It is understandable that the Peerdeman family grows even closer together during the turbulent years of the apparitions. The extraordinary events sur-rounding the visionary of Amsterdam do not, of course, remain completely hidden, particularly since two apparitions take place openly in St. Thomas Church. The ecclesiastical authority’s reaction to the unusual events is very reserved; they do not want there to be any publicity at all. This is exactly as Ida would have it, who completely disapproves of any sensation surrounding her own person. She sees herself merely as an instrument, just as the Lady told her. She is so matter-of-fact, even, that she strongly repels a visitor who in amazement and awe strokes her on the arm. Later the two speak about it and become friends.
Ida’s great supports are her spiritual director and her close family. When she suffers and cries, the others suffer and cry too. Yet, their family still has many nice times too. Since all are very musically talented, they often sing and play. At Christmas they even have little concerts. Ida plays the violin well, paints a little, and embroiders.

Throughout all the supernatural experiences, she stays natural. Through and through Ida is and remains a woman. She loves modern clothing, has an eye for everything that is beautiful, and, though modestly, likes to wear jewelry.
With those dear to her, she can enthusiastically recall the happy vacations in the Tirolian Dolomites, in Bavaria, or in Switzerland. In her generosity, Ida loves to surprise others with carefully chosen little gifts. She would never forget to send a beautiful postcard to her niece or nephew, even if she would be away for only one or two nights.
Exteriorly, her simple, modest life is hardly distinguishable from that of her three older sisters.

Family photo of the five Peerdeman children

Front row (l to r): Truus Peerdeman, Ida Peerdeman, Jo Groothues Heidkamp-Peerdeman and Fr. Spauwen, S.J.

Back row (l to r): Next to Cas Kerstholt, a family friend, are standing Gé Peerdeman, Lies Kerstholt, Afra Peerdeman-Bos and her husband Pieter Peerdeman, the only brother, with their two children Jan and Helene van der Heijden-Peerdeman

Paris, May 31, 1969

Ida Peerdeman was a member of the “Militia of Jesus Christ.” The Militia was originally a knight’s order for the protection of Dominican monasteries and convents. After 1870 it developed into an independent Marian lay organization for the defense of the Catholic faith. Once Ida had a vision of St. Dominic who indicated to her the gate of a convent of Sens (France), saying, “Here shall you enter.”
On October 13, 1968, she becomes a member of the movement and receives the “Militia Cape.”
On May 31, 1969, during the solemn ceremony of her first oath at Paris’ King’s Church of St. Germain l’Auxerrois, she is asked by the Grand Master, Brother Emmanuel Houdart de la Motte, to pray the prayer of the Lady of All Nations before the numerous feast day gathering.

On February 25, 1950, Aunt Ida writes the following prayer in the poetry album of her niece Helene van der Heijden-Peerdeman:

O Lord, Teach me to fold my hands, whether in joy or pain. Teach me to believe and to trust and to be patient for a lifetime. Teach my soul always to know What You , O God, desire of me. Teach me to forget my own will, in order to silently fulfil what you teach me. Amen.

“On August 13, 1921, my sixteenth birthday, I received this prayer from Fr. Teppema, O.P. I pray it every day.” Ida Peerdeman

“And now I speak to you, child. See to the outspreading.” February 17, 1952

This is a picture that I took in the 1980’s. Anyone who knew Ida also knew that she worked in her little office dayin and dayout, up until the end of her life, often giving the last of her strength to faithfully fulfill Our Lady’s wish. She tirelessly responded to requests and letters from around the world, and she even sent meticulously assembled packets of prayercards and messages—prepared with a lot of love and with a personal greeting—to all the ends of the earth.

“Go with great ardor and zeal about this work of redemption and peace, and you will behold the miracle.” April 1, 1951

In 1951, Ida had understood too little yet. Later on though, she was more and more convinced that the astonishing diffusion of the image around the world was the ‘miracle’ which Our Lady had shown her in a vision of thickly falling snow. The prayer was translated into many languages and taken throughout the world without any great propaganda but with the help and cooperation from many unexpected sides. For it had been thus promised to her, “You will find that the spreading will happen as if by itself” (April 15, 1951).

The visionary was permitted to see, as she had several other times, an image of snow falling which depicted the prayer’s effectiveness throughout the world . “After this the Lady points out to me the globe on which she is standing, and it is as if it is snowing around her. The Lady smiles and says, ‘You do not understand this? Look carefully at the globe.’ And now I see the globe covered with a thick layer of snow. Now the Lady smiles again and says, ‘Now look at the globe again.’ And it is as if the sun were shining upon it, as if the snow were melting and slowly disappearing into the ground. Then the Lady says, ‘You are wondering: what does this mean? Now you will receive the explanation of my coming today. Just as the snowflakes whirl over the world and fall upon the ground in a thick layer, so will the prayer and the image spread over the world and fall down into the hearts of all nations. … Just as the snow melts into the ground, so the fruit, the Spirit, will come into the hearts of all people who pray this prayer every day. For they are asking for the Holy Spirit to come over the world’” (April 1, 1951).

“So beautiful did I see her, and every day I occupy myself with her, her coming, and her words (the messages).With this I wake up every day and with this I go to bed.”

The spiritual and physical martyrdom which the visionary of Amsterdam endures in silence and without complaint is not felt by others, even by her best friends. Ida always strives conscientiously to ensure that everything is written down and obediently passed on exactly as it has been told to her in the Lady of All Nations’ gentle yet meaningful words, and as it has been indelibly engraved upon her heart. During the visions, she sees heavenly realities and tastes blissful happiness. Returning to daily life, however, she is confronted with misjudgments and slander, mistrust and doubt. Made to appear ridiculous and unbelievable by the media, she learns painfully what it means to lose one’s good name for the sake of faithfulness to the Truth and fidelity to the Lady.
Ida knows that she is not being deceived. All the more she is weighed down by the heavy burden of responsibility to be, as a little instrument, the bearer of the most important message of the twentieth century.
Anyone who really knew Ida Peerdeman knew of her heroic obedience to Church authority. But hardly anyone can imagine what it costs her to remain silent and ever again to patiently wait, wait, wait.
Although now and then the visionary expresses her disappointment to her friends, she does not really complain, not even when it means giving all of her beloved ones back to God: first her beloved brother Piet, then the good Fr. Frehe. When her faithful second spiritual director, Fr. Kerssemakers, S.S.S., also eventually dies, people pity her, for she would no longer have weekday Masses in her chapel, and thus could no longer receive daily Communion. Thereupon she replies, “But I do go to Holy Communion. I receive from an invisible hand.”

Those who knew Ida knew how modest and discreet she was. And whenever she was asked to speak about the messages to priests or pilgrims, she described her visions as vividly as if she were reliving them.
Everyone who heard Ida speak about the Mother of All Nations had to say to themselves, “It is impossible that this could come from such a simple woman.”

“Make a sacrifice of your life.” April 4, 1954

On the night of April 4, 1992, the devil comes with heavy, booming steps into Ida’s bedroom. She does not see him, for he is standing in the dark, but she hears his forceful, hideous voice, with which he tells her, “I will see to it that nothing goes forward with you and your bishop. And the light which you see is me and not the other one (the Lady).” To that Ida replies, “It is surely her! The Lady always comes in the light. But the strange thing is that you come only when it is dark, and you are always in the dark!” Ida prays the prayer out loud, the one which Our Lady taught her. At that moment the devil shouts, “I will make sure that you are never able to see that light again!” Having said this, he throws a little stone in her eye, which causes terrible pain. Then he goes away. Her eye turns bright red and swells completely shut. The following morning Jannie Zaal, Ida’s faithful helper during her last years, and Ida’s sister Truus carefully wash out her eye with Lourdes water. Her eye is infected, but not damaged inside. The doctor prescribes an ointment and, after about ten days, Ida is again able to see without problem.

On March 1, 1995, Ash Wednesday, all five phones in the house suddenly start ringing at the same time. Even after Ida lifts the receiver, the ringing continues unceasingly. In this way the devil tries to scare her, causing her to feel uncanny and ill.
Another time he throws her up from her bed and says in his dreadful voice, “You are not yet at Calvary!”

On the morning of December 15, 1995, Mother Ida is found in her bedroom thrown on the floor beside her bed, her face bloody and bruised. She suddenly felt a heavy hand on her back, pushing her face down. The impact against the floor was so violent that, even after eight weeks, the bruise is still visible upon her face. Similar to the Lord on the Way of the Cross, Ida will fall three times in all before her death.
His Excellency Bishop Bomers wants to visit her on the evening of May 28, 1996. He rings the doorbell, but the door does not open for him. He knows, however, that Ida is at home. Worried, he has Jannie informed that she should come to look after Ida. Again the 90-year-old-lady is found immobile upon the floor. A massive hand has once again thrown her beside her bed with brutal violence.

“Farewell. See you in Heaven.”
The last words of the last message, May 31, 1959

“Child, they will believe you. I am here! I shall assist and help you.”
May 31, 1954

On June 20, 1996, with deep esteem for the human greatness of the visionary, His Excellency, Bishop Henrik Bomers, personally wished to preside at her funeral ceremony. To the right stands Fr. Amandus Korse in the Franciscan habit.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Now is the proper time in the liturgy to say something about the deceased whom we will carry soon to the grave.
We are gathered here together as people who have loved, admired, and esteemed Ida Peerdeman. Even though we all knew that, naturally, this moment eventually had to come because of her old age and that inevitably we would have to give in, her departure has left a void among us.

I have tried to find some passages from Holy Scripture which would fit best or in a special way to Ida Peerdeman.
The first reading I took from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. It began with the words, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast.”
For all people—we all know that this theme of the Lord being here for all peoples is one which comes forth many times in Holy Scripture. This theme always played a great role in Ida Peerdeman’s conviction and experience in her faith as well.
I know that Ida desired very much that the Church would also recognize this veneration (Mary as the Lady of All Nations). I would like to assure you that this was also always my hope too. However, as a bishop, all the circumstances must be considered before making a statement. When I say ‘circumstances,’ I believe that I am the only one among us who really knows all the circumstances.

Fortunately, Bishop Punt and I made the announcement this year on May 31st, the Feast of the Visitation, that we permit without any reservations the public veneration of Mary under the title LADY OF ALL NATIONS.
The Church must be very careful in view of people’s experiences such as Ida also had. Being careful does not mean that the Church does not believe or trust these people.
To be able to say, however, that these experiences fully agree with the official and established Church teachings, which are founded on Holy Scripture, they must first be thoroughly examined by the Church. Will this moment ever arrive? Let us be open for it spiritually, let us pray for it, and let us as true Christians wait patiently until the right time comes.

Bronze statue at Ida Peerdeman’s grave in Saint Barbara Cemetery, Amsterdam

In any case, I would like to say here that I knew Ida quite well. I have spoken with her on different occasions. The first time she came to me out of her own initiative to talk about her concerns. I believe that we can all easily confirm that Ida, in all the experiences that she had, was never hypocritical. She was through and through down to earth to her last day and she had great repugnance toward any glorification of her own person. There was no discussion about it with her. Both are very good and positive signs.
We all also knew her, naturally, as joyful, sharp, attentive and lively until the last days of her life. I am certain beyond doubt that she was absolutely sincere and spoke truthfully about her experiences. Her whole life was centered on the veneration of Mary with the title LADY OF ALL NATIONS. I think that this veneration is very useful now because we live in a time in which the nations of the earth know one another and maintain contact. It is certainly so in our country and it is especially applicable to the city of Amsterdam where people from nearly every nation of the world live. All these nations must know how to live together in love, harmony and fraternity. We know about wars in so many places around the world, even in our vicinity. We have experienced this in still more horrible ways in our century through absolutely reprehensible racial discrimination.

We express the truth that all the nations of the earth belong to a single family of God when we pray the Our Father. When we pray to God, “Our Father,” we say something very revolutionary with these two words. I do not pray to my father and you do not pray to your father; much more each Christian always says, following the example of Jesus, “Our Father!” He is the only Father for all mankind, all nations, and we are all brothers and sisters. Therefore, the veneration of Mary as the Lady of All Nations is a very good veneration.
The veneration under this title also keeps before us the responsibility we have to evangelize all the people of the world who do not know Christ. Naturally, we may not proselytize and employ sly methods to make Christians out of the people. Whether one becomes Christian or not is his or her own responsibility. Our responsibility, however, is that through the words we speak, through the works we do, and through the testimony of our lives we show people who Christ is.
Therefore, the title Mary, LADY OF ALL NATIONS, is also an evangelical title. It reminds us of the task to proclaim Christ to the nations.

St. Paul writes in one of his letters, “Woe to me if I do not preach Christ!” He does not say, “Woe to the people who do not know Christ” or “whom Christ does not accept.” But he says, “Woe to me when I do not preach Him!” This thought of St. Paul is very much included in the veneration of Mary as the Lady of All Nations. In the Gospel of John, where the word woman is used twice, it is unambiguously clear that Christ completely includes Mary in His salvific mission. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, I hope with all my heart that after today, the day of Ida’s separation from our midst, the conviction of her heart may live on among us so that a beautiful and true, evangelical and thriving veneration of the Lady of All Nations may emerge.
For this reason it is important, in the first place, that we begin to live with one another in harmony and work together. When somebody makes a mistake, we should forgive as true disciples of Jesus, stand up again and with new energy continue on the way of the Gospel.

Ida was aware that the day of her death was near. She is now united with her family and her relatives whom she always loved and who always loved her. She is happy with God, with Mary and with all those—and there are very many—who were her friends here on earth. She is now our advocate there.

This is the right moment to take a minute and thank all the people who were so important in Ida’s life. It would not be so easy for me to thank all those by name whom I should thank and I think the list would be too long, so it seems better to me not to do that. I would like to express my esteem and thankfulness to everybody who has cooperated and supported Ida and her efforts during her lifetime for the veneration of Mary, and I ask all of you to continue along the good way!

There is one person though whom I would like to thank personally. It is you, dear Ms. Jannie Zaal, because you were very close to Ida and cared for her with much love and affection, especially in the last days of her life when she needed very intensive care.

I would like to express my condolences to each of you for Ida’s passing away. Let us console and encourage one another in the conviction that this is not a burial for Ida but a returning home. We know that we are supported by the example of her life and we are convinced that one day we may be with her, there where she has gone now. Amen.