The Organization of Our Crusade

As mentioned in the previous section, the members of the Center banded themselves into a religious congregation on January 17, 1949. Since that time, this congregation, the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, has been at the core of our Crusade. All of the Center’s ideals and spirit (our “school of thought”) are preserved and passed on by the Superior of the congregation, who is also the head of the First Order. It is he — or those who have proper delegation from him — who determines the practical direction of the Crusade. In short, the uppermost authority in our Crusade rests with him.

The men and women religious of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary make up the First and Second Orders, respectively. Our Third Order is comprised of Catholic faithful of any state in life. While these are mostly lay people, priests and religious persons of other congregations can also join as Tertiaries. (The Curé of Ars, a secular priest, was a Third Order Franciscan. Saint Vincent Pallotti, also a secular priest until founding his own Society, was a member of several Third Orders.)

The religious life has perpetually been an integral part of the life of the Church — the Apostolic College itself; ancient monks and nuns of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine; the Celtic monks and nuns of ancient Ireland; the disciples of Saint Benedict all over the West; the Basilian, Studite, and Maronite monks and nuns of the East; the mendicant friars and nuns like the Franciscans, Dominicans, Mercederians, and Trinitarians; the more modern societies such as the Jesuits, Redemptorists, Vincentians, Ursulines, Madames of the Sacred Heart, etc. All of these institutes of religious persons have adorned the Church with saints, have provided a secure means to working out one’s salvation and sanctification, and have, in varying degrees, participated in the Church’s mission to preach the Gospel to every nation. Many of them have even helped to cultivate the arts and sciences, all to the greater honor and glory of God.

The religious life is not merely an appendage added to Catholicism; it is a radical living of the Gospel by way of adding to the commandments of God the evangelical counsels. We say “radical,” not in the sense of revolutionary” or “liberal,” but in its literal sense of “going to the very root” (radix = “root”). The religious life is the fullness of the Christian vocation. In the words of the recently beatified Dom Columba Marmion, the great Benedictine spiritual writer and a favorite author of our founder’s, “The religious life is not an institution created on the borders of Christianity; plunging its roots into the Gospel of Christ, it aims only at expressing the Gospel in all its integrity.  Our religious ‘holiness’ is but the plenitude of our Divine adoption in Jesus; it is the absolute tradition [i.e., handing over’] of the whole of ourselves through love, to the will of the Most High. Now His will is essentially that we should be His worthy children.”

The religious life that we live has elements common to all of the religious institutes in the Church. As with each order in the Church, we have our own spirit and charism superadded to the more foundational aspects of religious life. The Slaves are essentially “Montfortian” because, as an integral part of our religious life, we live the total consecration to Jesus through Mary as outlined in True Devotion to Mary. We are also devoted to the “Little Way” of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
In the history of the Church, it was the religious who acted in pivotal roles in the battle against the doctrinal enemies of Holy Mother Church. The following short list clearly illustrates this fact: Saint Athanasius and Saint Ephrem against the Arians, Saint Basil against the Macedonians, Saint Jerome and Saint Augustine against the Pelagians, Saint John of Damascus and Theodore of Studium against the Iconoclasts, Saint Dominic against the Albigensians, Saint Josaphat against the Eastern Dissidents, Saint Peter Canisius and Saint Robert Bellarmine against the Protestants. When Father Feeney found himself in the position of a defender of Catholic Orthodoxy against many and formidable enemies, he knew that the graces given to those in the religious state would be needed to defeat the heretics of our own day.

The First Order: Religious Brothers

First Order members (brothers, and — God willing, in the future — priests) take the three traditional vows of evangelical perfection (poverty, chastity, and obedience) and an additional fourth vow to make the Doctrinal Crusade of Saint Benedict Center their life’s first interest. As with all religious, active and contemplative alike, the “ora et labora” (pray and work) motto of Saint Benedict is applicable to the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Our daily prayer life consists of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (in the traditional Roman Rite), the offices of Prime and Compline, the Angelus thrice daily, examination of conscience, spiritual reading (individual and common, from Holy Scripture and the great spiritual masters), meditation, and the Holy Rosary.

Our work consists of study, publishing, teaching, public evangelizing, and manual labor. Although, according to his own prudence, the Superior employs the native talents of the brothers as well as possible for the good of the community, no brothers are exempted from their share of humble manual labor. Although, according to his own prudence, the Superior employs the native talents of the brothers as well as possible for the good of the community, no brothers are exempted from their share of humble manual labor.

Besides the obvious requirement of adherence to our ideals as outlined in the opening of this booklet, men presenting themselves to our congregation must meet additional criteria. Candidates for the First Order should be between the ages of 16 and 35 (although in rare cases, this upper age limit may be waived). They must be in good health, docile to authority, and “normal” (i.e., devoid of eccentricities and strange personal habits). While scholarliness is not requisite, they must exhibit a sincere willingness to learn. They must also exhibit the more important desire to grow in virtue, since the religious life is a “state of perfection” in which growth in virtue is a duty.  True desire to live in fraternal charity and to observe the holy vows is necessary. Lastly, they must not have any canonical impediment to entrance into the religious life.

The period of formation consists of a six-month postulancy and a two-year novitiate, during which time the rule, the evangelical counsels, and the spirit of the congregation are studied. Upon entrance into the postulancy, the brother is given his religious name and his work habit. The habit of the congregation (the Roman Cassock) is taken when the candidate enters the novitiate. If the novice is admitted to vows, he first makes his three-year simple profession, receiving his profession Rosary (15-decade Dominican Rosary), which he wears in the fashion of a mendicant friar, on his left side, as his “spiritual sword.” After the three years of simple profession, the brother professes his perpetual vows. He is then a religious for life.

The habit is worn at the monastery and in public. It is the brother’s clothing, not a costume.
Further information on our life, formation, and spirit is available by visits to the monastery, the first of which may last up to a week. It is only with a candidate’s observing the community (and vice versa) that any serious vocational discernment can begin.

To make an appointment to visit, serious candidates are invited to write or call. Contact information is provided in the front of this booklet.

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The Brothers — 2004

The Second Order: Religious Sisters

To the Second Order members — the sisters — can be applied all of what has been said regarding the brothers mutatis mutandis. Notable differences of the sisters’ life are as follows:

Our work consists of study, publishing, teaching, public evangelizing, and domestic work (cleaning, cooking, sewing, etc.).

The religious habit without the veil is taken when the candidate enters the postulancy. Upon entrance to the novitiate, the sister receives the habit with a white veil and a five-decade Rosary. If the novice is admitted to vows, she receives the full habit with a black veil and her fifteen-decade profession Rosary, which is worn on the right side of the habit. When she professes her final vows, she receives a ring as a sign of her perpetual espousals to Christ. The sisters always wear their habits.

Ladies interested in a vocation as a Slave of the Immaculate Heart of Mary are encouraged to contact the sisters. To make an appointment to visit, serious candidates are invited to write or call. Contact information is provided in the front of this booklet.

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The Sisters — 2004

The Third Order

The Third Order of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a union of Catholic faithful who strive to have a share in the mission and charism of the religious congregation.

Every Third Order is an organization within which laity (as well as clerics and religious who are not First or Second Order members of the order in question) can live their Faith more deeply and unite their prayers and works to those of the order to which they are attached. Thus, Third Order Carmelites, Franciscans, Dominicans, Mercederians, etc., and Benedictine Oblates participate in the particular work and spirituality of those orders. Most often, indulgences and other privileges from the Church are enjoyed by members of these associations, although, given our present lack of canonical status, there are no such indulgences or ecclesiastical privileges officially attached to membership in our Third Order.

The Third Order of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is designed to let the member participate — by prayer and pious practices — in the spirituality of our congregation.  They also participate in the intellectual life of our congregation by continued study (via the Saint Augustine Institute). Participation in this third aspect of our religious life, the missionary apostolate, may be exercised in a variety of ways, all of which are aimed at the conversion of one’s neighbor.

How to Become a Third Order Member

To become a Third Order member one must:

  1. Be a baptized, confirmed, practicing Catholic of at least age fifteen;
  2. Practice True Devotion to Mary in the spirit of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort;
  3. Faithfully observe the three devotional practices of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
    A. Wearing the Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel
    B. Wearing the Miraculous Medal
    C. Reciting the Rosary daily;
  4. Make a simple promise of obedience to the Superior of the congregation in all matters directly affecting the Crusade;
  5. Be loyal to the Holy See in the person of the currently reigning Holy Roman Pontiff;
  6. Acknowledge the right of the Superior of the Order to terminate memberships whenever, in his opinion, sound and grave reasons exist.

The method for practicing true devotion to Mary (item two above) is explained in the book True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis De Montfort, available from our book store. The book describes the thirty-three days of preparation for making the total consecration to Jesus Christ through slavery to His Holy Mother, Mary. Also necessary for the preparation are a Catholic Bible — Douay-Rheims version — and the book, The Imitation of Christ. At the end of the thirty-three days, one will be prepared to make the decision whether to consecrate his life to Christ in this manner.
If, at the end of the thirty-three days, the candidate decides to become a Slave of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Consecration Form should be read, signed and dated. It should also be witnessed (signed and dated) by a priest, but if that is not possible, any practicing Catholic can witness the consecration and sign the consecration form. Third Order members renew their consecration every year at a ceremony on Pentecost Sunday.

After making the consecration, to join the Crusade as a Third Order member, the Application for Membership form must be completed and sent in along with the signed Act of Consecration form to the Center in Richmond, New Hampshire (the address is in the front of this booklet). A religious name, usually the name of a favorite saint, may be entered on the form. When the signed and witnessed consecration form and the signed membership application form are received, the information is reviewed. When approved, the applicant becomes a Tertiary member of The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and receives a Consecration Certificate and a Certificate of Membership.

The Application for Membership, Consecration Form, and detailed instructions for the thirty-three days of preparation (including a daily reading guide), are all included in the Third Order Information Packet. To request this packet, one may either write or call the Center, or email Br. John Eudes, M.I.C.M., Tert. * for it: [email protected].

Membership in the Crusade does not imply a financial commitment. Our greatest concern by far, and our greatest desire is that we be able to inspire every Catholic we can possibly reach to join us in this epic Crusade.  There are no dues or other financial obligations, although we do have a voluntary monthly contribution program for anyone who is interested, and we would greatly appreciate a one-time donation of at least five dollars to cover printing and mailing costs associated with recruiting each new member.

Third Order Formation

During their basic training, soldiers learn about their weapons and practice using them. Our weapon is the truth. We must learn about it in order to use it. To learn it we must study. Study informs the intellect and strengthens the will for our interior life and our apostolic life. Nemo dat quod non habet, “No man can give what he does not have”; therefore, study of the Faith is essential for spreading the Faith.

Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies

The Saint Augustine Institute of Catholic Studies is the educational program of the Crusade of Saint Benedict Center. Its purpose is to provide a well-rounded and conveniently structured course of instruction in the Catholic Faith. The course of instruction is essentially the same as that offered at Saint Benedict Center since 1942. Our teachers are the Popes, the Councils, the Saints, and the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, who teach us the true interpretation of Holy Scripture and Catholic Tradition.

Circles of Study

The course has the aspect of continued adult education. Where practicable, small groups of Catholic men and women, each comprising no more than twelve members, form a Circle of Study which meets weekly to study and learn the Faith. The topics of study are specified in the Syllabus of the Saint Augustine Institute, available from our bookstore. Circles of Study are the dynamic training grounds of the whole Crusade. Details on the Saint Augustine Institute and Circles of Study are given in our Third Order Manual.

There is an unfortunate “cubby-holing” and “compartmentalizing” tendency in modern man. This tendency affects Catholics when they think of such things as “prayer,” “study,” “liturgy,” and “morals” as separate realities. They are not separate, but fundamentally united. For us, study is not merely an exercise in acquiring knowledge. It is a pursuit of holy wisdom, employing the intellect and the will. Through study, each member of our Crusade grows closer to God, he doesn’t just “get smart.”

Activities of Third Order Members

Third Order members are called, by virtue of their holy Baptism, to participate in bringing the Faith to the world. Since we are a missionary congregation seeking to convert our country, our Tertiaries are called to participate in this apostolate. Particular activities in which Tertiaries may participate — listed in no particular order — are:

  1. Being circle founders/moderators/members;
  2. Volunteering as web site monitors/proofers;
  3. Distributing From the Housetops magazine (buying quantities at a discount to hand out), as well as our other books, tracts and tape products;
  4. Participating in the Saint Photina Project (worldwide missionary suppliers);
  5. Conducting or teaching catechism classes;
  6. Transcribing cassette tapes for future publication;
  7. Making rosaries or scapulars for the missionary work of the First and Second Orders;
  8. Encouraging vocations to the First and Second Order and recruiting new members for the Third Order;
  9. Joining Saint Philomena’s Perpetual Rosary (information will be sent to those who request Third Order information);
  10. Doing any of the spiritual or corporal works of mercy, employing every means possible to convert souls.

Third Order Devotions

The primary objective of any religious congregation is to help each member seek union with God and the salvation of his soul. This applies to the Third Order as well as to the First and Second. This means that the sanctification of each member is of paramount importance to our work. To ignore the interior life is to neglect the very fundamental reason for any religious consecration. As we have said, the devotional life is not separate from our life of study, and neither is it isolated from our apostolate. They all emanate from the same impulse to love God and be true servants and slaves of Jesus through Mary.

Every member of the Crusade is required faithfully to observe four particular Marian devotional practices:

  1. Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary — make it for the first time, or renew it, properly; then live it, and renew it formally at least once each year. (All members of the Crusade should make this formal renewal of their pledge of slavery to the Mother of God on Pentecost Sunday each year.)
  2. Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel — wear it with constancy and devotion.
  3. Miraculous Medal — wear it with constancy and devotion.
  4. The Holy Rosary — pray daily at least five decades, one chaplet, as Our Lady requested at Fatima.

It should be noted that these obligations are not binding under pain of sin. In addition, tertiaries take no vows, only a promise of obedience in matters pertaining to our Crusade.

Other recommended but optional devotions and novenas are covered in our Third Order Manual.

Current Third Order Officers

The following current officers of the Third Order, M.I.C.M., may be contacted directly. All are tertiaries except Brother Francis who is Superior and Brother André who is Prior of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

  • Prefect: Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. — 603-239-6485
  • Director of Education: Brother Francis, M.I.C.M.
  • Membership Director: Brother Michael Marie, M.I.C.M., Tert. — 603-585-6709
  • National Director: Brother John Marie Vianney, M.I.C.M., Tert. — 603-239-4800
  • Local Director: Brother Joseph Mary, M.I.C.M., Tert. — 603-239-6932
  • Saint Augustine Institute Coordinator: Brother Francis, M.I.C.M.

*Tertiaries use their religious names only when communicating with the Center or engaging in a work under the direct authority and approval of the Superior. The Third Order member puts “M.I.C.M., Tert.” after his name. “M.I.C.M.” without the “Tert.” is reserved for the use of First and Second Order members only.