Newsletters
Subscribe to our email newsletter written by Michael Grogan for continued updates on the ministry. Witness how God is “on the move” in Kensington Philadelphia and hear about the challenges which are faced and overcome in Christ Jesus.
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A collection of previous newsletters can be found and explored below. These thoughts and stories can better illustrate the day-to-day experience of being a missionary in Kensington and will give you inspiration and hope in the ongoing fight against the kingdom of darkness.
November 2024: When the Lord Sends New Kids to Blue Door
Recently the Lord has been sending many new young people to my front door. Whenever I meet a young person on the street or if one of my boys introduces me to one of their friends... only one thing matters... How can I bring that soul to Jesus? How can I introduce them to the God who is passionately in love with them?
Tee is only 17 years old. He just spent 3 months incarcerated and prior to that was monitored by the courts with an ankle monitor on in-house arrest... Only Tee is homeless and had no house to be incarcerated in so after playing cat and mouse was arrested and spent 3 months in jail. When he got out he came to my door, not for housing but for a meal and a place to take a shower. I told him about our prayer groups on Friday and Sunday nights and for the first time he came with his friend Jay... They came and prayed with us, opening their hearts to Jesus and having a meal with the other guys... The Lord in His mercy has even sent a young Franciscan priest who regularly visits and is getting to know the guys!
After his first prayer group with us on a Friday night, Jay mentioned that the coming Sunday was his birthday. He said, "it will be the first birthday that I have not been, ‘locked up’ in 2 years!" I asked him if he would be celebrating his birthday with his family and he said no. Sure enough that Sunday we had a beautiful cake for him and sang with tons of gusto glorifying Jesus for the gift of Jay and his life.
The Holy Spirit is the hound of heaven... He brings them to me so that I may bring them to Jesus.
Just the other day one of the young people in our documentary, "The Mud," named Yahyah brought his friend just to say hello. This 18-year-old boy named Khalil has been on his own for many years. His mother is gone and his father is paralyzed after being shot and lives in a facility. Khalil has no support and now, this coming Saturday he will be coming canoeing and kayaking with us. The Lord is bringing them one by one... and through Mary we bring them to Jesus...
This is the gift of God... This is our gift TO GOD... To quench His thirst by bringing him the souls of the street kids...
This past month on the 1st Saturday 9 volunteers came for our monthly day of prayer and service. What a beautiful gift to Our Lady... We gathered to pray her rosary and have the holy sacrifice of the Mass with Father Ronald, a priest from the nearby parish holy Innocent's.
After praying and receiving Holy Communion we all went out to serve the poor. Some went to give out food, others took a prayer walk and prayed with the homeless and others went to Annie's house, a home for unwed mothers to help prepare for the women who will be moving in with their children. Then we had a beautiful hot lunch. If you would like to learn more about our first Saturday volunteer opportunities click here
God is on the move in Kensington. I promised Jesus and Mary that by the end of the year the I Thirst Ministry would give a beautiful gift to Our Lady... Our great friend Pat Ward has donated a thousand miraculous medals and a thousand brown scapulars which we have promised to impose around the necks of a thousand people here in Kensington by the end of the year. We want to connect the people of the neighborhood to heaven, connect them to their celestial queen, Our Blessed Mother... Mary will do what she does best... Bring these thousand souls to the heart of Jesus...
We are eternally grateful to Jesus for the privilege of serving Him... For the gift that He gives to us in His poor... And we know beyond the shadow of a doubt… His best is yet to come!
PS.- We’re grateful to God to announce that our 501c3 status has been officially reinstated. Thanks to the help of so many, particularly Rich Troy. We prayed for this to happen and it truly happened at lightning speed. Truly the hand of the Lord is upon even the administration of this ministry. We bless God for His tender love for us.
Donations are Tax Deductible
IRS 501(c)(3) Charity Approved
October 16, 2024 Volunteers are a Blessing
Jesus is so good to us! He is, "an ever-present help in time of distress" (Psalm 46:1). I could never do this work alone and God sends the right people for the right job at the right moment. This newsletter is dedicated to our volunteers who help in a thousand different ways… Some help remotely... Some organize food drives.... Some come to Kensington and go right out onto the streets.
In this newsletter three of our volunteers have contributed brief testimonials sharing their reflections on the way that Jesus has called them to serve I Thirst Ministry.
==== from Marta:
I first heard of Michael Grogan through YouTube and
I heard his story on Relevant Radio. I could feel his love and
devotion for the Catholic faith, especially to Our Lady.
I greatly admire the kind of work he is doing in Kensington which is the neighborhood in Philadelphia that I was born and raised in. Since moving out of that neighborhood, I have often thought, “What can I do?” or “How can I help?”. It was a pleasant surprise to me that I discovered this New York native making a difference in my old neighborhood! One day, while coming out of Mass, I recognized Michael walking in front of me. I said hello to him, and I only wanted to say, “I follow the work you’re doing and it’s great! Keep it up!”. Then, he asked my name and he shook my hand saying, “Come be with us!”. I joined him on a First Saturday where we said the Rosary, had Confession and Mass, praise, lunch, then the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm. It was a really spiritually fulfilling experience that we were given the opportunity to participate in such a prayerful and purposeful day for Our Lady. I heard the sincerity in his voice and felt the warmth in his handshake. I had such a great experience in his welcoming home, and met new friends who, just like me, are eager to serve the Lord! I want to keep coming every month, and I hope to meet more new friends as we serve the Lord.
=== from Michael Kern who drove all the way from St Louis, Missouri, to Kensington,
to help I Thirst Ministry:
A few days working with Michael Grogan, I Thirst Ministry,
Kensington, PA
(Personal Reflection from Michael Kerns)
To know and work with Michael is to know you are working with a man who has spiritual charisms. The charism to work, live and serve with those that few people would want to be with. Even more important is the charism of putting the boys he works with at ease. Two cultures that are about as far apart as one could imagine. That seems to disappear when he is working with them in the ministry house. Does he evangelize? Yes! More importantly he serves in a way that makes his work comfortable to those he serves. To say it another way in a place where almost no one completely trusts one another, they trust Michael. This is huge! Is Michael a Saint? We should all strive to have “saintly” qualities while on earth.
So what qualities does Michael have? Being a true fisher of men. Taking these boys who have the problems of manhood by guiding, praying and supporting them; turning them into better versions of themselves. This in a land that lacks temperance in about everything is quite an accomplishment.
My role and discernment to go to Kensington, was the calling to help on the mechanical things of house. Painting, electric etc. What I received was a new way of looking at the young men that have severe PTSD types of trauma thru no fault of their own. It was a place that will be forever etched in my mind as what the world may look like, if we don’t find God in our lives. One of the highlights of the trip was being able to pray with Michael and some of the other community members and witness the young men’s enthusiasm for prayer and saying the Rosary! Who would have thought that was even possible?
God Bless “I Thirst Ministry”, Michael Grogan, the volunteers and the people he serves.
==== from Rich Troy:
God, in His great mercy and infinite creativity, has gotten me
involved helping this ministry in ways that I never expected!
In the span of three months I went from helping with the ministry’s website and newsletter mailings to verbally wrestling with people who have titles like CPA and attorney. I ended up helping the ministry file its IRS Form 1023 to get its charity status reinstated. Now we wait for the IRS to respond. Please pray for “greased lightning” in the IRS processing, even though it doesn’t sound like something to expect from the IRS – but all things are possible with God!
Along the way there have been numerous blessings for the ministry and for myself personally. How does that saying go? “God will not be outdone in generosity”!
During all this effort I didn’t think I needed any more encouragement to help, but the Holy Spirit led me to this scripture in Luke 6:38 which I pray also inspires you: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” Amen!
====
After reading these beautiful testimonies if you feel led by the spirit and would like to get more involved please click on the button below to send an email. Let yourself be led by the spirit...
HIS best is yet to come!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
Click here to send Michael an email
Click here to see Michael Grogan interviewed on
THE FRONTLINE WITH JOE & JOE
September 20, 2024: I Thirst Ministry Presents: First Saturday day of prayer and outreach
When: Saturday October 5th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Schedule
9:00- arrival and breakfast
9:30- Praise and Worship.... Spiritual Conference... Holy Rosary (Confessions will be available)
10:30- Holy Mass (Fr. Michael Lombardi) followed by individual blessing with the first class relic of the True Cross
11:15- various ministry and service opportunities.... Outreach to homeless...
2:00- Lunch/Fellowship
3:00- Divine Mercy and clean up
3:30- departure
MUST RSVP!!! Michael@ithirstministry.com
Where: 3618 Emerald Street, Philadelphia PA. 19134
Please come and bring a friend. Quench the thirst of Jesus... Fulfill Our Lady's request at Fatima... Put your faith into action... Meet Jesus in the poor..... Be holy...
Must RSVP Michael@ithirstministry.com
His best is yet to come..
God love you!
Michael Grogan
September 10, 2024
“Connect with Heaven” Is moving our newsletter and our emails to “I Thirst Ministry”
“Connect with Heaven” Is moving our newsletter and our emails to “I Thirst Ministry”
Moving involves some changes …
You will start to see newsletters coming from “ithirstministry.com” instead of “connectwithheaven.com”.
To avoid having our newsletters lost in your junk email folder, please try one or more of these - because each email program and email system has different ways of handling spam:
1. Please add this email to your contact list: michael@ithirstministry.com
2. This email came to you today from connectwithheaven We will send the next email newsletter from the new ithirstministry. Please look in your junk email folder and if you see an email from ithirstministry, please add a rule so it is not treated as junk email.
Your support of this ministry is so very much appreciated. We look forward to staying in touch with you.
His best is yet to come..
God love you!
Michael Grogan
Sunday August 4, 2024
Kensington....The Land of Opportunity
There's gold in the streets.... They are literally paved with gold for those who have eyes to see..... I once heard a beautiful acronym....
POOR.......Passing....Over.... Opportunities.... Repeatedly
I don't want to be poor so I came to this land of opportunity to gather the gold, the gems and the jewels of souls to give them to my Father in heaven.
Just today I found a treasure... A unique and rare gem...... His name is Paul.
I was walking home from Mass and as I passed the park on Tioga Street a young man stopped me to have a great conversation. He was doing exercise and we started to joke around. 5 minutes later he had my information and was texting my phone excited about our trip to Dorney Park on Monday August 12th. Paul is 20 years old and lives with his single mom..... He is lost and does not know what to do with his life... It was my first time meeting Paul but he is also joyful and humble and loved discussing current events. His desire to better the kingdom of men will lead him to the good, the true and the beautiful one... THE FATHER.... HIS FATHER..... OUR FATHER!
There's opportunities all around to bring souls to Jesus... We must talk with strangers and build relationships. Psalm 51 says, "Lord open my lips and my mouth will proclaim your praise." Let us open our mouths and speak about God...
It's been a busy summer. There's no shortage of work in the vineyard of the Lord.
On Thursday July 18th I had the privilege to share the work of "I Thirst Ministry" with the young adults of St Bede's parish in Southampton PA. What a wonderful group and it was so encouraging to see the newly ordained priest, Fr Zehner, present throughout the entire meeting and fellowshipping with the young people afterwards.
We also had an amazing opportunity to partner with another local non-profit called Klean Kensington.... A few of the guys from our prayer groups joined with their young people for a great outing to Funplex, a small amusement park in New Jersey.... Meeting new friends and working together to make Kensington beautiful and to bring heaven down to earth... This is an opportunity we could not miss! Special thanks to Jeremy Chen, the founder and director of Klean Kensington who has been so supportive of our work and so eager to partner.
Yes God is on the move.... We are finding treasure everywhere we look ... Amassing riches.....souls....
and giving them to God!
And God's best is yet to come....
God bless you
Michael Grogan
Donate .
PS- We are in desperate need of non-perishable food items and toiletries. OUR SHELVES ARE LITERALLY EMPTY as often happens during the summer months. If you are a part of a parish, school, prayer group or organization that would like to do a non-perishable food / toiletry drive for I Thirst Ministry we would be incredibly grateful. A bag of food today has often been the foothold in to bring entire families to Jesus through Mary. Please don't pass over this opportunity to directly help our families here in Kensington. If you have a connection with a large group or run a large organization this is the Holy Spirit tapping you on the shoulder right now. We will transport the food from your location to our location... To make arrangements please email me...
michael@Ithirstministry.com
Thursday July 25, 2024
Major Update from Michael Grogan
Major Update:
You may have noticed that we are transitioning from the name “Connect With Heaven Ministry” to “I Thirst Ministry”.... Here's why...
Those words of Jesus spoken from the cross were etched and carved into the heart of St Teresa of Calcutta. It is Mother Teresa's life and example that have been my inspiration. The heroism of stepping into the slums of Calcutta all alone, trusting in the call of Jesus has moved me and inspired me....
It was on a train ride in 1946 while she was headed to a retreat that Mother had a mystical experience.... She heard Jesus asking her to quench His thirst by bringing to Him the souls of the poorest of the poor.
Those two little words...I THIRST... became her life, her obsession, her reason to get out of bed in the morning and spend herself tirelessly day and night....
Mother understood that "I thirst' was not simply Jesus asking for a drop of water.... It was an eternal cry echoing to the end of time from the heart of a God who longs for reconciliation and intimacy with His children... Mother understood that the thirst of Jesus is a burning thirst present right now in the hearts of those who suffer, especially the poorest of the poor... The thirst of Jesus is alive in the suffering poor.... It is a living thirst....
And it is my privilege and vocation to quench this thirst......
Although incredibly weak and broken the words of Jesus, this call of Jesus to quench His thirst has brought me into the slums of Kensington... In every young person selling drugs on the street corner.... In every prostitute selling her body for a drug that enslaves her.... In every victim of gun violence in this neighborhood.... In every fentanyl addict contorted with flesh rotting because of the poison in the drugs.... In each one..... Jesus cries out from this modern day Calvary... I THIRST.....
Through our little prayer groups... Through rosary walks in the neighborhood.... By means of giving out food to families in need.... In a very simple way... A very little way... I can quench the thirst of Jesus.... I can give Him what He thirsts for most ... Souls.... Love....
These are Jesus two most favorite things.... Love and souls.... Souls and love...
So as we get to the very heart and soul of this ministry which is to quench His infinite thirst... We will be using "I Thirst Ministry" from now on... For love of Jesus.... In thanksgiving to our dearest Mother Teresa... And to succinctly articulate the core, the heart and soul, the only purpose and identity of this ministry..... The only reason for my living here in Kensington.... To satiate the thirst of Jesus on the cross for love and souls... Especially the poorest of the poor... Whom I am privileged to serve....
On a practical note checks can be made out to “I Thirst Ministry”... We are still able to receive checks for “Connect With Heaven” as well as we make this transition..
The website is officially ithirstministry.com although you can still get there from connectwithheaven.org as well.....
And His best is yet to come...
God love you
Michael Grogan
PS- If You would like to pray with Michael one on one please send an email request michaelgroganministry@gmail.com
June 2024 Take A Hike......
It ain't easy growing up in Kensington.. dysfunction and brokenness... Lots of rejection and disappointment.... So often our kids are told to take a hike...... SO WE DID!!
On Corpus Christi Sunday two of our great friends and volunteers after holy Mass, came to pick up our rag tag group. Eight young people filled with excitement and thirsting for adventure journeyed into the great outdoors.
First stop was a hiking trail.... joyfully walking together and enjoying nature. ....throwing rocks into streams and navigating through muddy trails all while trying to avoid bears..(My guys are tough but not that tough....)
At one point as we were taking a little break along a beautiful secluded trail our volunteer Andrew invited all of us to spend a moment in profound silence waiting for the Holy Spirit... It was such a thick beautiful silence…listening to the birds chirp and the streams flow.... And then back to insanity and goofiness in the woods....
Mike and the guys take a hike
After an hour and a half hike we decided to head over to the lake for some canoeing and kayaking. The guys had an absolute blast on the water trying to tip each other's boats.... The joy of the Lord was tangible and the excitement of being outside without the distraction of cell phones.... just basking in the goodness of God was so healing....
After hiking and canoeing for a few hours the guys were hungry. Our friends Tom and Sue Lamar invited us to their beautiful home so the guys could enjoy a dip in the pool. Tom and Sue had prepared a meal fit for kings and it was just a poolside, carefree barbecue with wholesome fun.. Some guys ended up outside playing basketball, some stayed in the pool, and some just sat around the table and talked... In some ways it was such a 'normal day" and yet for them it was an unforgettable day because their normal is different then most of our normals.....
As the day drew to a close we gathered around, guitar in hand to sing the praises of the Lord. Each of our young people had an opportunity to share their intentions and express their gratitude to the Lord and then we entered into the Holy Rosary. During the fifth glorious mystery, the crowning of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth..... Each one of us committed our lives to the lordship and queenship of Jesus and Mary...... They were profound moments of prayer and encounter with God... Who is the purpose and center of everything we do....
Totus Tuus Maria…totally yours, Mary…
And then..... After taking a hike.... We went back to Kensington.... Home sweet home..... Back to the battlefield.... Yet refreshed through God's healing presence in His creation, in His people and through prayer...
His best is yet to come..
God love you
Michael Grogan
May 2024 Prayer--A Matter of Life and Death
There is a famous story of St Francis bringing one of his brother friars into town to, ”preach the gospel". After prayerfully walking through the town without speaking to anyone the young friar asked St. Francis, "When are we going to begin preaching?
Francis replied, "we just did..... Preach the gospel always and when necessary use words."
Moved by the spirit of Saint Francis I have made it a point to regularly walk through the most dangerous streets of Kensington praying the rosary with a volunteer. As the Lord sent the disciples out in twos, so I walk accompanied with a volunteer, rosary in hand, and a pocket full of miraculous medals ready for whatever the Holy Spirit sends our way.
Typically we pray two or three rosaries walking…Just being a prayerful presence and trying to radiate the love of Jesus through Mary. On one of our recent walks myself and Andrew, one of our faithful partners in ministry and volunteer, had a walk that would literally become a matter of life and death.
As we began the prayers walking through the streets every few blocks Andrew and I would take turns deciding whether we should make a right or a left. We had no plan and no set way to walk.... We would simply go back and forth joyfully picking new streets to turn down..... Little did we know that the Holy Spirit was leading us to a life and death situation.
As we made one of our spontaneous turns we saw an ambulance and a crowd of people gathered. As we got closer going back and forth with the Hail Marys of the rosary we saw a man lying in the street as the paramedics performed CPR... One of the many victims of the heroin epidemic was literally dying on a Saturday afternoon right on the sidewalk of Allegheny Avenue. We stood with the crowd, going back and forth with prayer as people around us quietly joined in. The Holy Spirit had sent us to intercede for the soul of that man who was returning to God at that very moment... As we prayed one of the paramedics noticed and said to the other paramedics that they also needed to pray for this soul. During one of the Hail Marys, as Andrew and I recited the prayer out loud. one man who was walking past heard, "now and at the hour of our death.". He looked directly at us as if a light bulb had gone off and replied with reverence...."Amen."
After 15 minutes there was nothing more the paramedics could do. The white cloth was placed over his body and he was placed in the ambulance. I do not know his name...... BUT JESUS AND MARY DO..... AND THEY LOVE HIM..... THEY SENT US TO THE POOREST OF THE POOR TO BE THERE AT HIS BEDSIDE IN THE LITTERED STREETS OF KENSINGTON.... AT THE HOUR AND MOMENT OF HIS DEATH!!!!!
As I finish writing this newsletter I'm preparing to go out again for another walk. To preach without preaching... To pray and become a prayer...... It is urgent... It is a matter of life and death..... It is for God.... It is for souls....
God love you
Michael Grogan
The below pictures show: two of our little ones receiving First Holy Communion, and Friends in ministry throughout Kensington gathering for a meeting and prayer…
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
The Miracle Story of Our New Home
In December, a tiny inspiration was placed in my heart: stop renting and purchase a home for Connect With Heaven. After over three years, it was very clear that we were not going anywhere and needed to establish deeper, permanent roots in this neighborhood. The Holy Spirit usually starts with a small idea and then gradually the volume is turned up to a nagging thought and, finally, as the volume increases to the inspiration, a persistent preoccupation.
Earlier in the year, I had begun to very intentionally pray for the intercession of St. Joseph. After watching him provide miraculously in terms of volunteers and various supplies that we needed for our service in Kensington, I now entrusted to St. Joseph the acquisition of our new property. In January, the fundraising began. I was certain – absolutely certain – that this was God's Will and understood that the money eventually would be raised. However, I had no idea to what extent heaven was going to "WOW" us! After launching "Project Blue Door" we had an incredible response. Trusting that our Blessed Mother was going to be sending her children “through the blue door into our prayer room” to have a face-to-face encounter with the living Jesus, multiple web pages were designed, videos filmed, and phone calls were made to humbly beg in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. So many people immediately responded with incredible generosity and we raised $70,000. The Lord was confirming that His hand was upon this work, after all, it had only been one week since launching our campaign.
While sitting at the kitchen table in our rental house, just a week and a half into the campaign, I was playing a card game of "I Declare War." (And winning!) My phone vibrated with a notification which I paused to look at...my heart stopped...my eyes filled with tears...I quickly excused myself from the table and tried to process the email I had just read. It was beyond anything I could have ever hoped for, or imagined. Someone wished to “cover the gap” in order for our ministry to have the perfect house. I was overcome with emotion and shouting “Praise to the Lord!” The young man who was playing cards with me began to hear these shouts with cries and tears, "PRAISE GOD! THANK YOU, JESUS AND MARY…THANK YOU...THANK YOU, JESUS!"
Within 48 hours, someone whom I knew, but had never met, wired enough funds that would allow us to purchase the house and close without a mortgage. The only stipulation was that we consecrate the new house to the Holy Face of Jesus, which only added to my delight!
We made an offer on the house in mid-January and it was accepted one week later. On February 28th, the very last day of a Parish Mission I was giving in Greenlawn, New York, I rushed back to Philadelphia to sign close and receive the keys and deed to our new property.
It's a miracle story. It's a love story. It's God the Father of Mercies lavishly providing for his children in Kensington. It's St. Joseph interceding. Truly the Hand of the Lord is on our new home.
After closing, we immediately hit the ground running. An army of volunteers and young people helped us paint and prepare for our anticipated, beautiful house blessing, Mass and celebration!
GIVING THANKS AND CELEBRATING!
On March 23rd – in spite of torrential rain – over 50 people came for our beautiful celebration. Father Justin offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and consecrated our new home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary and, of course, TO THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS!
So many young people, friends, volunteers and benefactors came to celebrate. From Heaven, Mother Teresa of Calcutta sent two of her sisters to also join us. So vitally important to have the blessing of my spiritual mama St. Teresa of Calcutta!
And, of course, St. Joseph gave us a special blessing by sending Bishop Joseph Coffey, Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services - USA. We were honored to have him come and delighted that he stayed for two and a half hours. My honest thought was that he would spend a half hour to show face and be on his way. But that bishop knows how to have a good time! Our young people and volunteers enjoyed his company and, truly, the wonderful shepherd spent time with the sheep.
Now, we are settling in and getting to know our new neighbors as well as maintaining relationships with our old friends and Kensington. All we have left to do is have the roof replaced and install a washer and dryer. Then, essentially the renovation will be complete.
Plaques positioned throughout the house identify each space and the benefactors who made it possible as well as the name in which they wished it to be dedicated:
As prayer groups, meals, and fellowship progress from our Kensington House of Prayer, we boldly and prophetically declare again and again...
HIS BEST IS YET TO COME!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
By the way, we not only have a new home, we now have a new mailing address as well. So, for those of you who make your very generous monthly donations by mail, please use P.O. Box 4703, Philadelphia, PA 19134. (Don’t worry, we’ll still get anything you send to our former post office box!)
Saturday, March 16, 2024
"My house shall be called a house of prayer." (Matthew 21:13)
God the Father, in His tender love. has built another tabernacle for Jesus right here in Kensington.
Mother Teresa used to say that each of her convents was a tabernacle because each Sister was Jesus through baptism. Each soul houses the Triune God and now, in Kensington, there is a new tabernacle, a permanent dwelling place for Connect With Heaven Ministry.
On February 28, through the incredible generosity of our loyal benefactors, I signed the paperwork and was handed the deed and keys to a beautiful house for Jesus in Kensington. Four nights a week, young people will have a place to gather – for many years to come – to worship the Lord and to honor His Holy Mother. In this house, Jesus Christ is King and Our Lady reigns as Queen. It is God's house for the poor, for the little ones, for the forgotten. We also welcome guests off the street who come and stay for a while to get on their feet after being wounded on the battlefield of the harsh streets in Kensington. Currently, our two guests, Nicholas and Josue, are excited to move into their newly furnished bedrooms in this new house, rooms exclusively dedicated and consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In the past two weeks, many volunteers have come freely and lovingly giving of their time, talent and treasure. Many hands to give – and hearts that love extraordinarily – are painting these walls, doing the electrical work and installing new floors in our Food Pantry / Clothing Outlet. Truly, this is a house of love and a labor of love.
On Saturday, March 2, we had a Men's Day of Prayer and Work. Some 15 men – including young people from our neighborhood, Members of the Knights of Columbus Council 1603 - Conshohocken and others came and spent the day painting and installing handrails. At midday, after the Holy Rosary, Father Andrew Lane offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass back in the house that we have rented for the past several years. After being nourished with the Food of Angels, we munched on Primo's Hoagies and then got back to work for another three hours. Much of the house got painted and so did some of our neighborhood teens who may look "blue" but really are not sad at all as you can tell by the smiles on their faces!
As the Lord builds His Kensington House of Prayer (KHOP), there is a call for each one of us to make our homes a house of prayer too. Recently, I was invited to give a Parish Mission at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Greenlawn, New York. These three days of mission culminated with an invitation for each family to make Jesus and Mary the King and Queen of their individual homes. Each family was given beautiful images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary – those MOST LOVING HEARTS – to be given a place of honor and prominence, in the very heart of each home. Truly, every household is a tabernacle where Jesus and Mary want to be the central focus. Those beautiful images act as “windows to heaven” and when those windows are opened the atmosphere changes and so do lives. Below is a link if you would like to watch and listen to the three talks of the Parish Mission as part of your Lenten observance. I pray that they bless you and inspire you to make your home a house of prayer.
To learn more about making your home a house of prayer go to MostLovingHearts.org.
What Jesus and Mary are doing in Kensington right now they want to do in each and every home including yours!
His best is yet to come!
God bless you,
Michael Grogan
By the way, we not only have a new home, we now have a new mailing address as well. So, for those of you who make your very generous monthly donations by mail, please use P.O. Box 4703, Philadelphia, PA 19134. (Don’t worry, we’ll still get anything you send to our former post office box!)
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Living By the Spirit. Fulfilling God’s Mandates.
On the First The tenderness of God's love and providence never ceases to overwhelm me. On Sunday afternoon, I received a message that food was being prepared for delivery to Kensington. After speaking with our good friend Lisa Corcoran, arrangements were made and on Tuesday we had beautiful trays of baked ziti and an incredibly delicious chicken dish along with lots of clothing for our people in Kensington.
That same Tuesday night, one of our young men asked if they could bring some friends to our evening prayer group. To watch our young men evangelize each other and invite their friends to pray makes my heart dance. Thanks be to God those two casseroles and trays of Rice Krispie treats and brownies were ready to go!
As the two new young people walked in, we were already singing the praises of the Lord and worshipping Him. One of the newcomers, Sean, volunteered to play the drums to accompany the guitar as we sang our love song to Jesus. God's anointing that night was electric and, afterwards, the Father of Mercies – Who knows what we need even before we ask – made sure there was plenty of delicious food and sweets for the young men who had just tasted and seen the sweetness of His love. Thank you to Lisa and the Religious Ed students at St. Patrick's in Malvern for providing such a wonderful treat for our young people!
The Lord is constantly providing, constantly wowing us through the generosity of the people of God. So, I can report, we have stepped out in faith and gone to contract for the perfect property for Connect With Heaven and KHOP, our Kensington House of Prayer. I have learned to take radical risks in faith and although we are not all the way there in terms of Project Blue Door funding (still shy about $50,000), we know that by our closing date at the end of February, our Papa will not let us down. Our Lady will have a blue door in Kensington which will be a portal to heaven, a gateway to connect with the transforming love of Jesus and His Eternal Father, our Father. If you have not yet made a pledge to Project Blue Door, consider taking a leap of faith, knowing that the Lord cannot be outdone in generosity and that anything that you do for the poorest of the poor will fill your life with sunshine and give you great peace in the hour of your death.
As we move into our House of Prayer in March, we are also excited to help families all throughout the country turn their homes into houses of prayer. Toward that end, Connect With Heaven Ministry is pleased to announce we are beginning our "House of Prayer" Parish Missions starting February 25th in Greenlawn, New York at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church. The goal of our House of Prayer Missions will be to help each family make a solemn act of enthronement, making Jesus and Mary the King and Queen of their homes by displaying beautiful images of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary in a central location in the house and praying together as a family around those images each day. We are excited to transform every home into a House of Prayer. This is a mission and a mandate from heaven, and we are running full-speed ahead.
We are each a part of an amazing journey, a mission of eternal consequence: To make the Hearts of Jesus and Mary known and loved – not only in Kensington – but in every household. To learn more about our new House of Prayer Parish Missions – and to make your home a House of Prayer – visit our webpage.
To learn more about Project Blue Door and perhaps make a donation, please visit our webpage.
If you’d like to inquire about the possibility of our scheduling a Mission for your parish, click here.
His best is yet to come.
God bless you,
Michael Grogan
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Connect With Heaven Parish Mission
On the First Sunday of Advent, Connect With Heaven Ministry had the great privilege of offering a Parish Mission at Immaculate Conception Parish in Westhampton, Long Island, New York. After inviting all the people to attend the retreat during each of the Sunday Masses, we had three nights of prayer and preaching. The epic hospitality and graciousness of Father Ken Groom was inspiring.
Thanks be to God, all three nights of the Mission were videotaped:
Sunday - Give God Permission to Love You
Monday - For God So Loved the World That He Gave His Only Son
Tuesday - For God So Loved the World That He Gave You and Me
Perhaps during the busyness of this last week of Advent, you might like to take some time to slow down and connect with Heaven.
As a little advent gift to yourself, why not watch and listen to these talks and allow the Holy Spirit to convict your heart once again of the Father's deeply personal love for you. He loves you so much that He sent Jesus. And He loves the world so much that now He sends YOU to be His love for others! It is my hope that these three short talks will enkindle in your heart – once again – that burning love of God and the tender love of Jesus for you, personally.
His BEST is yet to come.
A Most Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and your families.
God love you, Michael Grogan
Would you kindly consider making a Christmas Offering to support the grassroots work of Connect With Heaven Ministry in Kensington? We are watching lives transform profoundly in the toughest neighborhood in the country. As a Christmas gift to the child Jesus would you help be a part of the saving work of Jesus? Please pray about giving sacrificially for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, especially the poor here in Kensington. Make your gift now by clicking on this link.
May God reward you for your most generous love in action!
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
St. Joseph's Miraculous Intervention in Kensington
Our primary ministry is helping gang members and street kids to connect their lives with heaven's love. While this is the bullseye on the dartboard, one of the most important outer circles is our prayerful outreach to the homeless.
Each Friday, we cook a huge pot of chili along with trays of rice. As we move onto the streets, we often bring toiletries and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches along with bottles of water and clothes. And most importantly, the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for the homeless who are typically suffering from very serious addictions to fentanyl. Many of these people overdose and die right in the street without identification. Often, they're only known by their street name so that, when they die, even their friends in the street do not know their real names. They die alone and no family can be contacted. They are Jesus in His distressing disguise.
And so, on Fridays we labor to make a beautiful hot meal for Jesus. To do that we need multiple hands and volunteers and, in the past, they have been very difficult to come by. In fact, our outreach to the poor had stopped for a few months because of our inability to gather committed volunteers.
It was on Good Friday – 2000 years ago – that Jesus was crucified publicly. Our aim, each Friday, to get out to console the crucified Jesus in the open Calvary of the streets of Kensington. What a humbling privilege and incredible opportunity to encounter Jesus in His Passion in a very tangible way. BUT WE CANNOT WITHOUT HELP FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS.
Without committed help, this ministry to the homeless cannot be accomplished. I was at a complete loss and then something happened.
I was sharing with a friend how I could not get committed volunteers and I was at my wit's end. He began to share with me stories of St, Joseph and his powerful intercession. Typically, daily Mass and the entire Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, as well as the Liturgy of the Hours, are a regular part of my prayer life. Besides those regular things, I avoid extra devotional prayers and try to spend any additional prayer time that I have in silence listening to the promptings of the Lord. I was not looking for one more devotion and yet the Holy Spirit was stirring me – through my friend Kevin – to pray ardently for the intercession of St Joseph.
I found my little blue prayer book, the Pieta Prayer Booklet, and began to pray the powerful Novena to St Joseph. This is the prayer I began to pray:
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires.
O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.
O St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him close in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me. Amen.
Within 48 hours, we had committed volunteers booked until the end of 2023! Within four days, we started our Friday Outreach up again and had twice the number of volunteers that we typically need. St. Joseph was coming through super abundantly.
Each week, we are up and running again thanks be to St. Joseph. Now, our ministry to the homeless is a vital part of what we do each week. Feeding between 75 and 100 people by literally driving to find them in backstreets and underneath bridges and overpasses. They are Jesus. And now, through the intercession of St. Joseph, once again we are able to bring them some consolation and Mama Mary's Brown Scapular and Miraculous Medal. We pray with them and so many literally begin to weep. In fact, one young man wrestling with addiction and homelessness just this past Friday wrote us a beautiful note expressing his gratitude and the value of this outreach:
Thank you so warmly from our bellies and hearts. The food was delicious but your prayer and goodwill absolutely made my day and touched my Soul.
Thank you. Keep up the wonderful work. The people you serve, the people you touch and the people you heal, need it more than they know, more than they show.
If only the world was filled with those such as yourselves it would be a much brighter place.
God Bless and have a wonderful holiday season. Justin X. B……
As you read this newsletter, perhaps St. Joseph is stirring your heart and you would like to help us each month – or perhaps come with a small group – to console the Heart of Jesus. If you are being stirred, kindly click on the link below and reach out to us to volunteer to join us.
His best, God's very best is yet to come.
God love you, Michael Grogan
Interested in volunteering with Connect with Heaven? Please visit our Volunteer page!
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Connect with Heaven Ministry on Radio and TV!
P.U.S.H Pray Until Something Happens
I heard that word spoken many years ago and held onto it in my heart.
Each week – on Tuesdays and Thursdays – our young people gather at 7:15 in the evening for an hour of prayer and then some fellowship.
On Fridays some volunteers and I gather to prepare a huge pot of chili and rice along with peanut butter sandwiches and snacks. Then, we go out into the alleys and streets of Kensington to find the homeless and poor. We pray with them and share with them the Brown Scapular and Our Lady's promise of eternal life for those who wear it. And then we put blessed Scapulars around the necks of the many broken people struggling with addiction who often overdose right in the street.
Apart from that, there's lots of home visits, prayer walks throughout the streets, and administrative work as well as correspondence and thank you notes to send out as people are so generous to our Ministry.
This is the day-to-day life of a missionary in Kensington.
Over many months, one big door that I have been praying for God to open is to make our Ministry more widely known. The word of this work of God – this movement of the Spirit – must be spread broadly so that others can get involved.
Something mystical is happening here in Kensington. The Lord is starting a movement and I believe from this place the young people whose lives are being touched now will be prophets and evangelists ushering in the "new evangelization" that St. John Paul II spoke of with such fire and conviction.
During prayer time, I have asked the Lord to open doors and boy-oh-boy have the floodgates opened!
On September 25th, I was interviewed by John Harper who was filling in for Drew Mariani on Relevant Radio. The response was wonderful and people from around the country reached out to connect with our Ministry and are excited about what Jesus is doing here in the streets of Philadelphia. (To listen to the interview, click the link included below.)
I was invited to speak at an October 7 (Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary) Brigantine Community Prayer Breakfast on behalf of our Ministry. Accompanying me were one of our volunteers as well as Nicholas, who as you have read before is a resident in the house. Together, we were able to witness to over a hundred people and share what God is doing here in Kensington. It was Michael Brindisi who opened wide the door as we shared the good news in South Jersey.
In mid-October, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend an evening sharing our Ministry’s current work as well as our broader vision for future plans, with a small but very loving and supportive group. We were warmly received and assured of each attendee’s continued interest and involvement in what was embraced as “God’s important and worthwhile work” going forward.
The Diocese of Rockville Center’s television network also did a 7-minute interview on Connect with Heaven on Monday morning, October 23. I was so happy to go to Long Island and share in my own home diocese on the Catholic Faith Network (CFN) which has international reach. The Lord is making His message known and it is going out to the ends of the earth! (To watch the interview, click the link included below.)
Between television and radio truly Jesus is making the message known. But, in addition, on October 14th, Connect with Heaven even ended up at the Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards with our documentary "The Mud" was nominated for Best Film in the category “HUMAN INTEREST – LONG FORM CONTENT (SINGLE STORY OR PROGRAM)”. Although we did not receive the award, what an incredible honor for our Ministry and the producer of this incredible film, Gus DeSimone! I never thought I'd end up at The Emmy Awards and never in a million years did I think our Ministry would be enjoying the fruits of an Emmy nomination for a documentary that, we believe, “knocks the socks off” of so many who watch it.
We are just on the edge of what the Lord is beginning to do and what He has planned for his kids in Kensington. His light shines in the darkness and his love penetrates the hardest hearts. Jesus is truly on the move!
And His bestest is yet to come!
God love you, Michael Grogan
Interested in volunteering with Connect with Heaven? Please visit https://ithirstministry.com/join-us
Watch the 7-minute interview on Catholic Faith Network here: https://ithirstministry.com/cfn
Check out the 25-minute Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio interview here: https://ithirstministry.com/media
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Are We Connecting Souls With Heaven?
Connect With Heaen. This is both the name and call of this Ministry.
On September 15, we begin our fourth year in Kensington. My mission here is simple: to carry Jesus to the hardest and toughest souls and connect them to the infinite love of God. Is it happening? If a picture speaks a thousand words, then look at Kalil only six months before we met at the Tioga train station.
At the time of this photo, Kalil was selling drugs in the streets and carrying a handgun which you see him brandishing in this photo.
Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that in less than one year from that picture being taken this would be happening.
At his baptism, Kalil was baptized with his middle name – Nicholas – so that he could take a Christian name. Everyone in the neighborhood now calls him Nicholas. He prays the Holy Rosary instead of carrying a gun and works in a pizza place as opposed to selling drugs. After work each night he brings all the leftover pizza to distribute it to the homeless and the poor.
God is working through this little Ministry. Lives are being changed radically through this ministry, the kingdom of God is invading this little neighborhood and souls are being snatched from Satan's grasp one by one.
And the best (God’s best) is yet to come.
God love you,
Michael Grogan
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
21 Baptisms From Emerald Street
After three years laboring in the vineyard of the Lord, we are seeing amazing fruit... Connect With Heaven Ministry is thrilled to announce that 21 children and young people from our neighborhood in Kensington have been brought into the Church through Holy Baptism.
All of heaven rejoices! As these young people step into their destiny as sons and daughters of the Father and as they fulfill their purpose as priests, prophets and kings, the light of heaven will continue to pour into this neighborhood through them for years to come. Atomic, amazing grace has been released. The atmosphere is shifting. A tsunami of the Holy Spirit has been released over this neighborhood. God is turning the tide through these newly baptized souls.
Each one of you who reads these newsletters, through your encouragement, through your prayer, through your charitable contributions both financially and of material goods, each one of you has made it possible for these young people to be reborn in the waters of Baptism. I could not do what I do without your help. Together, we have given the Father a beautiful bouquet of souls. Together, we are satiating the infinite thirst of Jesus on the cross for love and souls. Thank you – each one of you – for your YES.
AND GOD'S BEST IS YET TO COME!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
PS. Our work here has only just begun. We are embarking on an endeavor that will be significantly noteworthy and newsworthy. More details coming soon. In the meantime, please consider making Connect With Heaven Ministry a monthly part of your tithing and charitable giving. The fruit is evident and your contributions are making this possible.
Friday, June 30, 2023
God Always Provides
God provides. It's a simple little saying but watching Him provide and take care of all of our needs – often extraordinarily – can leave me speechless.
It usually starts with a phone call, an email or a text. Out of the blue, someone will reach out and say, "Could we bring a food donation down?" And from that brief question, marvelous things occur.
About a month and a half ago, Marcin from Starfish Coffee House at St. Francis Parish in Greenlawn (Long Island, New York) connected with me. He began to spearhead a food drive which ended up becoming a drive for the entire parish. Fr. Peter, the pastor of the St. Francis Parish, has always been so enthusiastic and excited about our Connect With Heaven in Kensington that he was more than happy to host a food drive. Within a week or two, the word got out! An announcement was made in the weekly bulletin with a list of needed items after which Anita and Ellen from the Religious Ed Office championed our cause with incredible enthusiasm. Before long, one of the classrooms at St. Francis became a “storage room” for all of the food, toiletries, sheets and pillows donated for Kensington.
There was so much collected we didn’t know how we would transport that volume of generous donations from Greenlawn to Kensington. I was frantically making phone calls and trying to make arrangements when suddenly another text came in: Sarah Ryan from the Advent Shop sent me a text saying that Andrea Waldron would be willing to drive to Philadelphia. After about two weeks of back-and-forth with Andrea, she enlisted the help of a woman I had never met named Mary. Mary agreed to become part of this holy adventure and ended up having a vehicle large enough to get every last item from Long Island to Kensington without the expense of renting a van.
Andrea and Mary arrived in Kensington, and after some volunteers on our end unloaded the donations, we all went out to serve the poorest of the poor and to meet Jesus in the streets. We immediately took some of the donated items and began to give them right out in the streets! Without question, these encounters were truly orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.
Recently, I got a phone call from a friend who said that the two children she was caring for wanted to bring pretzels and cookies to the kids in Kensington. Two weeks later, we had a “Pretzel and Cookie Party.” So very many children from our neighborhood were blessed. That party was orchestrated by two children ages 10 and 8!
The Lord DOES hear the cry of the poor. He hears the cry of the children for a cookie and tenderly answers that cry. He's not too big to forget about the smallest little need. That's what makes Him so great! We serve an awesome God. And His people are awesome.
We pray for all those who share their blessings with us each and every day. They put love into living action. This is living the gospel. Expressing faith in concrete action as a gift of love for Jesus.
As you read this newsletter, I pray that you are moved and stirred to action. Perhaps you are close with your local pastor, maybe you are a teacher in a school or know a teacher or principal, maybe you're involved with one or more large prayer groups or clubs and would be led to help us with a food drive.
If the Lord has given you avor and influence in a particular school, church, club, or prayer group would you consider proposing a food drive? We will handle all the legwork in terms of communicating back and forth and transporting the food. We just need introductions and endorsements. As you read this, if anyone comes to mind, for the love of Jesus would you use your influence to reach out and set in motion a series of events that will help further advance His kingdom of love right here on earth?
Please contact us now since we are already today preparing the Fall and Spring calendar for monthly food drives to serve our people here in Kensington.
Please email me directly at michaelgroganministry@gmail.com.
Truly, God's best is yet to come!
God love you.
Michael Grogan
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
How Gangsters Evangelize
Each night at 7:30, young people from the neighborhood gather for prayer. They come in excited to light the candles and sit around the altar and the statue of Our Lady. With each rosary they are bound more and more to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and learning to contemplate the life of Jesus.
When I first started the prayer groups in Kensington, we began by meeting twice a week. And then it hit me: Why not just pray the rosary with them every day? And, I found, as they pray more, Our Lady, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit is transforming them.
Each night we have our regulars and then occasionally a surprise guest walks through the door. And the more we pray together the more I see that something is happening. It's starting to stick. God is on the move and His grace is happening in real time.
Last week, one of the guys came to me and said, "Mike, do you have an extra rosary and a prayer book for my mother? She's going into a detox program and I told her to pray."
I was thrilled to give him a rosary, prayer book and spiritual reading book to help his mother on the road to recovery from drug addiction.
Now, you have to understand that this young man comes to pray but is still conflicted between the Way of the Lord and the way of the streets. He wouldn't strike you as an evangelist. If you saw him you might be slightly intimidated. He has tattoos and a tough face, he sells weed, and he'll never back down from a fight. You definitely would never guess that he's praying the rosary a few times a week. But little by little God is on the move and this young man is evangelizing his mom and his family.
Later that night, after giving his mom the rosary and books, we sat outside and he shared something very beautiful with me. He said, "I got Padre Pio on the job. I told my mom when things get tough and she's tempted to quit the rehab, she has to remember three things: "PRAY, HOPE AND DON'T WORRY." (Padre Pio)
He told me that he said it to her multiple times so that she would remember the words of Padre Pio. I was thrilled and moved by his witness.
My friend, Dr. Kevin Kulik once said to me, "If you throw enough spaghetti against the wall, some of it's going to stick."
Thanks be to God it's beginning to stick. And as they pray more and more, they are becoming apostles and evangelists to their families and in the streets.
It's working. Grace is happening. AND HIS BEST IS YET TO COME!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
S.O.S. We are in desperate need of a donation of a large refrigerator for our outreach to the poor. We are being offered large amounts of perishable food each week which will come in steadily provided we have enough proper storage space. So, although we have two, a third refrigerator is now needed. Can you help? If so, kindly email michaelgroganministry@gmail.com today. Many thanks for considering such a generous donation.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Casting Nets and Catching Fish
Would you like to learn how to pray? Want to spend the whole day calling on the name of the Lord? Want to stretch your trust in Jesus and Mary as far as you possibly can? Here's what helped me do just that last week.
I, a legally blind man, borrowed a van from a man that I have only spent two hours with in my whole life (boy does that guy have faith!). Then, I found a guy entering religious life and asked him to drive the van. Then, I took seven young people from the streets of Kensington – many of whom I barely know and who have criminal records – and, after gathering all of the pieces to this insane puzzle together, we went on a trip to Dorney Park in Allentown PA!
"Why would you do that?!" I've been asked.
For souls. For Jesus.
You see, each year I recruit a new group of young people who come to an amusement park so that I can begin to disciple / mentor them.
You may be the toughest thug in Philly but when you're standing in front of a gigantic roller coaster a lot of vulnerabilities quickly crack that tough exterior creating a wonderful opportunity to connect. Little do they know that after the trip they will come back for "a reunion," which is essentially their first prayer group. Catching fish. Winning souls. And bringing them to Jesus. That is the purpose of this trip.
It's become a tradition that on the way to Dorney Park I sprinkle the guys in the van with holy water. This time, I forgot my holy water but luckily the gentleman who lent us the van had a small bottle of holy water right next to the passenger seat so that I could easily sprinkle everybody. Since there were no demonic manifestations I thought we were off to a great start!
We were unable to purchase the tickets to the park online although we had tried multiple times. The price at the gate was substantially more and if that was part of God's plan, I was ready to pay. But still, I said, “Hey guys, let's pray for a discount.” Well sure enough, after a brief interaction with the woman at the counter and some explanation as to the difficulty, she saw the group of guys and probably wanted to get rid of us as fast as possible. She gave us the “Senior Discount,” so instead of paying $700, by the grace of God, we paid only $420! 420 happens to be a special number for my guys. All I can say is that heaven must have been giggling a little bit as the boys directly experienced the power of their prayer. It was a sign to them that they understood in their language (“420” signifies marijuana which is rampant and Kensington among our young people).
After purchasing the tickets, we realized that we were standing right below a sign that said “Lost and Found”. Matthew, our driver and future priest, wondered if it might be a prophetic declaration. We decided to take a picture underneath that sign and we found a friendly lady who was willing to take the photo. To our surprise, as we posed she said, “Say JESUS!”
After she graciously took the picture, I informed her that Jesus was the whole reason for our trip and she was delighted.
The day was filled with excitement and joy and our young people had a blast. One of our young men only two weeks prior to the trip had a brother who was shot and killed. Another young man spoke about stealing cars. Another young man on the trip was anxious to get home so that his mother could buy marijuana from him.
The brokenness and dysfunction are so deep in the souls of these young men. But Jesus loves them and the heavenly Father reaches down into the mud to lift them up and call them to His Heart.
Two days after the trip, all of the young people returned to our ministry house. We sang and worshiped and prayed together. I told them that Jesus had “duped them” and they laughed as they tried their best to give the Lord a few moments of their time.
Jesus and Mary are moving mightily in the hearts of these precious souls. Some of them have come back a few times since the trip for prayer and all of them received a beautiful wooden rosary which they cherish. Little by little, God is moving and raising these young men up. Soon they will be preachers and worship leaders and prophets for the young people in the streets. He has called them and chosen them by name and as they awaken to hear his voice, God's best is yet to come!
God love you.
Michael Grogan
Monday, May 15, 2023
Why I'm Not Mother Teresa
Walking through Kensington it's not uncommon to see people lying in the middle of the sidewalk. Most of the time they're just completely intoxicated or high. Unfortunately, sometimes they've overdosed and have passed away.
Just this morning, on my walk home from the 9 AM Mass, a woman stopped me and asked for help. There was a man asleep in a car with the car engine running and his foot close to the pedal. We knocked on the window and he was not responsive. I dialed 911 and an ambulance came. And I asked myself what would Mother Teresa have done?
Last weekend, on Saturday, two of our volunteers, Tom and his wife Susan, along with myself and our new resident Kalil, went out for our weekly food run through the back alleys and underpasses of Kensington. We came to one underpass and opened up the trunk to give out hot chili and bottles of water. On the other side of the street was a man in a wheelchair. While he seemed to be out of it, that's typical. Many of the people we encounter seem to be sleeping. We left him in the wheelchair and went on to our next stop.
The next day, after leaving Holy Mass at the national shrine of St. John Newman, I got on the train to go back to my neighborhood. There was an announcement that the train would not make all the stops and so I got off and decided to walk the rest of the way home. As I walked, I stepped over a body sprawled out on the sidewalk. A young man probably in his late twenties. Was he alive? Was he dead? We all just kept walking.
As I continued to walk, I went through the underpass where we were the day before giving out food and, as I walked, I saw the wheelchair in the same position. The man in the wheelchair was also in the same position. He was still there from the day before – not high or intoxicated, BUT DEAD!
I called 911 and prayed the rosary for him. No name and probably no ID on him – none of the homeless have an ID -- no point of contact, no family to call. His life ended due to heroin addiction and his disability. Everyone just walked by for over 24 hours, including me. I did not even think to put the brown scapular around his neck.
Mother Teresa and her sisters would say to the dying in the street, "Would you like a special blessing where all your sins will be forgiven and you will see the face of Jesus forever?" Thousands said “yes” and received an “emergency baptism.” Mother Teresa used to call baptism "a ticket for St Peter..." A ticket for entering the gates of heaven. Mother and her sisters gave tens of thousands of people who were sick and dying in emergency situations a ticket for St Peter!
She had eternal perspective. She didn't see a sick body, she saw a soul waiting for the light of Jesus to be lit. I follow this blue-eyed rose from the streets of Calcutta, but from so great a distance with hesitant steps.
Yet still, He has sent me. And I go. Not discouraged, but with great confidence in His merciful love. He uses poor and weak instruments so that we always remember that THE WORK IS NOT OURS – IT IS GOD'S WORK.
And His best is yet to come.
God love you.
Michael Grogan
Friday, April 26, 2023
Our First Book Is Ready!
Our Connect with Heaven Ministry is so excited to announce the release of our first book: Connect With Heaven. Encounters With God.
This 164-page book celebrates different encounters with holy men and women who have shaped my life and ministry today. These vignettes are profound and truly capture the direct intervention of God in the ordinary everyday life of this lay missionary. These stories will move you to tears, give you goosebumps and, at other times, you'll be laughing.
This is what we’ve already heard from readers of advance copies:
Michael Grogan learned a long time ago that when we followers of Jesus Christ serve the least of our brothers and sisters, we serve Christ himself. His love for the poor, the struggling addict, the hungry and the hopeless on some of the meanest streets of my city of Philadelphia is heroic and inspiring. Read and share this book and join him as you can!
BISHOP JOSEPH L. COFFEY | ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA
A “ must read” for all pioneers navigating the spiritual journey. It’s an honorable story and a fun adventure with the Body of Christ as each person Grogan meets along the Way becomes woven into Christ’s tapestry of invitations continually calling on Michael to come up higher!
BARBARA CAMPBELL MA, CSD, RN
Purely Inspiration! Explosively Holy Spirit! Life Changing Mystical Encounters! Incredible read! Michael Grogan’s metanoia switches his lenses in life to the lenses of love magnetizing him ever closer to the heart of God. It’ll draw you closer to God, too!
KAREN JAPZON, FOUNDER OF JOHN LEAPS EVANGELIZATION
Michael Grogan has written a book that is truly inspirational. I myself have witnessed many of these stories firsthand and I'm amazed at how God has worked so powerfully in his life and the life of others. Heaven is closer to earth than we think and this book will open the eyes of all readers to see the power of God's presence truly at work and alive in our world especially through his faithful servants.
REV. JUSTIN MARIA CINNANTE, O.CARM
CHAPLAIN AND THEOLOGY PROFESSOR AT IONA PREPARATORY SCHOOL, NEW ROCHELLE, NY | RETREAT MASTER | SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
“Connect With Heaven” is a collection of timely, personal stories of a simple disabled young man that reminds us that not only is “God not Dead” but filled with life, miracles, and healing. Those with the greatest vision, see not with the eye, but with the heart and soul. If you think pursuing God is boring, you need to read this book … Today!
DR. KEVIN KULIK
PLEASE NOTE: All Ministry Sponsors who are contributing $50 or more each month will receive a complimentary copy of the book very soon.
God love you.
Michael Grogan
Friday, April 26, 2023
This Train Is Bound For Glory
Walking to the train station is a regular part of my routine. Being visually impaired and unable to drive, taking the train is just a normal part of my life as a lay missionary. My custom, following the example of Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity, is to pray the rosary throughout the course of my trip. It's a good way to pray lots of rosaries and having Our Lady as a traveling companion is a perk too good to pass up.
A month ago, as I walked up the steps to the Tioga Station platform, a young man came over and struck up a conversation with me. He looked pretty tough and we were alone on the platform so I was hesitant and guarded. He began to share and quickly I realized that the Holy Spirit was on the move. As we boarded the train going to Center City, he sat with me and we spoke.
I realized that God was on the move and that Jesus Himself was coming to me in the disguise of this young man named Kalil. After about three hours of conversation, walking the streets of Center City with Kalil, it was clear that this divine appointment was developing into a story that I could never imagine happening.
Kalil is 18 years old. He shared about his life situation. His mother was a drug addict who had abandoned her children many years ago. His father was mentally and emotionally abusive and psychologically tortured Kalil and his siblings. At the age of 16, Kalil was kicked out of his father's house and spent a year and a half homeless and incarcerated. At the time of our encounter, Kalil was staying in a shelter.
Kalil also shared that during his homelessness he ended up in a situation straight out of a horror movie. He was lured into a basement where he was tied up and held at gunpoint for hours as an enemy from the street electrocuted him multiple times with a taser and beat him. After escaping from the basement, he was chased and shot-at multiple times. He managed to run into a pizza store where the attendant locked the door and called the police.
Kalil's life has been a living hell. He suffers from PTSD and is unable to sleep at night. While living in a shelter, his few possessions were regularly stolen.
As we walked the streets of Center City for three hours, he poured out his soul. It was as if the Holy Spirit pointed me out to him. I knew that Jesus was asking me to do something.
At the end of our day we decided to stay connected. I invited him to meet with our young people for breakfast and then to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that following Sunday. Khalil came and, after meeting the young people from the block, joined us for a beautiful breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs. After breakfast, we went together as a group for the Holy Mass and then out for pizza. This is a regular routine for us each Sunday as many young people from our neighborhood are now coming to Mass and preparing for baptism. Kalil was overwhelmed and the guys from the block got along great with him. Jesus had connected me with Kalil – now I was connecting Kalil with Jesus.
A few days later, Kalil came back because he wanted to help us make chili and peanut butter sandwiches to distribute to the homeless. As we drove through the back alleys and rough streets of Kensington searching for the homeless, Kalil helped us to serve with glowing enthusiasm! He prayed many rosaries with us in the car as we went in search for souls.
It's hard to believe that all this started only a month ago because now Kalil has signed out of the shelter and is living in our little residence on Emerald Street!
Kalil recently told me that he would literally dream at night about “living in a happy home and having a normal family.” He said, “this is what I was dreaming of all those nights when I would try to sleep in the park.” Just yesterday, he said, “my life is completely changed!”
I always remind people that Mother Teresa had a mystical experience on a train where she encountered Jesus. That train ride completely changed her life. Once again – on a train – Jesus was changing another life. I met Jesus in the disguise of Kalil and he met Jesus in me. We thought we were going to Center City but truly that train was bound for glory.
Kalil is now registered for night school so that he can complete his high school education. He's going to the gym and taking care of his body. Since he moved in, he said he's eating like a king and I can testify boy does this king eat!
Jesus comes to us in the sacraments and in the scriptures, but He also comes to us in other people and in strangers. He often comes on a train ride. You think the train is going to one place but actually it's going to another. Each Sunday, our young people from Kensington take the train from Tioga Station to 13th Street to attend the Holy Mass. Those train rides are bringing us into glory. They're bringing us into the presence of Jesus. I met Kalil on a train trip. God is coming to us in a thousand different ways at the most unsuspecting locations and a small encounter can be the first domino that changes the course of someone's life for all eternity.
And, in Kalil's life, God's BEST is yet to come.
God love you.
Michael Grogan
PS. RED ALERT! We are in desperate need of monthly sponsorships. Unfortunately, over the past few months we have lost 25% of our monthly sponsors. This is unsustainable for our ministry. We are now in desperate need of monthly sponsors.
Most of our sponsors have generously pledged a tax-deductible donation of $100 a month. Would you help us to continue to connect lives with heaven's love today?
In the three years that I have been in Kensington, the situation has never been this dire. It must be rectified quickly. Please help us in Jesus’ Name. It is urgent! PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT BY CLICKING HERE.
Friday, March 10, 2023
Heavenly Invasion on Emerald Street
"The world could exist more easily without the Sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass." - St. Padre Pio
What a great blessing to have Fr. Justin and the Sisters of Life come for Mass to our little prayer house!
For all of the young people present it was the first time they had ever been in front of the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, or at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for that matter.
What a blessing – and a shock – for all the people in the neighborhood to see four beautiful Sisters walking down the block to and from the house! I have to confess that I prayed and asked Jesus to give them a parking spot quite a distance from the house so that their presence would light up the neighborhood. He must have been smiling when He answered that prayer!
One of the most beautiful things that happened that day is that, after Holy Communion, Fr. Justin took an extra consecrated host in the ciborium and went outside on the front porch and blessed the entire block with the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus.
Little by little, we are taking back what Satan stole from this neighborhood. We are bringing the Light of God into each and every corner of the darkness.
Today, I am pleased to share with you that our GoFundMe Campaign has been launched with great success! We are excited at the prospect of purchasing a house in Kensington so that we have a permanent place to do God's work.
In order to keep the momentum of this campaign going at full speed, please, today, make a contribution as your means might allow. Then, after making a contribution, kindly share the GodFundMe link https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-a-home-of-love-in-kensington via text message, and on your social media accounts, to expand this beautiful gift of love. Together, let us do something beautiful for God in Kensington. Let us Build a Home of Love in Kensington, please.
His BEST is yet to come!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
Monday, March 6, 2023
We Left But Love Remained
One of my favorite quotes is from the great Carmelite mystic St John of the Cross: "Where there is no love, put love and you will find love...."
In a recent encounter on a back street in Kensington, we met a man who was literally enduring the pains of the damned in hell. His fingers were rotting off his hands due to drugs. We found him in a heap of garbage, by himself. We saw him as we drove past him and I said, “Please stop the car.” I yelled out the window, "Would you like something to eat?"
He stumbled over to the car, barely able to walk because he was extremely intoxicated with fentanyl. He would not make eye contact with any one of us and held his head down in shame and embarrassment. As we prepared his bowl of chili and some sandwiches and a drink we began to speak with him. We had to hold his arms so that he would not collapse – the whole scene was something out of the “Passion of the Christ” movie.
I told him how much the Blessed Mother loved him and he responded filled with despair and profound self-hatred. From the depths of his soul he said, "SHE HATES ME! HOW COULD SHE LOVE ME?"
His words cut through my soul. His despair, self-hatred and hopelessness were palpable. The pain in his voice and in his heart literally moved me to tears.
From behind this man, one of our volunteers, Andrew, came over with a Miraculous Medal. Andrew addressed the man by name and explained that he was placing the medal in his coat pocket. Andrew said ,"I put a medal of the Blessed Mother in your coat pocket. Now Our Lady is with you."
Suddenly, the homeless man's face changed. The heaviness disappeared and there was a childlike tone in his voice. He said, "She's with me?" He spoke like a little boy astonished and amazed. Something changed. It was a little ray of hope that broke through his darkness.
We left him shortly after that, but Our Lady remained with him, love remained with him.
Jesus descended into hell, and He is still descending into hell: the hell of human hopelessness, the hell of drug addiction, the hell of being unwanted and unloved. Jesus came to earth to descend into hell.
Each week, we carry Jesus with us into the streets. We carry love into places where love has been extinguished. And we light the light of love.
And then, we go. But something remains of Jesus.
His best is yet to come!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
PS, If you would like to make a monthly commitment to volunteer in serving the homeless in Kensington, please consider joining us for a Day of Orientation on March 18th. For more information, please email michaelgroganministry@gmail.com.
PPS, Would you consider making a donation to our GoFundMe Campaign so that we can purchase a house in Kensington? After you make a donation, would you share the link to our GoFundMe page with all your friends and contacts through texting, email and all your social media resources? Let us “Build a Home of Love in Kensington” so that Jesus may live His life again in the streets and with the poor.
Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Building a Home of Love in Kensington
Jesus brought me to Kensington, but, I admit, I fought Him. Kicking and screaming every step of the way, it took two years for me to really begin to settle in. Now in my third year, I'm convinced that Jesus wants me here for the long haul.
I came originally because I promised a young man in a desperate situation that I would not let him be homeless. I could not afford the Bronx and so, in order to keep my promise, I rented a home in Kensington. No family here, no friends here, just a promise to a young man in dire straits. The joke was on me because that young man never moved to Kensington. I was alone.
This was in the midst of the Covid lockdown and besides no one trusting me as “the new kid on the block,” people were also social distancing. I wondered if God would actually build a ministry or if I had made a terrible mistake. There was no burning bush, no apparition, no mystical sign, no prophetic word, no voice from the heavens. It was just terrible darkness.
For years I thought I would never leave New York. I used to say I would die in the Bronx. I had fallen in love with the Bronx and, in some ways, maybe had made an idol, a golden calf of the Bronx and my ministry there. But when I could no longer financially sustain the cost of living in the Bronx that was when I knew God was moving me elsewhere.
I complained. I struggled. And I wouldn't quite say that I obeyed the promptings of the Spirit. My circumstances simply dictated that it was impossible for me to remain in the Bronx. After almost 25 years Jesus moved me.
I would always tell the Lord that He could do whatever He wanted with me. And when He actually changed MY plans, boy did I throw a temper tantrum!
But...
Little by little – with lots of trials and tribulations (including being robbed, having all of my material goods stolen, being punched off of a subway car for praying the rosary publicly, being in three car accidents in a only a six-week period) – the seeds which were sown in tears began to break ground.
The seeds were watered with the Precious Blood of Jesus mixed with the tears of this little child of God. And now, suddenly, in the third year there is a new springtime here on Emerald Street that has gladdened my heart and it's beginning to profoundly impact my new friends in the neighborhood.
The growth has been astounding:
We have a prayer group every Sunday night for adults.
On Monday and Tuesday nights we have prayer groups for young men in the neighborhood where we pray the rosary and night prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours or just spend time in praise and worship.
We have a house where we allow young men in difficult situations to rebuild their lives.
We've helped three young men get into private school.
By God's grace, we have a second house for volunteers who come from out of state. That house is also a prayer house with a prayer room, a recording studio and podcast studio.
We have a weekly outreach with committed volunteers who fearlessly go out into the streets with a hot meal for the homeless. We have a nightly rosary over the phone – praying for Kensington – where people from around the country pray together for the success of this ministry seven nights a week 365 days a year.
We've had a beautiful documentary made showcasing God's extraordinary work here in Kensington and these are just a few of our accomplishments over the years here.
As we continue to grow, it is now evident that the Lord is asking us to pitch tent here.
Today, on Ash Wednesday, we are launching a new initiative to raise funds to establish a new home that will be a permanent residence for Connect With Heaven Ministry.
As we have been blessed with such fruitfulness and growth, this will be the next stage of establishing a long-term presence in Kensington. This new home will replace the two houses we currently rent on Emerald Street from incredibly loving and supportive landlords who are excited about what God is doing through this little ministry and support our future success. But now, we need a house that actually belongs to our Connect With Heaven Ministry that will be a gift to Kensington for many years to come.
With the help of God, under the watchful gaze of our Immaculate Mother, we hope to purchase a four-bedroom home (one for the director, three more bedrooms for young men who are in need of housing and mentorship, a prayer room for prayer gatherings), a large kitchen so that we can continue to feed 50 to 60 homeless people weekly with a hot meal right out in the streets, and a basement that we can transform into a large audio/visual recording studio.
Each one of you who receives this newsletter has been invested on so many levels in this ministry. Many of you have followed from the early stages and all the growing pains. Many have invested their prayers, some have invested their time taking long and often uncomfortable trips to this neighborhood that does not always seem so warm and fuzzy, others have donated clothing and hosted food drives to help dozens of families, many also have contributed financially – some as one-time donors and some contributing on a monthly basis to sustain this great mission of mercy.
As you begin your personal Lenten Journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we humbly ask you to consider making Connect With Heaven Ministry part of your Lenten observance. We're asking for a real and loving investment in what heaven is doing here.
Please go to our GoFundMe page “Building a Home of Love in Kensington” and consider making a wholeheartedly generous gift. Although every penny counts, we are asking for a real sacrificial gift of love so that we may quickly arrive at our goal to purchase a residence in Kensington.
With gratitude and thanksgiving, we thank you for reaching deep, for giving until it hurts, for sowing a seed so deeply that it may bear kingdom fruit in this place so desperately in need of the love of Jesus.
His BEST is yet to come!
God love you,
Michael Grogan
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Friday, February 17, 2023
Fulfilling God's Dream
When God gives you a dream, it's like a seed that is planted. It can take a long time to grow but when it comes to fruition the joy is intoxicating.
Since I arrived in Kensington a little over three years ago, the Father had planted a dream in my heart. Not my dream....His dream, planted in me.
To see the young people in the neighborhood pray and fall in love with Jesus is so remarkable your hair will stand up to see it. But all this time there's been a missing element to this ministry. What about the homeless?
I often walk through the streets praying the rosary or sometimes just walking silently carrying God's love with me through the streets. I know that part of the ministry is to serve the homeless and, In a small way, to quench the thirst of Jesus for love in the hearts of the poor.
On occasion, a small group of volunteers would go out with simple sandwiches just to say “hello” to the people and to pray with them. But the Holy Spirit planted something deeper and more in my heart. I knew I had to do more and I had a vision of what it was supposed to look like, but the hour had not yet come.
I often remember being with the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa's nuns in Tijuana, Mexico. I was with them when they took a few buses of homeless men to the beach — 150 men in total — and gave them the most beautiful meal right on the beach: chicken and rice and beans. They didn't just make sandwiches. They labored with love for the men because they saw in them the face of Jesus. They wanted to give the best to Jesus!
With that image grafted into my soul I wanted to do something similar right out on the streets. To carry a beautiful meal made with love right to the people In the most forgotten places, like underneath overpasses and in garbage dumps.
This past Wednesday, that dream finally became reality. We began our weekly outreach, our labor of love for so many homeless people suffering more profoundly than we can imagine.
Every piece of this mission has been built upon love.
To make a meal for 50 people we needed larger pots and the chef from a local place in Fishtown went out and bought a few large stock pots so we could prepare a meal big enough to serve a good amount of people. I couldn't believe it when the phone rang and I was told that these huge pots were coming. It was the beginning of God's dream being fulfilled. "And the word became flesh....”
Then the gentleman who brought the pots to the house on behalf of the chef donated the money to fund the entire first meal with all the to-go containers and spoons and drinks, etc.
Then the young people from the neighborhood who come to the prayer group got so excited that they wanted to come and help cook.
To watch Tito peeling and cutting garlic and Danny making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Eli helping to cook and brown the beef and open all the cans of tomato sauce and kidney beans that we needed to make a giant pot of chili. Everybody was doing their part.
Love for Jesus looked like something that was tangible and flesh.
The next morning, our faithful volunteers Andrew and Karen arrived. As we did last-minute preparations and making about 40 more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that morning we prayed many rosaries. Mother Teresa used to say, “Pray the work." And that's what we did.
And then we loaded the car and drove looking for the poor, the homeless, the destitute, the Forsaken.
We had such beautiful encounters sharing chili and peanut butter sandwiches and offering the Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Mother to each person that we met. People had such a good time. There were so many smiles and so much laughter.
Between each stop we would pray a few decades of the rosary, the whole time keeping Jesus at the center of this mission. It was a work of prayer. It was a work of love. It was God's gift to everybody involved. The volunteers.... the kids....the homeless.... it was all gift!
Could Jesus be calling you to be a part of our outreaches to the homeless? Might He be asking you to come to Kensington once a month? If you hear that still, small voice and you would like to come on a Day of Prayer and Orientation for new volunteers on Saturday, March 18th, please contact us to register by emailing michaelgroganministry@gmail.com.
Would you like to sponsor a meal that feeds 50 people a week right out in the streets under bridges and in alleys? Each week we spend about $200 to carry God's compassion and tender love. If you feel the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart to sow into this grassroots labor of love please give generously now and click here to DONATE.
May God continue to bless and reward you a thousand fold.
His best is yet to come!
God Love You,
Michael Grogan
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Wednesday, February 8, 2023
When the Saints Come Marching In
Love, to be real has to look like something. It's not an abstract idea but living and concrete.
As lovers of Jesus, we get to make our love visible... audible... edible.... and tangible through the works of mercy.
Kensington is such a great place to demonstrate the love and affection that burns in our hearts for Jesus and Mary!
On Saturday, February 4th, we had a beautiful day of prayer, orientation and planning for volunteers who want to serve with Connect With Heaven Ministry. Five generous souls came with zeal and excitement! After prayer and going through our protocol and procedures, these beautiful souls made a monthly commitment to a day of outreach to the homeless in Kensington.
Three times a month, volunteers in groups of two will come to our ministry house to prepare a beautiful hot meal for the homeless. We will go out into the streets and alleys searching for Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor. We will find Jesus in the broken bodies of the addicted and mentally ill. We will feed Jesus in the homeless veteran. We will console His heart and bring Him joy! We will carry His light into the dark holes – the rosary in one hand and a serving spoon in the other – all for Jesus!
If you are interested in helping us with our weekly outreach, we will have a day of prayer and orientation for new volunteers on Saturday, March 18th. We are praying and asking Our Lady to send three or four more volunteers to make a monthly commitment so that we can go from three-times-a-month to four-times-a-month to make sure that each week our brothers and sisters in the streets can experience the tender love of Jesus.
Oh, when the saints come marching in to Kensington, the glory of God will be revealed!
If your heart is throbbing right now and you're saying. “Oh Lord, I want to be in that number!”, then please email us at michaelgroganministry@gmail.com for more information to register for the volunteers’ day of orientation on March 18th.
Have courage! Be brave! God's best is yet to come!
God Love You,
Michael Grogan
Monday, January 30, 2023
Connecting with Heaven
"Lord teach us to pray." (Luke 11:1). This is the cry not only of the apostles but of each of our hearts. Here in Kensington we are learning to pray… Young men from the neighborhood gather twice a week — on Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:15 — to connect with heaven.
We sing praise and worship songs, we pray the rosary together, with each teen leading a decade. We pray Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours in union with the whole Church.
Little by little our young people are blossoming. The fruit is evident: their behavior and attitude is changing and their grades in school have improved exponentially. I've had parents and grandparents come to me and tell me how their kids are changing.
How does this happen? Prayer. The mystical power of God's grace working in a soul and transforming the entire person.
"My son give me your heart." (Proverbs 23:26)
That is the response of Jesus when we say, “Lord teach us to pray.” He only asks for our hearts and little by little our young people are handing over their broken hearts — piece by piece — to the only One who can put it all together.
P.S. If you haven't yet seen the recent documentary on our I Thirst Ministry a.k.a. Connect with Heaven Ministry in Kensington it's absolutely remarkable. To watch it click here.
God Love You,
Michael Grogan
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Tuesday, December 20, 2022
The Grinch Who Almost Stole Christmas....
Kati was giddy with excitement waiting for the Amazon delivery. In just one order, all the gifts and presents for her children, nieces and nephews were expected to arrive.
At around 2PM, as Kati got in the car to pick up her kids from school, the Amazon app said the items were still out for delivery. The kids got in the car making tons of noise and suddenly the phone vibrated. The package had been signed for and delivered!
Dread fell upon Kati. No one was home to sign for the packages. She raced to the house in panic mode. When she arrived, the front door was locked and no package found.
Later on, as the neighboring store allowed her to view the security cameras, a homeless woman in the throes of drug addiction (who Kati often gave a meal to) was seen signing for the package and running off with the Christmas gifts.
This is a common experience for our families here in Kensington. The challenges of living and raising a family in a high-crime neighborhood filled with addiction, homelessness and violence often complicate what should be a joyful experience.
Thanks be to God, our little ministry is able to provide gifts for some of the children not only in Kati’s household but in many households throughout the neighborhood. There is nothing more beautiful on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning than to see the joy of a young person's face as they unwrap a gift.
God, our Heavenly Father, so loved the world that He gave the gift of His only son: the gift of Jesus, wrapped in our frail humanity and given by our Heavenly Father through Our Lady.
And now, each Christmas you and I have the joy of giving. We get to be like our Heavenly Father and give until it hurts. The treasure of heaven was sent down to earth. In a sense heaven went bankrupt so that you and I could receive the gift of Jesus. The Father gave His All.
As Christmas draws near, my bedroom is filled with gifts for so many of the young people in the neighborhood. Many of them don't even celebrate Christmas or have a place to go and some have not opened Christmas gifts in years.
For love of Jesus – and in imitation of the Father – would you consider helping to defray the cost of some of the gifts for our families? Would you help us to share the joy of loving by putting love into living action? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and to inspire you with the right amount to donate to this worthy cause. I encourage you to feel the pinch of sacrifice so that you may know in an even deeper way the joy of loving.
May Jesus and Mary bless you a-thousand-times-over for your generous love.
His Best is yet to come.
God Love You!
Michael Grogan
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Monday, December 19, 2022
Introducing an extraordinary documentary.
We are so pleased to release "The Mud,” a wonderfully executed film about our ministry that was produced and directed by Gus deSimone.
It is an extraordinary first-hand look at what God is doing through our little ministry in Kensington and it will, with His Grace, provide the desperately needed inspiration — and encouragement — to those who might consider making an ongoing financial commitment to this worthwhile work today.
Profound and sincere gratitude to Gus and all those who participated in helping make this presentation possible.
God Love You! Michael Grogan
By the way, I would be very interested to hear your comments by emailing me at MichaelGroganMinistry@gmail.com.
Friday, December 16, 2022: Jesus Living In Mary, Come and Live In Me!
How profound is the silence of Our Lady as She waits for the birth of Her son. What must have been the thoughts and sentiments of Her Immaculate Heart as She felt the incarnate Son of God moving in Her immaculate womb? What songs were on Her lips?
Truly the songs of Advent are the songs of Our Blessed Mother singing intimately to Her little Jesus. Let us ask the Spouse of Our Lady, the Holy Spirit, to place Her songs in our hearts and on our lips.
By way of our baptism, the same Jesus lives in our souls. We are tabernacles of the lamb. The same Jesus living in Mary, the same Jesus loving in Mary. The same Jesus giving in – and through – Mary lives and loves and gives through each and every baptized believer…through you and me!!! What a singular grace and privilege that Jesus lives His life in you. The very same Jesus that lived in Mary lives and abides in you. WOW!
Let us ask Our Lady to place Her songs in our hearts and on our lips. Let us walk through the rest of this holy season of Advent pregnant with Jesus, filled with Jesus, "showing" Jesus.
Below are the lyrics of a beautiful hymn. Perhaps these words can become a prayer etched into our hearts during this advent season:
_________________________
Jesus living in Mary
Come and live in me
Here is a body to move among men
Reach out again to others.
II
Jesus giving in Mary
Come and give in me
Here are two hands that are able to bear
Teach them to share with others.
Chorus
Here is a mind to be filled with your light
Let it ignite for others.
Here is a voice that was made for Your word.
Let it be heard for others.
III
Jesus loving in Mary
Come and love in me
Here is a heart that is beating for You
Pour Your love through it for others.
_______________________________
God Love You! Michael Grogan
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Thursday, December 8, 2022: How Our Lady Prevented a Suicide
One day last month a young man named Angel came to speak with me. He was in great distress and unable to look me in the face. As he began to speak tears rolled down his face and he shook as he shared the horrible situation he found himself in.
I didn't realize that Angel was planning on committing suicide that night! BUT OUR LADY, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION WAS PREPARING A NEW LIFE FOR ANGEL
Angel was estranged from his family because of a crime he committed when he was a teenager. After serving time in juvenile detention, his parents abandoned him. He got a job as a baker and learned a skill, but also fathered a child prematurely.
At the time of our conversation, he was renting a room from a violent alcoholic who was abusive and explosive.
I was so moved speaking with Angel. A 20-year-old young man working, holding down a job and desperately trying to be a good father and provide for his little girl, with no family to support him and living in a situation so dysfunctional he was at his wit's end!
I said "Angel let's pray together." He said, "but I don't know how to pray!"
I reassured him that it was easy, and we stood before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
I was able to vocalize the sentiments of his heart as the Holy Spirit gave me the words. He stood devoutly with his head bowed and then I brought him over to the crucifix.
Angel shared with me how he had cut his wrists in the past out of hopelessness and desperation. I asked him to roll up his sleeves and he exposed his scars to Jesus as Jesus exposed the scars on his wrist to Angel.
Now Angel and Jesus were face to face. Eye to eye. Scar to scar.
I said "Angel, when Our Lady looks at you she sees Jesus. She looks at your wounds and She sees the wounds of Her Son. She loves you so much."
I offered him a room in our house. He was overwhelmed and I felt that a heaviness was being lifted off of him.
Currently Angel stays with us and continues to work baking cakes from early in the morning to mid-afternoon. He's always smiling and filled with enthusiasm. As he works and tries to wholeheartedly provide for – and spend time with – his daughter, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Immaculate One, is pouring the oil of gladness on his soul.
As Angel stepped out in faith and rolled up his sleeves to Jesus, Who cannot be outdone in generosity, rolled up His sleeves as He continues to lavish His healing love on His prodigal son. Angel is being transformed.
HIS BEST IS YET TO COME!
God Love You! Michael Grogan
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Thursday, September 23, 2022: Spreading the Fragrance of Jesus
Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go.
Flood our souls with your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly,
that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.
Shine through us, and be so in us,
that every person we should come in contact with
may feel your presence in our soul.
Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus.
Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine as you shine;
so to shine as to be a light to others;
the light, Jesus, will be all from you.
None of it will be ours.
It will be you shining on others through us.
Let us thus praise you in the way you love best,
by shining on those around us.
Let us preach you without preaching:
not by words, but by our example,
by the catching force,
the sympathetic influence of what we do,
the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear for you.
Amen.
- Mother Teresa
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Friday, September 16, 2022: Declaring Victory
“Why do the teenagers get to come to prayer group and we don't???”
Three kids surrounded me on bikes menacingly waiting for an answer...... I promised that I would work something out and try to have a prayer group for the younger kids ages 10 through 12....
On the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14th.... The 3 kids who surrounded me on bikes came with one of their friends for the first prayer meeting for children ages 10 through 12...
We started off with cookies and lemonade, and after about 20 minutes Roberto yelled out..... “When are you going to teach me to pray???!!!”
These kids weren't messing around..... Forget about the cookies and lemonade..... THEY WERE HUNGRY FOR GOD!!!
We went through all of the Holy pictures in the prayer room and dining room and I told them a little bit about each saint..... Again Roberto said, “When are you going to teach us to pray???!!!”
As we stood around the altar in the front of the prayer room before the crucifix with the words of Jesus on the wall..... “I thirst” ...... We prayed our first prayer.....
We all placed our hands on the altar and after a few moments I told them to put their hearts on the altar.....
We began to act like we were in a gory movie and playfully we tore our hearts out..... We placed them on the altar before Jesus..... Some of the acting was so good they could have won an Oscar....
Together they repeated after me.....
“Jesus..... Jesus Jesus......Take my heart and never give it back to me!!!”
They were so excited, and as they ran out to play football I heard one of them say.... “That was so much fun!”
September 15th (yesterday) marks the beginning of my third year in Kensington..... When I first arrived the house I lived in was boarded up with wooden boards on the windows..... I had no heat for a week and my house was robbed.... Everything was taken and when I returned to the house three drug addicts were living in the three bedrooms as I struggled to get them out.....
For the first year and 3 months no one would really speak with me...... The neighbors were suspicious and cold...... So many times I wanted to leave and seriously considered not signing the lease for another year......
10 shootings have occurred on Emerald Street alone since I moved in, and one time while walking out in broad daylight a bullet whizzed past my head........
With a few monthly donors and my social security disability check, I have scraped by......
But now....... With 3 weekly prayer groups..... A recording studio..... A second house for volunteers to come and experience serving the homeless in Kensington...... An 18-year-old in residence who is in school, working and regularly attending prayer meetings...... Providing food for seven families twice a month.... Helping 2 teenagers get into private school...... Providing meals and brown scapulars for the homeless...... And over a dozen kids not including adults desperately longing to be baptized.... I can see the victory of God!!!
I declare that even greater things will happen over the next year...... God is truly on the move in Kensington as this little ministry aims to quench the thirst of Jesus for love and souls....
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Truly, HIS BEST IS YET TO COME!!!
God Love You,
Michael Grogan
Thursday, September 8, 2022: Making the Journey from “Nobody's Son” to God's Son
In a recent conversation with Zai, a 17 year old who regularly attends our prayer groups, I heard something that broke my heart......
“My father is a deadbeat loser who abandoned me and my stepfather is a weirdo who beat my mother....... I'm not their son.... I'M NO ONE’S SON!”
Each week on Tuesday and Thursday nights the young man who spoke these words comes for prayer and a hot meal..... He doesn't know it yet, but he's on a journey to THE FATHER!... HIS TRUE DAD.....
Twice a week, young men ages 13 through 18 who come from difficult circumstances and face overwhelming obstacles, come to pray......
They sing the praises of the Lord......and they sound great!!! They pray spontaneously from the heart...... They listen to a little talk as they’ve come to know God as Abba, that is Daddy!!!..... They pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, each one taking a turn leading a decade.......
Next week we will be ending our prayer groups with the liturgy of the hours.....or Compline, the churches official night prayer......
Not too bad for a group that only started two months ago and had zero idea how to make even the sign of the cross......
They come in as strangers.... Feeling orphaned and fatherless......
And little by little....
Because of the precious blood of Jesus and through the intercession of Our Lady....
THEY COME TO KNOW THEIR DAD!!!!
And after we pray.......
We eat.....
Truly, His best is yet to come.....
Could this be the boys from Kensington a few months down the road?????? Tune in next time!
God Love You!
Michael Grogan
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P.S. Our food pantry as well as toiletry supplies are almost completely depleted.....
If your parish, prayer group, Knights of Columbus group, or a school nearby would like to do a food or toiletry drive for our ministry, we would be eternally grateful.....
Please contact us if you would like to conduct a food or toiletry drive in your area by emailing michaelgroganministry@gmail.com
If you would like to make a financial offering toward our food distribution ministry or toiletries, please click here.
May God reward you abundantly!!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2022: If You Build It, They Will Come
It was a typical morning as I sat in my leather recliner praying the Psalms and offering my morning prayer to the Lord....... In my heart I said to the Lord, “How can I draw the young people in?”
As clear as day out of nowhere (but definitely from the throne)…
“Build a studio.”
I knew instantaneously and absolutely that the Holy Spirit was speaking in the depths of my heart....
After all, isn't it obvious??? A blind guy who has absolutely zero tech savvy and knows nothing about recording, podcasting or video production...... A guy who has zero interest in rap..... And a guy with no money and no room for a studio....... It made absolutely no sense at all in the natural!!!!!
It had to be from God...
The inspiration from the Lord was there, but the resources had yet to arrive... I knew that heaven had inspired this, but how it would come to pass was entirely up to the Lord..... I had neither the funds nor the technical ability to build or operate a recording studio....
For years I felt the Lord wanted young people whom I would minister to sing the songs of heaven..... It was written in my journal time and time again that the Lord wanted the worship songs of heaven to emanate from the lips of young people whom He would send me....
And then..... Suddenly........ Something happened....
Through a supernatural set of circumstances, God sent the money for the studio...... It was miraculous, extraordinary and completely providential....
A total stranger who met me for 10 minutes funded the entire project!!! This could only be a love that was an overflow of the love of the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary!!!
Then a friend looking for an opportunity to volunteer drove across the country to give us a hand..... One of his specialties is putting recordings studios together!!!!!!......Two weeks later, Michael Vento had built a little studio, and although small and compact.....it's first class!!!!
During the two weeks that Michael was putting the studio together in the bedroom where I received the original inspiration to build..... Jesus again stepped in, in a supernatural way....
After Holy Mass at The National Shrine of St. John Neumann..... A man named Gus came to me looking to volunteer in Kensington....
I asked him what he did for a living, and to my astonishment he told me video editing and engineering!!! One hour later, he was at the house seeing the progress made on the new studio.....
We truly serve a Wonder working and amazing God..... He sends help and resources because truly the Lord hears the cries of the poor......
Our studio is up and running, and young people from the neighborhood are learning how to make beats and record podcasts professionally from volunteers like Gus and Michael....
Stay tuned because God is not finished with us yet.....
HIS BEST IS YET TO COME!!!
God Love You,
Michael Grogan
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Tuesday, April 12, 2022: I Thirst
On the cross Jesus cried out “I thirst.”
This little ministry exists for the sole purpose of quenching the thirst of Jesus on the cross for love and for souls, especially in Kensington, Philadelphia...
The thirst of Jesus is quenched especially when we love Him in the poorest of the poor....
God Love You!
Michael Grogan
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Tuesday, March 15, 2022: Listening to the Whispers in Your Heart
As we walked down Kensington Avenue, Andres literally wept out loud..... He literally grabbed the hand of a homeless man in the throes of heroin addiction and prayed for him with tears........
As we continued to walk, Andres and Christina were stunned in disbelief that this kind of poverty could exist in the USA!!!
The experiences of our volunteers are powerful...... Being in Kensington is a real opportunity to see, touch, and encounter Jesus in His passion.
I will never forget last winter during one outreach, Father Justin tagged along in his Carmelite habit...... We set up tables and the homeless began to gather around for a meal, but before they would eat, 90% of them approached Father for a prayer and blessing....
As he prayed with them and lovingly imposed the brown scapular around their necks...... He told them in a simple way of the love of the Blessed Mother.....
Suddenly a voice screamed from across the street, “PRIEST!!!!!! PRIEST!!!!!!”
A gentleman covered in tattoos ran over filled with excitement!! He began to tell us about his love for Jesus and then told us a story that rocked our world.....
After a childhood filled with abuse and a rough start in life, this man by the name of Michael ended up in prison..... He was in absolute darkness, and one day at the end of his rope he had made a decision to commit suicide....
He was on his way up the stairs to throw himself off the ledge when suddenly there was an announcement that the prison was going into lockdown......
For an entire week, Michael was locked in his cell waiting for the door to open so he could throw himself over the ledge.....
On the second day of the lockdown, in order to kill time, he swept the cell and underneath his bed he found a little book....
He picked up the book and on the front cover in huge letters were the words HERE'S HOPE!
As he opened that book and discovered that it was a New Testament, the week of lockdown became a week of retreat..... In that little prison cell Michael was meeting Jesus in His word.......
When we met him in the street, Michael preached like a Pentecostal preacher on fire with love for Jesus......
As he shared all of this with Father Justin and I, he rolled up his sleeve and showed us his arm covered with needle marks...... “but if I really loved Him, I wouldn't do this,” he said.
In that moment Jesus was showing us his crucified hands..... In that moment Michael was giving us a living encounter with Jesus.....
Our friends and volunteers have so many stories.....
Marcin comes with a group from Long Island..... On one outreach, Marcin literally imposed a brown scapular on a dying, overdosed heroin addict at exactly 3:00 p.m.!!!! Father Peter came 2 minutes after that to bless the man...... The rest of us prayed the chaplet of Divine Mercy......
As you hear these stories, maybe someone reading this letter right now is feeling a stirring of the Holy Spirit......
Pope Benedict XVI, on his visit to Australia during a World Youth Day, said to the young people in attendance, “Listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit in your heart.”
Maybe the Lord is calling you to come and volunteer.....
Each Saturday we go out into the streets.....
We pray with the homeless and give them a bag of food and goodies in the morning...... Then we attend the holy sacrifice of the Mass and have lunch....
In the afternoon we clean up space given to us for a prayer meeting each week.... And then we invite the families and the people from the streets to come in and pray........ We sing with them and pray over them and pour the love of God into them!!!!!
During this holy season of Lent, I invite you to step out of your comfort zone and come to Kensington on a Saturday....
If you are in Staten Island, New Jersey, or the Pennsylvania area.... Come and see........
Perhaps you are a teacher or part of a prayer group and would like to organize a food or toiletry drive for our little ministry here.....
Get involved and you will meet Jesus in a new and powerful way!!!!
The best is yet to come!!!
God Love You!
Michael Grogan
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P.S. If you can't come to Kensington, you can always unite with us in prayer
P.P.S During this season of Lent perhaps you might be looking for opportunities to tithe or make a financial offering........ Would you prayerfully consider becoming a monthly partner for $100 a month? Listen to the whispers of your heart!
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Tuesday, March 8, 2022: A New Direction... Called to Make a Splash!!!
“Do little things with great love...” - St. Teresa of Calcutta
This has been the course of action for the past year and a half in Kensington.... Little things with great love!!! Being the new kid on the block was not easy..... Moving in during a global pandemic was even more challenging! It has been slow going with hundreds of small victories..... But always little…
Walking through the neighborhood praying a rosary quietly..... Giving a miraculous medal or a brown scapular to a homeless person in the throes of drug addiction..... A conversation with a neighbor.... Tossing seeds of love and light into their hearts and minds.... Giving out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the destitute.... And larger supplies of food to families in need...
Little things.... quiet things....
And then suddenly........ The Lord spoke to me in the silence of my heart...
"It's time to make a splash!!"
I have been convinced that Jesus wants to do something new and wonderful and big through this ministry in this neighborhood.... But what????
As I continue to pray about what “making a splash in the neighborhood” means, the Holy Spirit continues to inspire and stretch me!
For example, last week on Monday morning, as I was sitting in my rocking chair praying quietly.... Out of nowhere the Lord asked me to start a recording studio for young people in the neighborhood.... I have no idea about recording studios and quite frankly no interest on a natural level.... But it was so strong that if I start a recording studio, the young people will flock and through that we can bring them to Jesus....
And since Monday doors have opened like you wouldn't believe!!
Already we have rented space, and I mean a lot of space for a deal that only heaven could set up… the rent is so reasonable.... People have stepped forward excited about the studio and offering equipment, expertise, time and money. It has been a “Wow” to say the least!!!
I also felt that this splash would involve a radical Holy Spirit, on fire prayer meetings each week.
God's timing is always perfect! The inspiration for a prayer meeting bubbled over in my heart, and the doors opened with a snap of our heavenly father's finger....
We have been given space for almost 100 people every single Saturday...
Starting March 19th on the feast of St. Joseph, we will be making a splash!!!!
We will be inviting the families, the poor, the homeless, and all those whom we encounter from the neighborhood to gather for prayer. Lively praise and worship music to shift the atmosphere and bring us into the presence of the Father.... Anointed preaching and sharing of the word..... Opportunities for one-on-one prayer with prayer teams..... Kensington is not going to know what hit them....
When heaven invades the Earth amazing things happen!!!
This is the splash of the Lord.... A Supernatural Super Bowl in the spirit with a touchdown of fire from heaven to earth.....
March 19th is the kickoff of our weekly prayer revivals inviting people right from the street every single week...... Our studio should be up and running by April!
And The Best Is Yet To Come!!!
God Love You! Michael Grogan
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Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Unmasking Jesus...Juan's Story
Recently the Lord sent Juan to our door.
He never took his ski mask and hoodie off because he was convinced he is ugly.....
His hygiene was so poor that it was difficult to be in close proximity....
His mother died of a drug overdose when he was 8 years old, and even mentioning her brings Juan into a profound depression....
His father has early stages of Alzheimer's....
Juan has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals because of an inability to cope with his pain and grief...
At just 18 years old, his days are spent riding the trains back and forth going to various soup kitchens for meals.... Utterly alone!!
And now.....
Jesus sent him to me!!!!
He comes for Bible study and to volunteer...... He loves to laugh and he says he feels peace when he comes to our little House of Prayer on Emerald Street......
After addressing the hygiene issue with a delicate tenderness, sensitivity, and love, the kid now smells like roses!!!!!
He feels loved, confident, and safe, and so he walks around without a mask and a hoodie on.
The peace and serenity of being loved and accepted and part of a community are beginning to heal this little soul......
Recently, during prayer, I have felt an overwhelming urge to introduce Juan to the Blessed Mother...... This past Saturday he agreed to make a consecration to her Immaculate heart.!!!!!
Our Lady is healing Juan's mother wound, and giving him the grace to know that he is loved.....that he is precious.
The mask is literally coming off and the light of Jesus is shining in his eyes.
God is on the move!!
The Miracle Rosary that we pray each night for this ministry in Kensington is bringing souls into the kingdom of love!!!
And the best is yet to come!!!!
God Love You!
Michael Grogan
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P.S. The names of the young people we serve are changed in the newsletter to protect their privacy and identity.
Judah is a cat we rescued from the street and found a home for!
Thursday, February 10, 2022: The Gathering - The handwriting is on the wall, literally!
One day as I was praying, I heard the Lord say to me in the depths of my heart, “Gather the children.... Gather my people and teach them to pray and worship....”
That word is such a strong word, and burns so deeply in me that we even have it AS A PROPHETIC DECLARATION on the wall of our home here in Kensington.
It has been over a year and quite honestly pretty slow going. I have to admit I was getting discouraged.....
But then.......
Suddenly.......
Grace happened!!! They are beginning to come..... The people and the children are beginning to come to this house of prayer.... They come to eat and to play on the musical instruments and to just enjoy and laugh...... They come to pray.....
But the handwriting is on the wall quite literally.
GATHER!!!
As the Holy Spirit begins to draw souls to this house for a personal one-on-one encounter with Him, we are excited....
Over one year sowing in tears and with only little sparks of hope.... But now something is happening.,. Grace is happening..... Papa God is gathering the little ones to himself in this place.....
Just recently a 16-year-old came here and was sharing how he was suspended from school for 2 weeks. He had 4 gunshot wounds in his arm...…he lives with his grandmother because his parents are unable to take care of him, and he is filled with anger and rage.....
But he comes here to this little refuge on Emerald Street in Kensington...... His face lit with joy!!!!
God is gathering His children HERE..... It's just beginning NOW!!!
And the best is yet to come!!!
God Love You! Michael Grogan
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Thursday, February 3, 2022: Why I didn't email you last Thursday.....
While trying to write the newsletter last Thursday, a phone call came in from a young man in distress.......
Jimmy never calls me, so even though I was in the writing zone, I decided to pick up the call... His voice was somber as he asked if he could come and see me immediately.
Five minutes later, 22-year-old Jimmy was at my door....he drives like a maniac!!!
Jimmy's life has been anything but easy.... his father is a homeless drug addict..... His mother is dead…. He has been in and out of jail since he was a minor..... He currently has a small apartment above a store on Kensington Avenue and lives on a meager disability check each month.....
Jimmy seems like a very happy-go-lucky kid... but inside he is in agonizing pain.....
Michael and Jimmy
When I first met Jimmy he would not look at me or acknowledge my presence. He had an attitude and a stone wall around him because he thought I was a bible thumper who would preach at him....
And now in this crisis he was standing at my front door.... The newsletter would have to wait.....
He shared with me heartbreaking news..... his best friend Marcus had committed suicide the day before.
Jimmy has had so much loss in his life. His mother is dead, his father has failed to be there for him due to homelessness and drug addiction, the system has failed him, and now one more loss!!!
I just sat and listened as he shared his heart. Lots of memories and tears and questions for God...... I didn't try to offer any answers..... I just was present and listened.
Jesus comes in the interruptions. Jesus comes in the abandoned young person. Jesus comes with His heart in His hand…
"Behold this heart which has love so much and has been so little loved in return..."
Earlier that day, last Thursday, I had a similar phone call from another young person. He was uncontrollably hysterical having a panic attack over the phone...... Hyperventilating and through the tears, he was mourning the loss of his best friend Jonathan who had overdosed on heroin and died homeless in the street. Jonathan died alone......
"My God my God why have you forsaken me?"
The philosopher Blaise Pascal says that Jesus is on the cross with his hands stretched out through all time until the end of the world.
Sometimes I feel so helpless at the foot of the cross….
I cannot take Jesus down from the cross....
I cannot make the pain go away....
But then I remember not so much the passion of Jesus...... but the compassion of Our Lady.... She stood at the foot of the cross and shared in the passion of her son with all of her heart......
With Mary I stand at the cross in Kensington.... Loving Jesus.... Consoling his heart.... Quenching his thirst...
God Love You! Michael Grogan
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Tuesday, January 25, 2022: Something very, very special!
I wanted to share something very very special with you.....
Part 1 - https://youtu.be/XBTP8fovpYs
Part 2 - https://youtu.be/YGxRf7GYRT0
This is a talk from 12 years ago that I gave at Our Lady Queen of the Angels Parish in Queens.
Not many people have seen it, but I thought you would love it.... You will be laughing your head off and also profoundly touched by the thirsting love of Jesus for you.
What would I be without each and every one of you who support this little Ministry??? I don't even want to think about it. Jesus and Mary love you, and so do I!
Michael Grogan
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Tuesday, January 20, 2022: The Daily Message and Prayer Line
If you are in need of one-on-one prayer, encouragement, or a prophetic word from the Lord, you can email michaelgroganministry@gmail.com
Michael Grogan Ministry wants to encourage you and be a blessing to you
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God Love You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, January 17, 2022: The Prophet’s Prayer
We had just finished dinner and I invited the young man to pray with me....I figured after a couple of slices of pizza, it's always a good time for the Holy Spirit to zap someone!
During the meal he shared about his experience of homelessness and what it was like going to various soup kitchens to find a meal. He shared about being robbed for the little bit that he had and about the young people who were with him who had fallen into drug addiction and prostitution....
He currently lives with his brother and is on and off jobs.... He wants to help the homeless and young people who have been in his shoes.... He desperately wants to make a difference....
And so we prayed!!
"Lord turn the volume of the world, the flesh and the devil, down and completely off......so that he may only hear your voice...... Continue to stir in his heart a desire to serve your people that he may see your face in them. Amen."
After saying that prayer I sent him home with three slices of pizza and some cookies......
Within 20 minutes my phone rang and this young man was giddy with excitement.......
"Remember the prayer we prayed? Well, on my way home I saw a homeless man picking out food from the garbage..... I offered him my pizza and cookies and told him that if I ever saw him again I would give him more food."
This young man was so overwhelmed with the joy of sharing!!! He had a personal encounter with the Lord!!!!
We must speak words of encouragement..... We must speak words of affirmation...... We must awaken and inspire the dreams that the Lord places in our neighbor's hearts......
We must be prophets.
As a priest speaks over the bread and wine and by the words of consecration and power of the Holy Spirit, they are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus...... So we must speak over the souls of those whom the Lord places in our path that they may be transformed by the words of love that Jesus places on our lips......
A few short days after that experience, my good friend Kathy prayed over me during a life in the spirit seminar...... I was asking Jesus if I should invite the local Franciscans to my house while we were having the prayer meeting.….
Kathy said, "Michael, I see Franciscan friars in your house...... Are you close with any friars???"
My beloved friend Kathy was being a prophet!! Listening to the spirit and offering to me the words that she heard, not even knowing that I was literally praying about inviting friars to my house within the same 15 minutes that she spoke those words of prophecy, those words of confirmation..... Kathy stepped out in faith with courage!
…And guess what????? The friars are coming to my house this Thursday night for our men's prayer group.
Simply put..... Do not be afraid to listen to the whispers of the Lord in your heart.... And speak those words as the Lord inspires! Miracles will abound!!!
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God Love You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, January 11, 2022: Thank you for a beautiful Christmas!
May God reward and bless each and every one of you for making Christmas so beautiful in Kensington!!!
Your prayers, gifts, and contributions made the love of Jesus tangible, palpable, and real.....
One group even came from Riverhead, Long Island the day after Christmas to do an outreach to the poor in our neighborhood!!! After the holy sacrifice of the Mass, this beautiful little group went out serving over 100 people.
"The word became flesh"
Your Love became flesh...
A million thanks to each one of you in Jesus name!
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Thursday, December 16, 2021: Guns and Roses - There is a war going on and God has placed me right in the middle of it…
The alarm yanked me out of a deep nap at 6:00 p.m. on Monday evening...... I could hear the kids playing basketball outside and having a good time..... I started to get myself together for my Rosary walk to the 7:00 p.m. mass...
Suddenly I heard a great commotion and screaming.....
“Mel, look out he has a gun....”
Gunfire broke out and there was absolute pandemonium for a minute that seemed more like an eternity.... The bullets were coming out of the gun so fast.... Everyone was scattering and screaming....
Within two or three minutes, the street was flooded with police cars and blinking lights. None of us were allowed to leave our houses. Police search helicopters were flying over the neighborhood with their bright shining lights on the ground...... It was like something out of a movie....
By the end of the evening, I discovered that 4 people were shot, and 1 wounded in critical condition.....
I never made it to Mass on Monday night. I just sat and prayed many Rosaries for peace, and a Holy Spirit touchdown in our neighborhood…
25 bullets from an AR-15 shot out a car window...... Thank God no one was killed.....
On Wednesday night (last night) during our nightly Rosary at 10:00 p.m. while we were praying the Saint Michael prayer….. another gunshot.....
There is a war going on and God has placed me right in the middle of it..... My weapon of choice is the Holy Rosary and the sweet names of Jesus and Mary....
God has called me to be a sniper in the realm of the spirit.... Taking the enemy out.....Picking off demonic spirits and freeing the children of God from the enemy's camp....
As we approach the Christmas Octave... Please continue to pray for supernatural breakthroughs in Kensington and for God's revival blessings upon this ministry!!!
As Christmas approaches would you consider making a generous donation? Many young men who come from profoundly dysfunctional circumstances will be coming for Christmas here. If you could help defray the cost of a beautiful meal and some of the Christmas gifts, we would be eternally grateful.
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May God reward you a thousand-fold for all of the ways that you support this little Ministry!
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, December 14, 2021: God is on the move! So much happening….so much amazing grace.
The Blessed Mother has been opening doors with various Christian churches in Kensington... The fruit of those connections is beginning to bud forth.
Last Thursday, one of the local non-denominational pastors and his brother joined me to pray a rosary to our beautiful queen and Mama. They enjoyed it so much we agreed to get together weekly to pray the rosary and bind ourselves to Her Immaculate heart.
Michael and Pastor Richard
I also had the opportunity on Sunday morning to address Pastor Richard's little flock and encourage them in their commitment to Jesus and to bringing revival to Kensington...
God is truly on the move here!
Also this past weekend, my godson from the Bronx came for a visit.
His name is Chris and he is 19 years old. He lost his mother at 13 and lives with his disabled grandmother.
He's covered in tattoos and soft-spoken..... He and his friend will be spending Christmas here..... Chris told me he hasn't opened a Christmas present since his mother passed away.... We are excited to make this the most beautiful Christmas that Chris and his friend Brandon have ever had!!! I'm sure we'll also have some other special guests and lots of surprises.... Jesus loves to surprise me!!!!
On Monday, our faithful volunteer and partner, Lynn who is also Chris's godmother, drove to Kensington to pick Chris up and bring him to the train station. On our way to the station we stopped by to visit Jesus and ask the nuns to pray for Chris...... The nuns were delighted and Chris, who has never been to a monastery was awestruck...
Lynn and Chris
So much happening..... So much amazing Grace.....
As we prepare for Christmas...... Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus....... For His eyes are fixed upon us....
I thank God for each one of you and pray for all of your needs and intentions each and every day..... Without your prayers, phone calls of encouragement, financial gifts, food and clothing donations, etc... etc... etc… absolutely none of this would be happening!!!!
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Wednesday, December 8, 2021: Sowing Seeds in 7-Eleven and Pink Nuns. The sower went out to sow.
On Monday night after the 10:00 p.m. Rosary, one of the men from the neighborhood with profound psychological difficulties came for a bite to eat. After a hot meal and praying night prayer from the liturgy of the hours with him, we took a walk to 7-Eleven....
We brought our drinks to the counter and there was a young man standing at the counter talking with the cashier..... He was dressed in all black with a ski mask on.... In another neighborhood this might seem scary, but in Kensington it's no big deal...... We put our drinks on the counter and I said to my friend who was accompanying me, “My back is killing me.” Without missing a beat, the guy in the ski mask smiled and said, “I got something if you're in pain...” He was offering me some kind of a pill or a drug..... And immediately, without missing a beat I responded, “Nah bro.... I'm good..... I got Jesus..... I'm addicted to him.”
As you read that little vignette you might be very edified..... The guy in the ski mask wasn't, or at least outwardly there was zero expression of edification....... The girl ringing me up smiled like I was a lunatic and handed me my change......
I often think of the parable of the sower which begins with these words.. “The sower went out to sow....”
A huge part of this ministry is just scattering seeds of goodness and love...... Tossing seeds of truth and beauty..... Some sink deep in hearts and some get blown away...... My job is to scatter the seeds everywhere I go. The results depend completely upon Jesus...... My job is to sow the seed.....
I must admit, sometimes I look for fruit...... But in those moments, I take my eyes off of Jesus looking for fruit instead of sowing the seeds and keeping my eyes riveted on Him....
And after sowing the seeds of the gospel.... I make sure they get watered with prayer.
On Monday I visited the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, or “the pink sisters”, which is a cloistered community of nuns here in Philadelphia.... These beautiful brides of Jesus are committed to perpetual Eucharistic adoration and after making a holy hour, I went and asked one of the sisters to keep this ministry in prayer.
I described what we do in Kensington and how we serve the community trying to bring the people the love of Jesus in a thousand little ways..... I wrote the intention down on an index card, which sister said she would place on the bulletin board for all of the nuns to see and pray......
It is the prayers of the nuns and good people like you who receive this newsletter that water the sown seeds so that they bear fruit for the kingdom of God....
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Pink Sisters’ Chapel
Sowing seeds in the hearts of young men from the streets.....
Thursday, December 2, 2021: It’s all about God
Tuesday, November 30, 2021: The Truth Will Always Set You Free!
The phone rang on Sunday night and I saw that it was my godson, Anthony....... Anthony never calls!!!
15 years ago, Anthony along with 18 other young people from his apartment building in the Bronx, were baptized through this ministry......
I knew when the phone rang that this was an urgent call... I picked up and he could not speak, I just heard weeping.......
“Something happened....... Something happened..... And it's all my fault....” he said.
I began to ask questions and through his sobbing, l learned that after giving his girlfriend the cold shoulder all Thanksgiving week, she was now in the hospital having her toes removed because of an infection caused by diabetes...... He was guilt ridden and distraught with shame and condemnation.......
I began to tell him that his girlfriend, whether they were fighting or not, was NOT going to miss Thanksgiving...... She was just going to put off her infection until after a beautiful meal with the family, and then she was going to go to the hospital the next day.... and that's exactly what happened...... Fight or No Fight: Thanksgiving was on.......
But the voice of the accuser is cunning........ He lies....... He tempts us to take responsibility for things we have no control over..... And then he accuses and rubs it in with guilt and shame........
We can listen to the accuser..... Or we can tell Satan to go to hell...
As we enter into the holy season of Advent...... Let us be aware of whose voice we are listening to...... With our Blessed Mother, are we tuned into the voice of heaven???? Or are we listening to the whispers of the serpent???
After speaking truth to my godson Anthony....... He calmed down and we were laughing by the end of the conversation...... The truth will always set you free.....
What is the truth???????? That God so loved the world that He sent Jesus...... That God so loves you..... Right here and right now.... That he sends Jesus..... To bring light to every single little darkness.... Not just light to the darkness in general, but to each and every darkness..........
You need to know that Jesus wants to free you from guilt and condemnation and shame...... He is coming!!!! He's coming right now in this newsletter in these words..... Do you hear him??? Can you hear his heartbeat of love for you????
Anthony now can a little bit more...... I hope you can too.
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Visiting with Austin for a slice of pizza in Penn Station on the way back to Philadelphia!
Thursday, November 25, 2021: Happy Thanksgiving!
On behalf of Michael Grogan Ministry ….. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I am so thankful and gracious for ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!!!!
May God bless you and your loved ones!!!
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus!”
Tuesday, November 23, 2021: Tele Soul Ministry - My phone is constantly ringing and buzzing!
One day during a visit to a monastery of cloistered Carmelite nuns, I was told that the Mother Superior wanted to speak with me...... I was led into a small room with a large metal grate covered with a curtain. The light was turned on and I sat in the chair in front of the “grille” and curtain..... After a few minutes of waiting in profound silence, I heard a door open from the other side and the curtains were pulled back........ An elderly nun smiled through the double grills and said, “Praised be Jesus Christ!” I responded, “Now and forever!”
During the course of our profoundly mystical exchange, the Mother Superior said to me, “Michael, I wish that I could go to each soul one by one throughout the world and tell them JESUS LOVES YOU...”
That conversation has remained in my heart after so many years.... One soul at a time.... One life at a time, I get to walk the streets of Kensington and share His love with souls.....
But not only in Kensington......
My telephone is constantly ringing and buzzing with texts and notifications...Michael can you pray with me?.......Michael can you speak with this young person?..... Michael can you speak to this prayer group?....... Michael could you give a conference to the Newman Club at our University???
All throughout the day the phone is ringing and I have the privilege of telling souls all over the country how much Jesus loves each one of them!!!
I always say that a huge part of my ministry is telling people who they are....... Reminding souls that they have been bought with the precious blood of the Lamb.....
In fact, during one of the most profound moments of my life at an incredibly intense prayer meeting the Lord spoke in the depths of my soul and said to me.....
“DON’T TELL MY CHILDREN WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.......... TELL MY CHILDREN WHO THEY ARE!!!”
And so all throughout the day whether it's in one-on-one prayer over the phone...... Or during spiritual direction with our monthly partners...... Or during the spiritual conference with a group....... I get to remind souls how much they are loved and that each one is a son.... A daughter..... Or a father who loves them like crazy and cannot get enough of them.......
By the way if you need prayer or a word of encouragement you're always welcome to email michaelgroganministry@gmail.com
DONATE .
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Thursday, November 18, 2021: A Crazy Day in the Life of Michael Grogan Ministry
Many people ask me what a typical day is like as a missionary in Philadelphia.... The simple answer is: there's no such thing as a typical day!!
For example, yesterday I got up and started the day in praise and worship, soaking in the presence of the Lord... Typically, I like to chant the Psalms and pray a chaplet of Divine Mercy, and just have some quiet time to listen to the Father's voice......
And then 2 young people from the neighborhood arrived to help move all the rice and pasta out of the house.......(yes, we're mouse proofing the house)
I've made friends with a local pastor a few blocks down the street and he's offered me a place in his church to have a food pantry..... By the way, although his little congregation is non-denominational, he actually wants to start praying the Rosary with me..... God is on the move!!!
And so, after a morning of hard work, my 2 helpers from the neighborhood were hungry.....
Daniel is 20 years old and lives a few blocks away...... Jimmy is 22, he recently stopped selling drugs and has been in and out of the system for 5 years....He is trying to get his life together......
We had a blast stopping at Chick-fil-A and Wendy's...... Jimmy, is a crazy driver (to say the least) and missed a turn..... So what did he do???? He made a crazy U-turn, and ended up driving on the sidewalk to get to the drive-thru!!!!!........ It's a good thing I'm legally blind....
After a busy morning and also connecting with some neighbors a few doors down who have a large family and need some help, I grabbed a bite to eat in the midst of corresponding with my godson in the Bronx... His name is Chris and he is 19 years old.... His mother died when he was 13, and he lives with his disabled grandmother and has very few people in his life, so he likes to connect regularly just to know that somebody is there for him and cares...
And then it was time for the holy sacrifice of the Mass.... And so at 6:20, I started my half hour Rosary walk praying as I walk to St. Joachim's Church on Church Street.... After the 7:00 p.m. Mass and a walk back home praying another Rosary.... Connecting with people who tried to call or text and then the 10:00 p.m. Rosary call with so many of you who join in.....
And after that call and a little something to eat, I hopped into bed......UNTIL............
THE PHONE RANG!!!!!!
“Padrino (godfather) I'm in Philadelphia with my uncle and we're going to stop by...” It was my godson Austin!!!!!! I was so surprised and overjoyed at 11:00 p.m. to have such a beautiful visit!!!! They came in and I gave them a tour of the house and then filled their trunk up with food and toiletries and gave them a sandwich and ice cream!!!!!
Austin told his uncle I was religious...... But, boy oh boy, when he came into the house he had no idea what he signed up for....... He was overwhelmed with the presence of God, and the peace of the house.....
And at 11:45, as they pulled away to drive back to far Rockaway, New York.... I waved and locked the outside gate and went upstairs for night prayer.......
No day is a typical day when the Holy Spirit is your planner..... But every day is a blessed day..... a miraculous day..... An exciting adventure when you let the Lord plan your day.......
As a holy nun once told me when I showed up unannounced at 10:00 p.m., ”God's Providence comes at all hours of the night.”
The best is yet to come......
God Love You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, November 16, 2021: The Prophet’s Guide to Getting Rid of Mice
Having a well stocked food pantry (thanks to many of you!) in your basement can have its challenges.
People in the neighborhood who have genuine needs get to know that you can help..... but, they always seem to come at the most inconvenient times..........
Often, a few men who have been diagnosed with mental illness and have no family come to me at night (usually well after the 10:00 p.m. Rosary) for a meal and someone to vent to..... just when I was preparing to go to bed or settle down......
Usually after heating up a nice hot meal, I pack them up a "to go bag" with food that has been donated. Sometimes they need socks and toiletries as well.
Other times I send food over to Bernard, a Vietnam war vet..... And lately Judith, with her seven children, has also been blessed by the food donated with so much love from our partners......
And with all that food downstairs sometimes....... A few mice get in!!!
Now I put a picture of Saint Martin de Porres in the kitchen..... He was a humble Dominican lay brother and tradition has it that he miraculously eradicated mice that were infesting the monastery he lived in.... I very strategically put him in the kitchen, and also Saint Patrick downstairs, because as legend has it...... God used Saint Patrick to clear the snakes out of Ireland. I figured with Patrick downstairs and Martin upstairs, we had a Dream Team and I wouldn't have any issues........ but lately they have been slacking!!!
I started to hear scratching in the ceiling between the first and second floor...... and then I heard scratching in the kitchen, and found a little mouse in a trap...... I was getting ready to demote Saint Martin and send him to the basement....
Don't get me wrong..... I was doing my part..... I put out traps, and one of our volunteers came and tried to help seal every hole he could.... but no matter what, we kept hearing that scratching.......
And then I was reminded that I was a prophet.... That I was a son..... I have been given authority and dominion....... In the midst of putting out traps, I kind of forgot about that I must confess.....
And so even after putting out mouse traps, sealing holes, and putting out poison....
Scratch scratch scratch.....
Nibble nibble nibble....
And then one of our partners said, “Don't forget to sprinkle Holy Water and declare and decree that no mouse belongs in the home of a son of God..... Give them an eviction notice in the name of Jesus!”
And after one last night of scratch scratch scratch........ I got angry and declared out loud with the authority that I have as a son of God the Father.........
“Every mouse, rodent, and creepy crawler that does not belong here, I declare and decree that you must depart RIGHT NOW IN JESUS' NAME... Go out into the wild where you belong I give you an eviction notice and declare that you must go....”
And guess what??????
No more scratch scratch scratch....... All is peaceful and quiet........
Now I will still put out some traps...... I will go out of my way to keep the place extra clean, and get nice storage containers for rice and pasta so that nothing may enter....
But...
With the word of the Lord on my lips and having the courage and boldness to speak out in faith......... The critters are gone!!!!!!
And so at 10:30 at night, the poor will come....... My neighbors will continue to have their fill by the grace of God, and the kindness of our partners........ But the mice?????...... They are on their own!
The best is yet to come.....
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Thursday, November 11, 2021: Atomic Grace
Many things can be said about this ministry... We feed the homeless....We provide toiletries and clothing for people living in the streets.....We pray with drug addicts and clothe them with Our Lady's brown scapular... Many young people from incredibly dysfunctional situations have lived with and been served by this ministry...... We have prayer groups with gang members...
Yet.....
The atomic power..... the mystical explosion of grace that this ministry brings to Kensington comes solely through prayer.....
Yesterday, a small group of volunteers and friends gathered in this humble home to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass with Father Joseph....
St Padre Pio said that, ”The world could exist more easily without the Sun than it could without the holy sacrifice of the Mass.” Yesterday, Emerald Street was the epicenter of a spiritual atomic blast and a nuclear cloud of grace mushrooms over this neighborhood...
In the natural the ground does not shake.... There are no explosions or smoke..... The only casualties are the demonic forces of hell which plunge into the deepest fire..... into the deepest depths of the abyss..... As our Eucharistic Jesus is lifted high in the middle of Emerald Street.
Each night also, a small army of souls united in expectant faith for miracles in this region of Philadelphia gather from across the country via telephone to pray the Rosary..... This miracle Rosary offered every single night is shifting the atmosphere over Kensington....... Each rosary opens up the gate of heaven more and more so that this region of Philadelphia may become a place of signs and wonders.... A wellspring of revival.......
There is a war being waged in this area and it's happening much more in the spirit..... Much more in the supernatural realm..... Outwardly little things with great love..... But inwardly...... Atomic detonations of Grace are being released and hell is being crushed under the heel of Our Blessed Lady as our Eucharistic Lord is being lifted up...
The best is yet to come!!!!
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Hi, my name is Anthony Settineri, and I want to talk a little bit about my friend Michael Grogan and why I donate to his cause, his ministry. I've known Michael for a number of years in the religious Circles of which I have attended. Michael is an exceptional holy man who only has the good Lord Jesus Christ in his heart, along with Jesus's mother Mary. And I know that whatever cause that Michael takes up is always Guided by the good Lord Jesus. And so any cause or Ministry that he wants to be involved in I totally support, because I know that is going for a good cause, a holy cause which brings Souls back to Jesus. And I love that. So with that I will heartily sponsor and give a 5-star recommendation for my friend Michael Grogan and his ministry. Thank you!
Please pray for Anthony one of our monthly covenant partners and sponsors. Click here to pledge your support.
Tuesday, November 9, 2021: Putting Faith Into Practice With Michael Grogan
As I prepare for Holy Mass to be offered in my house tomorrow......I'm thinking of each one of you and all of your intentions. We will send you some pictures from the Mass in Thursday's newsletter. In the meantime, I thought this video might help you to lift up your heart to the Lord!!!!
https://youtu.be/-dnWO3_6WQ8?si=7LjfxXI-ylPXQJZQ
You are loved beyond anything you could ask for or imagine!!!!
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, November 9, 2021: Radiating Christ
This prayer is prayed every single day after Holy Communion by Mother Teresa of Calcutta's Missionaries of Charity nuns.....
It is my all-time favorite prayer..... and it reflects the heart and soul of this ministry and our outreach to the poorest of the poor in Kensington.
Won't you pray it with me???
Radiating Christ Prayer
Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly, that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from You; none of it will be mine.
It will be you, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example, by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do,
the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.
Amen.
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, November 2, 2021: A Life-Changing Experience
Meeting with a prophet and a living saint can be a life-changing experience for sure....... In my case it was LIFE DEFINING!!!
Sitting face to face with the retired exorcist of The Diocese of Scranton, now in his mid 90s and a tiny diminutive little figure......was otherworldly.....
After briefly exchanging some initial pleasantries, his voice changed and became very grave, and he said, "Shall we pray brother?" At that moment, it was as if the cabin door closed and the air pressure on an airplane was changing the atmosphere.... I knew something profound was happening, something mystical.....
After our prayer, he stared at me intently gazing right into my eyes, right into my soul.... It was probably only a minute, but it seemed like an eternity and the silence was so thick and intense.... I could not take the intensity of the moment and had to say something, and so I said, "Monsignor, I believe Jesus sent me to you today."
His voice was solemn yet peaceful and he began to speak......"I believe he has brother..... Jesus has used you..... And you are very aware of that....."
And on he went..... He literally read me like a book..,. He even told me sins that I had never confessed in confession and gently said, "And you've never confessed that have you? Maybe you'd like to confess it now, would you kindly hand me my stole?"
As I confessed my secret sins and was in awe that this man was reading my soul...... Little did I know that what he would say at the end of the session, would define my existence forever....
Every day at Mass I would pray, "only say the word and my soul shall be healed." The Lord was about to answer that prayer....
As the session was ending and I was getting ready to leave his room, overwhelmed with gratitude, I said, “Monsignor may I give you a hug?”... He said yes, and as I was hugging him, he whispered..."Be Jesus...."
Profoundly touched by the whole experience as I was walking out of his room about to grab on to the handle of the door.... He called to me...."BROTHER......BE JESUS....HIS LIFE.....IS THE ONLY LIFE WORTH LIVING!"
At that moment, the Holy Spirit came over me.... With fear and trembling, I turned the door knob overwhelmed by the presence of God.... That word.... Was a living word for me...... Which spoke to the very depths of my soul...
I have spent my entire life thereafter trying to live in absolute surrender...so that Jesus may live His life inside of me....
My life is not worth living....... My life is worth surrendering so that Jesus.... And only Jesus... May continue to live His life on earth through me..... with me..... And in me…
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Thursday, October 28, 2021: The Creativity of Love
While everyone is dressing as ghouls and goblins and witches..... completely missing that this is the Eve of All the Saints in Heaven....... It's important for us who believe to get creative.
Our little Ministry in Kensington is going to be filling ziploc bags to the brim with tons of candy and goodies........ We might even sneak in a miraculous medal and a prayer card with the brown scapular and a personal message for each one about the love of Jesus.......
Is it a trick or is it a treat???
One thing is for sure....... The Holy Spirit does not want us to miss one single opportunity to bring the Kingdom of God into Kensington....
I can't wait to share some powerful testimonies in next Tuesday's newsletter. In the meantime, we'll be packing up goodie bags and filling them with so much candy, those kids won't have to go to any other houses.... Generosity will overflow from those ziploc bags....... And so will the Blessed Mother with her medal, Rosary, and scapular, along with a personalized message for each one.......
And guess what??? Many people reading this newsletter right now donated the candies, ziploc bags, scapulars, and medals that will be distributed all throughout this community on Halloween!!!!! You are a part of this!!!!!! Your giving and your loving matters.... and it’s making an impact in a concrete way in each household in Kensington.......So with all of my heart, I say thank you, and I release torrents of blessings upon you and all of your intentions.
And the best is yet to come... God Bless You! Michael Grogan
P.S. Would you please say a prayer for Daniel? He has overcome homelessness, and is working on connecting more and more with this ministry.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021: Paying It Forward
On September 5th, the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, I received a beautiful gift from Jesus. Elijah, who was recently discharged from a homeless shelter in the Bronx because of a fight, and with nothing but the clothes on his back and a few bags on the sidewalk, called me from outside the shelter and asked if he could move in. Immediately, I said yes.... and he moved in to our humble house in Kensington.
The first order of business is always figuring out what the plan is.... what the daily grind is going to look like. Elijah expressed his desire to complete a high school equivalency program and work. I knew that getting into a program and finding work would take a few weeks.... knowing that idleness is the devil's workshop..... I asked Elijah if he would be willing to partner with a local ministry that serves breakfast to 150 homeless people every Monday and Friday.....he said YES!.... it has been a match made in Heaven ever since!!!
Our Lord tells us to store up for ourselves treasure in heaven..... but how does that happen???
"When I was hungry you gave me something to eat.... when I was thirsty you gave me something to drink..... when I was naked you clothed me.... when I was sick and in prison you visited me...... whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, YOU DID IT TO ME....." (Matthew 25)
Twice per week, Elijah goes out to serve Jesus in the poorest of the poor. It's hard to imagine that just a few short weeks ago, he himself was in the same exact situation..... but now he is paying it forward.
He does not realize how proud his Heavenly Father is....(and how proud I am). He does not realize that he is touching Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor. He does not realize it now..... but Elijah is storing up for himself a treasure in heaven by putting love into practice.
He has no idea what an example he is...... and the best is yet to come!!!
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Thursday, October 21, 2021: My Secret Is Simple
Saint Teresa of Calcutta, AKA Mother Teresa, was asked what her secret was to accomplishing so much good for the glory of God.
She responded, “My secret is simple...... I pray.”
Without prayer it would be impossible for Michael Grogan Ministry to do this essential work for the salvation and sanctification of souls, especially the poorest of the poor in Kensington, Philadelphia.
Each and every night at 10:00 p.m. eastern, people from all over the country call to pray the rosary for this ministry. In a very real and concrete way, those who join us each night are covenant prayer partners and essential to the fruitfulness of this ministry.
When I first got the inspiration to have people unite in prayer for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Kensington and for miracles, signs and wonders to be released in this region I was instructed to call it “the miracle rosary.” Since we started the nightly “Miracle Rosary” about 2 months ago, many people from across the country join us to offer the Rosary, contending for miracles and breakthroughs not only for this ministry, but in each one of their lives. The Rosary as St. Padre Pio reminds us is “the weapon.”
Maybe you would like to consider ending your night with us each and every night by offering to the Queen of Heaven a Rosary...... believing that Our Lady is working powerfully...... Believing that there will be revival and breakthrough and supernatural outpourings of the Holy Spirit upon the city of Philadelphia as we pray down the Kingdom of God each night through the immaculate heart of Mary.
If you feel prompted to join us for that gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit, to partner with us in prayer with laser focus for miracles and breakthroughs in this ministry.....
Here are a few of the young people whom we have touched over the past year or two...while you're praying the Rosary, you can keep these faces in your mind and in your heart.
Covenant prayer partners are the invisible engine that propels this ministry into supernatural realms, pulls down strongholds and transfers young people who were in the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light…
God Bless You! Michael Grogan
Tuesday, October 19, 2021: A Blessing in the Midst of Commotion
After giving out close to 70 sandwiches and bottles of water to the homeless on the street, we thought we were winding down for the day. As we approached the cars parked on Kensington Avenue, we noticed an ambulance parked directly behind our vehicles. The lights were flashing and there seemed to be a commotion in the tent city in an empty lot near the subway. Dozens of homeless people were surrounding a man who had recently overdosed on heroin. As the volunteers approached with concern and also impelled by love, this man who was literally lying in the dirt was refusing medical treatment and the ambulance driver could not take him without consent. One of our brave volunteers Marcin approached, and in the midst of the commotion, put a brown scapular around the man's neck. Father Peter went over and gave him a blessing, while the rest of us began to pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy. It was precisely 3:00 PM, and I mean 3 on the dot!
Coming to Kensington from Long Island for a day of prayer and outreach to the poor takes a lot of guts. From driving a huge van down a narrow street, to unloading what seems like endless amounts of food, clothing, and bottles of water lovingly donated by parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi in Greenlawn, NY and Starfish Coffee House, getting an assembly line together to make sandwiches and prepare packages for the homeless is an intense day. There's no question about it.
But then that sublime moment happens, when in the midst of a chaotic, violent, drug infested neighborhood, Father Peter says those words of consecration and elevates the sacred host. The Son of God is present in His body, blood, soul, and divinity.
In the midst of pandemonium, Jesus comes! He comes humbly and in poverty. He comes hidden in a small host, but with all the power of the godhead and all the love that God Himself is. In silent adoration on Emerald Street, our 5 volunteers, myself and Lynn, and Elijah our resident knelt in adoration. Moved by the humility of God who comes with love, even to Kensington!
This is the joy of ministry. After receiving Jesus in his body and blood, we have the privilege to go out and touch Him in the distressing disguise of the poor. This is why those young people from Long Island came with Father Peter and a van full of supplies. This is why we do what we do each and every day. To receive Jesus, to become Jesus, and then to carry Him out joyfully and raise Him up among the people crying out, not only in word, but by the witness of our lives. "Behold the Lamb of God!"
As we shared turkey sandwiches with the homeless, we also did much more than that. We shared the love of God. Our volunteers stepped out in faith. They prayed with the homeless and literally placed brown scapulars around each one of their heads. Clothing them with the mantle of Our Lady as they walked along the way, over two dozen brown scapulars to the poor, not just in their hands, but around their necks, and then Father Peter would send them off with a priestly blessing.
This is love in action. This is the joy of the Gospel. This is what Michael Grogan Ministry is all about!
And after all of that hard and intense work, as a final reward you get some spaghetti and a cookie!
God Love You, Michael Grogan
Thursday, October 14, 2021: Building Something Beautiful for God and the Poor
Watching a man inject a young lady in the neck with a heroin needle after breakfast is not what you would expect during a rosary walk. I could take a rosary walk in a beautiful nature preserve, or on the grounds of a monastery or retreat house, but I much prefer the streets of Kensington in Philadelphia.
This morning, Matthew and I went out to take a rosary walk. Matthew is a volunteer who came from Long Island and generously donated his time and resources to build shelves for our food pantry. It was so edifying to watch Matthew and our 20-year-old resident, Elijah, work together to build something beautiful for God and the poor!
But all work and no pray makes for a pretty meaningless Ministry...
So Matthew and I went out to walk and pray with Our Lady's rosary in our hands. Walking peacefully and prayerfully with the names of Jesus and Mary falling from our lips back and forth. As we walked along Kensington Avenue, we witnessed men sitting in fetal position absolutely high out of their mind on heroin. Young men riding bikes and bringing drugs from one corner to the next. Ladies scantily clad, selling their bodies for the next high. One gentleman rode past on a bike offering us Klonopin.
St. Francis advised his friars, “Preach the gospel always... and when necessary use words.”
To preach without preaching is not always easy. But we walk carrying an anointing. We carry a treasure in earthen vessels. We carry a burden to bring the lost back to their heavenly Father. We carry within us the presence of the one who said “let there be light,” and there was light.
Truly God was in the midst of the people through Matthew and I... as his sons walk the streets reclaiming territory that has been stolen by the enemy.
This land belongs to the Lord, and with every footstep that we take we reclaim it by the authority we possess as sons of God.
I walk boldly knowing who I am as a son.
I walk in the conviction that there is no high like the most High... and others too want to share this experience.
This Saturday, 15 volunteers are coming from Long Island to bring food and donations for our food pantry. We will have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered in our little home on Emerald Street. And then we will go out again and pray with the people one-on-one. To offer a sandwich, to offer a word of encouragement, and to bring them into the presence of the most high God, if only for a moment.
Yes, God is birthing a movement in Kensington and YOU are a part of that movement... YOUR prayers...YOUR encouragement… YOUR financial gifts... They are gifts of love and spiritual investments in this movement that God is raising up to reclaim this neighborhood and transpose it from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light.
And the best is yet to come…
God Bless You! Michael Grogan