Amor et Misericordia Dei

VERSION FRANCAISE 

Our Pilgrimage to some Sacred Places on Earth...

In this menu page you will discover some photos which I took during our pilgrimages and visits to some Sacred Places in Europe. First of all, I shall show you the Sacred Places we visit in Belgium, those of: at Banneux and Beauraing; these are places where the Blessed Virgin Mary apparitions occurred several times in the 20th century. Next, I will then take you to Medjugorje in Bosnia, where we did the pilgrimage in 1995. Next, I will bring you to a pilgrimage in Lourdes and in Nevers (i.e. where Sainte Bernadette's incorrupt body is placed in the chapel); and the visit we made at rue de Bac (Paris) in France, where the incorrupt body of the most known saint called Sainte Catherine Labouré can be seen. In the meantime you will be able to watch a video clip of  about  the Song of Lourdes, to give an insight how the Sacred Place is like. Finally, I will show you our most recent pilgrimage in Fatima. We were there from the 7th July 2012 until the 14th July 2012. Enjoy the journey! 

BANNEUX, Belgium

The pictures were taken from Banneux Sacred Sanctuary

(Click once on any of the photos to see a larger image.)

A short documentary about Banneux and the Virgin of the Poor apparitions.

BEAURAING, Belgium

A particular video clip (see below) recounts the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Beauraing, and this followed by the apparitions in Banneux... She addresses the Message of Peace, Love and Mercy; the Holy Mother wants to lead us to Her Son and to God the Father, where we can have Salvation. Watch and listen to the video clip.

French: Le clip vidéo existe uniquement en version anglaise.  

Un clip vidéo en particulier (voir ci-dessous) raconte les apparitions de la Vierge Marie à Beauraing, et cela suivi par les apparitions à Banneux ... Elle nous adresse Son Message de Paix, d'Amour et de Miséricorde; la Sainte Mère veut nous conduire à son Fils et à Dieu le Père, où nous pouvons avoir le Salut. Regardez et écoutez le clip vidéo.

HAIL HOLY QUEEN, MOTHER OF MERCY! 

4. The bridge where the Blessed Virgin Mary's apparition was.

(Français: Le pont où est apparue la Sainte Vierge Marie.)

MEDJUGORJE, Bosnia: April 1995 

 In April 1995, I went to Medjugorje with my husband, Thierry. In fact, it was our first great pilgrimage before Lourdes. Being there it was just a dream...it seemed the Lord had brought us there to call us to conversion. Medjugorje is where the Holy Virgin Mary apparitions take place until now. We went there as a group-trip tour by bus. We first heard about the Pilgrimage trip from a Catholic church-goer who already organises such trip many times. I was personally attracted to go there as I am devoted to the Holy Virgin Mary from that time onwards. Moreover, the news about Her apparitions and Her messages to the world have touched me since then. I am also aware of God's love and mercy: in 2000, we began to lose contact with the Holy Virgin's message and to do daily rosary prayer due to family circumstances. Despite, God's love and faithfulness endures...indeed He has found us back to Him, and through His amazing grace, we returned to Him - this time it was an "immense" change, not only me and Thierry, but in the whole family. We have become truly a devout couple, as we feel (in our heart) God is love and merciful, and that He wants us to love Him.

Blessed Mother Teresa says,

'We, each one of us desires to live with God in blessedness, but we have the opportunity here and now to live in happiness with Him. In order to live in happiness with Him, we must love as He loves, give as He gives, help as He helps, touch Him in the poorest of the poor, be in their midst a sign of His presence, of His love, of His compassion.'

We pray that throughout our lives on earth, we pursue what God's Will is and to remain in Love with Him and with others too; for He commands us, "LOVE is the greatest commandment of all!" (Matthew 22:34-40) Amen.

I am anticipating to displaying our pictures of Medjugorje in due course when I have recovered them. However,I hope you enjoy watching at a video clip about Medjugorje below...

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

(Our Lady of Medjugorje) 

The account of Mother Mary's apparitions in Medjugorge.

RUE DE BAC (Paris), France: 9th June 2011

The pictures were taken from the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. 

(Click once on any of the photos to see a larger image.)

Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Paris, France.

NEVERS, France: 18th August 2009

LOURDES, France: 11th August 2009

The pictures were taken from Lourdes Sacred Sanctuary

(Click once on any of the photos to see a larger image.)

The Life of Saint Bernadette 

FATIMA, Portugal: 7th-14th July 2012 

 Version Française - merci de cliquer ici.

A Sacred Pilgrimage to Fatima 

                                                                                From left: Timothy, me (Felisia), my spouse (Thierry) and Jeremiah 

Preamble

On the 2nd July 2012 is the day when I left Belgium for Fatima, Portugal. I went there with my family (my spouse and two sons). It is our second fundamental pilgrimage to a sacred place, after Lourdes, in France in 2009.

After the pilgrimage in Lourdes, I prayed and trust that the Good Lord will grant me the grace to go to Fatima, with my family. Three years later, in May 2012, I had a call from God to go to go to Vilnius (Lithuania) for a group pilgrimage organised by a brother of St. John Catholic Community (Banneux, Belgium).Vilnius is a Sacred place as the Pope John Paul II went there on Pilgrimage in honour of the Blessed Maria Faustyna Kowalska. She was born as Helenka Kowalska.  God entrusted Sister Mary Faustina Kowalska of the Blessed Sacrament to spread His Divine Mercy to polish nation, and then to the world. She is the apostle of the Divine Mercy. In view of the fact this place is strictly for adults in order to respect the order of being silence. In my prayer, God is pleased with my intention to go to Fatima instead, with my family. 

During this pilgrimage, I believe God poured His blessing upon us and we received graces in abundance, not only for us, but  also for those I (we) prayed for: my (our) families, our community (our prayer group), and for all people in the world. I pray that people will aware of the importance of believing in the Good News... that is the Salvation that God the Almighty gives (us). The Salvation is a gift of life through which His Son Jesus Christ died on the Cross for (us). I pray that People will make an effort to amend themselves, believe in the Good News, repent and love God (the Holy Trinity), and to love the Mother of God, the Mother of all nations. 

The message of God

I noted here that an URGENT message of Fatima to the world is...the Mother of God calls us to repent as soon as possible – stop offending Her Son, Jesus, who has already offended so much...God wants to address to us that Heaven and Hell exist; therefore, besides Heaven, which is a glorious place, Our Lady of Fatima showed the three young shepherds, Lucia, Jacinta and Francesco what hell is like....it is horrifying!!

Before coming to Fatima, I had already had the similar vision from God in 2010: God showed me the two places: Heaven and Hell through a picture I snapped from the sky. God has called me since then to address this URGENT message to the world as time is short...Our life here on earth is not permanent but there is life after death. A permanent life after death is with God, in Heaven. God gives individual being the freedom where you decide to go to. I hope people will not choose to go to Hell! I pray for all of you! If people want to go to the purgatory after death, how long will the sufferings (purification) could endure in there...? Only God knows it. How to go to Heaven is to do what God’s will is...spend a good moment with God in silence (1 hour or more), either in front of the Blessed Sacrament in church, or in front of the Blessed altar at home. Observe God’s Law of Love (the Ten Commandments, the two Great Commandments). In fact, God rewards us according to the degree of our sacrifice: how much we love and serve God, and how we love and serve others – it is important to serve others, for He first humbly serves us, till He was crucified on the Cross. The Cross is the Sign: the Mystery of God’s Love to humankind! Jesus LOVES you!

The way of the pilgrimage

Based on my personal spiritual experience, this pilgrimage was glorious! When I arrived in Fatima, I was overjoyed. God had provided a lodging that was very warm welcomed by Portuguese hosts. The hotel was just a ten-minute walk to the Sanctuary of Fatima. At any moment, I personally feel the presence of the Blessed Trinity, with the Blessed Virgin Mary so close to my heart. I thanked the Blessed Mother for her prayers and thanked God for giving me the possibility to be there, with my family. I believe everything is possible in God, who strengthens me! Our pilgrimage conforms to the map given in this link: http://www.fatima.org/essentials/facts/tour.asp  

We left Lisbon for Fatima on 6th July at 3:30 p.m.; hence we arrived in the evening around 5:30 p.m. On the 7th July, we went to the Sanctuary of Fatima. We visited the place called Cova da Ira; it is a place where the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary was to the three young shepherds as mentioned early on. Now, a modern chapel was established at this place of the apparition. 

All the pictures shown below were taken from Fatima Sacred Sanctuary

(Click once on any of the photos to see a larger image.) 

 At Fatima, there are people from different nationalities make sacrifice for their own conversion or for others or for the world. They pray while making a long walk on their knees along the Way of Penance. It moved my heart. God bless them!

According to the apparition history, the Holy Virgin Mary suddenly appeared on the top of a small Holm oak tree while the three shepherds were in the field minding their sheep. Before this apparition, they first saw an angel of heaven three times at different places and periods: first, in spring, at Loca do Cabeço (Shelter of a Rock), and then in summer, at Poço Do Anjo (Well of the Angel). Thirdly, the angel appeared to them again, at Loca do Cabeço.  At the third apparition, the angel appeared holding a chalice in his hand and above it a Host (Body of Christ), from which drops of blood dripping into the chalice. The angel taught them how to pray. I could see the places when I made a silent prayer while walking on the Way of the Cross on 8th July. We did the prayer and the walk until the 15th Station of the Cross (i.e. the Resurrection of the Lord). 

We also visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima, where the Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto’s mortals were laid to rest. There was also the tomb of Sister Lúcia dos Santos’ located close to Jacinta’s tomb. 

On the 9th July, we attended a Holy Mass in English at the Chapel of the Apparition (Capela das Apariçoes). There were amazingly many worshippers of various nationalities coming for the Mass - it was a wonderful experience. Moreover the day was gloriously warm and sunny, with blue sky! Praise the LORD! We then spent an hour of Adoration at the Chapel of Holy Trinity.  In the afternoon, we did the second part journey through the Way of the Cross route. We went to the Valinhos, it is a place where the Blessed Virgin appeared to the shepherds on 19th August 1917. Later, we preceded our journey towards Loca do Cabeço - we could see the statues based on the third apparition of the angel as aforementioned.

At the adoration, the Lord gave me the message after reading the Scriptures of that day (14^th Week in Ordinary Time). I received the messages from God for us and for the world: 

The 1st Reading – Hosea 2:16-18, 21-22 

The Word of God: 

“I am the Beginning and the End. I am the Almighty God. I am your Creator. I create you and all what you see in this world. My people, listen to Me...I call you to repent, and at Fatima I give you the Blessed Mother who will guide you to Me...towards Heaven. I Am with you. If you listen to Me, you’ll be saved. Honour your Mother and love Her. For without Her you unable to walk in the right path...I call you children, to come close to My Heart every day. I love you eternally. Accept My love now...Be in communion with Me...I will grant the grace you need, for without My grace you can’t live in chastity (purity).  Be strong, and do not lose faith, but persevere to love Me until the end. My last word is...do not be afraid, I protect you. I Am your Saviour.”  

The Gospel Reading – Matthew 9:18-26 

“My people..., because My love is so great for you, I come is not to get rid the Law but to establish it. This Law is My commandment of Love. If you live in it, you will walk in the right path and be saved. I Am the Resurrection and the Life! You come to Me because you want Me to heal you..., you want Me to perform wonders and miracles. Have faith in Me. Happy are those who do not rely on wonders and miracles but believe I Am the Son of Man who lives and reigns forever and ever. Have faith and love...for ONLY through these virtues you are able to see who I Am. I AM your Saviour who heals you. Open your eyes now...Open the eyes of your heart!”

Afterwards, we walked a kilometre more to visit Jacinta’s and Francisco’s house, and the surrounding Portuguese villages. Another kilometre away, there we visited a church in Ourém, where Jacinta’s and Francisco were baptised. On the way back to the Sanctuary, we visited Lúcia house. It was a great Holy journey! It filled our hearts with abundant grace of God! 

On the 10th - 11th July, we simply made a good trip to Tomar and to Nazaré. On the 12th July we went to a morning Holy Mass at the Chapel of the Apparition, and then we did another walk through the Way of the Cross; we walked towards Poço Do Anjo. At Poço Do Anjo, we rested and meditated... Thanks to God’s grace, as at Poço Do Anjo, we met an old lady, who is Lúcia’s sister, namely Maria dos Anjos. She was sitting next to me. Though I could not communicate in Portuguese, she understood when I spoke in English; I thank God, for His grace made us understand what we tried to say...I was moved. God bless her! In the late afternoon, we attended the Eucharistic Procession in the Square. 

On the 13th July, we attended an open-air Holy Mass celebration at the Sanctuary Square. It is a very special day as it is the 3rd apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in Cova da Iria. The day was amazingly so bright sunny, warm, with blue sky! Hundreds of worshippers from all five continents could be seen there. The Mass was lasted for about 3 hours. After the Mass, it was followed by the blessing of the Sick, Consecration and "Adeus" (i.e. Farewell Procession). During the procession, the blessed statue of Our Lady of Fatima was carried away from the Basilica to the Chapel of Apparition.  

"Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God!"(Matthew 5:8)

The true documentary about the Heaven intervention occurred in Fatima, 1917:

"The Real Third Secret of Fatima." 

The video clips about the Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.