Madonna Interfaith Community

I come from a rather large family. There were five children and often were stressful, to say the least in our household. We were all enrolled in a catholic school that was about 25 minutes from our house. My mother was always running around doing three sets of braids in the morning, while my brothers were usually trying to track down their shoes. In addition to our family of five going to this school, we also picked up two or three other children.

This particular morning had been extremely stressful, my father was looking for something he could not find and the house was in utter chaos. I was trying as usual to stay out of the way, so I waited by the back door, trying to be invisible, as all of the yelling was going on. I remember becoming so frightened of what was going on that I had a wetting accident. Just about that time everyone came into the kitchen and pushed on through to get to the car. I did not have a chance to change my clothes. Humiliated and crying I sat in the backseat of the station wagon trying to not call attention to myself.

As we crested a hilltop on the back roads to school, I looked up into the sky and that is when I saw her, the Blessed Mother. I remember tapping on my Sister Peggy’s shoulder and trying to tell her to look and she yelled at me to not touch her. I thought for sure that she was there to see Peggy, as she was what I always called the “religious one”. Peggy collected icons of the Blessed Mother and had them proudly displayed all over the room that we shared. As I gazed upon what I have called my very own apparition, I heard her say to me “do not worry dear one, you are safe on this journey, no harm shall come of you or to you, you have been provided safe passage for this lifetime”. It was so instant that I just sat there in the wonderment of it all, trying to figure out if I indeed imagined it or if it was true,

After that time my life at home was so very different for me, as hard as this is to explain — it seemed as if a weight had been taken off of my shoulders. I have always had a special attachment to the Blessed Mother. When I pray to her I ask for proof – roses and roses show up.

On October 30, 2002, I was doing my morning journaling when a message from the Blessed Mother came through that I was to write my story for others to read. She told me that she has been appearing for centuries to talk with many who have not taken her seriously. Not that she was negating those who did write about her, however, she indicated that what she was looking for were stories that the “normal” everyday person, (I guess that’s me), could share with others. I ask her “Why me”? She, of course, responded, “Why not”. She said, “This is why I showed myself to you as a child. For a long time you kept it inside of you, never wondering, always believing and trusting, that what you saw that day was true for you.”

So — being the intuitive that I am, and the human that I am, I asked her for proof. I told her I wanted to be shown pink roses, a rosary, and many pictures of her at one time. Now I assumed that this was probably not going to happen anytime soon.

On November 4 my friend Penny invited me to go to the Phoenix Art Musuem. I have lived in Phoenix for ten years and had never visited or had a desire to visit the art museum. Penny assured me that we would not stay long and she had a two for one pass she was wanting to use. I just happened to have that day at home so I met Penny at the Art Museum.
Continued . . .

As we walked down into the lobby, I told Penny that I needed to leave as my blood sugar had dropped and I needed to eat. Just as we were ready to walk out the door, I heard this voice so strong in my head that I would be fine and that I needed to go visit the other side upstairs. I told Penny and she said that we could come back another day. I was pulled to explore the upstairs. I was not prepared for what I would see next for me and yet again no surprises.

The “upstairs section on the other side” turned out to be a section that was devoted to the Blessed Mother. There was a picture with Joseph, Mary and Jesus and Joseph was holding a rose branch with three pink roses. There was a variety of pictures depicting Mary – as well as one that (to me) appeared to have a rosary over her head. I believe that my proof was on that day.

On February 20, 2003, I was ordained into the Madonna Ministry. As with so many things in life, being ordained into the Madonna Ministry was just another synchronicity.

A few years ago when I still owned an angel store, I had a visit from a woman, (whose name I do not recall), at the store and as we were talking I shared my experiences with her around the Blessed Mother. She invited me at that time to look into the Madonna Ministry and even asked if I would be interested in attending a national conference, being held in Sedona the next year. She was so kind in that she also requested that I exhibit my store in a booth at the conference. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend that conference and time went on.

In the fall of 2002 I was sharing a story with a friend – again concerning the Blessed Mother – and also telling my friend that I was looking for a non-denominational church where I could become an ordained minister. She was so excited for me! She told me that with the experiences that I have had over the years and the work that I have committed to doing in this lifetime of assisting others in their spiritual growth and my path, I could easily become ordained within her ministry, which it turns out was the Madonna Interfaith Community.

To me, of course, it is no accident that I had the opportunity later to be ordained into the Madonna Interfaith Community.

When I went online to choose a Bishop of whom I could request my ordination ceremony, I was surprised, and yet not at all surprised, to find that one of the Bishops, Shirley, was a woman I had met in prior years on my journey. Shirley was as delighted as I was to be able to request it of her.

So . . . having come full circle once again I am pleased to add Reverend to my credentials.

Blessings on this journey
Reverend Cathy Ann Catherine