Mary has requested that the daily message be given each day to the world. It is read nightly at the prayer service from her Image Building in Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A. This is according to her request. All attempts will be made to publish this daily message to the world at 11 p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A. We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages rests with the Holy See of Rome.

July 16, 1999 - Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb, the Bridegroom of the Soul

Oh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You. Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.

Messenger: Jesus said to put the following message on today.

July 17, 1994

Messenger: We are called to model ourselves after Christ. I think of Christ and how He was. Total peace, always. Peace to His death on the cross. He did not talk about anyone. He always was loving and giving of Himself in service.

If I am to try to act like Christ, I must meditate on how He was.

Being a Christian is to be Christ-like.

Would Christ act as I am acting? I preach the gospel in my very being. I preach His word by how I am. I must be rooted in Him and His love so that I act as He wants me to act. I still will fall short. But I must try to be likened to Christ in all things.

SCHOOL ROSARY PROGRAM

How to start a School Rosary Program "I AM THE LADY OF THE ROSARY… PEOPLE MUST PRAY THE ROSARY" - Our Lady of Fatima, October 13, 1917 The Church says Fatima is worthy of belief. Free Materials & Guidance From Shepherds of Christ Ministries (513) 932-4451 or (888) 211-3041

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DO YOU WANT PEACE IN YOUR SCHOOL?

Do you want peace in your school? The Blessed Mother said at Fatima that until a sufficient number of people give their hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary we will not have peace!

How do we give our hearts to Jesus and Mary? Before school each day, say a small prayer to the Holy Spirit, the small consecration prayers to Jesus and Mary, and the morning offering (all available from Shepherds of Christ at no cost). Each time the children enter a classroom, say the consecration and Holy Spirit prayers. This binds the children in one heart with Jesus and Mary and there is less disharmony.¹

We live by Mary's Peace Plan given at Fatima. It is as follows:

1. Until a sufficient number of people have consecrated their hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, we will not have peace in the world.
2. Mary has requested all to pray the daily rosary.
3. We must observe the Five First Saturdays devotion:
   - Communion, confession (within 8 days before or after the Saturday), recital of the rosary, meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the rosary. All this is to be done in a spirit of reparation.
4. We must make reparation to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.²

MESSAGE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA, OCTOBER 13, 1917

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.³

MESSAGE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA, JULY 13, 1917

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.⁴

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. " ^{5  6}

THE ROSARY

In praying the rosary with the bead by bead meditation students learn to love meditating on the lives of Jesus and Mary. The Rosary is a most powerful tool Mary gave to us at Fatima. She said we must pray the rosary. She is the Queen of Peace. Praying the rosary helps the children fight off the evil one. In this age we need to tell our children about what Our Lady said at Fatima about praying the rosary. Mary wants her children to pray it every day for peace in their hearts, in their families, in schools, in churches, and in the world. Mary is the Queen of Peace; she is our Mother. If we want to help our children to find peace we will hear the words of our heavenly Mother.

Even little children enjoy praying the rosary with the Rosary Aves (the bead by bead meditations). One little boy reported how he wanted to be a server because he knew Jesus was really in the Eucharist and he loved Him. Children will love to go to the Eucharist. It is God, truly present. If we want to love, we will be more loving when we receive God in the Eucharist. There is a whole book of rosary meditations that tell children about Jesus and Mary's love for them, the Eucharist, the Mysteries of the Rosary and Mary's message of Fatima. It is available and we wish all to have it to more fully love the rosary and to pray it. There are Stations of the Cross, Seven Sorrows, and beautiful songs including the Rosary Song. Tapes are available of the songs to help children to learn them. They are love songs to Jesus. They are very simple.

We wish to circulate the Rosary Aves and consecration cards to schoolchildren. We wish to give this book and rosaries to schools that children will pray the rosary as Mary requested at Fatima.

Listen to the words of Mary, October 13, 1917:

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.⁷

Rosary meditations and consecration cards are provided free. All materials have the Imprimatur. They are also available on our Internet site: www.SofC.org.

ROSARY-MAKING CLUBS

Making rosaries out of sparkling, colorful plastic beads is a fun year-round activity for all ages. Even five-year-olds can create beautiful ones easily without getting frustrated!

This is wonderful as an in-school, after-school, or at-home project to be coordinated by an adult. When organized as a "club," children spend time at their meetings making rosaries, saying the Rosary, sharing a snack, and enjoying each other socially. Completed rosaries can be donated to fellow students, their families, nursing home residents, and many other individuals. Rosary-making kits (include plastic beads in your choice of colors) are available FREE from the School Rosary Program

Rosaries are given free of charge to schools and churches and people requesting them from Shepherds of Christ Ministries. We would circulate to others rosaries you donate.

CONSECRATION CARDS

Mary wants all to give their hearts to Jesus and Mary in consecration. In a message Mary gave to Jacinta before Jacinta died, she said:

Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask graces 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.⁸

If the children pray the consecration prayers from their hearts they are in one mind and one heart in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. They are united to Jesus and Mary and to each other in their hearts. Instead of 30 or 40 different ideas and wills operating in the classroom, the children seriously consecrating their hearts will be united in one mind and one heart, it will help bring peace and harmony to the school and the children's lives. Teachers have reported the best results. Every time children come into the room they can unite with one another using this short prayer with the Imprimatur.

The School Rosary program provides FREE consecration cards for pupils. These prayers are printed on bright index-sized cards, and are written in simple yet beautiful words to help children understand their meaning.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

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.

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 Hear of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners" ⁹

It is immensely powerful to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

It is hoped that by making time for Eucharistic Adoration early in life, many of these children will continue to worship God this way when they become adults. This grade school program can be easily adapted for high school use.

BROWN SCAPULAR PROGRAM

A great sign of our consecration to the Immaculate Heart is the wearing of the Brown Scapular. Sister Lucia has said that all Catholics should wear the Brown Scapular as part of the Fatima message. She said, The Rosary and the Scapular are inseparable…In 1251, when she [Mary] gave the Scapular to St. Simon Stock and thereby to the world, the Queen of Heaven stated: Whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire. Wearing the Scapular serves as a constant reminder of one's personal consecration to Mary and of the necessity of imitating her virtues and heeding her requests." Only priests properly authorized can validly enroll one in the Brown Scapular.¹⁰

JUNIOR SHEPHERDS OF CHRIST

In this popular program young people in grades 6 through 12 come together to pray for priests and the renewal of the Church and the world and to consecrate their hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Through weekly meetings, they help each other grow in their faith and love of God. They realize they’re not alone in their struggles, as God is always by their side guiding and loving them.

Typically Junior Shepherds of Christ meetings start out with a visit to a chapel or church where the students pray the Rosary and the Shepherds of Christ Prayers together. Afterwards, they continue socializing by going to a participant’s home or another fun yet appropriate place for youth.

A parent or teacher should help; a priest can help sometimes.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA PILGRIM VIRGIN STATUE PROGRAM

Statues of Our Lady of Fatima can be purchased from the Shepherds of Christ Movement at reasonable prices. Likewise, the video The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima. All materials distributed for school children should have the Imprimatur. The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima video was produced by Warner Brothers and can be ordered from most religious bookstores.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Children will be better prepared during Lent praying the Stations of the Cross. Materials to help in this are available from Shepherds of Christ Ministries.  In meditating on Jesus' passion they will know more His great love for us. A separate sheet concerning the First Saturday Devotion is also available.

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For more information about the School Rosary Program and obtaining FREE materials, contact:

Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 193
Morrow, OH 45152

Telephone: (513) 932-4451
Toll Free: (888) 211-3041
FAX: (513) 932-6791
Internet: www.SofC.org

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Notes:

1. Apostle's Manual, Shepherds of Christ Publications, 1997, p. 265.
2. Rita Ring, Mass Book, Shepherds of Christ Publications, 1997, p. 41.
3. Rev. Edward Carter, S.J., The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje, Shepherds of Christ Publications, Morrow OH, 1994, p. 16.
4. Ibid., p. 14.
5. 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.
6. The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje, op. cit., pp. 18-19.
7. The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje, op. cit., p. 16.
8. The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje, op. cit., p. 18.
9. The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje, op. cit., pp. 8-9.
10. Rev. Edward Carter, S.J., Mother At Our Side, Shepherds of Christ Publications, Morrow OH, 1993, pp. 21-22.

FIRST SATURDAY PAPER

• First Saturday Devotion
• The Brown Scapular
• Rosary Promises

Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask graces 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. (Our Lady of Fatima to Jacinta.)¹

First Saturday Devotion

…The practice of the five first Saturdays involves: 1) Going to confession, which may be done from 8 days before to 8 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) Receiving Holy Communion. 3) Recitation of 5 decades of the rosary. 4) Meditating for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the rosary. All of the above (except confession) must be done on the first Saturday of 5 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.

The Brown Scapular and Consecration

…Another request of Our Lady of Fatima-one which includes all the others-is that we consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart. What this consecration means we have stated earlier. Simply put, we can say that in consecrating ourselves to Mary we give and entrust ourselves to her so that she may bring us ever closer to the Heart of Christ, this Christ Who brings us to the Father in the Holy Spirit. This act of consecration obviously includes our willingness to observe the other requests of Our Lady of Fatima.

A great sign of our consecration to the Immaculate Heart is the wearing of the Brown Scapular. Sister Lucia has said that all Catholics should wear the Brown Scapular as part of the Fatima message. She said, The Rosary and the Scapular are inseparable…In 1251, when she gave the Scapular to St. Simon Stock and thereby to the world, the Queen of Heaven stated: Whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire. Wearing the Scapular serves as a constant reminder of one’s personal consecration to Mary and of the necessity of imitating her virtues and heeding her requests.” Only priests properly authorized can validly enroll one in the Brown Scapular. ²

Promises of Our Lady to Those Who Pray the Rosary

Over the years, in various apparitions, Mary has stressed the importance of the rosary. She has promised great blessings to those who pray the rosary. To St. Dominic and to Blessed Alan she stated:

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armour against Hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.³

Can we refuse our most loving Mother her request that we daily pray the rosary?

Notes:
1    Rev. Edward J. Carter, Mother at Our Side, Shepherds of Christ Publications, Morrow OH, 1993, p. 23.
2    Ibid., p. 21-22.
3    Ibid. p. 83-85.

Letter to Schools

Feast of the Mother of God
(and our spiritual mother too!)
January 1, 1999

Summary: The School Prayer Program of Shepherds of Christ Ministries provides to school children prayer cards, rosaries, rosary meditations, books, and tapes. All of the materials which we distribute to schools have received the Imprimatur and are distributed free of charge on a donation basis. All you need to do is call.

Dear Principals and Educators,

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the counsel of His Holy Spirit be with
you throughout this coming year!

What an incredible responsibility we have been entrusted with by God to nurture the hearts, minds, bodies and souls of his little children. Have you thought recently about how you are preparing the souls of the children in your care for a life of love? Greater than any skills of the mind or body, is how we teach our children to live from their hearts in the love of God and one another. As St. Paul writes, "There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

The School Prayer Program of Shepherds of Christ Ministries provides to school children rosaries, prayer cards, rosary meditations, books, and tapes. All of the materials which we distribute to schools have received the Imprimatur and are distributed free of charge on a donation basis. As a parent of young children myself, I believe it has never been more difficult to teach children deeply in their hearts about the love of God and what is right and what is wrong. So many great sins are portrayed in the media as nothing of consequence and are laughed at. Many commercials, especially on Saturday mornings, portray parents and educators as out of touch and very 'uncool.' To combat our very secular and shortsighted culture, we have to be very diligent in the formative years with the children entrusted to our care. They need to learn they are especially loved by God, were created by Him with an immortal soul, and that their life choices effect those around them. Our children's choices will eventually determine where they spend their eternity.

Our ministry's materials focus very much on teaching children about the love of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary for each of them as unique individuals. We wish to teach children that Jesus and Mary are very much alive today. Through prayer the children can form a very real relationship with their Heavenly Mother Mary and Jesus, their friend and Saviour. The Church teaches us that in the care of our souls, Mary is our spiritual Mother, appointed by Jesus as He died on the cross. The knowledge of Mary as our spiritual mother is very much needed by our children today. Mary had the blessing of spending thirty years with Jesus before His public life began. During these years, she dwelled on the mysteries of God in her heart as family life with her Son Jesus and St. Joseph unfolded. As we teach the children today about prayer and the rosary, we open the door for them to the Blessed Mother and Jesus. The Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary today wish to teach children about the love of God in the silence of their hearts. Praying the rosary and meditating on the mysteries helps to develop the spiritual vision of young hearts.

School Prayer Program

The first component of our school prayer program is the daily consecration prayers. Included in these prayers are consecration prayers to Mary, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and also the Morning Offering. These short prayers are found on the red and white cards included in this mailing. One very enthusiastic principal whose school participates in the program called to tell us that she has the entire school assemble at the beginning of each day to say these prayers as a school community. Many teachers handle unruly times in the classroom by having the children recite the consecration prayers. The prayers do seem to bring a sense of peace to the hearts of children and adults alike. When I arrive home from work, I spend a few moments praying the prayers with my children. What a difference it makes! I am more patient with the children and they fight less and are less competitive with each other. At Fatima, the Blessed Virgin stated that there would not be peace in the world until a sufficient number of people consecrated their hearts to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We can aid the Queen of Peace with our participation by reciting the prayers daily. If you would like these prayers cards for your children, please call or write us and we will send them to you without charge.

The second component to our school prayer program is the rosary. Praying the rosary can lead both children and adults to a greater understanding of the mysteries of our faith. Not all knowledge needed by children to deeply mature in the spiritual life can be imparted by books. At baptism, we receive a special sharing in God's life which allows us to perceive and act on spiritual realities through the gift of faith. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwell deeply within all of us who are in the state of grace. Using the bead by bead meditations found in our newest book, Rosary Meditations for Parents and Children, teachers, parents, and children can learn more about the lives of Jesus and Mary. It is a great means to growing in personal holiness. I know what a struggle it is to lead children into prayer, but this difficulty should not discourage us. It is sometimes most difficult to teach children to blow their nose, tie their shoes, ride a bike, read, write, or do arithmetic. Prayer is no different. A very successful approach in the classroom is to pray one mystery a day with the meditations. Different children can read the meditations from bead to bead. By the end of the week, a complete rosary has been prayed. As the children mature, the prayers can be expanded. These meditations are available in book form and from our Internet site at www.sofc.org This letter gives you explicit permission to copy and use freely these materials in the classroom or in homes. You can also order extra copies of our books for your school library.

May is a month we traditionally give special devotion to Mary. This date is rather far off and there is plenty of time for us to see if we can arrange to have rosaries made in your school colors. Please call for any of our materials. Perhaps you can do something special this year to honor Mary in the month of May. We are here to serve you and your children.

Junior Shepherds of Christ

These prayer groups bring children together to pray for the spiritual welfare of priests, the Church, and the world. We often take our priests for granted. Junior Shepherds of Christ is an opportunity to really touch the Heart of God. Jesus loves for children to come to Him. The hearts of children can be pure and open. Their prayers are very powerful before God. Children love to sing and pray when they learn about the love in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary for them. We have available on tape and on the Internet little songs for children to learn and sing. The Rosary Song is my children's favorite. It only takes a few notes to get them started and they are off and singing. They are so much more loving when they have finished singing and praising God.

The enclosed prayer manual has the format for the Junior Shepherds of Christ prayer meetings. A single sheet version is also available. The format is identical to the adult prayer groups. Just bring the children together, and pray the prayers and sing some songs. It is especially beneficial if the prayers can be said before the Blessed Sacrament. Our faith tells us that Jesus is in the tabernacle in a special way. Children need to learn that God is not far off. These prayer groups can help the entire parish to become more loving and holy. Please pray about beginning a prayer group in your school. Perhaps you know a parent or teacher who would be willing to lead this program if asked. A preferred meeting time is 6:30PM local or Eastern Time. Prayer groups from all over the world join at this time to shower Heaven with prayers for our priests and the entire human family. Please copy and pass on this material to all interested parties. If you would like more information or any of the materials mentioned in this letter, please call our toll free number 1-888-211-3041.

First Friday Devotion

The First Friday Devotion was given by Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. She was born in 1647 and her feast day is October 16^th. Jesus revealed His burning love for us by showing the flames coming from His Heart. We often need reminders from God of His love for us. We are all children of Adam and Eve. We have fallen proto-parents and are born with impaired spiritual eyesight. Jesus has given us a special gift of grace in the First Friday Devotion. Jesus made twelve promises to St. Margaret Mary telling her how he would help those who love and honor His Sacred Heart:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their homes.
3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
4. I will be their refuge during life and above all in death.
5. I will bestow a large blessing on all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
9. I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the first Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

Our ministry has pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus available to fulfill the requirements of the ninth promise. The twelfth promise of final repentance is a great comfort to me as an individual and as a parent. As a leader of your school, you could fulfill the requirements of this final promise by arranging your school mass to be on the required dates and teaching them about Jesus' messages to St. Margaret Mary. This is a great gift to give the souls of the children entrusted to your care!

First Saturday Devotion

The First Saturday Devotion has its origin from our Lady of Fatima. Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J., relates in his book The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje: "During the July apparition in 1917, 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.

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.

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." (taken from The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje)

Both of these devotions, to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart, have been approved by the Church and were initiated at Heaven's request. It can be tempting to hide harsh spiritual realities from our children and ourselves. After reflecting for sometime though on what the Blessed Virgin showed the Fatima children, I have come to the conclusion that to ignore the reality of hell in the instruction of our children is a great disservice to them. Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia were very young when the apparitions occurred. Is our judgment on the instruction of our children better than the Mother of God's? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us about the two distinct realities of heaven and hell.

Again from Fr. Carter's book, "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.

(taken from The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje)

Put On Joy

Through these devotions, Jesus and Mary have given you a powerful tool to aid in the salvation of the souls entrusted to your care. God is ready to touch your hearts as you implement these devotions or use the prayer cards. Please take the first step by ordering the prayer cards for use by your children. The decision is yours. We are here to serve you. We may be reached by phone toll free at 1-888-211-3041.

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,

John Weickert
President,
Shepherds of Christ Ministries

Question for married couples and others in intimate relationships:

Q: What can I do to help us be more united?

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