to get someone's attention for sure!

if God will be using you in the future to help others with your testimony? You could really make a difference. It was neat to hear that the priest's name was Kenny since that was my mom's last name

As someone who is half Irish and half English - who is well versed in Irish history and who's Irish grandfather was an old IRA supporter - who's sainted dad was in the British Army for 25 years {who also had/has a great love and veneration for the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart] - as one who also believes in a PEACEFUL unification of Ireland/Eire - I am indeed so glad that bitterness has been replaced with love in your heart. Bitterness and hatred can only destroy, that is particularly the case for the minds and souls of those who persist in bitterness and hatred.

I lived in Bristol when the IRA bombed it - a university student narrowly avoided having his head blown off [he was somewhat shaken] - a second bomb was positioned and timed to take out the emergency services, fortunately a fire engine/truck full of water took most of the blast. A third bomb blew out the front of a department store. Thank God no one was hurt.

If anyone in this world had justification to be violent and vengeful it was Jesus - and yet even from the cross He loved, and appealed to His Father for mercy to those who were torturing and killing Him.

Father forgive them ....

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us ....

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.


Peace and Love.

I echo your sentiments Mt.Carmel
I truly believe that the Queen's visit to Ireland was a GREAT event and was a healing of the wounds of history.

Hail Mary...

God Bless

A great story Mark,
It is very touching, I wish you and your wife all the best in life. I hope you will always remember Love is a gift from God and God Loves everybody equally. Our Lady appeared to me when I was a child and she showed me how much she loves me. I can't find words to explain how great that experience is; and always will be, as it is so alive with Love; time will never take Our Lady's Love, away or make it any less for me; thank God, as It comes from God. I feel Our Lady's Love right beside me, every hour and minute of the day and night; just like when she first showed it to me. It is like she just appeared to me every-time, I embrace her Love, still so alive in the depths of my heart. I hope you and everybody, can share in Our Lady's special grace Our Lady gave to me. I am not worthy to receive it, but I try to be my best, how great Our Lady is to me.
Praise Our Lord God
Karen

For those in UK, EWTN will show:

THE BEST OF JOURNEY HOME IRELAND: Mark Lenaghan
August , Sunday 7, 20:00 & Wednesday 10, 11:00. (60 mins)


http://www.ewtn.co.uk/PDFs/201108.pdf