- Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:21 pm
#48371
This is another witness to the graces we receive in Medjugorje, I met Antonio three years ago, I felt this tremendous promting of the Holy Spirit
to help him, I hadn't yet spoken to him, please read his witness and let Antonio tell you of his change in life through Medjugorje.
[u][b]I Opened the door and I saw the Light [/b][/u]
My name is Antonio, I am an Italian.
I would like to tell you about how my life has changed so much since receiving Phil's witness, listening to 'Gospa Oratorio' and going to Medjugorje on pilgrimage, (something I said I would never do).
My elder son was a worry for me and my wife some years ago, we knew of the Community Cenacolo as it was very close to where we lived, we knew that many young people's lives had been changed by entering community.
My son had an arrangement with Community that he could enter for six weeks to experience the lifestyle lived in Community. Then he returned to our home, we knew it wouldn't produce immediate fruits. As time went by the situation at home became unbearable, he had no respect for us, and did his own thing. We had two other young children at home and we could not allow his behaviour and example to pass to them. After one year he went to live with my brother and sister.
My wife started going to the Cenacolo prayer groups and meetings, she prayed often during the day. I didn't like that too much, I didn't like the rosaries and going to mass. I did not pray and go to mass for years.
Once a year the community holds a Festival for friends and families of the young people who live in Community, we were invited and to tell the truth I was driven by my wife because I did not like too much the idea of endless rosaries and prayers but......... I changed completely my mind when I saw the young people's eyes and faces, their faces showed such joy and love, you would not imagine that they had once been lost, or addicts. I spoke with them and listened to their testimonies. I cried a lot, I have never cried so much in my life.
One year lapsed I was almost as I was the year before, a little had changed in me. A new festival was coming.
My wife and I went there, I thought I would also practise a little English while I was there. It was the last day of the festival, and I happened to meet this English lady called Marjie, (I think, and Marjie knows this was not a coincidence, but a God incidence). She was visiting a young man that she had assisted to enter the Cenacolo a couple of years earlier. We started a conversation with rather stupid questions, then she asked me why I was at the festival, I told her my son was in Cenacolo Community two years earlier but not there now, She asked me where my son is now, so I replied "He is with my brother and sister but he is far from being happy" She joined her hands together and said to me "You know what to do for your son, don't you, Pray" to which I replied "I can't pray" She replied "You don't have to be on your knees all day just say, Lord please help me, please help my son" Also the young man said "You don't have to do many things Just say Jesus, Jesus"
I then said "I am not a good father" they replied, "Just ask for forgiveness, start afresh this minute, you are forgiven". Marjie told me she had forgiven her father, and loved him, also the young man loved his father who had not always been the best. I cried, their words touched my heart.
We agreed to keep in touch by e-mail, I needed to hear more of this thinking. Marjie told me about her experiences in Medjugorje, I replied "I would NEVER go there" she told me about Phil's witness, 'A Walk in the Dark' so I asked her to send it to me. I was deeply touched, it reminded me of many parts of my life, I didn't want to cry but I was forced to, I thought it over a lot.
Then she asked me if I would like to listen to 'Gospa Oratorio' cd, I think she was slowly leading the way forward for me, not giving me too much to handle at one time. I agreed she could send 'Gospa' to me. Several days later I received the cd and I was deeply touched again.
I e-mailed her and thanked her for sending me this very inspired work of Phil and his brother Mike's, she commented that she really felt Our Lady was calling me to Medjugorje, it was a very strong prompting in her heart, like she had when she first met me and my wife at Cenacolo community, she knew then that she had to speak with me, and couldn't ignore this prompting.
My wife longed to go on Pilgrimage to Medjugorje, she had all but booked the voyage, one day she mentioned it to me, and I said "Perhaps I should go instead of you" She was astonished but very happy. Simultaneously Marjie encouraged me to go and eventually I decided to go.
Before I went I wrote to her "It would probably be a waste of time" she replied, "You have nothing to lose Antonio, much to gain, I can tell you it will not be a waste of time"
I went, I prayed, I confessed, I asked for help because I am weak (and stubborn) I cried, I slept only a little. It was one of the happiest weeks of my life, because I found something special, something money can't buy. I received many blessings.
I came home really tired...... but very happy for having been there.
Marjie and I still keep in touch, and I see the young man when I attend the Cenacolo meetings. When we meet we do not say many words. Sometimes only a strong hug, that is enough, I know he has been a great help to me too.
Sometimes now my son visits, I am very happy to see him,. By his confidences we perceive that something is changing within him. My wife and I pray together the rosary for him and all the young people in Cenacolo, I also enjoy the Cenacolo prayer meetings. I have received so much, now I try to give to others what I have received. I have been blessed, my life is changing, I still have problems but now I trust in God and Our Lady to help me.
So I say humble thanks to Phil, Mike, Marjie, the young friend and other friends I met in Community and of course 'Gospa' between them they have helped me to find myself.
Laboriously I opened the door and I saw the light.
to help him, I hadn't yet spoken to him, please read his witness and let Antonio tell you of his change in life through Medjugorje.
[u][b]I Opened the door and I saw the Light [/b][/u]
My name is Antonio, I am an Italian.
I would like to tell you about how my life has changed so much since receiving Phil's witness, listening to 'Gospa Oratorio' and going to Medjugorje on pilgrimage, (something I said I would never do).
My elder son was a worry for me and my wife some years ago, we knew of the Community Cenacolo as it was very close to where we lived, we knew that many young people's lives had been changed by entering community.
My son had an arrangement with Community that he could enter for six weeks to experience the lifestyle lived in Community. Then he returned to our home, we knew it wouldn't produce immediate fruits. As time went by the situation at home became unbearable, he had no respect for us, and did his own thing. We had two other young children at home and we could not allow his behaviour and example to pass to them. After one year he went to live with my brother and sister.
My wife started going to the Cenacolo prayer groups and meetings, she prayed often during the day. I didn't like that too much, I didn't like the rosaries and going to mass. I did not pray and go to mass for years.
Once a year the community holds a Festival for friends and families of the young people who live in Community, we were invited and to tell the truth I was driven by my wife because I did not like too much the idea of endless rosaries and prayers but......... I changed completely my mind when I saw the young people's eyes and faces, their faces showed such joy and love, you would not imagine that they had once been lost, or addicts. I spoke with them and listened to their testimonies. I cried a lot, I have never cried so much in my life.
One year lapsed I was almost as I was the year before, a little had changed in me. A new festival was coming.
My wife and I went there, I thought I would also practise a little English while I was there. It was the last day of the festival, and I happened to meet this English lady called Marjie, (I think, and Marjie knows this was not a coincidence, but a God incidence). She was visiting a young man that she had assisted to enter the Cenacolo a couple of years earlier. We started a conversation with rather stupid questions, then she asked me why I was at the festival, I told her my son was in Cenacolo Community two years earlier but not there now, She asked me where my son is now, so I replied "He is with my brother and sister but he is far from being happy" She joined her hands together and said to me "You know what to do for your son, don't you, Pray" to which I replied "I can't pray" She replied "You don't have to be on your knees all day just say, Lord please help me, please help my son" Also the young man said "You don't have to do many things Just say Jesus, Jesus"
I then said "I am not a good father" they replied, "Just ask for forgiveness, start afresh this minute, you are forgiven". Marjie told me she had forgiven her father, and loved him, also the young man loved his father who had not always been the best. I cried, their words touched my heart.
We agreed to keep in touch by e-mail, I needed to hear more of this thinking. Marjie told me about her experiences in Medjugorje, I replied "I would NEVER go there" she told me about Phil's witness, 'A Walk in the Dark' so I asked her to send it to me. I was deeply touched, it reminded me of many parts of my life, I didn't want to cry but I was forced to, I thought it over a lot.
Then she asked me if I would like to listen to 'Gospa Oratorio' cd, I think she was slowly leading the way forward for me, not giving me too much to handle at one time. I agreed she could send 'Gospa' to me. Several days later I received the cd and I was deeply touched again.
I e-mailed her and thanked her for sending me this very inspired work of Phil and his brother Mike's, she commented that she really felt Our Lady was calling me to Medjugorje, it was a very strong prompting in her heart, like she had when she first met me and my wife at Cenacolo community, she knew then that she had to speak with me, and couldn't ignore this prompting.
My wife longed to go on Pilgrimage to Medjugorje, she had all but booked the voyage, one day she mentioned it to me, and I said "Perhaps I should go instead of you" She was astonished but very happy. Simultaneously Marjie encouraged me to go and eventually I decided to go.
Before I went I wrote to her "It would probably be a waste of time" she replied, "You have nothing to lose Antonio, much to gain, I can tell you it will not be a waste of time"
I went, I prayed, I confessed, I asked for help because I am weak (and stubborn) I cried, I slept only a little. It was one of the happiest weeks of my life, because I found something special, something money can't buy. I received many blessings.
I came home really tired...... but very happy for having been there.
Marjie and I still keep in touch, and I see the young man when I attend the Cenacolo meetings. When we meet we do not say many words. Sometimes only a strong hug, that is enough, I know he has been a great help to me too.
Sometimes now my son visits, I am very happy to see him,. By his confidences we perceive that something is changing within him. My wife and I pray together the rosary for him and all the young people in Cenacolo, I also enjoy the Cenacolo prayer meetings. I have received so much, now I try to give to others what I have received. I have been blessed, my life is changing, I still have problems but now I trust in God and Our Lady to help me.
So I say humble thanks to Phil, Mike, Marjie, the young friend and other friends I met in Community and of course 'Gospa' between them they have helped me to find myself.
Laboriously I opened the door and I saw the light.
