On October 27, 2016, in Marbel in South Cotobato on the Island of Mindanao, Philippines, Mary’s Mission Tour began. It is a 2100 km Pilgrimage programmed to conclude in Baguio Luzon on Aug. 15, 2o17. This Pilgrimage has been conceived as the SSPX District of Asia’s offering to Mary for the Centenary of Fatima. While the Pilgrimage has not yet concluded, it has reaped many initial fruits for Our Lady 14,600 new Knights were enrolled in 3 months on the Island of Mindanao alone. And as Mary’s Mission Pilgrimage winds its way through the Philippine isles, more Knights are added to Mary’s Army. This article is about the Mission itself and the follow-up.

Mary’s Mission is an Apostolate of Our Lady of Fatima in which Our Lady herself is the main Missionary. The name, “Mary’s Mission” means the missionary movement begun in the Church by Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima. There, her purpose was to invite apostolic souls to establish Devotion to her Immaculate Heart in the world and to request the Pope to bring Peace to the world. At the same time Our Lady gave the Church the means to protect itself from the most grievous danger that has ever threatened it. All of these aspects of Fatima have been neglected. But it is the missionary aspect of Fatima that is the most neglected and contradicted by Catholics today. It is precisely this Missionary spirit of Fatima that is given concrete expression in Mary’s Mission. In this Mission, the Militia Immaculatae becomes the providential instrument of Our Lady to fulfill the designs she revealed at Fatima.

The main worker of this Marian missionary Apostolate, is Our Lady Herself, represented in a 42 in Statue, mounted on a carrier and conveyed by an attractive Carossa. From this mobile pulpit, she invites men to draw near, or to repair to an appointed place for the reception of sacramentals, attendance at a Mass or catechism or conference. This work of invitation is carried out by a team of Pilgrim Virgin Walkers & catechists (PVCs) who power the Carossa, guard Our Lady, and as the case may be, give sacramentals. The catechists prepare for enrolment in the scapular, and do all forms of catechetical work in the spirit of Mary’s Mission, spreading devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For example, they will, as opportunity offers, teach about consecrated service to Mary in the M.I., or other things as the case may require. Often, this team is accompanied by a Priest who will enroll souls in the scapular, and sometimes, as Our Lady passes, visit the sick who may be in need.

The day of ambulatory apostolate will end with a Mass, distribution of sacramentals, and a concluding conference designed to elicit a desire of serving Mary and of belonging to her army. After this conference, those who have been inspired to serve Mary will consecrate themselves to her and enroll in the Militia Immaculatae. Along the Mission trail, there are frequent cases of 100 and more people consecrating themselves to Our Lady in a single night, but the average would be nearer 40 generous souls.

In conjunction with this Mary’s Mission PVC team, other Catechetical teams, accompanying a Priest, may make supplemental apostolic trips branching off the main Mission trail with a statue #2 or even #3. This team or these teams, will go to Barangay halls, or Municipalities, or Schools to give sacramentals, to consecrate institutions to Mary’s Immaculate Heart, and even to give conferences and enroll participating people in the M.I.

The advance preparation team

This immense work of Mary’s Mission PVC and Catechetical teams depends in great deal upon an advance team that, sometime before Mary’s Mission itself, will ply the route Our Lady is to travel in order to prepare her stops, evening resting places and apostolate along the route. For this, several weeks before Our Lady’s arrival, this team reaches out to civil authorities, ranging from Army and Police to local Barangay officials, to invite them to participate in Mary’s Mission in some way, or to request their assistance which may be needed. The main goal of this advance team is firstly to make sure Our Lady has a resting place each night, and secondly, to invite as many institutions and governmental bodies as possible to share in the graces of the Mission.

Clergy persecution

Throughout Our Lady’s passage through the Philippines, Novus Ordo clergy and Episcopate have taken note and have frequently condemned Mary’s Mission as an apostolate to be avoided. They state that the Society is not Catholic, and in some cases have claimed that scapulars and miraculous medals received at the Mission were fake and to be cast away. However, there are some exceptions, and in any case, Mary draws the souls She seeks and her work, despite this opposition, goes on. Nevertheless, it is clear that the Novus Ordo clergy has been shaken by this Mission, to the point of receiving particular attention — we have been told — at Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Their judgment was negative. Still, their tacit approval was evident in that soon after the passage of our Mary’s Mission, Novus clergy also began to sponsor Mary’s Missions of their own. These lacked all apostolic intentions and only feature a travelling statue in a vehicle, with pauses for veneration at participating Churches. However, imitating what they condemn shows us that their Catholic consciences have been touched.

Mary’s Mission method in the face of such attacks has been to preach even more vigorously the apostolic aspects of Our Lady’s plan: the conversion of sinners, the consecration of Russia, the devotion of reparation. These themes touch the hearts of all men and render any objection to them intrinsically foolish. Catholics are those who preach the apostolic Faith, not those who oppose it. In a second movement, Mary’s Missioners will be able to explain the Third Secret, and then, only after this is grasped, will the problem of Tradition and the apostolate of the Society of St. Pius X become clear.

Mary’s Mission Follow-up for new Knights

Since the Consecration to Mary in the M.I. and the Miraculous Medal have a real efficacy, follow-up means to foster this efficacy. Although salesmen making “cold” calls expect a 1% positive response, we can expect it will be easier for the M.I. Here, we are not making “cold” calls, but “fervent” calls. Our text messages and follow-up visits build upon a spiritual consecration and work through a powerful sacramental. The immediate goal is to “stir up the grace of God that is in you by the imposition…” of the Miraculous Medal.

How to do it — a three step system

The first step of follow-up is to send a text-message, or make a phone call to those who have enrolled in the M.I. This text or call simply reminds them to say their M.I. prayer every day. Ideally, a text message, e-mail or some form of quick and easy communication will be sent to former M.I.s monthly or quasi-monthly. The International Director’s letter will be sent to those who have e-mail. A record will be kept of this initial follow-up work so that a report can be entered into the National Registry.

A key element of this first step is to place tarpaulins, flyers or other forms of public communication at the areas passed by Our Lady as public reminders to souls to persevere in devotion to Our Lady and in the duties of the M.I. In practice, this may be easier to implement in the second step, but it is important to do this within a reasonable time after the passage of Our Lady.

Second step

The second step of follow-up is a home visitation by M.I.s. This visitation amplifies the goal of the text message. Here, the new soldiers, the new M.I.s are reminded to say their prayer every day, and to wear their miraculous medal. Visiting M.I.s who are performing this work of follow-up will make a report of how many know their prayers by heart and how many are wearing the miraculous medal. At this visit, visitors will give a small gift such as a flyer or a supply of medals. At this follow-up visit, the follow-up can take a deeper turn. There where Mary’s Maternal grace is working, and the soul thus visited shows interest, a small home based catechism can follow, in which even neighbors or friends, especially those who enrolled originally in the M.I. will be invited. In the follow up work, Mary’s workers must try to follow the grace that she gave, nourish souls with Her Immaculate Heart, and remind them to fulfill their simple M.I. duties in the spirit of Our Lady. They should teach them the meaning of their consecration and give tips on how to live out this consecration in daily life.   In addition, it is possible to go further than the MI prayer and strive to give a better understanding of the Holy Rosary. 

It is very important to note that the Knight of the Immaculata forms a very precious gift and tool or perseverance for our new Knights. They are particularly edified by it and the international news is especially helpful for them to see the Catholic nature of the work, often obscured by the persecution that has always accompanied Mary’s Mission. In connection with this MI flyers and small books are most helpful, as well, and must be on hand for those new recruits who show the capability and interest necessary to the fruitful uses of these media.

Since the house follow-up visit presents special difficulties, distances to travel, conflicts of schedule, and opportunities of doing deeper catechism and addressing problems, it is best if the M.I.s who are to perform this important work are free to visit a given area for several days. Budgeting a certain frame of time is necessary if several veteran M.I.s plan to visit, if possible, all the M.I.s of a given area. Naturally, a report of this work will be made.

This second step of home visitations is something that may well continue over a relatively long period of time. Grace doesn’t always produce fruits immediately. Veteran MIs ready for follow-up work must be ready for a persevering long haul. However, they will consistently aim at this concrete goal: to form a group of M.I.s that can carry on this work themselves and who can move to the third step.

Third step

The third step can take a variety of applications. Ideally it will take the form of a Mary’s Mission II animated and organized by the new recruit MIs of the given area. In other words, step #1 is simply done again, but with the new MIs being the main workers and coordinators of this Mary’s Mission II. Or it can take the form of a public conference with the Priest. Other possibilities may present themselves. But in them all, it will be some kind of public act of veneration and reparation to Mary, with the public Rosary procession and Mass with the presence of Our Lady herself as represented by a worthy statue and bier or carossa. This third step is the great goal at which the follow-up work and home visitations aim.

Schools, municipalities and other institutions

Schools present a different problem, because of the great numbers of students who are a “migrant population”. Nevertheless, working through the teachers is effective and so contact with the children, where teachers are in the M.I. and cooperative, is not difficult. The goal is to ensure that the children know the prayer by heart, say the M.I. prayer daily, and wear the Miraculous Medal. Where further M.I. apostolate in the school is possible, this can be pursued. Frequently, this will exceed our possibilities and so the children go under the guidance of Mary with their prayer and their Miraculous Medal. Grace has made its foot-hold, Providence will show us later the outcomes. As for Municipalities and other institutions, the follow-up work will be along the same principles, and veteran M.I.s working in this field of apostolate will be led by Our Lady, their possibilities and divine Providence.

Aim high and reap good fruits

The secret of Mary’s Mission is that it is hers. And by constantly aiming at the great goals Our Lady proposes, the salvation of souls through prayer, sacrifice and consecration — at forming apostolic souls, we have far greater numbers of souls who will be saved. In other words, aiming for apostleship and reparation, saves more souls than going for realistic minimums. Striving to make people fervent M.I.s, makes many “regular” M.I.s who just say their prayer daily — but these would never have gotten this far if they were urged towards higher things.

Ever more, ever higher, God wills it!

Fr. Timothy Pfeiffer

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