The following year on the 4th July 2004, Our Lady continues this message of need for family prayer, saying, “My children, I beg you to turn back to God and to prayer- especially prayer in your home. Through praying My Rosary you will be able to recognise the dangerous times you live in- dangerous to your earthly lives, but also a greater danger to your life in God.” In a separate message on the same day, Our Lady urges the people to receive Jesus into their hearts worthily and to pray, saying, “Make Him welcome in your soul and with your heart love Him, through receiving Him worthily, and pray, pray, pray.” This upholds the Catholic teaching on Holy Communion as we must be in a state of grace to receive Jesus worthily in Holy Communion with open and loving hearts. The theme of the message in 2004 is continued on 25th July 2005 when Our Lady again asks the people to pray the Rosary daily saying, “Pray My Rosary each day. By its means I will draw down protection upon you.” She also speaks on the importance of attending the sacrament and using sacramentals to aid our spiritual lives, “Turn away from sin. You will experience Enlightenment, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, from the Holy Sacraments of My Son, Jesus. Wear My sacramentals, the Matrix Medal and the Brown Scapular.” This also upholds Catholic teaching on the importance and protection gained from the sacramentals such as the Brown Scapular. The call of Our Lady to pray the Rosary in the home is also present in the message of the 16th/25th July 2006 where She says, “I desire you to bring back the prayer of My Rosary to your homes. When you pray from your heart you permit Me to draw down the merits of My Son Jesus into your souls. Pray, pray My children. Turn away from sin.” This is then followed by the outline of rules which Our Lady wishes the people in Her Fraternity to follow which show an observance of the Catholic faith. They are outlined as such: “Live by the laws of God and His Commandments; Those of you who are Catholic receive the Sacraments of God; Pray My Rosary daily, Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries; Recognise sin and beg God for forgiveness for yourself and for others; Love God and your neighbours; Renounce Satan and all his works; Turn your life unto the road of Light and journey through Life in the Light of My Son, Jesus through truth being lived in you; Live in the knowledge of God; Love Him with your whole heart and life; Witness to the Truth for God is the Truth; Always be aware of God’s Mercy and desire it for yourself and for all of My children through prayer; Be aware that God’s Justice is at hand.” These rules sum up the messages given to Christina and show clearly that they are in union with Catholic teaching and the practice of the Catholic faith.
The call for family prayer is continued in later messages on 25th July 2010 when Our Lady asks that “all parents bring their families together and consecrate all to My Immaculate Heart, to protect their souls.” This is repeated by Jesus on 15th March 2011 when He says, “My Mother has pleaded for parents to unite with their families in the prayer of consecration that was written by My son, Gerard. I guided his every word in this consecration prayer so that it would serve as a means of protection for the youth, and especially against suicide.” Jesus also upholds the teaching of the Church on Confession in the messages when He tells the people through Christina, “I desire you purge yourselves of sin through the Sacrament of Penance. Forgive your enemy. Turn with open hearts to Me while you still have time.” These excerpts from the messages to Christina show clearly the Catholic teaching which forms the bedrock of these messages and the authenticity of the apparitions to Christina.
Young writer Martina Caffrey, M.A. in Theology, has specialised in Catholic writing over the last 10 years. Her writings have included work published in the Hibernian magazine and the Catholic Voice newspaper. She is author of the book “A Father’s Love” and is currently working on a follow up book on the apparitions of Our Lady around the world. Her academic research is into the theology of the liturgy based on Pope Benedict XVI’s writings as Pope and Cardinal, with a further book in the pipeline.
