Totus Tuus - Totus 2us

Today's Something about Mary

_{is by Joe, who's at university in London:}

_{"For me Our Lady is the ultimate example of humility."}

_{This documentary, first aired on Easter Friday, illuminates the stark, chilling truth of what is going on RIGHT NOW in Sudan against the Nuba people. President Omar Al-Bashir (still free 10 years on from the Darfur atrocities for which he is 'wanted' for war crimes) has stated that his aim is to impose Islam & the Arabic language on all the people in Sudan - there's to be no diversity of culture or ethnicity. As the people in the Nuba mountains are mainly black Christian Africans, Al-Bashir's government forces are committing genocide against these people, with daily bombing attacks and enforced famine; all journalists & aid workers have been banned from the region. The heroes of the film are those working at Mother of Mercy Catholic hospital (the only hospital for the 1 million people in this region). Dr Tom Catena is a missionary ex US naval doctor, who came to Sudan 4 years ago & hasn't left the hospital compound once since 2011. Aidan Hartley leaves the last words to Sister Angelina Nyakuru: "Is there nobody there who can hear the cries of the Nuba people .. Is there nobody who can speak on their behalf, who can say 'Stop. People have died enough.' So I asked myself: Where is the international community? .. where are they?"}

_{There is only 1 road into the Nuba mountains from the south and this will be blocked off when the rains start in a couple of weeks. So we all need to act NOW & do what we can to spread the word and support the hospital. You can watch the 25 min film here, follow journalist Aidan Hartley on Twitter & read his superb As to Qs on reddit here; donate to Mother of Mercy hospital here.}

_{Sandy, from the US, has written to Totus2us: "As a result of reading about the crisis, I feel impelled to begin a "Save the Sudanese" Rosary Campaign, joining together with St Josephine Bakhita, Patron Saint of Sudan, in asking for a miraculous and quick heavenly intervention for our poor suffering brothers and sisters there. Will you please join me in this rosary campaign? Please just simply spiritually unite with St. Josephine Bakhita in begging her to obtain this miraculous intervention to turn this crisis around quickly."  PLEASE join in with your prayers & spread the word.}

_{John Paul II: "In the name of suffering humanity I appeal once more to those with responsibility: open your hearts to the cries of millions of innocent victims & embrace the path of negotiation. I plead with the international community: do not continue to ignore this immense human tragedy. I invite the whole Church to invoke the intercession of St Bakhita upon all our persecuted & enslaved brothers & sisters, especially in Africa & in her native Sudan, that they may know reconciliation & peace."}

Man for Others

_{Father Bert Koppen, from Holland & a member of The Spiritual Family the Work, talks of his road to the priesthood, which included a pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 1989 where, aged 35, he went to confession for the first time in many years.}

_{"A profession you choose yourself, a vocation is something that comes from God. I did not make the decision to be a priest, God did. I wanted to be an engineer but God wanted me as a priest. And I only had to say 'Yes. Yes God, I will do your will, I follow your way' and then He gives the strength for it; Day by day, not in advance, years before. No. He gives His light, His graces, His strength at the moment you need it. And we have to go day by day His way, to hear His voice, to go His ways, work with the graces you're given at the moment, and in that you can far, far overcome yourself, because He wants it. And He doesn't want us to make borders, 'I can't get over that'. When God wants it, He asks only to jump over that border and go further in Him, with Him, and that is special for the priesthood, something great for religious. It is not something we can, we do, we live, but it is only every day, again and again, 'Yes God. I will go with you. I will follow your way, your vocation you have given to me.' And that is a great fulfilment that gives us a strength and makes us stand hold in all the difficulties life gives." ♦}

Blessed John Paul II

_{"Fear not to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and by his power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind.}

_{Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ. To his saving power open the frontiers of states, economic and political systems, the vast realms of culture, civilization, and development.}

_{Do not be afraid. Christ knows 'what is in humans'. He alone knows!" (16th October 1978)}

Papa Benedetto XVI

_{"After the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord.}

_{The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with inadequate instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.}

_{Let us move forward in the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help. The Lord will help us and Mary, his Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you." (19th April 2005)}

All around the world

_{You can listen by country to the witness given, by young people in particular, on Totus2us's podcasts. Countries represented so far are: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, DR Congo, Dominica, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Samoa, Zambia & Zimbabwe.}

_{The countries not included above which Papa Benedict XVI, Blessed John Paul II &/or Paul VI have visited are: Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkino Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Cuba, Curaçao, Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji Islands, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Guam, Guinea, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Palestine, Papua-New Guinea, Puerto Rico, La Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay.}