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1952

003 - Mary and the Apostolate

Emil Nuebert

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 OUR LADY OF THE MARIAN LIBRARY

%au/ dmdile /pootolafie

REV. EMII NEUBERT,

The Marian LibrarY

Un iversity of DaYton
Dayton, Ohio

N umber 3
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . .

Rev. Emil Neubert, S.M., has been one of the most prolific
Marian authors of our century, having published a dozen books
( not including several for private circulation only
) and innumer-
able articles on devotion to Mary. His most famous work is a
populatizatron of the doctrine of Filial Piety of Father Williarn
Joseph Chaminade, published in America under the title My Id,eal:
Jesus, Son of Mary. Originally released by Bruce in 1936, this work
is now issued by the Maryhurst Press of Kirkwood, Mo., in a
revised edition. This Marian classic has also appeared in fourteen
other languages: French (8 editions); Italian (5 editions); Dutcli
(4 editions ) ; German (4 editions ) ; Spanish (2 editions ) ; polish,
Japanese, Hungarian, Slovak, Chinese, Ukranian, Slovenian, portu-
guese, and Breton
The only other works of Father Neubert to appear in English
are Queen of Militants (Grail , 1947) ; Mary in bloctrine (Biuce,
1954) ; and Liuittg wt'th Mary (Marianist Publications, 1954). Some
of his other Marian books include: IVIarie d,ans I'Eglise Antentceenne
11908); Vie de Marie (1936); La Doctrine Mariale d,e M. Chami-
nade ( 1937 ) ; Le Deuotion a Marne 11943 ) ; De la Decouuerte pro-
gressiue des Grandeurs de Marze 11951 ) ; Marie et Notre Sacerd,oce
(1953); and La Vie d'(Jnion a Marie (1954).
Father Neubert made his first profession of vows as a Marian-
ist in 1895 and was ordained in 1906, receiving his doctorate in
theology from the University of Fribourg in f gOZ. Although a
native of Alsace, he spent the next fourteen years in the Unitecl
States, most of the time as novice-master. In 7g2I he was recallecl
to Europe as to staff the diocesan college of
Strasbourg. r ted director of the rnternational
Marianist se , switzerland, and he held this
position until 1950.
Despite his numerous writings, Father Neubert has not,
his recent retirement, devoted most of his time to writing.untilHis
tput is con cause of his practice of writing
every day. portion of his time has, in fact,
up by his rtres as superior, teacher, preacher,
spiritual director, and retreat-master. His present position as
chaplain of the Marianist community at Instilution Sainte-Marie,
La Tour de Scay, F rance, allows him more time for his literary
activities.
"Mary and the Apostolate" is the substanee of an
given to the Mission Circle at the University of Fribourg address
in 1940,
together with selections from F ather Neubert's book N otre
Don
ae uxeu.
I h.

( publt'shed utith ecclesiastical approual)

First printing, Il[arch, IgS2
Reprinted, July, 1gb6
 MARY AND THE APOSTOLATE
EMII NEUBERT, S. M.

Whenever there is question of a work that offers special difficulties

and requires a peculiar power of adaptation to various and delicate
conditions, the right spirit is of paramount importance - of an importance
similar to fhal of the soul in ihe human being. lts importance is especially
great if there is question of a supernalural work. All the natural knowl-
edge, experience, and skill of the world will not be able fo convert a
soul if lhaf supernalural spirit is lacking. And yet, because of the many
obstacles that are encountered in a difficult apostolic undertaking, almost
our whole attenlion may be directed towards the natural means to over-
come fhe obsfacles, while the supernatural side of the problem is neglected.

Now my purpose is precisely to show you how, under the guidance

of Our Lady, you will always be animated with the right supernatural
spirit in the aposlolate, and with what efficiency your apostolic endeavors
will be crowned. I shall first explain the apostolic mission of Mary in the
world; that is, Mary's role in the apostolate in general; next, her special
role in the apostolale of foday; and finally some practical conclusions for
our apostolic work.

The Role of Mory

a

rn the Apostolqte in Generol

In order to understand Mary's role in the apostolafe, it will be useful
fo recall briefly some notions of Mariology that are well-known to you,
namely, Mary's spiritual motherhood, her cooperation in the work of the
Redemption, and her function as distributrix of all graces.
YOU KNOW THAT MARY IS OUR MOTHER IN THE SUPERNATURAT
ORDER, and a true Mother, not only because Jesus, dying, called her so-
this would have created only an adopted motherhood-but because she is
the Woman who really gave us our supernatural life. She conceived us, so
to say, at the Annunciation, when conceiving Jesus, as Pope Pius X
explains; for we are members of His Mystical Body, and the Head and
the members form but one single whole. She brought us forth on Calvary,
for it was there that Christ merited for us definitely to live by His life,
and Mary cooperated in the mystery of the Redemption as she did in
that of the lncarnation. "Therefore, before expiring on the cross, Our
Lord wished to give us a sign of that spiritual maternity by confiding
Mary to the beloved disciple, St. John. Jesus did not consfitute her our
Mother under the cross; ralher, He publicly declared her to be our Mother
who had been so from the time of her consent to the Incarnation af
Nazareth. 'Behold, she is your.Mother,' He meant.

"As individual members of the Body of Christ, our birth into the
supernafural life occurs at our baptism. Supernaturally we are all borrr
dead. tt is necessary that the life merited for us by fhe death of Christ
be infused into each one in particular. Now it is the Blessed Mother who
obtains this, as every other grace, for us. Without fhis grace which she
obtains for us we should remain forever dead. No one, therefore, is
reborn into the divine life unless Mary has given him supernatural birfh.
Her maternal care does not, however, stop here. . . Thus she conlinues in
heaven to be our loving Mother, the providing Mofher of each one of us in
particular, after having at Nazareih and on Calvary become the Mother of
all mankind." (Resch: Our Blessed Mother. Milwaukee, Bruce, pp. 155-156)

YOU KNOW AISO WHY MARY lS CAttED THE CO-REDEMPTRIX. Her

cooperafion in our Redemption consists: "1. In her deliberate consent to
the divine proposal at the moment of the Annunciation. As soon as she
pronounced her Fial, she was already collaborating in the work of our
redemption. She consented to furnish the Victim Whose immolation would
save us. Mary became the Mothet o'f God to become the Mother of the
Redeemer.

"2. In the identification of her disposifions thrcughout life with the

interior dispositions of the Redeemer: 'that uninterrupted community of
life and labors of the Son and ihe Mother' (Pius X). Her thought, sentimenl,
and will were always identified with those of Jesus Who desired but
one thing: the accomplishment of the work for which His Father sent
Him into the world, that is, our Redemption.

"3. In fhat companionship of sorrow and suffering with her divine Son
at the momenl of His passion and death. The passion and death of the
Savior was fhe price of our Redemption. 'She shared so entirely in His
passion that if it had been possible she would gladly have borne all the
torments her Son bore'(Pius X)." (Resch, op. cit., pp. 145-146)
 FINA[[Y, MARY lS THE DISTRIBUTRIX OF Att GRACES: a doctrine well-
known to all Catholics at present. This privilege is a direct consequence
of lhe previous one. Since on earth, fhrough her co-Redemption, she helped
Christ fo acquire all graces for us, so now in heaven she helps Him to
distribute them fo all men.

Thus far I do not claim lo have told you anyihing you did not know.
But of the doclrine expounded thus far, there follows a consequence
which is less well-known and is of highest imporlance for our Purpose:
that Mary has been entrusted by God with an apostolic mission in the
Church; not any kind of aposfolic mission, but a mission universal as
regards fime and space, a mission that exlends to lhe whole Church and
lasts from the death of Christ to the end of the world; an aPostolic mission
which not only is far superior lo ihaf of any other apostle, but is, with
that of Christ, lhe very source of every other apostolale, so that the
apostolate of all other apostles is but a participation in the apostolate
of Mary. And this resulfs directly from the three social functions of the
Blessed Virgin we menlioned above.

I. AAARY COOPERATED WITH JESUS IN THE R,EDEMPTION OF MAN.

KIND. Yet Redempfion, although merited in principle on Calvary for all
men, is not actually accomplished until it is applied to every individual
soul. Now, in the words of St. Paul, "the vocation and fhe gifts of God
are without repentance." The cooperation which Mary gave her Son at
Nazareth and on Calvary she musl give until the end of time.

Having given Jesus lo the entire world in general on ihe day of the
Incarnation, she must give Him to every creature in particular throughout
the ages. Being co-operatrix with Jesus in the work of the Redemption,
she should remain His Co-operatrix in lhe application of ihe Redemption
to each soul. For the Redemption has not yet been fully realizedr the
' grace of salvation merited for all on Calvary musf sfill be applied lo each
man as he comes into this world. Such is the mission until the end of
time. With Jesus she worked at the Redemption of all men; with Jesus
she must work at their conversion and sanctification.

2. MARY !S THE MOTHER OF Att MEN. As such, she must be able to

employ every means to bring back her unfortunate, wandering children
to the road of salvation, and thus hinder them from ignorihg, and what
is far worse, cursing forever their heavenly Father and Mother. Can we
imagine that God made her mother of men and did not give her in the
highest degree the greatest of all desires in the heart of a Christian mother
-to see her children eternally huppy with her? Or, having given her
that desire, would He refuse her the means of realizing it? All the
reasons given to prove the eagerness of Mary to receive sinners prove
likewise her apostolic mission. Does a mother rest content with welcoming
only those of her children who are faithful or repentant? ls she not as
anxious, even more so, about those who do not wish to return? Can she
rest until she has won them back to God's love and hers? To say that
God conf ided to Mary a universa I apostolic mission is simply to aff irm
that He made her a worthy mother of the Savior and of mankind.

These two titles of Mary, that of Co-Redemptrix and that of Mother of

Mankind, prove that God ought to confide to her a universal apostolic
mission. Her title of distributrix of all graces proves that He did confide
such a mission to her. What is meant, in fact, by being an apostle? lt
means to devote oneself to saving souls from Satan. lt means bringing
them to Jesus in order to be transformed into Him here on earth and be
made eternally happy with Him in heaven. But we get no grace except
through Mary. Consequently, all the activity of an apostle, whoever he
be, his very vocation to the apostolate, comes from her. Mary does nol
merely step in at a certain time during his apostolate when he is unable
to cope with rebellious souJs; she it is who inspired him with the idea
of his ministry and who is the cause of a ll h is success. lf she ceases to
act, even for a moment, he ceases to be an apostle. She is the apostle.
He is but her instrument, much in the same way that priests are the
instruments of the one Priest, Jesus Christ. Whether he realizes it or not,
he is but doing the work confided by God to Mary. He merely helps he:'
in distributing all graces. He carries on, in the little sphere of his activity
and under the influence of Mary, the mission confided to her by God
for all time and every place. He is the soldier who, even without thinking
about it, combats in obedience to the orders he receives from the com-
mander-in-chief of God's army.
 We might corroborate these conclusions by the teachings of Holy
Scripture-even the assertion of the first prophecy in the Old Testament:
"l shall put enmity between thee and the Woman, between thy seed and
her seed. She shall crush thy head;" but especially by a number of facts
contained in the New Testament; by the teachings of the Fathers and of
the popes, in particular those of Leo Xlll, Pius X, and Pius Xl; and by
the history of the Church which verifies the words of the sacred liturgy:
"Reioice, O Virgin Mary, for alone thou hast destroyed all heresies,"
and shows that the great apostles were always great servants of Mary.

Mqry's Role In
a

the Apostolqte of Todoy

Several great servants of God and of His Mother have foretold that
Mary's aclion in the apostolate of lhe Church, though real from the begin'
ning, would manifest iiself in a quite special and forceful way in the
times that were to come. You doubtless know the prophecies of St. Louis
Grignion de Montfort concerning "the Apostles of the latter times." He
announced that there would rise up in the Church great saints who would
surpass the former sainls as lhe "cedars of Lebanon surPass little shrubs,"
who would be totally consecrafed to the Blessed Virgin and would carry
on an unceasing warfare against Satan and his helpers. Other holy men
made similar predictions, withouf knowing those of St. Grignion.

To speak of but one whose docirine is best known lo me, Father

Chaminade, whose process of canonization has been started in Rome.
During the French Revolution he lived for some fime in exile at Saragossa,
Spain and received from the miraculous Lady of the Pillar special revela-
tions concerning her acfion in the apostolate of modern times and of
cooperation she expected from him towards it.

As a consequence, Father Chaminade founded two religious societies,

one of men and the other of women - the Society of Mary and the
Daughters of Mary, who were totally consecrafed to her and even took
a special vow of devotedness to, and perseverance in, Her service. Hgre
is how he expressed himself on this docirine in a circular letter. After
having explained Mary's aposiolic struggles and triumphs in all centuries
and having portrayed the prevailing heresy of the present day, religious
ind ifference, he proceeds:

This description of our times, unfortunately so exact, is however

far from discouraging us. Mary's power is not diminished. We firmly
believe that she will overcome all others because she is today, as
she was formerly,the incomparable Woman, the promised Woman
who was to crush the serpent's head; and Jesus Christ, in never
addressing her except by this sublime name, teaches us that she is
the frop", the ioy and the life of the Church and the terror of hell.
To her, therefore, is reserved a great victory in our day: hers will
be the glory of saving the faith from the shipwreck with which it
is threatened among us.
Now we have understood th is design of Providence and
have hastened to offer Mary our feeble services in order to labor
under her orders and combat at her side. We have enlisted under
her banner as her soldiers and her ministers, and we have bound
ourselves by a special vow, that of Stability, to assist her with all
our strength until the end of our life, in her noble struggle against
the powers of hell. And as an Order iustly celebrated has taken the
name and standard of Jesus Christ, so we have taken the name and
standard of Mary and are ready to hasten wherever she calls us in
order to spread her cult and through it the kingdom of God in souls.

This is certainly the distinguishing character and family trait

of both of our Societies: W€ are in a special manner lhe auxiliaries
and the instruments of the Blessed Virgin in the great work of
reforming morals, of preserving and propagating the Faith, and by
the fact, of sanctifying our neighbor. She communicates to us her
own zeal and entrusts to us the proiects which are inspired by her
almost infinite charity, and we make a vow to serve her faithfully
until the end of our life, to carry out punctually all that she tells us.
We are glad that we can thus spend in her service the life and strength
that we have pledged to her." (Chaminade: Stability, pp. 9-10)

WHATEVER THE RESPECT WE OWE TO HOLY MEN who have made

such predictions, we are not bound fo believe their predictions. Yet we
see that fhese have been initiated and are receiving every day an ever
greafer accomplishment. No epoch ever witnessed a renewal of Marian
piety as that which began towards 1830. lf produced manifestations of
devotion towards the Virgin unknown even during the most enthusiastic
periods of the Middle Ages. lf, in fact, lhe "centuries of faith" have seen,
as we have witnessed during the l gth and 20th centuries, grand churches
rising in honor of Mary, immense crowds of pilgrims filling the roads
leading lo her sancturaries, fervenl souls praying in secret, enthusiastic
multitudes breaking forth in ioyful hymns before the image of Our Lady,
have fhey seen, as we have, so many theologians studying Mary's pre-
rogatives, naiional and internalional congresses meeting to set forth her
grandeurs and to seek ways and means for the systematic extension of
her cult? Have they seen the Pope himself, not obliged by the attacks
of herefics but oui of pure devotion, defining or preparing to define the
great things that God has done for Mary? Medieval devotion to Mary
was pre-eminently sentimental and simple, consequently exposed to
diminish. Our devotion is more doctrinal and therefore, it would seem,
more solid, durable, and fruitful.

ANOTHER NEW ASPECT OF ,vlARlAN DEVOTION is that a number of

apostolic men are realizing more and'more clearly the apostolic role of
Mary. Father Chaminade was one of the firsf to preach it openly. Since
his time others have iaught this doctrine more or less definitely. The
Blessed Virgin has occasionally intervened to spread the idea. The won-
derful conversions brought about since 1830 by the Miraculous Medal,
and the conversions obtained at Our Lady of Victories and all over the
world through the Archconfraiernity of the Most Holy and lmmaculate
Heart of Mary are evidences of her intervent'on.

WE SHOUTD ALSO NOTE THIS UNPRECEDENTED FAGT, that since the

beginning of the lgth century, a vast proportion of founders of religious
societies seem anxiousto place their work under the direct patronage
of Mary, and to inserf under one form or another, ihe mention of the
Virgin in the name of their Societies. And if at the start they had other
views, heaven itself has at times forced them to follow this idea, as was
the case with the Venerable Liebermann. The past few years have wit-
nessed throughout the world marvelous apostolic works placed directly
under the auspices of the lmmaculaie Virgin.
Some Prqcticol Conclusions
All of us, whether or nol we are called to a parlicular aposlolate, should
learn to adopt a Marian attilude towards all people. For if we love fhe
Blessed Virgin we must imilate her. She loves all, for all are her children.
She loves all because she sees in them Jesus, her Son by nafure. She
makes no distinctions between souls. Our apostolale with souls is but a
participation in the aposfolate of Mary. These considerations should first
of all make us love all those souls especially confided 1o us - family,
relatives, work-contacts, social-contacts, etc. Since they are Mary's children
we should love them with Mary's love, with a real eiernal love.

We must love, too, with unremilting devotedness. The thought of her

who suffered unspeakably to help redeem us and those confided to our
care, will spur us on lo devole and sacrifice ourselves for them afier the
example of our Mother. What we do for others we are doing for her.
That devotedness is our practical way of showing our love. How could
we say that we love Mary, whom we see not, if we do not love her
children whom we see?

Nor will our atlitude towards souls be fhal of a condescending devoted-

ness, thaf of a man who knows his superiority, but is willing to be kind
to those whom he considers far below him. This would not be a Mariarr
attitude. Mary, though the Mother of God, went simply to her cousin
Elizabeth to greet her and reioice with her and also to serve her. And
later, she simply said to Jesus at the rnarriage feast of Cana: "They have
no wine." In every case, it is Jesus Whom we are serving when we serve
souls - and we ought fo be highly honored to be allowed to serve Him
in the person of others.

Above all, we shall be full of confidence in lhe success of the apostolate

if we remember that we are doing Mary's work. "To her is reserved irr
our days a great victory." And we shall share in that victory if we work
under her auspices. She has crushed the head of the serpent and shall
ever crush it. lf we fight in our name, we may meet with failure upon
failure and soon grow discouraged. But if we fight in the name of her
who is always victorious we are sure lo conquer. "li/ithout Mary we cannot
succeed. With Mary we cannot fail."
 MARIAN REPRINTS

NO. f PLACE lN OUR Llff-f,sy. T. J. Jorgensen, S.J.

NO. -MARY'S
2-THE MEANING OF MARY-[ois Schumocher
IITANY FOR OUR TIMES-Roberf L. Reynolds
NO. 3-MARY AND THE APOSTOTATE-f,6v. Emil Neuberf, S.M.
NO. 4-THE IMITATION OF MARY-REV. PIACid HUAUIT, S.M.
NO. s-MARY. ASSUMED INTO HEAVf[-fsv. Lowrence Evereff, C.SS.R.
NO. 6,-FATIMA-IN BATTLE ARRAY-f,sv. Joseph Agius, o.P.
NO. 7-MEN, MARY. AND MANIINESS-Ed Willock
NO. 8-MARY. CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN-Rev. Froncis Connell, C.SS.R.
NO. 9-RUSSIA AND THE IMMACULATE HEAR,T-P'US XII
NC). lO-MARY OUR INSPIRATION TO ACTIQ[-I;6. Roberf Knopp, S.M.
NO. I I-SIGN lN THE HEAYENS-Rev. Jomes O'Mohony, O.F.M.CoP.
NO. l2-SOUL OF MARIAN DEVOTIQJTI-f,sv. Edmund Boumeisfer, S.M.
NC). t3-THE ASSUMPTION AND THE MODERN WORLD-Eishop Fulton J. Sheen
NO. l4-MOTHER AND HELPMATE OF CHRIST-Rev. Jomes Egon, O.P.
NO. Is-MARY, PATRONESS OF CATHOLIC ACTION-JIohn J. GriTTiN
NO. | 6-THE MYSTERY OF MARY-Rev. Emil Neuberf, S.M.
NO. f 7-THE BTESSED VlRglN lN THE LITURGY-Rev. Clittord Howell, S.J.
NO. l8-OUR, LADY OF RUSSII-Qsfherine de Hueck Doherly
NO. lg-THE
WITNESS OF OUR LADY-Archbishop Alban Goodier, S.J.
NC).20-FUIGENS CORONA-Pius Xff
NO. 2I-THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND THE UNITED STATES-
Rev. Rolph Ohlmann, O.F.M.
NO. 22-THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND THE APOSTOTATE-
Rev. Phllip Hoelfe, S.M.
NO. z3-lNEFFABltlS DEU$-Pius lX
NC). ?4-MARY'S APOSTOIIC ROLE lN HlsTOf,f-fipo. John Tolten, S.M.
NO. 25-AD DIEM ltLUfr{-Piu1 X
NO. 26-KNOW YOUR MOTHER BETTER: A MARIAN BIBLIOGRAPHY-
8ro. Sfonley Mathews, S.M.
NO. 27-THE IMMACUTATE CONCEPTION AND MARY'S DEATH-Rev. J. l. Carol, O.F.M.
NO. 28-IMMACUIATE MOTHEI OF GOD-/omes Frsncls Cordlnal Mclalyrc
NO. 2?-THE WISDOM OF OUR LADY--Garqfd Ysan, O.P.
NO. 30-AD CAEL! REGINAM-P|SI Xff
NO. 3f-OUn IADY AT HOME-Rlcfrad T. A. Mutphy, O.P.
NO. 32-THE BROWN SCAPUTAR OF CARMET-Henry M. Esfeve, O. Ccrn.
NO. 33-MARY'S nOtE lN THE MYSTICAI BODY-fhonos l. Stonley, 5.M.
NO. 3{-MARY AND THE FUTLNESS OF TIME-rean Donielou, 5.J.
NO. 35-PROTESTANTISM AND THE MOTHER OF GOD-f(ennelh F. DouEhcrty, S.A.
NO. 35-THE LEGION OF MARY-Edword 8. l(offcr
NO. 37-DEVEIOPING A SOUND MARIAN SPIRITUAtITY-Wllllam G. A,losf
NO. 38-LAETITIAE SANCTAE-Leo Xfff
NO. 39-THE MOTHERHOOD OF MARY-Emll Ncubcrf, S.M.
NO. {0-THE HAlt MARY-rsDas g. Shcw
NO. 4l-OUR LADY'S SERENITY-Ionold A. Knot
NO. {2-OUR IADY AND THE HOIY SPIRtT-8fsftop Leon J. Srenens
NO. '[3-CHRIST'S DEVOTION TO MARY-loseph J. Panzer, S.M.
NO. 4.f-MARY. OUR SPIRITUAL MOTHER-wlltlom G. Most