An Interview with a Former Satanist

I have to share this amazing conversion story, and the deep understanding that David acquired from his experience:

To Hell With Halloween  (3626)

David Arias’ experiences with the occult make him no fan of what All Hallows’ Eve has become.

by TRENT BEATTIE 10/28/2015 Comments (18)

Twenty-four years ago on Halloween, 42-year-old David Arias began a journey to hell. Ouija boards, drugs, assaults and sacrilege were a regular part of his life. After nearly four years of engaging in extraordinary evil in the pursuit of power, Arias had enough and slowly began to turn back to God for salvation.

After an initially grueling conversion, Arias now finds living in the Catholic Church to be quite normal. He is married with three children and participates in an apologetics group called Prophets of Hope and a men’s group called Cristo Rey, both at his parish in southern California. Arias, who is no fan of Halloween, spoke of his experiences in the occult with Register correspondent Trent Beattie.

How did you first get involved with the occult?

I grew up in a culturally Catholic home, but we didn’t take our faith very seriously. This wasn’t a good foundation for when my mother died when I was 16. Her death hit me hard, and I couldn’t believe in a loving God after that. Whenever someone said, “I love you,” it fell on deaf ears because of the sadness and anger inside me.

When I was 18, I went to a rock concert with some friends on Halloween. Afterward, one of them invited me to a cemetery to use a Ouija board. I went and saw the first obvious manifestations of evil there. I thought it was scary but also funny. I was like a little kid playing with fire: It seemed like a game to me, and part of what made it fun was how dangerous it was.

That beginning led to “underground parties” in empty warehouses. There was rock music, drugs and secret rituals in “special places” of the warehouse. The organizers downplayed the rituals, trying to make them seem normal, but they were actually Satanic. Evil was being invited into the bodies and souls of the unsuspecting partiers.

Through these parties I got deeper into the dark world of Satanism. I learned that Satan wants to be like God, so he requires sacrifices to be offered to him. The most basic and common sacrifices were of animals. I participated in these and other evil rituals for almost four years, but I could not bring myself to kill a human being, which is required to make it to the highest (or, I guess you could say, the lowest) level of Satanism.

The easiest way to kill someone is through abortion because the baby has no defense. You can kill babies anytime you want in this country, as long as they’re still inside the womb. We had an abortionist in our group who knew exactly what abortion was about: sacrificing innocent lives to Satan. Abortion is an anti-sacrament.

How did you get out of Satanism?

When I couldn’t kill a human being, others in my group got angry and beat me up. They wanted to push me further into hell, but I wasn’t willing to go. I wanted to belong and have more power, but I also saw that killing another human being was extremely immoral. This is taken for granted by most people, but when you consider all the other evil things I had done, killing a human being would be the next step. I thank God that he prevented me from taking that step.

This was an insightful but painful time. The tension made me desperate and suicidal, which is where Satan wants us to be. Suicide is known in Satanic circles as “auto-sacrifice” or “self-sacrifice.” Satan is “honored” by suicides because they are a mark of despair. Judas killed himself because evil seeks to destroy goodness; but in the end, it destroys itself.

Even though I was walking around with a huge burden of sin, I still held out hope that things could get better. I walked past a Catholic church whose doors were open. I looked inside and saw a very large crucifix: I said, “Jesus, what can you give me that Satan can’t?” That was a challenge to God, but it was a sincere one.

I cried and cried and cried. Then God answered my prayer. I saw that I needed to be forgiven by Jesus through his Church, both of whom I used to persecute. My confession lasted an hour and a half; and later I was prayed over by an exorcist. I was relieved to be freed from evil, and I began to joyfully receive holy Communion.

I was also introduced to the Rosary, a set of prayers every Catholic should pray. Mary has authority over Satan, whose head she crushes, as described in Genesis. Satan is totally powerless against Mary because she has no sin. All Satan’s power rests in how much we sin. The more we sin, the more powerful he becomes; but since Mary never sinned, he cannot do anything against her.

What is your opinion of Halloween?

It’s no coincidence that Halloween was when I started down the road to hell. This is a special day for darkness, and it shouldn’t be treated as a game, like I did. It is a demonic celebration used as a tool to gain souls for hell.

You know those Halloween stores that pop up every fall? We would curse the costumes children would get from them — even the costumes that weren’t grotesque. Parents thought all was well, but we knew they were paying to have their children step into a world of darkness.

People make their homes look like haunted cemeteries. … This invites evil spirits inside. It’s really simple: If you want to attract evil, you put up depictions of evil. If you want to attract good, you put up depictions of good. Every Catholic, then, should have Catholic art in his home.

Besides the art, which would be up all year, what do you think Catholics should do on Halloween specifically?

On Halloween, it is especially good to go to Mass; do Eucharistic adoration; pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet; fast from food for six hours or fast from something else for a specific amount of time; read the Bible; teach your children about the Church; donate something to the poor, etc. These can be done any day of the year, but it’s easier to see the purpose behind it on Halloween, when so many people are going the opposite direction of where they should be.

What are the good things that Catholics should remember about the spiritual battle?

The biggest thing is to know you’re in the right place. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, started our Church, and he lives in our Church today, especially through the Eucharist. He loves to be with us and give us his graces. Considering this extraordinary love coming from Jesus, it’s terribly ironic that not every Catholic knows Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, but every Satanist does.

Many years ago, when I was in Satanism, we would send people out to slip into Mass late and get a consecrated Host for sacrilegious rituals. We even had regular parishioners who would sign up as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion and steal hosts. It happened all the time. It was so easy because so many people are given access to the tabernacle. If so many people have access, what’s the big deal with it, right?

As Catholics, we need to enliven our faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and show it by how we receive him. Being dressed immodestly or talking with our friends as we stroll up to the sanctuary is not acceptable. Neither is tossing Jesus into our mouths and running out of the church.

If we want to receive Jesus reverently, we should ask the Blessed Mother how to do it. She was the first to receive Jesus, and she knows better than any other creature what Jesus expects from us. See, then, why the Rosary should be prayed daily by all Catholics? Mary has power that is only surpassed by that of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

What would you say to people attracted to the occult or who have already gotten into it?

We all experience suffering, but the important thing is how we handle it. We can take it with a proud heart and think we are undeserving of it, or we can take it with a humble heart and realize we just might need it to be purified.

The Good and Bad Thieves died the same death physically, but, spiritually, they were a world apart. The Bad Thief was proud and rejected his cross, but the Good Thief was humble and accepted his. This act of faith led him to paradise.

My heart was broken when I was 16, and I took the pain as motivation to break the hearts of others. I did inflict pain on many people; but each time, I was only adding to my own share. Highs were followed by desperate lows, but when I repented of my sins, I did find the way to happiness.

At 23, Jesus and Mary put my broken heart back together, and they want to do the same thing for others. They only have to ask. They need to know that love is real, mercy is real, and forgiveness is real. While Our Father does hate our sins, he hates none of us. He wants all of us to be saved, and our salvation is there for the asking. Let’s all ask for it daily and praise the Lord and rejoice in anticipation of heavenly glory.

Register correspondent Trent Beattie writes from Seattle.

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/to-hell-with-halloween/#ixzz3q0UQDnBl

Are We Living the Messages of Medjugorje? Vicka Guides Us In Praying With the Heart

I witnessed this beautiful monstrance being given to the parish of Medjugorje on the Reported 30th Anniversary of Mary's apparitions

On the reported 30th Anniversary of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, I was privileged to travel to Medjugorje.  

Some of the most beautiful sights of my pilgrimage to Medjugorje were to see Masses being offered continuously from 5am – 6pm in various languages throughout the day, 

to witness hundreds of priests concelebrating the evening Mass, 

thousands attending a Holy Hour every night, 

countless numbers going to confession in every language to about 70 different priests at any given time (St. John Paul II is quoted as calling Medjugorje: “The Confessional of the World”), and 

and the faith of tens of thousands of people praying the Rosary, 

the Stations of the Cross and performing great acts of penance each day. 

Many refer to this place as an oasis of peace and a school of Mary.  I can attest that extraordinary faith is being manifested in Medjugorje!  Knowing this, what has been the impetus of such a dynamic and living faith? Surely, all this is happening, through an extraordinary grace of God.  

Six reported visionaries attest that this grace is because the Blessed Mother began appearing to them on June 24, 1981.  Since then, they report, that Mary has told them that the God has sent her to remind the world that He exists, and that the world is in great need of conversion, and that we must repent and believe again in His Word and His existence.  

She has told them, they report, that we must turn back to God.  As a means of doing so, she invites all to live five main messages of peace and conversion: prayer with the heart (particularly the Rosary), living the Eucharist (consisting of daily Mass if possible and adoration), penance (going to at least monthly confession), Scripture reading (preferably as a family) and fasting (preferably on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays).  Based on these reports, Mary, known as the Queen of Peace, has come to lead us back into union with her Son and to pray for and live peace through living these five main messages.  

If this is really occurring -- which millions have provided concurring testimonies that it is – then it must be truly important! 

IF God is willing to send Mary to the world everyday, it must be truly vital for us and therefore, it must be important for us to listen.  

And so I have had to ask myself, isn’t it important that I pay attention to what the reported messages of Mary are asking me to do?  

A couple years ago, I began to ponder more deeply the great lengths Mary has taken to reach her children.  I began to think about how long and how ardently she has pleaded with us to repent, and so, I began to examine them more deeply and ask myself how was I living the messages? -- The messages I believed Mary comes down from heaven to proclaim! And heartbrokenly, I had to admit how little I had thought of them and how weakly I was living many of them… I recognized how many excuses I used to not fast as Mary asked (on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays)... how little I truly prayed with the heart…and how seldom my family and I pray the Scriptures together, etc.

A few years later, I can say that I have become more committed to living the messages, but still have a long way to go.  Truthfully, none of us can live the messages perfectly, but perhaps we can take them more seriously and make a commitment to strive to live them more fully each day.  

To help us, I’m excited to share a beautiful interview with Vicka.  She gives us wonderful insights into how to live the messages and to truly pray with the heart.  For we are not called to live these messages by our own strength, but through the graces being offered by Our Mother and Her Son, Who love us more than we can ever imagine.  Enjoy!  

God is Changing the World One Soul at a Time... Innumerable Reasons an Exorcist Proclaims Medjugorje to be "A Great Fortress Against Satan!"

Cross on Mt. Križevac overlooking Medjugorje

I woke up compelled by the strength of Fr. Gabrielle Amorth’s words - words that condemned our apathy toward Medjugorje. (See these other articles for an overview of Medjugorje, St. John Paul II's position, and a reflection on the transitory gift of Medjugorje). Fr. Amorth was the Chief Exorcist of Rome for 20 years, casting out demons in the often unseen battle of Good vs. Evil.  For him to make the following remarks, he must understand something that often escapes us.

In an interview with Radio Maria, Fr. Amorth spoke these words in light of a reported message of Our Lady given on August 25, 2011:

“Dear children! Today I call you to pray and fast for my intentions, because Satan wants to destroy my plan. Here I began with this parish and invited the entire world. Many have responded, but there is an enormous number of those who do not want to hear or accept my call. Therefore, you who have said ‘yes’, be strong and resolute. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Fr. Amorth commented:

“How bitter, how bitter was the last message of Our Lady of Medjugorje, on August 25:'Many have responded, but there is an enormous number of those who do not want to hear or accept my call.'Now look here; it is very sour, this balance. After more than thirty years! More than thirty years! Now if it is the pagans who don’t listen to Our Lady’s words, then that I can understand. But be you a Christian, it is not forgivable. Be you a Christian!Even priests and bishops don’t even want to hear about it. It is not that they went there and then made their decision fairly after seeing things for themselves, no! They don’t even want to hear it being spoken about!” 

Mary’s tells us in her message that “Satan wants to destroy my plan.”

We read in Ephesians 6:12 how real our struggle with Satan is:

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

May these words remind us that we are in a deadly spiritual battle with Satan, who “comes only to steal, kill and destroy” (Jn 10:10).  Fr. Amorth’s wisdom and insight fighting spiritual battles assuredly enables him to recognize and distinguish between the work of God and that of Satan. His strong belief in the happenings in Medjugorje, therefore, guide me amid the lies and false reports often circulated (even by major news sites!) citing the Vatican has disproven the apparitions and declared them to have been a fraud.  Remember when reading these reports that:

"Pope Francis has not given his word yet on Medjugorje, therefore no declaration, even from a “Vatican insider”, holds any authority. They are simply personal opinions. Beware of falling into the trap of agitation! The announcement will be given on the official Vatican websites." Sister Emmanuel

Amid this confusion, Father Amorth proclaims how we are to know the truth regarding Medjugorje or other supposed apparitions:

“The Gospel is so clear, it tells us how to discern! By the fruits you will know the tree! It has been 30 years ... [and] Medjugorje has given us fruits that are ultimately exquisite! Confession, conversion, vocations, graces of every kind! For more than 30 years!”

For me, Father Amorth’s experience at combatting the father of lies, makes his understanding of Medjugorje as “a great fortress against Satan” particularly compelling.  I believe we must carefully reflect on Father’s words. And perhaps consider more deeply the reports of graces God has given us for over 34 years!  For Father says further:

“In the Old Testament God sent prophets to warn of the betrayals of the Jewish people. Now, here, to warn of the betrayal of the Christian people, also the priests, God sends us His Mother! It has been 30 years! Is it possible that people still do not hear? And as for those people who believe themselves to be intelligent by saying they wait until the Church approves? They are fools!”

Similarly, I have heard Medjugorje spoken of as “the heel of Mary.”  This imagery reminds us of the great prophecy God spoke regarding the woman who would crush the head of Satan.  Saying to Adam and Eve in the garden:

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Gen 3:15). 

In our day and age, it often appears that evil is winning the battle – as attacks on the family increase daily and more and more people seem to be losing their faith.  As world gets ever darker, we can become discouraged and overwhelmed. Yet, in the midst of this darkness, let us keep in mind that conversions and healings are being reported daily from people who have journeyed to or embraced the messages of Medjugorje!  

How incredible are these miracles!  And how incredibly each of these accounts of conversion, vocation and healing attest to Mary’s power over Satan and her ability to crush his plans!  

And isn’t that how God changes the world?  Scripture and history tell us God doesn’t change the world in one fell swoop, but through individuals! Look at Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Jesus, His Twelve Apostles, St. Francis of Assisi, etc. God seeks to transform each of us! And then, watch with joy how we witness and become another Christ to each other through the smallest acts of love and through our prayers! In God's goodness, humility and patience, He is at work changing the world, one person at a time.  One person who impacts those around them – and so on and so on.  

If this is how God works, how integral are we to the plan of God!  

Do we take seriously Our Lady’s daily visitation to earth each day and her invitation to pray, pray, pray?  

To be peace and love amid hatred and division?  

To pray with our families and read Scripture daily?  

To go to confession often and live the Eucharist?  

To live her messages, which lead us into ever deeper faith and closeness to God, so we will become her apostles? 

How incredibly does each account of conversions, vocations and healings attest to Mary’s power over Satan and her ability to crush his plans! For we must remember that Satan truly exists and his sole desire is to destroy us! To destroy our souls, our marriages, our children, our families, our homes, our relationships, our country… even the entire world and universe!

Therefore, every testimony of conversion is a triumph over Satan’s snares!

Each time an addict is able to live free from drugs and alcohol, it is a tremendous victory of God!

Each marriage that is saved that was on the brink of divorce proclaims that God’s love triumphs! 

Every time a person chooses to forgive, he proclaims the power of forgiveness over anger and hatred!

Each time a person chooses to go to confession, all of hell rages because a soul refuses to listen to the one “who accuses us night and day” Rev 12:10, but, instead, listens and trusts in God’s mercy!

Every time a mother and father chooses to cherish their unborn baby, all of heaven rejoices at the great triumph of life over the forces of death!

Each time a person rejects the lies of Satan and remains steadfast in faith, it is a victory!

Each time a person embraces God's plan regarding sexuality and marriage ...

Each suicide that is thwarted…

Each religious vocation…

Each eternal and ever-living priesthood that is embraced… is an annihilation of Satan’s plans!

And so often overlooked, each time a person prays, participates in Holy Mass or adores the Blessed Sacrament…

Each time someone choose to read Scripture…

Each time families pray together…

Each time someone fasts... 

God is changing the world one soul at a time...

by changing each one of us!  

And all of heaven rejoices, while the demons rage!

Is it any wonder that so many lies have been perpetrated against Medjugorje?  A place where the parish has a 3-hour program of prayer every day!  Where more confessions take place than any other place in the world!  A place of untold numbers of conversions and healings!

As in all authentic and holy works of God, Satan works to discredit them.  We need only think about what took place regarding St. Faustina and the messages Jesus gave her on His Divine Mercy, (which were condemned for a time until Pope St. John Paul II rescued them) or the terrible lies people made up against St. Padre Pio (who endured great testing, censure and trials through the hands of the Church) to name a few.  

Although there has been no denunciations, there are recent reports of restrictions taking place in Medjugorje. I see these restrictions as a necessary step in the Church's process of discernment. Through trial and testing, the humility and the obedience of the reported visionaries and pilgrims will be determined.  However, Satan will have a field day spinning these restrictions into condemnations, for he has been particularly adept at spreading falsehoods that undermine the acceptance of Medjugorje in our world. So much so,  that many do not even wish to consider or pay any attention to the thousands of reports that attest to the good fruits coming from Medjugorje.  This is what Father Amorth is so strongly lamenting!

I pray that this will change.  Because Our Lady's sole mission is to lead us to Jesus -- to lead us to union with Him, so that we become saints who reflect the presence of Christ in our daily lives. Saints not only after we die, but here and now in our present moment!  

Living saintly lives should not scare us off! I know many, many holy men and women who are doing just that. Every week in Church I notice beautiful families with 4, 5, 6 or more children!  It is amazing to see! (How I wish God had given me that many!) Their openness to life and their commitment to raising their children in the faith is one instance of how God is changing the world! Each soul changes the world and lives in sanctity if they seek to love those near them and the ones God puts in their path. 

Even if no one recognizes it, when we seek to fulfill our daily duties with love... when we make acts of kindness... or are committed to prayer and to providing for our families... when we offer our sleepless nights to Him... or our sickness, struggles, joys or sadness are given to Jesus on the Cross... God knows!  And united with His Sacrifice, one cleaned toilet... one Hail Mary prayed with devotion... one Scripture verse read with the heart.. one heartfelt reception of Communion... one return to Confession... one smile... becomes infinitely valuable.  

We all know how real this battle is –

Mary is God’s answer to our pleas for help! She is God’s answer to our cries to Him to save us!  In His Mercy, He has sent our Blessed Mother to reveal His Presence, His Love for us and to reveal to us the battle plan that is winning the war against evil! 

This battle plan is nothing more than living the Gospel with our whole lives.  How untiringly Mary invites us to seek God first in our lives and to develop a deep personal relationship to Him through prayer, because prayer unites our minds and hearts to God, and allows us to hear Him and listen to His Voice! When we hear and listen to God, we no longer want to sin -- for we understand we have so much more than what sin offered to us!  When we commit to prayer, we are strengthened in our faith, and we are emboldened to never cease fighting for our freedom -freedom that Christ died to give us - for "it is for freedom that Christ has set us free!" Gal 5:1 - freedom for our families, our loved ones and the entire world... because sin itself is the great destroyer of freedom, because “the wages of sin is death” Rom 6:23 and “all who sin become slaves of sin” (Jn 8:34). 

Mary, the most loving of Mothers, and the most powerful prayer warrior, leads us in this battle and gives us the strategies that will win this deadly spiritual war!  The messages she gives are often likened to the five small stones of David – who was able to kill Goliath through his great faith in God, saying:

“All this multitude shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle belongs to the LORD, who shall deliver you into our hands.” (1 Sam 17: 46-47).

May we take these great weapons Mary gives us in her messages to heart, striving to live them ever more fully each day:

1. Pray Scripture Daily:  By praying and meditating on His Holy Word as a family, we grow closer to Christ. The Holy Word of God is not merely a book, but a Person!  The Divine Person Who brought the entire universe into existence still speaks, teaches, heals and guides us to all Truth if we listen to His Word:  “When I found your words I devoured them; your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart!” (Jer. 15:16).

2. Pray the Rosary Daily:  The Rosary is such a beautiful prayer! No other prayer is like it, for in it we daily meditate on Jesus' entire life (!) – from the Incarnation, life and death, Resurrection and Ascension, to the outpouring of His Spirit and the raising to heavenly glory of Mary, (who goes before us in glory).  How deeply we fall in love with Christ when we are led to Him and see Him through the eyes and the heart of His Mother!  She aids us with her prayers, so that we are able to: “treasure all these things and ponder them in our hearts” (see Lk 2: 19).

3. Live the Eucharist Fully:  To fulfill His promise to be with us until the end of time, Jesus gave His very self in the Eucharist to feed and nourish us for the journey unto eternal life – “For My Body is true food and my Blood is true drink….anyone who eats this bread will live forever! (Jn 6:55, 51, 58). Jesus died to give us this ability to be united to Him body and soul – and to remain with us always! How wonderful to live in union with so great a Gift?! May we unite ourselves deeply to the Eternal Sacrament of God’s Love.  

4. Go to Confession at least Once a Month:  Each time we repent and go to confession, we become more humble, more aware of God's mercy!  Through the priest in confession, Jesus, HIMSELF, speaks words of infinite power, healing and forgiveness. He strengthens and challenges us by His Mercy, saying: “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more!” (Jn. 8:11). 

5.   Fast Twice a Week.  Beside our wills being strengthened through denial, (so that we are not tossed here and there by our bodily wants and emotions), Jesus told his disciples that “certain demons can only be cast out by prayer and fasting” (Mk 9:29; Mt. 17: 21). How difficult it is to fast! And yet, how vital it is if we are to be able to cast out these demons that seek to destroy us!  May we strive to fast on bread and water; but most importantly, let us fast from our sins, which weaken us and make us susceptible to the Enemy's snares.

Knowing firsthand the darkness of the times, let us be ever more vigilant in fulfilling the messages Mary brings us from heaven, because Satan never sleeps, but is always “prowling like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8) as he attempts to strip away our religious freedoms and our faith in God! How furious Satan must be at losing the battle in Medjugorje!  

Confidently, therefore, let us hold fast to God’s Word with peace and joy, for He tells us:

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but mine, says the Lord” (2 Chron. 20:15).

Dear Lord, 

We praise You for Your infinite love and care for us in sending us Mary to be with us and guide us! May we never take Our Lady’s presence or her messages for granted or dismiss them easily.  Instead, help us to be transformed by the prayers of Our Mother, and so become apostles that spread Your peace through our faith. Help us to rejoice with great faith like David, assured that our triumph is near at hand!  We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medjugorje#/media/File:Medjugorje_cross.jpg

© Janet Moore 2015. All Rights Reserved. 

The Miracles and the Power of the Rosary in Our Fight Against Evil

What do nuclear warfare, satanic priests, and serial killers have in common?

What about corrupt and evil governments usurping the rights of its people, and horrific, unjust wars wrought upon Christians by radical Muslim forces?

Each of these is a very real threat in our lives today; and yet, each of these evils has seen its destructive power rendered useless in the face of those praying the Rosary! 

In our fight against evil, it is easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged when the darkness seems to be getting only deeper and its powers more forceful… That is why it’s so important to recall the mighty power of our God and prayer; and realize again, or for the first time, the immense power we have within our grasp!

In this article I will share a very small sampling of the incredible miracles of the Rosary.  These miracles demonstrate the power of the Rosary in the instances mentioned above:

Protection in the Midst of Nuclear Warfare:

When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945, it brought about utter destruction, except for one home, which was within a kilometer of ground zero.  The eight Jesuit priests who lived there suffered no ill effects from the radiation that killed so many, and were thus, examined and interviewed multiple times.  Fr. Schiffer, a survivor, remarked over 200 times, “we believe that we survived because we were living the message of Fatima.  We lived and prayed the rosary daily in that home.”

Conversion of a Satanic Priest:

Bartolo Longo, born in Naples in 1841, drifted so far away from God and his religious upbringing that he eventually became a satanic priest. When satanic forces were tormenting him, his family, who had never stopped praying for him, convinced him to make a good confession.  He did and was helped by a priest who encouraged him to become devoted to the rosary.  In 1870, he became a third order Dominican and chose to live a life of penance in reparation for all the sins he committed as a satanic priest. One day, nearing succumbing to despair for all the sins he had committed, he was inspired to remember Mary’s promise to help all those who encouraged others to pray the rosary.  So began a mission to promote the rosary and to restore the ruined chapel of Pompeii.  Many conversions and miraculous cures took place as people became devoted to the rosary and pledged to build a new shrine in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary.  In 1980, Pope John Paul II beatified Bartolo Longo calling him “the man of the Madonna” and the “Apostle of the Rosary.”

Protection from Serial Killers:

Ted Bundy was one of the worst serial killers in history.  On the night of January 15, 1978, at 3:00 am, Bundy murdered two girls in the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University – he entered a third room, but fled when he saw a girl clutching a rosary in her hands.  Later the girl explained that she had promised her grandmother to pray the rosary every night when she went to bed, even if she fell asleep while praying.  Years later, when Bundy was awaiting his execution, he asked for a priest. The priest, Monsignor William Kerr, asked him what happened that night. Bundy said he intended to murder the girl, but “some mysterious power prevented him.”

The Fall of Corrupt, Evil Governments:

In the Philippines, the corrupt Marcos regime was defeated entirely through peaceful means in 1986. While their leaders were living in luxury, the Philippine people were starving and sought to elect a new leader, Benigno Aquino. After the Marcos government assassinated him, one million people signed a petition for his widow, Corazon Aquino, to run in his place. A false, corrupt and violent election declared Marcos the winner as he took control of the media and sent out thousands of tanks to quell the unrest. Cardinal Sin, of the Archdiocese of Manila, called on all people to peacefully protest the injustice.  Thousands went among the soldiers and the tanks praying the rosary and singing hymns, while holy Mass and vigils took place in churches. The prayerful protests lasted not quite a week when all the armed soldiers left their tanks and peacefully joined the protesters.

In 1962-64, the president of Brazil, Joao Goulart, began to embrace Communism and began installing Communists into high positions of government. In response, Cardinal de Barros Camara encouraged people to follow Our Lady of Fatima’s messages and to pray the Rosary to keep their country free from communism. .  President Goulart reacted by mocking the rosary, saying that governmental control, not the rosary, would save the country.

A woman named Amelia Bastos began to recruit many people to pray the rosary, forming a group called Campaign of Women for Democracy (CAMDE).  In Belo Horizonte, 20,000 rosary-praying women broke up a pro-Communist rally. Again, all the while praying, "Mother of God, preserve us from the fate and suffering of the martyred women of Cuba, Poland, Hungary, and other enslaved nations," 600,000 women marched and prayed the rosary for peace in Sao Paulo. They called their protest the "March of the Family with God Toward Freedom," which was described by witnesses as, "One of the most moving demonstrations in Brazilian History."  Many more rosary rallies were held throughout Brazil despite threats against the women. Without a shot being fired, on April 1, 1964, President Goulart fled the country along with much of his government. 

Inexplicably to military strategists and historians, atheistic Russian Communists left Austria, a strategic stronghold, without a shot being fired on May 13, 1955 (the anniversary of the first apparition of Fatima).  This followed a rosary crusade of 70,000 Austrians praying the rosary daily for peace and freedom from Communist rule.

Miraculous Victories in the Wars Wrought Against Christians by Radical Muslim Forces

After centuries of attacks by Muslim invaders, the Muslim forces gathered for one tremendous naval battle, determined to conquer Christian Europe. The Catholic ships and sailors were vastly outnumbered, and Christian Europe seemed at the point of extinction and all hope seemed lost, when St. Pope Pius V called upon all of Europe to pray the rosary. Miraculously, during the Battle of Lepanto, on October 7, 1571, the Muslim Turks were so devastatingly defeated that they no longer posed a threat. The Church celebrates this tremendous victory by honoring Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7^th every year.

There are countless other miracles that could be enumerated if we had the space and time, but let these few challenge us to pray with renewed confidence and vigor in our families. As I wrote in a past article, “We have the power of God with us and within us and our prayers will not go unheard.  We have to hold fast to the knowledge that God is truly present in the Eucharist and He is infinitely more powerful than Satan and all the forces of evil in the world.  He sometimes allows terrible things to happen, just as He allowed His only Son to die on a cross to save us, but He allows it only if it will bring about infinitely more good to us than if it had never happened. Let us pray for the conversion of hearts of those who are instigating this black mass, for “God does not desire the death of the sinner, but rather that he be converted and live!” (cf. Ez 18: 23).

Tens of thousands united in prayer and fasting against [the evil that is seeking to destroy us] is itself a miracle of faith and a beautiful manifestation of the power and glory of God. We have untold strength in our unity!  So, as we remain united and continue in prayer and fasting, let us call to mind these miracles of the past (and hundreds of others) and rejoice that God’s power will be made manifest and many hearts will be converted.  Let us not get discouraged when we are faced with such evil forces, “For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome” (Deut 10:17), who gives us strong and mighty weapons at our disposal!

Let us also recall the faith and steadfastness of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to King Nebuchadnezzar when confronted with certain death in the fiery furnace, and echo their words: “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up” (Dn 3: 16-18).”

If these miracles aren't enough to inspire us to begin fervently and devoted praying the Rosary, here are more incentives: 

Consider these strong words by Pope St. John Paul II, who in 1980, held up his Rosary in an interview and said: 



"Here is the remedy against evil. Pray, pray and ask for nothing else. Put everything in the hands of the Mother of God. We must be prepared to undergo great trials in the not too distant future. Trials that will require us to be ready to give up even our lives and a total gift of self to Christ and for Christ. Through your prayers and mine, it is possible to alleviate this tribulation, but it is no longer possible to avert it. It is only in this way the Church can be renewed. How many times, indeed, has the renewal of the Church been effected in blood. This time it will not be otherwise. We must be attentive to the prayer of the ROSARY." 

Additionally, Sister Lucia, one of the visionaries of Fatima once said:

 “The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, or of our families, that cannot be solved by the Rosary.”

And Pope St. Pius X said: 

“In our time more than ever before, the chief strength of the wicked, lies in the cowardice and weakness of good men. All the strength of Satan’s reign is due to the easy-going weakness of Catholics.” 

Lastly, let us remember the beautiful promises Mary made for us who pray the Rosary:



The Fifteen Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary



1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 


2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 


3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.


4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. 


5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish. 


6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 


7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.


8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise. 


9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.


10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.


11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.


12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.


13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.


14. All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.


15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.


May we not be weak and cowardly as Pope St. Pius X warned, but may millions stand up against the evil Satan is perpetrating in our world.
Joining together in the battle by making the decision to pray the Rosary daily as Our Mother requested at Fatima repeatedly:

On June 13 1917, she said:

"I wish …that you pray the Rosary every day."

And again on July 13, 1917:

"Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war for she alone can help."

And again on Oct 13, 1917

"I am the Lady of the Rosary,

 I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask for pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men.

People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it everyday."

What more will it take for all Catholics to do as Our Blessed Mother requests?  

What more needs to happen in our world to incite us to pray?

May we realize and respond to the inestimable gift of Mary coming down from heaven to speak to us and to save us (!) by heeding her words and her warnings.

For more articles on the Rosary click here and here.

For Pope St. John Paul II's exhortation on the Rosary, click here: https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2ROSAR.HTM

Photo Credit: Created by Author.

© 2015 Janet Moore. All Rights Reserved.