Exorcist Andrea Gemma on Medjugorje: "Absolutely Diabolical"

Priest Leonid, redemptorist from Ukraine province, participated in the 15th International seminar for priest in Medjugorje and gave the testimony, first to the other participants and then to Radio Station Mir Medjugorje. We publish the testimony as it was given:
My first pilgrimage to Medjugorje was related to my obligations and to my occupation in the priest vocation. Namely, in 2005 local Church entrusted me with huge responsibility and gave me heavy burden to carry and that was service of exorcist. The first months and the very first year were filled with God’s love and grace, but also with great difficulties and tempations. One of the major difficulties took place during one session of exorcism over one possessed person. That person spoke to me in very rough voice, full of horror in these words: “I am horrible, I am powerful, and I will destroy you. I will destroy your priesthood and all of your life.” Although that was quite bad, I did not take that seriously at all. After all, I believed in God completely and I did not have any reasons to doubt that. I also knew that if I had fear in front of the Satan that would be as if I already lost something. But God allowed this situation to take place, and I am going to share with you how great and how mighty his Mother is, and how Medjugorje is sacred ground.
When I was in great pain, when I suffered and when I was tempted daily, I was not able to pray at all. I would go to confession every single day, but Satan tempted me all the times. The temptations were so strong that I lost peace in my soul completely. And not only that, I also felt that I lost my priesthood and my vocation. I felt that was complete and total destruction of my life. In that difficult reality, while I was still unable to figure out what was happening to me, somebody offered me to come to Medjugorje. And I came. I was with a group of priests. I was just not able to pray, not even when they prayed. During that pilgrimage I met one other priest, father Ambrosias from Slovakia. He completely sacrificed his life and his vocation working with people from Ukraine in the region of Carpatho – Ukraine. He travelled soon after heart attack, and he also had diabetes. He was a Franciscan priest who came to Medjugorje five times before that. He absolutely thrilled me with his life and humbleness. He became my friend, I would help him around, take him by the hand, as he was older man. It appeared as I was helping to him, but the truth was that it was the other way round. We were once climbing up the Hill of Apparitions and it was to be the apparition to one of the visionaries. Everything was packed with people, priests. I sat next to Fr. Ambrosias and I turned my back to the apparition site. I felt myself not worthy of being there at all. But during the time of the Rosary, I felt desire to look towards that direction, to see what was happening there. At the same time, as I felt that desire, other inner voice was saying to me not to look there. You are failure and you will end up in hell, I heard. It was horrible. Those first, positive feelings directed my look towards the apparition site. I started to look and I was searching for a sign. Maybe I was to see something at the end. Hope was being born in me slowly, but also more new arguments about how my humiliation was not to be changed. But, I believed in crucial moment. Just for a moment. And in that very moment, as the answer to all of the questions ever rose, I was able to feel how Our Lady was coming down, from Heaven to this world. It was horrible in that moment. Such a powerful perception, scent of the other world I used to feel up to that point. And then, I was appeased by certain gentleness, light touch, like a gentle breeze of Our Lady’s presence. She was coming closer to me. And as She was closer to me, the power of evil was disappearing. In my heart I experienced new revelation. I was able to experience how powerful Her presence is, how she was humble. Then I realised that She does not cast away evil spirits, but they ran themselves. The are not able to bear Her purity and beauty of Her presence. She does not humiliate them nor She sends them away. She simply loves them and they can not stand that! And then, change of spirits within me took place. Spirit of Satan, spirit that destroys, disappeared with all of his depressions and fears. Instead of that spirit, Our Lady’s spirit took place. In my heart, I heard the voice: “Do not be afraid, I am your mother! I am your guarantee that you will not be destroyed, that you will not fail.” Everything was changed. That experience of presence of Our Blessed Mother became miracle of love that saves me, my vocation and my life! I started to feel Our Lady’s presence in every exorcism I perform.

I will just share one little example, since there are many similar ones. Our priests were dealing with one possessed girl who came to confess in front of one young priest who just returned after his studies in Rome. And as he was saying the absolution words, that person, Satan in that person hit that priest so hard that he felt down immediately. Then, the same person started calling other priest in some strange voice. That priest was scared and he called me. After few moments that girl was in front of me and I started to pray over her. As I began exorcism, I knew the diagnosis straight away, the girl was severely possessed and I invited five devoted faithful to pray as well. As I recited traditional prayers of exorcism, Satan just laughed. It spoke to me in English language, humiliated me and constantly laughed at me. Then, I began to pray to Our Lady. I was totally exhausted. I began to be nervous as well. I felt that I need to finish my prayer, but the evil spirit was not going away. It was the spirit of suicide. I began to call Our Lady with all of my heart. In the same way as the child calls his mom. And real screaming began at those moments: “ I can not stay here any longer, Our Lady is here, I need to go away.” And the spirit was gone. This was just one situation and there are so many similar ones. During these five years, as I have been entrusted the service of exorcism, I experience many temptations and trials. I had those before; I know I will have those in the future as well. But, Our Lady keeps me in Her heart. I CAN NO LONGER LIVE WITHOUT MEDJUGORJE AND JERUSALEM. I need to be in Medjugorje and Jerusalem every year. That is what faith is for me. Here I have faith, blessing and grace. I am grateful to dear God that I am able to witness Our Lady’s grace in this way. I would like each one of us to want to love more our Blessed Mother, Mother of God. She is our Mother. She loves Her children. She is prepared to do anything Her children ask of Her. I feel that if it wasn’t for Her presence, we would all be destroyed. That is why we should try to live every second of our lives with Her. I feel personal invitation to help other people to come to Medjugorje. To bring here all of those people who experience tremendous spiritual suffering.”
At the end, priest Leonid blessed all of the listeners of Radio Mir.

GOD BLESS PRIEST LEONID!!!

The priest, exorcist -- I can no longer live without Medjugorje

July, 2002 – Fr. Gabriel Amorth:
“Medjugorje is a fortress against Satan. Satan hates Medjugorje because it is a place of conversion, of prayer, of transformation of life…I always understood Medjugorje as a continuation of Fatima. According to Our Lady’s words in Fatima, if we had prayed and fasted, there would not have been World War II. We have not listed to her and therefore there was a war. Also here in Medjugorje, Our Lady often calls to prayer for peace. In her apparitions, Our Lady always presents herself under another name to show the goal of her apparitions. At Lourdes, she presented herself as the Immaculate Conception, in Fatima as the Queen of the Holy Rosary. Here in Medjugorje, Our Lady presented herself as the Queen of Peace. We all remember the (her) words “Mir, Mir, Mir” (peace, peace, peace) that were written in the sky at the very beginning of the apparitions. We see clearly that humanity is running the risk of war, and Our Lady insists on prayer and on Christian life to attain peace.”

www.ignatiusinsight.com/features/framorth_excerp…
www.ignatiusinsight.com/features/framorth_excerp…

GOD BLESS PRIEST GABRIEL AMORTH!!!

Dear sister:
1. The Gospels were written over a century AFTER Christ died. Therefore the words of which you speak are not direct speech but reported speech.

2. As a Roman Catholic we believe that we are guided by:
a. Holy Scripture as interpreted exclusively by HOly Mother Church
b. Sacred Tradition, e.g. the Patristic Fathers, etc.
c. The Magesterium of the Church, i.e. the teaching authority of Holy Mother Church.

Your debate is an old one, something which was dealt with by the Magesterium of the Roman Church at the Council of Trent and reiterated at the Second Oecumenical Council of the Vatican. Therefore, as a Roman Catholic, one seeks clarity from the Church in her teachings on the subject. It is insufficient, as a Roman Catholic, to go to Sacred Scripture on ones own.

Therefore, I urge you to read, in conjuction with Sacred Scripture, the teachings (interpreted by the Church) of Holy Mother Church. In these teachings, yes, it is necessary to have faith to be saved (Catechism of the catholic Church #846). However this is not enough to be saved (Verbum Dei, Gavdivm et Spes). True conversion of life is required not to mention a full sacramental life. Nevertheless, at the end of the struggle in this motal coil, we cannot merit salvation by our works, nor deserve it by faith. We live in hope; salvation is a gift given by God according to HIS will. He alone sees the heart, even better than we do ourselves.

@ACLumsden:"Are you Roman Catholic? " - is this your reaction to me quoting words spoken directly by Jesus Christ ? Now you are putting your haughty spirit above the Living Word. This is not about me,or him ,but testimony to the fact that Our Lady,Mother of God ( " In the Begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...") ,Our Mother ( " Son,behold your Mother ! Woman - behold your son ! - Christ from the Cross ) always leads us to Her Son (" Do,whatever He tells you !") and to the fact that we,Roman Catholics believe as we pray: " May we all become worthy of the Promises of Christ." The Apostles filled with The Holy Spirit preached the good news of The Living Word and over three thousands were converted and baptised in one day . " For in Christ there is no Greek,or Jew...for we are all one in Christ." " Faith comes by hearing and hearing by Word of God."

James 2:24
You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Indeed, Fatima has the most and has the recent evidence of the message from heaven, and is approved by the Holy See (also in Kibeho). According to the Angel of Peace, only through recieving the Holy Eucharit is the way to holiness (John 6:52-58).

Personal conlusion: The works will save us by doing the commandments of God, participating in His Sacraments. Without works, there is no faith. Works is the manifestion of faith.

@ACLumsden : Eph 2:8 :" For by God ye are saved through faith and that not of uourselves:it is the gift of God not by works so that no man can boast." The only proper reaction would have been :" Praise the Lord!" . " However ! " you have chosen to question the works of the Holy Spirit... " Your faith had saved you " " Whatever you ask for with faith,in My Name ye shall receive " ; " Believe and ye shall be saved, ye and your whole household." ; " O,ye of little faith " ;" If ye had faith the size of this mustard seed,you would be able to move mountains." ," The last ones shall be the first ." ; " ... and the Bridegroom went out to the streets and invited the blind and the lame to His Wedding Banquet." ; " If ye Believe on Me and hold on to My Word,My Father is going to love you and I and My Father are going to come to you and make Our Dwelling within you." ;" Don't ye know that ye are the Temples of the Holy Spirit,Whose Dwellings ye are ? " ;" Unless ye become as little children,ye shall not enter the Kingdom of God ." ; " Do not grieve the Holy Spirit." :" All sins shall be forgiven,but not those against the Holy Spirit." - Jesus Christ.

@alinalotte - One is not in a position to interpret or preside over you or your husband's experience. However! You have said that we are saved through faith. I am here to tell you that you are in grave error.

Salvation is a gift that only God can give through Jesus the Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. NO ONE can merit it, deserve it, or work for this gift of Salvation. This is why St Paul tells us to "work out your salvation in fear and tembling". ONLY GOD has the authority to save; whether one says hundreds of rosaries, novenas, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, attends daily Masses, or not, it is God in the end who bestows that most precious of gifts upon the soul.

To say that "We are saved by faith" is to stand before God and make a presentation to Him of all our good deeds, devotions,etc., and say "Look I served you well, so you MUST save me now"..... This is not Christian in the least.

Do take care not to fall in that generation of which Our Lord spoke: This generation is wicked, you chase after signs and wonders, but you shall be given only one sign, that of Jonah! (Lk 11:29).

@ St Benedict,pray for us : My late husband, born moslem,atheist for 40 years of his adult life who said :" I too,wish I could believe as you do,but my mind,my messed up scientific mind will not let me" the day he was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, his face,his whole upper body shining with internal light,having bowed and asked a Lady three times ,if She really speaks to him in Polish,following Her example ,blessed himself with the sign of the Cross, giving homage to the Holy Trinity, by the gift of The Holy Spirit,proclaimed Christ in such high English that his jaw dropped in wonder,when he realized that what was coming out of his mouth was not of his own making,neither could he credit his limited intelligence for it. What saved his soul for eternity was the fact that he let go of his ego and empty pride and with humility and childlike openess of a heart ,proclaimed Christ. For we are saved through Faith.

You're not having to believe in either approved or unapproved, the fact remains all apparitions once fell into the unapproved catagory. History repeats itself, Fatima & Lourdes had the same debunkers making the same old short-sighted observations and criticisms as people who don't believe in Medjugorje do today. You either "get it" or you don't. You are not required to believe anything for that matter. The ignorant individuals are the ones who make bold statements before the Papal Commission makes it's statement. People who don't believe in Medjugorje mistakenly believe those that do care what they think. That is the comedy of this situation!