A Friend of Medjugorje’s Works
“…Love invokes love and makes works more important than words…”
Our Lady of Medjugorje June 2, 2016
“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works.”
James 2:22
In an article published by Forbes.com entitled, “What Is The Definition of An Entrepreneur?” Jim Blasingame states that an entrepreneur must have ownership, courage, curiosity, vision, risk, and redemption. He ends the article claiming, “The 21st century needs ‘all kinds’ of entrepreneurs.”
Those who have come in contact with all that a Friend of Medjugorje has accomplished for Our Lady understand clearly that God has invested a great plan in the hands of one of the greatest spiritual entrepreneurs of the 21st century. This spiritual entrepreneur, a Friend of Medjugorje, has run Caritas of Birmingham, from its beginnings, as an organization seeking to gain the greatest spiritual profit for Heaven, namely, countless conversions born through the plan of Our Lady of Medjugorje. He takes his calling seriously knowing the risk is not in failing financially, as is the concern of business entrepreneurs, but in failing to help the Mother of God institute Her plans for the
world through Medjugorje. A Friend of Medjugorje has laid everything on the line for Our Lady, and has put all the many aspects and outreaches of Caritas of Birmingham and the Community of Caritas at The Mother’s disposal. His works speak louder than his words. What he accomplishes will never be enough for him. He relates to Our Lady when She said in 1984-1985:
“When you will be in Heaven, you will understand why I am so pressed.”
Those surrounding him daily see him always “pressed.” If another project is not continuously “on the table” then things are not normal. Those who persecute a Friend of Medjugorje definitely cannot persecute him for “not doing enough.” Looking at all of the “works” he has initiated through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and guided to success, one can see that he has a great faith in the apparitions of Our Lady of Medjugorje. He has always been willing to put his reputation on the line in order to fulfill what he feels God is showing him. His faith in and love for Our Lady give him his strength.
“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead…For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.”
James 2:17, 26
The works of a Friend of Medjugorje presented below are by no means an exhaustive compilation. Our archives are so large and so full that it was impossible to cover every work initiated by a Friend of Medjugorje in the amount of time we had to prepare this section for Mej v3.0, the new Medjugorje.com, released in August 2017. We have made our best effort to include below as many of his major works as possible. We will continue to add to this compilation as time permits us to accurately present more of his works from the past and as all that a Friend of Medjugorje is undertaking now and will undertake in the future is manifested.
“Pray and by your life witness...”
October 6, 1986
“Pray and by your life witness. Not with words but rather through prayer will you attain what your desire is. Therefore, pray more and live in humility.”
For a more detailed account of the founder of Caritas' question to Our Lady and response He received read The Petition.”
BVM Caritas Medjugorje Pilgrimages
“...Dear children, I want you to comprehend that God has chosen each one of you in order to use you in a great plan for the salvation of mankind...”
There was no returning back to the life “before” Medjugorje. Caritas' founder had already begun to take pilgrims with him on his return to this little village just four months after his first pilgrimage there. He then founded BVM (Blessed Virgin Mary) Pilgrimages, feeling a very strong responsibility and desire to bring people to the experience of the apparitions. The first official pilgrimage for BVM Pilgrimages for Caritas was in November 1986. Since its founding, BVM Caritas Medjugorje Pilgrimages has brought pilgrims to Medjugorje consecutively year after year, not even stopping during the war in Bosnia. Pilgrims consistently state that BVM Caritas Medjugorje Pilgrimages leads the #1 pilgrimage in the world and the only way to go to Medjugorje. Visit the BVM Caritas Medjugorje Pilgrimages site for more information on pilgrimages to Medjugorje.
ABC 20/20 Accompanies BVM Caritas Medjugorje Pilgrimage
At the time, in the 1980s, the usual viewing audience for 20/20 was approximately 22,000,000 people. With the amount of publicity that this segment received, it was expected that this story would be viewed by many more people. The founder of Caritas placed an ad for the 20/20 “Special Report” in one of the Caritas Newletters and encouraged others to pick up this ad and put it in their local newspapers, Catholic papers, Church bulletins, etc., to encourage people to watch the 20/20 Medjugorje story. Caritas had to add six more phone lines to the three existing phone lines to accept the hundreds of calls from people wanting to place the ad in their local papers. The story ended up drawing one of the largest viewing audiences 20/20 had seen to that point.
Marija’s First Visit to the Founder's Home
November 20, 1988
“May your life be prayer. May your work be offered as a prayer and may everything that you do bring you toward me. Let everything that you do and everybody that you meet be an encounter with God.”
It was a year after Our Lady left before the understanding was gained as to how prophetic and powerful this message was, and it is still unfolding. God has aided the founder and the Mission of Caritas greatly in bringing many souls toward Our Lady and helping everything to be used for Our Lady’s purposes.
“Medjugorje: The Lasting Sign”
“You’re a journalist, not a babe in the woods. You couldn’t be, doing your job, you can’t be naive. What is your reaction to their claims? Do you believe that they actually see something?” Wallace answered: “Well to tell you the truth, yes, I do believe they actually see something. I have made it a point, since my return (from Medjugorje) to find as much information as I can about the scientific tests that have been done there. Because, as a journalist, I believe that information will help people be convinced, one way or the other. And fortunately it probably will help. Although, I guess having faith is the most important thing. I believe they are seeing something. I believe that there’s no way these children could be lying. That they are seeing something, that they are not crazy, and it’s beyond our capabilities to know, absolutely, if we’re not going to take their word for it, that they’re seeing the Virgin Mary, but they are seeing something. And that ‘Something’ is giving them a message that sounds very much like the messages a Virgin Mary would be giving. So, taking their word for it, I would say yes, I believe in it.”
It was said by many that “Medjugorje: The Lasting Sign,” was the most important documentary on Medjugorje.
Our Lady Asks for a Community to be Established
Father Robert Faricy, a Jesuit priest who wrote several books on Medjugorje, was present during the apparitions on December 13 and 14, 1988. He was amazed and said:
“I visited Marija in Birmingham and prayed with her and the others when Our Lady came to her in the Bedroom. Not even in Medjugorje did I feel so strongly Mary’s presence as I did during Her apparition to Marija in Birmingham.”
Billboard Program Launched
Words From Heaven 1st Edition
Looking at the event, as much from the perspective of one living 100 years from now as one in the present, it has always been a concern of a Friend of Medjugorje* that nothing be lost from these apparitions, neither words, nor gestures of Our Lady. Human nature tends to grow dulled to events that happen daily, but the result of this dullness will be much regretted in the future, after the apparitions have ended. It is the responsibility of the “witnesses” of the events to do all they can to record the events, however insignificant they may appear at the time. It is the testimony of the witnesses of Our Lady that the Church will eventually go to, to understand the apparitions of Medjugorje. Words from Heaven holds great importance not only for our present spiritual growth, but for the spiritual growth of generations upon generations that will come after us.
*The title a Friend of Medjugorje" did not exist prior to the publishing of the First edition of Words From Heaven. For more information about how this title came about, read "Founder to Friend." To order your copy of Words from Heaven today on Mejmart
“Between Heaven and Earth” Produced on Cassettes
The philosophy of giving away materials for free was always very strong in a Friend of Medjugorje, but it took a strong faith that God would provide the necessary funds to do this and to combat those opposed to this way of thinking. A Friend of Medjugorje, despite those who constantly battled him in this way of thinking, has held fast, and literally millions of people have heard, directly or indirectly, of the apparitions in Medjugorje related to his strong faith in God’s providence.“Between Heaven and Earth” is now produced on CD in English and Spanish and continues to be spread throughout the world. To order or download your copy of “Between Heaven and Earth”
OIM – Operation Introducing Medjugorje
Dear Caritas of Birmingham, February 24, 1991
Many thanks for your packet, sent 1/17/91 to “Any Service Member.” Several of these have been directed to me and after noting the excellent contents of the mailing, I assure you that all reaching the United States Carrier USS-America will be distributed to our sailors and officers.
The war rages here - it began in its land portion at 0300 this morning. Having been recently with the Marine Corps from August to early October, 1990, in the Gulf, I can well guess the great trial that our troops are now enduring. Your prayer and fasting has no doubt been heard and is answered by God on High, and our military deeply appreciates the sacrifices and devotion to bring this blessing. May God richly bless your work and the message of hope that Caritas carries.
Sincerely, Lt. G.G.W. Office of Chaplain
PRM: Project Refugee Medjugorje
The Poem of the Man-God Controversy
“One must read them.”
When other followers of Medjugorje found out that a Friend of Medjugorje wrote the cardinal, they were upset and feared he would endanger the status of Medjugorje with his question. He simply saw them as non-believers, because his faith in the apparitions was so strong that if Our Lady said it, God allowed it. And if He (God) allowed it, all would work out for His Glory. Visit here to read the full story
Field Angel Program Established
In September of 1991, a Friend of Medjugorje with the first Caritas Community members, did a nine-day novena, walking on their knees from his home to the Tree in the Field of Apparitions, circling the Tree nine times also on their knees, praying Rosary after Rosary in petition to Our Lady to inspire a direction in this matter. The result of that novena was Caritas of Birmingham’s Field Angel program.
The concept came to a Friend of Medjugorje in morning prayer during the days of the novena, of having people pledge a certain amount each month, creating a budget from which we could plan future projects, as well as for the reprinting and reproduction of Caritas' materials, but he was at a loss as to how to structure and name the concept. He climbed the mountain behind Caritas one morning, to clear his mind and to pray again to Our Lady for guidance. In figuring how much we needed each month to carry on the operations of the mission, keep the materials in print, and be able to implement new ideas in spreading the message, he figured we needed at least 5,000 people to commit to a monthly donation. A prayer he had prayed almost daily before Marija, the Medjugorje visionary, came to Alabama and had the apparitions here, suddenly came to him on this mountain climb. The prayer was a petition in which he begged God to send 5,000 angels to the valley, assigning 1,000 angels each for specific tasks, such as 1,000 angels for protection, 1,000 angels to help bring about the conversion of the people who would come here, 1,000 angels to help acquire the land, etc. As he remembered that prayer, the understanding of “Field Angels” came into his heart.
The community knew that this was from Our Lady at the time, but understand it even more so now to see what the Field Angel Program has become...literally a physical extension of the Caritas community, hands and instruments of Our Lady that reach around the world bringing the message of Our Lady, first by their lives lived as witnesses, then through the materials produced here in the Tabernacle of Our Lady’s Messages. When the Field Angel program was born, a community of believers was born who live the spirit of Medjugorje in their own individual homes, towns and cities, but who are united under the mantle of Our Lady through the mission of Caritas. Field Angels are prayed for everyday by the Community of Caritas and are considered as family for all they do for Our Lady through the mission.
OLPG – Our Lady’s Prayer Groups
We were hearing from many people who did not know anyone in their area who knew of Medjugorje. Our Lady gave a Friend of Medjugorje an inspiration to respond to their need, and Our Lady’s Prayer Groups, or O.L.P.G., was born. A computer program was created that, using the mailing list as the base, helped match people together in their area so they could form or join an already existing prayer group. We put together a packet of information for those who wanted to start their own group based on the dictations of Our Lady’s prayer group in Medjugorje. Our Lady’s Prayer Groups, registered with Caritas of Birmingham, began receiving regular mailings from us to keep them informed of the events and messages of Medjugorje. Whenever Our Lady expressed specific needs for prayer, or whenever there were prayer projects we sponsored, we had an immense group of people ready to respond with prayers and sacrifices. As many people have told us through the years, just knowing they are a part of so many other people praying for the same intention gives them the feeling that their prayers can really make a difference in helping Our Lady and Her plans in changing the world. A Friend of Medjugorje has future plans to revamp and restructure OLPG to make the program stronger for the future.
The Tabernacle of Our Lady’s Messages
“Children of America, Save Medjugorje!”
On this anniversary of June 25, 1992, of Our Lady’s apparitions in Medjugorje, Vicka made a special presentation to Our Lady of the first completed coloring books from “Children of America, Save Medjugorje.” Four children from Caritas had colored their pages, offering up their prayers and sacrifices to Our Lady for peace. Their coloring books were carried to Medjugorje for the June 25th anniversary by the Caritas crew who accompanied the most recent Project Refugee Medjugorje (P.R.M.) flight to Medjugorje and the surrounding areas. Two refugees from a nearby village also had drawings to present to Our Lady. The following was conveyed:
“On the 25th during the course of the apparition, Vicka gave Her the first drawings from the children as a gift for the Anniversary. The Virgin showed Her great joy and blessed the coloring books as well as the children who did them. Vicka is waiting impatiently for the others.”
The Seven Novenas Begin
These powerful and moving novenas spread rapidly, and have led to the accumulation of prayers numbered into the millions, said for the conversion and healing of ourselves, our families and our nation. It is a momentum of prayer that grows every year, with over 1,000,000 copies in circulation. To Order a copy of the Novena on Mej-mart, Click Here!