We had a wonderful Congress followed by a week of study of Social Credit. Here is the theme of the Congress placed on the front of the stage in the hall of the House of the Immaculate:
"In God's family, no one ought to go without the necessities of life": these words are taken from Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical "God is Love". In the same encyclical, the Pope adds that "the aim of a just social order is to guarantee to each person, according to the principle of subsidiarity, his share of the community's goods." This would be achieved so well by the Social Credit dividend to all, which would respect the dignity of the human person created in the image of God.
At the Congress all five continents were represented: America, by many Canadians and Americans, Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico and Cuba; Africa by Tanzania, the Congo and Madagascar; Asia by the Philippines; Oceania by New Zealand; Europe by Poland, France, Austria and Switzerland.
Notable speakers helped us deepen our understanding of the great truth of Social Credit. During the week of study, Mr. Alain Pilote gave courses on the writings of Louis Even on Social Credit in ten well enriching lessons, well detailed and very understandable, even for the beginners (see page 8).
Peter and Henry Reynel of New Zealand
Mr. Henry Reynel, from New Zealand, who came with his son Peter, again enriched our minds by his explanations on Social Credit. Mr. Reynel, a disciple of Major C. H. Douglas, has been militant for Social Credit for the past 50 years. He is a professor and apostle of Social Credit in his country. The "Michael" Movement has brought him great hope. He said to us:
"They say that knowledge is power: that's wrong! Knowledge with action is power; that is what is true. You have the knowledge, act."
Dominador Gregorio and Fr. Norberto Eyule
Bishop Benjamin Almoneda, of the Diocese of Daet, in the Philippines, was present at our Congress two years ago, but could not come this year, due to last-minute health problems. However, he continues to win over those around him to the great truth of Social Credit. He sent us a representative this year, Fr. Norberto Eyule, who came to the Congress last year. (See the message of the Bishop on page 6.) Mr. Dominador Gregorio, from the Movement "Couples for Christ", was sent by Mr. Besinga, the "holy" banker who came last year. Our Filipino friends have translated the "Michael" leaflets into Tagalog. It is truly a miracle that is taking place in the Philippines.
Like last year, during the Congress and the week of study, we took advantage of the enriching courses of Mr. Renaud Laillier, from France, and of Mr. Francois de Siebenthal, from Switzerland. We had a good assistance at the Congress. Our visitors from distant lands left with the determination of spreading the work of "Michael" in their countries, of making known the great light of Social Credit.
Fr. Chikawe and Bishop Bruno Ngonyani
Most Rev. Bruno Ngonyani, Bishop of Lindi, in Tanzania, was present at our Congress and for the week of study, along with Father Hugh Chikawe, a Tanzanian missionary from Florida. Both speak English. It was Mr. Yves Jacques who invited Father Hugh to come to the Congress, and he (Father Hugh) invited his Bishop. In Tanzania, the population is about 37 million. It includes 120 tribes. The only national language is Swahili. Over 50 million people in East Africa speak Swahili. Father Hugh Chikawe will translate "The Money Myth" into Swahili as well as the "Michael" Journal.
Bishop Bruno said to us: "Because we are loaded with debts, be they in developing or developed countries, and for quite a long time, we have been speaking of cancelling these debts, but these financiers, these bankers, are not going to cancel the debts unless they are told, and not only told, but unless we insist upon it. The obligation which we have, we in developing countries, and also in developed countries, is to speak out. We have to speak out that these debts are unjust, that these debts are making the countries poorer, that these debts are a form of enslavement. We have to speak out!
"The result of speaking out can be twofold: the bankers can hear and understand what we are saying, and put it into practice. They can cancel the debts. This is one way. The second way, which is also possible, is that they will continue to be adamant, that they will continue in their evil way, not listening to our plea. In any case, whether they listen to us or not, our contribution will already be made. For God, we shall be, I could say, without sin in this respect.
"Now, here is what we are going to do after getting home: first, we intend to translate the'Michael'leaflets and the'Michael'Journals into Swahili. As you heard from Father Hugh, he is a journalist, so this is not a very big task for him; he will do it very gladly!
"Secondly, we have come here not as representatives of the Bishops'Conference, yet, I see the challenge of contacting the other Bishops in Tanzania. Now, before doing that, I have first to take care of my diocese. So, I intend, after going back home, to first contact the priests and laity council meetings and talk to them about Social Credit to motivate them, and see how they accept this idea. Because only after meeting the priests and the leaders of the laity councils can I be in a better position to spread the Social Credit idea in the diocese. Without these two groups — the priests and the leaders of the laity councils — it will be very difficult for me. So I will try to influence them so that we walk together along this long road of fighting poverty, first of all in my diocese of Lindi.
"I have been meditating on the importance of the Louis Even Institute. I came to realize why St. Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Virgin Mary are very prominent in this Institute: both led the war against Lucifer and his followers; it is the Virgin Mary who crushed the head of the serpent. These two are fighting for God, for the Kingdom of God. Now, I like to congratulate you, Pilgrims of St. Michael, for the good work you are doing. The work of alleviating poverty is the task of all of us… Let us ask God to bless this Work, and I am sure He is blessing it! The means you have adopted — first, to spread Social Credit — is a necessary one, because man is composed of both a body and a soul. The means you have adopted of having recourse to the Blessed Virgin Mary by saying the Rosary is also very necessary, because we need God's help, which comes to us through His saints, and the Blessed Virgin Mary is number one among the saints."
Speaking of the Congress and the week of study, Father Hugh told us:
"You begin everything here with prayer, and you end everything with prayer. All activities begin and end with prayer. You recite the Rosary, three Rosaries per day. I saw the balance between prayer and the conferences. You give time for the spiritual life". And he made us the following confession: "For the last ten years, I prayed to Padre Pio every day before I go to bed to find a solution to the problem of poverty. When I was given a chance to come here in Rougemont, I said to myself:'God has answered my prayer.'Social Credit is an answer to my prayer. Thank you, and God bless you."
From Madagascar, an island situated south-east of Africa, came Mr. Fulgence Rabemananjara, a great devotee to the Blessed Virgin, a representative of Bishop Raymond who came last year. Mr. Fulgence is a customs officer who is very interested in Social Credit. He has known of the Work of "Michael" for the last ten years. He has studied Social Credit, and he is overwhelmed by it. He translated Louis Even's writings into Malagasy. Here are some of his words:
"I was able to publish my first book at the beginning of the year 2000. I introduced Social Credit in about twenty pages. Last year, I published my second book on Social Credit, a socio-economic-political book, written entirely in Malagasy, entitled "Lovazo". This title LOVAZO is formed by joining two Malagasy words: LOVA means inheritance, what we inherit from our ancestors; ZO means right of each individual, the natural right so dear to Louis Even. Therefore, LOVAZO means right to the inheritance. But don't we find that Social Credit is the right to the inheritance for all the population of the world? My job as customs inspector is a godsend for me to'discern'in its just value the application of this Social Credit theory, the only one in my humble opinion capable of standing up to this crazy one-world government that is leading the world into hell!"
Miss Dina Razafimahatratra, from Madagascar, who was again among us this year, held good meetings and days of study on Social Credit in some parishes in her diocese. "Michael" leaflets translated into Malagasy circulated in all of these places. We sent a container of leaflets on Social Credit to Madagascar. During a meeting of the Bishops'Conference, Bishop Raymond gave several bundles to the Bishops who left each for their own diocese with arms full of leaflets. The leaflet reserve will soon be gone.
Mr. Fulgence listed for us in one conference all the riches in his country: precious stones, minerals, coffee, etc. All is exploited by the foreign financiers. The profits go for the interest on the public debts, and the people receive nothing in return. Tens of thousands of hectares of land are uncultivated because the people have only their hands and feet to cultivate the earth. They do not have the financial means to obtain the ploughs or the zebu, big beef animals, that can be used to work the land.
"That is why," Mr. Fulgence said to us, "Social Credit is urgent in Madagascar."
The Saturday night of the Congress our great apostle subscribers marched across the stage. We want to mention again the greatly devoted apostles crowned as Colonels. They deserve special mention. They are the great pillars of the Work of "Michael".
Patrick Tétrault 4,031
Mr. & Mrs. Benoît Ouellet 2,037
Mr. & Mrs. Bertrand Gaouette 2,005
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Gingras 1,637
Mr. & Mrs. Yves Jacques 1,410
Janusz A. Lewicki, Poland 1,230
Lionel Bournival 1,078
Fr. Boguslaw Jaworowski, Poland 1,060
Alyre Richard 1,033
Mrs. Simone Gingras 1,613
Mrs. Marie-Jacqueline Potvin 1,000
During this New Year 2006-2007 that we are undertaking, let us ask the Blessed Virgin and Saint Michael the Archangel to enflame our hearts with love for God and our neighbor. The darkness obscures the earth more than ever. We must carry the flame of truth to enlighten souls of good will who search for the light and do not find it. Society needs noble souls to guide it.
Dear readers and subscribers to the "Michael" Journal, you are all invited to solicit subscriptions to this journal around you, among your relatives, friends, and acquaintances, whoever you meet.
Your Full-time Missionaries are all admirable because they consecrate their time fully to the Work of "Michael" and never take vacations. They do not all have the freedom from duties or the health to do the door to door regularly, but all accomplish an immense work for the advancement of the Work of "Michael". Here is the list of Full-time Pilgrims crowned Colonels and Lieutenant-Colonels:
Melvin Sickler 4,857
Pierre Marchildon 4,435
Jacek Morawa 3,003
Yvette Poirier 2,065
Lucie Parenteau 1,714
Christian Burgaud, France 1,559
Marcelle Caya 1,545
Lambert Boucher 1,419
Diane Guillemette 1,359
Gérard Migneault 1,324
Diane Roy 1,220
Réjean Lefebvre 712
Carlos A. Reyes, Ecuador 618
Mrs. Teresa Reyes, Ecuador 618
In the month of August, Mr. Alyre Richard and Mr. Melvin Sickler went to Nova Scotia for two weeks. They gathered in all 358 subscriptions to the "Michael" Journal. On September 16th, Mr. Christian Burgaud went out on the Rosary Crusade with Mr. Henri Bussieres in the Trois-Rivieres area. They gathered 56 subscriptions.
During the Congress, Mr. Jacek Morawa, our Polish Full-time Pilgrim, gave us an interesting report of his tour of apostolate with the good Father Boguslaw Jaworowski from Poland. They went to Western Canada and to the United States in different Polish parishes where the good missionary Father gave profound spiritual conferences. He would then invite the people to subscribe to the Polish or English "Michael" Journal. They did so well that the two apostles took close to 1,200 subscriptions.
Poland was again represented this year by our devoted Mr. Janusz A. Lewicki, a Colonel with 1,230 subscriptions, and by Father Jozef Jakubiec of Krakow. He was accompanied by Mr. Stefan Majerczak, the president of Catholic Action in the Archdiocese of Krakow. There was also the Polish Father Tadeusz Bienasz, a professor at a Catholic University in Austria. All are very interested in Social Credit. Our Poles want to introduce Social Credit in Catholic centers. They have it in their program to demand an income for the mother at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Reyes are Full-time Missionaries in Ecuador. Latin America was also represented by Miss Nemiliz Gutierrez, from Mexico; by Mr. Jose Rodrigo Jaramillo and Mrs. Alba Salazar, both from Columbia and responsible for a group of young people with whom they distribute leaflets; by Mr. Juan David Gomez and Miss Carolina Marinas from Columbia; and by Mrs. Betzabe Noriega, from Peru. They are all collaborators with Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Reyes. They put into their program to spread the Spanish "San Miguel" Journal and to spread the light of Social Credit. We know that Latin America was the victim of indoctrination in "Liberation Theology" that is in line with Marxism. Social Credit is timely to enlighten their minds.
Mr. Juan David Gomez is a young man with a heart full of fire. He accompanied Mr. Pierre Marchildon for several weeks when he went to South America. Mr. Gomez gave great conferences during the week of study and at the Congress. He told us that in the last 40 years in Columbia there have been 9 civil wars; 300,000 Columbians were killed; 85% of the property is in the hands of 15% of the population. Many Columbians live in great poverty. This poverty favors corruption. Mr. Juan David sees therefore a great necessity for Social Credit to get his country out of this great misery.
Miss Caroline Marinas, present at the sessions of the Congress and the week of study, rendered us a great service during the meetings by translating the conferences from Spanish to French or French to Spanish. Our Columbians do a magnificent apostolate in Columbia through the distributions of the "San Miguel" leaflets, subscribing others to the "San Miguel" Journal, and by meetings. Their work is effective since they are already starting to suffer persecution by some of the authorities. This year all our Columbians, listed above, distributed with their helpers a container of "San Miguel" leaflets, the little brother to the "Michael" Journal. Here are Mr. Juan David's words:
"Upon returning to Columbia, we will dedicate more time to our apostolate work. We need a container of leaflets to be sent as soon as possible to Columbia… I also want to help Mr. Carlos Reyes with the Spanish-language edition of the "Michael" Journal. I thank the good God for making the Work of "Michael" known to us. Let us stay united. People speak to us of elections. The candidate that we are pushing, it is Christ. Let us begin to live our Heaven on the earth, and on the other side we will continue. May God bless you all!"
Mr. Juan David Gomez, like the other attendees at the Congress, greatly appreciated the way the week of study took place. He told us:
"It has been a wonderful week, so much more than what I had imagined it would be… I like being a Pilgrim of St. Michael. This is what I want to do in my life, after seeing you here living the Gospel… I don't think that there is anything here that needs to be changed; I think that there are only things that need to be reinforced. It has been wonderful to have the Mass every day, to pray the Rosary three times a day. I really liked the Rosary and Mass every day. I am sure that if we start spreading Social Credit and educating the people, we will make Columbia the best country in the world, as it was meant to be by God... In our country, we must do exactly as in Rougemont, the apostolate and all."
All our free time should be given to the apostolate. Let's put in our program to make the Virgin Mary known and loved through the recitation of the Rosary, from door to door. How powerful this apostolate work is! You must experience it to really understand its importance. Our Pilgrims have the courage to ask the families they visit from door to door to pray with them a decade of the Rosary, to bring the Angelic Salutation, just like St. Gabriel the Archangel brought the salutation of the Eternal Father.
Why could we not give all our Saturdays to the Rosary Crusade in the door to door? Here are good encouraging words from Bishop Bruno Ngonyani:
"In addition to thanking you for the good work you are doing, I am sure that you have encountered some problems in your apostolate of going from door to door, motivating other Christians to accept the Social Credit idea, and also to revive Christianity in their lives. In encountering these problems, I'd like to ask you not to despair, I'd like to ask you to get courage because Our Lord, at the Last Supper, said to His Apostles, and also to us:'Be of courage, I have conquered the world.'So, victory is assured, even if, apparently, you are encoutering problems.
"On August 14 of this year, we celebrated the 100 years of evangelization in the neighboring diocese of Newala, south west of Lindi, in Tanzania... In his homily, the Cardinal said: 'Consider the first Benedictine missionaries who came from Germany to Tanzania a hundred years ago. Many of them died young — at the age of 20, 40, because of malaria. Other were killed in wars. Still, the missionaries never gave up. Instead of saying, 'Now it is hopeless, let's stop, because our missionaries are dying in missionary countries,' they continued to send missionaries, and until today, we still have Benedictine Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Tanzania. By this I mean, if you visit one family, and you are chased out of there, for one reason or another, don't give up! Go again to that very family, they may have changed their mind!"
Words of Mrs. Gilberte Cote-Mercier
"'Michael' is quite a work," writes Mrs. Gilberte Cote-Mercier, "a work of apostolate through the press, through the visit to the homes, through conferences, pilgrimages.'Michael'is the Pilgrims of Saint Michael, those consecrated slaves of Mary who work for the salvation of souls and to'build the Kingdom of the Immaculate'in justice, on the earth.
"The subjects of the Kingdom of the Immaculate," she says, "must pull away from the chains of the world, from the chains of comfort, from the chains of pleasures, from the chains of the body, from the chains of money, from the chains of sin. The Immaculate is She who is totally free from all that. She was free from the first instant of her existence on our earth where Satan reigns, the prince of the world.
"The Immaculate, she is the one who realizes perfectly the plan of God over the human creature. She alone. She is the unique Immaculate. To be the subjects of Her Kingdom, we must practice her virtues: humility, detachment, purity. To win over other subjects to her, we must give the example of Her virtues, preach them, look for souls and bring them to this Queen. This is the apostolate." — Gilberte Cote-Mercier
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