Waiting our turn to move to the next Station of the Cross after a large group of pilgrims.

Fall 2016 Dear Friends, Praised be Jesus and Mary! When we last wrote you we were just about to embark on our pilgrimage to Fatima, and we were brimming with excitement at the thought of visiting those places hallowed by Our Lady s presence. It was truly a wonderful journey, and as we promised, we carried a packet of your intentions everywhere, laying it before numerous shrines. We prayed for you especially at the Capelhina, the tiny Chapel of the Apparitions built over the spot where Our Lady appeared. Here we made a vigil of prayer and reparation, with two Sisters covering each hour through the night. Earlier that evening, we had our own candlelight Rosary procession around the huge plaza, later leaving our candles to burn at the shrine. On another night, we made a holy hour together at midnight, arriving early enough so that those of us who were able could perform the custom of circling the chapel on our knees until that section of the shrine was closed. There are so many special places associated with the Fatima story, and we prayed for you at each of them! In the basilica, we knelt at the tombs of the Above: Our first sight of the Basilica of Fatima! This is where it really hit us that our dream had come true, that we are really here at Fatima. Right: We had our own candlelight Rosary procession around the huge square. Small inset: During our allnight vigil at the Capelhina, a Sister makes her way across the square on her knees a custom commonly practiced by pilgrims here. Below right: Praying the Fatima Prayers at the well near Lucia s house where the Angel appeared to the children while they were playing. three seers who saw Our Lady: Jacinta and Francisco, who died as children, and Lucia. We were also privileged to visit their homes in Aljustrel, including the little room where little Francisco died. Nearby we prayed the Fatima Prayers at the well near Lucia s house where the Angel appeared to the children when they were playing and said, What are you doing? Pray, pray a great deal... Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High... Make everything you do a sacrifice... Since this year is the 100th anniversary of the Angel s apparitions, his message took on much more meaning for us during our pilgrimage. Later we also visited the Cabeco with its beautiful statues depicting how the Angel gave Holy Communion to the three children there. Just a short distance away is Valinhos, where a shrine marks the spot of Our Lady s August apparition. These hallowed spots, located in rocky terraine amidst

Sisters make their way around the Capelhina on their knees before our midnight Holy Hour. We met some pilgrims from Spain at the Calvary at the end of the Stations and sang the Hail Mary in Spanish for them. Our first visit to the Cabeco, where the Angel of Portugal gave Communion to the three children. A group photo of the Sisters in front of Our Lady s shrine at Valinhos. azinheira trees, are easily reached now by winding cobblestone paths, along which are erected Stations of the Cross and an immense Calvary. One afternoon we came here to make the Stations, expecting to immerse ourselves in this devotion away from the crowds in the quiet countryside. Instead, we found a group of pilgrims at the First Station. We waited patiently until they moved on, when almost immediately an even larger group of pilgrims gathered behind us. They, too, waited until we moved to the next Station. Soon it was evident that the stream of pilgrimage groups making the Stations was almost constant. We were touched by the simple faith and love of these people from all over the world, all drawn here by their love for Our Lady. On the day we left Fatima, many of us rose before dawn and walked to Valinhos. There in the cool gray morning light we chanted the Magnificat amidst the chirping of birds, and then made our morning meditation kneeling at Our Lady s shrine. After a last visit to the Cabeco, we walked back to the hotel praying extra decades. Later, on the bus, we sang the Farewell to Fatima on our way out of town. This, however, was not the end of the Fatima aspect of our pilgrimage; indeed, its history and message were in our hearts and our minds throughout our travels. In fact, our next stop was a visit to the chapel at the Carmelite Convent in Coimbra where Sister Lucia spent her last days. And the next day we visited the two Dorothean convents in Spain where she spent over 20 years, and where she received additional visits from Our Lady concerning the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and the Five First Saturdays. In Pontevedra, we prayed in the chapel which was once Lucia s room, and where Our Lady asked her to promote the devotion of the Five First Saturdays of reparation. Here, too, we walked in the convent courtyard where Waiting our turn to move to the next Station of the Cross after a large group of pilgrims. A Sister places a rosary on the Francisco s tomb. Sisters examine a photo of Lucia displayed in the house where she lived. Meditation at dawn at Valinhos on our last day in Fatima. (The white packet of your intentions is on the step directly before the gate.)

Praying in Lucia s room (now a chapel), where Our Lady asked for the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. In the chapel of the Dorothean convent in Tuy, Spain, Fr. Benedict shows us a painting depicting the Lucia s vision of June 13, 1929. Jacinta s little bed in the orphanage. The chair at the right is where Our Lady sat when she came to visit her. Inset: A dress and rosary used by Jacinta. Jacinta would sit and pray at this window overlooking the chapel of Our Lady of Miracles. The Sisters lined- up to venerate a beautiful statue of Our Lady in the Dorothean convent in Pontevedra. Sister Lucia one day came across a boy and taught him a prayer. Encountering him some weeks later, she asked him if he had prayed it. He replied, And have you spread through the world what the Heavenly Mother asked of you?, and became resplendent with light. It was the Child Jesus! He had come to urge her again to promote the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. In this convent we were also privileged to venerate an exquisite life-size statue of Our Lady of Fatima which is said to be miraculous. On the last day of our pilgrimage, our guide Helena had a special treat for us: a visit to the Lisbon orphanage where Jacinta stayed before going to the hospital where she died. For many of us, this was the highlight of our trip. We knelt by her little bed, touched our rosaries to the chair where Our Lady sat when she came to visit her, and knelt at the window overlooking the chapel where she would sit and pray. The sense of Jacinta s presence was very strong here, leaving us inspired to live all the more generously Our Lady s requests for reparation, penance, and devotion to her Immaculate Heart. So far we have spoken about the places we visited directly related to the Fatima story. But every church we visited in Portugal had a shrine to Our Lady of Fatima love for the Mother of God was evident ev- Here in this courtyard Lucia came across a boy who turned out to be the Child Jesus. She assumed He lived nearby until their second encounter, when He asked her if she had spread the devotion Our Lady requested, and thereupon became radiant with heavenly light. Singing the Miraculous Responsory in the crypt at the spot where St. Anthony was born. The inset shows the altar and reliquary behind the grate. erywhere. And where Mary is loved, Jesus is loved and bestows His graces. Another highlight of our pilgrimage was our visit to Santarem, where may be seen a miraculous Host dating back to 1247. One by one we ascended a small ladder behind the altar and, gazing through protective glass, came face to face with the Host, which has the appearance of flesh with delicate veins and coagulated blood. Kneeling in the pews afterward, we sang hymns to the Blessed Sacrament and prayed the Fatima Prayers. We felt at home being again in the Real Presence of Our Lord, but the grace of seeing this mystery in a more visible form was deeply moving, renewing our faith and love in a way nothing else could. Our guide taught us much about Portugal s rich Catholic history and culture, and especially about two saints Portugal claims for its own. Early in our pilgrimage she took us to the church built over the birthplace of St. Anthony of Padua in Lisbon,

It was at Santa Cruz Monastery in Coimbra that we first saw St. Anthony depicted in an Augustinian habit. not Italy. Yes, he was Portuguese. (And the Portuguese won t let you forget it!) Just across the way, in the cathedral where he was baptized, we knelt around the baptismal font and chanted the Salve Regina. This was the first of many opportunities we had of singing in immense stone churches with amazing acoustics. On June 13, St. Anthony s feastday, we visited the University of Coimbra where he spent nine years in intense studies, as well as the monastery of Santa Cruz where he lived as an Augustinian. It was here that, as guestmaster, he hosted five Franciscan friars on their way to Morocco, and then five months later saw their bodies brought back after their martyrdom. St. Anthony was so inspired by the zeal of these first Franciscan martyrs that he transferred to their order. (We also venerated their relics, which are still preserved here.) Relics of the five Franciscan friars martyred in Morocco who stopped at the monastery where St. Anthony was guestmaster. Fr. Benedict and the Sisters sing the Vexilla Regis from centuries-old chant manuscripts at the University of Coimbra, St. Anthony s alma mater. Sitting at the long stone tables in the refectory of the monastery of the Knights Templar of Tomar. The Sisters were struck by the beauty of this statue of St. Joseph in the Church of Our Lady of Sameiro. The second saint we often encountered was St. Elizabeth of Portugal, the holy queen known for her love of the poor. In the convent of Santa Clara a Nova, built in the 17th and 18th centuries to replace the monastery she built in 1314, we prayed before her relics in the exquisitely gilded baroque church. We visited many other holy places, not to mention historic sites, such as the Monument of the Discoveries which honors Portugal s great Age of Exploration; the nearby Belem Tower, starting point for many voyages of discovery; the colorful Pena Palace, summer home of kings, considered one of the most beautiful palaces in the world; and the picturesque walled village of Obidos, which King Dinis gave to Queen Isabel as a wedding gift. But it was the grace of Fatima that we hope to preserve and cultivate in our hearts with each passing day. For Fatima is the spirit of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen, and thus it is by fervently living Our Lady s message that we will become the saints God wills us to be. Thank you again for the donations you sent to help us for our travels. Please pray that we will always profit from the graces that God so lavishly bestowed upon us during our pilgrimage. In Jesus and Mary, The Sisters of Mary Immaculate Queen In the monastery of St. Clara a Nova, we sang in the church where the relics of St. Elizabeth of Portugal are enshrined above the gilt-carved altar. The cloister of Jerónimos Monastery with its ornate filigree-like stonework, once home of the monks of the military religious Order of Christ. Sisters venerate the large crucifix at the Bom Jesus ( Good Jesus ) Sanctuary in Braga, Portugal.

The Sisters who took steps in the religious life on June 27th process into the Church along with Reverend Mother and the novice mistress. With lighted candles, the Sisters join in the chanting of the Veni Creator. The Holy Ghost is invoked at the beginning of all of our important acts. Sr. Philomena Marie (Michaela Drahman), makes the sacrifice of her hair. Sr. Mary Teresita and Sr. Mary Angela receive their Brown Scapulars. Sr. Mary Andrea receives the crown of red and white roses after making her First Profession of Vows. And now we follow thee with all our heart... With bridal bouquet in hand, Sr. Augustine Marie chants. In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, Sister pronounces her perpetual vows. Having freely chosen to live for Christ, Sister symbolically dies to the world.

It is always a great honor when His Excellency joins the Sisters for dinner. Here he joins the Sisters on Vows Day, the feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. The Sisters bid adieu to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, whose statue has been donated to the Mt. Carmel mission in NH. Sr. Philomena Marie leads Buttercup up the trail to the Mount, with Lily close behind, after local wildfires caused an evacuation notice at the Novitiate. Our prayers were answered, and they were able to return that evening. Several young ladies joined the Sisters for our annual vocation s weekend, held this year toward the end of July, immediately before Camp St. Philomena began. Another school year has begun! Sr. Mary Angela works on a project with the 4th grade class at St. Michael s Academy in Spokane. What are these campers doing? Why, solfege, of course! Sr. Mary Petra teaches chant during Camp St. Philomena.

Bartelso, Illinois. Rev. Mother kneels to pray at the grave of Fr. Bernard Kunkel, founder of the Purity Crusade of Mary Immaculate, with whom she worked in the late 1960 s. Tom Fredericks, our dear friend and benefactor, proudly displays a picture of the Sisters at Valinhos, Portugal, a small thank you gift for sponsoring our pilgrimage to Fatima this past June. Rev. Mother Mary Agnes and Sr. Bernadine Marie had a chance to visit with Fr. Oswalt at his parish in Alabama. Fr. Gregory Drahman welcomed Rev. Mother and Sister to travel with him to a few of his out of state Mass sites. Sr. Maria Kazimiera and Sr. Augustine Marie teach Faith of Our Fathers to the children at Our Lady of Victory, London, ON. The staff and students of St. Mary s Academy in Tacoma honor Our Lady on her birthday with a visit to her shrine and special devotions.

Calendar Sept. 16 Sr. Mary Andrea s feastday 29 Feast of St. Michael: Titular feast of St. Michael s Convent Sr. Michael Marie s feastday Oct. 3 Sr. Therese Marie s and Sr. Mary Teresita s feastday 7 Feast of the Most Holy Rosary 12-16 Fatima Conference at Mount St. Michael 13 99th Anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady at Fatima Nov. 19 Sr. Mary Isabella s feastday Sr. Maria Providencia s feastday Dec. 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mary Immaculata s feastday 10 Sr. Mary Loretta s feastday 9-11 Christmas Concerts 22 Sr. Mary Cabrini s feastday 25 Christmas Day Sr. Marie Emmanuel s feastday 27 Sr. Mary Evangeline s feastday The Vocation to the Sisterhood My dear Sisters, you are now the Brides of Jesus! What a dignity is yours! What a happiness is yours! You can now claim God as your Bridegroom. What security is yours! God himself has promised you His beautiful paradise. What glory is yours! For every thought and word and action you will now gain two degrees of glory in Heaven. You are the martyrs of Christ; true martyrs, because your three vows are your executioners; noble martyrs, because you come of your own free will; glorious martyrs, because of your hope of Heaven and your love of Jesus, your Spouse. And you, my dear parents, are to be congratulated today on the dignity conferred upon you! Great will be your reward in Heaven for giving your children to God to become His consecrated brides. The mother of Father Vaughan begged God to take her children. Out of thirteen, five became nuns and six priests. Today you have imitated this noble woman. How beautiful is the religious vocation! What an honor to be the bride of one s Savior! And yet, how many refuse God s call, or delay, till the vocation is lost. The saints teach that the best time to enter is in the teens, for one can then best be formed to the religious life, and the heart is free from the contagion of the world. St. Thomas teaches us that long deliberation is not necessary, nor the advice of many friends. If one has no impediments, such as sickness, impossibility of keeping the vows, and extreme need of parents, and a desire to more easily save one s soul or to work for God, she can safely enter the religious life. The saints and Holy Scripture itself teach that many are morally obliged to enter the religious life, while many more God leaves free to choose between Him and the world, if the conditions just mentioned are present. Extract of the sermon delivered by the Rev. L. E. Miller, C.SS.R., at a reception of postulants and novices, Sacred Heart Review, Vol. 50, No. 12, 9/6/1913 Oh, if I had... Anima Mariae is the free quarterly newsletter of the CMRI Sisters. To join our mailing list, or to send comments, questions, prayer intentions or tax-exempt donations, please write or email: The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen St. Michael s Convent 8504 N. Saint Michael s Road Spokane, WA 99217-9333 www.cmri.org/sisters-news.shtml Sisters @CMRI.org by a CMRI Sister Oh if I had the ocean s mighty roar Twouldn t suffice to praise your virtue s store. Oh if I had a coronation trumpet blast Would but break the sound of the glory thou hast. Oh if I had Mozart s musical mind Notes for your coronation (not the Requiem) I d find. Oh if I had Michelangelo s brush The outer hues of your Mercy I d but touch. Oh if I had Chrysologus golden mouth I d preach your praises from north to south. Oh if I had holy John s winged pen I d scribe your name o er hill and glen. Oh if I had Good Joseph s tools I d hew a place to rest a little stool. Oh if you had a black, black night I d sprinkle stardust to twinkle bright. Oh if you had a hot, hot day I d be the breeze to cool your way. Oh if you had but little to eat I d gather fruit for your fine treat. Oh if you wanted a special flower I d gather bouquets and fragrant bowers. Oh if you wanted cool waters of the fountain I d harness the streams of the young mountain. Oh if you wanted a sweet melody I d play a sweet song adding harmony. Oh, and if you had a teardrop fall I d be there to harvest them all. This, all this and much more Dear Lady, I do for you and my Lord. Our Apostolate of Prayer Are you or someone you love in need of special prayers? Send your intentions to the Sisters to be remembered in our daily prayers, Masses and good works.