Our Lady's mission for the youth of America

In the approved writings of Sister Mary Ephrem, Our Lady entrusted to her a mission for the youth of America. Already the good sisters were teaching the young students the invocation taught by Our Lady on November 15,1956, "By thy Holy and Immaculate Conception, O Mary, deliver us from evil." Bishop Leibold under the guidance of Venerable Archbishop Karl Alter,
was active in putting into practice a program of propagation of the messages entrusted to his spiritual daughter Sr.Mary Ephrem better know as Sr. Millie.

It is noted that Sr.Floriceta and Sr. Millie as well as other members of their community felt that this invocation to Our Lady would help defeat the scourge of communism. So it was added with the medal of Our Lady of America, under the direction of Monsignor Leibold as a program to underline the basic theme that Our Lady was requesting. In fact Archbishop Leibold outlines in the book Our Lady of America the essential elements of the medal requested by Our Lady. On one side is the image of Our Lady as she appeared to Sr.Millie on September 26, 1956 and on the other side The Coat of Arms of The Christian Family.

It would not be until 1958, that the "mission" given to Sr.Millie would fully realized. That being the youth of America, the medal, the picture or statue of Our Lady of America, the protection of the home, and the statue at the Shrine of The Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Sr.Millie writes:

"Our Lady made known to me that she is particularly interested in the youth of our nation. It is they who are to be the leaders of this movement of renewal on the face of the earth. Their ranks will be swelled by the youths of other nations whom Our Lady also calls to help in the accomplishment of this great renewal.

But the youth must be prepared, and this must be done by instilling into them, not only the knowledge of the Divine Indwelling, but a serious study of It, living It in such a 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. A medal which Our Lady asked to be made is to be their shield against evil, the picture or statue of Our Lady, the protection of the home, the statue at the Shrine in Washington, D.C., a special safeguard for our country.

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."

Our Lady's call to the youth in our country is growing. And though it may seem that devotion to Our Lady of America is new,
already in the eighties youth groups gathered under the banner of Our Lady of America, and lovingly carried her statue in procession throughout our country .

Jannette Cochran a Torchbearer in Northern California had this to share.

"In August, 2003,The Youth Group from St. Dominic¢s Parish, Colfax, California, was housed in a Catholic School in Ontario, Canada for World Youth Day. The statue of Our Lady of America was placed at the entry of the school so that all could see her and meditate and pray. Many questions were asked and answered by all those who passed by it.

The statue was taken to the park on the vigil of the Papal Mass.There were many hands offered to help carry Our Lady of America. Many of the youth prayed rosaries near her that evening. Many had questions about Our Lady of America and Sister Millies story. The statue was never presented as belonging to any one person. It was always presented as a gift to the youth with a message of purity.

Candles were placed by young pilgrims as they passed by. Many stayed and prayed the rosary in the evening. Some of the youth were compelled to keep vigil near the statue all night. When it came time to process her, on Sunday morning after the Holy Father arrived, anyone that wanted and was capable of helping to carry the statue had the opportunity to process through the masses of young people from all over the world. It was truly beautiful. On Sunday morning, as they approached the barriers to the area surrounding the stage for the Mass, the youth were miraculously allowed to carry the statue in the area near the Pope.

As leader of the Youth group, I was amazed at the interest in and enthusiasm shown toward the statue and the history of Our Lady of America."

Audrey Frank has been involved with Our Lady of America since 1992. Sister Millie and Sr. Joseph Therese worked with her to create the first traveling image of Our Lady of America. From the Our Lady of America Center in Ohio Audrey had this to share

"Our Lady of America World Youth Day Statue Travels the U.S. and the
world:

A 300 pound statue of Our Lady of America has been traveling the
country and many parts of the world. In 1993, this statue first processed bythe "Torchbearers of the Queen" Youth Group from Colfax, California, World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado. The statue has since traveled to World Youth Days in the Philippines and France, Peace Masses, U.S. MarianConferences and Pro-Life Walks.

In 1994, this statue was present at The Year of the Family National
Rosary Congress in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C. Our Lady of America's statue reside in
the Shrine during the whole Congress dedicated to "The Holy Family" from
June 19-June26, 1994. Also, in 1994 at Mile High Stadium for the"World Youth Day Reunion" the Youth carried her through the Denver streets to the downtown abortion clinic praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy
Chaplet for the entire 5 miles. Our Lady has been crowned at Youth 2000
Eucharistic Retreats and taken to World Youth Day 2000 in Rome.

From October 2-December 22, 2001, Our Lady of America's Large Statue
travelled across the United States through many states along Hwy 80, Hwy
40, Hwy 10 and Eastcoast I95 to tv, radio interviews, Marianconferences, and was allowed to reside at Mother Angelica's Cloister Chapel for 8 months until picked up to travel with the OH, CA, OR Torchbearers of
the Queen Youth to Toronto World Youth Day 2002.

In Germany 2005, a group from Southern California and New York took thesmall statue of Our Lady of America to World Youth Day.

And so it has come to pass that the youth of America were joined with
the youth of other nations as prefigured in Sr. Mildred Neuzil's Diary.
It is the youth who are to lead this great spiritual renewal...

From Toronto, the Large Our Lady of America Statue now resides back in
the small Our Lady of America Chapel in Fostoria, Ohio."

Audrey Frank
CA Torchbearers of the Queen
Since 1992

Thanks Audrey. We will check back with you soon for more updates on Our Lady of America !

Fr. John Warburton,OSJ is spiritual director for Torchbearers of the Queen.

Sister Millie would later write 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.