Comment of The Week

So many good comments are being submitted by visitors to this Blog that it seems only fitting that an attempt be made to give attention to the most outstanding comments by posting them on the front page so they are not missed by the casual passersby.

The following account was submitted by a writer named Margaret who blessed us with a wonderful story regarding her conversion and the events surrounding her coming to Jesus through Our Lady of America. It speaks volumes as to what the use of this Holy Ground is to be for future generations.

Submitted Jan 10, 2006 @ 2:43 p.m.

I will always remember my first visit to Rome City. It was just after I was divorced and I was in a very angry mood with everyone.

I was driving around one Sunday and I stopped in to this big place because I needed to use a restroom.
There were some people around and they directed me inside and I did my business. I came out and looked around a bit because it had a very comforting feel to it.

I got to talking with the owner and he said his name was Larry. He said he and his wife were trying to build this into a place that would help kids and their families and they would be doing sports events and family retreats.

I was kind of anti-family oriented at this time given the fact I had just gone through a bitter divorce and I told him I thought it was "nice" even though I was thinking "screw the kids and the families".

Larry picked up on my emotional state and asked if there was anything I wanted to talk about. For some reason I just unloaded 24 years of pent up rage at this guy and he took it without flinching a muscle. I mean I called my ex everything in the sailor's dictionary plus a few made up phrases that nobody should ever hear in their lifetime. And he just looked at me when I was done and asked me "now, aren't you glad you had to pee?"

We ended up taking a ride around the property and he told me about the apparitions that had happened there years before. He said he had no idea about them when he bought the place but that he was quite certain they had indeed happened because of all the people like me who end up there wondering why it was we stopped in the first place.

He told me I needed to learn to love myself more and that once I did, I would then allow others to love me too and that would complete the essence of Christ's image in all of us. I may be paraphrasing but I had never heard that before and it made so much sense. I have never forgotten that moment and I hope I never will. We were up on a hill looking over a meadow it was so peaceful.

He dropped me back at my car and I thanked him for showing me around but I really wanted to thank him for showing me the way out of my misery.

On a later visit, I met an old priest who was living there and he sat and talked with me in the lounge for a while. He was very inspiring and he listened to everything I said so completely. He prayed with me and gave me a blessing.

I have since come to know Jesus in a way I had never thought possible and I was introduced to him by the Blessed Mother and Our Lady of America. I completed my RCIA training and was baptized 3 years ago Easter.

I have to say "Yes, I am glad I had to pee".