As some of you may know, John Vennari, who has been battling cancer, just posted the following message on Facebook:
“The doctors say I don’t have much time left. Please pray for me and for my Purgatory. Was blessed to receive Last Rites yesterday and the apostolic blessing.”
I am certain that readers of this space have been, and will continue to pray for John; offering Masses for him and his loved ones.
I have mixed feelings about this…
John Vennari is a good and faithful servant whose reward awaits him. Don’t get me wrong, I will honor his wishes to pray for his Purgatory indeed, but I cannot help but believe that Our Lord is sparing him (as He also spared Fr. Gruner) the agony of remaining in the Church Militant as the devastation so evident in our day continues unabated until at long last the Immaculate Heart of Mary triumphs.
For this, we can give thanks to God for His mercy.
That said, I am heartbroken for John’s wife and children. Having had the privilege of seeing them interact on a few occasions in person and then only briefly, it was perfectly clear just how close knit this model Catholic family truly is.
More selfishly, it breaks my heart for me. John Vennari, as many of you can also say, touched my life and made it better.
At this, if I may, as a personal tribute of sorts, I’d like to share with you a brief email that I sent to John a few months ago. It speaks for itself.
Dear John,
Of course my prayers for you and your precious family are a given.
You may not realize it, but you occupy a rather special place in my “journey” (such as it is thus far). I can only think of one person other than you that Our Lord was kind enough to put in my path that could somehow “see” something in me that even I couldn’t exactly imagine for myself.
As you may recall, we first “met” on Colleen Hammond’s radio program about the SSPX back in 2012, and had only limited interaction afterwards until you generously invited me to speak at the CFN Conference in 2013.
It’s only in looking back later that I realized how crazy that was.
You had never heard me speak in person. I had never addressed a conference outside of Novus Ordo diocesan or parish circles. And yet, for some reason, this giant of a man in the so-called “traditional movement” saw fit to extend that invitation to me?
It still doesn’t make an awful lot of sense, but I thank God you did it. You opened a whole new world for me, in a sense, and exposed me to so many good people that I never would have come to know otherwise; many of whom will be lifelong friends.
Since then, I’ve been given enough glimpses of your faith, your work ethic, your family, your inner joy and your inimitable sense of humor to realize that you’re a giant of a man – period.
Long story short, I admire you immensely and will always be grateful for all that you’ve done for me. I look forward to seeing you again. In the meantime, top of my prayer list you and yours will be!
May we all be blessed to see John Vennari again at the time appointed by Our Lord.
Beautiful tribute, Louie:+) And yes, what a giant of a man…a gentle one with a zealous desire to protect and restore the Bride of Christ. I too am grateful for his work and have read Catholic Family News for info and updates. He is an example of what a true Catholic warrior should be. God bless him:+)
I have been thinking and praying for John since he announced his very serious battle against cancer. I am just so saddened by the thought of loosing him. Why are we loosing a great soldier whom we desperately need in such wicked times as these? We so needed his help in this fight and like you Louie I feel our agony here on Earth is beginning to feel like the heavier cross. May God bless John Vanneri and our family Rosary will be said specifically for him tonight.
Soon , John Vennari will hear those blessed words of Christ that will fill him with unspeakable joy; Well done, good and faithful servant, now enter into the Joy of the Lord. We in the traditional movement are soon going to have another powerful voice before Our Father in Heaven. Thank God for men and women like , John. Viva Christo Rey.
Amen. I don’t have adequate words. Mr Vennari is a great exemplar. Praying.
We must pray for John who has proven to be a powerful and brilliant warrior for Christ and His Church. God’s ways are not our ways. Let us also remember John’s devoted wife, Susan, and their three beautiful children. May Our Lord and Our Lady grant them peace, courage and fortitude during this most difficult time. I have had the privilege of being in John’s company on several occasions and know him to be a true friend. All who knew John are blessed. He will be missed by many. Dear Lord, please make Your presence known to the Vennari Family. Our Lady of Fatima, intercede for John and his family. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for all of us!
Your excellent letter gives further insight into this great man’s heart.
What a gift to have known him in the way you described. John Vennari’s clarity and wisdom have helped me in this journey toward Truth. May God bless him and reward him.
I have read John Vennari’s writings for well over 15 years. I am very much indebted to him for guiding me along my journey in discovering and guarding my Catholic Faith. May Our Lady and St Joseph stand with him in his final hour and bring him to Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ to that place where all tears will be wiped away.
….from “Preparation For Death” by St. Alphonsus Liguori:
St. Thomas asserts, ‘that in order to enter heaven, it is necessary for a man after Baptism to pray continually.’
St. Bernard says, ‘that heaven is promised to those who commence a good life; but it is given only to those who persevere.’
Death, viewed according to the senses terrifies and causes fear; but when viewed with the eyes of faith it consoles and becomes desirable…..at the end of our labours the consummation of victory, the gate of life. “Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries,” (Job, 14. 1). Such is our life, short, and full of miseries, infirmities, fears, and passions.
‘What,’ says Seneca, ‘do worldlings seek who desire a long life, but a prolonged torment?’ Yes, because, as St. Ambrose tells us, our present life is not given us for repose, but for labour, and by labour to merit eternal life.’
God calls those blessed who die in His grace, because their labours are ended, and they go to rest. “Blessed are the dead who die in the the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours..” (Apoc. 14;13). “The souls of the just are in the hands of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them” (Wisdom 3;1). They are not afflicted at leaving honours, because they had already detested them, and regarded them, as they really are, but as smoke and vanity, they esteemed only the honour of loving and being loved by God. They are not afflicted of leaving their relations, because they have only loved them in God, in dying they leave them under the care of that heavenly Father who loves them more than they do; and hoping to be saved, they think they can better assist them in heaven than in this world. In fine, that which they have always said in their lifetime, ‘My God, and my all,’ they continue to repeat in death with still greater consolation and tenderness.”
Prayer: “Ah, my beloved Jesus, who to obtain for me a happy death hast chosen to die so bitter a death on Calvary, when shall I behold Thee? The first time that I shall see Thee will be as my judge in the very place where I shall expire. What shall I then say to Thee? What wilt Thou say to me? I will not wait till that moment to think upon it, I will now anticipate it I will say to Thee: ‘My dear Redeemer, Thou then art He who died for me.’ ”
…….’O God, who hast doomed all men to die, but hast concealed from all the hour of their death, grant that I may pass my days in the practice of holiness and justice, and that I may deserve to quit this world in the peace of a good conscience, and in the embraces of thy love: through Christ our Lord. Amen.’
John Vennari a worthy son of God, fought the good fight, as every good ‘soldier of Christ’ ought to. May the divine will be done now and for evermore! Amen.
Having personally experienced my dear grandmother die of cancer, my heart goes out to the family. I am right now saying a prayer for John and his family.
In his great love for the salvation of souls Mr John Vennari compiled a most magnificent booklet called The Revelations of the Holy Face of Jesus, which can be obtained from the Fatima center at http://www.fatima.org. We are indebted to this kind and gentle Catholic for sharing his stalwart love and devotion to Our Lady and to the Triune God and His holy Church. Our Lady of Fatima, pray and intercede for your faithful servant John Vennari .
One of my favorite booklets of my entire life.
A treasure.
(The Revelations of the Holy Face of Jesus by John Vennari)
You are a dear soul, Theresa.
“Why are we loosing a great soldier whom we desperately need in such wicked times as these?”
Probably because JV’s work has come to a successful conclusion. JV has spent his life warning souls about the coming chastisement. It is understandable that Our Lady would spare him from having to go through it himself.