Inspiration and news from the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception Marian Helper Marian.org Fall 2025 “Gospel Picnic” for kids l THE WAY TO HEAVEN Fr. Chris on tour with the 7 Sacraments Vin Scully’s Rosary l Saintly trio
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AMH Director/Publisher: Fr. Mark Baron, MIC — “Father Joseph, MIC” Executive Editor: Dr. Joe McAleer Designer: Andrew Leeco Writer, Assistant Editor: Chris Sparks AMH General Promoter: Br. Andrew R. Mączyński, MIC Vol. 82, No. 3 Fall 2025 10 Circling the Globe Mission Statement Marian Helper is intended to serve members of the Association of Marian Helpers (AMH), a spiritual benefit society of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The magazine seeks to provide spiritual nourishment, education about the Catholic faith, and information about the mission and good works of the Marians. It also provides information about Association services and presents opportunities to support the mission and good works of the Congregation. Marian Helper is published quarterly by the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. It is sent free of charge to active members of the Association. Printed in the USA with ecclesiastical approval. Copyright © 2025 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. All rights reserved. Send all correspondence to: Association of Marian Helpers, Editorial Dept., Eden Hill, Stockbridge, MA 01263. Email: [email protected] Website: Marian.org Father Chris Alar is on a barnstorming tour promoting his next book in the “Explaining the Faith” series, Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed! Readers from Australia and New Zealand, England and all across the United States are responding to this engaging refresher course — already a bestseller! — on the uniqueness of the Catholic Church and the tools offered by God to help us get to Heaven. 3 Father Joseph Writes 4 Marian Helpers in Action 6 Father Joseph’s Picks 7 Notes from Rome 8 On Eden Hill and Beyond 31 Outstanding Helpers 33 Graces Received 36 From the Vaults Departments Dr. Robert Stackpole celebrates the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of Mary’s Assumption. A dogma of hope All Rise! 12 Excitement builds as the new Marian Monastery and Chapel on Eden Hill take shape. Saintly trio Three new saints proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV have much to offer to be a better Marian Helper. 13 Page 16 Saint Stanislaus Kostka Parish, not far from Eden Hill, is an important part of our Marian history. Spiritual treasure Patron of the Holy Souls 18 We have an Augustinian Pope, and an Augustinian saint who inspires us, says Fr. Dan Cambra. History and heritage The Marian seminarians took an unforgettable pilgrimage to Poland and Lithuania. 20 23 To Mary, via baseball A veteran broadcaster records the Rosary, and a young writer’s faith life changes forever. 24 From profound grief comes an unexpected blessing for a family of seven open to life. ‘God planned this’ 26 Our first foray into video programming for children is a hit among kids and parents. Gospel Picnic: Let’s begin! 28
Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception The Marian Fathers are a Congregation of nearly 500 priests and brothers in 20 countries around the world. We support the Holy Father and embrace the official teachings of the Catholic Church in our special calling to: ● Spread devotion to Mary as the Immaculate Conception. ● Offer our lives for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially the victims of war and disease. ● Operate publishing apostolates and assist where the need is greatest in parishes, shrines, and missions. ● Promote the Divine Mercy message and devotion. ● Organize people of good will to work with and through us to bring Christ everywhere. Association of Marian Helpers — Join us! Established in 1925, the Association of Marian Helpers is a spiritual benefit society that prayerfully and financially supports the priests and brothers of the Congregation of Marian Fathers. Your enrollment means that, by a decree of the Holy See, you share in these graces: ● A daily Mass offered for all Marian Helpers. ● A share in the prayers, good works, and merits of the Marian priests and brothers around the world. ● A special Mass offered on feast days of our Savior and His Blessed Mother. ● A monthly Mass on each First Friday and each First Saturday. ● A Mass offered for deceased members on All Souls’ Day. ● The perpetual Novena to the Divine Mercy. l Deepen your commitment of prayer and support by joining one of our three spiritually nourishing prayer clubs: Marian.org/clubs l Support a particular ministry: Marian.org/give l Arrange a special gift of stock, a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA, a grant from your donor-advised fund, a gift through your will or trust, or annuity: Giving.Marian.org Call 1-800-671-2020 to make a gift by phone or for assistance. Free online help for your will, visit Marian.org/will. A sample form of bequest to the Marians is: I give and bequeath to the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. (Tax ID #20-8599030), Stockbridge, MA 01262, ____% of my adjusted gross estate (or $_______, or a specific asset) to be used for its religious and educational purposes. Marian Helpers Center Stockbridge, Massachusetts Headquarters and publishing center for the Association of Marian Helpers. 1-800-462-7426 National Shrine of The Divine Mercy (413) 298-3931 For pilgrimages: (413) 298-1119 ShrineOfDivineMercy.org Mercy Apostolates Learn about our lay ministries: Eucharistic Apostles of The Divine Mercy Dr. Bryan Thatcher TheDivineMercy.org/eadm 1-877-380-0727 Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy Marie Romagnano, MSN, RN, CCM TheDivineMercy.org/hpdm 1-866-895-3236 John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy Dr. Robert Stackpole TheDivineMercy.org/JPII 1-866-895-3236 Mother of Mercy Messengers Joan and Dave Maroney TheDivineMercy.org/momm 1-830-634-7765 Evangelization Team Invite the Marians to speak at your parish. (413) 298-1349 [email protected] Intercessory Prayerline Send us prayer intentions. 1-800-804-3823 Marian.org/prayer Websites Marian.org TheDivineMercy.org ShopMercy.org DivineMercyPlus.org Who We Are Other ways to support God’s mission Sign-up is easy: Visit MICPrayers.org Visit marian.org/social 2 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org
Father Joseph Writes Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 3 It’s also no coincidence that the Association, a powerful tool of evangelization and catechesis leaving a historic mark on the Church and the world since the time of its founding, should be celebrating a 100th anniversary during the historic first year of the pontificate of the first American pope, a missionary from Chicago. You see, the first Marian Fathers to arrive in the United States came to Chicago from Lithuania! On July 9, 1913, Blessed George Matulaitis, the Marian Renovator, arrived in America with two other Marians, Frs. Felix Kudirka and Julian Kazakas, to establish the first Marian house of the renovated Congregation. Once in Chicago, Blessed George presented himself to the archbishop there, the Most Rev. Edward Quigley, who warmly welcomed the Marians to his archdiocese and even offered them a parish. Twelve years later, Bl. George sent a letter, urging the creation of an Association of lay faithful to assist the Marian Fathers in evangelization. The first Marian Helpers! None of this is coincidence. If you are part of the Marian Family for any length of time, you learn pretty quick that God takes a very direct hand in our life and work. All those things Jesus said to St. Faustina in the Diary about the Divine Mercy message and devotion being a preparation for His final coming? It’s all true. The Divine Mercy message and devotion are the greatest grassroots movement in the history of the Church. The role Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception, plays in the Church and the world in this and every age, defending us, helping us grow in faith and holiness, drawing us all closer to her Son? We don’t make that up. We don’t need to. Marian devotion changes lives just as powerfully today as it ever has, especially devotion to her Immaculate Heart alongside devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Holy Souls both need our prayers and, when they reach heavenly glory, offer powerful intercession to those who assisted them. Let me say that again, a little more colorfully: We Marians and Marian Helpers have a “tiger by the tail” in the work we do, because God is good, Jesus is Lord, and Our Lady is truly our mother now and forever. The charisms, or gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Marian Family, are powerful and active today in the world. They are the answer to the darkness of the present age, of our often difficult modern era. They are bright lights in deep darkness, powerful remedies for what ails our society today, and strong medicine to drive out the devil. So after more than 100 years of the Congregation in the USA, and now 100 years of the Association, we now stand better prepared, equipped, and manned than ever before. We are in a wonderful place to answer Heaven’s call because of you. Your persistent prayers and support have allowed us to take on new and challenging ministries and apostolates; begin building a new monastery on Eden Hill; send aid to Ukraine, Rwanda, the Philippines, and many other places in deep need; and do so much more. Once again, thank you. Once again, let us live out the remaining months of this Jubilee Year of Hope in great thanksgiving: for the holy members of our Marian Family past; for prayer and work for our present labors; and for tremendous and growing hope for the future. May Christ our Hope bless you! OUR CENTENNIAL! “Father Joseph, MIC,” is the honorary title of the director of the Association of Marian Helpers, currently Fr. Mark Baron, MIC. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet live with Fr. Mark every Friday at 3 p.m. ET on Instagram, Facebook, and DivineMercyPlus.org. It’s no coincidence that the Jubilee Year of Hope should also be the centennial of the Association of Marian Helpers, founded 100 years ago by the Marian Fathers in Chicago, Illinois, in 1925 (see page 15). It’s Divine Providence.
It all began back in 2017 with a prayer: “God, what do You want me to do?” At the end of her rope in the face of personal difficulties, Geetangeli (Geeta, for short), from Clarksville, Maryland, cried out to the God she did not know — she was not baptized and hadn’t been exposed to the Catholic faith. But the Lord heard her prayer. As the Psalm says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth” (Ps 145:18). Conversion and Baptism Experiencing God’s grace washing over her, Geeta knew that something had to change. She began to read the Bible and attended the Rite of Christian Initiation (now OCIA) classes with her husband. Although she was set to be baptized during the 2019 Easter vigil, she hesitated — the spiritual warfare was on. It was at this time and during the COVID lockdowns that Geeta discovered the Marian Fathers’ daily livestreamed Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and their “Divine Mercy” YouTube channel. And after hearing Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, mention the Marian Helpers, she decided to become a member. By the grace of God, Geeta was baptized on July 10, 2020. Soon after, she consecrated herself to Our Lady of Sorrows (feast day: Sept. 15). Her first experience of Eucharistic Adoration was with Fr. Chris, during an online First Friday Answering Mary’s call Marian Helpers in Action By Br. Ryan Asensio, MIC “I ’m a Marian Helper, but I don’t feel like I’m helping anything!” This was Geetangeli’s lighthearted complaint back in 2020. Little did she know that just a few years later, she would be in Kibeho, Rwanda, on a mission to spread devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows and working closely with the Marian Fathers. 4 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org
devotion. Later, she would become a self-proclaimed “Adoration junkie,” taking every opportunity she could to adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Thanking Mary One day, about a year after her Baptism, Geeta found herself alone in her parish church, St. Louis in Clarksville. Something moved her to approach a statue of the Pietà. Kneeling, she thanked the Blessed Mother for answering all her prayers through the traditional Rosary and the Seven Sorrows Rosary, and for guiding her on her journey of conversion. It was Mary, under the title of “Our Lady of Sorrows,” who had been her biggest support. Before the Pietà, Geeta stretched out her hands and said, “I’m your handmaid, Mother. It’s my turn to do for you whatever you want. And by the way ... I’m a Marian Helper, but I don’t feel like I’m helping anything!” A week later, she got a call from Fr. John McHale, a diocesan priest who helps in her parish. “Geeta, can you help prepare the parish for Fr. Leszek’s visit from Rwanda?” he asked. Kibeho mission It was in the apparitions in Kibeho, Rwanda (fully approved by the Church), that Mary sought to spread devotion to herself under the title “Mother of the Word” and to her traditional Seven Sorrows. It was in this same village that Fr. Leszek Czelusniak, MIC, started mission work back in 1991. Although his work was interrupted during the 1994 genocide that ravaged the country, Fr. Leszek came back in the early 2000s and founded the “Marian Formation (CANA) Center,” a place for retreats, conferences, and prayer. Now, the CANA campus includes a bakery that feeds blind school children, a convent for the Annunciade sisters, a preschool, and the Stations of the Cross. It also is home to a massive interactive catechetical center, centered on the Bible and the Catechism. The combination of exhibits and images is particularly important in a country where many people can’t afford Bibles, books, or a reliable internet connection. Geeta met Fr. Leszek for the first time when he came to her parish, garnering support for the Kibeho mission. Since then, Geeta has helped spread the message of Kibeho at her parish by leading book studies, organizing events, and gathering donations for the mission at the CANA center. All of this she has done in close cooperation with Fr. McHale, a longtime supporter of the Marian mission in Kibeho. Geeta’s first trip to Rwanda was in 2023, and she has come every year since then. “It has been a gift working with the Marian Fathers,” says Geeta. “The mission has exposed me to so much. I’ve been able to step outside of the U.S. and see the missions that are going on, the needs of the Church, and evangelization on a big scale.” Kibeho is where Geeta and I met this summer, while working together on a documentary project initiated by Fr. John about the CANA Bible Center. It was truly a blessed experience, all under the guidance of Mary. Thank you To the Marians, Geeta would like to say, “Thank you, brothers, for your life, for your sacrifice — your daily sacrifice, for the change that you’re making throughout the world. You’re impacting so many people that you won’t even see or meet. You might never meet them, but they’re out there.” To her fellow Marian Helpers, Geeta says, “Being a Marian helper means more than you might think! Dedicate yourself to Our Lady and our Lord, and those graces will come! Meditate on Our Lady’s Sorrows, particularly with the Seven Sorrows Rosary.” To learn more about the Marian Fathers’ mission in Rwanda, visit kibeho-cana.org. To Weep Like Mary: The Extraordinary Gift of the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows by Wincenty Łaszewski, a new book from Marian Press (B67-WLMB), explains the devotion and the Marian apparitions in Kibeho. Available now at ShopMercy.org. Geeta’s selfie with Fr. Leszek Czelusniak, MIC, and Fr. John McHale. Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 5 “It has been a gift working with the Marian Fathers. I’ve been able to step outside of the U.S. and see evangelization on a big scale.”
Written by Sara Beth Meyer, MTh; illustrated by Allison Hsu, MD Our talented Texans have reached the fourth and final volume in their acclaimed Gospel for Little Ones series. In John’s Gospel, relationships are so important that we know others in relation to Jesus rather than by name: His Father, His Beloved Disciple, and the ever faithful Mother of Jesus. Bishop David Toups of Beaumont, Texas, says, “Beautifully animated and written with great care, your child will learn and grow in their relationship with the Lord Jesus, who loves His little ones!” $19.95. B67-JHNG BESTSELLER! Visit ShopMercy.org/b67 or call 1-800-462-7426. Father Joseph’s Picks Go back to school with some of Marian Press’ new releases, drawing us deeper into our love of Our Lady and our knowledge of the Gospel of Divine Mercy. HEALING ENCOUNTERS WITH MARY: A GUIDE TO LIVING THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY By Maria V. Gallagher In this third volume of her popular series on the Mysteries of the Rosary, Maria V. Gallagher offers personal reflections and Scriptural meditations to enhance your appreciation of the Sorrowful Mysteries. It also provides some strategies for growing in the various virtues associated with each Mystery. You will learn about various saints who experienced a special connection with the Blessed Mother, and discover the science of the Cross in the school of Our Lady through her Rosary. $16.95. B67-HEWM By Fr. Chris Alar, MIC Why is the Catholic Church different from any other church? It has the seven Sacraments in their fullness — not just symbols, but God’s guaranteed grace! They are biblical, instituted by Christ and entrusted to His Church. In the Sacraments, it is Christ Who acts and communicates His grace! In this latest entry in his Explaining the Faith series, Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, answers such questions as: Why do we baptize infants? Where is Confession in the Bible? Is my marriage valid? And many more! $16.95. B67-UNDB UNDERSTANDING THE SACRAMENTS: GOD’S GRACE GUARANTEED! NEW! By Wincenty Łaszewski; foreword and comments by the visionary Nathalie Mukamazimpaka Our Lady points us to a different kind of Rosary in the apparitions in Kibeho, Rwanda (19811989): the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows. Why is the Blessed Mother speaking about it just now and pointing out the necessity of reciting it in our times? Delve deeply into the wisdom of Our Lady of Kibeho in this heartfelt book, including commentary by Kibeho visionary Nathalie Mukamazimpaka. $16.95. B67-WLMB TO WEEP LIKE MARY: THE EXTRAORDINARY GIFT OF THE ROSARY OF THE SEVEN SORROWS THE GOSPEL OF JOHN FOR LITTLE ONES NEW! NEW! e 6 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org
Notes from Rome By the Most Rev. Joe Roesch, MIC Father Celestin prepared for the priesthood in Rwanda, Cameroon, and Poland. After his first vows and his philosophical studies, he went to Poland where he spent one year learning the language. He then completed his theological studies in Polish, living with our Marians at our seminary in Lublin. He learned the language so well, they wanted him to stay in Poland and work as a priest there! However, he is needed in Rwanda. Father Noel completed his priestly preparations in Rwanda and Cameroon in French. He and Fr. Celestin were ordained along with seven diocesan deacons to the priesthood by the bishop of Ruhengeri. Three other diocesan seminarians were ordained to the diaconate that day. There were also three priests celebrating their 25th Anniversary of their priesthood that day. The Mass was held outdoors next to the cathedral. It lasted 5 hours and 40 minutes (!) including songs, processions, speeches, etc. There were two bishops, 120 priests, and around 5,000 faithful! One moment that moved me came after Communion. They announced that it was now time to give thanks to God for all of the graces that He had poured out that day. The newly-ordained and the jubilarians came to the center of the field before the altar and sang a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God. No one was in a rush to finish. They were there to praise and thank God for His goodness. The next day, we attended a Mass of Thanksgiving in Mwange, the parish of Fr. Celestin and the place where our Marian Congregation had begun its work in Rwanda 40 years ago. It is rather remote and, after the terrible genocide in the 1990s, the bishop decided that he couldn’t guarantee the safety of our missionaries there. He asked us to begin again with our work in our present location of Nyakinama, which is closer to the city. It was a blessing for some of our missionaries to return to the place where they had worked and to thank God for the gift of a priestly vocation to our community from that parish. The Mass of Thanksgiving lasted three hours. Afterwards, there were dances, poems, and speeches along with a festive lunch. Then many people went to the family home of the newly- ordained priest for a house blessing and to thank the parents for the gift of their son. One of the newly-ordained priests will work in our parish in Ruyenzi, near the capital of Kigali. The other will work in our Marian Formation Center near the Shrine of Our Lady of Kibeho. I asked our priests what they felt after the ordination. They were both filled with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness. They both come from large families. When I witnessed the faith of the people there, I was not surprised that priestly vocations had come from such an environment. In Mwange, the superior of the vicariate asked if there were any among the young who wanted to become priests or religious sisters or brothers. Many young children raised their hands. Please pray for our Congregation around the world. We need good vocations wherever we live and work. And please pray for peace in Rwanda, for the healing of all families, and for mutual forgiveness for all who are still affected by what happened there. Amen! MASS APPEAL On the road again! I recently had the opportunity to visit our Marian vicariate in Rwanda during my general visitation there. One of the highlights of the visit was attending the priestly ordination of two of our young confrères, Fr. Celestin and Fr. Noel, and the Mass of Thanksgiving of one of them. The Most Rev. Joe Roesch, MIC, is the Superior General of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. He lives in Rome. Listen to his podcasts, including “Saint Faustina’s Diary in a Year,” on TheDivineMercy.org/podcasts and DivineMercyPlus.org/podcasts. Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 7 Father Joe chats with Fr. Celestin and Fr. Noel in Rwanda.
On Eden Hill & Beyond 8 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: The Marian Fathers’ Divine Mercy Apostolate made a strong impression at the WeBelieve Festival in July, a gathering of 2,000 Catholics eager to promote evangelization throughout the United Kingdom. Among the speakers was Fr. Mark Baron, MIC, who praised the return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, especially among young Catholics. Father Alexander Pumphrey, MIC, and Deacon Patrick Lynch, MIC, visited with attendees young and old, and met the Archbishop of Southwark, the Most. Rev. John Wilson, who invited them to come and speak at his cathedral. Watch for more exciting news from the Divine Mercy Apostolate, based in London, as it becomes a branch of our U.S. province (divinemercyapostolate.co.uk). ENCUENTRO LATINO: Thousands of faithful pilgrims and families journeyed to Eden Hill on Aug. 2 for the annual celebration dedicated to Latinos. Following Mass at the Mother of Mary Outdoor Shrine on a glorious sunny morning, a Rosary procession set forth, followed by the Hour of Great Mercy and the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy. Encuentro Latino 2025
Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 9 One speaker, Sr. Catarina Esselin, OLM, a member of St. Faustina’s order, encouraged her listeners to take time out in the midst of their busy days to turn to God so as to better live their faith and serve their patients. “We need to bathe in God’s mercy and absorb God’s mercy, and that takes a little bit of time, being with the Lord, uniting ourself with His Heart. Your being united with Jesus makes a difference to your patients.” HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE: Nearly 90 participants, in person and via livestream, attended the 20th Annual Divine Mercy Medicine, Bioethics, and Spirituality Conference, held June 4-6 at the National Shrine. A diverse group of speakers addressed “Current Challenges for Healthcare Professionals.” Hats off to organizer Marie Romagnano, MSN, RN, CCM-R (center), founder of Healthcare Professionals for Divine Mercy, pictured with Fr. Kaz Chwalek, MIC, spiritual director, and faculty from the Elms College of Nursing. FILIPINO DAY: Happy pilgrims join Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC, during the annual Filipino Day celebration on June 21. MOTORCYCLE BLESSINGS: Father Daniel Klimek blessed motorcycles on June 21, an annual event at the National Shrine which brings out enthusiastic riders and their impressive bikes. ‘THE CHOSEN’: On June 23, our Superior General, the Most Rev. Joseph Roesch, MIC, and Fr. Lukasz Mazurek, MIC of the Divine Mercy Apostolate in London, England, were the guests of Carmel Communications for a special screening of Season 5 of “The Chosen” in Rome, Italy. A highlight was meeting Jonathan Roumie, who plays the role of Jesus.
10 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org By Dr. Joe McAleer “The Sacraments — they are everything,” the Very Rev. Chris Alar, MIC, told the overflow group of faithful gathered in the cavernous St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia (above). “A Sacrament is an efficacious sign, meaning it does something. It’s a sign instituted by Christ and entrusted to His Church by which divine life is instilled in you. It is the way to Heaven. You want the only guaranteed way of grace? The Sacraments!” World premiere Fr. Chris’ Understanding the Sacraments Giovanni Portelli Photography New from Marian Press
That message was broadcast around the world — literally — during the international debut of Fr. Chris’ third book (and already a bestseller), Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed! God and Mary at work “I knew all along that I wanted to launch this book in places where God and Mary are working, where the Catholic faith is growing and especially devotion to the message of Divine Mercy,” Fr. Chris recalls. “That meant going around the world to Australia and New Zealand, and England, which is Mary’s dowry.” Soon after an appearance on EWTN Bookmark with Doug Keck, which started the book launch in the United States, Fr. Chris boarded a plane Down Under for the 18-hour journey to New Zealand. There he participated in the Divine Mercy Conference in Auckland, and visited St. Bede’s College in Christchurch. Then it was on to Australia with stops in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. From there, he embarked on a 24-hour journey to London, England, for a week of talks, hosted by the Divine Mercy Apostolate. Among the highlights: the Flame of Love Conference in Birmingham, and two pilgrimages: to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, and to Ipswich, home to the greatest Marian devotion, Our Lady of Grace. Well-wishers Wherever he went, Fr. Chris signed books and posed for photos with throngs of well-wishers. Rosalynn and Kieran Robinson traveled 400 miles from their home in Glasgow, Scotland, to hear Fr. Chris speak at St. Joseph’s Parish in Chalfont St. Peter, west of London. “We started watching his ‘Explaining the Faith’ videos on YouTube,” Keiran said. “We have a spiritual connection. Father Chris is a great preacher and explains things really well.” The strong response to Understanding the Sacraments is reassuring, Fr. Chris notes. “People are looking for a refresher on what they may have learned way back in religious education classes. The Sacraments are vital to our Catholic faith. They are entrusted to us by God. It makes our Catholic Church unique from all other Christian denominations, apart from the Orthodox.” By grace alone In his book, he recalls a common misconception. “I hear all the time, ‘Father, I’m a good person. I’ll get to Heaven when I die.’ Or, ‘I’m fine; I never killed anybody.’ Well, Jesus’ words in the Bible and the message conveyed to St. Faustina in her Diary say something a bit different. Narrow is the road to life and few follow it (see Mt 7:13-14). Wide is the path to destruction and many are on it. Heaven is not a prize for those who are good by nature, but for those who are made good by sanctifying grace. We need the help of God’s grace, which is guaranteed only in the Sacraments. “The bottom line? Start accepting Christ now, so that when He comes to you at the end of your life, it will be easier to say, ‘Yes!’ And the best way to begin is by understanding the vital role of the Sacraments in getting you to Heaven.” Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 11 Father Chris is mobbed by well-wishers outside St. Dominic’s Priory-The Rosary Shrine in London, England, all eager to have their copy of Understanding the Sacraments signed. To order Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed! (Product code B67-UNDB), visit ShopMercy.org or call 1-800-462-7426.
Follow our progress at TogetherForChrist.org Jubilee Year pilgrims arriving on Eden Hill are amazed at the rapid progress of construction at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. We can now clearly see the structures of the new Chapel and the Monastery building, rising in the field beside the outdoor Stations of the Cross. All of this is made possible through the generous donations of Marian Helpers to the “Together for Christ and His Church” capital campaign. Thank you! (Photos by Br. Mark Fanders, MIC) 12 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org All Rise!
Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 13 By Fr. Mark Baron, MIC (“Father Joseph, MIC”) This fall, for the first time in his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV will canonize nine new saints. Three of these are well-known and, in my opinion, a great source of inspiration for members of our Marian Family. I’m referring to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis (both canonized on Sept. 7), and Blessed Bartolo Longo, who will be declared a saint with the six others on World Mission Sunday, Oct. 19. SAINTLY TRIO Inspiration and lessons for Marian Helpers Continued on page 14
Saint Carlo is the teenager known for his devotion to the Eucharist and creating an online exhibition of Eucharistic miracles. Blessed Bartolo is the former satanist turned champion of the Rosary and founder of the great shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary at Pompeii, in Italy. And St. Pier Giorgio, the young Italian mountaineer and student, was acclaimed as the “man of the beatitudes.” In my opinion, this saintly trio’s witness to the Gospel and ways of living our Catholic faith are perfectly aligned with what it means — or ought to mean — to be a Marian Helper. It’s fitting to take a closer look in this, the centennial year of the Association of Marian Helpers. Blessed Bartolo Longo Bartolo Longo (1841-1926; feast day: Oct. 5, shared with St. Faustina) was a freak, and I do not mean that in a good way. He didn’t stay a freak, but honestly, how bad do you have to be to go as far as being ordained a priest of Satan? That takes commitment. That takes — I assume study, though I’m not personally familiar with how Satanists prepare and train their priests. Something it’s best not to spend too much time thinking about. But Bartolo found his way home. That’s the really important part of his life and legacy — he found his way home to Christ and His Church. Bartolo had leaned in to evil, to service to the devil, to the enemy of all good, of humanity. And even with all that, even with whatever hellish things he’d done, still Jesus and Mary called him home to the faith, to the Church, and to the side of good. That means there’s hope for all of us, no matter how far we’ve fallen, no matter how evil we’ve been. There is hope. There is hope for you, Marian Helpers. There is hope for your family members who have fallen away or done awful evil things. There is hope for your neighbors. There is hope for everyone. And Bartolo Longo shows us how to help them — with the Rosary; serving Christ and His Church by loving Our Lady and using her devotions to bring others home to God. Saint Carlo Acutis Carlo Acutis (1991-2006; feast day: Oct. 12) was an extraordinary young man. He died at 15, but in that short lifetime, he went a lot farther in his generous love of God and neighbor than most of us do in a longer lifetime. See, it’s not actually that complicated to become holy. It all comes down to love of God and neighbor, or living like Jesus did. It can be hard — don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it was easy to do what Carlo Acutis did. After all, how many teenagers, confronted by a leukemia diagnosis, promptly and peacefully offer up their sufferings for the pope and the Church? That takes some serious courage and fortitude. I find it so hopeful that Carlo Acutis managed that level of preparation for suffering and death in the modern world. He was a fairly normal teenager much of the time, loving his video games, loving life. But he also was willing to share his faith with his friends and neighbors. He loved the poor and the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and shared generously from his allowance to buy things to help the homeless. He did what he could with what he had where he was. Our Catholic Tradition speaks of the importance of living according to the duties of our state in life. Carlo Acutis showed us what that looks like in the 21st century. Marian Helpers, I say: Be like Carlo. If you’re called to an ordinary life as a lay person, embrace it! Love the Sacraments. Love God. Love neighbor. Love your ordinary life, your family and neighbors. Be ordinary and holy at the same time, and holy in your ordinariness. That will make you extraordinary. Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925; feast day: July 4) was my kind of guy. He loved his sports and the great outdoors, especially mountain climbing. That’s why you’ll see people quoting a slogan of his, “Verso l’alto,” which means “to the heights.” He meant it both in terms of he really wanted to go 14 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org SAINTLY TRIO
100 Years Young! Happy 100th birthday, Association of Marian Helpers! And we have Bl. George Matulaitis, the heroic Renovator of the Marian Congregation, to thank for our longevity. How so? “On Oct. 27, 1910, Bl. George outlined the idea of comprehensive involvement of the laity in the work of evangelization in his Journal,” explains Br. Andrew Mączyńsk, MIC, a former “Fr. Joseph, MIC,” and the general promoter of the Association worldwide. “Soon after the establishment of the religious house in Chicago, Illinois, which was to become the seat of the future St. Casimir’s Province, the Marians there established the first Association of Marian Helpers. Blessed George strongly encouraged the formation of said Association.” The idea has roots in the writings of St. Stanislaus Papczyński, who founded the Marian Congregation in 1670. “Our Founder wrote a treatise entitled Templum Dei Mysticum,” notes Br. Andrew. “In it he bases the formation of the laity on the acquisition of religious knowledge and the practice of life leading to Christian perfection.” Working with the laity So when Bl. George set to work to bring back the Marian Fathers from one member to a real international organization again, he knew the importance of working with the laity. The Chicago Marians began the work of the Association in 1925 and developed the first statutes, which were approved by the Renovator prior to his death in 1927. Meanwhile, in the St. Stanislaus Kostka Province, Fr. Walter Pelczynski, MIC, purchased the Eden Hill property in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1943, and established the Association’s presence there in 1944. Since the 2006 union of the two American provinces in the one Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Province, the Marian Helpers Center has been the national headquarters for the Association, pioneering the best practices and tools for evangelization and catechesis used by the whole Marian Family around the world. Happy birthday, Marian Helpers! Sign up at MICPrayers.org mountain climbing, and he meant it in terms of the spiritual life. God summons us to what’s hard, to what’s challenging, to go to where we will encounter Him. We are called to get closer to God throughout our lives, even if that means sacrifice, even if that means spiritual exercises and blood, sweat, and tears. But we are also called to do this joyfully. Pier Giorgio radiated joy. He seemed a carefree young man, a normal devout Italian guy of his generation — but when he died, his funeral was packed with the thousands of people he had helped or befriended. Like Carlo Acutis, he was ordinary and holy, which made him extraordinary. That’s the heart of the Christian vocation, to be salt, light, and yeast in the world, to be temples of the Holy Spirit transforming the world from within. You are meant to give flavor to ordinary life, to bring light into dark places and keep it there, to be yeast in the dough of the created world, bringing in air, bringing in grace. Pier Giorgio shows what that’s like. We are meant to live with his same sense of “magnanimity,” of generosity of spirit. We are the heirs of God Almighty, enriched with enormous graces. We can be open-handed, generous, not anxious about our charity to others because God can and does provide, especially when His children give alms prudently but freely. We are called to embrace hard challenges, knowing that if God calls us to do them, He will give us the grace to get through, but also to have the detachment and the humility to embrace being faithful, even if we are not successful. Marian Helpers, be joyful like Pier Giorgio. Be Catholic. Be brave. We will soon be blessed by these three holy men’s canonizations. May they continue to teach us, intercede for us, and show us the Marian way of proceeding. Father Mark Baron, MIC, is the director of the Association of Marian Helpers (Father Joseph, MIC). Joining the Association, a spiritual benefit society approved by the Holy See, is free and easy: visit MICPrayers.org. Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 15
A Dogma of Hope By Robert Stackpole, STD S eventy-five years ago, on November 1, 1950, Ven. Pope Pius XII proclaimed to the Church and the world: “By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” Within the Catholic Church, there was near unanimity among the Church’s bishops and theologians at the time in support of the definition of this dogma. Indeed, the pope had consulted extensively with them before deciding to make the proclamation. Outside the Church, however, widespread incomprehension, and in some circles even dismay, were the most common reactions. Protestants in particular objected that 75 years of the Assumption of Mary 16 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org Metropolitan Museum of Art/Open Access.
the Catholic Church was teaching as a dogma yet another belief that could not be proven from Scripture alone. (Of course, the Catholic Church has never held that everything divinely revealed must be provable from the Bible all by itself — that’s unbiblical, the Protestant principle of sola scriptura, not a Catholic principle.) Other Christians complained that it marked a devastating blow to ecumenism, setting up another obstacle to reunion between Rome and other Christian bodies. Many outside the Church just missed the point. But most Catholics did not, and as a result, the dogma has been cherished by the faithful ever since. Dark time of the proclamation Think first of the historical context in which the pope published the truth of Mary’s Assumption. Just five years prior to the proclamation, World War II finally came to an end, after the loss of more than 20 million lives and the horrors of the Holocaust. Literature at the time shows that many people in the 1940s were losing their faith in God’s love in the midst of all this misery, and turning to secular ideologies instead for human hope and salvation, especially to Communism. Then on August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union detonated their first A-bomb, thus marking the end of America’s monopoly on atomic weapons, and plunging the world into the Cold War and the nuclear arms race. For the first time in human history, humanity faced the real possibility of wars of mutual, and even global, extinction. Then the first armed conflict of the Cold War began on June 22, 1950, when Communist North Korea invaded South Korea. In short, it was a time of war-weariness, profound fear, and rising hopelessness: a turning away from God, and to the false promises of secularism and Communism instead. What humanity needed most was a renewed proclamation of the love of God, the dignity of human life, and a fresh sign of ultimate hope — and Pope Pius knew that God’s dealings with the Virgin Mother of His incarnate Son could provide the antidote. The Holy Father therefore reached into the treasury of the Church’s Tradition, and held aloft the radiant truth of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, body and soul. He stated, “While the illusory teachings of materialism and the corruption of morals that follows from these teachings threaten to extinguish the light of virtue and to ruin the lives of men, in this magnificent way all may see clearly to what a lofty goal our bodies and souls are destined.” The light of hope The dogma of the Assumption, the pope reasoned, is not only a unique privilege given to Mary. (Even the saints after their death have to await the Final Judgment and the Last Day to receive their glorified and resurrected bodies.) It is also a sign of hope for all the faithful: a loud and triumphant proclamation of the full truth of Easter. We sometimes say that the Easter faith, in a nutshell, is that “Christ is risen.” If our hearts live in union with Him, we, too, shall rise again to a glorified life, body and soul, just like His. As St. Paul once promised: “He shall change our lowly body to be like His glorious body” (Phil 3:21). That is precisely what the Assumption of Mary proclaims: Christ is risen — and He is now bringing all faithful hearts with Him to glory. And the sign of this hope to all the Church is that the person who was closest to Christ’s own loving Heart has already been raised to glory before us. Hope for our time In many ways our time is not unlike the era of the proclamation of this dogma: Today, conflicts rage in various parts of the globe, and others could ignite at any moment, while the nations of the world are rapidly rearming for war. Many turn for aid, not to faith and prayer, but to the false gods of secularism and material comforts. No one summed it up better than Pope Benedict XVI in his general audience in Rome on August 16, 2006: By contemplating Mary in heavenly glory, ... we live with our gaze fixed on eternal goods; we will one day share in this same glory. ... We may be sure of it: from on high, Mary follows our footsteps with gentle concern, dispels the gloom in moments of darkness and distress, reassures us with her motherly hand. Supported by awareness of this, let us continue confidently on our path of Christian commitment wherever Providence may lead us. Let us forge ahead in our lives under Mary’s guidance. Dr. Robert Stackpole is the emeritus director of the John Paul II Institute for Divine Mercy and the author of Mary, Who She is and Why She Matters (B67-MBK), a Marian Press title available now at ShopMercy.org. The Assumption of Mary proclaims: Christ is risen — and He is now bringing all faithful hearts with Him to glory. And the sign of this hope to all the Church is that the person who was closest to Christ’s own loving Heart has already been raised to glory before us. Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 17
November is the month traditionally dedicated by the Church to praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. It is a time specially enriched by the Church with indulgences, with grants of the graces necessary to hasten the time a soul spends in Purgatory as it awaits heavenly glory. That means we Marian Fathers — among whose founding charisms was praying for the dying and dead — and Marian Helpers have a special duty to take advantage of these grants of grace from Holy Mother Church and set the captives free. Now this November is different in a number of important ways, thanks in large part to our new Holy Father and his religious order. Let me explain. A Pope of firsts We are living and practicing our faith under a new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. He is the first American pope; definitely the first Chicago native to be elected pope, and the first member of the Augustinian Order (the OSAs) to be elected pope. As you read in the summer issue of this magazine, our General Superior of the Marian Fathers, Fr. Joe Roesch (a member of our American Province), was in Rome for the announcement of the new Holy Father. We Marians live By Fr. Dan Cambra, MIC Patron of the Holy Souls 18 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org “Madonna and Child with Saints,” Giovanni di Paolo, 1454. Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, canonized in 1446, appears at far right wearing the Augustinian habit.
now under an American General Superior as well as an American pope! “Let us pray for Pope Leo XIV and for the Church throughout the world,” Fr. Joe wrote. “As the Holy Father desires, may our world be filled with the peace of Christ, may everyone recognize that God loves us all, and may the world be open to the gentle guidance of Our Lady as we traverse the pathway to Heaven!” Amen! Saint Nicholas of Tolentino Now, I want to take this occasion to reintroduce you all to another famous Augustinian priest, St. Nicholas of Tolentino (1245-1305), whom then-Friar Robert Prevost chose as his patron saint on Aug. 29, 1981, when he took perpetual vows. We celebrate St. Nicholas’ feast on Sept. 10 (shortly before the 15th Annual Mercy for Souls Conference on Sept. 13 — please join us!). Pope Leo’s home province of Augustinian Friars tell the story of St. Nicholas of Tolentino on their website, MidwestAugustinians.org: As a priest and religious, he was full of charity towards his brother Augustinians as well as towards the people to whom he ministered. He visited the sick and cared for the needy. He was a noted preacher of the Gospel. He gave special attention to those who had fallen away from the Church. People considered him a miracle worker. He often fasted and performed other works of penance. He spent long hours in prayer. The story is told that . . . Nicholas, while asleep in bed, heard the voice of a deceased friar he had known. This friar told Nicholas that he was in Purgatory, and urged him to celebrate the Eucharist for him and other souls there, so that they would be set free by the power of Christ. Nicholas did so for seven days. The friar again spoke to Nicholas, thanking him and assuring him that a large number of souls were now with God. Because of this Nicholas was proclaimed patron of the souls in Purgatory. Full of wonder When the Marian Family lives our founding charism of praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, we practice one of the most blessed forms of Works of Mercy. Saint Nicholas of Tolentino’s intercession for the souls in Purgatory proves that. The Church has tasked one of her most powerful intercessors with the same work you and I practice — what better signal can we have of the importance of persisting in offering prayers, suffrages, and indulgences for the dead? Pray for the souls in Purgatory, like St. Nicholas of Tolentino did. And pray for his brother Augustinian, Pope Leo XIV. Father Dan Cambra, MIC, is the spiritual director of the Holy Souls Soldality. Visit PrayForSouls.org to learn more. We invite you to join the Marians this November in our month-long remembrance of all the faithful departed. Please visit Marian.org/b67 to join us in our November remembrance. Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 19 Metropolitan Museum of Art/Open Access.
By Br. Josh, MIC History and Heritage Among the memorable stops during the pilgrimage to Poland was the House of St. Michael the Archangel in the Marian Forest (Puszcza Mariańska). It was here in 1670 that Stanislaus Papczyński founded the first Polish male order, the Marians of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 20 Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org Marian seminarians tour Poland VOCATIONS
When our plane arrived in Fryderyk Chopin Airport in Warsaw, many of our group of Marian pilgrims were in a fog of exhaustion. It was an eight-hour red-eye flight from JFK Airport in New York City to Copenhagen, Denmark, and from Denmark another 90 minutes after the layover. To more quickly adjust to the time difference, some people deliberately tried not to sleep until reaching Poland. One mentioned later, “That was the worst mistake I ever made.” In the footsteps of the Founder After resting from our long journey, one of the first places we visited was Góra Kalwaria, the Church of the Lord’s Cenacle, where the Marian Founder, St. Stanislaus Papczyński (1631-1701) ministered and was buried. Saint Stanislaus once had a table in the center of the church representing that on which the Lord held the Last Supper. The Holy Spirit inspired him once to lay a dead girl on that table while he celebrated Mass at St. Raphael’s altar, and the girl came back to life. The surface of that table is the top piece of the Cenacle’s altar today; we reverently touched it and prayed for St. Stanislaus’ intercession. We also reverenced the remains of Bishop Stefan Wierzbowski, who worked closely with St. Stanislaus and is considered by some Marians to be the “co-founder” of our order. Though he is not canonized, his body appears to be incorrupt. Licheń and Częstochowa We were awed by one of our next stops, the Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń. Those of us who had been to Rome could see that it was easily comparable in grandeur, scale, and beauty to what we had seen there. The art inside the basilica was wonderful and the extensive grounds were full of beautiful statues. Licheń was also special to me as a place honoring some of the Virgin Mary’s Polish apparitions — I love it when Our In May, Br. Andrew Mączyński, MIC, led a large group of Marian seminarians, brothers, and novices on an unforgettable trip to Poland. Father Timothy Childers, MIC, joined us as our religious superior, and Fr. Daniel Klimek helped as a translator; both priests provided Masses for the group. Brother Andrew was an expert guide. Our trip spanned 17 days, with one overnight in Lithuania, and the rest of that time spent traveling through Poland. Our purpose was to visit the Marian heritage sites, becoming more deeply immersed in Marian history and identity. Marian Helper • Fall 2025 • Marian.org 21 Lady visits us. Some seminarians said they would love to take a week just to stay at Licheń, admire the beauty, and pray. One of our next stops was the “spiritual capitol of Poland,” Jasna Gora, where Our Lady of Częstochowa resides. We celebrated Mass right in front of the Black Madonna, a miraculous image whose cheek is broken either by the natural deterioration of the painting, as one of our tour guides told us, or by a Protestant Swede’s sword. The wall on the right side of the chapel was covered with crutches left by people miraculously healed before this image. When Swedes attempted to conquer Jasna Gora in 1655, the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared to the invaders, terrifying them into retreat. Continued on page 22 Celebrating Mass at the “spiritual capitol of Poland,” Jasna Gora, where Our Lady of Częstochowa, the “Black Madonna,” resides. (Photos by Giuseppe Mignano)
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