Testimonies & Conversion Stories

While in Medjugorje I purchased 200 Medjugorje medals thinking that they would be nice to give to people who had never had the opportunity to go there. That was on the second or third day there. On the Thursday or Friday before we left, I went into the Franciscan shop to buy two crucifixes for my home. While I was in the shop I picked up 200 more medals. I walked around and then put them back as I all ready had 200 medals. Needless to say, Mary had me go back and pick up the additional 200 medals. I left the shop with 400 medals. These medals were blessed at St. James church. They were present at an apparition of the Gospa on June 9th where she gave them her motherly blessing.

I have given away over 300 medals with no questions asked by me. I just pass them off first to family and friends and then to whomever I have felt the urge that they needed a medal. Once I give a medal to someone I leave up to God and the Blessed Mother what happens next.

In the following I have replaced the name of the son with Robert and the name of his step-dad with Bill. Also, Robert does not drive so anytime Robert goes anywhere Bill must drive him. Otherwise the following is as it took place.

Robert is a fellow to whom I gave a Medjugorje medal. As Robert describes himself he comes from a family of filth. I met Robert while shopping in a grocery store near where we live. I met him when he walked out from behind the fish counter and thanked me for shopping at his store. He said that because of customers like me he had a job and also health insurance. He then proceeded to tell me that last summer while he was cutting open packages of outdated fish, so that he could dispose of them, he was splashed in the eye by juice from the package. His eye became infected and he wound up in the hospital. He almost died there and he told me that that is when he got faith. I said to him that I had just what he needed and I opened my rosary pouch and gave him a Medjugorje medal.

I explained to Robert that the medal was blessed at St. James church and was present at an apparition of the Blessed Mother on June 9th where she gave them her motherly blessing. I told him that the next day I would give him a Pieta book so that he could say prayers. He knew no prayers and had no prayer book. As his coworker was also catholic so I gave her a medal. The next day I gave each of them a Pieta prayer book.

As Robert works at the grocery store near our home I see Robert on many occasions. It was most interesting to watch Robert bloom into his faith. He in fact became over zealous in telling others of the change in himself.

Now Robert had been away from the church for over twenty years. About a week before Christmas he went to mass. After going to mass he met with the pastor and went to confession. The next day Robert went to mass and to communion. Then he threw away all the pornography books, movies, etc. and also began to show his step-dad, Bill, how his life was changing. Later at Robert's request, I gave him three medals: one for his step-dad, one for his mother and one for whomever.

Well Robert's step-dad carried his medal around in his pocket. He went to the VA hospital for a check up and his doctor said that he wanted him to go to another doctor for his depression. He told Robert of this and Robert said, Bill, take the medal out of your pocket and put it on a chain around your neck. Bill did this and in about an hour or an hour and a half after he had placed the medal and chain around his neck he felt a strange sensation as his depression left him. Bill now prays the rosary daily and sometimes more than once.

Robert called me Christmas afternoon, I had not given him my phone number, to tell me with a lot of excitement in his voice that Bill had actually gone into the church and prayed that morning. No, Bill did not stay for mass. Bill attended mass for the first time in over 47 years on the first Thursday in January. He chickened out of going to mass the next day but did drive Robert to church.

On Sunday January 7th Robert and Bill were to go to 8:30 AM mass at my parish. However, Bill stayed in bed and asked to be given more time. Later he got up and showered. While he was in the shower he felt that he was being told to go to mass. Robert and Bill then went to mass and Bill participated in his first mass in over 47 years.

On Monday Robert and Bill went to mass. After mass Bill went to confession for the first time in 47 years. They have been going to daily mass since. They are both now attending RCIA classes and last Wednesday after giving their statements to the group the group opened up and felt free to give their own stories of returning to or of coming to the faith.

Robert's mom had not been able to say the rosary since Robert was an infant. She had had something happen to her while saying the rosary and could not pray the rosary without bringing back the bad memories. After she received the Medjugorje medal from Robert she found she was able to pray to Mary. In time she asked the Blessed Mother to please help her to be able to pray the rosary again without those horrible memories. After praying this she was then able to pray the rosary without the memories.

God works in strange ways. When you go to Medjugorje or in your daily life be open to God. Do not compare what you receive to what someone else receives. We receive according to our needs. I am a sinner just as everyone else. I pray daily for God to let me know if I am doing that anything sinful that I am not recognizing as a sin so that I can cease doing it.

There are many other great happenings with the medals that I have given. God knows what they are. I know of a few. But then that is another story.

What I have experienced in all this is that God is there for everyone who wishes to be open to Him. Let go let God is the best way to describe how best to handle the opportunities that God gives us to spread His word. We can do nothing of ourselves but with God much is possible. I often ask myself, why me. Why is this happening? My rosary links, chaplet links, etc. change to a golden color. Perhaps it is because I am open to whatever God has in store for me. I can think of many other people whom I consider more 'holy' than I.

The goose bumps that I get when Robert tells me about his dad and mom and how they are progressing in their faith. The mustard seed is a very good description of how faith grows. It is wonderful to be able to see a persons faith grow and their self worth change as well so that they can better accept themselves. Robert was the catalyst for his mom and dad. In his change they wished to return to their faith as they knew it back then.

Today I have had one request for a medal from a prayer group member. She said that she thought I might feel her bold to be asking me for a medal. I told her that it was the Blessed Mother or God who was the source of her asking. One or both of them, gave her the grace to reach out. Who knows what, if any, affect a medal will have on her. That is in God's hands.

God Bless
Regis