FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL

ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF OUR CONSECRATION TO MARY

August 10, 2009

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Peace in the name of Jesus the Lord!

It is now two years since we as CFC-FFL were consecrated to Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace. August 10, 2007, was a momentous occasion in the life of the restored CFC. The Christ the King parish church where we gathered for our Restoration Assembly was jampacked and overflowing. Emotions ran high, as the image of Mary was paraded to the front altar. Tears of joy were shed. With great solemnity, on our knees before God, we were consecrated to Mary and entrusted to her maternal care.

Since that time, Mary our Mother has blessed us in the name of her son our Lord Jesus. Since that time, the holy remnant that is CFC-FFL has strongly moved forward in the power of God’s Spirit. Mary has shown us the way to living out our charism, that of renewing the family and defending life.

The life of Mary is all about family and life. The plan of God for the life of the world is all about family and life.

This year we took our theme of Trust in Jesus from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The first line of the verse says: “God indeed is my savior” (Is 12:2a). Our life and our mission is all about Jesus the savior, about proclaiming his salvation to the ends of the earth, about experiencing the fullness of salvation when we finally enter into our eternal reward. That Jesus is the savior is the most momentous and mysterious truth and event of all time.

But how did God unfold such a momentous event? God decided to send His own Son into the world, to become man, and to suffer and die for all humankind and thus to win for them their salvation. And how did God send His own Son? It would have been fitting for the Creator of the universe, the Almighty and Omnipotent God, to send His Son with all grandeur, amid a great theophany, with all the angels, with grand impact upon the whole world. But no. God quietly chose a lowly maiden and conceived Jesus in her womb. And the Savior of the world remained quietly in her womb for nine months.

Mary then gave birth to the Savior, and Jesus came to life through her and was born into the family of Joseph and Mary. Here was the Savior of the world, and he was born of the Virgin Mary, after having been carried in her womb. When we talk about our life and mission, that of proclaiming the Savior, we must know that God favored Mary, that God brought the Savior into the world through Mary, that in the grand and mysterious plan of salvation, Mary is preeminent.

Mary is all about life, family and evangelization. This is what makes our consecration to Mary so important and significant. When we do the work of evangelization, when we renew the family and defend life, we are carrying on the very plan of God, put into action by the yes of Mary. Mary was used by God to send us the Savior, and Mary is using us to bring the Savior to the whole world. This is what our consecration to Mary is about.

Just as our Mother Mary trusted in God, we continue to trust in Jesus. Just as Mary brought the Savior into the world, we continue to proclaim Christ and bring his salvation to the world. Just as Mary is all about life and family, we are about the task of renewing the family and defending life. Such is our great privilege, being called by God to be His evangelizers and missionaries, and being consecrated to Mary for such a task.

Let us continue to venerate our Blessed Mother Mary, as we continue our work of evangelization. And as all peoples accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, may the time also come when all generations will call Mary blessed.

May the Lord be with you all.

Your servant in Jesus and Mary,

Frank Padilla

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