WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN RECEIVE BLESSINGS OVER THE INTERNET 

Recently there was a typical Internet-era tempest in a teacup caused by a blogger’s allegation that Mary TV was wrong in affirming that those witnessing a real-time/live Internet transmission of the Blessed Mother’s apparitions receive the blessing of being in her presence.

Given all this manufactured heat, it’s time to shed some light on the matter.  We will rely on reason, Church teaching and the situation specific to Medjugorje.

Let’s start with the relevant questions and then proceed to address them.

Can blessings be transmitted through electronic media when this happens real-time/live?

Does Our Lady bless all those who are present at one of her Medjugorje apparitions?

Can Our Lady’s blessings be transmitted across different geographical locations when she is appearing at one particular place – and specifically can it be transmitted via the Internet?

PHOTONS AND ELECTRONS

Can blessings be transmitted through electronic media when this happens real-time/live?

Regarding the first question, the answer (if you believe Church teaching) is an unqualified YES.

The Catholic Church has specifically stated that papal blessings can be transmitted over the radio and other electronic media to observers/listeners when this happens in “real-time/live,” i.e., at the actual time when the Pope is giving the blessing even if the observer/listener is on a different continent.  To give a very recent example, on May 25, 2012 the Vatican announced a plenary indulgence for those attending the Seventh World Meeting of Families from May 30 to June 3, 2012 even when the attendees receive the papal blessing over electronic media:  “Faithful who are unable to participate in the event may nonetheless obtain Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions if, “spiritually bonded to the faithful gathered in Milan, they recite the Our Father, the Creed and other devout prayers calling on Divine Mercy to grant the aforementioned ends, particularly when the words of the Pontiff are transmitted by radio and television.”

What’s the difference between physically witnessing an event and witnessing it in real-time/live over a video stream on the Internet?  It’s the difference between photons and electrons.  Those who witness it physically see the event through the medium of photons while those who see the same event while it is taking place use the medium of electrons.  It’s the same event seen at virtually the same time, the only difference being the respective speeds of photons and electrons.  The Vatican has attached a plenary indulgence to the claim that a blessing received via either medium is equally effective!

If this is true of the blessing of the Vicar of Christ, it is especially true of a blessing from the Mother of Christ.

BLESSINGS ARE THE HEADLINES OF THE MEDJUGORJE APPARITIONS

Does Our Lady bless all those who are present at one of her Medjugorje apparitions?

YES.  From the very beginning of the apparitions, this is what the Blessed Mother said.   From 1981 the Medjugorje visionaries have often reported this remarkable phenomenon.  Remember that Our Lady’s voice caused the babe in Elizabeth’s womb to leap with joy.  Her very presence is a blessing.

The specific blessing that comes by being present at a Medjugorje apparition has a real power.  To give two instances of the Blessed Mother pointing this out, consider the February 25, 1991 message which specifically states“I am blessing each of you” or the July 25, 1990 message where she says “I bless you with my motherly blessing.”

The visionary Marija is especially potent on this point as she has said in several interviews.  Consider this example ( http://www.degrandisssj.com/links/readings/index1066.html):

Q: Marija, why did Our Lady say that She is happy to see us in such large numbers when She is referring to those gathered?

A: Every time I receive Our Lady, when there are many numbers present in the apparitions, Our Lady blesses us and She asks, really from everyone of us, to be more near to Her and to be Her instruments. The more people are with Her, the more Her plan is fulfilled.

Q: So you would say it is important to be in the presence of Our Lady?

A: Yes. Also the blessing of Our Lady is important.

Q: How does the apparition affect our soul when we are in Her presence?

A: Always we should be open for the graces Our Lady wishes to give us. Our Lady has said, “Pray for my intentions. The moment you pray for my intentions, it is then possible I can help you.” Then our hearts, our minds are open for the blessing of Our Lady, of the presence of Our Lady, and so in this way you become more open to receive grace from Our Lady and your soul is affected.

Q: So, being in the presence of Our Lady, even if loved ones are not with us, does it affect our loved ones and our family back home?

A: Yes. Our Lady always says, “You are instruments. I invite you, dear children,” and so Our Lady said that you will become more of an example for others, when you’re back with them. You bring blessings to them of the apparitions. To us, Our Lady gives graces in the apparitions, when we are present with Her. For our family, our loved ones, the people who are near to us in our family, who thought it may not be possible for them to come and be blessed by Our Lady in an apparition, they, too will receive blessings from those who pray for them in preparation for and during the apparition. And so, every blessing from Our Lady that we receive in the apparition is not only a grace for us, but also…our families will receive blessings and we are able to give these graces to other people.

Q: Our Lady said in 1984 that there are particular graces available during the moment of the apparition. Can you explain what some of these graces are?

A: I always say, the presence of Our Lady is a “big” grace for every one of us. Many times it is possible that we are tired, we don’t understand, we have unimportant problems, sicknesses, and we always are asking Our Lady only for help with these situations. But Our Lady desires to give us more, a much more large number of graces. Not only does Our Lady give the grace of blessing you, but also She grants many other gifts for those present, to be more open for God’s Word and more open for graces that She desire to give to us, not only these days, but also throughout all our life. Also, She desires to give the grace for us to give thanksgiving to God for Her presence in the apparitions. This is a great grace. Our Lady said pray. The moment when you pray, you become more open and your heart is more open, and it is then that She can intercede before God and help you with many other graces She wishes to give you.

Q: Marija, when everything in your day goes wrong and your crosses bear down real hard on you, what happens to those life burdens at the moment you see Our Lady?

A: Every time at the moment of the apparition, we, the visionaries, forget everything and we then become aware only of Our Lady and Her presence and more beautiful things are in our hearts. But in our mind, ‘we remember’ also those people who are present and in a special way, those who are physically sick, and those who are spiritually sick.

Q: So, if we are in the presence of Our Lady with you can we experience the same grace of our life’s burden being lifted as you, and how do we so this?

A: Yes. Our Lady said pray. And I have seen, from the beginning, that Our Lady asks from us to be more open for prayer every day, more open for sacrifice, for fasting and after, we will see the fruit of prayer in our personal conversion, and with our conversion, we help also other people to convert and to be near to God.

Q: So, we can experience, in a sense, the same thing you experience in the apparition in regards to our life burdens being lifted?

A: Yes. We have this experience in the beginning – Our Lady appeared and She became more important for us, and life’s problems, less important. Then, little by little Our Lady said, “I am not important. God needs to be in the center of your life.” In this way, Our Lady helped us to give our problems to God and instead of having problems, we had God.

Q: Why does Our Lady bless everyday in Her apparitions?

A: Our Lady blesses us and I think the most beautiful thing is this blessing of Our Lady that is for everyone.

BLESSINGS OVER THE INTERNET

Can Our Lady’s blessings be transmitted across different geographical locations when she is appearing at one particular place – and specifically can it be transmitted via the Internet?

Once we understand that the celestial realm is not limited by our geographical constraints, we will recognize that the answer is YES.  If you believe that a Hail Mary no matter where in the world it is prayed will reach Our Lady, if you believe that she intercedes for you no matter where you live, then you can hardly say that her blessings cannot reach you no matter how far away you are from the site of an apparition to which you are “connected” on a sensory and intellectual level (via electronic media).

MARY TV had said at the beginning that the visionary Ivan had stated that it was his opinion that the blessings that come with the apparition of the Blessed Mother can be transmitted over the Internet when this is broadcast real-time.  Cardinal Schonborn, the primary architect of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Ivan’s host, agreed with this assessment.

Given what we have seen about Church teaching on the transmission of blessings over electronic media and the special grace promised by Our Lady to those who witness her apparitions, MARY TV feels a particular obligation to share this message of joy to all its viewers.

Denis Nolan

MARY TV

(c)Mary TV 2012