Totus Tuus - Totus 2us

But the biggest THANK YOU goes to our blessed Mother Mary for all that has been shared, received and given through Totus2us. Totus2us belongs entirely to Our Lady, given to her on her birthday 5 years ago (& regiven to her each year).

May Mother Mary help each of us to follow her Son Jesus Christ more closely, faithfully and lovingly. And may she, Queen of Peace, continue to intercede for us all, that there may be peace in our hearts, in our families and in the world.

with gratitude,
Ruth, from the Totus2us team

ps The icing on Our Lady's birthday cake for me this year is Marianna's something about Mary, up for this feast day (8th September). Marianna is my 2½ year old goddaughter, whose mother Erin-Thérèse I'd never have met but for Totus2us (she emailed me from America after having listened to the podcasts for about a year). Erin-Thérèse has been the most wonderful support on the Totus2us team these last 3 years & her daugher has now given a beautiful something about Mary - "I love Mary. I love people. I love Mary."    

<sub>Week of 24th June - This week in Medjugorje, Bosnia Hercegovina, they celebrated the 32nd anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions there (Mary first appeared on 24th June, Feast of St John the Baptist, but she didn't say anything, so the anniversary is celebrated on 25th June when she introduced herself as the Queen of Peace).

When I started Totus2us I was discreet about Medjugorje, just including it if mentioned in people's something about Mary (which often happened), as an official decision hadn't been pronounced by the Church. However when, in Feb 2011, I read Mgr Oder's book entitled 'JPII, why he is a saint' (not surprising why I bought the book) & some 4 pages were given to Medjugorje & JPII's stance on it (Mgr Oder works at the Vatican in charge of the beatification process), I knew it was time to proclaim the story & messages of Medjugorje. So Mgr Leo Maasburg (who worked v closely with Mother Teresa for 15 years) v kindly gave a 3 2us recording 2 years ago for 30th anniversary.

Not only am I very aware of all the graces my family & many of my closest friends have received through Medjugorje but I've been hugely encouraged over the last 25 years by the fruits of Medjugorje eg Craig Lodge House of Prayer, the Wintershall plays, Youth 2000, Mary's Meals, to name but a few initiatives from the UK. But I think what has struck me more than anything else working on Totus2us is how much we need Our Lady .. & how much Medjugorje has to do with renewal in the Church. For 4 years now I've been going up to random strangers & asking them if they'd say something about their faith. Those who have been prepared to share with me, have so often spoken about Medjugorje & how it was a real turning point in their lives; that there they discovered God's love and experienced a conversion of heart. So it doesn't make sense to me, nor does it seem fair to all those who are searching, not to speak of Medjugorje (nor do I think we can afford not to).

In celebration of the anniversary Totus2us has a talk by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow about Mary's Meals, a beautiful fruit of Medjugorje which now feeds over 750,000 children every school day. There are also many other testimonies you can listen to on this page. If you're based in the UK, the Wintershall Life of Christ runs this week till Sunday (I know there are still tickets available - it's an ace outdoor performance & takes all day in front of an audience of 2000+).

Some wonderful news: on Sunday, 16th June there was a solemn Act of Consecration of Lebanon & the Middle East to the Immaculate Heart of Mary - it was a very beautiful & moving ceremony at the end of Mass in the Cathedral in Harissa - more on this here. 

As beloved Papa Francis so beautifully put it recently,
May Jesus bless you and the Holy Virgin look after you.

Our Lady of Medjugorje's message to Marija, 25 June 2013:
“Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer – open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call.”</sub>

8th September 2012 - Happy, Happy Birthday, Mother Mary

May Totus2us always be Totus Tuus.

_{Father Leo: "Our Lady's birthday reminds us that each one of us has been born to love & be loved.  That's the reason of our being."}

Ruth: Today Totus2us turns 3 & there are lots of lovely people to thank!

The 1st THANK YOU is to Mary Most Holy
_{- may Totus2us always be yours   ♥}

The 2nd THANK YOU is to my brother-in-law, Rob,
_{who is not just still hosting much of Totus2us .. but is now also housing his homeless sister-in-law! A big thank you too to my old housemates, Charlotte, Petruta & Alice, for all their prayers & moral support  ♥}

The 3rd THANK YOU is to the Totus2us team
_{- for all your help, good ideas, enthusiasm, support & encouragement xx}

The 4th THANK YOU is to all the priests who've given recordings this year:
_{Fr Andrew Pinsent, Fr Anthony Doe, Fr Anthony Hoy SJ, Fr Anthony Meredith SJ, Fr Austin Litke OP, Fr Bert Koppen, Fr Bryan Storey, Dom Charles Hallinan OSB, Fr David Marsden SCJ, Fr Ed Tomlinson, Fr Emmanuel Mansford CFR, Fr David Barnes, Fr Dermot Power, Fr Francis Selman, Fr Javier Igea, Fr John Edwards SJ, Mgr Keith Barltrop, Abbot Kevin Taggart OSB, Mgr Leo Maasburg, Fr Marcus Holden, Fr Michael Dunne, Fr Michael Krychiwskyj, Canon Pat Browne, Fr Philip Conner, Fr Phillip Harris, Fr Stephen Wang, Fr Tom & Fr William Pearsall SJ.}

The 5th THANK YOU is to those who've helped with the prayer podcasts: 
_{Edna, Sr Hyacinthe, Jan, Fr Javier Igea & Joelle;}
and to the musicians who have given their music this year:
_{Amanda Vernon, Anna Johnstone, Benedict Nichols, Crossbeam, Darryl Wilson, David Bevan, Neil Wright & the Holy Redeemer Choir, Edwin Fawcett, Jesús Cabello, the London Oratory School Schola, Mike Mangione, Olen Cesari, Ooberfüse, Paul J. Kim & Fr Stan Fortuna.}

The 6th THANK YOU is to those who've helped Totus2us financially this year ..
_{to the Carmelite Sisters of Nottinghill whose generosity at the beginning of the year was such a great gift & to Erin's mother, who made a donation in honour of her mother in celebration of 1000 somethings about our heavenly mother Mary. Many thanks too to the 2 other 'anonymous' donors.}

The 7th THANK YOU is to all those others who've given witness on Totus2us this year:
_{Adeline, Aetheria, Agnes, Agnes, Sr Agnes, Áine, Alba, Aldona, Alessia, Alice, Amelia, Ana, Anastacia, Anastacia, Andrea, Andrea, Angela, Ann, Anna, Annabel, Anne, Anthony, Anthony, Antony, Antony, Aoife, Augustin, Axer, Azahara, Belita, Bernard, Betty, Billy, Bridget, Sr Bruna, Carlos, Carmeline, Catherine, Catherine, Cecily, Sr Cesariana, Charles, Charles, Charlotte, Charlotte, Sr Chinedum, Christina, Sr Christine of the Trinity, Christy, Clara, Clare, Clare, Clare, Clare, Claz, Collette, Collins, Daisy, Damian, Dan, Daniel, Daniel, Daniela, Daphne, David, David, Br David, Denis, Dennis, Sr Desiree of Jesus, Diana, Dina Maria, Dominique, Dominique, Dorothy, Doug, Ed, Edmund, Edyta, Elena, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Ella, Emily, Emily, Emma, Erin, Esther, Eucharist, Eugenia, Eva, Sr Evangelia, Evelyn, Felicity, Fida, Fiona, Franca, Frances, Frances, Frances, Francesca, Francine, Francis, Francis, Francis, Francis Lee, Francisco, Franice, Frederick, Frederico, Gabi, Gabriela, Gemma, George, Georgina, Georgy, Graham, Graham, Graziano, Gwen, Gwen, Hannah, Helen, Helena, Hilda, Hubert, Ian, Ignacio, Ileana, Jacinta, Jacqueline, James, Jamie, Jan, Janet, Janine, Javier, Jean-Baptiste, Jenny, Jerome, Jill, Joanna, Joao Paulo, Joe, Fr Joe, Joelle, John, John, John, John, John, John Paul, Jonathan, José, Josephine, Juan, Jude, Juliana, Julie, June, Justin, Karl, Katarina, Katarina, Katharina, Kathleen, Kathleen, Sr Kathleen, Kathy, Keith, Kellilove, Ken, Kim, Leanne, Leo, Leonidas, Leslie, Lily, Louis, Lourdes, Lucia, Lucy, Sr Luke, Maartje, Maggie, Maika, Mapangu, Marco, Marco, Margaret, Margaret, Margaret, Margaret, Sr Margaret, Margarete, Margaux, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Sr Maria, Sr Maria of the Resurrection, Mariam, Marian, Marian, Maria-Teresa, Marica, Marie, Marie-Antonia, Sr Marie Louise of Jesus, Sr Marie Therese, Mariella, Marina, Mariola, Mark, Mark, Marriline, Martin, Martin, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mother Mary of St Joseph, Sr Mary of St Philip, Maryrose, Matthew, Mazen, Mekaela, Mercy Grace, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michal, Miguel, Mike, Mila, Milka, Moira, Muriel, Mykolas, Nadia, Nagham, Natalia, Neil, Nereida, Nicholas, Nicole, Nida, Nisrine, Nora, Nur, Oliva, Olivia, Sr Pamela of the Holy Spirit, Paola, Paschal, Patricia, Patricia, Sr Patricia of the Heart of Mary, Sr Patricia of the Presentation, Patrick, Patt, Patti, Paula, Paula, Pauline, Penelope, Peter, Peter, Phil, Philip, Pierre Louis, Rachel, Rachel, Raphael, Raymond, Br Reginald, René, Richard, Richard, Rima, Rita, Ritzel, Rob, Rob, Fr Rod, Roger, Romina, Ronald, Rosamund, Sam, Samuel, Sandra, Sannida, Sarah, Sarah, Br Sean, Seana, Senam, Seyram, Shany, Sheila, Sidhu, Simone, Siobhan, Sisi, Sophy, Sophy, Sr Susan Marie of the Sacred Heart, Srikhanthie, Stephen, Stephen, Steve, Suranganee, Sylvie, Talu, Tanya, Teresa, Teresita, Theresa, Thomas, Tim, Titine, Tom, Tom, Toyin, Trevor, Valentina, Valentina, Veronica, Victoria, Victoria, Vincent,, William, William, Willy, Winifred, Yesenia & Zlatko .. more names to be added!
MANY, MANY THANKS to you all}

_{Week of 24th June - In this, the week of the 31st anniversary of Our Lady's 1st apparitions in Medjugorje (since when she has been appearing there EVERY DAY), I'm recommending that if you've been thinking of going / wondering / maybe, don't ponder any more but book your ticket (bossy reco this week, I know). It's just I'm becoming more & more conscious of how I take it for granted that she's there, and we just don't know for how long God has it in his loving Providence. It's a place of great grace and peace, where you can encounter Jesus in a very profound way, thanks to the intercession of his beloved Mother.}

_{Week of 4th June - This little book of Jean-Pierre de Caussade's correspondence of spiritual direction to the sisters of the Order of Visitation in Nancy (in 1700s) is popping with wisdom, given in such a simple and tender way that it's totally appealing & really, really helpful if you're trying to live in the present moment and seeking to do God's will. The translation I have (only coz that was the one in the charity shop) is by Kitty Muggeridge & is entitled: The Sacrament of the Present Moment (another title Abandonment to Divine Providence). Here's an example of the gem of it:}

_{"Indeed, dear sisters, God is only asking for your hearts. If you truly seek this treasure, this kingdom where God alone reigns, you will find it. Your heart, if it is totally surrendered to God, is itself that treasure, that very kingdom you long for and are seeking. When we long for God and his will we rejoice in it and rejoicing is the fulfilment of our longing. To love God is to long earnestly to do so. Loving, we wish to be the instrument of his action so that his love can operate in and through us."}

_{Week of 16th April - Unreported World, ;a News Documentary series on Channel 4, is for me 1 of the best reasons to have a TV ... as I kept missing episodes, I'd signed up for the audio podcast on itunes & so up popped the 1st of the 2012 series last Friday. It's on Sudan & the genocide of the Nuba people by al-Bashir's goverment forces. It seems most especially fitting to have been broadcast in Easter week, the week of the Divine Mercy novena, as the only hospital available for the many innocent victims of the bombing attacks (& politically generated famine) is the Mother of Mercy Hospital, with 1 missionary doctor from the US (remarkable) & Catholic nuns who are learning the skills of nursing on the job. It's deeply shocking to hear but I then watched the film & it was doubly distressing to see the truth of what's going on. It's superb journalism by Aidan Hartley, who leaves the last words to the Sister in charge of the hospital: "Is there nobody there who can hear the cries of the Nuba people .. Is there nobody who can speak on there behalf, who can say 'Stop. People have died enough.' So I asked myself: Where is the international community? .. where are they?" Watch here.}

_{There is only 1 road into the Nuba mountains from the south and this will be blocked off when the rains start in a couple of weeks. So we all need to act NOW & do what we can to spread the word and support the hospital. You can follow journalist Aidan Hartley on Twitter & read his superb As to Qs on reddit here; donate to Mother of Mercy hospital here.}

_{Week of 26th March - When there isn't a wonderful gathering of millions of young people at an international WYD / JMJ (Rio next year), World Youth Day is celebrated on a diocesan level on Palm Sunday (there's always a great celebration at St Peters). Our Holy Father, Papa B, has just written his message for this 27th Jornada Mundial de la Juventud, which is on the theme of joy. And, no surprise, it's BEAUTIFUL!}

_{"Dear friends, to conclude I would encourage you to be missionaries of joy. We cannot be happy if others are not. Joy has to be shared. Go and tell other young people about your joy at finding the precious treasure which is Jesus Himself. We cannot keep the joy of faith to ourselves. If we are to keep it, we must give it away. St John said: “What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; we are writing this so that our joy may be complete” (1 Jn 1:3-4). Christianity is sometimes depicted as a way of life that stifles our freedom and goes against our desires for happiness and joy. But this is far from the truth. Christians are men and women who are truly happy because they know that they are not alone. They know that God is always holding them in His hands. It is up to you, young followers of Christ, to show the world that faith brings happiness and a joy which is true, full and enduring. If the way Christians live at times appears dull and boring, you should be the first to show the joyful and happy side of faith. The Gospel is the “good news” that God loves us and that each of us is important to Him. Show the world that this is true!.."}

_{Week of 5th March - Ooberfuse, 1 of the bands chosen to play at JMJ Madrid & featured on Totus2us' World Youth Days, TOP CHAT & Word on the Street podcasts, have released a song & video in memory of Shahbaz Bhatti, who was murdered in Pakistan on 2 March last year for speaking out against the blasphemy laws under sharia. The song is entitled Blood Cries Out & is as compelling & powerful as it is eloquent & impressive. It shows what music can do when at the service of culture / truth. Thank you, Ooberfuse, for helping Shahbaz Bhatti's blood cry out with a message for peace.}

_{As Hal said in interview: "In our research for the song we looked at extremely disturbing footage. Shahbaz’s car, after a visit to his elderly mother’s house, was riddled with bullets and spattered with blood following his assassination. ..We also watched an interview with Shahbaz weeks before he was killed in which he anticipates further suffering and continuing death threats. The song, Blood Cries Out, samples a phrase from the interview in which Shahbaz says he has experienced already the suffering of the cross. It is a tragic irony that Shahbaz’s message to those who would listen was Christ’s very own ‘Do not kill in the name of religion, but love each other.’” Ooberfuse will perform the song at a rally in London this Saturday 10th March, sponsored by the British Pakistani Christian Association and Aid to the Church in Need. The march will kick off at the Pakistani Embassy in Lowndes Square and culminate with the rally and concert in Trafalgar Square.}

_{Week of 6th February - this week I'm especially aware of Our Lady of Lourdes & thanking her for all that she has done for me. The first priest to do a recording for Totus2us was Mgr Leo Maasburg (I know him through friends with a Lourdes link) - he gave 3 2us on Our Lady's birthday .. which was a WONDERFUL way to begin (with many more reflections since) & this week he's giving 3 2us on Our Lady of Lourdes, so it seems the week to rave about the book he's written about Mother Teresa of Calcutta: 'A Personal Portrait'. It came out in German over a year ago (I think it's in over 10 languages now) but not till last October in English. I ate it up over a week-end, by the end of it feeling as though I'd spent it with Mother Teresa herself. It's jam-packed with riveting stories that regularly brought a smile to my face and gave me new 'respect' for my Miraculous Medal (amongst many other things). Fr Leo is able to give such a personal account because he worked closely with Mother Teresa (as her spiritual advisor, translator, and her confessor) for over 15 years, particularly in Eastern Europe. I'd give this book to anyone and everyone .. as it is engaging and engrossing on so many levels, full of faith, hope & love.}

_{Week of 2nd January - wishing everyone a very blessed 2012 ... may it be a year full of God's grace for each one of us.}

_{I saw this superb photo on a friend's FB page & I don't know who to 'thank' for the gift of it! It made me think of what it must be like if we could see each other from the inside (rather than the out). Another friend posted this charming dance skit by Laurel & Hardy. I LOVE beginning each new year with the Feast of Mary, Mother of God (also the World Day of Peace) & this skit reminded me of the joy of life!}

_{Week of 7th November - in this week commemorating 11th of the 11th & remembering all those who've died in war, John Jeffcock has launched Heroes - 100 Poems from the New Generation of War Poets. I know about the book because John, the editor, is a friend. I bought a copy last night at the book launch, but it wasn't till I got home that I took a look - the result was I went to bed very late! Before each poem you're given the author, their age & the operations/wars they've fought in (except for the poems written by members of soldiers' families). The experience of war and the real human cost of war strikes home powerfully, without any sermonizing but much eloquence and insight.}

_{In his introduction, John explains: This is not my book: it is the unheard voice of the many people who endure enormous sacrifices so that others need not suffer. They are not heroes but ordinary people in exceptional environments who risk body, mind and soul for others. .... We have seen 250 poems from all ranks, all regiments and all 3 branches of the service (Army, Navy & Air Force). We received excellent submissions from regular soldiers, the Territorial Army, parents, spouses and children. Selecting the best 100 was an incredibly difficult task as every entry represented an indelible mark in the writers life. Fortunately, we had help from Carol Ann Duffy (the Poet Laureate), Simon Rad & General Sir Richard Dannatt ..The scores given by the professional poets and the professional soldiers varied in some places considerably. The question 'What is more important: the poetic quality or the integrity of the experience?' was brought painfully to the fore. As a soldier, I put integrity first and as a result you may find a few pieces which would not win a poetry competition but will touch you as a human being. My view is that poetry should touch us intimately and leave the reader changed.}

_{That's just what reading the poems last night did to me!}