* Pilgrimage to Damascus-Soufanieh and Poland, November 11-29, 2003
* Last FFA Marian Congress in South Dakota
* The Catholic Character of Mother Angelica
* EWTN Helps the Church and Apostolates Around the World
* "Why am I Devoted to the 54-day Rosary Novena?"
* The Enneagram: Its Origins and Uses
* The Three Secrets of Mother Teresa
* Blessed Bartolo Longo - Apostle of the Rosary
* NOW IS THE TIME OF MERCY: A Time of Justice Will Follow
* Marian Calvary Sanctuary in Poland
* Editorial - "Fidelity" is Answer to Crises
* The Queen of the Most Holy rosary of Pompeii
* "The Courage to be Catholic" - A Review
* Fatima Family Forum
* Questions & Answers
* News Briefs & Comments
* FFA Chatterings

Editorial - "Fidelity" is Answer to Crises

"Fidelity" is the important word that keeps popping up as the crisis is discussed by more and more Catholic writers. Fidelity is synonymous with loyalty. It means constancy in alliance to God and His Church. Implicit in loyalty is a strong affection based on firm conviction that the Church deserves our fidelity, our allegiance.

The Catholic Church is the true Church of Jesus Christ with the fullness of true faith and morals. Those who live in fidelity as Catholics accept with constancy the faith and morals of Catholicism and through the grace of God strive to live always in such faithfulness. Believing Catholics are faithful twice over: first by their assent to God's revelation and the Magisterium of the Church which speaks for Jesus Christ, and again by their living up to what they profess.

In this issue we present to you several persons whose fidelity is worth our respect and imitation as far as possible in our state in life. There is Mother Teresa who will soon be raised to the altar by beatification. This means that the Pope, as visible head of the Church, will declare that Mother Teresa lived an heroic and holy life and is now dwelling in heaven. If you desire fidelity and read what is in this issue on Mother Teresa you will thank God again for having this saintly woman live in our times.

In this issue you will also read about Blessed Bartolo Longo and the shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii. We decided to feature this Blessed Bartolo, Apostle of the Rosary, and the Sanctuary he founded at Pompeii which is now one of the most famous shrines of Christianity. Our Lady of Pompeii through her shrine in Italy promoted the proper praying of the Holy Rosary even before the message of Our Lady of Fatima. With good reason then did Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter On the Rosary of the Virgin Mary, declaring the YEAR OF THE ROSARY, speak of all these things.

We are living in times when all kinds of crises loom over us, threats of wars, terrorism, traditional Christian family life often failing, infidelity of too many priests and religious and many of the laity. Peace for the world and the Church has been confided to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of the Church has called us again and again, each time she appeared at Fatima, to pray the rosary daily and properly. Properly means by meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary, now 20 mysteries in all. All 20 Mysteries of the Rosary are found in long and short meditations in our Marian Manual. We also have the booklet, Rosary Meditations for Children.

We feature Mother Angelica in this issue also. Her life of praying, teaching, dedication, fidelity in suffering for the good of the universal Church, can only have come from the miraculous hand of God and the power of prayer of her Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration. You see her portrait as the "NUN OF THE MEDIA" on our cover. It would be good to have this print in your home and tell your friends, especially your children, what one person who lives the Catholic faith in fidelity as a religious can accomplish when backed up with the power of prayer and sacrifice. In her case, much suffering.

With "Francis" I recently visited Our Lady of the Angels Monastery and told Mother Catherine (Mother Vicar) that a trusted mystic who looks to me for some spiritual direction gave me a message from our Mother Mary. I had asked that "Francis" could pray over Mother Angelica and that she be healed, as so many others have been, with others converted and re-converted to the Catholic Church. I asked that such healing would allow Mother Angelica to return to work at EWTN. The answer I got was: "Mother Angelica is accomplishing more for the Church and souls now through her sufferings than if she were back at EWTN." The Blessed Mother also anticipated a forthcoming miracle at the shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. But miracles of grace and conversion are already happening there. Souls touched and converted to repentance are what is most important.

If you want to discover more what God is doing through certain souls like Francis, in addition to reading the book Francis, I suggest you order the one hour video titled "A Man Called Francis" which was made recently at FOCUS, TV studio established in New Orleans by Archbishop Philip Hanna.

Read this in this issue. Since my days as a pastor are up July 1, you'll discover why I am praying for the most successful FFA Marian Congress ever this June 13-15. If you were going to come "some year", register NOW.

I anticipate with joy the new beginning which will be mine after July 1st when my bishop relieves me of parish administration. Then I can go full time for the FATIMA FAMILY APOSTOLATE. There's no such thing as a retired priest. I'm lined up already with much future work throughout the USA for the glory of God and salvation of souls. With God's help and grace I intend to do priestly work until I drop. RJF

About the cover: "The Nun of the Media" was painted by professional artist Mark Sanislo. You are encouraged to order "The Nun of the Media" for your home to encourage a Catholic culture and good TV viewing.