Who is Our Lady of America?
Officially, she is Our Lady, The Immaculate Virgin, Patroness of America. This title refers to the dogmatic recognition that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from the stain of any sin, both in her conception and in her life. This singular privilege was given only to her who was destined to be the Mother of God Incarnate. This Catholic Doctrine is perfectly in harmony with her wonderful sanctity and preeminent dignity as Mother of God.
In 1792, the first bishop of the United States, John Carroll, consecrated the nation to Mary under her title The Immaculate Conception, and in 1846, the United States bishops unanimously chose Mary under that title as Patroness of the United States of America. At the dedication of the National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC on November 20, 1959, Cardinal Patrick A. O’Boyle, Archbishop of Washington, again consecrated the United States to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
This consecration was renewed by the U.S. bishops on Nov. 11, 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland. Days later, the processional statue of Our Lady of America was first publicly displayed at the USCCB conference in Baltimore, Maryland. On November 15, 2006, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke (then Archbishop) blessed the statue. This same statue is now on public display in the West Wing of the Mother of Mercy Chapel, in Rome City, Indiana.
Inspired in Prayer
In the late summer of 1956, Sr. Mary Ephrem was stationed at Kneipp Spring to help as a domestic worker in the sanitarium. She was born in Brooklyn, NY August 2, 1916, entering religious life at age 14. Although her primary active vocation was a kindergarten teacher, she spent just a few weeks in domestic service at Kneipp Springs in the Fall of 1956. It was here that her life was changed as she felt called, in grace-filled prayer, to help Our Lady be more widely recognized and honored as Patroness of America. She felt Our Lady was calling her children in America to know and imitate the infinite holiness and fruits that are in the Holy Family and then promote this to the world.
Sister Mary Ephrem felt this call first in prayer centered around Our Lady of Lourdes, the Immaculate Conception, on September 25, 1956. The next day, she felt inspired to turn to the title given by the U.S. Bishops: Our Lady, The Immaculate Virgin, Patroness of America, in the short form, “Our Lady of America.” Over the next four years, through prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and contemplation, her devotion matured into a spiritual calling to seek the purity of the Immaculate Conception and to imitate the Holy Family and to help others to do so under this title. Sister Mary Ephrem went on to discern that imitating the Holy Family, fervent prayer, and frequent participation in the Sacraments (especially Reconciliation), would nurture the indwelling of the Holy Trinity in the hearts of the faithful as they are purified more and more.
The devotion of Our Lady of America has as its core the call of the Blessed Virgin Mary for us to seek holiness through imitation of the Holy Family. In the life of the Holy Family, there is the perfect model to imitate, no matter our station in life. For mothers and wives, we look to the Blessed Virgin. For fathers and husbands, we look to Saint Joseph. For children, religious and single persons we look to the life of Christ. For all, we look to Mary as spiritual mother, Joseph as spiritual father, and Jesus as Lord and Savior. In these persons we find the perfect examples to lead us to a closer relationship with Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Imitate the Holy Family! How?
Daily life for the Holy Family was perfect practice of the Seven Heavenly Virtues and the complete avoidance of all sin, especially the Seven Deadly Sins. The Catechism of the Catholic Church expands our understanding of the Virtues which are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance, Faith, Hope and Charity.
“Human virtues acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace. With God’s help, they forge character and give facility in the practice of the good. The virtuous man is happy to practice them.”(Catechism of the Catholic Church – The Virtues, The Vatican) para. 1810
“It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to maintain moral balance. Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues. Everyone should always ask for this grace of light and strength, frequent the sacraments, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and follow his calls to love what is good and shun evil. “(ibid, para. 1811)
The gift of this devotion is a call to renew and strengthen our practice of the virtues in response to Our Lady’s desire for purity in our lives. And she echoes the Church’s promise of God’s grace to aid in our pursuit of these ideals. “The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.” (ibid, para. 1803)
The Statue
Compared to other portrayals of Our Lady, the image of Our Lady of America is quite simple. Her attire is completely white, a garment without stain, which represents her purity. The crown portrays her as Queen of Heaven and Earth. The title “Our Lady of America” is acknowledgment by the faithful of America that we claim her to be our Queen and Patroness. The Immaculate Heart is inflamed with burning love for us, her children.
She extends the white lily which represents purity in Catholic tradition. As an example, St Joseph is often depicted holding the “Lily of Purity.” Indeed, this greatest of all saints, second only to the Blessed Virgin, fully possesses this gift. However, Our Lady of America is depicted offering the lily as the gift of purity to whomever will humbly and full of faith accept it. Because of her Immaculate Heart and her burning love for us, her power as an intercessor is unparalleled in obtaining this gift from God for ALL of us, her children.
In today’s culture most will think of the word purity as avoidance of sexual sin. While that is certainly a part of it, the Lily of Purity encompasses so much more. It represents a comprehensive, holistic, and faith-filled approach to seeking the diminishment of sin and self-centeredness in our lives. By seeking in our whole being the purity of thought, intention, and action, we open our hearts and minds to the graces necessary to imitate the Holy Family. This is her call!
It All Started With The Water!
The facility at Kneipp Springs was run as a hospital operated by the Sisters of The Precious Blood (Dayton, Ohio). Starting around 1898 and thriving until 1975, tens of thousands of patients were served and healed through the Grace of God and the prayerful and caring service of the Sisters. Having witnessed the sufferings of the Spanish Flu, Tuberculosis, and Polio the sisters treated a large range of infirmities. Many of those sisters also became ill and gave their lives in treating the sick. In the cemetery to west you will see those holy sisters’ gravesites.
Practiced at the Springs was the Kneipp Water Therapy. This holistic approach to medicine was developed by Fr. Sebastian Kneipp when he contracted (at the time, incurable) tuberculosis. He was able to cure himself and others of this disease through this novel approach.
In the 1890’s, when the need for medical care in the area became acute, a site was sought that could accommodate a hospital to offer the Kneipp Therapy. Kneipp Springs Sanitorium was started in 1895 by Dr. W.C. Geiermann, who had studied Kneipp’s methods at his institution at Woerishofen, Bavaria and attended medical schools in the United States. The three-story structure at the East end was the start of this sprawling complex.
After great success the demands of caring for the patients grew beyond what Dr. Geiermann could fulfill. With the aid of Fr. John Noll (later Archbishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend) the Sisters of the Precious Blood purchased the sanitorium and continued to operate it until the mid-1970’s.
The Kneipp therapy requires a unique combination of mineral water, fresh foods, immersion baths and spiritual healing. The plentiful and curative water that flows from artesian springs on the property is one of the main reasons that the sanitorium was able to prosper. The main spring produces a natural flow of cold, clean, mineral water that flows between 45-60 gallons per minute. It has done so for at least 130 years. It supplied all the fresh water needed to operate this 200-bed hospital. This natural gift of Divine Providence is the basis for all the good that has happened here. Additionally, fruits from the rich and fertile farmland combined with the prayerful and compassionate care of the Sisters of the Precious Blood attracted patients from all over the country seeking to be healed. By medical standards of the day, they had great success in returning patients to health.
Findings of Holy Church
In May of 2020, the six Roman Catholic Bishops, who have jurisdiction over this devotion because the alleged apparitions occurred in their dioceses, released a joint decree discussing the supernaturality of what Sr. Mary Ephrem experienced as the basis for this devotion. This group of Bishops was led by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Fort Wayne – South Bend Diocese. These ecclesiastical authorities have determined that what Sr. Mary Ephrem experienced cannot be said to be of supernatural origin in the sense of objective occurrences such as those seen at places like Guadalupe and Lourdes, but rather: “It seems that these were authentically graced moments, even perhaps of a spiritual quality beyond what most people experience…” On the other hand, it was recognized that, at least at one point, the alleged apparition taught a doctrine that the highest magisterium of the Church has avoided endorsing. They further recognized Kneipp Springs as the birthplace of the devotion where there have been many reports of good fruit including reported healings and conversions. The Devotion to Our Lady, the Immaculate Virgin, Patroness of America, in short, Our Lady of America, has been allowed as a Private Devotion of the lay faithful.
We frequently hear the question: “What does it mean to be a Private Devotion of the Faithful?” The words private and public do not have the same meaning as the secular meaning of “in private” or “in public.” A Private Devotion, while it is not approved as a devotion of the Church by legitimate ecclesiastical authority, is recognized by the ecclesiastical authority as occurring and as not prohibited. In other words, it can continue among the faithful of their own accord under the oversight of the local Bishop.
Our Lady's Promise!
Throughout history, Our Lady promises special graces to those who earnestly seek her Son. As His mother she knows, like no other, each person’s specific path to the grace of Salvation. If one humbly asks for her assistance, she will lead them.
Likewise, Our Lady of America has a unique role as Intercessor for our nation. Ever since the establishment of the first diocese in our nation, the Catholic Church in America has called on her as our Protector, Intercessor and Queen. The Bishops, in the decrees, have once again confirmed her special place in our history and in our hearts. Furthermore, we are encouraged that seeking her intercession and aid for our nation is proper and fruitful. Please pray we respond to her call by imitating the Holy Family and receiving the Sacraments. Pray that we will merit her intercession, thus gaining her blessing and protection. Heaven has a great mission for our country which is to promote purity throughout the world.
A Holy Place With A Special Mission
Throughout the history of Kneipp Springs, healings, conversions and graces run deep. Pilgrims continue to tell us stories of the impact it has had on them and their families. Bring your needs, your hopes and your prayers to Our Lady and seek her intercession. If you are open to her graces, you will leave with something incredibly special.