"Go to confession, go to mass, buy a rosary"

In 2003, I called myself "Christian" but not Catholic...something bothered me in the Catholic Church, even though I liked Pope John Paul II.

One day, when I was in the military, I criticized, judged, and lectured a colleague who liked to watch all kinds of porn.

As it turned out, I myself fell into that same sinful habit. I watched everything, pictures, movies, and even "games" with erotic content.

When I retired, in 2010, I helped run a sports club, but I had to travel so much that I soon got tired of it.

In March 2013, I went to a vacation club in Morocco. There, some friends mentioned the house of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ephesus...Strangely, this fact stayed with me, and when I returned home, I looked up sites of Marian apparitions. I knew about Fatima and Lourdes, but I discovered that the Virgin Mary had also appeared in Paris, at the Rue du Bac... I went there, bought religious medals and began to distribute them.

After my vacation, I decided to step down as club president and trainer. This didn't go well with the club members, who were angry with me ... All this caused a lot of stress in my life and triggered a sort of depression.

One day in August 2013, I went out in my backyard and prayed a Hail Mary. Suddenly, I felt like I was struck by Love... I was dizzy with joy, began to cry, and continued to pray at the same time... I went back inside and went on the Internet, not to see dirty images, but to find some prayers.

At one point, I came across a prayer recited by Michael Lonsdale (a French actor) called "Stay with me Lord." .... I was so moved that I couldn't stop crying. Then I read these lines on a website dedicated to Padre Pio:

"Go to confession, go to Mass, buy a rosary"!

When I tried to find the text later, it was no longer on that page. The next day, I went to Mass, celebrated by the priest who had heard my confession the day before. The Gospel of the day was about the return of the prodigal son!

Then I decided to walk to a monastery, located a few kilometers from my home. In the evening, feeling happy, I recited my first Rosary. That day was September 23, 2013... the feast of St. Padre Pio!

To thank everyone who was praying for me - Our Lady, Padre Pio, and my family, including two family members who are Franciscans - in 2018, I decided to prepare myself to become a Third Order Franciscan.

Testimonial sent to Mary of Nazareth on November 17, 2021