March 21-24, 2019
Back in November 2018, various members of the True Life in God Association in Mexico (Mexico City and Monterrey) gathered for twenty-hour Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament. During this break, we thought to invite Vassula to visit Mexico. Her acceptance would be a slim possibility, as she has already been here nine times. However, we suggested that she could come to introduce the book Heaven is Real but so is Hell, which is a teaser book to entice people to read the True Life in God Messages. In addition to the Heaven is Real book introduction talk, we added the possibility of including a retreat to her visit, as we did in December 2014.
To our surprise, eight hours later she responded “yes.” The response came at around 1am, and we rejoiced before Jesus’ Eucharist, praising and thanking Him. Specifically, we prayed together asking Him to choose the dates for her visit. As such, the retreat took place from March 21 to 24, closing with a public talk by Vassula.
The chosen theme was: ‘The Holy Spirit and the Second Pentecost: Jesus’ Great Return.’
It is very important to mention that in 2014 Fr. John Abberton recommended that all the True Life in God members in Mexico City pray together at least once a month. Consequently, on the last Monday of every month we hold a prayer meeting right at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where we pray the Rosary, the Jesus’ Prayer (Orthodox Rosary), and read an open- Bible passage and a True Life in God message. This monthly practice has really benefitted the way we interact and collaborate in all matters, especially those related to God.
So the preparations began with the million obstacles and difficulties inherent to anything related to True Life in God events. For three months, we had two Masses offered daily for the success of the retreat and public talk. Still, the attacks were incoming from every direction, a clear sign that the fruits of this visit would be of great importance.
Little by little, we ended-up with a fantastic group of priests who would be the retreat speakers. Among them was Fr. Petar from Medjugorje, who Mirjana chose as the priest to whom she will confide the secrets given to her by Our Lady. Mirjana will tell Fr. Petar, ten days in advance, what will happen and where. Whence receiving this disclosure, they will both pray and fast for seven days. Three days before their occurrence, Fr. Petar will reveal them to the world. He has accepted this responsibility and will fulfill it according to God’s Will. In addition to Fr. Petar, Fr. Eduardo’s attendance from Peru was a wonderful surprise from Jesus. Liliana and Marcela, from True Life in God Peru, spent many years evangelizing all over their country. During their various visits to the north, they tried to evangelize in a town church. Initially, the priest from this church forbade them from doing this, as they would talk about True Life in God. Finally, he accepted them at the church and said: “I only wish I have the chance to know her someday.” As God would have it, he said this at the time we announced the retreat. When we heard his desire, we invited him to join us.
Tuesday, March 19
Late afternoon on Tuesday March 19, Vassula arrived together with Monk Martinianos from Mount Athos. After picking them up at the airport, we took them straight to the retreat’s hotel.
Vassula, Monk Martinianos and some of the TLIG Mexico organizers
Wednesday, March 20
We had scheduled various television and radio interviews–some live, some prerecorded– at which Vassula talked about the Heaven is Real Book and the True Life in God Messages.
Maxine Woodside, a famous interviewer, interviewed her live. This was the third time Maxine received Vassula, even though she began talking about her back in 2001. What we found most significant is what happened with the other interviewer present in the cabin. When Vassula said that Jesus wants us to come as we are, this lady asked: “Regardless of our past or what we have done before?” Vassula replied that Jesus loves us regardless of our past life. He wants us back, as we are His children. He wants us to approach Him and get to know Him, for how can we love Him if we do not know Him.
We were happy to hear the interviewer’s question, as this signaled that the True Life in God Messages was touching her heart, even if the apparent results may not be clear or immediate. For as Jesus has said in the True Life in God Messages: “The biggest service you can do for Me is to bring back a soul to Me” (cf. True Life in God Messages, April 17, 1992)
Later on, two television interviews took place at the hotel where the retreat was to be held. The first interview was with one of the major networks in Mexico. They sent a young reporter from Miami who was mesmerized with Vassula’s responses to his various questions. At the end of the interview he said that it was not a coincidence he had been chosen for the job. Until one year ago, he had been leading a life filled with vices and sin. This caused him to lose everything: job, friends, home, until he hit rock-bottom. As he comes from a Mexican family, he prayed to Our Lady of Guadalupe, asking Her to help him. He prayed every night. Months later, he was offered a very good job in Mexico City. Our Lady had given him a new chance in life. He took the Heaven is Real Book and the True Life in God Messages.
Vassula signing the HIR Book for the interviewer of the TV Show Hoy – The interviewers meet Vassula at the retreat’s hotel
While waiting for the second interviewer, Fr. Eduardo and Vassula had a chance to meet each other and talk for a while.
The second television interview took place. Both the reporter and the cameraman were astounded with Vassula’s responses to their questions. Everybody there took with them the True Life in God and the Heaven is Real books.
At the interview – Interview with Multimedios, the interviewers and some members of True Life in God Mexico
Thursday, March 21
As there were two television interviews scheduled for Friday when the entire organizers group would go to the Basilica, we took Vassula, Monk Martinianos, Fr. Petar and Marija, Fr. Petar’s English interpreter, to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
At 4:30, a general media interview took place at the hotel venue where we later held the retreat.
The General Media interview – Vassula with the attending priests
Vassula Speaking about the Heaven is Real Book
Vassula at the general media interview – Heaven is Real Kits for the Media
Vassula sat with the other attending priests, all who briefly introduced themselves. The reporters asked them questions.
The basic question that kept surfacing was whether hell exists. This was a clear sign that some people question the existence of hell. Vassula replied that this was Satan’s greatest achievement, making people believe that neither he nor hell exist. Many people believe that we live hell in our everyday life, in this world. Consequently, the trend then becomes to live life to its fullest, since there will be no joy or pain after death.
Antonio, a True Life in God volunteer, prepared media kits for the reporters to take with them. One of the reporters asked to participate in the retreat for at least one day, on Saturday, as she would on that day be free from work. And she did come!
An important fact is that the whole retreat was streamlined live from the first moment it began until the end of Vassula’s talk on Sunday. In addition, Jessica and Sandra presented it through social media the entire time. As a result, people from all over the world had the opportunity to participate in the retreat, live!
The anticipated retreat officially began at 6:30 with a procession lead by Bishop Oliver Dashe from Nigeria, all of the attending Catholic priests, Fr. Nicholas from the Greek Orthodox Church in New York, and Monk Martinianos.
Opening Holy Mass
Although we had many hosts ready to be consecrated for Mass, for some reason only two ciboriums were consecrated with approximately 140 hosts. We immediately noticed that we would not have enough, so we asked the priests giving Communion to part each Host in half. However, Fr. Petar suddenly decided to stop parting them, saying it was not necessary. I was flabbergasted as the line for Holy Communion was still very long and I looked at him in disbelief. He looked back and said: “Look! Multiplication-multiplication!” The Host amount sufficed, and there were several left in the ciborium!!!
Immediately after Mass, Bishop Oliver took the Blessed Sacrament to the special meeting room we booked for our retreat’s Nocturnal Adoration.
Procession with the Holy Eucharist to the Adoration Room
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
We know, without a doubt, that the core, the life and the success of the retreat was the Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament, which we had every night from 10:00pm to 7:00am. Our Lord showed us He was happy with this observance, as multiple photographs display miraculous images, like the ones below:
Miraculous Photograph of the Blessed Sacrament
In the first picture above it is clearly apparent that there is a blue light all around the Eucharist. This is a sign of the Divine, as Vassula describes it in the Heaven is Real Book.
Immediately after, we had a small inauguration ceremony, in which representatives from all the countries present came to the front holding their countries’ flags which we had previously made.
Opening Ceremony with all countries present
We had a magnificent attendance: there were people from Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Croatia, Dominican Republic, France, Greece, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, and of course, Mexico: with people who had come from various parts of the country. Our total attendance added-up to 360 participants!
Friday, March 22
The retreat began at 8:30am with the Rosary.
At 9:00am, Bishop Oliver Dashe shared with us his magnificent testimony. He is the Bishop of Madiguri, in Nigeria’s Northeast region, where the Chibok girls were kidnapped back in 2014 by the terrorist group Boko Haram. This group took absolute control of the area and the people lived in fear and terror.
Talk by Bishop Oliver Dashe
While praying in the chapel, Bishop Dashe had a vision in which he saw Jesus handing him a sword. When receiving it in his hand, the sword turned into a Rosary. Since then, every day, Bishop Dashe has the whole town pray the Rosary in procession through the streets.
Miraculously, and without any violence, Boko Haram has left the area!
Nonetheless, problems persist. There are thousands of widows and orphans for whom Bishop Dashe has set-up assistance houses. With donations from people around the world, he built a Chapel for Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Most importantly, there is perpetual Adoration in His Diocese! And that has lifted every person in this town.
His message was of hope; Our Lord never abandons us and cannot resist trust-filled prayers from the heart.
Afterwards, Fr. Petar Lubjcic talked about the Holy Spirit as the first and most important fruit of redemption. The Holy Spirit of God is not only above us and with us – He is in us.
