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For the first time
since our Pilgrimages
began, Jesus Christ
gave Vassula a Message to
be read out by her while we
would all be gathered in Rome for
our 10th ecumenical pilgrimage. [see page 24 for Message,
dated June 2, 2015]. In that Message our Lord is pouring out
the fullness of His Mercy on us in these last days, asking His
shepherds once again to reconcile and come to a complete
Unity, removing divisions among themselves by the power of
His Holy Spirit. Jesus was not mincingHis words, but was, as
always, direct and clear. The Message was breath-taking and
uplifting at the same time. Christ is reminding his shepherds
that we are joined in one baptism and asks them to share the
mystery of the Eucharist. There is one Body, one Spirit, one
Lord, one Faith, one God the Father of all and through all,
and He lives in all of us…
This Message could do nothing but bring the hearts of all the
pilgrims together, in praise and worship, to feel in their spirit
that they are one family; all children of God are truly one in
Christ, belonging together to eternal life in God’s Kingdom.
Some who attended this pilgrimage came from afar,
altogether from 65 different countries. This multi-national
gathering alone shows how True Life in God has spread
around the world. It can only be God who could extend
His Works in such a magnified way. The clergy, along
with the lay people were from 15 different Christian
denominations. From the 700 people gathered, the clergy
alone were 104. There were Anglicans, ArmenianOrthodox,
Copts, Ethiopian Catholics and Ethiopian Orthodox,
one Evangelical, Greek Orthodox, Lutherans, Maronites,
Melkite Catholics, Roman Catholics, Romanian Orthodox,
Syrian Malankaras, and members from the Delhi Orthodox
Church; praise be the Lord!
It is so clear that the Lord guides these pilgrimages with
power, for Vassula, his instrument of Unity, on her own,
without the Hand of God, would in no way have been able
to have gathered all these pilgrims from different Churches
and bring them to join in Rome to form one Church in
its diversity. It is as though we hear Jesus saying,
‘I shall
increase them, and the nations will learn that I am the
Lord, the sanctifier of contrite hearts.’
For 10 years now, there has been an interfaith presence from
Bangladesh at our pilgrimages. Faithfully and unfailingly,
the presence of the Venerable Mahathero Suddhananda
was escorted by two of his loyal Buddhists. Their speeches
express peace and harmony for the whole world and the
Buddhist monks are grateful that our
Churches are as well seeking harmony
between us and peace in the world.The
Venerable, upon seeing Vassula’s efforts
of so many years for promoting peace,
reconciliation and Unity around the
world, had shown his appreciation
by inviting her to their Monastery in
Bangladesh, Dhaka, three times on
three different occasions to offer her
the gold medal award. One of these
times they honored her to receive
the gold medal award by the Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina who was
invited to their function.
Here are Ethiopian Greek Orthodox clergy with BishopMarkos GebremedhinWoldesenbet
along with Fr. Nestor Caber. At the far right is Vincentian priest Fr. Rolando Tuazon.
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