From the Inbox:

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Photo by Leslie Ortiz

I was blessed to have been able to visit the traveling Blessed Mother statue while on her travels in  Michigan this past summer.

I must tell you I was raised Protestant and I was very outspoken regarding the “Praying to the Blessed Mother”…or what I had perceived it to be.

My husband is a cradle Catholic and had prayed for my conversion for years. Of course I was a very hard nut to crack yet he never gave up on me.

We were in a small chapel in River View, where I had gone just to be with my husband, and I was so immediately drawn to the Blessed Mother I truly have no words to describe the feeling. I have multiple physical problems yet I was drawn to kneel and give adoration. My husband tried to get me not to kneel because it is truly an impossibility for me to do so. My reply to him was ” God will help me get back up”. As I knelt there in front of Blessed Mother I knew she was looking into my very soul and I was completely transfixed by her presence as I stared at her beautiful face. Never have I felt anything so strongly as I felt at that moment. Yes God helped me get up off my knees as I knew he would, yet he also let me feel the pain from doing so for weeks.

When we left the chapel we went into the small gift shop where I was drawn to a scapular and I never even knew what one was before! We purchased 2 of them, one for each of us, and on our way out of the gift shop my husband spotted a box  for donations. He literally emptied his wallet of everything he had in gratitude for my acceptance before the Blessed Mother.

We had no idea that box was for the chapel and not the traveling statue and her continued care.

As we were leaving we met the wonderful gentleman that was actually there with the statue. We spoke with him for quite a long time and shared my experience with him and he shared many of his experiences with us. Having no money left on us, and not about to go back to the donation box to remove our misplaced donation, I wrote a check for the amount we had donated already. He was also absolutely wonderful in convincing me I needed the book by Sister Lucia (Pathway Under the Gaze of Mary), so having no cash left another check was written for the book.

When we finally left I picked up a small little 3 x 5 folding pamphlet on how to pray to rosary. We stopped on our way home at another Catholic supply house because I had such a profound need to have a rosary all of a sudden.

I have used this little pamphlet daily since then and it is falling apart from so much use. Is there a way for me to get another one? Had I known how special it was to become I would have picked up more than one at the time. As it was I felt like I had already been blessed and my mind was still engaged in that most wonderful feeling of euphoria.

As soon as we got home that day my husband called to find out when catechism classes were so that I  could begin my conversion. We are now 5 weeks into class and I cannot wait until Easter Vigil….I am running to the Catholic Church and truly cannot get there quickly enough! All of these wonderful blessings because I chose to go with my husband that day.

I have told everyone I know of that remarkable day and I am praying for the souls of my family and friends…along with the souls of so many departed that were not Catholic.

It seems to be a new way of life for me….to want to share my new found Faith.

Please tell me how I can get another pamphlet…..or even pamphlets because I would love nothing more than to be able to give them to family, including my husband that would love one of his own.

You cannot know the wonderful gift I received that momentous day and I will continue to share it with all who will listen…and many that would prefer to not listen.

 

For those interested, the Pamphlet on How to Pray the Rosary  is available in our Gift Shop.

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