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Veronica of the Cross
July 12, 1923 - August 3, 1995
Her final agony, scourging and heroism
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September 1995 On
Thursday, August 3rd at 4:44 a.m., in the year of Our Lord
1995, Veronica Lueken, the seer of Bayside was called home to her
eternal reward following 25 years of dedication and service to Our Lady
as a messenger for Heaven. She was 72 years old.
The
official cause of Veronica's passage has been listed as congestive heart
failure, which occurred in the hospital while under intensive care.
However, a more accurate cause would be almost three decades of pain and
suffering and sorrow as an ambassador of Heaven.
The
time of her death coincided exactly to the minute (EDT) with that of
Robert Kennedy, whose own tragic death would ironically give birth to a
Mission that would transform the life of Veronica from an ordinary New
York housewife to a suffering visionary of worldwide prominence. In
God's providence, her mission which began with Bobby would somehow end
with Bobby.
Veronica's
decease comes on the heels of an excruciating bout with illness she had
undergone for the past seven months. Shrine director, Michael Mangan,
comments that Veronica had been "racked with pain" in the last
period, being debilitated and bedridden for most of that time.
"The Father chose you, My child, long before He set you upon earth."
Her
recent ordeal marked the final episode in an ongoing drama of suffering
that actually began 27 years ago, when St. Theresa first summoned
Veronica to the mission from Heaven in June of 1968. For it was no
sooner that Veronica had offered her charitable "Yes" to
Heaven, that her sufferings and crosses mysteriously increased and
continued accelerating through the years to the end that Our Lady
crowned Veronica with the title of "Veronica of the Cross"
(June 18, 1980).
Hence,
it was in January 1995 that Veronica was to enter upon the final dregs
of her passion which was to reach its ultimate consummation seven months
later with her expiration on August 3rd. JANUARY-MARCH
A
grueling 5-hour neurosurgery was performed on Friday, January 27th.
Although the surgery was successful and the tumor benign, it took a
major toll on Veronica's health. Moreover, she suffered a heart attack
during the course of the operation which left her all the more depleted.
After further tests and observation, her doctors scheduled heart surgery
but later cancelled it when it was deemed too risky for Veronica's
delicate health. Heart medications were prescribed instead.
Veronica
was finally released from the hospital on Thursday, February 23rd, forty
days later or the duration of a Lent.
Meanwhile,
the Shrine office had undergone its own heartaches and pains, as their
direct line to Heaven had virtually been cut off now. For up until that
time, Veronica had been in regular contact with Michael and others at
the Shrine office, to advise them and to bring them the latest messages
and counsels from Our Lady.
Left
without the extraordinary means of guidance, as well as Veronica's
wisdom, they were now forced to depend more on the ordinary, but very
effective, means common to all people: prayer, the use of our God-given
faculties, the wisdom of the Church and saints and, of course, Heaven's
past messages through Veronica.
Heaven
was preparing their troops in steps for what was soon to come.
Veronica's
recovery was slow and painful, and offered her little opportunity to
leave her sickbed. Furthermore, she had to make several trips back to
the hospital during that time to be treated for complications. It was
not an optimistic outlook for Veronica, with dreary skies holding on,
though the storm had somewhat abated for the moment. APRIL
In
fact, on Tuesday the 11th, in speaking with Michael, Veronica said that
she was planning to come to the 25th Anniversary Vigil on
June 17th, and even stated that she and Arthur (her husband) were
planning this year to be at the Anniversary Banquet.
She
had already called Regina Fox, pilgrimage organizer, and ordered four
tickets for Arthur and herself and her dear friends, Ann (her secretary)
and Eugene Ferguson.
Regina
would tell us later that she was overwhelmed and struck by the call
because Veronica kindly asked if it was even possible for her to obtain
a Banquet ticket. (To think that the head of the whole Shrine would ask
for a ticket! It goes to show the humble and lowly stature that this
woman maintained before God and men.)
Reservations
were quickly made, along with special arrangements, to accommodate their
special guest of honor for this highly momentous occasion.
For
the first time since January 15th, the sun had broken through the clouds
a bit to cast a ray of enthusiasm on the work, as plans were rolling
full steam ahead at headquarters to make ready for the 25th
Anniversary celebration.
However,
this day of sunshine was short-lived, as clouds of doubt soon returned
to dampen the outlook. MAY
On
Monday the 29th, Memorial Day, Michael and his assistant, James Donohue,
went to see Veronica in the hospital. Before going, Arthur advised that
they had best prepare themselves for an unfamiliar sight. When the two
of them came upon her room, they were struck to the heart and moved with
pity to see her so reduced this time, and in such a state of affliction.
As Michael relates, "She was a picture of suffering, almost a horror to
see. She had lost at least 50 pounds."
Ann
and her daughter, Maureen, visited Veronica the next day and expressed
similar sentiments.
However,
Veronica was at least conscious, which motivated Michael to speak with
her. He then told her that all the pilgrims were praying for her, and
that they planned to see her on June 17th. She perked up and a sweet
smile swept her gaunt face. The
scourging
"You were chosen for your strength in suffering. "
A
little exasperated at this point, Veronica raised her head and her voice
with resolute determination and exclaimed, "You
WILL BE
SCOURGED." Veronica was here repeating a message that Our Lady had
given her sometime prior to this visit.
By
this message, Our Lady was referring to the excruciating scourge of
suffering she was enduring and that would continue uninterrupted until
the day of her translation from her sickbed on August 3rd. Veronica
added she was undergoing heavy penance for the priesthood and especially
for the safety of the Pope. JUNE
However,
it dealt a major blow to her health, so that her overall condition took
a turn for the worse.
Accordingly,
Arthur called the office on the 16th, one day before the vigil, and
said, "Listen, Michael, there is no way that Veronica can come to
this vigil." Veronica was now laid up and virtually incapacitated.
Her scourging was unrelenting.
And
so it stands that the 25th Anniversary festivities went on as
usual, while our celebrated seer was undergoing her silent crucible at
home. A
Heavenly rendezvous
They
also passed on to Arthur and for Veronica, Anniversary flowers, gifts,
mementos, and a large piece of the celebration cake from the Banquet.
Later they would enjoy it and express their gratitude for everything.
At
about 8:30 p.m., the three went into Veronica's room, only to see that
she was still sleeping. So Michael and Regina knelt down by her bed and
prayed to Our Lady silently, whereupon Veronica began to stir
immediately. Michael then held her hand and expressed his best regards
toward her saying, "We missed you at the Vigil, we love you,
everyone is praying for you." Then Regina approached, spoke to
Veronica and expressed her affection. Regina later remarked: "I was
taken aback in seeing her suffering and how much weight she had lost and
the look of suffering in her face and her whole being." Veronica
was listening and alert, though, even if she was suffering immensely.
Then
Michael said, "Veronica, you're going to have to get better for
your 50th wedding anniversary in November." But Veronica retorted,
"Well, you'll have to speak to Jesus about that." It was as if
to say, "The Master has already arranged something a little different,
so you'll have to take it up with the Boss."
Michael
then asked, "Has Our Lady appeared to you?" Veronica then
informed them that Our Lady had appeared to her over the weekend dressed
as Our Lady of the Roses, Mary Help of Mothers. She said that Our Lady
told her she would be "happy in the next life" and exhorted
her to "keep smiling and be happy."
Then
Veronica said, "They say I am going to die." Michael
responded, "Oh. Well, when is Our Lord and Our Lady going to take
you? Are they going to take you to Heaven soon?" Heaven would
answer this question very shortly in Their own way with a little
demonstration.
Regina
then placed her blue crystal Rosary in Veronica's hands and the
agonizing seer fingered the crucifix. Regina made the sign of the cross
for Veronica with the crucifix as they began to pray, with Veronica
leading the prayers. Michael and Regina with Arthur recited three Hail
Mary's, one Glory Be, the St. Michael prayer, the Guardian Angel prayer,
and an Act of Contrition.
Veronica
then excused herself and said she had to pray to Our Lady. She vocalized
her prayer: "I will suffer for you, but be gentle with me for l am
a fragile soul." Veronica repeated this two more times and said
again that she was suffering for priests. A
prophetic demonstration |
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Simulated photo |
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She
then reached up with her hands and gently and lovingly held Michael's
face.
It
was as if she was saying, "I'm holding on by a mere thread now, but soon
it will break and you will all be on your own."
Meanwhile,
Regina asked, "Who do you see?" Veronica responded, "I
see Jesus and He's sooo handsome." Imagine! Jesus and Mary were
present in the room for the whole time directing and inspiring this
entire exchange.
Veronica
went on to say, "The Scapular saves so many souls, and the
Rosary." She held the brown Scapular hanging around her neck and
fingered Regina's Rosary resting on her stomach. She then wrapped the
Scapular around the rose petal that Michael had given her.
Veronica
never once complained. She suffered sweetly and calmly with complete
resignation to her lot.
At
the end of the visit, Michael made the sign of the cross three times
with the blessed rose petal on Veronica's forehead and then embraced her
with a hug and kiss.
Hence,
we see the providence and plan of God at this meeting, and the manner in
which Heaven had arranged this visit, in order that the world might know
that Veronica's decease was already preordained and scheduled by Heaven.
It
also symbolizes, too, the handing over of the reins, so to speak, to
Arthur, Ann and Michael. In fact, before her final agony, Veronica
elicited promises from all three that they would continue this Mission.
And they are all deeply committed to do so with your help.
Jesus
and Mary have promised us that they will be with us until the end of
time
(July 1, 1985), so we can be assured that through this leadership
Heaven will continue to guide and direct this Mission. [Note: See Jesus and Mary chose Michael Mangan.] JULY
Nonetheless,
her birthday was still celebrated and that cheered her up. Mary DeBlasio,
Veronica's friend and a devotee since 1970, brought along for her visit
a birthday cake, and so they had a little party with Arthur and the
nurses' aides joining in. And the full-time workers on key belted out "Happy Birthday" to her on the phone. She enjoyed that.
On
Monday the 17th, Michael and Jim Maat, a full-time worker, went to see
Veronica in the hospital, which was to mark the workers’ last visit
and communication with the seer of Bayside. As Michael relates, Veronica
was not coherent this time, though she was acting a bit lively, but not
in a sound way. In all honesty, our dear Veronica was not well.
Twenty-seven years of suffering had now reduced her to a state of misery
and muttering.
Yet,
Michael relates that at one point in the visit, Veronica suddenly and
remarkably became very lucid and buoyant and came forward with the
direction that we should stay within our "cloisters" (cloister
means enclosure).
"I
assure you, My child, you shall not be taken from your mission
This
was Our Lord coming through with His final words of counsel to the
world. Heaven was exhorting us all to remain out of the world now, and
to remain within our homes in order that we might collect ourselves and
our senses to God. For our homes (with the crucifixes on the doors) will
be our fortress to shield us against the elements of the world,
especially during the oncoming fury.
Our
Lord also said that no matter how big of a sinner you are, God's mercy
and forgiveness are there until the end.
Hence,
we see this last invitation from Heaven to come enter the ark of mercy,
and ride out these last days in peace. (God loves a sincere heart and
always welcomes a humble confession.)
When
Veronica was finished Jim inquired, "Who was that?” "That's
Jesus up there," Veronica replied matter-of-factly, looking up near
the ceiling.
On
Monday the 31st, Veronica was rushed to the hospital again, this time
with a touch of pneumonia and a wasting fever of 105.3°. Also, they found
that both her blood and urinary tract were infected. The hospital
advised Arthur that he had better call the family. He did and later the
family gathered around the bedside. AUGUST The
homecoming
The
shock wave of Arthur's news reverberated throughout headquarters during
the early morning hours. The workers were startled and saddened, but
resigned to God's will. After morning Mass and Communion, they jumped on the phones and spent the entire day notifying all the organizers and major promoters of what had just transpired. |
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| Click here for the wake, funeral and burial details. |
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After
the funeral Mass, a line of cars over a mile long processed over 50
miles to the burial site where two priest-friends performed the final
ceremonies amidst 300 people. A special area was designated near the
casket for the immediate family of Veronica.
And
of course, there was her dear husband, Arthur, at the center of all, who
was taking the brunt of this whole ordeal since January. But even so, he
maintained an upright and steady heart throughout this time, always
devoted and attentive to his wife's needs.
After
the burial, Arthur treated many people to dinner at a restaurant, where
friends and family wound up things in good spirits. And so on Monday the 7th in the 1995th year of Our Lord, Veronica Lueken was buried next to her son Raymond, who preceded her by 21 years. May she rest in blissful peace. |
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It
is interesting to note that Veronica departed this vale of tears at the
age of 72, since it was at this age that Our Lady Herself departed from
this life and was assumed into Heaven.
We
might note too, that August 3rd in the traditional Catholic calendar is
not designated as a feast day for any saint in the Church A
TRIBUTE
When
we reflect on the life of St. Theresa, we see that it wasn't until after
her death that her message and sanctity became universally acclaimed.
Such was the case with many other saints.
So
we should understand that Heaven has cued us up to this point, and has
entrusted us with a great mission. Generous
When
we speak of Veronica, we speak of fidelity, as her whole countenance
bespoke of that unwavering allegiance to the truth that set her apart
from all other groupings of today, save the Church.
For
this woman of God stood forth with honor and pledged her allegiance to
God and country, and defended always what was pure and upright in the
eyes of her Maker. She honored and loved her husband all her days and
cared for her family, and maintained an earnest affection and sense of
dedication toward her fellow man which has rendered her as being a true
friend of God and man Down-to-earth
"Our
Lady and Jesus do want all of the Mary workers to know
In
Webster's, the name Veronica means "true image," which brings
to mind the manner in which the image of Christ's face was perfectly
reproduced on the towel of St. Veronica when she wiped Jesus' face. This
prefigured the manner in which the truth itself is perfectly reproduced
in the soul of our seer Veronica, without adulteration or impurity, in
order that the world at this last hour might behold the truth (or true
image) of Christ in its full splendor and beauty.
Yea,
the truth flowed through Veronica without the least hindrance. For she
was a prophet of the Most High God, sent forth to address mankind in
these latter days with the counsels and warnings of God—word-for-word
as given to her by God. Brave
Moreover,
she was perfectly resigned to be an outcast in the Church for the sake
of her beloved Jesus. She is the counterpart of St. Veronica, who
stepped forward with compassion to wipe Jesus' face with a towel during
His passion.
We
should point out here that by defending Jesus in this manner, she (St.
Veronica) had to step out of line and defy what her priests and
religious leaders were doing (the Pharisees and chief priests).
In
like manner, Veronica Lueken had the good will and courage to stand
forth and defend Jesus against the opinion of the jeering crowd today.
She shamed the Pharisees and high priests of our day (the clergy) for
their infidelity, and their seeking to do away with Jesus and His
beloved institution of old. She had become the censurer of their
thoughts: the thorn in their side.
As
such, Veronica Lueken has been booed and hissed throughout the universal
Church. Her name has been slammed, her reputation dragged through the
mud of the media, with all the lies and slander and derisive comments
that human envy could invent.
She
endured numerous death threats and frequent harassment and acts of
thuggery at her home, for which the best available security equipment
had to be installed. Long-suffering
But
it is sufficient to say that Veronica Lueken's life was the story of
suffering—not only physical, but mental, emotional and spiritual. She
truly was the image of the Holy Face, even reliving the Passion of
Christ every Lent and bearing His wounds (the stigmata).
But
it is through the fires of suffering and persecution that God has forged
yet another saint—a true image of His only Begotten. Like a gold
trophy, she has emerged from the fires as a champion for Heaven, having
been tried in the furnace of humiliation. Tough
We
should understand, that throughout the past 25 years, the entire Bayside
movement was at the mercy of Veronica's free will. For at any moment
during that time she could have bowed out and gone the easy road, thus
bringing the mission to a premature end. Selfless
Again
on January 10, 1994, Our Lady presented Veronica with this same option
when She appeared to her and told her "Veronica, I'm going to give
you a choice to suffer for souls or go over the veil." Again,
Veronica's sense of duty to God urged her on to go the extra mile, thus
bringing the mission to the fullness of days.
With
this, we should understand then the great emphasis God places on the
free will of man, and the manner in which He acts according to it.
Adam
and Eve used their freewill to sin, and the entire human race has been
suffering because of it ever since.
The
Blessed Virgin used Her free will to say "Yes" to God, whereby
it opened up the whole story of man's redemption, which otherwise would
have never occurred.
Similarly,
Veronica said "Yes" to Heaven, in order that the Eternal
Father might reach the world at this last hour with the warnings from on
high.
Yea,
Veronica Lueken will go down to be one of the great heroic figures of
history. For it was through her that the almighty led the crusade to
save the Church in the last days. She was the major channel of truth for
mankind during a time when the world had passed into deep spiritual
darkness.
And
the truth has prevailed: the groundwork to restore the Church has been
laid. On May 28,1983, Our Lady told Veronica, "All Heaven is greatly of
heart for you and those who came with you from Heaven's
direction to build up an apostleship that shall be forever
written in the annals of the Church."
In
the message from Heaven, Our Lady often tells Veronica that we must work
and pray for the repatriation of souls. When we lookup the word
repatriation in Webster's, it means just that: to make patriotic again,
to restore loyalty or allegiance.
And
indeed, this summed-up Veronica's role—it was her entire purpose and
manner of life. Let it be ours too.
Let
us place our hand over our hearts and pledge our allegiance to Jesus and
Mary, and carry forth the banner of Faithful and True as soldiers for
Christ. Let us return always to traditional values, and walk stoutly
along the narrow road with the Rosary in hand and the Scapular about our
necks.
And
let us always be firm in our resolution to shun any influence that could
ever stifle or infringe upon such a noble cause. It took 27 years for Heaven to build up this apostolate to what it is. Let us then abide in it and work within it and make it our home, until that day soon when we arrive at our future home where we will reminisce with Jesus, Mary and Veronica over a mission well done. |
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The Virgin Mary appears in America This beautiful story of grace, peace and redemption opened publicly on June 18, 1970 when the Mother of God visited Veronica Lueken on the grounds of the old St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Bayside, New York and later at the Vatican Pavilion site (blessed by Pope Paul VI) in Flushing Meadows Park, New York. Beginning in 1968, St. Theresa the Little Flower prepared Veronica for these Heavenly apparitions. For 25 years, the Virgin Mary and Her Divine Son would appear to this mother of five children during Rosary Vigils until her passing in 1995. At the request of Our Lady, a Sunday Holy Hour for the Pope and priests was also established. Over 300 comprehensive messages packed with guidance and wisdom for these latter days were transmitted through this seer named by Heaven, Veronica of the Cross. The lay Order of St. Michael, a vibrant community of dedicated, celibate men have been appointed by Heaven to lead this global mission. Our Lady has prophesied that from this lay order will emerge the full-fledged religious Order of St. Michael, an order founded on tradition, which will also include women. Our Lady has also stated that curative waters will erupt and a magnificent basilica will be erected at the original site of St. Robert’s. The Vigils and Holy Hours continue to this day at the Vatican Pavilion inspired by Our Lord’s promise: “We have made Our home upon these grounds.” Cures and conversions abound and for countless pilgrims, faith and hope have been restored. We invite you to join us. For a free rose petal blessed by Jesus and Mary for cure and conversion, a Vigil/Holy Hour calendar, and a religious gifts brochure, contact: St
Michael’s World Apostolate
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