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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
scent of roses	Julie	Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Question: Dear Bro Ignatius, I used to consider myself very devoted to our blessed mother. It's difficult for me now because most of my beautfiul assoc with her where probably false ones. Many years ago I became a devoted medjugorge follower, and more recently i used to frequent a shrine called holy love ministries in OH. I found out about the shrine at a Fr. Sudac conference who is associated with medjugorge. If your not familiar with him he is charasmatic stigmatist. My first scent of roses was at his conference during a healing mass. We were on our knees repeated his words of forgiving all past hurts, it was very beautiful and after we stood up i smelled the most intoxicating beautiful and very strong scent of roses. It consumed my whole being, i was giddy, i cried i was so happy, i felt filled with love and the holy spirit. I could not stop smiling. I wanted to go home and proclaim how good god is, which i did. Then they played an adoration song and the music sounded like heavenly music, it sounded sweet and filled my soul. My sister felt this too.When i arrived a relative noticed a change in me and said my face was glowing, i felt wonderfully enlightened for a very long time afterward. I became a very devout catholic and recited the rosary daily. When i got home i went to mass the next day and again smelled the scent of roses, this would continue occassionally at mass or at home saying the rosary from some time. I felt so unbelievably grateful. Soon after i went to holy love where the blessed mother, jesus and saints were appearing and giving messages to a woman. Again i smelled the roses while there, along with wine and inscense during feast days of our lord. The rose scent was alot fainter there. I now know without a doubt the place is false. I now question medjugorge also because of lack of obedience. Do you think any of my moments at this false places were real or the work of evil? Any thoughts on Fr. Sudac? His mass and conference where so uplifting.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Julie: We need to remember that private revelations are never needed for our faith or for our salvation. Even the approved private revelations like Fatima or Lourdes are not needed for our faith. The Church never requires us to even believe approved private revelations. When it comes to private revelations that have not been approved by the Church we are on dangerous ground. Many have been seduced into false apparitions, such as that of Bayside, because they did not wait for the Church's judgment. By the time the Church made a judgment, like at Bayside, people were already emotionally invested and thus ignored the Church's ruling. Medjugorje is not approved by the Church. Further, the local bishops have judged negatively. Thus, we should not be following Medjugorje. Maureen Sweeney of the Holy Love Ministries in Ohio is also not approved. In their case, they are apparently stopped cooperating with the Bishop in even pursuing possible approval. This does not bode well. When that happens it usually means that something is wrong and the visionary does not want to risk being disapproved. I would run, not walk, from that place. As for Fr. Sudac I really do not know much about him, but from what I see on the web I have some grave reservations. As for your scent of roses experiences, God can give you that gift even if you are at a false place. It is also true that the devil can imitate such things. There is no way for me to know which it is. Based upon your description, however, it sounds like this experience was a great blessing for you. I would simply accept that blessing from our Blessed Mother and move on. From now on stay away from private revelations that are not approved and from the people who promote them. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

scent of roses

Julie

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Question:

Dear Bro Ignatius,

I used to consider myself very devoted to our blessed mother. It's difficult for me now because most of my beautfiul assoc with her where probably false ones. Many years ago I became a devoted medjugorge follower, and more recently i used to frequent a shrine called holy love ministries in OH. I found out about the shrine at a Fr. Sudac conference who is associated with medjugorge. If your not familiar with him he is charasmatic stigmatist.

My first scent of roses was at his conference during a healing mass. We were on our knees repeated his words of forgiving all past hurts, it was very beautiful and after we stood up i smelled the most intoxicating beautiful and very strong scent of roses. It consumed my whole being, i was giddy, i cried i was so happy, i felt filled with love and the holy spirit. I could not stop smiling. I wanted to go home and proclaim how good god is, which i did.

Then they played an adoration song and the music sounded like heavenly music, it sounded sweet and filled my soul. My sister felt this too.When i arrived a relative noticed a change in me and said my face was glowing, i felt wonderfully enlightened for a very long time afterward. I became a very devout catholic and recited the rosary daily. When i got home i went to mass the next day and again smelled the scent of roses, this would continue occassionally at mass or at home saying the rosary from some time. I felt so unbelievably grateful.

Soon after i went to holy love where the blessed mother, jesus and saints were appearing and giving messages to a woman. Again i smelled the roses while there, along with wine and inscense during feast days of our lord. The rose scent was alot fainter there. I now know without a doubt the place is false. I now question medjugorge also because of lack of obedience.

Do you think any of my moments at this false places were real or the work of evil? Any thoughts on Fr. Sudac? His mass and conference where so uplifting.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Julie:

We need to remember that private revelations are never needed for our faith or for our salvation. Even the approved private revelations like Fatima or Lourdes are not needed for our faith. The Church never requires us to even believe approved private revelations.

When it comes to private revelations that have not been approved by the Church we are on dangerous ground. Many have been seduced into false apparitions, such as that of Bayside, because they did not wait for the Church's judgment. By the time the Church made a judgment, like at Bayside, people were already emotionally invested and thus ignored the Church's ruling.

Medjugorje is not approved by the Church. Further, the local bishops have judged negatively. Thus, we should not be following Medjugorje.

Maureen Sweeney of the Holy Love Ministries in Ohio is also not approved. In their case, they are apparently stopped cooperating with the Bishop in even pursuing possible approval. This does not bode well. When that happens it usually means that something is wrong and the visionary does not want to risk being disapproved. I would run, not walk, from that place.

As for Fr. Sudac I really do not know much about him, but from what I see on the web I have some grave reservations.

As for your scent of roses experiences, God can give you that gift even if you are at a false place. It is also true that the devil can imitate such things. There is no way for me to know which it is.

Based upon your description, however, it sounds like this experience was a great blessing for you. I would simply accept that blessing from our Blessed Mother and move on. From now on stay away from private revelations that are not approved and from the people who promote them.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum