Snoopy Dance: Bishop Urges Faithful to Turn to Blessed Mother for Protection

I have tended to be rather critical on this blog of the Catholic bishops, upset with them for not upholding and promoting the teachings of the Church strongly enough. The "Fortnight of Freedom" campaign run by the Bishops was, IMHO, tragic and laughable at the same time.  The Church is up against an administration that basically wants to wipe them out, forcing the Church to go against her own teachings and promote contraception, which the Church denounces as evil.  But the Bishops, instead of coming right out and denouncing the actions of the Obama administration as evil and using it as a tool to teach her plain and clear dogma and why it is dogma of the church, chose instead to make this an issue of "religious freedom", a sure way to lose this battle.

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC

But I ran across the following  which tells us that Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC of the diocese of Peoria, Illinois, has made a bold move in calling for those in his diocese to increase their devotion to Mary, our Blessed Mother and to consecrate their schools and their parishes to Our Lady.  He makes this request so that his diocese can counter the evil that is rampant all around us.  As His Excellency says, "I feel it very important that we turn to our Lady to help us and our country during these coming months. We can take comfort that her Immaculate Heart will triumph!"  This is a message right out of Fatima, which is the key to all that is happening in our world.  Our Lady is the one whom God has chosen to defeat the devil and the evil he brings upon the world.  The Trinity has chosen to work through Her Immaculate Heart, and unless we go through her, we cannot triumph.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Our Lady of Fatima told the three shepherd children that "In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph."  From the website, salvemariaregina.info:

 This is the promise Our Blessed Mother made to us, Her children, at Fatima. This, Her promise of final triumph, is our shining hope; it is the ray of light that penetrates the gathering clouds of darkness hovering over the earth. For it is only by living in union with Mary's Immaculate Heart that we can find sustenance and strength as the powers of Hell spread across the face of the earth, luring men into the "peace and brotherhood" of the kingdom of the Antichrist.

We have found in  Bishop Daniel R. Jenky a good and holy shepherd of the flock.  Let us pray for him as he will no doubt endure much persecution for his decision to follow the message of Fatima, and let us pray that many other bishops will follow his beautiful example.

Our Lady appearing to the three children of Fatima

Here is Bishop Jenky's letter released to his diocese:

Turn to Virgin Mary for protection of nation, urges bishop

Saying “the attacks of the world, the flesh, and the devil seem particularly ferocious in this current moment,” Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, has called on Catholics of the Diocese of Peoria to increase their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“We turn to her to protect our country, to guide our leaders, and to turn our hearts to her Son,” said the bishop in a letter released in mid-August.

He specifically suggests that parishes, schools, and families consider a 30-day Marian Consecration as outlined in a book by Father Michael Gaitly, MIC. The book, "33 Days to Morning Glory," is being made available free of charge to parishes and schools while supplies last through the generosity of a donor.

Following is the full text of Bishop Jenky's letter:

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To the Priests, Deacons, Religious Educators, Pastoral Leaders and Faithful of the Diocese of Peoria:

My Dear Brothers and Sisters:

"Say the Rosary every day to
bring peace to the world and end the war"
Fatima 6-13-1917

I hope that over my 10 years as your bishop, my love for Our Lady, as has yours, has been abundantly clear: I have convoked a number of Rosary Congresses, declared a Year of the Rosary, dedicated a Festival Letter to our Lady as well as countless homilies and talks, I asked that her image as our Mother of Perpetual Help be enshrined in our parishes and schools, even as I re-consecrated our entire diocese to her patronage when I solemnly enthroned her icon in our Cathedral.  [God bless this holy bishop!]

I again turn to her and I ask you to do the same.

It has never been easy to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. In fact, our Savior warns that the world will hate us if we love Him. The attacks of this world, the flesh and devil seem particularly ferocious in this current moment. Several months ago, I asked that we not lose sight of the spiritual nature of this battle when I directed that the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel should be invoked at every Sunday Mass for the protection of the Catholic Church in America.  [Is there any way that we can clone this wonderful bishop?]

I now ask us to re-double our spiritual efforts through devotion to the Blessed Virgin.  [This is the answer to all of the problems in the Church and the entire world.  If we would all do this, we would see wonderful miracles happen throughout the world and much of the evil that surrounds us would be wiped out.]

The Immaculate Mother of God is the Patroness of the United States and our own Local Church. The Pope has personally consecrated the world to her protection [Our Lady requested that the Holy Father and the Bishops consecrate Russia, not the world, to her Immaculate Heart.  This holy bishop, by his careful choice of words, is confirming that this has not been done], and that invocation has been renewed by the bishops of our country, as I have done as well for our diocese following the example of Archbishop Schlarman. I encourage each of our parishes, schools, and families to consider a similar devotion to Our Lady. We turn to her to protect our country, to guide our leaders, and to turn our hearts to her Son.

There are many ways to grow in devotion to our Lady. The scriptural meditation of the Rosary is perhaps the finest. [Snoopy is dancing up a storm at these wonderful, wonderful words!]

Likewise, there are many methods of Marian Consecration. Through a generous donor [God bless this person!], I am happy to make available copies of “33 Days to Morning Glory” [Get it on Amazon by clicking on the link] by Father Michael Gaitly, MIC, to our parishes, schools, CCD and adult education programs. These books are free but supplies are limited and are available “first come.” I have asked the sisters in the diocesan museum and the Sheen Foundation to coordinate distribution. You may pick up the books anytime during office hours after Aug. 16. The traditional 30-day consecration could very appropriately begin in our schools and families in early September in order to culminate on the Feast of the Holy Rosary on Oct. 5.  [If you would prefer, you can always do the 33-day Consecration by St. Louis de Montfort.  You can go here to do the de Montfort consecration.]

But no matter what book or formula may be used, I feel it very important that we turn to our Lady to help us and our country during these coming months. We can take comfort that her Immaculate Heart will triumph!  [Again, this message is right out of Fatima.]

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, CSC
Bishop of Peoria

Knowing that there are such good and holy men as Bishop Jenky in the leadership of the Church reminds me that we must never despair, no matter how bleak things may look.  Yes, we are surrounded by evil on every side, and even evil within the church herself.  We are in tumultuous times that are only destined to become much worse.  But Our Lady assures us that her Immaculate Heart will triumph.  Our goal is to make sure that we are on the right side, on the side that will triumph in the end.  As long as we stay close to our Lady using the methods given to us by Bishop Jenky, we will triumph as well.

(St. Louis De Montfort's Consecration)

I, (Name), a faithless sinner - renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism;

I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.

In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day, for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.