Testimonials
Dearest Marlene,
I was one of the lucky ones that attended the Magnificat last Saturday in Lancaster, California. I have NEVER, EVER, heard such an inspirational speech as the one that you gave to your audience last Saturday. I am still on a high and I might say an exhausting emotional high from your speech. You are a delight and all can see Mother Teresa’s love in your heart and in your speech. I couldn’t stop crying, happy tears, when I got home and told my son about your talk.
I would like to attend another event when you are the speaker and bring some of my famiuly members along with me. We all need Mother Teresa’s inspiration and you, now, are the one to give that to all you meet.
Please tell me when and where I can attend and listen to your speech again.
Also, can I buy a small Mother Teresa statue like the one that you had in your hand and blessed everyone?
I am a big fan and follower of the Blessed Mother and Mother Teresa in also very deeply in my heart. I read a book about Mother Teresa and I am familiar with what she did in Calcutta, but still, hearing you talk, it was like I was hearing all of this for the first time in my life. I wish I could have meet her when she was alive but it wasn’t meant to be.
Thank you for listening to me and also for your Saturday that you gave to us all. Mother Teresa picked a good friend to share her stories and songs with us. You’re very kind and generous.
With my love to you and Mother Teresa,
Mary Louise
Hello Mrs. Marlene Elias,
I don’t know if you remember me but I met you at the Magnificat brunch in Lancaster last Saturday and asked for the Rainbow photo. I really wanted to thank you for sharing what happened to your daughter since, my mother was raped by my father (a man I have never met) and I have had a large amount of hate and anger over this my entire life. I felt that your heart breaking story has inspired me to pray for the ability to forgive him for his terrible deed that hurt our family so much. I wanted to thank you for doing something so noble as to share something so personal and painful so that others can learn from it and to do the work of the Lord and to give someone like me a chance to meet Mother Teresa through your friendship and personal accounts of this wonderful woman. I remember wishing that I could have met Mother Teresa and feeling sad when I heard of her death since I thought I would never get to. Who knew that her teachings would find me in Lancaster?
Also I was hoping to go to see you tomorrow in Thousand Oaks and thank you in person but I will finally be doing my adult confirmation starting tomorrow and I will be asking to be able to take the name Teresa as my saint name. 🙂 The Lord really does work in mysterious ways. Praise God!
I look forward to your book being published.
I received the CD’S that I ordered. They are beautiful, I will make them my prayer. They have touched my heart, they are so powerful Thank you so much for the photo Of Blessed Teresa, I will treasure it always. I have met Blessed Teresa once while she was here in St. Louis, I will never forget the holy time I spent with her. God’s Blessings on the all the work you do for Jesus.
Love,
Sandy
Bronx, NY, 18th of December, 2004
LDM
Dear Marlene,
Thank you very much for your letter and the tape of the songs you wrote, inspired by our dearest Mother, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.
Our Mother’s life was one of deep faith, unwavering hope and burning charity. She was, and urged us all to be, only all for Jesus through Mary. Mother lived only for Jesus; whatever Mother did was to express this love for Him. Mother traveled from one corner of the world to the other to proclaim to the people this love for the Person she loved.
Thy lovingly and generously putting your God-given gifts at the service of his life in all, you are giving us in your music a mini-compendium of our faith, that faith, that our dearest Mother lived to the full, presenting it in a sweet and joyful manner It will appeal to many minds and hearts to lift themselves up to God in prayer, and to ponder His tender, fatherly love and care.
Through your songs you point to Jesus, our Saviour, King and Lord Incarnate, who frees us from sin and shame, making us His own. Saved by His blood, and with His Cross as our sign, His Spirit guides us on our way.
The presence of our Blessed Mother lends sweetness to our journey, as we ask her to show us how to pray as she did: “Be it done to me according to your word, so that we can learn to love her Son,
The joyful and effective action of the angels, our faithful companions, and our dearest Mother’s presence, teaching God’s love in every way, cheer souls in each individual’s call to be light, candles in the darkness, with Jesus’ light with US to set peoples hearts aglow. We are called to share His life with everyone. Our victory lies in Him, our mighty God, who accepts and loves us as we are, with all of our weaknesses and our little efforts. This calls us, in turn, to live the universal brotherhood which in His will, and to see Jesus in all, and to be Jesus to all.
His healing love transforms us into love, making us able to live His commandment of love and the imperative of forgiveness.
Even if anyone has reached a point when life no longer seems to have any meaning, the hope, peace and joy that come from Him can always work new miracles of grace and issue a new call, to a life of praise and service.
It is heavenly to listen to you singing these songs with such sweet voice! May our Lord bless your loving work, dear Marlene, with His grace, so that many, many souls who listen to it may be drawn back to Jesus or ever deeper into His heart, through the intercession of His Blessed Mother, of our dearest Mother, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and of all the angels and saints!
With all my love and prayer,
Sr. Fatima
Superior of the Contemplatives for Mother’s Missionaries of Charity
February 23,2005
Dear Marlene,
Almost a week has passed since that grace-filled evening when you shared your faith and experiences with Mother Teresa with us. Accept my sincere thanks. Your prayer, witness and songs inspired everyone.
Please thank Mike for all his hard work. The two of you are a terrific team!
Kindly let me know when you will be giving your presentation in “local” areas.
Some of the parishioners mentioned that they would like to participate another time.
On behalf of Fr. Austin and our OLS Faith Family, kindly accept this simple expression of our gratitude for your sharing your many gifts with us.
Know that our doors and our hearts are always happy to welcome you to your first California parish!
I hold you, your ministry and your family in my prayers.
May Our Lady walk with you!
In Our Lady,
Sr. Emilie, SND
Director, Adult Religious Formation, Education
5/1/98
Dear Marlene,
Thank you so much for sharing, with us, your photos of Mother Teresa and for your kind words for our work. It is both a pleasure and a privilege to prepare and print your work. I know Jesus is working through you and I am honored that you have chosen to allow us to take part in that work. One of my most treasured possessions is the photo of Mother Teresa on the cover of “My Brother’s Keeper”. From the moment I saw that photo I felt a connection to Mother Teresa. Though I know that the light illuminating the beggar at the door is simply the light reflecting off Her habit it is as though Her inner light was not only illuminating him, but his soul as well. The smile on his face tells the story. Judging from the smile on his face he knows the help he is seeking is standing before him, and that the love of Jesus will save him.
When I saw your note about the rainbow on the photo of you singing I could not help but notice that the center of the curve of the rainbow appeared to be Mother Teresa’s body. Out of curiosity I decided to use the computer to see as closely as I could just where the center of the rainbows circle was really located. Much to my surprise and delight I found that the apparent center was directly over Her heart! Though I’m sure it’s just a coincidence I’d rather believe it is God’s way of speaking to us all for this loving woman who sacrificed Her life for others and that Jesus truly resided in this mortal’s heart. I know you your pain at her loss for I find the tears come freely just looking at the photos. The world was blessed by Her presence in life as is heaven by Her soul in death. We may miss Her earthly body but Her kind and giving soul is with us all today and forever. Thank you and God bless you for sharing Her image and Her spirit through your songs. How appropriate that She would want you to sing “My Brother’s Keeper”, for that was just what She was in life.
Yours truly,
Ken & Kathy
TechniGraphics
Printing Specialities
September11, 2004
To Whom It May Concern:
It is my privilege to write this letter of recommendation regarding Marlene T. Elias.
Marlene was our Magnificat Prayer Breakfast speaker on August 14th, 2004 at the Radisson Hotel in San Diego, CA. Our attendance at this meal was over 360 people.
Marlene shared through testimony, songs, and slides, about her close personal relationship with Mother Teresa and of Mother’s work in Calcutta, India. Her beautiful and inspirational presentation gave us all a deeper appreciation and understanding of Mother Teresa’s message to the world to “Do even the smallest of tasks with the greatest love” and “To see Jesus in everyone, and to be Jesus to all those we meet.” Marlene truly exemplifies this in her own personal life and it is my privilege and joy to know her.
Both Marlene and her manager, Michael Corgnati were a delight to work with and our entire Service Team joins with me in this recommendation.
Sincerely in Christ,
Barbara
Magnificat Coordinator
Central San Diego Chapter
6-30-05
Hi Mike,
Thanks for letting us know about the Website. I went on it this morning and there is a lot to see and read. I have not gotten through much of it, but plan to do so. Isn’t Mother Teresa the cutest person? She is up there having such a good time with Jesus and all her friends that have gone before her, and after, as well.
What a pleasure to see all the work that you both are doing in honor of this lovely, wonderful, holy person. Mother Teresa is so lucky to have you both as her earthly friends working for her.
If you get up there before we do (Heaven of course) put in a plug for us and we will do the same for you.
Sincerely in Christ,
Donna