Our Lady of America, The Immaculate Virgin

Devotion to Mary, Marian Apparitions, Prayers

Our Lady of AmericaSourceURL:file://localhost/Users/robert/Desktop/Our%20Lady%20of%20America

In Ohio of 1938 Sister Mary Ephrem Neuzil, a member of the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, received apparitions of St. Joseph, St Gabriel, St Michael and Mary. It all began when Sister Mary Ephrem started having what she described as mystical spiritual experiences, these experiences began to take the form of a devotion to Mary, which she was compelled to share. It was on September 25, 1956, the feast of the North American martyrs, that Sister Mary Ephrem had her first Marian Apparition.

She described her vision of Mary as appearing with, “a white veil reaching almost to Her waist and a mantle and robe of pure white with no decoration. An oblong brooch or clasp held the ends of the mantle together at the top. It was all gold; as was the high and brilliant crown she wore. Her hair and eyes seemed medium brown. Her feet were bare, but not always visible, sometimes covered by the moving clouds on which she stood. Often she smiled and revealed a heart encircled by roses that sent forth flames of fire.”

Mary gave her name to Sister Mary Ephrem as “Our Lady of America, The Immaculate Virgin” and called for the dedication of American children to a life of purity. “My child, I entrust you with this message that you must make known to my children in America. I wish it to be the country dedicated to my purity. The wonders I will work will be the wonders of the soul. They must have faith and believe firmly in my love for them. I desire that they be the children of my Pure Heart. I desire, through my children in America, to further the cause of faith and purity among peoples and nations. Let them come with confidence and simplicity, and I, their Mother, will teach them to become pure like to my Heart that their own hearts may be more pleasing to the Heart of my Son.”

Sister Mary Ephrem Neuzil

Mary was especially interested in the conversion of the youth in America. “But the youth must be prepared, and this must be done by instilling into them, not only the knowledge of Divine Indwelling, but a serious study of it, a living it in such way that the Divine Presence becomes, as it were, an intimate and necessary part of their life and daily living. From this will flow a great love, a conflagration that will envelop the world in the flames of Divine Charity. This is what Our Lady is working for, because this is the great desire of her Divine Son, and it is to the youth of America that she is holding out this challenge… America, the United States in particular, is being given the tremendous, yet privileged, opportunity to lead all nations in a spiritual renewal never before so necessary, so important, so vital.” Saint Michael appeared to Sister Mary Ephrem bearing a lit torch; he told her that she must carry the torch through the world. She reports that, “The next day I was interiorly enlightened during Mass. It was made known to me that those, particularly the youth, who are willing wholeheartedly to follow Our Lady in her great battle against evil, would bear the special title of ‘Torchbearers of the Queen’. This torch, of course, is Divine Love, for it is love alone that will conquer hate and all that hate brings with it.”

When Mary appeared on October 13, 1956 instead of holding a lily she had in her hands a replica of the completed Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (located in Washington D.C.). “This is my shrine, my daughter. I am very pleased with it. Tell my children I thank them. Let them finish it quickly and make it a place of pilgrimage. It will be a place of wonders. I promise this. I will bless all those who, either by prayers, labor, or material aid, help to erect this shrine.”

Additionally Mary requested that a special Holy Medal be made, here is an excerpt from the Diary of Our Lady of America,  “Around the image of Our Lady, as she appeared September 26, 1956, these words are to be engraved: “By thy Holy and Immaculate Conception, O Mary, deliver us from evil.” ‘Those who wear the medal with great faith and fervent devotion to Our Lady will receive the grace of intense purity of heart and the particular love of the Holy Virgin and her Divine Son. Sinners will receive the grace of repentance and the spiritual strength to live as true children of Mary. As in life, so in death, this blessed medal will be as a shield to protect them against the evil spirits, and St. Michael himself will be at their side to allay their fears at the final hour.  The Coat-of-Arms Our Lady had inspired some years previously. I did not know at the time for what purpose it was to be used, and Our Lady did not enlighten me on it until much later.  As mentioned before, Our Lady also requested a picture or statue of herself as she appeared on September 26, 1956, to be honored and venerated in every Christian Home.”

The coat of arms is a symbol of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Christian home. It is Mary’s intention that the Christian family be dedicated to purity, selflessness and love. Mary urges families that, “Making the Rosary a family prayer is very pleasing to me. I ask that all families strive to do so. But be careful to say it with great devotion, meditating on each mystery and striving to imitate in your daily lives the virtues depicted therein. Live the mysteries of the Rosary as I lived them, and it will become a chain binding you to me forever. They who are found in the circle of my Rosary will never be lost. I myself will lead them at death to the throne of my Son, to be eternally united to Him.”

Marry also gave messages warning to repent before upcoming punishments. To the bishops of America she said, “Unless my children reform their lives, they will suffer great persecution. If man himself will not take upon himself the penance necessary to atone for his sins and those of others, God in His justice will have to send upon him the punishment necessary to atone for his transgressions.”

“The hour grows late. My Son’s patience will not last forever. Help me hold back His anger, which is about to descend on sinful and ungrateful men. Suffering and anguish, such as never before experienced, is about to overtake mankind. It is the darkest hour. But if men will come to me, my Immaculate Heart will make it bright again with the mercy, which my Son will rain down through my hands.  Help me save those who will not save themselves.  Help me bring once again the sunshine of God’s peace upon the world.”

“Dear children, unless the United States accepts and carries out faithfully the mandate given to it by heaven to lead the world to peace, there will come upon it and all nations a great havoc of war and incredible suffering. If, however, the United States is faithful to this mandate from heaven and yet fails in the pursuit of peace because the rest of the world will not accept or cooperate, then the United States will not be burdened with the punishment about to fall.”

“Weep, then, dear children, weep with your mother over the sins of men,” said Mary. “Intercede with me before the throne of mercy, for sin is overwhelming the world and punishment is not far away.”

“It is the darkest hour, but if men will come to me, my Immaculate heart will make it bright again with the mercy which my Son will rain down through my hands. Help me save those who will not save themselves. Help me bring once again the sunshine of God’s peace upon the world.”

“If my desires are not fulfilled much suffering will come to this land. My faithful one, if my warnings are taken seriously and enough of my children strive constantly and faithfully to renew and reform themselves in their inward and outward lives, then there will be no nuclear war. What happens to the world depends upon those who live in it. There must be much more good than evil prevailing in order to prevent the holocaust that is so near approaching. Yet I tell you, my daughter, even should such a destruction happen because there were not enough souls who took my warning seriously, there will remain a remnant, untouched by the chaos who, having been faithful in following me and spreading my warnings, will gradually inhabit the earth again with their dedicated and holy lives.”

Sister Mary Ephrem was given the following prayer to Our Lady, Patroness of America on October 5, 1956. Although she heard no words she clearly saw these thoughts in her mind and was compelled to write down this prayer.

“O Immaculate Mother, Queen of our country, open our hearts, our homes, and our land to the coming of Jesus, your Divine Son. With Him, reign over us, O heavenly Lady, so pure and so bright with the radiance of God’s light shining in and about you. Be our leader against the powers of evil set upon wresting the world of souls, redeemed at such a great cost by the sufferings of your Son and of yourself, in union with Him, from that same Savior, Who loves us with infinite charity.

“We gather about you, O chaste and holy Mother, Virgin Immaculate, Patroness of our beloved land, determined to fight under your banner of holy purity against the wickedness that would make all the world an abyss of evil, without God and without your loving maternal care.

“We consecrate our hearts, our homes, our land to your Most Pure Heart, O great Queen, that the kingdom of your Son, our Redeemer and our God, may be firmly established in us.

“We ask no special sign of you, sweet Mother, for we believe in your great love for us, and we place in you our entire confidence. We promise to honor you by faith, love, and the purity of our lives according to your desire.

“Reign over us, then, O Virgin Immaculate, with your Son Jesus Christ. May His Divine Heart and your most chaste Heart be ever enthroned and glorified among us. Use us, your children of America, as your instruments in bringing peace among men and nations. Work your miracles of grace in us, so that we may be a glory to the Blessed Trinity, Who created, redeemed, and sanctifies us.

“May your valiant Spouse, St. Joseph, with the holy Angels and Saints, assist you and us in ‘renewing the face of the earth.’ Then when our work is over, come, Holy Immaculate Mother, and as our Victorious Queen, lead us to the eternal kingdom, where your Son reigns forever as King. Amen.”

In 1960 Sister Mary Ephrem’s private revelations, with the Imprimatur of Archbishop Leibold, were published for the first time. She passed away on January 10, 2000.

4 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Lori Trechter  •  Oct 4, 2010 @2:40 am

    Thank you for this great summary of Our Lady of America. I especially like the prayer at the end.

  2. Jackie  •  Jul 27, 2011 @1:57 pm

    I wish this information were more widely known. I would like to see if our local Catholic Bookstore has this medal. I would also love to post this prayer in my home.

  3. Christine Scott  •  Aug 19, 2011 @4:20 am

    Thankyou,
    it’s new, and it’s beautiful, especially an inspiration for her youth

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    This Web site was founded in 2002 as a tribute to the Mother of Jesus. It was created with love to document the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints of the Catholic Church who hail from the United States.

    All For Mary's founder, Ron Venditti, passed away in 2007, but his legacy continues here in these pages.
    This site is dedicated to Ron.
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