Fatima :

In general, the world continued to fall into atheism and secularism. As if a warning of worse punishments, World War I broke out over the mere assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. War was declared between Hungary and Serbia, and, like a domino effect, country after country allied with either side until the whole world was participating.

Mary then struck out in May 1917 as Queen of the Holy Rosary, specifically for the town of Fatima, Portugal. The town is named after a Moorish (Muslim) princess who was captured by a Catholic knight. Amazingly, Princess Fatima fell in love with her kidnapper and converted to Catholicism. Meanwhile, the Portugal government had been secularized in 1910. 

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Three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos (age 10) and her cousins Francisco (9) and Jacinta (7) Marto began seeing apparitions of the Angel of Portugal in the Spring of 1916. A year later on May 13, Mary herself appeared to them in the Cova da Iria, telling them to pray the Rosary for the end of the war and asking them kindly to return on the 13th day of each month.

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The children obeyed Mary, except in August when the secular government imprisoned them for the Religious controversy and threatened and bribed them to keep quiet. They had not broken any law and were released soon and came to the site as soon as they could. Mary continued to entrust them with messages of her love, urging them to pray the Rosary and make many sacrifices for poor sinners. She also prophesied the near death of the Martos and showed the children a vision of Hell, urging them to pray for souls falling into it like snowflakes. 

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Mary also foretold of a Miracle that would happen on October 13th, that she would appear as Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Sorrows, and that Saint Joseph and Jesus would come as well. Crowds were beginning to gather at the Cova to see the Lady and hear the messages given to the children. They besought Mary as well for many miracles, some of which were given. Donations were also collected for the construction of the Chapel that stands at the site today. On October 13th, 1917, the crowds had gathered again for Mary's last apparition there. The morning was rainy and the crowds were soaked wet, standing in slippery mud. Finally the sun came out and began to dance. Believers and skeptics alike, most near the site but some at a distance, were suddenly able to look at the sun with the naked eye and watched it dance through the sky. As it dove down, some were so filled with fright that they prostrated and confessed their sins aloud. Our Lady appeared with Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus to bless the world as she promised. When the sun stood still once again at last, every piece of clothing was miraculously dry.

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In short, Mary came to warn the world in six apparitions to repent and live lives of authentic prayer. She asked for the Consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart, the Five-First-Saturdays devotion of the faithful, the recitation of at least 5 decades of the Rosary daily, and for other penitential acts of reparation and sacrifice. Regarding these requests, Mary said, “If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace ; if not, Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecution of the Church ; the good will be martyred ; the Holy Father will have much to suffer ; various nations will be annihilated.”

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Thus, at Fatima, Mary made very clear:

• “Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of [World War I]”

  • “With the Holy Rosary, we will save ourselves, we will sanctify ourselves, we will console our Lord and obtain the Salvation of many souls.” (Sister Lucia)

• God wants to establish “devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world.” All ought to consecrate themselves to it: countries, dioceses, priests, families, and individuals.

• Wear the Carmelite (Brown) Scapular.

• Pray for wayward and hell-bound souls, especially souls without anyone to pray for.

• Do penance and reparation for the sins committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

  • Regarding penance, Sister Lucia, O.C.D., in 1943 wrote, “This is the penance which the good Lord now asketh : The sacrifice that every person hath to impose upon himself is to lead a life of justice in the observance of His Law. He requireth that this way be made known to souls. For many, thinking that the word ‘penance’ meaneth great austerities, not feeling in themselves the strength or generosity for these, lose heart and rest in a life of lukewarmth and sin.”

  • At another part : “Our Lord said to me, ‘The sacrifice required for every person is the fulfillment of his duties in life and the observance of My Law. This is the penance that I now seek and require.’”

• Make the Five-First-Saturdays devotion:

  • “Thou at least try to console Me and announce in My Name that I promise to assist at the moment of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the First Saturday of five consecutive months shall

    • confess,

    • receive Holy Communion,

    • recite five decades of the Rosary, and

    • keep Me company for fifteen minutes

      • while meditating on the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary,

      • with the intention of making reparation to Me” (Mary to Sister Lucia in 1925 ; broken up for clarity by Faber).

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Portals : Video on the First Five Saturdays, gathered by America Needs Fatima (~30:30).

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