The Virgin answers

Gennie Jota, who for years was the general manager of the Family Rosary Crusade in Manila, is now based in Los Angeles. She came here for a visit, and went back with a brochure filled with requests that were answered by the Blessed Virgin Mary, for Filipinos. They will be used in "The Rosary in the Rose Bowl", which is now in immediate preparation.

The letters are so human! Baby Celis-Baldoz prayed that she would conceive, and she did. Then she wrote:

"Mama Mary, I’m already pregnant 5 months and 2 weeks, and I’d like to ask you to bless my child. Please make sure that my Baby is full term and normal. . . . . I was told that I will be having a girl. . . . .I’d really like that but at this time and age I would always be afraid of her safety. . . . . .If it’s not yet too late, can you make my first born a boy? That is, if I’m not asking too much. . . . .And please help me lead my child to the wonderful life of priesthood."

To me:

"I gave birth! Yes, it’s a boy! Full term, normal. I also asked her dimples for my son, but I wrote her on the last week of my pregnancy. I thought I was too late, but lo and behold! She heard it! She gave him a dimple on his right cheek plus a cleft chin, like Mel Gibson!"

Oscar I. Violago, a businessman, for his two "miracles" in the bloody arena of the business world, has strong, official government testimony.

Jesus T. Tanchanco, former administrator of the National Food Authority, writes:

"This is to certify that Adastra Traders, Inc., represented by its President, Oscar I. Violago, was the only Filipino trading company that was able to deliver to the Philippine government 100,000 metric tons of rice worth US$40 Million, through the National Food Authority during my time as NFA Administrator. . . . . At that time there was a world wide rice crisis. The Philippine government, therefore, had to resort to mixing rice and corn in order to tide over its rice inventory until the harvest season. . . . . The arrival of this 100,000 metric tons of imported rice successfully brought down the price of rice and normalized its supply in the market."

Oscar himself explains every step that led to this achievement, and he is dead sure that each step was an answer of the Virgin to his prayers.

A touching thing about these "miracles" is the wonderful effect they have had on the souls of those who prayed to the Virgin. Twenty six years ago, Violeta Segismundo prayed for the life of her daughter, whom the doctors felt would not survive. Her prayer ended with: "Ginagawa ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya upang siya ay mahalin nang buong puso, buong isip, at buong kaluluwa." . . . .her child recovered, against all expectations.

In her letter to me she wrote: "I have been faithful to my covenant with the Lord on that memorable day. Last year, 2006, I celebrated my 25 years of receiving the Lord every day in my daily Mass."

Rosie G. Tio writes from Cebu: "Mama Mary answered the prayers of my sister Grace! Her son is married, but had no children. She prayed and prayed that the Virgin would bless her with her first grandchild. . . .

Her daughter-in-law conceived, and had triplets! They are so adorable!"

Julieta Borromeo Samonte writes:

"I went to the University clinic for the annual physical check up of the faculty. The two clinic doctors told me that I had a bad thyroid problem. The large lump in my throat was very evident . . . . . Our family doctor confirmed this and scheduled me for operation. While waiting for the surgery, I drank a little of the holy water from Lourdes, every night before I went to bed. And I prayed hard to Mama Mary. . .

"On the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes I went to our family doctor for a definite schedule of my throat surgery. He asked me what medicine I had been taking. I answered: ‘Nothing’. I did not tell him that I had been drinking the holy water of Lourdes because I was afraid he would think I was out of my mind. To my great surprise, and relief, he told me that I did not need any surgery, because the lump in my throat was gone. The University physicians could hardly believe that the lump was gone without any surgery. . . . . I receive Jesus daily in Holy Communion at the Ateneo College Chapel."

Yolanda Moriton of Tarlac prayed for the life of her father, who was given up by the doctors. Her father survived. . . . Then they were beset by a lawsuit. She prayed to Mama Mary, and the plaintiff’s lawyers withdrew his case.

The Philippines really deserves a prominent place at "The Rosary in the Rose Bowl"!