John Paul the Great and Medjugorje by Father Tim Deeter

John Paul the Great and Medjugorje
By Father Tim Deeter

During the War I went to Medjugorje five times and several time I stopped in Rome.  One time I was able to go to a private Mass with the Holy Father and I told his secretary, at that time His Eminence Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz, who is now the Archbishop Cardinal of Krakow; I said, 

“I would like to show the Holy Father some photographs of the destruction in Herzegovina, Croatia and what the people are doing.”  

So I had photographs of the stacks, the high piles of food and medicines and supplies being brought by people all over the world and I thought the Holy Father would be very interested. 

 So after the Mass, there were about 35 of us, we all made a circle in the library of the Holy Father.
And he came around and greeted each one of us and gave us a little rosary.  And so he came around and the secretary, Msgr. Dziwisz, said, “when I nod to you, just step forward show the Holy Father the photographs.”  

So the Holy Father is going along and he comes to me and Msgr. Dziwisz nodded very solemnly.  So I stepped forward and I said, 

“Holy Father, I want to show you some pictures of what is happening to the Catholic Church in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina and he was very interested and I turned page by page through this album of photographs.  It was a small one like the kind you get at the pharmacy when they develop your photos.  

But I forgot to take out a picture of St. James Church.  I didn’t want to show anything of Medjugorje because I knew it was a little political time bomb.  So I flipped to the next picture and there was St. James Church!  And before I could turn the page quickly, Holy Father went, 

“Ah, Medjugorje!” Then he said to me, “Have you been there?”  

I said, “Yes Holy Father, several times.”  And he said, “And what do you think?”  

And so I gave the usual, “Well, there is a lot of good that is being accomplished, a lot of conversions, a lot of confessions, a lot of vocations…”  

And he said, “No.  No, no, no.  What do you think about Our Lady appearing there?  Do you think Our Lady is appearing in Medjugorje?”  

There were several people there.  The whole room was full of people.  It was a public thing.  And I didn’t know what to say.  I thought, ‘if I say ‘yes’ maybe he’ll excommunicate me!  If I say ‘no Our Lady’s not appearing’ maybe he’ll excommunicate me!’  

So I looked at Msgr. Dziwisz and he nodded to me and I said, “Yes.  I think Our Lady is appearing there.”  

And the Holy Father said, “SO DO I!”  Just like that, “SO DO I!”  And then he said, “Are you going there?”  

And I said, “Yes Holy Father, I’m going to Medjugorje after I leave Rome.”  

He said, “Good. Go there and pray to the Madonna of Medjugorje for me, for my intentions.”  

I said, “I will on one condition.”  And he looked as if to say, ‘conditions for the Supreme Pontiff?’ I said, “That you give me and my parish a special blessing for the sacrifices they are making for Medjugorje.”  

He said, “I do so with all of my heart.”  Then he gave me his blessing.

After the audience, then Msgr. Dziwisz grabbed me and he took me to the sacristy and he said, 

“I want to show you something.”  And there on the dressing table of the Holy Father was a copy of the little newsletter ‘Echo of Medjugorje’ in Italian.  He said, “The Holy Father reads a paragraph from this every day before he starts his prayers before Mass.”  

So anyone who says the Pope didn’t believe in Medjugorje…and when they say, “This is all hearsay.”  I say, “He said it to me.”  So, it’s just a matter of time.

 http://medjugorjeca.org/vatican-church/

Fr. Tim Deeter - Priest originally in Texas 

- Watch him here: 

https://youtu.be/i5Tuhkspqio

The Power of Absolution and Confession - Woman in Coma Touched and Freed by Christ

I came across this story through Sister Emmanuel's Children of Medjugorje June 2008 Newsletter. 

Sister Emmanuel writes of Father Tim Deeter's experience of ministering to the sick and dying as a hospital chaplain. He testifies particularly of the supernatural power given through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
It is such an incredible story!
Enjoy!
May this story forever change us:

"A coma of light? 
Father Tim Deeter’s witness, given last night, is going to comfort many who refuse to compromise with the culture of death!  A sick person in a coma is a soul who lives mysterious experiences with God, and God sometimes allows these experiences to come to the light…

While serving as an assistant parish priest, Father Deeter was also assigned the night shift of chaplaincy at a large Catholic hospital directly behind the parish.  The night shift was busy for him, and he would see many patients.  It was a time when all the exams and tests had been completed by the doctors for the day, and all the visiting family members and friends had gone home.  The patients were left alone, many of whom were awaiting surgery the next day.  It was during this time, more than any other during the day, that patients requested the presence of a priest.

There was one person in particular whom Fr. Tim visited every evening.  Helen had been in a coma for several weeks (comatose patients can often still hear, since hearing is the last sense to leave).  He would pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be with her each night and then briefly fill her in about the latest happenings of the day: news, sports, weather, etc.  One evening, Fr. Tim had a long list of people to visit, and so he thought he might not have time to see this particular woman. “Besides”, he thought, “she is not responsive, so would it really matter if I skipped a night?  Would she really miss me?”  Yet, when he finished his nightly rounds, he had this nagging feeling that he should still visit Helen.  

It was about 3 o’clock in the morning.  Father entered her room, not even turning on the lights, for the moon was bright and provided enough.  Sitting in a chair next to Helen’s bed, he began to quickly recite the usual prayers, figuring that this would be enough.  Still he had a feeling deep inside that he should do something more for her.   Something then told him that he should give Helen the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation; perhaps she did not have the chance for absolution prior to her illness.   So he explained to her that he would offer her sacramental absolution.  He indicated that he would give her a short period of silence during which she could acknowledge her sins in her heart.  He then recited an Act of Contrition and asked Helen to pray along with him silently.  Following this he prayed over her, giving her absolution from all of her sins.  (Remember:  the word ‘absolution’ does not mean ‘forgiveness’, but ‘release’.)

As Father concluded the words of absolution, Helen sat bolt upright in her bed!   With eyes wide open, she reached forward her arms and, with a smile on her face, cried out, “JESUS!”

Shocked — and not afraid in the least — Fr. Tim quickly turned towards the wall that Helen was facing, and saw a small wooden crucifix hanging on the wall.  He looked back at Helen, and saw that she had fallen back on her pillow, and died.  It took Father several minutes to comprehend what had happened:  something in Helen’s life had been tying her down to this life, but when she was released from that bond, she was freed to go to Jesus.  Father said to us, “It was like being in my room, writing at my desk, and suddenly feeling someone is there.  I turn, and see a shadow in the hallway, or the door quietly closing.  I don’t actually see who it is, but I know someone was just there.  In the same way, I did not see Jesus, but I am certain that He had been in that room.”

At Helen’s funeral, her sister approached Fr. Tim.  She had heard that he had been with her sister at the time of her death.  Father told her that he had given Helen sacramental absolution, even while she was comatose.  The woman expressed her gratitude, and said, “When my sister and I were children, we were taught to pray every night for the grace of a happy death (dying in the state of God’s grace).  Now I know that God heard our prayers, and I am so grateful that my sister was able to die in peace.”

Sometimes Father Tim asks comatose patients to hold his hand tight if they want to receive absolution.  These patients would often respond with a light pressure of the hand, indicating that they hear and understand everything, and that they wish to receive the Sacrament. These testimonies should be shouted from the rooftops!"

This story speaks so powerfully and profoundly of many things. Here are a few that come to mind:

1. The sanctity of life of all from conception until natural death
2. The importance of providing loving care and ministry to the sick and the comatose 
3. The power of Absolution and Confession
4. The power of a sacrificing and selfless priest who stands in the place of Christ
5. The importance of praying for a happy death
6. The 3 O'clock Hour of Mercy
7. The joy of heaven that awaits us

May we ponder this story and it's importance, and pray.

Dear Jesus, thank you for loving and providing for us unto death - and for giving us the means to reconciled with you through the Sacraments and the ministry of the priesthood.
How grateful we are for your intimate love and mercy tangibly expressed and given to us through your shepherds. Thank you for enabling them with the power to free us so we can experience an eternity of glory with you in heaven.
Amen! Alleluia!

Our Mother, Queen of Peace, pray for us now and at the hour of our death, Amen!

© Janet Moore 2019. All Rights Reserved.