Following are some facts about Fatima, and the months leading up to the Great Miracle of October 13, 1917. This should have been posted yesterday, and I apologize for the mess up.
This is about what happened at Fatima, Portugal, in the year 1917. A lot of those who call themselves Catholic don't have a clue concerning these events. They are told: "It is a private apparition." Well, NOT when the Church actually acknowledges it, which it has. Our Blessed Mother appeared to three little shepherds while they were doing their job. She eventually told them who she was, and showed them things that were, to say the least, pretty remarkable. She told them to pray and offer sacrifices for those who are indifferent or have strayed from the Truth. She told them of things that were to happen in the future, which came true at those times, and she told them that the Church would suffer a lot because of those, even within the Church, would do things that would change the public opinion towards the Church. She also told that she would come back on the 13th of each month until October, and then she would perform a miracle which would change the thoughts of even the worst offenders and hypocrites. This actually happened! We know that Christ founded ONE Church, and, in regards to that, that the old piece of crap s***n would do his darndest to destroy it in whatever manner he could come up with.
In 1884, Pope Leo XIII, after having said the Holy Mass, as he was leaving the altar, heard two distinct voices. One was very gentle, while the other was gruff and coarse. The second of these two said that he could destroy the gentle one's Church in the future. The gentle One gave him 100 years to fulfill his quest. Within the next decades, the Masonic sect had invaded the Church from inside the walls. The Popes had been pretty good, but the ones under them were had other ideas. Incidently, this audio 'vision' happened on October 13, 1884, exactly 33 years before the great miracle at Fatima. Remember, the number 33 is usually a good number, because it is the number of years our Saviour walked upon this earth.
However, Our Lady came to Fatima in 1917 and warned these three children of what was to happen. Read about this later. But now, the year 2017, this is the 100th year since that great warnings and miracle. Maybe this was the 100 years that has been given to the evil one. I don't know, but, then again, I don't believe in coincidence.
1. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA?
The Message of Fatima consists of a number of precise predictions, requests, warnings and promises concerning the Faith and the world which were conveyed by the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children--Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco--in a series of apparitions at Fatima, Portugal from May to October 1917.
2. WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA?
You should believe the Message of Fatima because:
(1) It was confirmed by an unprecedented public miracle, the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred at precisely the moment Lucia said it would. More than 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheists, saw the sun, contrary to all cosmic laws, twirl in the sky, throw off colors and descend to earth. The event was reported in newspapers around the world, including the New York Times.
(2) All of the Popes since the Fatima Miracle have recognized that the Message is authentic. Several Popes have gone to Fatima in person, including Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II. John Paul II said at Fatima in 1982 that "the Message of Fatima imposes an obligation on the Church."
(3) Many other miracles have been performed by God authenticating the Fatima Message as coming from Him, not only at the time of the Miracle of the Sun, October 13, 1917, but down the years to the present day, miracles of conversions and cures which science cannot explain by natural means.
(4) The Message of Fatima accurately predicted world events, which proves that it is a true prophecy.
3. WHAT DID THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA PREDICT?
The Message of Fatima accurately predicted in 1917 all of the following events which came to pass:
(1) the end of World War I;
(2) the emergence of Russia as a world power which would "spread its errors (including Communism) throughout the world ... raising up wars and persecutions against the Church";
(3) the election of a Pope who would be named Pius XI;
(4) the waging of a second World War following a strange light in the night sky.
The Message of Fatima also predicted that if the requests of the Virgin Mary at Fatima are not honored, many souls will be lost, "the Holy Father will have much to suffer", there will be further wars and persecutions of the Church and "various nations will be annihilated." The annihilation of nations predicted at Fatima has not yet occurred, but many fear that it will soon happen, given the growing immorality and corruption of the world.
4. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA REQUEST?
At Fatima Our Lady said that God wished to establish in the world devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady said that many souls would be saved from Hell and the annihilation of nations averted if, in time, devotion to Her Immaculate Heart were established principally by these two means:
1) the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Pope together with the world's bishops in a solemn public ceremony, and
(2) the practice of receiving Holy Communion (and other specific devotions of about 1/2 hour in duration) in reparation for the sins committed against the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months--a practice known to Catholics as "the First Saturday" devotion.
5. HAVE THESE REQUESTS OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA BEEN HONORED?
No, not entirely. A number of the Faithful practice the "First Saturday" devotion, but Russia has yet to be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a solemn public ceremony conducted by the Pope together with the world's Catholic bishops. (Our Lady asked for the Pope, and all the Bishops of the world in union with him, on the same day, to consecrate Russia, by name, to her Immaculate Heart. Some popes have consecrated the world, I think Pius XII mentioned Russia at least once, but he didn't have the Bishops do it at the same time. This is NOT what she requested. None of the recent popes have fulfilled her request. She is still waiting!)
In 1982 the last surviving Fatima seer, Lucia, who was cloistered nun living in Coimbra, Portugal, was asked if an attempted consecration by Pope John Paul II had sufficed. She replied that it did not suffice, because Russia was not mentioned and the world's bishops had not participated. Another attempted consecration in 1984 likewise did not mention Russia or involve the participation of many of the world's bishops, and Sister Lucia stated immediately afterwards that this consecration, too, had failed to meet Our Lady's requirements.
6. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA WARN?
It warns that if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima for the Consecration of Russia and the First Saturday devotion are not honored, the Church will be persecuted, there will be other major wars, the Holy Father will have much to suffer and various nations will be annihilated. Many nations will be enslaved by Russian militant atheists. Most important, many souls will be lost.
7. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA PROMISE?
The Message of Fatima promises that if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima are carried out "My Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will Consecrate Russia to Me, which will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to mankind."
8. ISN'T IT TRUE THAT THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA WAS DONE IN 1984 AND THAT THE "FALL OF COMMUNISM" PROVES THAT THE CONSECRATION WAS EFFECTIVE AND THAT RUSSIA IS NOW CONVERTING?
No, it is not true. We know it is not true because:
(1) On March 25, 1984, after the consecration of the world, Pope John Paul II said twice that Our Lady of Fatima's request for the consecration of Russia was not done.
(2) Soon after the attempted Consecration of 1984, which did not mention Russia or involve the participation of the world's bishops, Sister Lucia stated it was insufficient because it did not meet the requirements specified to her by Our Lady.
(3) Since 1984 the moral and spiritual state of the world has obviously grown far worse: In the past 14 years there have been 600 million abortions, and wars have broken out all over the world. Mercy-killing and homosexual acts have been "legalized". In Russia itself a new law has just been passed which discriminates against the Catholic Church and in favor of Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and the Orthodox churches which forcibly occupied Catholic parishes under the Communists. Thus it is clear Russia is not converted to the Catholic Faith as Our Lady of Fatima promised would happen if Her request was done.
(4) There have been very few conversions to Catholicism in Russia over the past fourteen years. In all of Russia today there are only 300,000 Catholics--much less than one percent of the Russian population. By comparison, after Our Lady appeared at Guadalupe, Mexico in the 16th Century, more than 7 million Mexicans converted from paganism to the Catholic Faith within nine years and Mexico became a Catholic country.
(Also, I think that if the consecration had been done as requested, there would have been a world-wide uproar because of what it was asking. And, there has NOT been any period of peace; ANYWHERE!)
9. WHY IS THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY FAMILY?
The Message of Fatima is important to you and your family because it involves the salvation of souls, peace in the world and, if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima are not carried out, the consequences are the annihilation of nations and the enslavement of all mankind under militant atheists of Russia.
10. BUT ISN'T THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA JUST A PRIVATE REVELATION WHICH NO CATHOLIC HAS TO BELIEVE?
No, it is not just a private revelation. It is a public, prophetic revelation given by the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. It is not to be confused with "Revelation" or as it is also called, the Deposit of the Faith, which ended with the death of the last Apostle. But public, prophetic revelation must not be despised. The Virgin Mary's prophecy was confirmed by a public miracle and authenticated by a whole line of Popes. Also, its predictions have come true.
So, while belief in the Message of Fatima may not strictly be required of Catholics as an article of faith, one would be very foolish to disregard such an obviously authentic message from Heaven. As St. Paul taught: "Despise not prophecies, but prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." (1 Thess. 5:20-21) The prophecy of Fatima has been proven worthy of belief. We should not despise it, but rather hold fast to what Our Lady told us at Fatima.
FIRST VISIT BY OUR BLESSED MOTHER
On May 13, 1917, Lucia dos Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto were, respectively, ten, nine, and seven years old. As we have said, the three children lived in Aljustrel, a hamlet of the township of Fatima.
After three apparitions of the Angel of Portugal (St. Michael) in 1916, the children began to receive visits of a luminous Lady who later identified herself as “The Lady of the Rosary.” In Catholic language, “Our Lady of the Rosary” is the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God made man.
The apparitions took place on a small property belonging to Lucia's parents called Cova da Iria, about a mile and a half from Fatima. The three seers were playing at Cova da Iria on May 13, 1917 when they saw two flashes like lightning, after which they saw the Mother of God above a holm oak. She was, according to the description of Lucia, "a Lady dressed in white, more brilliant than the sun…" Her face, indescribably beautiful, was "neither sad nor happy, but serious," with an air of mild reproach. Her hands, joined together as if she were praying, were resting at her breast and pointing upward. A rosary hung from her right hand. The seers were so close to Our Lady – about a yard and a half away – that they stood within the light that radiated from her.
The conversation developed in the following manner:
Our Lady: Do not be afraid; I will not harm you.
Lucia: Where is Your Grace from?
Our Lady: I am from heaven–pointing to the sky.
Lucia: And what does Your Grace wish of me?
Our Lady: I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession on the thirteenth day of each month at this same hour. Later I will tell you who I am and what I want. Afterward, I will return here a seventh time.
Lucia: And will I go to heaven, too?
Our Lady: Yes, you will.
Lucia: And Jacinta?
Our Lady: Also.
Lucia: And Francisco?
Our Lady: Also, but he must say many rosaries.
Lucia: Is Maria das Neves already in heaven?
Our Lady: Yes, she is.
Lucia: And Amélia?
Our Lady: She will be in purgatory until the end of the world. Do you wish to offer yourselves to God to endure all the sufferings that He may be pleased to send you, as both an act of reparation for the sins with which He is offended and an act of supplication for the conversion of sinners?
Lucia: Yes, we do.
Our Lady: Well then, you will have much to suffer. But the grace of God will be your comfort.
It was upon saying these last words, 'the grace of God...' that for the first time she opened her hands, which emitted a most intense light that penetrated our breasts, reaching the innermost part of our souls and making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light, more clearly than we can see ourselves in the best of mirrors.
Then, driven by a deep inspiration, we knelt down and repeated inwardly: 'O Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
A moment later, Our Lady added, "Pray the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war."
She immediately began to rise serenely toward the east until she disappeared far into the distance.
The light that surrounded her was, so to speak, opening her way through the starry firmament.
Our Lady of Fatima's June 13th Apparition
Despite the joy of those precious moments the sorrows of the children continued in the following weeks, moderated by the belief of very many at the Cova that day. They knew that something unusual had occurred - they saw the "lightening," some perceived a certain dimming of the sun, others a little gray cloud that came and went as the apparition did and they believed. However, the difficulties with their families did not abate, especially with their mothers, who became genuinely alarmed that the events were not just continuing but expanding. To this was added the painful caution of the parish priest, that after all it might be real but of demonic origin.
JULY, 1917
As the July date approached Lucia continued to be troubled by the words of her pastor that the devil might be behind the apparitions. Finally, she confided to Jacinta that she intended not to go. When the day finally dawned, however, her fears and anxieties disappeared, so that the noon hour found her in the Cova with Jacinta and Francisco, awaiting the arrival of the beautiful Lady.
The apparition of July 13th would prove to be in many ways the most controversial aspect of the message of Fátima, providing a secret in three parts which the children guarded zealously. The first two parts, the vision of hell and the prophecy of the future role of Russia and how to prevent it, would not be revealed until Sr. Lucia wrote them down in her third memoir, at the request of the bishop, in 1941. The third part, usually called the Third Secret, was only later communicated to the bishop, who sent it unread to Pope Pius XII.
First Part of the Secret – The Vision of Hell
Second Part of the Secret
Third Part of the Secret – Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, “The Message of Fátima”
As August 13, 1917 was approaching, word of the Fatima apparitions spread throughout the country. The liberal Masonic press took a special interest in the matter, sparing no opportunity to denounce it and spread falsehoods concerning the three shepherd children. When these tactics could not sway the masses of pilgrims, who faithfully traveled great distances in order to be present when Our Lady appeared, the press declared in classic anticlerical fashion that the clergy were deceiving the people in order to draw profits. The press strongly encouraged the local authorities to take action.
Fatima’s local authority, Artur de Oliveira Santos, who was the Administrator of the district of Vila Nova de Ourem, was an anticlerical fanatic. Also known as "The Tinsmith," he was a Freemason who enjoyed much power through his position, and ruled his district in a tyrannical fashion, imposing restrictions on churches and religious services on his slightest whim. The Tinsmith decided to end the popular piety resulting from the apparitions at Fatima, through whatever means necessary.
On August 10, the fathers of the three seers of Fatima, Manuel Marto and Antonio dos Santos, received an order to appear with their children the following day at Vila Nova de Ourem. It was a journey of nine miles, of which the only available means of transportation were either to walk or ride a donkey. Manuel Marto refused to have his two young children make the journey or appear before a court, and decided to go alone. Antonio dos Santos, however, was determined that his daughter, Lucy, answer for herself. The Tinsmith was furious at the absence of Francisco and Jacinta.
Recalling her experience with the Tinsmith, Lucy writes:
When they arrived at the Tinsmith’s house, the children were shut up in a room and told that they would not be let out until they had revealed the Secret. They were given lunch by the Tinsmith’s kind wife, who let them play with her children and saw that they lacked for nothing. The following day they were forced to undergo nine interrogations, but the children, strengthened by a special grace, remained steadfast.
The Tinsmith wanted to learn the Secret from them at any cost, but he could neither extract it nor trick the children into contradicting each other. He even called in a doctor to accuse the children of hallucinations and hysteria. The doctor’s conclusions have never been published. This fact speaks volumes, for had the doctor’s conclusion been that the children were hallucinating, the Administrator would have wasted no time in publishing the doctor’s testimony.
The Tinsmith then put the children into a prison cell full of other prisoners. They were then interrogated separately, after which the Tinsmith threatened to boil them in oil if they still refused to divulge the Secret of Fatima. In the presence of the children he ordered that a cauldron of oil be heated, and threatened to put the children in the cauldron if they did not cooperate. The children believed the Tinsmith’s threat. A man in the same prison cell tried to persuade Jacinta to give in, telling her that she could avoid being killed by simply telling the secret. Jacinta responded, "I’d rather die!"
The Tinsmith took Jacinta away first. Francisco and Lucy believed that she had gone to her death. The Tinsmith returned and told the children that Jacinta was dead. He again demanded that the secret be revealed, or Francisco and Lucy would also be boiled in oil. Francisco was next taken to his apparent death. The Tinsmith then threatened Lucy with the same fate if she did not cooperate. Lucy remained faithful, though she believed that her two cousins had been killed. However, none of the children were killed; the threat had been empty. Yet even after this final threat, the Tinsmith could not obtain the Secret. The next morning (August 15), after one last interrogation, having accomplished nothing he returned the children to Fatima.
This day Our Lady certainly had came to the immense crowd of the pilgrims (there were between eighteen and twenty thousand) to the Cova da Iria. All the unusual phenomena of Her apparition were noticed: the first thunderclap and lightning; small white cloud, which stopped for a few moments over the tree and then rose in the air and disappeared; the strange reflection of all the colours of the rainbow on the people and the tree.
Our Lady appeared to the children in Valinhos on Sunday, August 19, where they went to pasture their sheep. She asked them to continue praying the Rosary every day and to make sacrifices for sinners. Our Lady promised in the last month to work a miracle, so that all may believe.
As I have already said what happened on this day, I will not delay over it here, but pass on to the Apparition which in my opinion, took place on the 15th in the afternoon. As at that time I did not yet know how to reckon the days of the month, it could be that I am mistaken. But I still have an idea that it took place on the very day that we arrived back from Vila Nova de Ourém.
I was accompanied by Francisco and his brother John. We were with the sheep in a place called Valinhos, when we felt something supernatural approaching and enveloping us. Suspecting that Our Lady was about to appear to us, and feeling sorry lest Jacinta might miss seeing her, we asked her brother to go and call her. As he was unwilling to go, I offered him two small coins, and off he ran.
Meanwhile, Francisco and I saw the flash of light, which we called lightning. Jacinta arrived, and a moment later, we saw Our Lady on a holmoak tree.
“What do you want of me?”
“I want you to continue going to the Cova da Iria on the 13th, and to continue praying the Rosary every day. In the last month, I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.”
“What do you want done with the money that the people leave in the Cova da Iria?”
“Have two litters 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.”
“I would like to ask you to cure some sick persons.”
“Yes, I will cure some of them during the year.”
Then, looking very sad, Our Lady said:
“Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”
And She began to ascend as usual towards the east. Sister Lucia's Memoirs. [pdf]
Fourth Memoir. The Story of the Apparitions.
Our Lady: Continue to pray the Rosary to obtain the end of the war. In October, Our Lord will also come, as well as Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus, to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to sleep with the ropes; wear them only during the day. (The children were wearing ropes around their waists as a sacrifice for sinners.)
Lucia: They have requested me to ask you for many things, for the cure of some sick persons, of a deaf-mute.
Our Lady: "Yes, I will cure some, others not. In October, I will perform a miracle for all to believe."
And rising, she disappeared in the same manner as before.
This is about what happened at Fatima, Portugal, in the year 1917. A lot of those who call themselves Catholic don't have a clue concerning these events. They are told: "It is a private apparition." Well, NOT when the Church actually acknowledges it, which it has. Our Blessed Mother appeared to three little shepherds while they were doing their job. She eventually told them who she was, and showed them things that were, to say the least, pretty remarkable. She told them to pray and offer sacrifices for those who are indifferent or have strayed from the Truth. She told them of things that were to happen in the future, which came true at those times, and she told them that the Church would suffer a lot because of those, even within the Church, would do things that would change the public opinion towards the Church. She also told that she would come back on the 13th of each month until October, and then she would perform a miracle which would change the thoughts of even the worst offenders and hypocrites. This actually happened! We know that Christ founded ONE Church, and, in regards to that, that the old piece of crap s***n would do his darndest to destroy it in whatever manner he could come up with.
In 1884, Pope Leo XIII, after having said the Holy Mass, as he was leaving the altar, heard two distinct voices. One was very gentle, while the other was gruff and coarse. The second of these two said that he could destroy the gentle one's Church in the future. The gentle One gave him 100 years to fulfill his quest. Within the next decades, the Masonic sect had invaded the Church from inside the walls. The Popes had been pretty good, but the ones under them were had other ideas. Incidently, this audio 'vision' happened on October 13, 1884, exactly 33 years before the great miracle at Fatima. Remember, the number 33 is usually a good number, because it is the number of years our Saviour walked upon this earth.
However, Our Lady came to Fatima in 1917 and warned these three children of what was to happen. Read about this later. But now, the year 2017, this is the 100th year since that great warnings and miracle. Maybe this was the 100 years that has been given to the evil one. I don't know, but, then again, I don't believe in coincidence.
1. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA?
The Message of Fatima consists of a number of precise predictions, requests, warnings and promises concerning the Faith and the world which were conveyed by the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children--Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco--in a series of apparitions at Fatima, Portugal from May to October 1917.
2. WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA?
You should believe the Message of Fatima because:
(1) It was confirmed by an unprecedented public miracle, the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred at precisely the moment Lucia said it would. More than 70,000 people, including Masons, communists and atheists, saw the sun, contrary to all cosmic laws, twirl in the sky, throw off colors and descend to earth. The event was reported in newspapers around the world, including the New York Times.
(2) All of the Popes since the Fatima Miracle have recognized that the Message is authentic. Several Popes have gone to Fatima in person, including Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II. John Paul II said at Fatima in 1982 that "the Message of Fatima imposes an obligation on the Church."
(3) Many other miracles have been performed by God authenticating the Fatima Message as coming from Him, not only at the time of the Miracle of the Sun, October 13, 1917, but down the years to the present day, miracles of conversions and cures which science cannot explain by natural means.
(4) The Message of Fatima accurately predicted world events, which proves that it is a true prophecy.
3. WHAT DID THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA PREDICT?
The Message of Fatima accurately predicted in 1917 all of the following events which came to pass:
(1) the end of World War I;
(2) the emergence of Russia as a world power which would "spread its errors (including Communism) throughout the world ... raising up wars and persecutions against the Church";
(3) the election of a Pope who would be named Pius XI;
(4) the waging of a second World War following a strange light in the night sky.
The Message of Fatima also predicted that if the requests of the Virgin Mary at Fatima are not honored, many souls will be lost, "the Holy Father will have much to suffer", there will be further wars and persecutions of the Church and "various nations will be annihilated." The annihilation of nations predicted at Fatima has not yet occurred, but many fear that it will soon happen, given the growing immorality and corruption of the world.
4. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA REQUEST?
At Fatima Our Lady said that God wished to establish in the world devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady said that many souls would be saved from Hell and the annihilation of nations averted if, in time, devotion to Her Immaculate Heart were established principally by these two means:
1) the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Pope together with the world's bishops in a solemn public ceremony, and
(2) the practice of receiving Holy Communion (and other specific devotions of about 1/2 hour in duration) in reparation for the sins committed against the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months--a practice known to Catholics as "the First Saturday" devotion.
5. HAVE THESE REQUESTS OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA BEEN HONORED?
No, not entirely. A number of the Faithful practice the "First Saturday" devotion, but Russia has yet to be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a solemn public ceremony conducted by the Pope together with the world's Catholic bishops. (Our Lady asked for the Pope, and all the Bishops of the world in union with him, on the same day, to consecrate Russia, by name, to her Immaculate Heart. Some popes have consecrated the world, I think Pius XII mentioned Russia at least once, but he didn't have the Bishops do it at the same time. This is NOT what she requested. None of the recent popes have fulfilled her request. She is still waiting!)
In 1982 the last surviving Fatima seer, Lucia, who was cloistered nun living in Coimbra, Portugal, was asked if an attempted consecration by Pope John Paul II had sufficed. She replied that it did not suffice, because Russia was not mentioned and the world's bishops had not participated. Another attempted consecration in 1984 likewise did not mention Russia or involve the participation of many of the world's bishops, and Sister Lucia stated immediately afterwards that this consecration, too, had failed to meet Our Lady's requirements.
6. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA WARN?
It warns that if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima for the Consecration of Russia and the First Saturday devotion are not honored, the Church will be persecuted, there will be other major wars, the Holy Father will have much to suffer and various nations will be annihilated. Many nations will be enslaved by Russian militant atheists. Most important, many souls will be lost.
7. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA PROMISE?
The Message of Fatima promises that if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima are carried out "My Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will Consecrate Russia to Me, which will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to mankind."
8. ISN'T IT TRUE THAT THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA WAS DONE IN 1984 AND THAT THE "FALL OF COMMUNISM" PROVES THAT THE CONSECRATION WAS EFFECTIVE AND THAT RUSSIA IS NOW CONVERTING?
No, it is not true. We know it is not true because:
(1) On March 25, 1984, after the consecration of the world, Pope John Paul II said twice that Our Lady of Fatima's request for the consecration of Russia was not done.
(2) Soon after the attempted Consecration of 1984, which did not mention Russia or involve the participation of the world's bishops, Sister Lucia stated it was insufficient because it did not meet the requirements specified to her by Our Lady.
(3) Since 1984 the moral and spiritual state of the world has obviously grown far worse: In the past 14 years there have been 600 million abortions, and wars have broken out all over the world. Mercy-killing and homosexual acts have been "legalized". In Russia itself a new law has just been passed which discriminates against the Catholic Church and in favor of Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and the Orthodox churches which forcibly occupied Catholic parishes under the Communists. Thus it is clear Russia is not converted to the Catholic Faith as Our Lady of Fatima promised would happen if Her request was done.
(4) There have been very few conversions to Catholicism in Russia over the past fourteen years. In all of Russia today there are only 300,000 Catholics--much less than one percent of the Russian population. By comparison, after Our Lady appeared at Guadalupe, Mexico in the 16th Century, more than 7 million Mexicans converted from paganism to the Catholic Faith within nine years and Mexico became a Catholic country.
(Also, I think that if the consecration had been done as requested, there would have been a world-wide uproar because of what it was asking. And, there has NOT been any period of peace; ANYWHERE!)
9. WHY IS THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY FAMILY?
The Message of Fatima is important to you and your family because it involves the salvation of souls, peace in the world and, if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima are not carried out, the consequences are the annihilation of nations and the enslavement of all mankind under militant atheists of Russia.
10. BUT ISN'T THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA JUST A PRIVATE REVELATION WHICH NO CATHOLIC HAS TO BELIEVE?
No, it is not just a private revelation. It is a public, prophetic revelation given by the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. It is not to be confused with "Revelation" or as it is also called, the Deposit of the Faith, which ended with the death of the last Apostle. But public, prophetic revelation must not be despised. The Virgin Mary's prophecy was confirmed by a public miracle and authenticated by a whole line of Popes. Also, its predictions have come true.
So, while belief in the Message of Fatima may not strictly be required of Catholics as an article of faith, one would be very foolish to disregard such an obviously authentic message from Heaven. As St. Paul taught: "Despise not prophecies, but prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." (1 Thess. 5:20-21) The prophecy of Fatima has been proven worthy of belief. We should not despise it, but rather hold fast to what Our Lady told us at Fatima.
FIRST VISIT BY OUR BLESSED MOTHER
On May 13, 1917, Lucia dos Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto were, respectively, ten, nine, and seven years old. As we have said, the three children lived in Aljustrel, a hamlet of the township of Fatima.
After three apparitions of the Angel of Portugal (St. Michael) in 1916, the children began to receive visits of a luminous Lady who later identified herself as “The Lady of the Rosary.” In Catholic language, “Our Lady of the Rosary” is the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God made man.
The apparitions took place on a small property belonging to Lucia's parents called Cova da Iria, about a mile and a half from Fatima. The three seers were playing at Cova da Iria on May 13, 1917 when they saw two flashes like lightning, after which they saw the Mother of God above a holm oak. She was, according to the description of Lucia, "a Lady dressed in white, more brilliant than the sun…" Her face, indescribably beautiful, was "neither sad nor happy, but serious," with an air of mild reproach. Her hands, joined together as if she were praying, were resting at her breast and pointing upward. A rosary hung from her right hand. The seers were so close to Our Lady – about a yard and a half away – that they stood within the light that radiated from her.
The conversation developed in the following manner:
Our Lady: Do not be afraid; I will not harm you.
Lucia: Where is Your Grace from?
Our Lady: I am from heaven–pointing to the sky.
Lucia: And what does Your Grace wish of me?
Our Lady: I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession on the thirteenth day of each month at this same hour. Later I will tell you who I am and what I want. Afterward, I will return here a seventh time.
Lucia: And will I go to heaven, too?
Our Lady: Yes, you will.
Lucia: And Jacinta?
Our Lady: Also.
Lucia: And Francisco?
Our Lady: Also, but he must say many rosaries.
Lucia: Is Maria das Neves already in heaven?
Our Lady: Yes, she is.
Lucia: And Amélia?
Our Lady: She will be in purgatory until the end of the world. Do you wish to offer yourselves to God to endure all the sufferings that He may be pleased to send you, as both an act of reparation for the sins with which He is offended and an act of supplication for the conversion of sinners?
Lucia: Yes, we do.
Our Lady: Well then, you will have much to suffer. But the grace of God will be your comfort.
It was upon saying these last words, 'the grace of God...' that for the first time she opened her hands, which emitted a most intense light that penetrated our breasts, reaching the innermost part of our souls and making us see ourselves in God, Who was that light, more clearly than we can see ourselves in the best of mirrors.Then, driven by a deep inspiration, we knelt down and repeated inwardly: 'O Most Holy Trinity, I adore Thee! My God, my God, I love Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
A moment later, Our Lady added, "Pray the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war."
She immediately began to rise serenely toward the east until she disappeared far into the distance.
The light that surrounded her was, so to speak, opening her way through the starry firmament.
Our Lady of Fatima's June 13th Apparition
(From the Memoirs of Sister Lucia)
The 13th of June, feast of St. Anthony, was always a day of great festivities in our parish. My mother and my sisters, who knew how much I loved a festa, kept saying to me, "We've yet to see if you'll leave the festa just to go to the Cova da Iria, and talk to that Lady!" On the day itself nobody said a single word to me. Insofar as I was concerned, they acted as if they were saying, "Leave her alone; and we'll soon see what she'll do!"
I let out my flock at daybreak, intending to put them back in the pen at nine, go to Mass at ten, and after that, go to the Cova da Iria. But the sun was no sooner up than my brother came to call me. He told me to go back home, as there were several people there wanting to speak to me. I found some women, and men too, who had come from such places as Minde, from around Tomar, Carascos, Boleiros, etc. They wished to accompany me to the Cova. I told them that it was early as yet, and invited them to go with me to the 8 o'clock Mass. After that, I returned home. These good people waited for me out in the yard, in the shade of our fig tree.
Around 11 o'clock, I left home and called at my uncle's house, where Jacinta and Francisco were waiting for me. Then we set off for the Cova.
As soon as Jacinta, Francisco and I had finished praying the Rosary, with a number of other people who were present, we saw once more the flash reflecting the light which was approaching (which we called lightning). The next moment, Our Lady was there on the holmoak, exactly the same as in May.
"What do you want of me?" I asked.
"I wish you to come here on the 13th of next month, to pray the Rosary every day, and to learn to read. Later, I will tell you what I want."
I asked for the cure of a sick person.
"If he is converted, he will be cured during the year."
"I would like to ask you to take us to Heaven."
"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."
"Am I to stay here alone?" I asked, sadly.
"No, my daughter. Are you suffering a great deal? Don't lose heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God."
As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands and for the second time, she communicated to us the rays of that same immense light. We saw ourselves in this light, as it were, immersed in God. Jacinta and Francisco seemed to be in that part of the light which rose towards Heaven, and I in that which was poured out on the earth. In the front of the palm of Our Lady's right hand was a heart encircled by thorns which pierced it. We understood that this was the Immaculate Heart of Mary, outraged by the sins of humanity, and seeking reparation.
The apparition then concluded as on the first occasion, with the Lady going off toward the east and disappearing in the "immensity of heaven."
JULY, 1917
As the July date approached Lucia continued to be troubled by the words of her pastor that the devil might be behind the apparitions. Finally, she confided to Jacinta that she intended not to go. When the day finally dawned, however, her fears and anxieties disappeared, so that the noon hour found her in the Cova with Jacinta and Francisco, awaiting the arrival of the beautiful Lady.
The apparition of July 13th would prove to be in many ways the most controversial aspect of the message of Fátima, providing a secret in three parts which the children guarded zealously. The first two parts, the vision of hell and the prophecy of the future role of Russia and how to prevent it, would not be revealed until Sr. Lucia wrote them down in her third memoir, at the request of the bishop, in 1941. The third part, usually called the Third Secret, was only later communicated to the bishop, who sent it unread to Pope Pius XII.
A few moments after arriving at the Cova da Iria, near the holmoak, where a large number of people were praying the Rosary, we saw the flash of light once more, and a moment later Our Lady appeared on the holmoak.
"Lucia," Jacinta said, "speak. Our Lady is talking to you."
"Yes?" said Lucia. She spoke humbly, asking pardon for her doubts with every gesture, and to the Lady: "What do you want of me?"
I want you to come back here on the thirteenth of next month. Continue to say the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, to obtain the peace of the world and the end of the war, because only she can obtain it.
"Yes, yes."
"I would like to ask who you are, and if you will do a miracle so that everyone will know for certain that you have appeared to us."
You must come here every month, and in October I will tell you who I am and what I want. I will then perform a miracle so that all may believe.
Thus assured, Lucia began to place before the Lady the petitions for help that so many had entrusted to her. The Lady said gently that she would cure some, but others she would not cure.
"And the crippled son of Maria da Capelinha?"
No, neither of his infirmity nor of his poverty would he be cured, and he must be certain to say the Rosary with his family every day.
Another case recommended by Lucia to the Lady's assistance was a sick woman from Atougia who asked to be taken to heaven.
Tell her not to be in a hurry. Tell her I know very well when I shall come to fetch her. Make sacrifices for sinners, and say often, especially while making a sacrifice: O Jesus, this is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offences committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
First Part of the Secret – The Vision of Hell
As Our Lady spoke these words she opened her hands once more, as had during the two previous months. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now following back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. (it must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me do). The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so kindly and so sadly:
Second Part of the Secret
You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. It is to save them that God wants to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace.
This war will end, but if men do not refrain from offending God, another and more terrible war will begin during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night that is lit by a strange and unknown light [this occurred on January 28, 1938], you will know it is the sign God gives you that He is about to punish the world with war and with hunger, and by the persecution of the Church and the Holy Father.
To prevent this, I shall come to the world to ask that Russia be consecrated to my Immaculate Heart, and I shall ask that on the First Saturday of every month Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins-of the world. If my wishes are fulfilled, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, then Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, bringing new wars and persecution of the Church; the good will be martyred and the Holy Father will have much to suffer; certain nations will be annihilated. But in the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and the world will enjoy a period of peace. In Portugal the faith will always be preserved...
Third Part of the Secret – Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, “The Message of Fátima”
{After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!'.
And we saw in an immense light that is God: ‘something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it' a Bishop dressed in white; ‘we had the impression that it was the Holy Father'. Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross, he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.}
Remember, you must not tell this to anyone except Francisco.
When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need.
"Is there anything more that you want of me?"
No, I do not want anything more of you today.
Then as before Our Lady began to ascend towards the east, until she finally disappeared in the immense darkness of the firmament.The possession of the Secret proved to be very great trial for the three young ones. Family, neighbors, followers of the apparitions, even the clergy, tried unsuccessfully to get them to reveal it. Finally, as the day of the August apparition approached even the civil government, which was secular and virulently anti-clerical, alarmed by the numbers of people taking an interest in the Fátima events, attempted to wrest it from them and in the process expose the Church as a collaborator in a fraud.
Fatima. Apparition of Our Lady. August 13, 1917
As August 13, 1917 was approaching, word of the Fatima apparitions spread throughout the country. The liberal Masonic press took a special interest in the matter, sparing no opportunity to denounce it and spread falsehoods concerning the three shepherd children. When these tactics could not sway the masses of pilgrims, who faithfully traveled great distances in order to be present when Our Lady appeared, the press declared in classic anticlerical fashion that the clergy were deceiving the people in order to draw profits. The press strongly encouraged the local authorities to take action.
Fatima’s local authority, Artur de Oliveira Santos, who was the Administrator of the district of Vila Nova de Ourem, was an anticlerical fanatic. Also known as "The Tinsmith," he was a Freemason who enjoyed much power through his position, and ruled his district in a tyrannical fashion, imposing restrictions on churches and religious services on his slightest whim. The Tinsmith decided to end the popular piety resulting from the apparitions at Fatima, through whatever means necessary.
On August 10, the fathers of the three seers of Fatima, Manuel Marto and Antonio dos Santos, received an order to appear with their children the following day at Vila Nova de Ourem. It was a journey of nine miles, of which the only available means of transportation were either to walk or ride a donkey. Manuel Marto refused to have his two young children make the journey or appear before a court, and decided to go alone. Antonio dos Santos, however, was determined that his daughter, Lucy, answer for herself. The Tinsmith was furious at the absence of Francisco and Jacinta.
Recalling her experience with the Tinsmith, Lucy writes:
At the Administration office, I was interrogated by the Administrator, in the presence of my father, my uncle, and several other gentlemen who were strangers to me. The Administrator was determined to force me to reveal the Secret and to promise him never again to return to the Cova da Iria. To attain his end, he spared neither promises, nor even threats. Seeing that he was getting nowhere, he dismissed me, protesting however that he would achieve his end, even if this meant that he had to take my life. 1On August 12, masses of people began arriving at the Cova da Iria, in anticipation of the apparition of the following day. On the morning of August 13, the Administrator arrived at the Marto home to see the children. He convinced the children’s fathers that he desired to "attend the miracle" with them, and together they first went to meet with the village priest. After being questioned, the Administrator had the children get into his carriage. The carriage at first made for the Cova da Iria, but suddenly turned and flew off in the other direction. The Administrator attempted to calm the children by saying that they were first going to meet with the priest at Ourem. To keep pilgrims on their way to the Cova from seeing the children, he wrapped them in a rug. Finally he arrived in triumph at his house, believing that by keeping the children from the Cova, nothing supernatural would happen and the business of the apparitions would be given up.
When they arrived at the Tinsmith’s house, the children were shut up in a room and told that they would not be let out until they had revealed the Secret. They were given lunch by the Tinsmith’s kind wife, who let them play with her children and saw that they lacked for nothing. The following day they were forced to undergo nine interrogations, but the children, strengthened by a special grace, remained steadfast.
The Tinsmith wanted to learn the Secret from them at any cost, but he could neither extract it nor trick the children into contradicting each other. He even called in a doctor to accuse the children of hallucinations and hysteria. The doctor’s conclusions have never been published. This fact speaks volumes, for had the doctor’s conclusion been that the children were hallucinating, the Administrator would have wasted no time in publishing the doctor’s testimony.
The Tinsmith then put the children into a prison cell full of other prisoners. They were then interrogated separately, after which the Tinsmith threatened to boil them in oil if they still refused to divulge the Secret of Fatima. In the presence of the children he ordered that a cauldron of oil be heated, and threatened to put the children in the cauldron if they did not cooperate. The children believed the Tinsmith’s threat. A man in the same prison cell tried to persuade Jacinta to give in, telling her that she could avoid being killed by simply telling the secret. Jacinta responded, "I’d rather die!"
The Tinsmith took Jacinta away first. Francisco and Lucy believed that she had gone to her death. The Tinsmith returned and told the children that Jacinta was dead. He again demanded that the secret be revealed, or Francisco and Lucy would also be boiled in oil. Francisco was next taken to his apparent death. The Tinsmith then threatened Lucy with the same fate if she did not cooperate. Lucy remained faithful, though she believed that her two cousins had been killed. However, none of the children were killed; the threat had been empty. Yet even after this final threat, the Tinsmith could not obtain the Secret. The next morning (August 15), after one last interrogation, having accomplished nothing he returned the children to Fatima.
This day Our Lady certainly had came to the immense crowd of the pilgrims (there were between eighteen and twenty thousand) to the Cova da Iria. All the unusual phenomena of Her apparition were noticed: the first thunderclap and lightning; small white cloud, which stopped for a few moments over the tree and then rose in the air and disappeared; the strange reflection of all the colours of the rainbow on the people and the tree.
Our Lady appeared to the children in Valinhos on Sunday, August 19, where they went to pasture their sheep. She asked them to continue praying the Rosary every day and to make sacrifices for sinners. Our Lady promised in the last month to work a miracle, so that all may believe.
From the Fourth Memoir (1941-12-08)
13 August 1917
As I have already said what happened on this day, I will not delay over it here, but pass on to the Apparition which in my opinion, took place on the 15th in the afternoon. As at that time I did not yet know how to reckon the days of the month, it could be that I am mistaken. But I still have an idea that it took place on the very day that we arrived back from Vila Nova de Ourém.
I was accompanied by Francisco and his brother John. We were with the sheep in a place called Valinhos, when we felt something supernatural approaching and enveloping us. Suspecting that Our Lady was about to appear to us, and feeling sorry lest Jacinta might miss seeing her, we asked her brother to go and call her. As he was unwilling to go, I offered him two small coins, and off he ran.
Meanwhile, Francisco and I saw the flash of light, which we called lightning. Jacinta arrived, and a moment later, we saw Our Lady on a holmoak tree.
“What do you want of me?”
“I want you to continue going to the Cova da Iria on the 13th, and to continue praying the Rosary every day. In the last month, I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.”
“What do you want done with the money that the people leave in the Cova da Iria?”
“Have two litters 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.”
“I would like to ask you to cure some sick persons.”
“Yes, I will cure some of them during the year.”
Then, looking very sad, Our Lady said:
“Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”
And She began to ascend as usual towards the east. Sister Lucia's Memoirs. [pdf]
Fourth Memoir. The Story of the Apparitions.
From Sister Lucy's writings:
As the hour approached, I set out with Jacinta and Francisco, but owing to the crowds around us we could only advance with difficulty. The roads were packed with people, and everyone wanted to see us and speak to us. There was no human respect whatsoever. Simple folk and even ladies and gentlemen, struggled to break through the crowd that pressed around us.
No sooner had they reached us than they threw themselves on their knees before us, begging us to place their petitions before Our Lady. Others who could not get close to us shouted from a distance:
“For the love of God, ask Our Lady to cure my son who is a cripple!” Yet another cried out: “And cure mine who is blind! … and cure mine who is deaf!… “To bring back my husband, my son, who has gone to war!… To convert a sinner!… To give me back my health as I have tuberculosis!”
All the afflictions of poor humanity were assembled there. Some climbed up to the tops of trees and walls to see us go by, and shouted down to us. Saying yes to some, giving a hand to others and helping them up from the dusty ground, we managed to move forward, thanks to some gentlemen who went ahead and opened a passage for us through the multitude
.
Now, when I read the New Testament about those enchanted scenes of Our Lord’s passing through Palestine, I think of those which Our Lord allowed me to witness, while yet a child, on the poor roads and lanes from Aljustel to Fatima, and on to the Cova da Iria!
I give thanks to God, offering Him the faith of our good Portuguese people, and I think: “If these people so humbled themselves before three poor children, just because they were mercifully granted the grace to speak to the Mother of God, what would they not do if they saw Our Lord Himself in person before them?” Well, none of this was called for here! It was a distraction of my pen, leading me away where I did not mean to go.
At last, we arrived at the Cova da Iria, and on reaching the holm oak we began to say the Rosary with the people. Shortly afterward, we saw the flash of light, and then Our Lady appeared on the holm oak.
“Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war. In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolors and Our Lady of Carmel, Saint Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices. He does not want you to sleep with the rope on, but only to wear it during the daytime.”
“I was told to ask you many things, the cure of some sick people, of a deaf-mute…”
“Yes, I will cure some, but not others. In October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.”
Then Our Lady began to rise as usual, and disappeared.
A crowd estimated at 20,000 observed atmospheric phenomena similar to those of the previous apparitions: the sudden cooling of the air, a dimming of the sun to the point where the stars could be seen, and a rain resembling iridescent petals or snowflakes that disappeared before touching the ground.
This time, a luminous globe was noticed which moved slowly and majestically through the sky from east to west and, at the end of the apparition, in the opposite direction. The seers saw a light, and, immediately following this, they saw Our Lady over the holm oak.
As the hour approached, I set out with Jacinta and Francisco, but owing to the crowds around us we could only advance with difficulty. The roads were packed with people, and everyone wanted to see us and speak to us. There was no human respect whatsoever. Simple folk and even ladies and gentlemen, struggled to break through the crowd that pressed around us.
No sooner had they reached us than they threw themselves on their knees before us, begging us to place their petitions before Our Lady. Others who could not get close to us shouted from a distance:
“For the love of God, ask Our Lady to cure my son who is a cripple!” Yet another cried out: “And cure mine who is blind! … and cure mine who is deaf!… “To bring back my husband, my son, who has gone to war!… To convert a sinner!… To give me back my health as I have tuberculosis!”
All the afflictions of poor humanity were assembled there. Some climbed up to the tops of trees and walls to see us go by, and shouted down to us. Saying yes to some, giving a hand to others and helping them up from the dusty ground, we managed to move forward, thanks to some gentlemen who went ahead and opened a passage for us through the multitude
.
Now, when I read the New Testament about those enchanted scenes of Our Lord’s passing through Palestine, I think of those which Our Lord allowed me to witness, while yet a child, on the poor roads and lanes from Aljustel to Fatima, and on to the Cova da Iria!
I give thanks to God, offering Him the faith of our good Portuguese people, and I think: “If these people so humbled themselves before three poor children, just because they were mercifully granted the grace to speak to the Mother of God, what would they not do if they saw Our Lord Himself in person before them?” Well, none of this was called for here! It was a distraction of my pen, leading me away where I did not mean to go.
At last, we arrived at the Cova da Iria, and on reaching the holm oak we began to say the Rosary with the people. Shortly afterward, we saw the flash of light, and then Our Lady appeared on the holm oak.
“Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war. In October Our Lord will come, as well as Our Lady of Dolors and Our Lady of Carmel, Saint Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices. He does not want you to sleep with the rope on, but only to wear it during the daytime.”
“I was told to ask you many things, the cure of some sick people, of a deaf-mute…”
“Yes, I will cure some, but not others. In October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe.”
Then Our Lady began to rise as usual, and disappeared.
A crowd estimated at 20,000 observed atmospheric phenomena similar to those of the previous apparitions: the sudden cooling of the air, a dimming of the sun to the point where the stars could be seen, and a rain resembling iridescent petals or snowflakes that disappeared before touching the ground.
This time, a luminous globe was noticed which moved slowly and majestically through the sky from east to west and, at the end of the apparition, in the opposite direction. The seers saw a light, and, immediately following this, they saw Our Lady over the holm oak.
Our Lady: Continue to pray the Rosary to obtain the end of the war. In October, Our Lord will also come, as well as Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus, to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to sleep with the ropes; wear them only during the day. (The children were wearing ropes around their waists as a sacrifice for sinners.)
Lucia: They have requested me to ask you for many things, for the cure of some sick persons, of a deaf-mute.
Our Lady: "Yes, I will cure some, others not. In October, I will perform a miracle for all to believe."
And rising, she disappeared in the same manner as before.
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