Many people are repenting their sinful lives and are experiencing spiritual and physical healings in Naju

Thank you, the Blessed Mother of Naju! St. Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us! I thank you for loving us so much and converting sinners with your face stained with tears and tears of blood.

When I first heard about Naju, I could not easily believe it and wanted anxiously to visit Naju and see it myself. The Blessed Mother, you called me, such a foolish and sinful me, to bring many mothers and children to Naju. So, I brought the first group there after getting my Pastor’s permission.

It was December 1987. As we entered the Blessed Mother’s House, we could see tears flowing down on the Blessed Mother’s face even from a distance, because tears were reflecting the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. Momentarily, I felt electricity in my whole body. On the one hand, I felt fearful; on the other, I could not help shedding tears. Now, I understand that the Blessed Mother was helping me repent. At that time, I did not know why I was crying so much.

From the moment we entered the Chapel, we smelled an intense fragrance of roses. There were more than 50 people in our group. At first, there were sounds of weeping here and there, but, soon, the Chapel turned into a sea of crying. People were crying uncontrollably, with their faces all wet with tears and mucus from their noses. I also felt like crying without restraint, but, as the leader of the group, I tried to control myself. I tried to pray and sing hymns instead, but I was crying more than praying or singing.

We brought our lunches, but had trouble eating them. Being aware of our sinfulness, we could not swallow food. Then, we greeted the Blessed Mother, two at a time. In the afternoon, Julia came and gave us a talk. Her words were so penetrating to our hearts that we cried more and repented our sins. I was a murderer who had committed abortions many times. My self-centered, worldly attitude was changing completely. We had to make a long, five-hour trip back to Ansung (our home city), but no one wanted to leave. Everyone was totally absorbed in Julia’s testimonies.

Actually, when we were leaving Ansung that morning in two buses, one lay leader in my parish criticized us, saying that we were swarming to vain places like the migratory birds. However, many in our group experienced spiritual and physical healings. Everyone became filled with joy and gratitude. They were healed of arthritis, stomach disease, neuralgia, and so on. That angry lay leader even cursed us, as our buses were leaving for Naju, “I wish you had an accident on the way!” We later heard that, on the same day, the radiator in his car exploded and he got a bad burn on one of his feet. He suffered for four months because of it. He later said that he was being punished. It was a lesson that we should never curse others but always bless each other.

Since then, I have brought groups of pilgrims to Naju more than ten times. Many people repented and experienced spiritual and physical healings. One person who was unable to walk came to Naju. Because of the pains in the back, he was lying down on the aisle in the bus. On the way back from Naju, he was able to walk and was sitting in the bus instead of lying down.

A couple who just returned from a pilgrimage to Europe and a problem and decided to get divorced. They put their house on sale and were preparing divorce documents. The wife was reluctant to come to Naju, but was almost forced to come by her friends. After her trip to Naju, she went to her husband, and asked for forgiveness, shedding tears. She also went to her daughter and her husband and begged for their forgiveness. They were all crying together. Her daughter, who had not been practicing faith, returned to the Church.

There also was a woman, over 60, who was declared hopeless by her doctors and was discharged from the hospital. She was not expected to live more then three months. Her abdomen was big, filled with liquid and looked like a pregnant woman’s in her 8^th month. Her face was swollen, too. She had difficulty in urinating and breathing. When she visited Naju and came back to her church in Ansung, her abdomen became normal and she was able to urinate easily. She was breathing easily also. In the next two to three days, all the swellings in her body disappeared. Now, it has been four years, but she is very healthy and works hard as a member of the Legio Mariae.

In August, 1991, there were especially many serious patients in the group. One girl, a catechumen, had darkened skins and an almost bald head. Her hands and feet also looked sick, as their skins were peeling off. Another woman suffering from a stroke was unable to walk. Another person had a high fever. . . etc. The bus also had a mechanical problem on the way to Naju. Everyone had a hard time. After we arrived in Naju, Julia spoke to us briefly. We prayed before the Blessed Mother and prepared to leave. Julia embraced each one of us and prayed for us. The Blessed Mother was pouring the fragrance of roses upon us who came despite many difficulties. As we were leaving, the woman who had been suffering from a stroke was walking by herself. How can one describe the tears of gratitude and the tears of joy? The girl with darkened skins and a bald head completely regained her normal appearance and health. Gratitude and praise be to the Lord for accomplishing through His Mother what was impossible by human power and for renewing sinners. We did not want to leave the Blessed Mother’s House! On the way home, we all became one and cried, sang, prayed, and thanked and gave glory to God together. One man had been trying hard to discourage people from going to Naju, but came with us. In the bus, he confessed what he had been doing. He asked everyone to forgiveness. He said that it was really good that he came along and that he learned a lot and thanked God for that. He said that he would come to Naju for retreat one or two times a year at least. How can all these be without the Blessed Mother’s help?

There are many other testimonies to make, but I will stop here. While I was writing these testimonies, I continuously smelled the fragrance of roses, sometimes stronger and sometimes more sutble. I thank the Blessed Mother for being with me.

The Blessed Mother, I, an unworthy daughter of yours, implore you. Let every moment of my life be a joy to you. Accept all of my heart and body. I am yours. Use it as you wish! All I have belongs to you.

— Veronica Keum-ja Cho, Hanyoung Yunlib, #203, 23-2 Bongsan-dong, Ansung-eub, Ansung-kun, Kyungki Province, December 31, 1992, the eve of the Great Feast of St. Mary the Mother of God