The
Blue Army of Fatima
Why did this well established and
effective Marian Movement...
became a casualty in the competition
for the Promotion of Marian Messages?
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is two fold:
(1) To illustrate that The Blue Army
(of Fatima) was truly the vehicle chosen by God to make known to the
world the very grave messages and requests delivered to His children
through Fatima; and
(2) To explore why, how and by whom it was replaced.
Our KEY Premise: The Blue
Army was legitimate and was fulfilling the requirements that Our Lady
requested; no other 'replacement' movement was needed nor seems to have
the legitimacy and ample official Ecclesiastic endorsement that "The
Blue Army" originally had.
PLEASE NOTE:
(a) Unless otherwise noted, all
quotations are from the book "Dear Bishop" by
John Haffert (1).
(b) For those who wish to
pursue this very serious matter further, we have indicated the page
number from which the quotation was taken. In addition, within
Haffert's book there are many quotations from other sources. Therefore,
those quotations cited by him are credited immediately after the page
number in this document.
(c) Commentaries by The M+G+R Foundation are indicated
as "Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation".
While there are many other passages in the book that support each
element under consideration here, only a few, that were deemed
sufficient to make our point, were selected for this document.
The reader is invited to study further, to determine for himself the
validity of our premise.
BACKGROUND
The key "Background" to the founding of The Blue Army is the Messages
and Requests of Fatima. Thus, first, we must recount portions of said
Messages.
p.6 The very first question Our Lady put to [the children at Fatima]:
"Will you be willing to accept whatever God will send you and to offer
it up for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the
offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary?"
Quoting from Sr. Lucia's memoirs, May
1976 [from messages of 1917] (2)
: "Sacrifice yourselves for sinners ... for love of Jesus, for the
conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against
the Immaculate Heart of Mary." "If what I say to you is done, many
souls will be saved and there will be peace ... if my requests are
heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she
will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and
persecutions of the Church..."
p.322 "If men do not listen to my words Russia will spread her errors
... promoting further wars and persecutions ... The good will be
martyred; the Holy Father will suffer much and various nations will be
annihilated." - Our Lady, July 13, 1917
p.6 [Sr. Lucia, the remaining witness of Fatima] "The Rosary is not the
most important request" ... the essential request ... was ... 'Will you
be willing to accept whatever God will send you and to offer it up for
the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the offenses committed
against the Immaculate Heart of Mary?' ... she emphasized that it is
the fulfillment of one's daily duty, according to one's state in life
... which is the primary condition for turning back of the tide of evil
which threatens today's world, and which will also bring us the great
favor of the conversion of Russia and an era of peace for mankind."
p.9 We are responsible ... Our Lady spoke these soul-shattering words:
"Continue to make sacrifices! So many souls are lost because there is
no one to pray and make sacrifices for them!
DETAILS
What
is the Blue Army?
Commentaries by
The M+G+R Foundation: Using a pledge (3) that embodies the
elements of the Fatima prophecy, the Blue Army invites people who
promise to daily fulfill Our Lady's terms for world peace.
p.7 The pledge (3),
as I wrote it down during the course of this interview
[with Sr. Lucia] contained the following conditions: Pray the Rosary
daily; wear the Scapular as a sign of consecration to the Immaculate
Heart; offer up the sacrifices demanded by daily duty, extending our
Morning Offering through the day.
p.25 ... the Blue Army is essentially an extension of the [daily] Apostleship of Prayer ... a
response to those very first words of Our Lady to the children of
Fatima: "Will you be willing to
accept whatever God will send you and to offer it up in reparation for
sin and for the conversion of sinners?" ... offering all that we
are, have and do through the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in union with
the Sacrifice of the Mass...
p.26 The Blue Army in its basic and simplest form is really like the
opening of the door of the human heart to the heart of Mary, and
through the heart of Mary to an intimate union with the Sacred Heart of
Jesus in the Eucharist.
p.27 This is ... an army of prayer and sacrifice, an army on its knees.
p.320 [Bishop (of Leria-Fátima Diocese) Venancio]" ... this is
the great and important task of the Blue Army: to mobilize these ...
forces and bring them to conscientious service of the Church, to
collaborate with other movements, to give new life to the various forms
of apostolic activity."
p.322 [Bishop Venancio]"The task of The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima
consists in making known to the whole world the Message of Fatima, by
all means at its disposal so that men of all nations will realize it in
their personal lives."
p.153 The Bishop emphasized that perhaps one of the unique aspects of
the Blue Army is that its membership is open to every person, in every walk of life,
and it includes bishops, priests and religious, as well as laity.
The
Fatima Plan from The Virgin Mary
was for...
(a) Russia
p.25 the conversion of Russia, which would otherwise deceive the
world into communism
(b) The World in General
p.25 The Fatima Plan from The Virgin
Mary was for ... the world
(because of the promise of world peace when enough persons respond).
p. 26 ... and after the conversion of Russia, to aid in the triumph of
Her Immaculate Heart in the entire world.
(c) Our Spiritual Maturity
p.25 - ... this opens the door to a
whole new life, both for the individual who practices [the Apostleship of Prayer in this
manner] and for the world because of the promise of world peace when
enough persons are responding.
p.48 [Sr. Lucia] said that the present members of the Blue Army should
pray the Rosary with more attention to the mysteries, and should try to
be constantly open to God.
She spoke almost an hour on the importance of a real conversion on the
part of Blue Army members - in the sense that the Little Flower used
the word "conversion" in her own life. To our surprise she said that
there were priests, and even some bishops, who belittle the use of the
Rosary and do not sufficiently encourage devotion to Our Lady. She said
it was only our own conversion,
our own greater openness to God in
every moment of the day, which would
change the world as in needed in order for the Immaculate Heart of Mary
to triumph now.
Commentaries by
The M+G+R Foundation: The Fatima Plan from God through the
Virgin Mary was for the conversion of Russia, the conversion of the
World, and the maturing of the faithful. This Plan was fully and openly
endorsed by Pope Pius XII, so why would we need other "plans" such as
the one proposed by the Marian Movement of Priests?
The
Blue Army was founded for the
fulfillment of the Messages of Fatima
p.7 We had completed the [Blue Army] pledge (3), and she was satisfied.
"Yes", [Sr. Lucia] said, "these are the basic things which must be done
in order to obtain the conversion of Russia."
p.216 ... we developed the international motto of the Blue Army: Orbis
Unis Orans ... "one world praying" ... We look to Our Lady appearing at
Fatima with Her hands folded in prayer, and hearing Her message, we try
to unite the world in prayer with Her to bring about the triumph of Her
Immaculate Heart and the fulfillment of that great promise: "An era of
peace to mankind."
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
The Blue Army was founded for the fulfillment of the Messages of Fatima
(which were fully approved and accepted by all Popes and many, many
members of the Clergy and the Hierarchy). Therefore, why was it
necessary to create the Marian Movement of Priests (MMP), which is
based on alleged locutions (which, to this date, do not have explicit,
official approval by the Church authorities)?
The
Blue Army promoted only the
requests of Our Lady of Fatima
p.33 The Blue Army is a response to the Message of Fatima – both in its
simplest form as an extension of the Morning Offering through the day,
and its far more complex form as a complete program of being born into
intimate union with the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus through living our
consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
p.77 ... article from Cardinal Tisserant [Dean of College of Cardinals ...
and intimate of Pope Pius XII] describing the Blue Army as "the
response to the message of Our Lady of Fatima," ... Our "Queen needs
this army for her spiritual victory." "The Blue Army should make known
to the whole world, and not
just to Catholics, what is necessary in order that peace may
reign at last in the whole world."
Commentaries by
The M+G+R Foundation: The Blue Army promoted only the
request of Our Lady of Fatima, thus, one must ask 'Whose plans are the
other movements promoting?'
The
Blue Army Statutes approved
p.108 ... but finally, in a solemn meeting, which was attended by
Cardinal Tisserant, the statutes were adopted, and then presented to
the Holy See for approval. The congregation in charge of such matters
(before the Council) gave them approval "ad experimentum" (which was the
normal procedure).
p.160 ... Bishop de Silva, first Bishop of Fatima, who said: "You may
promulgate this [pledge (3)
and plan] as coming from me," and how he
subsequently encouraged us ... [and] appointed a Canon to draw up
statutes which he then presented to the Holy See for formal approval,
thus establishing an official ... Blue Army with the approval of Rome.
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
The Blue Army statutes were approved at the highest level of the Roman
Catholic Church. Other groups' statutes have not received such
approval. As a matter of fact, not even the Rector of the Sanctuary of
Fatima in Portugal was aware of the MMP's activities in Fatima as late
as 1995. (4)
The
Blue Army was approved and
accepted by all Popes and many members of the Clergy and the Hierarchy
(a) The Blue Army was endorsed by Pope
Pius XII...
p.21-22 ... Pope Pius XII endorsed
Fatima so emphatically, blessed the Blue Army, and gave us Cardinal
Tisserant, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, as a sort of
"protector, " and actually named him as his own Papal Legate for the
blessing of our International Center at Fatima in 1956.
(b) and by Pope Paul VI...
p.85 ... Pope Paul VI sent this
instruction to the Marian Congress held that year [1967] in the
Dominican Republic: ... "That one ever hold in great esteem the
practices and exercises of the devotion to the most blessed Virgin
which have been recommended ... and among them we judge well to recall
especially the Marian Rosary and the religious use of the Scapular ...
a form of piety ... for spiritual fruit.
Insofar as the Mother is honored, so will the Son ... be glorified as
He should be ... Advise the
faithful that piety toward the Mother of God is not to be found in a
sterile and passive sentimentalism nor in certain vain credulity but
... by that true faith..."
This papal statement is the most important endorsement of the pledge (3),
as well as of the Blue Army itself.
p.120-121 When Pope Paul VI ... decided ... to proclaim Mary, Mother of
the Church, to renew the consecration of the world to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary, and to announce that he was sending a "mission to
Fatima" ... with the Golden Rose, and His Holiness had these words
inscribed on the Rose: " To you, O Mary, I confide the Church."
p.255 ... Pope Paul VI sent his benediction to the Blue Army...
(c) and had the support of Padre Pio...
p.96 ...given in reply to a question by
one of [Padre Pio's] celebrated spiritual children, the Marquesa
Boschi. She had asked him whether it was a good thing to join the Blue
Army. The famous stigmatist replied: "This [the Blue Army] is not only
an act of prayer - it is also an apostleship. What better thing could you do?"
p.215 Padre Pio's prayer groups took an active role in this
Apostolate...
p.229-30 ... Cardinal Seper [Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith] did not petition the Holy Father for the Collegial
Consecration [as requested by Our Lady at Fatima ... but] answered that
it should not be done this way, but that 'it was up to an organization
like the Blue Army" to obtain the consent of their individual bishops
... [for] a truly collegial act...
The
Blue Army was Our Lady's army
p.26 ... two additional goals: 1) to cause those fulfilling the pledge (3)
to deepen their response in
association with others... 2) to encourage and to organize
militant members who will spread this message throughout the world...
p.77 The result was a magnificent article from Cardinal Tisserant describing the
Blue Army as "the response to the message of Our Lady of Fatima,
"and quoting the Scripture attributed to Our Lady, namely that She is
"like an army in battle array," and that the Queen needs this spiritual
army for Her victory.
Later Cardinal Tisserant was to give the Blue Army its greatest mandate
when he said: "The Blue Army
should make known to the whole world, and not just to Catholics, what
is necessary in order that peace may reign at last in the whole world."
In addition to being Dean of the College of Cardinals - and therefore
the most important Cardinal in the church, Cardinal Tisserant was also
an intimate of Pope Pius XII and perhaps had more influence with the
Pope than any other member of the Curia.
p.113 [Bishop Hasterich wrote] "... I see in the Blue Army a great
rallying force for all people of good will who are desirous of
following the teachings of Christ ... [and] as a means of coordinating
various devotions to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and His Blessed
Mother."
p.208 Again the Queen of the World was showing Her power, Her own
personal direction to Her "Army."
p.218 [words of a leader in the U.S. Blue Army work] "Our Lady appeared
to me and told me that She wanted me to join this Apostolate, and that
She was its General..."
p.223 [The Bishop of Fatima's] thoughts naturally turned to the only
World Apostolate of the Fatima Message, the Blue Army.
p.236 I thought it important to include this all-too-brief reference to
St. Joseph so that all Blue Army members will recognize that he is one
of the leading 'generals' in Our Lady's troops!
p.278 ... Bishop Venancio said that the forces of evil must indeed
recognize it as the Queen's Army even though its only weapons are the
Rosary and the Scapular, because an army of evil can be overcome only
by an army of holiness.
p.288 [Bishop John Reiss] ... We can storm heaven so that this message
handed to us by Our Lady, according to the will of Her Son, may again
be heard. We must change our lives. We must live differently; we must
root out of us evil in all its forms. We must pray for this, but above
all we must continue so that by example we may bring many more voices
to the union of prayer so that God will hear the requests of Our
Blessed Mother, that She may be our advocate and win for us the peace
of Christ.
p.305 What seems most important … and what I think Bishop Ahr had in
mind when he asked me to record these remembrances is to
attribute to Our Lady the raising up of an army in response to Her
Fatima warnings and promises, and that this victorious army (with the
victory assured by Our Lady Herself) must experience many setbacks ...
and even many defeats.
The
activities of the Blue Army had
the following results, proving its effectiveness
p.130 The article, titled "Tragicomedy in Four Acts," cited three
factors which, in Soviet eyes, had prevented the atheistic revolution
from having taken over the entire world in the fifty years since the
success of Lenin's storming of the Winter Palace in Leningrad.
The first was Hitler, the second was the Cold War, and the third was The Blue Army of Our
Lady of Fatima. These incessant and violent attacks have
certainly damaged us on more than one occasion. (ed. -- see full
transcript, Appendix IV, pp 334-340)
p.208 The Apostolate began to develop on a world scale ... despite the
increasing effectiveness of Soviet propaganda directed against it ...
charges that the Apostolate of Fatima was a weapon of the CIA and a
political "export" of Portugal ... a colonial power ruled by fascists,
which held millions in slavery in Angola and Mozambique.
p.215 The greatest evidence of their effectiveness came ... when ...
more than a million people turned out to honor Our Lady on the
Communist May Day.
p. 276 ... the only major deterrent remaining to the global triumph of
communism is, according to the Russians' own admission, The Blue Army
of Our Lady of Fatima.
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
Since the prayerful activities of the members of the Blue Army had such
well-documented results why was it necessary to replace it with another
movement? Are we now witnessing here Revelations 12: 15-17 ?
Signs
of affirmation for creation of
Blue Army
p.45 ... Bishop of Fatima began to look on the Blue Army as the most
important of all Fatima activities. He not only encouraged us to build
an International Center near the Basilica to foster the Apostolate in
the world, but in his last days, the
very first thing he asked his secretary each morning was: "What
news is there today of the Blue Army?"
p.48 ...Lucia replied: "Do not be discouraged ... Look at the United
States, a country so often associated with materialism, and yet there
is the Blue Army!" and "today there
is something more: Today there are legions like the Blue Army in the
United States..."
p.65 and after asking his [Fr. Lord's] advice, [I] received the answer:
"If you and Fr. Colgan join forces, there will be an explosion for Our
Lady."
p.65 ... there was a marvelous biblical foundation for wearing a blue
ribbon in Numbers: "The Lord said ... put tassels on the corners of
their garments, fastening each with a blue cord ... that the sight of
them will remind you to keep all the commandments of the Lord, without
going astray after the desires of your hearts and eyes..."
p.69 But what to me is most marvelous and consoling as I recall that
last visit with Monsignor before he died is that from the day of his
death we have never lacked a priest to take his place.
p.74 ... Maria de Freitas ... was also translating most of the other
international correspondence, she realized that the only true effective
Apostolate of Fatima that was developing in the world was the Blue Army.
p.122 one of the most brilliant pages in the history of our Apostolate
was written from 1967 until 1971, when pilgrim statues of Our Lady of
Fatima were crowned simultaneously by 50 bishops, for more than 70
countries around the world.
p.124 The Pope made this most evident in a gesture which certainly
surprised me ... In the midst of the ceremonies, His Holiness took
Lucia by the arm and marched her to the front of the platform before
that immense crowd and the clusters of television cameras which were
carrying this incredible sight to hundreds of millions around the world.
p.131 ...She disclosed that " My Son has heard your prayers" [for
peace]. At Fatima, She promised not only peace, but also the conversion
of Russia. She appeared in blue, crowned as a Queen, with two crosses
next to Her head - one East and one West. Four candles were burning in
an oval which surrounded Her. And as the Rosary was prayed, the entire
apparition increased in size in the night sky.
p. 139 ... as the years passed, and the Apostolate mushroomed like the
proverbial mustard seed...
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
After having been opposed at the highest level at the Vatican, Paul VI
affirmed the mission of the Blue Army ... to have Our Lady crowned
"Queen of the World".
p. 200 ... the person of 'average' sanctity could not stand up at the center of this conflict
[spiritual battle with Satanic forces], without not only great personal
sanctity, but also without the prayer support and companionship of
similarly dedicated souls ... That special vocation of Sr. Mary
Miranda, of the Felician Province of Lodi, New Jersey, [was] ... to
pray and sacrifice herself for the Apostolate in general, and finally
to found ... the Blue Army "House of Prayer", to be a 'spiritual heart'
of the Apostolate...
p.202 ... community founded by Our Lady for this Apostolate, to bring
about the triumph of Her Immaculate Heart in the world: a special
vocation for a special purpose.
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
Other 'coincidences' and miracles too numerous to mention are related
throughout the book; the author himself states (in p.244) "...if I start talking too much about such
revealing incidents ... and the marvels that we experienced, we will
run into volumes." These incidents and marvels led the author
and the leadership of the Blue Army to purchase properties, icons, etc.
and to produce a television series, all without debt – among many other
things – to do the work of Our Lady in promoting the Blue Army.
p.311 [Mr. Haffert states] Perhaps some readers may have perceived very
different signs of Heaven's approval of this Apostolate, such as the
fact that Lucia herself drew up the pledge (3), that the first Bishop
of
Fatima authorized its promotion and ...the second Bishop of Fatima
became its active promoter and International President. But certainly
not less important a sign ... has been the participation of [my own
Bishop, George Ahr]...
There is also the great sign of the intervention of Rome, in the person
of the most important Cardinal of the Church, Eugene Cardinal
Tisserant, Dean of the Sacred College. He became in reality the first
"Cardinal Protector" of the Apostolate.
Still other readers might consider the greatest sign to be Padre Pio's
endorsement of the Blue Army as the 'ideal apostolate' of our time, and
that the venerable stigmatist consented to be the Spiritual Father of
all those who would live up to their Blue Army pledge (3). For me
personally there are other signs...
Evidences
of Opposition and Reasons
For It
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
Any work undertaken for the Glory of God will be the subject of various
kinds of attacks from satanic sources. While some opposition may be
permitted so as to guide us into a 'right' path, discernment is
required to persist in the face of an attack meant to divert one from
the work of the Lord. The earlier attacks on the Blue Army were clearly
meant to destroy the work, but ultimately they were overcome and
became, instead, glorious victories.
p.20-21 [following a failed attempt to unionize the workers of the
Apostolate] ... we had reason to believe that Communists were behind
this – because of our program for the 'conversion of Russia' ...
Opposition and problems and more opposition have been our lot from the
very beginning. How could it be otherwise? Satan was there the day that
Our Lady announced that his program to extend the errors of militant
atheism throughout the world would be crushed by Her – that She would
convert Russia and bring an era of peace to mankind ... Mighty forces
were being raised up by Our Lady to sustain [us]
p.36 ... what would be their reaction when confronted with this
particular formula which claimed to embody the essential requests of
Our Lady for the conversion of Russia? Was there not a possibility of
it becoming a subject for debate?
p.29 Such opposition, even when subtle (like the book in France which
claimed that the Blue Army was financed by Archbishop Lefebvre) or
blatant, like published claims in Portugal and Spain that the Blue Army
is a branch of the CIA, is understandable.
p.117 [after hiring a Madison Avenue agency to] "break through" to the
consciousness of the general public ... the [poll] results were
unbelievably poor ... many people did not even know what atheist meant
... many television stations refused [to air commercial spots that
were] of a religious nature ... [then] my wife developed [numerous
physical ailments] ...
p. 125 I cannot tell Your Excellency how much I suffered at some of
these international meetings! Many European members seemed to resent
the fact that the Apostolate originated in the United States...
p. 128-129 Strangely the name "Blue Army" gave us more trouble than any
other particular aspect of the Apostolate. Msgr. Colgan…said to me:
"John, tell them that if they want to change the name, it is all right
with me. Let them vote for another name.
" They thought of "Crusade," but the representative from Italy made it
known that Pope John XXIII specifically said that he did not like the
word "crusade" to be used because of its recollection of the actions of
some of the "Crusaders" who had stormed Constantinople. In the end, an overwhelming majority
confirmed the name "Blue Army." ... But as time passed, the
Communists were indeed able to "smear" the name of the Blue Army -
which, as it turned out, they considered the number one deterrent to
the success of their world revolution.
p.167 Despite the opposition of many around the Pope (and I emphasize around the Pope)...
p.203 [religious communities that supported the Blue Army have] gone
through untold hardships ... extremely difficult path ... Satan seems
to know the harm that he is bound to suffer in the future from these
chosen, totally dedicated ... and does everything in his power ... to
prevent their foundation and ... development.
p.205 I know how unceasingly the devil works to sow dissension, to
create doubts, to block the way at every turn. To the complex problems
... is added the constant scheming and interference of an infernal
enemy, infuriated with despair by the very words which comprise our
hope: "In the end, my Immaculate Heart shall triumph..."
p.250 I could not understand why ... the secular press continued to
ignore the Message of Fatima. It was like some diabolical conspiracy of
silence.
p.251 [it seemed] that communication ... was arranged by the Communists
in Poland who intercepted the Cardinal's mail
p.277 Enormous funds placed at the disposal of the Communist Party in
Spain by Moscow were actually used
to stop the Blue Army by: 1) well placed agents to influence the bishops directly; 2)
pressure to [refer to] Communist Party as ... a form of Christian
socialism rather than atheist Marxism; 3) propaganda in the right
places to make this convincing; 4) Every major happening to call
attention to Fatima [was] countered with something to undermine Fatima.
p.278 The French... 'Fatima: Inquiry
into an Imposture' ... is a violent attack against the Blue Army
and Fatima ... coincided with 'Fatima:
The Miracle is a Lie' published in a leading Spanish periodical
... evidence of an internationally
directed attack.
p.282-3 ... if Satan were not so effective in playing upon the threads
of pride in a few individual crusaders who present themselves to become
leaders. When these frictions happen, the bishops become reluctant to
'take sides' – and reluctant to have anything to do with an apostolate
which lacks ... unity and charity.
p.306 We have mentioned ... the enemies we know ... the enemy we don't
know [is] Satan. He is manifesting himself more than ever ... a serpent
who is being crushed beneath a heel ... and all the grass thrashes
about as though given life by his powerful presence.
p.307 what may take us unawares is the work of Satan upon ourselves and
upon those working at our very side. In my opinion, the explanation is
primarily Satan's 'entrance' by the doors of money, pride (feelings
injured in persons who have not received the expected recognition) and
in just the ordinary weakness of human nature.
Founder
of the Blue Army
p.52 Was it Sr. Lucia, who, in the parlor of the Dorothean Convent on
the outskirts of Porto, spelled out precisely the fundamental requests
of Our Lady which must be fulfilled to bring about the conversion of
Russia?
Should we be more correct however in saying that the first bishop of Fatima, the
Most Rev. Jose Correia da Silva, was the founder of the Blue Army who
said "with all the authority as bishop of the place of the apparitions:
"You may promulgate this [the
establishment of the Blue Army] as coming from me."
p. 54-55 It is said that "as far as the Blue Army was concerned, there
were three: Bishop de Silva, Bishop Venancio, and yourself [Bishop
George Ahr]."
p.55 Dr. Jose Galamba de Oliveira. He was the one who acted as liaison
between Lucia and the Bishop...
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
Chapter 6 also credits Msgr. Harold Colgan as instrumental in the Blue
Army from the very beginning, and was heavily involved in the work for
25 years.
p.55 [but, in fact] "...I hope I am making it clear that the real
founder of the Blue Army was Our Lady Herself..."
Commentaries
by The M+G+R Foundation:
We know who was the
force behind the establishment Blue Army; however,
who was truly the force behind the establishment of the Marian Movement
of Priests which came to fill the vacuum left by the collapse of the
Blue Army?
Mr.
John Haffert is Slandered
John Haffert did not begin this work of his own accord, to make money
or for his ego. He practiced strict obedience to Church authority in
his life and in previous apostolic work long before the establishment
of the Blue Army was undertaken. He did so even when it required great
personal sacrifice. When circumstances seemed to point in the direction
of this new apostolate, he repeatedly went to his spiritual advisors
for confirmation and leadership.
He often spent his own money to further the interests of the
Apostolate, not waiting for others to fund the work, but trusting that
God would repay the money (or not) according to His will.
There are so many examples that could be quoted from the book that it
would be impossible to recount them all. Yet Mr. Haffert did not write
the book to defend himself; he only wrote it because his
Shepherd, Bishop Ahr instructed him to do so on
December 12, 1980. In every situation, he submitted himself to
authority without regard for his own reputation or gain, as befits a
man who serves God with all of his heart. He gained nothing, therefore,
...
Why
was the name of the co-founder and the father of the Blue Army, John M.
Haffert, dragged through mud, making him the victim of many accusations
and innuendos? These slanders were not consistent with Haffert's
history of establishing the Blue Army, and his complete devotion to its
success.
Could it be because if he was
destroyed and the forward motion of the Blue Army sputtered, it would
come to a standstill and open the way to what amounts to the Opus Dei
version of Marian Apparition Messages -- The Marian Movement of Priests?
Destroying its enemies' reputation does not seem to be an uncommon
practice (5) for
Opus Dei.
In this "Sea of Institutional Lies" (6), only those who have
eyes to see, will "See". Regretfully, the parable of the virgins and
the lamp oil [Matthew 25: 1-13]
will finally be played out in Time soon.
IN
CONCLUSION
"What to do?" the faithful seeking some guidance, will ask.
Unfortunately, although the Blue Army still exists, it is not even the
shadow of what it was at one time - physically and spiritually.
Therefore, we would not recommend it "as is," for a number of specific
and valid reasons which we will keep to ourselves.
Therefore, what we recommend is the formula that has always worked:
Live the pledge (3).
You do not need the "New and Improved" Blue Army.
Their original "formula" was obviously a success when even the Soviets
used the Blue Army as one of the key reasons for their failing to
destroy the Faith worldwide.
NOTES
(1) "Dear Bishop!" by
John M. Haffert - Memoirs of the author concerning The History of the
Blue Army - AMI International Press, Washington, N.J. 07882, USA -
Copyright 1982 - ISBN0-911988-42-4
(2) Sr.
Lucia's Memoirs - On Direct (Portuguese and English)
(3) The Blue Army Pledge
(4) The Marian Movement of
Priests - In Conclusion
|| The Rector of the Sanctuary of Fatima
questions the standing of the MMP
(5) A
typical example of the defamation of the character of an enemy of the
Opus Dei
(6) The Vatican outright lies about the
third part of the Secret of Fátima.
Published on December 12, 2004
- Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
© Copyright 2004 - 2022 by The M+G+R Foundation.
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