The International

Fatima Rosary Crusade

The International Fatima Rosary Crusade (IFRC) is a Roman Catholic Apostolate
formed at the grass roots in response to the urgent Message of Our Lady of
Fatima. It is an association of Catholic priests and lay people of the type
specifically sanctioned by the New Code of Canon Law.
The founder and International Director, Father Nicholas Gruner is 46 years old
and was born in Montreal, Canada. He is a graduate of McGill University with
post-graduate degrees in Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas
Aquinas in Rome.
Father Gruner is a Catholic priest in good-standing who was ordained at Our
Lady of Good Counsel Shrine in Frigento, Italy in 1976. In 1978 he began his
full-time commitment to Our Lady's Fatima Apostolate.
Since that time, Father Gruner has been exclusively promoting, preaching and
lecturing in the United States, Canada and overseas on the Fatima Message
which has been formally approved by the Catholic Church and five successive
Popes, including Pope John Paul II.
In 1978, Father Gruner founded The Fatima Crusader magazine. In 1980, Pope
John Paul II directly encouraged Father Gruner in his Fatima work and the
periodical has grown from eight black-and-white pages to a 40 page full-color
magazine dedicated to promoting the full Message of Our Lady of Fatima. In the
ten years since its first issue, the magazine has grown from a modest circulation
of 20,000 to an estimated readership today of more than one million. It is by far
the largest and most influential publication on Fatima in the world.
In November 1985, to coincide with the opening of the Extraordinary Synod
called by the Holy Father, the International Fatima Rosary Crusade organized
and hosted the first Symposium at the Vatican specifically on the Message of
Fatima. This Symposium was widely attended by many influential members of
the clergy as well as by major Fatima scholars. Among those in attendance were
Frere Michel de la Sainte Trinite, Hamish Fraser, Abbe Pierre Caillon and
Professor Emilio Cristiani.
More recently, in response to Pope John Paul II's statement that "the Message of
Fatima is addressed to every human being," the IFRC has begun broadcasting
"Heaven's Peace Plan", a daily radio program featuring Father Gruner and
guests. At the present time, the program appears on more than 43 stations in
the United States and Canada and reaches a potential listening audience of
more than 200 million. In May 1988, IFRC began a further expansion of its radio
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ministry to include regular weekly short-wave broadcasts of the program to

more than 40 nations overseas.
IFRC is presently involved in expanding its outreach even further through
various television and film projects. An hour-long video Fatima documentary
hosted by noted actor Ricardo Montalban and featuring Father Gruner was
completed in May, 1988. Other television and video projects are in progress.
Through its publishing and book service, IFRC makes hundreds of titles available
to the public. Many of the books it offers are increasingly difficult to find, such
as Catholic "classics", including works by such venerable authors as St. Louis de
Montfort, St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Alphonsus di Liguori and St. Francis de
Sales. The works of contemporary writers are represented as well, including
those of Father Vincent Miceli, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and William Walsh.
Audio and video tapes and devotional items are also offered through the book
service.
Father Gruner's own book World Enslavement or Peace has been published
in August, 1988 by IFRC's publishing arm. This will be followed by the longawaited English translation of the first volume of Frere Michel de la Sainte
Trinite's monumental work The Full Truth of Fatima. Subsequent volumes will
follow.
In response to Pope John Paul II's avowal that the "Message of Fatima is more
relevant and more urgent than ever," Father Gruner continues to preach and
hear confessions in cathedrals, churches and chapels throughout the world (at
the invitation of bishops and priests). As he travels with the beautiful Pilgrim
Virgin Statue blessed by Pope Paul VI at Fatima in 1967, he brings Our Lady of
Fatima's urgent message of warning and hope to all Catholics and others of
good will.
For more information on the International Fatima Rosary Crusade, please phone
1-800-263-8160.

A LETTER FROM THE ORGANIZER

OF THE PILGRIM VIRGIN VISIT TO INDIA
Feast of the Nativity of Our Blessed Mother,
September 8, 1988
Respected and Dear Father Gruner,
Greetings from Gallilee. Happy Feast Day. We are thinking very much about
your Reverence and your last visit to India. How successful, it was really a fine
contribution to the Marian Year of Our Blessed Mother richly contributed to
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make the year memorable by Her visit. God Bless you dear Father and Our
Mother of Fatima guide and help you with good health and all that you need to
further Her Message and devotion to Her. Through The Laity we had a ROSARY
campaign; a Garland of Rosaries to be sent to your Reverence to be placed at
Her feet. Now that the Marian Year is over, I request you to please accept
55,000 Rosaries from the readers of The Laity. Please place this bouquet of
Rosaries at the feet of Our Lady of Fatima, the readers will all be very pleased.
We hope and pray that God willing it will be possible to have you visit India next
year.
Victor Kulanday,
Founder and President Emeritus, All India Laity Congress.

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