This Will Change Your Mass Experience...

A Vision from Blessed Catalina

This past Sunday, I was listening to Fr. Mike Schmitz’s homily on Hallow, and he shared a vision from Blessed Catalina that completely moved me. I know it will change how I worship at Mass forever, and I want to share it with you.

Who is Blessed Catalina?

In 1993, Catalina Rivas, a grandmother from Bolivia, began receiving messages from Jesus and Mary, leading her to bear the stigmata—the visible wounds of Christ’s crucifixion. Despite her limited schooling, Catalina has written eight books containing these divine messages, all of which received approval from the Archbishop of Cochabamba for their theological integrity.

Dr. Ricardo Castanon, a doctor who studied Catalina’s experiences, noted that she wrote hundreds of pages in a matter of weeks, covering complex theological and spiritual topics without a single mistake. This was remarkable, especially since she had no formal theological training. In 1999, Fox Network shared her story and the events surrounding a bleeding statue of Christ in a documentary called “Signs from God – Science Tests Faith,” watched by over 27 million viewers.

Though Catalina’s visions are private revelations (which means belief is not required), I found them deeply enriching and incredibly powerful for my own faith. This is the one I first heard and it completely blew me away.

The Offertory

Here’s Catalina’s account of what happens during the offertory at Mass, when the priest offers the bread and wine on the altar:

Suddenly some characters, whom I had not seen before, began to stand up. It was as if from the side of each person present in the Cathedral, another person emerged, and soon the Cathedral became full of young, beautiful people. They were dressed in very white robes, and they started to move into the central aisle and, then, went towards the Altar.

Our Mother said: “Observe. They are the Guardian Angels of each one of the persons who are here. This is the moment in which your guardian angel carries your offerings and petitions before the Altar of the Lord.”

At that moment, I was completely astonished, because these beings had such beautiful faces, so radiant as one is unable to imagine. Their countenance was very beautiful with almost feminine faces; however, the structure of their body, their hands, their height were masculine. Their naked feet did not touch the floor, but rather they went as if gliding. That procession was very beautiful.

Some of them were carrying something like a golden bowl with something that shone a great deal with a golden-white light. The Virgin Mary said: “They are the Guardian Angels of the people who are offering this Holy Mass for many intentions, those who are conscious of what this celebration means. They have something to offer the Lord.”

“Offer yourselves at this moment; offer your sorrows, your pains, your hopes, your sadness, your joys, your petitions. Remember that the Mass has infinite value. Therefore, be generous in offering and in asking.”

Behind the first Angels came others who had nothing in their hands; they were coming empty handed. The Virgin Mary said: “Those are the angels of the people who are here but never offer anything. They have no interest in living each liturgical moment of the Mass, and they have no gifts to carry before the Altar of the Lord.”

At the end of the procession came other angels who were rather sad, with their hands joined in prayer but with their eyes downcast.  “These are the Guardian Angels of the people who are here, but do not want to be, that is to say, of the people who have been forced to come here, who have come out of obligation, but without any desire to participate in the Holy Mass. The angels go forth sadly because they have nothing to carry to the Altar, except for their own prayers.”

“Do not sadden your Guardian Angel.  Ask for much, ask for the conversion of sinners, for peace in the world, for your families, your neighbors, for those who ask for your prayers. Ask, ask for much, but not only for yourselves, but for everyone else.

Wow.

I’ll admit, there have been so many times I’ve gone to Mass out of habit, or found myself distracted, barely offering anything to God. The thought of sending my guardian angel empty-handed so many times deeply saddens me... 

But after reading this, I’m resolved to bring all that I have to every Mass—my joys, struggles, prayers, everything. And I hope Blessed Catalina's words inspire you to do the same.

If you’d like to read more about Blessed Catalina’s vision of the Holy Mass, click here.