Apostolic visits to the states of New York and New Jersey, and the birth of a new community, Betania XVII, in Illinois, USA

Community members of Betania in the states of New York and New Jersey, USA shared and rekindled their charism of love, reconciliation, hope and family unity with the visit of the president of the Betania Foundation, Mr. Geo Bianchini, its vice-president, Mrs. Maria Marrero Coromoto Bianchini, the vice-postulator for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Maria Esperanza de Bianchini, Father Timothy Byerley, and their interpreter.

With this purpose Betania XIII (Long Island, NY), represented by Mr. Fino Giordano hosted a grand conference on Sunday, October 30, 2011, called "A Day with Mary III" at "Bishop Kellenberg Mem High School" in Uniondale, New York. During the conference Holy Mass was celebrated by Father Giordano Belanich, very moving speeches were given by Monsignor Peter Vaccari, Father Byerley, Mr. Al Barbarino, and Brother James McVeigh, and a very interesting Q & A session was held by Mr. Bianchini and his daughter, Mrs. Maria Coromoto. This event was accompanied by three smaller-scale meetings, which were conducted before and after this meeting at the headquarters of Betania XIII, Saint Mary’s Church, and in the homes of two members of the community.

The topics that were addressed were many and were of great spiritual significance, among them: a summary of the life and work of the Servant Maria Esperanza. The formation and objectives of the communities of Betania of living a life of prayer, of family unity, of forgiveness and reconciliation with all human beings. The description of some mystical phenomena of the Servant of God (reading souls, prediction, stigmata, the birth of the rose, etc.), emphasizing that God used these means to call attention to the message that was revealed with the apparition of our Lady in Finca Betania on reconciliation with God and of man with man. How to help in the process of the conversion of a family member or neighbor through prayer, patience, being an example and asking the intercession of Mrs. Maria Esperanza who understands in a special way family love. The importance of knowing and living the teachings of Jesus held in the Gospels. The value of suffering, a gift that only some human beings with special strength, chosen by God, offer to cooperate in his redemptive work. The transformative effect of grace. Absolute confidence in divine providence as the source of all necessary goods; among other subjects.

On the Feast of all Saints on November 1st, the group was invited to Rutgers University, in New Jersey, to meet with the youth and with the Brotherhood of Hope, an encounter organized by Miss Veronica Carolfi, a member of Betania XI, which was filled with joy, hope and the commitment to work for a better world.

Once in New Jersey, there were several meetings with members and representatives of the Communities of Betania X (Williamstown, NJ) and Betania XI (Haddon Heights, NJ), Father Cadmus Mazzarella and Father Byerley respectively, in which faith, love, hope in the living presence of Jesus and his Mother among men of good will was shared. The first meeting was held in the residence of the Carolfi family in Haddon Heights; and the closing event in New Jersey took place on November 9, with a beautiful concert by a representation of the Betania Choir, directed by Prof. Maria Auxiliadora Bianchini de Leon, which traveled from Venezuela to go to Illinois and also celebrate the 26th Anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of Father Mazzarella, after Father Christopher Markellos celebrated Mass, in the Parish of Our Lady of Peace.

Following this, the Bianchini family, Father Timothy and members of the Betania Foundation went to Vandalia, Illinois, for a three-day retreat, from Friday, November 11 to Sunday, 13, organized by Debbie Pryor, Vanessa Keck, Randy Wells and Ann Stock, representatives of the Our Sorrowful Mother’s Ministry.

During the three-day retreat Father Byerley’s, Mr. Bianchini’s, the Bianchini family’s and the Betania Foundation’s words, as well as the music of the Betania Choir, filled the atmosphere with the charism of love and reconciliation that Betania has, which caused the group’s desire to form Betania XVII in Vandalia, with the intention of spreading the message of love and reconciliation from the center of the country to all their brothers and sisters.

Among Father Byerley’s reflections that motivated those who were present were that the Blessed Virgin announced to Mrs. Maria Esperanza that she would give her a land that would be very important for the Universal Church, and then with her husband she found the land called Betania where 108 people saw the Blessed Virgin in 1984. The apparition was approved three years later by the Bishop of the Diocese of Los Teques, at that time, Monsignor Pio Bello Ricardo. He also explained that today there are 16 Betanias, stating that the grace of God continues to place these columns of light and hope around the world to spread the message of reconciliation. He added that mankind must overcome every division and become the family of God; and for this the first thing to achieve was family unity, because social unity depends on it and that was the reason why the family model Maria Esperanza left was a fundamental part of her mission.

When Mr. Geo Bianchini addressed the people he referred to hope and to the coming of a new world awaited by everyone, God's world, a world of true and sincere love, without interests or conveniences. He expressed that to achieve people had to prepare themselves by eliminating what was not right, in order to enter into another order of ideas, sharing truly as brothers, as children of one God by sharing what we have. He said that the society in which we live is leading us to ruin, and that we had to wake up before it was too late; that there was a constant call from Heaven asking man to reconcile, love one another, be a true brother and child of God.

Grand conference on Sunday, October 30, 2011, called "A Day with Mary III" at "Bishop Kellenberg Mem High School" in Uniondale, New York, USA

At the conference from right to left, Father Timothy Byerley, Mr. Fino Giordano, Mrs. Maria Coromoto Bianchini de Marrero, Mr. Geo Bianchini and their interpreter

On the Feast of all Saints, the group was invited to Rutgers University, in New Jersey, to meet with the youth and with the Brotherhood of Hope, an encounter organized by Miss Veronica Carolfi

Meeting with members of the Community of Betania X, in Williamstown, in which faith, love, hope in the living presence of Jesus and his Mother among men of good will was shared

Celebration of the 26th Anniversary of the Priestly Ordination of Father Cadmus Mazzarella, representative of Betania X, in the Parish of Our Lady of Peace, in Williamstown

Some guests invited for Father Mazzarella’s Anniversary

The Betania Choir celebrating with Father Mazzarella

The representation of the Betania Foundation went to Vandalia, Illinois, for a retreat and a concert of the Betania Choir from Friday, November 11 to Sunday, 13, organized by Debbie Pryor, Vanessa Keck, representatives of the Our Sorrowful Mother’s Ministry

During the three-day retreat Father Byerley’s, Mr. Bianchini’s, the Bianchini family’s and the Betania Foundation’s words filled the atmosphere with the charism of love and reconciliation that Betania has

This sharing caused the group’s desire to form Betania XVII in Vandalia, with the intention of spreading the message of love and reconciliation from the center of the country to all their brothers and sisters