Blog Posts

CROATIAN PILGRIMAGE CRUISE 2023

Published on: by KOFPB

A few months ago, the Knights of the Precious Blood gathered a few men in our catholic church along with our parish Priest, an idea was born to unite our community in a different way, to bring men and their families closer to Christ, closer to our church. And it did not take long for the idea to manifest into what was soon to become a huge success, an annual event that will continue to grow. 

Photo: Pilgrimage Cruise committee led by Parish priest Fra Davor from Croatian Catholic Centre at Summer Hill

The first annual Croatian Catholic Pilgrimage Cruise was held on Saturday 11th February 2023. In total over 120 cars and motorbikes were registered, with over 270 pilgrims in attendance. All funds raised on the day are going to a Catholic charity in Croatia ‘Kap Dobrote’ (Drop of Goodness) to assist in helping the most needy people in one of our homelands, Croatia. Whilst majority of the cars were exotic in nature, ‘muscle cars’ and Harley Davidsons, there were also people with the everyday family cars too. All age groups, some travelling on their own and others with their whole family, the youngest being 5 months old in a baby seat inside his parent’s muscle car.

Photo: One of many muscle cars that lined the streets (proudly owned by Tony & Ruza)

The cruise commenced at the Croatian Catholic Centre at Blacktown where the pilgrims were given a wonderful Blessing by two of our priests, Fra Davor and Fra Ivica. There was merchandise available to purchase and a coffee cart to satisfy the morning urge. A quick briefing followed and then we were off. A parade of cars and bikes rolled down the highway towards the first stop, the town of Wilton. We were welcomed by the locals and we had the opportunity to meet them, get a taste of their coffee and sandwiches and catch up with others in good conversation. It was also the meeting point for the pilgrims coming from Canberra who joined us from this point on wards.

Photo: A large display of cars and motorbikes awaiting the blessing from the Priests

After a good hour and half coffee rest break, we commenced the final leg to the Croatian Catholic Church at Figtree. The locals at this parish welcomed us with open arms. Mass was held in full attendance, filling the church to the brim. But what followed Mass was something extremely beautiful, never seen before, in my time anyway. In the hot sun, about 32 degrees at that point, a large procession began from within the church to the carpark outside where all the cars and bikes were parked. Every pilgrim stood next to their car/bike as the priest walked around blessing every single vehicle and person whilst the pilgrims prayed. It was an unbelievable experience, a true sight to behold. Some of these men have not been to Mass for a very long time and now felt a sense of belonging. As quoted by one of the men “I have met up with people I haven’t seen for over 30 years. I grew up with them and I really don’t know how it came, but I left the church. I have missed out on so much”. Others were quoted to have said ‘’The is the first time we have had our car blessed’’.

Photo: Procession from the church to the carpark to Bless all the people with the cars/motorbikes
Photo: Blessing led by Fra Davor and Fra Ivo from the Croatian Catholic communities of Sydney and Wollongong

In usual Croatian style, a feast was put on in the community hall which gave everyone an opportunity to refuel their bodies – the cars already used quite a bit of fuel along the way, and a good time to catch up with more people, meet some new folks and share our faith with each other. The Holy Spirit was truly there, and it could be seen on the faces of every pilgrim that attended. The feedback was phenomenal and the questions were soon flying in – when is the next one going to be held? God willing, this will now be held annually on the 2nd Saturday of February and we will envisage spreading the word around to other parishes. It will take us where the Holy Spirit desires to take us and to where God wills us.

Photo: Generous banquet lunch hosted by the Croatian Catholic Centre in Figtree

 

 

KNIGHTS OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD – SOLDIER OF CHRIST AWARD – 2022

Published on: by KOFPB

One of our annual Knights traditions is to present one of our members with our Soldier of Christ award at the end of the year. On Sunday 4th Dec 2022, at our last Men’s Breakfast for the year, Eddy Borovnjak was posthumously nominated as our Soldier of Christ for 2022.

Eddy was an exemplary witness of the Gospel, living every moment as a true Soldier of Christ. He really did suit himself up in the armour of God – speaking truth readily, maintaining the spirit of peace, and using the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (cp. Ephesians 6:10-18) to dispel the darkness in this world. He took a firm stand against the devil’s schemes by taking every effort to pray for souls, to seek those who were in danger, trying to lead them back to Christ by way of handing out miraculous medals and rosaries, and by evangelising in his own joyful, genuine manner. He welcomed everybody without judgement, recognising that our enemy is not each other but the spirit of evil that seeks to enslave us all, that makes men fall in their weakness. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. He used his words to uplift, to encourage, to evangelise.

More so than his words, the way Eddy lived his life spoke volumes about the love and abundant mercy of God, and this was never more evident than during the most difficult times in his sickness. Eddy lived a joyful life, even in adversity. He would never complain about anyone or anything and never displayed any anger or hatred. His face belied his discomfort or pain because he always smiled and sought to comfort and uplift those around him instead of focusing on himself. He was always in good spirits, positive and joyful. One always left his presence feeling humbled by the blessings of peace and joy he brought.
Eddy made every person he met feel ‘seen’ and valued. He listened with compassion to the pain others bore and did his best both materially and spiritually to help alleviate others’ burdens. He would give away his own blankets and would collect food and clothing to distribute to the poor in his area, who he would visit often with his mother or with the Legion of Mary chapter that he had joined, providing them with their physical needs but also with the love and company that many were starved of. He offered numerous Masses and prayers for a wide variety of souls he came across, many having no idea he had taken them under his wing spiritually.

Eddy’s trust in the Lord was inspiring and he was totally accepting of God’s will. We recall him saying that regardless if God wanted to heal him or to call him home, he was at peace with whatever the Lord decided. And the truth of his statement was confirmed by his demeanor and his voice – he truly was totally at peace in accepting God’s will, even if this meant being separated from the family he loved so dearly here on earth, particularly his three boys who really were the apples of his eye. He relished his times fishing with them, or spending times enjoying the outdoors with them and the joy they brought him was clear to all who knew him. In turn, it was clear the boys loved and respected their father and enjoyed their precious time together. Their relationship with one another was a vignette of unconditional love.

As with any good soldier, nothing stopped Eddy from continuing in his prayer and faith life. Eddy would come to the Men’s Rosary Crusades even whilst undergoing his cancer treatment. Not only would he participate, but he would take videos and compile some amazing promo videos for the Men’s Rosary Crusade. One of his other goals was to complete writing his book, only if God willed it of course. He was tireless in his efforts to complete this task, even in the hardest times. He credits this to a great devotion to Our Lady and to the Rosary.

The Soldier of Christ award was presented to Eddy’s mother on the feast day of the Holy Innocents on Wednesday 28th Dec 2022, at the shrine of the Holy Innocents Kellyville. The day and place of the presentation was providential as Eddy was a very active pro-life champion, and loved the Shrine of the Holy Innocents. He had a great compassion for the unborn and selflessly gave up one of his favourite things for many years (actually right up until his death) in reparation for the sins of abortion and for the ending of abortion. Eddy’s good friend, Brother Dominic Levak, was also present, having had the award blessed by a priest before it was presented to Eddy’s mother, Jelica, an amazing woman of faith in her own right.

Eddy’s mother was pleasantly surprised and deeply moved to receive this award in her son’s name – an award recognising that her son had not looked back, but had pressed on, keeping his eyes on the prize, Christ himself, and finished the only race that matters in this world (cp. Philippians 3:13-14).

Rest in peace, dear brother.

Bog i Hrvati.

Knights Fundraiser 2022 – Kap Dobrote

Published on: by KOFPB

On the 26th November, the annual Knight’s fundraiser was held to generate much needed funds for the Croatian Catholic organisation “Kap Dobrote”. This was the 9th annual fundraiser and by far exceeded all expectations set by previous years.

How to express it in just a few words? Absolutely priceless. Did we raise much needed funds? Yes. Did we all have a great time? Yes. So, what makes it different to every other fundraising initiative? Simple – it is a conglomerate of Croatian Catholic families and individuals, with God as the central focus of their lives, teaming up together to help the most vulnerable and needy in our homeland. It’s that simple, with God in the centre of our lives, all that we do will be Blessed and will please God. That, is what makes it a success. Yes, raising a lot of money is a way to measure success, however doing God’s work above all is more rewarding than we could ever imagine.

So, the night began as usual with mass held by Fra Ivica at the Croatian Catholic Centre in Blacktown. As guests started to gather outside the venue after mass, they were met with ‘domaća rakija’ and a selection of tasty bites whilst enjoying the wonderful sounds of Australia’s youngest Croatian upcoming band – ‘Sydney Svirači’. The atmosphere was building into what turned out to be one of the best fundraisers ever held.

The event was hosted by our very own emcee’s, Katarina Nazor and Adriana Bann, who invited Fra Ivica to do the opening Blessing and prayers. Sumptuous meza platters were on offer as the band, Mirko and Kemo welcomed all with some light background music. Greetings from around the world were played on the big screen, consisting of Croatian Bishops, charity group leaders and some Branitelji. A warm welcome to commence the festivities.

 

As is expected in any Croatian setting, a feast was put on for dinner catering for both young and old. During dinner, videos were played from the organisation Kap Dobrote, the works there are currently doing and what is needed for the vulnerable in Croatia to survive this winter. Hearts were touched and filled with empathy, and this was shown in the efforts of everybody throughout the night.

The ‘kolo’ came on and the dance floor was quickly filled, and even some of the men from the Knights group made an effort – albeit that one of our regular Italian guests, Sammy Gallačić, stepped on everyone’s toes trying to learn the kolo. The raffle was bigger than ever as we sold out of tickets and had to create our own to ensure everyone had an opportunity to win a prize or two. The auction once again did not disappoint with items that included a signed Luka Modrić Real Madrid jersey, signed Werner Illić jersey and several one-off artworks by the nuns overseas.

For me, the best part of the night, is watching everyone get together, have loads of conversations, some just catch ups, for others chats they haven’t had for years. Seeing people volunteer – some for hours leading up to the event, some on the night itself, and some even just offering their assistance even when there was enough support. We as Croatians always get together and unite as one. We as Croatian Catholics do more than just that – we offer hope and love beyond all worldly things, and with God we make the impossible possible.

On the night itself much needed funds were raised and donations continued to roll in for weeks after. In total the sum of $40,873 was raised and transferred to Kap Dobrote. A fantastic effort that will go a long way this winter for many that are suffering. But it does not end there. Every day God gives us opportunities to carry out his works. Let’s not rest all year and wait for the annual fundraiser to do good. Use every day to its fullest, visit someone who is lonely, call someone that needs help, pray for others. As Croatians, we are strong people. As Croatian Catholics, we are God’s warriors, Soldiers for Christ.

Thank you to all who volunteered and made this event such a memorable occasion. To those that helped set up and clean up the hall, to the home chefs that put on the feast and the kitchen helpers, to the emcees and band for entertaining us, to those that donated cakes and items for the raffle and auction, to the food servers, coffee makers and barmen, to the Knights who organised the whole event – and most importantly to all of you who attended and supported this initiative, a big massive THANK YOU – God bless you all!!!

Bog i Hrvati

For Kap Dobrote official thank you letter see here – zahvalnica za donaciju-Knights od Precious Blood

The Greatest Battle of all Time – Global Rosary Crusade

Published on: by KOFPB

“The problem with the world today, there are not enough rosaries being said.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Dear Brothers in Christ,

We are born into a spiritual battle, and whether we are aware of it or not, whether we fight or allow ourselves to be over-run, this battle will continue as long as we are alive. Pope Leo XIII reaffirmed the importance of not cowering away from battle, nor remaining silent:

“To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamours are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is base and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with the salvation of mankind. This kind of conduct is profitable only to the enemies of the faith, for nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good……….and very frequently by such display of courage (from Christians) our enemies lose heart and their designs are thwarted. Christians are, moreover, born for combat, whereof the greater the vehemence, the more assured, God aiding, the triumph: “Have confidence; I have overcome the world.” Pope Leo XIII (encyclical Sapientiae Christianae)

Society is in steep decay with its adoption of the culture of death and destruction. Immorality is being normalised and the acceptance of, and demand for, contraception, abortion, and euthanasia gain traction worldwide. Our children are being indoctrinated against God, church and natural moral law by schools and universities rife with evil ideologies. The decline in Church attendance, the denial of the existence of God, and Catholics disbelief in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist are some of the signs of the times. Christian persecution is public, vicious, and intentional. Cancel culture is rampant, even within the church. Satan and the enemies of God work ceaselessly to destroy everything holy and sacred, blaspheming God, Jesus, the Catholic Church and Our Most Holy Mother, Mary.

To combat these evils, it is necessary that the faithful return to God and to prayer. Sadly, the majority of Catholics have remained silent in the face of evil. When these evil teachings, opinions, and attacks on Church dogmas are left undefended by the Catholic faithful, evil gains traction and the spreading of errors makes inroads in the great apostasy we are witnessing today.

Recently, an article in ‘The Atlantic‘, written by Daniel Panneton blasphemed the rosary and those who pray the rosary, labelling them as extremists and Christian nationalists, and likening the rosary (‘battle-beads’) as a weapon akin to an AR-15 style rifle. The author, who evidently displays a Marxist bias, demonised the rosary as a physical weapon through the cunning use of words with negative connotations. He attempted to demoralise those who pray or display the rosary so that they would neglect their resolve or hide their rosaries. To those who may be inclined to begin taking up the rosary, Panneton offered strong discouragement from even entertaining the idea by employing the threat of being labelled an extremist.

Despite this evil play, Panneton does state a misrepresented truth – the rosary is indeed a weapon, albeit a spiritual one rather than a physical one. Unbeknownst to him, the first person to actually refer to the rosary as a weapon is Our Lady herself when she gave it to St Dominic. In fact, she also referred to it as a “battering ram”. Fr. Brendan Kilcoyne asserts that “the Rosary is a machine gun of theology. It is where you pepper Hell with the name of God.” So much so is the rosary like a “machine gun” rather than a mere AR-15 rifle in the battle against evil, that the devil has been forced to admit on many occasions the pain he suffers due to its power, as evidenced by the former Vatican exorcist, now deceased, Father Gabrielle Amorth:

“During an exorcism, Satan said to me through the possessed person: “Each Ave Maria of the rosary is a blow to my face. If Christians knew the power of the rosary, it would be the end of me”.

Men, we are in a battle. And in battle, we need to have weapons. St Paul tells us clearly that “we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Our battle is spiritual.

In the first spiritual battle in Scripture, that between Adam and Eve and the serpent (devil), God responds by proclaiming that He will “put enmity between you [the devil] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (Genesis 3:15). The battle lines have been drawn by God, and either we are the seed of the woman (the New Eve – Mary) or we are the seed of the serpent (devil). We are either sons of light or sons or darkness (1 Thess 5:5). The battle started in the garden of Eden and it continues to this day.

‘The Atlantic’ article is a direct insult and persecution against Catholics who are the seed of the woman, who are sons of Our Lady. Scripture tells us that “when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child” (Revelation 12:13). We should not be surprised that Our Lady is being persecuted, nor that those who follow her in doing the will of God will be persecuted with her. The book of Revelation goes on to reveal that the serpent continues to wage war against the woman’s children (Rev 12:17). Christ Himself has said that we will be persecuted for following Him (John 15:20). It is evident that Our Lady and those who pray the rosary are a threat to Satan’s plans. The devil knows the power of the Virgin and her Rosary against his wiles and it is no wonder he is utilising every possible means to stop men praying the rosary. As we see this battle intensifying, we recall the urgency with which Our Lady, during her many apparitions, like that at Fatima, calls repeatedly for the rosary to be recited daily. Her role in this battle is crucial.

In his book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II made a prophetic statement that the Church’s future victories would come through Mary:

“‘Be not afraid!’ Christ said to the apostles (cf.Lk 24;36) and to the women (cf. Mt 28:10) after the Resurrection. According to the Gospels, these words were not addressed to Mary. Strong in her faith, she had no fear. Mary’s participation in the victory of Christ became clear to me above all from the experience of my people. Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski told me that his predecessor, Cardinal August Hlond, had spoken these prophetic words as he was dying: ‘The victory, if it comes, will come through Mary.’ During my pastoral ministry in Poland, I saw for myself how those words were coming true.
After my election as Pope, as I became more involved in the problems of the universal Church, I came to have a similar conviction: On this universal level, if victory comes it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her, because He wants the Church’s victories now and in the future to be linked to her.” (pp. 220-221)

In past centuries, many a victorious battle has been won with Our Lady’s intercession, and the recitation of her rosary. In particular, the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 saw all of Europe praying the Rosary for the Holy League’s victory against the Ottomans with the Title of Our Lady of Victories given to Our Lady in remembrance of the battle by St Pope Pius V. Again, Pope Leo XIII reminds us how the rosary thwarted off heresies in the time of St Dominic. Speaking on the Albigensian heresy, Pope Leo XIII in the encyclical Octobri Mense recalled that;

“there seemed to be no human hope of opposing this fanatical and most pernicious sect when timely succour came from on high through the instrument of Mary’s Rosary. Thus, under the favour of the powerful Virgin, the glorious vanquisher of all heresies, the forces of the wicked were destroyed and dispersed, and faith issued forth unharmed and more shining than before.”

Like the battle of Lepanto that saved Western Civilisation, we find ourselves today continuing the same long, hard battle that will once again, through the intercession of Our Lady, save civilisation; a battle that will end in her Immaculate Heart’s triumph as she leads men back to her Son’s Sacred Heart. For this to happen, however, she needs our co-operation. She needs men to fight with her heavenly weapon, the rosary, and adhere to her call at Fatima to make reparation and atonement against the many offenses committed against her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Saint Maximilian Kolbe prophesied that Mary would play a crucial role in combating the forces of evil that have risen up against the Church. He said:

“Modern times are dominated by Satan and will be more so in the future. The conflict with hell cannot be engaged by men, even the most clever. The Immaculata alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. However, assumed into heaven, the Mother of God now requires our co-operation. She seeks souls who will consecrate themselves entirely to her, who will become in her hands effective instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spreading of God’s kingdom upon earth.”

The CALL
On Saturday October 8th 2022, one day after the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7), all men of good will are called to take up their rosaries and to march under the banner of Our Lady of Victory to their local Cathedral or town square, and in unison with their brothers world-wide, pray the rosary to fulfill the requests of Our Lady at Fatima. The call for the World-wide Rosary Crusade is to make reparation and atonement, and to pray for repentance and conversion of sinners; to pray for peace in the world and in families; to pray for the reign of the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart in the hearts of men, in families and in society.
For the sake of this noble cause, we are happy to be extremists. With an extreme love of Jesus and His Mother, we will take up our rosaries and pepper heaven with our petitions, praying peacefully for ourselves and others. Holding our “battle-beads” firmly, let us join together in prayer and project the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary into the cosmos to fight the demons who have taken hold of our fallen brothers and sisters, and with the Intercession of Our Lady, obtain victory for Christ and her. We have been assured of victory in Christ, but we ourselves must wage this battle and live out this victory continuously in each generation until the end of time. It is precisely in this battle against Satan and his followers that the Virgin Mary comes to our aid today. Men, are you ready for Our Lady’s call to battle?

Victorious in Jesus through Mary

For further information on the World-wide Rosary Crusade or to enquire on how to start a Men’s Rosary Group for the First Saturday’s devotion, contact us on info@kofpb.org

“The rosary is sort of a machine gun and atomic bomb, namely a weapon that is far superior to all the weapons of modern warfare in overcoming the enemy of God”. Servant of God, Fr Joseph Ketenich

 

Men’s Rosary Crusade

Published on: by KOFPB

When God’s warriors go down on their knees, the battle is not over, it has just begun.

Our first men’s Rosary Crusade was held on Saturday 18th Dec 2021, a spontaneous lay initiative inspired by the Holy Spirit through our Polish and Irish Brothers overseas who started off men’s public rosary’s crusades. This first crusade witnessed about 30 men from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds, young and old, kneeling in battle formation, with their prayer bead weapons in hand, devoutly reciting the rosary.

In the peak heat of the day with the sun shining upon the men, all kneeling and offered their prayers and sacrifice in reparation for our sins and for the sins of our country, leaders and our church leadership. People passing by witnessing these men where deeply moved. So much so, that one man kneeled and joined the crusade. It Started at 2pm, men praying on their knees on the forecourt of St Mary’s Cathedral, recited two mysteries of the Holy Rosary and finished off with the Divine Mercy chaplet at 3pm. The last decade of the chaplet was sung which was spiritually uplifting and moved the men and those who witnessed it.

At the end there was true joy in the air among the men, with uplifted souls, they had been part of something special. The Rosary crusaders were truly filled with the Holy Spirit, and gave glory to God and showed their devotion to our Queen and Mother. All the men agreed to continue this on a monthly basis and agreed on the 1st Saturday of each month. The first one for 2022 would be the 1st Saturday in February, 5th Feb 2022.

The Men’s Rosary Crusade in Sydney is open to all Catholic men young or old, all are welcome. The public rosary at St. Mary Cathedral, will commence at 1pm sharp in the forecourt. Please share this message far and wide and call all the men you know to battle. Remember, you may have been born a man, but you become a Knight. Join the Rosary Crusade. Make reparation for the sins committed against our God and show public witness to your fidelity and faith in God.

NOTE: Those men that would like to take the opportunity and take up the practice of the Five first Saturday devotion (as requested by Our Lady of Fatima) are encouraged to do so, confession is available at the Cathedral from 11.30am, with Holy Mass at 12pm.

Below are some comment’s from men that were present on the day.

“It was a great profession of faith for us men to be praying the rosary together and occupying public space. I pray it was the start of something big!” — Steve”

 

Being part of a public rosary in front of St Mary’s cathedral was a huge witness in my spiritual life. I had an image of the pain Jesus felt, this made me persevere through mine! As I knelt on the hot blazing court yard tile, I felt so inspired and blessed by the Holy Spirit. Truly an amazing act to be part of!” — Stjepan

 

“The saints have said many things about the power of the Rosary, but seeing a large group of men praying the Rosary on their knees outside St. Mary’s Cathedral was very inspiring. The Rosary is such an incredibly powerful weapon against the Devil and I can highly recommend for all men to attend this monthly event”. — Eddy

 

 

For more articles on the Holy Rosary see links below.

HISTORY of the HOLY ROSARY

Rosary Revival

Two Battles that saved Western Civilisation

Our Lady’s Call to Battle

What is a man without the rosary?

Cro Combat Rosary

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica (Croatian Covenant Rosary)

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica

You are born a MAN. You become a KNIGHT

Published on: by KOFPB

Dear Brothers in Christ
Our world needs saints right now – more than ever! We are losing the battle for souls because of our indifference and lukewarmness. Evil people are being aggressively evil, while far too many are not “aggressively saintly.” This is especially evident with men. Men who are weak and effeminate and who choose luxury over discomfort and vice over virtue. Men who choose fear over faith and relinquish true freedom. As a result, evil is allowed to flourish and run rampant without any resistance. In all of human history we have never witnessed evil promoted so effectively on a global scale, while virtue, character, and morals are bluntly mocked, rejected and cancelled. Objectively it is obvious that those who identify themselves as Christians, have never been so unprepared for and unengaged in the challenging mission of spiritual warfare and the mandate of evangelisation. In contrast, it is obvious that Satan’s forces are well-trained, well-organized and highly motivated, while the souls on earth and those who call themselves Catholic, clearly are not. We, the Church Militant, have abandoned, if not surrendered vital territory to evil and by our indifference and lukewarmness, have ushered the greatest apostasy history may ever witness. The time has come for men, real and courageous men, to enter the spiritual battle once more and engage the enemy as our forefathers have before us.

“To refrain from doing battle for Jesus Christ amounts to fighting against Him; He Himself assures us ‘He will deny before His Father in heaven those who shall have refused to confess Him on earth’ (Luke 9:26).” (Leo XIII, Encyclical Sapientiae christianae, 43).

It is on the shoulders of these virtuous and saintly men that we need to stand on, to imitate their courage and fortitude as we recall their battles in fighting the enemy and reclaiming lost territory.

DEUS VULT! DEUS VULT!

Pope Urban II launched the First Crusade in 1095 with the primary goal of the Christian re-conquest of the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. So great was the Pope’s speech in Clermont, France, on that day that the crowd was inspired to cry out: “Deus Vult! Deus Vult!” (“It is the will of God! It is the will of God!”). This became the battle cry of brave and noble knights who sought to recover that holy ground. The Crusades saw brave and noble knights, men of God, stand up against the enemy and form a brotherhood in the fight against evil.

THE ROSARY & BATTLE OF LEPANTO – OUR LADY’S VICTORY

This brotherhood was again seen when Pope St Pius V, sent out the call and formed the original Holy League of Nations in response to the dire situation in which Christian Europe found itself in 1571. Bands of Catholic men and armies from various nations came together under the spiritual leadership of the saintly pontiff and the military leadership of Don Juan of Austria. With the command from the Pontiff to pray the Rosary for victory during the Battle of Lepanto, the greatly outnumbered Holy League was victorious against the Ottoman invasion of Europe. That victory led Pope St Pius V to establish October 7 as the feast of Our Lady of Victory, later renamed the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary!

ANTEMURALE CHRISTIANITATIS

This call to brotherhood in the fight against evil and the defence of the Church has been witnessed throughout history. For Croatian men, it was evident when our forefathers defended Christendom during the hundred years war against the Ottoman Turks. Countless other battles were also fought, including the Battle that saved Western Civilisation – the Battle for Siget. So courageous were these men, Croatia was named Antemurale Christianitatis by Pope Leo X in 1519. These men were the defenders of Christendom, the Bulwark of Christianity.

A CALL TO SPIRITUAL BATTLE
While it was nearly a millennium ago that Pope Urban II challenged would-be warriors to “reclaim the sacred,” in our times, this clarion call to “reclaim the sacred” has never been more needed. Scripture says, If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? (1 Cor. 14:8). Nobody is calling for WWIII. We pray we can avoid physical warfare. What we are referring to, here, is full-on “Spiritual Warfare!” The battle lines are not political; not right vs. Left – this is Christ vs. Antichrist. This is the call to battle and the lines have been drawn.

Pope John Paul II (whilst still a Cardinal) in 1976 during a visit to America stated the following;

“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realise this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the Gospel and the anti-Gospel, between Christ and the antichrist. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously.”

The time is now for men to wake up and become the soldiers of Christ they were created to be, who are ready to reclaim the surrendered ground of the sacred. To be once again the Antemurale Christianitatis. To form a new Holy League of Men, men who with their spiritual sword in hand, will use the weapon of the Rosary to drive back the demonic. In today’s secularized modern world that embodies the culture of death, the need has never been greater to reclaim the surrendered ground of the Sacred, the teachings of the Bible and of the Church, and supernatural life in the Holy Spirit. To once again take up the prayer weapon of the Rosary in hand and enter into spiritual combat with the enemy.

Brazilian layman, Plinio Correia de Oliveira of the 20th Century, gives an excellent quote to summarize this call for men. He says:

“Every man is born a soldier, although not every soldier will use his arms. Yes, all men are born soldiers because, as the Scripture states, Militia est vita hominis super terram [The life of man upon earth is a warfare] (Job 7:1). Our life is a fight, and this is how we must consider it first and foremost. A man is born a soldier at the first moment he sees the natural light. Then when he is baptized, he receives the light of grace and is born a second time, now to the supernatural life, becoming a soldier in its defense. Further, the Church has a special Sacrament that confirms a man as a soldier in the full sense of the word. It is the sacrament of Confirmation. Not every soldier uses his weapons on the battlefield, but whoever does so is privileged. Since the duty of the soldier is to fight, when he takes up arms to enter battle he becomes privileged. Imagine a painter who does not paint, a musician who cannot make music, a singer who cannot sing, a professor who is unable to give classes, a diplomat prevented from engaging in politics. Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Catholic Church, comes asking us to join His Holy War inside the Church against progressiveness, and inside the State, against communism. And He appeals to us to fight and not be soft or indifferent to this struggle, but to wage battle with all our soul.”

The devil has strategically succeeded in promoting the error’s and heresy of modernism removing every sense of the sacred from our churches, our homes, and our hearts. In dropping our sacramental life and our weapon of prayer ie. the rosary, Satan has had little resistance in drawing us into temptation and sin. Fear, the greatest weapon of Satan has taken grip of society. Governments around the world are using mandates and communist tactics to instill fear in society and bear no Christian principles in their governance, promoting the evils of abortion, euthanasia, destruction of family and gender fluidity ideology which are all foreign to Christian beliefs. Indoctrinating our children in schools and universities and utilising mass media, they have managed to reduce the Church and Christian ideals to have little or no relevance to society. They are pushing worldly passports but the passport and way to heaven is ignored. They are trying to once again silence and crucify Jesus Christ by killing the body of Christ and the teachings of the Church.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA’S WARNING

Our Lady appeared in Fatima in 1917 with an urgent call to repentance, reparation, sacrifice and daily rosary. She warned us that if her requests were not adhered to, that the error of communism would spread. Sadly, her plea was not taken seriously by all and the seeds of communism are sprouting everywhere.

In his monumental 2017 homily entitled, “Fatima: A Call to Spiritual Arms for the Salvation and Peace of the World,” Archbishop Cordileone gives us the battle plan to “reverse the curse” of a nation under the spell of the satanic. The Archbishop said:

“For 100 years we ignored the message of Fatima; or, perhaps, it is not so much the message we ignored, for we are well aware of the warnings and the history that resulted. Rather, it is the requests we ignored. But we cannot afford to do so any longer. We have to pay attention. We have to do what she told the waiters at Cana: do whatever he tells you And what does Christ tell us to do?

The Archbishop continues:

“Far from being something we check off on a to-do list, what we are about today is nothing less than a call to arms: to spiritual arms. We are living in a time and place of intense spiritual battle, and only in taking up spiritual arms will we alleviate the spiritual disease that is at the root of so much of the physical and mental suffering in the world today.
Again, this is not a political battle … This. Is. Spiritual. Warfare!”

Likewise, in a monumental and powerfully worded apostolic exhortation, Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix, Arizona, put a call out to all men to “not hesitate to engage in the battle that is raging around you.” Bishop Olmsted continues:

“Men, do not hesitate to engage in the battle that is raging around you, the battle that is wounding our children and families, the battle that is distorting the dignity of both women and men. This battle is often hidden, but the battle is real. It is primarily spiritual, but it is progressively killing the remaining Christian ethos in our society and culture, and even in our own homes.

Venerable Fulton Sheen who prophesied that communist ideals would take over America and the world also wrote:

“The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction.”

THE TIME IS NOW FOR MEN TO RISE UP!! We must become strong in the Lord and in His mighty power! (Eph 6:10).

Msgr. Charles Pope writes in an article which appeared in the National Catholic Register:

“We live in historic times. If we don’t rise up in courage, strength, and true compassion then Christianity will continue on the road to irrelevance. We have a fundamental choice: do we stand with the brave or do we fade into darkness? We are told repeatedly to not be afraid. Our silence is complicity. Our breeding division is demonic. The devil delights in little more than a co-opted Christian…more so a co-opted cleric. Remember, Christ prayed that we would be one, not a collection of warring tribes at each other’s throats. Our enemy is united and broken through our ranks. We must be united and strengthen what is harmed. Now is no time to abandon the battlefield.”

THE CALL FOR A HOLY LEAGUE

A Holy Rosary Crusade and a call for a Holy League of Men is needed to form a spiritual army. I call upon you my Christian brothers – all who call themselves Catholic Australians and living in Australia, to come and fight this spiritual battle with Rosary in hand. We have to take the lead and follow what our Polish and Irish brothers are doing in Europe and kneel in the public square and pray the Rosary as a public witness. It is up to us to become the Antemurale Christianitatis and drive back the enemy.

We call upon all men, religious and lay men, to engage the enemy, to recapture lost territory and make advancements on the battle field for souls. We have not listened to the call of Our Lady of Fatima nor heeded her plea to offer sacrifices in reparation against offenses committed against the Sacred Heart and her Immaculate Heart. We have laid down the heavenly weapon of the Rosary which she has asked us to pray daily. The time has come, for men to once again pick up the weapon of the Rosary and enter into battle! In confidence, we call upon our Heavenly Mother in this battle and call upon her intercession as we engage the enemy knowing her Immaculate Heart will triumph. Bishop Athanasius Schneider reminds us:

“The most powerful help in our personal life as soldiers of Christ and in the life of the entire militant Church is the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mother of God, and She is the winner in all the battles of the Lord”

With this confidence we fight under her banner.

I would like to leave you with this quote from Venerable Fulton Sheen who gives us a fair warning:

“Those who have the faith had better keep in the state of grace and those who have neither had better find out what they mean, for in the coming age there will be only one way to stop your trembling knees, and that will be to get down on them and pray.”

Our Lady of the Rosary – pray for us.
St Joseph, Terror of demons – pray for us.

Yours in Christ Jesus through Mary

Knights of the Precious Blood

Bog i Hrvati

Our Lady’s Call to Battle

Published on: by KOFPB

The continual apparitions of Our Lady at Medjugorje over the past 40 years are well known to Croatians both in the homeland and abroad, as they are to many faithful Catholics who have devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. While in recent time others recall the apparitions of the Virgin in Garabandal, Spain and Akita, Japan, the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima in 1917 have captured and enflamed the imagination of many Catholics. In fact, it is difficult to find a Catholic who has not heard of Fatima. When one asks further, most refer to secrets and others to the dancing sun phenomena as important events of Fatima. Certainly these are part of the Fatima message, Fatima goes beyond that and Our Lady’s apparition in 1917 are as relevant today as they were for the world engulfed in war in 1917.

Our Lady came to Fatima in the midst of extreme political turmoil and unrest in Europe. For centuries the Christian faith and culture had been growing steadily weaker. Christian leaders of Europe, were more committed to worldly success, control and power rather than living the faith or living in peace. Despite the call for reason by Pope Benedict XV, the leaders would not listen and resorted to war to resolve their differences. The Pope therefore turned to prayer and in 1916 called on all Catholic children in the warring countries to offer Holy Communion to God for peace. While most of the faithful know of Our Lady’s apparitions, few know that during the prayer and request of Pope Benedict XV, an angel appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima in 1916.

The angelic apparitions served as a preface for the message Mary would later speak. The angel taught the children two different prayers during the apparitions and to offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. The angel said he was the Angel of Peace. In particular, the angel told the children to offer up all their daily crosses, the trials and tribulations they faced each day, for the conversion of sinners, to repair the damage done by sin and to bring peace to their country. He gave them a simple prayer during the first apparition:

“My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you and I ask your pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you.”

He told the children to repeat this prayer often.

The second angelic apparition encouraged the children to offer sacrifices to God and to pray for peace. It was during this apparition that the angel identified himself as the Angel of Portugal.

The third apparition emphasized the Eucharist as the angel appeared with a Host and Chalice. Lucia received the host, while Jacinta and Francisco received from the chalice. The angel also taught the second prayer as an act of adoration of the Eucharist and reparation for sin. The Angel taught them to pray:

“O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.”

These often-forgotten angelic apparitions and prayers contain great significance and should be a part of living the message of Fatima as be later discussed. The angel taught those two prayers to the children because they were efficacious and pleasing to God.

While the Angel of Peace was appearing to the children, war raged on in Europe. The following year, 1917, the Holy Father called on all Catholics to join with him on May 5, praying to Our Lady, Queen of Peace, for an end of the war and peace on earth. On the ninth day, May 13, Our Lady appeared to the three children at the “Cove of Peace” in Fatima (Cova da Iria). She asked them whether they were willing to offer their suffering to God, as the Angel had taught them, “as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and of supplication for the conversion of sinners.” In later years, Lucia said this was the most important request of Our Lady of Fatima: that we offer all our daily suffering that we cannot avoid as reparation for sins and the conversion of sinners.

Mary appeared a total of six times to the three Fatima children between May 13 and Oct. 13, 1917. In each of the six apparitions, Mary instructed the children to pray the Rosary every day, especially for peace in the world and an end to war. During the apparition on July 13, Mary requested that the children add a simple phrase after each mystery:

“O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy”

Also in the July apparition, Our Lady showed the children hell and the tormented souls. She told them that to save souls from going to hell, God wished to establish in the world devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She said,

“Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

She said, “If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.” In August, Our Lady told the children;

“Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them.”

This, then, is the heart of Our Lady’s Message at Fatima: to offer up daily prayers and sacrifices for the conversion of sinners, and tell others about this request. It is why St. Pope John Paul II said the message of Fatima is more important today than ever, and why Pope Benedict XVI said that Fatima is not just a private devotion; the message is a call from Our Lady to all of her children to participate in the salvation of souls, promising the blessing of peace for our country and the world.

Lastly, Mary promised the children she would reveal her identity during the last apparition in October in which occurred the sun dance. While we often refer to the apparitions as “Our Lady of Fatima,” Mary told the children: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.” The revealed identity of Mary and the message she spoke to the three shepherd children of Fatima draws attention to one of the most common forms of Marian devotions — and calls us to pray the Rosary daily. Sadly, this message has been forgotten or ignored by most Catholics and church leaders.

Make your whole day a prayer offering

It is no surprise that Our Lady has asked once again, for devotion to her Immaculate Heart and the recitation of the Rosary. She gave it to her servant St Dominic in the 13th Century to defeat heresy and revived it through Blessed Alan de la Roche in the 14th Century, once again to fight heresy and convert sinners. Many centuries later, she appeared again, this time in Fatima in 1917 to ask us to pray the Rosary daily for peace and to end the war. But have we heard this call to fulfill Our Lady’s request? Mary certainly predicted the war would end, but if the people did not convert another and worse war would occur. As history recalls, World War II started a few decades later as was predicted by Our Lady. Catholics did not take up the message of Mary nor did they accept the urgency of her message. The prayer and devotion to the Rosary has not been taken up by Catholics and is not prayed in many families. Catholics, especially the men, have become effeminate. They prefer worldly pleasures rather than doing what is right, even though it may incur suffering. Catholics are not carrying their cross and offering sacrifices to God. The Angel of Peace instructed us to “accept and bear with submission” our daily trials and tribulations and offer them for the conversion of sinners. Our Lady also spoke of offering our suffering whenever it occurs during the day. Isn’t this what Our Lord meant when He asked us to take up our cross every day and follow Him? In this way we can make our whole day a prayer. This is the urgency of the message.

In spreading the message of Fatima, the World Apostolate of Fatima has been asking Catholics to start each day with the “pardon prayer” of the Angel of Peace:

“O my God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee; and I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.”

Then offer Our Lord all our suffering and trials we will encounter during the day for love of Him, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as Our Lady specifically requested. Finally, do our best, whenever anything happens that we don’t like and can’t avoid, to accept it as a daily cross and “offer it up!” for the conversion of sinners. Remember that we can do this for our own loved ones whose souls seem to be in danger. As St. John Paul II taught, if they won’t do penance for their sins, do it for them! In this way, we will be joining with the angels in spiritual warfare for the salvation of souls, growing in holiness and bringing down the blessing of peace on our families, our country, our Church and the world.

Shortly after the apparitions and the well-known apparition of October 13 where the sun gyrated and danced across the sky witnessed by over 70,000 people, Lucia’s two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco died while Lucia went on to become a Sister of St Dorothy and then a Discalced Carmelite nun. As Fr Don Calloway recalls in his book, “26 Champions of the Rosary”, Mary stressed the importance of the recitation of the Rosary. All three children became champions of the Rosary and encouraged others to pray it with them before each apparition. Our Lady particularly emphasized the daily rosary as a means of bringing about an end to the war.

After the Marian apparitions occurred in Fatima, Sr Lucia received several other visitations from Mary. During the apparition of December 10, 1925, Our Lady revealed to Sr Lucia her desire for the Five First Saturday devotion in reparation to her Immaculate Heart.

During the Marian apparition to Sr Lucia, Mary said:

“My daughter, look at my heart surrounded with the thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me, and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for salvation all those who, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months, go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me”

“The Most Holy Virgin, in these last times in which we live, has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families …. That cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary” – Servant of God Lucia Dos Santos

The apparitions at Fatima occurred during a time of turmoil. World War I was raging throughout Europe, and the threat of atheism and Russian communism taking over parts of the world was a great concern to Mary. In 2021 we find ourselves in a similar situation. Although not World War III, we find ourselves in probably the greatest spiritual battle of all time. The threat of communist type mandates world-wide, the acceptance of abortion, same sex marriage and wide spread euthanasia has resulted in a culture of death and the consequence of the greatest apostasy the Church has ever seen.

In the convent, Sister Lucia received special insights related to the Message of Fatima, and years later, wrote a letter to the Pope describing one particular insight. Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, who had seen the original letter, quoted Sister Lucia’s words from the letter: “The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about marriage and family… nevertheless, Our Lady has already crushed his head.” (Radio interview with Cardinal Caffarra following Mass at the tomb of St. Padre Pio, February 16, 2008)

The final confrontation between the Lord and Satan will be over family and marriage. It should be evident to the faithful and those who have eyes to see, that we are living in these times. This message should wake up Catholic men and impress upon them their mission to defend their families from the evil one. God and His Church need us to step up and be Saints! We need to reclaim our masculinity as holy leaders for our wives, our kids and our local parishes. We need to be Champions of the Holy Rosary and promote the sanctity of marriage and the preservation of life within marriage and society. Men need to once again, take up the weapon of the Virgin – the most Holy Rosary. Men need to know they are soldiers of Christ and that Our Blessed Mother is our general on the spiritual battlefield of life. Pray the Rosary daily – to defend your family and Church and to join Mary in crushing the head of Satan. As a parting thought, I want to leave you with a quote from Pope Pius XI:

“If our age in its pride laughs at and rejects Our Lady’s Rosary, a countless legion of the most saintly men of every age and of every condition have not only held it most dear and have most piously recited it but have also used it at all times as a most powerful weapon to overcome the devil, to preserve the purity of their lives, to acquire virtue more zealously, in a word, to promote peace among men.”
Pope Pius XI

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

Bog i Hrvati

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica

Published on: by KOFPB

Inspiracija

Hrvatska zavjetna krunica sažima najdragocjenije trenutke svete prošlosti našeg naroda. To su povijesni trenuci koji su stvorili neizbrisivu vezu sjedinjenja između katoličke vjere i hrvatskog identiteta. Ti su događaji glavna inspiracija za stvaranje ove posebne krunice.

Najznačajniji od tih događaja je veliki jubilej proslave 1300 godina kršćanstva u Hrvata (641.-1941.) Još je krajem 1930 –ih godina blaženi Alojzije Stepinac planirao obilježiti ovu značajnu obljetnicu uspostave formalnih odnosa između Svete Stolice i Hrvatskog naroda. Iako mu je rat prekinuo plan, nije zaboravljen. Hvala Bogu, Hrvatski su biskupi oživjeli ovu značajnu spomen proslavu početkom 1970-ih godina. Odlučili su zahvaliti Bogu kroz razdoblje od devet godina (devet-godišnja devetnica) na daru krštenja, vjere i pripadnosti Katoličkoj crkvi.

Spomen obilježje sastojalo se od nekoliko velikih proslava:

• 1976. g. – Hrvatska Marijanska godina ili godina kraljice Jelene, proglašena u Solinu 1975
• 1978. g. – Zvonimirova godina, obilježena u Solinu,
• 1979. g. – Branimirova godina obilježena u Ninu,
• 1984. g. – Nacionalni euharistijski kongres (NEK) u Mariji Bistrici.

Uz navedeno i druga dva događaja također su bila snažna inspiracija za stvaranje Hrvatske zavjetne krunice. Prvi od njih dogodio se u osvit 20. stoljeća. To je bilo 22. lipnja 1900. godine, na blagdan Presvetog Srca Isusova, kada se 160 000 mladih Hrvatica i Hrvata posvetilo Presvetom Srcu Isusovu pod zavjetnom zastavom Presvetog Srca Isusova.

Druga se dogodila 1979. godine, koja je nazvana Branimirovom godinom. Bila je to proslava 1100. obljetnice, od kada je Hrvatski narod prvi puta sklopio zavjet s Gospodinom pod vodstvom kneza Branimira (879. godine). Tijekom Branimirove godine Hrvatski je narod obnovio svoj zavjet s Gospodinom. Za tu jubilarnu godinu napravljen je Hrvatski ‘Zavjetni Križ’ i napisana molitva ‘Ispovijest Vjere Hrvata Katolika’.

Ovi povijesni događaji bili su inspiracija za naziv krunice „Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica“.

Raspelo na krunici

Zavjetni Križ odabran je kao raspelo za ovu jedinstvenu krunicu zbog njegova povijesnog, vjerskog i kulturnog značaja. Zavjetni Križ ‘Branimirove godine’ simbolički je katekizam naše vjere i povijesti našeg spasenja.
• To je znak da smo mi Hrvati kao narod odavno pokršteni;
• da je kroz burna stoljeća križ za nas bio znak spasenja i jamstvo budućnosti;
• da smo narod koji je utkao pobožnost prema Blaženoj Djevici Mariji kao bitan element u našoj nacionalnoj duši i
• da smo kroz čitavu svoju povijest bili katolički narod u zajednici s Papom.

Zavjetni Križ

Na poleđini Zavjetnog Križa dodani su nacionalni slogan ‘Bog i Hrvati’ pisan glagoljicom a ispod slogana povijesni Hrvatski grb. S tim dodacima, poleđina križa obuhvaća, prema važnosti: Boga, obitelj i domovinu. Bog je prvi, na prvome mjestu, iznad svih drugih natpisa; drugo, na vodoravnoj prečki naša je obveza prema obitelji; zatim na dnu naša ljubav prema domovini Hrvatskoj.

Središnji dio krunice – Zavjetna medaljica

Središnji dio, zavjetna medaljica  na kojoj je Presveto Srce Isusovo inspirirana je zavjetnim barjakom pod kojim se 160 000 mladih Hrvatica i Hrvata 1900. godine posvetilo Presvetom Srcu Isusovu. Kako bi se ostvarila veza s ovim velikim povijesnim događajem slika Presvetog srca stavljena je u središte Hrvatske zavjetne krunice na povijesnom grbu. Isto takvo srce, izrađeno u zlatu Hrvatska omladina darovala je papi Leonu XIII. u Rimu 1900. godine (slika ispod).

Zlatno Srce – Papa Leon XIII

Presveto Srce našega Gospodina na Hrvatskom povijesnom grbu izrađena je i na amblemu ‘Miles Christi’ (Kristov Vojnik) za prvi susret Nacionalne hrvatske muške konferencije u Australiji (Sydneyu) 2019. godine.

Medalja sv. Benedikta na poleđini središta označava duhovnu borbu na koju smo svi pozvani i duhovnu zaštitu i blagoslove povezane s ovom medaljom. Koristi se izvorni dizajn medalje svetog Benedikta, s monogramom našeg Gospodina, ‘IHS’, koji se nalazi na vrhu. Medalja sv. Benedikta poznata je po svojoj učinkovitosti u duhovnoj borbi. Njegova je svrha prizvati Božji blagoslov i zaštitu na nas, na naše domove i imanje, kakvi smo, i uvijek smo bili, u duhovnom ratu, a naš Gospodin je bio, i uvijek je, naš jedini štit i snaga.

Zavjetna medaljica

Suradnja

Posebnost Hrvatske Zavjetne Krunice leži u načinu na koji nas povezuje s naša dva doma, onim na Zemlji i vječnim domom na Nebu. Suradnja hrvatske dijaspore u Australiji i hrvata u Domovini, braće i sestara u Kristu doprinijela je jedinstvenom karakteru krunice.

Izvorne koncepte dizajna i ilustracije Zavjetne medaljice i poleđine Zavjetnog križa izradila su dva hrvatska Australca. S druge strane, crteži križa, i modeli zavjetnog križa i zavjetne medaljice, rezultat su rada dizajnera u Hrvatskoj. Konačna izrada i oblaganje ova dva ključna elementa krunice također su obavljena u Hrvatskoj.

Verzija Hrvatske zavjetne krunice s drvenim perlicama od hrvatske masline ima posebno dirljivu pozadinu koja pokazuje kako su dijaspora i Hrvati u domovini povezani međusobnom ljubavlju jedni prema drugima, utemeljenom na ljubavi prema Bogu. Ovu krunicu u Domovini izrađuje Hrvatica koja je u potpunosti slijepa. Izrada krunica Marijani i njezinoj obitelji donosi određeni prihod koji će im pomoći da spoje kraj s krajem. Zauzvrat, oni koji kupuju i koriste krunice sudjeluju u duhovnim i tjelesnim djelima milosrđa.

Konačno, značajan zadatak povezivanja tima iz dijaspore s timom iz Hrvatske preuzeo je dragovoljac domovinskog rata i umirovljeni časnik Hrvatske vojske, čiji angažman u projektu pokazuje da se na pravog Branitelja uvijek može računati.

Prvih 50 krunica (verzija s drvenim perlicama) blagoslovio je biskup mons.dr. Vlado Košić (Sisačka Biskupija), bio je i dobitnik prve  Hrvatske zavjetne krunice nakon blagoslova.

Biskup Vlado Košić – Blagoslov krunice

 

Zaključna misao

Hrvatska zavjetna krunica ima dvostruki cilj – Sjećanje i Ohrabrenje.

Sjetimo se svete prošlosti naše nacije. “Trinaest stoljeća postojanja. Sama ta činjenica jest nešto veliko, nešto, što u sebi nosi i duboki smisao i nepresušnu vitalnost i određenu misiju.” (1) Sveta prošlost našeg naroda sažeta je u raspelu krunice, zavjetnom križu i zavjetnoj medaljici.

 

“Trinaest stoljeća kršćanstva u hrvatskome narodu. Velika je to milost i razlog trajne zahvalnosti Božanskoj Providnosti, koja je hrvatski narod – prvi od slavenskih naroda – izvela iz tmina poganstva i privela k svjetlu prave vjere. (…) Ovo jubilarno slavlje završavate Nacionalnim euharistijskim kongresom. (…) Izabrali ste najbolji način da okrunite proslavu ove obljetnice svraćajući tako pozornost cijele zajednice vjernika na bitnu stvarnost naše vjere: Presvetu Euharistiju! (…) Neka za sve vas ovaj Euharistijski kongres bude kako dolazište tako i u isto vrijeme polazište. (…) Ojačani u duhu nastavite na ovoj vašoj blagoslovljenoj zemlji djelo spasenja koje nam je povjerio Krist Gospodin!“ (2)

Iz poruke pape Ivana Pavla II. za NEK (Nacionalni euharistijski kongres)

Potaknite sve hrvatske katolike da žive svoj dio zavjeta koji su sklopili naši preci, živeći svoju krsnu vjeru konkretno, vjerno i dosljedno u svakodnevnom životu i u svom pozivu. Potaknite sve Hrvatske katolike da našu vjeru prenose na buduće naraštaje, kao što su to činili i naši preci prije nas.

“Dobro znamo za vašu vjernost. Ipak, dopustite da vas snažno potaknem. Svojom ustrajnošću načinili ste svojevrstan savez s Kristom i Crkvom, na vama je da ostanete vjerni tom savezu, koliko god to bilo teško. Onakvi kakvi bijaste od slavne one godine 879., takvi uvijek ostajte, biskupi, prezbiteri, sav katolički narod, najtješnje među sobom povezani i privrženi ostanite jedna cjelina, jedne duše, jedne volje i vjerni u savezu s Kristom, vjerni savezu s Rimskom Katoličkom Crkvom. Ta Crkva, uvijek zahvalna hrvatskom narodu zbog posvjedočene ljubavi i posluha, i danas je zahvalna, što ste nas silno obradovali istim svjedočanstvom. Ujedno vas uvjeravam koliko Crkva cijeni taj savez i kako ste joj srcu bliski ne samo blizinom vaših granica nego nadasve velikom ljubavlju.” (3)

Papa Ivan Pavao II

“Tko na tvrdoj stini svoju povist piše
Tom ne može nitko prošlost da izbriše
Mi smo tu odavna svi moraju znati
To je naša zemlja tu žive Hrvati.“

(Dražen Žanko, Od stoljeća sedmog)

Bog i Hrvati

 

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica trenutno je dostupna u dvije opcije (na slici dolje).

Vojnički stil – lančića od nehrđajućeg čelika
Verzija od maslinovog drveta – antikno srebro

 

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Engleski Tekst

  1. 641-1941 Najznačajniji Jubilej Hrvatske – Tiskara “Glasnik” Zagreb 1941, pg 5
  2. Izvod iz poruke pape Ivana Pavla II za “NEK” (Nacionalni euharistijski kongres) 1984 – Milosti puna, br. 18 Svetište Majke Božje Bistričke, 15. rujna 2014.
  3. Poruka pape Ivana Pavla II za Branimirova Godina 1979 – Branimorova Godina Fotomografija 1980, Izdao Nadbiskupski ordinarijat, Zadar

 

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica (Croatian Covenant Rosary)

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Reflecting on the inspiration behind this unique rosary

The “Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica” encapsulates the most treasured moments of our nation’s sacred past. These are historical moments that forged an indelible bond of union between the Catholic faith and the Croatian identity. These events are the main inspiration behind the creation of this very special rosary.

The most significant of these events is Croatia’s Great Jubilee of 641-1941, which celebrated the 1300th-year anniversary of her baptism. As far back as the late 1930’s, Blessed Aloysius Stepinac planned to commemorate this momentous anniversary of the establishment of formal relations between the Holy See and the Croatian people. Although his plan was interrupted by the war, it was not forgotten. Thanks be to God, the Croatian bishops revived this significant memorial celebration in the early 1970’s and decided to thank God, over a 9-year period (a 9-year novena), for the gift of baptism, faith and belonging to the Catholic Church.

This memorial consisted of several major celebrations:
• 1976 – Croatian Marian (or Jelena) Year.
• 1978 – Zvonimir’s Year, celebrated in Solin.
• 1979 – ‘Branimirova Godina’ (Branimir’s Year), celebrated in Nin.
• 1984 – The National Eucharistic Congress (NEK) in Marija Bistrica.

Two other events were also strongly inspirational in the creation of the Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica. The first of these occurred at the dawn of the 20th century, on the 22nd June 1900, the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, when a staggering 160 000 young Croatian men and women made a covenant (zavjet) to fight under the banner of, and consecrated themselves to, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second of these happened in 1979, named ‘Branimir’s Year’, as it was the 1100th-year anniversary of the grand occasion in 879AD when the Croatian people, as a nation, first professed their covenant (zavjet) with Our Lord under the leadership of Prince Branimir. During ‘Branimir’s Year’ of 1979, the Croatian people renewed their covenant (zavjet) with Our Lord. The Croatian ‘Zavjetni Križ’ and the prayer ‘Ispovijest Vjere Hrvata Katolika’ were specifically created for this memorial. Both of these events inspired the naming of the Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica.

The Crucifix on the Rosary

The Zavjetni Križ or ‘Covenant Cross’ was chosen as the crucifix for this unique rosary because of its historical, religious and cultural significance. The Zavjetni Križ of ‘Branimir’s Year’ is a symbolic catechism of our faith and of the history of our salvation. It is a sign that we Croats, as a people, have been baptized from long ago; that through the turbulent centuries the cross was, for us, a sign of salvation and a guarantee of the future; that we are a people who weaved devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary as an essential element into our national soul, and that throughout our entire history we have been a Catholic nation in union with the Pope.

Zavjetni Križ (‘Covenant Cross’)

Two additions were made to the reverse side of the Zavjetni Križ – the inclusion of our national slogan ‘Bog i Hrvati’ in our ancient Glagolitic script (‘Glagolica’), and beneath this slogan, the inclusion of our traditional Croatian coat-of-arms (‘Hrvatski Grb’). With these inclusions the reverse side of the Cross encompasses, in order of importance, God, Family, Homeland (‘Bog, Obitelj, Domovina’). God is first, in the prime position, above all other inscriptions; secondly, on the horizontal cross-bar, is our obligation to family; then at the bottom, our love for our homeland, Croatia.

Rosary Centrepiece – Zavjetni Medal (Covenant Medal)

The Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica is the only rosary to feature a uniquely Croatian centrepiece, namely, the Zavjetni Medal (Covenant Medal). The front of the Zavjetni Medal showcases the Zavjetni Grb which is inspired by devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and this devotion’s manifestation in the history of the Croatian people.
This design (superimposing Our Lord’s Most Sacred Heart on the Croatian coat-of-arms) was first used on the ‘Miles Christi’ Croatian emblem, created for the inaugural National Croatian Men’s Conference of 2019. This emblem became the inspirational starting point for the centrepiece design.

Such a beautiful starting point was also reminiscent of the consecration event of 1900, when 160 000 young Croatians pledged their commitment to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Golden Heart – Pope Leo XIII

To strengthen the link to this great event in Croatian history, the Sacred Heart image used for the Zavjetni Grb on the Zavjetni Medal was reworked to be a replica of the actual gold ‘Sacred Heart’ gifted to Pope Leo XIII by the Croatian youth while on their pilgrimage to Rome in 1900. To further commemorate this event, the coat-of-arms (‘Grb’) shape was formed into the same shape as the ‘Grb’ that was used in the literature for the preparations for the 1900 youth consecration event.

Zavjetni Medal  (Covenant Medal)

The St Benedict medal on the reverse of the Zavjetni Medal signifies the spiritual combat we are all called to, and the spiritual protection and blessings associated with this particular medal. The original St Benedict medal design is used, with our Lord’s monogram, ‘IHS’, featured at the top. The St Benedict medal is renown for its efficacy in spiritual combat. Its purpose is to invoke God’s blessing and protection upon us, and upon our homes and possessions, as we are, and always have been, engaged in a spiritual war, and our Lord was, and always is, our only shield and strength.

Collaboration

The Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica’s unique beauty lies in the way it links us to our two homes, a temporary yet beloved one here on earth – our Croatian homeland, and the eternal home we yearn for too – Heaven. This rosary’s unique Croatian character and wealth of cultural and religious meaning is further enriched by the fact that its creation is the result of a collaboration between the Croatian diaspora – those living away from home, as it were – and their brothers and sisters back in the homeland, particularly those who sacrificed all to defend the homeland in her hour of greatest need, the ‘Branitelji’.

The original design concepts and illustrations of the Zavjetni Medal (Covenant Medal) were produced by two Croatian Australians working together. This working partnership also conceptualised the design of the reverse side of the Zavjetni Križ. On the other hand, the 3D drawings of the Križ, as well as the models of both the Zavjetni Križ and Zavjetni Medal models, were the result of the work of a designer in Croatia. The final production and plating of these two crucial elements of the rosary were also done in Croatia.

The wooden bead version of the Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica has a particularly poignant background, showing how the diaspora and the Croatians still in the homeland are tied by a mutual love for each other, grounded by love of God first. This wooden rosary is produced by a woman in Croatia that is blind. Making the rosaries provides Marijana and her family with some income to help them make ends meet. In turn, those who purchase and use the rosaries she makes engage both in spiritual and corporal acts of mercy.

Finally, the mammoth task of connecting the team from the diaspora with the team of people from Croatia was undertaken by a retired Hrvatski Branitelj, whose involvement in the project demonstrates that a true Branitelj labours for his people on the spiritual plane as well as on the physical plane.

The first 50 rosaries (wooden bead version) were blessed by Bishop mons.dr. Vlado Košić (Sisačka Biskupija), he was also the recipient of the first  Hrvatska Zavjetna krunica after the blessing.

Bishop Vlado Košić – Blessing Rosaries

 

The ultimate mission

The Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica has a two-fold aim – Remember and Encourage.

Remember our nation’s sacred past. Remember that “we have existed for over thirteen centuries. The very fact that we began to exist as an organic people thirteen centuries ago and that we still exist today is something remarkable, something that carries a deep meaning and inexhaustible vitality and a certain mission.” (1) Our nation’s sacred past is succinctly summarised in the rosary’s crucifix, the Zavjetni Kriz (‘Covenant Cross’) and its centrepiece, the Zavjetni Medal (Covenant Medal).

“Thirteen centuries of Christianity of the Croatian people. It is an immense grace, and the reason for lasting gratitude to the Divine Providence, for the Croatian people – the first of the Slav nations – who were brought out of the darkness of paganism and led into the light of true faith. (….) This jubilee celebration is ending with this National Eucharistic Congress. (…) You have chosen the best way to crown the celebration of this anniversary, thus focusing the attention of the whole community of believers to the essential reality of our faith: the Most Holy Eucharist! (…) May this Eucharistic Congress be for all of you – both a coming and a starting point. (…) Reinforced in Spirit continue in this blessed land of yours for works of salvation which Christ the Lord has entrusted to us!“
From the message of Pope John Paul II for NEK (2)

Encourage all Croatian Catholics to live out their part of the covenant that our forefathers made, by living their baptismal faith concretely, faithfully and consistently in everyday life and in their calling. Encourage all Croatian Catholics to pass on our faith to future generations as did our forefathers before us.

“We well know your faithfulness. Still, allow me to touch you with my strength. By your perseverance you have made a unique covenant with Christ and the Church, it is up to you, to remain faithful to that covenant, no matter how hard the opposition. As you have been, since the glorious year of 879, so always remain, Bishops, Presbyters, all Catholic people, closely connected and attached, remain one whole, one soul, one Will, faithful in covenant with Christ, faithful in covenant with the Roman Catholic Church. This Church, always grateful to the Croatian people with witnessed love and obedience, still thanks you very much today through us, since you have made us very happy with the same witness. At the same time, she assures you how much she appreciates this alliance and how close you are to her heart, not only by the proximity of your borders, but above all by great love.“
From the message of Pope John Paul II, 1979 (3)

Bog i Hrvati

 

The Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica is currently available in two options (pictured below).

Military Style – Classic Stainless Steel pull chain version
Olive Wood version – Antique Silver

Hrvatska Zavjetna Krunica – Croatian Text

  1. 641-1941 Najznačajniji Jubilej Hrvatske – Tiskara “Glasnik” Zagreb 1941, pg 5
  2. Extract from message given by Pope John Paul II for “NEK” (National Eucharistic Congress) 1984 – Milosti puna, br. 18 Svetište Majke Božje Bistričke, 15. rujna 2014.
  3. Message from Pope John Paul II for Branimirova Godina 1979 – Branimorova Godina Fotomografija 1980, Izdao Nadbiskupski ordinarijat, Zadar

 

Cro Combat Rosary

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The Story of the – Cro Combat Rosary

Shortly after the Knights of the Most Precious Blood were formed in 2015, the group’s logo was designed and confirmed by the founding members. The logo was intended to embody the charism and chivalric code of the Knights, combining fidelity to Christ with Croatian heritage.

The founding members all agreed that the Knight’s logo should include a shield in the colours of the Croatian emblem (grb), with the Cross of Our Lord as the centerpiece of the shield. This was to emphasize the belief that the Holy Cross is our shield and our victory. Our Lord shed his Most Precious Blood on the Cross for us and it is the Most Precious Blood that we call upon daily for our protection. The rays emanating from the Cross represent the glorious victory over death that was won by our Lord on the Cross. This glory of the Cross, the victory of the Blood of the Lamb, is our Shield and our Strength.

With the foundation of the Knights and their logo settled, the idea of Knights needing a weapon to combat with began to materialize. Our Queen, the Blessed and ever Virgin Mary, gave to Catholics the ultimate weapon in the fight against Satan and our enemies. From the very beginning of the Knights, the need to have a manly rosary, that is, a special, sturdy rosary for the Knights of our order, became evident. The traditional, chain-link rosaries had a tendency to come apart when they were carried in pockets or worn. Consequently, the search for a tough, manly rosary began. In the course of online research, the Knights came across a rosary manufacturer with whom they had discussions with, hoping to produce a rosary from stainless steel, a naturally robust material. Unfortunately, this lead did not materialise, and the search continued.

Undeterred, the Knights continued their search. By God’s providence, the first chain manufacturer that they contacted advised that they could manufacture the rosary the Knights wanted, as they had done similarly styled items in the past.

Overjoyed at this joyous news, the Knights discerned the need for a specifically Croatian version of the pull-chain combat rosary. The Knights deemed that the “Hrvatski Zavjetni Križ” (Croatian Covenant Cross) would be the best crucifix for this uniquely Croatian rosary due to its great significance to the Croatian people. It is a sign of our sacred Catholic history and identity, and is a symbol of our covenant with God. This traditional crucifix was sourced from Croatia.

The next challenge was producing the Miraculous Medal centerpiece. The Knights had difficulty sourcing an existing design of a high enough quality required for the new Cro Combat Rosary. After an extended period of fruitless searching, the group decided to have a new Miraculous Medal centerpiece designed and created especially for their rosary.

After conducting research into the early designs based on the visions of the Miraculous Medal, the Knights noticed that the records of the visions did not ever mention the inclusion of the stars typically found on the reverse side of most of the available Miraculous Medal designs. In order to be more faithful to the visions the Knights did not include the stars in their version of the Miraculous Medal.

The other feature included on most medal designs but not recorded in the visions is the ‘1830’ atop the globe on the front side of the medal, and again, for this reason, the Knights decided to omit this feature in their design. Also, the lettering on the original medal design was in French as St Catherine Laboure, the Saint to whom the design of the Miraculous Medal was first entrusted, was French. For their Miraculous Medal, the Knights decided to go with Latin wording as Latin is the universal language of the Catholic Church.

The shape of the Knights’ Miraculous Medal is based on the earliest drawings of the medals, which were slightly wider across the center section of the medal. The other unique element of the Knights’ Miraculous Medal design is the incorporation of the Croatian ‘pleter’ (weave) on the Cross. Most Miraculous Medals have cross-hatching patterned inside the Cross, and in the ‘M’ on the reverse side of the medal to emphasize these elements more. A supplier was sourced to produce a 3D model of the group’s design so that samples could be checked before mass production began.

The Knights perceived that the men needed a practical, masculine carry case for their Croatian Combat Rosary. The simplest, most practical idea that came to mind was the old-fashioned leather rosary or coin pouches, with spring metal strips that held the pouch closed. Squeezing the sides would make the spring bow out and open the pouch. The pouch could easily fit in a pocket and would be able to be opened and closed with one hand. It would not have any clumsy zippers that can be a bit noisy in quiet Church environments. The Knights decided to have the St Benedict Medal embossed on the pouch for their unique Croatian Combat Rosary, as the Rosary is the spiritual weapon for our times.

To accompany this new rosary, the Knights included a masculine ‘how to pray the rosary’ card. They designed a unique military-style fold-out card with another fold-out card that gave an overview of the symbols on the medal and the crucifix and their meanings. This card would fit neatly in the two external pockets of the pouch (front and rear).
With the grace and inspiration of God, the journey to create a unique Croatian Combat Rosary package was finally realised. In addition to the traditional ‘Pardon Crucifix’ combat rosary style, the newest option, the traditional or the “Zavjetni Križ” style, has become, by far, the most popular preference among Croatian men.

Currently the Cro Combat Rosary is available in the following styles.

Classic Stainless Steel pull chain version
Classic Stainless Steel pull chain version with Pardon Crucifix
Olive Wood version – Antique Silver
Olive Wood version – Antique Bronze