January 17, 2003

Messenger:        Today my son's friend was laid out
                                because he died, he is 19 years old.

                            It is a very sad thing to say good bye
                                to someone so young.

                            Tomorrow we are going to Texas and will 
                                be back on Monday. Thanks to Delta
                                weekly Web we were able to go.

                            We will do a live talk from there and
                                a Catholic priest will discern.
                                This will be broadcast world wide.
                                Your reception is much better if
                                you have a high speed hook-up
                                for the internet.

                            Margaret Mary who lives in St. Cloud, MN is a
                                handmaid and works on the vestments there —
                                she stays very connected in prayer — 
                                she lives in a special apartment
                                and the chapel is in the same
                                building below her.

                            She listens to the Shepherds of Christ radio
                                whenever she is in her home, there, working
                                on the vestments.

                            She gets the daily message and
                                the daily fax I fax her.

                            She connects for the special rosaries
                                we have the 5th, the Sidney
                                Rosary, the 13th, special talks
                                like I am having in Texas.

                            Margaret Mary is there because of health.

                            Margaret Mary used to be in charge of the
                                rosary factory in Florida, you
                                may know her.

                            I tell you this because Our Lord told me to
                                tell you — you can be united to
                                us through the internet all over
                                the world.

                            John the President when I didn't know
                                anything about the computer set
                                my computer so all I had to do
                                was turn it on and click —
                                I began running off Fr. Carter's
                                messages for him in color.
                                He wanted them in color.

                            The internet can help to keep elderly
                                or sick - homebound people
                                very connected to us praying with
                                us and being a real Shepherds of Christ
                                apostle or associate (Prayer Apostle, etc.)

                            Kathleen one of our handmaids lived in
                                South Dakota, she was a nurse, she
                                had her own prayer group. She
                                kept up and used the Blue Book Messages
                                and read the daily message. Fr. Carter
                                accepted her into the handmaids of
                                the Good Shepherd.

                            Here is her witness letter from a few years ago.

Kathleen W.

 
I give my heart to Jesus and Mary with you in love! I write this for the honor and glory of God and in thanksgiving to Jesus for calling me to this Movement.

Jesus says in St. John's Gospel, "You did not choose me, no, I chose you…" Jn 15:16.

What a calling! To be chosen to be a Handmaid of the Good Shepherd! His special spouse! The spouse of THE KING & CREATOR of the Universe!

WOW! And a Movement personally directed by Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!

Words cannot express all I would like to say. Since 1st grade I wanted to be a nun. I saw the nuns at my school and I wanted to be like them. Unfortunately growing up... all the peer pressure in school and the struggles of young adulthood took away any hope of being a nun. I followed the ways of the world and left Jesus out of my life.

During my senior year of nursing, the seed of pursuing a religious vocation sprang up again in my heart. I started attending daily Mass as often as I could, and Mary our Mother was bringing me closer to Jesus. My 1st choice was Mother Teresa's Order, however, that didn't happen for me.

After graduation from nursing school I went to a Bible Institute Retreat at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. While there, I attended a Baptism of the Spirit Seminar and felt a strong presence of the Holy Spirit.

That fall, in 1996, I went back to Ohio for another retreat, and while I was in the chapel one evening, I picked up God's Blue Book II and read a message on Communion from Jesus. I almost fell out of my pew! The message touched me deep in my heart. Thankfully, I was able to take the book home. the messages were awesome! I never knew of having such an intimate relationship with Jesus!

I started spending an hour everyday after Mass. I joined the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart and later started a Shepherds of Christ Prayer Chapter. I got the other Blue Books, the rosary book and rosary tapes. I felt so committed to praying the prayers and the rosary mediations were so powerful! I thank Jesus and Mary for all these revelations!

I heard about the handmaids in 1998, while ordering through the Shepherds of Christ. I was really interested in them. I thought maybe this is where God is calling me. I kept praying to do His will.

Jesus, in His time, made it all work out. When we give our lives to Jesus, He can do more than we could ever ask for or imagine! Jesus loves us!

I feel so blessed and privileged to be in the formation of being a handmaid! Thank you, my Father, for this Movement and all the beautiful people in it! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your tremendous work in my soul! Thank you, Jesus, for choosing me for this special calling. And like Mary, my life is a continuous FIAT. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." and "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

Messenger:        Here is a witness letter of Mary who
                                runs the cash register in Florida
                                in the book store — she has been
                                there a long time — she is
                                a Shepherds of Christ Apostle and
                                lives in the Apostle house there.

Mary G.

 
How has being a member of Shepherds of Christ has changed my life?

When I was a baby, we lived next door to a convent and I had 12 years of Catholic education. I married and lived Cincinnati eventually. After my civil divorce, my three younger children and I moved back to Price Hill in Cincinnati where I grew up. This time brought me the Catholic Charismatic experience.

Dad died in '86, and I moved away to a small town. Though I tried, I thought no Catholic church or prayer group met my needs so I attended Protestant prayer meetings and services. I found ministers and prayer groups that deeply love the Lord Jesus, and I would still be in these circles except that I went back to Cincinnati to visit. I hadn't told my old friends that I was no longer a practicing Catholic so I joined them when they attended charismatic functions. At one of these I was given Blue Book I.

Actually, someone tried to give it to me and I wouldn't take it saying, I had too much to read , so it was given to the friend I was staying with. When we got home and she was out of the room, I opened the book so I could congratulate myself for not accepting it.

That's Jesus! Jesus is speaking in this book! I read almost the whole book that night, then I ate humble pie and phoned the lady who had pressed me to accept it. I received it in a few days.

Back home I read and reread it. Jesus was speaking loud and clear and I went to the nearest church and made a confession and resumed my long neglected practice of daily Mass. I also began to go to the Shepherds of Christ chapter meetings in Morrow, Ohio, where I heard the call for volunteers to come to the Virgin Mary Site in Clearwater, Florida.

How well I understand God's words, "Your thoughts are not My thoughts!".

Changing my thoughts and my ways comes more slowly than changing my address, which is now Clearwater, Florida.

Though retirement isn't at all what I thought it would be, I wouldn't trade places with anyone at all.

January 17, 2003 message continues

Messenger:        Doris is a handmaid of the Good Shepherd 
                                and she runs the Morrow Center. 
                                Here is her witness letter.

What has Shepherds of Christ and being a Handmaid done for my life and for my relationship with Jesus?

I first heard of Shepherds of Christ from a letter received concerning a rosary gathering at Tom’s Farm in October 1996. My family already had plans for the 13^th. When I received a notice for November 13^th my brother and I went not knowing much about Shepherds of Christ, but if it was praying the rosary-it had to be good. It was the most powerful rosary I ever attended. I didn’t go for several months, but felt drawn to this ministry and compelled to pray the prayers and read the blue books. Jesus was talking directly to me through them and it was great.

Jesus has always worked slowly in my heart. Pain and suffering in my early adult life brought me to realize that God was the only one I could turn to in my need. God alone was my strength.

In July 1997, news came that the department where I worked was being phased out by the parent company on the east coast. I was disenchanted with my job and I only continued working there to live, so I wasn’t concerned about the lack of a job.

During this same time, I felt pulled in my heart to pray with Shepherds of Christ as a body. I was shy and I would just come, sit, pray and be silent, not really talking to anyone very much.

I knew from my childhood that I would never marry. The pull Jesus had on me was stronger than the world’s, though I didn’t realize the source. For the past year I had become closer to Jesus and I felt what I would do with my life, next, would be for him alone.

On August 13, 1998, I went to China, Indiana, to the monthly rosary knowing something was going to happen-but not knowing what. During the rosary the president of Shepherds of Christ started reading a letter from Jesus about women being called as handmaids and their way of life. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit descend on my head and I was glad to be sitting. I knew Jesus was calling me to become a handmaid, a call that I had been waiting patiently for, for over two years.

After the rosary I acted on the Holy Spirit’s prompting immediately-knowing if I didn’t, I would find excuses not to. Jesus’ hand is very strong in my life. I was accepted as a candidate for a handmaid within a few days and gave two weeks notice at work. I found myself in Clearwater, Florida, within three weeks.

As a Handmaid of the Good Shepherd my life is very prayerful and very one on one with Jesus as His spouse. He is the Bridegroom of my Soul. Just being with him after Mass and in front of the tabernacle is candy to my soul and leaves me speechless. Being a handmaid has brought the joy, love and peace of my Divine Bridegroom into my life to an extent I didn’t even know could exist.

He calls me to constant change and growth. I cannot remain the same, for my life and love for him would stagnate. I live to serve him. I have only scratched the surface of the depth to which my soul craves union with my Lord and Savior. Any life in God is hard work, but the rewards are unbounded.

Jesus loves each and everyone of us on a personal level. He died on the cross to save each soul. He, the living God, is truly waiting in the tabernacle for us, to love us, if we would only come and sit with him.

Since my move to Clearwater, Florida, in 1998, I have recently traveled to China, Indiana, for a stay and I am currently in Morrow, Ohio, doing the work Jesus has called me to do. Jesus knows where I will be next, even though I do not.

There is nothing boring about being on Jesus’ roller coaster. The ride is into eternity! I can’t wait to see you there!

January 17, 2003

                          We are going to Texas tomorrow to do a prayer service.
                            It will be 9:00 p.m. our time. A priest will discern.
                            People without Road Runner or Zoom town may not get
                                things as good.

                            Pray about the store and sign.
                            We must pray for God's grace.
                            Pray for perseverance to do God's will in your vocation.
                            Pray to please God.
                            Pray for grace to want to serve Him in this mission.

                        A person can go into a house, a community, 
                            a place and act the same as they
                            did in their past relationships, marriages,
                            they can do the same "dance" with other partners—
                            some don't even realize they are doing it —
                            They become active in the community—then they 
                            project their past hurts on other partners and 
                            those around them —

                        This is serious—God has called us to the mission 
                            to help bring about the Reign of the Sacred Heart 
                            and the triumph of Mary's heart.
                        Satan can press on main leaders, anyone
                            all day —

                        HARMONY IS THE KEY —

                        It's awful when people work out their
                        frustration inside of them on the Movement and their
                        decisions for the Movement are based on what
                        will make them feel better. (This is Jesus' Movement.
                        Anyone doing this is hurting His Movement.)

                        We have to pray to do what God wants us to do —
                        not being a robot that goes in and just
                        does what we want, doing things because it
                        fits into our lives.

                            The question is what is God's will for me?

                            How does He want it done?

                            Can I do more to please Him?

                            Am I doing things He doesn't want me to do

                                to make myself busy when I am

                                frustrated? Does this affect the

                                Movement?

                            What am I doing with the precious

                                moments of my life?

                            Am I doing God's will?

                    Mary called the children at Fatima.

                    Mary and Jesus have called us —

                    The image is in our hands in the Shepherds 

                        of Christ. Jesus has asked us to tell the

                        world about this—if we don't do it

                        because we do other things—if

                        we do other things and not the Shepherds

                        of Christ things Jesus is asking us to do —

                        it won't get done—Jesus asked

                        us to do it.

                    Other people can do a lot of other things.

                    The world is big.

                    I see somebody trying to put a person
                        somewhere they don't belong because
                        we should be nice.

                    The world is a big place and there is a lot
                        of space on it —
                        God has told us what to do.
                            He wants us to spread the
                            devotion to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate
                            Heart—He has called us like He called
                            Lucia, Francesco, Jacinta, Margaret
                            Mary.

                    The 12 apostles were called by Jesus —
                            they were imperfect —
                            If they buried their dead first...—

  
                            They followed Jesus when He called.

                    Fr. Carter did all he did, he was called by Jesus to
                        this mission—it was his top priority —
                        he spent the last years of his life
                        discerning the messages for the future
                        Church—now he is dead—he could have
                        done a lot of "stuff" as a Jesuit doctor —
                        to the last days of his life he served the
                        Movement when almost in the coffin
                        because he knew it's importance to the
                        peace of the world and the Church.

                    He disciplined himself and even worked all day
                    on his birthday (his last birthday) on the
                    messages.
                    He stayed up late at his age discerning every
                    word—He worked hard for the Movement 
                    when he had chemo—
                    he did it all the way to days before his
                    death and he said

                    "Our hearts are merged "—this is our motto

                            We are one

                    One week after he died we got the loan on the
                        building —

                    We sent the Priestly Newsletter Book II to 85,000 priests
                        so many responded —

                    Don't let satan tempt you to do other things —
                        if God is calling you.

                    I feel I am pulling teeth sometimes and begging many
                            times —

                    I speak for Jesus —

                        look at Mary on the window —

                        how could somebody be given such a gift
                            and complain right under the image?

                    The devil is very active and we need to pray
                        for grace in our vocation.

                    There will be a Sidney Rosary Tuesday.
                Pray through the intercession of Our Lady of Clearwater and Fr. Carter
                    - Pray for everybody that affects us and is troubled
                    - Pray for hierarchy
                    - Pray for Fr. Mike and Fr. Joe
                    - Pray for Texas, Sidney Rosary, 5th and a hard decision
                    - Pray for 4 urgent intentions and Hugh
                    - Pray for special intention
                    - Pray for funds and grace
                    - Pray for the new stores, permits, signs

                Spread the Blood of Jesus on all servants, handmaids, apostles 
                    and families - all who touch the Movement in any way

                    - Pray for Joe and Cathy

                    - Pray for everybody who asked us to pray for them and
                        the Hierarchy in the Church

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