FATIMA CELL PROGRAM FOR SEPTEMBER ThemesTHE HOLY GHOST: The Holy Ghost is the Soul of the true Catholic Church, and the Author of all inward sanctity; He is the Spirit of Truth Who guides and governs the true Church of Christ, speaking through the lawful successors of the Apostles, true Catholic Popes and Bishops. No true amendment of life is possible without the infallible guidance of the Holy Ghost, and the help of His grace, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Church. |
OUR MOTHER OF SORROWS: In her final apparition, Our Lady appeared at Fatima as Our Mother of Sorrows, to emphasize the effect the sins of mankind have upon her tender and Immaculate Heart. This apparition is also emblematic of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Our Divine Lord told Lucia, "Have compassion upon the Heart of your Most Holy Mother, which is covered with thorns which ungrateful men drive therein at every moment, while there is no one who does an act of reparation to withdraw them for her." During this month we especially consider the life-long sorrows which, like seven swords, pierced her tender and loving Heart. (Feast of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of MarySept. 13th; The Seven Dolors of MarySept. 15th) |
THE PRIESTHOOD: Our Lady of Fatima told Jacinta, "Priests must be pure, very pure. They should not busy themselves with anything except what concerns the Church and the salvation of souls. The disobedience of Priests to their Superiors and to the Holy Father is very displeasing to Our Lord." The Sacrament of the Sacred Priesthood instituted by Our Divine Lord provides us with the priceless treasure of grace in the Sacraments and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Pray and sacrifice for the perseverance of all true Catholic priests, and for an abundance of priestly vocations to continue the work of the Church as assistants to the Shepherds of the Flock. |
YOUTH MONTH: Our Lady appeared to children at Fatima and asked them if they were willing to offer themselves to make sacrifices for poor sinners, to make reparation for the terrible sins against the infinite majesty of God; thus the Angel demanded of them when they were playing, "What are you doing? Pray! Pray a great deal!" Promote and sponsor Fatima Youth Cells in grade and high school; the Fatima Youth Crusade; spread the message of Fatima to young people to counteract the diabolical forces which assault today's youth on every side. |
OPENING PRAYERS: | * Come Holy
Ghost * The Litany of Loretto * Hymn: What a Sea of Tears and Sorrows |
* The Rosary with meditation on each mystery * Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel * Prayer to Our Mother of Sorrows |
MEDITATION: | * From the "Imitation of Christ" | * Or on
the Dolors of Our Lady from "The Glories of Mary" |
STUDY & DISCUSS: | * Officers' reports; Cell Memos | * Reading of the Salve Maria Regina Bulletin. |
First Meeting
MARY IN DOCTRINE AND DEVOTION:
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Mother of the Good Shepherd; The Holy Name of Mary; September apparition of Our Lady of
Fatima. (10 min. report, 10 min. discussion)
Reference: Salve Maria Regina, current issue, "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary"; "The Holy Name of Mary"; "The Glories of Mary" by
Liguori; article on the September apparition of Our Lady of Fatima; Sermons by the Most
Reverend Bishop Francis Konrad Maria - "Mary the Dawn", & "Who is She
That Cometh Forth as the Morning Rising", "The Holy Name of Mary", and
"Our Lady of Fatima."
"TO RESTORE ALL THINGS
IN CHRIST": This year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope St.
Pius Xs encyclical E Supremi, calling for a "Catholic Restoration of all
things in Christ". Read and discuss parts 15 of the encyclical, which treats of
the saintly Pontiffs trepidation upon his elevation to the Supreme Apostolic Office,
but which he determined to fulfill that "Christ may be all in all". Identify the
spiritual disease to which he attributed the religious devastation of his time, and trace
the footprints of the present apostasy to the Holy Fathers accurate diagnosis 100
years ago. (10 min. report, 10 min. discussion)
Reference: "E Supremi" on the
Restoration of All Things in Christ."
Second Meeting
FORCES OF ERROR: Unmasking Chardins Modernist Manifesto: Chardins Posthumous Influence. Following the death of Teilhard de Chardin in 1955, his gross errors against the Catholic Faith were published by his sympathizers, and widely read by numerous priests and religious. Discuss the present "Teilhardian Triumph" as manifested in the heretical "Ecumenism" of John Paul II. (10 min. report, 10 min. discussion)
Third Meeting
THE
EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS: Discuss the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross, the blessed sign of Christ's Victory and our Salvation; recall the command of
Christ to carry our own cross after Him by a daily crucifixion, to sin, self-love, and the
world; witness the fulfillment of this fundamental doctrine in the heroic self-denial of
St. Francis of Assisi, who attained such a union with Jesus Crucified that he merited to
have the holy Stigmata imprinted upon his body -- the Feast of the Imprinting of the
Stigmata of St. Francis. Discuss the ways in which we are called to be "crucified
with Christ" if we, like the saints, are to rise with Him to eternal life. (15 min.
report & reflection; briefly discuss application)
Reference: Sermon by Bishop Francis Konrad Maria, "The Exaltation of
the Holy Cross", and "The Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi"; Proper of the
Mass for the Feast of the Stigmata; books: "The Little Flowers of St. Francis",
and "The Life of St. Francis" by St. Bonaventure.
FATIMA
& YOUTH: Words of the Angel of Portugal to the Fatima children:
"What are you doing? Pray! Pray a great deal!" Discuss the diabolical forces
which assault today's youth on every side, threatening to pervert them morally and destroy
them spiritually -- materialism, secularism, relativism, state-sponsored "correct
thinking", sex education, moral depravity, immodesty, permissiveness, heresy; decay
of church, family, and society; over-emphasis on secular education and social prestige,
etc.; the Church's true teaching on the guidance of Christian youth; example of the Fatima
children; the urgent necessity of Fatima Youth Cells for all Catholic children and
Espiritu Cells for all Catholic teenagers to safeguard their Faith and save their immortal
souls. (10 min. report, 10 min. discussion)
Reference: Encyclical on Christian Education of Youth by Pope Pius XI;
selected sermons by the Most Reverend Bishop Francis Konrad Maria.
OUR
GLORIOUS CATHOLIC HERITAGE: The True Origins of North AmericaLong
before the Dutch and British established their Freemasonic Republic in 1776, the first
foundation of American settlements (after, of course, the tribes of the native Indian
population) were the Catholic missions and cities established by the zealous French,
German, and Italian missionaries in the North and Midwest of the continent, and the
equally zealous Spanish missionaries throughout the Southern and Western parts of the
continent. This comprises the glorious Catholic heritage of North America, established by
the intrepid missionaries, Catholic explorers, and zealous martyrs long before the
pollution of American shores by the Puritans, Anglicans, Methodists, Dutch Calvinists, and
other heretical sects, sowing the evil seeds of a Freemasonic empire. Among the courageous
early Catholic missionaries were the renowned North American Martyrs of Quebéc, Upper New
England, Ontario, and upstate New York. Read excerpts from "The Mission to the
Hurons" and discuss the valuable spiritual lessons to be gained from these heroic
spiritual pioneers. (10 min. report, 10 min. discussion)
Reference: "The Mission to
the Hurons".
Fourth Meeting
FORCES
OF ERROR: Unmasking Chardins Modernist Manifesto: Following in the
Footsteps of Disobedience. Conclude our study of the Modernist master by identifying his
descendents in heresy, especially the independent, false traditionalist priests who openly
denounce the Apostolic Authority of true Catholic Bishops. Discuss the absolute necessity
of a permanent teaching and governing authority in the Catholic Church, which is precisely
what Christ established, to protect the faithful from the spiritual anarchy which results
from the pride and disobedience of men such as Teilhard de Chardin. (15 min. report, 10
min. discussion)
Reference: Unmasking Chardin's
Modernist Manifesto, "Pascendi
Dominici Gregis" on the Errors of the Modernists.
THE
HOLY CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD: Discuss the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and how it
makes mere men participate in the eternal Priesthood of Jesus Christ. Review the seven
steps to the Priesthood, and recall the reverence and honor that this gradual elevation
teaches us for the priesthood and the episcopacy. Distinguish the invalidity of
"orders" in the Modernist sect, which has destroyed the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, the chief function of the Holy Catholic priesthood. Finally, review the words of
Jacinta regarding priests, and discuss the critical importance of prayer and sacrifice for
priests and priestly vocations. (15 min. report - 10 min. discussion)
Reference: Leaflets - "The
Sacrament of the Sacred Priesthood" & "Why Pray for a Priest"; catechism
lessons on the Sacrament of Holy Orders; Sermon by Bishop Francis Konrad Maria,
"Feast of Christ the King: Anniversary of Ordination to the Holy Catholic
Priesthood."
COURT
OF THE QUEEN: How does meditating upon the lives of the saints inspire us to
a more perfect living of our consecration to our Heavenly Queen? Discuss two or three of
the following: St. Eustachius, the Holy Helper; St. Jerome; Sts. Cosmas & Damian,
Heavenly Physicians; St. Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia. (10 min. report & reflection;
briefly discuss application)
Reference: Martyrology.
CLOSING PRAYERS: | * Prayer for
the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost * Commemoration of the Stigmata of St. Francis * The Fatima Prayers * Hymn: "Mary, How Sweetly Falls that Name" |
LEAFLETS OF THE MONTH: | * "The
Sacrament of the Holy Priesthood" (.20) * "Why Pray for a Priest" (.50) * "A Pattern of Work and Prayer for Fatima Youth Crusaders" (.15 ea.) * "Children, Your Mother is Calling" (.20 ea.; 30 for 5.00) |
Twenty-four hour Vigil of Reparation on September 13th; pray for the conversion of our youth, the strengthening of Catholic family life, and the spread of the message of Fatima and the true Catholic Faith;
Make weekly visits to the hospitals and homes for the elderly. Brighten their day with spiritual encouragement and distribute Fatima pledges, brown scapulars, Miraculous Medals, and leaflets to those open to receiving these spiritual aids;
Special observance of the Feasts of the Holy Ghost, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Name of Mary, First Saturday, the Seven Dolors of Mary, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and the Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi;
Personal Resolve to make particular acts of reparation to Our Mother of Sorrows this month;
Offer special prayers and sacrifices for an increase of many zealous and fervent priestly vocations, and for the sustenance and perseverance of all true Catholic Priests and our Most Reverend Bishop;
Distribute modesty leaflets; place modesty posters in churches and public places; insist on strict Marylike modesty in your home and family.