Fatima after 1917: What happened and what we need to know - A Special Feature
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| The Miraculous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia on her recent visitation in 2015. |
Whenever we will hear the word "Fatima", initially we will immediately recognize a beautiful image of the Blessed Virgin Mary all in white with gold trimmings in her dress and veil, a golden rosary and the Star of Esther at her feet who appeared to the three shepherd children in 1917. Interestingly, whenever we hear her title or see her image, we immediately recall her most popular message to pray the rosary everyday along with it's famous secrets, especially the highly debated "Third Secret".
Despite of all these things that we associate to the Virgin of the Rosary of Fatima, are we truly aware of the core messages and lessons that Our Lady imparted to us through her children, aside from those points mentioned? Most of us know the events of 1917 at the Cova de Iria, yet very few wondered what happened afterwards. Surprsingly, in my years of reading Fatima related literature, it made me realize that there were more key events post 1917 that further gave understanding on the messages of the Virgin in Fatima that I do think the faithful must know so that we can fully grasp what is she really trying to say to the world in order for us to convert back to God and stop offending Him anymore.
As we are about to do a National Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on her feast day, May 13, 2020 led by our bishops and some City mayors in the country (in the case of the Archdiocese of Manila), we have to uncover these post 1917 events to give us a greater understanding on what Fatima was really all about and how her messages are very crucial in our society at this present time of division, confusion and uncertainty.
For this case, we will begin this special feature from the Miracle of the Sun followed by the life of the three shepherd children after the Fatima events and the subsequent apparitions to Sister Lucia dos Santos that would further emphasize the importance of the Fatima messages in modern times.
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| The Holy Family during the Miracle of the Sun |
The famed Miracle of the Sun took place on October 13, 1917, Lucia revealed the following details that on this event:
"Our Lady having disappeared in the immensity of the firmament, we saw, beside the sun, Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady clothed in white with a blue mantle. Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world with gestures which they made with their hands in the form of a cross. Soon after, that apparition having ceased, I saw Our Lord and Our Lady, Who gave me the impression of being Our Lady of Sorrows.
Our Lord seemed to bless the world in the same manner as Saint Joseph. That apparition disappeared and it seemed to me that I saw Our Lady again, this time as Our Lady of Mount Carmel."
Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, in his book "Consecration to St. Joseph", he noted that the mere fact that St. Joseph appeared during the Miracle of the Sun, it shows that St. Joseph plays an important role to hasten the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The significance of Jesus appearing as a child and blessing the world with St. Joseph cannot be underestimated. The message of Fatima has great significance for our times. Sister Lucia, the longest-lived visionary of the Fatima apparitions, stated that the final battle between good and evil would be over marriage and the family. Heaven taught us on October 13, 1917 that Jesus works miracles, gives peace, and blesses the world through St. Joseph.
The Life of the Three Shepherd Children after 1917
After the apparitions, the children seemed that they can no longer go back to their peaceful lives since pilgrims wanted to speak to them about the apparitions that they felt exaspirated at some point, yet they are obliged to accept prayer requests and numerous miracles occured through their prayers. Francisco and Jacinta died separately a year after the apparitons as prophecies by Virgin in the June 13, 1917 apparition.
Francisco spent the remaining years of his life consoling Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament who was outraged by mankind's indiference. Francisco died of Spanish influenza on April 4, 1919. Jacinta on the other hand suffered much longer and was hospitalized twice and died alone in a hostpital in Lisbon on February 20, 1920. During Jacinta's suffering, she did not complained for the sake of the conversion of sinners.
The Virgin often visited Jacinta during her suffering and revealed much more about the need of prayer and conversion before it is too late along with a few messages that was given to her which we will quote for one's discernment and reflection:
Francisco and Jacinta Marto were beatified in 2000 by Pope St. John Paul II at the Basilica of Fatima, with Sister Lucia in attendance at that time, and were later canonized on May 13, 2017 - the centenary of the Fatima Apparitions by Pope Francis at the same Basilica. The Marto visionaries' feast day is celebrated every February 20.
Lucia dos Santos first entered the Dorothean sisters in 1925 by the request of the Bishop of Leiria, Fatima and received education from the said order. The Bishop also ordered her to change her name from Lucia to Maria das Dores to protect her privacy which she willingly accepted. She later requested to be transferred to the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in Coimbra, Portugal in 1948 for she wanted to be at peace not being bothered by visitors and took the name Sister Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was during these times that she worked on the spread of the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to request for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
She died on February 13, 2005 and she was later declared Servant of God after the five year waiting period was waived to open the cause for her beatification and canonization.
The Pontevedra apparition
When Lucia became a Dorothean sister, Our Lady did not forget her word on her mission to spread the devotion to her Immaculate Heart. On December 10, 1925, six years after the last apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, the Child Jesus and the Blessed Mother appeared to her again in Spain, in the Dorothean Convent of Pontevedra. The most holy Virgin rested her hand on Lucia’s shoulder, and as she did so, she showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand. At the same time, the Child Jesus said: “Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them”.
Then the most holy Virgin requested the devotion of the Five First Saturday. The request consisted in: praying the Rosary, meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, confessing and receiving Holy Communion, in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Encounters with the Child Jesus
During this time, Sister Lucia was troubled because of the questions regarding the Five First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
It was during those times that on February 15, 1926, the Child Jesus appeared to Lucia again, asking her if she had already spread the devotion to his most holy Mother. Lucia placed before Jesus the difficulty that some people had about confessing on Saturday, and asked that it might be valid to go to Confession within eight days.
Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, in his book "Consecration to St. Joseph", he noted that the mere fact that St. Joseph appeared during the Miracle of the Sun, it shows that St. Joseph plays an important role to hasten the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The significance of Jesus appearing as a child and blessing the world with St. Joseph cannot be underestimated. The message of Fatima has great significance for our times. Sister Lucia, the longest-lived visionary of the Fatima apparitions, stated that the final battle between good and evil would be over marriage and the family. Heaven taught us on October 13, 1917 that Jesus works miracles, gives peace, and blesses the world through St. Joseph.
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| St. Francisco Marto |
After the apparitions, the children seemed that they can no longer go back to their peaceful lives since pilgrims wanted to speak to them about the apparitions that they felt exaspirated at some point, yet they are obliged to accept prayer requests and numerous miracles occured through their prayers. Francisco and Jacinta died separately a year after the apparitons as prophecies by Virgin in the June 13, 1917 apparition.
Francisco spent the remaining years of his life consoling Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament who was outraged by mankind's indiference. Francisco died of Spanish influenza on April 4, 1919. Jacinta on the other hand suffered much longer and was hospitalized twice and died alone in a hostpital in Lisbon on February 20, 1920. During Jacinta's suffering, she did not complained for the sake of the conversion of sinners.
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| St. Jacinta Marto |
- "It is necessary to do penance. If people change their ways, Our Lord will still spare the world; but if they do not, the chastisement will come."
- "Pray much for for those who govern! Work to those who persecute the religion of Our Lord! If the government were to leave the Church at peace and give freedom to the holy faith, it would be blessed by God."
- "The sins that lead more souls to hell are the sins of the flesh."
- "Fashions that will greatly offend Our Lord will appear."
- "People who serve God should not follow fashions. The Church has no fashions, Our Lord is always the same."
- "Many marriages are not good: they do not please Our Lord and they are not from God."
- "Those who do not keep the promises they make to Our Lady will never succeed in their affairs."
Francisco and Jacinta Marto were beatified in 2000 by Pope St. John Paul II at the Basilica of Fatima, with Sister Lucia in attendance at that time, and were later canonized on May 13, 2017 - the centenary of the Fatima Apparitions by Pope Francis at the same Basilica. The Marto visionaries' feast day is celebrated every February 20.
Lucia dos Santos first entered the Dorothean sisters in 1925 by the request of the Bishop of Leiria, Fatima and received education from the said order. The Bishop also ordered her to change her name from Lucia to Maria das Dores to protect her privacy which she willingly accepted. She later requested to be transferred to the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in Coimbra, Portugal in 1948 for she wanted to be at peace not being bothered by visitors and took the name Sister Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was during these times that she worked on the spread of the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to request for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
She died on February 13, 2005 and she was later declared Servant of God after the five year waiting period was waived to open the cause for her beatification and canonization.
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| The Pontevedra Apparition |
When Lucia became a Dorothean sister, Our Lady did not forget her word on her mission to spread the devotion to her Immaculate Heart. On December 10, 1925, six years after the last apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, the Child Jesus and the Blessed Mother appeared to her again in Spain, in the Dorothean Convent of Pontevedra. The most holy Virgin rested her hand on Lucia’s shoulder, and as she did so, she showed her a heart encircled by thorns, which she was holding in her other hand. At the same time, the Child Jesus said: “Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them”.
Then the most holy Virgin requested the devotion of the Five First Saturday. The request consisted in: praying the Rosary, meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, confessing and receiving Holy Communion, in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
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| The Child Jesus appearing to Sister Lucia in 1926 |
During this time, Sister Lucia was troubled because of the questions regarding the Five First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
It was during those times that on February 15, 1926, the Child Jesus appeared to Lucia again, asking her if she had already spread the devotion to his most holy Mother. Lucia placed before Jesus the difficulty that some people had about confessing on Saturday, and asked that it might be valid to go to Confession within eight days.
Jesus answered: “Yes, and it could be longer still, provided that, when they receive Me, they are in the state of grace and have intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary”. Asked about those who forget to make this intention, Jesus replied: “They can do so at their next Confession, taking advantage of the first opportunity to go to Confession”.
The Five First Saturday devotion
Sister Lucia also received from Our Lord the explanation on why only Five First Saturdays, and not nine or seven in honor of the Seven Sorrows of Mary:
"My daughter, the motive is simple: there are five ways in which people offend and blaspheme against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
The elements of this devotion, therefore, consist in the following four points, all of which must be offered in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One should make this intention before carrying out Our Lady’s requests. A renewal of the actual intention at the time is best; however, if such an intention is made now, it will fulfill the requirements if, for instance, the actual intention is forgotten at the time of confession.
1. Confession - This confession can be made before the First Saturday or afterward, provided that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. In 1926, Christ in a vision explained to Lucia that this confession could be made a week before or even more, and that it should be offered in reparation.
2. Holy Communion - Before receiving Holy Communion, it is likewise necessary to offer it in reparation to Our Lady. Our Lord told Lucia in 1930, “This Communion will be accepted on the following Sunday for just reasons, if my priests allow it so.” So if work or school, sickness, or another just reason prevents the Communion on a First Saturday, with this permission it may be received the following Sunday. If Communion is transferred, any or all of the other acts of the devotion may also be performed on Sunday if the person so desires.
3. Rosary - The Rosary is a vocal prayer said while meditating upon the mysteries of Our Lord’s life and Passion and Our Lady’s life. To comply with the request of our Blessed Mother, it must be offered in reparation and said properly while meditating.
4. 15-minute meditation - Also offered in reparation, the meditation may embrace one or more mysteries; it may include all, taken together or separately. This meditation should be the richest of any meditation, because Our Lady promised to be present when she said “...those who keep me company....”
To those who faithfully follow Our Lady’s requests for the Five First Saturdays, she has made a wonderful promise which she, as Mediatrix of All Graces, will certainly fulfill: “I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation.” This means that our Blessed Mother will be present at the hour of death with the actual grace of final perseverance, is the most important grace.
After completing the Five First Saturdays, one may continue the devotion simply to console the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady. A tender love of our Blessed Mother will lead one to do all he can to make reparation for the sins which pierce her Immaculate Heart. Let us remember, too, that although Our Lady made this promise to those who would observe five such First Saturdays in succession, in her July apparition she asked simply that Communions of reparation be made on every First Saturday to atone for the sins of the world.
An interesting addition to this, Sister Lucia revealed in an interview in 1950 that “The rosary and brown scapular are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other.” she would later go on that "Wearing the Brown Scapular is a sign of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary." During the Miracle of the Sun, Sister Lucia saw the Blessed Mother as Our Lady of Mount Carmel holding in her right hand the brown scapular. Sister Lucia would later affirm that the scapular is integral to the original message. Just as the Virgin Mary asks each of us to pray the rosary every day, so too, according to Sister Lucia, does Mary want us to wear the brown scapular. This is why she was holding the brown scapular in the vision, as if asking us to take it and wear it.
The Tuy apparition
A few years later, on June 13, 1929, Sister Lucia recounts that while she was praying in their chapel in Tuy, Spain, she suddenly saw the chapel was illuminated with supernatural light and above the altar appeared a cross of light, reaching to the ceiling. In a brighter light on the upper part of the cross, could be seen the face of a man and his body as far as the waist; upon his breast was a dove of light; nailed to the cross was the body of another man. A little below the waist, I could see a chalice and a large host suspended in the air, on to which drops of blood were falling from the face of Jesus Crucified and from the wound in His side. These drops ran down on to the host and fell into the challice. Beneath the right arm of the cross was Our Lady and in her hand was her Immaculate Heart. Under the left arm of the cross, large letters, -as if of crystal clear water which ran down upon the altar, formed these words: "Grace and Mercy". I understood that it was the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity which was shown to me, and I received lights about this mystery which I am not permitted to reveal.
Our Lady then said to me: "The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the Bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. There are so many souls whom the justice of God condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask reparation: sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray."
Our Lord Jesus warns Lucia
In the months following the Church’s official recognition and approval given to the Fatima Apparitions by Bishop José da Silva on October 13, 1930, Sister Lucy was overwhelmed with inquiries and attention, to the extent that her health was threatened. In order to give her some needed rest, she was sent to stay for a short time in the home of her Mother Superior’s blood-sister in Rianjo, a small coastal city in Spain. No one in the town or even in that home, with the exception of Mother Superior’s sister, knew of Sister Lucy’s identity as the Fatima visionary.
Thus it happened that on an unspecified day in August 1931, Sister Lucy was in the town’s chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, praying fervently for the conversion of Russia. It had been already two years and two months since Heaven’s formal and dramatic request was given in the Trinitarian vision at Tuy, for the Pope and all of the Catholic bishops of the world to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary -- receiving virtually no response from the Church’s hierarchy.
It was during this time that Our Lord appeared to her and complained of His ministers’ delay in executing His command, warning them at the same time of the terrible fate awaiting them on account of their disobedience:
“‘You console Me a great deal in asking Me for the conversion of those poor nations: Request it also of My Mother, while saying to Her often: Sweet Heart of Mary, be the salvation of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Europe and the whole world. At other times say: By Thy Pure and Immaculate Conception, O Mary, obtain for me the conversion of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Europe and the whole world.
Make it known to My ministers, given that they follow the example of the King of France in delaying the execution of My command, they will likewise follow him into misfortune. It is never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary.
They did not wish to heed My request! Like the King of France they will repent of it, and they will do it, but it will be late. Russia will have already spread its errors in the world, provoking wars and persecutions against the Church. The Holy Father will have much to suffer.’”
Our Lord was here making an explicit reference to the request of the Sacred Heart given through Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque on June 17, 1689 to the King of France, to consecrate France to His Sacred Heart, promising in return to save France from its enemies. As a result of the refusal of the Kings of France -- Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI -- (following the unfortunate and unworthy advice of their Jesuit confessors) to perform this consecration, the French monarchy and the whole of France’s Catholic society was overthrown by the Protestant and Masonic Counter-Church’s plots in the course of the bloody terror of the French Revolution.
On June 17, 1789, (the Feast of the Sacred Heart) exactly one hundred years to the day from when Saint Margaret Mary had been given that revelation of the great designs of Heaven for France, the Third Estate rose up and proclaimed itself the National Assembly, stripping King Louis XVI of his legislative authority. A mere four years later, on January 21, 1793, the revolutionaries sent the King to his death on the guillotine as if he were a common criminal.
At Rianjo, Jesus warns us that this dark chapter of history will repeat itself, and this time the ministers of His Church will be prominent among its hapless victims.
Interestingly, at the same time, Our Lord Jesus would later communicate this to Blessed Alexandrina de Costa, a paralytic Portuguese mystic, the same request to compel the Pope to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Both Sister Lucia and Blessed Alexandrina wrote to Pope Pius XII regarding this request and he later performed the "consecration of the Church and of the human race"on October 32, 1942. The following year, Lucia revealed in her letter to the Archbishop of Valladolid that Our Lord said to her that he promised to end the Second World War on the account of the the consecration the Pontiff made, yet the conversion of Russia will be delayed since it was not done as what Our Lady clearly instructed. From there, the succeeding Popes did the same, most recently by Pope St. John Paul II on March 25, 1984.
Learnings
The key messages of the Lady of Fatima, namely prayer, especially the Holy Rosary as an instrument of peace throughout the world; living chastely in one's state of life to avoid hell; Eucharistic reparation for all the blasphemies Our Lord and Our Lady received from the people; the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by means of the Five First Saturdays as an act of reparation and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We have to always keep in mind her words for she cares for all of us for she is our Mother so that before the Day of Judgement, we will enjoy the eternal paradise that her Son Jesus promised, if we will strive to do good on earth.
As what we've discussed in this blog, we discovered numerous events that seemed little to some yet they played a bigger role in understanding the message of Our Lady of Fatima to mankind in these modern times. Time and time again, her call for prayer and conversion is timeless and important for it will help us in the way we should live our life - a life confirming to God's own will. We should not take the messages of Our Lady for granted, especially in these dark times where both the Church and the society are in it's trying times and we need a Mother to help us in our way back to God.
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fatima, Pray for us!
References:
Borelli, Antonio, "Our Lady of Fatima: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope", The Philippine Crusade for the Defense of Christian Civilization Inc., Makati City, 2016.
Calloway, Donald, "Consecration to St. Joseph", Marians of the Immaculate, Ohio, 2019.
dos Santos, Lucia, "Fatima in Lucia's own words", Porto, Portugal, 1973,
"Our Lady of Fatima, Our Mother Comes to Us", Pilgrim Virgin Committee, Ausbury, New Jersey, 2005.
The Five First Saturday devotion
Sister Lucia also received from Our Lord the explanation on why only Five First Saturdays, and not nine or seven in honor of the Seven Sorrows of Mary:
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| Immaculate Heart of Mary of Fatima |
- The blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception,
- Against her virginity
- Against the Divine Maternity, refusing at the same time to accept her as the Mother of all mankind.
- Those who try publicly to implant in the children's hearts indifference, contempt, and even hatred against this Immaculate Mother, and
- Those who insult her directly in her sacred images.
The elements of this devotion, therefore, consist in the following four points, all of which must be offered in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One should make this intention before carrying out Our Lady’s requests. A renewal of the actual intention at the time is best; however, if such an intention is made now, it will fulfill the requirements if, for instance, the actual intention is forgotten at the time of confession.
1. Confession - This confession can be made before the First Saturday or afterward, provided that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. In 1926, Christ in a vision explained to Lucia that this confession could be made a week before or even more, and that it should be offered in reparation.
2. Holy Communion - Before receiving Holy Communion, it is likewise necessary to offer it in reparation to Our Lady. Our Lord told Lucia in 1930, “This Communion will be accepted on the following Sunday for just reasons, if my priests allow it so.” So if work or school, sickness, or another just reason prevents the Communion on a First Saturday, with this permission it may be received the following Sunday. If Communion is transferred, any or all of the other acts of the devotion may also be performed on Sunday if the person so desires.
3. Rosary - The Rosary is a vocal prayer said while meditating upon the mysteries of Our Lord’s life and Passion and Our Lady’s life. To comply with the request of our Blessed Mother, it must be offered in reparation and said properly while meditating.
4. 15-minute meditation - Also offered in reparation, the meditation may embrace one or more mysteries; it may include all, taken together or separately. This meditation should be the richest of any meditation, because Our Lady promised to be present when she said “...those who keep me company....”
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| Our Lady of Fatima as the Lady of the Apocalypse |
After completing the Five First Saturdays, one may continue the devotion simply to console the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady. A tender love of our Blessed Mother will lead one to do all he can to make reparation for the sins which pierce her Immaculate Heart. Let us remember, too, that although Our Lady made this promise to those who would observe five such First Saturdays in succession, in her July apparition she asked simply that Communions of reparation be made on every First Saturday to atone for the sins of the world.
An interesting addition to this, Sister Lucia revealed in an interview in 1950 that “The rosary and brown scapular are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other.” she would later go on that "Wearing the Brown Scapular is a sign of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary." During the Miracle of the Sun, Sister Lucia saw the Blessed Mother as Our Lady of Mount Carmel holding in her right hand the brown scapular. Sister Lucia would later affirm that the scapular is integral to the original message. Just as the Virgin Mary asks each of us to pray the rosary every day, so too, according to Sister Lucia, does Mary want us to wear the brown scapular. This is why she was holding the brown scapular in the vision, as if asking us to take it and wear it.
 |
| The Tuy apparition |
A few years later, on June 13, 1929, Sister Lucia recounts that while she was praying in their chapel in Tuy, Spain, she suddenly saw the chapel was illuminated with supernatural light and above the altar appeared a cross of light, reaching to the ceiling. In a brighter light on the upper part of the cross, could be seen the face of a man and his body as far as the waist; upon his breast was a dove of light; nailed to the cross was the body of another man. A little below the waist, I could see a chalice and a large host suspended in the air, on to which drops of blood were falling from the face of Jesus Crucified and from the wound in His side. These drops ran down on to the host and fell into the challice. Beneath the right arm of the cross was Our Lady and in her hand was her Immaculate Heart. Under the left arm of the cross, large letters, -as if of crystal clear water which ran down upon the altar, formed these words: "Grace and Mercy". I understood that it was the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity which was shown to me, and I received lights about this mystery which I am not permitted to reveal.
Our Lady then said to me: "The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father, in union with all the Bishops of the world, to make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to save it by this means. There are so many souls whom the justice of God condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask reparation: sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray."
Our Lord Jesus warns Lucia
In the months following the Church’s official recognition and approval given to the Fatima Apparitions by Bishop José da Silva on October 13, 1930, Sister Lucy was overwhelmed with inquiries and attention, to the extent that her health was threatened. In order to give her some needed rest, she was sent to stay for a short time in the home of her Mother Superior’s blood-sister in Rianjo, a small coastal city in Spain. No one in the town or even in that home, with the exception of Mother Superior’s sister, knew of Sister Lucy’s identity as the Fatima visionary.
 |
| The Rianjo apparition |
It was during this time that Our Lord appeared to her and complained of His ministers’ delay in executing His command, warning them at the same time of the terrible fate awaiting them on account of their disobedience:
“‘You console Me a great deal in asking Me for the conversion of those poor nations: Request it also of My Mother, while saying to Her often: Sweet Heart of Mary, be the salvation of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Europe and the whole world. At other times say: By Thy Pure and Immaculate Conception, O Mary, obtain for me the conversion of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Europe and the whole world.
Make it known to My ministers, given that they follow the example of the King of France in delaying the execution of My command, they will likewise follow him into misfortune. It is never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary.
They did not wish to heed My request! Like the King of France they will repent of it, and they will do it, but it will be late. Russia will have already spread its errors in the world, provoking wars and persecutions against the Church. The Holy Father will have much to suffer.’”
Our Lord was here making an explicit reference to the request of the Sacred Heart given through Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque on June 17, 1689 to the King of France, to consecrate France to His Sacred Heart, promising in return to save France from its enemies. As a result of the refusal of the Kings of France -- Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI -- (following the unfortunate and unworthy advice of their Jesuit confessors) to perform this consecration, the French monarchy and the whole of France’s Catholic society was overthrown by the Protestant and Masonic Counter-Church’s plots in the course of the bloody terror of the French Revolution.
On June 17, 1789, (the Feast of the Sacred Heart) exactly one hundred years to the day from when Saint Margaret Mary had been given that revelation of the great designs of Heaven for France, the Third Estate rose up and proclaimed itself the National Assembly, stripping King Louis XVI of his legislative authority. A mere four years later, on January 21, 1793, the revolutionaries sent the King to his death on the guillotine as if he were a common criminal.
At Rianjo, Jesus warns us that this dark chapter of history will repeat itself, and this time the ministers of His Church will be prominent among its hapless victims.
Interestingly, at the same time, Our Lord Jesus would later communicate this to Blessed Alexandrina de Costa, a paralytic Portuguese mystic, the same request to compel the Pope to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Both Sister Lucia and Blessed Alexandrina wrote to Pope Pius XII regarding this request and he later performed the "consecration of the Church and of the human race"on October 32, 1942. The following year, Lucia revealed in her letter to the Archbishop of Valladolid that Our Lord said to her that he promised to end the Second World War on the account of the the consecration the Pontiff made, yet the conversion of Russia will be delayed since it was not done as what Our Lady clearly instructed. From there, the succeeding Popes did the same, most recently by Pope St. John Paul II on March 25, 1984.
Learnings
The key messages of the Lady of Fatima, namely prayer, especially the Holy Rosary as an instrument of peace throughout the world; living chastely in one's state of life to avoid hell; Eucharistic reparation for all the blasphemies Our Lord and Our Lady received from the people; the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by means of the Five First Saturdays as an act of reparation and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We have to always keep in mind her words for she cares for all of us for she is our Mother so that before the Day of Judgement, we will enjoy the eternal paradise that her Son Jesus promised, if we will strive to do good on earth.
As what we've discussed in this blog, we discovered numerous events that seemed little to some yet they played a bigger role in understanding the message of Our Lady of Fatima to mankind in these modern times. Time and time again, her call for prayer and conversion is timeless and important for it will help us in the way we should live our life - a life confirming to God's own will. We should not take the messages of Our Lady for granted, especially in these dark times where both the Church and the society are in it's trying times and we need a Mother to help us in our way back to God.
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fatima, Pray for us!
References:
Borelli, Antonio, "Our Lady of Fatima: Prophecies of Tragedy or Hope", The Philippine Crusade for the Defense of Christian Civilization Inc., Makati City, 2016.
Calloway, Donald, "Consecration to St. Joseph", Marians of the Immaculate, Ohio, 2019.
dos Santos, Lucia, "Fatima in Lucia's own words", Porto, Portugal, 1973,
"Our Lady of Fatima, Our Mother Comes to Us", Pilgrim Virgin Committee, Ausbury, New Jersey, 2005.
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