Feast of Our Lady of Fatima


Today is the 92nd anniversary of the first appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the three shepherd children Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco in Portugal in 1917. The visions occurred on the 13th day of each month from May to October, and by October huge crowds were gathering at the site of the visions and reporting visions and miraculous occurrences themselves.

Today is also the 28th anniversary of the near fatal attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II was devoted to Our Lady of Fátima and attributed his survival of an assassin’s bullet on 13 May 1981 to her intervention.

The Vatican has laid a marble plaque on the cobblestone floor of St. Peter's Square at the exact spot where John Paul was shot as he traveled in his open-top 'pope-mobile' on May 13, 1981, by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca.


What is the Message of Fatima?

The public message of Fatima recalls that of Lourdes. Through the children Mary urges prayer for sinners, recitation of the Rosary, and works of penance. On October 13 she said: "I have come to exhort the faithful to change their lives, to avoid grieving Our Lord by sin; to pray the Rosary. I desire in this place a chapel in my honor. If people mend their ways, the war will soon be over."

But Mary also confided several "secrets" to the children, some of which Lucy subsequently transmitted. Presumably there was prediction of another war in the near future and a request for special veneration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The final secret Lucy is thought to have entrusted to Pope John XXIII.

In 1984, Pope John Paul II, requested that the statue in the Cova da Iria be brought to Rome. He asked all the bishops in the world to join him in entrusting the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The message of Fatima is a simple one. If we are to convert sinners and realize peace in our world, we must pray the rosary daily and do penance.

For more detailed information on Fatima, see the following sites:

Catholic Culture's special section on Our Lady of Fatima.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous5/13/09, 1:27 PM

    When I read the story about Fatma, I was very moved, especially the vision on July 13 (my birthday), when the children saw a vision of hell. When I read about what they were shown, it (forgive me) scared the hell out of me...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Denise Michelle6/7/09, 11:57 PM

    In honor of Our Lady, here is a new book about Shrines of Our Lady of Fatima in New England.
    "FAIR LADY OF FATIMA"

    http://www.lulu.com/content/lulustudio-photo-book/poetry-book/6381714

    ReplyDelete

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