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February 22, 2012
Dear Friends in Jesus and in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Enclosed please find the letter from our MMP coordinator, Fr. Quartilio
Gabrielli (CREATE A LINK HERE TO THAT LETTER), who was Fr. Gobbi’s secretary and
personal confessor for several years. I have no doubt that Fr. Gobbi would have
chosen him for this position. This sentiment was shared also by the other
participants at the June 2011 Spiritual Exercises, right after Fr. Gobbi was
called to Heaven.
Fr. Gobbi
I wish to thank all those who offered their condolences following Fr. Gobbi’s
death. It was not possible to acknowledge each one personally. Your prayers,
Masses and kind words were sincerely appreciated.
There were true miracles performed by Jesus and Mary through Fr. Gobbi on the
occasion of his many cenacles around the world. There are also many graces and
at least one reported miracle obtained after his death. He is truly a Saint. I
cherish the memory of having traveled with him throughout Canada on four
occasions, of the times I was his guest in Italy, of the retreat cenacles guided
by him, of the many personal letters that he wrote to me over the years, and of
the messages that the Blessed Mother addressed to me personally through him,
especially a longer one in which she asked me to travel full time to conduct
cenacles in the U.S. and Canada.
Some of you have asked if there is an official prayer for the intercession of
Fr. Gobbi. Before there can be anything official, the cause for his
beatification has to be opened. It is important, therefore, that no one take it
upon themselves to formulate or distribute any prayers at this time; otherwise,
it could jeopardize the eventual opening of his cause. You may of course pray to
him privately. The memorial cards with Fr. Gobbi’s spiritual testament are still
available. Contact us if you would like to request additional copies.
October 2011 Cenacles
During the month of October I conducted a total of sixteen cenacles in twelve
states. I thank all those who so generously gave of their time and talents to
coordinate these gatherings. This is the work that the Blessed Mother has
entrusted to all of us. I witnessed a new enthusiasm among the many who
participated. Every cenacle is a response to the Blessed Mother’s call in these
last times. If we are faithful to our consecration, to the daily rosary, and to
the cenacles, she will guide us in those decisive moments that she has
predicted.
We should make it a practice to regularly read the book, “To the Priests…” Our
Lady tells us that she is “present in the messages.” (cf. #284j) We will feel
that she is speaking to us individually, guiding us in these times of great
confusion in the world. She leads us to Jesus, to the Gospel, to the teaching of
the Church, to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, to the First Saturdays
devotion, and to the necessary devotion to the Angels, in particular to our
Guardian Angels. She also accompanies us throughout the liturgical year.
First Saturday Devotion
In their consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the priests promise to
offer holy Mass in Our Lady’s honor on the first Saturday of every month. I
encourage the laity to join in the observance of the first Saturdays which Our
Lady has requested at Fatima and also in her messages to Fr. Gobbi:
“I am asking you to propagate again today the devotion of the five first
Saturdays of the month. I asked this of my daughter, Sister Lucia, when she was
in the convent of Pontevedra, on the 10th of December, 1925. I am returning
today to ask for it as this century turns towards its most painful close.
Why, among all the days of the week, have I asked you to offer Saturday to me?
To recall the
painful hours, spent by me, during the only day when I remained without my Son.
I am asking
you to offer it [Saturday] to me, with the recitation of the holy rosary, with
the meditation
upon its mysteries, with sacramental Confession and a Communion of reparation,
and with the
renewal of your act of consecration to my Immaculate Heart. In this way you can
make
reparation for the offenses which are directed at me and which cause my Heart to
suffer so
much. If you do what I ask of you, devotion to me will spread more and more, and
then I will
be able to exercise the great power which the Most Holy Trinity has granted to
me. Thus I will
be able to prepare for all humanity the new era of its complete renovation, in
the glorious
triumph of my Son Jesus.” (cf. Message #379)
Fr. Gabrielli’s Letter in Spanish
The translation will be posted on our website. You can also call or write to
request a copy.
Spanish Edition
The books in Spanish have been out of stock for some time. We are pleased to
report that they will be available at the end of March.
40th Anniversary of the MMP
It was on May 8, 1972, while he was praying in the Chapel of the Apparitions at
Fatima, that the Mother of God impressed upon Fr. Gobbi her desire that he start
the Marian Movement of Priests. May 8, 2012 will mark its 40th anniversary. Let
us pray that all of us will be faithful to her mandate.
International Clergy Retreat Cenacle
The international retreat cenacle will be held from June 24-30, 2012 at the
Shrine of Merciful Love in Collevalenza, Italy. A special Mass will be
celebrated on June 29, the one year anniversary of Fr. Gobbi’s death. If you are
interested, please call us for more information. Since flights are generally
less expensive earlier in the year, we encourage you to make your travel
arrangements as soon as possible. We may be able to offer some financial
assistance on a limited basis.
Rates for room and board (Sun. night - Sat. morning): single - 460 euros /
double - 350 euros
Additional nights of lodging: single - 70 euros / double - 60 euros / Extra
meals: 15 euros
If you choose to spend some time in Rome following the retreat, we can make
suggestions for your lodging.
U.S. Clergy Retreat Cenacle
Our clergy retreat cenacle last October was a prayerful and peace filled
experience for all of us. We have decided to make this an annual event. Again
this year, it will be held at the Keller Convention Center in Effingham, IL from
November 5-9, 2012. The retreat is open to priests, deacons, and major seminary
students. The cost for the week’s room and board is approximately $575. There is
no additional charge for the retreat itself. Please contact us if you wish to
receive registration info. Deadline for registration with the convention center
is October 22, 2012
Sponsoring a Priest
I thank all those who sponsored one or more priests to attend last year’s
retreats. This year, priests from other countries also have been requesting
assistance from us. We want to be able to help as many as possible. Once again,
I invite our members to consider sponsoring a priest for the 2012 cenacle
retreats. Your donations for this purpose would serve as a wonderful gift to
help a priest in need.
Regional Cenacles
As I continue to become better acquainted with the priests in the U.S., I will
be asking some of them to assume a role of leadership in conducting cenacles on
a regional level. If any of you priests wish to offer your services in being a
part of this mission as entrusted to Fr. Gobbi, please contact me. I will pray
that Our Lady inspire many of you to become her apostles. The laity should
encourage any MMP priest whom they know to volunteer for this important mission.
Cenacle Schedule 2012
ORLANDO, FL
Date/Time: Weds., May 23, 2012 @ 7:30 PM
Place: Holy Family Church (Daily Chapel)
5125 S. Apopka-Vineland Rd.
Contact: Dalia “Isita” Bonfanti (407) 876-2025
TAMPA, FL
Date/Time: Thurs., May 24, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Place: St. Lawrence Church, 5225 N. Himes Ave.
Contact: LaVon Burg Cell: (813) 732-8823 Email: boethius8fish@hotmail.com
MANASSAS, VA
Date/Time: Fri., May 25, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Place: Sacred Heart Church, 12975 Purcell Rd.
Sandra Vera sjvera09@gmail.com (703) 281-5432
Kristin McCarty kamccarty@vt.edu (571) 330-6987
NEW YORK, NY
Date/Time: Tues., September 18, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Place: Church of the Holy Cross, 329 West 42nd St.
Contact: James dell’Orto (914) 472-4062
Cindy Serino a2602@aol.com (914) 773-0242
These cenacles are open to everyone. If any new listings are added, we will post
the information on our website. Call the office if you would like to invite me
to conduct a cenacle in 2013.
Also, please let us know if you are planning a citywide or regional cenacle so
that we may include all of the details on the website.
Multiply the Cenacles of Prayer
“I invite you to multiply the cenacles of prayer and of life with me. Hold them
everywhere.”(#293l)
Throughout the messages, Our Lady often repeats her plea that the cenacles be
multiplied. She also stresses the need for family cenacles. We need to heed her
urgent request. If your cenacles have many members, I encourage you to split
into smaller home/family cenacles. Then, if you so choose, all of your
individual cenacles can gather together periodically for an area cenacle.
YOUR CENACLES
In Obedience to Our Lady and to Fr. Gobbi
It has come to my attention that some cenacles are deviating from the cenacle
format. Our Lady has told us repeatedly that the cenacles must remain simple,
humble and pure in spirit. Through Fr. Gobbi, she has taught us how the cenacles
must be conducted. You can request a copy of our cenacle guide if you need
direction in this regard.
Your Rosary
It is customary to pray only a 5 decade rosary during the cenacle. We must be
mindful of the fact that some members, because of illness or advanced age, may
not have the stamina to endure for long periods. Some of you, however, have
shared with us that all of your members desire to pray the full 15 or 20
decades, especially if meeting only once a month. This is OK, provided that
everyone is in agreement.
Discussion vs. Sharing
There was some misunderstanding about the article in one of my previous letters
concerning “discussion” during the cenacle. Some of you were disappointed and
explained that you miss this opportunity to be able to share the specific
passages in the messages that have touched your heart in a special way. There is
a distinction to be made between “discussion” and “sharing”.
The Blessed Mother personally guides each person who listens to her messages. At
times, the cenacle members may want to share a part of the message that has
touched or inspired them the most; therefore, you may allot some time for
“sharing” during the cenacle, but it should not exceed 10-15 minutes. Any
sharing should always focus on highlighting those parts of the messages in which
Our Lady teaches us how we are to live the spirit of our consecration.
In many cenacles, when a priest or deacon who understands the spirituality of
the Marian Movement of Priests is not present, problems have arisen because
sometimes a false interpretation of the message has led to great confusion and
useless disputations among the members. When there is no time set aside for
sharing, then a period of silent meditation and reflection is recommended
following the reading of the message.
Refreshments following Cenacle
It is important that we focus on the meaning of the word “Cenacle” and why we
are gathered in prayer. The Cenacle is a sacred place; it was the upper room
where Our Lady was gathered with the Apostles in awaiting the coming of the Holy
Spirit. When we enter “in cenacle” with her, she is there with us. For this
reason, we must treat this time reverentially, always maintaining a prayerful
atmosphere.
Allow me to share a personal experience concerning some negative consequences of
serving refreshments following the cenacles. In one of my former parishes,
families were taking turns hosting a weekly cenacle. Soon very few were
volunteering to host it any longer. Later I learned that it was difficult for
some families to prepare refreshments. As soon as I announced that refreshments
were forbidden, many more families started to host the cenacle in their homes.
During a large area cenacle that is organized by our Headquarters or by a priest
who is responsible at the local level, then it might be appropriate to gather
for simple refreshments, for the purpose of meeting and sharing with people from
other cenacles.
OTHER MESSAGES
Fr. Gobbi was very strict about not allowing other literature to be distributed
before, during or after the MMP cenacles. Our Lady told him, “This is what I ask
of you: that you let yourself instead be divested of all other preoccupations.
This is not one of many movements, but it is
my Movement…” (#37e)
I am saddened that many are looking to all kinds of alleged mystics to try to
see into the future. Some of you have reported being inundated with emails about
messages concerning the end times. Often, these emails are from MMP members whom
you trust. Even if you know the sender, it does not mean that the content is
trustworthy. I have seen some of these messages, and they are instilling fear
and panic. The MMP messages, on the other hand, reassure and comfort us.
Everything that is from God brings us peace. Anything that disturbs your peace
is not of God.
Jesus said: “It is not for you to know the times and the periods that the Father
has set by his own authority.” (Acts 1:7)
And Our Lady told us through Fr. Gobbi:
“Do not look to the future; live only the present which your Mother prepares for
you.” (#90o)
“And so I say to you, beloved sons, do not scrutinize the future, and thus,
neither anxiety nor
discouragement will take hold of you! Live only in the present instant, in
complete
abandonment, close to my Immaculate Heart, the present instant which the love of
the
Heavenly Father puts at your disposal, my little children…” (#81o)
False Prophets
Jesus gave a specific instruction about false prophets and the end times:
“As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him
privately and said, ‘Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be
of your coming, and of the end of the age?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘See
that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the
Messiah,’ and they will deceive many (…) Many false prophets will arise and
deceive many.’ ” (Mt 24: 3-5; 11)
Our Lady also warns us about false mystics and visionaries.
“In these times of purification, many are led astray by other words. In fact, my
Adversary
succeeds in seducing even the good by false manifestations of the supernatural
in order to
bring about deception and confusion on all sides. He will succeed in working
many prodigies
which will beguile the minds of even the good.” (#173o)
“Satan has sought in many ways to destroy it [my Marian Movement of Priests], by
stirring up… subtle snares on the part of false visionaries and false messages,
which have succeeded in misleading a great number of my poor children.” (#497k)
“Do not allow yourselves to be seduced by those who point to years and days, as
though they
wanted to impose a timetable on the infinite mercy of the divine Heart of my Son
Jesus.
Today, many are the false prophets who are spreading lying messages in order to
cast many
of my children into anguish and fear.
I am the Mother of Hope and of Trust. Live in peace of heart.” (…) (#316 b-e)
The Ark of the New Covenant
There are also those who spread messages about the need to relocate to so-called
safe havens and physical refuges. Do not be deceived. Obviously, it is prudent
to take the normal measures of preparedness recommended to us for emergency
situations – for example, for the unpredictable weather that is occurring in
many parts of the world – but we cannot rely on human means to protect us from
the events prophesied in Holy Scripture. Only God can protect and save us. We
need to have recourse to prayer, imploring Heaven to intercede so that the
chastisement be shortened or mitigated.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary will be our safe and secure refuge, the Ark of the
New Covenant!
“Rely only on me and not on human means; entrust yourself only to me.” (#37d)
“…you must now all enter right away into the safe refuge of my Immaculate Heart.
Just as
Noah, in the name of the Lord, called into the ark those who were to be saved
from the flood,
so now must you, my littlest child, in the name of your heavenly Mother, call
into the refuge of
my Immaculate Heart those who must be protected, defended and saved from the
great trial
which has now come for the Church and for all humanity.” (#489c)
All Has Been Revealed
Finally, let us not forget Our Lady’s words to us in her last public message to
Fr. Gobbi on December 31, 1997: “As of now, all that I had to say to you has
been said, because all has been revealed to you. Therefore, on this night, there
come to an end the public messages, which I have been giving you for twenty-five
years; now you must meditate on them, live them and put them into practice.”
(#604kl)
So what more do we need to know? My advice is that your time be spent wisely in
prayer and in living a holy life in imitation of Our Blessed Mother. She asks us
for our prayer and sacrifices. By offering our sufferings, we become sharers in
her mission. In view of so much suffering today, it seems that Our Blessed
Mother is asking many of us to be like her Crucified Son, to help in her work as
our Co-redemptrix.
There is one thing that you can always do, and which is the only thing that I
want you to do at
each moment, because it is so useful to me for the Movement: your prayer, your
suffering,
your trust in me.” (#37d)
So do not waste precious time on your computers sharing these false messages
that are being spread about with increasing frequency. This is Satan’s way of
distracting you from what is truly important. My advice to you is to focus on
the Mass, the Sacraments, the Scriptures, Church teaching, the teachings of the
Saints, and Our Lady’s messages to Fr. Gobbi.
“Live in the greatest trust and filial abandonment to me, without allowing
yourselves to be
seized by vain curiosity to know what is awaiting you.” (#389j)
“I am sheltering and defending you. Do not be worried about what is going to
happen to you,
because everything has already been arranged in my motherly Heart.” (#192e)
Do Not Be Afraid
Because of this barrage of false messages, we hear that some of you obviously
are filled with fear and apprehension about what awaits humanity. We must keep
in mind that God loves his people, and in his merciful Love, he wants to
cleanse, purify, and sanctify humanity. He desires that all come back to Him,
not out of fear but out of love.
Especially during those times when the evil one may be tempting you to fear, I
invite you to meditate more deeply upon our Lady’s messages which are so
comforting and consoling. She promises that she will be at the side of each of
her consecrated ones during the time of the purification.
She tells us,
“Do not be afraid; fear nothing, because you have your immaculate Mother at your
side! …I am inviting you to entrust yourselves completely to me, without fear
and without apprehension... In the greatest darkness, the light will come to you
from my Immaculate Heart...at the decisive moments, I myself will suggest
everything to you. I am the Immaculate One who is at your side. In these moments
of your purification I will make my presence felt in an extraordinary way...”
(#140)
“Like a mother, I am telling you the dangers through which you are going, the
imminent threats, the extent of the evils that could happen to you, only because
these evils can yet be avoided by you, the dangers can be evaded, the plan of
God’s justice always can be changed by the force of his merciful love. Also when
I predict chastisements to you, remember that everything, at any moment, may be
changed by the force of your prayer and your reparative penance.” (#282m)
“I am now able to make use of the power that comes to me from your prayer, and I
want to intervene as Mother to shorten the time of the trial and to comfort you
in the sufferings which await you. Everything can still be changed if you, my
children, listen to my voice and unite yourselves, through prayer, with the
unceasing intercession of your heavenly Mother.”(#184fg)
The Remedy for Our Illnesses
This is going to be a pivotal year for the future of the United States. Our Lady
has given us
the cure for our moral, social, economic, and political woes. The answer is not
to be found in
human means. If we are faithful to God and practice the virtues of an authentic
Christian life
in adherence to the Gospel, trying to teach and lead others to do the same, then
all of us,
especially we her priests, become the remedy for our illnesses (cf. Message
#340) . We
can heal and save the whole world.
“Pray often, using the holy rosary…If the most grave problems for the Church and
for the
world have not yet been successfully resolved, despite all the human means which
have been
taken, this is a sign for you that you must now put all your trust in the power
of prayer.”
(#245e)
“Pray more and more. Multiply your cenacles of prayer. Multiply your rosaries,
recited well
and in union with me. Offer me also your suffering and your penance. And then,
together we
will form a great net of love that will envelop and save the whole world.” (#192
p-s)
Prayer Requests
I celebrate one Mass every week for the MMP, in honor of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary. Please be assured that all of your special intentions are included. I will
remember you also in all my other Masses and prayers. We ask you to pray for all
of the deceased members of the Marian Movement of Priests, many of whom are
already in Heaven and can intercede for us.
Thank you!
Your gifts to us are greatly appreciated and assist us in printing more books.
We hope you will understand that, due to a reduced staff, we have been unable to
acknowledge every donation. Everything is recorded in our database, so please
feel free to check with us if you have any concerns about our receipt of your
gift. You can also contact us at any time if you need a tax substantiation
letter. The Marian Movement of Priests in the United States is a non-profit
organization with IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. For donations exceeding $250,
the IRS requires that we send you a receipt for tax purposes. Otherwise your
cancelled check will suffice to claim the deduction on your tax return.
Winter/Summer Addresses:
A lot of our mail is being returned by the USPS with the endorsement:
“Temporarily Away”. Unless you advise us if yours is a winter or summer address,
we have no choice but to delete these from our list. If you wish to continue
receiving Fr. Gobbi’s letters, please provide BOTH addresses and indicate which
months of the year that you are in residence at each place.
I take this opportunity to wish you a holy season of Lent and a most joyous
Easter. Please pray for me.
Most sincerely in Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Francis Geremia, c.s.
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