Petrus Pavlicek and the Rosary Crusade

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I want to share with you the story of Petrus Pavlicek.

He was born in Innsbruck, Austria in 1902. As a young boy, he felt called to the religious life, but grew indifferent in his teenage years and left the Church when he was 19. After his compulsory military service, he studied in the academy of fine arts and then lived as a vagabond artist in Paris and London. In 1932 he was married in a civil ceremony but the marriage lasted only three months. The hand of Divine Providence is always surprising. In 1935 he was struck with a life threatening illness that led to his deep conversion. Once he recovered, he felt the childhood call to become a priest but now, after such an unfaithful life, he felt unworthy, so he visited Therese Neumann, a famous Catholic mystic at the time. She confirmed his decision, and he was accepted into the Franciscans at Prague, where he was ordained a priest in 1941.

Now pay attention to the dates on which things happen in Petrus’ life – all Marian feast days – to show that even before he committed his life to Mary – She was guiding everything…

On May 13, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, 1942 He was conscripted into the German Army. On October 7, the feast of the Holy Rosary, he was sent to the Western Front, that seems bad, but Our Lady was guiding everything. On August 15, 1944 the Assumption, he was captured by Americans and became a prisoner of war – which seems even worse – except Mary had it secretly under control. It was during this imprisonment that he learned for the first time about Our Lady’s apparition and messages at Fatima. On July 16, 1945, the feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel he was released and went on pilgrimage to Marian shrine of Mariazell in Austria to thank Mary for her protection and to seek the will of God. There, on February 2, the feast of the Presentation, Mary spoke to him in a clear voice saying, “Do as I say, and there will be peace.”

TWO

Did you know that much of Austria was under the Iron Curtain after WWII? Probably not because of Petrus Pavlicek and the Rosary. After WWII Austria was divided up by the Allies. The Eastern half of the country and Vienna came under the control of the Soviets. Until 1991, the Soviets never lost a nation – but something different happened here. Fr. Pavlicek was inspired by the words of Our Lady at Fatima where she said that the actions of men would not be enough, only She could help us through the Rosary and if we did what she asked many souls would be saved and there would be peace. Reminded of this Petrus would say, “Peace is a gift of God, not the work of politicians.” And the gifts of God are obtained through the Rosary that storms heaven as soldiers a fort – with confidence and determination.

So in 1947, with his country at the mercy of atheistic Soviet Marxism, Fr. Pavlicek began gathering people in villages, towns and cities across Soviet controlled Austria on the 13th of each month to pray the Rosary together and in public and he called it the Rosary Crusade. At first people were afraid, but seeing others praying the Rosary strengthened them and gave them hope.

THREE

From 1947 until 1955 Fr Petrus conducted public Rosary processions and rallies on the 13th of each month. Many people gathered at first, but often they could not sustain their spiritual practices, so the Rosary Crusade ebbed and flowed but Fr. Petrus persevered in his confidence in Our Lady. By 1955, eight years later, more than a half million Austrians had pledged to pray the Rosary every day, begging for the conversion of sinners, peace in the world and freedom in Austria.

Throughout this time the politicians conducted more than 260 peace conferences in the effort to remove the Soviets from power. But these efforts only ended with the Russians tightening their iron grip on Austria. Man alone does not have the power to change the course of history or bring peace. This is a job for the Queen of Peace. But she asks our cooperation in praying the Daily Rosary.

FOUR

The Cold War intensified, and communism refined its methods of religious persecution in Austria. It seemed that God wanted to test the faith of those who had prayed so zealously for their country’s freedom.

Their faith having been sufficiently tried, the grace was given. On March 24, 1955, the Soviet governors invited the Austrians to a conference. Believing that his nation’s future would be sealed in Moscow, Prime Minister Raab entreated Father Pavlicek before his departure, “Please pray, and ask your people to pray harder than ever.”

To the world’s surprise, the Soviets announced they would withdraw their troops from Austria in just three months. On May 15, the Month of Mary, the Soviets signed a treaty guaranteeing the independence of Austria. And in October, the month of the Rosary, the last Russian soldier left Austrian soil.

In Vienna, the multitudes marched in procession— candles and rosaries in hand— carrying a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, their deliverer from communist enslavement. Their overflowing hearts echoed the prayer of thanksgiving offered by their Prime Minister: “Today,” he said “we, whose hearts are full of faith, cry out to Heaven in joyful prayer: We are free. O Mary, we thank Thee!”

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We vastly underestimate the Power of the Rosary. So simple and so brief, only 20 minutes, 1% of our day, yet the Rosary has proven to be the force which has driven evil forces from countries where all human efforts failed; the Rosary prayed for others can obtain their conversion; the Rosary is the greatest school of prayer and the formation of virtue; and at Fatima Our Lady said, “Pray the Rosary every day for only I am able to help you.”

I love the fact that Petrus Pavlicek had fallen away from his faith and lived like a Bohemian for many years. Yet Our Lady likes to choose her children who are most wayward to do the greatest things for her. Well, you too can be an Apostle of the Rosary. Let the force of this true story sink in and renew your commitment to make the Rosary part of your day every day. And spread the Rosary. Share the Podcast with others and invite someone to pray with you. I know a father whose adult daughter said to him recently, “I knew you prayed the Rosary every day when I was growing up, but why didn’t you ask me to pray it with you?”

The Rosary has power and people want that.

Keep this in mind for those you ask – some will, some wont, so what, someone is waiting, who’s next.