“AN ARMY DRAWN UP IN BATTLE ARRAY!”
MEDJUGORJE!
Archbishop Fulton Sheen had prophesied, when the Church proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption:
“Within three decades, the definition of the Assumption will cure the pessimism and despair of the modern world. Freud, who did so much to develop this pessimism, took as his motto: ‘If I cannot move the Gods on high, I shall set all hell in an uproar.’ That uproar which he created will now be stilled by a Lady as powerful as an ‘army drawn up in battle array.’ ” (The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God. 1952, p.139)
Three decades after the dogma was proclaimed Our Lady started coming to St. James Parish in Medjugorje, in the Franciscan Province of the Assumption.
(https://video.marytv.tv/watch/mt2JHgsXQlz?ctx=O1ex5R6Us2r%2Ci1U4VIWs2do&_gl=1)
Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who will be beatified on September 24th, had also prophesied in 1972, nine years before Our Lady started coming to Medejugorje: “Who is going to save our Church? It’s not our bishops, it’s not our priests and it is not the religious. It is up to you, the people…”
In 1971 Fr. Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVl, said that he believed the church “will have to restart entirely from the beginning.” (“Light of the World,” 2010 p. 160). He agreed that the future of the folk church would be “a management of practical unbelief.” The future Church “will be based on personal decision.”
The future Pope Benedict XVl was describing the state of the Church when Our Lady started coming to Medjugorje in 1981.
When I entered the University of Notre Dame, the chairman of the Theology Department told parents of all incoming Freshman: “This is where your children will lose their faith.” After I graduated in 1970, my advisor, the chairman of the graduate theology department, stated publicly, “I’m proud to be an atheist.”
This gives you an idea of the state of things in 1975 when I started teaching in the theology department of a Catholic High School right across the road from Notre Dame.
The spiritual battle I encountered is described in several of the early “Stories from Denis” on Mary TV’s webpage.
See: www.MaryTV.tv at https://video.marytv.tv/series/zuNB6QALsOx
My knowledge was limited. I knew only Jesus (which turned out to be exactly what the students wanted). Every day was a battle. I don’t know of any other way to explain it: Every day I found myself confronting Satan in the classroom.
In those difficult years I experienced spiritual support from a beautiful mother of several of my students. She had great faith and love for Our Lady. Though I don’t remember meeting her – she has all these years loomed very big in my memory, in my consciousness, in my spiritual sense. I have never forgotten her. I think without the presence of Mildred Coglianese with me spiritually during those difficult years – her spiritual strength – I wouldn’t have made it.
Mildred Coglianese was the mother of our new board member, Marine Corps Major General Vincent Coglianese, who, along with his wife Mary, have joined Mary TV’s team.
General Coglianese led US troops on six deployments to countries where America was at war. It became obvious that it was because of his wife, Mary’s rosary never leaving her hand that he and his men were protected. (Mary’s sight is impaired… and my son, Michael, tells me how inspiring it was to see the General taking Mary by the hand leading her up and down the mountains in Medjugorje. Sixteen members of the Coglianese family were on pilgrimage recently with Michael in Medjugorje)
General Vincent and his wife Mary hand out Mary TV business cards to everyone they meet – EVERYDAY!
The General told me that yesterday he and his wife were introduced to the new bishop of their diocese.
“As soon as we met him, Mary handed him a Mary TV business card. She told him she hopes he will encourage a pilgrimage from the diocese. Mary was on fire telling him about Medjugorje and Mary TV. He was very interested in visiting and told us he is heading to Rome next week and maybe he can go over to Medjugorje for a short visit. Mary told him which Ryan-air flight he can take from Rome. He seemed very interested in visiting Medjugorje.”
Every day the two of them pray with us online. They are on fire to connect everyone they meet to Our Lady in Medjugorje and to Mary TV.
It gives me joy to share this good news with our Mary TV family. You have all been so supportive in your prayers and donations to keep Mary TV going, bringing her daily presence in Medjugorje to the world: In a recent apparition that we streamed live from Medjugorje Our Lady spoke in her message about us all being “connected by a screen.”
Join me in thanking God for the gift of the Coglianese family joining Mary TV’s team. I have no doubt they are being given to us from the hands of Our Lady for the coming days, as the Scripture calls them, “The great and terrible days of the Lord.”
We are her “ARMY DRAWN UP IN BATTLE ARRAY!”
“Who is going to save our Church? It’s not our bishops, it’s not our priests and it is not the religious. It is up to you, the people…” Archbishop Fulton Sheen, 1972!
Please continue supporting Mary TV financially… We are so very grateful to you all!! And please share with others about Mary TV’s need for financial support. Together we can be Our Lady’s Army drawn up in battle array!”
Thank you and God bless you!
Denis
