The Family of Mary, also known by its full name, ''Pro Deo et fratribus—Family of Mary'' (PDF-FM), is an

Association of the Faithful In the Catholic Church, an association of the Christian faithful or simply association of the faithful (Latin: ''consociationes christifidelium'') sometimes called a public association of the faithful, is a group of baptized persons, clerics or la ...

Pontifical Right In Catholicism "of pontifical right" is the term given to ecclesiastical institutions (religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See, or approved by it with the formal decree known by the Latin nam ...

for clergy and laity in the Catholic Church. The

clerical Clerical may refer to: * Pertaining to the clergy * Pertaining to a clerical worker * Clerical script, a style of Chinese calligraphy * Clerical People's Party See also * Cleric (disambiguation) Cleric is a member of the clergy. Cleric may a ...

arm of the association is called Work of Jesus the High Priest ( la, Opus Jesu Summi Sacerdotis), the members of which bear the post-nominal title Opus J.S.S. The affiliated branch of consecrated women is called the ''Apostolic Sisters of the Family of Mary'', with the post-nominal initials F.M.

History

Bishop Pavol Hnilica, with the backing of Pope Paul VI, founded the association in 1968 under the title ''Pia Unione Pro Fratribus''. Its original purpose was to provide material and spiritual support to Catholics of the

Eastern Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...

facing persecution under Communist rule. After the Fall of Communism, the community adopted its current name and repurposed itself as a Marian missionary organization. The Catholic Church formally recognized the association under this new form in 1995. In 2008, the Congregation for the Clergy formally established the community's clerical branch, known as the "Work of Jesus the High Priest," with Fr. as its founder.

Activity

The Family of Mary is primarily active in Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, and Russia. The community has a particular focus on spreading devotion to the alleged Marian apparition entitled

The Lady of All Nations The Lady of All Nations is a Catholic Marian title sometimes associated with apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Ida Peerdeman of Amsterdam, Netherlands. Peerdeman claimed to have received 56 visions of the Lady from 1945 to 1959. The visi ...

. However, in December 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith discouraged promotion of "the alleged apparitions and revelations" associated with the Marian title of "Lady of All Nations,". While the title "Lady of All Nations" for Mary is itself "theologically acceptable", the alleged apparitions that gave rise to it are not. They were the subject of a "Negative Declaration" in 1974."Vatican’s doctrinal office: Don’t promote alleged apparitions connected to ‘Lady of All Nations’", Catholic News Agency, January 4, 2021
/ref> In 2020, Msgr. Lubomir Welnitz, Opus J.S.S., was appointed one of eight Papal Masters of Ceremonies under the

Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff ( la, Officium de Liturgicis Celebrationibus Summi Pontificis, it, Ufficio delle Celebrazioni Liturgiche del Sommo Pontefice) is that section of the Roman Curia responsible for org ...

References

External links

* Associations of the Christian faithful Catholic religious institutes established in the 20th century Catholic orders and societies Organizations established in 1968 {{Catholic-org-stub