Who Is Vassula Ryden?
12 July 1998 14:01
The following press release giving information about Vassula and her mission has been provided by Trinitas (USA)
Who Is Vassula Ryden?
Background
Vassula Ryden, proclaimed by Archbishop and renowned theologian Frane Franic* to be one of the greatest prophets and mystics of our times, has dedicated her life to what she understands The Lord has given her to do: to spread His “Love Hymn From Heaven” in which He is calling His people back to unity. She is just as eager to share her experience and these divinely-inspired messages she receives with a single soul or with the audiences of thousands that have listened to her testimony on six continents. In Brazil, where an estimated half million copies of her books have been translated and distributed by a priest and two nuns in Portugal, running their own printing press at night, Vassula has drawn crowds as large as 30,000. In January 1997, the attendance in Cebu, Philippines was close to 25,000. In the past year, she has spoken in Canada, in 21 U.S. cities, in nine European countries, four South American countries, seven Asian countries and in the Holy Land.
Vassula Ryden is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, born in Egypt of Greek parents – who eventually emigrated to Europe – and has lived most of her life in Third World countries. She currently resides with her Swedish husband and sons in a modest apartment in Switzerland.
Vassula readily concedes she was not always as close to God as she is today. At the time she began to receive the messages thirteen years ago, she enjoyed a pleasant expatriate life in Bangladesh as a wife, mother, accomplished artist and skilled tennis player. Her husband, a development assistance expert had been sent there by the Swedish international aid program, (S.I.D.A.) She led this busy, non-spiritual life until she was transformed by the divine intervention that focussed her life on a literally God-given mission. With what she describes as His “holy sense of humor,” The Lord had commissioned a worldly artist to paint for all of us His “Self portrait.”
* Archbishop Emeritus of Split and Croatia and president of the Yugoslav Episcopal Commission established to study the apparitions of Medjugorje
The Messages and the Mission
Since 1985, this relaxed, candid and personable woman has regularly received messages – in the manner of the Old Testament prophets-dictated by the three Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity, by the Virgin Mary and even St. Michael the Archangel, as well as other saints.
The messages are written down in what one expert calls “hieratic,” or sacred, handwriting into small red notebooks which she has had published in nine volumes entitled True Life In God – so far translated into over 36 languages, most recently in Papua New Guinea.
Always with a priest as her spiritual advisor, including the noted Catholic theologian Fr. Michael O’Carroll, C.S.Sp, Vassula has been crisscrossing the globe since 1990 at great personal sacrifice, receiving no royalties or remuneration of any kind for her work. She has been favored by our Lord with many extraordinary gifts and charisms as well as the grace of mystical experiences of Christ’s passion that have been at times been witnessed by hundreds and have been captured on videotape.
As one priestly supporter of hers put it, “Any words from God, whether they be in Holy Scripture or private revelation, contain the power of God – a power continually open to convert us more and more to our God.” This occurs, he said, whenever anyone reads such words with an open mind and an open heart. “Do this and you will experience the action of the Holy Spirit in your life.” He quotes Jesus: ” The words that I have spoken are spirit and life.” (John 6:64)
The Fruits
Interest in the messages continues to spread far and wide, with True Life in God prayer groups forming around the world through local initiative. In May 1998, over two hundred lay people and clergy gathered in Jerusalem for a special symposium and pilgrimage. Included were three local prayer groups from Bethlehem, Nazareth and Galilee along with participants came from more than 35 nations who are working voluntarily to translate, publish and diffuse these writings in their respective countries.
Even skeptics acknowledge that the messages contained in True Life in God are unique. Theologians and notable clergy who have studied the writings are finding that they illuminate deep sacred mysteries and offer profound insights into issues which have been pondered for centuries. To date, more than 35 books have been published worldwide about the messages. Fr. Michael O’Carroll, who has had a lifelong special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, believes strongly that these messages do indeed offer us what Jesus describes to Vassula: “This Inexhaustible Treasure hidden from the eyes of mankind… reserved for your times: the end of times.”
In introducing Vassula’s presentations, Fr. O’Carroll often said that he always believed this devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – inspired through the earlier Catholic mystics, St. Gertrude the Great and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, but weakened in this secularized age of rationalism – would eventually be restored, but “I could never have dreamed this revival would come through a Greek Orthodox with no training in even basic catechetics!”
Many other priests and theologians consider these messages to be among the most significant prophetic revelations of our times – giving not only warnings, but great hope. As one contemplative nun said, the messages given through Vassula “assure us that the loving Heart of Jesus is planning a rescue mission far beyond our wildest dreams.” Those who have been touched by the messages say they have indeed brought into sharp focus the purpose of our being: our sanctification in preparation for eternal life.
The predominant theme of the messages is unity: foremost between the Sister Churches of the Catholic and the Orthodox, next among all Christians and then among all His children.
The Lord especially wants the dates of celebrating Easter to be unified, not celebrated on different dates as is done now by many Eastern and Western Churches. He promises that if we thereby show our goodwill by accomplishing what is humanly possible, He will do what we cannot do alone and bring us all together in the fullness of His revealed Truth.
The followers of the messages say they are drawn by the warmth and tenderness of God the Father, the infinite intensity of Jesus’ Love, and a heartfelt understanding of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary in God’s plan of salvation. They hear the messages calling them to have a “special and intimate relationship with God”; to have an ongoing heart-to-heart conversation with a real Person whose Heart can be touched – who knows and cares about us as individuals rather than a vague abstraction or a mindless “force” in the universe. Vassula points out that in a few beautiful words, Jesus describes Our heavenly Father so poignantly: “My Father is a King yet so motherly; a Judge, yet so tender and loving; He is the Alpha and the Omega, yet so meek.”?
The True Life in God messages are also considered significant on a prophetic level. They deal with such topics as the future spiritual role of Russia; the time of Tribulation; the Apostasy and the renewal of the Church through the working of the Holy Spirit; the Purification; and a Second Pentecost – all of which will renew God’s Creation. Vassula points out that many of the prophecies have already been accomplished. Jesus had told Vassula that He would “transfigure your sister, Russia.” The downfall of the old Soviet Union was in fact definitively set in motion on the day the Orthodox celebrate the feast of Christ’s Transfiguration.
Validation
As is often the case with prophetic messages, Vassula’s ministry has now and then raised eyebrows within certain circles of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Yet, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) has consistently and unequivocally left faithful Catholics free to read and even to promote these messages. Paraphrasing St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians (5:19-21), gave an encouraging response to a group of Catholics regarding their efforts to promote the messages in Mexico. He said in Guadalajara, Mexico on May 10, 1996:
You may continue to promote her writings, but always with discernment.
‘Do not stifle the Spirit (nor) despise prophecy, but test everything; retain what is good.’
During an audience with Pope John Paul II in November 1993, Vassula and Fr. O’Carroll presented him with her works, True Life in God in Polish. Shortly afterward, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, assured them the Pope had received her writings with great interest. After his august 11, 1996 Angelus address stressing the urgency of reconciliation between Catholics and Orthodox – a major theme throughout the writings – the Pope said:
I cordially greet the persons of Spanish language present here, especially the sisters of the Child Jesus and the group of spirituality: True Life in God. I give you with affection… the Apostolic Blessing. [Reported in the August 16, 1996 Spanish edition of l’Osservatore Romano.]
In February 1998, the Holy Father was presented with the most recent volume in French after morning Mass in his private chapel. The Pope, indicating recognition and sincere interest said: “Ah, Vassula,” then opened the book and read Vassula’s handwritten inscription to him on the title page. ‘May God bless her,’ he said, then made the Sign of the Cross over the book.
As one priest-theologian, Fr. Ljudevit Rupcic of Switzerland, recently wrote: “Every day Vassula’s testimony is taken more seriously and is more fully accepted.” After an hour-long audience with Vassula and Fr. O’Carroll in 1995, Cardinal Kuharic of Croatia said, “She has met with the Pope, with bishops and priests around the world…what she says conforms to the Gospel truth.”
Perhaps summing up why True Life in God has attracted so much attention, Archbishop Franic, former head of the Yugoslav Episcopal Commission wrote in Vassula’s defense recently that he is firmly convinced these are “authentic messages of Christ Himself.”
