I have made it a policy of late to follow my instincts and today they led me back to Queen of Heaven ...I made the usual pilgrimage to the famous apparition site formally investigated by the Chicago Archdiocese back in the early 90's and and still remains enough of an attraction to the faithful and curious alike to motivate the installation of a mini shrine and parking lot dedicated to that featureless, undeveloped south end of the cemetery...
I also was permitted access to the Main Mausoleum chapel and took a good volume of photos there and a small portion of the West Wing to give some of you that are unfamiliar with the site and my journeys there a ephemeral glimpse of the inside to pique your interest...and usual this non catholic found himself dabbing holy water on his forehead from of the urns that they have strategically positioned at each entrance...
This building is a place I have been to many times now and it still strikes me as ominous as it looms in the windshield ...
There still is an angry presence on the 3rd floor that was carried over from a life of brooding bitterness that I brushed aside with my competing annoyance over the lighting challenges I faced photographically...
there is always mixed energies in the vicinity of the basement Madonna statue ...I am certain (by intuition) that there has been several cleansing incantations down there and equally as many desecration rituals performed in retaliation ...
I have suspected other things have taken place here that are so unspeakable that I will not dare to even hint at what I suspect ...
and there are spots that seem to be so completely charged or imbued with auric euphoria that I was literally overwhelmed with a sense of contentment and well being ...
one also wonders why there are holy water urns strategically mounted on each side of the doors at all exits?....
Quote:
The Roman Catholic Church researches each of the alleged apparitions and determines their validity. The Pope grants official approval for each incident of Marian appearances. Bishops conduct investigations for evidence for submittal for Papal approval.
1990
Hillside , Illinois USA
Joseph Reinholtz
source:
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/mariabode/english.htmQuote:
THE VIRGIN MARY IN ILLINOIS
In recent times, Mary has also reportedly appeared to six children in war-torn Bosnia, an event that has attracted more than 11 million people from around the globe. One such man was Joseph Reinholtz, a retired railroad worker from Hillside, Illinois. He had been suffering from blurred vision and periods of blindness and journeyed to Bosnia to pray and meet with one of the children who has seen Mary, Vicka. She prayed over Reinholtz in 1987 and upon his return to Illinois, his sight slowly returned.
Reinholtz returned to Bosnia in 1989 and Vicks then instructed him that he was to look for a large crucifix, next to a three-branched tree. Here, he was to pray. He later discovered this location at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside and began to make frequent trips to the spot to pray. On August 15, 1990, Reinholtz had his first visitation from Mary and it was repeated on November 1, when she returned with St. Michael and three other angels. Soon, word of the visitations leaked out and thousands of people began flocking to the cross. It wasn't long before complaints about the number of spectators caused the cemetery officials to move the cross to another location in 1992. It is very accessible now, having a paved parking lot next to it.
The visitations have reportedly continued and occur every day but Tuesday, which is coincidentally the day that the Archdiocese of Chicago placed a "restriction of obedience" on Reinholtz and asked that he not visit the cemetery. But the late Hillside man is not the only person to report miracles at the site of the Queen of Heaven cross. There have been dozens of photographs taken here which purport to show angels and various types of light phenomena. Others claim to have seen blood coming from the cross and have reported the scent of roses in the air.
I visited the site a couple of years ago and found it surrounded by the faithful, praying and passing out religious literature. I was also shown a number of the "miraculous" photos taken here and confess that it looked like bad photography and a lot of sun glare to me... but cannot argue about the importance of the photos in the lives of the believers.
Sadly, Joseph Reinholtz suffered a stroke in February 1995 and was hospitalized, where Mary continued to visit him. He passed away in December 1996, but his legacy remains in Queen of Heaven Cemetery, where a crucifix stands and where those who believe still experience miraculous visitations.
source and full article:
http://www.prairieghosts.com/virgin.html
more on the net:
http://books.google.com/books?id=57YVj0 ... t&resnum=1
Here are the unedited (compressed) photos from today’s visit...6-26-09 (168 total)... and as is the policy; I will share the screening process with you as it progresses ....b
http://s790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... d/?start=0
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3314.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3313.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3318.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3343.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3356.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3357.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3373.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3405.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3411.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3476.jpg
http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy18 ... 0_3432.jpg
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Negative? Wow. I was just intrigued. But then, I rarely pick up 'vibes' from photographs. Sometimes I do, sometimes it's just a twinge -- something that says "take note".
