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WHY
I CHOOSE THE CATHOLIC ROAD TO JESUS-- Now I was born into the rich tradition of my mother and father's Catholic faith. I thank God for my family introducing me into the body of believers at my Christening. They saw to it that I attended Sunday School catechism classes. The nuns helped me understand the importance of confession. I learned how to examine my conscience. I was sorry for any sins that I might commit which offended God. I was taught the Ten Commandments. The Catholic Church guided us and prepared us in the tenets of faith, teaching us to strive to become holy. The priest taught us about Jesus Christ, His birth, and His death. His real presence is in the Eucharist. (But as Jesus is truly in heaven, so also is He truly present on earth in the Eucharist: with his Body, his Blood, his Soul and his Divinity. "To the Priests Mary's Beloved Sons".) These things we learned burned in our hearts until the day we received our First Communion. Now we had entered into the age of reason, knowing right from wrong. In imitation of our Lord Jesus, His Mother Mary and of the wonderful Saints whose lives reflected their own personal achievement of holiness. I had entered into a new awareness of my own responsibility to keep my soul as free from sin as possible. I would attend to the obligations, Confession and Communion on a weekly basis. I knew Jesus was in the Host! My heart was convinced of His true presence. In my early teens, I was taught about the Holy Spirit and how at Confirmation I would seek His help for the rest of my life. I promised to try to be a good example to others. To be ready to uphold the faith, and be a good practicing Catholic. With this new knowledge of the Holy Spirit, the Archbishop confirmed me. It was wonderful growing up in the fifties, my friends were fun loving and carefree. I enjoyed talking about Our Lord and reading spiritual books. We used Christ's style of evangelizing, over a few glasses of beer and lots of summer beach and music. We always got up on Sunday morning to attend Mass, sunburned, or sick we managed to always go to Church. We took it for granted that we would find the appropriate husband, get married, and share the same values and standards that had been given to us by our family and Church. God graced my life with a good family, healthy values, and a similarly minded husband. I realized I had a choice. Did I believe in Jesus Christ or had my parents indoctrinated me? I searched my heart and soul, and knew that I could never find anything else that mattered as much to me as my Church and my Jesus. In the early seventies, married and with three healthy children, I received Christ into my life. Fr. Kovacs prayed over me for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. For the first time I found that Jesus loved me. I didn't have to do anything to earn that love, He just loved everyone and I was part of that everyone. In 1990 I went to Medjugorje, I became ill at the Franciscan Monastery and Fr. Jozo prayed over me for a long time with some other holy men. In 1991 I was taken ill suddenly. The doctor discovered a large cancerous ovarian tumor and scheduled me for a full hysterectomy. When I was put in the recovery room, the Lord gave me a word of prophecy through my prayer partner. She said, "There are no cancer cells in you, and that's a prophecy!" Nine days after the operation, all the hospital tests showed that I was classified as A-1 coming out surgery which meant they could not find any cancer cells left in my body, no chemo, I was healed. I really know why I Chose the Catholic Road to Jesus. I really love Him and believe He has given me the best of both worlds. I believe the Hearts of Mary and Jesus and the Eucharist will save the world and I thank God everyday of my life for my salvation and for His Healing Love. Loretta |