When any army moves it is because it is moved by its commanding officers. The M.I. is no exception to this rule.
The Immaculata moves her soldiers through many means such as the Sacraments. However, in a very special way, she moves her army through her Ecclesiastical hierarchy on earth, her Priests.
When St. Michael and His angels, surrounding the Immaculata, fought and defeated the Antique Serpent and his angels, and cast them from Heaven, they fell upon the earth and renewed their war against the Immaculata. In this conflict, the Priests of the Immaculata assist the angels to cast out the bad angels from Heaven, that is, from the souls of the just. Indeed, the Priests of the Immaculata must lead her Knights into battle.
While local Priests are tireless in their care for souls, the Militia Immaculatæ requires that on occasion the International Director move the Knights, either in person
or through his representative. And so it happened that Fr. Stehlin appointed Fr. Timothy Pfeiffer to visit Knights in the Southern Hemisphere.
In January, Fr. Tim toured 8 Chapels in Australia and New Zealand in 9 days, giving conferences to 317 Knights and 140 aspirants. The 15 hard-working Priests in these regions were glad to welcome Fr. Stehlin’s emissary and made it easy work for Fr. Tim to animate the Knights as he graphically explained the Spiritual warfare in which we are all engaged.
From Perth in Western Australia Fr. Tim visited Brisbane, Melbourne, Goulburn and Sydney to conclude his trip with Auckland and Wanganui in New Zealand.
Though January in the Southern Hemisphere is vacation time, Knights still gathered in good numbers. Fr. Tim reminded them of the essential condition of the Immaculata’s
Militia — consecration to her to become her instrument for her designs and the conversion of those whom she chooses. He emphasized the great effect of this consecration; that one’s prayer for the conversion of others becomes the prayer of the Immaculata herself and takes on her power, love and merit.
After establishing this point, Fr. Tim followed St. Maximilian Kolbe’s outline of the 4 principal weapons of the Knight and expounded briefly on these:
- prayer,
- sacrifice,
- the Miraculous Medal
- and the Immaculata, the Generalissima herself.
Not content with words, Fr. Tim got down to practice.
Each participant of the M.I. conferences was given three Miraculous Medals as spiritual bullets.
They were not to be given to loved ones already in the fold, but to those “who do not have recourse to thee.”
Father emphasized the importance of breaking the chains of worldly attachments to leave the armchair of one’s personal comfort to brave the cold winds of refusal and sophistical arguments. “You are her instrument! You rely on her power not your own!”
And so it was that some 457 Knights and aspirants were given 1271 medals to be distributed to those whom she wishes.
May their apostolate be abundantly blessed and rewarded by the Immaculata!
