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Associate Pastor's Column
The nation of Austria ousted the Godless Soviets by the power of the Rosary. Those who write history books and news reports don’t dare retell the story because of the fact that it would make Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular look good; these same writers will make any group look good, except Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his followers. Since this is October, the month of the Rosary, let’s take a look at Austria’s Rosary Crusade and remember the power of Our Lady’s intercession. After World War II, Austria was divided up among the victorious powers. One quarter of Austria was given to each: Soviet Russia, the USA, Great Britain and France. The last three helped rebuild Austria and fight off hunger, principally through the Marshall plan. The first, Russia, was only interested in spreading the remarkable evils of communism. Fr. Norbert Burmettler stated, “On March 28, 1945, Russian soldiers, coming from Hungary, entered Austrian territory. On April 10, the tower of St. Stephen’s was in flames. Terrible horrors followed: Theft, rape, kidnapping and murder.” At one point the communists attempted a revolt to seize control of the entire country, not just their own quarter, and failed, which the faithful attribute to Mary’s protection. The evils of communism start with its wicked principles, namely: the denial of God’s existance, man is only a blob of matter and has no soul or spirit, history is not Christological but rather a war over wealth, and no man would ever be granted the natural good of private property. But politicians who were true believers got involved to save their Catholic nation. They were as energetic as clever, and included Figl and Raab (whom I mention below) and other great statesmen. They would not see the atheist communists ruin their country. (We Americans could learn a lot from them on that score…) A Capuchin priest, Fr. Petrus Pavlicek, undertook a pilgrimage in 1946 to Mariazell, the nation’s principle Marian shrine. By a locution during his visit, was inspired to found the Atonement Crusade in 1947, and armies of souls began an around-the-clock prayer of the rosary. Bishop Leiria later donated to Fr. Pavlicek a beautiful statue of Mary, which he brought from city to town to village; and wherever he was on the 13th of the month, there great festivity and processions broke out in honor of our loving Mother of Fatima. By 1955, half a million people prayed the rosary daily through the Atonement Crusade, including Leopold Figl, Austria’s devout Prime Minister. Since the end of WWII, however, the victorious allies had hundreds of meetings to discuss the fate of Austria. At the last of these meetings in March of 1955, Julius Raab, another devout Catholic who had succeeded Figl two years earlier (1953), was called to attend. He asked Fr. Pavlicek, “Please pray, and ask your people to pray harder than ever.” By April of the same year, the Soviets proclaimed their withdrawal. On May 15th, during the month of Mary, the last Soviet soldier left Austria. Last year was Austria’s 50th anniversary of the triumph of Mary and the rosary Crusade over the domination of Soviet atheism in Catholic Austria. Figl, as a member of the Atonement Crusade of the Rosary, said at a thanksgiving celebration on September 10, 1955: “For eight years we have prayed the Sorrowful Rosary and implored that heaven would grant us again, full and completely, our freedom and independence. Our prayer has been heard.” From this historical reality, we can learn so much: the power of the Rosary, the inhuman evil of atheism, the victory of grace, the value of perseverance, the importance of Catholic politicians adhering to their principles, and the need for harmony between governors and governed, between laity and clergy, and between religious society and civil society. Every year, thousands gather in Vienna on September 12, the day Fr. Pavlicek designated for a yearly procession of the Crusade with all the parishes of Vienna. They gather to give thanks. September 12 is the feast of the Name of Mary, established by Innocent XI in 1683 to commemorate the victory of the Christians over the Turks who had surrounded Vienna. Our Mother Mary is always our powerful protector. Picture: Prime Minister Raab shows his countrymen the treaty ending the Allied occupation. (Thanks http://www.tfp.org/magazine/mag69/austria.htm) |
