The Miracle at Fatima - Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany

Our Lady of Fatima Church
Delanson NY
A G.I.F.T. Special Presentation
The Miracle at Fatima
and other Marian Apparitions
Apparitions AND MORE
can be found in this book,
God Sent, A History of
Accredited Apparitions of
Mary by Roy Abraham
Varghese
An apparition is defined
by the Oxford American
Dictionary as follows: “an
appearance, something
that appears, especially
something remarkable or
unexpected.
The Virgin of the
Pillar
The first
documented
appearance of the
Virgin Mary.
She appeared to St.
James in Saragossa
Spain in 40 AD
This is a unique apparition in that Mary was still alive at
the time, but because of bilocation (the ability to be in two
places at once) she was able to appear to St. James when
he was in Saragossa, Spain in 40 A.D.
Mary gave St. James this statue and a 6 foot pillar of
jasper and said: “this place shall be my house and this
image and column shall be the title and altar of the temple
you shall build. This was the very first place dedicated to
Mary. The buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt, but
the statue and pillar still exists today, almost 2000 years
later.
The Spanish feast of “El Pilar” is on October 12.
On October 12, 1492, on the sailing ship named the “Santa
Maria” Columbus arrived at the New World.
Coincidence or Divine Intervention?
In Patmos, Greece in 81 A.D, a woman
clothed with the sun, with the moon under
her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve
stars; as in the book of Revelations,
appeared to St. John the Evangelist
She asked him to explain the Trinity to St.
Gregory. St. John was able to sum up
the Trinity like this; The Father has never
been without the Son, nor the Son
without the Spirit.
A wealthy childless couple in Rome, Italy wanted
to leave their money to the Blessed Virgin, and
they prayed, asking her intercession to tell them
how the money should be spent.
Mary appeared to them in 352 A.D., telling them
she would leave snow where she wanted a
church built, on Esquiline Hill. Pope Liberius
received the same message.
On Aug 5, 352 Esquiline Hill was covered with
snow, and St. Mary Major Basilica was built on
the area where
In 1251 Mary appeared along with the
infant Jesus to St. Simon Stock, a
monk of the Order of Our Lady of
Mount Carmel or the Carmelites. She
gave him a brown scapular and a
promise; those who die clothed in the
scapular will be preserved from
eternal fire. The brown scapular is a
pledge of peace and special
protection, until the end of time.
The image of the Virgin as the Black Madonna is
believed to have been painted by St. Luke, and first
displayed in Constantinople.
The picture was owned by many other people until
1382 when invading Tartars attacked Prince
Ladislaus' fortress, where the painting was located.
A Tartar's arrow lodged into through the throat of the
Madonna. The Prince transferred the painting to a
church in Czestochowa, Poland.
In 1430, the church was invaded and a looter struck
the painting two times with his sword, but before he
could strike it another time, he fell to the ground in
agony and pain, and died.
In Vailankanni, India in the 16th
Century, The Virgin appeared to a
shepherd boy and a lame boy who
sold buttermilk, both times asking for
milk for her baby.
Many miracles and cures are
associated with this apparition.
Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego in
Mexico on December 9, 1531. As a sign, she made
roses bloom well past the growing season, and
imprinted her image on the inside of Juan Diego’s
cloak, which is still on display at her shrine in
Tepeyac, Mexico today. (Even though the material
which the cloak is woven from should have
disintegrated years ago).
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the prolife movement, because it is believed that she was
pregnant when she appeared to Juan Diego, as
indicated by the black band around her waist.
In 1968, in Zeitun, Egypt, where the Holy
Family sought refuge from King Herod,
stands St. Mary’s Church, an ancient
shrine built on the spot where the Holy
Family lived in exile.
After centuries of being destroyed and
rebuilt, the Coptic Orthodox Church of St.
Mary’s was built in the 1920’s. The Lady of
Light was observed by Christians, Jews
and Muslims alike and the crowds
numbered a quarter million!
In 1830 in Paris, France, the Blessed Virgin
appeared to a young woman in Paris named
Catherine Laboure who was a sister of Charity.
Our Lady showed Catherine a medal and asked
that it be made and worn by the faithful, promising
those who wear it will have confidence great and
abundant graces.
Today this is known as the miraculous medal.
The Blessed Mother appeared to another young
girl in Lourdes, France in 1858.
Bernadette Soubirous was visited by Our Lady
over 15 times. She was threatened with jail by
the chief of police because she was drawing
large crowds to the grotto.
That didn’t stop her though, and she followed the
instructions of the Virgin, digging into the mud
with her hands, to uncover a spring which to this
day is credited with many healings, cures and
miracles.
Mary appeared to 11 year old Mariette
Beco in Banneaux, Belgium in 1933.
She appeared 8 times, and led Mariette
to a spring that would “heal all nations”.
A half a million people visit the spring
each year, and over 50 miraculous
cures have been documented there.
Damascus, Syria where St. Paul first encountered the Risen Christ
is the site of another Marian apparition. The Blessed Mother
appeared to 18 year old Myrna Nazzour near the site where St.
Paul was cured of his blindness.
Myrna was praying for her seriously ill sister-in-law and olive oil
began to ooze from her fingers. She anointed her sister-in-law with
the oil and she was healed. Later, an image of Our Lady of
Soufanieh in Myrna’s home started to ooze olive oil, chemically
tested to be pure.
The message of Mary was to “Announce My Son the Emmanuel.
He who announces Him is saved, and he who does not announce
Him, his faith is vain.” Love one another, Do not turn away anyone
who asks for help.
The message was one of Evangelization—a very difficult task for a
Christian in the mostly Muslim country of Syria.
The phenomenon of olive oil coming from the image and from
Myrna’s hands continued for 8 years. Once, olive oil came from
Myrna’s eyes, and she lost her sight for 3 days. Many healings and
miracles have been documented.
In 1932 The Blessed Mother appeared to
5 children in Beuraing, Belgium and on
December 8th, 10,000 people were
present when she appeared.. On January
3, 1933, 30,000 people were present.
Her message was simple, pray for the
conversion of sinners.
Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius Press, San Fransisco 2010. p. 1
In the 8th century, the Moors invaded the
Iberian Peninsula, in what is now Spain and
Portugal.
The Muslim
Princess Fatima,
(named after
Mohammed’s first
daughter) was
captured by Don
Goncalo, a
Christian Knight in
the 12th Century.
They fell in love.
She converted,
was baptized and
they were married.
Fatima died
within the
year, and Don
Goncalo
became a
Monk. He
took his
wife’s
remains to
a priory in
Portugal,
which he
named
Fatima.
At the start of the 20th Century, Freemasonry
entered Portuguese Politics.
To establish a godless republic, they passed laws;
1. Religious Orders Outlawed
2. Religious clergy forced to leave Portugal
3. Churches were destroyed, property
confiscated
4. Celebrating religious feasts, wearing clerical
clothing-prohibited!
5. Religious instruction in all schoolsprohibited!
April 1911; Law of Separation of
Church and State
Leader of Freemasons, Alfonso Costa proclaimed;
“Thanks to this law of separation, in two generations
Catholicism will be completely eliminated in Portugal”
Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius Press, San Fransisco 2010. p. 13
Matthew: 19:14
St. Paul said:
“God chose what is
weak in the world to
shame the strong”
1 Cor 1:27
Who were these children, these “see-ers”
of Fatima?
In many Marian Apparitions, the Blessed
Mother chooses young children to appear
to. Maybe she knows that they have open
minds and pure hearts, and have not yet
been jaded by the ways of the world. They
believe in what they see, without question.
It’s trying to convince the adults that is a
challenge for them.
Lucia dos Santos, the youngest
of 7, received her First
Communion age 6. Her mother
taught her catechism, sent her
with an older sister to classes
for first Communion. The Parish
priest told her to wait another
year because of her age. After
her tearful pleas, a visiting priest
questioned her and found her
more than ready to receive the
sacrament.
9 year old Francisco
Marto was cousin to
Lucia. He loved animals,
playing games and
especially playing his
flute
7 year old Jacinta Marto
was cousin to Lucia, sister
to Francisco. She loved
nature because it reminded
her of God. She couldn’t
wait for her First Holy
Communion. She loved to
dance to the music her
brother played on his flute.
There are many times in both old and new
testament writings, when God sends an
Angel to prepare people for what is to
come. Abraham, Elijah, Mary, Joseph and
the Shepherds all received angelic
messages.
In Fatima, God sent His Angel to prepare
these 3 small children for what was to
come.
The 3 children were tending the family
sheep, a job that usually fell to the
youngest children. After lunch, eager to
play, they prayed a “short form” of the
Rosary, yelling “Hail Mary” and waiting to
hear the echo.
A strong wind came up, and they saw a
“young man about 14 or 15, whiter than
snow, transparent as crystal when the sun
shines through it.”
The Angel knelt, bowed his head to touch his forehead to
the ground, and the children followed his lead. He taught
them a prayer called the Pardon Prayer;
My God, I believe, I adore,
I hope and I love you!
I ask pardon of you for
those who do not believe,
do not adore, do not hope
and do not love you!
The Angel repeated this prayer 3 times, and
he instructed the children to pray the prayer
saying the “Hearts of Jesus and Mary are
attentive to your supplications.
He then disappeared.
The Pardon Prayer is a prayer to renew
Faith, Hope and Charity throughout the
world.
“What are you doing?”
The Angel appeared again to the children, this time near
Lucia’s home
.
The Angel asked the children; “what are you doing?” He told
the children to Pray very much! The Hearts of Jesus and
Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and
sacrifices constantly to the Most High”
The Angel stressed the importance of praying for
sinners and told the children Jesus & Mary had a
special plan for them, and they needed to have a
strong prayer life and courage and generosity to
respond. Be ready to accept the suffering the Lord
will send you.
The third appearance by the Angel of Peace found
the children praying the Pardon Prayer he had
taught them.
They saw an incredible light, and then the Angel,
holding a chalice in his left hand and the Eucharist
above the chalice in his right hand.
Drops of Jesus’ blood were falling from the host
into the chalice.
The angel left the chalice and host suspended in
mid air and knelt, with the children, heads on the
ground in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Angel, kneeling with head on the ground, taught the
children who were in the same position, this new prayer
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit,
I adore You profoundly, and I offer
You the most Precious Body, Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ,
Present in all the tabernacles of the
world,
In reparation for the outrages,
sacrileges, and indifferences with
which He Himself is offended.
And through the infinite merits of His
most Sacred Heart,
And the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I beg of you the conversion of poor
sinners.
The Angel had the children repeat this 3 times, and then
something amazing happened.
The Angel stood, took the Host and Chalice
again, and offered communion to the children.
First the Host was given to Lucia, then the
Chalice was given to Francisco and Jacinta
(who had yet to receive their First Communion).
The Angel said; ‘Take eat and drink the Body
and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by
ungrateful men. Make reparation for their
crimes and console your God.”
[Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius
Press, San Fransisco 2010. p. 35]
May 13, 1917, the 8th day of the novena was a
Sunday. The children went to Mass, then tended
the sheep at the Cova da Iria or Cove of Irene.
After lunch, there was a flash in the sky, like
lightning. A second flash brought a lady in white,
“more brilliant than the sun”
Lucia later described her as about 17 years old, her
clothes seemed made of light. Around her neck was
a cord with a little ball of light. There was a star
near the bottom of her dress, and she was holding
rosary beads that were shining like stars, the crucifix
the most radiant of all.
The Lady put the children at ease by proclaiming; “Do
not be afraid, I will do you no harm.”
Lucia asked; “Where are you from?” and the lady said “I
am from heaven.” They did not yet know they were
talking to the Blessed Mother.
Only Lucia spoke to the lady. Jacincta could see and
hear her, but did not speak to her. Francisco could see
her, but he could not hear what she was saying.
Lucia continued; “What do you want of me?” and the
lady said to return to the same place at the same hour
for the next 6 months on the 13th day.
Lucia asked if the three of them would go to
heaven and the lady said yes they would, but
“Francisco would have to say many rosaries
first”.
Then Lucia asked about 2 young women from
their village who had recently died; 16 year old
Maria and 18 year old Amelia. She wanted to
know if they were in heaven.
The lady said Maria is in heaven but Amelia
will be “in purgatory until the end of the world.”
“Are you willing to offer
yourselves to God and
bear all the sufferings
He wills to send you?”…
(for reparation for sins that
offend Him and for the conversion
of sinners)
Mary asked this question of the children.
“Are you willing to offer yourselves to
God and bear all the sufferings He wills
to send you, for reparation for sins that
offend Him and for the conversion of
sinners?”
It’s important to note that when God calls
us, God gives us free will to accept or
decline. Mary said Yes to God at the
Annunciation. The children, too, said
Yes to God that day.
“You are going
to have much to
suffer, but the
grace of God will
be your comfort.”
Lucia later wrote in her memoirs; “The lady
opened her hands, and an intense light
penetrated our hearts and the depths of our
souls.
We fell on our knees and prayed; “O most
Holy Trinity, I adore you! My God, My God,
I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament!”
Before the lady rose up
and disappeared, she
had one last request, that
she would repeat at each
appearance;
The children decided not to
say anything to anyone
about their experience, but
Jacinta couldn’t contain
herself and told her
parents.
Her father, Ti Marto
believed their story
because he knew his
children did not lie.
Unfortunately, Lucia’s
mother did not believe,
even going so far as to say
this was blasphemy and a
trick from the devil. Lucia’s
suffering had begun with
scorn and ridicule—from
her own mother!
June 13 was St. Anthony’s feast day, and
although he is known as St. Anthony of Padua
(Italy) that is merely where he died. He was
actually born in Lisbon, Portugal.
The local parish was named after St. Anthony,
and on this day most people were at the
church celebrating.
The children however, went to the Cova to
await the lady from heaven. They were joined
by about 50 onlookers, who joined in as the
children prayed the rosary.
There was a flash of light and the lady appeared as
promised.
Lucia again asked “What do you want of me?” The lady
repeated her requests from the month before, return
next month on the 13th day, pray the rosary daily, and
then she told Lucia she must learn to read and write,
because it would be her mission to spread the message
of of Fatima to the world.
Lucia requested that a sick person in the village be
cured. The lady told her “If he is converted, he will be
cured during the year”.
Lucia asked if the lady would take them to
heaven.
She replied; “Yes, I will take Jacinta and
Francisco soon. But you are to stay here
some time longer. Jesus wishes to make use
of you to make me known and loved. He
wants to establish in the world devotion to my
Immaculate Heart.”
The gospels recount the prophecy Simeon delivered to Mary at
Jesus' presentation at the temple: that her heart would be pierced
with a sword. This image (the pierced heart) is the most popular
representation of the Immaculate Heart.
In the Gospel of Luke, 2:19 it is written; Mary kept all the sayings
and doings of Jesus in her heart, that there she might ponder over
them.
At the end of the second apparition, the children were enveloped
in the light of God. They saw the heart of our Lady surrounded by
thorns, representing the offenses committed against her. These
were the sins for which reparation was needed.
Mary’s heart is both immaculate and sorrowful. Immaculate
because she was free from all sin including Original Sin and filled
with God’s grace. Sorrowful because she shared in the sufferings
of Jesus, as a mother witnessing the pain and agony her Son
endured.
Mary’s Immaculate Heart is full of the
sufferings of her Son, and the sins of the
world. When we sin, Mary bears the pain of
our sin because her Son bears all of our sins.
Lucia was to spread the devotion to Mary’s
Immaculate Heart, and later in the 1940’s, Sr.
Maria Faustina Kowalska received visions of
Jesus, and her mission was to spread the
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by way
of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
On July 13, 1917, a crowd of about 4000 had
gathered at the Cova. The Lady repeated her
request to pray the rosary daily for peace in the
world.
Lucia asked the lady to tell who she was, and
for a miracle so that all might believe. She
said in October she would reveal her identity
and perform a miracle.
Lucia brought the petitions for healing from
those who asked, and the lady said they
should pray the rosary to obtain the graces
they requested.
The 3rd visitation was very significant, in that Our
Lady gave the children 3 secrets.
The first one was a frightening vision of hell.
Before showing them, she asked the children to
sacrifice themselves for sinners, saying “O
Jesus, it is for love of You, the conversion of
sinners and in reparation for the sins committed
against the Immaculate Heart of Mary”.
Then she opened her hands and rays of light
again shone brightly toward the ground.
The
First
Secret
Lucia recounts the vision; “We saw a sea of fire.
Demons and souls in human form, like burning
embers, floating about, raised in the air by the
flames, falling back like sparks in huge fires amid
shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which
horrified us and made us treble with fear.
The Lady said “You have seen hell where the souls
of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to
establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate
Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will
be saved and there will be peace.”
Remember this secret, the request for devotion to
Mary’s Immaculate Heart, because we will refer back
to it later in this presentation.
The children were shown hell not for their sake,
but for ours.
Padre Pio told the story of hearing a man’s
confession and warned him if he didn’t change
his immoral ways, he would end up in hell. The
man said he didn’t believe in hell, to which
Padre Pio replied; “You will when you get there!”
Fear of hell is a great incentive to turn away
from sin and turn back to God.
This picture was taken
of the children right
after they had seen the
vision of hell. When the
vision ended, the Lady
taught them a new
prayer, which we now
pray at the end of each
decade of the Rosary;
O my Jesus forgive us
our sins, save us from
the fires of hell. Lead
all souls to heaven,
especially those in most
need of your mercy.”
7 year old Jacinta was so affected
by the vision that she made many
sacrifices for the souls of sinners.
She would give up food for those
who ate too much, she would go to
a weekday Mass, even when she
was sick for those who did not go
on Sunday.
She deprived herself of water, even
caused herself physical pain by
tying a rope tightly around her
waist to suffer for the souls of
sinners.
The lady asked for devotion to her
Immaculate Heart, saying if this is done,
many souls would be saved and there
would be peace. The war (WWI) would
end, but if people don’t stop offending
God another, worse one will break out
during the time of Pius XI. (Which
turned out to be prophetic, as we all
know about WW II).
This was the second secret revealed to
the children.
Our Lady spoke about the evils of communism.
Russia could trace it’s Christian roots all the way
back to the apostle Andrew. In 1917, the Russian
Czar and his family were executed and Vladimir
Lenin along with the Bolshevik revolution ushered in
communism.
In addition to a rejection of God (atheism), came a
rejection of the God-given freedom and dignity of the
individual. Churches were destroyed, Bishops and
Priests were executed. Holy days were replaced
with civic holidays.. Religious instruction was
outlawed, and atheism and materialism was taught
to school children.
After Lenin came Stalin, a former seminarian.
He continued the persecution of the church,
killing and imprisoning clergy, religious and
laypersons alike.
Workers were expected to renounce God or
lose their job. There were more Christian
martyrs during the first fifty years of the rise of
communism, than in all the past years of the
history of Christianity.
Communism spread throughout Eastern
Europe, China and Cuba
The second secret
continued with Our Lady’s
words; “In the end, my
Immaculate Heart will
triumph. The Holy Father
will consecrate Russia to
me, and she will be
converted, and a period
of peace will be granted
to the world. In Portugal,
the dogma of the faith
will always be
preserved.”
The third secret was
foretold on July 13, 1917,
but wasn’t made public
until the Beatification
Mass for Francisco and
Jacinta by Pope John
Paul II on May 13, 2000
The Third Secret
The 3rd Secret wasn’t spoken, but
rather seen as a vision by the 3
children.
They saw an angel with a flaming
sword in his left hand. Pointing to
the earth with his right hand, the
Angel cried out;
“Penance, Penance, Penance!”
The lady was there, dousing the flames of the sword with her
radiating splendor. There are countless stories of times Mary
has intervened to save Christians from defeat often at the
hands of a far superior enemy. Her special weapon has
been the Rosary.
[Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius Press, San
Fransisco 2010. page 83]
An example of this is October 7, 1571 at the battle of
Lepanto. The Muslim fleet far outnumbered the Christian
fleet, and Pope Pius V asked all Christians in Rome to pray
the Rosary continuously on the day of the battle. The
flagship carried a picture of Our Lady, and just as the
Christians appeared to be doomed to destruction, the wind
changed, and the Christians destroyed over 90% of the
enemy ships. The commanding officer reported to Pope Pius
V: “We came! We saw! But Mary conquered!”
The Vision Continues…
The vision of the 3rd secret continued…
Enveloped by a light that the children believed was God, they
saw people walking up a steep mountain with a large roughhewn wooden cross at the top.
Lucia wrote; “a Bishop dressed in white (the Pope), other
bishops, priests, men and women religious were going up a
steep mountain. The Holy Father passed through a big city
half in ruins. Trembling with pain and sorrow, he prayed for
the souls of the corpses he met on his way. He knelt at the
foot of the big cross and was killed by a group of soldiers
who fired bullets and arrows at him, and the bishops, priests
and men and women religious and laypeople died one after
another.
[Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius Press, San
Fransisco 2010. page 88].
On May 13, 1981 there was an attempted assassination on
Pope John Paul II. It was during his recovery that he read
the third secret of Fatima. He said it was “a mother’s hand”
that deflected the bullet and spared his life. In the end,
prayer is more powerful than bullets. Faith is more powerful
than armies.
[Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius Press, San
Fransisco 2010. page 91].
The pope lost 6 pints of blood (The body of an average
man contains roughly 8 pints of blood). By all accounts, he
should have died but he was saved.
On the first anniversary of the attempt on his life, Pope
John Paul II visited the Shrine in Fatima to thank Our Lady
for saving his life. He placed the bullet on her altar, which
was then placed in the crown of her statue.
The 3rd secret ends with the blood of the Martyrs. Lucia
wrote; “Beneath the two arms of the cross were two
angels, each with a crystal aspersorium which they
gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and sprinkled the
souls that were making their way to God.”
It was explained by then Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope
Benedict the XVI) that the 20th Century martyrs were
offering strength for the Church as she entered the 21st
Century. This is not an image of suffering, but one of
hope.
Today we need look no further than Kenya, Egypt,
Syria and the rest of the Middle East to see that the
blood of Christian Martyrs still runs RED.
On August 13,the day Our Lady was to appear for
the fourth time, the children were detained and
questioned by government official Arturo Santos.
He tried to get them to reveal the secrets but the
children were prepared to die rather than go against
the wishes of Our Lady. The Lady had not yet given
them permission to tell anyone what she had said or
what they had seen.
Santos put the children in jail to scare them. The
prisoners had heard the stories of the children at the
Cova, and they knelt down to pray the rosary with
them.
The 3 children were questioned one at a time and
threatened to be thrown in boiling oil if they didn’t
talk.
Each left the room thinking they were walking to their
death, but they were all reunited once Santos
realized he wasn’t going to get anything out of them.
They had missed the August 13th visit from Our Lady,
where even more people than the previous month
had gathered to see if they could witness something
extraordinary.
6 days after her expected visit, on August 19th, the Lady came to
the children in a spot near where the Angel of Peace had visited
them. Jacinta wasn’t there so Lucia asked Francisco’s brother
John to run and get her. Once Jacinta came, the lady appeared.
She told the children to come to the Cova on September 13th, and
to continue to pray the Rosary.
Lucia asked what was to be done with the money that people were
leaving at the Cova. She said “Have two litters (used to carry
statues in a procession) made. One is to be carried by you and
Jacinta and two other girls dressed in white; the other one is to be
carried by Francisco and three other boys. The money from the
litters is for the “festa” of Our Lady of the Rosary, and what is left
over will help towards the construction of a chapel that is to be
built here.”
Then she told the children: “pray very much, make sacrifices for
sinners; for many souls go to hell because there are none to
sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”
The children agreed
to offer sacrifices by
giving their lunches
to poor children, and
instead ate what
they could find at the
Cova; pine nuts,
berries, mushrooms
and fruit if it was
available. These
sacrifices were made
for the souls of
sinners who had no
one to pray and
sacrifice for them.
Lucia notes that Jacinta was happy to make these sacrifices.
You can almost see the determination in her young face, hand
on her hip as she works to save the souls of sinners.
On September 13, as the children tried to make their way
to the Cova, people were throwing themselves at their
feet, begging for petitions of healing and other favors.
The crowd prayed the Rosary along with the children, and
Our Lady arrived in a flash of light.
Lucia asked the same question; “What do you want of
me?” and the Lady answered “continue to pray the rosary
to end the war.” Then she told the children what to expect
in October.
“In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of
Sorrows and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. St. Joseph will
appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world.”
The day before the promised
miracle, on October 12,
Lucia’s mother insisted they
go to confession, believing
that they will all probably be
killed the next day if the lady
doesn’t do the miracle and
the people attack them. She
wanted to be “properly
prepared for death”. Lucia
went to confession but she
wasn’t afraid of dying. She
knew the lady would keep her
promise.”
Lucia went to confession but she wasn’t afraid of dying. She knew
the lady would keep her promise. Lucia continued to suffer because
of her mother’s skepticism and unbelief.
On October 13, 1917, thousands of people came to
the Cova; many to witness a miracle, but some
naysayers just wanted to be able to say “I told you
so” when nothing happened.
An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 people were in
attendance. It had been raining for more than a
day and the ground was saturated, covered in mud
and ruts. It was raining in torrents as the children
arrived.
On impulse, Lucia asked people to shut their
umbrellas and say the rosary.
A flash of light preceded the appearance of Our Lady and
then she appeared. The children were the only ones who
could see her.
Lucia asked again; “What do you want of me?”
“I want a chapel to be build here in my honor. I am the Lady
of the Rosary. Continue to pray the rosary every day. The
war will end and the soldiers will return home”
Lucia asked for the healing of those who had made
requests, and the Lady said those who seek blessings from
God must ask forgiveness for their sins and reform their
lives.
[Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius Press, San
Fransisco 2010. page 124]
The lady said “Do not offend the Lord our God anymore,
because He is already so much offended.”
Lucia wrote
about the
events that
followed;
“Opening her
hands, she
made them
reflect on the
sun, and as she
ascended, the
reflection of her
own light
continued to be
projected on the
sun itself. “
Eyewitness accounts were reported that day. Alfredo da
Silva Santos, from Lisbon was skeptical when he arrived.
“I felt devoid of any religious feeling. A few moments
before the miracle it stopped raining. The sun began to
move, and appeared to be detached from the sky and
about to hurtle upon us like a wheel of flame. My wife
fainted. I fell on my knees. I think I began to cry out.
An old man with a white beard began to attack the
atheists aloud, and challenged them to say whether or
not something supernatural had occurred.”
Maria Carreira was one of the earliest believers. “The sun turned
everything to different colors-yellow, blue and white. Then it shook and
trembled. It looked like a wheel of fire that was going to fall on the people.
They cried out, ‘We shall all be killed!’. Others called on the Lady to save
them. They recited acts of contrition. When the sun stopped leaping and
moving, we all breathed our relief. We were still alive and the miracle was
seen by everyone.”
Ti Marto, Francisco and Jacinta’s father was the first
believer of the Fatima story. He recounts what he
witnessed;
“We looked easily at the sun, which for some reason did
not blind us. It seemed to flicker on and off, first one
way, then another. It cast its rays in many directions and
painted everything in different colors—trees, the people,
the air and the ground. But what was most extraordinary
was that the sun did not hurt our eyes.
Then at a certain moment, the sun appeared to stop
spinning. It then began to move and to dance in the sky
until it seemed to detach itself from its place and fall
upon us. It was a terrible moment.”
Father Ignacio Lorenco witnessed the miracle of the
sun from the village, eleven miles from the Cova.
He was 9 years old at the time, and recounted how
the sun made zigzags in the sky and turned all
colors of the rainbow. It seemed to fall from the sky
and people thought the world would end.
They ran to the two chapels in the village, which
were overflowing. After about 10 minutes, the sun
returned to normal and people rejoiced, giving
praise to Our Lady.
It is said that people from 25 miles away witnessed
the miracle of the sun that day.
While the crowd was witnessing the miracle of the sun,
the children were witnessing something else altogether.
From Lucia’s writings; “After Our Lady
disappeared, we beheld St. Joseph with the
Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a
blue mantle, beside the sun.
St. Joseph and the child Jesus appeared to
bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the
Cross with their hands.
[Fatima for Today, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Ignatius
Press, San Fransisco 2010. page 126]
Lucia continued; “I saw Our Lord and Our
Lady; it seemed to me that it was Our Lady
of Sorrows. Our lord appeared to bless the
world in the same manner as St. Joseph
had done.”
“I saw Our
Lady once
more, this time
resembling
Our Lady of
Mount
Carmel”.
t what happened next? The Fatima story continues…
Mary keeps her promise
The children go to heaven
On April 4, 1919, 2 months before his 11th
birthday, Francisco died of influenza in an
epidemic that caused 20 million deaths
worldwide. Lucia asked her cousin if he was
suffering much and he said “quite a lot but I am
suffering to console our Lord and within a short
time, I am going to heaven.”
Francisco had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and he
could often be found on his knees in front of the tabernacle, praying
for the intercessions of people who asked for healing.
He had never received the Eucharist except for the time the children
were given communion by the Angel of Peace, but on his deathbed,
he did receive the Eucharist as Viaticum or “food for the journey.”
Jacinta died on March 11, 1920, a month before her
10th birthday. Although she had contracted influenza
before Francisco did, she was given a choice by Our
Lady to go to heaven or stay on earth longer to
suffer for the conversion of sinners. Jacinta chose
to stay, knowing she would suffer greatly, which she
did. She had bronchial pneumonia and an abscess
which caused her much pain.
The doctors removed 2 of her ribs without general anesthesia because
she was too weak to endure it, and she continued to suffer an open
chest wound and the end stages of tuberculosis. She died in a hospital,
alone without her family, but Our Lady was there to take her home.
Fifteen years after her death, her body was exhumed and buried next to
her brother near the Shrine at the Cova, and her body was incorrupt, still
preserved. That is a sign of sainthood.
Lucia joined the
Dorothean Sisters and
began her education
so she could spread
the message of
Fatima throughout the
world. It was at that
time, December 10,
1925 that Our Lady
came to her once
again and repeated
the message that was
given to her at the
June 13 apparition;
She wanted to spread
devotion to Her
Immaculate Heart.
Our Lady asked that we participate in the
5 First Saturdays Devotion
by receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and
Eucharist
reciting 5 decades of the Rosary
and keeping her company by meditating for 15
minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary with the
intention of making reparations to her Immaculate
Heart.
This is to be done on the First Saturday (give or take a
week) of 5 consecutive months.
This is something she wishes to be done not just once,
but again and again
Lucia experienced a second apparition, this time it was the Child
Jesus asking if she had done anything about what His Mother
had requested-- the 5 First Saturdays Devotion. Lucia said the
church leaders needed the vision repeated to prove it’s credibility.
Lucia received yet another vision from Our Lord, telling her to
write down the first and second secrets given to her at Fatima.
Then people will have the proof that the request by His Mother for
devotion to her Immaculate Heart should be spread throughout
the world. Remember we said we would revisit this later in the
presentation?
During the vision of Hell, Our Lady said of the souls in danger;
“To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to
my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls
will be saved and there will be peace.”
This was the beginning of the First Saturday devotion, which is
encouraged and continues on today.
Another request of Our Lady of Fatima was the
consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart
by the Holy Father and all the world’s bishops.
Sr. Lucia saw the installation of several Popes in
her lifetime. She brought Our Lady’s message to
each one, asking that the Pope, along with all the
bishops of the world, consecrate Russia to Her
Immaculate Heart.
Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to Her
Immaculate Heart along with the Bishops of
Portugal only, then 10 years later he
consecrated Russia to Her Immaculate
Heart but without the Bishops of the world.
Pope Pius XII didn’t actually come out and
name Russia because of the diplomacy
called for to avoid any political conflict.
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius the XI did not
consecrate Russia to Our
Lady’s Immaculate Heart as she
requested.
John XXIII
Pope John XXIII did
not consecrate
Russia.
Paul VI
Pope Paul VI renewed
Pope Pius XII’s
consecration of the world
to Mary’s Immaculate
Heart, but did not include
the world’s bishops nor did
he specifically name
Russia.
John Paul I
Pope John
Paul I only
occupied the
office of Pope
for a month.
Pope John Paul II attempted to consecrate Russia and
the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on May 13,
1982 but the bishops weren’t together because of a
delay in receiving their invitations.
Again, on March 25, 1984 on the Solemnity of the
Annunciation, the Pope finally, with almost all the
bishops of the world consecrated Russia and the world
to Her Immaculate Heart.
Once again, for reasons of diplomacy, Russia was never
actually called out by name, however, Lucia did receive a
message from the Blessed Mother after the
consecration, saying it was done as she asked.
On May 13, 2000 Pope John Paul II beatified Blessed Francisco
and Jacinta Marto. Their cousin, now a Carmelite nun, Sr. Lucia
was there in Fatima Portugal to witness the event.
On February 13, 2005 at the age of 97, Sr. Lucia was taken
to heaven for her long-awaited reunion with her cousins
Francisco and Jacinta. Less than 2 months later, Pope
John Paul II joined her.
Pope
Francis will
consecrate
the world to
Mary’s
Immaculate
Heart on
October 13,
2013.
All of the information used during this presentation
was from the book Fatima For Today by Father
Andrew Apostoli, CFR a founding member of the
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and a world
renowned expert on Fatima (and who I had the
honor to hear speak on this subject at the Albany
Roman Catholic Diocese presentation of Spring
Enrichment in May, 2013.
~Angela Caraher
Pastoral Associate for Lifelong Intergenerational
Faith Formation
Our Lady of Fatima Church, Delanson NY