May 31th, 2014 on the Feast of the Visitation in Germany
by Gisèle Bomal.
for Chrétiens Magazine.
Before starting the interview, Father James prayed to the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
GB: On behalf of all French Catholics who are preparing for the retreat in August with you, thank you for choosing France for your early retirement after a long absence I am also grateful for having given me this interview.
Father James: I'm very happy to meet you and answer your questions.
It is always a great joy for me to meet French and return to France to preach. Belonging to the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales based in Annecy, I had French teachers at the seminary and novitiate. I received my French spirituality; this is why I am pleased to return to preach in France. When I preach in France, I give them what I received from them!
GB: All of your retreats in 2013 were canceled and you from May 2014 you began again. We learned at that time that you were seriously ill.. Can you tell about that?
Fr. James: In November and December 2012, I went to Arab countries to preach the Gospel.
GB: Is not it dangerous to preach to Muslims and their land?
Fr. James: This is a special ministry that the Lord has entrusted to me for 15 years. In this context, I faced the release, torture, imprisonment. I was beaten, kidnapped, etc.. This is part of my mission! They are the Muslims themselves who invite me to speak about Christ, they really want to hear about Him. Several thousand people have already been baptized.
GB: Was it during this trip that you were sick?
Fr. James: It was when my return to Munich in early December, which was noted a stomach infection with a high fever. I asked my doctor a safe treatment in order to go to India for my nephew ordination which took place on 28. But on 21th, I felt a weakness in my body, then I found paralyzed. It began with the hands, then the chest, then half of the face. Then I found myself in an induced coma for 13 days. And for four months I was with breathing support.
I was sent to three hospitals in nine months. First in Salzburg, Austria but doctors did not identify the cause of my illness. After three months, in March 2013, I was sent to Spain in a hospital in Pamplona where they eventually diagnose the Guillain-Barré syndrome.
The treatment helped me to recover, speak and breathe without ventilatory support, but my body was still paralyzed. I then returned to Austria, where I benefit from 5 months of physiotherapy treatment which allowed me to move my hands and legs and speak more easily.
GB: This healing came at Easter, precisely at the end of a vast movement of prayer in the world. This spiritual support has been for you a great comfort?
Fr. James: Yes, prayer does wonders. My friends around the world have mobilized to offer prayers, masses, fasting, adoration for my healing, I experienced the love of others there. I saw them in my heart. Prayers does wonders!
I think there was the prayers and sacrifices of others who have facilitated my healing. I praise Jesus for all those who prayed for me!
GB: The intensive care you have received, and for so long had to be very expensive. Have you been supported?
Fr. James:: No, I have no insurance, the various hospital stages costed me very expensive (over € 700,000). I now have to repay the loan; my apartment in Munich had to be mortgaged.
Then donations arrived from around the world and have covered a large part of this debt.
I still have to pay a lot of money to the bank, especially to get back my apartment but I know that the Lord will help me to return the debt, thanks to the generosity of friends and benefactors.
GB: Many people have visited you, you have sent messages of encouragement, by telephone, e-mails ... How have you seen these beautiful stories?
Fr. James: I really experienced the love of all these people during this time of suffering. All those who visited me beamed upon me the love of God! I always see in my heart especially the Holy Mass ... I am indebted to them.
I was supported by my congregation and by a lot of people. Because hospital charges were high, my friends decided to take me in a private home for treatment and therapy. One of my spiritual son, Dr. Richi (son of Gaby know that many in France as she works with Father James) was kind enough to welcome me home, so I now receives home care less expensive. The treatment seems to act and therefore there is a marked improvement, I can walk with crutches, but I still need someone to help me get up and move around.
GB: In your Christmas message 2013, you said that the Virgin Mary had promised you the healing you she said you will walk again?
Fr. James: No, she did not tell me, but she consoled me, bringing the presence of Jesus in my heart. She wore my prayers to her Son.
As I just said to Jesus, "If you keep me alive, I would preach even if I have to lie on a bed or sitting in a chair. I've heard Him to say to me, "You will preach with more power my gospel. "
He did not assure me that I was able to walk. He fulfilled His promise, as I preached with greater power of my wheelchair in Poland in May.
Throughout this period of suffering and especially during my coma, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit over me, which filled me with his strength, his power. Then, when I was no longer in a coma, the Holy Spirit was still there, it gave me strength. Now, thanks to my suffering, I feel strong, not physically of course, but spiritually and mentally.
Now I can say that I'm not sick. I am healthy.
GB: While thousands of people you know, and you wait, they need your teachings and your prayers, how do you explain that God allowed this long illness and much suffering.
Fr. James: God has His own plans. The Lord said, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways," says the Lord. Heaven is high above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "(Isaiah 55: 8-9). He can do his job even without me! I always think I'm not absolutely necessary for his work. Anyone can do the work that I do. In my 41 years of priesthood, I have never had a vacation. Maybe the Lord gave me a vacation like me my spiritual director said! I am convinced that during this illness I've suffered for my sins, for those of my brothers in the priesthood, and for those of all the people who come to my retreats. I believe that suffering is a ministry.
The suffering of Jesus on the cross was His mission to save the world.
If Jesus had not suffered on the cross we would not be saved. It is the same for his disciples for which it is also a ministry.
Certainly, for a year and a half I did not go to preach, but I exercised my ministry by these sufferings, and God acted. St. Therese of Lisieux has never preached but through his suffering for the salvation of the world, she became the Patroness of the Missions! She saved many souls through suffering.
During my illness, I have received many letters and e-mails talking about cures, graces they received.
If accepted and offered my sufferings have contributed, I thank God.
GB: The suffering accepted and offered in union with that of Jesus saves souls. So you have to repair for the salvation of the world?
Fr. James: Yes, and also for my own sanctification. Like St. Paul, I would say: "I rejoice in my sufferings I endure for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for his Body which is the Church. "(Col 1: 24)
GB: In spite of your suffering, some of which are constant, we see you through photos, videos, still beaming, smiling. Can you tell us more about this Joy that you live?
Fr. James: Uniting my sufferings with those of Jesus during my illness made ??me deeply happy! When people came to see me while I was paralyzed and mute for months, I could smile at them.
I've always been happy in my heart because I knew why I was suffering: it was a gift from God.
Suffering is neither a curse nor a punishment, it is a gift of God.
Throughout this period, I always thought that suffering was a gift from God. I was in this state of mind when I was kidnapped, they broke my arm and right leg cut deeply. These are trials that I wear again. It is always very painful and it is also a gift of God. "But inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that when his glory is revealed, you may also be joy and gladness. Happy if you are reproached for Christ's sake, for the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God rests upon you. "(1 Peter 4: 13-14)
GB: On several occasions, we have seen blood in your hands, are they stigmata?
P. James: I do not call them stigmata; this is simply a gift from God. I also have five wounds: hands, feet and side, but I do not think they are stigmata.
I think the stigma is for holy people. I am a sinner and I am not worthy to have the great gift of the stigmata. I kept this as a secret and I had never told anyone. But now people know, because I was bleeding during the elevation in the Mass. During my illness, Jesus told me: "I will remove these wounds I'll give you them back when I decide."
So I have no sores or bleeding but I have marks on my body.
GB: One of the main themes of your retreats, are Christian values, family but also the dangers of the occult, the adverse effects of practices such as yoga, magnetism, spiritualism, qong qi, reiki ...
Fr. James: I am announcing the Word of God in truth. I make no compromise with the esoteric or New Age, or all practices from pagan religions.
GB: Your message is intended only for Catholics?
Fr. James: My message is for all those who want to live a holy life according to God's will. In general, these are Catholics who come to my retreat, so my messages go to them directly. I am a Catholic priest and it is my duty to tell the truth in the Bible and the teachings of the Catholic Church to the Catholics.
Did you know that the Iranian government has banned yoga? He says that "yoga is destroying the Muslim religion." It is the same for Saudi Arabia where all yoga centers were closed. Muslims understand that the power of yoga is destroying their religion but unfortunately many Catholics do not understand. Yoga is inspired by Satan.
St. Paul says that the pagans worship evil spirits, we worship the Holy Spirit: "But I say that the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be in communion with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and at the same time the demons; you cannot take part in the Lord's table and at the same time the demons. Do we provoke the jealous zeal of the Lord? Are we stronger than he? "(1 Cor 10: 20-22)
GB: A good portion of humanity seems to turn to these practices; you do not make friends preaching the opposite of what they do?
Fr. James: I know that many are furious against me; in France, many do not appreciate my warnings against yoga, against satanic cults precisely because many practice it.
There is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God or the evil spirit, the spirit of Satan. There is the kingdom of Christ and there is the Kingdom of Satan. Esoteric practices, the New Age, alternative treatments based on cosmic forces come from Satan. "The whole world is under the power of the wicked" (1 Jn 5, 19b) Christians must reject all these practices. This is what we have done in baptism; we renounced Satan and all his works. We must never go back. We should converse with the Holy Spirit, but never through other spirits.
GB: Do you take risks in addressing these subjects?
Fr. James: I do not preach to please people, but to please God. I do not preach things that people want to hear, but what God wants me to tell them for the salvation of their souls for eternal life!
I do not want to compromise.
When I was sick, doctors, healers came to me and said: "Father James, I can give you up, I have powers." I told them I did not want to walk again by the power of Satan, I just wanted to be healed by the power of God. I like to suffer at the hands of Jesus rather than be healed by Satan!
A therapist from Prague who wanted to put me up in a month began to use esoteric powers on me; I felt his power and I told him "NO".
Now I have a good therapist.
GB: How can I tell if a therapist has links with the esoteric?
Fr. James: Just ask him where he was educated, he has other skills outside of medicine ... Dr. Richi and several of my family and myself, we do not compromise with these practices.
To conclude, my current decision is to continue to preach even if I have to do in a wheelchair. God willing I will rise, I will walk. I will continue to evangelize even if I have to stay paralyzed.
I also have retreats scheduled in Czechoslovakia in Portugal in France, Austria and Switzerland and again in Poland ...
GB: Do you know why so many people are attracted to esoteric?
Fr. James: I do not know why many people turn to the esoteric.
Maybe it's because they do not find an answer to their problems in their situation. There is also ignorance among people about the danger. There is a document from Rome about the dangers of the esoteric and New Age "Jesus Christ, the Water Bearer live." It's good to read that Catholics; you can find it on my website. ( http://www.jmanjackal.net )
GB: By denouncing all evil, do not you fear retaliation?
Fr. James: When I'm sick, exorcists have discerned four powerful forces of evil against me. They prayed for me.
During my coma, I had a wonderful spiritual experience of heaven and hell and purgatory. I describe in my book "I saw eternity" which will be released very soon for my next retreat in France in Saint Maur des Fosses.
I have seen Satan and hell. Satan told me: "You James, you're working against my kingdom, I want to conquer the whole of Europe but thou destroy my work which is why I hate you. Yes I really heard, as I have written in this book. You must know that Satan is a liar, and he is the father of lies, and he is also a murderer. (C / f Jn 8, 44)
GB: Dear Father, your serenity and joy impress me. What would you say to people who are suffering?
Fr. James: "To all those who suffer I say that suffering is a gift from God, we must never think that it is a curse, instead it is a great blessing. Today people do not like suffering because they have lost faith. Only someone who has faith in Jesus crucified can understand the meaning of suffering. We must not only rejoice when good things happen to us in our lives, but we also rejoice when bad things happen. See teaching of St. Paul that had a lot of suffering for Christ. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. "(Philippians 4: 4).
These words gave me strength in my sufferings.
Jesus is the Way. Jesus chose the way of the cross, we must imitate. Christ prayed, we must pray. Christ preached, we must preach. He has done good works, we need to do too. Jesus was holy, we are to be holy, to walk towards holiness. Jesus suffered, we also suffer like Him. Many people love Christ as a powerful and glorious Lord, but little love Christ crucified. Many people are attracted by miraculous healings, blessings, but few are attracted by the suffering of Christ. However, there is no crown without thorns. The Christian should love the Cross. Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow Me." When you take his cross with the cross of Christ, the light becomes ours. In all our suffering Jesus, who is with us, said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made ??perfect in weakness. "(2 Cor 12: 9)
Therefore, you should never suffer alone, but suffer with Christ. If we must suffer, we must contemplate the wounds of Christ, see the power coming out of the wounds of Christ.
Numerous saints suffered in union with the sufferings of Christ as Padre Pio, Marthe Robin ... And above all, of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, is the great example since she gave birth Jesus and accompanied him to the Cross. During this time she suffered horribly without complaining, it has not collapsed, it remained standing at the foot of the Cross.
Mary is the symbol of the strong woman who suffers but with love.
That is why when you suffer, pray always the Virgin Mary for more courage. During my illness, I constantly felt the presence and maternal comfort of our Holy Mother Mary. Often I felt like a child sitting on his lap ...
GB: Could you say a prayer for the readers of this interview?
Fr. James: I wear all who read this to the Heart of Jesus and pray:
"My Lord Jesus, I take all who read this interview to your Sacred Heart and I pray that many blessings flowing over them and their families. I pray that the messages in this interview touch their hearts and make their conversion, healing, new life, they bring them all the blessings they need. All I bless you and sanctify you. Placing you all in the Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Mother, I bless you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. "
Thank you to pray for me. Live Jesus!
