Our Lady of Fatima
Today, May 13th, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Here is the story:
In a mountainous region near the town of Fatima, Portugal, the Mother of God appeared six times between May 13th and October 13th, 1917, to three shepherd children: Lucia Santos and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Mary told the children that she had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman, and child in our century. Coming at a time when civilization was torn asunder by war and violence, Mary promised that Heaven would grant peace to the entire world if her requests for prayer, reparation, and consecration were heard and obeyed.
Mary explained that war is a punishment for sin. She warned that if people continued to disobey God’s Will, they would suffer consequences of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church. She also prophesied that Russia would “spread her errors” of atheism and materialism across the earth. Our Lady of Fatima repeatedly emphasized the necessity of praying daily, especially the Rosary, of wearing the Brown Scapular, and of performing acts of reparation and sacrifice. She also promised a sign as proof of her messages.
On October 13, 1917, a crowd of 50,000 people at Fatima, including many noted skeptics, saw the sun rotating and spinning in the heavens; then, leaving its orbit, it plunged toward the earth. The “Miracle of the Sun” is fully documented. On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot in the chest and in the abdomen at point blank range in St. Peter’s Square. He credited his miraculous escape from death to the intervention of Our Lady of Fatima. One year later he traveled to Fatima, and placed the bullet in the crown resting upon the statue of Mary. He said, “One finger fired the bullet, but another guided its path.”
Seven years later, the Berlin Wall fell without a bullet being fired, and Communism collapsed across the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Visit Autom.com for a great selection of Our Lady of Fatima holy cards, medals, statues, and books.
Catherine of Siena was born the daughter of humble Italian weavers in 1347. As a child, she loved to pray and even had visions of angels. Catherine made a vow to remain a virgin for Christ. At the age of 15, she entered the Third Order of Saint Dominic. Catherine remained in her father’s shop, where she served people with love and joy every day. At home, Catherine prayed much and enjoyed God’s presence and His love.
A couple of years ago, a neighbor asked me if my family was Catholic, since we still had our Christmas lights up and it was the beginning of January. Yes, I answered her. She then told me she was also Catholic. 
Augustine was born November 13, 354 at Tagaste (now Algeria) in North Africa. His father, Patricius, worked as a city official and remained a pagan until converting to Christianity on his deathbed. On the contrary, his mother, Saint Monica was a devout Christian and had her son signed with the cross and enrolled among the catechumens. Through all the teaching Augustine still refused to be baptized, that was until he fell gravely ill and finally consented. Shortly after his recovery Augustine denounced his faith, but under the influence of his mother he continued his religious schooling until he was 16 years old.
In 1673, Jesus chose a young nun, Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque, to receive the revelations of His Sacred Heart and bear them to a world desperately in need of His warmth and fire. Jesus wanted to remind us of His personal passionate love and to arouse our love in return.
Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima! Let us celebrate!
Powered by Compendium