Cathy’s Sight Saver Link: https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/cathy-schanzer/2017SEIRFS
Tom’s Sight Saver Link: https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/tom-lewis-1/2017SEIRFS
We are nearing the finish line of this year’s Ride. We have experience some challenges along the way that have made it difficult to broadcast this Ride. Our email service did one of those fancy upgrades that put our campaign on hold for a couple of weeks and then Tom came down with the flu for another week of down time. Nonetheless, support for our Ride continues as we close in on $35,000 of total contributions.
Our Ride continues at Fatima. For three days we prayed and wandered around in the holy presence of our Blessed Mother. We learned more about the simple peasant lives of the three children she appeared to; we walked and prayed the two-mile Stations of the Cross trail; we explored the St. John Paul II Conference Center including a large multi-lingual Sacrament of Reconciliation chamber; we attended various presentations about Mary’s six consecutive monthly visits on the 13th of each month (symbolic for 1 God, 3 persons); we learned of Mary’s future warnings and studied the Miracle of the Sun that was seen by 70,000+ people during her last visit to Fatima; and we marveled at the art work on exhibit through the area. Tom felt a sense of calm and peace but Cathy sensed a sadness of Mother Mary as she petitioned for more prayers and less sin in the world. Either way, we remained in awe that indeed something well beyond our daily lives is continuing to work at this holy place.
On our return to Lisbon we stopped at St. Stephen’s Church in Santarem, the site of a Eucharistic miracle 750 years ago. An unhappy wife with an unfaithful husband agreed to take a consecrated host to a local soccerist who vowed to help her with her marriage. While leaving the church the hidden host began bleeding in her stole such that others thought she had severely cut her hand. She hurriedly went home and tucked her bleeding stole away in a cabinet. That evening a bright light from the cabinet filled the house. She confessed to her husband what she had done and why she did it. He confessed his unfaithfulness and asked for her forgiveness and they both kneeled and prayed at the cabinet all night. The next morning, at their request, the pastor came and led a procession back to the church were the bleeding host continues to be on exhibit today. We came face to face with the blood-stained host and prayed our thanksgiving for our resurrected Lord. It was a perfect ending to our faith-filled journey
With love and appreciation,
Tom & Cathy
You are welcome to mail your donation to:
Southern Eye Institute
P.O Box 771317
Memphis, TN 38177
901.569.3939
SEIRide.com
southerneyeinstitute.net
