“The New Dawn of Jesus”, in 2004

            The year 2004 was received in residence of the Cannon family, in Rigdefield, Connecticut, the United States of America, by Mrs. Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini to be with several members of her family, among them: Mr. Geo Bianchini, Maria Inmaculada, Gabriel and son, Maria Gracia, Samir and children, and, Maria Coromoto, Carlos and children.

            During the first month of the year 2004, the Bianchini family had several celebrations of Holy Mass by Father Cadmus Mazzarella and Father John Lo Sasso in Long Beach Island, New Jersey where they were staying now. A very close friend of the family, Mr. John Crimi, invited the family to stay in his beach-house for as long as they needed. They visited several hospitals due to the health condition of both Mrs. Maria Esperanza and Maria Coromoto. In that beautiful place they spent days surrendered to prayer. On January 16, Maria Coromoto was operated on again, and once they knew the operation was successful they had a meeting, a dinner, and a Eucharistical celebration by Father Lo Sasso, to thank the Lord, at the Immaculate Conception Monastery in the Bronx, New York.

            In February and March, due to health conditions, Mrs. Maria Esperanza, Mr. Geo and the Marrero-Bianchini family needed to consider staying for a long period of time in New Jersey. They spent each day praying, receiving visits from close friends, and enjoying Holy Mass thanks to Fathers: Timothy Byerley y Cadmus Mazzarella.

            On March 25, the anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Mother in Betania, Venezuela, as Mary Virgin and Mother Reconciler of all People and Nations, Mrs. Maria Esperanza with the family group which was accompanying her went on a mission to Medway, Betania II, Massachusetts invited by Sister Margaret Sims. The welcoming was beautiful. Immediately they were escorted to the Oratory that has two huge pictures, one of Our Lady Reconciler of People and one of Our Lady of Peace of Medjugorje. Then they went to the museum where the rock Mrs. Maria Esperanza had found in Betania II, with the face of a lamb, was displayed. Afterwards they prayed with great devotion before the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.

            On March 28, the missionary work, Mission Church, directed by Father Mc Donough invited Mrs. Maria Esperanza to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in Boston. There, she was led to the altar where a number of ecclesiastical personalities were gathered. Mr. Geo, Father Mc Donough, Mr. Carlos Marrero, and Mr. Paul Miller accompanied her; each one giving their own testimony. Then, Mrs. Maria Esperanza blessed everyone. Those who were there, approximately 900 people, were deeply moved when seeing her with so much willpower, despite her ill health. Then a concelebrated Holy Mass followed at the Oratory of Betania II by Father Clancy, and three other priests. When ended, Mrs. Maria Esperanza was escorted to the altar where she gave blessings and rosaries to approximately 100 people for close to two hours.

            On the last day of the mission in Massachusetts she visited the grotto, blessed the place, and prayed the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy together with the people who were with her. At 9:30 p.m. they had dinner, then went to a huge room, and there, Mrs. Maria Esperanza accompanied by the Marian Community and her family, prayed the holy rosary that Mr. Geo was invited to offer and guide. Afterwards, Sister Margaret knelt in front of Mrs. Maria Esperanza and told her, “Our hearts are filled with love and gratitude for the moments we have shared these last days. The Lord has used you to touch many lives in the community, especially mine. We are and always will be your children, always, always, always.”

            On Sunday, April 4, 2004, began what turned out to be the last public mission of the messenger of the Blessed Mother, Mrs. Maria Esperanza. Despite the awful night she spent coughing, at noon she left for Saint Ann Church, in Newark, New Jersey. When she arrived at 1:25 p.m. the lines of people entering the church were amazing. It was completely full, with nearly 1,500 people. Everyone applauded when Mrs. Maria Esperanza entered and their faces reflected much love. Father William Halbing and Father Mc Donough concelebrated Holy Mass. Father Halbing welcomed her telling everyone how she had had an impact on his life by saying, among other things, “I must tell you, today is a miraculous day. God has sent Mrs. Maria Esperanza and Father Mc Donough to Saint Ann to renew this Temple. God has sent Mrs. Maria Esperanza so Saint Ann may turn into an evangelization center.”

            Then, they lifted Mrs. Maria Esperanza to the altar with Mr. Geo and Mr. Carlos. Mr. Geo addressed the people with beautiful words about loving our brothers. Mrs. Maria Esperanza, who had great problems with making herself understood, greeted everyone, and gave them her warm blessing. Then Mr. Carlos, Mr. Paul and Father Mc Donough, each gave a speech. Afterwards, they escorted Mrs. Maria Esperanza to the sacristy where they showed her an image of Christ the Nazarene, a miraculous image from Peru. It all seemed a presage for what was to come two weeks later. She spoke to some Franciscan Brothers who held her hands and looked into her eyes. Immediately the Bianchini family was taken to an enormous room in the basement of the Church for dinner, then Mrs. Maria Esperanza spent six hours, nonstop, with the people. Each person would look into her eyes, smile, and then break into tears; they told her about their grief – terrible problems –. She would look at them with a sweet and tender glance, and then would close her eyes to pray for them.

            On the next day they learned that a great miracle had occurred during the night. The Church was destined to be closed, but after the fluency of so many people, due to the visit of Mrs. Maria Esperanza, its doors remained open for the parishioners.

            Soon came Easter announcing the difficult times that were to come. The health condition of Mrs. Maria Esperanza worsened. She would seldomly go out. She went out to see the movie, The Passion, produced and directed by Mel Gibson. (It is important to account that she saw few movies in her life). And her last visit was on April 17, to the residence of the Kyle family.

            On the night of April 17, her breathing respiration began to decrease. At 2 a.m. the next day, she was taken to the emergency center of the Southern Ocean County Hospital. With oxygen saturations at almost 0 %, her heart was beating close to 120-130 per minute, and her lungs were half-filled with fluids. For several days she stayed in the hospital. Friends, doctors and nurses visited, and she had the consolation of Holy Mass celebrated by different priestly friends.

            On April 20, Mrs. Maria Esperanza was so delicate that the doctors said it was imperative to prepare her for a tracheotomy procedure for the next day. Waiting for the operation, still under the effect of the morphine, she stared at a corner of the room and smiled. Maria Coromoto asked her if she was seeing Our Lady and she affirmed with her head.  Like so she waited until her husband and her elderly daughter arrived to say goodnight
She underwent surgery the next day, after receiving the Anointing of the Sick in different moments by Fathers: Eugene Romano, Richard Vila, Cadmus Mazzarella, Timothy Byerley and John Jacob. When Mrs. Maria Esperanza woke up she gave everyone a beautiful smile. In the hospital, the word spread that a special person who could communicate with the Virgin was hospitalized there. Little by little came: Peg Solon, a blond Irish nurse who was amazed by the love of her glance; Maria Baciack, whose family was Argentinean; Kathleen Nichols; Julia, who knew her from the Church Saint Thomas Moore; Jane; a hospital employee, Antonella Lencki; and a respiratory therapist, Richard Puck, who had a supernatural experience with Mrs. Maria Esperanza.

            On May 4, Mrs. Maria Esperanza’s health was progressively improving, she was released from the hospital. During May and June all the children and some grandchildren of the Bianchini-Medrano family, one by one, began to arrive to accompany and serve with much love and dedication their mother, Mrs. Maria Esperanza.

            Mrs. Maria Esperanza suffered on July 6 what would be the worst of her health crisis. Thus, she was taken to the emergency center of Southern Ocean County Hospital, where her breathing ceased and the doctors did not think resuscitation was appropriate. After her relatives practically begged for them to resuscitate her, she was revived. This brought back her vital signs after losing them for several minutes. With tears streaming from their eyes, the family did not cease to thank God for the miracle of life of their beloved wife, mother and grandmother.
On July 20, 2004, after the celebration of Holy Mass by Father Timothy Byerley, and for the consolation of the whole family, the hospital said Mrs. Maria Esperanza could be released. She was escorted by three policemen who asserted they were captivated by her glance and smile.

            As days elapsed, the Bianchini family members comforted themselves with the hope of seeing Mrs. Maria Esperanza get better. They filled their lives with Holy Masses celebrated by Fathers: Mazzarella and the Byerley brothers, with prayers, chants, and beautiful gatherings.

            On July 27 Officer Scott Farner, lured by the heavenly smile of Mrs. Maria Esperanza and the music of her family, brought his colleague, Lieutenant Paul Vereb and the Police Chief, Michael Bradley. Henceforth they became very close friends and allies of the family.

            On July 29, at 3:00 p.m., during the celebration of Holy Mass by Father Mazzarella, something beautiful happened. When Father approached Mrs. Maria Esperanza to offer her the Blood of Christ, she – who according to the doctors was in a coma since July 6 – opened her eyes, put out her tongue, and swallowed. Her countenance glowed, then she moved her arms and all the Hosts the Father was holding fell upon her.  Everyone was deeply moved by this.

            On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Friday, August 6, 2004, the nurses Estephany y Helene during their morning visit said that the lungs of Mrs. Maria Esperanza were scraping each other when she breathed. They found her in a very delicate condition. Thus at 5:50 p.m. Father Lo Sasso, Father Nick, Father Timothy Byerley, and Father Cadmus Mazzarella concelebrated Holy Mass with the entire Bianchini family, with Mr. Jim Foley, and with their friends of the Betania Foundation through an Internet connection established by Giovanni Bianchini. Father Tim offered a beautiful homily comforting the Bianchini family that was going through the most difficult times. At 10:30 p.m. all the family, and close friends from Venezuela through the Internet, prayed what would be the last holy rosary together with Mrs. Maria Esperanza.  Considering that she was in such a delicate condition, the entire family – all the 35 members – decided to spend a vigil night in prayer seated on the floor around her. Mr. Geo said he would spend the night in vigil as the women quoted in the Gospel did, those who had their lamps filled with oil awaiting the bridegroom.

            On Saturday, August 7 of 2004, at 4:00 a.m., Mrs. Maria Esperanza was nebulized and she showed discomfort. All of a sudden, the color of her face began to change, and the family understood that the time had arrived. One by one the children approached her, they held her hand, while crying and kissed it. It seemed as though her life would go and come. The family was praying and singing by her side, and each time they would begin a new song she would breathe again. She made a gesture as if she wished to speak to Mr. Geo, and he replied, “I love you too.” At 4:36 a.m., Mrs. Maria Esperanza flew to heaven, with all her family gathered by her side. It was the day she had always announced, the day of the “New Dawn of Jesus.” From 6:30 p.m. on, different personalities and friends began to arrive for their last goodbye to her mortal remains. These greetings were crowned with the greatest devotion Mrs. Maria Esperanza ever had, the celebration of Holy Mass. It was warmly celebrated by Father Timothy Byerley, and the music of the family choir elevated everyone.

            Thus eight days elapsed in which hundreds of people came to pay tribute to the body of Mrs. Maria Esperanza, before she returned to her homeland, Venezuela. The Eucharist, heartfelt prayers, and flowers were the gifts of those who had the opportunity of sharing with her her great spirituality.

            On August 16, a stormy day, with a representative of the Church, the police, and the hearts of true friends, the United States said farewell to the mortal body of the beloved by all, Mrs. Maria Esperanza, as well as to her family. They were all leaving to their mother land. This was the time for Venezuela to open her arms to the daughter who had been born on her waters. The remains of Mrs. Maria Esperanza arrived at the international airport Simon Bolivar in Maiquetia, on the same flight her family was on. Then, they were transported to her residence in Caracas, La Estancia del Señor, in Alto Hatillo with a caravan of dozens of vehicles. Once there, she was received by friends, members of the Betania Foundation, and of the Betania Choir who one by one paid homage and prayed the holy rosary for her intentions.

            For seven days thousands of people came to the residence of the Bianchini-Medrano family and to the chapel of the Cementerio del Este to share their feelings with the family of Mrs. Maria Esperanza, who had comforted or guided them at one point in their lives. These were moments of many emotions, when seeing people who were close to the family and complete strangers with their testimonies of conversion, hope and love.

            Thus, Sunday, August 22 of 2004 arrived. Three Holy Masses were celebrated in memory of Mrs. Maria Esperanza. The first was at 9:30 a.m. concelebrated by Monsignor Georges Kahhale and Father Pablo; the second, at 11:00 celebrated by Father Jean Duque; and, the third, at 1:30 p.m. by Monsignor Henry Padilla. All of them were accompanied by the music of the Betania Choir. Immediately her mortal body was carried in procession surrounded by her family, friends and spiritual children, who bore in their hearts memories, teachings, faith, prayer, and commitment. All of these were the spiritual gifts she had sowed in the soul of each and every one of those who met her, and of those who would later on know her through her family.

            Our most beloved spiritual mother lived her most announced “New Dawn of Jesus” in the year 2004. Her evangelizing work sowed and continues sowing an apostolate of brotherly service with the family, under the motto, “Shielded in faith to work for a better tomorrow.” Her great inheritance has been her love and her sowing of consciences, which are held in the universal mission of continuing to influence the world with the love of God and of his Blessed Mother. We love you, miss you, and always implore your motherly blessing.