Prophetic Apparitions of Our Lady at Heede, Germany

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APPARITIONS OF HEEDE, Germany (1937- 1945)
Taken from here.

APPROVED for 'FAITH EXPRESSION' by the local bishop – formal approval still pending but events are recognised as SUPERNATURAL. (Indicates Heede is still favourably viewed by the Church and we are permitted to spread the messages.)

Nov. 1, 1937

In Heede, which is the north west of Germany in Lower Saxony, four young girls went to church for the feast of All Saints in 1937 - Anna Schulte, Greta Gauseforth (11) (1926 - d.1996) and Margaret Gauseforth (13) and Susanna Bruns (d.1994).

The two sisters, Greta and Margaret, were surprised when they saw in the church-yard cemetery a "floating light" about 100 feet away from them and a meter from the ground, which then began to form into a woman's shape – it was a beautiful Lady holding the Christ Child and they both wore beautiful crowns.

Frightened, they entered the church and reported that The Blessed Virgin had appeared to them with the Divine child in her arms. Anna Schulte was curious and went to explore, but apparently didn't find anything and went back in to Mass, for it was after Mass when they all went back to look to find the Lady and Child. This time accompanying Greta, Maria and Anna, were Adele Bruns (15), and Anna's sister, Susanna Bruns.

Margaret suddenly exclaimed: “It's there – between the two cypresses!”

The apparition remained silent, also, Adele couldn't see it, so she impatiently wanted to go back home. However, Margaret and Grete told their mother who immediately alerted Fr. Staelberg, the parish priest.

The news was received in village with predictable scepticism and amusement. It wasn’t until the girls had shown a dramatic change in their way of life that villagers began to wonder. The girls switched from pleasures and amusements to long and fervent prayer, impatiently waiting for the hour when they would see the Heavenly Vision again.


Nov 2, 1937 – at the same time the Lady appeared again, this time without the Baby, and she remained silent, but had her hands clasped in prayer.


Nov. 5, 1936 – this time Our Lady brought the Baby, and, she asked the girls questions. The Virgin Mary stood on a white cloud with a luminous halo “about 30-40 cm surrounding her.” Her age seemed to be 18 or 19. She wore a golden crown, richly worked … a long white dress fitted at the waist by a cord … a non-transparent white veil falls on each side, doing some folds, and hides her hair … On her left hand, covered by the veil, sits the Christ Child. She raises her arm.”


Nov. 7, 1937 – By this time the villagers were no longer sceptical about the visions and close to 5,000 came to the next apparition. This time, several priests saw the apparitions.


Nov. 8, 1937 - More than 7,000 returned to the site the next day on November 8. But the civil authorities forbade Father Staelberg from accompanying the girls. Another priest was present that day from Herkenhoff and reported these details:

“Suddenly, the (four) girls fell to their knees, all together, without one or another making a signal to her companions … They posed several questions to the apparition. After a quarter of an hour – during which they continued to be constantly stiff, eyes fixed on a precise point – their questions seemed unanswered, even when they spoke. When Greta was alongside me later, she told me that she had wondered how the Mother of God feels. The response she received was a sad countenance. Greta said, ‘The Mother of God was very sad and very bright.’”


There were an estimated 100 visits by Our Lady to these four girls in Heede. Here are some highlights:


April 5, 1939: Margaret was alone for this apparition.

“I saw the Mother of God directly in front of me, standing two feet away, and asked her how she would like to be invoked.”

She replied, “as Queen of the Universe and Queen of the Poor Souls in Purgatory.”

When asked what prayer she would like to honour her, she indicated the “Litany of Laurentanas.” (i.e the Litany of Loreto).



May 12, 1939: Greta asked, “Will we have diseases?”

Our Lady: “Not yet.”

Then Greta asked, “Can we come here every day?”

Our Lady: “Yes.”

But then the number of occurrences decreased.

Many were fearful of visiting Heede because Hitler ruled Germany with an iron fist and forbade participation in this “superstitious nonsense.” The Gestapo forcefully took the children to an insane asylum and strictly forbade the pilgrimages to Heede.

After one month, the children were released but disregarded the orders of the Gestapo and resumed their visits to the place of the apparitions. The Queen of Heaven continued her appearances in secret locations.

Greta Ganseforth received the stigmata in 1939.

On October 19, 1940, Our Lady gave the four girls a “secret” intended for the Pope.

Our Lady then warned them, “Do not say anything to anyone other than the Holy Pope of Rome.”

The message was placed in a sealed envelope that was carried by Bishop Berning to Pope Pius XII.

The Virgin also showed them visions of future catastrophes and warned them that a horrifying event described as a “Minor Judgment” was in store for the future. 

Our Lady: “The world will have to drink the dregs of the chalice of Divine wrath for their innumerable sins through which they have wounded the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Then she admonished them). Pray…pray much, especially for the conversion of sinners.”

She recommended they pray the Rosary in particular.

Despite Our Lady’s incredible beauty, she was usually solemn-faced, stern, or even shedding tears.

The apparitions of the Blessed Mother came to an end at 8:30 p.m. on November 3, 1940. Each girl received a “secret” from Mother Mary, who then spoke:

“Be good and faithful to the will of God. Pray often – especially the Rosary. Now farewell, my children, until we meet in Heaven.”

On July 23, 1942, Bishop Berning made the following remarks during his homily: “From Heede came a rich blessing. I could see that Marian devotion dramatically increased; that sacramental life, in particular, has flourished dramatically in this parish.”



NEW WARNINGS

Greta Ganseforth began receiving visits from Our Lord starting in 1945 and included the Angel of Justice.

Her spiritual director gave her orders to keep a diary of her mystical events. She did not see Our Lady again but did hear her voice, speaking to her from a brilliant light on numerous occasions.


A Warning about DANCES

There was an occasion when a school dance was being prepared for October 21, 1945, which apparently was going to exceed Catholic norms for decency. At the request of Our Lord, Greta sought to have the dance cancelled or at least modified so that it would not be a dangerous occasion of sin. Greta warned the parents as Our Lord declared: “If they proceed with that dance, all involved will have to answer to Me at their Judgement.”

The dance was subsequently cancelled.

Along with this event and a number of miraculous healings, other parish priests and clergymen finally believed.



Our Lord gave an imperative warning to mankind ~ we are in the last hour:

“Men did not listen to My Most Holy Mother when she appeared to them at Fatima and admonished them to do penance. Now I, Myself, am coming at the last hour to warn and admonish mankind!

The times are very serious! Men should at last do penance, turn away from their sins and pray, pray much in order that the wrath of God may be mitigated. Particularly the Holy Rosary should be prayed very often. The Rosary is very powerful with God. Worldly pleasures and amusements should be restricted.

Men do not listen to My voice. They harden their hearts; they resist My grace. They do not wish to have anything to do with My Mercy, My Love, My merits. Mankind is worse than before the deluge. Mankind is suffocating in sin. Hatred and greed rule their hearts. This is the work of the devil. They live in great darkness. Through the wounds that bled, Mercy will again gain victory over justice. My faithful souls should not be asleep now like the disciples on Mt. Olivet. They should pray without ceasing and gain all they can for themselves and for others.

This generation deserves to be annihilated but I desire to show myself as merciful. Tremendous things are in preparation; it will be terrible as never before since the foundation of the world. All those, who in these grave times have suffered so much, are martyrs and form the seed for the renovation of the Church. They were privileged to participate in My captivity, in My scourging, in My crown of thorns, and My Way of the Cross.

That which will shortly happen, will greatly surpass everything that has ever happened until now.

The Blessed Virgin Mary and all the choirs of angels will be active during these events. Hell believes that it is sure of the harvest, but I will snatch it away from them. I will come with My peace. Many curse me now, but these sufferings will come over mankind that they may be saved through it … Many expiate all they can for those who curse Me now …

With a few faithful I will build up My kingdom. As a flash of lightning this Kingdom will come … much faster than mankind will realize. I will give them a special light. For some this light will be a blessing; for others, darkness. The light will come like the Star that showed the way to the wise men. Mankind will experience My love and My power. My beloved, the hour comes closer. Pray without ceasing!

Those who are not in the State of Grace (when the Minor Judgment happens) – it will be frightful for them.”

On March 7, 1946, Bishop Berning authorised a statue of the “Mary, Queen of the Universe” to be made for placement in the church cemetery as directed by the visionaries. Finally, after years of investigation, the Bishop of Osnabruck declared on June 3, 1959, the following:

“The apparitions are undeniable proof of the seriousness and authenticity of these manifestations … In the apparitions and messages of Heede we find nothing contrary to the Faith. Indeed, their similarity to the approved apparitions of Fatima, Lourdes, and La Salette give good indications of their authenticity.”