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May 11, 2007

May 12th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 8 Period I.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries  
for April May 12th are Joyful.

                  

Retreat in China

will be May 10th - 13th.

Please listen to it and

try to come on Sunday!!

 

 

Fr. John taped a Mass to be played

on the 90th anniversary of Fatima

May 13, 2007 at 12:00 noon

particularly for that purpose.

 

 

 

May 11, 2007

 

                    Our whole life is a test to
                grow in greater purity — to love
                more deeply — to be likened
                to the Heart of Jesus

                Song:  Teach Me to Love with Your Heart

                It is the sensitiveness of loving
                    even in heartache and knowing
                    we can give love — even when
                    we have been wounded in love —
                    that makes us more like Jesus and Mary

 

 

                What I see in this picture is
                    giving —
                    giving —
                    giving love —
                    self-sacrifice —
                focus on the Father's vision

                The hill of Calvary
                    was dark —
                    the thunder heard
                    the curtain torn
                    Death was the whisper
                    in the darkness —

                Were you ever there when one
                    dies — there is a whisper
                    that is screaming all kinds
                    of things as the moments of
                    a precious one are their last

                The rumble of death hung for 3 hours
                    in the air - as Christ breathed
                    His last breath for us

                The words

                His last words giving us Mary
                    our Mother —

                Thy will be done

                I thirst —

                Yes Jesus thirsted so much for His
                    precious souls — you and me —

                    He gave
                    He loved
                    He suffered
                    He hung

                Did you ever see a little child you
                    are watching — there is such
                    a connection with you
                    They look in your eyes
                    They tug at your legs —
                    They pull your arms —
                    They want you to follow

                    CONNECTION — CONNECTION


                Then we can grow into games played —
                hard games because others hurt us and
                we keep hurting innocent others
                who love us a lot


                But only - our will and Christ
                    can heal our wounded
                    hearts 
                    pinning blame on innocent others
                    brings more division and hurt —

                Jesus is there for me

                He died for me

                He is truly present in the Eucharist

                I get my strength from Jesus

                No human person can be like the
                    love of God

                And it isn't like a selfish love
                    me and Jesus —

                To love Jesus is to grow in my
                    love of others

                People that truly love — let go —
                    they don't slavishly depend on
                    others — holding them back from
                    doing God's will —

                    They who truly love are connected
                        when one leaves and is doing
                        God's will

                    Divorce is sad and it can help people
                        learn division by law —
                    What God wants is unity and love

                Loving and not possessing for our
                    own selfish abandonment
                    issues

                    Always doing God's will —
                as in the Our Father

                    "...THY WILL BE DONE
                        ON EARTH AS IT
                        IS IN HEAVEN."

                We always want to help each other
                    do God's will

                We are always
                    deepest one in this
                    deepest one on earth
                    deepest one with those in heaven
                    when we are doing the Father's will


                This selfish stuff is wrong —
                    We can't block someone doing
                        God's will or we are up
                        against a wall bigger
                        than concrete

                God has a plan
                God has created us
                God has gifted us with talents
                God is bringing things, persons in
                    our life today

                God is working all over the world
                    in reference to our lives

                We are part of the human family
                God is our Father
                Knowing Oneness in the Church
                    as members of this tremendous,
                    body of Christ can help
                    to strengthen the whole world


                It starts with unity in families,
                    religious orders —

                It starts with unity in my heart
                    to the Trinity —
                    to others in my immediate circle

                The Persons of the Trinity are one
                    3 Persons one God

                In going to the Pure and Holy
                    Hearts of Jesus and Mary —

                the New Adam — the New Eve
                    WE ARE ONE
                    We unite in deeper oneness


                Mary said at Fatima
                    Until a sufficient number of
                        people have given their
                        hearts to the Hearts of Jesus
                        and Mary we won't have
                        peace in the world —

 

 

 

                Spreading the Consecration to the
                    2 Hearts can help bring
                    oneness — all over the world —
                    We don't need the same
                    language to be united in our hearts
                    to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

                At Pentecost there were tongues
                    over their heads —
                    tongues of fire

                The Holy Spirit fills the
                    hearts — we don't need
                    the same dialect —
                    God speaks in our hearts
                    in love

                love has no dialect

                The Holy Spirit fills our hearts
                    with love —

                Watching the Passion movie we
                    see Jesus dying on the
                    cross — that needs no
                    particular dialect

                    Anger has no language
                    love has no language
                    jealousy has no language
                    etc.
                    Our wounded human nature only
                        uses language to communicate

                    The evil one tempts in English,
                        Russian, French and Spanish etc.

                It is the love in the hearts that count
                Love in the Hearts of Jesus and
                    Mary is universal

                God calls us to love in our hearts
                    God fills us with His life in the
                        sacraments —

                    Grace has no language
                    I can do adoration of the
                        Blessed Sacrament —
                        all over the world

                    I can go to Mass in what
                        ever language it is
                        celebrated in

                    Priests are not just English

                In the Era of the 2 Hearts
                    we will be deeply one
                    in the Hearts of Jesus
                    and Mary —

                ONE — ONE — ONE

 

 

Given May 10, 2007

                    So why are we praying now for
                3 days in this retreat —

                    My heart and my soul is focused
                on Mary's mission at Fatima.

                    We are to help make reparation
                to God for the sins of this earth —
                Mary said to make reparation to
                the Two Hearts for offences against
                Them.

                    Oneness to be one in the Hearts
                of Jesus and Mary. We have this
                imperfect vision of each other, of
                God from our wounded human
                nature.

                    Going to the Eucharist for baptized
                Catholic in the state of grace can help to fill
                us more and more with His grace, His life in us.

                    I focus on the Plan of the Father.
                I do not want to give up the opportunity
                of the next three days to pray so
                deeply for the priests, the Church and
                the world. We have been taught on the
                13ths for 11 years to be great intercessors.

                    To be like Jesus is to be loving,
                it is to be holy, it is to be
                focused on others.

                    Today as I did the retreat I saw
                how dark some hearts can become —
                centered in hate. I had a realization
                how awful hell would be for a soul
                for all eternity — hating — never
                knowing the gift of God's love,
                the beatific vision. It just made
                my soul ache — it made me want to
                focus on what Jesus wants in these
                days of prayer for the priests, the
                Church and the world.

                    God has chosen me to deliver
                these prayer services interceding
                so deeply for grace and mercy —
                begging God to take our deep
                heartfelt prayer for the souls.

                    I know how important to God
                is this 90th anniversary of Mary's
                first apparition at Fatima and
                how God wants the Priestly Newsletter
                sent every other 13th to encourage
                and love our priests, to spread the
                voice of the Good Shepherd in the
                scriptures, and the popes writings,
                the wisdom of the saints, the
                encyclicals, catechism, Fr. John's
                writings and renowned theologians.

                    Will you help us by supporting
                this Movement with your prayers
                and your treasures if you can
                help us do this.

                    Mary has taught us how to
                pray — On this 13th I want to
                pray so deeply.

                    This is a major function of
                our Church in China, Indiana
                to pray on the 13ths, the 4 day retreat,
                our center and to send the Priestly
                Newsletter from China, 24 hour
                adoration before the exposed Eucharist.

                    God wants us holy — in one mind
                and one heart in the Hearts of Jesus
                and Mary.

   

 

May 11, 2007

 

 

 

The Spirituality of Fatima

by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.

   

one

Fatima: The Setting

On October 13, 1917, there were more than 70,000 people gathered in the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal. They had come to observe a miracle which had been foretold by the Blessed Virgin to three young visionaries: Lucia dos Santos, and her two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. 1 Shortly after noon, Our Lady appeared to the three visionaries:

As the Lady was about to leave, she pointed to the sun. Lucy excitedly repeated the gesture, and the people looked into the sky. The rain had ceased, the clouds parted, and the sun shone forth, but not in its usual brilliance. Instead, it appeared like a silver disc, pale as the moon, at which all could gaze without straining their eyes. Suddenly, impelled by some mysterious force, the disc began to whirl in the sky, casting off great shafts of multicolored light. Red, green, blue, yellow, violet--the enormous rays shot across the sky at all angles, lighting up the entire countryside for many miles around, but particularly the upturned faces of those 70,000 spellbound people.

After a few moments the wonder stopped, but resumed again a second and a third time--three times in all--within about 12 minutes. It seemed that the whole world was on fire, with the sun spinning at a greater speed each time.

Then a gasp of terror rose from the crowd, for the sun seemed to tear itself from the heavens and come crashing down upon the horrified multitude.... Just when it seemed that the ball of fire would fall upon and destroy them, the miracle ceased, and the sun resumed its normal place in the sky, shining forth as peacefully as ever.

When the people arose from the ground, cries of astonishment were heard on all sides. Their clothes, which had been soaking wet and muddy, now were clean and dry. Many of the sick and crippled had been cured of their afflictions. 2

The above describes the great miracle which brought to conclusion the series of apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima which took place six times, from May to October 1917. The Miracle of the Sun was the sign God gave to the world in proof of the authenticity of the apparitions. The event was reported in newspapers around the world.

With one exception, Mary always appeared on the 13th of the month, above an holm oak tree in the valley named Cova da Iria. The only deviation from the 13th was the August apparition. During this particular month, Mary appeared to the children near the village of Valinhos on August 19. The children were in jail on the 13th of that particular month. The mayor, in an attempt to stop the events, had had the young visionaries kidnapped and imprisoned, but fearing violence on the part of the people, he soon released them.

Since the apparitions of 1917, millions of pilgrims have come to Fatima. Fatima is a small, rural town about 90 miles north of Lisbon, Portugal. It is situated within hilly terrain which is lined with numerous cedar trees. The Cova da Iria--grazing ground at the time of the apparitions--now appears as a huge, paved area which lies in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima. About 50 yards in front of the Basilica, and to the left as one faces the Basilica, is the Chapel of Apparitions. Here, within the sanctuary, is a glass-enclosed statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The statue is situated on the spot of the holm oak tree over which Our Lady appeared to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco.

In the middle of the great square, one sees a large statue of the Sacred Heart. The arms of Christ are outstretched, welcoming all to come to the refuge of His Heart. Above the entrance of the Basilica is a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These two statues vividly remind us of the alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. As we shall soon see, this union of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart forms the very core of the Fatima message.

As is to be expected, the largest crowds of pilgrims gather on the 13th of the month from May through October.

I was privileged to be present at Fatima on a very special day, October 13, 1992. This date marked the 75th anniversary of the final apparition. It was, indeed, a most memorable occasion. On the evening of the 12th, there was the usual Rosary procession. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims were present on this brisk October night. Pilgrims holding lighted candles, the praying of the Rosary, the procession with the Our Lady of Fatima statue--all this made for a very impressive and moving occasion.

The next day, the 13th, was obviously a very, very special time. The day was bright and sunny with an almost completely blue sky. It seemed no accident. It was a gift of Our Lady, the Woman Clothed with the Sun: Now a great sign appeared in Heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown (Rev. 12:1). We see, then, how fitting it was that the great miracle of Fatima described above was one involving the sun.

There were about a million people gathered in the huge square for this 75th anniversary occasion. The center of attraction was the Mass at the outdoor altar situated on the Basilica steps. Before and after the Mass, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was marched in procession. The pilgrims waved their white handkerchiefs at the statue, a time-honored custom at Fatima. The entire ceremony took over three hours, yet there was a pervasive silence throughout the gathering of pilgrims, which numbered about one million. Their deep devotion was obvious. It was one of the most impressive and moving scenes I have ever witnessed.

During a stay at Fatima, one can always observe pilgrims visiting the Apparitions Chapel for Masses and adoration visits. Leading down to the Chapel is a special walkway which stretches back about 100 yards into the great square. This path is used by many pilgrims who, in an act of sacrifice, walk on their knees the length of the walkway, ending their journey at the Chapel itself. The atmosphere at the Chapel is one of deep peace and devotion, a common trait at Marian shrines.

Pilgrims are also constantly entering the Basilica for Masses and visits. At the front of the Basilica lie the remains of two of the Fatima visionaries. Jacinta's crypt is to the left, and Francisco's is to the right. Pilgrims stop briefly and pray at the crypts in a spirit of deep devotion. As one prays at these crypts, it is easy to recall the words of Jesus: I bless you, Father, Lord of Heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children (Matt. 11:25).

Central to the pilgrimage activities at Fatima are the many Masses which take place at the Chapel of Apparitions and the Basilica church. This, again, is a common occurrence at Marian shrines. Mary always leads to the Eucharistic Christ.

 

two

Fatima: The Message

Before receiving the six apparitions of Our Lady, May through October of 1917, the three Fatima visionaries were visited by an angel on three different occasions during the preceding year. He appeared to them in the spring, summer, and fall. Lucia (now Sr. Lucia) describes the springtime apparition of the angel:

On reaching us, he said: "Do not be afraid! I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me."

Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the ground and made us repeat these words three times: "My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You."

Then, rising he said: "Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications."

His words engraved themselves so deeply on our minds that we could never forget them. 3

During the summer of 1916, the angel again appeared to the three visionaries. He said to them:

Pray! Pray a great deal. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices continually to the Most High. Make everything you do a sacrifice, and offer it as an act of reparation for the sins by which God is offended, and as a petition for the conversion of sinners. Bring peace to our country in this way.... I am the Guardian Angel of Portugal Accept and bear with submission all the sufferings the Lord will send you. 4

In the fall of the same year, the angel visited the visionaries a final time:

The angel came...bearing a golden chalice in one hand and a Host above it in the other. The amazed children noticed that drops of blood were falling from the Host into the chalice. Presently, the angel left both suspended in mid-air and prostrated himself on the ground, saying this beautiful prayer: "Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and [the intercession of] the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners." 5

Sr. Lucia relates how the angel gave them Communion:

Then, rising, he took the chalice and the Host in his hand. He gave the Sacred Host to me and shared the Blood from the chalice between Jacinta and Francisco, saying as he did so:

"Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men! Make reparation for their crimes and console your God." 6

Reflecting upon these messages of the angel, we see how much they contain for our spiritual instruction.

First of all, we notice the distinctive Trinitarian nature of the messages. We are instructed that, in our Christian existence, we must express the greatest reverence for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as we serve them through the virtues of faith, hope, and love. These three virtues are at the heart of our life of grace.

We are reminded of the ugly reality of sin and of our duty to make reparation for it. We are reminded that reparation is due Christ in His Eucharistic presence. And, as we shall soon see, Our Lady calls for a specific act of reparation--the five first Saturdays. Reparation is a foundation of the Fatima messages.

The angel also tells us that we must not only love God; we must also love our neighbor. We are to pray and make sacrifices for others.

In telling us to "Pray a great deal," and "Make everything you do a sacrifice," the angel reminds us that we are to live a deep spirituality. We are to be united with God throughout the day in as conscious a manner as possible. Regarding the angel's call to prayer, we shall soon hear of Mary's special request concerning the daily Rosary. It is a request that reminds us that God has sent Our Blessed Mother to call us back to Jesus, and to a closer union with Him. The Fatima message indeed reminds us that Mary is our spiritual Mother, that she is our mediatrix with Christ.

The angel specified a need to help others by our sacrifices, and to accept the sufferings God sends. It is a confirmation of Christ's paschal mystery of death-resurrection. The cross leads to life. We live the cross for the purpose of growing in grace ourselves, and in order to help channel grace to others.

The Angel also reminded us that the Eucharist is at the center of the Church's life. And, very importantly, in each of his three messages, the Angel drew attention to the critical role which the Hearts of Jesus and Mary play in our Christian lives:

Another remarkable fact is that in each of the three apparitions, the Angel already mentions the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, as though linked to one another by an indissoluble union. The account of the first apparition even presents a striking phrase which seems to have been hardly noticed. After having taught this completely God-centered prayer, "My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you," the Angel added: "Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications." We pray to God, and it is the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary that hear and answer our prayers! How could it better express the truth that we can only go to God and please Him by this unique and universal mediation?

Similarly, in the summer of 1916, when the Angel announces to the three seers their future vocations, it is the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary that appear in the foreground as the inseparable mediators of the "Father of Mercies." "The Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary," he tells them, "have designs of mercy on you."

Finally, the third time, in the prayer of Eucharistic offering, it is by "the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and [the intercession of] the Immaculate Heart of Mary," that the Angel begs "the conversion of poor sinners" of the Trinity.

With this constant thought of the mediation of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, we are already at the very center of the Message of Fatima. 7

The Angel's three messages contain an amazing spiritual doctrine. The Angel gives the outline of the spiritual life within the framework of devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Behold, the spirituality of Fatima!

The Angel's instruction to the three children admirably prepared them for Our Lady's apparitions. Mary's messages presume, and build upon, the spiritual doctrine which the Angel gave to the three young visionaries--and to us.

May 13, 1917, marks the first appearance of Our Lady of Fatima to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco. On this occasion, she said to the visionaries:

Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm..... I am from Heaven.

I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the 13th day, at the same hour. Later on, I will tell you who I am and what I want

Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners?

Pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war. 8

To the end of each decade of the Rosary, she added the Fatima prayer, "0 my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy. " 9

In Mary's first message, we immediately see two aspects of the Fatima message--prayer (especially the Rosary) and reparation.

On June 13, the Blessed Virgin again appeared to the three children:

There were about 70 people present, though only the children could see the apparition. She told the youngsters that many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them. She said Francisco and Jacinta would soon leave the world for Heaven. Holding out her heart, surrounded by thorns which pierced it from all sides, Our Lady told Lucy: "God wishes you to remain in the world for some time because He wants to use you to establish in the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart. I promise salvation to those who embrace it, and their souls will be loved by God as flowers placed by myself to adorn His throne." 10

This shows how devotion to the Immaculate Heart is central to the Fatima message. Subsequent events reemphasize the importance of Our Lady teaching this devotion at Fatima.

In her July apparition, Our Lady further revealed her plan to the children and to the world:

During her appearance in July, Our Lady, in answer to Lucia's plea, promised that in October she would work a great miracle so that all might believe and know who she was. Again, the Mother of God told the children to sacrifice themselves for sinners and to say many times, especially when making a sacrifice, this prayer: "0 my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of poor sinners, and in reparation for all the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary." 11

During this same July apparition, Mary showed the three children a vision of Hell. She told them:

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 people do what I tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be peace.

The war (World War I, then raging) is going to end. But if people do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI. When you shall see a night illuminated by an unknown light [January 2, 1938], know that this is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father. 12

To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the five first Saturdays. If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. if not, she will scatter her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be destroyed....

But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph, the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, Russia will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world. 13

In the above, Mary speaks of the five first Saturdays. Here is what the practice involves:

  1. Go to confession, which may be done from eight days before to eight days after the first Saturday. Of course, if a person is in the state of serious sin, the confession must be made before receiving communion.
  2. Receive Holy Communion.
  3. Recite five decades of the Rosary.
  4. Meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Rosary.

All of the above (except confession) must be done on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, with the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart. For those who make the five first Saturdays, Our Lady of Fatima has promised to assist them at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation. 14

Because of the excitement caused by the apparitions, the civil authorities were so alarmed that they kidnapped the three young visionaries and put them in jail. The incarceration period included the day of August 13. Consequently, Our Lady did not appear to the children on this particular 13th.

The authorities, fearing reaction on the part of the people, quickly released the children. Mary appeared to them on August 19 near Valinhos:

She told them she was greatly displeased by the action of the mayor. As a result, the miracle promised for October would not be as impressive as originally planned. 15

Next came the September appearance of Our Lady:

More than 30,000 people were present in September, and saw a shower of mysterious white petals fall to within 10 feet of the ground before dissolving into the air. Many also saw the globe of light bearing the Lady come to rest atop the tree, and the branches bend as though someone were standing on them. Later, they saw the cloud depart into the east, from whence it had come.16

The October 13 vision was accompanied by the great Miracle of the Sun described in the previous chapter. In her message that day, Our Blessed Mother told the children:

I am the Lady of the Rosary. I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and to ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it every day.17

While the people in attendance were beholding the great Miracle of the Sun, the three young visionaries, and they alone, were privileged to see striking visions in the heavens:

As Our Lady had promised, St. Joseph had come with the Holy Family and had blessed the world. Then, Our Lady appeared as the Mother of Sorrows, accompanied by her Divine Son, Who also blessed the world. Finally, Lucy had seen the Blessed Virgin, dressed in the brown robes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth, holding a brown Scapular in her hand, with her infant Son upon her knee. However, in none of these visions had any of the figures spoken to the children.18

Besides the messages associated with the major Fatima apparitions, there were other revelations given by Our Lady. Before Jacinta died, she told of other messages given her (during her illness) by Mary:

More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.

Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much.

Many marriages are not good; they do not please Our Lord and are not of God.

Priests must be pure, very pure. They should not busy themselves with anything except what concerns the Church and souls. The disobedience of priests, to their superiors and to the Holy Father, is very displeasing to Our Lord.

I can no longer restrain the hand of my Divine Son from striking the world with just punishments for its many crimes.

If the government of a country leaves the Church in peace and gives liberty to our Holy Religion, it will be blessed by God.

Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask grace from her, and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ask them to plead for peace from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to her. 19

This last message offers us an excellent opportunity to summarize the Fatima message. It tells us "that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

At the center of the veneration for which Our Lord calls is the act of consecration to His Sacred Heart and to Mary's Immaculate Heart. As we shall see in Part II of this book, this consecration calls for a total gift of ourselves to Jesus and Mary. Such a gift, obviously, includes a willingness to incorporate into our lives the other Fatima teachings and requests. As such, consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary summarizes the Fatima message.

Some seem to think the message of Fatima is no longer relevant to today's world. The words of Pope John Paul II tell us how wrong they are. Referring to a pilgrimage he made in 1982, he says:

Last week, I myself went on pilgrimage to Portugal, especially to Fatima, in order to give thanks that the mercy of God and the protection of the Mother of Christ had saved my life last year. The message of Fatima is a call to conversion and penance, the first and most basic call of the Gospel. Today, it is more urgent than ever, when evil is threatening us through errors based on denial of God. The message of Fatima puts us on our guard. It also invites us to approach anew the Fountain of Mercy by an act of consecration. Mary wishes us to draw near it: each one of us, each nation, and the whole world. 20

 

Notes

  1. Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan from Heaven [Rockford: TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., 1983].
  2. Ibid., pp. 7-8.
  3. Louis Kondar, SVD, editor, Fatima in Lucia's Own Words [Fatima: Postulation Center, 1976], p. 62. Distributed in the U.S.A. by the Ravengate Press, Cambridge, MA.
  4. Our Lady's Peace Plan, op. cit., pp. 1-2.
  5. Ibid., p. 2.
  6. Fatima in Lucia's Own Words, op. cit., pp. 64-65.
  7. Frere Michael de la Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima [Buffalo: Immaculate Heart Publications, 1989], pp. 85-86.
  8. Ibid., pp. 112-114.
  9. Our Lady's Peace Plan, op. cit., p. 30.
  10. Ibid., p. 3.
  11. Ibid., pp. 3-4.
  12. Ibid., pp. 4-5.
  13. Ibid., p. 5.
  14. Rev. Edward Carter, S.J., Mother at Our Side: Mary's Role in the Spiritual Life [Milford: Faith Publishing Co., 1994], pp. 21.
  15. Our Lady of Fatima's Peace Plan, op. cit., p. 8.
  16. Ibid., p. 6.
  17. Ibid., p. 7.
  18. Ibid., p. 8.
  19. Ibid., pp. 9-10.
  20. Pope John-Paul II, as quoted in Arthur Collin, Totus Tuus: John Paul's Program of Marian Consecration and Entrustment [Libertyville: Academy of the Immaculate, 1992], p. 177.

    end of excerpt from Spirituality of Fatima

  
 

                    To be a man is to want to be like
                Jesus. Mary loved the Father so
                much and wanted only His will —
                Does not God deserve our whole
                heart full of love.

                    But the devil tempts people
                to play games.

                    I hear Jesus say — "My Heart
                is sad for how others manipulate
                to get dominance when the Father
                has gifted you. You return
                My gifts and the Father's gift
                with great ingratitude. I loved
                you to My death on the cross.
                I wore a crown of thorns for
                your pride and your desire to
                get ahead. Would I put you in
                charge with a heart seeking
                your own vain glory —

                    I seek the soul filled with
                genuine love to come close to
                Me — to give Me tender love —
                I am the one who wore a crown
                of thorns around My Heart for your
                pride and lack of love.

                    I am your God.
                    I am love.
                    I am perfect —
                    I show you the perfection
                of the human nature —

                    Being a man is being gentle —
                I loved My Mother — The Father loves
                Mary — He wants her honored.

                    When someone comes with a
                genuine loving heart — you treat
                My gift to the world as they
                treated Me.

                    They whipped My body — they
                tore My flesh — the men of strength
                and I loved them — I loved you so
                much I forgave your sins —
                I died for your pride

                    And today when I call you — you
                selfishly serve Me. I ask for love
                that you would teach My world
                My gentle ways. I called you
                to be gentle — to be a man
                likened to Me — to say yes to your
                vocation of love and what I give
                you is never enough because
                you want to punish someone
                for your old pain —

                    My Mother stood beneath My
                cross and I looked into her
                eyes on the way to Calvary —
                You see with tainted vision —
                You disrespect authority
                You do not show My love
                    to the world —

                    You are to be likened to Me —
                to show the world another Christ,
                to be a man with a gentle heart.

                    I asked for these days of prayer
                from all to help make reparation
                for the offences against My
                Heart and My Mother's Heart —

                    You are like the child with
                a dirty diaper entering the room,
                You want your own glory — I call
                you to be saintly.

                    I see your heart — I know
                your wounds — My Heart was pierced
                with a lance and what came out
                was Blood and Water —

                    You see your wounds, your
                pride and you want vindication
                when I give you a bed of roses
                you stick Me with your thorns.

                    I want love, I want you to
                recognize how offended God the
                Father is for the lack of recognition
                of Mary sent as a messenger.
                You could please Me if you prayed
                to God and said you were sorry
                for not recognizing Our Lady of
                Fatima's request 90 years ago and
                when I call you to help me —
                I use you as My instrument —
                You punish in pride, instead
                of seeing the big picture and coming
                and telling the Father you are
                sorry for the sins of the
                human race.

                    I want love —
                    Do you return love to Me for all
                    I have done for you.

                    I love you so very much

                    I have made you My precious
                    servant — to show others
                    My love, My love is gentle
                    like the writings in the
                    Blue Books —

                You act out of your anger and
                    tell yourself you are justified —
                    I want these days of prayer —
                    I ask for your support to
                    stay united to the prayer in
                    China —
                    How have you answered My call —
                    You did your work you wanted,
                        but tried to block what
                        I ask for.

                Prayer is the lifting of the mind
                    and heart to God —

                Do you carry anger, pride,
                    jealousy and then think you
                    can lift a heart full of
                    rocks.

                I ask for support, for
                My Plan —

                You are angry because you want
                    your Plan — your way

                Look at My gentle Heart —
                How can you teach, what you
                    do not have —

                Do not give into the tainted ways —
                    pray for purity —
                    Do the plan of My Father —
                    Teach love - gentleness

                90 years ago the Father sent
                    Mary to deliver a message
                    of peace and love —

                I ask you to be a part of this
                    now to spread peace and love
                    to join in your heart to
                    My prayers coming from
                    China for the world —
                    to help make reparation
                        for offenses against
                        Our Hearts of love

                Are you so focused on your
                    plan — you justify
                    your anger when I
                    ask for peace and love
                    on these days in prayer for
                    the world.

                All My prayer services are for
                    peace and love and praying
                    for grace for this mission —

                    My retreats praying for the
                        Priestly Newsletter — I send
                        as a message of love
                        to a world —
                        stained with Blood
                        blood from babies
                        blood from hate

                How can you teach what
                    you do not have —

                This is a business for hearts
                    consumed in love for the
                    Church and souls —

                You meet My requests with
                    your cold heart —

                A man lost his keys and he needed
                    to open his office — he
                    could do no work — you say —
                    he lost the keys to his office.

                You can do no work for Me in this mission
                    when you lose the key to your
                    heart which is the key to
                    My work, My mission —

                My mission is to help bring about
                    the great era of love Mary
                    promised at Fatima —

                The Reign of the Sacred Heart and
                    triumph of Mary's Immaculate
                    Heart.

                This era will be oneness on the
                    earth — union of the hearts
                    of the earth with Our
                    Two Hearts

                You don't get the picture —

                You see the proximity as paramount —
                You think I need your tension to
                    be there and help bring about
                    greater tension —

                My Heart is opened with a key of
                    love —
                    love is union —
                    love is united to hearts
                        all over the world —

                My Newsletter and Prayer Chapters
                    are people united in Our
                    Pure Hearts all over the
                    World

                    Love is union
                    Love is in the heart
                    Love is in the soul

                You know division
                You know tension

                This mission is a mission of love
                    in Our Two Hearts —

                I know your heart
                    more than you

                Anger is like putting your
                    heart in a locked box

                Love opens the flood gates
                    to peace and unity —
                    Love in Our Hearts —
                    binds the world

                "...THY WILL BE DONE
                    ON EARTH AS
                    IT IS IN HEAVEN."

                In heaven
                    there is unity — all doing
                    one Plan — the Father's Plan

                Now you say —
                    I keep track of what you
                        did to offend Me.

                I say how have you offended
                    My Heart with lies and
                    anger — after all the
                    love I have given to you.

                I give you Myself in
                    the Eucharist

                I give you My precious
                    love —
                In this lies your ability
                    to forgive

                When you love Me first
                When you love Me with
                    your whole heart,
                    your whole soul
                    and
                    your whole being —

                Love gives —

                Satan wants you self-focused

                I want you to love Me
                I want you to trust Me
                I want you to be grateful

                I give to you
                I give to you and
                I give to you and

                You are angry
                What do you want?

                I want love
                I want gratitude
                I want you praying for the
                    priests, the Church and the
                    world —

                I want you to make reparation
                I want you to love Me

                I want you to love My Mother
                I want devotion to our Hearts
                    of love

                Satan wants you focused on
                    yourselves
                    "Poor me"

                Love gives
                Love focuses on the other

   

 

                On this 90th Anniversary pray
                    to have hearts of love

                You who I called to spread
                    My love —

                The devotion of Our 2 Hearts of Love

                How do you love those I sent
                    you to work with?

                Do you love
                I don't mean passionate love —
                I mean obedience to those over you
                    respecting with care

                I gave My life for you
                I give you Myself in the Eucharist
                I give you a Heart of love
                I give you a Church in China
                I give you the Priestly Newsletter
                I give you My Prayers
                I give you My School Rosary
                    Program

                I give you this Movement to
                    Spread the Love of Our
                    Two Hearts

                I asked you to be united — where
                    ever you are in the prayer
                    for these 3 days
   
                Do you have a heart of love
                    to even be united to
                    the prayer?

                And when you come will
                    you bring your
                    business heart and
                    tension —

                It is summed up easily in
                    the little way of St. Therese

                My way is simple —
                    it is love"

   

 

 

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