Poster - Carfin 2002

The Crusade of Mary Immaculate is celebrating its 50th Anniversary of being established in Great Britain this year. I can hear a great number of readers saying, "What is the Crusade of Mary Immaculate?" and "Why haven’t we heard about it?" I will try and answer both questions.

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe founded the Crusade on 16th October 1917 in Rome. It was called the Militia Immaculatae - in fact that is what it is called throughout the world, the Militia of the Immaculate - and its membership comprised of seven professed Franciscan Conventual Friars including Maximilian. Friar Kolbe had seen at first hand the anti-clerical movement in Rome and he firmly believed that the hearts of many could be won back through the intercession of Mary Immaculate. The Church was under attack from all sides but in particular from Freemasonry. This is reflected in the Original Programme of the movement.

" To work for the conversion to God of all men, be they sinners, or non-Catholics or unbelievers, in particular the Masons; and that all become saints, under the patronage and through the mediation of the Immaculate Virgin."

The Latin original is on display in St. Maximilian's room in Casa Kolbe in Rome. The rest of the programme involved a total consecration of oneself to the Immaculate Virgin, wearing the Miraculous Medal and registering with a canonically established centre. The apostolate of the member involved prayer, penance and the offering to God the daily works and sufferings of life and the recitation of a special prayer. The recommended methods or means to bring about "the conversion and sanctification of men" depended on "one's means, in the different states and conditions of life, as the occasions present themselves", but should involve the spreading of the wearing of the Miraculous Medal and by the "good example, the word and the press of the Movement".

The Militia of the Immaculate grew rapidly, particularly in St. Maximilian's native Poland. To counter the secular press various publications were produced to spread the Gospel. The main newspaper was called the 'Knight of the Immaculate'. The zeal of Maximilian Kolbe inspired many others to join him in this work for the Immaculate Virgin, which ended up in the founding of Niepokalanow - the City of the Immaculate - that at one time had 800 friars resident. He also introduced his programme to the Japanese during the 1930's founding Mugenzai no Sono, the 'Garden of the Immaculate' in Nagasaki. There he also published the Japanese version of the Knight of the Immaculate.

Fr Maximilian was to become a martyr at Auschwitz, taking the place of another man who pleaded for mercy from his German captors. The camp commandant wondered who was this man who wished to the take the place of this poor wretch condemned to starve to death in the bunker. All this Nazi needed to know was that Fr. Maximilian was a Catholic Priest. St. Maximilian Kolbe died on 14th August 1941 on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady and 14 days after he entered the starvation bunker. He was among the last of the 10 men to die, the guards injecting him with carbolic acid.

This Militia of the Immaculate, or Crusade of Mary Immaculate, came to Great Britain after the Second World War when a Polish Friar who had been a chaplain to Polish Forces in Great Britain introduced it in England. His name was Fr. John Dobieslaw Burdyszek OFM Conv., and he met St. Maximilian Kolbe when he was studying at Niepokalanow. Fr. John received permission from his superiors and then from the Archdiocese of Liverpool to establish a 'Little City of the Immaculate' in 1952. So this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Crusade of Mary Immaculate. The origin of the British name is lost, but one might assume 'Militia' was a bit strong for a title for a religious organisation not long after the World War and in the midst of the Korean War. This is my assumption.

In the present day there are about 4 million members of the MI on five continents, 46 nations, with many canonically erected offices, 27 National Centres and various works of Christian formation and spreading the Gospel. The "Programma Originale" has been updated. The purpose of the Crusade is to pray and do penance for the conversion of sinners, to grow in personal holiness by consecrating your life to Mary Immaculate and to bring others to Jesus through the pure heart of Mary.

Like St. Maximilian Kolbe's time we are witnesses to a culture that is contrary to the teachings of the Church. There has been a tide - at times overwhelming - that is attacking the most vulnerable in our societies; the unborn, the disabled, the elderly and the terminally ill. The Family, the most basic unit in the Church, is being assailed on all sides. Recent developments in Parliaments and Governments have produced policies and laws that treat human life as a commodity rather than a gift from God and the Family as something old fashioned at best.

There is as much need to dedicate our lives to the Immaculate in this present day as there was during the traumatic period at the beginning of the 20th century. Our Blessed Mother's example of saying 'yes' to God is contrary to the excepted norm of the culture that puts conditions on giving aid to the Third World, of accepting a child as a gift from God, of looking after those who are dependent on us. The Crusade can act as a powerhouse of prayer and penance. Maximilian encouraged good people to join the Crusade. He wanted them to consecrate themselves to Our Blessed Lady. To offer to her each day a daily act of consecration. To bring to her feet every day those little sacrifices and penances that are such a powerful means of obtaining blessings from Heaven. To pray for sinners. To ask Mary to bring back the lapsed and to save the godless from their sinful ways. This is the task of the Crusader, to be a beacon of prayer in the world and belong to Mary's Crusade by becoming a living altar on which each day an offering of oneself is made to God. To become an instrument of God's peace and so extend the Kingdom of God on earth.

In order that the Crusade may reach more people, a 'Local Centre' for Scotland will be launched at this year's annual CMI Pilgrimage at Carfin on 17th August. The Local Centre will act as an outreach for the Crusade, initially promoting the annual pilgrimage and the CMI monthly magazine the "Crusader". It will also promote prayer groups, or as St. Maximilian envisaged, "Gardens of the Immaculate", where prayer and study will help to encourage apostolic work among those in need.

The Rt. Rev. John Jukes, OFM Conv., will be the main celebrant at the 3.00pm Mass at Carfin on 17th August. The retired Bishop of Strathearn is now working as parish priest of St. Margaret's, Huntly, Aberdeenshire. The day will begin with a video on the life St. Maximilian Kolbe at 2.00pm, followed by the Mass and then a Rosary Procession. All who love Our Blessed Mother are invited to come along for this afternoon of thanksgiving and celebration.