The Symbolism of Tombstones

Some people find graveyards unnerving. I, myself find them quite fascinating! When one enters a graveyard, one is surrounded by many works of art that eulogize family, friends, loved ones, and even pets, that have passed away. Some of these tombstones are very simple; name, date of birth, and date of death. Other tombstones are elaborate carvings and statues! During my many wanderings and photo taking adventures, I have become curious as to what some of the more frequent and popular images I was seeing stood for (besides a nice image to look at)! Below are some examples of the more popular tombstone images and the meanings that coincide with them.

Angels
Angels are seen as the agent of God, often pointing towards heaven. They are also seen as guardians of the dead while symbolizing spirituality.

Books

Books remind us that tombstones are documents, bearing vital statistics and epitaphs concerning the deceased. Books may be open, possibly to signify that the stone is a kind of biography, or closed in recognition of the fact that the story of the dead is over. The book on a tombstone may be The Book or The Bible. This identification can be defined by the presence of a citation (i.e. John 19:14) or an actual line of scripture or literature that could have been a favorite of the deceased. Also, the deceased may have just really liked to read!!

The Mysterious Disappearance of Mike Marcum

Twenty-one year old Mike Marcum built himself a Jacobs ladder for no other reason than his own amusement. He then noticed a strange shimmering circle appear above it. Marcum said he didn’t know what it was, but he got a notion to throw a screw into it. He took a sheet metal screw and threw into the shimmering circle, when it went into the circle the screw disappeared.  Marcum said it was gone for about a second and then reappeared a few feet away. Marcum was convinced the screw went into the future.

Do Einstein's Laws Prove Ghosts Exist? - Yahoo! News

Do Einstein's Laws Prove Ghosts Exist? - Yahoo! News:

'via Blog this'

This is a very interesting article written on Einstein's theory that energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be transformed from what form to another. The writer identifies how several paranormal investigation groups are using this theory to prove that their are ghosts. The author further explains that the energy after we die gets absorbed into the environment and into the animals who ingest our remains after our physical bodies have died.

My viewpoint of this article is that the author has many valid, scientific examples to support his belief that our energy is simply dispersed into the environment. The aspect that is missing, however, is the belief in the hereafter. When our physical bodies die, our soul lives on, and contains energy. Those souls who do not cross over that are considered ghosts, draw energy on their environment to manifest or gain enough energy to manipulate objects.

Read the article and let us know what you think.

Kerri L. Schultz

Evangeline Adams ~Astrologer Who Proved Her Powers in Court

Every once and a while the same headline will creeps into the news “Challenge to any Psychic to Prove their Powers.” The first such challenge was actually made by Harry Houdini in 1925 who offered any psychic $50,000 dollars to prove their powers under test conditions. Following his death, his wife offered $10,000 to any psychic or layperson who could make contact with Harry. Neither prize was collected.

Ancient Vampires

We know all about the vampires from Anne Rice, Stephanie Meyer and Bram Stoker, who based his literary villain Dracula on the historical figure Vlad Dracul. But, did you know vampire stories have been told for thousands of years? The legend of vampires have captured the imagination and horror of countless since the dawn of civilization. Let me share a few…

Ancient Mesopotamia

The first vampire-like demons could be found in Ancient Mesopotamia, also known as the ‘cradle of civilization’. Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age (3300-1200 BCE) included the Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Sumerian empires. This area is part of the Tigris-Euphrates river system and encompasses present-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and southwestern Iran.

Lilitu

The goddess Lamashtu (daughter of the sky god Anu) was a wicked, blood-sucking being, who menaced women during childbirth and kidnapped babies. She drank their young, fresh blood and gnawed on their bones. She caused nightmares, infested rivers and lakes, and spread illness and death. Lamashtu is described as having the head of a lion and the feet of a bird. Parents often used amulets and statues to protect against Lamashtu’s malevolence. 

If you died a violent death or were not buried properly, Sumerians believed you would come back as an edimmu which was a type of spirit or demon. They terrorized the living by walking through walls to suck the life from their sleeping victims. They also caused disease and criminal behavior.

Assyrian demons called Lilitu were described as beautiful women who used their beauty to beguile and trap their victims. They sexually victimized men. They roamed during the night, hunting and killing pregnant women and drinking the blood of babies. They are associated with lions, storms, desert and disease. They are depicted having wings and bird talons for feet. Some believe the Jewish demoness Lilith was a part of this group of Assyrian demons.

Incorruptibility – Divine Souls that Don’t Decompose

St. Bernadette

Incorruptibility is a belief of the Roman Catholic Church that God intervenes to keep the bodies of those humans who are deemed saints from decomposing. The criteria for being recognized as a saint are three miracles. The miracles would be reported by a person who prayed to the would be saint and asked them to intercede on their behalf. One of these miracles included incorruptibility, but that is no longer the case. The Roman Catholic Church still recognizes, however, a corpse that does not decompose is a divine act of God.

Voodoo is it evil? Marie Laveau was she evil?

There are many misconceptions of Voodoo, it is said to be evil. Marie Laveau was said to be evil by some and a saint by others. After researching Marie it’s still up in the air whether she is evil or not. But before we get to Marie let’s take a look at Voodoo.

The Fon people of West Africa have a word for spirit, which is Vodoun. Voodoo is how it is said in America. Voodoo is a three tier spiritual system based on god, spirits and ancestors. A single god and creator are very much a part of Voodoo, but god is detached from everyday life.

In Voodoo a host of spirits interacts with humans in all matters of fate and fortune. Deceased ancestors remain a force in life.

Toys "R" Us Toy Demonstrations by a Ghost

Many believe that only buildings can be haunted and that the likely cause is a person’s death on the premises. There are a great percentage of hauntings that can be categorized under these circumstances, but it is also possible that a person can be attached to the land. This leads us to the unfortunate and heartbreaking story of Johnny Johnson.

Johnny Johnson (or Yonny Yohanson) was a young Scandinavian immigrant who was studying for the ministry in the late 1800s. One summer he took a job working on the farm of wealthy landowner Martin Murphy, Jr. in Sunnyvale California. It is said that at some point during his employment with Murphy he contracted encephalitis, which caused brain damage. Johnson never completed his ministry study and stayed on as a hired hand due to his mental impairment.

The Flatwoods Monster

September 12^th 1952, a report of an unidentified extraterrestrial seen in Flatwoods, Braxton County West Virginia. It was soon to become known as the Flatwoods monster, also called the Braxton county monster or the phantom of Flatwoods.

Two brothers, Eddie and Freddie May and friend Tommy Hyer witnessed a bright object go across the sky. The object seemed to have landed on a nearby farm owned by G. Bailey Fisher.

On their way to the farm the boys stopped and got their mother Kathleen May. Three more boys joined the party Neil Nundey, Ronnie Shaver, and Eugene Lemon. Once they got to the farm, Lemons dog ran ahead of the group barking and howling. Then the dog came running back with its tail between its legs. They travelled another ¼ mile to a small hill and on the other side they saw a pulsating ball of fire. They also came across a pungent mist that burned their eyes and nose.

Zozo The Ouija Nightmare

Photo taken during contact with zozo

For thousands of years man used some sort of media to receive messages from deities. Since the mid 19^th century no other spirits name has been repeated more than Zozo.

 Thousands of people all over the world are reporting a nasty entity or entities which are called Zozo, or the Z-series entities (zo, zuzu, zaza, zono, etc). Another entity worth mentioning that likes to join the Z entities is an entity that goes by the name Mama.

Their Final Words

Have you ever thought what would be your last words if you knew you were dying? A person’s last actions and words before leaving their physical body have often intrigued me, as it gives a small window into their final thoughts. Here are some interesting and unusual last words:

P.T. Barnum, circus entrepreneur

“How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?

L. Frank Baum 

“Now I can cross the Shifting Sands.”

The Shifting Sands is a desert surrounding the Land of Oz in his book The Wizard of Oz.

Todd Beamer, passenger on United Flight 93, September 11, 2001

“Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” 

Last recorded words from his cell phone as he and other passengers stormed the cockpit to retake the plane from hijackers. The plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

John Belushi – comedian

“Just don’t leave me alone.”

Charlie Chaplin, comedian

“Why not? It belongs to him.” 

In response to a priest  reading him the last rites and saying “may the Lord have mercy on your soul.”

Joan Crawford, actress

“Dammit…Don’t you dare ask God to help me.”

Said to housekeeper who was praying aloud.

Bing Crosby, singer and actor

“That was a great game of golf, fellers.”

Said after playing 18 holes of golf. His doctor previously advised him to only play 9. 20 minutes after ending the game, Crosby died of a heart attack.

Joe DiMaggio, baseball player, former husband of Marilyn Monroe 

“I’ll finally get to see Marilyn.”

Chris Farley, comedian

“Please don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.” 

Said to a prostitute who spent the weekend with him.

Thomas J. Grasso, convicted murderer

“I did not get my Spaghetti-O’s, I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.”

Executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma

Bob Hope, actor 

“Surprise me.”

Response to his wife who asked where he wanted to be buried.

Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter 

“Don’t worry, they usually don’t swim backwards.”

Said as he was swimming with the Stingrays in the Great Barrier Reef. One did swim backward and pierced his chest with its tail. He died of blood loss.

Frida Kahlo, artist

“I hope the exit is joyful and hope never to return.”

Chris McCandless, American wanderer

“I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!” 

Written on the back of his book Education of a Wandering man. McCandless died of starvation in the Alaskan wilderness. 

Vic Morrow, actor

“I should have asked for a stunt double.”

Spoken on the set of Twilight Zone the movie before filming a dangerous scene with a helicopter. The helicopter lost control, crashed, and decapitated Morrow and killed two child actors.

Elvis Presley, singer

“Okay, I won’t.”

Response to his fiancée Ginger Alden when she told him not to fall asleep in the bathroom.

Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady 

“Utter Nonsense.”

Response to nurse who told her she would die when the reason God put her on this earth was fulfilled.

Edward H. Ruloff, convicted murderer

“I’d like to be in hell in time for dinner.”

Jimmy Stewart, actor

“I’m going to be with Gloria now.”

Spoken about his late wife.

Timothy Treadwell, bear mauling victim

“Get out of here. I’m getting killed.”

Said to his girlfriend, Amie Huguenard as he was being mauled to death by a bear. Huguenard was also killed.

Kerri L. Schultz

Hand of God Intervenes in an Unjust Death Sentence

Anne Greene worked in the house of  Sir Thomas Read of Dunstew in the county of Steeple Barton, Oxfordshire in England in 1648 and 1650. While in Sir Read's employee, Anne was seduced by her master's grandson which resulted in the birth of a child. The child was allegedly stillborn, and despite medical evidence that provided proof that this was true, the infants death was suspicious due to the circumstances.

Greene was accused of committing infanticide in 1650 and condemned to death by hanging for murder. She was fearful of the execution, not of death, but of not dying. Greene had an eery precognition that her execution would not be successful and asked several friends to pull at her body and hit her to ensure she was dead. She was executed on December 14, 1650. Her body hung the usual amount of time and her friends followed her wishes and pulled and hit her body. She was dead.

Greene's body was delivered to the medical doctors for educational dissection. It was there, that the doctors discovered that Greene was breathing. The medical doctors nursed her back to health and the courts granted her a free pardon. Surviving an execution was deemed as the hand of God intervening on behalf of an innocent put to death. Her ordeal inspired many pamphlets and poems including the "Newes from the Dead, or a True and Exact Narration of the Miraculous Deliverance of Anne Greene" written by an Oxford Scholler.

Anne Greene married, had several children, and went on to lead a  full life. Whether her survival was of a divine nature or there is a biological reason the hanging was not successful,Greene cheated death and it could only be deemed miraculous!

Kerri L. Schultz

Black-Eyed People

Words people have used to describe black-eyed people are creepy, unnerving, threatening, sinister and even inhuman.

Black-eyed people come in all shapes and sizes, children, teenagers, and adults. Black is not a natural eye color, though dark brown and dark blue can look black under low light conditions. Most black-eyed people reports claim the entire eye is black with no or very little white on the eyes.

Most black-eyed people are male, though females are reported; they have very pale skin tone. Their hair is dark and they were dark clothing. Many reports are of black-eyed kids, they look to be around the age of 10 years old. They often don’t wear shoes and look dirty.

They are said to have no personality. Folks that have encountered these beings have felt an overwhelming feeling of fear or dread. It has also been reported that their voices are hypnotic like its very hard not to fall to temptation.

They always seem to have a problem, needing a ride or needing to use your home phone. A very strange thing that is always reported about the black-eyed people is that they always ask permission to enter, whether it is your home or car. If they are told no they get very agitated and demanding.

If you’re traveling and see one chances are you will see the same black-eyed person several times, several miles apart. They are also known to hound you all night till dawn, and then they seem to have gone away.

Those whom have actually talked to them say they often say they don’t have a home. Cameras seem to be incapable of capturing them. There is a report of a man who was in an elevator with one, when he reviewed the security camera no one was on the elevator with him.

What are they? Some folks believe they are vampires; a classic trait of a vampire is to ask permission to enter. They are also said to have hypnotic voices. Some folks seem to think they are demons looking for an easy possession. Most think they are aliens. They believe they are trying to take our form so they can fit into society.

Mike Morris

Ghosts, Weather and Moon

Moon phases and weather do have an effect on the paranormal. We have all heard  of how the full moon affects humans and animals. Statistics show that hospital activity increases during the full moon. People are more aggressive during the full moon, in fact the term lunatic stems from the word lunar.

It is popular belief that ghost hunting three days prior and after a full and new moon phase increase the chances of experiencing paranormal activity. This is due to the magnetic fields being stronger during the moon phases. It is another belief that ghost can use this stronger magnetic energy to manifest.

Weather conditions can have an effect on paranormal activity also, October thru February are very good months to go ghost hunting. During these months humidity is very low, and electrostatic energy is very high. Three hours after a thunderstorm is another good time to go ghost hunting.

Space weather is another condition to consider, geomagnetic and solar storms have a very strong effect on paranormal activity. A geomagnetic field is observed in and around the earth. A geomagnetic storm is a disturbance of the magnetic field world wide.

Solar storms are caused by the sun creating solar flares. These flares send charged particles to earth, which can cause a worldwide magnetic shift.

I have investigated in all kinds of weather conditions and moon phases. We have had successful hunts during the conditions described above. There were times we didn’t have success during these conditions.

High humidity is said to be not very good ghost hunting weather, but I remember a rain storm in Gettysburg that produced all kinds of paranormal phenomena.

Mike Morris

Winged Cats - They really do exist... Sort of....

You may think that winged cats are mythical creatures found in fairy tales or in the minds of artists. Would you believe that some domestic cats do have what appear to be wings? It is said that the earliest report of a winged cat came from Henry David Thoreau in 1842. Thoreau said that a neighbor, Mrs. Gillian Baker, reportedly had the cat and that every spring the wings would fall off. Thoreau was even given a pair of wings, but noted that there was no membrane about them like you would find in a flying squirrel. This observation by Thoreau supports one of three causes of winged like appendages on cats.

1. Matted Fur - Every cat lover knows that when the weather begins to get warmer that cats shed. Matted fur can cause what appears to be wings on a cat. Thoreau, when speaking about what he witnessed, did say that the wings fell off in spring and there was only fur, no membrane.

2. Conjoining or extra limbs - Extra limbs, caused by an egg not separating correctly during gestation,  may appear as protrusions with fur and may resemble wings. These wings may move, but more typically than not, they are non-functioning.

3.Feline Cutaneous Asthenia (FCA) - This skin condition is related to the human condition Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or elastic skin. Cats with FCA will have protrusions on the shoulders or back and they can actually move the "wings" due to neuromuscular tissue within the wings.

The next question you may be asking is, "Can cats with FCA actually fly?". The answer is no.

For more information visit Wikipedia's Winged Cats

On This Day: Mt. Vesuvius Erupts - The Ghosts of Pompeii

August 23 in AD 79, the citizens of Pompeii, which was one of four cities that flourished at the base of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius, were celebrating the Feast of Vulcan, the god of fire with a citywide festival. The city of Pompeii, at that time, was home to approximately 20,000 people, in addition to vacationing Romans who owned holiday villas in the city. Ironically, the volcano Mount Vesuvius began to stir which may have appeared to be a sign that the god Vulcan was pleased.

The next morning, on August 24, Mt. Vesuvius started to erupt and the city once full of frivolity was now set into a frenzy trying to evacuate. The entire event took approximately 19 hours with 6 of those hours being a steady rain of tephra. The total accumulation of the tephra was 25 meters deep. The town of Pompeii had been silenced.

1,700 years later archaeologists began to uncover Pompeii and discovered many buildings, tools, and even artwork preserved under the volcanic ash. One archaeologist noticed there were large holes in the ash and realized that the holes were actually the forms of the bodies before they had decomposed. Plaster was injected into the holes, which resulted in an eerie discovery. The ash and pumice that buried the people of Pompeii preserved forever their last moments on earth and their eternal death masks.

A wide spread belief was that the Pompeii citizens died of ash suffocation, but that is not the case. The true cause of death was Thermal Shock. The people were exposed to heat at 250 degree Celsius at a distance of 10 kilometers and their death was instantaneous. No manner of shelter could protect them.

What remains are the casts of men, women, children, and animals in their last poses and facial expressions as they perished. If you believe in reincarnation, as I do, it is quite possible a few of us may be looking upon ourselves in a former life.

Kerri L. Schultz

Thunderbirds

A thunderbird, considered a myth, is a large bird like creature generally identified with Native Americans. Reports of these birds go back centuries, fossils have been found of giant birds with wing spans of 50 feet.

April 10^th 1948 three people in Overland IL spotted what they thought was a plane, then they saw the wings move and realized it was a huge bird. A few weeks later a father and son spotted a very large bird in Alton IL. They said it flying at 500 feet and cast a shadow the same size as a small plane.

St. Louis MI residents wrote letters to the mayor to do something about these giant birds.

July 25^th 1977 Lawndale IL three boys were playing when two large birds flew towards them and chased them. Two of the boys got away, the third was not so lucky. Ten year old Marlon Lowe was lifted 2 feet off the ground and carried some distance by one of the birds. The boys described what most believe to be an Andean condor, but a condors talons are not strong enough to lift heavy objects.

2002 Alaska a bird with a wingspan of 14 feet was reported. Many believe this was a Stellers sea eagle as there were some reported to be in the area.

Cryptozoologists believe thunderbird myths are based on sightings of real birds with a mistaken assessment of size.

Skeptics have claimed that such a large bird could never fly. There has been several large flying creatures such as the Arcentauis Manificens with a wingspan of 23 feet or the Quetzalcoatlus with a wingspan of 40 feet just to name a few.

Cryptozoologists say the thunderbird was associated with storms; the thunderbird would follow drafts to stay a flight. John Keel claims to have mapped several thunderbird sightings and found that they correspond with the storms moving across America.

Angelo Capparella, an ornithologist, says it is highly unlikely of such undiscovered large birds, especially in North America.

No one has ever produced a real photo of a thunderbird.

Mike Morris

The Lochness Monster

Is the Lochness Monster a plesiosaur?

The earliest report of Nessie was by an Irish monk Saint Columbia. St. Columbia came across locals that were burying a man, whom they claimed was attacked by Nessie. They said Nessie mauled him and drug him under while swimming in River Ness. They tried to save him but till they got there they just found a corpse.

St. Columbia sent his follower Luigne moccu Min in the river to swim, the beast came after him. St. Columbia made the sign of the cross and commanded go no further, don’t touch the man, go back at once. The beast immediately halted and fled in terror, Columbia and company praised God for the miracle.

Is it evidence that the Lochness monster has been around since the 6^th century?

July 22, 1933 George Spicer and his wife saw the beast cross the road in front of them. August of the same year Author Grant said he almost hit the beast on the North-eastern shore around 1am. He said the beast crossed the road in front of him and then went into the loch.

1938 Chief constable William Fraser believed without a doubt that the monster existed. He expressed concern regarding a hunting party that came equipped with a specially made harpoon.

1938 a tourist G.E. Taylor filmed something in Lochness for 3 minutes which was in the possession of Maurice Burton. Burton refused to let any investigators see the film.

1943 C.B. Farrel of the Royal Observer Corps claimed to have seen the monster.

December 1954 a fishing boat named Rival III made strange sonar contact. A large object 480ft deep was keeping pace with the boat.

1960 an engineer Tim Dinsdal filmed a hump crossing the water in a powerful wake unlike a boat. 1993 a documentary called Lochness Discovered featured a digital enhancement of the dinsdal film. The computer expert that enhanced the film noticed a shadow in the negative. He found what appears to be the rear of the body, the rear flippers and additional humps.

2007 Gordon Holmes captured video which he says is a jet black thing. Adrian Shine a Lochness biologist said it is among the best footage he has ever seen. He also suggested it may be an otter, seal or water bird. New broadcast of the footage below.

The famous photograph- Surgeons Photograph 1934 Robert Kenneth Wilson took the photo while looking at the loch. He saw the monster and snapped five photos of it, only two photos were clear. The image was revealed as a hoax in 1994. It was concluded that it was nothing more than a toy submarine with a head built on it.

Possible explanations are bird wakes, eels, otters, seals, trees, optical effects (choppy reflections), and elephants. Traveling circuses may have let elephants in the loch to refresh themselves.

Who knows what lies at the bottom of Lochness. Could it be that the Lochness Monster does exist? Even with the technology we have today Lochness still remains a mystery.

Mike Morris

We are starting a Meetup Group!

Join the ESP MEETUP GROUP and

Explore the Supernatural and Paranormal with us!

Click the icon above visit our Meetup Page!

Exploring the Supernatural and Paranormal is a film and blog collaboration by Mike Morris and Kerri L. Schultz. Their mutual interest in the supernatural and paranormal led Mike, a paranormal investigator and lecturer since 1986,and Kerri, a paranormal investigator and professional psychic since 2001, to team up to explore the local hauntings in Schuylkill County, PA. Soon it was apparent that this was not enough which led Mike and Kerri to research all types of phenomena based on a psychic and scientific viewpoint. This is what will be explored in the ESP Meetups!

The Meetings

Meetings will be held monthly and will be based on different topics within the scope of the supernatural and paranormal worlds. No experience or knowledge in in paranormal investigation is necessary. Mike and Kerri will be presenting and discussing

The Workshops

Mike and Kerri will be also be offering workshops for both beginners and experienced paranormal investigators or those just wanting to know more about investigations and the paranormal. Workshops will be announced and will cover previously discussed topics but much more indepth.

The Topics

Some of the topics we will cover are: Types of spirits, types of evidence, types of haunting, paranormal investigation professionalism, dealing with clients, helping clients, ghost hunting equipment and instruction on how to use it. What are guardians, djinn, elementals, thoughtforms, and demons? We will be talking about local legends and popular paranormal news. And so much more!!!!!

The Field Trips

Mike and Kerri will be working to setup field trips to haunted locations. This will allow members to partake in an actual investigations, use the equipement, and view the evidence.

On This Day: Knock County Ireland's Divine Vision

On August 21, 1879 at approximately 8pm fifteen people witnessed a miraculous vision at the south gable of Knock Parish Church in Ireland. The vision was that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and St. John the Evangelist, as well as an altar with a lamb and cross.

The witnesses’ account of the vision was quite detailed.  The Blessed Virgin Mary wore a beautiful crown with crosses that sparkled and glittered. She wore a billowing white cloak, her hands held to her shoulders with palms facing each other with her eyes looking toward heaven “deep in prayer”.  St. Joseph, also wearing a white robe, stood on the Blessed Virgin Mary’s right, facing her with his head bend forward in respect. St. John the Evangelist stood to her left in a long robe and wore a mitre. Witnesses say he appeared to be preaching and he held open a large book in his left hand. An altar with a lamb and cross standing on it stood to St. John’s left. Angels also flanked the altar.

The witnesses prayed the rosary for two hours in the pouring rain while observing the apparition. They reported that at first, when the vision appeared, the light of the day had been good, but even as the sky darkened with the incoming storm, the vision remained clear. The apparition did not move or flicker and although the ground was wet, the witnesses claim that the ground beneath the vision remained dry. One witness, Bridget Trench “went in immediately to kiss, as I thought, the feed of the Blessed Virgin; but I felt nothing in the embrace but the wall, and I wondered why I could not feel with my hands the figures which I had so plainly and so distinctly seen.”

The Archbishop of Tuam, Most Rev. Dr. John McHale established an ecclesiastical Commission of inquiry to determine the authenticity of the witnesses’ claims. The final verdict was that the testimony of all witnesses was deemed “trustworthy and satisfactory”. A second inquest was done with the surviving witnesses in 1936 who confirmed the evidence they testified to in the first inquiry. Based on both inquiries, the Catholic Church deemed this event authentic. A shrine dedicated to the vision was established and in 1979 Pope John Paul II visited the site and presented a Golden Rose which is a rarely bestowed symbol of papal honor and recognition. Mother Theresa of Calcutta visited the Shrine in 1993.

The National Marian Shrine, dedicated to the vision, was built on the site is now a popular pilgrimage destination for Catholics around the world.  Pope John Paul II visited the site in 1979 and presented a Golden Rose which is a rarely bestowed symbol of papal honor and recognition. Mother Theresa of Calcutta visited the Shrine in 1993. Based on the official site of the shrine, the site receives one and a half million pilgrims annually.

For more information visit the Ireland’s National Marian Shrine Website.

A Catholic and Psychic’s Perspective: I believe in miracles. I believe even more in the appearance of our Blessed Virgin Mary, and other saints, to people on the earth plane to not only give us hope, but to prove the existence of the divine.  While I have a strong faith, I also have a strong sense of discernment. That said, when I began reading about this vision, there were some blatant contradictions in the witnesses’ testimony that I couldn’t ignore.

·         The Apparition didn’t move or flicker – The Blessed Virgin Mary bestows messages on those she appears to, such as the three children of Fatima. The description of the vision appears more to be a picture than an actual apparition.

·         The Blessed Virgin Mary’s Eyes looking to Heaven – I have seen numerous pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary portrayed in the same pose and with her eyes looking toward heaven.

·         The ground was dry under the figures although it was raining – This statement by witnesses leads one to believe that the figures were solid, however, one witness who tried to kiss the feet of the Blessed Virgin Mary admitted she fell right through. Why would a woman be able to go through an apparition and not rain? Was the ground really dry or did the woman simply fall?

      I am not saying that the vision was fake, but I am saying that some facts are questionable. Still we may never know the truth because of the passing of the witnesses and the passage of time. Yet, anything that restores faith and hope to people is always a blessing.

     

      Kerri. L. Schultz

The Prophecy of White Buffalo Calf Woman

Lightning Medicine Cloud, a white buffalo born May 12, 2011 during a thunder storm. The news of the white buffalo brought over 2,000 Native Americans from all over the U.S. to a farm in Greenville, TX.

White buffalo are considered to be sacred in several Native American religions. They are said to have great spiritual importance. Lightning Medicine Cloud is said to be only the 3^rd white buffalo to be born. He is named after a white buffalo born in 1933 Big Medicine.

Lakota Sioux believe Whope, goddess of peace, appeared in the form of a white buffalo calf. They believe the goddess will return, once four such calf’s are born bringing a new age. Some believe the end of the world.

Chief Standing Strong said, the white buffalo is very sacred in Native American history. He also went on to say, this is the third one ever born. When four specially marked calf’s are born Whope will reappear, uniting nations and bring a new age. According to Indian legend it’s the beginning of the end of time.

The calf is unusual it is not an albino; it has a dark nose, eyes and dark markings on the tip of its tail.

Little Soldier said, he had to be a male, he had to have a black nose, eyes, and a black tipped tail. He had all the features, he’s the pure blessed bull whose been sent here with the message and prophecy.

The prophecy found at http://www.impurplehawk.com/legend.html

The Lakota people have a prophecy about the white buffalo calf. How that prophecy originated was that we have a sacred bundle, a sacred peace pipe, that was brought to us about 2,000 years ago by what we know as the White Buffalo Calf Woman. 

The story goes that she appeared to two warriors at that time. These two warriors were out hunting buffalo, hunting for food in the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, and they saw a big body coming toward them. And they saw that it was a white buffalo calf. As it came closer to them, it turned into a beautiful young Indian girl. 

That time one of the warriors thought bad in his mind, and so the young girl told him to step forward. And when he did step forward, a black cloud came over his body, and when the black cloud disappeared, the warrior who had bad thoughts was left with no flesh or blood on his bones. The other warrior kneeled and began to pray. 

And when he prayed, the white buffalo calf who was now an Indian girl told him to go back to his people and warn them that in four days she was going to bring a sacred bundle. 

So the warrior did as he was told. He went back to his people and he gathered all the elders and all the leaders and all the people in a circle and told them what she had instructed him to do. And sure enough, just as she said she would, on the fourth day she came. 

They say a cloud came down from the sky, and off of the cloud stepped the white buffalo calf. As it rolled onto the earth, the calf stood up and became this beautiful young woman who was carrying the sacred bundle in her hand. 

As she entered into the circle of the nation, she sang a sacred song and took the sacred bundle to the people who were there to take of her. She spent four days among our people and taught them about the sacred bundle, the meaning of it. 

She taught them seven sacred ceremonies. 

One of them was the sweat lodge, or the purification ceremony. One of them was the naming ceremony, child naming. The third was the healing ceremony. The fourth one was the making of relatives or the adoption ceremony. The fifth one was the marriage ceremony. The sixth was the vision quest. And the seventh was the sundance ceremony, the people's ceremony for all of the nation. 

She brought us these seven sacred ceremonies and taught our people the songs and the traditional ways. And she instructed our people that as long as we performed these ceremonies we would always remain caretakers and guardians of sacred land. She told us that as long as we took care of it and respected it that our people would never die and would always live. 

When she was done teaching all our people, she left the way she came. She went out of the circle, and as she was leaving she turned and told our people that she would return one day for the sacred bundle. And she left the sacred bundle, which we still have to this very day. 

Mike Morris