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Latest Missionary News From Around the World, January 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012 Dear Patti Melvin, How overwhelmed I became when I recently received the box of literature, the CD's, and the two St. Philomena packages containing the rosary, medal, scapular, oil and leaflets! The good they will do!!!! My 11 year old daughter requested one of the scapulars already. I'm not sure why Venerable Pauline Jaricot and St. Philomena are making themselves known to me at this point. As a matter of fact, I am scheduled to meet with our pastor in the very near future to help discern what has been going on around here I can tell you, that thanks to the economy, we have had to close my husband's family's business after 50 years. It has been devastating for him and, to make it worse, none of it is going smoothly while the debt is rapidly accumulating--yes we discovered the Jubilee Debtor' Prayer of Venerable Pauline and are praying it nightly. When I meet with our pastor, I do hope to ask him about incorporating your Youth for Purity Program in our parish. We may at least be able to first introduce it to the home school group here. We are about 25 families and growing yearly. Our parish is well over 8,000 people and offers weekly CCD. I am eager to begin my Dedicated Decade in February and plan to familiarize our homeschoolers with it after Fr. Tim gives his approval. This is so exciting and there is so much to digest! Please know I will send a donation when I am able, but will be never be able to repay your kindness or thank you enough for the inner peace you have provided me in these tumultuous times. I can offer you hospitality if you're ever in New Jersey, though! The Blue Army Shrine is only a half hour from here, and Molly and I will often go to the Noon Mass between our studies-mostly in the spring and fall as I'm not a winter driver :). Next time we go, I will light a candle for your intentions. Thank you, again, and God Bless you and your ministry. Ginny Shanahan New Jersey United States

Thank you so much Patti for that statue!!! I so look forward to getting her! We are on the look out for a really beautiful statue too so we will let you know if we come across anything stunning! I have attached a photo of the icon. The photo does not do it justice! It is honestly stunning!!! People are so struck by her. Just to explain the icon and the symbolism: - Around the outside it is built up of gesso to represent the catacombs. Along the top are the instruments of her torture -on the bottom is obviously a reproduction of the blocks found by her in the catacombs with her names on it - She is wearing the red robe of martyrdom and the white dress of purity - Her left hand is raised as a sign of consecration and in her right hand she again holds the cross traditionally signifying martyrdom - Her face has all the traditional elements of an icon; the nose is long like the pillar of the temple, her ears are turned inwards to signify listening to the inward voice of the spirit (not of the world), her mouth is small to signify that it is used to receive Eucharist and preach the word of God. Her neck is bigger to signify the inspiration or breathe of God flowing through her - On her head she has a crown of fire signify she gave up an earthly crown but achieved a fiery crown of the Holy Spirit - Her hair is drawn like Christ's hair is often drawn in icons. - She has golden wrist bands which almost represents that her shackles (suffering) were turned to gold by Our Lord - On the left of the icon is the angel Gabriel (his name is written in Greek above him). On the right is a little angel with the balm they healed her with. It has been written (the word they use for made or painted in iconography) in the exact way of a real icon - it is a real icon (not just a nicely painted gold picture). All the gold is real gold leaf and it took John the Baptist Studios 3 months to "write" after we commissioned her. It is just bigger than an A4 sheet of paper. She is mounted in a wooden case which has doors which can be opened and closed. It is honestly incredibly striking!!!!! The icon is at the heart of Philomena's mission here and already so many amazing things have happened. What we do know is that at the time when she came into our lives (my good friend Robert Loretz and I) knew that she wanted an icon "written". At the time he had big debts and I had no teaching job but we knew that she wanted to be written as an icon (and it is not cheap to have a real icon commissioned however, as you know, if Philomena wants something - she get it!). So we commissioned the studio (here is a link to their web page http://www.sacredart.co.nz). From our research, their was no previous icon of Philomena for them to copy (as icons are always a copy of another in history and with Philomena being "late" as in the last 150 odd years and traditional icons are hundreds and hundreds of years old, there are no icons of Philomena for them to copy so they had to pray and fast and they came up with this!) so we think we have possibly the only icon of Philomena in the world. As I said previously in the orthodox tradition they believe that while not the same as a Eucharistic presence, there is a real presence of the saint in a real icon. We know Philomena is really present in some way in this icon particularly when, on the occasion where it has become apparent that Philomena wants to visit somebody who is in need at their house for a few days (often 9 so they can do a novena) people have often reported that it is like their is another person in their house and when she has left they say it is like a good friend has left after spending time with them! Anyway, I will stop typing as you obviously won't have time in your busy schedule to read a small novel by me. Anyway... God bless you Patti. If you have any more questions about the icon feel free to ask! I pray that some day Philomena arranges for you to see her for real in the icon... you will be amazed (honestly the picture does not do her icon justice) Hope that helps :-) God bless you and all your work. Chris Walker New Zealand

Dear Mother Patti, This morning, presentation of the Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA) was made to the students of College Vogt. This will continue throughout this Week and beyond. The presentation is done class by class and each submits lists of students wishing to be enrolled and enrollment is done at our Center and material and enrollments are shared in the sequent days and Weeks depending the time the lists are collected from the College. Community of St. John the Beloved (Monks) is in full support. They gave their permission for the presentation. Students are highly and emotionally interested as they saw the picture and heard the story of St. Philomena. Ave Maria! Paul E.EKPE St. Joseph's Anglophone Catholic Parish Yaounde-CAMEROON. Africa

Friday, January 20, 2012 Dearest Patti, Greetings from the St. Philomena's House, Kumasi-Ghana, in the name of Jesus and Mary!!! So very delightful to inform you that we had the privilege to visit the St. Peter's Primary School in Kumasi City just before the Christmas, last year, 2011. The headmistress, Mrs. Vero and the staff of the school gave us a warm and sincere welcome. During their hour of worship, I preached to them about the Universal living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA), Our LADY, THE HOLY ROSARY, ST. PHILOMENA the wonder Worker, our patroness and also briefed them about the St. Philomena's Youth for Purity Crusade. They were all very much happy and so interested with ULRA and our aims and objectives. We distributed to the newly enrolled members in the School, their Assigned Decade Cards, Rosaries, Miraculous Medals, Scapulars, Dedicated Decades, Leaflets, Holy Pictures etc. We finally took some group photographs with them, of which four of them are now in attachment of this letter to you. Patti, our Preaching Team is for a weekend trip tomorrow. It's a very long journey and the road is indeed very bad and somehow dangerous so kindly pray for us to go and return safely. May the Good Lord always be with you, your dear family, the staff and all our great benefactors? Kindly continue with great zeal and courage!!! Blessed bless!!! PEACE BE TO YOU PATTI!!! PAX TE CUM PATTI !!!! Yours in JESUS and MARY, ANTHONY FOSTER ODURO Ghana

Monday, January 16, 2012 Happy New Year Director, We have started well with the promotion of Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA) here i have a lot to do since I am keeping the faith of young children. At school we have experienced a lot of challenges like lightening threat, evil attacks and many others but we were not shaken because Jesus has given us His powers through HIS mother and St Philomena whom we pray to every day. New recruits are about 400. God Bless. Thomas Agelu Wakiso Junior School Kampala Uganda

Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena, Pakistan Center, at Khushpur The Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena, Pakistan Center, at St. Mary's School Gujranwala The Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena, Pakistan Center, at Tarkhani Banglow (Khushpur)

Dear Sis Patti, It’s rude in my part if I will pass another day and then I forgot to extend to you my deepest gratitude for giving me another set of rosaries and religious articles for my ministry and for our mission - "TO CONQUER THE WORLD ALL SOULS FOR CHRIST, THROUGH THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY." Thank you so much for the package. It just arrived yesterday but due to my busy schedule, I forgot to e-mail you back. Please forgive me. By the Way, My friend who is a nun asked me if I can give some of my rosaries for their recollection services to the students of San Roque Elementary School. I agreed with her that I will give some of the rosaries to her to be given away to the students for free. It is a poor institution not due to the fact that it is a Public School. Even before this coming Recollection I also given away some of the rosaries to the students of the said institution. Below are some photos of me giving rosaries to students from S.R.E.S. These photos were taken few months ago. I lost these photos in my P.C. because I didn't organize my files since then because I'm too busy. But final after searching in my Personal Computer and organizing my files, I found the photos. I'm still searching and encouraging others to join this Association. That's the reason why I make poster-like materials to be posted in different Parishes or even in schools around my community and asked their Parish Priest or Principal to encourage devotion to the Blessed Mother by participating in our Association. I also created an Image of St. Philomena with Jesus and Mary through Adobe Photoshop. I hope we will continue to spread devotion to Our Lady so that it will lead us all to her Son - Jesus Christ, our Savior and Our God. Thank you and May God continue to Bless Us! Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam! Reymond N. Lovendino Buraguis Legazpi City Philippines

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 There were series of miracles! 1. There was a rich man near our village and a member of St Philomena decade group and i did novena to St. Philomena and after the novena as i noticed in a shop where there were uniforms for choir and i have no money to buy them and they were abandoned by a parish who prepared to welcome the bishops but the liturgy group did not allow them to participate in the event so they did not buy it again, so i requested the man to buy the uniform cloths for my poor parishioners and it was about 3000 dollars and the rich man bought it and paid for the transport of it and i brought it to the poor parish in Kenya , 30 sets of graduation gown choir uniform with cap! So fantastic! I asked St. Philomena to provide uniform for the members of St Philomena choir and she did! 2. There was a big marriage problem and i was invited to help to separate or give a divorce format but i prayed to St Philomena and venerable Pauline Jaricot to intervene and with serious prayers and constant discussions and at last the husband and wife accepted to live together and there were given decade and booklets and they promised never to fight again! We thank St Philomena!!! 3. When i was coming back and there was a problem of visibility due to bad weather and many places we tried but no flight and all cancelled and however i prayed to St Philomena and i was directed to go to asaba airport near Onitsha and on arrival there told me again no chance and i asked St Philomena to do a miracle and from nowhere i was told that there was only one chance left and they gave it to me and took me to Lagos! Before they told me to wait for three more weeks but i invoke St Philomena saying that nothing is impossible and she did it! 4. On arrival at Lagos after waiting for four days in a hotel and i have no money again and they started strike and there said again there will be no flight to Kenya and i started to pray to St Philomena and finally i got one and i am back to Kenya again! We thank St Philomena and venerable Pauline Maria Jaricot!! We keep the spirit up! God is still with us! Forward ever and backward never!!! Happy New Year mum! Ave Maria Fr Patrick Mary Filomena Kenya

Saturday, January 7, 2012 Dear Mother Patti, This morning I went to the College of Mary Immaculate to deliver the 60 lists of names that was sent to me during the Christmas vacation. What is interesting was that about 6 teachers that are those who did not enroll during the first list of 400 new members of the Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA) sent in their names this time. One of the teachers told me that his Decade is making him since he got it to pray the rosary daily. He further said that he has introduced it to his family and among his friends. This Rev. Sister in the photo with me is in-charge of instructing and reminding the students to pray their Decades daily. Before distributing it, she usually explain to, the students the importance of rosary prayers and dedicated the LR is and why every member should inform their parents why they should enroll. Some of our members who came and collected Oil and cord returned from Christmas vacation and told me how they were protected from serious accidents that even involved deaths and serious injuries. Some told story how they were safe from demonic attacks; they said that some of their cords got missing in mysterious circumstances. Ave Maria! Paul E.EKPE St. Joseph's Anglophone Catholic Parish Yaounde CAMEROON Africa