he family of Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate is called to move ahead and journey down the highways of the world, step by step, place after place, till the end of time, in order to spur men onward and escort all into paradise "through the Immaculate."

Since Jesus came to us "through the Immaculate," we, too, must go to Him, the Savior, by the same path, that is, "through the Immaculate." The friars and sisters accomplish this by faithfully living their Franciscan vocation and giving growth to its "original charisms inasmuch as they are God’s gifts to His Church," as the Church’s Magisterium teaches (Essential Elements of Church Teaching on the Religious Life, n. 11).

Recall the ardent words of St. Francis of Assisi in his well-known sermon to the people on the "Pardon" of the Portiuncula (viz. the "Portiuncula Indulgence"): "I want to bring you all to Heaven"! This is the apostolic zeal, the supernatural charity, to be possessed by every friar and sister, by every Franciscan of the Immaculate – to carry and give Jesus to everyone "by means of the Immaculate," to help, to urge, to spur everyone into heaven "through the Immaculate."

Missionary zeal is a natural part of the vocation of the Franciscan of the Immaculate, especially in virtue of the Marian Vow of unlimited consecration to the Immaculate. This is why every friar and sister make themselves available to go anywhere the Immaculate may want them to go by means of obedience, carrying everywhere "that motherly love with which all should be animated who join in the Church’s apostolic mission for the regeneration of mankind". (Lumen gentium, 65)

Naturally, human weakness is always a reality to guard oneself against and this comes as no surprise. To renounce oneself for the love of God and neighbor is a heroic act of love and true virtue. Some are more advanced along the way of love and sacrifice while others are not. This is normal. The important thing is to not give up nor to accept defeat when faced with the required efforts to be made and difficulties to be overcome. With the grace of the Immaculate Mediatrix, with the grace of the Marian Vow, one can make continual progress on the way of love and sacrifice in order to "renounce all things" (Lk. 14:33) and to "lose oneself" (Mt. 10:39) for the Lord, for the Immaculate, and for so many brothers who need to be saved in every part of the earth.

In this way, as the Church teaches, "the charism of the founders reveals itself as an experience of the Spirit transmitted to their disciples in order that they may live it, keep it, seek to understand it better, and continually develop it in harmony with the Body of Christ in its perennial growth" (Directives on Formation in Religious Institutes, 67).

Many (and even too many) calls are received by the Franciscan friars and sisters of the Immaculate, asking them to open religious houses in other places; both in and outside Italy.

Numerous requests have come in from southern and central Italy, from the north and from the islands, asking for their presence in various dioceses.

Requests and recommendations have also been received from Austria, Canada, and Switzerland. The more urgent requests, however, are those from mission lands like Africa (Chad, Zambia, Benin), the Philippine Islands, Russia, Brazil; just to name a few.

Many friars and sisters would be needed in order to answer all the requests. May the Immaculate quickly increase the number of communities according to Her will. In the meantime new houses are beginning to open, little by little, in different places, according to the possibilities. The houses are poor and simple and their tenants live there as "pilgrims and guests," according to the Rule of St. Francis of Assisi. They form small communities of friars or of sisters, little families of terrestrial angels at the feet of the Immaculate, like at St. Mary of the Angels.

So far, the friars have opened nine communities in Italy.5 The most important of these are: Frigento, the Casa Mariana of the Institute, where the international Theological Seminary of the Immaculate Mediatrix is based; Benevento, the Generalate House; Casalucense near Cassino, the Novitiate House; Castelpetroso, where the friars are the custodians and overseers of the grand Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows; Pompei, where the friars offer their themselves as Confessors in the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary; Rome, at St. Mary Major, where the friars oversee the sacristy with all its responsibilities for the smooth running of such a glorious Pontifical Basilica.

In other countries, on the other hand, the friars have opened thirteen friaries: 4 in the Philippines, 3 in the U.S.A., 1 in Brazil, 1 in Benin, 1 in Nigeria and two in Australia. They have also opened a friary in Russia.

New openings are already projected for: Canada, India, Indonesia, France, Austria, England, Germany, Taiwan.

What does all this mean? Especially considering that it was only a short time ago that the Institute was erected.

One of the friar founders answers, "If you consider our small number, the lack of means at our disposal and the many weaknesses and frailties we all have, one can only conclude that this is part of that ‘folly’ which St. Paul (1 Cor. 4:10) and St. Maximilian M. Kolbe spoke of – the ‘folly’ of love for Christ and for the Immaculate. Without this ‘folly’ none of these works would have been possible, while with this ‘folly’ the legend has become reality".