POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II FIRMLY BELIEVED IN THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THE MESSAGES AND MIRACLES IN NAJU, KOREA

While Pope St. John Paul II was visiting Siracusa, Italy, on November 6, 1994, he delivered a sermon during the Mass, in which he spoke about the Blessed Mother's tears.  This sermon in Siracusa by the Holy Father could also apply to the Blessed Mother’s tears in Naju:

"Her tears confirm that there is a Mother in the Church and in the world. A mother weeps when her children are faced with threats of evil whether they are physical or spiritual. Her tears are tears of prayer. Oh, Blessed Mother of Tears! Look down at the sufferings in this world with your motherly mercy. Wipe away the tears from the eyes of those who are suffering, those who have become forgotten and fallen into despair, and those who have become victims of violence. After everyone sees the deep love in the Mother's Heart, let them shed the tears of joy.  Praise to Jesus Christ!"

What St. John Paul II said and did about Naju

1986: The Korean Bishops went to Rome for their ad limina visit to the Holy See in 1986 and the Pope John Paul II heard about the miracles in Naju, Korea for the first time.  During the Korean Bishops’ audience with the Holy Father, Archbishop Victorinus Yoon (from the Gwangju Diocese in Korea to which the Naju Parish belongs) said, “In my diocese, a statue of the Blessed Mother has shed tears.”  The Pope responded, “In such a case, it is important to examine the fruits.”

1991: Five years later, the Korean Bishops again visited the Vatican for their ad limina visit.  During the meeting, the Holy Father encouraged (or ordered) the Korean Bishops to share these wonderful graces in Naju with others in the Asia Continent.   

1994: On November 24, 1994, Archbishop Giovanni Bulaitis, the Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, visited Naju with Fr. Raymond Spies, Julia’s spiritual director, and spent several hours there with several other priests, Julia, and some lay persons.  While they were praying, a Eucharist suddenly and miraculously came down from above and landed on Julia’s tongue.  Archbishop Bulaitis picked up this Eucharist and broke a part of it into tiny pieces and the persons in the chapel received it on their tongues.  The remaining larger pieces were safekept in Fr. Spies’ chapel in Seoul.   After Archbishop Bulaitis returned to his office in Seoul, he prepared a long report and mailed it to the Holy Father.  The Holy Father received detailed and official information about Naju.   

1995: In September of 1995, the Holy Father sent Bishop Vincent Thu, His personal secretary, to Naju and delivered His message to Julia, in which He comforted her (for her continuing pains) and invited her to come to one of the Masses celebrated by Him. 

Near the end of October that year, Julia, Julio (her husband), their daughter, two friends, and a Korean Monsignor (Secretary General of the Korean Bishops’ Conference) went to the Vatican and participated in the Holy Father’s Mass in the morning of October 31, 1995.  During the Mass, a miracle of the Eucharist occurred to Julia. The appearance of the Eucharist in Julia’s mouth changed into living and bleeding flesh.  After the Mass ended, the Holy Father saw this Eucharist in Julia’s mouth and very surprised.  A few minutes later, the Holy Father blessed Julia and gave her and her companions the rosaries.  In 1996 (when the Korean Bishops were again visiting the Holy See), the Holy Father told an American Bishop working in Korea: “I saw the Eucharist changed into bleeding flesh in Julia’s mouth.”  The Holy Father also asked him how he thought about it and the Bishop answered:  “I believe it is true.”

2001: In March 2001, the Korean Bishops again came to the Holy See for their ad limina visit.  On March 31 of the same year, I (living in Oregon) was surprised to receive a phone call from Bishop Paul Kim in Korea, who just returned from the Vatican.  Bishop Kim had visited Naju in July 1997 and also had seen a Eucharist miraculously coming down.  I was very grateful to Bishop Kim because he sometimes called me from Korea and told me the situation in Korea.  (He retired years ago.)  I have also deeply respected him because of his firm faith and profound teachings.  On March 31, 2001, the Bishop seemed to have some very important news.  He just came back from Rome and, of course, participated in the meeting with the Holy Father.  I do not easily share such special information with others, but, if I kept these news for me alone, so many people would never know the truth and would believe what is false as if it is truth.  So I now wish to share this not with anybody in the world but only with those who are truly faithful to Our Lord and Our Lady and to the correct teachings of the Church.

Bishop Kim talked to me for 30 minutes on the phone.  I was only listening and memorizing.  Bishop Kim said that the Korean Bishops, about 30, were in the meeting room and waited for what Pope John Paul II would ask or order them.  It was obvious that “Naju” was the main subject to the Holy Father.  Actually, the Holy Father had asked the Korean Bishops repeatedly before to “share the graces of Naju with others in Asia”, but he has not seen any progress yet.  The Holy Father asked them again, “What has been done about Naju (until now)?”  He looked stern and not happy.  But nobody among the 30 Korean Bishops answered the Holy Father’s question.  The quiet and embarrassing time flowed a long, long time.  It was a shameful time for the Korean Church.

Bishop Kim told me that he happened to be sitting just by the Holy Father and, finally, asked the Holy Father, “May I present a report (on Naju and the Church in Korea) after this lunch meeting?”  The Holy Father agreed and, after the lunch, the Holy Father and Bishop Kim went to another room.  Bishop Kim’s reporting took as long as one hour and when it ended, the Holy Father seemed extremely satisfied and happy and embraced Bishop Kim.  The Holy Father was finally able to know the details of the situation and problems in the Church in Korea.  He heard about the situation in Naju, the Gwangju Archdiocese, some of the powerful modernist priests, and even the secret interference by (at least) one Cardinal in the Vatican.  The Holy Father told Bishop Kim that he would send his orders to the offices.  I understood this as meaning that the Holy Father sent down His orders for the preparing the official approval of Naju without any further delaying so that the graces of Naju might be shared with those in Asia and elsewhere.  The messages and miracles in Naju had started in June 1985, 32 years ago.  I was so happy thinking that Naju would finally be approved. 

But the opposite modernist forces became extremely active to block what the Pope was pushing.  These anti-Papal forces in the Vatican and in Korea seem to be winning even though the large majority Bishops and priests in the Vatican as well as Korea must be still faithful to the right Teachings of the Church. Eventually, the modernist heretics will be defeated, because we are not leaning on our own power but on the Eternal Power of God and Our Lady.  Also, those who follow the falsehood are always standing on lies as the serpent did in the Garden of Eden.  Lies will never win before truth and justice.   

This does not mean that we can just rest and wait for the work by Our Lord and Our Lady.  We are the children of Our Lord and Our Lady and their workers as well.  We must continue to pray hard and work hard for Our Lord and Our Lady.  Let us remember that Satan always works through humans and Our Lord and Our Lady also work through Their children.  The modernists not only spread so many lies but also deny God’s real intervention in our current times (actually, in all of the human history).  It is their greatest lie among all lies that they have spread.  Our Lord and Our Lady are always present with us and are directing us.  The true messages and miracles are the evidence.

- Benedict S. Lee

Mary’s Touch By Mail.  7/10/17