J.M.J.
Around May of 1999, we received a phone call from a Fatima Center volunteer in North Carolina requesting a statue visit to her parish. It was explained to the volunteer, Mrs. Audrey Rolison, that Father Gruner would accompany the Pilgrim Virgin statue and the request for the visit should be made in writing by the pastor of her parish.
I must confess that privately the words “fat chance of that happening” passed through my mind (because of the slanderous attacks against Father Gruner’s reputation from those within the Church insisting that he adopt the “party line” and proclaim that the Consecration of Russia was done – a proclamation he could not make because it was not, and still is not, true).
Audrey called again to convey that her pastor would not agree to the visit (no surprise there!) and she was going to ask her bishop. Though I did not believe her bishop (or, at that time, any bishop) would give his permission, I did not want to discourage her by conveying my doubts about her prospects of success.
She called a few weeks later and said her bishop said “yes” to the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima visit to the diocese of Raleigh and he was going to send a letter to that effect.
Surprised at the verbal concession of the bishop, I remained skeptical without the written, signed permission. After about two months passed without hearing anything, I was pretty sure it would not happen and Audrey called to say she was calling the bishop since she had not yet received the promised letter of permission. I admired her persistence.
After reaching the bishop by phone and reminding him of the letter he promised to send, in her southern drawl she conveyed to me her words to the bishop: “How are you sending the letter, by Pony Express?” To which the bishop responded, “Now, Mrs. Rolison, these things take time.” But shortly after that call – yes, miracles do happen – Audrey received the necessary letter from the bishop – Francis Joseph Gossman (please pray for the repose of his soul).
She put an ad in the diocesan newspaper and sent a copy of the ad to individual priests in the diocese advising of the permission of the bishop for the statue to visit parishes in the diocese and gave contact information for any priests interested in a visit. Though the focus of the ad was the statue, Father Gruner’s name was included.
The ad led to the chancellor of the diocese contacting both Bishop Gossman and Audrey, advising that this whole event should be cancelled. The chancellor stated that he had nothing against the Pilgrim Virgin Statue coming. (I guess it was someone else he didn’t want visiting along with the statue.)
Bishop Gossman stood his ground and remained firm in the written permission he had given – a miracle of grace in a time when many bishops would have backed down.
By early September five parishes – approximately 3 hours apart from each other by car (cargo van, in this case) – had requested a visit (though one of the parishes later cancelled).
The visits were scheduled for the week of October 25th.
August through October is hurricane season, and this particular year the eastern part of North Carolina – which is where the visits were all scheduled – was devastated by tropical storms and hurricanes. On September 16, Hurricane Floyd struck, which North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt considered “the worst disaster to hit North Carolina in modern times”.
Less than a week later followed effects of a tropical storm moving up from Florida, followed by another hurricane on October 18.
These storms and hurricanes caused record-breaking flooding considered “a 1 in 500 year event,” with thousands of homes being completely destroyed, and tens of thousands damaged.
Devastation from Hurricane Floyd – North Carolina 1999
Photos are Public Domain, Link 1, Link 2, Link 3
Indeed, the disasters and destruction that year put North Carolina in the news daily and we wondered if we would end up having our statue visits cancelled because of the devastation in the areas we were traveling to. But that didn’t happen.
Sister Francis, myself and an apostolate staff member traveled by cargo van with the statue and plenty of Fatima Center literature, scapulars, rosaries, etc. and we met up with Father Gruner – who traveled by airplane – when we arrived.
Audrey also joined us and traveled with us to the various parishes for the visits with the statue.
It was late in the afternoon when we arrived at the parish where the first statue visit was scheduled the next day. Father was asked to speak to the students of the parish school in the afternoon and to parishioners in the evening.
Father and the male staff member who traveled with us were given accomodations at the rectory while the women – Sister, Audrey and I – would stay at the beautiful home of a family belonging to the parish.
Being invited into the rectory for refreshments and given a tour of the church and school, we discovered something miraculous that had occurred. The conversation turned to the terrible hurricane season and we asked if the parish buildings had suffered any damage. The ensuing conversation revealed that concern about possible cancellation of the visits due to damage was a credible one – the area had sustained considerable damage.
However, the pastor said neither the church, nor the school, nor the rectory, had suffered any damage at all. But he pointed out all around, the different houses in the neighborhood that had sustained damage from flooding and high wind – but not the parish buildings. There was no doubt in my mind that in view of the pastor’s courageous invitation for a visit by the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima statue, Heaven had spared the parish buildings from harm.
We encountered the same story at the home of the parishioners where we were staying. It was pointed out to us by the woman of the house, that though they had no flooding or other storm damage, homes in both directions on their street leading away from their home, had basements flooded with water up to the ceiling and some even had flooding into the main living spaces.
Similar stories occurred in the different locations that we traveled to. All around the areas visited there was damage to housing but the parishes that requested a visit of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue were all spared.
How Our Lady looks after Her devotees!