(I am sorry, to have left a paragraph or two from the main letter.
It makes for a long reading. Please remember that this is very much a detail specific letter and every bit of information is very much essential. But this letter from His Lordship John Shajiro Ito makes it a Gem. -Anita.)
(Thank You, Bishop John Shojiro Ito, Your letter is Priceless.)
Bishop John Shojiro Ito
Born: 13 March 1909.
Died: 14 March 1993.(84 years)
Ordained Bishop of Niigata, Japan: 14th June 1962 - 9th March 1985.
Pastoral Letter of Bishop John Shojiro Ito 22.04.1984
Before leaving you, I must confide to you a series of mysterious events concerning a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary in the Institute of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. (The request for ecclesial recognition of this secular institute has been introduced in Rome.) This institute is found in Yuzawadai, Soegawa, Akita, in this diocese of Niigata Japan.
II
The series of events related to the statue of the Virgin Mary include:
The flowing of blood from the right hand of the statue.
A sweet perfumed, perspiration so abundantly flowing that it was necessary to wipe it away from the statue.
The overflowing of an aqueous liquid, similar to human tears, from the eyes of the statue of Our Holy Mother.
This began on the 4th of January, 1975 (Holy Year), the tears flowed 101 times, until the 15th of September, 1981, Feast of Our Lady of the Seven Dolors.
I was able myself to witness four lacrimations. About 500 persons have also been eyewitnesses. I twice tasted this liquid. It was salty and seemed to be truly human tears. The scientific examination by Professor Sagisaka, specialist in legal medicine in the faculty of medicine at the University of Akita, has proved that this liquid is indeed identical to human tears.
It flowed from the eyes of the statue, as tears flow. It has been established that it could not have been by human maneuvers.
Furthermore, there are numerous reports of miraculous cures of diseases such as cancer. I am going to mention two, the most proving.
One is the sudden cure of a South Korean woman, Mrs. Teresa Chun Sun Ho. following cancer of the brain, she was reduced to a vegetative existence from July, 1981. The Virgin of Akita appeared to her and told her to get up. Almost at once she was able to get up, having entirely recovered her health. This healing took place while priests and Korean women prayed to the Virgin of Akita for her cure and asked for a miracle in view of the canonization of the Korean martyrs. There are X-ray photographs of this person taken during the sickness and after the complete cure. The X-ray photographs show her cure even to the eyes of non-professionals. The authenticity of the X-rays is attested to by Dr. M.D. Tong-Woo-Kim, of the Hospital of Saint Paul in Seoul who took these X-rays, and also by Fr. Roman Theisen, STD, president of the ecclesiastical tribunal of the Archdiocese of Seoul.
All of the records have been sent to Rome. I went myself to Seoul (South Korea) last year and was able to interview the cured woman; to assure myself of the truth in this miraculous healing. For her part she came to Akita to thank Our Holy Mother.
The second case is the complete cure of the total deafness of Sr. Agnes Sasagawa. I will speak in detail of this later.
The only possibility - A Supernatural Intervention.
III
But why have such phenomena taken place? I ask if they are not with regard to the messages coming from the statue of the Virgin and perceived by the deaf ears of Agnes Sasagawa.
The First Message: (July 6, 1973)
was given to her on the morning of the first Friday of the month. A voice coming from the statue of Mary always splendid, saying:
“My daughter, my novice, you have obeyed me well, abandoning all to follow me. Do you suffer much because of the handicap which deafness causes you? You will be assuredly healed. Be patient, it is the last trial. Does the wound in your hand give you pain? Pray in reparation for the sins of humanity. Each person in this community is my irreplaceable daughter.
Do you say well the Prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist? Then, let us pray it together.”
"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in the Holy Eucharist, I consecrate my body and soul to be entirely one with Your Heart being sacrificed at every instant on all the altars of the world and giving praise to the Father, pleading for the coming of His Kingdom."
"Please receive My humble offering of myself. Use me as You will for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls."
"Most Holy Mother of God, never let me be separated from your Divine Son. Please defend and protect me as Your special child. Amen."
“Pray very much for the Pope, Bishops, and Priests. Since your baptism you have always prayed faithfully for them. Continue to pray very much... very much. Tell your superior all that passed today and obey him in everything that he will tell you. Your superior is wholeheartedly seeking prayers now.”
Agnes Sasagawa lost her hearing when she was working as a catechist in the church of Myoko-kogen. Because of this deafness she was for a time in the hospital of Rosai in the city of Joetsu. Dr. Sawada diagnosed her total deafness as incurable and issued the documents permitting, for this reason, state subsidy. No longer being able to work as a catechist, she came to the Institute of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist at Akita, where she began to live a life of prayer.
The Second Message: (August 3, 1973)
like the first time, was given by the voice coming from the statue of the Holy Virgin:
“My daughter, my novice, do you love the Lord? If you love the Lord, listen to what I have to say to you. It is very important. Convey it to your superior.
Many men in this world grieve the Lord. I seek souls to console Him. In order to appease the anger of the Heavenly Father, I wish, with my Son, for souls who will make reparation for sinners and the ungrateful by offering up their sufferings and poverty to God on their behalf:
In order that the world might know the wrath of the Heavenly Father toward today's world, He is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind. With my son, many times I have tried to appease the wrath of the Heavenly Father. I have prevented the coming of the chastisement by offering Him the sufferings of His Son on the Cross, His Precious Blood, and the compassionate souls who console the Heavenly Father... a cohort of victim souls overflowing with love.
Prayer, penance, honest poverty, and courageous acts of sacrifices can soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I desire this also from your community: please make much of poverty, deepen repentance, and pray amid your poverty in reparation for the ingratitude and insults toward the Lord by so many men. Recite the prayer of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist with awareness of its meaning; put it into practice; offer your life to God in reparation (whatever God may send) for sins. Let each one endeavour, by making much of one's ability and position, to offer oneself entirely to the Lord.”
“Even in a secular community, prayer is necessary. Already souls who wish to pray are on the way to being gathered in this community. Without attaching too much attention to the form, pray fervently and steadfastly to console the Lord.”
After a moment’ silence:
“Is what you think in your heart true? Are you truly prepared to become the rejected stone: My novice, you who wish to become the pure bride of the Lord. In order that you, the bride, become the spouse worthy of the Holy Bridegroom, make your vows with the hearty readiness to be fastened to the Cross with three nails. These three nails are honest poverty, chastity and obedience. Of the three obedience is the foundation. With total obedience follow your superior. Your superior will understand you well and guide you.”
The Third and Last Message: (October 13, 1973.)
was given also by the voice coming from the statue of the Holy Virgin.
“My dear daughter, listen well to what I have to say to you. And relay my messages to your superior.”
After a moment's silence:
“As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Heavenly Father will inflict a great punishment on all humanity. It will definitely be a punishment greater than the Deluge, such as has never been seen before.” Fire will plunge from the sky and a large part of humanity will perish... The good as well as the bad will perish, sparing neither priests nor the faithful. The survivors will find themselves plunged into such terrible hardships that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the sign left by My Son (Eucharist).
Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary pray for the Pope, the Bishops and the Priests. The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church. One will see cardinals opposing other cardinals... and bishops confronting other bishops.
The priests who venerate me will be scorned and condemned by their confreres; churches and altars will be sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will tempt many priests and religious to leave the service of the Lord.
The demon is trying hard to influence souls consecrated to God. The thought of the perdition of so many souls is the cause of My sadness. If sins continue to be committed further, there will no longer be pardon for them.
With courage, convey these messages to your superior. He will tell each one of you to continue prayers and acts of reparations for sins steadfastly, while ordering all of you to pray fervently. Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to help you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their total confidence in Me will be given necessary help.”
This message is based on the condition if men do not repent and better themselves ...I think that it is a serious warning.
July 6th, 1973. -A voice coming from the statue of Mary always splendid, saying: “My daughter, my novice, you have obeyed me well, abandoning all to follow me. Do you suffer much because of the handicap which deafness causes you? You will be assuredly healed. Be patient, it is the last trial.
It is easy to doubt. But this promise was kept nine years after the beginning of the sickness.
Before it could happen, an angel announced to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa (the dates-the 25th March 1982 (The Annunication of the Lord), and 1st May, (St. Joseph) 1982: "By the intercession of the Holy and Immaculate Virgin, and Him Who is truly present in the Eucharist, your ears will be definitely cured in order that the work of the Most High may be accomplished."
Effectively on the last Sunday of the month of May, the 30th of May, 1982, Feast of Pentecost, at the moment of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament her ears were cured completely and instantly.
That same evening she telephoned me and we conversed normally.
On the 14th of June, I visited Dr. Arai of the Eye and Ear Division of the Hospital of the Red Cross of Akita who had verified the complete deafness of Sr. Agnes Sasagawa at the moment she arrived in Akita nine years before. I asked for his response. He expressed his amazement at this healing. Dr. Sawada of the Rosai Hospital of Joetsu who had been the first to examine her when she became deaf, has now issued a medical certificate dated June 3rd, 1982, attesting that following minute examinations of her auditive capacities, he certifies that there is no further anomaly in the two ears of Sr. Agnes Sasagawa.
I have known Sr. Agnes Sasagawa for more than ten years. As for the content of the messages received, there is nothing contrary to the Catholic doctrine and when one thinks of the actual state of the world, the warning seems to correspond to it in many points.
Having set down my experiences with regard to the events related to the statue of the Holy Virgin of Akita, and after long prayer and mature reflection, I hand down the following conclusions in my position as Bishop of Niigata:
1. After the investigation conducted up to the present day, I recognize the supernatural events concerning the statue of the Holy Mother Mary which is found in the convent of the Institute of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist at Yuzawadai, Soegawa, Akita.
2. I authorize, the veneration of the Holy Mother of Akita, through the entire diocese, while awaiting that the Holy See’ definitive judgment on this matter.
For reference, I cite the following texts of the document on Catholic Doctrine:
"The saints and the angels, having been conformed to the Will of God receive from Him grace and glory in abundance and it is right to venerate them because this amounts to offering praise and thanksgiving to God Himself. Among the saints the Virgin Mary deserves a special veneration. Indeed, She is not only the Mother of Our Savior who is God, but also the Mother of us all, and it is as Mother that She intercedes for us, full of Divine grace greater than those received by all the saints and angels." (Article 72)
Finally, I beg God that He accord to you all abundant graces, and I send my Apostolic blessings.
Niigata, Feast of Easter. April 22, 1984.
Please NOTE:
On April 22, 1984, after a lengthy eight years of investigations, and consultation with the Holy See, Rev. John Shojiro Ito, Bishop of Niigata, Japan, approved the apparition to be of supernatural origin and "worthy of belief." And He officially approved the veneration of Our Lady of Akita, through the entire diocese.
The Vatican has not made an official statement, leaving it up to the local bishop’s discretion.
“Most Holy Mother of Akita, pray for us and lead us to your Son.”
Current Page: Bishop John Shojiro Ito - For Our Lady of AKITA.
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