First - we must ask, what is a Crusader?
The Crusades were started with one purpose - to take back the Holy Land from the Muslim invaders, to make it once again safe for pilgrims to travel there.
A crusader was a knight who fought under the banner of the Cross.
Yes, there were many missteps, many mistakes, and, in some cases, crusaders committed heinous acts, often ignoring specific papal commands to the contrary.
Militant Islam is rampant today.
"Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." Eph 6:12
So, how do we combat Islam? Islam is more than a political movement. It is a heresy of Christianity. The Battle is SPIRITUAL.
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels," - 2 Corinthians 10:4
The Catholic Church has always recognized this fact. Remember the Battle of Lepanto!
In the same way, Abortion, Secularism, Sexual "Liberty", Socialism - each is an attack on the very core of Christianity, on the very core of what it means to be human.
So, as Crusaders we are to wage spiritual battle under the banner of the Cross.
And the point of the battle, the intention of our prayers, is the conversion of the Muslim, of the abortion supporter, of the secularist, of sexual "liberty", and of ignorance - through the action of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary Immaculate.
But, why the Immaculata? St. Maximilian Kolbe said, "The Immaculate will conquer, through us, the whole world, and every single soul".
The Crusades were started with one purpose - to take back the Holy Land from the Muslim invaders, to make it once again safe for pilgrims to travel there.
A crusader was a knight who fought under the banner of the Cross.
Yes, there were many missteps, many mistakes, and, in some cases, crusaders committed heinous acts, often ignoring specific papal commands to the contrary.
Militant Islam is rampant today.
In response to Pope Benedict XVI's speech in Regensburg on September 12, 2006, Muslim reaction erupted on September 14 - The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross! Among the reaction was the following quote from Mujahideen Shura Council, an umbrella group led by Iraq's branch of al Qaeda:
"We shall break the cross and spill the wine. ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome. ... God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen,"
Is there any doubt that Christianity must battle Islam in the spiritual realm?
Yes, we admit that not all Muslims are out to get us. It's been estimated that 15%-20% of Muslims are militant. 15-20% percent of 1.3 BILLION people.
That's 195 to 260 MILLION who are out to get us, in one way or another.
Not all Germans were Nazis. But look at what a handful did.
Is there any doubt that Christianity must battle Islam in the spiritual realm?
Yes, we admit that not all Muslims are out to get us. It's been estimated that 15%-20% of Muslims are militant. 15-20% percent of 1.3 BILLION people.
That's 195 to 260 MILLION who are out to get us, in one way or another.
Not all Germans were Nazis. But look at what a handful did.
But, the enemy is more than just Radical Islam.
Satan uses other means in his efforts to undermine the Christian values which have shaped Western Civilization. Abortion. Secularism. Sexual "Liberty". Ignorance. Socialism. Transgenderism.
These things cannot - will not - be defeated through reason or any other human means, including violence (Lest there be any doubt, the only valid use of force on a personal level is in self-defense). Why? Because they are not subject to any human means of defeat. They are all demonically inspired.
"Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." Eph 6:12
So, how do we combat Islam? Islam is more than a political movement. It is a heresy of Christianity. The Battle is SPIRITUAL.
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels," - 2 Corinthians 10:4
The Catholic Church has always recognized this fact. Remember the Battle of Lepanto!
In the same way, Abortion, Secularism, Sexual "Liberty", Socialism - each is an attack on the very core of Christianity, on the very core of what it means to be human.
- Abortion is either an implicit denial of the Incarnation of Christ (think of Mary visiting Elizabeth; both Jesus and John are fully human in the story) or an explicit acceptance of murder as a valid means of solving our problems. It is the modern equivalent of offering children to Baal, so often condemned in the Old Testament. And the rhetoric itself is an attack on the Eucharist ("It's my body. I can do what I want" has an echo of "This is my body", does it not?)
- Secularism - the denial that the divine, if it has any meaning at all, must be held private, and it must never, never affect our public lives.
- Sexual "Liberty" - a logically necessary precursor to abortion, of course, but also a denial that sexual activity is, at its heart, the means of reproduction, and that the union of man and woman with Christ at the center is an image of the Trinity.
- Socialism - state organized theft.
- Transgenderism - the refusal to actually follow the science, stating that the individual can be whatever gender they wish, regardless of the genes - and the belief that, despite that God has made only two genders, that there are an infinite number.
To be fully human is to be an imitator of the Jesus Christ, in whom Humanity and Divinity are eternally joined. Each of these aim at destroying that imitation.
So, as Crusaders we are to wage spiritual battle under the banner of the Cross.
And the point of the battle, the intention of our prayers, is the conversion of the Muslim, of the abortion supporter, of the secularist, of sexual "liberty", and of ignorance - through the action of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary Immaculate.
What are the practices of the Crusaders of the Immaculate?
- Consecrate oneself to Mary Immaculate. It can be of any form that one prefers - the consecration of St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, the Militia Immaculata consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe, or even something as simple as praying, "Mary, my mother, take me as your slave, mold me, and use me as you see fit, all for the glory of your Son".
- Eucharistic Adoration or prayer before an icon of Christ, Frequent Confession, and Frequent Eucharistic reception (daily, if possible), according to the individual's ability.
- Pray the Chaplet of the Holy Cross on Wednesdays and Fridays. (see under pages section, on the right).
- Pray the Daily Rule of the Crusaders on the other days of the week (see under pages section, on the right).
- Pray the Miraculous Medal Prayer: "Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you".
- Optionally (if one's focus is Militant Islam), adding an invocation to Our Lady of Fatima to the Miraculous Medal Prayer. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for the conversion of Muslims".
- Seek holiness and knowledge through the study and application of the Church's magisterial documents, the writings of the Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the writings of masters of Catholic and Eastern Orthodox spirituality. The Spirituality of the Oriental Orthodox Churches - Coptic, Syrian, Armenian - can also be included, although it is much less available here in the west.
- Be always ready to give an account for the hope that is in you (1 Pet 3:15) and to preach the truth in season and out of season
The Crusader wears, as a sign of his adherence to this way, a cross and the Miraculous Medal.
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