Feast of Our Lady Queen of the Militia 2026

I wish you, my brothers, a very happy Feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Militia.

I wish to remind everyone today that, by reciting the Act of Consecration in a church, members of the Militia Knights and all the faithful may receive a plenary indulgence.

It is my special prayer, as preceptor, for all of you, that the grace we receive on this wonderful feast day this year may be the desire to love Mary more than we already do—for obviously we do not yet love her enough. True love always seeks to love more than it already has and to offer ever greater proofs of its love.

Most importantly, we must always stand up for the rights and honor of the Virgin Mary: never allowing anyone around us to speak ill of her; always speaking of her with affection, yet without affectation; and showing great care always to share her great works and memory with men of good will.

It was fitting today that the Gospel, in these Sunday readings after the Ascension, spoke of the time when men would put you to death and think they were doing a service to God. God said as much to His friends and companions. How well this matches with our vow always to give a heroic public witness to the Faith. So, we as Poor Knights of Christ should also prepare ourselves for such a fate.

We recall also that the Virgin Mary always sought first to give service to God and to allow Him the outcomes He desired. She never complained under trial. The only moment I can recall is when she asked why Christ had left her during the three days He remained behind teaching in the Temple. Yet I think we all understand that one of the most distressing sufferings is to endure trials without understanding whether they are a rebuke, a test, or something else entirely.

And yet, God may will even this: that we suffer trials without understanding them, simply for His good pleasure.

Thus, the Virgin Mary can comfort us in all our trials and tribulations. And if we begin loving her now, while things are peaceful, then how much more shall we love her when, through her prayers, she strengthens us beneath the Cross.

Keeping devotions in honor of Mary is a great thing. They are the beginning of integrating the Virgin Mary into our hearts. Even greater still is when that seed of devotion enters deeply into our hearts, so that we desire to imitate her love and virtues, and to find joy in the service of God. Most importantly, by frequently recalling her joys and sorrows to mind, we can always find ways to rejoice with her or to sorrow with her, so that she in turn may rejoice with us and sorrow with us throughout our life here below.

A most happy feast day to you all.