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Chapter 8

Visions

July 23, 1996 - Love is Giving
Vision as seen by Mary Rettig on the February 13, 1997
Visions as seen by Ellen Sartori and Mary Rettig
March 20, 1997 - Our Lady of Fatima

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July 23, 1996

R. Last week during Tuesday's rosary at the Farm, (July 16, 1996) instead of receiving a meditation or message on the last Hail Mary, I saw a miracle of the sun. It began as Fr. Carter prayed the second last Hail Mary. I was in such awe and detached from my surroundings that I could not pray this last meditation or message. It continued for 10 to 15 minutes. I looked at it without any discomfort to my eyes.

The sun looked like heart tissue. It was dark reddish. It kept dividing. There were red and yellow rays of light coming forth from this heart. It looked as cells dividing. It was pulsating.

He told me, that it was His beating Heart. That as we in the Shepherds of Christ Movement give our hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, though we are many, we are one in Their Hearts and rapidly growing in His beating Heart, pulsating in this world as He lives in us with His burning love.

I did not say anything later, because if you look at the sun you can damage your eyes. We are not encouraging anyone to look at the sun, and we are not responsible if you do look at the sun.

Love is Giving
Message given through Rita Ring

R. This is transcribed from a tape at 5:00 A.M. Jesus wished this message passed out at the Farm.

Jesus: My dear child, I ask you to surrender. When will you come to the womb of My Mother and surrender? It is there that you will receive My life. It is there that the Holy Spirit works in you to sanctify you, to change you from your willful and controlling ways. Love is the gift of self to one another. You must give yourselves. I gave Myself on the cross. Your life is a constant learning process of how to love more perfectly. Your ways of love are imperfect ways. You are molded. You are shaped by the Spirit within the heart of My Mother to My ways of love. As you dwell in her heart and My Heart, you are My work of art, for you are formed and molded into My image through the Holy Spirit. You must die to yourself child, die to yourself that I can live in you. You are resistant to change. You want to hold on to those things that are familiar to you. Many times those things that are familiar to you are not My ways. I am calling you to surrender, that the Holy Spirit can work within you and form you in the womb of My Mother more to My image and likeness. I am Jesus. I come to you to make you holy and loving. I live in you. I minister to this hurting world through you. You are transformed more and more into My image and likeness through the Holy Spirit. The incarnation continues, and you are formed and molded into My image and likeness. I live in this world in you, My beloved ones. You must surrender and let Me possess your soul. Let Me live in you. You are afraid. You are afraid in your hearts that you will be left out. Love is the gift of self to another. You will not give as long as you hold on to your selfish ways. It is in giving that you receive. It is in loving that you will be loved, I loved you first, and I give to you Myself. You must focus on how I love you. You act lovingly when you feel loved. I love you so much. Will you listen to Me and realize that I love you? You are saturated with My love, but your hearts must be open that I can fill you and mold you into My ways. Within the heart of My Mother, the Holy Spirit works to make you holy. It is in dwelling in Our Hearts, the Hearts of greatest love, that you will be saturated with My life and My love. The more I live in you, the more I act in you. You must surrender. It is an act of your will to love one another. I loved to My death. I loved when I was persecuted. I loved when I was beaten. I loved you so much. I came into this world a helpless baby to show you how to love. You must surrender and give yourself. Love is giving of yourself. The key is to focus on the giving and not the receiving. Surrender to Me, and I will give to you My divine love. And you, My child, will have enough, I provide for all your needs. You act selfishly when you are afraid. It is in fear that you punish yourself and punish all those you touch. My life will flow through you when you are an instrument of love.

R. When I give of myself, I am happy. When I am selfish, I am unhappy. Happiness is a loving heart.

Prayer: I love You, Jesus. I love you, Mary. It is for the sake of the reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart I am working. God, come and strengthen me, I want to be one in Thee. Come and live in my soul.

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Vision as seen by Mary Rettig on February 13, 1997
Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center
11:30 AM After Mass

"On the way to the Holy Spirit Center, I could see Our Lady in the sun. (Jesus said in a message to me that she appears in the sun to me to remind me of her Fatima Peace Plan that she wants to spread to the schools.)

Upon arriving at the Holy Spirit Center, Mary Ann Henry and I were carrying materials into the Social Hall where the tables were set up. The scent of roses was very strong near the School Rosary table where stood the Our Lady of Fatima statue. Mary Ann Henry, Cathy Ring and Mary Ann Mackey smelled the roses also.

During the Mass, it seemed as though lightning was flashing around the altar. There was a bright light around Fr. Carter as he read the Gospel and gave the Homily. The light was so bright that my eyes began to water. During the Homily, I saw another flash of light and I was aware of the Holy Spirit going into Fr. Carter. At the same time, Mary's statue at the altar lit up and I saw her hand with the scapular in it move. I could see Mary in her statue.

During the Consecration, Fr. Carter's fingers lit up as he picked up the Host. His fingers remained that way during the Consecration. I could feel a very strong presence during the Mass and I knew it was the presence of the Almighty God because I had never felt anything as strong as that. It was incredible. I felt tears coming down my cheeks. I couldn't control my tears.

As Rita started the Rosary at noon, we all entered the Chapel. I could see Jesus, Mary, and Joseph standing at the bottom step of the altar. I was just a few feet from the Holy Family. I was in awe of them. I couldn't move. Jesus had me close my eyes and I couldn't open them until the Rosary was half-over. When I was finally able to open my eyes I could see Jesus and St. Joseph in the statue of St. Joseph and the Infant Jesus. Mary was present in Our Lady of Grace statue.

I could still feel the strong presence of Our Lord. It was incredible. I could tell that other people were being touched by Our Lord during the Rosary. I saw many crying and wiping their eyes. Many sat there with their eyes closed unable to move."

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Vision as seen by Ellen Sartori, August 13, 1996
Arlinghaus' Farm, Shepherds of Christ meeting

"I had a profound experience this evening. As soon as the rosary started, I looked up towards the sun and I couldn't turn away. I realized there was a covering over the sun and that I would perhaps witness the miracle of the sun. Instead, after a few rotations, I began to see clear pictures: first, I saw the cross, Mary and Joseph holding our baby Jesus, and then what seemed to be a large Host, the Monstrance, and an angel holding up the Host, but I wasn't sure so I closed my eyes and said to myself, 'Dear Lord, I would love to see an angel as I have never seen one.' And with that within a split second a huge figure appeared, bigger than life, and came crashing to the earth, right before our group and returned. It was St. Michael! I recognized him immediately - his short, curly blond hair, his armor, which was brownish, but the whole figure of Michael was orange. His presence filled the whole area with bright light. It is difficult to describe, but I see St. Michael before me now as he appeared and want to share this with everyone because, surely, he has appeared to assure us of his protection for the Shepherds of Christ."

* Warning: Eye damage can occur from staring at the sun.

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Vision as seen by Mary Rettig, August 13, 1996
Arlinghaus' Farm, Shepherds of Christ meeting

"On August 13, 1996 during the Shepherds of Christ prayer meeting, I saw the miracle of the sun.

When John started the Seven Sorrows of Mary, the sun appeared to be spinning through the trees. There was a disk in front of the sun. The disk was turning different colors including "Virgin Mary Blue". Different colored lasers also appeared to be coming from the sun.

The sun started growing brighter than normal that I had to close my eyes. When I opened them, the tree below the sun had turned to a brilliant light. The Angel of the Lord was in the tree.

I then noticed a very blue line coming down the middle of the river towards our side of the shore. After the blue line reached the shore, I felt a drop of water on my forehead. I looked up and saw nothing. I proceeded to pray when, I felt another drop of water fall on my forehead. One more time I looked up and saw nothing. When I looked towards the river again there was a brilliant golden light standing on the river. The brilliant golden light, which was the Angel of the Lord, ascended from the river and disappeared over the state of Kentucky.

I then looked straight ahead towards the deck, and when I did, I noticed more brilliant lights in the bushes and trees surrounding the deck and us. *There appeared to be angels encamped all around us.

Next I noticed the bottom branches of the tree directly in front of the deck moving and bending, it is then that I saw the brilliant outlines of Jesus and Mary in the tree. They were standing side by side in the tree during the entire rosary."

*Footnote~ On Monday night I kept waking up from my sleep hearing myself say, "The angel of Yahweh pitches camp round those who fear him; and he keeps them safe."

Psalm 34: 7 (The Jerusalem Bible, Doubleday & Co.)

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Vision as seen by Mary Rettig August 20, 1996

Arlinghaus' Farm, Shepherds of Christ meeting

"Upon arriving at Tom Arlinghaus' farm, the miracle of the sun started right away. The members of the Shepherds of Christ were in front of Tom's house. The sun was spinning very fast and different rays of colors were shooting from the sun. A blue light came out of the sun and started coming towards us. The blue light grew bigger as it got closer to us. The blue light turned out to be Our Holy Mother Mary.

She stood in the tree right above the house. She was clothed with the sun and light rays were all around her. Mary remained in the tree for several minutes.

We could also see about a dozen angels all around us. They were in the trees, in the air, and standing on the river. They appeared as large pillars of light.

The rosary was said inside Tom's house. At the start of the Sorrowful Mysteries, Rita was sitting near the large window facing the river. The large picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was above the window. I saw a flash of light at the window and Jesus entered the room through His picture and within seconds, Rita was delivering the first message from Jesus.

The Blessed Mother entered in the room through the ceiling right over Anne Araya's and Ellen Sartori's heads. She came in the form of her "blue light" again. I could smell roses in the room. She was invisible to the rest of the members, but she was there and had even kissed my forehead during the rosary. (In my own private moments with Jesus and Mary, I often blow Them a kiss towards heaven, and I received a kiss on the forehead from Them.)

There was another flash of light during the start of the rosary. This light was outside in the large tree to the left of the deck. There Michael, the Archangel, stood guard during the entire rosary. Even when the sun went down, I could see his brilliance shining from the tree.

There was another angel standing in mid-air to the left of the house until we were finished with our prayer meeting."

Vision as seen by Mary Rettig September 24, 1996

Arlinghaus' Farm, Shepherds of Christ meeting

"I was late in getting to the Shepherds of Christ prayer meeting that night. While riding in the van with my friends, we could see the miracle of the sun. The Eucharist was indeed in front of the sun.

The rosary was starting just as my friends and I arrived. Rita was saying the Joyful Mysteries that night. The rosary was said outside. The sun was setting behind the trees to the right of me. I could no longer see it.

Rita was sitting on the deck facing the river. We were sitting in chairs facing Rita. She began the rosary. I saw the familiar blue line of the water appear in the middle of the river. It came towards us. When the blue line came to our shore, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were there in the tree by the deck. I could see Their outlines and feel Their presence with my soul.

The first message from Jesus was given to Rita. The Holy Family remained in the tree, in front of the deck, during the entire rosary. St. Michael, the Archangel, was also present in the tree left of the deck. There were other angels around us in the trees.

Because of the cold, Rita moved the reading of the Handbook into Tom's garage. The large picture of Jesus was placed in front of Rita during the prayers. I sat in back of Rita and I could see the light on Jesus' face change. The structure of His face changed as if the picture had turned into His real presence. It remained that way until the end of the prayer meeting."

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Vision as seen by Mary Rettig, October 13, 1996
Arlinghaus' Farm, Shepherds of Christ meeting

"Upon leaving my home that morning, before getting into my car, I saw the miracle of the sun. An angel came out of the sun and was standing in the tree above my car.

I believe he was there for me because I was carrying in my car the "live rosaries" that were printed up and were to be distributed at the rosary that day.

During the rosary I could see the miracle of the sun. In fact, it really hadn't stopped since I left home. While we were praying, the Holy Spirit appeared in the air across the river. The Holy Spirit was huge (probably the length of a football field) and white. It was then that I saw Our Lady and she stood just as tall. She wore a pink veil, a light blue mantle, and a pink dress. She appeared as Our Lady of Grace and she appeared to be standing over the river.

There were many angels standing shoulder to shoulder around us. There were so many that day, I believe because of all the people there to honor Our Holy Mother.

After Mary disappeared from the river, Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph stood by the deck where Rita Ring and Fr. Carter were saying the rosary.

When the people were leaving, Dorothy, Emily and I walked toward the deck because the Miracle of the Sun was still taking place. Little Emily, Chris, and Cathy were on the deck (they seemed to be praying). John Weickert was close by and we all saw the miracle together and for the first time, even through the rosary had ended and the people were leaving, Mary, Jesus, and Joseph were still in front of the deck."

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Vision as seen by Mary Rettig, November 13, 1996
Arlinghaus' Farm, Shepherds of Christ meeting

"It was very gloomy this day. We were expecting snow later in the afternoon. Even though it was so cloudy the sun came out as I was traveling to Tom Arlinghaus' farm. I could see that an angel was once again escorting me to Tom's farm. When I arrived at the farm it was very cold and cloudy. I could not longer see the sun. The rosary was said inside Tom's house. Rita Ring, Fr. Carter, and John Weickert were in the main living room with the members from out of town. I was sitting in the sitting room, off the hallway, with other members of the Shepherds of Christ. I was talking to Mary Ann Henry when Rita started singing. As I looked around, I saw a very large angel standing in the room with us. He stood right in front of Melanie Noe and I wondered if she felt his presence. As we continued to sing and pray I saw a flash of lightning in the dreary sky. I knew that the Holy Family had arrived. I decided to go into the room with Rita and Fr. Carter and the others. I saw our Holy Mother's blue light enter through the huge window (the window covers the entire wall) and there stood Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and many angels. Mary stood above her statue. Jesus was standing to the right of His Mother and St. Joseph was on her left. When Fr. Carter started the Apostles Creed, I saw JESUS ENTER INTO THE STATUE OF HIS SACRED HEART."

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Vision as seen by Rita Ring, March 20, 1997
Junior Shepherds of Christ Meeting
Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center

Mary appeared as Our Lady of Fatima for one hour and l5 minutes. Mary appeared in the Sorrowful Mother statue at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center.

I was at Our Lady's House for the Junior Shepherds of Christ meeting. I cannot remember any great apparition of Mary in the Sorrowful Mother statue since August l2 and l3, l996. She appeared all night and two times on August l3, l996, once right before I went to the rosary at Tom's farm about 5:30 p.m. (the night John was there and St. Michael came out of the water). Mary comes when you least expect her.

Tonight I went to the Holy Spirit Center for the rosary with the Junior Shepherds of Christ. We could not pray in the Rosary chapel because Fr. Smith was going to say Mass. We could not pray in the Sorrowful Mother's chapel because the pews were draped with work clothes. We could not pray in the social hall because the band was playing. The only place left was in the hall on the other side of the wall from the band. The youth in the Shepherds of Christ chapter decided this was the place and moved pews in front of the statue.

As we began the rosary I began to see Mary, covered with a mist. Then I saw light around her. She got bigger than the statue, her face softened to that of the most beautiful woman--the same as the picture I took on Mother's Day l995 when she told me to buy film and take her picture. She was all adorned in light. She changed, around her head and she became a young, beautiful girl. She then changed into a lady of immense light, all white, beautiful and young. I wanted to cry in awe looking at her. I wanted to stop the rosary and just see the apparition, but I continued to speak as she spoke through me.

The whole rosary was on Our Lady of Fatima. She turned into Our Lady of Fatima, so white, so beautiful, young in her face. I have seen many statues of Our Lady of Fatima. I have seen her all white and adorned in light before--Our Lady of Light, that is what she called herself.

On October 5, l996 I saw her at Immaculata in the grotto. She had told me earlier that day she was Our Lady of the Rosary and gave a very strong message.

I do not recall seeing her in an apparition in the Sorrowful Mother's statue since August l3, l996.

She was clearly, clearly, "Our Lady of Fatima" - LIVE. I saw her. I am in awe and wanted more, it was so beautiful!

She may have appeared as Our Lady of Fatima the first time. She was covered with the greatest light - a light as from a fire and all white, but on July 5, l994 when she first appeared,

I did not know what Our Lady of Fatima looked like.

I know tonight she was like every statue I have ever seen of Our Lady of Fatima, glistening,, and all white. She had beads or embroidery around her cloak. I know she looked like the Lady of Fatima statues but LIVE.

Every time we sang A Song From Jesus she would shine with the brightest light and her face would fill with the greatest joy.

are, even a lighted hall, Mary would appear to us.

There was no place for Jesus to be born--He was born the Light of the World in a stable in Bethlehem and the brightest star shone above His bed.

This rosary on Fatima needs to circulate to the youth. Mary appeared to tell us to tell the youth this rosary. It does not have any message from Mary, only information from her for the youth.

Mary's message for the youth: a rosary on Fatima--as she appeared to deliver it.

This is a great comfort to me. She appeared, Our Lady of Fatima, to tell us that this is truly a major part of the completion of the Fatima message.

The youth told me they could not hear the rosary, only the loud music of the band. I did not hear the band at all - but was in awe with Mary's appearing and the rosary!

At one point I saw a little blond hair sticking out from under her veil at the top of her head.

At least three times I saw this immense Lady of Light turn into Our Lady of Fatima. It was as if she was transformed from the Lady of Light into the Lady of Fatima.

The room was a brightly lighted hallway with big balls of light that came down from the ceiling.

She was adorned in light, brighter than the hallway, light as bright as seven suns, the Lady of Light.

It is in her womb we see the light, the light of knowing God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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First Printing: August, 1997