Father Nicholas Gruner

Transcription

THE
FATIMA
CRUSADER
ISSUE 112 • SUMMER 2015
Dedicated
In Loving Memory to
Father
Nicholas
Gruner
The Fatima Priest
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Words of Wisdom
From Father Gruner
Compiled from various lectures by Father Gruner
“
Fatima is finally coming into its own, so to speak. Too many
people have thought that Fatima is just for pious or simpleminded people but the fact is, Fatima is very profound. It’s a
Prophetic Message for our time. And it’s important for us to realize
that the Blessed Virgin Mary is our Mother and She comes and
speaks to us as a Mother.
What She says is very profound. She is the Mother of Good Council,
She is the Seat of Wisdom, and we need to listen, not so much with
our ears, (although it’s important) but to listen to Her Message with
our heart.
I urge you to pray the Rosary every day for the Pope and bishops
to receive the graces required to fulfill Our Lady of Fatima’s command.
The fate of the world is in the hands of the Pope and the only
way to world peace is knowledge of and obedience to the Message
of Fatima – more precisely, for the the Pope to consecrate, together
with the Bishops, on the same day, at the same time, the country and
the people of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
When that happens, Our Lady promises, in the Name of God, great
miracles unseen before in the history of mankind. A period of peace
will be given to mankind as a result of this simple act of obedience.
The time is late, pray the Rosary every day that Our Lady’s Fatima
Apostolate receive the graces and support we need to continue this
work of spreading the full Fatima Message to the world.
The salvation of many souls, the preservation of our Catholic
rights and peace in the world depends on it.”
Fond Memories
S u c h a r e G o d ’s p la n s ... I th in k h e m u s t h a v e b e e n a d m itte d
v e r y s o o n b e s id e O u r L a d y ’s th r o n e . ... I f e e l h e is n e a r e r th a n e v e r.
...Souer Marie- Rose P
The Fatima Crusader | Summer 2015
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The Holy Ghost
Working Through
Father Gruner
by Father Paul Kramer
O
f the three persons in the
Trinity, the Holy Ghost is
perhaps the most difficult
for human beings to visualize.
For we are greatly dependent on
our senses for knowledge, and
purely spiritual realities are not
easily grasped.
Yet, the Holy Ghost can be
known when it shines through
a human personality. For more
than 40 years, I was privileged
to watch the Holy Ghost working
through my oldest and dearest
friend and fellow priest, Father
Nicholas Gruner.
We met during our studies for
the priesthood in Rome in 1972.
These were turbulent years, when
what Pope Paul VI described as
the “auto-demolition” of the
Church was happening with
devastating effect. Often we were
perplexed and dismayed.
It was during our most trying
hours that we found among us a
leader, a young man of dauntless
faith and deep love - Nicholas
Gruner. Time and again, he would
rally us from our discouragement,
clear us of our confusion, and put
heart back into us. Many of us
may have faltered without his
guidance and the example of his
ardent dedication.
We knew that this man was
marked by his gifts and his
determination for some great
task. I personally watched Father
Gruner’s career unfold, from
his ordination on the Feast of
the Immaculate Heart in 1976,
through all the years of his heroic
work in building the international
Fatima Apostolate.
We worked together often, and
Father encouraged me to research
and write my books, which he
then published and promoted.
He was truly an inspiration and
a practical help; an integral part
of my life and work.
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Now Father is gone, at least
physically. But all that he built
remains. And it can flourish, with
your continued support.
and obeyed. Although Father’s
departure has left a hole in our
hearts, there is no one in this
apostolate who does not want
to continue doing the work he
trained us to do.
For all of us
I have been doing what I can
who loved Father,
to answer the need for priestly
there can be no doubt guidance and spiritual counsel
those who work in Our
that he would want us that
Lady’s Apostolate need to have.
to carry forward the
The Apostolate will, however,
need a chaplain and counselor
work to which
on a full-time basis. To that end,
he gave his life up
I ask for your prayers that Our
until his last breath. Lady will send to us the person
or persons we need to fill this
We owe a debt of gratitude role.
to this great priest, one that
The Fatima Timeline
we can best satisfy by pledging
Father believed that once
ourselves to the cause of Our Lady
people
know the facts about
of Fatima, which this apostolate
Fatima,
they will turn to the
serves. The Holy Ghost, which
Immaculate
Heart and urge the
lived in Father Gruner, lives in
the apostolate he built and in all Pope and bishops to obey Our
its works of love. May He live in Lady, which is our only hope.
The Fatima Timeline was one
us, too.
of the last booklets he worked
Stay The Course!
on, choosing the final pictures,
So I want to urge each and approving the final text and
every one of you: Stay the sending it on to the printers on
course! Be faithful to Our Lady’s the very day of his death. He saw
Apostolate, which needs you now it as a powerful instrument of
instruction.
more than ever.
I must soon return to Ireland,
Father left behind a competent
where
I am living in retirement,
group of dedicated people,
doing
what my health and
trained in the mission of making
talents
allow. But I want to
the Fatima Message known, loved
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urge you, with all my heart: Stay
faithful to Father Gruner and
this apostolate! Do all you can
to make certain this great work
continues until the glorious day
of Our Lady’s Triumph dawns on
this dark world.
A hero has been stricken,
taken from the field of battle –
at least in this world. But we who
remain must rally behind the flag
he planted with the crest of Our
Lady emblazoned upon it, as it
was upon his heart. Now is the
time to rally behind Father, who
may be a greater help to us now
than ever before.
Fond Memories
You ought the good fight. ow rest in peace and please intercede
or us to ur ady o atima. You will be orever in our hearts
ather Gruner our beloved atima Priest
...Dal e J
Your aith your love o our Blessed other and your stead ast love and
perseverance taught me so much. hanks be to God or your countless years
o labor or our sake. Please intercede or us in heaven. ear ather Gruner
thank you so much.
...E l iz abeth R
est in peace ather Gruner. Your rusader maga ine which carried beauti ul
photos o ur Blessed ady inspired me to get a five oot statue o ur Blessed
other blessed at the shrine in atima on ctober
by ardinal
at inger. ur Blessed ady has worked many miracles or our amily since
saving five o my amily members rom serious accidents. hank you ather
Gruner or alerting us to all the acts about atima saving many souls or the
last years. You were a shining light in a very dark world. Your comrades
who gave so many truly inspiring talks at your con erences will be well able
to continue the fight.
...K athl een B
est in divine peace dear ather icholas. You ought the good fight like not
many others. hat a warrior or esus and is other ary ay the Good
ord esus grant eternal rest to your precious soul. You are simply irreplaceable
hank you and goodbye ather Gruner. Pray or our con used shepherds.
...Mic hel l e
I it were not or ather Gruner spreading the essage o atima with such
dedication I doubt i atima would be known at all today. ather Gruner kept
the lamp glowing.
...P eter S
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His Faith and Love
Shone Upon Us
Above: Enrollment in the Brown Scapular.
Right: With Rosary from Pope Paul VI.
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Fond Memories
I a m v e ry m u c h s h o c k e d to h e a r a b o
I s h a ll o ffe r a H o ly M a s s fo r th e re p
G o d ! S u re ly G o d w ill h e lp u s . P le a s e a c c e p
o ffe r th e m to h is c lo s e re la tiv e s .
A rc hbishop E meritus of P ond ic
u t th e d e a th o f F r. G ru n e r.
o s e o f h is s o u l to d a y . M y
t m y h e a rtfe lt fe e lin g s a n d
...S.Mic hael A ug ustine,
herry & Cud d al ore, I nd ia
I a m d e e p ly s o rry fo r th e d e a th o f o u r d e a r F r. G ru n e r. M a y h is s o u l re s t in
p e a c e . M a y h e re s t in p e a c e .
...Tony Borw ah,
Cathol ic Dioc ese of G barng a, Liberia
I ju s t n o w re c e iv e d th e s a d n e w s th a t o u r R e v . F r. G ru n e r p a s s e d a w a y . J u s t
a fe w d a y s a g o I s e n t a le tte r to F r. G ru n e r to w is h h im a h a p p y b irth d a y
o n M a y 4 . F a th e r G ru n e r h a s g o n e th ro u g h th e g re a t trib u la tio n d u rin g h is
e a rth ly life to th e h o n o r o f O u r L o rd J e s u s C h ris t a n d o f O u r L a d y o f F a tim a .
H e is n o w a lre a d y re c e iv in g a h ig h h o n o r in H e a v e n .
In th e s a m e w a y th e d e p a rtu re o f F r. G ru n e r is a g re a t e a rth ly lo s s fo r u s b u t,
I a m s u re , it is a fa r g re a te r g a in in H e a v e n . H e liv e d a s a s a in t a n d I a m c o n v in c e d
h e i s n o w p r o p e r l y a s a i n t . M a y h i s s o u l r e s t i n p e a c e . ...F atherSav arinathan,
Soc ial Serv ic e Soc iety of the d ioc ese of Thanj av ur, I nd ia
W e c
th e d
T h e r
T h e
th e n
G ru n
lo v in
lo v in
th e n
o u ld n ’t b e lie v e th e w o rd s o f F r. J u s tin ju s t n o w w h e n h e c o m m u n ic a te d
e m is e o f o u r b e lo v e d F a th e r G ru n e r a n d g e n e ro u s h e a rte d A p o s tle .
e a re n o w o rd s to te ll y o u th e lo s s w e fe e l a n d th e p a in w e e x p e rie n c e .
c h ild re n re m a in e d s p e e c h le s s a n d s ile n t fo r s o m e tim e a fte r h e a rin g
e w s . H o w w e w is h w e c o u ld b e th e re w ith y o u to s e e o u r b e lo v e d F r.
e r p a s s in g to th e h a n d s o f o u r F a th e r in H e a v e n a n d to th e la p o f O u r
g M o th e r M a ry . M a y H is s o u l re s t in p e a c e . S u re ly h e is e n jo y in g th e
g p re s e n c e o f th e F a th e r fo r a ll th e g o o d th a t h e d id fo r th e p o o r a n d
e e d y .
O u r p rie s t is o u t o f s ta tio n . A s s o o n a s h e c o m e s w e w ill c e le b ra te
M a s s fo r F r. G ru n e r ’s s o u l, in th e m e a n tim e , w e o ffe r o u r c o n tin u o u s
p ra y e rs fo r h im a n d fo r a ll th o s e w h o w o rk in h is o rg a n iz a tio n d o in g
g o o d fo r th e p e o p le . O u r d e e p e s t c o n d o le n c e s a n d p ra y e rs . W e s till fe e l
th a t o u r b e lo v e d F r. G ru n e r is o u r s p iritu a l in te rc e s s o r a n d b e n e fa c to r in
H e a v e n .
...Sister Lil l y f rom The I mmac ul ate H eart of Mary orp hanag e
in the A rc hd ioc ese of H yd rabad , I nd ia
W ith y o u r g o o d n e s s a n d a s s u re th e o ffe rin g o f th e H o ly E u c h a ris t fo r
th e s o u l o f O u r F a th e r R e v e re n e d N ic h o la s G ru n e r. L e t u s p ra y
to g e th e r.
...F ather A ntony Syl v ester, St.A ntony’ s Churc h,
d ioc ese of Triv and rum, I nd ia
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Spreading Fatima
Worldwide
Father Gruner, a welcomed guest speaker
at a Congress in India.
Administering to the sick at one of Mother
Theresa’s convents in India.
At Ground Zero (New York City) to bless the
remains of a fireman.
At Ground Zero - enrolling workers in the
Brown Scapular.
Nuns at the convent in Coimbra where
Sister Lucy lived, display our banner.
Father with John (Jacinta’s brother) - Lucy
paid John two nickels to find Jacinta when
Our Lady appeared on August 19, 1917.
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Our Lady’s Knight
Father Relyea delivered this moving tribute to Father Gruner at the
reception which followed the funeral Mass and burial. We are very
grateful to Father Relyea for his courageous testimony to the importance
and truth of Father Gruner’s work.
I
t is a great honor to speak
about Father Gruner. He was
a very close friend of mine.
When I received the call
Thursday night that Father had
passed, I was shocked, as I’m
sure everyone here was. As I was
praying for Father, I remembered
a quote from a great saint of the
early 19th Century, Saint Joseph
Cafasso, who was the spiritual
director of Saint John Bosco. I
could remember only part of the
quote so I looked it up, because
it reminded me of Father Gruner.
Please listen closely as I read
this, because I believe it describes
Father Gruner well. In this quote,
Saint Joseph Cafasso speaks
about priests who love the Mother
of God. He says:
“Not only would it be a rare
and difficult thing, but it
would be almost impossible
to imagine a good, virtuous,
devoted priest—a priest who
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by Father Isaac Mary Relyea
serves God, the Church, and
souls—without a tender
affection for this beloved
Mother. As the love of God’s
Mother increases in a priest,
he will just as surely make
progress at the same time in
the other virtues, becoming
more detached from the
world, more zealous, patient,
humble, and pure. Therefore,
whenever you happen to hear
of a priest who is devoted to
Mary, you need not inquire
further. You may be sure
that he cannot be otherwise
than good, and perhaps of
rare goodness, too. But if
on the contrary you come to
know that a priest is cold and
insensitive in affection toward
his Mother and to the sound of
Her Name, you need not hope
for much from him. For if he
has not much affection for the
Mother of God, neither will he
have much love for the Son, or
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much zeal for His glory or for
the salvation of souls.”
Listening to this passage, I’m
sure many of you recognized the
virtues of Father Gruner. He had
such a deep love for the Mother
of God. He really believed in Her
love, and Our Lady called him
and gave him a special mission
to be Her knight, to be part of Her
militia, to help crush the head of
the serpent. And Father Gruner
took that mission very seriously.
For more than 37 years he was
relentless, he never gave up, and
he persevered to the end.
Why Did He Die?
Many people are shocked, and
they are saying, “Why did he die
so suddenly?” As His Excellency
Bishop Fellay said, it’s a mystery.
But in a certain sense, it fits
Father. He went with his boots
on. Father was working hard that
day when Our Lord took him.
Father had many of the virtues
that Saint Joseph Cafasso speaks
about. He was detached from the
world. Those who knew Father
Gruner know he had no love for
the world. He lived a very simple
life of poverty, and he was poor
in spirit.
Father Gruner was selfless. I
never heard Father complain,
and I have been around him
many times. He worked for
hours—sixteen hours a day at
least, sometimes he was up all
night, often on the road. He never
complained. He did it all for Our
Lady. He never counted the cost.
Never. He is an example for all
of us.
He believed in what he was
doing. He believed that his
mission was from the Mother
of God. Those of you who are
familiar with the Apostolate of
Father Gruner know that many of
us would shake our heads and say,
“This has to be from Our Lady!” So
many things would go wrong, but
in the end it would all work out.
Father had such a zeal for the
salvation of souls, and that’s what
it was about. The highest purpose
of the Church, above all things, is
the salvation of souls. And that
has been lost, unfortunately, in
the Church.
Father Gruner
Meek and Humble
Father was a very humble man,
and he was a very meek man. I
would say for me, as a priest,
this is what stood out most—his
meekness. As the Bishop said
this morning, he was attacked,
constantly being attacked, but
the attack wasn’t so much from
outside the Church. It was from
within the Church.
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That is a painful thing, my
friends. I talked to Father many
times, and I never heard him
speak badly of his enemies. I
never heard him attack them. And
I have seen him cry tears—and
they were real tears—because he
wanted to help them. He wanted
to enlighten them with the truth
that he knew, but they wouldn’t
listen, just like so many people of
previous times refused to listen
to the Prophets or even to God’s
Own Son.
Painful Betrayals
Many, many people wouldn’t
listen to Father Gruner—people
who should have listened, who
have the power to change what is
going on in the world—the ones
who have the power to perform
the Consecration.
It’s very painful, my friends, to
be betrayed by those whom you
love. But, again, Father was very
meek, and it’s a lesson for all of us.
Father was a teacher. He taught
us many things. He taught us how
to love Our Lady, but he also
taught us, too, if we really look
at his life, to be meek, to be meek.
I know Father was attacked
physically. He carried many, many
crosses. He knew that Our Lord
said, “If any man will come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow Me.”
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My friends, we are under a
severe attack in the Church
today, worst of all from within
the Church. And we’re coming to
a point, too—we’re not coming,
we’re here!—where many
Catholics are being martyred
by those of the false religion of
Islam. Think of our brothers in
Syria, whose little children’s
heads are being cut off!
It’s coming here too, my friends,
and we will all suffer. That’s why
we have to continue to pray that
the Consecration will be done.
But we must also pay attention
to the whole Message of Fatima,
which Father Gruner preached.
We must prepare ourselves, my
friends, for those chastisements,
because I believe (and I may be
wrong) that Father Gruner’s
passing is a sign from God: Too
many people didn’t listen—now
the chastisements are coming!
Let us not get angry at our
enemies. We can win them over
with meekness more than with
anything else. Meekness doesn’t
mean that we don’t stand up and
speak the truth. We still speak
the truth, we still evangelize, we
still try to bring people into the
true Church, because outside of
the Catholic Church there is no
salvation. This is being denied
today. This is all part of the
Message of Fatima, and this is all
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part of Father Gruner’s mission.
Let us pray to Our Lady that
She will grant us the graces
that we will need to endure the
persecutions ahead—that with
God’s grace, maybe we would
even be privileged to shed our
blood for Christ and His Church,
and that we can imitate Father
Gruner’s virtues of meekness and
zeal for souls.
Little Jacinta is my favorite.
After she had seen the Vision of
Hell, she was always thinking of
the terrible fate awaiting sinners.
All she could think of was doing
penance for sinners for the rest of
her life (which wasn’t very long).
We need that same kind of zeal,
as Father Gruner said many times.
Please pray for the repose of
Father’s soul. Have Masses said
for him. Pray the Rosary for him.
And once again, pray that we can
follow in his footsteps—that we
can persevere to the end.
Final Perseverance
Saint Alphonsus Liguori, a great
Doctor of the Church, tells us that
the gift of final perseverance is
never given all at once. It’s like
a chain—it’s given one link at
a time. Pray every day that you
will be given that grace of final
perseverance. Pray that you will
be anointed and receive Holy
Viaticum before you die. 
Fond Memories
I w o n d e r if n o w th a t G o d h a s ta k e n F a th e r G ru n e r to H e a v e n , H e
w ill s ta rt c h a s tis in g th e w o rld in a p h y s ic a l w a y a n d n o t ju s t in a
s p iritu a l w a y .
...P eter S
I c a n ’t h e lp b u t fe e l th a t G o d lo v e d F a th e r G ru n e r s o m u c h th a t H e w o u ld n ’t
a llo w h im to s e e th e w ra th th a t is m o s t c e rta in ly o n o u r d o o rs te p . I b e lie v e
h e w a s ju s tly s p a re d , a n d fo r th is e s p e c ia lly , I th a n k O u r D e a r L o rd .
...Rosie R
W e h a v e
F a th e r, a
k n o w n a
w ild e rn e
p ra y fo r
lo s t a g re a t w a rrio r fo r O u r L a
fte r y o u r a rd u o u s jo u rn e y o n
n d s u p p o rte d y o u . W e w ill g
s s to a m o s tly in d iffe re n t a n d
u s!
d y . M a y y
th is e a rth .
re a tly m is
u n c a rin g w
o u b e s a fe in H e r c a re , d e a r
W e a re a ll b le s s e d to h a v e
s y o u r v o ic e c ry in g in th e
o rld . O u r L a d y o f F a tim a ,
...Sue K
I w ill m is s o u r g o o d a n d h o ly s h e p h e rd , F a th e r G ru n e r, to w h o m I o w e s u c h a
d e b t o f g ra titu d e . E te rn a l re s t g ra n t u n to h im O L o rd a n d le t P e rp e tu a l L ig h t
s h in e u p o n h im .
...Step hanie L
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Following
Father’s Footsteps
by Coralie Graham, Editor
During the Mass, the nuns, of
course, went up to the front of the
chapel to receive Holy Communion
first and I would remain praying
until time to take my place at the
end of the line. Sadly, the convent
had been fairly modernized and
most of the nuns, some out of
He never accepted ‘No’ as an preference and some out of
answer. Always, there was an “obedience” preferred to receive
alternative and he forged ahead the Host standing and in the hand.
I had my head down, praying,
and found it. Nothing was too
much or too good for Our Lord and suddenly there was an intense
and Our Lady. His love for Them feeling of some sort of presence in
the room. Not something tangible
was fierce.
Where does one start to share that I could see or hear, but a
with you all these memories? profound and intense feeling. It was
Fittingly, I will start at the so great that I lifted my head up and
looked around the room to see what
beginning.
it was. I saw nothing at first but the
Prayers and Patience For a Holy feeling became even more intense. I
Tridentine Mass
gazed all around the room and to the
In 1984, I had permission from front where the nuns were receiving
the Bishop to attend daily Mass at Holy Communion. Then it hit me
a local Contemplative Convent. like lightning what it was. The nuns
The pastor had left on vacation were ALL kneeling and receiving
and I was told a visiting priest Communion on the tongue. As an
would be offering Mass for the afterthought – I believe that intense
feeling in the room was the joy of Our
nuns that day.
Lady (our Pilgrim Virgin Statue of
It was Father Gruner.
After 31 years of working for
Father Gruner, my memory is full
of joys and tears and sacrifices
and successes that make up our
daily life of working for a man of
the cloth that had the virtues of
Faith and perseverance like no
other I have ever known.
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Love of Children
The children here presented Father with birthday spiritual bouquets on helium balloons
and watched their prayers rise up to Heaven as Father released them.
Father and his German Shephard - aptly
named “Mischief”.
Sharing the spiritual joy of First Holy
Communion.
Another spiritual occasion of family
Confirmations.
Here with his mother, his love and
tenderness for babies shows on his face.
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04/06/2015 1:22:07 PM
Our Lady of Fatima was placed near
the altar). And I am sure too, of the
joy of Our Lord being received in the
sacred manner He deserves. Father
Gruner has only given Communion
on the tongue. He has written many
articles on this in previous issues of
The Fatima Crusader.
Truly, he brought a great blessing
on the convent that day, and on
myself as well. At that moment, I
knew: “Here is a priest I can follow.”
Father Gruner
An Answer to Our Prayers
hours in long lineups to go to him
for Confession.
“You can preach but you cannot
talk about or display the Brown
Scapular.” And so the Brown
Scapular and leaflets were handed
to people discreetly outside the
door of the Church. And you
know the rest of the story. Some
churches would be locked with
the pastor nowhere in sight. But it
never daunted him. He continued
to press on and never gave up.
Time to Volunteer
for FATIMA!
My friend Virginia Halbach
Before Father left to return to
and I had been following our
Tridentine Missal at Mass for over his office in Ottawa, I volunteered
a year, praying daily to find one to help him in any way he needed.
I had seen his holiness, his
to go to.
After Father Gruner’s Mass, I perseverance and the persecution
spoke to him privately and said: he endured, and had always had a
“Father, I think I have just been particular draw and love for Our
to a Tridentine Mass!” He smiled. Lady of Fatima.
Father told me he was visiting
three or four churches in the area
to preach on Fatima, and of course,
with the Pilgrim Virgin statue of
Our Lady of Fatima. I could not wait
to tell Virginia... finally an answer
to our prayers! Father Gruner was
like a magnet to us. We followed
him to every church he visited.
About two months later, I heard
back from him.
“Will you help me to ship out
the Canadian mail orders?” No
hesitation, my whole being said:
“Yes!”
Introduction to Our Life With
Father Gruner and Fatima
At that time, Virginia’s sister,
Even then, he was persecuted.
Bernie Dumelie, and a friend,
“Your Confessions are too long.”
Frank Timms, also volunteered
The priests would get angry
to help. Sister Francis had
because the people waited for
already been volunteering up
16
04/06/2015 1:22:07 PM
The Fatima Test
in Ottawa. And so the three of
us were invited to Father’s Ottawa
Father Gruner then led
office to learn more about his us across the border to
operation.
the Servants of Jesus and Mary
Father Gruner’s office in Ottawa in Constable, New York where
was a tiny apartment. He first Father Michael Jarecki, a dear
took us upstairs to his office. It friend of Father Gruner, would
was little more than a cupboard test us before approving our offer
size. On one side was a big metal to volunteer.
rack with stacks of file folders and
Father Jarecki was also one
papers and books.
of the holiest priests I had ever
On the opposite side of the met. We each, separately, were
tiny room were boxes and bricks scrutinized by the Board of
with a door (knob and all) laid Directors and I was asked: “Why
across it. That was his desk. There do you want to volunteer here?”
was about a three foot corridor I loved the traditional Mass
between the rack and the door – and Our Lady and so I replied,
no chair – he spent endless hours “Because it would be a great
there, standing, doing his work. privilege for me.” And to this day,
It wrenched my heart. I prayed I continue to feel privileged to be
to God, “If only he were in Fort allowed to work here for Father
Gruner in Our Lady’s vineyard.
Erie, I could help him!”
After all, Father’s prayers and
We went downstairs and Father
offered us lunch. He opened his graces are still with us. He is
refrigerator and in it was one just a little further away. And
opened can of tuna fish and a his work is not yet complete.
cereal bowl of rice. He shared his
The Fatima Center
meal with all of us.
Beginning in Fort Erie
Again, it broke our hearts to see
A short time later, Father Gruner
such a humble little priest with no made the decision to move from
thought whatsoever for his own Ottawa to Fort Erie. Fort Erie
comfort. His thoughts, as always, seemed logical. Our group of
were promoting the Message of volunteers had already begun to
Our Lady of Fatima no matter the set up a mini office for those tasks
sacrifice.
that Father assigned us. It was
situated on a highway artery an
hour and a half away from Toronto
17
04/06/2015 1:22:07 PM
airport in Canada and only half an
hour away from Buffalo Airport in
the U.S. Fort Erie is situated on
one end of the bridge to the U.S.A.
Buffalo was on the other end. I
always felt that one more reason
as to “Why Fort Erie?” was because
the bridge was called “the PEACE
Bridge.” How appropriate!
There was one stove in the
middle of the floor that heated the
building. That was his building
heat and warming oven. A
bedboard with a plastic table cloth
covering was placed on Crusader
boxes for his makeshift kitchen.
He cooked with an electric frying
pan, electric kettle and a toaster.
An old abandoned refrigerator
Father Gruner: Model of
from a garage became part of his
Humility and Poverty
“kitchen”. This was the Father
In Fort Erie, we bought an old Gruner that few people knew.
electrical training building that
Strict Stewardship
literally started out as a horse
of
Apostolate Funds
barn. I used to think that, too,
was appropriate. Our Lord was
He stewarded the supporters’
born in a stable and here we were, funds like no other. Literally,
The Fatima Center in Fort Erie when employees would go into
being “born” in a built-on stable. his office to get checks signed
The building was old, many for our expenses, they would
roof leaks, and an inch of water make the Sign of the Cross.
on the floors in places. It was a No penny was to escape his
hands without full scrutiny.
huge mess.
Every cent went back into
We cleaned and sterilized the
promoting the full, urgent Fatima
building and furnished it from
Message.
garage sales. One small room in
this damp cement-block building
Going Forward
On the Wings of Prayer
was Father Gruner’s living
quarters. He had no bathtub or
When we did not have money
shower and would depend on in our coffers, that didn’t stop
being invited out to dinner, when Father Gruner. He would
he would ask to use the shower. continue to spread the saving
He absolutely refused to spend Message of Our Lady on the wing
one dime on himself and would of a prayer.
not hear of us renting a modest
We didn’t worry. The funds
apartment or even a room for always came in to cover our bills.
him.
Father did not just have faith in
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04/06/2015 1:22:07 PM
His Younger Days
Father Gruner - the teacher.
He began his travels at a young age,
working on ships.
Young Father Gruner with his brothers and
sisters.
Jessie Gruner and children in earlier years.
A full family picture with his mother and
father.
19
04/06/2015 1:22:10 PM
Our Lord and Our Lady to help
us, he also had great faith in Our
Lady’s Apostolate supporters.
And in all these years I have
worked for Father Gruner, neither
Heaven nor Our Lady’s apostolate
supporters ever let him down.
Father Gruner’s
Constant Advice
Father Gruner’s
Grace-filled Manner
There was something about
Father Gruner when he spoke to
you. No matter how bad you felt
or how angry you felt or whatever
your problem was – he had a quiet
ethereal way of squelching your
problems and your fears and
bringing about a sense of peace
and direction into your heart and
soul.
In these confusing times, we
hear from so many souls feeling
confused and worried, seeking
Many of his opponents who
the truth. “Who should we previously pictured him as a
listen to?” “Which ones can we fiercely aggressive opponent were
believe?”
shocked when they met him. All
Father’s simple, but profound noted his humility and his calm
answer was and remains: “You atmosphere and many changed
stick with the truth – the truth of their mind about him just from
the Faith of all time, the truth of meeting him. Except! Never make
the Faith of our Fathers.”
the mistake of saying something
He had already begun to write against the Catholic Faith or
his last book and hurried to detrimental about Our Lady—
complete it - Crucial Truths to that is where the fearless warrior
Save Your Soul. I recall thinking protecting Our Lady and defender
as I read the first manuscript of of the Faith was to be seen.
it that truly, this is THE book for
Crusaderitis!
our times.
Some of my best memories
I urge anyone who has not read
were when we had to prepare
it to get a copy of Crucial Truths
The Fatima Crusader. All
to Save your Soul available
we would have to do is think,
from The Fatima Center. I would
“Tomorrow we will start on The
also encourage you to give his
Crusader”, and it would seem
book to friends and loved ones
the bowels of hell would open.
to help them save their souls in
Problems, broken machinery,
these trying times. See order
automobile breakdowns,
information on page 63.
misunderstandings, illness,
20
04/06/2015 1:22:10 PM
anything and everything would has) a staunch Catholic Board of
emerge almost immediately.
Directors working with him along
We called it Crusaderitis. We the way.
would joke with Father, “Quick
Father, finish your edits and let’s
get this magazine out of here
to the printer – before we have
to start our own graveyard out
back!” And when it did go to
the printers, there was a noted
respite. However, as soon as the
printed magazines came in the
door, Crusaderitis would return in
full vengeance. Again, we would
beg Father, “please get them
shipped out to the people right
away” jokingly, yes, but seriously
yes, too. We used to measure how
good we thought The Fatima
Crusader was going to be to save
souls, by the level of fierceness of
Crusaderitis.
Many priests and bishops who
have supported The Fatima
Center and Father Gruner, are
still here to continue the mandate
God gave us to bring about the
Triumph of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary.
Even Father Gruner could
not have achieved what he has
done without Our Lady’s loyal
supporters and workers. And
through all the years, Father
and the apostolate had (and still
and Crucial Truths to Save
Your Soul at a Special Memorial
price of only $9.95 each. Why not
share his spiritual guidance with
a friend or relative? See page 63
to order.
The only difference in The
Fatima Center right now is
that Father Gruner is in a place
where his prayers – for graces
to continue this work, for the
salvation of souls and peace in
the world – are now even more
powerful.
He did not leave us alone.
We have years of experience
gained by working with him side
by side and under his guidance,
The managers and staff that
and we have his teachings,
worked alongside Father Gruner
writings and recordings to use as
put in long and hard hours but
manuals in carrying on this work.
none of us could measure up to
May Heaven bless our
the perseverance and stamina
continuing
efforts. Our Lady of
he had.
Fatima pray for us.
Father Has Not Left Us
His Inspiration and Teachings
Father Gruner taught us so much.
Remain With Us - to Carry On!
We are offering Fatima Priest
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Fond Memories
T ru ly a g re a t p rie s t, s e rv a n t o f O u r L a d y , a n d s o ld ie r o f C h ris t.
O n e o f t h e f e w p r i e s t s t o w h o m I w o u l d e n t r u s t m y s o u l . ...B. R.
I b e lie v e F a th e r G ru n e r w ill b e m o re p o w e rfu l n o w th a t h e is w ith O u r
B le s s e d M o th e r. W ith F a th e r G ru n e r ’s in te rc e s s io n , S h e w ill h e lp a ll o f u s
to s p re a d th e M e s s a g e o f F a tim a . In d e e d h e is a s a in t.
...Bryer S
P ra y fo r u s , F a th e r! S u re ly th
g iv e n w o rld e v e n ts , a n d a ls o
o f th e lo u d e s t a n d fa r-re a c h
u s h o ld fa s t to th e M e s s a g e
h a v e n ’t a lre a d y ! A v e M a ria !
e tim e s o f c h a s tis e m e n t a re a
th e fa c t th a t G o d h a s ta k e n
in g v o ic e s o f th e tru e M e s s
w ith a re n e w e d fe rv o r, o r b
t o u r v e ry d o o rs te p ,
fro m th e w o rld o n e
a g e o f F a tim a ! L e t
e g in to d o s o if w e
...Matthew R
A
v e ry s a in tly p rie s t! I w a s p riv ile g e d to h a v e s u p p o rte d h is
a p o s to la te a n d w ill m is s h im g r e a tly . M a y h is m is s io n c o n tin u e . R .I .P .
...N orah H
“ T H E S A L V A T IO N O F T H E M A N Y D E P E N D S U P
O F A F E W .” E v e r s in c e th e p a s s in g o f F a th e r G r u
o f th is q u o te fro m P o p e P iu s X II), I h a v e fe lt a
c o n v e rs io n o f R u s s ia . L e t’s re d o u b le o u r p ra y e rs !
F a th e r G ru n e r w h o w o rk e d s o m u c h a n d s o h a rd .
n e e d to p ra y m o re . T h e fa c t is th a t w e a re n o t o u t o
q u o te p ro v e s th a t w e a re n o t p ra y in g e n o u g h !
O N T H E
n e r (a n d
n e e d to
L e t’s d o
P e o p le I
f th e w o
F A IT H F U L N E S S
e s p e c ia lly in lig h t
p ra y m o re fo r th e
th is a ls o fo r g o o d
’m te llin g y o u , w e
o d s , a n d th e a b o v e
...Star B
F a th e r G ru n e r d ie d y e s te rd a y o f a h e a rt a tta c k . T h is is R E A L L Y b a d n e w s . I
a lw a y s a s s u m e d th a t G o d w o u ld s p a re h im to s e e th e C o n s e c ra tio n o f R u s s ia
a n d th e R e ig n o f th e Im m a c u la te H e a rt. S in c e h e h a s b e e n ta k e n a w a y , I fe a r th a t
this means that the world has put ur ady o too long now to avoid the final
p a r t o f H e r w a r n in g : “ … if n o t, ... v a r io u s n a tio n s w ill b e a n n ih ila te d .”
...Mic heal O
I a m v e ry s o rry to le a rn
H e w a s a v e ry c o u ra g e o
re p o s e o f th e s o u l o f F r.
6 .0 0 a .m . M a s s . I h a v e r e
M a s s a t S a in t F id e lis C
w h e n th e y c e le b ra te th e
C ru s a d e r, b u t a n o u ts ta n
H e w a s a v e ry s p iritu a l
a b o u t th e s u d d e n d e a th o f F a th e r N ic h o la s G ru n e r.
u s m a n . Y e s te rd a y I c e le b ra te d M a s s fo r th e re s tfu l
G ru n e r. T o d a y I a ls o d id th e s a m e d u rin g th e d a ily
c e iv e d a p ro g ra m fo r th e a rra n g e m e n t o f a m e m o ria l
h u rc h , w h e re I a ls o w ill b e in s p irit o n M a y 1 5
life o f F r. G ru n e r. H e w a s n o t o n ly th e o u ts ta n d in g
d in g C h a m p io n o f O u r L a d y o f F a tim a in o u r tim e .
p rie s t. M a y h is s o u l re s t in p e a c e . G o d b le s s .
...F ather I g natio Bok osi, Sac red H eart P arish,
d ioc ese of Z omba, Mal aw i
22
04/06/2015 1:22:10 PM
Promoting Fatima
at Conferences and
at the Vatican
23
04/06/2015 1:22:25 PM
Goodbye to the
Soft-Spoken Warrior
This is an edited transcript of a brief eulogy given at Father Gruner’s
funeral reception, May 9, 2015.
by John Vennari
F
ather Gruner was a good
friend. We only have here
a few minutes to talk about
him. As Chesterton would say,
how do you paint on so small a
canvas so large a man?
Two points occur to me.
First, a characteristic that was
unique to Father Gruner: he had a
charism to pretty much get along
with everyone of good will.
This was no small feat. From
the time of the Second Vatican
Council, and the crisis of Faith
that ensued, the shepherd (in
Rome) is struck and the sheep
are scattered. Catholics have
never been so divided. Various
individuals and groups are trying
the best they can to live the Faith
as they understand it. A number
of these groups end up at odds
with one another.
Yet Father Gruner had a special
charism to touch all of those
of good will, no matter from
which ‘camp’, and he did this
without compromising himself.
For the most part, Catholics in
these diverse groups loved and
respected Father Gruner. They
knew he was genuine, and they
recognized the importance of his
work that promoted the Fatima
Message.
If you put a light inside an
alabaster vase, the vase glows.
And Father Gruner had a kind
of glow emanating from the
goodness within. He was also a
fighter. I used to call him The
Soft-Spoken Warrior.
Father Gruner had genuine
dedication to the Faith and
to Fatima that was clear for
all to see. Father Gruner had
authentic devotion to Our Lady,
for he personally lived the Fatima
Message. He was one of the most
prayerful men I knew.
But devotion and dedication
will not take you far without
the third element he possessed,
and that was competence. No one
could honestly question Father
Gruner’s competence; whether
24
p24 CR112 Goodbye to the Soft Spoken Warrior John Vennari.indd 24
04/06/2015 1:19:16 PM
it be in dogmatic theology, moral
theology, his rights and duties
as a priest, and most certainly,
regarding the Message of Fatima.
I can’t think of anyone who
knew the Message of Fatima, in
its entirety, in its detail, better
than he. Father Gruner could
talk about any and every aspect
of Fatima at the drop of a hat.
This is something I witnessed
not only when we shared a
speaking platform, but in casual
conversation with others and
myself. He did not have to consult
notes; the details were always
within his reach. He kept it all in
his head. In fact, he would often
say in a matter-of-fact manner,
“Regarding Fatima, I have never
met an objection or question I
could not answer.”
Father Gruner was a unique
package of dedication, devotion
and competence, along with
possessing a formidable
business sense, to carry out his
unprecedented work.
This takes me to my second
observation.
Saint Catherine of Sienna
A number of people express
surprise that Father Gruner did
not live to see the fulfillment of
a central component of his work:
the Consecration of Russia to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary by the
Pope in union with the world’s
bishops.
When thinking about this
aspect of Father Gruner’s death,
St. Catherine of Sienna comes to
mind.
St. Catherine of Sienna (13471380) lived during what is called
the “Great Western Schism,” one
of the most tumultuous periods
in Church history. The Papacy
had moved to Avignon, France.
St. Catherine of Sienna worked
and prayed with all her strength,
suffering a good deal of detraction
in the process, to bring the Papal
See back to Rome where it belongs.
She would write to the Pope and
tell him to do his duty “like a man!”
As a result, Pope Gregory XI
eventually moved the Papacy
back to Rome by 1377 (the
Papacy had resided in Avignon
for more than seven decades)
but the Pontiff died suddenly in
March, 1378. A Conclave was
immediately held that elected
Urban VI, one of the worst men
for the position at the time. The
new Pope was ill tempered,
arrogant and abusive.
Alice Curtayne, in her biography
of St. Catherine of Sienna, writes,
“Urban began his campaign
with a zeal for reform which
was formidable. In supreme
command, his brusqueness
became domineering rudeness…
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04/06/2015 1:19:16 PM
“The consistories were stormy
affairs. The Pope would interrupt
a Cardinal’s speech with ‘Stop
that foolish chatter’ or ‘You have
said enough’ or ‘You don’t know
what you are talking about.’ He
called one a blockhead and told
another he had stolen Church
money. ‘You lie!’ the latter
retorted. Things could hardly
continue like that.”
A number of Cardinals quickly
regretted the election. A faction
of Cardinals returned to France,
claimed they had been coerced
into electing Urban, and went on
to elect a second “Pope” – Clement
VII – to reign from Avignon.
There were now “two Popes,”
and a number of people blamed
St. Catherine of Sienna for
causing the divide, for it was she
who insisted the Pope return from
Avignon in the first place.
Chaos reigned. Many dioceses
now had two bishops: one from
the Pope in Rome, the other
from the “Pope” in France. St.
Catherine worked unceasingly
to remedy the tragic split and died
before she saw her work fulfilled.
In fact, the situation only
worsened. A third “Pope” was
elected, unleashing even greater
confusion. To make a long story
short, the issue was finally
resolved in 1417 when various
claimants had either abdicated
or been effectively deposed. The
Conclave elected a new Pope,
Martin V, and the “Great Western
Schism” came to an end 37 years
after Catherine’s death.
I tell the story for this
consideration: even though St.
Catherine of Sienna did not live
to see the fulfillment of the work
she started, a punishing work for
which she prayed and suffered,
her labors eventually came to
fruition; the Western Schism
ended with the Pope back in
Rome where he belongs.
St. Catherine of Sienna’s Feast
Day is April 30. Father Gruner
died on the vigil of St. Catherine,
around 7:00 pm, April 29.
Even more interesting: the
Church celebrates St. Catherine’s
Feast on April 30, but the actual
day of her death was April 29,
the same date as Father Gruner’s
death.
This gives me hope that Father
Gruner’s labors regarding Fatima
and the Consecration of Russia
will move forward and eventually
come to fruition. We will continue
to work for this end, and it is a
privilege to be part of this work.
We thank Father Gruner for
all he has done in promoting
the Fatima Message like no man
before.
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Some Details
of Father’s Passing
“Precious in the Sight of the Lord
Is the Death of His Saints” (Psalm 115:15)
by James Hanisch
M
any of Father Gruner’s
supporters from around
the world have contacted
The Fatima Center, asking for
more information about Father’s
untimely and unexpected death.
“What?! How can this be? What
happened?” These same questions
seemed to be in everyone’s mind
as soon as he or she heard the
shattering news.
It is natural — even a sign of
our love — to want to know the
particulars of a loved one’s death.
This longing is prompted by the
pain of our loss and by a desire to
share with that person, in a sense,
his last moments on earth.
Father Gruner held each of his
spiritual clients dearly at heart,
treasuring their companionship
in his efforts to see Our Lady of
Fatima properly obeyed before
Her terrible warnings come to
pass. Knowing that he considered
supporters of Our Lady’s
Apostolate among his truest
friends, we therefore want to
p27 CR112 Some Details of Father's Passing - Hanisch.indd 27
share with you some of the details
of Father’s last day among us, and
of his holy death.
Father’s Last Mass
Father’s last day was in many
ways no different from others.
He had shown no signs of feeling
poorly, and he was able to pursue
his routine of prayer and work to
the last moment of his life with as
much acuity and determination
as ever.
At his Mass that morning in
The Fatima Center’s chapel,
he exhibited the same serene
composure of mind and heart as
usual. Father Gruner was always
profoundly recollected during
Mass, and his last Mass was no
exception.
It was Wednesday, April 29th,
the feast of St. Peter of Verona —
a saint whose life exhibited strong
parallels to Father Gruner’s own
priestly life and mission. Like
Father Gruner, St. Peter of Verona
was a widely-traveled preacher
27
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who labored against the errors of
his day at a time of tremendous
confusion in the Church, including
widespread errors against the
Faith. Also like Father Gruner,
he was continuously persecuted
and calumniated in spite of his
orthodoxy and extraordinary
innocence of life. (It is said of
St. Peter of Verona that in the
entire course of his life, he never
committed a mortal sin.)
This striking similarity in
the lives of Father Gruner and
Saint Peter of Verona led to an
extraordinary “coincidence,”
in that the readings of the day
were uncannily appropriate to
what would be Father’s last Mass.
The Epistle, for instance, was
particularly descriptive of Father
Gruner’s own extraordinary
service to the Church, and of
his own boundless priestly
zeal which had enabled him to
endure so much persecution and
opposition.
Here is the gospel for that day:
“I labor [in the Gospel] even
unto bands, as an evildoer: but
the word of God is not bound.
Therefore, I endure all things for
the sake of the elect, that they
also may obtain the salvation
which is in Christ Jesus, with
heavenly glory. But thou hast
fully known my doctrine,
manner of life, purpose, faith,
28
longsuffering, love, patience,
persecutions, afflictions, …
what persecutions I endured,
and out of them all the Lord
delivered me.”
Every Mass an
Other-worldly Experience
Those who have had the
opportunity to assist at Father
Gruner’s Mass know well what
an other-worldly experience each
of his Masses was. Father’s Low
Mass would last well more than
an hour.
Oftentimes, from the Offertory
onward, Father would stand
motionless for long minutes,
gazing silently at the Crucifix
before him. (The Center’s chapel
has an almost life-size Spanishstyle crucifix which vividly
represents Our Lord’s terrible
sufferings for our Redemption.)
One such time was at the very
beginning of the Offertory. While
holding up the paten and host
before beginning the Offertory
prayers, Father would look long
and deeply into Our Lord’s eyes,
completely absorbed in His
anguished gaze.
At other times Father would
stand looking into the sad eyes of
Our Lady of Fatima, Whose statue
stands on the Gospel side of the
altar. Often, too, as the timeless
Sacrifice unfolded on the altar,
Father’s eyes would be fixed on
04/06/2015 1:14:37 PM
“Whosoever dies wearing this
Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.”
— Our Lady to St. Simon Stock
In the Brown
Scapular of
Mt.
Carmel, Our Blessed
Mother has given us our best
protection against evil and
the strongest defense against
the terrible dangers of
our times. Countless
miracles have been
associated
with
wearing the Brown
Scapular. Our Lady
solemnly promises at
the hour of death to
save any Catholic from
Hell who devoutly wears
the Scapular.
Protect yourself. Protect the ones you love.
With any size offering to help send this issue of Our
Lady’s Fatima magazine to others around the world,
we will send you our special Scapular Kit, containing
a blessed Brown Scapular of Mt. Carmel
and our beautiful 32-page, full color
booklet, Fatima! Through the Eyes of a
Child, which tells the story of Our Lady
of Fatima’s 1917 apparitions to three
little shepherd children.
To request your Scapular Kit, see
inside back cover for addresses and
phone
The Fatima Crusader | Summer
2015 number.
29
04/06/2015 1:14:38 PM
the wounds in Our Lord’s hands
or side.
Father’s own face at such times
(visible only to the altar-server)
bore the most moving, child-like
expression. In the dozen-orso times in which I myself was
privileged to serve Father’s Mass,
I often felt like an embarrassed
intruder at the most intimate of
meetings — sometimes even halfconvinced that Father was in an
ecstasy, in the presence of some
Heavenly vision. (But Father
always denied ever having had
any such gift.)
An Unhurried Encounter
With Our Lord
Also unique to Father’s Mass
was his minutely careful ablutions
after Holy Communion. Without
exaggeration, this was fully a
ten-minute process — unhurried,
but without any dallying either.
With the greatest care, he would
gather the Particles of the Blessed
Sacrament from the corporal onto
his paten, and then meticulously
purify his fingers and the altar
vessels. Witnessing these ablutions
was itself an unforgettable lesson
on the awesome truth of Our
Lord’s Real Presence in the Blessed
Sacrament.
Finally, too, there was the
accustomed litany of beautiful
prayers which Father led aloud
after each Mass, in which he
30
prayed by name for all of the
various intentions which were
his daily concern. He besought
Heaven specifically for all
aspects of the work of Our Lady’s
Apostolate, as well as for the
temporal and spiritual needs of all
those associated with The Fatima
Center, whether as supporters or
even as simply having asked for
his prayers.
Among these prayers after
Mass were always the ancient
and beautiful novena prayers to
St. Joseph and to Our Lady under
Her various titles — Our Lady of
Good Remedy, Our Lady of the
Rosary of Fatima, and Our Lady of
Perpetual Help. The two “Fatima
Prayers” which Our Lord taught
to Sister Lucy were each recited
five times:
“Sweet Heart of Mary, be the
salvation of Russia … and the
whole world”
“By Thy Pure and Immaculate
Conception, O Mary, obtain for me
the conversion of Russia … and the
whole world.”
In all, it was a fifteen-minute
thanksgiving and which, like each
of Father’s Masses, was dedicated
to the needs and intentions of all
those for whom he had promised
to pray. (Father never accepted
Mass stipends for himself. Each
of his Masses was offered for the
Apostolate’s benefactors.)
04/06/2015 1:14:38 PM
Father’s own silent thanksgiving
after Mass generally lasted
another ten or fifteen minutes.
Whichever staff member was
the last to leave the chapel
would typically see Father seated
near the rear of the chapel, still
absorbed in prayer with his eyes
fixed on the tabernacle.
How poignant it would have
been for all of those present
that day if they had known
that this would be the last time
they would ever hear Father
Gruner pronounce the words
of Consecration, bringing Our
Blessed Lord down from Heaven
onto the altar for them; the last
time that they would be fed with
the Bread of Life through his
gentle, consecrated hands; the
last time that they would ever
receive his final blessing!
How poignant and yet consoling
it might have been for Father
Gruner himself to have known
that in a matter of mere hours,
he would be meeting Our Blessed
Lord again that day, having
completed his earthly course!
At the Office
Much of that day’s work at
The Fatima Center was focused
on the final preparations for the
three-day conference which was
scheduled to take place during
the coming weekend in Boston.
As always, however, there were
many other pressing tasks on
Father’s list for the day as well.
It was a day that brought its
full share of stresses, especially
in regard to the conference
preparations since these were
now at their “zero hour.” (Fatima
Center staff members would be
leaving for Boston early the next
morning.) But all in all, the day
was no more stressful than most
others, and Father seemed no
less able to cope with the various
pressures of the moment.
No one seems to have heard
Father speak a word of complaint
about not feeling well that day.
He did appear to be rather tired,
as some of the Center’s staff
members have commented in
retrospect. But that was by no
means unusual. Father truly
drove himself like a slave in Our
Lady’s service, throughout all
hours of the day and night. He
was often visibly fatigued, and
when questioned about how he
was doing, he would sometimes
reply nonchalantly, “I could have
used some more sleep.”
One possible indication of
what was coming that evening,
as some have recalled, was that
Father seemed to feel bothered
in his left arm throughout the
afternoon. No one — least of
Continued on page 34
31
04/06/2015 1:14:38 PM
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r.
Washington D.C. Conference*
* Subject to modification
Tuesday, Sept 22/15
Feast of Saint Thomas
of Villanova
Time
7:00 - 8:45am
Breakfast time
7:15 - 8:30am
Mass Times
8:35am
Holy Rosary
8:55am
Announcements
9:00am
Talk
10:00am
Q&A
10:30am
Break
10:45am
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11:45am
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12:20pm
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1:45pm
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2:00pm
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Wednesday, Sept 23/15
Saint Padre Pio`s
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Father Gruner
Christopher Ferrara
Video speech from Father Gruner Update: The Third Secret Still
introduced by John Vennari
Silenced
Thursday, Sept 24/15
Our Lady of Ransom
Procession to
Congress and
Pope Francis
John Salza
Peter Chojnowski
The Miracle of the Sun at Fatima: How 8 Popes Failed To
The Indisputable Historic Fact
Consecrate Russia
Suzanne Pearson
New Light on the Consecration
of Russia
Cornelia Ferreira
Eucharistic Heresies and the
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John Vennari
Many Marriages Are Not of God;
The Unprecedented Assault on
Matrimony
Christopher Ferrara
Church Law: What Bishop, Priest
and Lay Person Can Do and Must
Do About Fatima
His Beatitude Ignatius Youssif
III Younan
Is World War III Now Starting
in the Middle East?
Dr. David Allen White
The Links in Our Lady’s Rosary
from Fatima to Washington, D.C.
John Vennari
Our Lady Keeps Her Word: A
Fatima Miracle of Peace
Stasia Vogel
Our Lady of Fatima IS the
Answer to the War Against Life
TBA
Call Now to Reserve Your SPOT 1-800-263-8160
04/06/2015 1:14:40 PM
Continued from page 31
all, Father himself — gave much
attention to this, but it did draw a
comment from Father’s personal
secretary, Darlene Jackson. “Is
your arm bothering you today?”
she asked. “No,” he answered, still
massaging his forearm.
Later, as the work-day drew
toward its end, Darlene offered
Father a sympathetic remark in
regard to some of the things that
had not worked out as fluidly as
they had hoped. Father gave her
a warm smile and countered
playfully, “What do you mean?
I got a lot done today!” They
laughed together — for the last
time, these two close friends, who
had worked together for so many
years.
Final Moments
At about 6:45 p.m., Dan Smith
(who was assisting Father as the
main coordinator for the weekend
conference) was preparing a
vehicle for the next day’s trip to
Boston. Having discovered that
the car’s wiper-fluid level was low,
he mentioned to Father that he
was on his way to the store. But
Father suggested instead, “No,
don’t buy more. There’s a whole
gallon in my car. Use it.” So Dan
went back out to the parking
lot to top off the fluid. Then,
after loading a few last boxes
34
of registration materials for the
conference, he went back inside.
By this time (approaching 7
p.m.), Darlene, Dan, and Kelly,
one of the apostolate managers,
were the only workers still at
the office with Father. Dan came
to return Father’s keys, but he
received no answer to his knock.
Listening at the door, he heard
nothing. Knocking more loudly
and calling Father’s name, he still
got no response.
Entering, Dan saw that Father
was unconscious. It appeared as
though he had collapsed sideways
onto a seat — his legs were
extended, his left hand was still
clutching a trash can (which he
must have grasped for support),
and his back and head were
leaning against the side wall.
Darlene was already calling
911, but as Dan recalled later,
there was such composure and
peace in Father’s facial expression
that he wondered at first if Father
might merely be asleep.
Unable to rouse Father and
finding no vital signs, Dan
positioned Father on the floor
and began trying to resuscitate
him. Paramedics arrived almost
immediately and took over Dan’s
efforts to save Father’s life. At
length, however, they realized
that their labors could not prevail.
04/06/2015 1:14:40 PM
Holy Orders
Father Gruner was ordained on August 22,
1976 on the Feast of The Immaculate Heart.
A great grace is received as his father,
Malcom kisses his son’s blessed hands.
Father Gruner gives Holy Communion to his parents Malcolm and Jessie at his first Mass.
35
04/06/2015 1:14:42 PM
“I Promise to Assist
at the Moment of Death,
with All the Graces
Necessary for Salvation…”
Darlene had also summoned a
priest, who came in the greatest
haste to anoint Father Gruner.
At the arrival of this good priest
(who was Father’s long-time
friend), everyone immediately
made way for him to perform his
sacred office.
Shouldering his purple
stole, and with his Ritual and
consecrated oil in hand, he
administered the Last Sacrament
to Father Gruner: “Per istam
sanctam Unctionem…” (“Through
this holy Unction and His own
most tender mercy, may the Lord
pardon thee whatever sins or
faults thou hast committed….”)
The holy words of this ancient
rite of the Church were repeated
with each anointing on Father’s
members.
With visible grief for his dear
friend, he then imparted to Father
Gruner the Apostolic Blessing
at the Hour of Death, and then
commended his soul to God: “Go
forth, O Christian Soul, from this
world, in the Name of God the
Father Almighty, Who created
thee; in the Name of Jesus Christ,
the Son of the living God, Who
suffered for thee; in the Name of
the Holy Ghost, Who was poured
36
forth upon thee; in the name of
the glorious and ever blessed
Virgin Mary, Mother of God….”
It was all so sudden and
heartbreaking, and yet at the
same time it was the very picture
of what we as Catholics aspire to
all our lives — to persevere to the
end in the belief and practice of
the Faith, and to leave this world
cleansed and strengthened by
the Sacraments of the Church.
Our Lady had amply fulfilled in
Her devoted servant’s regard
Her unfailing First-Saturdays’
promise:
“I promise to assist at the moment
of death, with all the graces
necessary for salvation, all those
who, on the first Saturday of five
consecutive months shall confess,
receive Holy Communion, recite five
decades of the Rosary, and keep Me
company for fifteen minutes while
meditating on the fifteen mysteries
of the Rosary, [doing each of these
acts] with the intention of making
reparation to Me.”
Who could count how many
times Father Gruner had made the
Five First-Saturdays’ devotion? All
those who confessed to him on a
First Saturday know well his zeal
for this devotion, as he invariably
reminded and assisted them to
make a formal intention for that
Confession as an act of reparation
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
04/06/2015 1:14:42 PM
Our Lady, of course, was no less
generous and faithful to Father
Gruner than he had been toward
Her. Father left this world with the
full advantage of the prayers and
blessing of the Church, having
made a recent Confession, having
received Holy Communion that
day, and with the Sacrament of
Extreme Unction at the very hour
of his death.
Our Lady knows well our
particular needs in our last
hour. While some may require a
deathbed-Confession in order to
conclude their lives in the state
of grace, others can be found
prepared and watching for their
Lord at any moment. Father
Gruner seems to have left this
world with the instant readiness
of the blessed servant described
in the book of Job: “Thou shalt
call me, and I will answer Thee”
(14:15).
Our Lord Himself speaks of such
rare souls:
“Let your loins be girt, and
lamps burning in your hands,
and you yourselves like to men
who wait for their lord, when he
shall return from the wedding;
that when he cometh and
knocketh, they may open to him
immediately. Blessed are those
servants, whom the Lord when
He cometh, shall find watching.”
(Luke 12:35-37)
Parting Tears
Much of The Fatima Center’s
staff had returned to the office
by now. With the conclusion of
these rites of the Church, they
then came up one by one to make
their individual broken-hearted
goodbyes to their beloved leader
and friend. For many of these staff
members, there was no possibility
of restraining their grief.
Coralie Graham, who had worked
with Father Gruner for more than
thirty years, commented that the
terrible shock and devastation
which she felt at the moment was
mitigated by two things. The first
was seeing that Father’s Brown
Scapular had not been removed
(remembering Our Lady of Mt.
Carmel’s promise that whosoever
dies clothed in this Scapular shall
not suffer eternal fire). The second
was the wonderful look of peace
on Father’s face.
“You could just see it,” she said.
“The peacefulness on his face was
so tangible you couldn’t help but
see it. And having seen all of the
turmoil that he had been put
through for so much of his life, I
couldn’t help but think, ‘God bless
you, Father. You finally have the
peace that you deserve!’ It made
me feel in my heart that Our Lady
had come to take him with Her to
a happier and better place, and I
was happy for him.”
37
04/06/2015 1:14:43 PM
Thus can the eyes of faith
penetrate the veneer of such
tragic appearances.
Let us draw the curtain here on
this sad but precious scene, and
commend Father’s soul to God in
our own hearts.
May his so-generous soul, having
labored to the point of exhaustion
in the service of the Sacred and
Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and
Mary, be quickly admitted into
the presence of those same Holy
Hearts. Having served Them so
faithfully, may he speedily hear
the promised words of welcome
and praise from Christ our God:
“Well done, good and faithful
servant. Enter thou into the joy
of thy Lord! Come, ye blessed of
My Father! Come, ye champion of
My Mother. Yea, come!”
Commendation
We commend you, dear Father
Gruner, to Almighty God, and we
entrust you to Him Whose creature
you are. Having paid the debt of
human nature in surrendering your
soul, may you return to your Maker
who formed you out of the earth.
May your spirit be met by the
noble company of Angels. May
the high court of the Apostles
come forward to plead for you.
May the victorious army of whiterobed martyrs welcome you. May
the lily-white throng of glorious
confessors surround you. May the
joyous choir of virgins escort you.
May St. Joseph, the tender patron
of the dying, sustain you in high
hope. May the holy Virgin Mary,
Mother of God, turn Her kindly eyes
upon you. May Jesus Christ appear
before you with a gentle and joyous
countenance, and may He appoint a
place for you in His presence forever.
May Christ, the Son of the living
God, give you a place in the eververdant gardens of His Paradise,
and may He, the true Shepherd,
own you for one of His flock. May
he place you at His right hand
among His elect. May you see
your Redeemer face-to-face, and,
standing ever in His presence, may
you gaze with delighted eyes on
Truth itself made manifest. May
you there take your place in the
ranks of the blessed, and enjoy the
blessed vision of your God forever.
Fond Memories
M a y
C h ris
g ra te fu l fo r
F a th e r N ic h
y o u r so u
t, a n d w
y o u r a m
o la s G ru
l re s t in p e a c e w ith O u r L o rd a n d S a
ith O u r B le s s e d M o th e r M a ry . I w ill
a z in g w o rk a t th e F a tim a C e n te r! G o d
n e r!
...J
38
v io r J e s u s
fo re v e r b e
b le s s y o u ,
onathan S
04/06/2015 1:14:43 PM
Spiritual
Memories
Young Father Gruner speaking with Pope
Paul VI.
Father Gruner with Father Lizzotti, a close
friend for many years.
Father Gruner with Cardinal Renato Martino and Bishop Khoarai (RIP) at our 2011
“Consecration Now” Conference in Rome.
In procession at Fatima on May 13th.
39
04/06/2015 1:14:50 PM
Reviled and
Yet Blessed
by Louie Verrecchio
P
rior to the supposed
release of the Third Secret
of Fatima in the year 2000,
Cardinal Ratzinger said that it
contains essentially the same
warning that was issued by Our
Lady at Akita, Japan, where the
Blessed Virgin said:
“The work of the devil will
infiltrate even into the Church
in such a way that one will see
Cardinals opposing Cardinals,
Bishops against other Bishops.
The priests who venerate Me
will be scorned and opposed
by their confreres. Churches
and altars will be sacked. The
Church will be full of those
who accept compromises, and
the demon will press many
priests and consecrated souls
to leave the service of the
Lord.”
Evidence suggesting that we
are experiencing these terrible
events at this very moment
is all around us; e.g., events
surrounding the Synod of Bishops
on marriage and family, priest
40
p40 CR112 Reviled and Yet Blessed Verrecchio.indd 40
shortages and dwindling religious
orders, the persecution of the
Church throughout the world, etc.
One of the first things that
come to my mind when I read
these words of Our Lady, however,
is Father Nicholas Gruner.
“The priests who venerate Me
will be scorned and opposed by
their confreres.”
I can think of no other priest
in our day who has been attacked
more vigorously by his confreres
than Father Nicholas Gruner, and
this for a crime no more egregious
than trusting our Blessed Mother.
Father Gruner dedicated the
greater part of his life to spreading
the message of Our Lady of Fatima
and encouraging others, including
popes, to do the same.
For this, he was scorned
and opposed; ridiculed and
mistreated.
An ordinary man would have
succumbed to bitterness and
abandoned the mission a long
time ago.
04/06/2015 3:21:28 PM
Father Nicholas Gruner,
however, was no ordinary man.
He was living proof that those
who are persecuted and reviled
for righteousness’ sake are among
the most blessed.
Those who had the privilege
of spending time in his presence
could not help but be touched
by his gentleness and kindness.
The genuine, heartfelt passion
with which he spoke of Our Lady’s
virtues, oftentimes to the point
where he struggled to hold back
tears, is something that I’ll never
forget.
The ignorant and the haughty
will likely continue to utter all
kinds of evil against Father
Gruner even in death, and there
can be no doubt that their vitriol
will only intensify for those of us
who attempt to fill the void that
is left in his passing.
Let us beg the intercession of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking
that She implore Her Divine Son
to bless those of us who continue
to spread the Message of Our
Lady of Fatima; bestowing upon
us the grace of perseverance that
He so generously showered upon
Father Gruner.
Requiem aeternam dona ei,
Domine, et lux perpetua luceat
ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.
Fond Memories
hank you or your valiant fight or the truth You have already
su ered your own chastisement rom the enemies o ur ord.
o need or you to stay on earth now and su er through any urther
calamities. Because o your work many souls will be saved. ay ur
ady welcome you into the loving arms o er ivine on. ...J osep h C
Praying the osary or the repose o your soul dearest ather Gruner. I pray
that the Blessed irgin was there to meet you and escort you to ur ord. I
think it fitting that you not be present to witness the chastisement that is surely
coming our way soon. You o all the aith ul deserve to be taken to eaven
and be spared. God rest you and may I one day oin you in eaven.
...Maria W
I believe that ur ord has called ather Gruner home early as a reward or his
committed work and to spare him the upcoming horrendous and catastrophic
su erings and chastisement that is going to be poured out upon the world.
hank you ather Gruner or your instruction and advice and or the love
and care that you demonstrated to the aith ul throughout your entire priestly
li e. A ter your departure the world is now a poorer place.
...Mark G
p40 CR112 Reviled and Yet Blessed Verrecchio.indd 41
41
04/06/2015 3:21:29 PM
Fond Memories
F a th e r N ic h o la s G ru n e r, w e lo v e y o u s o m u c h . W e w ill c o n tin u e
w h a t y o u h a v e s t a r t e d . Y o u a r e a l w a y s i n o u r p r a y e r s . ...J ohn C
A ll tru e fa ith fu l C a th o lic s , w e n e e d to
n o w . W e a re in s e rio u s tro u b le . W e n e e d a
to s p e n d m o re tim e p ra y in g th e R o s a ry . W
m is s io n u n til w e w in th e g re a t v ic to ry fo r
S a in ts J a c in ta a n d F ra n c is c o , a n d S is te r L
lo v e e a c h o th e r a n
lo t o f h e lp fro m H
e n e e d to c o n tin u e
O u r M o th e r. F a th
u c ia , p le a s e p ra y
T h o s e o f u s w h o w e re to u c h e d b y h im m u s t c o n tin u e
fo r th e F a tim a C e n te r a n d a ll th o s e w h o g iv e s o m u
H is M e rc y e n a b le th e m to c o n tin u e w h a t F a th e r n e
...K
d h e lp e a c h o th e r
e a v e n . W e n e e d
F a th e r G ru n e r ’s
e r G ru n e r, L ittle
f o r u s . ...J osep h S
h is w o rk . I p ra y
c h . M a y G o d in
v e r g a v e u p o n .
ev in and Maria P
T h a n k y o u F a th e r G ru n e r fo r a ll y o u r g o o d w o rk . P le a s e c o n tin u e to g u id e
u s a n d y o u r f a tim a .o rg .
...Leil ani C
O u r L o rd h a s ta k e n o n e o f o u r le a d e rs . L e t’s a ll fo llo w F a th e r G ru n e r ’s
e x a m p le a n d e n s u re th a t h is w o rk is c a rrie d o n fo r th e g re a te r g lo ry o f O u r
L o rd a n d th e R e ig n o f o u r Q u e e n , th e V irg in M a ry .
...Mic hael A
F a th e r C
1 2 :2 4 -2 5
g ro u n d d
I p ra y th
ulfilled
S a
tru
T h
F a
G
O
N
R
M
o u tu re s u m m e d e v e ry th in
a t F a th e r G ru n e r ’s b u ria l: “
ie , its e lf re m a in e th a lo n e . B
a t F a th e r G ru n e r w ill h e lp
rom eaven.
g u
U n
u t
to
p p e rfe c tly w ith a
le s s th e g ra in o f w h
if it d ie , it b rin g e th
h a v e O u r L a d y o f
q u o te fro m J o h n
e a t fa llin g in to th e
f o r th m u c h f r u it.”
F a tim a ’s re q u e s ts
...Moniq ue K
d d e n e d a n d s h o c k e d to h e a r o f F a th e r G ru n e r ’s p a s s in g ! W e h a v e lo s t a
e C a th o lic S o ld ie r fo r C h ris t w h o tru ly lo v e d th e B le s s e d V irg in M a ry .
is P rie s t w a s a n e x a m p le fo r u s o n h o w to liv e a n d h o w to s ta n d u p fo r o u r
ith , o u r G o d , a n d w h a t th e B le s s e d M o th e r a s k e d u s to d o a t F a tim a . F a th e r
ru n e r s p e n t h is life m a k in g s u re h e c o n s ta n tly s p re a d th e w o rd a b o u t w h a t
u r B le s s e d L a d y w a n te d u s to d o ! It is n o w u p to U S to L IS T E N a n d A C T
O W b e fo re it is to o la te , if it is n o t to o la te a lre a d y ! M a y w e a ll p ra y th e
O S A R Y c o n s ta n tly , u n til th e B is h o p s L IS T E N to th e re q u e s t o f o u r B le s s e d
o th e r, th e M o th e r o f G O D !
...Roseann S
I m is s y o u s o m u c h ,
with us. I miss you
y o u to g e t th e C o n s e
P ra y fo r u s F a th e r! Y o
42
k n o w in
ather.
c ra tio n
u a re in
g th a t y o u a re
ather Gruner
d o n e ! Y o u r w
o u r h e a rts a n d
n o lo n g e r in
we will keep
o rk w ill n o t
m e m o rie s ! W
th is w o rld
fighting or
b e in v a in !
e lo v e y o u !
...P aul ine R
04/06/2015 3:27:04 PM
In Loving Memory
43
04/06/2015 3:27:13 PM
Tribute to
Father Gruner
“Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
by Robert Siscoe
“I have been informed of a
great mystery, which affords us
consolation in this conflict of the
holy Church against her wicked
enemies. Namely, on account of
this triumph of Most Holy Mary
and on account of another, which
She gained over the demons
after the Ascension of our Lord,
the Almighty, in reward of Her
battles, decreed, that through
Her intercession and virtue all the
heresies and sects of the world
against the holy Church were to
be destroyed and extinguished.”
“The time appointed for this
blessing was not made known
to me; probably, the fulfillment
of this decree is dependent upon
some tacit and unknown condition”
... (Mystical City of God, Venerable
Mary of Agreda, Volume II, p. 291)
The tacit and unknown
condition required for the victory
of holy Church over her enemies,
spoke of by Venerable Mary of
Agreda, three and a half centuries
44
p44 CR112 Tribute to Fr Gruner - Siscoe.indd 44
ago, was announced by our Lady
of Fatima on July 13, 1917. It was
and is the collegial Consecration
of Russia to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary. This simple act
of obedience by the Pope and
Bishops is the Divine remedy for
our present crisis of the Church
and the world.
A Tremendous Loss
On April 29, 2015, the Church
Militant suffered a tremendous loss
with the sudden and unexpected
passing of Father Gruner. His
tireless efforts in defending and
spreading the Faith in the present
crisis helped to strengthen,
enlighten, and encourage many
struggling souls. His unwavering
dedication to spreading the
Message of Fatima, and calling
for the collegial Consecration, in
the face of unrelenting attacks,
which can only be described
as diabolical, was truly heroic.
Father will always be remembered
as The Fatima Priest.
04/06/2015 3:25:12 PM
Tears of Faith
Father Gruner would often
tear up when speaking of the
Message of Fatima, and hardly a
dry eye would remain in the large
crowds that would come to hear
him. He understood so clearly
that Fatima holds the solution
to the present crisis that he once
said to me: “Why don’t people
understand. I don’t know what
more I can say to make them
understand.”
But the fault was not with
Father Gruner, nor the Message
of Fatima, but with those who
refused to believe it. The powers
that be had chosen a different path
for peace: an ecumenical path of
false unity and the establishment
of a One World Church to bring
about a New World Order.
faith during the post-Conciliar
era, but few have endured the
degree of ridicule and calumny
Father Gruner suffered – all due
to his unwavering devotion to
the Message of Fatima. He was
a voice crying in the wilderness,
and, like the prophets of old, was
persecuted for justice’ sake.
Unfaltering Perseverance
Yet in spite of the persecution
he endured, Father Gruner’s
success in keeping the Message
alive, in the face of powerful
forces who were literally hellbent on burying it, was truly
remarkable. He published the
quarterly The Fatima Crusader for
37 years, took part in countless
radio and television interviews,
and produced television shows
that aired throughout the world.
He sent multiple letters to bishops
Scorn of the Modernists
and priests around the world
As a direct result of his
annually to remind them of Our
dedication to the Message of
Lady’s promise and keep them
Fatima, Father Gruner was
abreast of recent developments.
scorned, ridiculed, and maligned
And his perseverance bore
by the modernists in the hierarchy
fruit.
Bishops from all over
as well as many of the misguided
the
world
began to attend his
laity. When one considers the
conferences,
and in an incredible
vicious attacks, the calumny, and
turn
of
events,
in 2012, Father was
detraction he endured throughout
his priesthood, they cannot help invited to speak of the Message
but recall the words of Our Lady of Fatima before the European
of Akita: “The priests who venerate Union Parliament. The Message
me will be scorned and opposed even reached the ears of Vladimir
by their confreres.” Many heroic Putin, who was so intrigued that
priests have suffered for the he brought it up in his meeting
45
04/06/2015 3:25:12 PM
with the Pope. Father Gruner was
clearly the instrument chosen by
God to keep the true Message of
Fatima alive during post-Conciliar
crisis.
In the face of the unrelenting
attacks and lying rumors that
would have caused others to grow
bitter or fall into despair, Father
Gruner, worn down by his trials,
persevered with his end in view
and died with his boots on. At the
end of his life, he could say with
St. Paul: “I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim
4:7). Father Gruner is a shining
example for all those suffering
for justice’s sake during the postConciliar era.
The sudden and unexpected
death of Father Gruner was a
sad day for the Church Militant,
but a precious moment in the
eyes of God, for “Precious in the
sight of the Lord is the death of
his saints.” (Psalms 15:15). May
he rest in peace, and may his life
continue to be a shining example
and encouragement for us all.
Fond Memories
F a th e r G ru n e r, y o u a re tru ly a h o ly p rie s t, a “ D e a r O n e ” o f O u r
B le s s e d M o th e r M a ry . P le a s e p ra y fo r u s d o w n h e re s till s tru g g lin g
v e ry m u c h .
...J . L.
S u c h a
w h a t a
fo r th e
d e se rv e
can do
s h o c k ! B u t th e
g o o d a n d fa ith f
C o n s e c ra tio n to
a re s t! P ra y fo r
more in eaven
L o rd h a s re le a s e d h im
u l s e rv a n t h e w a s ! H e f
b e d o n e . R e s t in p e a c e ,
u s . M a y b e th a t’s w h y G o
than on earth You truly
fro m h is la b o rs , a n d
o u g h t lo n g a n d h a rd
o h g o o d F a th e r! Y o u
d to o k y o u . N o w y o u
ought the good fight
...J anic e D
N o re s t fo r p o o r F a th e r G ru n e r. H e n o s o o n e r g e ts to H e a v e n th a n w e
a ll (in c lu d in g m e ) s ta rt a s k in g h is h e lp s o w e c a n h a v e w o rld p e a c e .
B u t I a m s u re h e is v e ry h a p p y to d o a ll th a t G o d w ill a llo w h im to d o .
...J ohn L
hen we are finally blessed with the riumph o the Immaculate eart will
w e a ll b e a b le to s e e a n d a p p re c ia te th e w o rk d o n e b y th is O N E m a n . W o rd s
c a n n o t b e g i n t o d e s c r i b e w h a t a g r e a t A p o s t l e t h i s m a n w a s . ...N ic hol as C
F a th e r G ru n e r is n o w re s tin g in p e a c e in th e lo v in g a rm s o f O u r L a d y o f F a tim a .
ather Gruner was ur ady s holy priest and he stood or the
.
...G ianna R
46
04/06/2015 3:25:13 PM
Onward?
Please God, Yes!
In spite of recent sad events, there remains much to be done at Our Lady’s
Apostolate. Please continue to support The Fatima Center as generously as
you can, so that we can carry on Father Gruner’s urgent work of bringing Our
Lady’s full Message of Fatima to the world.
by James Hanisch
F
ather Gruner’s sudden
and unexpected departure
from this world brought
us all a painful shock — not just
the shock of separation from our
beloved friend, but also (at least
for many) a perplexed sense of
foreboding about the future.
How can it be (many have asked
themselves) that in Our Lord’s
designs, Father Gruner’s work on
earth should end now, when he
had so many plans in progress,
and while we all stand in need of
his continued leadership?
An Omen that God’s Justice Is about
to Overwhelm Our Sinful World?
The answer which seems
most often to suggest itself is
that the time of God’s patience
and warnings has now passed.
Many of our supporters have
told us that they immediately
experienced a sense of dread
p47 CR112 Onward Please God Yes - Hanisch.indd 47
when they heard the news of
Father’s death, sensing that
Our Lord is about to vindicate
the honor of His Mother Whose
requests have been despised for
so long.
For many of us, Father Gruner’s
death thus takes our minds
forcibly back to Sister Lucy’s
warning of the terrible price that
the Church will have to pay for
ignoring the Message of Fatima:
“[T]he Most Holy Virgin
is very sad because no one
has paid any attention to Her
message…. But believe me,
Father [Fuentes], God will
chastise the world, and this
will be in a terrible manner.
… Let us remember that Jesus
Christ is a very good Son, and
that He does not permit that
we offend and despise His
Most Holy Mother. …
47
04/06/2015 3:29:25 PM
“[Our Lady] said to my
cousins as well as to myself
that God is giving two last
remedies to the world. These
are the Holy Rosary and
Devotion to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary. …
“[I]n the plans of Divine
Providence, God always,
before He is about to chastise
the world, exhausts all other
remedies. Now, when He
sees that the world pays no
attention whatsoever, then
(as we say in our imperfect
manner of speaking) He offers
us with a certain trepidation
the last means of salvation, His
Most Holy Mother. It is with a
certain trepidation because if
you despise and repulse this
ultimate means, we will not
have any more forgiveness
from Heaven….”1
Father Gruner worked and
prayed so hard, and for so long,
and with such anguish of heart
in order to spare the world from
having to suffer the chastisements
prophesied by Our Lady of Fatima.
As one of Father’s supporter’s
wrote to us, “Every time he spoke
I could feel his pain and concern
for the people of the world
and especially for his Catholic
brothers and sisters.”
How Father’s heart would have
broken to see such unparalleled
48
miseries overwhelm so many
people, as he had already been
able to imagine too well! It seems
perfectly in keeping with God’s
justice that He would mercifully
remove Father Gruner before
the punishments come upon us,
which he had worked so hard to
prevent. It was in just this way
that God spared good King Josias
in Old-Testament times, to whom
He said:
“Therefore I will gather thee
to thy fathers, and thou shalt
be gathered to thy sepulcher
in peace, that thy eyes may not
see all the evils which I will
bring upon this place.”2
Are We Too Late, Then?
In regard to Father’s death,
we can only resign ourselves
with unflinching trust to this
manifestation of God’s will.
Truly, an unfailing devotion to
God’s will was the driving force
of Father Gruner’s whole life.
His work at The Fatima Center,
spanning almost 40 years, was in
simplest terms a tirelessly faithful
response to the will of God (as
announced by Our Heavenly
Mother) to save poor sinners from
Hell by establishing in the world
— on Our Lord’s Own terms —
the devotion to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary.
04/06/2015 3:29:29 PM
SOCIETY OF
SAINT JOHN
Vianney
Reaching out to Catholic Clergy Around the World
GODLY PRIESTS URGENTLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT
The Fatima Movement of Priests (FMP) helps good priests and bishops (as well as
lay people) to work together for the triumph of Mary’s Immaculate Heart through
the Consecration of Russia. Thus, peace will be brought to the world and MILLIONS
of SOULS will be saved. Priests committed to the Movement (FMP) are already
missionaries for Our Lady of Fatima. They preach the Message of Fatima throughout the
world. To date, hundreds of priests from six continents have committed themselves to this
great work.
THE PRIESTS WORKING IN THE FATIMA MOVEMENT (FMP)
 Need your prayerful support!
 They need resource materials
 They need further training
 And they need your help
Help The Fatima Movement of Priests Through the Society of St. John Vianney
The Society of St. John Vianney will help collect gifts for the work of The Fatima
Movement of Priests. Your monthly offering to the Society can be earmarked for the
support of The Fatima Movement of Priests.
JOIN TODAY! SOCIETY MEMBERS ENJOY MANY UNIQUE BENEFITS...
❚ Special Masses
❚ Newsletters
❚ Prayers
❚ Spiritual assistance by phone, letter, prayer cards, & more.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
To become a member or for more information, just fill out the
enclosed form or call us toll-free at 1-800-263-8160.
04/06/2015 3:29:30 PM
But what are we to do now?
Our Lord has taken Father Gruner
from us. Shall we just give up the
fight, since our leader has been
removed from the field?
We Have An Obligation
It’s Everybody’s Job!
It is not difficult to imagine
what Our Lord’s reply to such
a question would be. Nor is it
difficult to know what Father
Gruner’s own answer would be. In
fact, he has already given it to us:
“Our Lady came for a
purpose. She told us the truth
and She expects us to believe
and obey Her. …
“No matter what anyone may
say to the contrary, it is a fact
that we all have an obligation
to the Common Good. We must
tell the truth in public and in
private. Therefore, we must
publish and promote the truth,
the whole truth about Fatima.
We must pray and work for the
will of God to be done on earth
as it is in Heaven.
“None of us are excused
from this obligation. To the
extent that we are able, we
must do what we can now
because none of us have a
guarantee that we will be here
tomorrow.
“We have to pray our Rosary
each day, make sacrifices,
50
wear our scapular, consecrate
ourselves to Our Lady and
make the Five First Saturdays.
These are things we can do
as Catholics. It’s everybody’s
job, not just the Pope and the
bishops. Heaven did not give
the great grace of the Fatima
Message in order for us to yawn
toward it with indifference.
Responding to Fatima is a duty
which each and every one of us
will have to render an account
of before God. …
“I believe that Our Lady
means it absolutely and literally
when She says, ‘If My requests
are granted, many souls will
be saved and there will be
peace. If My requests are not
granted, Russia will raise up
wars and persecutions against
the Church, the good will be
martyred, the Holy Father will
have much to suffer, various
nations will be annihilated.’
I don’t think we have any
other choice but to continue
to promote Our Lady’s full
Message with all our strength.
What else can we do?”3
Indeed, what else can we do?
Our lives, and possibly our souls,
depend on our success in bringing
about a proper response to Our
Lady of Fatima’s requests. Our
Lady has promised that when
Russia is consecrated to Her
Immaculate Heart as God has
04/06/2015 3:29:30 PM
asked, She will interpose Her own
unfathomable merits to prevent
the terrible punishments that the
world deserves for its crimes.
Meanwhile, Our Lady’s Message
remains in effect held captive by
malicious or deluded churchmen
who seek to misrepresent and
bury it — men who have preferred
the euphemisms of the Second
Vatican Council (accommodating
the Church to the “cult of man”4)
to the somber warnings of Our
Lady. Even while they profess
their love and devotion and
obedience to Our Lady of Fatima,
they work to destroy people’s
belief, adherence, and support of
Her full Message and requests. We
remain in an intolerable, deadly
situation.
We owe it to Our Lady, to our
children, to ourselves… We —
all of us — have no choice but
to continue the fight that Father
Gruner began on our behalf, to
bring the full Message of Fatima
to the world.
Particularly, we at The Fatima
Center know what we need to
do. Father Gruner himself taught
each of us our jobs, and we know
that he expects us to continue this
urgent work as long as we can.
most daring plans for making
Our Lady’s Message known and
obeyed. Day and night, his mind
seemed always to be searching for
new ways to bring ever greater
pressure to bear upon the Vatican
bureaucracy for the publication
of the full Third Secret and for
the Consecration of Russia to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I was with Father Gruner at
a day-long planning meeting
outside of Syracuse, New York
just ten days before he passed
away. Throughout this meeting,
I was simply astonished at the
number of powerful strategies
being discussed and planned,
many of which were already
underway. The remembrance
of such hopeful and exciting
ventures added tremendously to
the confusion I experienced when
I heard of Father’s death.
But Father Gruner would be the
first to insist that these ventures
can still be pursued in his absence,
if The Fatima Center’s support
base is maintained.
Father also had a number of
writing projects underway at
the time of his death. We plan
to bring them to completion.
Your continued prayers and
financial support can make this
Crucial Works in Progress
possible. With the grace of God,
Father Gruner was so full of together, we can do this in time
energy, and new ideas, and the to accomplish all the good that
51
04/06/2015 3:29:30 PM
Father Gruner longed to do with among those who have become
personally acquainted with him.
these writings.
How fitting it was, then, that the
We Can Still Succeed — Father Saturday following his death was
Gruner’s Love for Us Has Never the First Saturday of May — the
Been So Great, Nor His Prayers
one day of all days in the year
So Powerful as Now!
which is so uniquely and doubly
Certainly, we do our departed special to Our Lady of Fatima!
loved ones no service by
One can just imagine Our Lady
“canonizing” them prematurely,
of Fatima, with Lucia and Jacinta
assuming that they have no
and Francisco, leading our dear
need of our prayers when in fact
Father and friend into Heaven
they may have a long term in
that day.
Purgatory to endure. On the part
I do consider it very possible
of those at The Fatima Center,
that,
with his soul having been
there has been no lack of prayer
perfectly
purified, he stands
and sacrifices offered on Father’s
behalf since the awful moment of now as our powerful advocate
his death, particularly during the in Heaven, still “working” and
praying for our preservation
first several days after.
from the terrible dangers that
But just as certainly, we know
already surround us, and from
of Our Lady’s scapular-promise
the terrible ordeals that surely
called the Sabbatine Privilege,
lie in our near future — praying
according to which Our Lady
for us more ardently and more
has assured us that She will
powerfully now than ever, with
deliver from Purgatory on the
the fervor and power of a saint
first Saturday after their death
in Heaven!
all those who wear Her Brown
Perhaps it is unbecoming to
Scapular, observe chastity
according to their state of life, speak openly in this manner, even
and perform a prescribed daily if it is one’s private sentiment, but
Marian devotion (commonly I say this because I believe that
commuted in our time, with a it is important for us to maintain
priest’s permission, to reciting a hope for our own situation.
five-decade Rosary).
Yes, as Father Gruner clearly
We all know how devoted saw, our remaining time is clearly
Father Gruner was to Our Lady’s growing short. Another World
scapular and Rosary. The great War is practically upon us, and
purity of his life is also proverbial we have so far to go in bringing
52
04/06/2015 3:29:30 PM
about the Pope and bishops’
obedience to Our Lady’s request
for the Consecration of Russia.
But we can be certain, too, that
Father Gruner would desire the
work of Our Lady’s Apostolate
(to which he dedicated his whole
priestly life) to be continued now
with more zeal than ever.
As I heard Father emphasizing
during that meeting just days
before his death, it is now or never
for Catholics to come forward and
stand together to make Our Lady
of Fatima’s Message known and
obeyed.
This fact has not changed
with Father’s passing. Please
join us in praying that Our Lady
will keep this Apostolate afloat
and working in Her service.
Footnotes:
1. December 26, 1957 interview by Father Augustine Fuentes, cited in Frère
Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole
Truth About Fatima, vol. III: The Third
Secret, Immaculate Heart Publications,
Buffalo, New York, Revised Edition,
2001, pp. 504, 507.
2. 4 Kings 22:20.
3. Father Nicholas Gruner, cited in Fran-
cis Alban, Fatima Priest, Good
Counsel Publications, Pound Ridge,
NY, 1997, pp. 234-235. Emphasis in
original.
4. Cf. Pope Paul VI, Angelus Address,
Jan. 27, 1974.
Fond Memories
R e s t in p e a c e , F a th e r G ru n e r. G o d b le s s th e A p o s to la te w h ic h
y o u e s ta b lis h e d a n d w h ic h w e w ill c o n tin u e to s u p p o rt. A m e n .
...Brian C
I’m to ta lly s h o c k e d . S u re ly G o d h a s H is re a s o n s fo r ta k in g h im fro m u s . W e
m u s t k e e p h is h a rd w o rk g o in g .
...Cathy D
R e s t in p e a c e , F a th e r G ru n e r. I p ra y th a t th e c a u s e h e fo u g h t s o h a rd fo r is n ’t
fo rg o tte n . W h a t a h o ly , h u m b le p rie s t!
...Debbie B
M y d e a r h e a v e n ly s a in t,
h e lp u s c o n tin u e w ith a ll
o u r d e a r, d e a r frie n d fo u
d e a r F a th e r, w ith y o u r b
th e tw o o f y o u n o w w o rk
Im m a c u la te H e a rt o f M a
o f y o u .
I a m in te a rs , a n d I d o n ’t k
th a t m u s t b e d o n e th ro u g h
n d e d 3 7 y e a rs a g o . I k n o w
e s t o f frie n d s , S a in t P a d re
in g in H e a v e n , w e w ill n o t
ry w ill s o o n b e s e e n b y H e
n o w w h a t to
th e A p o s to la
y o u w ill. B
P io , k n o w in
fa il. T h e T riu
a v e n a n d e a r
I a m s u re y o u a ll m u s t b e in s h o c k - fro m F r. G ru n e r ’s s u d d e n
fo r th e w h o le w o rld . I p ra y fo r y o u a n d y o u r c o m m u n ity th a
f o r y o u a ll in th e d a y s a n d y e a r s a h e a d , G o d b le s s . ...F r.
S t. B e n e d ic t
d e a
t G o
D a v
C e n
d o . P le a s e
te th a t y o u ,
e a t p e a c e ,
g th a t w ith
m p h o f th e
th , b e c a u s e
...Debbie R
th . W h a t a
d w ill p ro
id P h illip
te r, N H , U
lo s s
v id e
so n ,
S A
53
04/06/2015 3:29:31 PM
Fond Memories
O u r fa m ily is g re a tly s a d d e n e d b y th is n e w s ! W e k n e w F a th e r
G ru n e r p e rs o n a lly a n d lo v e d h im d e a rly . H e a lw a y s m a d e tim e
fo r u s a n d w illin g ly im p a rte d h is w is d o m . H is k n o w le d g e w a s im m e n s e
a n d b a la n c e d in s o m a n y a re a s , o n ly s u rp a s s e d b y h is p a s s io n to s e rv e th e
B le s s e d T rin ity a n d o u r d e a r H o ly M o th e r. H e a v e n h a s v e ry fe w s e rv a n ts in
th e w o rld to d a y w h o lo v e d th e h o ly p rin c ip le s o f o u r F a ith s o m u c h . I c a n n o t
te ll y o u h o w m a n y tim e s h e w o u ld w e e p s u d d e n ly in o u r c o n v e rs a tio n s w h e n
d is c u s s in g th e s a c rile g e s a g a in s t G o d a n d O u r L a d y . If th e re is a n y th in g th a t
I w ill n e v e r fo rg e t, it is th e s e m o m e n ts . H e c a rrie d h is c ro s s w ith d ig n ity
a n d u n s h a k e a b le fa ith , d e s p ite th e c o n s ta n t a tta c k s b y v a rio u s p e o p le (e v e n
w ith in o u r o w n C h u rc h ) w h o s h o u ld h a v e k n o w n b e tte r. In th e e n d , h e lo v e d
a n d fo rg a v e h is e n e m ie s a n d s im p ly g o t b a c k to w o rk , s e rv in g O u r L o rd a n d
O u r L a d y w ith g re a t lo v e a n d p a s s io n . G o d b le s s y o u F a th e r, w e lo v e y o u
d e a rly , a n d m a y G o d g ra n t y o u th e e te rn a l p e a c e a n d jo y th a t y o u s o ric h ly
d e se rv e !
...Rosie R
It w a s O u r L a d y ’s R o s a ry a n d F a th e r G ru n e r ’s te s tim o n y th a t b ro u g h t m e
b a c k to th e C h u rc h a n d to T ra d itio n . T h a t is a d e b t I c o u ld n e v e r re p a y .
...Deborah C
M y
a n d
o f O
T h a
W e
a re
h e a rt is s o s a d d e
a re a n in c re d ib le
u r L a d y ’s M e s s a
n k y o u fo r th e m
a re h u m b ly g ra te
in o u r h e a rts fo re
n e
C
g e
a n
fu
v e
d fo
a th o
. Y o
y g r
l to
r.
r o u r
lic a n
u a re
a c io u
h a v e
lo s s ,
d c ru
n o d o
s b le s
k n o w
fo r th e e n
s a d e r, a n d
u b t w ith H
s in g s y o u
n y o u a n d
tire w
a tire
e r n o
b e s to
y o u r
o rld
le s s
w , a
w e d
w o n
’s lo s s . Y o
w o rk e r o n
n d w ith H
u p o n o u r
d e rfu l te a
u w e re
b e h a lf
e r S o n .
fa m ily .
m . Y o u
...Sue L
F a th e r G ru n e r, y o u w e re m y d e a r frie n d . Y o u w e re a lw a y s th e re w ith th e b e s t
o f s p iritu a l a d v ic e . T h a n k y o u fo r th a t. A n d n o w (a s I k n o w y o u w ill) p le a s e
ask God to grant the graces necessary to the Pope and Bishops to finally obey
H e a v e n ’s c o m m a n d to c o n s e c ra te R u s s ia to O u r L a d y ’s Im m a c u la te H e a rt.
K in d ly re m e m b e r to p ra y fo r u s , th e C h u rc h M ilita n t. H a p p y B irth d a y !
...Thomas M
T h a n k y o u F r. G ru n e r. Y o u w e re s u c h a k in d , h u m b le , s in c e re , a n d g e n tle
w a rrio r! A lth o u g h I n e v e r m e t y o u , I fe e l th a t y o u h a v e b e e n a p a rt o f m y life .
Your online ministry was very influential to me. Although I have a long way
to g o , y o u r d e d ic a tio n to o u r M o th e r h a s h e lp e d m e o n m y jo u rn e y to in c re a s e
in h o lin e s s . I ta k e g re a t c o m fo rt in k n o w in g th a t y o u w ill b e e m b ra c e d b y
th e Q u e e n o f H e a v e n , a n d m o s t e s p e c ia lly b y th e H o ly T rin ity . P ra y fo r u s .
...Thomas R
54
04/06/2015 3:29:31 PM
Join Our Lady’s Chain of
Prayer and Action...
Volunteer
Action &
Support
Become a Crusader for the
Immaculate Heart Triumphant and
a volunteer member of Our Lady of
Fatima’s Apostolate.
OUR LADY NEEDS YOUR HELP!
Call for your “Action & Support” booklet
to find out how you can help.
CALL OUR VOLUNTEER HOTLINE
1-800-845-3047
04/06/2015 3:29:32 PM
Pontifical High Mass
Celebrant: Bishop Bernard Fellay
A shower of roses: More than one thousand
roses were donated for the funeral.
56
04/06/2015 3:29:40 PM
Rest in Peace
Father
57
04/06/2015 3:29:47 PM
What the Laity
Can Do
by Don and Cathleen H.
F
ather Gruner once wrote:
“The false theology and
mindset that ‘the laity can
do nothing’ must be overcome
so as to create a groundswell
of support for the Consecration
of Russia. Such a widespread
public show of support can be
brought about, but to achieve
it we need more laypeople,
more priests, and more bishops
speaking out in favor of the
collegial Consecration of Russia
as requested by Our Lady of
Fatima. …
“Let no one say that the laity
has no place in dealing with
the Consecration. It is true that
in this matter they do not have
the power to command, and
neither have they been called
upon to directly make the act of
consecration. Only the Pope and
the bishops can do those things.
But lay people certainly have
the power to inform the bishops.
They have the power to influence
public opinion inside and outside
of the Church. They have the
power to invoke their God-given
58
p58 CR112 What the Laity Can Do Don and Cathleen draft 1.indd 58
rights to ask for responsible
government, and to hold their
superiors accountable to the
public promises which they made
in taking on their job as pastors.
“There is much that the laity
can do. They can pray for the
Consecration as Jesus and
Mary have told us to. They can
sacrifice for it. They can tell all
persons whom they meet about
it. God wants this Consecration
and its resultant conversion of
Russia to be known and seen
as a victory of the Immaculate
Heart of Mary. This will only
be understood if those who are
aware of the Fatima prophecies
about Russia pass this on to their
fellow man. ...
“All those in whatever walk
of life, who could help promote
the Consecration of Russia and
do not, have only themselves
to blame if the threatened
chastisement takes place. They
and their families can expect in
justice that they will fall victim
to their own sins of omission.”
(from Fatima Priest, “In His Own Words”)
04/06/2015 3:31:46 PM
Below, we share with you a
letter we wrote to some of our
friends in response to the sad
news we received of Father
Gruner’s death. We explained
Our Lady’s Message and
encouraged a fervent response
to Her requests. We wrote it in
tribute to the life and labors of
Father Gruner.
Please consider copying this
letter and sending it in your own
name to all of your own friends
and email-contacts.
April 30, 2015
Dear Friends,
We were shocked and greatly saddened to learn that
Father Nicholas Gruner, the founder and director of The
Fatima Center, died yesterday evening.
Father Gruner worked tirelessly for 38 years to make Our
Lady of Fatima’s Message known and obeyed, but, sadly, his
labors brought too little success. Nothing could be more urgent
than this task of promoting the Message of Fatima, since as
Our Lady Herself said (speaking as Our Lady of the Rosary of
Fatima), only She can help us.
How is it precisely that She proposes to help us? After
showing to three Portuguese shepherd-children a terrifying
Vision of Hell, Our Lady of Fatima summarized Her mission
in this way:
“You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go.
To save them, God wills to establish in the world devotion to My
Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will
be saved and there will be peace.”
It has already been to the world’s great misfortune that Our
Lady of Fatima’s Message has gone (to a great extent) unheeded
for so long. “The Most Holy Virgin is very sad,” lamented Sister
Lucy, one of the Fatima visionaries, “because no one has paid
any attention to Her Message, neither the good nor the bad.”
People have gone about their lives (Sister Lucy continued)
without giving any thought or care to Our Lady’s Message, all
the while “not seeing the punishment of God actually falling
upon them.”
59
04/06/2015 3:31:46 PM
It will be to our even greater peril if we do not quickly now
obey our Heavenly Queen.
Our Lady of Fatima warned that God was about to
punish the world for its crimes by means of war, famine, and
persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent
these great chastisements, She made two specific requests,
promising that when these things were done, Russia would be
converted and a period of peace would be given to the world.
If Her requests were delayed, however, God would use Russia
to punish the sins of mankind. With the spread of Russia’s
errors throughout the world, there would come also wars
and persecutions, to the point that the true Faith would (by
implication, according to the portion of the Third Secret which
has been published) be extinguished throughout large regions
of the world, excluding perhaps only Portugal. The faithful
would be martyred, the Holy Father would suffer most cruelly,
and whole nations would be annihilated — disappear from the
face of the earth! Worst of all, countless souls would be lost for
eternity in Hell.
One could scarcely imagine anything more dire. We simply
must act on this warning from Heaven.
What is it, then, that Our Lady of Fatima is asking of us?
Many Catholics are aware that in each of Her six
apparitions in 1917, Our Lady of Fatima told us to pray a fivedecade Rosary every day. On July 13, 1917, She said most
emphatically: “Continue to pray the Rosary every day in
honor of Our Lady of the Rosary in order to obtain peace for
the world, because only She can help you.”
Also, in the course of the great Miracle of the Sun on
October 13, 1917, Our Lady appeared in the garb of Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel, holding a Brown Scapular in Her hand.
As Sister Lucy confirmed, Our Lady wants us to wear the
Brown Scapular since it is a sign of our consecration to Her
Immaculate Heart.
But in addition to these well-known daily devotions, Our
Lady of Fatima made two other particular requests. (Rather, we
should say — as was explicitly revealed to Sister Lucy — that
60
04/06/2015 3:31:46 PM
it is God Himself Who has asked for these two things through
Our Lady of Fatima.) These two critical requests, which Our
Lady formally called for in special apparitions of 1925 and
1929, respectively, were for the Communion of Reparation
on the First Saturdays, and the Consecration of Russia to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Pope in union with all of the
Catholic bishops of the world.
After more than 85 years, Heaven’s patience has been
sorely tried, and our world seems to be on the verge of
dissolving into a murderous chaos. Our lives (and possibly our
souls) depend now on these two great requests being promptly
and properly heeded.
The sins of the world today are incomprehensibly great,
and we will either be atoning for these sins with our own
blood, or we will be spared by having invoked in a special way
the incomparable merits of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
There is no third option. Whether we have war or peace (as
Sister Lucy affirmed) depends on our obedience in regard to these
two reparatory devotions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary — the
First Saturdays’ devotion and the Consecration of Russia.
Our Lady repeated Her request for the Consecration of
Russia in 1952, confirming again that this Consecration is
the only possible means by which we can avert the horrible
punishments that our world deserves: “Make it known to the
Holy Father,” Our Lady said to Sister Lucy, “that I still await
the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart. Without
this consecration, Russia cannot be converted, nor can the world
have peace.”
Note that Our Lady said this ten years after Pope Pius
XII’s 1942 consecration of the world. Note also that it was that
same inadequate 1942 consecration which subsequent Popes
have repeatedly renewed. Never has a collegial Consecration of
Russia, as Our Lady of Fatima requested, ever been performed!
We all desperately need to know the full Third Secret of
Fatima – not just the Vision published in the year 2000, but
most importantly the text which is known to exist, of Our Lady’s
own words, with which She explained that Vision.
61
04/06/2015 3:31:47 PM
We all desperately need to obtain the Consecration and
conversion of Russia before the terrible chastisements warned
of by Our Lady of Fatima have fully come to pass.
Can we laymen do anything to help bring about the
Consecration of Russia? Yes. In fact, as Padre Pio said, it
depends on us! If enough Catholics – a reasonable, attainable
number of the faithful – will comply with Our Lady’s requests
for their daily Rosaries and monthly First-Saturday devotions,
we will have the Consecration of Russia. But we are clearly
running out of time.
Could anything be easier on our part than these beautiful
devotions which Heaven has asked of us? On the other
hand, could anything be more fearful than being abused and
slaughtered by Islamic jihadists? Could anything be more
horrifying than a Third World War (which is certain to be
a nuclear war, and which many public analysts are already
speaking of as inevitable)?
We are writing to encourage each of you to embrace
the Reparatory devotions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
which Our Lady of Fatima has asked of us, and upon which
our lives depend. Please wear your Brown Scapular, which
Our Lady gave to us as a pledge of Her protection, and which
on our part is a sign of our personal consecration to Her
Immaculate Heart. Please never omit to pray at least one fivedecade Rosary each day. Please attach great importance to
the First Saturday devotions, especially the Communion of
Reparation. (And remember that it is an essential part of
this devotion that as you make your Holy Communion, you
make a formal intention offering that Communion as an act of
reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart
of Mary).
Please also do all you can to spread this information
about these essential devotions requested by Heaven among
your family members and friends.
Yours, in Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
[ YOUR name to YOUR friends]
62
04/06/2015 3:31:47 PM
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Give alms for printing and circulating this vitally important magazine that promotes
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Editor: Coralie Graham. Directors: Leonard Cecere, Coralie Graham, and Miriam Dias. This
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Sacred Heart St. San Antonio Village, Makati City 1203, Philippines Printed In Canada
p63 AD_FullPage_Masthead.indd 63
05/06/2015 11:42:26 AM
May 4, 1942 – April 29, 2015
Words of Wisdom From Father Gruner .................................................... 3
The Holy Ghost Working Through Father Gruner By Father Paul Kramer ......... 4
Father Nicholas Gruner – Our Lady’s Knight By Father Isaac Mary Relyea ......10
Following Father’s Footsteps By Coralie Graham, Editor ..................................14
Goodbye to the Soft-Spoken Warrior By John Vennari ................................24
Some Details of Father’s Passing Compiled by James Hanisch and Staff ............. 27
Reviled and Yet Blessed By Louis Verrecchio ............................................... 40
Tribute to Father Gruner By Robert Siscoe ...................................................44
Onward? Please God, Yes! By James Hanisch ..............................................47
What the Laity Can Do By Don and Cathleen H. ............................................58
p1 and p64 CR112 Front and Back_Covers.indd 64
04/06/2015 1:02:06 PM

Father Nicholas Gruner

Transcription

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