Saturday 09 November 2024
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Some biographical information

Vassula Rydén who is Greek, born in Egypt, belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. God approached her back in 1985 while she lived in Bangladesh in a most extraordinary way to use her as His instrument and charge her with His messages for all mankind. In truth it is a reminder of His Word. In these messages for our times, God is calling us to repentance, reconciliation, peace and unity.

In the very beginning of God’s intervention she was totally confused and feared she was being deluded; this uncertainty was truly her biggest cross, since she never heard in her life before that God can indeed express Himself to people in our own times. Because of this she feared and tried to fight her experience away, but instead of diminishing, God approached her even more intensively. As the sacred communication progressed there was perceptible change as Vassula grew in faith, knowledge and love of God. Her need to seek reassurance lessened, she became more comfortable in this unusual role which in turn allowed fuller statements from her divine visitor.

The principle motive throughout is the divine love of Jesus expressed in the bridal terms, characteristic of mysticism, but manifested as an effulgence, an outpouring of the ineffable love of Christ. The fact that Vassula, without ever having received any catechetical instruction, let alone theological formation, is able to write about such profound spiritual matters without committing any errors, is itself a powerful confirmation of the authenticity of her messages.

Since 1988 Vassula has been invited to speak in more than 60 countries and has given over 800 presentations. Vassula receives in all of this work no personal royalties, fees or benefit for her efforts. So far the books have been translated into more than 40 languages. They are written in such a clear and direct language that anyone of reading age can understand them. At the same time their content is so rich and profound that brilliant theologians have been inspired to write books about the spirituality of the messages. God himself has chosen to name these divine messages: True life in God. Wherever she is invited, whether in Asia, the Americas, Australia, Africa or Europe, she is welcomed by crowds of people of all ages from every imaginable social class and milieu, both Christian and non-Christian. Among those who come to hear her testimony are not only lay people, but also their spiritual leaders and hierarchy. Also other religions, like the Israeli Jews invited her, as well as the Buddhist monks of Hiroshima and of Bangladesh to give her testimony. The attendance of her meetings has reached up to 400’000 people and among them, in some countries there could be Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Jews.

She was invited at 3 occasions to speak on unity in the World Council of Churches of Geneva and once in Romania in Iasi at a meeting called : "Unity and renewal, consultation and Christian spirituality for our times." In 1998 and 2001 the United Nations in New York, a section based on Peace in the World, working specifically between Jews and Palestinians, invited Vassula to address them and repeat what our Lord says to us in the messages to obtain peace in the world. In 2001 she was invited among other speakers by the International Bridgettine Centre of Farfa to speak on Ecumenism and Spirituality.

Since May 2002, Vassula was invited to inter-religious meetings to give her testimony. The first one was held in Dhaka where the opening was done by a Muslim Imam.

After that she was invited by the Archbishop of Taipei Joseph Ti-Kan to give her speech to non-Christians. Vassula’s speeches on reconciliation and unity started to be known and appreciated among non-Christian. In February 2003 she was invited by the Venerable Suddhananda in his monastery in Dhaka to honour her with the Peace Gold Award for her efforts of propagating peace in the world. She was nominated for this peace award by the Buddhist monks as a distinguished personality in recognition of her great contribution and her efforts for establishing inter-religious harmony and promoting world Peace among all peoples and faiths. The function was inaugurated by Rev. Michael Rozario, Archbishop of the Catholic church in Dhaka. Among other guests was the Secretary of the Apostolic Nuncio in Dhaka, as well as Muslim Professors from various regions of Bangladesh and from the four major religions, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus.

In Scriptures it is written that faith without good works is quite dead. The fruits of True Life in God are not only the conversion of the heart but the good works the readers have begun. After experiencing our Lady in a vision, Vassula was asked by her to feed the poor as well for spiritual food was not enough.

Since then, many houses called Beth Myriam (house of Mary) started to function from the friends of the messages to feed the poor. Those houses are progressing to have schooling as well for the poor children. There are now many worldwide - in Egypt, Bangladesh, the Holy Land, multiple in the Philippines, Venezuela and Brazil, an orphanage in Kenya and help is given as well to 600 Buddhist orphans in Dhaka.

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