Dear Fellow Digital Pilgrim, Pax Christi:

My religious order, the Legionaries of Christ, is part of a larger Ecclesial Movement called Regnum Christi, which is Latin for The Kingdom of Christ. When I first came in contact with this Catholic spiritual family (that’s how I think of ecclesial movements), one aspect which especially attracted me was the strong sense of mission, and even urgency, regarding every Christian’s role in helping to build up Christ’s Kingdom.  

We have always loved the ancient phrase that refers to the Church here on earth as the Church Militant (as opposed to the Church Suffering in Purgatory and the Church Triumphant in Heaven). That kind of spiritual militancy doesn’t refer to military violence, but it does evoke a sense of determination, effort, dedication, and action – all flowing from the love for God and neighbor that our faith stirs up, a love that yearns to express itself in obeying Christ’s command to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19).

I once asked a lay member of our Movement what he thought this kind of spiritual militancy really meant. He considered it for a moment, and then he said, “It means knowing that there is a war going on.” Of course, he was referring to spiritual warfare, the ongoing battle of good vs. evil that undergirds all of human history, as our faith teaches us, and in which each one of us is intimately involved.

Now that our culture is moving farther and farther away from its Christian roots, we need to be reminded of this truth. We are not alone in the struggle for spiritual maturity in our own lives, nor in the struggle to build a culture that reflects and encourages gospel values. We have allies in those struggles, and we also have enemies. And that’s what our newest Retreat Guide, Invisible Allies: A Retreat Guide on St. Michael and the Angels explores.

I really enjoyed writing and filming this Retreat Guide. And it is my sincere hope and prayer that you will enjoy it too, and that it will be both encouraging and instructive for your faith journey.

Before ending, I want to express once again RC Spirituality’s gratitude to all of you for your feedback and ongoing support, material and spiritual. We believe in our mission of helping the Church to evangelize the digital continent, and we thank you for believing in us.

Peace in Him,

Fr. John