Monsignor Harold V. Colgan

Monsignor Harold V. Colgan of St. Mary’s Church in Plainfield, New Jersey founded the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima (World Apostolate of Fatima) in October of 1947. The Blue Army was created to battle the Red Army of Communism.
Monsignor Colgan started the Blue Army after a near death experience in the hospital in 1946. On December 8, 1946, he promised Our Lady that if he got better, he would spend the rest of his life promoting devotion to her under her title of, “Our Lady of Fatima.” After making this promise, Monsignor Colgan left the hospital without being discharged. His doctor was present in church when Father Colgan unexpectedly came out for Mass. Afraid that the priest would have a heart attack, the doctor spoke to the Bishop, after which, Father Colgan was admitted to Johns Hopkins Medical Center for an evaluation that showed he was cured.
Thanks to Monsignor Colgan, we now refer to St. Padre Pio as the Spiritual Father of the Blue Army. On October 21, 1961, Monsignor Colgan asked Padre Pio, “Will you accept the Blue Army members as your spiritual children?” Padre Pio agreed, saying, “May they only behave well.”
Msgr. Harold V. Colgan passed away on April 16, 1972.
Did you Know :
In October 1947 Monsignor had his Parishioners at St. Mary’s Church in Plainfield, NJ make a simple pledge as the first “Blue Army” soon after reading a magazine article about the Fatima Message.
On May 31, 1948 Monsignor Colgan explained the Blue Army for the first time to John Haffert.
By 1949 over a quarter million copies of the Blue Army Pledge, formulated by John Haffert and Sister lucia, spread by word of mouth from Monsignor’s parish to all parts of America.
On December 8, 1949 a one-half inch splinter from the original holm oak tree that Our Lady appeared on at Fatima was sealed beneath her statue at Monsignor’s Parish in Plainfield, NJ.
On October 13, 1955, Monsignor Colgan offered the first Mass at Domus Pacis.
After being entombed in the Holy House USA Crypt Chapel since his death in 1972, Monsignor Colgan was laid to rest next to John Haffert in the newly built Shrine Cemetery on November 10, 2001.

John M. Haffert

John Haffert’s life was dedicated to promoting the Message of our Lady of Fatima and the related Brown Scapular devotion. He was the Co-Founder of The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima (World Apostolate of Fatima), a Church-approved Catholic Apostolate with millions of members all over the world.
In 1946, working with Sister Lucia, who saw Our Lady of Fatima as a child in 1917, Mr. Haffert developed a “Fatima Message Pledge.” In 1948, that effort became known as “The Blue Army Pledge.” At this time, John joined his successful Brown Scapular Apostolate to the fledgling Blue Army Apostolate, founded in 1947 by Monsignor Harold Colgan. From that point on, millions of people have learned about The Fatima Message through The Blue Army, with its National Headquarters at the Blue Army Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in Washington, New Jersey, and it’s International Headquarters at Domus Pacis in Fatima, Portugal.
Did you Know :
John Haffert first met Monsignor Colgan when speaking of the Brown Scapular and the Fatima Message in Colgan’s St. Mary’s Parish in NJ.
Subscriptions for “The Scapular” a magazine that John Haffert created, grew from a few thousand to over a hundred thousand, in less than 10 years.
The Fatima Message Pledge that John developed with Sister Lucia’s help, resulted in over one million pledges being signed within a year’s time.
John helped to inspire the construction of the Blue Army’s International Center in Fatima, and the acquisition of the actual convent of the First Saturday apparitions in Pontevedra, Spain.
John Haffert is the author of many books which include the trilogy, “Sign of Her Heart”, “Sex and the Mysteries” and “The World’s Greatest Secret.” John also wrote, “Dear Bishop” which is his memoirs concerning the history of the Blue Army.
With the presence of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue at his bedside, John Haffert passed away on October 31, 2001. Along with Monsignor Colgan John Haffert was placed in the newly built Shrine Cemetery on November 10, 2001.