Marian Movement of Priests
Encyclopedia
The Marian Movement of Priests (MMP) is a Roman Catholic movement
founded by Father Stefano Gobbi
on October 13, 1972, the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima
.
According to the MMP, its members now include over 400 Catholic cardinals
and bishops
, more than 100,000 Catholic priests
, and several million lay Catholics worldwide.
, was on a pilgrimage to Fátima, Portugal
and was praying in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima
for some priests who had given up their vocations and were reportedly planning to rebel against the Roman Catholic Church
.
On that day he reported his first interior locution
from the Virgin Mary
. Father Gobbi reported that the inner voice urged him to have confidence in the Immaculate Heart of Mary
and to gather those priests that would be willing to consecrate themselves to Immaculate Heart of Mary
and be strongly united with the Pope and the Catholic Church. According to Father Gobbi he prayed to Saint Mary for a confirmation of the inner voice, which he reported as receiving later in May 1972 while praying in the Church of the Annunciation
in Nazareth
.
After consultations with his spiritual advisor, in October 1972 he and two other priests met in a church in Gera Lario
in Como, Italy and published a notice of the movement
in some Catholic and local newspapers. In September 1973, twenty-five of the eighty Catholic priests who had by then joined the movement held the first national gathering of the MMP in San Vittorino near Rome
. Beginning in 1974, Father Gobbi began holding cenacle
s of prayer for priests and Catholics in general. He continues to hold prayer cenacle
s worldwide.
The MMP is now based in Milan
, Italy, with branches worldwide. The Marian Movement of Priests in the United States was established in 1975, and is based in St. Francis, Maine
.
s as messages which he attributed to the Virgin Mary
. The messages from July 1973 to December 1997 were published in the book: "To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons." These messages have now become the defacto hand book of the MMP.
There are 604 messages in the book and they span over 24 years of Father Gobbi's life. The book shows the dates (and if relevant the locations) of the messages and is thus also a record of Father Gobi's travels as he holds prayer cenacle
s. For instance, message 580 was in Zagreb
, Croatia
in September, 1996 while message 583 was in Seoul
, South Korea
in October 1996. The first message is dated July 7, 1973 and the last message is dated December 31, 1997, in Milan
Italy. The messages in the book are usually one or two pages long. The book includes about 800 pages of messages, preceded by an introduction to the Marian Movement and its spiritual basis. There are several pages of other material such as photographs, etc.
Most messages have a somewhat maternal tone and they often ask the faithful to follow Jesus and not deviate from His path. For instance, message number 110 of September 25, 1976 warns against diluting the words of the Gospel
and creating “your own Gospel with your own words” rather than following the original teachings of Jesus.
the position of the Holy See
regarding the authenticity of Father Gobbi's interior locution
s remains subject to different interpretations.
In October 1994, Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan wrote a letter in which he stated that some officials within the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
at the Vatican had informed him that they believe Father Gobbi's locutions to be his own meditations and not messages from the Virgin Mary
. To that end, Father Gobbi was asked to refer to the locutions as his own meditations rather than messages from the Virgin Mary. But Father Gobbi said that he could not, in good conscience, do so for he believed the messages to be true interior locution
s and he sought further clarification from the Holy See
.
To date, there is no formal record that the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
has taken an official position regarding Father Gobbi's messages. The MMP therefore continues to meet regularly in Rome
with the permission and participation of Catholic cardinal
s and bishop
s who attribute the locutions to Saint Mary.
Three Catholic cardinal
s have provided their imprimatur
for Father Gobbi's book: Cardinal Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz
, OFM, Cardinal Ignatius Moussa Daoud and Cardinal John Baptist Wu. Pope John Paul II
, who had a personal devotion to the Virgin Mary, met with and celebrated mass with Father Gobbi in his private papal chapel in the Vatican
on an annual basis for several years. In November 1993, Pope John Paul II
also provided an official papal blessing
for the American branch of the MMP in St. Francis, Maine
but did not offer an imprimatur
for the book.
that Father Gobi reported on May 8th 1972 in Fátima, Portugal
. The concept is to encourage priests and laity to unite with the Pope
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary
to strengthen the Catholic Church.
The three fundamental spiritual values of the MMP are formally expressed in Father Gobi’s circulars 21, 23, and 24 as: personal consecration
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
, unity and devotion to the Pope
, and leading the faithful to trust the Virgin Mary.
The MMP does not have its own distinct doctrine for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
but relies on the general consecration doctrine provided by the Holy See
. The concept of unity and devotion to the Pope also embeds the concept of a return to the original divine teachings of Jesus which the MMP views as being diluted through modern human interpretations and multiple rationalizations. The concept of leading the faithful to the Virgin Mary is essentially expressed in message number 25 of November 1, 1973 in which priests are asked to gathered the faithful around them as "invincible cohort" to follow the path of Jesus.
The MMP places special emphasis on the power of praying the Holy Rosary
and Eucharistic Adoration
as effective means of strengthening the Church.
) when the Holy Spirit
descended upon them. They are called to pray to Jesus
through Saint Mary, since it was through her that the Church, the Body of Christ
, was born. They are also called to include after each Rosary
decade two prayers: the Act of Love
("Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
! We love you! Save souls! We offer up every heartbeat and every breath as a thousand Acts of Love") and the Prayer for the Holy Spirit
("Come Holy Spirit, by the most powerful intercession of your dearly beloved spouse, the Immaculate Heart of Mary"). Furthermore, during Cenacles they are to make personal consecrations to Mary.
Father Gobbi has held cenacle
s of varying sizes on every continent. The cenacle he held in Ōita
, Japan on June 2, 1978 was for a few priests and nuns while the cenacle he held in Mexico City
on November 27, 1994 was attended by 20,000 people in the city stadium.
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
founded by Father Stefano Gobbi
Stefano Gobbi
Father Stefano Gobbi was an Italian Roman Catholic priest. He was born in the Province of Como, Italy and was ordained as a priest in 1964. He later obtained a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical University in Rome...
on October 13, 1972, the 55th anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13...
.
According to the MMP, its members now include over 400 Catholic cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and bishops
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
, more than 100,000 Catholic priests
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, and several million lay Catholics worldwide.
Origins
On May 8th 1972 Father Gobbi, an Italian priest from MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, was on a pilgrimage to Fátima, Portugal
Fátima, Portugal
Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...
and was praying in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima is a Roman Catholic Marian basilica in Fátima, Portugal...
for some priests who had given up their vocations and were reportedly planning to rebel against the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
On that day he reported his first interior locution
Interior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
from the Virgin Mary
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...
. Father Gobbi reported that the inner voice urged him to have confidence in the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
and to gather those priests that would be willing to consecrate themselves to Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
and be strongly united with the Pope and the Catholic Church. According to Father Gobbi he prayed to Saint Mary for a confirmation of the inner voice, which he reported as receiving later in May 1972 while praying in the Church of the Annunciation
Church of the Annunciation
The Church of the Annunciation , sometimes also referred to as the Basilica of the Annunciation is a church in Nazareth, in modern-day northern Israel.-History:...
in Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
.
After consultations with his spiritual advisor, in October 1972 he and two other priests met in a church in Gera Lario
Gera Lario
Gera Lario is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about north of Milan and about northeast of Como. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 942 and an area of 6.7 km²....
in Como, Italy and published a notice of the movement
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
in some Catholic and local newspapers. In September 1973, twenty-five of the eighty Catholic priests who had by then joined the movement held the first national gathering of the MMP in San Vittorino near Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Beginning in 1974, Father Gobbi began holding cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s of prayer for priests and Catholics in general. He continues to hold prayer cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s worldwide.
The MMP is now based in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy, with branches worldwide. The Marian Movement of Priests in the United States was established in 1975, and is based in St. Francis, Maine
St. Francis, Maine
St. Francis is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States on the Canadian border at the junction of the St. Francis River and the Saint John River. The population was 577 at the 2000 census...
.
Handbook
In July 1973, Father Gobbi began to write his interior locutionInterior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
s as messages which he attributed to the Virgin Mary
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...
. The messages from July 1973 to December 1997 were published in the book: "To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons." These messages have now become the defacto hand book of the MMP.
There are 604 messages in the book and they span over 24 years of Father Gobbi's life. The book shows the dates (and if relevant the locations) of the messages and is thus also a record of Father Gobi's travels as he holds prayer cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s. For instance, message 580 was in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
in September, 1996 while message 583 was in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in October 1996. The first message is dated July 7, 1973 and the last message is dated December 31, 1997, in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
Italy. The messages in the book are usually one or two pages long. The book includes about 800 pages of messages, preceded by an introduction to the Marian Movement and its spiritual basis. There are several pages of other material such as photographs, etc.
Most messages have a somewhat maternal tone and they often ask the faithful to follow Jesus and not deviate from His path. For instance, message number 110 of September 25, 1976 warns against diluting the words of the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
and creating “your own Gospel with your own words” rather than following the original teachings of Jesus.
The View from the Vatican
As is common with some other visions of Jesus and MaryVisions of Jesus and Mary
Since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions of Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited...
the position of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
regarding the authenticity of Father Gobbi's interior locution
Interior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
s remains subject to different interpretations.
In October 1994, Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan wrote a letter in which he stated that some officials within the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
at the Vatican had informed him that they believe Father Gobbi's locutions to be his own meditations and not messages from the Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
. To that end, Father Gobbi was asked to refer to the locutions as his own meditations rather than messages from the Virgin Mary. But Father Gobbi said that he could not, in good conscience, do so for he believed the messages to be true interior locution
Interior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
s and he sought further clarification from the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
To date, there is no formal record that the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
has taken an official position regarding Father Gobbi's messages. The MMP therefore continues to meet regularly in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
with the permission and participation of Catholic cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s who attribute the locutions to Saint Mary.
Three Catholic cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s have provided their imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
for Father Gobbi's book: Cardinal Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz
Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz
Bernardino Echeverría Ruiz was a Roman Catholic Cardinal....
, OFM, Cardinal Ignatius Moussa Daoud and Cardinal John Baptist Wu. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, who had a personal devotion to the Virgin Mary, met with and celebrated mass with Father Gobbi in his private papal chapel in the Vatican
Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
on an annual basis for several years. In November 1993, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
also provided an official papal blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
for the American branch of the MMP in St. Francis, Maine
St. Francis, Maine
St. Francis is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States on the Canadian border at the junction of the St. Francis River and the Saint John River. The population was 577 at the 2000 census...
but did not offer an imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
for the book.
Spiritual Values
The fundamental concept of the MMP today remains the same as the basic concept expressed in the initial interior locutionInterior locution
An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution, a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or imaginations from an outside spiritual source. Interior locutions are most often reported during prayers...
that Father Gobi reported on May 8th 1972 in Fátima, Portugal
Fátima, Portugal
Fátima is a city in Portugal famous for the Marian apparitions, recognized by the Catholic Church, that took place there in 1917. The town itself has a population of 7,756 and is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and Médio Tejo Subregion...
. The concept is to encourage priests and laity to unite with 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...
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
to strengthen the Catholic Church.
The three fundamental spiritual values of the MMP are formally expressed in Father Gobi’s circulars 21, 23, and 24 as: personal 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 the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
, unity and devotion to 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...
, and leading the faithful to trust the Virgin Mary.
The MMP does not have its own distinct doctrine for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
but relies on the general consecration doctrine provided by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. The concept of unity and devotion to the Pope also embeds the concept of a return to the original divine teachings of Jesus which the MMP views as being diluted through modern human interpretations and multiple rationalizations. The concept of leading the faithful to the Virgin Mary is essentially expressed in message number 25 of November 1, 1973 in which priests are asked to gathered the faithful around them as "invincible cohort" to follow the path of Jesus.
The MMP places special emphasis on the power of praying the Holy Rosary
Holy Rosary
Holy Rosary may refer to:*Rosary, a set of prayer beads used in a traditional Roman Catholic devotion*The Holy Rosary, a prayer based on the rosary-See also:*Holy Rosary Academy , one of several Roman Catholic schools with this name...
and Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic adoration
Eucharistic adoration is a practice in the Roman Catholic Church, and in a few Anglican and Lutheran churches, in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to and adored by the faithful....
as effective means of strengthening the Church.
Cenacles
In the tradition of the MMP, Saint Mary calls the members of the MMP to meet in "Cenacles" as the Apostles met in prayer and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the upper room (cenacleCenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
) when the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
descended upon them. They are called to pray to Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
through Saint Mary, since it was through her that the Church, the Body of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, was born. They are also called to include after each Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
decade two prayers: the Act of Love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
("Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
! We love you! Save souls! We offer up every heartbeat and every breath as a thousand Acts of Love") and the Prayer for the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
("Come Holy Spirit, by the most powerful intercession of your dearly beloved spouse, the Immaculate Heart of Mary"). Furthermore, during Cenacles they are to make personal consecrations to Mary.
Father Gobbi has held cenacle
Cenacle
The Cenacle , also known as the "Upper Room", is the term used for the site of The Last Supper. The word is a derivative of the Latin word cena, which means dinner....
s of varying sizes on every continent. The cenacle he held in Ōita
Oita, Oita
is the capital city of Ōita Prefecture located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.- Demographics and geography :Ōita is the most populous city in Ōita Prefecture...
, Japan on June 2, 1978 was for a few priests and nuns while the cenacle he held in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on November 27, 1994 was attended by 20,000 people in the city stadium.