Farewell to Paulina Hiegert

Today members of the America Needs Fatima office in Kansas said a fond farewell to a dedicated veteran employee, Miss Paulina Hiegert. 

Her departure is bitter sweet for us.  You see, she is leaving our office to enter the Carmelite Convent of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Valparaiso, Nebraska.   Just about one year ago her older sister left our office also to join the same convent.  We certainly will miss Paulina and all of her dedication to the cause of Our Lady.  We will now rely upon her prayers for the success of our apostolate.

    Paulina is the fourth member of our office to have entered a convent.  Two entered Benedictine convents and Paulina will be the second to enter the Carmelite convent after her sister.

    The example of these young ladies is indicative of the dedication that our employees have for the Catholic Church and for the cause of Our Lady.

    We wish Paulina well and offer her our prayers that her vocation will bear much fruit. 

Saint Joseph of desperate cases

O thou, whom no one has ever yet invoked in vain, thou, whose power with Our Lord and Our Lady is so great, that it has been truly said, "In Heaven, Joseph commands rather than supplicates," tender father, intercede for me!

St. Joseph, be my advocate with thy Divine Son, Whose foster-father and faithful protector thou wert here below. Add to all thy glories, that of gaining the despaired of cause that I confide to thee. I believe, yes, I believe thou canst obtain my deliverance from the troubles that overwhelm me, and the desolation in which my soul is plunged. I have the firm hope that thou wilt neglect nothing in favor of the afflicted who invoke thee.

Humbly prostrate at thy feet, dear St. Joseph, I implore thee to have pity on my tears,  cover me with the mantle of thy merciful protection and bless me.  Amen.

Will your New Year's resolution be to hold a Rosary Rally?

A wonderful New Year's resolution would be to do a Rosary Rally.  Call 866-584-6012 for assistance.   And look at these examples from 2008:

A Public Rosary From the Philippines and A Very Faithful Rally Captain In Montana

    We received this beautiful photo of a public square rosary in the Philippines.  This rally was organized by Paulina Tatad.  You can see the beautiful banner that was made for the occasion.  As you can see, a good sized rally was put together by Mrs. Tatad. 

    One of the beautiful aspects of her rally was the amount of children in attendance.  Today when the faith and innocence are so diminished among the young, it is refreshing to see so many children present, honoring Our Lady along with the others.

    Mrs. La Donna Jamison of Billings Montana was a rally captain exhibiting tremendous fidelity to Our Lady.  How so, you might ask? 

   Because, after much preparation and invitation took place by Mrs. Jamison, on the day of her rally, sixteen inches of snow had fallen with high winds.  Mrs. Jamison was the only person who attended the rally.  Her difficulty was, what to do with the banner?  She resolved that dilemma by tying it to the side of her van in high winds and freezing cold temperatures.

    Mrs. Jamison's report did not contain complaints, she simply realized that at five minutes before noon, she was going to be the only person in attendance.  Did she abandon Our Lady?  No. She went to work mounting her banner and then holding her own rally. 

    Mrs. Jamison closed her report with the words, "being a rosary rally captain has been a great blessing to me". 

    I cannot even imagine the graces that Mrs. Jamison received and continues to receive from Our Lady for her great act of fidelity towards Our Lady.  It is much easier to hold a rally, when the weather is nice and when there is a good sized crowd,  much more devotion is required when everything seems to be working against you.

    I pray that for 2009 all rally captains will have this same interior fidelity to Our Lady, whether the weather is pleasant or not, whether attendance is good or not.

Pray to Saint Michael for protection in the New Year

As we close the old year of 2008, and open the New Year od 2009, we must pray and ask Saint Michael the Archangel for help.

Here is a prayer you can say to him:

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Rosary Rally Reports Keep Coming In

Rosary Rally reports continue to arrive at our office. The very successful public rosaries took place on October 11th in public places throughout the USA. Some rallies were large, some small, but all were enthusiastic in their love and devotion to Our Lady.

Mrs. Louise Krampf from Wyandotte, Michigan wrote a lengthy account about the fabulous public rosary that she, her husband and a friend organized.

First of all as a means of discouragement, the street where the rally was to take place was tore up for construction three days before the rally. Mrs. Krampf was afraid that would discourage people from joining her rally. She did not give up though, but went ahead as planned.

She contacted the Men of the Sacred Heart and borrowed their beautiful statue of Our Lady of Fatima. She kept this statue of Our Lady at her home for the week before the rally. She also contacted her local city hall who advertised the rally on a digital outdoor sign. One of the local priests sent letters to 24 parishes requesting their participation.

A sound system was rented, programs were photocopied, a dozen roses were placed before Our Lady, who was surrounded by a beautiful gold material. A local construction owner used one of his trucks to transport chairs for those unable to stand for the duration.

The local parish choir attended the rally and sang hymns to Our Lady. There were also representatives from three different Knights of Columbus assemblies as well as the director of a local American Legion.

The weather that day was cold and piercing, yet no one left.

She counted 300 souls who did not let the construction stop them from attending the public rosary.

Many asked her to continue next year, including the Knights of Columbus members.

A Precarious State That Always Ends Badly

By Professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

"What habits have changed? Which ones have caused the greatest scandals and arguments?

"Sex magazines for men and pornographic movies and plays have grown in their numbers, becoming ever more daring and unrestrained...

"Nowadays, radio programs are common where sex life is freely discussed with psychologists and doctors dispensing free telephone consultations for sexual counseling...

"Virginity as a prized value in family upbringing and a feminine pre-requisite for marriage, no longer counts. Religious wedding and symbols like the wedding ring and the wedding dress are passé...

"Drugs... are used in large sectors of society...

"Uncommitted pre-marital unions are common...

"Controversial topics that were formerly a matter of taboo are now freely raised and debated on television...

"Homosexuals are advocating the legalization of a 'third sex' all over the world...

"The family may be broken up by divorce."

The quotation marks clearly indicate that I am not the author of this summary. A friend found it in a article titled, "Fifteen Habits That Have Changed," published by the Correio do Povo of Porto Alegre. Nearly the whole clipping is transcribed above.

Perhaps there are some areas of our huge country where these changes have not been established in the same way. However, with time, even these regions will follow suit.

The summary reflects quite well the overall reality in Brazil, expecially the dynamic aspect of it.

This reality is by no means limited to cities in Brazil. These habits are already deep rooted in larger cities in America and Europe. In fact, several items in the list of "Habits That Have Changed" that the reporter presented in a neutral way, would be considered old hat or passé if published in other cities of the world.

Usually such transformations do not take place in leaps and bounds. They are processive, descending through stages which can only be opposed when the extraordinary action of divine grace overrules the normal economy of grace. An example of this is the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus.

This will give rise to two questions in the mind of some: "Have we really fallen from so high? Is it also true that we have fallen so low?"

From the Catholic point of view - which I entirely accept as mine - there can be no doubt. These "habits that have changed" epitomize the moral debacle of a Christian people.

The Commandments of the Law of God teach men the perfect way of acting. There was a time when men habitually kept them. Then, the moral climate was elevated, for perfection is, by definition, a very high state.

Later, things began to slide. The newspaper article we have cited captures an instant in a fall that tends toward the vertiginous. Previous stages have already been reported in other news articles and future stages will be dicussed by later analysts.

When comparing all these changing habits to traditional Church morality, we see how easily worse habits could replace them and deal a death blow to the faint vestiges of Christianity that still survive in our contemporary world.

There could hardly be a more serious finding than this. It is like a shepherd who realizes at the break of dawn, that almost all his sheep have fled, leaving only a few tufts of wool scattered here and there in the meadow.

Another question comes to mind: "What would be the normal reaction of such a shepherd?"

Let us take a short cut and go directly to the point. In the great national debate one hears voices from every walk of life, including many priestly voices. Some of these do not speak, but clamor, contest, insult and threaten... Many of these howling voices come from the well-known ranks of the "Catholic left," who demand only material goods to attend to the necessities (which they generally exaggerate) of the poor (whose number they inflate).

To the degree that they do not exaggerate, but maintain the upright and limpid objectivity of children of God, they merit only respect and support. They are simply asking bread for the hungry.

However, even then one must ask them another question: "Does man live by bread alone?" The Gospel says: "Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God." (Matt. 4:4)

If material bread is neither the supreme nor only good, why do liberation theologians speak of it alone? Do they not see that multitudes suffer from an even more acute evil in their souls, corroded as they are by a pervading sensuality?

In short, if these theolgians believe in the existence of the soul, the word of God (which is the true bread for men) and the eternity of a reward or chastisement that men will receive after death, how can they keep silent and set to howling about earthly bread, which sustains only a physical life that will perish?

A French writer - I don't remember anymore which one - defined health as "a precarious state that always ends badly." Why is it that the "Catholic left" is only concerned about this poor precarious state, forgetful of the perfect happiness which will never end, and which men can only obtain by the practice of virtue?




To locate information on a specific topic, enter keywords or phrase above.

The Year in Review: TFP-ANF activities in 2008

With the year 2008 giving us its last breath, it is interesting to look back and see what we have accomplished. 360-some days ago we wondered what the 2008 was to bring: a new president, landmark achievements for both the pro-life and pro-marriage movements in the United States, and whether or not the economy would improve.
Now we know and wonder: 2009, a year of progress for good or evil?
With the help of Mary most holy and her Son, the Divine Infant, the forces of light will over come the dark, keeping in mind that our Lady said "My Immaculate Heart will triumph!"


---------------------------------------------------
What We Do
Joyful Expectation for Christmas
Written by Peter T. Miller
Wednesday, December 24 2008
Setting the tone for Christmas, the American TFP invited its friends and supporters over for a Christmas openhouse. 
Last Updated ( Wednesday, December 24 2008 )

---

I Saw Two Americas at Fort Benning
Written by John Ritchie
Thursday, November 27 2008
After an 818 mile drive from Pennsylvania to Georgia, eleven TFP Student Action volunteers reached Fort Benning. The purpose of the trip was to honor the troops at God Bless Fort Benning Day. On the same weekend of November 22, my colleagues and I witnessed a disturbing leftist protest lead by the School of the Americas Watch.
Last Updated ( Sunday, December 28 2008 )

---

A Night in Vienna:
Written by John Horvat II
Wednesday, November 12 2008
The Austrian TFP recently launched a German edition of the book, Nobility and Analogous Traditional Elites at the historic Coburg Palace in Vienna.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, November 18 2008 )

---

2008 TFP National Conference
Written by Gregory Escaro
Friday, October 31 2008
On October 24-26, two hundred members, supporters and friends of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property gathered to commemorate the centennial of the birth of the TFP founder, Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira and discuss the projection of his thought into the future.
Last Updated ( Monday, November 03 2008 )

---

Host Desecration Videos Back on YouTube
Written by John Horvat II
Friday, October 03 2008
Host desecration videos originally pulled from YouTube have been reposted. The American TFP and its America Needs Fatima campaign is sickened by the reoccurrence of this blasphemy after collecting 18,201 signatures on a protest petition in just 7 days.

---

Ask YouTube to Pull Host Desecration Videos
Written by TFP.org
Friday, September 26 2008
YouTube now has become a stage for acts of blasphemy against the Holy Eucharist. Protest Now!
Last Updated ( Friday, September 26 2008 )

---

10 Reasons Why Homosexual “Marriage” is Harmful and Must be Opposed
Written by The American TFP
Tuesday, September 02 2008
These ten reasons why homosexual “marriage” is harmful and must be opposed will help you to defend marriage as the union between one man and one woman.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, September 30 2008 )

---

Join the Public Square Rosary Campaign 2008!
Written by TFP.org
Friday, August 29 2008

Last year there were over 2,000 such Public Square Rosaries held all across America rallies to honor the 90th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima. There were 70,000-100,000 faithful participating in the event. This year, organizers hope to have well over 3,000 rallies from every state representing a cross section of Catholic America.
Last Updated ( Friday, August 29 2008 )

---

Students United at Conference in Germany
Written by John Horvat II
Thursday, July 31 2008
Nearly 100 participants gathered for the TFP’s 2008 Eighth International Student Summer Conference (Université d’été) in Kleinheubach, Germany.
Last Updated ( Friday, August 08 2008 )

---

Braving the Storm
Written by Jose Walter Ferraz
Friday, July 25 2008

When Jerry Springer arrived in Washington D.C. at the Studio Theater, the TFP was primed and ready to deliver their message: Jerry Springer: The Opera is BLASPHEMY!
Last Updated ( Friday, August 15 2008 )

---

Largest Ever Louisiana Summer Camp: United in the Faith
Written by John Horvat II
Tuesday, July 15 2008

It sounded like a crowd at a stadium as the cheering filtered through the Louisiana woods. It was not, however, a normal sporting event. Rather it was the closing “medieval games” at a Call to Chivalry camp where two teams of boys were pitted against each other in feats of prowess and heroism.
Last Updated ( Friday, July 18 2008 )

---

Reparation in Cincinnati: "Our Lady Sent the Rain…”
Written by John Horvat II
Friday, July 04 2008
On June 26, over 70 Catholics joined the American TFP at Cincinnati's New Stage Collective to protest the blasphemous work, “Jerry Springer: The Opera in Concert.”
Last Updated ( Friday, July 04 2008 )

---

The American TFP Participates in a Historic Latin Mass
Written by Jose Walter Ferraz
Friday, June 20 2008
On June 15, the American TFP participated in one of the first Masses of newly ordained Father Jonathan Romanoski in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Harrisburg, Penns. The event was historic, because it was the first Latin Mass celebrated in the cathedral in over forty years.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, July 01 2008 )

---

When Opera Is Offensive: Protesting a Jerry Springer Production
Written by TFP.org
Wednesday, June 18 2008
Perhaps it is easier to list what is not attacked in this brutal ridiculing of the Catholic faith. The production is called "Jerry Springer--The Opera in Concert" and it will run from June 26-August 3 at the New Stage Collective in Cincinnati. The so-called opera will also be showing at The Studio Theatre in Washington D.C. from July 16-Aug. 10
Last Updated ( Sunday, December 28 2008 )

---

Battling for America’s Soul:
Written by The American TFP
Wednesday, June 04 2008
Within the perspective of the nation’s Cultural War, Americans felt the full force of two actions favoring the homosexual movement in May 2008. Same-sex “marriage” is now being imposed upon the nation by government fiat. Homosexual “marriage” threatens our nation and faith—TFP urges lawful and conscientious resistance.
Last Updated ( Thursday, November 13 2008 )

---

Poland Rejects Abortion at March
Written by TFP.org
Friday, May 30 2008
Thousands of pro-family Poles marched through Warsaw on May 25 for the nation’s Third National March for Life and Family. The event was organized by the TFP-inspired Stowarzyszenie Kultury Chrzescijanskiej im. Ks. Piotra Skargi (Fr. Peter Skarga Association for Christian Culture) and the Fundacja Pro. It was fitting that the event was planned on the eve of Mother’s Day in Poland.

---

TFP Book Launching and Conference in Kansas
Written by Francis Slobodnik
Thursday, May 22 2008
On May 17, God presented us with a beautiful spring day on which to hold our second annual regional conference held again at the historical Governor’s Row House in Topeka, Kans.
Last Updated ( Friday, May 23 2008 )

---

TFP Decries California Court's Decision as "Morally Reprehensible"
Written by The American TFP
Friday, May 16 2008
The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) issued the following statement about the May 15 decision of the California Supreme Court declaring unconstitutional the overwhelmingly supported proposition 22 and legalizing same-sex “marriage.”
Last Updated ( Friday, May 16 2008 )

---

A Visit from Family
Written by TFP.org
Monday, May 12 2008
There was a warm and amiable atmosphere on May 10, when two busloads of Marian devotees from New Jersey visited the Pennsylvania headquarters of the American TFP and its America Needs Fatima campaign.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, August 05 2008 )

---

Keeping up the Pressure:
Written by John Horvat II
Friday, May 02 2008
With all the uproar about the abuse scandals, it seems unbelievable that an open sacrilegious scandal continues at the Diocesan Museum of Vienna, Dommuseum, just across the street from the city’s magnificent Saint Stephen’s Cathedral.
Last Updated ( Friday, May 02 2008 )

---

Pope Benedict XVI’s Visit to the U.S.
Written by Jose Walter Ferraz
Friday, April 25 2008
On the occasion of Pope Benedict XVI’s recent visit to the United States, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition Family and Property (TFP) welcomed him on the streets of Washington.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Scandal: 96 Catholic Universities Have Homosexual Clubs
Written by John Ritchie
Tuesday, April 01 2008
Historically, Catholic universities have been beacons of truth. They have set a standard of intellectual progress and moral excellence. They have elevated culture, formed the minds of great men, and paved the way for abundant scientific breakthroughs.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, May 21 2008 )

---

Protest a Lewd Homosexual Blasphemy at Vienna's Diocesan Museum
Written by TFP.org
Friday, March 28 2008

An unimaginable blasphemy is being shown at the Diocesan Museum of Vienna, Dommuseum, just across the street from the city’s magnificent Saint Stephen’s Cathedral. The exhibit, titled: “Religion, Flesh and Blood” includes an explicit portrayal of Our Lord and the Apostles at the Last Supper in the midst of a homosexual orgy.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

“Bodies Revealed” Protest in Kansas City
Written by Francis Slobodnik
Sunday, March 23 2008
On Palm Sunday, nearly fifty supporters and friends of the American TFP gathered in front of Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. to protest the ‘Bodies Revealed’ exhibit.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Meeting Together in St. Louis
Written by TFP.org
Thursday, March 20 2008

On March 30, the American TFP held a regional one-day conferences in St. Louis. Nearly fifty people attended the program held at the St. Agnes’ Home of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in the suburb of Kirkwood.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, July 16 2008 )

---

The Twenty-Eighth State?
Written by Jose Walter Ferraz
Monday, March 17 2008
So far, twenty-seven states have amended their constitutions to protect traditional marriage. Pennsylvania may be on the way to becoming the twenty-eighth state.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

"Bodies Revealed" – A Cruel Mockery
Written by John Horvat II
Friday, March 14 2008

There was a time when skinning a person alive was considered the ultimate barbarity. Today, skinning a person dead is considered “educational.”
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

“A Crusade of the 21st Century”: Conference in Louisiana
Written by William Drake
Saturday, March 08 2008
On March 8, Tradition, Family and Property — Louisiana hosted a regional one-day conferences in Lafayette, Louisiana. The event was held in the historic Grand Coteau House Ballroom in Grand Coteau.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Spreading the Fatima Message Far and Wide
Friday, March 07 2008

With the publication of its new book: Fatima: A Message More Urgent Than Ever, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) and its America Needs Fatima campaign will be spreading the Fatima message far and wide.
Last Updated ( Friday, May 23 2008 )

---

Ford Concedes, Victory Declared!
Written by TFP.org
Sunday, March 02 2008
A twenty-four month boycott against Ford Motor Companies, led by the American Family Association (AFA) and co-sponsored by Tradition, Family and Property Inc. and other groups has now ended with success.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Remembering Cuba’s Victims of Communism
Written by TFP.org
Saturday, February 16 2008
Every year in February, the Cuban exile community of South Florida commemorates the more than 100,000 victims of the communist regime of Fidel Castro with a ceremony called Memorial Cubano.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Call to Chivalry Weekend at Saint Louis de Montfort Academy
Written by TFP.org
Monday, February 11 2008

From February 8-11, TFP members and the staff of Saint Louis de Montfort Academy held a weekend event for boys within driving distance of the school, in Herndon, Pennsylvania.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Looking at the Power of Music
Written by TFP.org
Sunday, February 03 2008
With the aid of an electronic keyboard, TFP member Philip Calder gave a presentation called “The Power of Music,” to audiences in Topeka and Kansas City over the February 2-3 weekend.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

“Absolutely NO” to Jerry Springer Show
Friday, February 01 2008
Despite rainy weather conditions, hundreds of outraged Catholics gathered in front of Carnegie Hall in Manhattan to pray and express their rejection over the blasphemous Jerry Springer: The Opera in Comedy. The peaceful protest was a response to the indecent show which attacks the honor and purity of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 22 2008 )

---

Say No to "JERRY SPRINGER" Opera in CARNEGIE HALL
Written by TFP.org
Wednesday, January 30 2008
Protest this brutal ridiculing of the Catholic faith. The production is called "Jerry Springer--The Opera in Concert" and on January 29 and 30, it will be performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Last Updated ( Sunday, May 04 2008 )

---

Keeping the Covenant: Moral America Throngs to Washington
Written by John Horvat II
Thursday, January 24 2008

The first thing that hits you at the March for Life in Washington. D.C. is a veritable sea of people that just keeps arriving on the scene. You see busload after busload offloading and streaming into the massive crowds that fill the Mall, the streets and the sidewalks.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

TFP Program on Eve of 2008 March for Life
Written by TFP.org
Tuesday, January 22 2008
On the eve of the January 22 March for Life in the nation’s capital, the TFP sponsored a reception at its McLean, Va. center for local friends and supporters as well as for foreign pro-life delegations who came to attend the march.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

Moving the Faith to the Public Square
Written by TFP.org
Tuesday, January 22 2008

In preparation for this year’s March for Life, TFP Student Action held a two-day seminar for college students, which ended with the annual March for Life in Washington D.C.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

---

International Pilgrim Virgin to Attend Abortion Protest
Tuesday, January 15 2008

Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Diego will lead a one-mile rosary procession to an abortion clinic on Sunday January 20, accompanied by the miraculous International Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, May 06 2008 )

---

Dr. Kevorkian Invited to University of Florida for $50,000
Written by TFP.org
Tuesday, January 15 2008
Assisted suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian – a convicted felon known as “Dr. Death” – is scheduled to speak at the University of Florida on January 15. The TFP loudly protests.
Last Updated ( Thursday, May 01 2008 )

"It is the most wonderful feeling to have Our Lady in one's home."

Recently, we have received several notes from hostesses of Our Lady's Pilgrim Statue in Louisiana and Pennsylvania.

          

    Comments such as the ones I am going to describe, only help to make my love for the Holy Family greater.  During Christmas we adore and think not only of the Child Jesus, but we also reflect upon Our Lady, St. Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, the magi, and even the animals who adored the God-Man.  Of course of all who participated someway in the Nativity, Our Lady comes first and foremost to our minds and hearts.  It was her fiat that made the Incarnation and Nativity possible. 

    I hope that some of these comments will warm your hearts as they do mine.  Our Lady is not only the Mother of Christ, but our mother as well, which particularly ties in with the Holy Season of Christmas.

    One of our hostesses in Pennsylvania wrote that she had read and was familiar with the Fatima story, but that our audiovisual presentation made it come alive for her. Her only regret was that more of her family and friends didn't attend the visit.

    Another hostess from Louisiana wrote, "thank you for allowing Our Lady to come to my home, we were all so happy to receive such an honor".  She was also moved by receiving the free photo of Our Lady's Pilgrim statue. She wrote that she plans on being buried with that picture in her hands.

    A hostess from Pennsylvania wrote how after the visit, she and her guests sat around and talked about how magnificent it all was and how they all sensed that Our Lady was with them.

    Another hostess from Louisiana wrote that they considered the visit to be far more than they expected and described the visit as a, "most blessed occasion". 

    And finally, a hostess from Pennsylvania wrote this, "it was awesome"!  "I cannot describe the wonderful feeling that the visit from Our Lady gave to me."  She also wrote that her guests did not really know what to expect, but that they all left thrilled with the evening and were very happy that they came.  Finally she closed with this suggestion:  "please keep taking the statue into the homes, it is the most wonderful feeling to have Our Lady in one's home". 

    If you would be interested in having Our Lady visit your home with all of Her accompanying graces then please call our scheduling office at 888 460 - 7371.

The Holy Season of Christmas has not passed, it has just begun.

          

    Sadly, due to the secularization of society, many believe that Christmas begins and ends on December 25th.  The Catholic Feast of Christmas is so great that the entire Advent season exists to prepare us for the Birth of the Savior.  In the hustle and bustle of today, how many reflect on what that means.  How many birthdays of notable men merit weeks of preparation? 

    Advent when reflected upon properly, helps us to prepare for the magnificent event that occurred 2008 years ago, the Incarnation. 

    Without the Incarnation, our salvation would be impossible, for without the Incarnation, the eternal sacrifice of Calvary would not have taken place, nor would the establishment by Christ, of the Holy Roman Catholic Church have taken place. 

    Without the Church, the merits of Our Lord's Incarnation would not have benefited us.  It is through the Holy Catholic Church that the merits of Our Lord's Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection benefit mankind. 

    The Church was established by Our Lord to be the distributor of the merits of Our Lord through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the seven Sacraments. 

    Human nature is such, that even immeasurable goods from which we benefit, such as the Incarnation, the Redemption, and the Church can become so routine, that we can neglect to really reflect upon the true weight of those gifts. Advent is meant to help prepare us to develop a profound understanding of the great supernatural mysteries that take place on Christmas, as well as to give thanks for the corresponding benefit to us as a result of these mysteries.  

     So, as we adore, pray, and reflect during this season of Christmas, it is good also to reflect upon the immense role of the Church and to thank the Holy Infant for its establishment. As we venerate the Infant Jesus, Our Lady and St. Joseph, let us also venerate the Holy Catholic Church against which the gates of hell will not prevail. 

In Search of Christmas: He wandered as His mother had in Bethlehem, on a night like this and on the same date so long ago.

               

One Christmas night, Our Lord, denying Himself the comfort of visiting those households where He knows He is loved, came down into the midst of a modern city to see what sinners were doing.

Christmas! Christmas! Joy was universal.

Everyone was celebrating. Christ encountered a policeman completely engrossed in directing traffic in a busy plaza. Christ stepped up to him and asked, “What does this Christmas holiday mean?”

The policeman eyed Him suspiciously. “Where do you come from?” 

“From Bethlehem.”

“Where?”

“Bethlehem,” Our Lord repeated.

“Oh? Wherever that is. Anyway, don’t you know that Christmas is a holiday for kids? It’s a holiday for everybody. On Christmas, everybody is somebody’s
kid!”

“What is the origin of this holiday?”

Our Lord asked.
“Look, you ask too many questions.

Can’t you see I’m very busy? If you want to know more, go ask the chief.”

                                    * * *

Christmas! Christmas! Every store glittered with worldly displays. Really, what was behind it?

Christ paused by a restaurant advertising “Christmas Party—$50.00.” Ladies and gentlemen in elegant evening attire were entering the place. He stepped
inside. Tables, covered with white linen and lighted with red and green candles, were arranged in rows. Bottles of champagne, with gilded foil around their necks, nestled in ice-filled silver pails.

A woman, turning around and seeing Our Lord, gestured indignantly at one of the waiters. “What is this?” she asked. “You let panhandlers in here?”

The waiter, a young man of fifteen or so, rushed over to Him. “What are you doing in here?” he demanded. “Begging is permitted only out on the sidewalk!”

Christ studied the young man. “If only you knew what it is that I am ‘begging’ . . . ,” He started to reply, but He was already being shoved out into the street as the woman playing the piano sang, “Peace on earth and mercy mild.” Not even the Roman centurions had been so
hasty.

Outside, Christ allowed Himself to be swept along by the throng that flowed like a river between the stores and markets.

He saw toys everywhere, a few Santa Clauses, but rarely a crèche.

Our Lord then caught sight of a married couple carrying a few small precious bundles. They seemed to be good,
middle-class, peace-loving souls, hurrying somewhere to celebrate Christmas.

Christ followed them, invisible to their eyes. They entered their home and climbed the staircase to their apartment, where others had already gathered.

He watched as they opened bottles, served pastries, and then as they ate and drank.

“Imagine,” said one, “just for a change of pace, I went to Midnight Mass!”

“Oh?” said another, barely considering the remark. “And how was it?”

“Well, it wasn’t as pleasant as a good concert, but quite amusing nevertheless. Saw a number of friends there.”

The apartment had neither a crucifix nor a crèche. Christ could not long endure the senseless conversation, so
He turned away and slowly descended the staircase.

A short distance down the road, Our Lord found Himself near a large school’s playground. Above the gate a prominent sign proclaimed, “Christmas Party for
the Children of District 10.”

Ah, children, little children! Our Lord went in. There were hundreds of children inside, receiving toys, candy and books.

As they noisily ran and tumbled about, important looking women hurried about under the headmistress’ gaze.

Again, neither a crèche nor a crucifix could be seen, and nobody mentioned the name of the Child Jesus.

As Christ stood there, a feeling of isolation grew in His heart. He was a trespasser.

Finally, He approached a young boy whose arms overflowed with toys.  The boy reminded Him of His little
friends of bygone days in Bethlehem.

“Do you love the Child Jesus who has given you so many nice toys?” Our Lord asked the little boy.

The boy stared at Him with a puzzled air. “Child Jesus?”

“Don’t you know Him?”

“No.”

The headmistress, as if sensing some danger afoot, rushed over. “What did this man say to you?” she frantically asked the boy.

Upon learning what Our Lord had asked and whose Name He had dared mention, her eyes glared at Our
Lord with annoyance, and she snarled, “Be so kind as to leave at once!”

Christ again walked through the streets, no longer entering any of the places He passed. He wandered as His
mother had in Bethlehem, on a night like this and on the same date so long ago. He roamed through the endless
streets, passing innumerable places where His creatures celebrated Christmas without knowing its true meaning.

He hesitated to return to Heaven with such a heavy heart.

                                        * * *

Weary, He came to the edge of a neglected suburb.  A white building ablaze with tiny lights caught His eye.

Approaching and looking through one of the windows, He saw His own image prominently displayed on the wall. His
eyes brightened, as if reflecting the hundreds of lights outside, when He noticed that in one corner of the room was a simple but attractively arranged crèche.

Just then, the door opened and a boy came out, a boy like those who frequently come under a parish’s care. The boy
stopped abruptly at the sight of the golden-haired man shivering in the darkness.

Icy gusts blew around them.  “Sir, you could freeze out here! You need to get out of the cold.”

“I am quite cold,” answered Our Lord.

“Come in, then. We have a good fire going.”

And so Our Lord entered. Near the fireplace, a group of children closely gathered around a young priest.

As the fire crackled and filled the room with its welcoming warmth and light, the priest told the children about the infinite grandeur and glory hidden within the little figure of the Child Jesus in the crèche. He stopped his tale the moment Our Lord entered the room.

“Come in! You look cold!  Please, warm yourself here.”

The children promptly offered the newcomer a place close to the fire. “Have you had anything to eat? Joseph, go ask your mother to prepare something hot for this gentleman.”

Christ’s gaze slowly passed over all of them, one by one, as if He were memorizing every little face.

Above all, He gazed at the young priest. “Are you alone, my friend?” asked the priest kindly.

“Yes.” Seized by soul-stirring curiosity, all eyes turned inquisitively upon the Stranger, waiting.

Christ did not speak. Very slowly, regally, Jesus’ hand moved. He extended it over their heads, reaching beyond the humble cottages of that neglected suburb, and encompassing that immense city whose miseries He had witnessed.

In a tone of voice He exclaimed, “Misereor super turbas!” (“I have pity upon these people!”). Then, slowly, before their astonished eyes, He disappeared.

“It was He!” cried one of the boys. The young priest nodded solemnly.

“Yes, it was.”

Christmas 2008

Several commentators on the Passion hold that, from
the height of the cross, Our Lord Jesus Christ had an all encompassing knowledge of every person - from the
beginning of times to the end of the world - who would
profit from the shedding of His divine blood and thus
attain eternal salvation.

          

As we celebrate Christmas 2008, it is another scene that attracts our imagination.

Rather than the tragic yet majestic scene of Our Lord nailed to His cross, it is the tranquil scene of the same Jesus in the loving embrace of His mother and under the watchful and adoring gaze of Saint Joseph, graciously receiving the homage of both king and shepherd alike.

Can we not reasonably conjecture that from the sweet "throne" that was His mother's lap He likewise peered into the centuries of Christianity and saw every
Christmas that was to come, including this present Christmas?

Did He not thus see America on this Christmas in a state of war against terrorism?  Did He not see innumerable American families grieving for the  irreparable loss of husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children, friends?

As God, He certainly knew of our predicament and,
being a God of incalculable goodness, He had already
desired to bridge the infinite gap between divinity and
humanity by taking flesh and being born in a stable,
later to expire on a cross.

He did so not just to share in the earthly fate of all mankind, but to save those who would truly follow Him by taking up their own crosses as He requires. Moreover, as if He hadn't done enough by taking flesh and shedding His last drop of blood for us, He devised and instituted the incredible gift of the Holy Eucharist to nourish, strengthen, and accompany us in our earthly journey.

In this hour of need, increasing numbers of Americans
are turning to God in the Eucharist, in their churches and in more than seven thousand adoration chapels across our country.

Alas, with all our devotion, goodness, bravery, and good will, we are, nonetheless, a sinful nation. It is from the depths of an abyss of relativism, indulgence, and sin
that we cry out to God to bless us and have mercy on us.

Yet, after all, in the hour of darkness, it was to Him, the true and crucified God, that, as a nation, we did turn.
So, it is proper that we speak of both the cross and the crib during this Christmas season.

May Our Lord Jesus Christ from the height of His cross forgive us our sins and grant us the grace of full conversion as a country.

And may the same Jesus from His mother's knees bless all Americans of good will.  May He especially bless all those most affected by the war on terrorism as well as those fighting for all the good for which America stands.

May the coming year find us ever more united as a nation but, above ever closer to Him in the fullness of His Truth.

Preparing for Christmas: Lessons from the Holy Grotto

In the moral order, the world is composed largely of sinners who live not to serve God, but to please themselves.

In their self-serving selfishness, such men
strive to gratify their disordered love of worldly riches, delights and honors, as Saint John describes them.

By worldly riches, Saint John means the avarice of those who, in a rabid frenzy, seek what they regard as great fortune.

These grasping Midases are so attached to the possession of money that often they do not take advantage of what they have while living in an obscure, banal and miserable state. By worldly delights, Saint John means the sensual pleasures, which are ultimately everything agreeable and
pleasing that a life of luxury may provide.

By worldly honors, Saint John means the exaggerated consideration of others, striving to be the object of great homage and adulation to secure prestige.

When man does not seek God, he selects one of these three pleasures as his ultimate end. In man there exists an ontological unity that translates into a unity of objective. Thus, human egoism tends necessarily toward one of these three pleasures.

For a time, some determined souls may strive for all three, but having sampled each, they ultimately make one
their life’s goal.

As Saint Ignatius teaches, God wished to educate man through His Divine Son’s birth. The circumstances of His birth show that worldly riches, delights and honors are nothing compared with God’s supernatural treasures, joys and grandeur.

Vanity of Worldly Riches
God, Who is infinitely rich, came to earth in poverty. In the stable in Bethlehem, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Omnipotent Lord of all, eloquently instructs us regarding
the vanity of worldly riches. He chose a manger, the poorest place imaginable for His birthplace.

Wrapped in swaddling clothes by His Mother, the Holy Infant was sheltered in a stable made for livestock. Through His birth in such impoverished circumstances,
the Word of God made evident the indifference with which we should regard this world’s riches. Used rightly, money may contribute to passing and imperfect happiness, but all too frequently it is the cause of suffering, anguish and tragedy.

The Holy Family sought, first and foremost, to obey the Divine Will in all things, thus receiving a hundredfold here on earth, as promised in the Gospel (Matt. 19:29).

In man, a virtuous life generates supernatural happiness and often natural happiness as well—happiness so
incommensurably more valuable than worldly riches that it inspired Saint Francis to confide the following to
Brother Masseo:

My dear companion, let us beg Saints Peter and Paul to teach us to possess the immeasurable treasure of holy
poverty; for it is a treasure so divine that we are not
worthy of possessing it, considering that it is a celestial
virtue, by means of which earthly and transitory
possessions are trampled underfoot and by means of which every obstacle retreats before the soul, so that the soul may be freely united with the eternal God. This is the
virtue that permits souls on earth to converse with angels in Heaven. This is the virtue that accompanied Christ on the Cross, with which Christ was buried, the virtue with which He resurrected and ascended into Heaven. It fascinates souls in this life and gives them wings to carry them to Heaven in the next, for it bears the marks of humility and charity.

Disdain of Worldly Delights

Our Lord could have ordered the angels to embellish the Holy Grotto with the most delicate silks, the most aromatic perfumes and the most celestial symphonies.
He could have enjoyed every legitimate material delight from the first moment of His human life.

Instead, He chose the very opposite.

His delicate body lay not on soft silk, but on coarse straw. His crib was a feeding manger that, however diligently scoured by Our Lady, did not exude the sweet smells of exquisite perfumes. Born at midnight in the depth of the winter, the Holy Infant trembled in the cold night air,
warmed only by the breath of the animals.

His lullaby was the lowing of cows. Thus, Our Lord Jesus Christ showed us how foolish it is to make this world’s delights the end of our lives. To the contrary, Christ taught us to disdain them for God’s glory and the good of souls, in the measure that they distract and even deviate
us from our ultimate end—the eternal delight of unending life with Him.

Emptiness of Worldly Honors

Our Lord wished to deprive Himself of everything that might serve as a symbol of worldly prestige. While Jesus was born a prince of the royal house of David, that house had lost its power and prestige in the eyes of the world.

Indeed, Christ the King was born an outcast, for none would shelter Our Lady who bore Him within Her womb; Saint Joseph had knocked on door after door, only to be sent away. The Child Jesus thus demonstrated the vanity
of those who seek only to be seen in the eyes of the world.

True Grandeur

Let us now take a moment to contemplate the grandeur and majesty of the Child Jesus and His Most Holy Mother.
Imagine the Holy Grotto of Bethlehem, lofty and spacious as a cathedral. Its rustic stones transcend their lack of architectural definition, bringing to mind the vaults of a magnificent basilica.

Infant Jesus’ cradle lies beneath the point where several of the arches, crafted by nature, come together. In heralding her Divine Son’s birth, the Archangel Gabriel said to the Blessed Virgin Mary, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever” (Luke 1:32–33).

Within that grotto lay an Infant, fragile yet omnipotent, the King of Heaven and Earth, the God-Man. From the first moment of His conception within the maternal
cloister, He possessed grandeur and power infinitely superior to that of any man who has ever lived—of all men from the beginning to the end of time.

He is incomparably more powerful than Alexander the
Great, Charlemagne or Napoleon, or any and all of the mightiest armies known to man; immeasurably wiser than King Solomon, Saint Thomas the Angelic Doctor,
and the hosts of human genius; within that grotto lay a Child whose every expression reflected divine majesty, ineffable holiness, utter wisdom and limitless power.

Enchanted, let us consider the perfections mysteriously expressed in the fair countenance of the Child Jesus. One moment, He reveals His Divine majesty. In another, a resplendent light shines forth from His eyes—the windows of His soul.

He inspires sinners to convert, to repent and confess their sins, while He attracts them through the intimacy of His love. The German mystic Anne Catherine Emmerich describes a vision she had of the Nativity:

I saw Our Lord as a very little child, resplendent, whose brilliance surpassed that of every light in the grotto, lying
upon the floor, before the knees of Mary.  It seemed to me that He was very small and grew larger before my eyes. Then I saw Angels in human form all about, prostrate in adoration before the Child.

Is is said that as a child, Saint Thérèse had such a stately bearing that her father called her “my little queen.”

During the process of her canonization, the Carmel
gardener testified that he came unobserved upon one of the nuns working and recognized her as Sister Thérèse.

Asked how he was able to identify her without seeing her face, he replied that it was by her majesty, for none of the other sisters was as majestic as she.

What then could we say of Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth? Let us contemplate the Most Holy Virgin, the masterpiece of Creation, most majestic and pure, praying to her Divine Infant, as an angelic chorus intones anthems of adoration.

Touched by the Holy Family, the ambience of that humble stable transcends the grandeur of the most refined court.

Approaching a scene so sacred, we revere the Christ Child, and in Him adore all that is beautiful, noble and holy. We prostrate ourselves before the Divine  Incarnation.

The perfect model of all created grandeur, which is but a mere reflection of His Infinite Majesty, the God-Man attracts every form of sanctity, while repelling sin, error and chaos. He does not reject, but rather embraces the
humble and contrite sinner.

A Life Saved on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

    On the feast of the Immaculate Conception a member of America Needs Fatima was getting ready to go to the local abortion clinic to pray the rosary on the sidewalk and counsel any who would listen.

    Her 9 year old daughter named Anne asked if she could go along.  The mother agreed allowing her young daughter to accompany her.

    When they arrived at the clinic they began praying the rosary.  A car pulled up with a young woman about to enter the parking lot of the abortion clinic.  Little Anne asked her mother if she could hand the person some pro-life literature about alternatives to abortion.  Her mother agreed and when Anne offered the literature to the person in the car she took it.  She then continued into the parking lot and entered the abortion clinic.  Both mother and daughter prayed their rosary fervently that the young lady would change her mind and spare her baby's life.

    After some time, the young lady left the clinic in tears and came over to the mother and child and said that she couldn't go through with it.  The mother directed her to a pro-life office across the street that would be able to counsel and help her.  She walked over to that office and after some time came out.  She again approached the mother and little Anne and told the little girl, "today you have saved a human life".

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse unto Thee!

Merry Christmas!

On the glorious feast of Christmas, I pray most ardently that you and your family will receive abundant graces of Catholic fidelity and courage to face the difficult days ahead.

The marvelous graces from the first Christmas night in Bethlehem shine through the ages, sustaining us even today in the arduous fight for the remnants of Christian Civilization.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I pray that all the setbacks and sufferings we endure today for Christ’s sake will tomorrow be transformed into beautiful flowers of victory for the Catholic Cause.

And at the end of the path of trial, grace will overcome sin, and bring forth its full splendor, the Reign of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

May your soul be nurtured in the hope of the coming of Our Lady’s Reign which she announced at Fatima: “Finally, My Immaculate Heart will triumph!”