Today all of us are filled with a deep gratitude to the Lord after seeing the Blessed Mother's miraculous statue and smelling the fragrance as a sign given to us. In Japan we already heard about the Blessed Mother's revelations through Julia Kim, but today we are here in person, greeted and guided with a warm welcome and witnessing miracles and reviewing records of the previous miracles. We will never forget in our whole lifetime what we saw and experienced here. Truly, there is nothing like seeing it for yourself. According to the Blessed Mother's request, we make a firm resolution to make our best effort for our own salvation and for the salvation of the whole world and true peace in the world as soon as possible. All forty of us were truly amazed at the fragrant oil flowing from the Blessed Mother's head down to her feet.

'I saw fragrant oil exuding continuously from the Blessed Mother's forehead'

Rev. Dominic Kye-Choon Kim, Seoul, Korea (May 2, 1994)

I smelled a strong fragrance from the Blessed Mother's statue and saw fragrant oil exuding continuously from her forehead. First, oil drops formed on her forehead and, then, streamed down.

'What is happening here is the work of the Holy Spirit'

Rev. Victorinus Keun-Bok Yoo, Seoul Archdiocese, Korea (July 23, 1994)

Praise and glory to the Lord! As the Lord worked in the small town of Nazareth in the small country of Israel to lay the foundation for the salvation of the whole human race two thousand years ago, He is now working in the small town of Naju in the small country of Korea! The messages that the Blessed Mother is giving us, especially to priests, through a little soul, are making me become reborn and refreshed every day. The messages are helping me live as a Christian and as a priest. They are helping me live a holy life and a consecrated life! What is happening here is not by human will or power but is the work of the Holy Spirit which the Lord performs to accomplish the work of salvation through little ones! Let us pray that the salvation of the world may be accomplished through the Blessed Mother in this little town of Naju. Today the Blessed Mother gives us fragrant oil to help us live a life consecrated to her.

'The Mystery of the Holy Eucharist'

Rev. Jerry Orbos, SVD, Christ the King Seminary, Manila, Philippines (September 24, 1994)

Today, I came to Naju again with 39 Filipino pilgrims. The Blessed Mother led us again to the Eucharist with Julia and we were blessed with a wonderful experience.

At the homily, I shared what happened on May 16, 1991—the first time I experienced a Eucharistic miracle with Julia.

There were about 20 Americans and about 10 Koreans in this morning Mass (also I heard that at about 8:00 oil flowed from the head of the Blessed Mother's statue and I saw it personally).

At communion, we had a prayerful moment, I gave communion to Julia and as I was kneeling in front of the tabernacle after returning the ciborium. I heard Rufino calling me. Again, I saw people gather and cry around Julia because they saw blood and something red in her mouth. I also saw this, and I saw it moving. I blessed her and was filled with so much awe.

Above all, I felt the gentle, loving presence of Our Lord. I allowed people to witness and feel Jesus, and after some time I asked Julia to swallow, which she did in obedience.

After this, I asked everyone to remember and feel that they too have just received the flesh and blood of the Lord in their hearts. And that they too should be with the Lord now wherever they go and whatever they do. Thanks to the Lord and the Blessed Mother.

'Miraculous descents of the Eucharist during the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio's visit'

Rev. Thomas Aquinas Sang-Chul Oh, Shinnam Parish, Chuncheon Diocese, Korea

November 24, 1994, the twenty-third anniversary of my ordination to priesthood. It became an unforgettable day for another reason.

Someone asked me if I would go to Naju on November 24, 1994, as the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio in Korea was going to visit Naju on that day as the representative of the Holy Father. I was very surprised. Why on that day? Was it a sign that the Blessed Mother was calling me? So, I accompanied the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Naju. First, we prayed the rosary before the Blessed Mother's statue in the Chapel. A while later, Julia came in. The Apostolic Pro-Nuncio's secretary (Monsignor Peter) and Fr. Raymond Spies were also there. I was the only Korean priest. While all were praying silently for some time, Julia suddenly screamed and stretched out both of her hands. She seemed to have caught something in her hands. It was a white object placed between her fingers. People in the Chapel came closer and the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio came, too. It was the Eucharist! The Apostolic Pro-Nuncio broke the Sacred Host a little at a time and gave communion to each of the people in the Chapel on their tongues. I also rushed to the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio and received a piece of the Eucharist in my hands. I was surprised again, because, at the moment I received the Eucharist, I smelled a strong, intense fragrance of roses. How could this be!

Seven or eight minutes later, Julia finished her prayer and spoke briefly to the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio and Fr. Spies and walked toward the door, supported by others. Then, suddenly, she came back hurriedly and held the hands of the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio and Fr. Spies with her hands. They went closer to the Blessed Mother's statue and prayed. I was watching Julia carefully, because I thought something more might be happening. A few minutes later, Julia suddenly stood up, still holding the hands of the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio and Fr. Spies. She opened her mouth and seemed to have received something looking like a white host on her tongue.

The Apostolic Pro-Nuncio was surprised also and picked up the host from Julia's mouth with his fingers. I went closer and saw the host very clearly. The Apostolic Pro-Nuncio lifted up the host so that people in the Chapel could see. I was thinking hard, because I did not know how to interpret such an event. Soon, three other priests arrived (one Irish priest and two Korean priests). The Apostolic Pro-Nuncio was explaining what happened to the priests in English. He was not able to hide his excitement. He held my hands and another priest's hands while speaking.

Later that day, I was on an airplane to return to my parish. Unexpectedly, the woman sitting next to me was one of the witnesses of the same miracle in Naju. Even though I did not ask her any questions, she explained to me many of the signs in Naju in great detail. I was very surprised. She said that she had been in an advanced stage of uterine cancer, but was cured in Naju. She came to Naju that day to pray and witnessed the miracle of the Eucharist unexpectedly. She was full of enthusiasm.

What happened on that day was an event that I had found most difficult to understand and had many doubts about. I had not been able to ask anyone about it, either. Now, this lady whom I met on the airplane gave me an explanation and cleared my doubts. I was so amazed.

'I sincerely hope that Naju will be officially approved by the Church as soon as possible'

Rev. Matthias Dong-Joon Park, Busan, Korea (December 15, 1994)

I am a priest more than eighty years old from the Pusan Diocese. One week ago, on December 8, the Solemnity of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception, twenty-five other pilgrims and I arrived in Naju late in the afternoon. The Blessed Mother's House was completely packed with pilgrims from Busan, Daegu, Seoul, Incheon, and other places. There also were more than 20 pilgrims from Singapore, the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Vietnam. I was surprised by the fervor of these people from abroad. I saw a boy from Singapore about ten years old, who was limping. I sincerely wished that he might be cured.

In the second part of the overnight prayer meeting, people were testifying to their experiences of conversions and healings. Some were healed of incurable illnesses like cancer. Some women conceived babies after prayers for several years. Others regained peace and love in their families that had been struggling in distrust and anger. Still others overcame their habit of gambling. After hearing their testimonies, I took the microphone and said that I had never seen such a grace-filled prayer meeting in my fifty years of priesthood. Because of limited time, there were many people who were not able to give their testimonies.

On every First Saturday, more than one thousand pilgrims gather in Naju. Because of the limited space in the Chapel, many have to stay outside or in other smaller rooms behind the Chapel, participating in the prayer meeting through a TV monitor. I sincerely hope that Naju will be officially approved by the Church as soon as possible so that the Basilica of Mary's Ark of Salvation may be built with the cooperation of all fourteen dioceses in Korea. I believe that the Church has the responsibility to satisfy the extremely just and commendable desire ofthe faithful for prayer by building this Basilica.

When it is built, hundredsof thousands of pilgrims from many countries will come to attend the prayer meetings for conversion, reparation and sacrifice, as Naju is widely known all over the world. Then, the numerous fallen-away Catholics in the world will repent and return and the countless non-believers will also see the workings of the omnipotent God and abandon their idolatry of worshipping money, pleasure, and science. I firmly believe that that is God's purpose in giving us the miracles in Naju for the past nine years.

Church approval means a post factum recognition of what already happened and should not be too difficult. For example, even if there was only one miracle of shedding tears and tears of blood, it can be recognized if there were three or more valid witnesses. The reason is that shedding of tears and tears of blood from a statue made of plaster and plastic is not possible according to the natural laws but is possible only by the power of the omnipotent God. As is well known, the miracles of weeping by the Blessed Mother's statue in Syracuse, Italy; LaSalette, France; and Akita, Japan have already been officially recognized by the Church. In Naju, the Blessed Mother's statue wept for seven years and exuded fragrant oil for two years. These must have a special significance in the Church's two-thousand-year history.

Until now, tens of thousand people witnessed the Blessed Mother's tears and tears of blood shed for a total of 700 days over a seven-year period and also the fragrant oil exuding out of the statue. On December 8, 1987, Rev. Ren? Laurentin, a world-renowned Marian theologian from France, came to Naju and witnessed the Blessed Mother's tears together with about 500 other pilgrims. Countless photographs, books, and video cassettes have been distributed all over the world. Fr. Raymond Spies, Julia's spiritual director, a graduate of Louvain University in Belgium, worked as a missionary in Japan before coming to Korea.

The messages Julia received have been published in more than ten languages. In the Philippines, Cardinal Sinn, who is the Archbishop of Manila, gave permission to Julia for spreading the messages anywhere within his Archdiocese. Mrs. Aquino, President of the Philippines, invited Julia and asked for her prayer. While Julia was speaking in Greenbelt Church in Manila, fresh rose petals fell from above. A young man who picked up a rose petal was carrying it in his necklace and gave a testimony while visiting Naju.

While Julia and her companions were attending Mass celebrated by Fr. Jerry Orbos in the famous church in Lanciano, Italy, in May 1992, where the first recorded Eucharistic miracle occurred in the Eighth Century, the Sacred Host Julia received turned into visible Flesh and Blood on her tongue. Countless spiritual and physical healings have occurred while Julia was visiting different countries and relaying the Blessed Mother's messages. In Korea itself, there has been no official effort to investigate the events in Naju. Some of the pastors are prohibiting people from going to Naju. I simply do not understand this. People all over Korea wish to go to Naju to express their filial love for the Blessed Mother. Why are these priests stopping them instead of encouraging them?

The key points of the Blessed Mother's messages are repentance, reparation, sacrifices, and prayer. Has there ever been another age when these were needed more than in the current age? I read all of the messages in Naju and found nothing that is in conflict with the Church teachings or Catholic Traditions. Julia, who is in her forties, is not a cradle Catholic but a newly baptized one. She has not had any special education in Church teachings or Scripture. She did not even finish junior high school. When you read the messages, it will be obvious that they were not fabricated but were given by the Lord and the Blessed Mother. There are sometimes difficult words in the messages. Julia did not understand their meanings, and, after receiving the messages, had to look them up in a dictionary or ask other people. These messages are not what someone with Julia's education can write.

In addition, Julia has received severe pains in reparation for the sins in the world. Sometimes while suffering pains, she received the Stigmata as well. Some of the scenes of Julia suffering pains have been videotaped. Reparation for others?sins is a Catholic dogma. Jesus died on the Cross in reparation for the sins of the human race. The pains that the numerous martyrs and other Saints suffered were also to offer penance for the sins in the world. Another amazing fact is that when her sufferings are over, Julia is again a healthy housewife and is even able to make international trips.

In June 1993, when Julia took some photographs of the Blessed Mother's statue, there appeared some totally unexpected images of the Eucharist and a chalice beside the Blessed Mother's statue. Just a few weeks ago, when I went to Naju, the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio was visiting the Chapel. During his visit, there occurred two miracles of the Eucharist descending. I think that these are heavenly signs to urge the Church to officially approve the events in Naju.

The Laity

'The problem in thebaby's brain disappeared!'

Frances Iamuri, Medford, New Jersey (February 3, 1994)

Dear Mrs. Julia Kim,

When you came to Medford, New Jersey, and stayed at Angie Salicondro's house, I asked Angie if I could bring Ellen, my niece, to her home so that she might be prayed over by you.

After she became pregnant, Ellen went to a hospital for a test on the baby in her womb. The test result was that part of the baby's brain was filled with fluid. Her first child had been born with a defect, and now her third child in the womb was also found to have a problem. Ellen became extremely depressed. That was why I asked you to pray for her. When Ellen stepped in Angie's house, you asked her to come to the church in Philadelphia that evening where you were scheduled to speak. The reason was that, if you suffered pains in your brain for the baby, you would not have been able to speak in the church that evening. You said that there would be abundant graces in the church that evening. Ellen and Bob, her husband, had an important appointment that evening, but I told Ellen to come to the church without fail. They did come, and, after your speech, you prayed over Ellen.

Soon afterwards, Ellen had another examination in the hospital. Praise Jesus and the Blessed Mother! The fluid-filled area in the baby's brain disappeared! It was not there any longer!

Julia! Please relay our gratitude to Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Please tell Them that we love Them. Of course, we will also pray.

After the baby is born in March, I will mail you a photograph. I pray that God will bless you and bless all the work you do and the pains you suffer. Thank you again.

Sincerely yours,

Frances Iamuri
Medford, New Jersey

'We smelled the fragrance of roses again and again'

Cheryl Johnson, Portland, Oregon (May 16, 1994)

I am looking at my past self standing before the Lord. Her back is turned against the Lord, and her head is lowered because of shame.

I was born in a Catholic family, but could not come back to the Church because I sinned gravely. I regretted it for almost 20 years, but could not come back. I knew that the Lord would forgive me if I came back, but could not put that into action.

One day in November 1993, God sent me two persons who would play the role of angels. To me, these ladies are my sisters in Christ forever. They invited me to listen to Julia Kim from Korea, who was known to see the Blessed Mother. She did not have the bishop's approval yet. So, her visit was not even advertised officially. I went to the meeting (in the auditorium at St. Mary's High School in Beaverton, Oregon) without expecting at all what would happen.

What happened that evening, however, was something that had an essential importance to me. Every word that Julia said penetrated the fear and shame that existed in my heart and changed me totally. I was no longer keeping my back against the Lord. I was standing toward the Lord! My head was still lowered because of shame. A few days later, I repented my sins and went to Confession. The reason why I could not come back to the Lord was an abortion that I had. It must have been God's providence that the Blessed Mother's messages through Julia were dealing with abortion. Julia emphasized that the Blessed Mother anxiously wished the sinners, especially, those who had abortions, to repent. When I heard that, I felt a great commotion in my heart and began to have hope, for the first time in many years, that my life could change.

Many amazing things happened since that night. I will mention just a few of them.

My mother had a strong Catholic faith. While I was listening to Julia and smelling the fragrance of roses, I kept thinking about my mother and thought that it would have been wonderful if she could have been there, too. The two angel-like ladies who had invited me to the meeting, gave me a picture of Our Lady of Naju together with a large Eucharist shedding the Precious Blood and a small piece of cloth that had absorbed the fragrant oil from the Blessed Mother's statue in Naju. They also lent me several books.

I put the picture and the cloth between the pages of a book and put the books in my purse. The cloth did not have any fragrance.

After the talk was over, Julia was shaking hands with many people. She kissed their rosaries. I went forward to see her, too. When I was closer to her, I was surprised at the powerful fragrance of roses surrounding Julia. I had been suffering from an allergy, but it disappeared at the moment I smelled the fragrance near her. I thanked Julia and asked her to hold my rosary. She kissed it and gave it back to me. Later I was amazed at the fragrance from the rosary and my hands. This fragrance disappeared later that night, but I would never forget the experience and feeling of that night.

I returned home, as it was approaching Christmas. I was working in Portland, Oregon, but my home was in Washington. I took the borrowed books with me. After arriving home, I took out the cloth, photograph and books. While I was explaining to my mother and Mickey, my sister, the cloth began giving off fragrance. I screamed to my mother and sister. ?i>This is it! This is what I smelled that night. Julia always carries this fragrance!? I thanked the Blessed Mother for letting my mother and sister smell the fragrance.

Next time I came home, I told my mother that I would like to visit the prayer meeting she usually went to. The meeting was held in Aunt Hazel's home. She was diagnosed with cancer seven months earlier. She had lived a difficult life and had been away from the Church for many years. Last time I saw her, she did not want to discuss her condition with anyone. This time, however, she was much happier and more stable. I learned that she had also come back to God and the Church.

The reason why I wanted to visit the prayer meeting was that, even though they prayed, they never prayed the rosary. So, I explained to them the Blessed Mother's messages and also my experiences. When I showed them the cloth, it began giving off the fragrance! I cut the cloth into three pieces. I gave one to Aunt Hazel, one to Violet Hilaire, who had breast cancer, and one to my brother, Bern Johnson, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer three years ago. We prayed the rosary together and promised to go to Mass on the next Sunday together.

After the Sunday Mass, we watched a video together. It was titled ?i>The Land of Grace—Betania.?Then, we talked about the Blessed Mother's statue in Naju and the cloth from Naju. It was such a joyful time. It was an unforgettable experience, feeling our hearts filled with the presence of Our Lord and Our Lady. That day, Jesus touched all of us. He started the fire in all of them as He had done in me.

Aunt Hazel had her cancer on her bottom and, so, could not go to Mass. I talked to her on the phone on Saturday. She put the piece of cloth in a small bag and carried it around her neck. Before going to bed at night, she placed it on the bed table. One night, she put it into a cup of coffee on the table and realized that only next morning. When she took the bag out of the cup, it began giving off a powerful fragrance of roses. It was so powerful that she was feeling intoxicated. She put the small bag in her purse. Aunt Hazel later said that the fragrance kept coming back from time to time.

When I came back to Portland, I told my friends about what happened at home. I said that I wished they had been there, too.

Several weeks later, I invited my friends to visit my home in Washington. My family is Native American, belonging to the Lummi Tribe, which has been living on the Pacific coast just south of the U.S.-Canadian border. If my friends could come with me, it would be a wonderful spiritual journey as well as an opportunity to learn the Native American culture. They agreed to come on a weekend.

After arriving at Lummi, we began watching a video. One of my friends reminded us of the cloth. When we brought it from the car, it began giving off fragrance, even though there was no fragrance when we were leaving Portland. When we went to Aunt Hazel's house, the ladies who were there also became excited because of the fragrance. That day, we smelled the fragrance of roses again and again. We felt the mission from the Blessed Mother to spread her messages. It was a weekend filled with miracles and joy.

The fragrance of roses continued coming back after that weekend without any connection with the cloth. Conversions and healings also continued. My youngest sister, Carol, fell and got hurt severely on her hand. Doctors later found out that the blood vessels in her hand were crushed, blocking blood circulation. Carol's fingers became curled, and her hand was swollen severely. She was hoping to regain some of the use of her hand after treatment at the hospital. She was feeling much pain in her hand.

My mother sprinkled holy water on Carol's hand and rubbed it with the cloth from Naju. There was a strong fragrance of roses. Soon her hand became normal. When she went to her doctors, they asked her what she had done. They had thought that there was no chance that Carol would recover. After seeing the amazing recovery, however, they said that she would regain the use of her hand completely. She had also been struggling with drugs for a long time. She had been able to overcome alcoholism, but not drugs. On that day, her hand was healed and she lost the urge to use drugs. Since then, she has never used drugs. We believe that it was the Blessed Mother who healed Carol and thank her sincerely.

There is a renewed effort of evangelization at Lummi. The pastor of St. Joachim Church gave us permission to consecrate the whole Lummi Indian Tribe to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This consecration will take place on July 16, 1994, the last day of a three-day celebration of the feast of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, an Indian martyr. There will be a Mass and rosary prayers during the celebration. Since the day of my conversion, I have been carrying out the mission of promoting reconciliation, penance, prayer, fasting, and Eucharistic devotion among the members of the Lummi Tribe.

'I was a most terrible sinner'

Lucia Lim, Busan, Korea (July 3, 1994)

I was a most terrible sinner. Five years ago, while I was going to Naju on a bus, there was an accident near Kwangju and I got a bruise on my arm. I did not know if I also had a crack in my bone. The pain was intense, but I could not give up my trip. When I arrived at the Blessed Mother's House, there were several Sisters praying in the Chapel. A while later, I walked up to the front to see the Blessed Mother. When I saw her at a close distance, tears of repentance began pouring out of my eyes. ?i>Blessed Mother of Naju! I have heard a lot about your tears and tears of blood, and have been so anxious to see you. I am finally here.?For the first time in my life, I smelled the fragrance of roses. It was an intensely sweet fragrance that could not be described in words. As I was crying on my knees, I could clearly see in my mind all the failures in my past as well as my current shortcomings. I kept on crying, asking the Blessed Mother for forgiveness. I also promised that I would amend my life and lead a good life. At that moment, I experienced internal healing as well as healing of my painful, wounded arm.

After I returned home, I realized that I had been leading a superficial prayer life, without really knowing the love of the Lord and the Blessed Mother. After my experience in Naju, I became able to love my husband and children more than ever.

'Witness to a Miracle'

Rebecca Decusin, Ave Maria Centre in Toronto, Canada (Summer 1994)

Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, knows that a miracle happens in every Mass, but when he gave communion to Korean visionary Julia Kim on three occasions and it turned into the visible body and blood of Christ he asked for forgiveness for the many times he took communion for granted and came to a greater appreciation of the depth and privilege of being a priest.

The special message of the Eucharistic phenomena, Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, said, simply was to make us know the importance of Mass and communion. ? “We mustpray the Mass. Jesus is really present there. We must feel Him. Don’t rush the Mass, don’t make it automatic.”

Although he served in Korea as a mission priest for four years, he met the visionary Julia Kim when he went back to Korea for a pilgrimage from his native Philippines.

The 33 pilgrims led by Fr. Orbos witnessed the phenomenon on May 16, 1991, the second day of their pilgrimage, in the same church at Naju, Korea, where Julia had her first Eucharistic miracle on the feast of Corpus Christi in 1988 after receiving communion from a Korean priest.

Rufino Park, who gifted Julia with the statue of Our Lady that sheds tears and blood, approached Fr. Orbos, while he was cleaning the chalice after giving communion, to tell him that something was happening to Julia. Fr. Orbos approached Julia, who was kneeling down, trembling, and crying.

He said, “Remember she just received communion. When she opened her eyes shesaw me and she opened her mouth. In her mouth was part flesh and part host. When I saw there was blood in her mouth, I was so shocked, scared, unworthy, but very happy. All I could do at that point was to say, ‘Oh Lord, if this is what it is, thank you very much for the sign.?I prayed over Julia for discernment. And I prayed then ‘Lord forgive me, forgive us for the many times we took you so for granted in communion.? That was the whole thing. We take you so automatically. And for the times we take you so unworthily just for show.”

After some moments, he asked the 33 Filipino pilgrims to see if something had happened. ?i>The second time Julia opened her mouth we saw the blood, but this time also on her tongue we saw the host that was still whitish and half of it was like flesh. When we saw that we were all crying, people were kneeling and then I just felt so much the presence of the Lord,?a pilgrim said.

Fr. Orbos knelt before the tabernacle for a long time. Julia told Fr. Orbos that she saw, during the consecration, the Blessed Mother behind Fr. Orbos and Fr. Ernie Santos, spreading her mantle around them, embracing and protecting them in a very special way.

The late Salesian priest Fr. Ernie had kidney trouble but the pilgrimage rejuvenated him and he went back to East Timor where he worked hard propagating the faith.

In 1992, the second pilgrimage took them to the Holy Land, then to Lourdes and Rome. Julia was feeling well from Rome to Paris, Lourdes to Paris, but started to experience pain on the shuttle bus taking them to the plane. A pilgrim recalled seeing blue veins twitching on her face. The pain Julia felt was like those dealt by hammer blows on the head, a pilgrim recalled. She needed a separate room that evening.

The plan to have Mass at Maria Majore church the next morning was cancelled because of Julia's intense suffering and also Fr. Orbos plan to visit the SVD house. Mass was celebrated in a room in Hotel Massimo so all 27 pilgrims could be together. During the Mass, Fr. Orbos told them that Julia, a victim soul, started to have pain the day before for the forgiveness of everyone. A pilgrim related what Fr. Orbos told them: because while all of us in Lourdes decided to have cleansing of the body by going to the baths, and cleansing of the soul by going to confession, not all of us were truly repentant.

The Blessed Mother told Julia that she was being asked to suffer for them because they were not truly repentant. Julia was seated near the altar and was still in pain. Fr. Orbos gave the pilgrims a few moments to reflect and be truly sorry for their sins. Before the offertory, Julia coughed so violently that she was almost thrown out of her chair. Soon afterwards, she was smiling and expressed that everything was "OK?and the pain was gone because everyone was sorry for his/her sins. After communion, Julio, Julia's husband, called Fr. Orbos to show him that something extraordinary was happening. Everyone saw the host bleeding.

The next day, the pilgrims participated in a Mass at the Miracolo Eucaristico church in Lanciano where the first recorded Eucharistic miracle happened in the 8th century. They had prepared spiritually for the visit to the church as Julia herself announced, through an interpreter, that they spend the day in reflection. They did so by praying and singing.

As Fr. Orbos was returning the ciborium, he heard a commotion as people gathered around Julia. He became apprehensive. Seeing very vividly blood and the host turning into flesh and becoming thicker and thicker, Fr. Orbos called a parish priest of Lanciano to witness it and they both prayed over Julia.

After some time Fr. Orbos told Julia to swallow it. ?i>Some people were saying get the specimen. I won’t do that,?Fr. Orbos explained. She was to tell me later on that it was so hard to swallow it.It was so hot,?she said. Fresh blood is hot,?Fr. Orbos said.

On all three occasions when the host she received from Fr. Orbos turned into blood and flesh, Julia was asked to swallow it. Fr. Orbos always prayed for discernment.

After the Mass, Julia told Fr. Orbos that the vision she experienced during the consecration was that of Christ crucified and of a light coming from the Heart of Jesus going to the chalice, through Fr. Orbos and then extending to the people. Fr. Orbos said that he really felt so warm during the Mass. ?i>Fine, good, thank you,?he told Julia.

But the greatest surprise awaited them in the museum in Lanciano, where a large painting showed the vision Julia had during consecration.

Fr. Orbos?message is Stay close to Mary and you will never abandon Christ. You know, Mama Mary is very happy if we come close to her Son.?He strongly urged that people form prayer groups and cenacles and devote some time to perpetual adoration. The key is all here in our hearts.

Mary is asking you to come closer to the sacraments, to the Eucharist. My only request now is please pray the Mass and make your communion more personal—feel the Lord. My dear friends, you don’t have to see a Eucharistic miracle. Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe. A miracle happens in every Mass.?In leading the flock in praying the Hail Mary, he said, we say it with all of our love,and, “when we come to the part ‘pray for us sinner now,?we pause and pray what we want to ask.

Regarding the Eucharistic phenomena which he was privileged to witness,?he said, I found that it was Mary who brought me closer to the Eucharist. We’ve studied all that in theology, but she allowed me to experience something which I could never forget. I am not saying that those are miracles. Let the Church take care of that.?The Filipino priest added: It has so stabilized my life, my priesthood, it is so clear.

All of us have a vocation. Do your work well. Do your best. Life is short. We’re all just passing by. Do something good and worthwhile. It so happened that God called me to be a priest to touch the lives of people.?

'Blessed Mother, how is it that you love me so much, who am so unworthy?.

Helena Mikangja Kim, Busan, Korea (October 12, 1994)

I am the head of a household, living with my mother and two daughters. Since I was 5 years old, I had a severe headache, indigestion, and many other related illnesses. Even in my 30's I was frequently throwing up, making people around me suspect that I might be pregnant. Before I found the Blessed Mother of Naju, my hands, feet and whole body were cold. In winter, my hands and feet became stiff, numb, and painful. There were pains all over my body. Life was so difficult for me.

One day in 1989, I went to the Blessed Mother's House in Naju, but could not enter the Chapel, because there were so many people. I was among the people who were outside, participating in the prayer meeting by watching a TV screen. When the Blessed Mother's messages were read and Julia gave her testimony, many people were repenting and crying. When I was praying, Forgive this sinner,? Julia said, Right now, someone who has pains in her stomach is being healed.? It seemed that she was referring to me. Until that time, my stomach had been in a very weak condition and I had not been able to eat anything except some soup. I had felt much pain in the stomach and had been frequently vomiting. A while later, the terrible pains in my head were gone and the pains in my stomach also disappeared. Since then, I have been able to eat regular meals. My illness that could not be healed at hospitals was completely healed by the Lord through the Blessed Mother of Naju.

Since that time, I attended every First Saturday overnight prayer meeting in Naju. As I was trying to live according to the Blessed Mother's messages, my life was turning into prayers. I was praying everywhere and always: while I was washing my face, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, etc.

As the head of the household of four people, I sold items in a mobile store (pushcart) in streets. It was not easy especially for a weak person like me. Sometimes, I heard insulting words and even was beaten. One day, I had a dream. I saw the weeping Blessed Mother of Naju. Her image was always with me. When I woke up, I found myself in a hospital bed. I realized that I was not sleeping but had collapsed eight days before at home. A woman in the neighborhood brought me to the Maryknoll hospital. It was hard to believe, but it was real. I incurred damages in my arteries and brain. The hospital staff first thought that I was dead. When I regained consciousness, they said that I needed surgery. However, the cost of the surgery would be twenty to thirty million Won (about twenty to thirty thousand U.S. dollars), which was an impossible amount for my family. I thought that I would be better off by going to the bosom of the Blessed Mother.

Then, a woman by the name of Angela Lim, who had received many graces in Naju and was leading a happy life, came and told me, If you don’t want the surgery, run away hurriedly to the Blessed Mother of Naju.?She asked me to have a complete trust in the Blessed Mother of Naju. When there was darkness only without any hope, her words gave me hope. My heart was beating hard. When I told the doctor about the Lord and the Blessed Mother, he tried to avoid me, saying,I don’t want to talk to you.?Angela Lim raised some money enabling me to be discharged from the hospital. The hospital staff thought that I was out of my mind because of the bleeding in my brain.

The next day, which was a Thursday, I went to Naju together with my first daughter and Angela Lim despite the terrible pains in my head. Because it was Thursday, there was a Holy Hour prayer meeting in the evening in Naju, which was held to offer up reparations for the offenses committed against the Lord. During the prayer meeting, Julia suddenly collapsed. When she came to, she said that she fell because of a severe pain in her head. She asked me if I had pains in my head. I was so surprised. I began crying, because I realized that Julia was suffering pains in my place. ?i>Blessed Mother, how is it that you love me so much, who am so unworthy? I am a terrible sinner and have not done anything for the Lord. But you rescued me from death. The Blessed Mother whom I saw during my unconsciousness must have been the Blessed Mother who is living in Naju. With your tears, you saved this sinner. Thank you, Mother.?Warm tears continued flowing down on my face. My head became healthier and I was able to eat meals. It was December 13, 1992.

I again attended the First Saturday prayer meeting in January, 1993. I was shedding tears of repentance before the Blessed Mother's weeping statue. Suddenly, I remembered my past clearly. I remembered many things that I had completely forgotten about. I realized how great a sinner I had been. Many things that I did not think of as big mistakes were pounding on my conscience. When Julia said, Even when a rock rolled down by itself and hit and hurt my foot, it was my fault because I was there,? I was repenting many things that I had done. Now, the Blessed Mother of Naju converted me by shedding tears of blood and also exuding fragrant oil and enabled me to approach the Lord. She also healed me through Julia's suffering. I was so grateful. I now live in joy, love, and peace. There is nothing I need to fear.Lord and Blessed Mother! I cannot describe how grateful I am to you for saving me from the road to hell, when I was on the brink of death. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.?

There are many miracles in Naju, because the Blessed Mother is so filled with love. The Lord and the Blessed Mother have chosen Julia to suffer for the conversion of many souls including me. I pray that Naju will be approved soon and the Blessed Mother's triumph will be accomplished. I pray in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ through the Blessed Mother of Naju.

'The Lord called me, a grave sinner who had betrayed him, through a Eucharistic miracle'

Peter Noh, Federal Way, Washington (December 1994)

My childhood

I began going to a Catholic church with my mother when I was eight years old. I was baptized before Christmas a year later. Then, we moved to the country, where there only was a mission chapel, and a priest came once a month to celebrate Mass and hear confessions. Sometimes we walked to a larger town, 8 miles from our home, for Sunday Mass. After I moved to a large city to attend high school and college, I went to church every Sunday at first, but gradually became negligent, attending Mass only occasionally.

Immigration to the U.S.A. and lukewarm faith life

Later, my family immigrated to the United States. I resumed going to church seeking spiritual and emotional consolation, as my life as an immigrant was hard and lonesome. My faith, however, was weak, and I always had many doubts. I frequently criticized the Church, judged priests, and clashed with fellow parishioners. The troubles were even spreading to my own family. So, I stopped going to the Korean church and attended Mass at American churches occasionally. Even while I was attended Mass, my mind was full of doubts and negative thoughts. I thought that the Eucharist was merely a ritual in the Church and only had a symbolic meaning. Eventually, I even had doubts about the existence of God and believed in Darwinism, denying that the world was created by God. Then, for more than ten years, I did not go to church at all.

My mother's last words

I know that my mother was very worried about my soul and prayed for me a lot. Anna, my younger sister, who now lives in Hawaii, has also prayed for me very much. My mother passed away last August in Los Angeles where my sister lived at that time. Her last words were that she wanted me to come back to the Church. After her funeral Mass, Fr. Edward Kim, a Korean priest at St. Basil's Church in Los Angeles, told me, “Your mother suffered a lot, because you were not coming to church. She prayed for you until her last moment and left her last words that she wanted you to come back to the Church.?I still vividly remember the parishioners at St. Basil's Church who were so selfless and kind.

My sister in Hawaii informs me of Julia's upcoming visit

One day I got a call from Anna in Hawaii. She said that Julia Kim of Naju was coming to Hawaii soon and asked me to be there without fail. Actually, Anna had sent me many books and videos on the miracles in Naju, but I had never reviewed them and had little faith in those miracles. I had mailed back some of the packages to her. I had no interest in going to Hawaii.

But, because my sister was so persistent and I did not want to hurt her feelings too much, I finally asked my boss if I could take a one-week vacation. It was ten days before the date I needed to be in Hawaii. My boss, however, said that a vacation was out of the question because it was a busy season. I was glad, thinking that I had at least tried to comply with my sister's request.

There was one seat available on the airplane!

Then, on October 27, 1994, one day before Julia's arrival in Hawaii, I was told by my boss that I could have a one-week vacation. I was surprised. Because it was nearing the end of business hours, I hurriedly called several travel agencies. I was told that, because it was only one day before the departure date, the roundtrip airfare from Seattle to Honolulu would be $1,280. Since that amount was substantial for a salaried person like me, I thought that I had to give up the trip. Then, I remembered to call one more place: Hawaiian Airlines. Their answer was that there was one seat available and the fare was $387 roundtrip. I immediately made a reservation and hurriedly went to their office. When I arrived there, they were getting ready to close. Because the airplane was going to depart before their office would open the next day, it was truly a dramatic experience. Early the next morning, I was on the airplane for Honolulu. All of the 308 seats were occupied.

Julia Kim arrives in Hawaii

When I landed in Honolulu, Anna was at the airport. She led a prayer of thanksgiving. She told me that she had been offering a novena with fasting that I might be able to visit Hawaii and return to the Church. Later that day, we went back to the airport to welcome Julia and her companions. She was an ordinary, simple person, smiling, humble, and kind to everyone. She was radiating an air of peace, composure, and trust.

Julia gives my sister a replica statue of Our Lady of Naju

After her arrival, Julia gave a very special gift to Anna: a statue of Our Lady, looking identical to the original weeping statue in Naju. Anna and I left the hotel where Julia and her companions were staying, and came to Anna's house. When we opened the box containing the statue, a sweet fragrance of roses filled the whole house. It was more pleasant than the fragrance of beautiful roses.

I saw the Blessed Mother and smelled her fragrance in my dreams

That night, Anna placed the Blessed Mother's statue close to my bed. After I went to bed at about 1 a.m., I had an unusual dream. The Blessed Mother's statue and Julia, standing next to her, were looking at me. The Blessed Mother seemed to be deep in thought, having pity on me. Julia seemed the same. Then, suddenly, a powerful fragrance of roses began overwhelming me. The fragrance was so strong that I woke up. It was about 2 a.m.

After I woke up, I could not smell the fragrance. With much amazement, I prayed the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, and went back to sleep. After the six-hour flight and two-hour time difference, I was very tired and fell asleep promptly. Then, I had the same dream again. I woke up again, but, this time, the room was filled with the same strong fragrance that I smelled in the dream. It was 3 a.m. I was totally amazed. Why did the Blessed Mother and Julia appear in my dream twice and give me this fragrance?

Julia speaks at Waikiki Shell

The Marian Conference, hosted by St. Michael Center in Honolulu, began on Friday afternoon (October 28, 1994) and continued on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. at Waikiki Shell, an outdoor conference hall. It was a clear day, not too cool, not too warm. Everyone felt elated and pleasant. First, there was a Mass, followed by sermons and music all day. When Julia stood up after Mass to return to her hotel for rest, many people gathered around her, greeting her and asking for prayers.

The next day, on October 30, Sunday, there was a Mass in the morning, and Julia was scheduled to speak for one hour from 3:15 p.m. As is usual in Hawaii, the weather was pleasant in the morning, but became warm with strong sunlight in the afternoon. The temperature was 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Many people were tired because of the warm weather and also because it was the last day of the conference. Nevertheless, a large audience gathered to hear Julia. As she began speaking, Waikiki Hall was filledwith expectations and fervor.

About two thousand people were present,attentively listening to Julia. In the middle of her talk, everyone smelled a strong fragrance of roses for quite a while. What also amazed me was that the fragrance was coming from the front, while the warm wind was blowing from behind. I asked a man sitting next to me, “Do you smell some fragrance??/i> He said with much excitement, “Yes, it is a strong fragrance of roses.?/i> When I looked around, everybody seemed to be excited, repeatedly breathing in the fragrance.

While speaking to the audience, Julia mentioned that light was coming down from the sky. Many people later said that they heard the sounds of thunder or hailstorm at that moment. I also heard it, but, because I was looking down, I thought it was an airplane. Julia talked for two hours and fifteen minutes, much longer than the time allocated to her. But the audience was very absorbed throughout her talk. Julia said that the devils were becoming more and more active, making their last efforts to pull even one more soul down to hell. They are destroying families, leading people to drugs, murders, and abortions, and instigating them to judge and criticize the Church and priests. She said that there were already many signs like wars, accidents, and natural disasters, signaling the approach of the day of judgment that Our Lord predicted. Many people in the audience were repenting their sins, shedding tears.

Julia prays for a blind old woman

As Julia finished her talk and came down from the platform, many people gathered around her, trying to touch her and talk to her. Suddenly, I heard someone shouting in Korean, “Where is she? Where is she? It was the voice of a blind old woman, looking for Julia. I went to her and held her right hand, saying, “She is over there. Follow me. We approached Julia, to whom I said, “She is blind. Hearing this, Julia put her fingers on the old woman's two eyes and prayed. Many people continued pressing upon Julia, trying to talk to her and touch her with their rosaries and other holy objects. Everything that Julia held in her hand even briefly became fragrant. Because there were so many people, a security guard came and helped Julia leave the place.

A potluck party

To celebrate Julia's visit to Hawaii, a potluck party was planned at my sister's house in Kailua, about twenty miles from Waikiki, on the northeastern coast of Oahu from 5 p.m. on October 31. Because my sister's house was not big, she could not invite many people. She said that only fifty to sixty people would come. Tables were prepared on the lawn. Audio equipment and lights were prepared by John Kamanu.

John was a close friend of mine, who had invited me to immigrate to the United States in 1975. He was a very devout Protestant. His two elder brothers were clergymen and his three nephews were also clergymen. Rain was forecasted for that evening. Also, the state and city laws prohibited the use of microphones outdoors or making any noise after 8 p.m. The heavy clouds gathering in the afternoon worried us.

Close to 5 p.m., people were gathering. More than 100 people came with some prepared dishes. I had never seen so much food during my life as an immigrant. The party was to begin at 5 p.m. with Julia's prayer, but she was still in the room. About thirty minutes later, Julio, Julia's husband, came out and said that Julia was suffering severe pains. As she was not coming out past 6 p.m., people began praying the rosary. She did not come out even past 7 p.m.

Then, Maria, who was helping Julia, came out and said that Julia was suffering severe pains in her right shoulder, side and hip. Suddenly at that moment, a young woman in her thirties came to the front and said, "I had an accident five years ago. Since then, the condition in my right side worsened, severely affecting my right shoulder and leg. I was barely able to come here this evening. Only a while ago, however, I suddenly began feeling very warm in my right side, hip and leg, and now I do not feel any pain. As soon as she finished speaking, an old lady came out and grabbed the microphone. She was the blind woman I met at the conference, but she was no longer blind! She said, “Until yesterday I had been blind because of my cataract. At the conference yesterday, I was wandering around seeking Julia. Then, a young man came and took me to Julia. Julia put her fingers on my two eyes and prayed. Soon I was able to see. The Lord restored my eyesight! This evening I came here with healthy eyes like this.?Everyone was amazed and praised the Lord. Some were so moved that they shed tears.

Finally, Julia came out

At about 9 p.m., Julia finally came out supported by others. She looked pale, tired, and so pitiable. She looked like one who just got up after a long illness. Because she could not remain standing, she began praying sitting in a chair. Then, she relayed the messages and explained the heavenly signs in Naju. At first, she sounded so weak, but gradually became filled with energy. Because there was no interpreter that evening, many of the guests could not understand a word, but listened very attentively until the end.

While Julia was speaking, I began smelling an intense fragrance of roses. When I looked around, I noticed that others were also amazed at the fragrance. When Julia was offering prayers at the end, many were shedding tears of repentance. When the prayer ended, it was thirty minutes past midnight. She spoke for three-and-a-half hours from 9 p.m. without even drinking any water. To us it felt like only twenty minutes.

John Kamanu's remarks

The next day, John came to visit me at my sister's house. He told me that there were five phenomena in the previous evening that amazed him.

First, when he went home after the party, the ground was all wet around his house, which was only 2 miles from my sister's house. It rained in all areas in and around Kailua that evening, but it did not rain at my sister's house.

Second, when he smelled fragrance during Julia's talk, he sneaked out and walked around wondering about the fragrance. He found that the whole neighborhood was filled with the fragrance.

Third, Julia's talk lasted past midnight, but no one in the neighborhood called the police. It must have been the Holy Spirit Who calmed down the neighbors.

Fourth, he could not understand a word that Julia was saying. But she looked like the Blessed Mother, and he understood what the Blessed Mother was trying to say through Julia by watching her and hearing her voice.

Fifth, while Julia was speaking for three-and-a-half hours, none of the guests became distracted. They were totally focused on Julia and her talk, including one person whom he knew who had a pain in his side and normally could not remain sitting in a chair for more than two minutes. He also remained in his chair like a statue, listening intently to Julia.

John further said, "My two elder brothers and three nephews are Protestant clergymen. I have been a Protestant from the time I was in my mother's womb, and have denied and rejected the Blessed Mother who is honored in the Catholic Church. However, I have realized many things by witnessing these miracles. I believe that, in the Protestant churches also, the Blessed Mother must be recognized. She cannot be denied.?br>

A world-renowned promoter of the Eucharistic devotion witnesses a miracle

The weather was superb on November 2. Fr. Martin Lucia, living in Texas and having traveled to more than five hundred dioceses all over the world to promote Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, was one of the guest speakers at the conference. He wanted to see Julia and, together with Brian who was among the hosts at the conference, came to my sister's house at 10 a.m., as Julia was staying there for a few days after the conference. Fr. Lucia asked Julia many questions for more than two hours, repeatedly saying, "Wonderful! Then, he said that he was training twenty-five men (fifteen Americans, two Australians, two Filipinos, two Koreans, two Frenchmen, and two Poles) to continue and expand his work ofpromoting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.

He asked Julia to write a letter ofencouragement for them. When Julia wrote a letter and gave it to him, he was overjoyed. Then, he asked Julia if it would be okay to have a Mass together there. Julia said, "Yes, if that is Father's wish, and asked Anna if it was okay with her. Anna said that she would be honored. Fr. Lucia asked Brian to prepare for Mass, and Brian was about to call St. Michael Center in Honolulu about the Mass. At that moment, Julia said to Father Lucia, “Father, if possible, can we have the Mass in a church? Fr. Lucia asked Brian if there was a church in the neighborhood. Brian said that St. Anthony's Church was about one mile from there. Fr. Lucia gladly agreed to Julia's suggestion, and Brian informed St. Michael Center about the Mass at St. Anthony's Church. We took several photographs in the front yard and left for the church.

A while after we arrived at the church, Thomas Pereira, director of St. Michael Center, arrived carrying the replica statue of Our Lady of Naju, which Julia gave to the Center after the conference. At the Mass celebrated by Fr. Lucia, there were Brian, Thomas Pereira, Julia, Julio, Anna and her husband, Richard Nakamura, Juliana from Korea, and myself. It was a quiet and holy atmosphere. I had some feeling that the Lord was going to show us something special. It was 2 p.m. when the Mass began. When Fr. Lucia consecrated the host and lifted It up, It radiated a brilliantlight.

After all of us received Communion and came back to our seats, Julia,sitting on my left, began shivering as if she felt cold. Fr. Lucia, who was cleaning the chalice, noticed this and came to Julia and held her hands tightly. I stood up and looked at Julia. She had her eyes closed and seemed a little worried about something. Her face, however, looked bright. A while later, when she opened her mouth, I saw that most of the Sacred Host had already melted but only a small piece still remained on her tongue, slowly changing into the shape of flesh and becoming larger. It became reddish flesh and was moving. Then, Its color changed into dark red. Red blood was flowing from It. Fr. Lucia continued holding Julia's hands and was praying fervently. A while later, he said to Julia that it would be okay for her to swallow the Eucharist. I was in total shock after witnessing this stupendous miracle of the Eucharist.

Until then, I had thought that the Eucharist was merely one of the rituals in the Church and only had a symbolic meaning. The Lord showed this miracle to this grave sinner who had insulted the Eucharist with such foolish thoughts! I felt that my heart was being torn apart. I began crying wildly. Tears were coming down like a waterfall. I have betrayed the Lord; I have turned my back against the Lord! I have driven huge nails into the Blessed Mother's Heart! Despite that, the Lord and the Blessed Mother are embracing me in Their bosoms today! I kept giving gratitude to the omniscient, omnipotent, and greatest God!

There was a message for Fr. Lucia

Julia offered up a special prayer for me, a prodigal son who had come home. Then, she relayed to Fr. Lucia a message that she received from the Lord while the Eucharistic miracle was occurring:

As Fr. Jerry (Orbos of the Philippines) responded to My Mother's call, My beloved priest here has also responded to her. So, all the priests, religious and lay people who have accepted My Mother's call must unite with each other and with your spiritual director, forming a chain of love, and unceasingly spread all over the world the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist and the intentions of My Mother who is imploring you shedding tears and tears of blood to save the entire human race.

Hearing the Lord's message, Fr. Lucia was overwhelmed with joy and was deeply moved. He had been devoting his whole life to promoting Eucharistic devotion all over the world. How could there be any better gift from the Lord for him? Fr. Lucia was greatly excited and could not find words to describe his feeling. His eyes were burning with joy, hope, and zeal like the flames in a furnace. It was a miracle that only the all-knowing and all-powerful God could perform. How can anyone deny the Lord?

The Blessed Mother's statue makes a big smile

After hearing the Lord's message through Julia, Fr. Lucia posed with Julia for photographs. At that moment, the replica statue of Our Lady of Naju on the altar made a big smile. Her smile was so big that even some wrinkles were formed around her mouth. When she was smiling, she looked so gentle and loving. We were totally overwhelmed with joy and amazement. Then, Thomas Pereira, who brought the statue, said, “While I was outside my office, I suddenly smelled the fragrance of roses. Wondering where it was coming from, I entered the office and realized that it was coming from the Blessed Mother's statue. A few moments later, I received the phone call from Brian about the Mass here.?He said that he was so grateful to the Lord for allowing him to witness the Eucharistic miracle and that he would spread this information widely.

I received a new life

I was born again as a new person with a new life in the Lord. Until now, I have betrayed the Lord; criticized priests and threw insulting words at them; falsely accused my fellow Catholics; and denied the Lord's Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. The Lord had pity on this unforgivably grave sinner, forgave me, and personally showed me that He was truly present in the Eucharist.

Until now my sister has prayed a lot for me. My mother also prayed to the Lord, shedding tears, that I might return to the Church. The Lord heard their prayers. My mother in Heaven must be very happy and grateful to the Lord for granting her prayers.

Thank you, Blessed Mother, for praying for this sinner who denied the Lord that I may be forgiven and return to His bosom. Lord, I give Thee all this joy and glory, as Thou hast saved this soul who had fallen into a sewer, and led me to Thee.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

'I deserved to be at the bottom of hell'

Mary Magdalene Kim, Incheon, Korea (December 8, 1994)

I feel as if I were being suffocated when I think about my past life. It was not the life of a human being but by something less than a worm. I feel ashamed to talk about it, as it was a life of continuous tears, but decided to write this testimony as an expression of my gratitude to the Lord and the Blessed Mother for giving me a new life.

I was born in a direly poor family as the fifth child. When I was in the second grade, I was sent to my father's stepmother's home. It was so hard for me to be separated from my family. My sorrows began there.

After school, I did housework. At night, my grandmother, my uncle and I slept in the same room. I slept in the little space below my grandmother's feet and my uncle's. After my grandmother fell asleep, my uncle would pull me up and satisfy his lust and then push me back to my space. He threatened me not to tell anyone. Night after night, it was a horrible ordeal. At an early age when I needed a love-filled home, I had to work hard until my hands got chapped and, at night, became a tool for gratifying my uncle's lust. I wept every day because of this cruel reality.

About two years later, my elder sister saw my chapped hands and brought me back home. I came home, but the poverty-stricken, hopeless life continued. Somehow I graduated from high school and worked at an orphanage for the next three years. Because the life there was also difficult and seemed hopeless, I left the orphanage and found work elsewhere looking for more money, first at a coffeehouse and then at a tavern and as a prostitute.

My life at the tavern and as aprostitute was also difficult, because I could not drink well and was not pretty. I was only accumulating debts and sins. My life was lonesome and stressful. In order to console myself, I developed a love for luxuries and borrowed more money from others, which I did not repay. Many times, I wished I could die, thinking about my miserable childhood and my subsequent life of being alienated, despised, and trampled by others.

Then, at a coffee house, I ran into a man who was married and became close to him. Without knowing that abortion was murder, I had more than thirty abortions over a ten-year period. For some time, I made frequent visits to fortunetellers, lamenting over my unfortunate life.

I did not want to remain in the prostitute quarters any longer, and repaid all my debts and left that place. I came to my elder sister's house and stayed with her. I was not repenting my sins yet, and frequently got angry with my sister and spent nights outside. I wanted to return home, but my father was not accepting me because of my past life. So, I rented a room and lived with my younger sister. At my younger sister's suggestion, I attended a junior college. After graduation, however, I was not able to find a job to my greatdisappointment. I attended a beauty school and opened a beauty parlor.

However,there were not many customers, and those customers who came complained that I ruined their hair. Some even threatened to call the police. I was scared and rushed to the police office to explain the situation. The head policeman listened and told me not to worry. As I was so hungry for compassion and love, I became close to the head policeman and maintained an immoral relationship with him for three years. I eventually closed the beauty parlor, because no matter how hard I tried, it continued to be a failing business.

Earlier, when I was twenty-two years old, I left the prostitute quarters and began living at my elder sister's house, and even was baptized in a Catholic church without a sincere internal conversion. I was not sincerely practicing the faith and continued to live in sins. I frequently hurt other people's feelings and also broke the Sixth Commandment. I sometimes received Communion sacrilegiously without making a Confession. While easily spending much money on luxuries, I was weighing in my mind whether I should offer one or two thousand won (one or two U.S.dollars) at Sunday Masses.

Even though I was a Catholic, I continued committingall kinds of sins. My soul was still dead, and my heart was filled with anger, hatred, accusations, vengeance, and lamentation instead of peace. I hated my life which was like hell, and struggled to get out of the mess, but nothing was working. I could not rely on anyone, as even my parents and brothers and sisters were pointing their fingers at me, reminding me of my past which I did not want to remember and thus hurting my feelings more. I wept so much without anyone knowing it.

While I was abandoning myself to despair, thinking about death, and rushing toward hell without even realizing it, a woman whom I knew well told me that many people had received the grace of repentance and internal healing in Naju and invited me to go there with her.

So, I went to Naju without really expecting much. As the woman and I stepped into the Chapel, she asked me if I smelled an intense fragrance of roses. I did not smell anything and felt embarrassed.

In 1993, I went to Naju again, this time with more confidence (in Naju) and smelled a powerful fragrance of roses, which was intoxicating. I also felt peaceful.

Later, I went to Naju again and attended an overnight prayer meeting. In the second part of the prayer meeting, Julia came out and relayed a message from Jesus,

Now, come, all the children in the world. I am waiting for you as a sacrificial victim even today. Let's gather at the heavenly table and share love. When you open your hearts widely and return to Me, I will not ask questions about your past but bestow the cup of blessing upon you.

Julia further said, Mary Magdalene committed many sins, but washed Jesus?feet with tears and poured fragrant oil on Him. Likewise, let us console Jesus and pour fragrant oil on His torn wounds by repenting our sins

Those who committed more sins can be forgiven more and receive more love

Mary Magdalene committed more sins than others, but she repented more than others. So, she was more loved than others. Jesus will welcome with open arms and the Blessed Mother will protect in her mantle and nurture even the wickedest sinners, if only they repent. Therefore, let us not despair but be embraced in the love of Jesus and the Blessed Mother

I began weeping bitterly. I wondered how she could know so much about me. I felt that she was talking to me. She continued, When Jesus came to this world, He came to call sinners, not the righteous. How can we meet Jesus unless we confess that we are sinners? The healthy do not need a doctor. It is the sick who need a doctorI cried loudly. I felt that the Blessed Mother had been shedding so many tears and tears of blood for me, waiting for me until now.

People were pointing their fingers at me because I was too dirty, but the Lord and the Blessed Mother looked at me with merciful eyes, not saying that I was dirty, and called this sinner who was rushing on the road to hell.

My shame and pains about my past, my hatred for some people to the extent that I wished to kill them, and my despair to the extent of wishing to commit suicide were melting away and turning into repentance and a realization that it was all my fault.

Julia continued, Even when others get angry with me without my provocation or commit other sins with me, I can say that they would not have committed sins if I was not there. When we think this way, we become like the Lord. We need to forgive and love even those who have hated us and hurt us.?I trembled with the thought that so many people had committed sins because of me.

Then, when I watched a video of Julia suffering pains, I repented further. My past life was being replaced by a new life, and I was pulled out of darkness into light. I hope that this testimony can be a consolation to those who are agonizing as I was and are filled with hatred and vengefulness as I was and pray that they will come to the Blessed Mother of Naju and become changed with a new life as I have.

Now, I am leading a life of continuing repentance, feeling the Blessed Mother's love which I did not know before, and experiencing love, joy, and spiritual sweetness. As I have continued to visit the Blessed Mother's House, I have been changing internally and have also been able to overcome the vice of lust.

Twenty years after my baptism, I am finally born again as a baby and am writing this testimony to praise the Lord. I am going to offer up the remainder of my life in reparation for my sins and others? as the Blessed Mother called this poor sinner, shedding tears and tears of blood.

At first, people around me criticized me for visiting Naju frequently, saying that I was crazy. Now, even my brothers and sisters do not criticize me any more but attend every prayer meeting on Thursdays and First Saturdays in Naju with me. They have also received lots of graces.

I have been healed not only spiritually but also physically. For the past twenty years, I was suffering from inflammation in the large intestine, complications from many abortions, venereal diseases, hemorrhoids, headaches, and more. I visited hospitals so many times, but the problems only worsened. Since I began to visit Naju, my illnesses have been healed one after another without my realizing it. Now I am very healthy, and everyone around me is amazed.

My present life is something I could not even imagine in the past. Thanks to the Blessed Mother of Naju, the hatred in the family has been replaced by love. I have also been blessed financially and have repaid all the debts that I incurred while living in sins. When I found the people from whom I borrowed money fifteen or sixteen years ago, they said that money was not important but they were amazed at the change that occurred to me. I proudly told them that I was a Catholic. We shared joy together.

I am now over forty years of age. I will offer up the remaining years of my life as reparation for my past sins. I have learned through many experiences that if we rely on the Blessed Mother 100%, we are happy 100%. Now, my business, which was so difficult in the past, is going well. My family and neighbors say that it is so amazing. They also know that it was not because of me but because of the Blessed Mother's help.

Blessed and Merciful Mother! I give you gratitude from the bottom of my soul. Help me become your daughter who gives joy to the Lord and you and wipe away tears and tears of blood from your eyes throughout the remainder of my life!

Blessed Mother of Naju! Save those sinners who have been wounded and are wandering like me in the past and help them acquire Heaven. Amen.