THE STORY OF THE FARM

by Ann-Marie Greensides

I would like to take this opportunity to answer many of the questions we are asked on « how it all began. »

My Dad, John Greensides (died on November 23, 2000), read a paper written by Wayne Weible. He was overjoyed with this man's testimony on Medjugorje and so he sent away for hundreds of these papers. He gave them out to churches and friends all over the country; as far away as he could drive to deliver them.

Then my Mom and Dad, my two sisters, Patricia and Shirley, and I were blessed to go on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. It was like a little piece of heaven on earth there in Medjugorje. This was where my Dad offered his life and his farm to our Lady. Little did he know then what plan our Blessed Mother had in store for him.

Upon arriving home we felt empty; as though we had left a part of us behind.

One day my Mom and I were reliving the joys of Medjugorje. We talked about how great it would be have the Stations of the Cross throughout our property on the farm as a path of prayer. My Mother shared this dream with some of our friends. Much to our joy, a very dear and loving friend of the family, Eleanor Lynch, very kindly gave us the fourteen Stations of the Cross. We placed them on trees around the hillside on our farm.

Sometime later, we thought how wonderful it would be to have a reunion with all our spiritual friends whom we had the pleasure of meeting on our trip to Medjugorje. So in June, 1991, we invited as many as we could and welcomed others to join us as well.

We were thrilled when many of those who attended asked us to hold another reunion and then another and another. The number of people just kept doubling.

Many tell us how wonderful they feel after they have prayed the Stations of the Cross. They tell us of personal experiences that they have had. But what we mainly feel about our farm is that it is a place of prayer, peace and love, and that all who visit it have been called to come by our Blessed Mother.

A « Rosary Trail » is located just beyond the fourteenth Station leading back to the fields of the farm. Also here, begins the Peace Path which leads down the hill through the woods to the front field where it turns left, leading to the Grotto Of Our Lady Of Lourdes.

God Bless.

Marmora, Ontario, Canada

STATIONS OF THE CROSS AT THE FARM

Making the Stations of the Cross is a spiritual journey that every Christian should be sure to experience and a wonderful way to give homage to our Lord and Saviour.

The Stations of the Cross consist of fourteen different pictures. At each station, you stop to reflect on the agony that Jesus took upon Himself to save us from our sins.

It helps us to realize the true pain and suffering that Jesus underwent for us that we might otherwise take for granted.

These Stations take us back in time to when Jesus was condemned to death through to His Crucifixion.

In making the Stations of the Cross, it becomes a remembrance and a true offering that we can give back to God.

At each Station, we genuflect, in respect for Jesus' suffering. We then say three prayers while meditating on His agony: The « Our Father », « Hail Mary », and the « Glory Be To Father ».

What greater way to walk with Jesus and become familiar with the true meaning of His suffering.

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