Vassula visits Timisoara and Bocsa
May 21-24, 2010
MESSAGE FOR ROMANIA
“My Cross shall be erected again on every church, do you see?* a universal peace is soon to come, Peace is about to be born, pray for this birth of Peace and Love; today the earth feels the beginning of its birth-pangs…I am the Master of heaven and earth, and I shall with my power demonstrate to every nation that I am all-powerful, I have said that I shall overthrow with My Breath all those who reduced you to slavery, let your nations realize that everything is subject to My Power, and what I did with one breath is for My Glory, no man is able to efface My Law; let the nations realize that it is I, the Lord, who came to free these captives from prison and lift them to Me, it is I who reduced your enemies to everlasting shame…”
*I saw in an inner vision the roof of a church, and 2-3 men on it, struggling to put in the right place a heavy Cross, back again in its place.
“…do not weep little one, for I the Lord shall rebuild your ruins and I shall increase you to bear witness on My Name, I shall make you see great things under My Name; free at last! free to come to Me your Saviour and live in My Sacred Heart, I shall pursue your enemies who are My enemies too with My Light, do not weep for your children that are no more, because today I tell you that I have placed each one of them in the depths of My Heart …” Message for Romania, 24 December 1989
The situation in Romania for all the churches, notably the Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches, was extremely difficult for many years during the communist regime. Oppressed, the churches were obliged to collaborate with the state for survival, eventually forcing the Greek Catholic church to go underground. The clergy and faithful were persecuted and made to suffer in the regime’s effort to de-christianize and control Romania. We heard tales of atrocities and horror which forced many Romanians to leave their country in the 70’s. The aftermath of the fall of communism saw this nation among others striving to rise once again to its feet, and as in Vassula’s vision, to a spiritual resurrection. Today, each church still struggles to rebuild itself.
VASSULA’S PAST VISITS
Vassula recalled her first visit to Romania in 1994 which brought her to Iasi in Moldava to speak at the World Council of Churches Congress on “Christian Spirituality for Our Times”. There, she met His Beatitude, the Patriarch Theoctist of Romania, and Archbishop Daniel, the Metropolitan of Moldava, who is the Patriarch of Romania today. She was also warmly welcomed by Professor of Orthodox Theology, and former Director of the Unity and Renewal Section of the World Council of Churches in Geneva, the late Fr. Ion Bria. During her visit in 1998, Vassula was invited by Fr. Galeriu, Romania’s spiritual father, to speak in his church in Bucharest on Pentecost Sunday. In 1999, Vassula witnessed the historic meeting between the Romanian Patriarch Theoctist and Pope John Paul II, and was part of the enthusiastic crowd cheering “Unitate! Unitate!” www.tlig.org/en/churchunity/ecumenicalpatriarch/
THE POPE AND THE PATRIARCH MEET IN 1999
|
|
This was the first time a Pope visited a predominantly Eastern Orthodox (87%) country since the Great Schism of 1054, the event that separated Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Catholicism. On the momentous occasion of Pope John Paul II’s visit, Patriarch Teoctist stated: “The second millennium of Christian history began with a painful wounding of the Unity of the Church, the end of this millennium has seen a real commitment to restoring Christian Unity.” On May 9, 1999, the Pope and the Patriarch each attended an Orthodox Liturgy and a Catholic Mass respectively conducted by the other. A crowd of hundreds of thousands attended these worship services held in the open air. The Holy Spirit opened a path to Christian Unity, and in spite of obstacles until today from some of the hierarchy, we know Unity will be achieved as the Lord says in True Life in God.
VASSULA IN TIMISOARA, May 21-22, 2010
The Messages from Jesus and Our Blessed Mother to Romania had touched the hearts of many Romanians who had fled overseas from the repressive communist regime. This was the case of the first translator of the books to the Romanian language years ago, and now of Gina Sampalean and her family. After attending the TLIG International Pilgrimage in 2009, and after having just returned from Canada to their native Romania a year ago, TLIG Romania organizers Gina Sampalean, her daughter Julia and husband Dan Calinescu endeavored to revive the flame of the Messages in their country. With the help of some faithful local TLIG readers and the TLIG Canada Association, they set out on this project to invite Vassula once again to Romania, this time to Timisoara which is one of the largest cities and the capital of the Banat region in the western part of Romania. Their zeal for True Life in God and Unity drove them to undertake this work in a city they were only beginning to know. With hearts burning to share the Messages with their people, Gina, Julia, and Dan worked hard to revise the Romanian translation of the True Life in God books, publishing the first revised volume, the TLIG Prayer Meeting Guidelines, and the booklet of the Ten Commandments in time for Vassula’s much-awaited arrival.
They visited the hierarchy of the different Christian denominations in Timisoara, and were warmly received by the Orthodox Metropolitan of Timisoara, His Excellency Nicolas Corneanu, known to be open to ecumenism. They invited him to the Meetings, but he was not well and very graciously sent his priest to represent him and deliver his greetings. Julia of TLIG Romania shared: “Meeting him was so uplifting and so encouraging. He was so open and though he couldn’t make any commitments- he is of frail age and health- he promised to have the Orthodox priest from the area involved.” Clergy from Gina’s own Greek Catholic church were invited together with Romanian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic priests, and Romanian Baptist pastors to attend a special Clergy Meeting to listen to Vassula speak on True Life in God and Christian Unity.
Friday, May 21 Clergy Meeting, Sofia Hotel Conference Room
At the Meeting with Clergy, most of the Greek Catholic priests and their wives, and the Roman Catholic priests had read the True Life in God books in Romanian, and were eager to hear Vassula speak. They told her of a disconcerting incident two years ago when the Metropolitan of Timisoara, moved by the Spirit, dared to make no distinction and receive the Eucharist at a Greek Catholic Divine Liturgy celebration during an ecumenical event. This caused an uproar in the Church of Romania, and the Metropolitan was fiercely criticized, persecuted and chastised by some of the clergy for this brotherly deed. In this atmosphere of confusion and incredulity, Vassula’s presentation of her mission and of the Holy Spirit’s Call today for Unity was timely. To this, Vassula said, “…when there are disagreements among the shepherds, who of the flock will take them seriously if they remain divided?”
On living Unity
She informed her listeners of the success of the many TLIG International Ecumenical Pilgrimages which bring together Cardinals, Archbishops, Metropolitans, Bishops, Archimandrites, Pastors, priests and laypeople of varied Christian denominations. This consoled and reminded them of the Holy Spirit’s power and action in the world today for Unity. Vassula urged them to continue together towards Reconciliation and Unity, encouraging them with her words “There is a fear of openness, a mistrust among the denominations. Do not fear, Unity is the Lord’s Wish! The first Christians were not afraid to die in the arena, they gave their lives not fearing the lions, death, or crucifixion! Don’t be afraid for we are doing God’s Will. … If we are not courageous, Unity will take long in coming, but Unity will come!…but in which way? Will it come by peaceful means…or by fire?…If we ignore God’s Calls for Unity, His Justice will hold us accountable.”
|
|
“Consolidate My Church”, the Lord asks in the Messages, and gave Vassula the vision of the 3 iron bars representing the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant churches. Vassula explained, “As long as the heads on these iron bars do not bend using the keys of Humility and Love, the division remains … Christ asks us to unify the dates of Easter, He is offended that celebrations are done on 2 different dates. Unity is not a matter of pen and paper, not done in an intellectual way. Dialog is good, but without action is not good. Unity will not be achieved in a signed treaty, but will be done in a spiritual way, in the heart. An Orthodox will not become Catholic, nor is there a need for a Catholic to become Orthodox. We are asked not to differentiate among us, but to respect each other’s traditions and celebrate around one altar. The Eucharist must be shared by all.”
In a Message Our Lady said,“Jesus never urged you to divide yourselves, this division in His Church was no desire of His; I implore My children to unite in heart and voice and rebuild My Son’s primitive Church in their heart; I am saying My Son’s primitive Church, since that Church was constructed on Love, Simplicity, Humility and Faith; I do not mean you to reconstruct a new edifice, I mean you to reconstruct an edifice inside your heart, I mean you to knock down the old bricks inside your heart, bricks of disunion, intolerance, unfaithfulness, unforgiveness, lack of love, and reconstruct My Son’s Church by reconciling; you need intense poverty of the spirit and an overflow of wealth of generosity, and not until you understand that you will have to bend, will you be able to unite.” 23 September 1991
On our Apostasy
To understand the Church’s situation today, Vassula spoke of the two signs of the End of Times: the Great Apostasy foretold by St. Paul, and the Spirit of Rebellion, by the prophet Ezekiel. Vassula explained, “Apostasy always existed in different times in history, but we are living in evil times where the rejection of God and the Truth is generalized. The values that are good are considered bad, and vice versa. Churches are turned into restaurants, discotheques, and even sold to non-Christians. Where the Perpetual Sacrifice would take place in these churches, on the altars we now find billiard tables, bars, etc. This is the Disastrous Abomination in Daniel’s prophecy. …and nations are going against God’s commandments, e.g. Thou shalt not kill, by their laws that legalize abortion. The Rebel sits on God’s Throne, the Spirit of Rebellion fights the Church.”
Prophecies and Visions
Vassula related the calamities and disasters of our times to the hardness of men’s hearts and the Apostasy. She spoke of the prophesies of the 9/11 Towers and the Tsunami, “…because of the division in the Church, because of no reconciliation, the Tsunami came … Why does God punish us, the good and the bad as in Scriptures, in Siloan? Because there is no cry of repentance!…all economic crises, the ash from volcanoes, and the threatening murmurs of the other Iceland Volcano Katla are all due to Apostasy and Division. Something must happen because the Church and the world cannot continue like this! …God is always giving the world many possibilities to change the heart. This is why the Holy Spirit is the Hope and puts souls aflame to testify to the love of God and raises apostles as our lay people today who form Prayer Groups of the Divine Mercy, Padre Pio, Medjugorje, etc. to pray.”
|
|
Vassula spoke of the visions where the Lord made her see Russia as a woman lying dead, and heard Him speak of her like she was His daughter. Vassula had felt His Heart very sorrowful and filled with much love, and this made Vassula start to weep. He said, “Daughter do not weep, I am near Russia now, I am near her cold heart, I will resurrect her, I will transfigure her as I was transfigured.” Vassula said the day this Message was given was the Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration in Russia. Russia will glorify God more than any other, she feels Russia will be spiritually above many nations. Vassula’s view is that maybe Russia will make the first step to Unity with the Roman Catholic Church, how else will she glorify God? Recently, Patriarch Kyrill of Russia extended an invitation to Pope Benedict XVI for a visit to Russia.
Some Questions and Answers
Vassula spoke of many more topics and during the Question & Answer session, she was asked:
What is the message for priests? She answered, “Jesus asks for the priests to imitate Him, to walk in His bloodstained footprints. If you love Him and embrace Him, you embrace His Cross. He needs sacrificial love, acts of reparation, giving one’s self more and more, being God’s slave, having no limits in serving God. Christ wants mercy and compassion, He wants all our hearts. All Scripture is to be good, and LOVE, just like a child.”
In the Messages, is the Unity spiritual? Under the Holy Father? Vassula replied, “It is spiritual. The Holy Father must be accepted as Peter. The Pope does not expect them to change their rites, tradition, etc.. All must accept and give the Eucharist from each other.”
After other questions, Vassula ended her talk saying,“If we truly love Christ there will be no problem of Unity. This will be the triumph of the Church!” The audience of clergy were delighted with Vassula’s talk and requested her to pray over them. One could feel the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit as they came forward like children to ask for the Lord’s healing and give their thanks.
Saturday, May 22 Timisoara Radio Interviews
Vassula’s Timisoara Meeting was publicized throughout the city by strategically placing TLIG posters at city bus stops, at university bulletin boards, etc. A great effort was made in every way, including two radio interviews. Vassula accorded a first interview to Radio Timisoara. The reporter was so fascinated with Vassula’s mystical experiences with her Angel and the Lord that the 10 minute Interview foreseen stretched to a whole hour! The Interview wit