[The Five Spiritualities Testimony] 💞After offering Turning our daily lives into Prayers for the fierce and notorious shaman, she changed!

Before, when I mentioned going on a pilgrimage to Naju, they would say, “Something bad will happen if you go there.”

Now, when I share stories about Jesus and the Blessed Mother of Naju, and the loving Little Soul Mama Julia, everyone listens attentively without anyone contradicting me.💞

Praise Jesus! Praise the Blessed Mother!

This is Ottilia Kim from Daegu. When I was 27years old, after giving birth to two babies, I suffered from postpartum depression for several years. Around that time, I came to hear about Naju. I felt strongly that if only Mama Julia would lay her hand on my head, I would be healed, so I made my first pilgrimage to Naju. However, I was unable to meet her then.

In 2018, through Mary Naju YouTube channel, I saw a video of Mama Julia and realized, “This is the very person I had longed so much to meet.” So, even in my sixties, I returned to Naju as a pilgrim. 

In October 2022, on the First Saturday, as I entered the Vinyl Chapel and walked toward the altar, an unexpected thought suddenly came over me—something I had never once felt before: I love my husband.

It wasn’t human love, but a strange feeling I could not understand. So I stopped and thought for a long time. “What is this?” I felt incredibly happy. 

However, after returning home from the pilgrimage, I had a quarrel with my husband again, which stirred up hatred within me.

Memories of being abandoned, ignored, and trampled on by my in-laws resurfaced, and suddenly, feelings of resentment arose. During my first Saturday pilgrimage to Naju, I had received the great gift of learning to love my husband, and yet this happened—it was painful and agonizing. 

Actually my life felt truly like hell. I struggled to avoid hatred, but my thoughts were shaken violently, leaving me trembling in fear and dread.

“Save me, Jesus! Blessed Mother!” I prayed fervently. With my final trust, I began calling out to Mama Julia.

“Mama Julia! You have never seen my face or heard my voice, but you know me, don’t you? You know the suffering I am enduring right now. 

Please help me! Pray for me! Continuously help me!” I prayed with a faith that cast the mountain into the sea.

As I called out so earnestly, my mind cleared as if nothing had happened, and I returned to my true self.

I felt a profound certainty that the Lord had allowed me—the sinner who had longed and thirsted for decades without meeting Mama Julia—to finally encounter her. I realized that through her prayers for me, I had been restored to normalcy.

All the wounds, pain, depression, and sadness I had carried throughout my life were completely healed at once, like snow melting away. My deepest longings were completely satisfied, and I felt fully healed without a trace of resentment. 

After this healing, I began to change. The anger and irritability that had once dominated me started to vanish. Before, whenever motorcycles or bicycles sped past me recklessly, I would automatically get upset.

Now, I recognized it as my own fault, offering it up with Semchigo as if I were loved, and I could turn my lives into prayer. All my irritability and anger disappeared completely.

Here is the grace I received through turning my lives into prayers. In the house in front of mine lived a female shaman—strong enough to fight off two or three men. She was notorious throughout the village for being fierce, frightening, and truly unpleasant. At night, she would drink and cause disturbances, and police cars would come frequently. She troubled people and fought with many in the neighborhood. Some neighbors worried that their property values would drop and hoped she would move away.

After starting my pilgrimages to Naju, I began turning my lives into prayers specifically for her. 

I would greet her warmly, saying, “Bodhisattva, may you be in good health.”

The neighbors criticized me, saying I was cleaning and helping her too much. 

Through all these acts of care, I began to see how turning my life into prayers could bear fruit and blossom.

One day, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, the shaman came holding a box of Bacchus drinks to meet me.

She knew I was a Catholic. Though she was intimidating, I said, “Bodhisattva! I have prayed so much for you,” speaking carefully as I was afraid her fists might fly. 

Then, unexpectedly, she took my hand, kissed the back of it repeatedly, and bowed at a 90-degree angle, saying “Thank you, thank you.” I was utterly astonished.

She then told me, “I was Catholic too; my baptismal name is Cecilia.” I was shocked. 

I learned that both her parents were Catholics, but because of their daughter’s shamanic practices, they could not pray. 

Now, the shaman lives quietly, and it is almost impossible to tell if anyone lives there at all.

Another grace I received was the complete transformation of my family, bringing harmony and unity to our home. Previously, the household was cold, and I was a strict, fearful mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law. But after receiving healing for all my wounds, depression, and sorrows, and practicing the Five Spiritualities with sacrifice for the sake of my family, everyone naturally came closer to me, and I became a gentle person.

Before, when I told my son about Our Lady of Naju, he would cover his ears with both hands and laugh. Now, he listens quietly and believes.

And the Lord has also blessed us with abundance. My son is a chef, and I prayed to the Lord, asking for 5 million won of net profit, so that my son could live a comfortable life.

Yet now, the Lord has blessed us with 20 million won per month, and sometimes even 30 million won. I am truly grateful to the Lord and the Blessed Mother of Naju for bestowing such great mercy on me, because I used to be very poor and even needed help just to cover travel expenses for the pilgrimage to Naju.

And my seven siblings, who used to see me struggling in poverty and say, “How can you live like that?” now say, “You are the most successful, wealthy, your children are all doing well, and many illnesses have been healed. You are truly living well.” 👍

Before, when I mentioned going on a pilgrimage to Naju, they would say, “Something bad will happen if you go there.” Now, when I share stories about Jesus and the Blessed Mother of Naju, and the loving Little Soul Mama Julia, everyone listens attentively—without anyone contradicting me. 💘

Seeing that I have been healed and my children are thriving, they are genuinely impressed. The Lord, the Blessed Mother, Who are present in Naju and Little Soul Mama Julia, have clearly shown their love to my siblings.

Once, Mama Julia said that although she wants to sleep at night, she often cannot fall asleep, yet she still feels very sleepy, She said that through this suffering, the people who experience the same problem would be healed. At that time, when I attended Mass, I used to feel so sleepy that I would almost collapse forward, backward, or sideways—there were many dizzying moments. But now, I was fully alert, listening attentively to the priest’s homily in Naju. My eyes were wide open, my mind was perfectly clear, and I felt an indescribable happiness.

Mama Julia also prayed, “Lord, your sons and daughters must be given physical health in order that they can spread Our Lady of Naju” As I heard her words, I thought to myself, “That’s me!” and I said a resounding “Amen!” three times with all my heart. 

Immediately, my legs, which had felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, became light. The weakness and lifelessness I had carried vanished, and I felt a new energy and willingness to do anything. Before, I was afraid of going to the hospital, but now I am healthy, and all my relationships and daily tasks feel comfortable, peaceful, and joyful.

There are many other graces I received during my pilgrimages to Naju. Finally, I read and meditate daily on the little soul Mama Julia’s life prepared by the Lord. Every time I read it, my heart would break and my mind would feel overwhelmed, making it very difficult to endure. I wanted to become a friend to Mama Julia and help her.

From now on, this sinner resolves to live a life of sacrifice, service, love, prayer, and reparation for the sake of others, turning my daily lives into prayers even more, in order to bring joy to Mama Julia. 

Jesus, I love You. Blessed Mother, I love You. I am deeply grateful to Mama Julia, who prays for me and offers up the extreme suffering

— March 1, 2025, Ottilia Kim from Dae-gu, South Korea 

Naju Shrine 2025 Advent Retreat

💗 DAY 4 💗

https://youtu.be/kdTKrgYX3NE