History of the Queen of Mercy and the Ambassadors of the Flame of Mercy It All Started
On June 7, 1987, Pope John Paul II proclaimed a special 14-month Marian Year. Bishop Michael J. Sheehan of the Diocese of Lubbock, writing in the South Plains Catholic, expressed the wish that every family and every parish would show greater devotion to the Blessed Mother, and dedicated Saint John Neumann Chapel as a Marian Year shrine.
On Sunday February 28, 1988, in the chapel of Saint John Neumann after a healing weekend retreat with the pastor, Monsignor Joseph James and a handful of retreatants, Mary Constancio experienced the presence of the Blessed Mother for the first time. According to Mary Constancio, one of the locutionists, "hearing the Blessed Mother's voice pierced my heart, and her words could only be understood within the depth of my soul. The voice sounded like a song - so gentle, kind, and most of all with so much love that I would never be the same again." The message from Our Lady was, "People are stabbing each other in the back with words, but if they begin praying the rosary, within 6 months you will see the spirit of this church change." Mary Constancio said it was then that Our Lady asked the church to start praying the rosary on Monday nights with her.
Early Tuesday morning, March 1st at 2:30 a.m., Our Lady came and visited Mary Constancio at her home - she saw her as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Awakening from her sleep, Mary Constancio grabbed a notebook and wrote the following message: "Go and tell your priest and go and tell your bishop that Mary, your Mother, has come to give a message: that they should spread her word throughout radio, throughout television, throughout the newspaper, throughout the pulpit, throughout the world... That the world must hear the good news that my Son, Jesus, has come to keep his promise: that I have come for my people.
"Please, I plead with you, my children, do not wait any longer for a sign. Do not wait, for the Sign has come. The Sign will come again in glory. I hurt to see so many, so many of you waiting--you children, you young people, you married couples, you blessed old, you poor and rich, waiting for a sign with which to believe, with which to come closer to my Son. Do not wait any longer. This is your sign upon hearing this word."
According to her husband, Henry Constancio, she was so excited that she wanted to go tell the bishop right at that moment. Her husband, somewhat disturbed by being so suddenly awakened, told her to go back to sleep and let him, as well as the bishop, sleep until morning. Later that day, Mary Constancio searched out her parish pastor, Monsignor Joseph James, to tell him the message and to get his help to see the Bishop. Much calmer than Mary Constancio, Monsignor James convinced Mary that they needed to make an appointment with Bishop's office.
The Monday night rosaries continued with more people showing up, little by little, each week. But one Monday night, a man from Dallas came and received a miraculous healing. He went back to Dallas to tell everyone and soon the news broke over local and then national media. By the end of July almost 1,000 persons would gather each Monday to participate at the Monday evening devotions.
The opening of the media provided the means for the message of June 27, 1988 to be quickly sent out across the country. This message was the first invitation from the Blessed Mother to come to the Feast of the Assumption in 1988: "My dear children, the celebration of my Assumption into heaven is approaching quickly. My children, I give you a special invitation to be here; and I ask that you give an invitation to others to join you." It was reported that over 20,000 pilgrims, coming from all parts of the country, came to Saint John Neumann parish to celebrate that 1988 Feast of the Assumption mass.
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A 1988 artist drawing by artist Merle E. Ollom from San Antonio, Texas, March 1989 of the Queen of Mercy based upon the description from Mary Constancio, Mike Slate, and Theresa Warner.
"Let me love you. Let me comfort you.
Come under my mantle, for I will protect you.
I will hold you. Let me love you."
(July 25, 1988)
THE LUBBOCK MESSENGERS
Monsignor Joseph James (back)
Mike Slate, Mary Constancio
Theresa Warner (center front)
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