Over one hundred America Needs Fatima members from across the country and Canada generously volunteered their time to recruit Rally Captains at the Rosary Rally Crusade Office in Rossville, Kansas.
Without their dedication, the 3,500 Rosary rallies held on October 11, 2008 would not have been possible. (To be a volunteer in 2009, please call Mr. Chris Pierce at 785 584-6251.)
Below, some of them share their experiences in volunteering and in recruiting for the 2008 Public Square Rosary Crusade.
“Volunteering at the Kansas office reconfirmed the increased dedication and superb organization of those that continue to labor there on a full-time basis. The conviviality with other volunteers was very blessed. The overwhelming positive response of those that called or were called affirmed the awareness and positive response to sacrificing and praying the Rosary as requested by Our Lady in Fatima.”
Mr. Sergio De Paz, Miami, Fla.
“At the office I sensed the love and edification of all the volunteers and staff with a dedication to promote Our Lady of Fatima’s message of prayer and penance. Even though at times it involved difficulties and fatigue in obtaining Rally Captains through the phone, there was always a sense of hope and perseverance to succeed. Most notable was the feeling that you were welcome and that you were part of a family with high spiritual values. I was fortunate to have Mrs. Jean Henderson from Ohio working the computer while I was phoning to obtain Rally Captains. She gave invaluable assistance to others and me. A woman who phoned said she will assemble over 100 participants to pray at her Rosary Rally. I thought that was remarkable. The directors gave witness to the importance of Our Lady of Fatima’s message by what they said and did.”
Brother Eugene De Laura
Framingham, Mass.
“I had been living a real ‘dark night’ in my spiritual life in part because of some very difficult personal problems. Our Lady of Fatima called me to go to Kansas and as a result that ‘dark night’ has been lifted almost 100 percent. I have been saying my Rosary every day since those two weeks spent in Kansas. I had stopped saying it for a while before I went. Being surrounded by such dedicated Catholics in a very Christ-like and Marian atmosphere touched my soul! Thank you, Our Lady of Fatima!”
Anonymous
“Being here, and doing volunteer work for Jesus and Our Lady has inspired me so much. The locals and the other volunteers are like no one I have ever met. As a youth growing up in San Diego, it is hard to be open about my spiritual life, but here it was just so beautiful because you speak about it with anyone in the office. When you see others at the office who love Our Lord and are just as enthusiastic is inspiring. Those I met at the office really live their faith instead of hide it, and have inspired me to do the same. I feel like I have taken a vacation in Heaven and I hope that I will be able to come back and do Our Lady’s work.”
Vincent Battaglia
El Cajon, Calif.
“Helping at the office helped me become close to Our Blessed Mother and Our Lord by hearing all of the stories callers shared. It was also inspiring to see how excited the Rally Captains were about their upcoming rallies. One of my experiences was hearing a Rally Captain tell me how disappointed he was that last year he attended a rally and only six people showed up. This year he is a Rally Captain and is working to have a rally on each block in his neighborhood.”
Miss Christina Marquez
El Cajon, Calif.
“I have always known and felt the great love and dedication that America Needs Fatima has for Our Lady and being here has given me the opportunity to see it for myself. I find that everyone at the office and the volunteers are very friendly and helpful. Everyone works hard to make the message known and to spread love for Our Lady. The young ladies in the kitchen deserve a special recognition for making such tasty dishes. They took good care of the volunteers and I appreciate that very much.”
Mrs. Christina Hughes
Coral Springs, Fla.
“Volunteering gave me more faith than I ever had, and made me a stronger person. Before I came with my grandmother, I did not feel that prayers worked, and yet while there I had some experiences that showed me that prayers work. One of those I called was a 98-year-old gentleman who had just recovered from a heart attack and was in a wheelchair. He was more than willing to be a Rally Captain. Besides on the phone, I met some amazing people while volunteering. Where I live, I am not used to people being really nice and generous. But, I learned that it is the people of God that try to live as Christ-like as possible, even though not always perfect, but I like to be surrounded with these kind of people.”
Miss Sheaugh Costello
East Moriches, N.Y.
“I must say that my time in Kansas affected me like a wonderful drenching rain on parched soil. I soaked in every refreshing moment of that soul-reviving experience from praying the Rosary in the van on our way to morning Mass, to chatting on the phone with so many generous and inspiring Rosary Rally Captains all across the country, to stopping at the Adoration Chapel for a few moments of solitude with Our Lord before returning to our hotel for the night. Being a mother and a classroom teacher, office work rather intimidated me, and to tell the truth, I was a bit fearful about using that telephone with so many buttons. However, after our very thorough morning of training, and seeing how the other volunteers jumped right into making those calls, I simply prayed a little prayer to the Holy Spirit with each call that I made, and before long, I too was more at ease both in calling and in working at the computer. To hear those same people eager to do ‘anything for Our Lady’ was very inspiring. One lady from New Jersey, 83 years old and in a nursing home, made it sound like organizing a rally was the easiest thing ever. She would simply call her friend Jim who would help set up the folding chairs from the nursing home in the public park across the street and the residents could just go over there to pray their Rosary.”
Mrs. Jean Henderson, Solon, Ohio
“It gave me a very good insight into the amount of love and devotion people of America have for Our Lady and at the same time the apathy as well. Some people we spoke to were honored to be a Rosary Captain and others were too busy in their daily life to take some time out for Our Lady. The amount of effort and devotion of the ANF staff greatly impressed my daughter Ashley and me. The perseverance required is one that cannot be without grace. We felt privileged to be able to serve Our Lady and this great cause ANF is working to achieve for Our Lady and our country.”
Michael Miller, Bridgeport, Conn.
“Having been uplifted by the Holy Spirit’s joy in Rossville, Kansas, I returned home with intentions of extending my volunteering. There was a decisive number of Rosary Rallies held in 2007 in most states except Idaho. Seeing that on the map, I felt called to get Idaho informed as much as possible of this anniversary of Fatima for 2008. With Our Blessed Mother’s intercession, Idaho now has 20 locations and growing; in 2007 we only had five. I was greatly impressed with the congenial, loving and friendly staff. Each and every need was met with much happiness and appreciation for our volunteer time spent working for Our Heavenly Mother.”
Mrs. Maureen Coon, Nampa, Idaho
“Before volunteering at the office my question to Our Lady in my prayers was, ‘How should I serve you?’ I was uncertain because I really wanted to have the most appropriate devotion to her. Just recently, I have decided to deepen my relationship with Our Lady and continue to serve her. I am deeply honored and touched by the overwhelming expressions of love the America Needs Fatima families and individuals who are strong Catholics and who live their faith. Hopefully, I will be able to extend America Needs Fatima’s deep respect, love and devotion for Our Lady. The stories one hears from our phone calls verifies that we are making an impact on the souls in our entire nation. Our Public Square Rosaries will definitely turn over the reins of the world back to Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother. Our Lady has plucked the strings of my heart and many other Rally Captains to be the driving force in our communities to change the crisis our world is experiencing. I was not aware of the urgency of Mother Mary’s call until we were presented with information and statistics to prove our situation is in a crisis. Because of my experiences as a volunteer, I now consider myself a Christian warrior.”
Mrs. Valerie Elefante
Aiea, Hawaii
“First, I felt very proud to be a Catholic and have the opportunity to meet devoted men and women who like to work for our Catholic Faith and devotions and traditions. Secondly, Our Blessed Mother’s messages have been neglected for years. I am excited that other Catholics and I have realized the importance of her messages to save mankind from this crisis, especially of saying the daily Rosary and visiting the Blessed Sacrament.”
Miss Anne Anigbogu, Newark, Del.
“I enjoyed the fact I was making a positive effort toward directing devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary. I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm displayed by so many of those whom I contacted. My associations with the volunteers and staff members were indeed inspirational. They were, without exception, wonderful role models for all, in particular for a woman of my age, seventy-eight years.”
Anonymous
“On the return trip home after volunteering at the campaign office in Rossville, Kansas, I was inspired to contact as many friends and relatives to become involved in the October 11 Public Square Rosary Crusade. Many responded favorably and our Mother Superior at the St. Augustine Home where I live gave permission for our Rosary Rally to be in front of our big building facing the busy 86th Street. Thank God! Thank God for every one of the staff members and our director, Francis Slobodnik, who have worked many hours to make, not only last year’s rally a success, but also, with us volunteers, to look forward to make this year a success with many Rosary Rallies across the nation in honor of Our Blessed Mother.”
Mrs. Adelaid Shultz, Indianapolis, Ind.
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