Showing posts with label Holy Cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Cross. Show all posts

Friday, April 23, 2010

Sign of Cross Draws Crowds

Photo by Lora Schraft

The photographs and video, including the following excerpt is from Morgan Hill Times which reported a story about a cross that continues to appear in a window of home in Watsonville, CA.

The original story first was reported on April 2, 2010 by Pajaronian.com.  An excerpt can be found on this blog at the following link: Apparition of Cross Appears in Window.
                                                                                                                



Morgan Hill Times.com - Apparition draws crowds

By Jonathan Partridge

Sylvia Torres recalls being skeptical when she traveled to a home in Watsonville a couple of weeks ago to see a cross in the house's window that was purported to be a miracle.

Then crosses of refracted light began appearing in the front window of her family's own house on Swaner Drive last week.

Now, she is a believer.

"I've been here eight years, and this has never happened," she said.

At least 200 people have stopped by the home at 1288 Swaner Drive since Friday, when a young boy first spotted the image.

Neighbor Jesus Gonzalez, 10, was the first person to see the image while hanging out with the Torres children last week.

"I was right here waiting for my friend, and I said hey, 'Doesn't that look like a cross?'" Jesus recalled.

Sylvia said she did not know what to think when she first heard about it. The Torreses have used various light sources since that time, including light bulbs, candles and flashlights. The result is always the same: a luminous cross of refracted light with a diamond-like aura behind it. The usual light bulb the Torreses use inside the house creates an image that's nearly three feet tall, while the candles create smaller crosses of light that are only several inches.

The Torreses said they are Christians, but they are not "practicing," and they do not attend church anywhere in town.

"We're gonna start," Torres said with a laugh.


Photo by Lora Schraft

People gradually have been finding out about the cross through word of mouth, she said. They come from all walks of life - different ethnicities, different faith backgrounds, even different towns, Torres said. Some people have traveled from Morgan Hill and Watsonville to see the apparition.

People generally come en masse about 5 or 6 p.m., after they finish work, said Horacio Torres, Sylvia Torres' husband. In addition, about 10 people show up per hour throughout the day.

"It's like their coming like ants," Horacio said with a laugh.

It's even gotten to the point that the family is planning to set up visiting hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

A priest from the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Jose stopped by this week to see the cross, and told the family that it was a blessing, Sylvia said.

One man, who was passing out Christian literature in front of Arteaga's Super Save market on First Street, stopped by and also told the family it was a sign from God.

"He said, 'You have a great responsibility'," Sylvia said. "'It's to tell people to repent of their sins.'"

Practicing Roman Catholics tend to believe the cross' veracity right away, but some people who are logically minded are more skeptical, Sylvia said.

Yet, even some of the skeptics said they have been convinced.

Kern Avenue resident Jackie Velazquez was among the throngs of people who were amazed at the image.

"It's incredible!" Velazquez said. "We went inside the house, and it's not a trick. I'm not even a believer, and it made me cry."

Family members say it has become a bit wearisome to contend with all the onlookers.

"It takes privacy away from my home," Sylvia said.

Still, she and Horacio said they have felt a sense of peace come over their house since crosses began appearing in the window.

Their young daughter, Lucila, said she is not sure what to think of it all.

"I'm kind of scared," she said.

The family plans to have a recital of a rosary at the house at 5 p.m. Monday.

They said they are not trying to attract attention from outsiders, but they are also not refusing those who want to take a look.

"It's a blessing," Sylvia Torres said. "God said, 'If you don't come to visit me, we're going to visit you.'"


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Sunday, March 30, 2008

Cross Appears on House During Easter


9-year-old captures cross reflection on Pitman house - South Jersey - NJ.com

The Gloucester County Times of Woodbury, New Jersey, reported that on March 23, Easter Sunday, 9 year old Gwynna Crawford photographed a cross reflecting on a neighbor's house. Her mother and a neighbor were unable to find the source of the reflection. "I thought it was a reflection from the sun, I don't know. It came on Easter and thought that was pretty cool," Gwynna said. The story appears in the March 25, 2008 issue of the Gloucester County Times with the upper photograph printed on the front page of the newspaper.

Throughout the world, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the crucifixion on Easter Sunday. In my opinion, the Lord's timing is perfect for sending a sign to humanity in order to reflect His love and change the heart of skeptics, especially in a society of secularism. On Wednesday, March 19, I visited my spiritual advisor, Father Richard Tartaglia of Saint Mary's Church, Denville, NJ. I communicated to Father Richard a message imparted to me by Jesus regarding a sign that the Lord would send with a cross similar to what appeared on my property in 2005, 2006, and 2007 in order to affirm my story and validate it as truth. To view the photograph of the cross that appeared on my fence (Loci B. Lenar), please visit the following link: http://www.christian-miracles.com/signsofangels.htm

Regarding miracles, Jesus said in John 4:48, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe."

For more details on the Crawford photograph and story, please order a copy of the March 25 issue from the Gloucester County Times at 309 S. Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096.

A brief version of the story appears on NJ.com at the following link:
http://www.nj.com/south/index.ssf/2008/03/9yearold_captures_cross_reflec.html