Partnering with Mary's Missionaries

Legatus member answers call to evangelization as an oblate of the Missionaries of Divine Revelation

In 1947, the Virgin Mary appeared to a rabidly anticlerical Protestant at Rome's Grotto of the Tre Fontane and converted him to Catholicism. She identified herself as the Virgin of Revelation. That apparition inspired the "spiritual" birth of the Missionaries of Divine Revelation, which won formal approval from the Diocese of Rome as a Catholic religious community after a long experience of lay consecration with a religious character. Identifying their mission as "apostles of the mystery of the Church," the missionaries seek to spread divine revelation through catechesis and evangelization. Pam Raymond, a member of Legatus' Bucks County Chapter, recently became an Oblate of the Missionaries of Divine Revelation—which, true to their roots in an earthly appearance by Mary, encourages a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother.

The Three White Loves 

Inspired by Our Lady's call to be "Missionaries of the Word of Truth," the MDR seek to spread devotion to what the Virgin of Revelation called the "three white loves": the Eucharist, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, and the Roman Pontiff. The order presently consists of 20 women who respond to Our Lady's message with an ardent missionary spirit so that "the treasure of Revelation entrusted to the Church may more and more fill the hearts of men."

"The sisters engage in extensive catechetical work in parishes, families, and a 'Catechesis with Art' program, for which they are well known," Raymond explained. "They conduct 'Art and Faith' tours in the Roman basilicas and the Vatican Museums. The sisters are also present in St. John Lateran Basilica, where they serve in the Treasury Museum."

In her apparition at Tre Fontane, Raymond said, the Virgin of Revelation was firm about absolute adherence to Church teaching. "Therefore, the Sisters seek to think what the Church has always thought, to love what the Church has always loved, and to want what the Church has always wanted," she said. "They also work to make the message of the Virgin of Revelation known throughout the world."

A Family Vacation to Italy

Pam and her husband, Steve, became familiar with the MDR several years ago during a family vacation to Italy. A Legatus member had recommended the Vatican Museum "Art and Faith" tour, and their tour guide was Sr. Emanuela Edwards. The tour was "undoubtedly the highlight of our two-week trip," Pam said. She and Edwards kept in contact for a few years, and during the 2020 pandemic shutdown Raymond began participating in the MDR's online conferences and weekly Rosary group. That's when she learned more about the apparition and the MDR.

"The message of Our Lady resonated with me," Raymond recalled. "With the confusion in the Church today and a spirit of religious indifferentism that pervades our culture, I strongly believed that this message needed to be shared. Our Lady of Revelation speaks with clarity about what it means to be Catholic and how to live this faith.

It was surprising to me that the apparition was not known to most of us in the States, although it is well known and has been formally recognized by the Church." With Raymond's developing understanding of the story and growing friendship with Edwards, it wasn't long before they planned the first mission trip to the U.S. in 2022, during which the Raymonds hosted Edwards and another MDR at their home.

A Natural Decision

Having learned of the lay oblate program by which lay persons could participate in the MDR spirit and mission, becoming an oblate was "a natural decision to what I discerned to be a true calling," Raymond said. After much prayer and study, she made her final oblation at the MDR convent in Rome on April 23, 2024. Lay oblates make a daily commitment to living the MDR vocation in the best way possible according to one's circumstances. For Raymond, that occurs primarily in family life. Daily Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, Rosary, and eucharistic adoration are a vital part of her oblate vocation, and she further benefits from ongoing formation with the Missionaries of Divine Revelation.

Raymond supports the order in various ways, and the sisters provide personal support to her family and friends as well, even as devotion to Our Lady of Revelation continues to expand in the U.S. "We have a Pilgrim Madonna program we have begun circulating in parishes," she said. "Each month prayer intentions of many of our friends, family, and parishioners are compiled and sent to the Grotto in Rome, where so many prayers have been answered. There have been miracles of healings and conversions.

We are planning another mission trip in the States this fall." Many of her friends and family have delighted in getting to know the sisters during their missions, and some have enjoyed visiting them in Italy and participating in the "Art and Faith" tours. "The sisters are so warm and welcoming and have a gift for bringing everyone together," Raymond said. "I am often asked, 'When are they coming back to us?'"