"Pilgrimage of Mercy" ~ X Marks the Spot Total Eclipse of the Sun ~ North America

National Solar Observatory

This eclipse will take place on April 8th, and will begin in Mexico, going straight across to Maine and Canada. Apparently, the best viewing is in Mexico and Texas due to likely best weather conditions.

The eclipse, when seen with the total eclipse of 2017, makes an X across the US, a 9,000 square mile area, over Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois. Some think this is a prophetic sign. The last total eclipse across the US (before 2017) was in 1918, the close of WWI. I might add that “the Lady clothed with the Sun and the Moon at her feet” was seen in the sky also in 2017. This image is notably written about by Saint John in Apocalypse. In addition, during the 7-year time period between eclipses, we have all crossed the “Covid Threshold” and we are facing numerous other polycrises. The world has changed between those 2 eclipses, that together create an “X.”

How about a pilgrimage to beseech god’s mercy upon the usa?

Since the US is getting the “X,” it sounds like a good idea to step up prayer for this country. And in this time of Septuagesima, maybe we can make a Lenten plan to that effect. Jesus said that some demons require prayer and fasting to remove. Demons are clearly running free across the world at this time, like never before. I don’t think I need to give examples. So…prayer and fasting this Lent.

An idea I came up with is to perform a…

“Pilgrimage of Mercy”

the week of the eclipse, April 7-13

My family is traveling to the eclipse and we will be doing this pilgrimage. We will be visiting 6 holy sites during the week and praying the Rosary. We will provide supplemental prayers, which will be posted here in PDF form. If you don’t want to miss this, please get on our email list. (See button above.)

Think about some shrines, churches, etc., that you can visit during that week with your family, to beg for God’s mercy and lift up prayer to Him. Or…organize something with your church or ministry! If you’re not in the US, then do this for your own country, as the whole world is engulfed now in sin and Judgement is upon us.

God bless you all and your families! Chiara F Mathews:)

please spread the word about this pilgrimage ~ thank you!

…and let us know if you participate

The Day After the Darkness: A Double Marian Feast!

[Note this was written in 2017, on the day after the first “X” eclipse.]

In His great mercy, Our Blessed Lord gives us His Mother today in a glorious double Marian feast....it is the feast of the Heavenly Queenship of Our Lady in the new calendar and the feast of her Immaculate Heart in the old.  He struck a sword through our heart just yesterday, but today reminds us that we always have recourse to the one who knows this sword well.  Her own heart was stricken seven times with the sword and she knows just how many babies were slaughtered in their mother's wombs across that very path of darkness through our country yesterday....how many impure acts, blasphemies, lies, drug overdoses, suicides...she sees it all.  The Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States of America, comes today to us with her graces, the Mediatrix, in her Queenly crown, with her bleeding heart....to show us the way out.

As darkness descended in the Northwest yesterday, the musical piece "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence," began to play on the Pandora channel in my kitchen.  When I noticed this, I was amazed, shut the music off in obedience, went to the live-cam, and saw the eclipse approaching total blackness.  Following are the words to this beautiful hymn, from the 4th Century Liturgy of Saint James.  They seem frighteningly appropriate:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand,
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand....

Rank on rank the host of Heaven,
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of Light descendeth,
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of Hell may vanish,
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the Presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry,
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

And ponder the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, from his "Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon:"

"Praised be Thee my Lord with all Thy creatures
Especially Sir Brother Sun
Who is the day through whom Thou givest us light
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor
Of Thee Most High, he bears the Likeness"

If we follow Saint Francis' theology, then it is God who has been eclipsed.  Look around.  It would seem so.

As the journey of the Total Eclipse across our land was reaching completion, I was inspired to write the following poem on the Long Island Railroad, on my way to Forest Hills...traveling the same path as those who were massacred on the train 24 year ago (though they were heading the other direction):

O Brother Sun!

O Brother Sun!  O Sister Moon!
What dost thou do?
In thy marriage, we are convicted
In this darkness, our blindness dispelled
As it once was, so long ago
When Our Savior hung upon the Cross
How Father orders the cosmos
To speak to His children!
Even from the beginning of time
He orders it according to our sins
O Brother Sun!  O Sister Moon!
What dost thou do?
May all mortal flesh keep silence
In this hour
And as thou shinest once again, Brother Sun,
May we in turn, shine brilliant, resurrected
Returning to innocence, O may it be so!
By Mother Immaculate, our Patroness
Showering her graces, like a storm
O Brother Sun, see and rejoice!

We are not to forget this great sign given us at a most critical hour in human history.  The rest of the world, with its short attention span, will forget even this....and many have seen the Total Eclipse of the Sun, but have not seen at all.  But we, cherish these things and keep them in our hearts.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Forest Hills, NY

The eclipse was very subtle in New York, but there was a feeling, a slight darkening, like an impending storm.  My niece in Pennsylvania said it was subtle there also, difficult to describe, and "eerily still."  Above, you see Our Lady, triumphant, in total brightness later in the day, her feet trampling the serpent, with blue roses to honor her. 

"In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph!"

Solar Eclipse Today: A Warning for America?

[Note this was written in 2017, on the day of the first “X” eclipse.]

The solar eclipse across the United States today is being called, "The Great American Eclipse."  From the Northwest to the Southeast, it will cut a strike right through the heart of the Home of the Brave.  If we were looking for some kind of sign, we might look for something....just like this? 

We know that God uses celestial events to give signs.  The Star of Bethlehem is the best-known such event, but Holy Scripture speaks of others, particularly at the End of Time.  And we know that the Fatima apparitions culminated in a celestial phenomenon-some say this was merely a depiction of a future event.  As we celebrate the centennial of these extraordinary visions, the most powerful nation in the world is darkened through its very heart....perhaps an illustration of what has happened to many hearts these days.  Just look around you.  Need I elaborate?

On this date in 1879, the complex and unusual apparition of Our Lady of Knock appeared in Ireland.  What was the significance of this event and does it still have relevance today?  Could it be related to our solar eclipse today? Our Lady of Knock, pray for us!

Pray for an end to the darkness of hearts!  Pray for mercy!