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WHAT IS THE REGIMENT OF THE MORNING STAR? THE REGIMENT of THE MORNING STAR is a unit of the Militia of the Immaculata (MI), which was established by St. Maximilian Kolbe on October 16, 1917 as a spiritual army to battle the enemies of the Church. MI Mission
Currently the MI consists of 3,000,000 members operating in 48 countries. Kolbe's apostolate has been so successful that it has been recognized as a universal and International Public Association of the Faithful, erected by the Holy See.
MI-1 Membership
Most people enroll as MI-1 members who consecrate themselves to the Virgin Mary for a life of service to the Holy Trinity. As an efficacious sign of this consecration, they wear the Miraculous Medal, which the Immaculata revealed to St. Catherine Laboure:
MI-1 Members endeavor to make everything they do a spiritual sacrifice by offering their daily duties to God through the Virgin Mary; they pray and work for the salvation-sanctification of souls (especially the enemies of the Church) and formally register with the National Office.
MI-2 Membership Kolbe understood that different people have different levels of commitment:
The latter wish to do all they can for the Immaculata, and therefore commit without reserve to accomplish what was said of her:
According to the MI National Office, these constitute a distinct group known as MI-2 members who organize to "carry" on a collective activity and therefore adopt a set of governing documents:
MI-2s are a community of souls committed to growing in holiness and acquiring the necessary virtues, talents and abilities to contribute to the "Triumph of the Immaculate Heart" thereby ushering in what Pope Paul VI, St. John Paul II and Pope Francis refer to as a "new era" known as the "civilization of love". MI-2 communities endeavor to advance the Civilization of Love by working in various apostolates for which they are suited under the patronage of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whom John Paul II called a "sign and prophet of the new era" to come.
REGIMENT OF THE MORNING STAR THE REGIMENT OF THE MORNING STAR (RMS) is a MI-2 Diocesan based Fraternity of the Militia Immaculata governed by the General Statues of the MI International and by its own set of Bylaws. The RMS is founded to work in union with the Diocese of Lubbock for the personal sanctification of its members and for the specific works of Catholic Education and the Catholic Social Apostolate.
REGIMENT MISSION The mission of the RMS is congruent with the overall mission of the MI: To win the whole world for Christ through the Immaculata by working in the Diocese of Lubbock, and beyond, to bring about the “Triumph of Her Immaculate Heart” by building the Body of Christ through education and the social apostolate.”
This mission includes the Intellectual, Moral and Spiritual Development of each member so that united in wisdom and love members of the Regiment can act together as one organized community committed to building the Body of Christ though the specific works of Catholic Higher Education and Social-Political-Cultural Renewal as architects of a new humanity. Attentive to the Voice of God speaking through His Church, members of the RMS undergo advanced education and formation necessary to prepare them for the successful work of social renewal, which is commanded of the laity:
Although intellectual education in the above disciplines is necessary, special attention must also be given to moral and spiritual formation and cultivation of the various virtues necessary for the work of the social renewal, which the Church tells us cannot occur
The regiment's main task is the sanctification of its members so that they can attain a high level of spiritual maturity to carry with them into eternity and to educate and form them to contribute to the betterment of society through the social apostolate. Given these goals, all members of the RMS are privileged and required to participate in the RMS program of intellectual, moral and spiritual education-formation.
SPIRITUAL MORAL and INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT Spiritual Development of RMS members is rooted in and grows out of Marian Consecration, Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary, Brown Scapular, Miraculous Medal, Consecration of Daily Duty, First Saturday Devotion and advancement through twelve ranks/degrees of spiritual proficiency contained in the Regiment's Advancement Manuals. Intellectual Development – (Education of the mind to truth and knowledge culminating in wisdom) includes Catechesis, Scripture Studies, Apologetics, Christian Civilization I, Christian Civ. II, Catholic Social Teaching, American Foundations, Catholic Eschatology and on-going study of Kolbe’s Greatest Books and other seminal works contained on the Moral Development (formation of the will to acts of justice and mercy culminating in love) includes, above all else, growth in humility rooted in discipline (the training in morals by way of difficulty), obedience to the Mission, to the MI Constitution, RMS Bylaws, to the Local Ordinary, Spiritual Director, to duly appointed officers and by advancement through twelve ranks/degrees of moral proficiency.
RANKS WITHIN THE REGIMENT There are 12 ranks or degrees of spiritual moral and intellectual proficiency corresponding to the 12 theological, intellectual and moral virtues, which are necessary to cultivate and bear the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit culminating in the beatitudes. As members advance through the various degrees they are challenged by various exercises, activities, and apostolic works to grow in wisdom and love. Each degree or rank is designed to facilitate growth in one of the virtues and its corresponding fruit by which the Father is glorified (John 15:8). All members start out in the Lower Division of Kolbe House of Studies as Privates who engage in the study of catechesis, apologetics and sacred scripture while advancing in the intellectual and moral virtues. Following graduation from the Lower Division, they may be admitted to the Upper Division as Corporals who undertake two years of further study including the Mystery of the Human Person, Ethics, Politics, the Social Magisterium, and Christian Civilization. Members continue to engage in spiritual and moral exercises designed to help them grow in moral and intellectual virtue as they advance through the ranks of Sergeant, Sergeant at Arms, Sergeant First Class and Master Sergeant. Upon successful completion of the Upper Division, graduates may be invested as Officers of the Regiment with the Rank of Squire. No member may be admitted to any of the educational or social works of the Regiment without first attaining the Rank of Squire. Thereafter, they will be assigned to one of five divisions of the Regiment to assist the various Marshals (senior officers) in the works of that division. Members continue to advance intellectually, morally and spiritually by continuing through the ranks of Knight, Knight Commander and Grand Knight. The higher ranks are devoted to growth in Divine Wisdom and Divine Love, which are "folly to the world" but necessary for more perfect service and growth in the image of God (1 Cor 1:18-24) . It is the goal of every Knight to attain a high degree of spiritual perfection so that at the end of life, he may stand before the Throne of God with a soul laden with spiritual riches and hear the Lord, say "well done faithful servant, enter into the Kingdom" (Matt 25:23-29). To facilitate the moral and spiritual growth of each member, the Regiment has been blessed with a Spiritual Director assigned by the local Bishop, Robert Coerver.
DIVISIONS OF THE REGIMENT and SENIOR OFFCIERS The Regiment is divided into five divisions: the Old Guard, Household Calvary, General Staff, Corps of Engineers and Civic Affairs. Each Division is headed by a Marshall who oversees and administers the work of his division. The Regiment is headed by a Chancellor who appoints the Marshals and is responsible for assuring that goals and objectives of each division are implemented and that the overall Mission of the entire Regiment is being accomplished.
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