[From my parish bulletin]
Today the Church celebrates the 94th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal to three young shepherds: Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Our Lady appeared to them every 13th day of the month for six months. During the last apparition, Our Lady delivered the promised sign: the sun danced around the sky and began to approach the Earth. Over 70,000 believers and skeptics gathered in Fatima witnessed this amazing yet terrifying event. Newspapers throughout Portugal and Europe reported the event.
The message of Fatima is very simple. It is an urgent call to conversion, prayer and penance that draws believers to the heart of the Gospel. The message of Fatima is also prophetic. Mary told the children if mankind did not convert, Russia’s errors would spread throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions against the Church. The Holy Father would suffer much, the good would be martyred and nations would be annihilated. This prophecy materialized later in 1917 with the Bolshevik Revolution. Mary gave the children a vision of hell to warn mankind of the great suffering caused by sin. Mary announced future chastisements if mankind did not repent: wars, famine, persecution of the Church and persecution of the Pope.
Despite the apocalyptic nature of the message of Fatima, Mary reminds the three children that all these tragedies can be avoided if hearts convert and repent. Sin is a consequence of evil, so if sin is remedied, all these evil happenings will be avoided. Our Lady urges us to trust in God’s mercy and to seek reconciliation with Him. One converted heart at a time will bring about peace in families, communities, countries and the world.
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