Notwithstanding the excellent organization of the Apostolate of the Church which operates well-known under various titles in many lands, there is no doubt that MUCH REMAINS STILL TO BE DONE and there are still MILLIONS of believers who NEVER HEARD of this organized Apostolate.  For instance, the great number of CHILDREN, OLD PEOPLE, INVALIDS, millions of PARENTS for example absorbed exclusively from moring to night in household chores, the care of their children of their work in the fields or the factory, without either time or possibility for the intense organized work of the Apostolate.
    To MOBILIZE reserve forces and bring them to the conscientious service of the Church, to COLLABORATE with other movements to give NEW LIFE to the various forms of Apostolic activity, that is or can be the great and important TASK OF THE BLUE ARMY of Our Lady of Fatima.  All the above mentioned believe that, in spite of their physical or psychological incapacity, THEY CAN SERVE the active Apostolate of the Church in the strict sense of the word, seeing that they are FULLY CAPABLE of responding to the requests made by the Queen of the Rosary.  They CAN PRAY, they CAN SACRIFICE themselves, they CAN EXPIATE, they can live sand work according to the desires of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, thus contributing to the fulfillment of the ESSENTIAL PART of the spirit of the Message, the great work to which we are all called: the INTERIOR RENOVATION of the Church, the victory over atheistic communism and the SECURING FOR THE WORLD A TRUE AND LASTING PEACE.
    Another factor that contributes to the popularity of the Blue Army is the fact that it asks for NOTHING NEW in practice.  The old devotional practices of the Church carried out with GREATER FERVOR of spirit will suffice.

Pain Questioned
    Allow me just one paranthesis here.  Those who preach the Message of Fatima are CENSURED AT TIMES, in some places, for announcing a DOCTRINE OF PAIN and thus causing unnecessary perplexity among believers  We must take note first of all that there exists a SALUTARY PAIN which can be a GREAT GRACE  In the Old Testament we read how God threatened His people with chastisement and at times unleashed it upon them and allowed them to fall when the chosen people were in DANGER OF DEVIATING from the Law.  These threats and punishments caused the people to RECONSIDER their life and move away from the danger.  "Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostacy shall rebuke thee," says the prophet Jeremias to the people of his time. (Jer. 2, 19.)  ST. PAUL CONFIRMS this way of thinking when he writes "My son neglect not the discipline of the Lord . . . for WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTISES. . . . now all discipline seems for the present to be a matter not for joy but for grief, but AFTERWARDS IT YIELDS the most peaceful fruit of justice to those who have been exercised by it." (Hebr. 12, 5-6, 11.)  And in his 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians he rejoices that he has saddened them for the GOOD OF THEIR SOULS. (2 Cor. 7, 8ss.)  Every threat of chastisement and even the chastisement itself is a CALL from the infinite love of God to sinful humanity.  As Our Lady said at Fatima on July 13, 1917 "IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN to my words Russia will spread her false teachings and bring war and persecution.  Many will be killed, the Holy Father will have much to suffer and many nations will be wiped out."
    To say this is NOT to set up among men a PSYCHOSIS OF PAIN but to call us to LISTEN to the counsel that comes from the loving heart of Mary that MEN MAY KNOW THEY CAN BE SAVED.

Part of God's Plan
    Truly, NEITHER DID CHRIST preach a doctrine of pain but in His REDEEMING LOVE for men He wished that they would PONDER THE GRAVITY of His decision when He affirmed  " . . . but EXCEPT YOU DO PENANCE you shall all likewise perish." (Lk. 13, 5.)  Neither the MESSAGE OF FATIMA nor the message of the GOSPEL, can be called a doctrine of pain.  The Message is one of HOPE AND JOY so that according to the WISE PLAN OF GOD, there will be achieved that of which Our Lady was thinking when she said, "IN THE END MY IMMACULATE HEART WILL eTRIUMPH."

Monstrous Task
    The task of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima consists in MAKING KNOWN TO THE WHOLE WORLD the Message of Fatima, by all the means at its disposal so that men of all nations will realize it in their PERSONAL LIVES.  In a word this Message asks for nothing more than that WHICH THE CHURCH RECOMMENDS to her children with pressing urgency.  The Apostoalte of The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima does not address itself to an elite class.  Its practices are contained in those DUTIES OF THE CHRISTIAN WHICH ARE ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL.
    To already belong to ANY Marian Association DOES NOT JUSTIFY A REFUSAL, to join The Blue Army.  Practically speaking this is not a movement apart from others but rather an APPEAL TO ALL to establish in the life of society a Christian foundation BUILT ON THE MESSAGE of Mary.
    There is no doubt but that each organization and movement has its own specific end, its own method, but all are directed towards the SAME FINAL END.  In harmony with the Message of Fatima The Blue Army seeks, with this THIS SPECIAL MOTIVE to bring the individual in these organizations to work with DOUBLE DEDICATION.  If, in a last analysis, all the members of all Catholic associations, spurred on by the Message of Fatima, PRAY MORE than they ever did before, DO PENANCE for the sins of the world and CONSECRATE THEMSELVES to The Immaculate Heart of Mary, it follows logically that EACH AND EVERY FORM of the Apostolate of the laity, animated by this SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, will be of inestimable profit not only in the PERSONAL SANCTIFICATION of the individual associate but also in the accumulated work of the ENTIRE APOSTOLATE.  To each member will be given that BROAD CATHOLIC OUTLOOK which must always be the SINE QUA NON (indispensable condition.) of spiritual fecundity.
    It would be a LAMENTABLE ERROR to see in The Blue Army nothing more than a TRIBUTARY STREAM to other Marian movements. Not at all.  These Marian movements should be the FIRST to seek to accept, understand and realize the Message of the Queen of Heaven. They should FORM THE VANGUARD of the Army of "The Conqueror of all the battles of God", who in Fatima called us all to fight against the POWERS OF DARKNESS, comforting us with the PROMISE that Her Immaculate Heart would triumph in the end.
    Those who join the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima have one sole obligation: to make every effort in all seriousness to FULFILL THE OBLIGATION which they sign (there is no question of being obliged under sin.)
    Only when one is thoroughly acquainted with the CONTENT and completely possessed with the SPIRIT OF THE MESSAGE may one proceed to the further obligation of doing all in one's power to secure that the greatest possible number of one's FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES be ready to FULFILL THE CONDITIONS laid down by Our Lady for the realization of Her Promises.

Obedience and Self-conversion
    Needless to say neither the organization of collaborators nor the active Apostolate of the movement may be attempted in any place without the EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY.  Any Catholic animated with the Marian spirit knows that an apostolate alienated from Ecclesiastical Authority, or in opposition to it, is a silly illusion.
    Without the seal of OBEDIENC there can be NO AUTHENTIC APOSTOLATE.
    As we all know, if this Unity (of Eastern and Western Chrisianity.) be realized in a LASTING WAY, the West must prepare for and proceed to an AUTHENTIC SPIRITUAL RENOVATION.  We must decide once and for all to RETURN TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST.  It was at the foot of the Cross that Mary became our Mother.  So the Message of Fatima is the SPLENDID OFFER AND THE STRONG INCENTIVE to this renovation.
    "THE CONVERSION OF THE WEST," says Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen "IS THE ANTEROR CONDITION FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE EAST."  To this all Christians of the world are called, EVEN LITTLE CHILDREN.  In fact CHRIST HIMSELF CALLED, embraced and blessed the little children and MARY IN HER APPARITIONS spoke again and again to children and CALLED THEM TO HER SERVICE.  In some countries the movement provides formulas of dedication especially for children, adapted to their mentality, and from time to time they receive their own circular letters.  The prayer of a child pierces the clouds.  At this hour of the world's history when we hear such expressions as "Mothers who have no time", "increasing critical conditions for children and young people", THE LITTLE ONES ARE SURELY IN GREAT DANGER.  However, "their Angels in Heaven always see the face of My Father Who is in Heaven." (Mat. 18, 10.)  DOES GOD WILL TO SAVE THIS GENERATION BY CHILDREN? "But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the strong". . . (I Cor. 1, 27-28.)  Our Lord also said to the grown-ups "AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS YOU BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YOU SHALL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." (Mat. 18, 3.)

Nature of the Battle
    The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima calls to each and all, great and small, rich and poor, cultured and ignorant.  In truth, "our wrestling is our wrestling is NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." (Eph. 6, 12.)  In this combat EVERY MAN OF GOOD WILL IS ENGAGED.  And peace belongs to those who are united in the fight.
    To strengthen ever more and more "the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ", being THE FIRST AND GREATEST INTENTION of its Apostolate, The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima takes as its motto those words of Pope Pius XI in his Encyclical "Divini Redemptoris" of March 19th, 1937.
    "When our country is attacked, ALL THAT IS NOT STRICTLY NECESSARY for and immediately directed towards the common defence, TAKES SECOND PLACE.  So now it is our duty to desist from work however good and beauriful it may be, confronted as we are with the VITAL NECESSITY OF SAVING THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF OUR FAITH AND CHRISTIAN CULTURE."

Of Eternal Consequence
    I'm sure we all agree that we have arrived at a VERY DEFINITE CROSS-ROADS in the history of the world.  The future is in the balance.   Today more than ever before that verse of Scripture is verified. "They arise, the kings of the earth, PRINCES PLOT AGAINST THE LORD AND HIS ANNOINTED. (Ps. II, 2.)  The powers of darkness in an apocalyptic effort advance in their united strength to TRY TO BLOT OUT THE NAME OF GOD from the entire world.
    IT IS INTO THIS SCENE, so full of foreboding that OUR LADY COMES, appearing in the Cova da Iria to bring us Her celestial Message.
    THE BLUE ARMY IS BORN IN THE LIGHT OF FATIMA THAT THE MESSAGE MAY BE MADE KNOWN TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
    The Church is ESSENTTIALLY AN ARMY, in pacific march to the Fatherland of Heaven, an army in which EVERY ONE OF US IS ENLISTED.

The Weak, the Strong -- Come!
    The Blue Army is to remind us that every single one of us is needed that victory may be ours: that there is a common front where EACH HAS HIS PLACE, from the least fervent to the most zealous and exacting member of Catholic Action and all Apostolic Movements.
    It comes to REMIND US AND CONVINCE US in a practical way that, WITH MARY the Mother of God and our Mother, THE HOLY CHURCH ONCE AGAIN WILL TRIUMPH AND IN HER AND WITH HER WILL TRIUMPH CHRIST, OUR LORD.
    The Blue Army of Our Lady would alert us now to the great SUPERNATURAL REALITIES -- eternal life, redemption, reparation, penance, prayer, faithful discharge of our dailyduty and the perfect fulfillment of the Law of God -- these will be the POWERFUL CONTRIBUTION to the carrying out of the Message of Fatima -- the CONVERSION of the communistic world, the CONSTRUCTION of that long-desired peace and the TRIUMPH of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
 

 The True Answer To World Peace
 Triumph Of Church