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On many occasions, in fact in all
her apparitions, Our Lady requested that we add penance to our prayers. “Prayer
and penance,” she admonished at Rue du bac (1830), La Salette (1846),
Lourdes (1858), Fatima (1917). One after the other, the same message was
repeated as a preparation for the enormous Crisis that would shake the world and
even the Church. We should
not be surprised then, that our Superior General Bishop Fellay is encouraging us
to join sacrifices to the Rosaries which we offer in the new crusade.
It is true, particularly in these days of comfortable living, that we are afraid
of the word penance. We don’t mind too much praying—but to do penance,
that is more difficult!
Sister Lucy (of Fatima) was often asked what exactly Our Lady meant by penance,
so she posed this question to her. Here is the reply that she received from Our
Lady on April 20, 1943:
The penance which God now expects
is the sacrifice that everyone must make in submitting his life in conformity
with the law of God. As mortification, He only wants that our daily chores be
simply and honestly accomplished, and that the pains and annoyances thereof be
accepted. He desires that souls be clearly directed in this way, because there
are many who think that great austerities must be done as penance, while they
have neither the strength nor the willpower for it; thus they are discouraged
and finally fall into indifference and into sin.
With this instruction in mind,
let us try to have this spirit of sacrifice in our daily life. Let us firstly
submit our life to the law of God, fighting against the many temptations of this
world, avoiding the occasions of sin, cutting ourselves off from the things that
lead us into sin. These are the first true penances which we must add to our
crusade. Then let us be more dutiful and conscientious in the accomplishment of
our daily tasks, especially the unpleasant ones.
Our lives are full of occasions to offer sacrifices—little ones, simple ones,
but it is precisely those that we need the most. Isn’t this, in fact, the best
way to fight the worldly spirit that seeks only fun and entertainment and
worldly pleasures?
Sacrifice yourselves for sinners,
and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice: “O Jesus, it is
for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sins
committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Finally, dear faithful, I wish to
see the generosity you demonstrate in this new Rosary Crusade help increase our
devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I would like therefore, at the end of
the Crusade in March of 2010, to renew the consecration of the United States
District of the Society of St. Pius X to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I am confident that a public renewal of the consecration to the Immaculate Heart
will be a source of many graces of sanctification—for our souls, our families,
our priests and priories, our schools, and even for the whole country.
It will be a renewed dedication of all of our works, as well as a consecration
of the nation, without presuming to take the place of the civil authorities, who
should do it—but, with a sincere desire to see all the blessings of this
beloved Immaculate Heart poured into our country and to see that Her triumph
comes. May this renewal, to
be done at the conclusion of this Rosary Crusade, re-double our generosity to
pray for the Consecration of Russia and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary. With my prayers and
blessing, In the Immaculate
Heart of Mary, Fr. Arnaud
Rostand |
