ITALY, Trent, by Milena Allera •
Last year I got to know the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother through one of my colleagues, Gisela Ciola, who is a Pilgrim Mother missionary. Gisela had the same health problems that my dad was going through and she offered me the image of the Blessed Mother to take home and keep for a few days. I accepted it with great joy and a little trepidation. Was I worthy of such greatness? This is how Our Lady of Schoenstatt came into my life and the life of those I love most.
“She” gave me hope
With lots of prayer, I asked that she loosen the knots that chained my family, that she bless us, that she strengthen my faith and that she draw to herself all my loved ones who had distanced themselves.
I asked, in particular, that she help my 86-year old dad who suffers from diabetes and has gangrene in his leg that kept getting worse.
We had had many appointments with respected vascular surgeons and all of them gave the same diagnosis: “we need to amputate the leg to the groin.” It was shock for him and the whole family to that we needed to “amputate to save his life.”
“She” gave me hope. With great faith, I continued to welcome her in my home, without ever ceasing to pray to her.
I told my siblings about Her, how I felt her greatness and the hope that she exuded. I trusted our Mother completely and with great trust.
It’s truly a miracle
As time passed, and to the doctor’s surprise, my dad’s leg got better. The gangrene receded and instead of amputating his entire leg, they only amputated the big toe on his foot, a miracle.
Of course, we cannot deny the medical attention or the many interventions he had, but the receding gangrene was truly a miracle. Our family believes that divine intervention guided the doctors who cared for him.
Today, dad walks without crutches and he’s alive.
There is a celebration in heaven when someone draws close to God!
He has started to return to his faith, going to Mass even when he is not well, even though he had been very far away from God. I remember that I had asked the Blessed Mother to strengthen my faith and for my loved ones who had moved away from their faith to draw closer to Her and her Son…the Blessed Mother started with the person who was most distant, my dad.
Over the course of this year, Gisela and I have shared so many things and we spoke a lot about the graces that the Blessed Mother has poured out over my life and the life of my family.
I am happy that I received the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother who with her greatness and goodness has strengthened my faith, and in particular, brought my dad back to the Church.
Heaven celebrates when someone draws close to God. It’s also a great joy for all of us!
Thank you Mother! Because when you enter my home and the home of my loved ones, it is always a great joy. Thank you because I know that you will finish what you started.
“Nothing without You, nothing without us”
Thank you.
Photo: Milena with the Pilgrim Mother.
Original: Italian. Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, Cape Town, South Africa
