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Imprimatur: + Paul C. Schulte, D.D. Archbishop of Indianapolis February 27, !

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'ou as( me, )lessed *ary, to +al( +ith you the road to Cal,ary. 'ou ha,e so much to teach me, a -e$ionary, about your dyin$ Son and souls, about their close connection +ith one another. .elp me to learn by li,in$ Cal,ary once a$ain +ith you. -et your spirit pass into me so that time, space and I mi$ht disappear, you alone remainin$ to lo,e the sufferin$ Christ, the Christ that still li,es in the most +retched and ab/ect of souls. -et me lose self in li,in$ throu$h and +ith you the Passion of your Son, Christ. 0ith you I can ne,er for$et that Cal,ary continues until the da+n of eternity, that the 0ay of the Cross can still be found in the heart of each discoura$ed and disheartened soul. #he accidentals may chan$e but essentially the situation is the same. #his historical person of Christ has been continued in the *ystical Christ. 1ach member of that *ystical )ody +ith +hom I rub shoulders today, carries +ith him his pri,ate share of the Passion. In fillin$ up that +hich +as +antin$ in the sufferin$ of Christ, each soul continues to +rite 2od3s unendin$ serial of the Passion. As a -e$ionary it is my pri,ile$e to +al( +ith .im, help .im +ith .is Cross, pic( .im up +hen .e falls. A pri,ile$e al+ays 4 because .e is Christ. So, *ary, since your Son suffers daily in .is *ystical )ody there is need for 5other *arys6 to tend the sorro+in$ Christ. 7nion +ith you +ill be my secret. *y -e$ionary acti,ity, my life +ill ha,e success only +hen, throu$h union +ith you, I re,erence and lo,e Christ in e,ery soul +hom I meet on my -e$ionary ,isits, in my fello+ -e$ionaries, for that matter e,ery indi,idual +ho crosses my path. Ave Christe! 8.ail Christ9, must be my silent $reetin$ to them all.

First Station
Jesus Is Condemned to Death.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. The Legionary must not sit in judgment. 8p. 27! = .andboo(9> >?.). All references are from the Se,enth American 1dition of -e$ion .andboo(. ;ften durin$ my ,isitation of souls I climb into Pilate3s seat to sit in /ud$ment. -et me ne,er for$et the +ords of the .andboo(. They (the Legionaries) must always consider how Mary s so!t eyes would loo" on all these circumstances and #ersons. Then let them try to act as she would act. Christ the Innocent is bein$ condemned un/ustly in this Station. 1ach of my ,isits from no+ on +ill be mar(ed by a 5delicate respect6 for this 5other Christ.6 Don3t let me act the part of Pilate to+ard anyone I meet durin$ the day. #hat person too is Christ@ ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Second Station
Jesus Receives His Cross.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld.

The movement o! $is %lood dilating their reluctant veins& gives #ain' and this ma"es the sorrows o! li!e (. The sense o! su!!ering )ecomes the sense o! Christ s close #resence. 8p. %& = -.)9 I need to li,e +ith you *ary, at this Station, because Christ, sufferin$ in .is *ystical )ody still recei,es the Cross. ;nly you can $i,e me +ords to teach souls that the shado+ of the Cross is the shado+ cast by Christ dra+in$ near them. Sho+ me ho+ to lead souls to a /oyful cherishin$ of their cross throu$h lo,e of Aesus. )ut I myself must learn it before I can teach. )y cheerful acceptance of my o+n crosses I can be a silent sermon 4 pro,in$ to myself and others that once you resol,e to carry the cross, the Cross +ill carry you. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Third Station
Jesus Falls the First Time.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. The s#ecial attractiveness o! the search !or the shee# that is straying( should not )lind the Legionary to the !act that a wider !ield lies to hand in the urging on o! that vast multitude who& though called )y *od to sanctity& are contenting themselves with a li!e o! mere #er!ormance o! essential duties. 8p. 27B = -.)9 Aesus fallin$ the first time ma(es me thin( of myself and the many souls satisfied +ith mediocrity and lu(e+armness. *aybe I3m responsible throu$h my o+n mediocrity 4 0hat ha,e I said or done lately in my -e$ionary ,isitation and e,eryday life to fan a soul3s lu(e+armness into Ceal for personal sanctificationD 0ith and by *ary I can help these 5other Christs6 in the *ystical )ody $ro+ and +aE stron$ in a$e and $race before 2od and man.

I should share *ary3s anEiety that all souls, my o+n especially, soon may come to the fullness of the Christian life. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Fourth Station
Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. +n and through her Legionary& Mary #artici#ates in every Legionary duty and mothers souls so that in each o! those wor"ed !or and o! one s !ellow,wor"ers not only is the #erson o! -ur Lord seen and served& )ut seen and served )y Mary& with the same e./uisite love and nurturing care which she gave to the actual %ody o! her 0ivine 1on. 8p. &F = -.)9 So sta$$erin$ a pri,ile$e is mine that I often ta(e it for $ranted. I +aste my time idly +ishin$ to return to the first road of Cal,ary 4 there to help Aesus. Slo+ of heart, I don3t burn +ith lo,e for the cross4laden, do+ntrodden indi,iduals I meet each +ee(, these 5other Christs.6 0hen +ill I ha,e not only an intellectual faith in these Christs, but a 5faith animated by Charity6 +hich +ill cherish them, respect them, lo,e them as I +ould Christ, as did *ary at this Fourth Station. #his techniGue, the spirituality, the entire .andboo( can be learned by lon$ and deep reflection at this Station. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Fifth Station
Simon of Cyrene Hel s Jesus to Carry His Cross.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. ( The laying aside o! #leasure& the ta"ing on o! the an.ieties which come in #lenty with the wor"& the anguish which the contem#lation o! irreligion and de#ravity )rings to the sensitive soul& sorrow !rom sorrows wholeheartedly shared(. 8p. H = -.)9 If there +ere such a $ad$et, a spiritual I4ray machine +ould be ideal to record my reactions +hen I see Simon reluctantly helpin$ Christ. I could see my o+n reluctance for the +or( of the Apostolate, my hesitancy to help the members of Christ3s *ystical )ody carry their cross of sufferin$, shame or po,erty. -i(e Simon, my attitude, is 5-et 2eor$e do it.6 )ut the eyes of the abandoned soul, +hich sorro+fully +atch me turn a+ay from my -e$ionary duty, are those same eyes +hich pleaded silently +ith the Cyrenian for assistance. ; Aesus, I lo,e 'ou not only here in the peace of a Guiet church, sheltered by the #abernacle but in e,eryone, +ithout eEception, +ho fills my life. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Si!th Station
"eronica #i es The Face of Jesus.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. 2very im#ossi)ility is divisi)le into thirty,nine ste#s o! which each ste# is #ossi)le (. 1ome active gesture (i.e.& not merely a #rayer) must )e made& which& o! no a##arent #ractical value& at least tends toward or has some relation to the o)jective. This !inal challenging gesture is what the Legion has )een calling 1ym)olic Action. 8p. &FB4&F" = -.)9 #hrou$hout the +hole bloody reality of Cal,ary, help for Christ in any +ay certainly +as 5impossible.6 :eronica3s +ipin$ of the a$oniCed countenance of Christ +as li(e applyin$ a spon$e to the Atlantic. Stran$e, but :eronica ne,er considered that. She sa+ only the sufferin$ Christ and she too( the first 5Symbolic Action6 in this Christian A$e. Christ3s ima$e +as hers in payment for her sympathy and lo,e. And the -e$ionary, li(e :eronica, +ill possess the ima$e of Christ stamped not only on a ,eil, but on his soul. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Seventh Station
Jesus Falls the Second Time.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld.

+! love is due to those least ones when one sets out to serve& it is due in higher degree to one s )rethren in organi3ation(. The whole idea and s#irit o! the Legion is one o! intense charity and sym#athy& which )e!ore radiating its warmth outside& must !irst o! all )urn )rightly and strongly on the domestic hearth o! the Legion itsel!. 8pp. &2"4&2H = -.)9 I can defile the terms 5Sister6 and 5)rother33 by any lac( of lo,e to+ard a fello+ -e$ionary, because it is in and throu$h Christ that +e share in 2od3s Di,ine -ife. Should there be e,en the sli$htest shado+ of criticism of one another, of an officer or of the Spiritual Director, and small bac(4bitin$ and detraction, I am brin$in$ failure into my +or( for souls. I ha,e opened an artery that can only lead to death = the death of the Praesidium, the death of that life4$i,in$ force for members and clients ali(e. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

$i%hth Station
Jesus Meets the #omen of Jerusalem.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. 5The secret o! all success with others lies in the esta)lishment o! #ersonal contact& the contact o! love and sym#athy. 8pp. H47 = -.)9 *o,ed by the si$ht of the Cross4laden, a$oniCin$ Christ, the +omen of Aerusalem +ept for .im. Does the si$ht of a soul co,ered +ith the dirt of sin, +ho by Christ3s o+n +ords in .imself, brin$ forth the sympathy, lo,e, understandin$, un,aryin$ $entleness +hich must be part and parcel of all -e$ion acti,ityD 5Faith animated by charity,6 +hich *ary can $i,e +ill help me to possess the lo,e and sympathy +hich the +omen of Aerusalem sho+ed to the ;ne +hom public opinion rated e,en lo+er than )arabbas, the robber, murderer and seditionist. .uman respect +ill die in the heart of a -e$ionary +ho shares the lo,e of Christ +hich *ary possesses. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

&inth Station
Jesus Falls the Third Time.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. 4or" !or the derelict or a)andoned classes will always )e a di!!icult& long& drawn, out one. +ts "eynote must )e a su#reme #atience. A ty#e is )eing dealt with which will only rise a!ter many !allings. 8p. 2B = -.)9 Dear Aesus, as 'ou fell for the third and last time on the 0ay of the Cross, did 'ou thin( it impossible to riseD ;n our last ,isitation there +as a soul saturated +ith sin +ho thou$ht it impossible to rise, too. 'et, by patient prayer and sacrifices, by patient action in union +ith the *ediatriE of All 2races, he +ill rise by the $race 'ou +on durin$ this fall. If +e can spread abroad the rei$n of the Sacraments and popular de,otions, if +e can apply the reli$ious system of the Church, the -e$ion +ill succeed in helpin$ Christ rise to a ne+ life of $lory and eternal /oy. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Tenth Station
Jesus Is Stri ed of His 'arments.

:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld.

Let thy #ower ($oly 1#irit) overshadow me& and come into my soul with !ire and love&( so that + may )e #ure in her who was made +mmaculate )y Thee. 8p. "2, line 2 = -e$ionary Promise9 Aesus stripped of .is $arments is a silent sermon in that purity both of heart and intentions +hich must be found in e,ery -e$ionary. 7nion +ith *ary to the point that it is *ary3s heart +hich lo,es other souls, *ary3s hands +hich ser,e man(ind, and *ary3s eyes +hich ,ie+ a sinful +orld, is the best $uarantee of this purity. A con,iction that Christ alone is the one perfectly 7nchan$in$ 1lement of life, must dominate the spirituality of a -e$ionary. As aids to this purity of intention, the -e$ionary +ill be careful to obser,e the .andboo(3s admonition that there must be 5no politics,6 5no see(in$ of self,6 5no /ealously,6 +ithin the -e$ion system. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

$leventh Station
Jesus Is &ailed to the Cross.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. $ere is the motive !or Legionary #erseverance e./uisitely #ut )y Monsignor 5.$. %enson6 7+! a sinner merely drove Christ away )y his sins& we could let such a soul go. +t is )ecause , in 1t. 8aul s terri!ying #hrase , the sin!ul soul holds Christ& still cruci!ying $im and ma"ing $im a moc"ery ($e). 9+& :) that we cannot )ear to leave it to itsel!. 8p. 2!7 = -.)9 Sin 4 the eEtension of the CrucifiEion in the modern +orld, Cal,ary continued in the sinner perched on the brin( of .ell. #ruly the Church and the )lessed Sacrament ha,e been called the eEtension of the Incarnation. #ryin$ to be 5another *ary6 fits so beautifully into both these concepts 4 the Incarnation and <edemption.

0ith these thou$hts, participation in the Apostolate ceases to be an optional tas(. If +e are true Christians +e must do our part to alle,iate .is Sufferin$s. Could +e stand on Cal,ary and say, 5I mi$ht help if I could find the timeJ6D Can +e dismiss Christ so easilyD ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be. .

T(elfth Station
Jesus Dies on the Cross.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. That Motherhood o! hers was #roclaimed at the moment when it reached its com#lete e.#ansion& that is& when 5edem#tion was consummated. +n the midst o! the sorrows o! Calvary ;esus said to her !rom the Cross6 74oman& )ehold thy son& and to 1t. ;ohn6 7%ehold thy Mother. ( +ncessantly must the Legionary dwell u#on the reality o! Mary s Motherhood o! us(. 8p. &4 B = -.)9 *ary3s *otherhood has a t+ofold meanin$ to us. She is the *other of 2race both for the sanctity I see( for myself and the sal,ation I see( for others. If the #rinity could entrust the Son of 2od to her I can put my poor self entirely into her care. As for the souls I meet in my ,isitations, in my Praesidium, at home and at +or( 4 *ary +ill share +ith me her spirit to see, re,erence, and lo,e Christ in them all. *ary, my *other, is the secret of success in this t+ofold need. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Thirteenth Station
Jesus Is Ta)en Do(n from the Cross And *laced in the Arms of His Mother.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee. <. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. +n every #erson& in every #lace& in every circumstance and ha##ening& the Legionary should meet ;esus. 8p. &"7 = -.)9 #his meetin$ +ith Christ in a -e$ionary3s daily life should reflect *ary completely. .er s+eetness in sufferin$, her lo,in$ Fiat to the Cross, her cherishin$ of Christ e,en in death, sho+ the +ay to heroic sanctity. As a -e$ionary, one +ill find a semblance of the 5dead Christ6 many times 4 in the Catholic cut off from the life of $race, in the non4Catholic or pa$an +ho is only a potential Christ, in himself +hen 2od remo,es all sensible consolation and /oy, in fello+ Catholics +ho fulfill only the essentials of their Faith. In e,erythin$, 5faith animated by charity6 +ill help them to sin$ +ith *ary *a$dalen, 5I ha,e seen the -ord.6 ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Fourteenth Station
Jesus Is +aid in the Se ulchre.
:. 0e adore #hee, ; Christ, and +e bless #hee.

<. )ecause by #hy .oly Cross #hou hast redeemed the +orld. <ailure is a #enance and an e.ercise o! <aith , a higher joy to the thought!ul Legionary who sees therein merely a #ost#oned and greater success. 8p. 2%H = -.)9 Christ at this Station is failure personified to e,eryone 4 eEcept *ary. .er heart could re/oice. In three days she +ould see .im 4 a radiant, $lorified Kin$. For e,ery -e$ionary, united +ith *ary, there can only be unbounded /oy in the +or( of the Apostolate, because +e ha,e been $uaranteed absolute success by 2od and *ary. From 2enesis to Fatima the +ords of triumphal success $i,e /oy in the midst of the failure and the disheartenin$ delu$e of sin and indifference +hich the -e$ionary must meet. Failure +ill turn to success +ith the ma$ic +and of *ary3s patient faith. #hin( of it, -e$ionaries@ )ecause +e ha,e chosen *ary in a uniGue +ay to be a part of our Apostolate, +e cannot fail. ;ur Father. .ail *ary. 2lory be.

Concludin% *rayer
Let us #ray.
Confer, ; -ord, on us, +ho ser,e beneath the standard of *ary, that fulness of faith in #hee and trust in her, to +hich it is $i,en to conGuer the +orld. 2rant us a li,ely faith, animated by charity, +hich +ill enable us to perform all our actions from the moti,e of pure lo,e of #hee, and e,er to see #hee and ser,e #hee in our nei$hborL a faith, firm and immo,able as a roc(, throu$h +hich +e shall rest tranGuil and steadfast amid the crosses, toils, and disappintments of lifeL a coura$eous faith +hich +ill inspire us to underta(e and carry out +ithout hesitation $reat thin$s for 2od and for the sal,ation of soulsL a faith +hich +ill be our -e$ion3s Pillar of Fire 4 to lead us forth united = to (indle e,ery+here the fires of Di,ine -o,e = to enli$hten those +ho are in dar(ness and in the shado+ of death 4 to inflame those +ho are lu(e+arm = to brin$ bac( life to those +ho are dead in sinL and +hich +ill $uide our o+n feet in the 0ay of Peace, so that 4 the battle of life o,er 4 our -e$ion may reassemble, +ithout the loss of any one, in the Kin$dom of #hy -o,e and 2lory. Amen. *ay the souls of our departed -e$ionaries and the souls of all the faithful departed throu$h the mercy of 2od rest in peace. Amen.

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