An Athiest and a Nun sent us emails

We wanted to share some items of interest this season.

First  - Remember,  above all that Jesus is the reason for the Season. But of course we are preaching to the choir! We know you already know this.

Second – with that said, we want to encourage you to purchase those things this Christmas season that will give back forever, that is give gifts that lead to eternal life..

 

Email from an atheist!
This morning we received an email from a atheist.  Here is the quote:   “Why are you guys devoting your lifes (sic) to something that might not exist?”

We thought about this for a moment and thought about this person and how they must be looking forward to nothing. How sad. As far as proof of life after death, Our Faith gives us enough evidence to do what we have been doing and doing it each day with much gusto and joy. When you do something that you love to do you will never work a day in your life. Let us all pray for that person.

And that is the reason we evangelize; to reach people so they do not get to that point.

 

Email from a future Nun!

We also received a short video clip for a young lady who is converting to Catholicism and hopes to become a Nun.  She was energized by watching Super Saints on EWTN and let us know how EWTN changed her life. And furthermore know this;  this young lady was the most unlikely person you would ever suspect would watch EWTN. God is good!

 

Finally, we want to suggest three pages on our websites for you to browse:

 

www.CatholicStockingStuffers.com

and http://www.bobandpennylord.com/Treasures_Saints.htm

Of course you may browse our home page http://www.BobAndPennyLord.com for other items.

Simply click on these links to view information

Saint Charles Borromeo – Nov 4

“Throughout the diocese, religion was little known or understood and religious practices were desecrated by gross abuses and disgraced by superstition. The Sacraments were neglected, for many of the clergy scarcely knew how to administer them, and were lazy, ignorant and debauched; monasteries were full of disorder.”

He had to make a clean sweep, build a diocese from scratch, and he did. He instituted so many reforms, it doesn’t seem possible that one man could have done it all. And we must keep in mind that at this time, he was only twenty eight years old. It was pure Holy Spirit. He was responsible for the institution of some of the following:
1. Reorganization of Diocesan administration into a workable set of offices with separate, individual functions.

2. He called six different provincial councils and eleven diocesan councils to set policy and a working relationship by the people of the church with each other and with their bishop.
3. He began methodical and frequent visits to every part of his diocese.
[Author’s note: This may not sound like such a big accomplishment to us. Our bishop usually gets to every parish in the diocese at least once every year or so. Keep in mind, however, that this diocese, and most like it at that time, may not have ever seen a bishop in the lifetime of anyone in the parish. This particular diocese, Milan, had not had a bishop living in the diocese for over eighty years. The bishops pretty much stayed in Rome. Plus, even if the bishops wanted to embark on such a grand excursion, their means of transportation were pretty primitive by our standards. If a bishop began a journey to visit all the parishes in his diocese, using a stagecoach, he might never finish it in his lifetime. So you can see what an undertaking St. Charles had given himself.]
4. He opened up seminaries in the Archdiocese, first to the Jesuits, and then to the followers of St. Ambrose. Again, this may not seem like any big thing, but seminaries were not in existence prior to the Council of Trent. Actually, St. Charles was very instrumental in the creation of the seminary system during the Council. So actually, he was basing what he did as Archbishop of Milan on what he was partially responsible for putting into the Canons of the Council of Trent. He so believed in the need for formal education and training of priests that it was one of the first reforms he put into effect in his diocese.
5. CCD – Confraternity of Christian Doctrine – St. Charles created CCD in its original form. Actually, CCD was begun by St. Charles under the inspiration and leadership of Pope Pius IV, his uncle. This was done for the people of Rome. There was such a need for educating the people in the churches of Rome on the teachings of the Catechism that it was begun and promoted in 1560. When St. Charles left Rome after his uncle died in 1565, he brought the concept to Milan and put it into practice, according to the mandate made by Pope Pius IV.
6. He began a diocesan religious society, originally called the Oblates of Milan, which were subsequently named the Oblates of St. Charles. This was a reform of clergy which St. Charles began in 1579.
7. He opened up schools and cultural and social institutions within universities in Pavia and at the University of Brera in Milan.
8. He provided shelters for street people of his day: wanderers, the lost and neglected, reformed prostitutes and orphans. Today we would call them the marginalized and disenfranchised, battered women and abused children. The names change with the technology, but the situations remain the same.

For more about Saint Charles Borromeo go to

http://www.bobandpennylord.com/St_Charles_Borromeo.htm

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

Six glorious years of marriage

 

We have to take a moment out here to talk about the death of Elizabeth’s husband, and its effect on her and her life. We can’t just leave it with a one-liner, a footnote in reference to their daughter. Elizabeth and Ludwig were extremely in love. In addition to their early years of courtship, as children really, and four years of betrothal, they shared six glorious years of marriage together. It was a fairy-tale romance, he being the prince and then ruler of their little country, and she being the benevolent, and very loving countess, or consort. They did everything together, wherever possible. Because he became more and more trusted by high ranking members of the nobility, he was called upon to take on responsibilities which took him away from their home. She understood this, but grieved all the time they were apart.
Her husband adored her. She could do no wrong as far as he was concerned. Very often, while he was out of the country, she had to take matters into her own hands. As we said, she cared more for others than herself. This was evidenced on many occasions, but one in particular took place when a great famine threatened that area of Germany. Ludwig was away, handling matters of state for Emperor Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire. Elizabeth depleted most of their own assets, including their entire stock of corn. She fed the poor, aided the sick, built a hospital, then another; she was just completely at the service of her people.
The members of his household and the court couldn’t wait for Landgrave Ludwig to return, so they could complain bitterly against her, saying she was frivolous, and caring more about the commoner than the nobility of the country. He never bothered to investigate the claims. After ascertaining that no one was left out of her generosity, he said “Her charities will bring us Divine blessings.” That was truly a prophecy which came true.
St. Elizabeth actually tickled her husband. While she was a perfect consort, she was such a free soul, such a beautiful child of God, he couldn’t help but enjoy everything she did. One of the most interesting tales about her took place on a day when she was out, doing all her errands for the poor, bringing them bread, and who knows what else. Now, apparently this did not fit in with the job description of countess, or princess, or whatever she was considered by the people of her country.
And who should she run into but her husband, returning from a hunt with other members of the court. Oh boy, was she in trouble. In addition to not doing what she was supposed to be doing, she was weighed down by whatever it was she was carrying in her apron. He was concerned, seeing her walking along the road, stooped over. He came to her aid and opened her apron to relieve her of some of the weight of whatever she was carrying. When it opened, it was chock full of the most beautiful, magnificent roses he had ever seen. And it was not the season for roses. Shades of St. Juan Diego! Also, what he did not see was a loaf of bread she held behind her back, to give to a hungry person. Whatever she did, she could do no wrong.
Another more serious event took place during their marriage, which is a telling testimony about the two of them, and their love for God. As Elizabeth was well-known for her charity, especially to beggars and lepers, one day a leper, seriously ill, and wreaking of the foul smell of his decayed flesh, crawled up to the castle at Marburg, seeking aid and comfort. Elizabeth looked at the man, and took pity on him. Her heart was deeply touched by the man, and she brought him into the castle. She put him on her husband’s bed.
When the mother-in-law caught sight of this filthy, foul-smelling peasant laying on the clean, perfumed sheets of her son’s bed, she immediately sent for him. He was quite a distance away from the castle, and didn’t return until late that night. Upon his mother’s insistence, he went into his bedroom, and pulled back the covers. Instead of seeing the leper, Landgravine Ludwig saw the bleeding body of Christ, arms outstretched, laying before him. Later biographers of St. Elizabeth have translated the miracle into being a bleeding crucifix, in the place where the leper had slept. Whatever the case, the two, Elizabeth and Ludwig, knelt by the side of the bed, and praised Our Lord Jesus for loving them so much, He would manifest Himself in this way. We’re not sure what the reaction of the mother-in-law was, after all, the daughter-in-law could do no right.
We tell you this about them and their life together just to bring a point across. You must know how much they meant to each other if you are to understand how devastated she became when she received news of his death. They were each other’s next sentence, next thought, next breath. They were each other’s life.
At first, she misunderstood the notice given her by her mother-in-law. The way it was explained to her, “the dispensation of God” and “what had befallen him”, she thought he had been captured by the enemy in the Holy Land. She was full of hope. “Since he is a prisoner,” she said, “with the help of God and our friends, he shall be set free.” When it was clarified, and she fully understood, she lost control completely for a time. She ran all over the castle, shrieking as if she had lost her mind. She cried out: “The world is dead to me, and all that was joyous in the world.”

For more information about Saint Elizabeth of Hungary go to

http://www.ElizabethofHungary.com

Blessed Miguel Pro – Nov 23

There is a tradition about Padre Pro. We’re told that it was given in testimony, at the process of his Beatification. We really believe it is so in keeping with whom the man was, and how loved he was by Our Lord Jesus, we feel it important to share it with you.

He celebrated Mass every day in secret. On the day before he was arrested for the last time, he was celebrating Mass in a home, attended by a small number of people. It is said that during the Consecration of the Mass, as he held the Consecrated Host, a brilliant light surrounded his entire body. His vestments were so bright that people had to turn their heads away. His face and hands were gleaming; he levitated. He was transfigured as Our Lord Jesus on Mount Tabor before him. We like to think of this as a Miracle of the Eucharist of Mexico.

A plot had been hatched. We don’t know if it was directed against Miguel Pro, or former president Obregon. Some think it was Calles’ way of killing two birds with one stone. Obregon had been motoring in the area of Chapultepec, when a car came alongside him, and bombs were thrown at his car. He escaped with minor injuries, but his guards chased the four terrorists, who had run from their car. Two escaped. One was shot dead, and the other through the temple. He was brought to the hospital. His wife stayed with him until he died, and testified he never regained consciousness. However, the police claimed an undercover policeman got into his hospital room, disguised his voice as the assailant’s brother-in-law, and spoke to him. The assailant supposedly put the blame on Padre Pro, his brother Humberto, and Luis Segura.

Miguel and his family knew nothing about the plot. As a matter of fact, he had felt somewhat of a lull in the police intensity to get him. He had even moved back into his father’s house. When he heard about what had happened to Obreg¢n, he was sure it would keep the police occupied for some time, and they wouldn’t be bothering him. The lady, at whose house Miguel had stayed, prior to moving back with his father and brothers, was arrested. The police were looking for the Jesuit priest. Somehow, they managed to trip her up, and she told them where Miguel was. Early the next morning, before anyone was up, the police raided Pro’s father’s house, and arrested Miguel, Humberto, and his other brother, Roberto. They were all carted off to jail.

Miguel actually thought what the police was doing was hysterical. There was no way, he thought, the plot against Obregon could be connected to him or his brothers. They were nowhere near the scene of the crime when it happened. So he went about his normal routine of clowning around and joking. He made friends with the guards, gave them cigarettes. He even converted one while he was in prison.
For more information about Blessed Miguel  Pro go to http://www.bobandpennylord.com/ygMiguelPro.htm

You have Friends in high places!

All Saints Day

You have friends in High Places

The Saints have been speaking to us, vulnerably sharing their stories, to help us walk our path to the Father.  We pray they have touched you, as they have us.  Some of the  Saints we have written about, we had to write about them.  We felt a persistent gnawing inside to share their stories, their lives.

We have spent almost a lifetime studying about the glories of our Church.  We have gone on Pilgrimage at least once a year since 1976, and sometimes three or four times a year.  And it has been a glorious journey of faith.  We always tell young couples planning to marry, “First you have to meet the family; because your love is part of a whole.  Her/his life began centuries ago, with their families who are here and have gone before.”  And so it is with us Catholic Christians.  Our family dates back to the time of Jesus our Brother and Mary our Mother.  As one travels through our  history, they will surely find our cousins, the Saints who have gone before us, making our spiritual life what it is today.  They fought the good fight and we have a Church today!

We have had a love affair with Mother Church and all her children for the past thirty years, and it has grown to such a degree, we hunger to meet more and more of our ancestors, the Saints.  Over the past thirty years, we have lived from pilgrimage to pilgrimage, studying, preparing, journeying to lands across the seas to our heritage.  Once we began our journey, one journey grew into another and then another; and we were hooked.

At one point in our lives, Penny and I were driving down to San Diego, California, to call on some accounts, back when we were still in the world.  It was a long drive, over three hours, and we usually spent the time praying the Rosary.  However, on this one day, I was somewhat concerned.  All of our friends in Westlake Village were buying up real estate in Southern California.  It was a good investment.  We didn’t have any money to do that, because we spent most of what we had, each year, going on pilgrimage.

I remember saying to Penny, “You know, honey, we’re not putting anything away for a nest egg for ourselves, or for our grandson.  What are we leaving him?”  She didn’t answer me.  But that night, after we had finished calling on our accounts, I turned to Penny, “I know what we’re giving our grandson, as well as us and our Church.  We’re giving him heritage.  These Saints, whose lives we study, they’re our family.  They’re our brothers and sisters in Faith.  These are Role Models, whom he can fall back on.”

Super Saints

Going down memory lane, I recall how we came about coining the phrase “Super Saints.” It began with our teaching First Holy Communion Class at our parish in 1975.  One day I got the idea to tell the little ones a story each week on the Saint whose Feast Day it was.  We took the “S” of the Superman symbol, and added another big S to it, and wrote it on the blackboard.  Then we proceeded to tell the little people stories of the Saints.  We never thought they paid any attention to us or the stories.  They always seemed like they were not there with us.  But then at Parents Nights, their parents would tell us how the children had shared with them about St. Michael, or St. Francis or St. Anthony or one of the many Saints we had researched.

The Super Saints had gone over big with the little people!  And now, almost thirty years later, that is the title and concept of our most popular television series on EWTN, Super Saints.

We want to end this by sharing with you how important our family – the Saints, are to you and to me.  You are possibly just now beginning to realize how fortunate you and we are to be Catholic, to have these brothers and sisters, not only to fall back on as Role Models, but to tell your children about.  They want to be part of your life!  They want you to consider them as family, your family.  There is no situation in your lives that you may encounter, no problem, that you can’t dig into this collection of relatives the Lord has given you, and find one to whom you can relate your problem, and nine times out of ten, help you to resolve the problem.

Everyone needs a hero!  There are a whole series of Hero Saints for boys and girls.  There are Saints to help you with their studies, through a rough exam.  There are Saints who can help them with Chastity, with that rough time of growing up.

We are all called to become Saints! There are Saints for married couples, to model your relationship after.  There are even Saints to help you find the right husband or wife, or vocation.  We have Saints whom we can petition Jesus to intercede with the Father for conception and delivery of children.  There are even Saints to help us find lost objects and lost souls.

For us, the most exciting part of our lives is to be able to go to the places of the Saints, to relive their lives, to get inside of them, and feel their spirits.  The second most exciting part of our lives is to be able to bring the marvels of these beautiful brothers and sisters in Christ back to you, so that you too, can share a little of their lives in your life.  They are there for us; they are waiting for us.  We can ask for their help.  They know how to get to Jesus.  Remember, they are His very best friends.  You know how people ask for your intercessory prayer for any number of petitions they may have?  And you pray for them?  Just think about asking someone who is right up there with Jesus and Mary, in the in-club.  Make use of the power the Lord has given to the Saints.  Remember, you truly have friends in High Places. God bless you.  We love you!

Click here for more information about the Saints

Saint Paul of the Cross

The Miracle of the Cross

St. Paul focused completely on Jesus Crucified.  He spent more and more of his time venerating the Cross, and the price Our Lord Jesus paid for our salvation.  He meditated on how much Jesus loved us and loved him, in particular.  He found himself in tears often, weeping before His Lord in agony.  On one of these occasions, Our Lord Jesus came to life on the Cross.  Paul levitated to where He was.  Jesus took him in His arms, and embraced him.  That feeling stayed with our Saint for the rest of his days.  While he wrote of it, he could never quite put in words the bond, the brotherhood, the love between the Savior and the saved.[1]

In memory of the work the two brothers did for Mother Church, Pope Clement XIV imparted on St. Paul of the Cross The Basilica of Sts. John and Paul, named after two martyrs of the early Church, in honor of St. Paul of the Cross and his brother, John Baptist. The new Passionist Order received final approval, placing them on the same footing as other Religious communities.  They have headquartered out of the Basilica of Sts. John and Paul from that day to this.

It was time to retire!  St. Paul was tired; he was not well; he longed to spend his final days among his brother missionaries, in contemplative peace; after all his work was done, wasn’t it!

St. Paul of the Cross was given the house adjoining the Basilica of Sts. Giovanni e Paolo,[2] on the Celian hill, near the Coliseum.  St. Paul spent his final days here.  He was visited by two Popes, Clement XIV in 1774 and by Pius VI in 1775.  Shortly after Pope Pius VI’s visit, our Lover of Jesus Crucified went Home to the Lord He had adored on earth, no veil separating them.

There were many miracles credited to St. Paul’s intervention, in addition to those used for his beatification and canonization; the most noteworthy were the many conversions that came about of sinners who had appeared hopelessly lost in sin, their hearts hardened and distant.

May 1, 1853, St. Paul was beatified by Pope Pius IX  and then canonized by him on June 29, 1867.  April 25, 1880, the relics of St. Paul of the Cross were transferred to a chapel that had been recently completed.  Our Saint can be venerated there till today.[3] His Feast Day is April 28th.

What Cross do you carry?  Is it heavy?  Is it unbearable?  Turn to St. Paul and ask him to help you, not to just carry it; but to embrace it.  Crave the Cross!

---

[1]After his canonization, the image of St. Paul being embraced by the Crucified Christ was placed on the back of the main altar in the new Basilica of Sts. John and Paul.

[2]Sts. John and Paul

[3]Ss Giovanni e Paolo

News from Holy Family Mission

Our conference, “Proclaim the Kingdom of God!” was a huge success and we have just completed the production of the Conference dvds and cds and they will be shipped this week.

Bob and Penny will be speaking in Manchester, New Hampshire November 7 at Sainte Marie’s Church. This is a one day reatreat. For more information call 1-800-633-2484.

Many of you are interested in downloading our Minibooks and cds.  Now you can! This is link for downloading minibooks: http://www.bobandpennylord.com/new_page_20.htm

This is link for downloading cds:  http://www.bobandpennylord.com/audiocds.htm Both are $4.95 each and of course no shipping – instantaneous download Adobe pdf and mp3 audio files

A friend of the ministry called in to say that keeping track of the news was making her sick.  We have decided to pray more and worry less.

It seems to us that only Divine Intervention can put us back right with God. Prayer is the only means left to us and it just happens to be the best remedy.

Penny asks us to: “Pray for our country and its leaders!”

Please pray for our ministry. These are serious times.

Do not forget to look for Christmas gifts at www.bobandpennylord.com

The minibooks mentioned above make great gifts, along with our books and dvds of course.

Thanks and God Bless you all
Holy Family Mission staff

Saint Therese of Lisieux – Shower of Roses

A Shower of Roses
Thérèse died on September 30, 1897. Pauline was allowed to have Thérèse’s autobiography printed, to send to all the Carmels in the world. This was not unusual in a sense; the custom was to publish a short biography of a member of the Community. In this instance, because Thérèse had written this beautiful account of her life, and because it was dedicated to Mother Marie de Gonzague, Pauline was able to push it through. It took a year for the book to be printed. When the two thousand copies arrived at the Carmel, the comment that ran throughout the Convent was “Whatever will we do with all these? We will surely have them left on our hands.” That was a gross overstatement.
Almost immediately the supply of books was gone. Requests came from Carmels all over the world for more. Thérèse’s Autobiography began to be lent out to people outside the Carmelite Community. As a result, requests for the book on the little Carmelite began pouring in from Priests, laity, Religious of other Communities; it seemed like the whole world was catching the fever of Sister Thérèse. Just prior to Thérèse’s canonization, over four hundred thousand books were in circulation. Within ten years of her canonization, over two million were in print.
Her prediction “I will send down a shower of roses!” came about, almost immediately. Wherever her name was mentioned, wherever people had her little book, wherever petitions were sent up to the Saint, miracles occurred, usually accompanied by the reception of a flower. Physical healings, spiritual healings and conversions were credited to the intercession of Sister Thérèse. Burned-out Priests came back to life. Missions in far-off places were given renewed energy. All of this was attributed to the Little Flower of Jesus. And it has never stopped!
The brilliance of her writings, so simple in style, but so deeply spiritual, were felt by the entire world from the day the manuscript of “The Story of a Soul” was first sent to Carmels all over the world. In 1932, the question was first raised of her being elevated to Doctor of the Church. Then in 1991, the Assembly of French Bishops formally petitioned the Vatican to consider giving her this title.

Although the process had been in the works for over 60 years, it took the dynamism and love of our Polish Pope, John Paul II, to finally proclaim Thérèse a Doctor of the Church. On October 19, 1997, at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, His Holiness declared to a record-breaking crowd that this Little Flower of Jesus was to be called for all time, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church. We believe she is the youngest Saint to receive this honor.
Thérèse insisted the Lord had work for her to do. She had always felt that she would do more good in Heaven than she had done on earth. She told her sisters,
“God would not give me this desire to do good on earth after my death if He did not want to realize it . . .
“If you knew what projects I have in mind, what I will do with things when I am in Heaven. I will begin my mission.“ If God grants my desires, my Heaven will be spent on earth until the end of time. Yes, I will spend my Heaven doing good upon earth . . .
I will return! I will come down!”

Saint Therese of Lisieux’s Feast Day is October 1

For more information about this Saint go to http://www.bobandpennylord.com/St_Therese_of_Lisieux.htm

Saint Padre Pio and the Eucharist

Padre Pio was truly a servant of God. He had a lifelong love affair with Our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist. To him, the Eucharist was the center of all spiritual benefits. It was the life breath of the soul. We believe the Lord gave him an insight as to the power and the magnitude of the Eucharist, from a very early age. As a young man, before he entered the priesthood, he spent hours in the church, adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. After his ordination, he took a long time for the Consecration of the Mass, to the point where parishioners complained about all the time he spent, in ecstasy, before the bread and wine as they became the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus. He had to control himself, to break out of his ecstasy, and force himself back to the Mass, at the orders of his superiors.
He began his preparations for Mass hours before the Mass began. He would constantly ask his fellow Friars what time it was. He always thought it was time to begin Mass, even though it might have been two hours early. When it came to celebrating the Eucharist, he was like a young race-horse, chomping at the bit, waiting impatiently to get out of the starting gate.
We read an eyewitness account in the Voice of Padre Pio, about Padre Pio and the celebration of the Mass.
“But as he started vesting for Mass, his body began to bend forward. As he slowly approached the altar, his body stooped over more and more as if he was being crushed under a heavy cross beam on his shoulders; his gait dragged, his face took on the sorrow of his Lord and Savior. As the mystery of the Sacrifice of the Mass unfolded, Padre Pio reached the pinnacle of suffering at the moment of Elevation of the Host in Consecration.
To quote a witness, `In his eyes I read the expression of a mother who assists at the agony of her son on the scaffold, who sees him expire and who, choked with suffering, silently receives the bloodless body in her arms, able only to give slight caresses.’
He cried during the Mass. It was not weeping so much as it was deep, involuntary sobbing. He cried from the depths of his soul. When he beat his breast during the Confiteor, it was as if he was accusing himself of all the sins committed by man.”
Giant tears cascaded from his closed eyes onto his beard. He took everything that was happening during that time so seriously.

“Padre Pio’s Mass put him into the drama of Calvary. For him it was reliving daily the pain which had wounded him in soul and body that morning of 20 September 1918. The Mass was his daily restigmatization.”

Fifth Anniversary of Brother Joseph’s heart attacks

God’s Providential Care by Brother Joseph

(First submitted – Holy Family Mission Conference Sept 18, 2004)
I suffered four Massive Heart Attacks on September 8, 2004 and 5 doctors concurred that it was doubtful that I would live.

Now lets go back just about a  week and piece all the events together.  Unknown to me I was a time bomb of Cardiac failure.

To show you how much the Lord was protecting me. Luz Elena Bob and Penny were supposed to be in Europe on Pilgrimage during this  time. I had been to Little Rock a few days earlier to pick up the Newspapers by myself.  I had taken Bubba to the vet about then to look at his feet since he had walked on the gravel so much on Sunday as we were spreading gravel on the road.
On Tuesday, Sept 7 I felt some what I thought was discomfort like indigestion and Luz gave me some tumbs and the pain went away.

Next morning the indigestion returned and I blamed it on Salmon and took more tums.  Then I decided to take some St. Michael’s water from the Grotto of St. Michael in Mexico.  If by the time I got to my office I did not feel better, I decided to tell Luz Elena to take me to the Hospital Emergency Room.  Immediately the pain was bad and I went into Luz Elena’s office and said, “Take me to the emergency room now.”  By the time we were on the freeway, I knew I was in trouble and gave her my cell phone and told her to go as fast as possible and dial 911 and have them meet us at the Emergency Entrance and I told her I did not think I was going to make it.
I arrived at the Emergency Room area with no pulse.  There were no men around to help get me into the Emergency Room Center.  Luz and three other women put me in a wheelchair and got me inside.
Dr. Goodman of St. Anthony’s Hospital here used the special heart shot and started using the paddles on me. I revived, looked at him and said, ” I have died and gone to Heaven.”
It was decided because of the serious nature of my condition, that I would be taken by Helicopter to Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock.  They asked me if Baptist was okay, and I said, “Let us go to Baptist, they need to see a Good Catholic.”
On the way down to there I suffered another arrest, and two more after arriving Baptist Medical Center.  Dr, Henry the cardiologist there came out that day and told the family, “He is very, very sick.”
Later that day he reported, “All I can say is that he is alive.”  Finally later that day he come out and said, “He is in the hands of Jesus.” and Penny added and also  in the Hands of Mary since today is her birthday. Dr. Henry then asked, ” Is today Mary’s birthday?  This dumb Baptist did not know that.  We are just now getting used to Ash Wednesday.”
His final comment was that my chances for survival was 30% and that was being generous. (One year later he told me I had a 0% chance to live.)
At 3::00 pm a priest was sent to give me the annointing of the sick.
Penny asked the Nurse should mom stay through night and she said that being more than an hour away was not good.  Then the Lung doctor came in and told the family, “His lungs are filled with water and heart was functioning only 10%.  Imagine that he was in the worst car accident.”
Carolyn the nurse told the family, “He is very, very sick.”
Carolyn came by later on her day off and told me She had decided to become a Catholic.
On Thursday September 9, which happened to be Mr. Bob’s birthday, suddenly my heart began to get better and I went from the CCU  unit to a room.and my heart continued to gain strength and  Dr. Henry and Dr. Baaur declared it, “The Hand of God or a Miracle.”
They ran a test on my heart to determine the damage and expected a number over 300 which would be bad and my number was 28.
On Sunday Sep 12   Dr. Henry, told me that they intended to run an Echo Cardiogram on Monday to see how it was progressing.
At 8:00 am monday September 12 they rolled in the Echo machine and it revealed a normal heart.
Dr. Henry told me then I had a Miracle.
He told me it  would take 10 days for my blood to be ready for bypass operation and he then said but in your case 5 days maybe.
They ran the first test within the hour and my blood was ready.
They told me the schedule was full for the week but they would look again.
Suddenly there were two openings, Sept 14  or Sept 15 the Feasts of the Triumph of the Cross and Sorrowful Mother.
I remembered back in 1985 Pope John Paul wrote Mater Redemptoris and in that enclical  he suggested to the faithful the writings of St. Louis Marie de Montfort.  I read about this 33 day consecration and Mom Annie dad and I went through the process and even sent paperwork to the Montfort fathers noting we had done so.
The Feast day for our consecrations was set to The Triumph of the Cross Sept 14.
And  God chose Sept 14 the Triumph of the Cross.
We were told the operation would take 1.5 hours per bypass or about 4.5 hours.
It took about 1.5 hours.
We were told I would be in CCU after operation for 24-48 hours however I was back in my room the next day. What can I say, Our God is a Glorious God and he can do  the impossible.
Now go out and spread the good news that God is very much alive in the world and wants to bring about the spiritual renewal of this country, because he hears your prayers and I am back to prove it.
Now the Lord has fused the diamond and made it much much much harder.
Now more than ever we will producing those videos DVDs and books to help you to learn more and more about our magnificent Catholic Faith
Praise God Praise God Praise God
How do I feel
I see rainbows in the sky
I see birds in the air
Little blue butterflies and flowers in the fields
I did die and go to Heaven and came back
This is Heaven here and I feel like I am in Heaven here
Below is from Bob and Penny Lord’s book, “Visionaries, Mystics and Stigmatists”
Excerpt from the Chapter on St. Louis De Montfort
We told you at the beginning of this chapter that Louis Marie de Montfort was a prophet of the Last Days.  The reason we call St. Louis Marie de Montfort a prophet of the last days, even though he lived between the last half of the Seventeenth Century and the first part of the Eighteenth century is because of what we read in his prophecies which deal with these last days:
“….towards the end of the world, ….Almighty God and His holy Mother are to raise up saints who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs.”17
“These great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose the enemies of God who are raging on all sides.  They will be exceptionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin.  Illumined by her light, strengthened by her spirit, supported by her arms, sheltered under her protection, they will fight with one hand and build with the other.  With one hand they will give battle, overthrowing and crushing heretics and their heresies, schismatics and their schisms, idolaters and their idolatries, sinners and their wickedness.  With the other hand they will build the temple of the true Solomon and the mystical city of God, namely, the Blessed Virgin… “18
“They will be like thunderclouds flying through the air at the slightest breath of the Holy Spirit.  Attached to nothing, surprised at nothing, they will shower down the rain of God’s word and of eternal life.  They will thunder against sin; they will storm against the world; they will strike down the devil and his followers and for life and for death, they will pierce through and through with the two-edged sword of God’s word all those against whom they are sent by Almighty God.”19
“They will be true apostles of the latter times to whom the Lord of Hosts will give eloquence and strength to work wonders and carry off glorious spoils from His enemies.  They will sleep without gold or silver and, more important still, without concern in the midst of other priests, ecclesiastics and clerics.  Yet they will have the silver wings of the dove enabling them to go wherever the Holy Spirit calls them, filled as they are, with the resolve to seek the glory of God and the salvation of souls.  Wherever they preach, they will leave behind them nothing but the gold of love, which is the fulfillment of the whole law.”20
“They will have the two-edged sword of the Word of God in their mouths and the bloodstained standard of the Cross on their shoulders.  They will carry the Crucifix in their right hand and the rosary in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart.21
“Mary scarcely appeared in the first coming of Christ…  But in the second coming of Jesus Christ, Mary must be known and openly revealed by the Holy Spirit so that Jesus may be known, loved and served through her.”22
Thank you Jesus and Mary for St. Louis Marie de Montfort.

PS: Sept 8, 2009 – I will never forget that day and that week. I owe the Blessed Mother and Jesus my all and each year on this day I go to the Holy House here at Holy Family Mission and give them my all. I continue to ponder why they sent me back but looking at the headlines each day I can see that these are not normal times and I have committed to getting the word out that Jesus is alive and His Mother is our Mother. We must turn to them for everything.
Brother Joseph