Reclaiming Our Children

Retreat Day for Siblings

“I probably would not even be here if you did not have that abortion.”

These are sentiments expressed by many siblings of aborted babies, sentiments that bring up a host of feelings.

• Guilt for being alive, yet grateful for the gift of life. 
• Love of their parents, yet disappointment and anger over the abortion.
• Questions of whether they were wanted
• Desperation to understand, and most often than not,
• a loneliness born out of the thought that they are isolated in their feelings.

Would my name be the same?

Where do I go with all of these feelings?

Providing a safe place for those who suffer from sibling survivor guilt is very crucial. A place just for them, where they can express all of their feelings without fear. Without fear of being judged because of feelings they have, fear of others judging their parent who they love, and fear of hurting those who are already suffering because of an abortion.

At Lumina's “Entering Canaan Day of Prayer and Healing for Siblings” they are free to do just that. The retreat provides a safe refuge for siblings from across the country as they share their feelings, and work through some of the issues surrounding their lost brother or sister. A place where they are free to be themselves and find out they are not alone, as they experience the retreat with others who have also suffered this loss.

As one sibling shared:” At the Lumina retreat, I made peace with my siblings. In fact, I’ve sensed them as a benevolent presence in my life, as people whose souls were sent by God to our family and who are still linked to us. ..  I am thankful to Lumina for helping me to connect to them in a more spiritual way.  A lot of people have lost siblings to abortion and we need to be aware of our invisible family on the other side.  For me, it’s a comforting thought that no matter how broken my earthly family is, I still have more family members to relate to, somewhere!  And, while I may never  understand God’s will, that doesn’t seem to matter so much as the love that can still possibly exist between me and my siblings, born and unborn.” – IR

Or another: “For the first time in my life I was in the presence of other siblings who cold totally relate to my pain/issues. It gave me the confidence to keep sharing my pain/story in the hopes that others can also receive the healing and connections I was blessed by.” Renee

On October 21, 2017, Lumina will be having a retreat day for siblings in the New York area.…for further information please call 877-486-4621 or email [email protected].

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Garden of Statutes

It is hard to believe the summer is almost over. This summer seemed to just slip away from me with the birth of a new grandchild, and  my son and his family moving to Tokyo. Most of my time was spent back and forth to visit them in Virginia, but I did manage to get my yearly retreat and a few days in my favorite place, Newport, RI into the mix.

In the coming year I am sure to make a trip to Japan to see my family. While I am there I plan to visit the "Garden of Statues of Unborn Children" in Tokyo, where babies lost through miscarriage, still birth and abortion are memorialized and grieved.

It is really amazing to think of this coming from a country where we refuse to even acknowledge what it is that happens in abortion. I cannot help but think that this sacred place is a healing balm for those who have experienced any one of these losses.

And so, no it is time once, to gear up for the new year. I am excited to be traveling to a few new locations to assist them in starting "Entering Canaan". We of course, also have our own retreats, among them a men's day of healing, October 7th in the diocese of Newark, a sibling day October 21st in New York, and for the first time an Entering Canaan Advent Retreat weekend in New Jersey in addition to our March yearly Mercy Retreat.

I am grateful to God that He has allowed me to witness His work in so many souls and look forward to witnessing His saving mercy again in this new year.

Jesus, we trust in you!

Our Lady of Czestochowa, pray for us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Living Crown - Selfie for Mary

  A reminder that that this is the 300th Anniversary of the Coronation of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the patroness of the Entering Canaan Ministry.

A celebration will take place on September 10th at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA, with the Solemn Eucharist at 11am, at which time His Excellency, Bishop Andrzej Zglejszewski will present a mosaic of Our Lady of Czestochowa made from submitted photographs.

To be part of this event and to honor Our Lady who always leads us to her Son, and does so much for us, they are asking people to submit a picture of themselves to make up the mosaic.

Please visit http://livingcrownofmary.com/ to submit your picture!

Our Ministry Prayer to Our Lady of Czestochowa

Our Lady of Czestochowa, Merciful Mother,
You are a visible sign of the power of scars in our life.
Multiple times attempts have been made to cover your scars,
much like the experience of post abortive people in society, however, the scars returned.

Instead of a source of pain,
your scars have become a symbol of your great love for us,
your children, and your willingness to embrace them has manifested that love through centuries of healing and conversions.

Our scars of abortion will also remain with us in this life,
but with your help they too will not be a source of pain,
but instead will turn into a sign of Christ’s love,
a memorial of our children lost to abortion who we never want to forget.

Through your scars you have brought countless people
to the love and mercy of your Son, Jesus,
help us to use our scars of abortion to do the same.
May we always speak of the miracle of His mercy towards us,
and the healing He has given us through His forgiveness.
May this healing along with our scars lead others to your Son,
so that they too may learn to carry their scars with love.

 Our Lady of Czestochowa, patroness of those post abortive,
we trust in your motherly presence and the many miracles
associated with this image.
May we follow you as you  lead us to Jesus your Son,
and our children who are with Him in  heaven.
Amen                                                                                                                                       

 

 

Into My Arms

Was looking around the web and came across this so I watched it again. Well worth the watch...

 

 

Assumption of Mary

Many years ago in 1988, I attended a Celebration for the Assumption of Mary at the Don Bosco Shrine in Haverstraw, New York.  His Eminence, John Cardinal O'Connor, was the Celebrant & Homilist.  It was probably about the third year of my return to the Church and I was growing in my relationship with God and my healing from my abortion.

It is funny how certain days stick out in your mind. This was one for me. Little did I know at that time, I would come to know Cardinal O'Connor, and that he would be instrumental in giving us the platform to develop "Entering Canaan" .

I can remember listening to his homily about Mary and being so grateful for the graces that were present in my life. Although I still struggled with some post abortion issues, I was falling in love with Jesus and His Mother and moving in trust of His promises. 

I have a great devotion to Our Blessed Mother. I don't always "feel" it, and I know at times I take her for granted just as most do with their earthly mother.  But, I also know she is always there protecting me and guiding me to her Son even when I do not feel her presence.

1988 was also the year I consecrated myself to Mary through "True Devotion."  As I have said many times before, I am totally convinced that without Mary the "Entering Canaan" Ministry would not exist. She is my mainstay and my daily anchor to Christ in which, to the best of my ability, I follow the life of consecration each day.

As I think of the Assumption of Our Lady, my heart fills with joy and gratitude.

What a Glorious Day that must have been!

Blessed Feast of the Assumption!

I am all Yours and all that I have belongs to You, Oh Most loving Jesus, through Mary, Your most Holy Mother!

Men Suffer From Abortion too!

Men's "Day of Prayer & Healing" from abortion
October 7, 2017
To register call: 877 586 4621 or email
[email protected]
Director: Rev Mariusz Koch, CFR

Relevant Radio

I will be on Relevant Radios "On Call" This Friday, August 4th to speak about the impact of abortion on us all and the upcoming retreats.

If you have a chance tune in!

On Call™ with Wendy Wiese

Weekdays 2-3pm ET / 1-2pm CT 
(Encore 4-5am ET / 3-4am CT)

Best of: Sat. 2-3pm ET / 1-2pm CT 

Live, Toll Free 1-877-766-3777

I Knew a Saint - Peggy Clevenberg

There are some people that you meet in life that really touch your heart.  For me, one of those people was Peggy Clevenberg.

Peggy always reflected the love of Christ to all she knew. Just being around her brought  you His peace.

I met Peggy in the late 80's when she volunteered on "Lifecall", a 24/7 hotline we had for pregnant women. As the years went on we did more and more together.

Peggy was a warrior for life, a prayer warrior , whose quiet, humble, prayerful , selfless presence spoke louder than any giants of the movement.  In those days, she was also an activist. You could find Peggy  faithfully praying outside of the the Dobbs Ferry clinic on any given Saturday. 

She also was an active participant in Operation Rescue in the early 80's and 90's, when the issue was falling to the background and God rose up an army to bring it to the forefront again.

At that time, we joined forces with the likes, of who I believe are saints; Bishops Vaughn, Bishop Lynch, Cardinal O'Connor, Father Benedict Groeschel,CFR, and the still living saints like Monsignor Reilly along with many other self sacrificing priests and lay people. Those were truly blessed days led by the Holy Spirit, but as with all things, change came and God moved on to other ways to bring abortion to the forefront. I will always feel blessed to have been a part of that time.

Peggy was also the one who taught me the chaplet of Divine Mercy before most people even heard of it. In fact, after we learned it, our pastor would not even allow us to say it publicly in church , because he had never heard of it and did not know if it was approved. How times have changed!

I have no doubt Peggy was greeted by God as a "Good and faithful servant", and that she has received her eternal reward. I am sure in the eyes of God, who alone may have seen, she did more with her quiet presence than many of us who are active do in a lifetime.

I also have no doubt, that Peggy will continue to be a warrior for life from heaven, and that she is probably hanging out, once again, with Bishops Vaughn and Lynch,  Cardinal O'Connor, and Father Benedict as they intercede from heaven for the unborn and those who mourn. 

Thank you Peggy for your selfless, quiet,holy presence. I am so very blessed to have known you, but I know you are still with us  joining your prayers to ours in the Communion of the Saints.

RIP - Jesus, we trust in You!

  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lohud/obituary.aspx?n=margaret-j-clevenberg&pid=186251480&fhid=21970