Immaculate Heart Messenger April June 2009 – Catholic Magazine Preview By Fatima Family

The Immaculate Heart Messenger is the quarterly

publication of the Fatima Family Apostolate. This
52-page magazine in full color is produced by an
apostolate that has been endorsed repeatedly by the
Cardinal Prefect of the Pontifical Council of the
Family.

It offers you the most timely and colorful magazine

available today, which is in honor of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary. God wants such devotion spread
throughout the world, as announced at Fatima. At the
same time this magazine covers the whole range of
Catholic faith and its practice as each Pope has said,
"Fatima is a reaffirmation of the Gospels."

Contents of April –June 2009

* The Power of Hail Mary

* Our Lady's Crown at Fatima Speaks of Human Life and the Family
* Satan Attacking Youth Today
* Discovering True Christian Fatherhood
* Tolerating Dissent No Longer Tolerable
* Knights of the Eucharist

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Immaculate Heart Messenger April June 2009 – Catholic Magazine Preview By Fatima Family

* Wounds From Absence of Family Father

* Stigmatist Francis of Escanaba
* Fatima Spiritual Heart of Portugal and Altar of the World
* The Rosary and the Imagination
* The Vestibule of Heaven Near Hanceville
* Father Hero Died As He Lived
* Science & Religion
* Questions & Answers
* Fatima Family Forum
* News Briefs & Comments
* Editorial - Why Does the Fatima Family Apostolate Exist?

Why Does the Fatima Family Apostolate Exist? By Fr. Robert J. Fox

The Immaculate Heart Messenger (IHM) is the vehicle of communications for the Fatima Family
Apostolate International (FFAI) which was founded approaching 25 years ago. This Apostolate was
founded at the suggestion of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Its magazine is published both in the
United States and in the Philippines. It is popular in Australia.

The IHM exists to share the "Good News" for the education and formation of family members. "Good
News" here refers to the teachings of the Gospel and traditional teachings of the Church. Some
publications considering themselves "Catholic" seem to glory in the negative. We see our mission as
being positive to educate and form in the authentic Catholic faith.

The Holy Family appeared at Fatima during the Miracle of the Sun. Thus when the Pontifical Council for
the Laity encouraged me to develop an Apostolate on Fatima, independent of other apostolates already
existing, the inspiration came to focus on the family and its sanctification. Cardinal Edouard Gagnon
wrote the preface for the first edition of the Charter for the Fatima Family Apostolate. Our Lady was a
Catechist at Fatima, teaching by words and through its events the basic truths of the Catholic Church. The
Fatima message, since 1930, has won the declarations of Pope after Pope, in stating: "Fatima is a
reaffirmation of the Gospel."

When Bishop Alberto Amaral of Fatima, Portugal, came to our national FFA Congress the first time, he
said: "Fatima is a call for the holiness of the family." He added that he approved of this Apostolate for it
teaches and forms in harmony with the Vatican, the Magisterial teachings of the Church. When Cardinal
Edouard Gagnon, prefect of the Pontifical Council for the Family, came from the Vatican he said, "My
presence says more than my words that I approve of the Fatima Family Apostolate." He also said, "Fatima
and Family go together." He also wrote approval of "Mary's White League" which is most popular with
younger children.

"EVANGELIZATION" sums up in one word why this Apostolate exists and what its work is. It means a
zealous proclamation of the Gospel in order to bring others to Christ and his church. Pope Paul VI said:
"Evangelizing means to bring the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence
transforming humanity from within and making it new, 'Now I am making the whole of creation new'"
(Rev. 21:5). Father John A. Hardon, S.J., for many years theological advisor to FFAI, wrote:
"Evangelization includes three distinctive elements: 1.) Interior conversion to Christ and his Church;

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Immaculate Heart Messenger April June 2009 – Catholic Magazine Preview By Fatima Family

2.) Affecting not only the individual person but the

whole culture; and 3.) as a result, Changing this
culture and its institutions to make them Christian
and Catholic."

The Second Vatican Council pointed out that parents

are to evangelize their own children. The Council
said "the family is the foundation of society."

In this issue we post more than usual the letters we

receive. They review how the FFAI has been
evangelizing families for decades now. We hope the
forum letters inspire people to dig more deeply into
this Apostolate. Will you help make the Immaculate
Heart Messenger known to others as a majority of
"Catholics" have but a superficial knowledge of their
faith? They don't know what they are missing. You
can't love what you don't know. You can't practice
what you don't understand.

Our recent book published in 2008: Eucharist:

"Heaven and Earth Unite", for which Mother
Angelica wrote the preface, has been our best seller
the past six months.

Then, with the death of the stigmatist, "Francis", the book I wrote on his life, "A Man Called Francis",
has been in great demand. Short reviews on Francis are in this issue as he was a close friend to me and the
Fatima Family Apostolate.

As a rule Francis never talked about himself. The editor of his diocese had met Francis, yet knew almost
nothing about him at the time of his death. He interviewed me to get details for the Marquette diocesan
paper. It appears that Our Lord instructed Francis in some way to cooperate with me when I was writing
the book. I asked him at the time, "What do you hope this book will accomplish?" His answer: "That it
touches the many people I will not be able to touch physically and personally." It apparently is. Jesus had
told him: "Touch my people". That touching was occasion for healing and countless conversions. Once
the book was concluded, while Francis remained close to me, he seldom spoke of his mystical experiences
to me. He was with me up to twice a year when I gave retreats. We often visited by phone.

In this issue you will find pictures of Francis I never published before. His wife Gail talked to me during
the time he was slowly dying. She phoned me for a long visit, shortly after his death. When God gave
Francis these special charisms, He knew who his wife was. His sufferings in many ways were hers too.

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Immaculate Heart Messenger April June 2009 – Catholic Magazine Preview By Fatima Family

New Fatima Family Apostolate Headquarters

THE FATIMA FAMILY APOSTOLATE (FFA) headquarters is now located in HANCEVILLE,

ALABAMA AS OF
DECEMBER 1, 2008. John C.
Preiss who will be managing
the order department has
constructed a big beautiful new
building for this Apostolate
known as the FATIMA
FAMILY CENTER. He is the
contributing editor to the
Immaculate Heart Messenger
Magazine.

Those driving to Hanceville,

Alabama on Hwy 91, coming
in from 65 from Birmingham,
will see the FATIMA
FAMILY CENTER to your
left just as you are entering into Hanceville from the west

318 Arkadelphia Road NW

Hanceville, AL 35077
256-352-5468

The 800 toll free number remains the same. 1-800-213-5541.

We will have Fatima prayers and songs, meditated
ROSARY and a CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION
on the eve of the two great Fatima anniversaries,
MAY 12 (7 PM) and Oct 12. If you are coming
to visit EWTN or the Shrine of the Most Blessed
Sacrament in May or October, you will be
welcome at the Hanceville FATIMA FAMILY
CENTER as we have spiritual activities these
evenings, the same as held at Fatima on MAY -
OCT anniversaries. RJF

Front cover image: Temple of the Child Jesus. At

the center of the piazza the Child Jesus greets
pilgrims arriving at the Shrine of the Most Blessed
Sacrament, Hanceville, AL. 35077.