Nihil Obstat

Monsignor Russell A. Duker

March 26, 1997

Ecclesiastical Approbation

Most Reverend Judson M. Procyk, D.D.

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh

C 1988 Catherine Moran

All rights Reserved

Library of Congress Number #00-00000

ISBN: 0-000000-00-0

I dedicate this book to my two Mothers, my earthly mother and my heavenly Mother, both of them a gift from God. It is to my earthly mother that I owe my existence, my faith and my deep love for my Heavenly Mother. It was because of her profound love and devotion to Mary that I am what I am today. To my Heavenly Mother I am indebted for everything else. She has truly been a loving, gentle and watchful mother, protecting me at every step from the snare of the Evil One. So it is with great love and humble gratitude that I dedicate this book to my two Mothers.

To my husband and children for their understanding and patience. Many hours were spent away from them in researching and writing this book.

To My Mother for encouragement and support.

To my brother, Dave, for the many hours he spent typing my many rewrites.

A very special thanks to the Trinitarian Fathers, Theatine Fathers and The Servites of Our Lady for their assistance in Chapter 3 of my book.

Finally thank you to Mary Ann Makris for the gift of her immense library.

Catherine Moran, born January 19, 1951, resides in Niles, Ohio with her husband David Moran and their three sons; Mark, John, and Joseph. She earned her degree in Arts and Science from Kent State University and is presently working on her Pontifical Degree from Catholic Home Study Institute in Virginia. After becoming a Secular Franciscan in 1978 she then served as prefect of her fraternity for three years. She is presently Secretary-Treasurer of the World Apostolate of Fatima-Byzantine Chapter of Warren, Ohio, and the also speaker for the chapter. In the past ten years she has presented many talks and speeches in the tri-state to various adult groups and school children. The Fatima Message has been given to approximately 20,000 school children from kindergarten to grade 12. (Including C.C.D. groups). She has been a keynote speaker in 3 conferences and several retreats; speaking with such noted speakers as, Dr. William Marra of Fordum University, the late Father Vincent Miceli, noted author and professor at Christendom College and Constance Cumby, attorney and watchdog of the New Age Movement.

She has been home schooling her children for the past 9 years. Her oldest recently graduating and now in his first year of college. She is a member of the Round Table, a national organization of Catholic Home Schooling Leaders that meet once a year in Chicago, IL in November. She was part of the delegation that went to Rome last November of 1995. This delegation spoke about Catholic Home Schooling in America with the various congregations and curia in Rome. The delegation was privileged to have an audience with Holy Father and to receive Holy Communion from the Pope personally. She is the founder and leader of the Ohio Educators Catholic HomeSchooling Network and the president of the Catholic Home School Network of America. She has spoken about Catholic Home Schooling to many groups and at several conferences.

She has written a book, entitled, "The Doorway to Heaven". The book contains the many lectures she has given over the past 12 years on the various aspects of our rich and beautiful Catholic Faith.

She co-produced and developed a slide-video presentation on the Holy Angels. A parishioner of Saints Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church, she is a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and Saint Benedicts Guild. Through the World Apostolate of Fatima Byzantine Chapter, she helped start and establish- (1) First Friday Eucharist Vigils, and (2) The International Rosary March on the first Sundays of May and October of every year. She twice co-chaired the visit of The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima to her diocese. She also chairs a yearly week-long retreat-sponsored by the local World of Apostolate of Fatima Chapter. This retreat is free and open to the public. Catherine first and foremost loves reading, but she also enjoys crocheting, needlework, home-making, and raising Siberian Huskies.

Introduction

Chapter I The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

Chapter II The Wide Road

Chapter III The Brown Scapular

Chapter IV The Gate of Heaven - Our Lady's Power

Chapter V The Two Hearts are One

Chapter VI Modernism, The Greatest of all Heresies

Chapter VII Our Lady's Apostles

Chapter VIII Love's Own Designs (Eucharistic Miracles)

Chapter IX The Beatitudes

Chapter X The Forgotten Saint - St. Joseph,

Chapter XI The Mass - It's Power, Effect and Value

Chapter XII The Loss of the Sense of the Sacred

Chapter XIII Am I Not Here?

Chapter XIV The Royal Road to Heaven (mental prayer)

Chapter XV The Power of the Holy Rosary

Bibliography

When it was first suggested to me to write a book, I thought, write a book! What would I write about? A dear close friend of mine, who happens to be a priest, told me I had been writing and giving talks for years and to use that material for the book. I gently reminded Father that all the material I have and use is the teachings of the Church. There would not be anything new or innovating I would be writing about, so who would want to read my book? He again told me with all the confusion, discord, disobedience and heresy in the Church today, people need to read the truth.

Today the Church is being attacked on all sides and sadly enough, the attackers are her consecrated souls, priests and religious, including the hierarchy, the bishops, archbishops and cardinals. The very ones who should be defending the Church and her teachings are spreading the errors and heresies. The sheep have been left without a shepherd to protect them from the ravenging wolves. Of course many of the shepherds do not believe there are any wolves. Lucifer's greatest victory today is people do not believe in his existence.

People today need to have their faith reaffirmed. They need to know that there is a heaven and a hell, angels and devils, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, that she is Immaculate; pure and sinless from the moment of her conception. Jesus Christ is true God and true man, that He died on the cross for our sins and on the third day He resurrected from the dead (He was not resuscitated), that He is truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament. That the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not a gathering, a meal, or a get together. The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary. This list only scratches the surface of the heresies being propagated in the Church today.

Each chapter is a complete talk that I gave at a conference, seminar or a retreat. Some were given to adult groups, Altar and Rosary societies, CCD programs, high school students, grades school children to name a few. The story of Fatima was presented to over 20,000 school children in small groups of 100 to 200 over a 6 month period. In some of the chapters I added additional material. At the end of each chapter is a list of recommended reading. Where ever possible I have given credit to any material taken from another book. Some of the talks were given 8 -10 years ago. If anyone's material is not given proper credit, I Apologize! None of the material is my own idea. In fact all of it comes from one source, God. He is the author of all knowledge. All that we have comes from Him. Everything that you will read in this book comes from Him.

St. Augustine said that when we pray we talk to God, but when we read good spiritual books, God talks to us! Before you begin to read any religious book (this includes the Bible) say a short prayer that the Holy Spirit will give you the necessary graces needed to be receptive to the inspirations that God will give you. Many conversions have come about because someone read a good spiritual book. For example St. Francis of Assisi and St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius, while recovering from a severe wound received during battle, accidentally read a book on the lives of the Saints. Grace touched his heart and his life changed. He founded The Society of Jesus (The Jesuits). The reading of one spiritual book snowballed, for St. Ignatius later met a young man of a fine and noble character, except his heart was filled with earthly ambitions. He told this young man "What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" He pointed out it is better to prefer that which is eternal than that which vanishes like a dream. He made a deep impression on that man, who converted, and went on to become the great St. Francis Xavier.

Never doubt the power of the written word! Just as a good book produces excellent results so to a dirty, evil book produces bad fruit. St. Frances de Sales, a Doctor of the Church, said the pen is mightier than the sword, - and mighty was his pen! He wrote a collection of pamphlets to win back from Calvinism the people of the Chablais region of France. He spread them around the countryside and in just four years converted almost the entire population of 72,000. These pamphlets are available today in a book called "The Catholic Controversy" published by Tan Publishers.

I encourage you to read good spiritual books. While reading this book, please say a prayer for me, for yourself and for all who will read this book that they will be receptive to the inspirations they will receive from God.