Militia Immaculata
Encyclopedia
The Militia Immaculata, or "Army of the Immaculate," (also called the Knights of the Immaculata in the USA) is a worldwide Catholic evangelization
movement founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe
in 1917 in response to protests against the Pope
by Freemasons in Rome. The MI, as it is also known, is open to all Catholics and encourages intercession
to the Virgin Mary for the conversion of sinners. Joining the MI involves making a vow of consecration
to Mary. Members wear the Miraculous Medal
as an outward sign of their consecration.
The organization publishes Miles Immaculatae, a six-monthly magazine of Marian culture and Kolbian formation. Founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, specifically for priests and pastoral workers, it is now the official publication of the International Center.
Evangelization
Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian evangelization:...
movement founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe
Maximilian Kolbe
Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe OFM Conv was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, who volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the Nazi German concentration camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II.He was canonized on 10 October 1982 by Pope John Paul II, and...
in 1917 in response to protests against the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
by Freemasons in Rome. The MI, as it is also known, is open to all Catholics and encourages intercession
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
to the Virgin Mary for the conversion of sinners. Joining the MI involves making a vow of consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
to Mary. Members wear the Miraculous Medal
Miraculous Medal
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a medal created by Saint Catherine Labouré following a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
as an outward sign of their consecration.
The organization publishes Miles Immaculatae, a six-monthly magazine of Marian culture and Kolbian formation. Founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, specifically for priests and pastoral workers, it is now the official publication of the International Center.
See also
- Consecration and entrustment to MaryConsecration and entrustment to MaryFor centuries, Marian devotions among Roman Catholics have included many examples of personal or collective acts of consecration and entrustment to the Virgin Mary, with the Latin terms oblatio, servitus, commendatio and dedicatio having been used in this context.Consecration is an act by which a...
- Immaculate ConceptionImmaculate ConceptionThe Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
- Immaculata prayerImmaculata prayerThe Immaculata prayer is a Roman Catholic Marian prayer composed by Saint Maximillian Kolbe.It is a prayer of consecration to the Immaculata, i.e...
- NiepokalanówNiepokalanówNiepokalanów is a Roman Catholic religious community in Teresin , Poland founded in 1927 by Franciscan Friar Maximilian Kolbe, who was later canonized a saint of the Catholic Church. Also known as Immaculate City, at one time, it was the largest monastery in the world, housing as many as 760 men...
- Papal ban of FreemasonryPapal ban of FreemasonryThe leadership of the Roman Catholic Church has long been an outspoken critic of Freemasonry, first prohibiting Catholics from joining the fraternity in 1738. Since then, the Vatican has made several pronouncements forbidding Catholics from becoming Freemasons under threat of excommunication...
- Roman Catholic Marian Movements and SocietiesRoman Catholic Marian Movements and SocietiesThroughout the centuries the devotion to and the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Roman Catholics has both led to, and been influenced by a number of...
External links
- Militia Immaculata International Website
- www.consecration.com, Militia Immaculata's U.S. website
- Saint Catherine Metalworks - First online Miraculous Medal website