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Dear Friends of the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and International Shrine of the Holy Innocents: We are very pleased to announce that Fr. Robert J. Fox, E-in-C of Immaculate Heart Messenger and a member of our National Advisory Board, has accepted for publication in the Winter issue of IHM, an article about our Project by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., entitled An Arch of Mary's Triumph and a Life Support. Brother Samaha, a widely published Marian author and past co-president of Mariological Society of the United States, will be recognized by some as author of the article, The Pastoral Importance of Shrines, which played a role in the genesis of our Project. To subscribe to IHM call 1-800-721-MARY (6279). Father Fox is a leading expert on Fatima, and IHM consistently reveals fresh insights about Our Lady's appearances and messages, and Her great relevance for our time. I also recommend Fr. Fox's book, Fatima Today: The Third Millennium (for ordering info, go to www.fatimafamily.org/fatimatoday.html). The following is an excerpt from Ch. 18: "When Sister Lucia, at the direction of her Confessor, asked Our Lord 'why He required the Collegial Consecration of Russia' she received an answer and already on May 18, 1936, had written: 'I have spoken to Our Lord about the subject, and not too long ago I asked him why He would not convert Russia without the Holy Father making that consecration?' Our Lord answered Sister Lucia: 'Because I want my whole Church to acknowledge that consecration as a triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that it may extend the cult later on, and put the devotion to the Immaculate Heart beside the devotion to my Sacred Heart.'" I am struck by the possible relevance of this momentous 1936 message from Our Blessed Lord, to our Project. At Fatima, Our Lady told Sister Lucia, "Our Lord wishes to establish in the world, devotion to my Immaculate Heart." In a sense, that devotion has been "established" in the world, for it does now exist here; but among whom? A rather narrow segment of the practicing Catholic population of the world. Certainly, God's intention to "establish" devotion to Mary's Immaculate Heart in the world has a greater purpose, than has so far been realized. The Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will proclaim that devotion to the entire world, and we hope and pray, help establish it, in a way unmatchable even by radio and television. In the AOT's two bases, the Chapels of the Sacred Heart and of the Immaculate Heart will quite literally, "put the devotion to the Immaculate Heart beside the devotion to [Jesus'] Sacred Heart." Note that, according also to Chapter 18, Sister Lucia has affirmed that the collegial consecration occurred in 1984 (a controversial topic that is beyond my ken, but see Sister Lucia's letter to Fr. Fox dated 7/3/90, at www.fatimafamily.org/chapter18.html), so that our Project is "later on," the expression used by Our Lord to Sister Lucia in 1936. OTHER NEWS: Remarkable things are occurring for our Project, which is germinating quite wonderfully, here and also abroad. I hope to have more to tell you in the near future. At this time, we welcome our newest Advisory Board member, Fr. James E. Goode, O.F.M., founder and president of National Black Catholic Apostolate for Life. Father Goode's beautiful endorsement letter may be read now on our Web site. Please pray for Fr. Goode and all of our leadership supporters, and support their ministries. We welcome also our first two Regional Directors, Gabriel Kralik in San Francisco, and Christine Foisy-Erickson in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Gabe is a wonderful pro-life attorney who played a critical role in successful appeals in the Supreme Court case, Schenck v. Project Rescue. Christine is president of Mi Casa Ministries, which seeks to promote devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, as Protectress of the Unborn, in Canada. Please keep Gabe and Christine in your prayers, and if able, help us to recruit Regional Directors in the U.S. and abroad, or consider whether you may be called to render that special service to Our Lady, yourself. Call me if you wish to discuss at 888.200.6877. YOU CAN HELP BY SPREADING THE WORD! · We wish also to start Local Chapters, in towns and cities everywhere; go to our Home page and click the Start/Join Local Chapters link at the bottom for more information. I believe that "grass roots," person-to-person promotion of our Project is essential, and is also what Jesus and Mary would want, for the accomplishment of its great goals. Committed pro-life, pro-Mary Catholics heading Local Chapters will greatly aid our effort on its most basic and promising level, in our own faith communities. · Please click the Publicity Materials link at the bottom of our Home page. You will find our new Flyer, which is printer friendly and suitable for copying and distribution in your church, prayer and spiritual groups, and family. · There is also a beautiful new banner ad that you can place on your Web site, be it an organizational site, or personal/family. · Also there, a "web ad" of a size suitable for placement in small spots, such as church bulletin announcement columns, or in any other publication. · Help us build our email and mailing lists by inputting email and mailing addresses on our Web site, of friends whom you believe will wish to be a part of our Project (anyone can easily unsubscribe if our email is unwelcome). · Forward this message to friends and family members. · Share with us any ideas for promotion and publicity that you may have. As Brother John Samaha states in his forthcoming article, "If [our Project] finds its origin in God, then [it] will succeed, provided that those who believe in it persevere in their belief, and are willing to stand up and be counted." With God, all things are possible. Please pray often for us, and for all whom God will call to make possible this great tribute to Our Lord and Our Lady, to their Sacred and Immaculate Hearts, and to Life.
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