The cover page of this issue of MICHAEL illustrates the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Angels and "General-in-Chief" of the celestial armies crushing the head of Satan, accompanied by the three Archangels, Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. According to the Book of Genesis, (3:15), and Catholic tradition, it is the Virgin Mary who has the mission of crushing the head of Satan: "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel."
Father Louis Cestac (1801-1868), was a visionary and co-founder of a religious order, the Congregation of the Servants of Mary. He was accustomed to receiving the generous blessings of the Virgin Mary, and on January 13, 1864 was struck by a ray of divine light.
Father Cestac witnessed demons swarming over the earth causing inexpressible injury and destruction. At the same time, the Holy Virgin appeared, saying that the time had come to pray to her as the Queen of Angels and to ask her to send legions of angels to fight and overthrow the powers of Hell.
He addressed the Virgin Mother with the following words: "O my Mother, you who are so good, could you not send your angels without us having to ask you?"
"No," the Virgin replied, "Prayer is a condition established by God Himself even to obtain graces." "Then, Mother," the visionary asked, "Would you teach me how we should pray to you?" The Holy Virgin Mother dictated this prayer, 'August Queen':
"August Queen of Heaven and Mistress of the Angels, you who have received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan; we humbly ask you to send the heavenly legions, so that under your command they may pursue the demons, combat them everywhere, crush their bold attacks, and drive them back into the Abyss.
"Who is like God? O good and tender Mother, you will always be our love and our hope. O heavenly Mother, send the holy Angels to defend me and repel far from me the cruel enemy. Holy Angels and Archangels, defend and guard us. Amen."
There was to be 500,000 prayer cards with the 'August Queen' prayer produced, but the printing presses broke down three times during the attempt. Ultimately, the prayer cards were printed, and thanks to the initiative of Father Cestac (declared Blessed by the Church in 2015), the prayer became known throughout the Catholic world, and its recitation was accompanied by extraordinary favours.
God entrusted His holy mother with the special role of crushing Satan's infernal head. Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan Polish priest who died a martyr in a German concentration camp in 1941, and who had a great Marian devotion, wrote:
"Modern times will be dominated by Satan, and will be more so in the future. The war against Hell cannot be led by men, not even by the brightest. Only the Immaculate has received from God the promise of victory over the devil. Nevertheless, Mary seeks souls who will consecrate themselves totally to her and who, by her hand, will become sound and efficient tools that will inflict defeat on Satan and establish God's kingdom upon earth."
In his battle to establish a financial system that would be at the service of people, Louis Even knew that by attacking the financial powers, he was taking on diabolical human forces more powerful than sovereign governments. These forces can only be vanquished by God and the Blessed Virgin Mary (The charisma of Louis Even). The Financiers' thirst for profit and power can only be beaten by the gift of self.
The Blessed Virgin, in a recent Apparition in the Democratic Republic of Congo, presented herself as "Mary, Mother of Disarmament" who would crush the infernal dragon. Needless to say that in this fight against the forces of evil, we need the help of Saint Michael the Archangel, the leader of the angels who remained faithful to God, and who chased Lucifer and the fallen angels out of Heaven. Enjoy your reading!