By John M. Haffert -.:: GEOCITIES.Ws
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you, rooi Prior to the Council no layman had been canonized for over 500 years. An invisible wall seemed to have risen between clergy and laity. The Pope saw that something had to be done. by John M. Haffert Cover picture shows the author receiving the blessing of Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, just after His Holiness beatified three lay persons whose stories appear in these pages. About the Author The apostolate from which this book developed resulted from a vision to a Carmelite Brother in 1933. It is described in one of the author's earliest books: The Brother and I. Twenty other books followed. From 1940 he was director of the Scapular Apostolate in New York City and editor of The Scapular magazine which had 163,000 subscribers by 1948. In that same year he wrote Russia Will Be Converted, his first major book on the message of Fatima. In 1949-50 he founded the Ave Maria Institute and the magazine SOUL, promoting the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima. At the time of his retirement 38 years later the magazine had 243,000 subscribers and the Blue Army had become established in over 100 countries with over 25 million members. Recent Books From 1988 until 1993 he completed books on which he had long been working: TO PREVENT THIS and HER GLORIOUS TITLE. Both speak of a possible world chastisement which he believes Our Lady of Fatima will prevent if Her requests are heard. At the request of Bishop John Ito, of Akita, Japan, during this same period he translated the principal source book on the apparitions of Our Lady of Akita and wrote a small book on the apparitions, THE MEANING OF AKITA, of which almost 200,000 copies were in print within just two years. His major book on Fatima, HER OWN WORDS TO THE NUCLEAR AGE, began through an interview with Sister Lucia, visionary of Fatima. The future may judge it to be the major basic work on Fatima. He also wrote MEET THE WITNESSES, an original work on the Continued on inside back cover YOU. TOOI GO INTO MY VINEYARD “The call of the Lord Jesus 'You, too, go into My vineyard” never fails to resound in the course of history: It is addressed to every person who comes into this world.” Pope John Paul II Christifideles Laid, par. 2 by John M. Hoffert The symbol of L A F (Lay Apostolate Foundation) is derived from the miraculous light which constantly accompanied Blessed Anne Marie Taigi and in which she saw events taking place in the world, many of which were made known each day to the Pope and some of which called Anne Marie to acts of reparation or special acts of charity. God had chosen Anne Marie as a model of holiness in the world. This "miraculous television" was a gift never known to have been given to any other saint. For further explanation see page 212. Table of Contents Chapter: Page: 1 The Yellow R ose........................... 1. 2 What Order Shall I Join?.............. 2. 3 A New Message............................. 8. 4 Lay-Clergy Understanding............ 14. 5 Lay Apostolate N ow ....................... 18. 6 Different View s.............................. 24. 7 Apostolate Continuity................... 31. 8 Division Because of Fatima........... 39. 9 Who Is Called?............................... 43. 10 Juan Diego.................................... 50. 11 Other Models................................. 56. 12 The Apostle Formed by Our Lady .. 71. 13 Little Change in 20 Years.............. 79. 14 Are Lay Persons So Different? 87. 15 How High Is High?........................ 99. 16 Married Saints.............................. 102. 17 The Need to Know......................... 111. 18 Scary Example.............................. 121. 19 The Core Group............................ 124. 20 Two Paths..................................... 133. 21 How Far?...................................... 139. 22 The Perfect M odel.......................... 144. 23 Saints Today................................. 148. 24 At the Hinge of History................... 155. 25 Donum D ei................................... 160. 26 Holiness in Affluence.................... 164. 27 More Than Models........................ 172. 28 How About Money?....................... 178. 29 Is Unity Possible............................ 182. 30 Counsel and Command................. 187. 31 Final W ord.................................... 198. Epilogue One: Council Documents.......... 202. Epilogue Two: Canon Law ........................ 209. Epilogue Three: Lay Apostolate Foundation 212. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS T h e original title of this book was to be SHARERS, based on the description of the lay apostolate given in paragraph 31 of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: "Sharers in the priestly, prophetic and kingly Junctions o f Christ The word sharers, as used by the Council, seemed an especially apt description of my own more than fifty years as a lay apostle. It was only because of won derful Bishops and priests who had anticipated this view given by the Council that my apostolate was made possible. I have written this book, drawn largely from personal experience, with the prayer that others of the “faithful laity” called to serve the Church in some special way will be as fortunate as I in finding a “sharer” like Fr. Gabriel Pausback, O. Carm. who was my “sharer” in the Scapular Apostolate, and Msgr. Harold Colgan, “sharer" in the Blue Army; and that they will have trusting superiors like Bishop Eustace, Bishop Ahr, Bishop Hastrich and Bishop Venancio, following the lights of the Holy Spirit shining from the Second Vatican Council concerning missions of the laity in the Church. My debt to them has already been partially acknowledged in the book Dear Bishop... but for this book in particular I must express special thanks to them, and to some in particular. Even in retirement Bishop Jerome Hastrich was always on the go as Founder-President of the Queen of the America’s Guild and U.S. National President of the World Apostolate o f Fatima (the Blue Army). It is, therefore, especially appreciated that his Excellency took the time to study the manuscript of this book and to write several pages of helpful suggestions. Arch bishop George H. Pearce, S.M., not only read the entire manuscript but also sent several pages of detailed, very helpful suggestions. Other individuals who read the manuscript and made valuable criticisms are John Downs, Founder of Apostolatus Unitv, A1 Williams, for years custodian of the National Pilgrim Virgin, and his wife Betty {they are wonderful examples of married apostles!); Bob Ziener, Founder-President of Rosaries for Peace and Public Relations advisor to several major apostolates; Daniel Sullivan, Founder of Knights of Fatima and himself author of a book on the lay apostolate. Final and special thanks are due to Dr. Rosalie Turton, founder of the 101 Foundation. Her help was enhanced by the example of her own generous response to the teachings of the Council on the role of the laity in today's Church. Dr. Turton gathered and contributed biographies of lay candidates for sainthood and reviewed the manuscript over and over during its development, a work of almost five years. A word of thanks, too, to Father Joseph Penna who, far beyond the duties of diocesan censor, offered patient and invaluable counsel. We believe, with Martha Robin (who lived 30 years solely in the Eucharist): "The Church will be renewed by an apostolate of the laity." John M. Haffert Revised Edition July 16, 1996 Imprimatur: This book has been examined by a duly appointed ecclesiastical censor and nothing therein has been found contrary to faith or morals. Copyright 1995, 1996, by the Lay Apostolate Foundation, a nonprofit organization for the promotion of lay involvement in the life of the Church. Chapter One Little Rose Marie Ferron THE YELLOW ROSE In the morning John and Janice received Communion together. That afternoon Janice was dead. A car in the opposite lane had leaped the center barrier. Having survived almost miraculously with only minor inJuries, John continued to speak of Janice even a year later as though she were still alive. Childless, they had been all things to each other. Their oneness had deepened through a lively faith which had carried them through great trials together. Communion of Saints John said he felt a communion with Janice and with "Mary Rose." “Janice always spoke to Mary Rose Ferron,” John told me. “When she asked Mary Rose for a favor it was not only granted but soon afterwards Janice received a yellow rose. That was the special sign that the prayer was answered. Now I receive yellow roses." I expressed surprise that a comparatively unknown lay person such as Mary Rose could be the object of such confidence and devotion when she is not a recognized saint. 2. “Oh, there are many who pray to Mary Rose,” John assured me. “And many receive yellow roses." I wondered if her cause for beatification had begun. “No, the fame of ‘Little Rose,’ as she has become known, spread mostly from one person telling another because of answers to prayers. Many speak of a fra grance of roses when she is invoked, and mysteriously receiving yellow roses after praying to her." At the age of 80 I had never been given a yellow rose. It was not to put Little Rose Ferron to the test but because I felt she was a neglected lay saint that I asked her for help in making the role of lay apostles better understood. The next day I was handed a yellow rose. Why? At my request John sent me several pamphlets and books on Little Rose which had belonged to Janice. To my surprise, many books and pamphlets had been published about her. For more than a quarter of a century there had even been a magazine published to make known her saintly life and to report many favors received through her intercession. Yet the local bishop had never undertaken a canonical process o j investigation.