The Executive Director of the National Pilgrim Virgin of Canada was recently assured of Pope John Paul II's blessing.

Dear Friends of Our Lady,

    Another year has passed, a most successful year for our Apostolate, and I would like to thank each and every one of our supporters for making it all possible. Since my last letter to you the Fatima Crusade, which you so generously support has distributed thousands of Scapulars, literature, Fatima Crusaders and, we hope and are certain, many blessings from Our Lady and Her Divine Son.

    You will be pleased to know that you have responded generously to our requests for donations to the Van Fund and that we were able to obtain a beautiful blue van for the National Pilgrim of Canada in November. The old van, which had over 95,000 miles on it was in need of retirement, after crossing Canada several times to bring 'Our Lady' to thousands of people.

    Last fall, after a physical check-up, my doctor advised me to get more rest. This I was able to do to some extent, especially because of the help I received from Mr. Wayne McLaughlin who gave up his holidays to assist me on our trip to Western Canada. Wayne was of great help in our work and I want to express my thanks to him and his family for their sacrifices.

    Thanks are due to the Directors of the Apostolate for their unfailing support and interest as well as to our growing staff of workers who, with practical help and patience, mail out thousands of letters, literature, receipts, Rosaries, Scapulars and The Fatima Crusader. A special thanks is extended to our volunteers who are so necessary and important in getting the work done.

    Without the prayers, Masses, Rosaries, sufferings and sacrifices of our supporters, who are continually asking Our Lord's Blessings and Our Lady's intercession for the Apostolate, our work would not last or be successful. Please continue your prayers and sacrifices for this Apostolate of Our Blessed Mother. Let Our Lady's words at Fatima motivate you, "If you do what I tell you many souls will be saved and there will be peace."

    A number of people have volunteered to work for the Fatima Apostolate. If you have not yet had a response from us please be patient. I expect to be in contact with you in the not too distant future. In the meantime be patient and continue to pray. As you know, prayer is the soul of the Apostolate.

    Special thanks go to the many priests, sisters and laypeople who help organize the visits of the National Pilgrim in their dioceses and parishes. We appreciate their hard work and dedication.

    On a personal level I would like to let you know that in January of this year I had the privilege of being invited to Rome as an advisor to an international meeting of priests and laypeople concerned with making the Message of Our Lady of Fatima known throughout the world. At this time it was brought to my attention that I am one of the few priests in the whole world whose bishop has given him permission to work full-time in the active Apostolate of spreading the message of Our Lady of Fatima. The discussions in Rome were significant and I am hopeful that this meeting will help make our Apostolate even more successful.

    I am particularly pleased to report that I was assured of His Holiness' blessing through Father Magee, his personal secretary. After leaving a copy of the three issues of The Fatima Crusader with Father Magee, I received the note reproduced below.

    A few days later I was invited to meet Father in the Papal Chambers where he gave me a beautiful Rosary from His Holiness which had been blessed by John Paul II and was inscribed with the Papal coat-of-arms. Father Magee assured me that the Rosary was the Holy Father's special prayer and that he had the Rosary constantly with him in his work and travels.

    Once again, I thank you, and may God bless each and every one of you and may Our Heavenly Mother bring you ever closer to Her Divine Son.

Yours in Jesus, Mary and Joseph

FATHER NICHOLAS GRUNER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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