“The moment I began to love praying the rosary"

My practicing Catholic parents used to take me to mass with them when I was little, but I just didn't understand what it was about: the body of Christ meant nothing to me. So, when I was a teenager, I stopped going to mass.  

Later, I had a very chaotic and painful marriage, and sank into depression. I used to pray when I was really down: I'd go into a church and light a candle. I knew He existed, but I saw Him more like a judge. Seeing that I wasn't doing well, my mom said to me one day when I was 26: “Together with your father and younger sister, we're buying you a trip to Rome.” I took this offer as a lifeline and accepted.

During the ten days of the trip, we had time to visit Rome. On the last day, we passed through a small village in Italy called San Damiano, where the Virgin Mary was reported to have appeared between 1960 and 1980. Once there, my first impression was not good: people were reciting the rosary in Latin... I was following along to please my parents but it didn't speak to me at all. I thought they were all crazy. Besides, it was April, and very cold and rainy. So I asked for a sign: that it would be sunny at noon!  

During the rosary, there was a minute's silence. And that's when I really felt as if someone had put a coat over me. All of a sudden, I wasn't cold anymore. Inside, I had the image of a mirror breaking. In the span of a minute, I reread my life: I put on one side what was good, on the other side what was bad. And I knew where I had to go! And I started praying the Rosary in Latin, even though I didn't know it! It just came to me. From that moment on, I loved praying the rosary. Because I felt the love of the Blessed Virgin who, little by little, led me to Jesus and back to Mass. 

When I came back from that pilgrimage, I was so happy, even though I'd left feeling so sad! And that joy helped me through my trials. Since then, it's been a journey: it doesn't all happen overnight. God is with me all the time. I talk to Him all day long. I pray for his kingdom to come. I pray for Jesus' business and for Him to take care of mine. He does it so well, with love, and with thoughtfulness. And I'd really like everyone to believe in Him: He's nothing but love.

Marie-Claire's testimony