Mary unfolded her plan for me, very slowly

On a rocky hillside, above the small village of Medjugorje, two young girls, maintained they saw "The Gospa," (Croatian word for Blessed Mother). The next day, four of their friends joined them and also maintained the same story. Today millions of pilgrims from all over the world come, to visit "The Gospa." How I know this is because Our Blessed Mother invited me, to come and pray in this place, called Medjugorje, in the time of unrest, the war. Then, she unfolded her plan for me, very slowly. It was during the civil war, which started in1991 that Gospa invited me to visit her. There was a lot of opposition about my going there as the war was extremely brutal. Brother was killing brother, neighbor was killing neighbor—just totally demonic.

My government of Canada sent me an official letter, stating they “could never protect me if I went there and something happened to me." I did not have any fear, as my husband and my Spiritual director, both agreed, that I was being invited to go. I spent 18 days, there in that peaceful village, filled with roses and love—surrounded by war. I only prayed this one prayer, on the bus ride, back to the airport to go home, "Please Gospa, if you allow me to come back, just one more time, I will never ask you, for another favor." 

Since then I have brought over 1,000 people to this prayerful village and I have witnessed people's lives totally change, people going back to the sacrament of confession, after being away for, 20, 30 and 40 years. I have witnessed healings, in people's lives, all because of this simple prayer, from my heart, "If you allow me, to come back, just one more time, I will never ask, you, for another favor." Coming, this fall will be my 50th pilgrimage to Medjugorje, the Gospa, answered my prayer, in a much bigger way than I would have ever imagined. I thank her and her Son for allowing me to do this ministry—it is a privilege.

Patricia Duggan, July 2019