WORLD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APOSTOLA E OF FATIMA, USA President...... John A. Kostrubanic Erie Diocesan Division Vice President...... John M. Walsh Treasurer...... Walter Jakopac A Public Association of the Faithful Secretary...... Marilee Hylant for the Universal Church Dionne Orner • E. William Sockey III Spiritual Director...... Fr. Jerry S. Priscaro Rodney 'Andrew' Housler • Bonnie Housler Asst. Spiritual Director...... Fr. Marc Solomon Kristin Stravinsky

“I invoke upon you ... all Erie Diocesan Blue Army members ... joy and peace ... and my Apostolic Blessing.” John Paul II “I bless your work and your Apostolate.” Pope Benedict XVI 2019 January, February, March, April Two Great Men Devoted to the Blessed Mother: Pope Leo XIII and Padre Pio POPE LEO XIII served as the vicar of Christ day, and especially encouraged and missionaries to preach is the oldest pope who ever lived in Catholic the , since it has the power to expel evil and heal the sores Church history. He died as pope at the age of of the human heart. 93 after serving 25 years, 5 months, and 1 day Pope Leo XIII dedicated the month of October to the Rosary, as Holy father of the roman . granted many to those praying the Rosary, approved a He was deeply concerned about the social comprehensive list of the indulgences attached to praying the Rosary, and moral issues of his time, and reminded supported construction of the Basilica of the Rosary in Lourdes, the Church of the many spiritual weapons to inserted the title "Queen of the Most Holy Rosary" into the Litany combat these issues. of Loreto, wrote a charter for the of the Rosary, and From his youth, Pope Leo XIII had a strong devotion to Mary. encouraged Dominicans to promote the Rosary. Through the discovery of the Marian writings of St. Louis de His famous prayer to St. the Archangel which he Montfort, he pursued the of St. Louis and was greatly composed is now commonly prayed at the end of the Rosary. The influenced by his Marian thoughts. He was so caught up in St. Louis' writings of Pope Leo XIII highlighted a special blessing. "To pray the True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, that he granted a Papal Plenary Rosary is to pray with the holy angels, since it was the archangel to anyone who consecrated themselves to Mary using Gabriel who uttered the first Ave." Pope Leo XIII will forever be in St. Louis' Total method. Catholic Church history "the pope of the Rosary." In addition, Pope Leo XIII promoted the Brown , instituted PADRE PIO, a , , stigmatist the 'feast of Our Lady of the , and wrote an and mystic member of the Capuchin Apostolic Letter promoting pilgrimages to Marian . He taught Franciscan Order of Minor from that a Christian trying to live his faith without Mary is comparable 1910 until 1968, who lived at San to a bird trying to fly without wings. Giovanni Rotundo Friary in Pietralcina, Pope Leo XIII was the greatest champion of the Rosary to ever Italy for the majority of his priestly hold the office of the Vicar of Christ. During his pontificate he wrote ministry years, had an astonishingly, 11 encyclicals on the Rosary, promulgated numerous apostolic letters unconditional, total, perennial, unwavering love for the Blessed Virgin on the Rosary, and gave countless homilies on the Rosary to various Mary. He would call upon her in many different ways, some of them; dioceses and religious institutes. His Rosary encyclicals contain a Maria, Madonna, Mamma, Mammina, Madre, Madonnina, Mondonella, summary of all the statements previous had made about St. Signora, Vergine Maria, Madre Maria, Diletta Madre, Tenera Madre, Dominic's role as the father of the Rosary, and the founder of the Madre Miacara, Celeste Madre, Mare di Misericordia, Bianca Signora, confraternity of the Rosary. In almost every Rosary encyclical he Maria Santissima, Mamma Mia, Madre Immaculata, Santissima wrote, he affirmed that St. Dominic was the founder of the Rosary. Vergine, Cara Madre, Mamma dolcissima, Madonna Mia, Mamma He expressly taught that our Blessed Mother entrusted the Rosary to nostra, Dolce Signora, Vegine Santa, Madonna delle Grazia. St. Dominic, and compared St. Dominic's Rosary Confraternity to an Padre Pio's devotion to the Virgin Mary was rooted in the truth army of prayer, a spiritual battalion capable of winning souls for Christ. that Jesus specifically wills such devotion. Jesus chose to come Pope Leo XIII taught that the Rosary was the solution to the to earth thru Mary. Similary, Jesus chooses that we come to Him social problems of his day. He tirelessly taught that the Rosary through her, for her soul magnifies the Lord. Padre Pio understood was the most effective means of expanding the kingdom of Jesus all of this. He used to say many times, "I wish I had a voice loud Christ in the world and was of benefit to both individuals and enough to tell all of the sinners of the world to love Mary. She is society at large. He encouraged everyone to pray the Rosary every the ocean across which one must travel in order continued on page 3 HOME ENTHRONEMENT PROGRAM Welcome the Hearts of Jesus and Mary into your Home today ... Jesus and Mary the Heart of your Home this Christmas ... and the effects on the family on You Tube that, There is no better way to celebrate the One that gave us the reason “I felt the best way to bring Jesus back again for the season than to bring Christ into the center of our homes, our into the family life was, I thought, the surest, and easiest, and quickest hearts, and our families through the Home Enthronement program. way to Jesus is to consecrate the Celebrate the new year by bringing both Jesus as Lord and King family to the .” of your family and Mary as your Queen and be assured of Their We would like to congratulate abundant protection and promises given to us by Christ Himself to the following families on their give you all the graces necessary for your state of life, peace in your recent Home Enthronements: The family, consolation in all your troubles, assured refuge in the Sacred Ballentine family conducted on Heart during life and especially during death, abundant blessings October 25, 2018 by Fr. Jamie on all your undertakings, infinite mercy, luke warm souls becoming Power; The Grassi Family The Ballentine family conducted on fervent, fervent souls rise to great perfection, Jesus promised to conducted by Fr. Jerry Priscaro October 25, 2018 by Fr. Jamie Power bless homes where an image of His heart is exposed and honored, on September 9, 2018; The plus many more! Jesus knows each one of us and each member of Luchinsky family enthronement our family so intimately. There is no limit to the amount of graces conducted on September 4, 2018. He gives to those who honor Him in this special way and His Mother May God continue to shine His through Enthronement to His Sacred Heart with Consecration to blessings on these families and all The Grassi Family Mary’s Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. This gift is also free to families! conducted by give your family. You have no idea the amount of protection, graces, Make this the one gift Fr. Jerry Priscaro and treasures Jesus and Mary will provide for you when you do this request for your family. It’ll Sept. 9, 2018 simple yet powerful ceremony in your home. be the best gift you can give As life goes on and changes with time, you can be assured that this Christmas and New Year! Jesus and Mary will be with you every step of the way … sharing in Bringing Jesus Home … into your joys and hold near to you in your sorrows. If you want Jesus your hearts. Call today to get and Mary to be with you and your family in an intimate way, we your Enthronement scheduled with The Luchinsky’s invite you to conduct this ceremony in your home today. It doesn’t a priest or deacon - 903-495-2020 family enthronement take long to see we need this protection in our homes and families. - Mrs. Kristin Stravinsky, Home conducted on Christ will light up your homes this Christmas season! Enthronement Chairperson World September 4, 2018 St. Mother Theresa stated in an interview about the Enthronement Apostolate of Fatima, USA. Hundreds of people participated in the annual Rosary March in downtown Erie Sunday, October 14th this past fall at the Cathedral. Bishop Lawrence Persico, who was among the marchers (behind the K of C with Homilist Fr. Toohey), tweeted afterward, “Today’s 24th annual Rosary March, sponsored by the Erie Division of the World Apostolate of Fatima, was a success! Our Blessed Virgin Mary carries with her our prayers for peace in our families, our communities, our world and our Church.” PRAYER GROUPS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO JOIN: • Adult Fatima Apostolate Rosary on Monday evening from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Sacred Heart Church in St. Marys. • 1st Saturday Fatima Children’s prayer group at Mrs. Bonnie Housler’s home from 10 until 11 o’clock, her phone number is 814-834-3214; this is a new Cell for the children. • A “Rosary walk for Souls” in St. Marys is a group that prays the Rosary together on Wednesday evening at @ 7:00 pm at the cemetery for the poor souls. This Rosary was post-poned in October for the winter but will resume in the Spring – TBA. • Rosary said at 8 o’clock Sunday mornings at Sts. Cyril and Remember In Your Prayers Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church in Girard, PA. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis; our Bishop, Lawrence • Rosary for the Children at the Walsh residence at Persico; our Spiritual Director, Father Jerry Priscaro, 5916 Carriage Hill Drive, Erie - every 3rd Thursday @ 7:00 pm our assistant Spiritual Director, Father Marc Solomon, for 45 minnutes. all Bishops, priests and religious. Please keep the • Rosary at St. George parish every 1st Saturday at the 8 officers, co-ordinators, Chapter and cell leaders, o’clock Mass with confession, Communion and fifteen minutes helpers who do the labeling, tabbing, all the volunteers for private meditation; all being offered in reparation for the five assisting at the devotions in your prayers; the WAF blasphemies committed against the . could not function without their help. I did not have time to follow up on other group or Cells Pray for Mrs. Agnes Priscaro, mother of Father Jerry Priscaro praying the Rosary regularly, but request that you and Mrs. Anne Scherer, both in nursing homes. Email me with your information. 2 Blessed Two Great Men devoted to the Blessed Mother continued from the front page (ca. 1887-1909) was born to reach Jesus." Above Padre Pio's door were written the words. "Mary is the reason of all my in the hope. The Holy Virgin assists me. Padre Pio used to say: Each grace passes through her hands." (present-day Democratic Father Tarcisio Zullo used to ask Padre Pio, "Father, is the Madonna in this room?" Padre Pio's Republic of Congo) around answer, "Wrong formulation. You should have asked: Did the Madonna ever leave this room?" 1887. After encountering Padre Pio used to tell a story: "One day our Lord was making the rounds of Paradise and he saw some Belgian Trappist missionaries, he received strange faces." He asked Peter, "Who let these people in?" Peter responded, "There's nothing I can instruction and was baptized in 1906 at age 18. Isidore embraced his new-found do." The Lord said: "But you have the Keys of the Kingdom." Peter responded again, "There's nothing I faith, carried a rosary and wore a Carmelite can do, and nothing you can do either." The Lord asked, "What do you mean there's nothing we can brown scapular. Many thought he was a do?" "It's your mother" responded St. Peter, "She has another key. She lets them in the back door." catechist. Padre Pio said of Mary, "The Madonna is the shortcut to get to God. Love the Madonna, and Seeking a larger Christian community, make people to love her. Abandon yourself in the hands of Mary. She will take care of you. Let's Isidore left his village and found work pray to the Madonna of Graces. She will heal you." on a Belgian rubber plantation. When his Concerning the Rosary, Our Blessed Mother herself said to Padre Pio, "With this weapon, you fair-minded boss was transferred to Ikili, will win. Convinced of this power of the Rosary, Padre Pio always held the Rosary in his hands. a region where Catholics were despised When he was approaching death, he recommended the Rosary to his spiritual children by saying, because they opposed the harsh labor "Love our Lady, and make her loved. Always recite the Rosary." conditions imposed there, Isidore brushed off warnings and followed. Padre Pio always wore the Rosary around his arm at night. A few days before his death, as he The plantation manager in Ikili, an was getting to bed, he said to the friars who were in his room, "Give me my weapon!" And the atheist, took an immediate dislike to friars, surprised and curious, asked him, "Where is the weapon? We cannot see anything." Padre Pio Isidore when he witnessed him praying replied, "It is in my habit, which you have just hung up." After going through the pocket of his religious with workers. Catching sight of Isidore's habit, the friars said to him, "Padre, there is no weapon in your habit ... we can only find your Rosary scapular, he demanded that he take it off, beads there." Padre Pio immediately responded, "And, is this not a weapon ... the true weapon?" but Isidore refused. Enraged, the manager Padre Pio instructed, "Recite the Rosary and recite it always and as much as you can," he said. had him flogged with 25 lashes. The next "With this one wins the battles." Padre Pio was frequently seen with his Rosary in his hand, in day, after Isidore again declined to remove the friary, in the halls, on the stairs, in the sacristy, in the Church, even in when going into and his scapular, the man tore it off his neck. out of the confessional. When we told him our thoughts, and when we asked for help, all he did Isidore was mercilessly lashed with a hide was show to us the Rosary in his hands, always. Padre Pio instructed his spiritual children, "In whip embedded with nails until finally being thrown into a hut and left to die. all the free time you have, once you have finished your daily duties, you should kneel down and Several days later, a Belgian inspector pray the Rosary before the blessed sacrament or a crucifix." arrived unexpectedly and discovered Isidore, Padre Pio used to carry a Rosary in his hands and would pray it many times a day. Some days, still alive but in agony. Outraged, the man Padre Pio was known to pray the Rosary at least 40 times. took him into his own home. "If you see The following are Padre Pio's most inspirational quotes about the Rosary: "Pray the Rosary my mother," Isidore said, "or meet a priest, frequently, it costs so little, and it's worth so much. We can't live without the Rosary. Say the tell them that I am dying because I am a Rosary and pray it every day. The Rosary is the weapon of defense and salvation. The Rosary Christian." Isidore also told two Trappist is the weapon given us by Mary to use against the tricks of the infernal energy. Mary has who had brought the last sacraments recommended the Rosary at Lourdes and at Fatima because of its exceptional value for us and that he had forgiven the plantation manager. our times. The Rosary is the prayer of the Madonna, the one that triumphs on everything and "When I am in heaven, I shall pray for him," everybody. Always recite the Rosary and recite it as often as possible. Mary is present in every he said. Isidore died August 15, 1909, at age 22, with a scapular around his neck mystery of the Rosary. Satan always tries to destroy the Rosary, but he will never succeed. and a Rosary in his hand. He was beautified Mary has taught us the Rosary just as Jesus taught us the Our Father. I always pray for the in 1994. sick. Every day I say a Holy Rosary for them." This article appeared in the August 2018 issue of Columbia magazine and Father Jerry S. Priscaro, Spiritual Director is printed with permission of the Knights of Colmbus, New Haven, CT Your financial support is greatly appreciated and vital to the operation of our Apostolate.

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ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO YOUR SCAPULAR the scapular promise made it absolutely clear that the Blessed Virgin It Is An Assurance of Salvation never intended to substitute the wearing of brown cloth for living the Christian life after the perfect example of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of should A former general of the Carmelite Order, the Most Rev. Kilian have deep meaning for you. It is a rich present brought down Lynch, warned against abusing the scapular devotion. “Let is not from heaven by Our Lady herself. “Wear it devoutly and conclude”, he said, “that the scapular is endowed with some kind of perseveringly,” she says to each soul. “It is my garment. supernatural power which will save no matter what we do or how much To be clothed in it means you are continually thinking of we sin … A perverse, sinful will can defeat the ‘suppliant omnipotence’ me, and I, in turn, am always thinking of you and helping of the Mother of mercy.” Fidelity to the commandments is required by you to secure eternal life.” those seeking “the special love and protection of Our Lady.” St. Alphonsus Said: “Just as men take pride in having others The Scapular Medal: The Scapular Medal bears an image of the wear their livery, so the most holy Mary is pleased when her ser- Sacred Heart of Jesus on one side and an image of the Blessed Virgin vants wear her scapular as a mark that they have dedicated themselves Mary on the reverse. In 1910, Pope St. Pius X declared that a per- to her service, and are members of the family of the Mother of God.” son already validly invested in a cloth scapular could wear or carry By simply wearing the scapular, we tell Mary that we venerate her, the Scapular Medal in its place. This concession was granted at the love her and trust her every moment of the day. request of missionaries in the tropics where cloth deterio- The Scapular as a Prayer: Our Lord taught us to pray the Our Father. rated rapidly and wearing them was a real inconvenience. Both Pius Mary taught us the value of the scapular. When we use it as a prayer, X and his successor Pope Benedict XV expressed their strong desire Our Lady draws us to the Sacred Heart of her Divine Son. It is well, that people continue to wear the cloth scapular when practical and therefore, to hold the scapular in the hand while addressing Our Lady, substitute the medal without sufficient reason. Vanity and fear of A prayer thus uttered while holding the mystical scapular is as making open profession of our affiliation with Our Lady would be perfect as a prayer can be. It is especially in time of temptation that wrong reasons for substituting the medal for the cloth. we need the powerful intercession of God’s Mother. The evil spirit is Mary’s Spiritual Motherhood: Mary’s Motherhood is not limited to utterly powerless when a scapular wearer, besides his silent devotion, Catholics; it is extended to all men. Many of conversion faces temptation calling upon Mary. “If you had recommended your- have been wrought in favor of good non-Catholics who practiced self to me, you would not have run into such danger”, was Our the scapular devotion. “I wanted to know if Mary really and truly Lady’s gentle reproach to Blessed Alan de la Roche. interested herself in me, and in the scapular she has given me the The Promise: In his book, Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel, Fr. tangible assurance. I have only to open my eyes. She has attached Barry Bossa, S.A.C., observes that misunderstandings can arise about her protection to this scapular: ‘Whosoever dies clothed in this shall not the nature of the scapular promise. He says, “The very wording of suffer eternal fire." St. Claude de la Colombiere WAF pamphlet #99527