Fatima Crusader 112

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F THE ATIMA CRUSADER ISSUE 112 • SUMMER 2015 Dedicated In Loving Memory to Father Nicholas Gruner The Fatima Priest Dedicated In Loving Memory to Father Nicholas Gruner The Fatima Priest

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Fatima Crusader 112

Transcript of Fatima Crusader 112

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FFFFATIMAFFFFCRUSADER ISSUE 112 • SUMMER 2015

DedicatedIn Loving Memory to

Father Nicholas GrunerThe Fatima Priest

DedicatedIn Loving Memory to

Father Nicholas GrunerThe Fatima Priest

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Words of Wisdom From Father Gruner

“Fatima is fi nally coming into its own, so to speak. Too many people have thought that Fatima is just for pious or simple-minded 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 fulfi ll 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 MemoriesS u c h a r e G o d ’ s p l a n s . . . I t h i n k h e m u s t h a v e b e e n a d m i t t e d

v e r y s o o n b e s i d e O u r L a d y ’ s t h r o n e . . . . I f e e l h e i s n e a r e r t h a n e v e r . ...Souer Marie- Rose P

Compiled from various lectures by Father Gruner

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The Holy Ghost Working Through

Father Grunerby Father Paul Kramer

Of the three persons in the Trinity, the Holy Ghost is perhaps the most di�cult

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 e�ect. 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.

For all of us who loved Father,

there can be no doubt that he would want us to carry forward the

work to which he gave his life up

until his last breath.

We owe a debt of gratitude to this great priest, one that we can best satisfy by pledging ourselves to the cause of Our Lady of Fatima, which this apostolate serves. The Holy Ghost, which lived in Father Gruner, lives in the apostolate he built and in all its works of love. May He live in us, too.

Stay The Course!

So I want to urge each and every one of you: Stay the course! Be faithful to Our Lady’s Apostolate, which needs you now more than ever.

Father left behind a competent group of dedicated people, trained in the mission of making the Fatima Message known, loved

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.

I have been doing what I can to answer the need for priestly guidance and spiritual counsel that those who work in Our Lady’s Apostolate need to have.

The Apostolate will, however, need a chaplain and counselor on a full-time basis. To that end, I ask for your prayers that Our Lady will send to us the person or persons we need to fill this role.

The Fatima Timeline

Father believed that once people know the facts about Fatima, they will turn to the Immaculate Heart and urge the Pope and bishops to obey Our Lady, which is our only hope. The Fatima Timeline was one of the last booklets he worked on, choosing the final pictures, approving the final text and sending it on to the printers on the very day of his death. He saw it as a powerful instrument of instruction.

I must soon return to Ireland, where I am living in retirement, doing what my health and talents allow. But I want to

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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 fi eld of battle –

at least in this world. But we who remain must rally behind the fl ag 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 fi ght. 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 fi ve 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 fi ve 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 fi ght. ...K athl een B

est in divine peace dear ather icholas. You ought the good fi ght 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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Above: Enrollment in the Brown Scapular. Right: With Rosary from Pope Paul VI.

His Faith and Love Shone Upon Us

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Fond Memories

I a m v e r y m u c h s h o c k e d t o h e a r a b o u t t h e d e a t h o f F r . G r u n e r . I s h a l l o f f e r a H o l y M a s s f o r t h e r e p o s e o f h i s s o u l t o d a y . M y

G o d ! S u r e l y G o d w i l l h e l p u s . P l e a s e a c c e p t m y h e a r t f e l t f e e l i n g s a n d o f f e r t h e m t o h i s c l o s e r e l a t i v e s . ...S.Mic hael A ug ustine, A rc hbishop E meritus of P ond ic herry & Cud d al ore, I nd ia

I a m d e e p l y s o r r y f o r t h e d e a t h o f o u r d e a r F r . G r u n e r . M a y h i s s o u l r e s t i n p e a c e . M a y h e r e s t i n p e a c e . ...Tony Borw ah, Cathol ic Dioc ese of G barng a, Liberia

I j u s t n o w r e c e i v e d t h e s a d n e w s t h a t o u r R e v . F r . G r u n e r p a s s e d a w a y . J u s t a f e w d a y s a g o I s e n t a l e t t e r t o F r . G r u n e r t o w i s h h i m a h a p p y b i r t h d a y o n M a y 4 . F a t h e r G r u n e r h a s g o n e t h r o u g h t h e g r e a t t r i b u l a t i o n d u r i n g h i s e a r t h l y l i f e t o t h e h o n o r o f O u r L o r d J e s u s C h r i s t a n d o f O u r L a d y o f F a t i m a . H e i s n o w a l r e a d y r e c e i v i n g a h i g h h o n o r i n H e a v e n .

I n t h e s a m e w a y t h e d e p a r t u r e o f F r . G r u n e r i s a g r e a t e a r t h l y l o s s f o r u s b u t , I a m s u r e , i t i s a f a r g r e a t e r g a i n i n H e a v e n . H e l i v e d a s a s a i n t a n d I a m c o n v i n 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 ather Sav arinathan, Soc ial Serv ic e Soc iety of the d ioc ese of Thanj av ur, I nd ia

W e c o u l d n ’ t b e l i e v e t h e w o r d s o f F r . J u s t i n j u s t n o w w h e n h e c o m m u n i c a t e d t h e d e m i s e o f o u r b e l o v e d F a t h e r G r u n e r a n d g e n e r o u s h e a r t e d A p o s t l e . T h e r e a r e n o w o r d s t o t e l l y o u t h e l o s s w e f e e l a n d t h e p a i n w e e x p e r i e n c e . T h e c h i l d r e n r e m a i n e d s p e e c h l e s s a n d s i l e n t f o r s o m e t i m e a f t e r h e a r i n g t h e n e w s . H o w w e w i s h w e c o u l d b e t h e r e w i t h y o u t o s e e o u r b e l o v e d F r . G r u n e r p a s s i n g t o t h e h a n d s o f o u r F a t h e r i n H e a v e n a n d t o t h e l a p o f O u r l o v i n g M o t h e r M a r y . M a y H i s s o u l r e s t i n p e a c e . S u r e l y h e i s e n j o y i n g t h e l o v i n g p r e s e n c e o f t h e F a t h e r f o r a l l t h e g o o d t h a t h e d i d f o r t h e p o o r a n d t h e n e e d y .

O u r p r i e s t i s o u t o f s t a t i o n . A s s o o n a s h e c o m e s w e w i l l c e l e b r a t e M a s s f o r F r . G r u n e r ’ s s o u l , i n t h e m e a n t i m e , w e o f f e r o u r c o n t i n u o u s p r a y e r s f o r h i m a n d f o r a l l t h o s e w h o w o r k i n h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n d o i n g g o o d f o r t h e p e o p l e . O u r d e e p e s t c o n d o l e n c e s a n d p r a y e r s . W e s t i l l f e e l t h a t o u r b e l o v e d F r . G r u n e r i s o u r s p i r i t u a l i n t e r c e s s o r a n d b e n e f a c t o r i n 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 i t h y o u r g o o d n e s s a n d a s s u r e t h e o f f e r i n g o f t h e H o l y E u c h a r i s t f o r t h e s o u l o f O u r F a t h e r R e v e r e n e d N i c h o l a s G r u n e r . L e t u s p r a y t o g e t h 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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At Ground Zero (New York City) to bless the remains of a fireman.

At Ground Zero - enrolling workers in the Brown Scapular.

Administering to the sick at one of Mother Theresa’s convents in India.

Father Gruner, a welcomed guest speaker at a Congress in India.

Spreading Fatima Worldwide

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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It 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 di�cult thing, but it would be almost impossible to imagine a good, virtuous, devoted priest—a priest who

Father Nicholas Gruner Our Lady’s KnightFather 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.

by Father Isaac Mary Relyea

serves God, the Church, and souls—without a tender a�ection 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 a�ection toward his Mother and to the sound of Her Name, you need not hope for much from him. For if he has not much a�ection 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.”

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 o�!

It’s coming here too, my friends, and we will all su�er. 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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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 fi nal 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 fi nal perseverance. Pray that you will be anointed and receive Holy Viaticum before you die.

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,

Fond Memories

I w o n d e r i f n o w t h a t G o d h a s t a k e n F a t h e r G r u n e r t o H e a v e n , H e w i l l s t a r t c h a s t i s i n g t h e w o r l d i n a p h y s i c a l w a y a n d n o t j u s t i n a

s p i r i t u a l w a y . ...P eter S

I c a n ’ t h e l p b u t f e e l t h a t G o d l o v e d F a t h e r G r u n e r s o m u c h t h a t H e w o u l d n ’ t a l l o w h i m t o s e e t h e w r a t h t h a t i s m o s t c e r t a i n l y o n o u r d o o r s t e p . I b e l i e v e h e w a s j u s t l y s p a r e d , a n d f o r t h i s e s p e c i a l l y , I t h a n k O u r D e a r L o r d . ...Rosie R

W e h a v e l o s t a g r e a t w a r r i o r f o r O u r L a d y . M a y y o u b e s a f e i n H e r c a r e , d e a r F a t h e r , a f t e r y o u r a r d u o u s j o u r n e y o n t h i s e a r t h . W e a r e a l l b l e s s e d t o h a v e k n o w n a n d s u p p o r t e d y o u . W e w i l l g r e a t l y m i s s y o u r v o i c e c r y i n g i n t h e w i l d e r n e s s t o a m o s t l y i n d i f f e r e n t a n d u n c a r i n g w o r l d . O u r L a d y o f F a t i m a , p r a y f o r u s ! ...Sue K

I w i l l m i s s o u r g o o d a n d h o l y s h e p h e r d , F a t h e r G r u n e r , t o w h o m I o w e s u c h a d e b t o f g r a t i t u d e . E t e r n a l r e s t g r a n t u n t o h i m O L o r d a n d l e t P e r p e t u a l L i g h t s h i n e u p o n h i m . ...Step hanie L

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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.

He never accepted ‘No’ as an answer. Always, there was an alternative and he forged ahead and found it. Nothing was too much or too good for Our Lord and Our Lady. His love for Them was fierce.

Where does one start to share with you all these memories? Fittingly, I will start at the beginning.

Prayers and Patience For a Holy Tridentine Mass

In 1984, I had permission from the Bishop to attend daily Mass at a local Contemplative Convent. The pastor had left on vacation and I was told a visiting priest would be o�ering Mass for the nuns that day.

It was Father Gruner.

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 preference and some out of “obedience” preferred to receive the Host standing and in the hand.

I had my head down, praying, and suddenly there was an intense feeling of some sort of presence in the room. Not something tangible that I could see or hear, but a profound and intense feeling. It was so great that I lifted my head up and looked around the room to see what it was. I saw nothing at first but the feeling became even more intense. I gazed all around the room and to the front where the nuns were receiving Holy Communion. Then it hit me like lightning what it was. The nuns were ALL kneeling and receiving Communion on the tongue. As an afterthought – I believe that intense feeling in the room was the joy of Our Lady (our Pilgrim Virgin Statue of

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Another spiritual occasion of family Confirmations.

Father and his German Shephard - aptly named “Mischief”.

The children here presented Father with birthday spiritual bouquets on helium balloons and watched their prayers rise up to Heaven as Father released them.

Here with his mother, his love and tenderness for babies shows on his face.

Sharing the spiritual joy of First Holy Communion.

Love of Children

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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

My friend Virginia Halbach and I had been following our Tridentine Missal at Mass for over a year, praying daily to find one to go to.

After Father Gruner’s Mass, I spoke to him privately and said: “Father, I think I have just been to a Tridentine Mass!” He smiled.

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.

Even then, he was persecuted. “Your Confessions are too long.” The priests would get angry because the people waited for

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!

Before Father left to return to his o�ce in Ottawa, I volunteered to help him in any way he needed. I had seen his holiness, his perseverance and the persecution he endured, and had always had a particular draw and love for Our Lady of Fatima.

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, Bernie Dumelie, and a friend, Frank Timms, also volunteered to help. Sister Francis had already been volunteering up

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in Ottawa. And so the three of us were invited to Father’s Ottawa o�ce to learn more about his operation.

Father Gruner’s o�ce in Ottawa was a tiny apartment. He first took us upstairs to his o�ce. It was little more than a cupboard size. On one side was a big metal rack with stacks of file folders and papers and books.

On the opposite side of the tiny room were boxes and bricks with a door (knob and all) laid across it. That was his desk. There was about a three foot corridor between the rack and the door – no chair – he spent endless hours there, standing, doing his work.

It wrenched my heart. I prayed to God, “If only he were in Fort Erie, I could help him!”

We went downstairs and Father o�ered us lunch. He opened his refrigerator and in it was one opened can of tuna fish and a cereal bowl of rice. He shared his meal with all of us.

Again, it broke our hearts to see such a humble little priest with no thought whatsoever for his own comfort. His thoughts, as always, were promoting the Message of Our Lady of Fatima no matter the sacrifice.

The Fatima Test

Father Gruner then led us across the border to the Servants of Jesus and Mary in Constable, New York where Father Michael Jarecki, a dear friend of Father Gruner, would test us before approving our o�er to volunteer.

Father Jarecki was also one of the holiest priests I had ever met. We each, separately, were scrutinized by the Board of Directors and I was asked: “Why do you want to volunteer here?” I loved the traditional Mass and Our Lady and so I replied, “Because it would be a great privilege for me.” And to this day, I continue to feel privileged to be allowed to work here for Father Gruner in Our Lady’s vineyard.

After all, Father’s prayers and graces are still with us. He is just a little further away. And his work is not yet complete.

The Fatima Center Beginning in Fort Erie

A short time later, Father Gruner made the decision to move from Ottawa to Fort Erie. Fort Erie seemed logical. Our group of volunteers had already begun to set up a mini o�ce for those tasks that Father assigned us. It was situated on a highway artery an hour and a half away from Toronto

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airport in Canada and only half an hour away from Bu�alo Airport in the U.S. Fort Erie is situated on one end of the bridge to the U.S.A. Bu�alo 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!

Father Gruner: Model of Humility and Poverty

In Fort Erie, we bought an old electrical training building that literally started out as a horse barn. I used to think that, too, was appropriate. Our Lord was born in a stable and here we were, The Fatima Center in Fort Erie being “born” in a built-on stable.

The building was old, many roof leaks, and an inch of water on the floors in places. It was a huge mess.

We cleaned and sterilized the building and furnished it from garage sales. One small room in this damp cement-block building was Father Gruner’s living quarters. He had no bathtub or shower and would depend on being invited out to dinner, when he would ask to use the shower.

He absolutely refused to spend one dime on himself and would not hear of us renting a modest apartment or even a room for him.

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 from a garage became part of his “kitchen”. This was the Father Gruner that few people knew.

Strict Stewardship of Apostolate Funds

He stewarded the supporters’ funds like no other. Literally, when employees would go into his o�ce to get checks signed for our expenses, they would make the Sign of the Cross. No penny was to escape his hands without full scrutiny. Every cent went back into promoting the full, urgent Fatima Message.

Going Forward On the Wings of Prayer

When we did not have money in our co�ers, that didn’t stop Father Gruner. He would continue to spread the saving Message of Our Lady on the wing of a prayer.

We didn’t worry. The funds always came in to cover our bills. Father did not just have faith in

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Jessie Gruner and children in earlier years.

He began his travels at a young age, working on ships.

A full family picture with his mother and father.

Young Father Gruner with his brothers and sisters.

Father Gruner - the teacher.

His Younger Days

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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

In these confusing times, we hear from so many souls feeling confused and worried, seeking the truth. “Who should we listen to?” “Which ones can we believe?”

Father’s simple, but profound answer was and remains: “You stick with the truth – the truth of the Faith of all time, the truth of the Faith of our Fathers.”

He had already begun to write his last book and hurried to complete it - Crucial Truths to Save Your Soul. I recall thinking as I read the first manuscript of it that truly, this is THE book for our times.

I urge anyone who has not read it to get a copy of Crucial Truths to Save your Soul available from The Fatima Center. I would also encourage you to give his book to friends and loved ones to help them save their souls in these trying times. See order information on page 63.

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.

Many of his opponents who previously pictured him as a fiercely aggressive opponent were shocked when they met him. All noted his humility and his calm atmosphere and many changed their mind about him just from meeting him. Except! Never make the mistake of saying something against the Catholic Faith or detrimental about Our Lady—that is where the fearless warrior protecting Our Lady and defender of the Faith was to be seen.

Crusaderitis!

Some of my best memories were when we had to prepare The Fatima Crusader. All we would have to do is think, “Tomorrow we will start on The Crusader”, and it would seem the bowels of hell would open. Problems, broken machinery, automobile breakdowns, misunderstandings, illness,

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anything and everything would emerge almost immediately.

We called it Crusaderitis. We 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.

The managers and sta� that worked alongside Father Gruner put in long and hard hours but none of us could measure up to the perseverance and stamina he had.

Father Has Not Left Us His Inspiration and Teachings Remain With Us - to Carry On!

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

has) a staunch Catholic Board of Directors working with him along the way.

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.

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, and we have his teachings, writings and recordings to use as manuals in carrying on this work.

May Heaven bless our continuing e�orts. Our Lady of Fatima pray for us.

Father Gruner taught us so much. We are offering Fatima Priest 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.

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Fond MemoriesT r u l y a g r e a t p r i e s t , s e r v a n t o f O u r L a d y , a n d s o l d i e r o f C h r i s 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 l i e v e F a t h e r G r u n e r w i l l b e m o r e p o w e r f u l n o w t h a t h e i s w i t h O u r B l e s s e d M o t h e r . W i t h F a t h e r G r u n e r ’ s i n t e r c e s s i o n , S h e w i l l h e l p a l l o f u s t o s p r e a d t h e M e s s a g e o f F a t i m a . I n d e e d h e i s a s a i n t . ...Bryer S

P r a y f o r u s , F a t h e r ! S u r e l y t h e t i m e s o f c h a s t i s e m e n t a r e a t o u r v e r y d o o r s t e p , g i v e n w o r l d e v e n t s , a n d a l s o t h e f a c t t h a t G o d h a s t a k e n f r o m t h e w o r l d o n e o f t h e l o u d e s t a n d f a r - r e a c h i n g v o i c e s o f t h e t r u e M e s s a g e o f F a t i m a ! L e t u s h o l d f a s t t o t h e M e s s a g e w i t h a r e n e w e d f e r v o r , o r b e g i n t o d o s o i f w e h a v e n ’ t a l r e a d y ! A v e M a r i a ! ...Matthew R

A v e r y s a i n t l y p r i e s t ! I w a s p r i v i l e g e d t o h a v e s u p p o r t e d h i s a p o s t o l a t e a n d w i l l m i s s h i m g r e a t l y . M a y h i s m i s s i o n c o n t i n u e . R . I . P . ...N orah H

“ T H E S A L V A T I O N O F T H E M A N Y D E P E N D S U P O N T H E F A I T H F U L N E S S O F A F E W . ” E v e r s i n c e t h e p a s s i n g o f F a t h e r G r u n e r ( a n d e s p e c i a l l y i n l i g h t o f t h i s q u o t e f r o m P o p e P i u s X I I ) , I h a v e f e l t a n e e d t o p r a y m o r e f o r t h e c o n v e r s i o n o f R u s s i a . L e t ’ s r e d o u b l e o u r p r a y e r s ! L e t ’ s d o t h i s a l s o f o r g o o d F a t h e r G r u n e r w h o w o r k e d s o m u c h a n d s o h a r d . P e o p l e I ’ m t e l l i n g y o u , w e n e e d t o p r a y m o r e . T h e f a c t i s t h a t w e a r e n o t o u t o f t h e w o o d s , a n d t h e a b o v e q u o t e p r o v e s t h a t w e a r e n o t p r a y i n g e n o u g h ! ...Star B

F a t h e r G r u n e r d i e d y e s t e r d a y o f a h e a r t a t t a c k . T h i s i s R E A L L Y b a d n e w s . I a l w a y s a s s u m e d t h a t G o d w o u l d s p a r e h i m t o s e e t h e C o n s e c r a t i o n o f R u s s i a a n d t h e R e i g n o f t h e I m m a c u l a t e H e a r t . S i n c e h e h a s b e e n t a k e n a w a y , I f e a r t h a t this means that the world has put ur ady o too long now to avoid the fi nal p a r t o f H e r w a r n i n g : “ … i f n o t , . . . v a r i o u s n a t i o n s w i l l b e a n n i h i l a t e d . ” ...Mic heal O

I a m v e r y s o r r y t o l e a r n a b o u t t h e s u d d e n d e a t h o f F a t h e r N i c h o l a s G r u n e r . H e w a s a v e r y c o u r a g e o u s m a n . Y e s t e r d a y I c e l e b r a t e d M a s s f o r t h e r e s t f u l r e p o s e o f t h e s o u l o f F r . G r u n e r . T o d a y I a l s o d i d t h e s a m e d u r i n g t h e d a i l y 6 . 0 0 a . m . M a s s . I h a v e r e c e i v e d a p r o g r a m f o r t h e a r r a n g e m e n t o f a m e m o r i a l M a s s a t S a i n t F i d e l i s C h u r c h , w h e r e I a l s o w i l l b e i n s p i r i t o n M a y 1 5 w h e n t h e y c e l e b r a t e t h e l i f e o f F r . G r u n e r . H e w a s n o t o n l y t h e o u t s t a n d i n g C r u s a d e r , b u t a n o u t s t a n d i n g C h a m p i o n o f O u r L a d y o f F a t i m a i n o u r t i m e . H e w a s a v e r y s p i r i t u a l p r i e s t . M a y h i s s o u l r e s t i n p e a c e . G o d b l e s s . ...F ather I g natio Bok osi, Sac red H eart P arish, d ioc ese of Z omba, Mal aw i

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Promoting Fatima at Conferences and

at the Vatican

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Father 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.

Goodbye to theSoft-Spoken Warrior

This is an edited transcript of a brief eulogy given at Father Gruner’s funeral reception, May 9, 2015.

by John Vennari

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

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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 (1347-1380) 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, su�ering 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 Ponti� 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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“The consistories were stormy a�airs. 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 e�ectively 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 su�ered, 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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Many 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 e�orts 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

Some Details of Father’s Passing

“Precious in the Sight of the LordIs the Death of His Saints” (Psalm 115:15)

by James Hanisch

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 di�erent 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

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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,

longsu�ering, 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 O�ertory onward, Father would stand motionless for long minutes, gazing silently at the Crucifix before him. (The Center’s chapel has an almost life-size Spanish-style crucifix which vividly represents Our Lord’s terrible su�erings for our Redemption.) One such time was at the very beginning of the O�ertory. While holding up the paten and host before beginning the O�ertory 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

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“Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal �re.”

— 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 number.

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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-or-so 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 half-convinced 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

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 o�ered for the Apostolate’s benefactors.)

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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 sta� 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

Father’s own silent thanksgiving after Mass generally lasted another ten or fifteen minutes. Whichever sta� 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.

Continued on page 34

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ONLY POPE FRANCIS CAN SAVE WASHINGTON!

We can ensure he does with a special 5 minute prayer.

1-800-263-8160 | www.fatima.org

ONLY THE POPECAN SAVE WASHINGTON

With a special 5-minute prayer! We can ensure he does.

You are invited to this special conferenceCome to Washington, D.C. September 22-24, 2015

We can still have Peace Right Now!

We can have Peace in Exchange for a Special

5-minute Prayer Offered by the Pope and the Bishops!

Come, Learn about It! Then, Insist Upon It!

The aim of government is the good of the governed. And what higher good is there than the salvation of souls? “But seek ye fi rst the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Luke 12:31

TO SAVE THE EARTH

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ONLY POPE FRANCIS CAN SAVE WASHINGTON!

We can ensure he does with a special 5 minute prayer.

1-800-263-8160 | www.fatima.org

* Subject to modi�cation

Washington D.C. Conference*

Call Now to Reserve Your SPOT 1-800-263-8160

TimeTuesday, Sept 22/15

Feast of Saint �omas of Villanova

Wednesday, Sept 23/15Saint Padre Pio`s

Feast Day

�ursday, Sept 24/15Our Lady of Ransom

7:00 - 8:45am Breakfast time

7:15 - 8:30am Mass Times

8:35am Holy Rosary

Procession to Congress and Pope Francis

8:55am Announcements

9:00am Talk Father GrunerVideo speech from Father Gruner introduced by John Vennari

Christopher FerraraUpdate: �e �ird Secret Still Silenced10:00am Q&A

10:30am Break

10:45am Talk Peter Chojnowski�e Miracle of the Sun at Fatima: �e Indisputable Historic Fact

John SalzaHow 8 Popes Failed To Consecrate Russia11:45am Q&A

12:15am Angelus

12:20pm Lunch time

1:45pm Holy Rosary

2:00pm Talk Suzanne PearsonNew Light on the Consecration of Russia

Cornelia FerreiraEucharistic Heresies and the Warnings of Fatima

John VennariMany Marriages Are Not of God; �e Unprecedented Assault on Matrimony3:00pm Q&A

3:30pm Break

3:45pm Talk Christopher FerraraChurch Law: What Bishop, Priest and Lay Person Can Do and Must Do About Fatima

His Beatitude Ignatius Youssif III YounanIs World War III Now Starting in the Middle East?

Dr. David Allen White�e Links in Our Lady’s Rosary from Fatima to Washington, D.C.4:45pm Q&A

5:15pm Break

5:30pm Talk John VennariOur Lady Keeps Her Word: A Fatima Miracle of Peace

Stasia VogelOur Lady of Fatima IS the Answer to the War Against Life

TBA6:30pm Q&A

7:00pm Rosary and Mass

7:45pm Dinner time on your own

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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 o�ered 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 o� the fluid. Then, after loading a few last boxes

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 o�ce 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 e�orts to save Father’s life. At length, however, they realized that their labors could not prevail.

Continued from page 31

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A great grace is received as his father, Malcom kisses his son’s blessed hands.

Father Gruner was ordained on August 22, 1976 on the Feast of The Immaculate Heart.

Father Gruner gives Holy Communion to his parents Malcolm and Jessie at his first Mass.

Holy Orders

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“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 o�ce.

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 su�ered for thee; in the Name of the Holy Ghost, Who was poured

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.

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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 sta� had returned to the o�ce 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 sta� 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 su�er 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.”

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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 white-robed 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 ever-verdant gardens of His Paradise, and may He, the true Shepherd, own you for one of His fl ock. 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.

M a y y o u r s o u l r e s t i n p e a c e w i t h O u r L o r d a n d S a v i o r J e s u s C h r i s t , a n d w i t h O u r B l e s s e d M o t h e r M a r y . I w i l l f o r e v e r b e

g r a t e f u l f o r y o u r a m a z i n g w o r k a t t h e F a t i m a C e n t e r ! G o d b l e s s y o u , F a t h e r N i c h o l a s G r u n e r ! ...J onathan S

Fond Memories

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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.

Father Gruner with Father Lizzotti, a close friend for many years.

Young Father Gruner speaking with Pope Paul VI.

Spiritual Memories

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Reviled and Yet Blessed

by Louie Verrecchio

Prior 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

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.

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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 fi ll 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.

hank you or your valiant fi ght 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 fi tting 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

Fond Memories

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Fond MemoriesF a t h e r N i c h o l a s G r u n e r , w e l o v e y o u s o m u c h . W e w i l l c o n t i n 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 l l t r u e f a i t h f u l C a t h o l i c s , w e n e e d t o l o v e e a c h o t h e r a n d h e l p e a c h o t h e r n o w . W e a r e i n s e r i o u s t r o u b l e . W e n e e d a l o t o f h e l p f r o m H e a v e n . W e n e e d t o s p e n d m o r e t i m e p r a y i n g t h e R o s a r y . W e n e e d t o c o n t i n u e F a t h e r G r u n e r ’ s m i s s i o n u n t i l w e w i n t h e g r e a t v i c t o r y f o r O u r M o t h e r . F a t h e r G r u n e r , L i t t l e S a i n t s J a c i n t a a n d F r a n c i s c o , a n d S i s t e r L u c i a , p l e a s e p r a y f o r u s . ...J osep h S

T h o s e o f u s w h o w e r e t o u c h e d b y h i m m u s t c o n t i n u e h i s w o r k . I p r a y f o r t h e F a t i m a C e n t e r a n d a l l t h o s e w h o g i v e s o m u c h . M a y G o d i n H i s M e r c y e n a b l e t h e m t o c o n t i n u e w h a t F a t h e r n e v e r g a v e u p o n . ...K ev in and Maria P

T h a n k y o u F a t h e r G r u n e r f o r a l l y o u r g o o d w o r k . P l e a s e c o n t i n u e t o g u i d e u s a n d y o u r f a t i m a . o r g . ...Leil ani C

O u r L o r d h a s t a k e n o n e o f o u r l e a d e r s . L e t ’ s a l l f o l l o w F a t h e r G r u n e r ’ s e x a m p l e a n d e n s u r e t h a t h i s w o r k i s c a r r i e d o n f o r t h e g r e a t e r g l o r y o f O u r L o r d a n d t h e R e i g n o f o u r Q u e e n , t h e V i r g i n M a r y . ...Mic hael A

F a t h e r C o u t u r e s u m m e d e v e r y t h i n g u p p e r f e c t l y w i t h a q u o t e f r o m J o h n 1 2 : 2 4 - 2 5 a t F a t h e r G r u n e r ’ s b u r i a l : “ U n l e s s t h e g r a i n o f w h e a t f a l l i n g i n t o t h e g r o u n d d i e , i t s e l f r e m a i n e t h a l o n e . B u t i f i t d i e , i t b r i n g e t h f o r t h m u c h f r u i t . ” I p r a y t h a t F a t h e r G r u n e r w i l l h e l p t o h a v e O u r L a d y o f F a t i m a ’ s r e q u e s t s ulfi lled rom eaven. ...Moniq ue K

S a d d e n e d a n d s h o c k e d t o h e a r o f F a t h e r G r u n e r ’ s p a s s i n g ! W e h a v e l o s t a t r u e C a t h o l i c S o l d i e r f o r C h r i s t w h o t r u l y l o v e d t h e B l e s s e d V i r g i n M a r y . T h i s P r i e s t w a s a n e x a m p l e f o r u s o n h o w t o l i v e a n d h o w t o s t a n d u p f o r o u r F a i t h , o u r G o d , a n d w h a t t h e B l e s s e d M o t h e r a s k e d u s t o d o a t F a t i m a . F a t h e r G r u n e r s p e n t h i s l i f e m a k i n g s u r e h e c o n s t a n t l y s p r e a d t h e w o r d a b o u t w h a t O u r B l e s s e d L a d y w a n t e d u s t o d o ! I t i s n o w u p t o U S t o L I S T E N a n d A C T N O W b e f o r e i t i s t o o l a t e , i f i t i s n o t t o o l a t e a l r e a d y ! M a y w e a l l p r a y t h e R O S A R Y c o n s t a n t l y , u n t i l t h e B i s h o p s L I S T E N t o t h e r e q u e s t o f o u r B l e s s e d M o t h e r , t h e M o t h e r o f G O D ! ...Roseann S

I m i s s y o u s o m u c h , k n o w i n g t h a t y o u a r e n o l o n g e r i n t h i s w o r l d with us. I miss you ather. ather Gruner we will keep fi ghting or y o u t o g e t t h e C o n s e c r a t i o n d o n e ! Y o u r w o r k w i l l n o t b e i n v a i n ! P r a y f o r u s F a t h e r ! Y o u a r e i n o u r h e a r t s a n d m e m o r i e s ! W e l o v e y o u ! ...P aul ine R

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In Loving Memory

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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 a�ords 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

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 su�ered a tremendous loss with the sudden and unexpected passing of Father Gruner. His tireless e�orts 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.

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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 di�erent path for peace: an ecumenical path of false unity and the establishment of a One World Church to bring about a New World Order.

Scorn of the Modernists

As a direct result of his dedication to the Message of Fatima, Father Gruner was scorned, ridiculed, and maligned by the modernists in the hierarchy as well as many of the misguided laity. When one considers the vicious attacks, the calumny, and detraction he endured throughout his priesthood, they cannot help but recall the words of Our Lady of Akita: “The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres.” Many heroic priests have suffered for the

faith during the post-Conciliar era, but few have endured the degree of ridicule and calumny Father Gruner su�ered – 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 hell- bent 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 and priests around the world annually to remind them of Our Lady’s promise and keep them abreast of recent developments.

And his perseverance bore fruit. Bishops from all over the world began to attend his conferences, and in an incredible turn of events, in 2012, Father was invited to speak of the Message of Fatima before the European Union Parliament. The Message even reached the ears of Vladimir Putin, who was so intrigued that he brought it up in his meeting

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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 fi ght, I have fi nished my course,

I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7). Father Gruner is a shining example for all those su� ering for justice’s sake during the post-Conciliar 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.

F a t h e r G r u n e r , y o u a r e t r u l y a h o l y p r i e s t , a “ D e a r O n e ” o f O u r B l e s s e d M o t h e r M a r y . P l e a s e p r a y f o r u s d o w n h e r e s t i l l s t r u g g l i n g

v e r y m u c h . ...J . L.

S u c h a s h o c k ! B u t t h e L o r d h a s r e l e a s e d h i m f r o m h i s l a b o r s , a n d w h a t a g o o d a n d f a i t h f u l s e r v a n t h e w a s ! H e f o u g h t l o n g a n d h a r d f o r t h e C o n s e c r a t i o n t o b e d o n e . R e s t i n p e a c e , o h g o o d F a t h e r ! Y o u d e s e r v e a r e s t ! P r a y f o r u s . M a y b e t h a t ’ s w h y G o d t o o k y o u . N o w y o u can do more in eaven than on earth You truly ought the good fi ght ...J anic e D

N o r e s t f o r p o o r F a t h e r G r u n e r . H e n o s o o n e r g e t s t o H e a v e n t h a n w e a l l ( i n c l u d i n g m e ) s t a r t a s k i n g h i s h e l p s o w e c a n h a v e w o r l d p e a c e . B u t I a m s u r e h e i s v e r y h a p p y t o d o a l l t h a t G o d w i l l a l l o w h i m t o d o . ...J ohn L

hen we are fi nally blessed with the riumph o the Immaculate eart will w e a l l b e a b l e t o s e e a n d a p p r e c i a t e t h e w o r k d o n e b y t h i s O N E m a n . W o r d 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 t h e r G r u n e r i s n o w r e s t i n g i n p e a c e i n t h e l o v i n g a r m s o f O u r L a d y o f F a t i m a . ather Gruner was ur ady s holy priest and he stood or the .

...G ianna R

Fond Memories

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Father 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

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

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 o�end and despise His Most Holy Mother. …

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“[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 o�ers 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 su�er 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

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.

VianneyReaching out to Catholic Clergy Around the World

SAINT JOHNSOCIETY OFSAINT JOHNSOCIETY OFSOCIETY OFSOCIETY OF

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VianneyReaching out to Catholic Clergy Around the World

SAINT JOHNSOCIETY OFSAINT JOHNSOCIETY OFSOCIETY OFSOCIETY OF

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.

GODLY PRIESTS URGENTLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT

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 fi ll out the enclosed form or call us toll-free at 1-800-263-8160.

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 VianneyThe 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.

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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 di�cult to imagine what Our Lord’s reply to such a question would be. Nor is it di�cult 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,

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 indi�erence. 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 su�er, 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

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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 possible. With the grace of God, together, we can do this in time to accomplish all the good that

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 e�ect 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.

Crucial Works in Progress

Father Gruner was so full of energy, and new ideas, and the

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Father Gruner longed to do with these writings.

We Can Still Succeed — Father Gruner’s Love for Us Has Never Been So Great, Nor His Prayers

So Powerful as Now!

Certainly, we do our departed loved ones no service by “canonizing” them prematurely, assuming that they have no need of our prayers when in fact they may have a long term in Purgatory to endure. On the part of those at The Fatima Center, there has been no lack of prayer and sacrifices o�ered on Father’s behalf since the awful moment of his death, particularly during the first several days after.

But just as certainly, we know of Our Lady’s scapular-promise called the Sabbatine Privilege, according to which Our Lady has assured us that She will deliver from Purgatory on the first Saturday after their death all those who wear Her Brown Scapular, observe chastity according to their state of life, and perform a prescribed daily Marian devotion (commonly commuted in our time, with a priest’s permission, to reciting a five-decade Rosary).

We all know how devoted Father Gruner was to Our Lady’s scapular and Rosary. The great purity of his life is also proverbial

among those who have become personally acquainted with him. How fitting it was, then, that the Saturday following his death was the First Saturday of May — the one day of all days in the year which is so uniquely and doubly special to Our Lady of Fatima!

One can just imagine Our Lady of Fatima, with Lucia and Jacinta and Francisco, leading our dear Father and friend into Heaven that day.

I do consider it very possible that, with his soul having been perfectly purified, he stands now as our powerful advocate in Heaven, still “working” and praying for our preservation from the terrible dangers that already surround us, and from the terrible ordeals that surely lie in our near future — praying for us more ardently and more powerfully now than ever, with the fervor and power of a saint in Heaven!

Perhaps it is unbecoming to speak openly in this manner, even if it is one’s private sentiment, but I say this because I believe that it is important for us to maintain hope for our own situation.

Yes, as Father Gruner clearly saw, our remaining time is clearly growing short. Another World War is practically upon us, and we have so far to go in bringing

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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 afl oat and working in Her service.Footnotes:1. December 26, 1957 interview by Fa-

ther Augusti ne Fuentes, cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth About Fati ma, vol. III: The Third Secret, Immaculate Heart Publicati ons, Buff alo, New York, Revised Editi on, 2001, pp. 504, 507.

2. 4 Kings 22:20.3. Father Nicholas Gruner, cited in Fran-

cis Alban, Fati ma Priest, Good Counsel Publicati ons, Pound Ridge, NY, 1997, pp. 234-235. Emphasis in original.

4. Cf. Pope Paul VI, Angelus Address, Jan. 27, 1974.

Fond MemoriesR e s t i n p e a c e , F a t h e r G r u n e r . G o d b l e s s t h e A p o s t o l a t e w h i c h y o u e s t a b l i s h e d a n d w h i c h w e w i l l c o n t i n u e t o s u p p o r t . A m e n . ...Brian C

I ’ m t o t a l l y s h o c k e d . S u r e l y G o d h a s H i s r e a s o n s f o r t a k i n g h i m f r o m u s . W e m u s t k e e p h i s h a r d w o r k g o i n g . ...Cathy D

R e s t i n p e a c e , F a t h e r G r u n e r . I p r a y t h a t t h e c a u s e h e f o u g h t s o h a r d f o r i s n ’ t f o r g o t t e n . W h a t a h o l y , h u m b l e p r i e s t ! ...Debbie B

M y d e a r h e a v e n l y s a i n t , I a m i n t e a r s , a n d I d o n ’ t k n o w w h a t t o d o . P l e a s e h e l p u s c o n t i n u e w i t h a l l t h a t m u s t b e d o n e t h r o u g h t h e A p o s t o l a t e t h a t y o u , o u r d e a r , d e a r f r i e n d f o u n d e d 3 7 y e a r s a g o . I k n o w y o u w i l l . B e a t p e a c e , d e a r F a t h e r , w i t h y o u r b e s t o f f r i e n d s , S a i n t P a d r e P i o , k n o w i n g t h a t w i t h t h e t w o o f y o u n o w w o r k i n g i n H e a v e n , w e w i l l n o t f a i l . T h e T r i u m p h o f t h e I m m a c u l a t e H e a r t o f M a r y w i l l s o o n b e s e e n b y H e a v e n a n d e a r t h , b e c a u s e o f y o u . ...Debbie R

I a m s u r e y o u a l l m u s t b e i n s h o c k - f r o m F r . G r u n e r ’ s s u d d e n d e a t h . W h a t a l o s s f o r t h e w h o l e w o r l d . I p r a y f o r y o u a n d y o u r c o m m u n i t y t h a t G o d w i l l p r o v i d e f o r y o u a l l i n t h e d a y s a n d y e a r s a h e a d , G o d b l e s s . . . . F r . D a v i d P h i l l i p s o n , S t . B e n e d i c t C e n t e r , N H , U S A

Fond Memories

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O u r f a m i l y i s g r e a t l y s a d d e n e d b y t h i s n e w s ! W e k n e w F a t h e r G r u n e r p e r s o n a l l y a n d l o v e d h i m d e a r l y . H e a l w a y s m a d e t i m e

f o r u s a n d w i l l i n g l y i m p a r t e d h i s w i s d o m . H i s k n o w l e d g e w a s i m m e n s e a n d b a l a n c e d i n s o m a n y a r e a s , o n l y s u r p a s s e d b y h i s p a s s i o n t o s e r v e t h e B l e s s e d T r i n i t y a n d o u r d e a r H o l y M o t h e r . H e a v e n h a s v e r y f e w s e r v a n t s i n t h e w o r l d t o d a y w h o l o v e d t h e h o l y p r i n c i p l e s o f o u r F a i t h s o m u c h . I c a n n o t t e l l y o u h o w m a n y t i m e s h e w o u l d w e e p s u d d e n l y i n o u r c o n v e r s a t i o n s w h e n d i s c u s s i n g t h e s a c r i l e g e s a g a i n s t G o d a n d O u r L a d y . I f t h e r e i s a n y t h i n g t h a t I w i l l n e v e r f o r g e t , i t i s t h e s e m o m e n t s . H e c a r r i e d h i s c r o s s w i t h d i g n i t y a n d u n s h a k e a b l e f a i t h , d e s p i t e t h e c o n s t a n t a t t a c k s b y v a r i o u s p e o p l e ( e v e n w i t h i n o u r o w n C h u r c h ) w h o s h o u l d h a v e k n o w n b e t t e r . I n t h e e n d , h e l o v e d a n d f o r g a v e h i s e n e m i e s a n d s i m p l y g o t b a c k t o w o r k , s e r v i n g O u r L o r d a n d O u r L a d y w i t h g r e a t l o v e a n d p a s s i o n . G o d b l e s s y o u F a t h e r , w e l o v e y o u d e a r l y , a n d m a y G o d g r a n t y o u t h e e t e r n a l p e a c e a n d j o y t h a t y o u s o r i c h l y d e s e r v e ! ...Rosie R

I t w a s O u r L a d y ’ s R o s a r y a n d F a t h e r G r u n e r ’ s t e s t i m o n y t h a t b r o u g h t m e b a c k t o t h e C h u r c h a n d t o T r a d i t i o n . T h a t i s a d e b t I c o u l d n e v e r r e p a y . ...Deborah C

M y h e a r t i s s o s a d d e n e d f o r o u r l o s s , f o r t h e e n t i r e w o r l d ’ s l o s s . Y o u w e r e a n d a r e a n i n c r e d i b l e C a t h o l i c a n d c r u s a d e r , a n d a t i r e l e s s w o r k e r o n b e h a l f o f O u r L a d y ’ s M e s s a g e . Y o u a r e n o d o u b t w i t h H e r n o w , a n d w i t h H e r S o n . T h a n k y o u f o r t h e m a n y g r a c i o u s b l e s s i n g s y o u b e s t o w e d u p o n o u r f a m i l y . W e a r e h u m b l y g r a t e f u l t o h a v e k n o w n y o u a n d y o u r w o n d e r f u l t e a m . Y o u a r e i n o u r h e a r t s f o r e v e r . ...Sue L

F a t h e r G r u n e r , y o u w e r e m y d e a r f r i e n d . Y o u w e r e a l w a y s t h e r e w i t h t h e b e s t o f s p i r i t u a l a d v i c e . T h a n k y o u f o r t h a t . A n d n o w ( a s I k n o w y o u w i l l ) p l e a s e ask God to grant the graces necessary to the Pope and Bishops to fi nally obey H e a v e n ’ s c o m m a n d t o c o n s e c r a t e R u s s i a t o O u r L a d y ’ s I m m a c u l a t e H e a r t . K i n d l y r e m e m b e r t o p r a y f o r u s , t h e C h u r c h M i l i t a n t . H a p p y B i r t h d a y ! ...Thomas M

T h a n k y o u F r . G r u n e r . Y o u w e r e s u c h a k i n d , h u m b l e , s i n c e r e , a n d g e n t l e w a r r i o r ! A l t h o u g h I n e v e r m e t y o u , I f e e l t h a t y o u h a v e b e e n a p a r t o f m y l i f e . Your online ministry was very infl uential to me. Although I have a long way t o g o , y o u r d e d i c a t i o n t o o u r M o t h e r h a s h e l p e d m e o n m y j o u r n e y t o i n c r e a s e i n h o l i n e s s . I t a k e g r e a t c o m f o r t i n k n o w i n g t h a t y o u w i l l b e e m b r a c e d b y t h 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 i a l l y b y t h e H o l y T r i n i t y . P r a y f o r u s . ...Thomas R

Fond Memories

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A shower of roses: More than one thousand roses were donated for the funeral.

Pontifical High Mass Celebrant: Bishop Bernard Fellay

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Rest in PeaceFather

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What the Laity Can Do

by Don and Cathleen H.

Father 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

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”)

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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.”

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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 specifi c 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 su� er 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 fi ve-decade 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 confi rmed, 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

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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 a� rmed) 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, confi rming 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.

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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 fi ve-decade 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 o� ering 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]

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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

Father Nicholas GrunerMay 4, 1942 – April 29, 2015

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