Sister Agnes Sasagawa Akita Japan 1973

Feastday: Unknown

Born:

Died:

The Mother of God has entrusted a Japanese nun names Sister Agnes Sasagawa with important messages for the world. In 1973, the Blessed Virgin came to Japan, where approximately 0.3% of the population is Catholic. The religious order and convent visited by the Blessed Virgin is dedicated to the adoration of the Holy Eucharist, so it is not surprising that the events preceding the messages started at the tabernacle. The first focus of the mystical events at Akita was to affirm the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist. Throughout the nine years of heavenly events, the existence and very active role guardian angels play in protecting their wards and the general function of angels as adorers of God is shown repeatedly. ¹

The events that took place at Akita allude to the Blessed Virgin as Co-Redemptrix. The events of Akita focus on a weeping statue of Mary located in the convent. The message of Mary as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate comes through the image of the statue in several ways (i) the statue is the reproduction of Our Lady of all Nations as she appeared in Amsterdam, when she announced a forthcoming dogmatic proclamation of Mary as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate (ii) The right hand of the statue bears a stigmata in the shape of a cross which bled, and (iii) the statue sweat fluid and wept blood. The sweat and blood evoke images of Our Lord during his Passion. The Mother of Christ as Co-Redemptrix shares in Her Son’s sufferings. ²

Another focus of the apparitions is the importance of liturgical feast days. The first time Sister Agnes heard her guardian angel speak to her was on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Other messages from the guardian angel came on the feast of the Archangels (September 29) of the Guardian Angel (October 2) and of Saint Joseph the Worker (May 1). The statue of Our Lady stopped weeping on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The entire mystical events that took place in the convent ended on the Feast of the Visitation (May 31) which coincided that year with the Feast of Pentecost. Devotional days were also emphasized in a dramatic way. The first two messages by the Blessed Virgin were given on First Fridays (significant in the devotion to the Sacred Heart) and the third on the anniversary of the miracle of the sun at Fatima (October 13). The right hand of the statue of Our Lady stopped bleeding on a First Friday; the statue started weeping on another First Friday. ³

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Events leading to the Messages

Our Lord in the Eucharist 1973

Sister Agnes went to the chapel alone and suddenly a brilliant light appeared to burst firth from the tabernacle. She prostrated herself immediately on the floor and remained there even after the light disappeared. Sister Agnes knew that Jesus in the Host had truly manifested His Real Presence ⁴

June 14, 1973

Sister Agnes was praying with the community before the Blessed Sacrament when suddenly a light flashed from the tabernacle. Unlike the previous incident, the rays of the golden light were enveloped by a red flame. It seemed that the whole tabernacle was on fire. ⁵

June 28, 1973

While in the chapel praying, Sister Agnes felt as though something pierced the palm of her hand. When she left the chapel she saw two red scratches forming a cross in the centre of her hand. This little cross caused Sister Agnes intense pain. During Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after Mass, Sister Agnes records the following in her personal diary: “Suddenly a blinding light shone from the Blessed Sacrament. As previously, something like fog or smoke began to gather around the altar and the rays of light. Then there appeared a multitude of beings similar to the angels who surrounded the altar in adoration before the Host…The brightness from the Host was so brilliant that I could not look at it directly. Closing my eyes, instinctively I prostrated myself” ⁶

June 29, 1973 Feast of the Sacred Heart

During adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Sister Agnes began praying her rosary when a person appeared very close to her on her right side. This was the same person who had appeared to Sister Agnes four years before during one of her hospitalisations. The person taught her the following prayer to be said after each decade of the rosary “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven especially those who are in most need of your mercy” It was the same prayer that Our Lady taught to the children at Fatima. Now the person was again standing next to Sister Agnes. This time this beautiful person prayed the rosary with Sister Agnes but very slowly. Then the beautiful person prayed: “Most sacred heart of Jesus, Truly present in the Holy Eucharist, I consecrate my body and soul to be entirely one with Your heart, being sacrifices at every instant on the altars of the world and giving praise to the Father, pleading for the coming of His kingdom. Please receive this humble offering of myself. Use me as You will for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls. Most holy Mother of God, never let me be separated from your Divine Son. Please defend and protect me as your special child. Amen” (Note: this prayer was composed by Bishop Ito for the Institute of the Handmaids of the Eucharist. In the original, the first sentence did not contain the word ‘truly’. At the request of the Blessed Virgin, the word ‘truly’ was inserted). Sister Agnes realized this was an angel who was appearing in the form of a woman, and in due time she identified herself as Sister Agnes’ guardian angel. ⁷

July 6, 1973: First Friday

During Adoration, the angel again appeared and began to recite the rosary with Sister Agnes. Suddenly, a very sharp pain pierced her hand, but she continued to pray. Later, after examining the wound, Sister Agnes noticed that at the centre of the two branches of the cross was now a hole from which blood flowed. The pain continued after the blood flow ceased. Sister Agnes spent that night tormented by pain. Sister Agnes recorded in her diary that towards 3am “I had just changed the bandage again and was praying. Then I heard a voice which came from I know not where saying “Do not fear. Pray with fervour not only because of your sins, but in reparation for those of all men The world today wounds the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord by its ingratitude and injuries. The wounds of Mary are much deeper ad more sorrowful than yours. Let us go to pray together in the chapel” The voice was from her angel who later said “I am the one who is with you and watches over you.” Sister Agnes hurried with the angel to the chapel. “At that time the statue was placed on the right side of the altar…I suddenly fely that the wooden statue came to life and was about to speak to me. She as bathed in a brilliant light. Instinctively, Sister Agnes prostrated herself on the ground and heard the following message: ⁸

The Messages

July 6, 1973: First Message of the Blessed Virgin

“My daughter, my novice, you have obeyed me well in abandoning all to follow me. Is the infirmity of your ears painful? Your deafness will be healed, be sure. Be patient. It is the last trial. Does the wound in your hand cause you to suffer? Pray in reparation for the sins of men. Each person in this community is my irreplaceable daughter. Since your Baptism you have always prayed faithfully for them. Continue to pray very much…very much. Tell your superior all that passed today and obey him in everything that he will tell you. He has asked that you pray with fervour” Sister Agnes understood because the pain in her left hand, that she was not to receive Communion in her hand. The pain was so intense she could not put her hand out to receive it. ⁹

July 7, 1973

Early in the morning, Sister Agnes was praying in the chapel and observed something unusual about the right hand of the statue of the Blessed Virgin. In the middle of the palm of the wooden hand was a wound in the shape of a cross. Where the two crossbeams intersected, blood flowed from the central hole, creating a most sorrowful sight. Overcome by a combination of fear and respect, Sister Agnes recalled the worlds spoken to her during the night: “Pray in reparation for the sins of men” ¹⁰

July 27, 1973

Sister Agnes had not been able to sleep for two days because of the painful wound in her hand. In the early afternoon of this First Friday, she was pierced with an excruciating pain. Sister Agnes fled to the chapel for refuge. Sister Agnes prostrated herself on the floor and immediately she heard her guardian angel say: “Your sufferings will end today. Carefully engrave in the depth of your heart the thought of the blood of Mary. The blood shed by Mary had a profound meaning. This precious blood was shed to ask your conversion, to ask for peace, in reparation for the ingratitude and the outrages towards the Lord. As with devotion to the Sacred Heart, apply yourself to devotion to the Most Precious Blood. Pray in reparation for all men. To her surprise, Sister Agnes could not reply. Her angel continued: “Say to your superior that the blood is shed today for the last time. Your pain also ends today. Tell them what happened today. He will understand all immediately. And you, observe his directions.” The angel ended with a smile a disappeared. ¹¹

August 3, 1973

Sister Agnes went to the chapel in the early afternoon to meditate on the passion of Our Lord and later began to pray the rosary. Then she heard her guardian angel say: “You have something to ask. Go ahead, you have no need to be troubled. (The Bishop had given Sister Agnes three questions to pose to the Blessed Virgin, and Sister Agnes was praying that the occasion might be given to accomplish the task given to her by the Bishop” Then suddenly she heard a voice of indescribable beauty. Recognizing that it was the Blessed Virgin, Sister Agnes heard her second message: ¹²

August 3, 1973

“My daughter, my novice, do you love the Lord? If you love the Lord, listen to what I have to say to you. It is very important.You will convey it to your superior. Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates. In order that the world might know His anger, the Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind. With my Son I have intervened so many times to appease the wrath of the Father. I have prevented the coming of calamities by offering Him the sufferings of the Son on the Cross, His Precious Blood, and beloved souls who console Him forming a cohort of victim souls. Prayer, penance and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father's anger. I desire this also from your community. That it love poverty, that it sanctify itself and pray in reparation for the ingratitude and outrages of so many men. Recite the prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist with awareness of its meaning; put it into practice; offer in reparation (whatever God may send) for sins. Let each one endeavour, according to capacity and position, to offer herself entirely to the Lord. Even in a secular institute prayer is necessary. Already souls who wish to pray are on the way to being gathered together. Without attaching to much attention to the form, be faithful and fervent in prayer to console the Master.” After a silence: Is what you think in your heart true? Are you truly decided to become the rejected stone? My novice, you who wish to belong without reserve to the Lord, to become the spouse worthy of the Spouse, make your vows knowing that you must be fastened to the Cross with three nails. These three nails are poverty, chastity, and obedience. Of the three, obedience is the foundation. In total abandon, let yourself be led by your superior. He will know how to understand you and to direct you.” ¹³

September 29, 1973: Feast of the Archangels

As the community was finishing the office in the chapel, the statue became resplendent in light and began streaming as though perspiration. Sister Agnes felt someone beside her. She lifted her eyes and saw the angel who said: “Mary is even sadder than when she sheds blood. Dry the perspiration” With great care and devotion, Sister Agnes and some of the other sisters used cotton to soak up the perspiration. The entire statue was soaked. A liquid similar to heavy sweat oozed without stopping, especially on the forehead and the neck. Then suddenly, the sisters noticed that the fragrance emitted from the cotton pads was of an unearthly delight. The fragrance lasted for quite a while in the chapel. Each time one entered, one had the impression of entering the realm of Heaven. ¹⁴

October 2, 1973: Feast of the Guardian Angels

At the moment of consecration at Mass a dazzling light burst from the tabernacle “At the same moment there appeared the outline of angels in prayer before the shining host. They were kneeling all around the altar in a semicircle, their backs towards us. There were eight of them…It was difficult precisely to describe their clothing. All that can be said is that they seemed to be enveloped in a sort of white light…All eight were there to adore the Most Blessed Sacrament in attitude of great devotion. “At the moment of Communion my guardian angel approached me to invite me to advance to the altar. At that moment I clearly distinguished the guardian angels of each member of the community close to their left shoulders, and the height a little smaller than each. Like my guardian angel they gave truly the impression of guiding and watching over them with sweetness and affection.” ¹⁵

October 13, 1973: Final Message of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reciting the rosary during adoration of the Eucharist, Sister Agnes again saw the luminous splendour of the Blessed Sacrament. From the tabernacle the brilliant light seemed to spread into the whole chapel. At the same moment the statue of Mary gave off a celestial fragrance. She returned to her room after adoration, but soon returned to the chapel. Sister Agnes related that she entered the chapel and had barely finished making the sign of the cross with her rosary when she heard a voice of indescribable beauty come from the statue. From the first word, Sister Agnes prostrated herself on the ground and concentrated on the message being given to her, which was the final message and later received the following message from the Blessed Virgin: “My dear daughter, listen well to what I have to say to you. You will inform your superior.” After a short silence: “As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests. The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres...churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord. The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them. With courage, speak to your superior. He will know how to encourage each one of you to pray and to accomplish works of reparation. It is Bishop Ito, who directs your community.” And she smiled and then said “You have still something to ask? Today is the last time I will speak to you in a living voice. From now on you will obey the one sent to you by Father Yasuda and your superior. Pray very much the prayers of the rosary. I alone am able to save you from the calamities that approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved. “¹⁶

January 4, 1975: Statue weeps for the First Time

The angel told Sister Agnes “Do not be surprised to see the Blessed Virgin weeping. She weeps because she wishes the conversion of the greatest number; She desires that souls be consecrated to Jesus and to the Father by Her intercession. He who directs you told you during the last sermon today; your faith diminishes when you do not see. It is because your faith is weak. The Blessed Virgin rejoices in the consecration of Japan to Her Immaculate Heart because She loves Japan. But She is sad to see that this devotion is not taken seriously. Even though She has chosen this land of Akita to give Her messages, the local pastor doesn't dare to come for fear of what one would say. Do not be afraid. The Blessed Virgin awaits you all. Her hands extended to pour forth graces. Spread devotion to the Virgin. You who have believed while seeing the tears of Mary, when you have permission of your superior speak to the greatest number in order to console the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Spread this devotion with courage for their greater glory. You will transmit my words to your superior and to him who directs you.” ¹⁷

May 1, 1976: Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker

The angel told Sister Agnes after communion “Many men in this world afflict the Lord. Our Lady awaits souls to console Him. Remain in poverty. Sanctify yourself and pray in reparation for the ingratitudes and the outrages of so many men. The Rosary is your weapon. Say it with care and more often for the intention of the Pope, of bishops and priests. You must not forget these words (of Mary). The Blessed Virgin prays continually for the conversion of the greatest possible number and weeps, hoping to lead to Jesus and to the Father souls offered to Them by Her intercession. For this intention, and to overcome exterior obstacles, achieve interior unity, form a single heart. Let believers lead a life more worthy of believers! Pray with a new heart. Attach great importance to this day for the glory of God and His Holy Mother. With courage spread this devotion among the greatest number. Inform your superior and him who directs you of what I have told you” ¹⁸

September 29, 1981: Meaning of the Tears

During the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Sister Agnes felt the presence of her angel at her side. She did not see the form of the angel, but instead an open Bible appeared before her eyes. When sister Agnes recognized the passage, Genesis 3:15 the angel explained “There is a meaning to the figure one hundred and one. It signifies that sin came into the world by a woman and it is also by a woman that salvation came into the world. The zero between the two signifies the eternal GOD who is from all eternity until eternity. The first one represents Eve and the last, the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Sister Agnes re-read the verse , then the angel and the vision of the Bible disappeared (Father Yasuda comments that this passage of Genesis is called proto-evangelic and is considered the first promise of a Saviour made from God to made. It is also the first verse of the Bible making allusion to the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and who was never under the domination of Satan” ¹⁹

Bishop’s Approval

Father Yasuda, Sister Agnes’ spiritual director witnessed the statue crying ninety-eight times of the total 101 times. Hundreds saw the statue weep. Faith was not required to see the miraculous events. In a recent television interview, Father Yasuda has said that samples of the tears, blood and sweat were sent to the laboratory of Akita University for analysis on January 29,1979. According to signed testimony the blood was type B and the body fluids type AB. On November 30, 1981 the body fluids tested type O. Father Yasuda suggests that creating three different types of blood is God’s way of absolutely refuting the ectoplasm theory that critics advanced to discredit the bleeding and sweating statue. This theory says that Sister Agnes transmitted her own blood “through the air” to the statue. The first commission investigating the Akita phenomenon used this theory to discredit the events. On Easter Sunday April 22^nd 1984, the Most Reverend John Shojiro Ito, Bishop of Niigata, issued a pastoral letter declaring the events of Akita to be supernatural. In his pastoral letter, Bishop Ito cites the case of Teresa Chun, a Korean woman who was reduced to a vegetative state because of a brain tumour. She was cured miraculously during an apparition of the Blessed Virgin of Akita. Another miraculous cure was that of Sister Agnes, who was cured of her deafness. The Blessed Virgin Mary announced the nun’s cure during the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. ²⁰

References

1. Ted and Maureen Flynn Thunder of Justice: The Miracle, The Warning, The Chastisement, The Era of Peace (Maxkol Communications 1993) p. 181

2. ibid p. 182

3. ibid p. 182 –183

4. ibid p. 183

5. ibid

6. ibid

7. ibid p. 183 -184

8. ibid p. 184 -185

9. ibid p. 185

10. ibid

11. ibid p. 185-186

12. ibid p. 186

13. ibid p. 186- 187

14. ibid p. 187 -188

15. ibid p. 188

16. ibid p. 188-189

17. ibid p. 189

18. ibid p. 189 -190

19. ibid p. 190

20 ibid p. 191 -192