Our Lady of Fátima

Three Portuguese children, Lucia dos Santos, Jacinta Marto, and Francisco Marto, were young and without much education when they reported the apparition of Our Lady of Fátima in 1917.


The First Secret
The first secret was a vision of hell, which Lúcia describes in her Third Memoir as follows:

"Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. 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 falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to our kind heavenly Mother, who had already prepared us by promising, in the first Apparition, to take us to heaven. Otherwise, I think we would have died of fear and terror."[22]

The Second Secret
The second secret included Mary's instructions on how to save souls from hell and convert the world to the Christian faith, also revealed by Lúcia in her Third Memoir:

"You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end: but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the Pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illuminated by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."[23]

The Third Secret
The third secret, a vision of the death of the Pope and other religious figures, was transcribed by the Bishop of Leiria and reads:

"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 splendour 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, Religious men and women 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, Religious men and women, 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."[37]


The Consecration of Russia
According to Sister Lúcia, the Virgin Mary promised that the Consecration of Russia would lead to Russia's conversion and an era of peace.[6]

Pope Pius XII, in his Apostolic Letter Sacro Vergente of 7 July 1952, consecrated Russia to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pius XII wrote,

Just as a few years ago We consecrated the entire human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, so today We consecrate and in a most special manner We entrust all the peoples of Russia to this Immaculate Heart...[29]
In 1952 the Pope said to the Russian people and the Stalinist regime that the Virgin Mary was always victorious. "The gates of hell will never prevail, where she offers her protection. She is the good mother, the mother of all, and it has never been heard, that those who seek her protection, will not receive it. With this certainty, the Pope dedicates all people of Russia to the immaculate heart of the Virgin. She will help! Error and atheism will be overcome with her assistance and divine grace." [30]

Popes Pius XII and John Paul II both had a special relationship with Our Lady of Fátima. Pope Benedict XV began Pacelli's church career, elevating him to archbishop in the Sistine Chapel on May 13, 1917, the date of the first reported apparition. Pius XII was laid to rest in the crypt of Saint Peter's Basilica on October 13, 1958, the Feast of Our Lady of Fátima.

Pope John Paul II again consecrated the entire world to the Virgin Mary in 1984, without explicitly mentioning Russia. Some believe that Sister Lúcia verified that this ceremony fulfilled the requests of the Virgin Mary.[31] However, in the Blue Army's Spanish magazine, Sol de Fátima, in the September 1985 issue, Sister Lúcia said that the ceremony did not fulfill the Virgin Mary's request, as there was no specific mention of Russia, and "many bishops attached no importance to it." In 2001, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone issued a statement, claiming that he had met with Sister Lúcia, who reportedly told him, "I have already said that the consecration desired by Our Lady was made in 1984, and has been accepted in Heaven." Sister Lúcia died on February 13, 2005, without making any public statement of her own to settle the issue.

Some maintain that, according to Lúcia and Fátima advocates such as Abbé Georges de Nantes, Fr. Paul Kramer and Nicholas Gruner, Russia has never been specifically consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by any Pope simultaneously with all the world's bishops, which is what Lúcia in the 1985 interview had said Mary had asked for.[32][33][34]

However, by letters of August 29, 1989 and July 3, 1990, she stated that the consecration had been completed; indeed in the 1990 letter in response to a question by Rev. Father Robert J. Fox, she confirmed:

I come to answer your question, "If the consecration made by Pope John Paul II on March 25, 1984 in union with all the bishops of the world, accomplished the conditions for the consecration of Russia according to the request of Our Lady in Tuy on June 13 of 1929?" Yes, it was accomplished, and since then I have said that it was made.

And I say that no other person responds for me, it is I who receive and open all letters and respond to them.[35]

In the meantime, the conception of Theotokos Derzhavnaya, Orthodox Christian venerated icon, points out that Virgin Mary is considered actual Tsarina of Russia by the religious appeal of Nicholas II; thus "Consecration of Russia" may refer to return of Russian monarchy. The icon was brought to Fatima in 2003 and 2014, together with another significant icon, the Theotokos of Port Arthur.[36]

I thought I would post about this apparition, because I don't think many have heard of it.

I also, wanted to talk about the Consecration of Russia. Many say & even St Lucia's letter says it occurred. But some say that Pope John Paul II's consecration of the world was not was asked. We have not seen the peace that was promised. Thought it would be a good discussion.

I was watching EWTN and there is this HUGE controversy right now over whether or not the third secret of Fatima truly been revealed.

There is evidence that the third secret was given a second time to St. John Paul. His being shot was only a portion of it.

It was  interesting.

I don't know about it all being revealed. But I do not believe the consecration of Russia has taken place. Is there link to the show? I only have Internet. Thanks.

There was a really good Catholic Answers podcast  about Fatima from the past 6ish weeks that I just listened to recently.  You can easily download or stream that.

Sr. Lucia said it has and was accepted above.

I realize that. But if it was accepted, where is the peace? Where is the conversion of Russia?

Russia was consecrated and the Iron Curtain fell., how many of the other requests of Mary were fulfilled?  I've only really started praying the rosary a few rimes per week in the last 18 months and had never heard of the first Saturday devotion before last week when it came up on a Catholic Answers podcast.  Imdon't ever remember hearing of it and I attended 12 years of Catholic school.

Tell you what though - I'm going to start a first Saturday devotion next month.  Who else is in with me?  Zaphod?

The iron curtain falling did not cause any peace. Look at Russia now.

I for one don't believe the Consecration occurred. Yes, if the Pope consecrated the world, then Russia is included. But that is not the same as specifically consecrating Russia.
I actually, wish to start the First Saturday devotion also. See how it goes.

Amen!

I actually tried to start it last month. Showed up too late for Confession.

I, too, had never heard of it until I listened to Catholic Answers over the past weeks.

Fourth of July is first Saturday.  I requested to serve the Saturday eve mass, and we have confession starting an hour prior, so'plenty of time to go to confession, say 5 decades, meditate, and receive communion.

You actually have 8 days on either side of the first Saturday to knock it all out.

Since my wife and my "reversion" (what we call it) back to the church four years ago or so, it is absolutely staggering the number of devotions, prayers, novenas, chaplets, rosaries, and just general stuff Catholics can do to make prayer and God part of their daily lives.

And neither my parents (not that I'd rush to call my mother Catholic anymore) nor the Church itself ever bothered to teach it to us as children of the '80s. It was just "Mass on Sunday, and the Rosary (just one) exists and is a thing." It was only via the Internet and, now, being part of a great diocese has brought them to us.

I didn't even know the Liturgy of the Hours was a thing until not long ago either. Or the Angelus.

I'm probably a bit older than you, a child of the late 70s/early 80s (high school class of '85).  The post-Vatican II era in the US Church was one of "beige" Catholicism, I think, that deemphasized the differences between what Roman Catholics hold as true and what our Protestant brethren hold as true in the name of Ecumenism.  While it's important and valuable to emphasize the essential truths of Christianity that we all hold in common, knowing what the differences are and the reasons behind them are also important to maintaining Catholic identity and practice.

If all the Christian denominations are the same, as the era of "beige" Catholicism implied, why would anyone put up with all of the extra rules and practices of the RCC?

Rolling out for the first Saturday now

Just got back.  My first EMHC go as well.

EMHC?

Wazat?

Extraordinary
Minister of
Holy
Communion

Can this now be a thread where we complain about the overuse of EMHCs based on what Canon Law, GIRM, etc. says?

Yes.  That said, our parish priest is pretty conservative. I'll cut him some slack, although I would rather stick to being a lector.

Man! Do know how long church would be without EMHC?

Better you than the old lesbians I usually see acting as pez dispensers for the most holy body and blood of the Lord.

See?  This is why we have EHMC's to begin with. The shortage of priests and people don't like to take more than 5 minutes to get everyone through the communion line.

I serve in this capacity too as well as a lector but lemme tell you.. The old Tridentine upbringing places an awful lot of guilt and concern that I am a female and not an acolyte. They were just begging for help.

I think I said this once before... If you truly believed in the real presence of God why would you ever want to rush through mass to get to Cracker Barrel or want to ever leave the church?





 

 

My grandmother's church was created by the closing of the Irish church and moving them to the Polish church. They're still annoyed about this. My grandmother said that the new priest was 10 minutes over 1 hour and the Irish started ranting about how they were "leaving the church".



At First Friday mass a few months back there was the priest and one EMHC. She (yes, old and with short hair), no shit, wore a green scarf over her shoulders. Yes it was ordinary time. Much a laugh was had by our Young Adults group later. I'm sure the priest said something to her after.

The Consecration of Russia DID NOT occur. Per Fr Gabriel Amorath,Vatican Chief Exorcist.


"Sr Lucy always said that Our Lady requested the Consecration of Russia, and only Russia… But time passed and the consecration was not done, so Our Lord was deeply offended… We can influence events. This is a fact!… Our Lord appeared to Sr. Lucy and told her: “They will do the consecration but it will be late!” I feel shivers running down my spine when I hear those words “it will be late.” Our Lord goes on to say: “The conversion of Russia will be a Triumph that will be recognized by the entire world”… Yes, in 1984 the Pope (John Paul II) quite timidly attempted to consecrate Russia in St Peter’s Square. I was there just a few feet away from him because I was the organizer of the event… he attempted the Consecration but all around him were some politicians who told him “you can’t name Russia, you can’t!” And he asked again: “Can I name it?” And they said: “No, no, no!” —Fr. Gabriel Amorth, interview with Fatima TV, November, 2012


The Interview

Good stuff, all!

So my family is both Irish Catholic and German Catholic. Dad very Scottish-Irish/Mom very German. We were in MN at one of the German masses and I kid you not... the sermon went over 20 mins. Several people took their watches off and started banging them on the pew as if the watch was wrong. The priest was even more hard headed than the congregation though. Us kids knew  from going to mass with this priest , any disruption would buy us the Eucharistic prayer number I... the long one with all the saints and pauses.



That did not happen in Tridentine masses which is another reason I think we ended up going there. It was middle ground between the two cultures.

Talk about messing the entire world up... I married a polish Catholic.

Just a friendly reminder that this Saturday is a first Saturday.

So I did my duties on First Saturday of July. I also went to confession last Saturday. Isn't there a stipulation that you can do it within  the week prior & after?

I guess I will go check it out.

There is, but I have to look it up since I may need to avail myself of our Lord's flexibility on the issue...

Sister Lucia said that, in answer to her request for flexibility given the difficulties some may have in receiving confession and communion on a given Saturday, we were given the flexibility of 8 days on either side of the first Saturday to complete the obligation as long as 1) the intent for reparation was there and 2) the communion recipient was in a state of grace.

Since I see much talk of First Saturday devotions here, I thought I would post some solid resources for it.  Some real trad stuff there fellas! Keep it up.

Fisheaters.com - Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Fisheaters.com - Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus where the First Saturday devotion is renewed as an optional part of the devotion

1st Saturday reminder.


God Bless

Good reminder.  Confession, rosary, and mass last night.  Meditation on mysteries this AM.

First Saturday is 5 days away!

This will be month 4 for me.

I may keep it going regardless. It's not a bad practice...

Regular confession is a great practice, whether it's monthly, bimontly, biweekly...

Month 4 for me as well.

I will say this, though...

I don't get the whole "meditate" thing. Not sure what to do with that...

You can either meditate on/pray about the lessons and graces demonstrated in that mystery (i.e. Annunciation - acceptance of God's will, Visitation - carrying Christ with you, Crowning w/ thorns- the dehumanizing power that we can inflict with mockery and belittling, Ascension - God's work is done; it's up to us to carry it on here on earth, etc) or go the Ignatian spirituality route.  Imagine yourself as being present at the mystery(ies), interactions with the folks there, questions you would ask, things you would say or do, etc.

Huh....

I like that latter one. Thanks!

No getting drunk and scamming bridesmaids at Cana

Thanks! This would have been the 3rd Saturday for me. But, my work schedule rotated for the next 4 weeks to Fri, Sat, Sun... So I'm going to have make an appointment for confession or something.

Today is first Saturday of the month!

Going in for Number 5 here!

First 5 Saturdays complete.  In you haven't made it, you have until next Saturday.

I made it. But missed October due to work. Starting over.

Still have the Rosary and meditation to do...

My method is:  

-Get on the lector/EMHC schedule for 1st Saturday (confession starts 1 hour prior to Sat eve mass)
-Show up 10-15 minutes early for confession to do examination of conscience and be 1st or 2nd in line
-Receive the sacrament of reconciliation
-Perform penance
-Say rosary
-Meditate on mystery(ies)
-Attend mass and receive communion

Sleep in on Sunday

If I'm at the front of the confession line, I typically have 10 or so minutes to spare before mass begins and I can use that time for more prayer - something I don't do enough of on a daily basis.

For some reason, this weekend the confessional was SLAMMED with people. First time I've seen it like that...

I barely got in. He locked the door after I left because he was saying Mass in 10 minutes!

I was late. My priest was locking up. He said he would hear my confession after mass since he had to set up the DVD for the Catholic Services Appeal. It was actually, kind of special. we stood together side by side in the Sacristy in front of the Crucifix & I sad my confession. My 10 yo daughter was able to have hers said, also. It was different and special. Cool to share with my daughter.

I also seemed to have a lot distracting me from going this weekend.

That's the way it should be.  When I'm waiting in the sacristy before Mass and the celebrant comes in late, he usually says "too many sinners."

Deo Gratias!

Yep. Funny how the communion line is always longer than the confession line...

That said, I'd be lying if I said I was disappointed. Pleasantly surprised is more like it.