C
ClayPots47
Guest
Nope. But I have felt Her presence. Many years ago, I lived near a famous national shrine; a friend and I would sometimes meet there to talk and pray. We both were going through problems in our personal life. She was having great difficulty getting pregnant, after several years of marriage. I had just finished 18 weeks of physical therapy following an accident caused by an uninsured drunk driver. Both my doctors had advised me to apply for disability, I had been scraping by on Food Stamps, and money from my parish and several generous souls who gave me cash to pay my living expenses. As we sat on the bench near the Grotto, we both became aware of an overwhelmingly strong odor of roses. It was very strong, almost intoxicating. Curiously we looked around for the source of the smell, thinking perhaps there was someone bring bouquets of roses in the Grotto. We both knew that there were no rose bushes anywhere in the Grotto, plus it was late Fall and the foliage was mostly brown. There was no logical reason for the overwhelming scent. We both surmised that it could only be a sign from Heaven, and perhaps Our Lady was reassuring us somehow that we would be taken care of by God. Several months later, as Winter closed and Spring approached, she got pregnant. Then I was approved for Social Security Disability Payments. I had been told to expect denial, as most applicants are turned-down and forced to go through a grueling appeal procedure. Having suffered several miscarriages previously; my friend later gave birth to a healthy baby girl, whom she named Mary Elizabeth.
As a side note; the day of the accident, I was on my way to the Basilica in town, to pray the Novena with the Sisters for upcoming Feast of Our Lady of the Snows. As I sat in my wrecked car waiting for the emergency folk to come, I looked up at the rosary hanging from my rear view mirror (which mysteriously lost it’s crucifix), and exclaimed out loud, “I guess I’m not getting to the Novena today, Mary”. My parents cleaned out my now-totaled car, they never found the crucifix to my rosary. I had gone airborne after the drunk struck my car, I flew over a service island and rammed into a van. That van didn’t belong there, the mechanic had just pulled it out of the garage. But had it not been there, I would have flown through a plate glass window, and ended up in the lobby of the auto repair business. I could have been far more seriously injured than I was.
I do have another story of Our Lady leaving a message. My father, a fallen-away Catholic, passed away several years ago. When he first became ill and was hospitalized, one of the Vincentian priest pinned a Green Scapular to his pillow. I know my mother was especially worried about his salvation, as he had not awakened following emergency surgery. He did awaken many days later, and that same Vincentian asked if he wished to receive the sacraments. He was on a ventilator, so he could not speak, but he could indicate “yes” or “no”, so the priest simply asked if he was sorry for any and all sins he committed, then he was given Extreme Unction. This was 2 years to the day of my auto accident, August 3rd. He died 2 days later, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows on August 5th. There is a promise attached to the Green Scapular that Our Lady will obtain the conversion of those who have fallen away from the True Faith. I’m convinced she did so with my father, the day of his death was clearly Providential.
As a side note; the day of the accident, I was on my way to the Basilica in town, to pray the Novena with the Sisters for upcoming Feast of Our Lady of the Snows. As I sat in my wrecked car waiting for the emergency folk to come, I looked up at the rosary hanging from my rear view mirror (which mysteriously lost it’s crucifix), and exclaimed out loud, “I guess I’m not getting to the Novena today, Mary”. My parents cleaned out my now-totaled car, they never found the crucifix to my rosary. I had gone airborne after the drunk struck my car, I flew over a service island and rammed into a van. That van didn’t belong there, the mechanic had just pulled it out of the garage. But had it not been there, I would have flown through a plate glass window, and ended up in the lobby of the auto repair business. I could have been far more seriously injured than I was.
I do have another story of Our Lady leaving a message. My father, a fallen-away Catholic, passed away several years ago. When he first became ill and was hospitalized, one of the Vincentian priest pinned a Green Scapular to his pillow. I know my mother was especially worried about his salvation, as he had not awakened following emergency surgery. He did awaken many days later, and that same Vincentian asked if he wished to receive the sacraments. He was on a ventilator, so he could not speak, but he could indicate “yes” or “no”, so the priest simply asked if he was sorry for any and all sins he committed, then he was given Extreme Unction. This was 2 years to the day of my auto accident, August 3rd. He died 2 days later, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows on August 5th. There is a promise attached to the Green Scapular that Our Lady will obtain the conversion of those who have fallen away from the True Faith. I’m convinced she did so with my father, the day of his death was clearly Providential.
I just remember also reading on other occasions others who’ve seen the Blessed Virgin. The one instance I know, I can’t remember the saint or I would have listed the example before, but for some reason she didn’t believe said visionary saint and after a change of heart down the road asked saint for a favor to see the Virgin and she appeared to her and the nun died. That’s why I didn’t list that example before bc I can’t site it and it may not be true, who knows. I think if Mary wanted to appear to anyone she’d do it despite how contemplative their prayer life had become. But like I said, I’ve not studied it, am not an expert, nor do I claim to be. Just giving my impression!
