Maria News » Medjugorje

The Triumph Premiere Live from Chicago!

admin — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:23:46 +0000

May 4, 2013 / Maria News

The Triumph Premiere Live from Chicago!

Maria News – Live from Chicago, I am writing this report from the Official U.S. Premiere of The Triumph, a documentary that explores the mysteries of Medjugorje.

From Award Winning Director Sean Bloomfield and Executive Producer Zaid Jazrawi, comes a film over 2-years in the making. Filmed primarily in the heart of Bosnia-Herzegovina, The Triumph investigates a modern-day miracle that, if proven authentic, has global implications.

The producers of the film are expected to launch a new crowd-funding initiative live from the Premiere. The goal: to host 1000 screenings of The Triumph world-wide.

“This film has been created as a tool for evangilization,” said Producer Zaid Jazrawi. “Through the Grace of Our Lady we can bring this film to the world and show people the Divine Love of Jesus Christ.”

“There is a huge buzz around this film,” said Director Sean Bloomfield. “From Australia, to the UK and here in the US, we are launching screenings around the world in hopes of inspiring a generation to return to God.”

The film accomplishes the producer’s goal of evangelization by illustrating the love of Christ, the hope for reconciliation, the grace of Our Lady and the power of God’s love. No matter how grave our Sin, the film illustrates that God’s love for us is greater. No matter how lost we are, the film gives us examples of how we can find our way home. This is a must see film.

Nearly 200 invited guests are expected to attend the Premiere in Chicago, being held at the landmark Gene Siskel Film Center.

Learn more about The Triumph at thetriumph.org.

I’ll be tweeting live from the Premiere @RoyceHood. Join me!

Subscribe to Maria News

Mary, Resplendent and Unfading

admin — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:03:44 +0000

3 / 13 / 13 – MariaNews.com

Mary, Resplendent and Unfading

By Deacon Antonio Sandoval

Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation on men’s desires; he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he will find her waiting at his gate. For taking thought of her is the perfection of prudence, and he who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from cares; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them on the ways and meets them with all solicitude.

(Wisdom 6: 12 – 16)

Some years ago on the 32^nd Sunday of Ordinary time, since we were on Cycle A of the liturgical calendar, this was the first reading in our Sunday Liturgy. This reading fascinated me. Having learned that some writers about the Blessed Virgin Mary apply passages from the Wisdom Literature to Mary, I noticed that if I replaced the word “Wisdom” with “the Blessed Virgin Mary” the transformed reading expressed much of what I hold dear about our Mother Mary, as I will demonstrate in the following comments.

The Virgin Mary is resplendent because she is full of grace. Grace is the Divine life within us, and there is nothing more spiritually resplendent than the Divine life.

The Virgin Mary’s resplendence is unfading because her fullness of grace never diminished. It only increased during her life on earth. (See Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange’s book, The Mother of the Saviour and our Interior Life)

Mary is readily perceived by those who love her. Love is the spiritual light that illumines those whom we love and makes them interiorly visible to us. It is the light that penetrates beneath outward appearances to the core of our loved ones.

Mary is found by those who seek her, because seeking her makes us vigilant, and keeps Mary, the object of our desires, in the forefront of our mind. We will not rest until we have welcomed her into the sanctuary of our hearts.

Mary hastens to make herself known in anticipation of our desires because she truly is our mother who loves us far more than we will ever be able to love her. Her greatest desire is to be united with each one of her children.

Persons who watch for Mary at dawn will not be disappointed for they will always find her at their gate. The dawn of our life is our youth. If we cultivate Devotion to Mary in our youth, Mary will always be at the gate of our consciousness. That gate is our memory which will frequently give her entry into our inner life.

Taking thought of Mary is the perfection of prudence. Prudence is right judgment. Taking thought of Mary is the smartest judgment we can make because Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces and the perfect way to attain union with Jesus.

They, who for Mary’s sake keep vigil, shall soon be free from cares because they have placed themselves under the care and protection of the Queen of Heaven and earth, the one who is destined to crush the head of the Ancient Serpent. She is the faithful mother who will never abandon her beloved children.

Mary makes her own rounds seeking those worthy of her. Being worthy of her doesn’t require that we be saints; in fact, she is the Refuge of Sinners. It only requires that we need her help to be faithful disciples of Jesus.

Mary will graciously appear to us in our way to eternity and meet us with all solicitude. Her solicitude is her willingness to help us complete our earthly pilgrimage successfully and reach our heavenly destination, which is union with God, with her, and with all the saints.

Now I frequently pray:

Resplendent and unfading is the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desires; they who watch for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for they will find her waiting at their gate. For taking thought of Mary is the perfection of prudence, and he or she who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from cares; because Mary makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them on the ways and meets them with all solicitude.

Triumphant Success for The Triumph – over $57k raised

admin — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:00:42 +0000

March 11, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Triumphant Success for The Triumph – over $57k raised

MariaNews.com - The IndieGoGo crowfunding campaign for The Triumph has ended with just over $57k raised in 45 days. “This is a testament to the power of faith, and prayer,” said the films producer Zaid Jazrawi. “Our Lady in Fatima said, ‘ in the end My Immaculate Heart will Triumph,’ – this is what we’re fighting for, to bring people to Jesus Christ through Our Lady.”

“We are deeply moved by overwhelming show of encouragement from supporters of this film,” said director Sean Bloomfield. “The money raised gives us the opportunity to bring this film to people who need it most. This film is a tool for evangelization and we are looking forward to sharing it with the world.”

The film explores the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje. While the Vatican has yet to issue a much anticipated report on Medjugorje, many faithful speculate that the Church will acknowledge the fruits of confession, conversion and religious vocation, which have stemmed from the countless miracles reported in the tiny-Baltic village. Medjugorje remains one of the most active confessionals in the world with over 1 million pilgrims traveling there each year. There have also been more than 500 religious vocations inspired by Our Lady’s messages in Medjugorje.

In addition to exploring the apparitions, the film also follows the life of Ben, a young man struggling with the parable “live in this world, but not of it.” Through prayer and through the intercession of Our Lady, we witness a transformation of faith taking place with Ben.

“This documentary revels some of the real life struggles that young people face in our world,” said Bloomfield. “Our goal with the film is to demonstrate the amazing power of God’s love for all of us. No matter what we’ve done we can still enjoy the fruits of God’s mercy through prayer, fasting and conversion.”

The U.S. premier of The Triumph has been scheduled for April 13, in Chicago. People can still support the film by visiting its website: www.TheTriumph.org

Maria News will be following this story.

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Clock is ticking for The Triumph

admin — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:14:04 +0000

March 10, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Clock is ticking for The Triumph

MariaNews.com – The Triumph film continues to make history as its crowdfunding campaign approaches $55,000 just hours before the campaign deadline.

The films producers will use the funds to help finance the cost of an international marketing campaign. The goal is to schedule 1000 screenings internationally, with at least 100 screenings of the film in U.S. before summer.

Details are still emerging about the U.S. premier of the Film which as been scheduled for April 13 in Chicago. Additional screenings will follow across the U.S., and abroad with an international premier to take place towards the end of May in Medjugorje.

As for the IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign, at least one contributor has donated $10,000.00 towards the films $50k goal. Meanwhile, over 500 people have contributed to the films campaign, making this one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in Catholic film history!

It’s not too late. With less than 14 hours to go, the filmmakers are hoping for a last minute spike in contributions to assist with the marketing campaign.

The Triumph was created by award winning director Sean Bloomfield and producer Zaid Jazrawi. The documentary was produced over a period of 2 years and filmed in Medjugorje.

Learn more, click here.

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Final Hours – The Triumph surpasses $53k – Producers pick date for film premier

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 13:37:10 +0000

March 9, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Finals Hour – The Triumph surpasses $53k – Producers pick date for film premier

MariaNews.com - With less than 48 hours to go (42 as of this post), the IndieGoGo campaign for The Triumph FIlm as surpassed its goal of raising $50k. In an appeal to supporters, the filmmakers expressed gratitude for the overwhelming show of support.

The film, a documentary about that explores the mysteries of Medjugorje, has been generating tons of buzz.

“I hope this will bring many people to God and to the Catholic Church,” said supporter Jane Johnson.

Another supporter, John Newsham had this to say: “I went to Medjugorje twice in 1988 – I have never forgotten the simple experience of falling in love with the Eucharist and the Mass that I experienced there.

Check out all of the comments here.

Nearly 500 people have contributed financially, but the campaign isn’t over yet.

“We want to thank everyone for their generous support of this important project,” said producer Zaid Jazrawi. “It’s crunch time – the more money we raise, the more people can see this film!”

“It’s really inspirational how supportive people have been about this project,” said director Sean Bloomfield. “It’s truly humbling to read through all the positive and encouraging comments on our IndieGoGo campaign. People believe in the power of good over evil, they believe in hope and they have faith that Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart will Triumph.”

Currently with just over $53k – the clock is ticking! Check out the campaign here.

MariaNews.com has also learned that the U.S. Premier Date for The Triumph will be April 13 in Chicago, Illinois. More details as this story develops.

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Our Lady’s Film Has Reached $50k with 3 Days Remaining

admin — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:18:16 +0000

March 7, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Our Lady’s Film Has Reached $50k with 3 Days Remaining

MariaNews.com - A little over 40 days ago, director Sean Bloomfield and producer Zaid Jazrawi set out to raise $50k in hopes of launching a marketing campaign for their new documentary, The Triumph. With three days left on the Indiegogo.com campaign,The Triumph has raised over $50,000!

“It’s really inspirational how supportive people have been about this project,” said director Sean Bloomfield. “It’s truly humbling to read through all the positive and encouraging comments on our Indiegogo campaign. People believe in the power of good over evil, they believe in hope and they have faith that Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart will Triumph.”

Help bring The Triumph to a theater near you. During the next three days, any contribution of $500 or more will be rewarded with a complementary screening license of the film (a $650 value). The license can be used to show the film to friends or for the benefit of a local parish ministry.

Check out the Triumph campaign here. There are just three days remaining in the campaign – this is your time to join the movement!

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Four Days Left – Triumph Film approaches $35k

admin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 20:12:36 +0000

March 6, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Four Days Left – Triumph Film approaches $35k

MariaNews.com – The Triumph, a film that explores the alleged apparitions of Mary in Medjugorje, has raised nearly $35k on its Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. The Film has just four days left to reach its goal of raising $50k. The funds from the campaign will be used to launch an international marketing campaign to promote the film.

“The goal is to show this film to as many people as possible,” said Director Sean Bloomfield. “We are confident this documentary will make a big impact on our culture, but people must see it first.”

Seeing is believing, and that is why the next four hours are so critical for the crowdfunding campaign.

“Already this film has inspired people,” said Producer Zaid Jazrawi. “We recently held an Advanced Screening in Chicago to a sold out crowd. Plus, nearly 300 people have financially contributed to our marketing campaign. We are creating a movement dedicated to Our Lady.”

Check out the movement and consider joining. Visit Indiegogo.com/the-triumph to learn more.

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Visions of Our Lady: Feb 25 Message from Medjugorje

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:31:28 +0000

February 28, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Visions of Our Lady: Feb 25 Message from Medjugorje

Medjugorje - “Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. Sin is pulling you towards worldly things and I have come to lead you towards holiness and the things of God, but you are struggling and spending your energies in the battle with the good and the evil that are in you. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray until prayer becomes a joy for you and your life will become a simple walk towards God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

http://www.medjugorjetoday.tv/

Help fund the Triumph

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Apophis: killer asteroid bigger than thought

admin — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:42:22 +0000

February 19, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Apophis: killer asteroid bigger than thought

By Catholic Online

Lately it seems like the sky is falling. Comets and asteroids are cross-crossing the heavens above as meteors crash down on Earth. Last week there were two major events as meteors came down over central Russia and northern California. Scientists now say that a potential doomsday asteroid will soon pass near Earth, close enough to be visible to the naked eye.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – Asteroid 99942 Apophis, or just Apophis for short, is on a course that will bring it perilously close to Earth in 2029. There is no question the shave will be close, almost as close as the one we received last week from Asteroid 2012 DA14. The pass will be so close, and Apophis so large, that an astute observer could potentially spot it from the ground without a telescope.

Apophis however, is a genuine killer. Unlike 2012 DA14, which had it hit would have likely vaporized in the atmosphere, Apophis is large enough to survive reentry and strike the surface with enough force to cause a massive tsunami should it land in the ocean, or tens of millions of deaths should it strike a populated area.

The impact would have the equivalent energy of about 510 megatons of TNT. That’s much more than the largest atomic bomb ever detonated (Tsar Bomba at 50 megatons) and easily more than the Tunguska and Barringer impacts, between the 3-10 megaton range. In short, a collision with Apophis would devastate a large region of the planet.

However, it would still be far smaller than the Chicxulub event, which wiped out the dinosaurs. Scientists have thankfully ruled out any likelihood of an extinction-level event from Apophis.

Still, the asteroid is massive. Apophis is passing close to Earth right now, and researchers have discovered that it’s 20 percent larger than previous estimates. The size of the asteroid has been revised upwards to 325 square meters.

They have also been revising their predictions regarding its orbit.

In 2029, Apophis will pass close enough to Earth to be easily visible to observers on the ground. It may even be visible to the naked eye as a point of light moving steadily across the background of stars over several minutes.

Then, in 2036, it may yet have a greater chance of impacting Earth. Although the odds remain miniscule, they are great enough that scientists have already predicted where it is most likely to land.

If Apophis hits in 2036, it could strike along a path that actually starts quite near the Urals where a meteor famously struck last week. That path then continues across Siberia and into the Pacific near Hawai’i. The danger zone crosses Central America in Nicaragua, and brushes the northern coasts of Colombia and Venezuela. The danger zone ends just off the western coast of Africa.

Odds are, the impact will strike the ocean, creating a devastating tsunami that could kill millions.

Fortunately, the odds are strong that it will miss in 2036.

But what about beyond that? Scientists aren’t so sure. Apophis has probably been in its dangerous orbit near Earth for thousands, perhaps millions of years. Or, it could be a new arrival, its current, dangerous orbit only decades old. That much is impossible to tell. Regardless, sooner or later, it seems Earth will have a date with Apophis.

When that happens, we can only hope that scientists and governments around the world have a plan in place to protect us, and the ability to use it. Meanwhile, the rest of us will watch and wait, albeit a bit nervously.

Related: Are we in the end times?

Subscribe to MariaNews.com

Pictures from Russia – 40 Ton Meteor

admin — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:37:47 +0000

February 16, 2013 / MariaNews.com

Pictures from Russia – 40 Ton Meteor

DailyMail- Some feared a plane was about to fall out of the sky while others thought the world was ending.

In fact, it was a meteor streaking across the sky before exploding in a fireball brighter than the sun.

The terrifying sight was caught in these astonishing pictures by residents of central Russia as they headed to work yesterday.

Related: The Triumph Film

Subscribe to MariaNews.com