A papal prophecy

Photo Copyright 2013
Kenneth E. Nowell

“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, between the Gospel and the anti-Gospel, between Christ and the anti-Christ. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously…”

Pope John Paul II

Carmelo Cortez returns to New York 11/16/13

UPDATE: Reportedly, Carmelo Cortez will be offering a healing service at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 30 Poplar Ave., Staten Island, New York, at 5 PM on November 2, 2014. Please verify the accuracy of this report. (Also, for more about the rose petals of Carmelo Cortez, please go here.)

By all appearances, Carmelo Cortez is not a man who grabs one's attention. He seems quiet, mild-mannered, and not exactly someone who has a mesmerizing story to tell. But with Carmelo Cortez, appearances are deceiving.

In June of 1991, Carmelo was 21 and living in a squatters' area of Quezon City in the Philippines. Soon after being given a picture of the Madonna and Child, he heard a soft voice, along with the sound of beautiful music. He followed the voice and found that it originated from the picture in which Blessed Mother was now weeping tears of blood. Baby Jesus also appeared to be catching the drops in one hand.

Two days later, Carmelo heard the music again, and when he followed it, he met the Mother of God, who began giving him messages. Since then, he has spoken to her many times. Over a six-year period in the 1990s, for example, she appeared to him 101 times, asking him each time to "pray for priests." To Carmelo, she is known as Mother of Eucharist and Grace.

The skeptic might easily dismiss those unproven claims. However, Carmelo Cortez backs up his words with an amazing mystical ministry, convincing even cynics of the miraculous power of the Madonna and her Divine Child. Most famously, Carmelo has gained international attention for the astonishingly detailed images on rose petals that quickly materialize at his prayer services. I have seen close to 100 of them, and each one seems to be unique. However, other miracles seem to effortlessly pass through Carmello's hands, including healings, turning drinking water into rose oil, and transforming rose petals into Eucharistic bread.