The Catholic Defender: The Miracle of the Eucharist in Offida, Italy (1280)

Catholics are not the only ones who believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, Some of our direct enemies who openly follow the kingdom of darkness also maintain a belief or recognition of Jesus in Holy Communion. We see this in what is commonly known as the Satanic "Black Mass" which in it's essence is a direct sacrilege and desecration of the Holy Mass. Much of the Catholic rites are done in reverse to show their rejection. Prayers are said backwards just to give an example of what they do.

St. Paul warns St. Timothy "So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the enemy no occasion to revile us. For some have already strayed after Satan." People have forever sought the supernatural sometimes finding the five senses as powerful lures. God seeks to soothe the soul, to clean the spirit of a person, thereby calling for wholesomeness that disciplines the body. Satan does the exact opposite, he appeals to the lust of a person, he tempts people to give in to their temptations that rob people of their dignity and freedom.

Sorcerers and witches who practice occultism places their faiths in demonic manifestations, 2 Corinthians 11:14 reminds us, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." Remember what happens when Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh? It turned into a snake, but the Pharaoh's Sorcerers were able to duplicate their staffs using black arts to become snakes as well. Aaron's rod swallowed up the Sorcerers rods.

In Oklahoma, Satanists conducted a "Black Mass" where they had hoped to cast Mother Mary into hell, they had a statue of our lady and it is reported that they placed a pig's heart contained in the statue and when they destroyed the statue, a Satanic priest supposedly consumed the heart? On Satanic Altars, it has been known that there are human sacrifices on them, orgies, every imagined curse applied. In order to have a true Black Mass, there must be a Consecrated Host, they mix holy water with urine and drink it. Sometimes blood is added, menstrual blood is also used and it was being reported to have happened symbolically in Oklahoma City on August 15, 2016. Of course, August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is hard to believe that in the United States of America, we have seen our Country go so far down hill for the sake of "religions freedom"? Our founding Fathers would shriek if they were to see what is happening in our day and time? Despite all this, God reminds us everyday that He is in control and I love the following story that Our Lord uses a Sorceress and a Mule to make a point.

The Miracle of the Eucharist in Offida, Italy (1280)

Lanciano Italy was the site of a Eucharistic Miracle that took place in 741 A,D,, this was also the final resting place of St. Longinous, the Converted Roman Soldier who did thrust the lance into the side of Christ on April 3, 33 A.D. But this story takes place near Lanciano Italy (60 miles away in Offida) in 1273.

This is the story of a newlywed couple, Ricciarella and her husband, James Giacomo Stasio. Now Ricciarella loved her husband James, but she felt her husband didn't give her enough attention. James being the typical husband, when he would come home, often times he would want to read the news of the day or he would want to watch the geese fly overhead in their many formations. You might say that James spent more time with his mule than he did with his wife Ricciarella. At any rate, James was not very affectionate to his wife.

Ricciaralla began seeking advice when she was given the idea to visit a nearby Sorceress who advertised she could cause a man to fall in love with any woman. So Ricciarella paid the Sorcerer a visit with the hope of a love potion.

The Sorcerer instructed Ricciarella "Go to Communion, but don't swallow the Host. Take it home, put it in the stove, and burn it. Take the ashes, and throw them into his wine or soup. Then let me know the effect. You'll see that he will immediately become more affectionate and loving towards you”.

Ricciarella being desperate, knowing this act of sacrilege was wrong, decided to take the Sorcerer's advice. She received the Eucharist only to allow the Sacred Host to fall into the top of her blouse where no one detected her scandal. Ricciarella took the Sacred Host and placed it on her stove when something happened that changed her life forever. The Host transforms into flesh that actually began to bleed, and it did not burn. Blood was smeared on the tile like pan that Ricciarella used and she panicked, she didn't know what to do with the bleeding Host turned flesh.

Ultimately, Ricciarella thought she would dispose of the evidence by taking a tablecloth and wrapped the whole tile and Host in it, yet blood soaked through the linen. She carried the miracle forming a bundle and went to the stable and buried it there. Now, guess who will be in the stable, you guessed it, James Mule. The Lord has used animals in the past to make a point, and here was another example and opportunity.

The Blessed Sacrament was buried in a stable, Our Lord was born in a stable, this is kind of interesting to find Him back there again, but this time, He has a Mule to give testimony to the world the truth of His Presence.

James returns home not knowing anything had happened between his wife and Jesus, Our Eucharistic Lord. However, as he and the Mule were arriving home, the Mule began to act up, he did not want to go into the stable. James tried all the more to get his Mule to go into the stable, but to no avail, he slapped the mule, he tried to push the mule from the rear, he tried to beat the mule, but to no avail. Finally, the Mule went into the barn with great hesitation. But as he did so, he kept his eyes glued to a manure pile and then collapsed into what was seen to be a prostrating pose, something like adoration. Now James himself was spellbound to say the least.

James knew his Mule better than he knew his own wife, he was really puzzled by the way his animal was acting. He knew something was up and he went straight to his wife Ricciarella thinking she could solve the mystery. James even accused her of placing a curse or spell on the stable, if only he had known. But his wife remained silent about the whole thing. She was afraid to say the least.

This went on for seven years as the Blessed Sacrament remained hidden in this place but every time the Mule and all the other animals went in or out of the stable, their focus was always on the area of that built up manure pile. Everyday, Ricciarella felt the dread of knowing what was out there in the stable and she felt great remorse for doing what she did. It was like taking a knife and stabbing herself with it daily. After seven years, she finally confessed her sin to Father Giacomo Diotallevi of Offida.

The Priest went with Ricciarella to the stable and the place where she buried the Consecrated Host that turned flesh and they retrieved the Host finding the contents of the tile, the bleeding Host turned flesh, which remained incorrupt those seven years.

The Priest took the tile, the table cloth and the Host with him and returned to church where he gave it to Father Michael Mallicani of the Augustinian monastery. Father created a sanctuary for it and built a beautiful reliquary to house the miraculous Host. A piece of the true cross of Christ was added to this reliquary.

As news spread about the miracle, the local Duke of Venice became anxious to bring the Miracle to his province, but the Monks had different ideas. The Lord sided with the Monks, as the Monks were sailing back from Ancona to their monastery in Offida, the Duke sailed his ship hoping to overtake the Monks when a violent storm suddenly developed in the Adriatic sea. The wind grew, the waves rose allowing the Monks to reach their destination in safety, the Duke had to turn back disappointed.

The reliquary was installed in the church in Offida where the miracle remains to this day. If you were to travel there to the main Altar of Saint Augustine in Offida, you will see the tile, the tablecloth kept under glass.

There is a silver cross located there containing the Miraculous Host.

There was peace between James and his wife Ricciarella who, through the power of the Confessional, felt the warm forgiveness of the Lord and her loving husband.

The Sorceress upon hearing of the miracle quickly closed up shop and became a possible became a nun after receiving forgiveness.

It is my hope that despite the happening that took place in Oklahoma City and who know when and where else, maybe Jesus will tame the savage beast in the midst of those worshiping at a false altar.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39