For Immediate Release
December 17, 2019 A.D.
Your Support for the Community is Vital this Year
What’s Below:
Special Note from the Community
Please let us know your donation is for the Community
Dear Friends of Our Lady and the Community,
Our Lady said on July 12, 1982, right at the beginning of the apparitions, when She was asked a question regarding a third world war:
What does it mean, then, when on November 25, 2019, Our Lady says:
The context Our Lady was speaking of in 1982 was a war like World War I and II. A war such as this, Our Lady said, will not take place. The war Our Lady is speaking about in Her November 25, 2019 message is something different. This war that the world is witnessing today is not between nations, but between those who hate and those who love—throughout the entire world. In December 1990, just as war began to develop in the region of Medjugorje, Our Lady said:
We are in an epic battle to conquer evil through the power of love, a love that Our Lady has been sent to earth for almost 40 years to teach us.
The Community of Caritas was birthed through a request from Our Lady when She appeared to Medjugorje visionary, Marija, in the Bedroom of Apparitions and asked for it on December 13, 1988. We know of no other community in Medjugorje’s history that was birthed through the direct request of Our Lady in an apparition through a visionary. As the mission was already established prior to December 1988, and christened with the name, “Caritas,” this also became the name of the community. A month and a half later, Marija was still having apparitions in the home. On January 23, 1989, a private request was asked of Our Lady in which She responded:
When Marija was questioned about what Our Lady meant by this message, Marija responded, “You will have to suffer.” For months, prayers and sacrifices were offered to understand this message. What does Our Lady want to teach about sacrifice? What sacrifices are pleasing to God? What is the greatest sacrifice one can make? The answer was found in Our Lady’s messages. On March 27, 1986, Our Lady said:
The greatest sacrifice? Love? What did it mean in regards to the question asked the month before about Our Lady wanting to “teach” what sacrifice means? What did it mean for the new community that was about to be birthed through Our Lady’s request, the Community of Caritas? To add greater mystery to the question, “Caritas” is the Latin word meaning “love” and “charity.” What was Our Lady revealing? Names are important to God. “Naming” was the first request God made of Adam after He created him as the first man. Names are, themselves, a revelation. Theologian, Alexander Schmemann, writes:
“In the Bible a name…reveals the very essence of a thing, or rather its essence as God’s gift…To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know its place and function within the cosmos created by God. To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it.”1
If this is true, then to have “love” as our name reveals the very essence of who we were made to be as a community, especially in light of Our Lady asking for the community’s birth.
At a time when France was about to be completely destroyed, God sent the Archangel Michael to teach a young maiden, Joan of Arc, the art of war, and through her, God saved France. Now it is Our Lady who has been sent by God because the entire world is in peril. The investment Our Lady has made in “teaching” Her way of love here at Caritas is unprecedented within the Medjugorje world. What Our Lady has done here, at Caritas, is not replicated anywhere else, nor can it be as Our Lady said:
October 25, 2015
This is not because we are better or holier than anyone. We are sinners, living a perfect life, imperfectly. It is only because of the investment of time Our Lady has made here through over 200 apparitions on our site2 , many personal messages given, and walking with the community in so many different events and experiences as we have put Her messages into “a way of life.” We are in the sunset of Our Lady’s apparitions. Her time among us will soon pass. What we have learned and experienced will become the future lessons of love for a world that will be suddenly awakened to Love, just as the time of grace, the time of Our Lady’s visitations, will end. It will feel like an ending, but will only be the beginning.
Our Annual Plea
As the last two years, our Community Plea remains the same. The goal is again, $200,000.00. As years go by and even with inflation, we’ve been able to maintain the same goal. Walking on a path, of an efficient discipline and doing everything with our own equipment, out of debt, each dollar donation turns into many dollars in value for what we produce, build, and for the general operations at Caritas. We, therefore, are in deep gratitude for your prayers and gifts across the decades. You have strengthened the Community and helped it to be less and less a burden on the mission of Caritas. How?
On the Caritas side of the mission, open any of our books or material we give away for free. If people buy in bulk to spread Our Lady’s messages, you will see pricing, basically, for only the cost of the paper—25 cents for a 50 page, high quality bound, long paper life, short book to pass into future generations. Why is it important for the books to have a long life? We know the world is going to change. Medjugorje visionary, Ivan, has said we will see physical changes on the earth. Books were very expensive only just a few decades ago. Most all books now are cheaply printed on acid paper and are bound poorly. They are not made to last into the future. It is part of the read- and-throw away mentality. We, through prayer, know that we must produce books of Our Lady’s messages with built-in longevity. We are blind to what will change, because we cannot know the future, but we are not blind to Our Lady’s words.
April 25, 1983
One of the calls from Our Lady in spreading Her messages is that we take it to mean spreading them also “into the future.” We are thinking about generations not yet born. Many will not be able to have books. During this time of grace, we have produced and continue to produce millions of books and materials of Our Lady’s messages and way of life. It has always been a high priority of the mission of Caritas to transmit into future ages Our Lady’s plans, messages and Her actions in order to preserve them all. We have vaulted many things that would have been lost and never known had we not preserved them for the Church now and for the future. All this is accomplished by more than just being efficient. It is also our infrastructure.
Your Support is Vital
Donate Here!
Please let us know your donation is for the Community
Or Call in the U.S. at 205-672-2000.
From outside the U.S. dial 001-205-672-2000
After hours dial to extension 315.
How do you sell a one thousand page book for $5.00? By having the book ordered in bulk. For instance, the book, They Fired the First Shot 2012, was ordered by the case by multitudes of people. There were even individuals who ordered whole pallets that were delivered to their door. Many gave them to family, friends, parishioners and co-workers. How can we do what China cannot do? Because all our equipment is paid for.
As already mentioned, we do not take on any debt.
On the Community’s side, we provide labor, practically free, for Caritas of Birmingham. We, as St. Paul said:
“For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.” 2 Thess. 3:7-9
We have structured our community not to be a burden on the mission of Caritas of Birmingham. We want every penny possible to go toward the evangelization of the world. Why? Because Our Lady asked us to do so. This has allowed us to give away, literally, millions of dollars of books, audio broadcasts and a vast assortment of Medjugorje evangelization materials at retail value, through 33 years. We not only spread Our Lady’s messages through this means, but also most importantly, we culturalize Her way into a way of life. Books are books, but when our life is written down, it is a work of nonfiction, real life; not fake, not fiction. What Our Lady has done with Caritas, is that She has instituted special plans that She has not done with any other Medjugorje operation, community or center in the world. What Our Lady has created out of Caritas, its community, its organization, its very life, is a prototype for future communities to tailor themselves upon. These future Medjugorje communities will fill the earth. In the book of Genesis, it is written of what is in our midst:
“The Lord said to Abram: ‘Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.’” Genesis 12: 1-3
Please, in this Holy Season, give a generous gift to the most important mission in the world. Can that be stated? Yes, because the mission comes directly from Heaven! It is Our Lady who told us repeatedly that Her presence is for the salvation of the whole world—and most astounding – the plan being implemented comes with the foretold 3 Secrets – the third an undeniable supernatural sign from Heaven. That makes the case for the most important mission for the world that propagates, by far, the most Medjugorje information and material in the world.
November 25, 1990
Please help us reach the $200,000 goal quickly as we will be announcing major long range plans going into 2020 after we reach this goal. During this Season of Christmas, you will also be remembered in the prayers of the Community in front of our Nativity. We pray that you will have a deep encounter with the Christ Child this Christmas.
With Love from Bethlehem to Birmingham,
Footnotes:
1. Schmemann, Alexander, For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1973
2. The 200th apparition took place recently when Medjugorje visionary, Marija, came to Caritas for a private visit to attend the wedding of the daughter of our founder. Marija was here from October 19-28, 2019. The 200th apparition took place on October 24, 2019, the eve of the 25th message for the world. There was a Fifty-Four Day Rosary Novena prayed by the whole community for Our Lady to give words in regard to a thirty-one year period in which a Friend of Medjugorje was in an exchange back and forth with Our Lady, through Marija. Our Lady did grant what the novena asked for. Our Lady shone more light on the exchange concealed within the October 25th message. For more information see the Medjugorje Headline, The Heavenly Father Always Listens to His Children.
Your Support is Vital
Donate Now!
Please let us know your donation is for the Community
Or Call in the U.S. at 205-672-2000.
From outside the U.S. dial 001-205-672-2000
After hours dial to extension 315.
Pictures
If our small children had to go to confession, it would be for mischief. “You go right. I’ll go left. We’ll run ‘em into the electric fence. He…he…he…he…he.”
Living in a sterilized society, many sicknesses result. Children building immunities, walking into a chicken trailer barefoot. Yes, cleanliness is next to Godliness and our children learn this, but at the same time, they do not fear doing what they need to do whether in work or in play.
Chain Gang? Heavy work at the end of the day brings a light heart. Consolation is derived from “sweat of your brow” that begets accomplishment.
Our children are raised around work. It is play to them.
Big Bad John 38½ inches tall, sands sheet rock mud. All these pictures are not ‘posed for.’ The children will stay at it for hours when they help out. It is natural for them because it is a learned attitude by adults who love this work for Our Lady and emitting a positive attitude towards the most difficult work that passes into the children.
By the time they were three years old, Big John and all the boys were using sharp knives. They have already had cuts and even stitches through pocket knives that spoke to them and taught them, “I’ll cut you if you mishandle me.” (Of course, as adults, we show them how to use pockets knives, but we know they will get cut two or three times that teaches a remembered lesson).
Eyes of the soul. Our Lady says:
December 2, 2019
Can you not see in our children’s eyes peace, contentment and joy. Here, without a smile, Our Lady’s message is proven in the eyes you stare in.
Dig a hole. Put plastic in it. Put some dirt back in the hole, add water. All without dollars. Suddenly you have a whole Six Flags fun through the afternoon, while watchful older children and adults are working. Kids need to be raised around work.
Troweling cement not for fun, but to really trowel, builds confidence and a feeling of accomplishment. But it’s still fun for Luke (age 7), Isabella (age 6), and little Tony (age 5).
Parks are to be at your place of life. The community never has to go to parks. They would quickly become bored if they did.
Eli, our deer, interacts with the community children without fear because he thinks he is one of the kids.
Not one of the adults is screaming to the children, “Get off that ladder. It’s dangerous.” Why? Because the children already have learned it can be dangerous through years of “risk play.”
Tens of thousands of board feet of wood fell from a micro blast storm which blew over and uprooted one hundred plus trees; many of these trees were valuable wood. We immediately turned around a bad thing into a good thing. Our Lady said:
May 25, 1991
That is how Caritas is structured. We turn what could be evil to something holy through love. The Bible says:
Romans 8:28
These kids will grow up with a memory history of being Paul Bunyan. Also dangerous work requires always having your scapular on as can be seen on two of our girls.
Part of the community poses in front of a huge oak tree, from a storm at Caritas that blew down and/or damaged one hundred plus trees. When this tree blew over, it pulled up its stump, 24 feet high and 36 feet wide! You can see in the background where other tree tops were snapped off like toothpicks.
‘M’ators are “martyred” for our Sunday pasta. Bless their little red hearts. Yum for us!! It is a tradition for the community to eat Pasta every Sunday. It creates a community culture of unity and memories. We greet each other, saying, “Happy Sunday Pasta Day.”
The mission of Caritas just saved eighteen more dollars with another free board for future construction.
Your Support is Vital
Donate Now!
Please let us know your donation is for the Community
Or Call in the U.S. at 205-672-2000.
From outside the U.S. dial 001-205-672-2000
After hours dial to extension 315.
You can also mail a check to: Community of Caritas · 100 Our Lady Queen of Peace Drive · Sterrett, Alabama 35147 USA
