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May 9, 2007
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10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT FATIMA
1.
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA?
The Message of Fatima consists of a number of precise
predictions, requests, warnings and promises concerning
the Faith and the world, which were conveyed by the Blessed
Virgin Mary to three shepherd children--Lucia, Jacinta and
Francisco--in a series of apparitions at Fatima, Portugal
from May to October 1917.
2. WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE THE
MESSAGE OF FATIMA?
You should
believe the Message of Fatima because:
(1) It was confirmed by an unprecedented public miracle, the
Miracle of the Sun, which occurred at precisely the moment
Lucia said it would. More than 70,000 people, including
Masons, communists and atheists, saw the sun, contrary to
all cosmic laws, twirl in the sky, throw off colors and
descend to earth. The event was reported in newspapers
around the world, including the New York Times.
(2) All of the Popes since the Fatima Miracle have
recognized that the Message is authentic. Several Popes have
gone to Fatima in person, including Paul VI, John Paul I and
John Paul II. John Paul II said at Fatima in 1982 "the
Message of Fatima imposes an obligation on the Church."
(3) Many other miracles have been performed by God
authenticating the Fatima Message as coming from Him, not
only at the time of the Miracle of the Sun, October 13,
1917, but down the years to the present day, miracles of
conversions and cures which science cannot explain by
natural means.
(4) The Message of Fatima accurately predicted world events,
which proves that it is a true prophecy.
3. WHAT DID THE MESSAGE OF
FATIMA PREDICT?
The Message of Fatima accurately predicted in 1917 all
of the following events which came to pass:
(1) the end of World War I;
(2) the emergence of Russia as a world power which would
"spread its errors (including Communism) throughout the
world ... raising up wars and persecutions against the
Church";
(3) the election of a Pope who would be named Pius XI;
(4) the waging of a second World War following a strange
light in the night sky.
The Message of Fatima also predicted that if the requests
of the Virgin Mary at Fatima are not honored, many souls will
be lost, "the Holy Father will have much to suffer", there
will be further wars and persecutions of the Church and
"various nations will be annihilated." The annihilation of
nations predicted at Fatima has not yet occurred, but many
fear that it will soon happen, given the growing immorality
and corruption of the world.
4. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF
FATIMA REQUEST?
At Fatima Our Lady said that God wished to establish in the
world devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady
said that many souls would be saved from Hell and the
annihilation of nations averted if, in time, devotion
to Her Immaculate Heart were established principally by
these two means:
1) the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary by the Pope together with the world's bishops in a
solemn public ceremony, and
(2) the practice or receiving Holy Communion (and other
specific devotions of about 1/2 hour in duration) in
reparation for the sins committed against the Blessed
Virgin Mary, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive
months--a practice known to Catholics as "the First
Saturday" devotion.
5. HAVE THESE REQUESTS OF OUR
LADY OF FATIMA BEEN HONORED?
No, not entirely. A number of the Faithful practice the
"First Saturday" devotion, but Russia has yet to be
consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a solemn
public ceremony conducted by the Pope together with the
world's Catholic bishops.
In 1982 the last surviving Fatima seer, Lucia, who is now a
cloistered nun living in Coimbra, Portugal, was asked if an
attempted consecration by Pope John Paul II had sufficed.
She replied that it did not suffice, because Russia was not
mentioned and the world's bishops had not participated.
Another attempted consecration in 1984 likewise did not
mention Russia or involve the participation of many of the
world's bishops, and Sister Lucia stated immediately
afterwards that this consecration, too, had failed to meet
Our Lady's requirements.
6. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF
FATIMA WARN?
It warns that if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima for the
Consecration of Russia and the First Saturday devotion are
not honored, the Church will be persecuted, there will be
other major wars, the Holy Father will have much to suffer
and various nations will be annihilated. Many nations will
be enslaved by Russian militant atheists. Most important,
many souls will be lost.
7. WHAT DOES THE MESSAGE OF
FATIMA PROMISE?
The Message of Fatima promises that if the requests
of Our Lady of Fatima are carried out "My Immaculate Heart
will triumph. The Holy Father will Consecrate Russia to Me,
which will be converted, and a period of peace will be
granted to mankind."
8. ISN'T IT
TRUE THAT THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA WAS DONE IN 1984 AND
THAT THE "FALL OF COMMUNISM" PROVES THAT THE CONSECRATION
WAS EFFECTIVE AND THAT RUSSIA IS NOW CONVERTING?
No, it is not true. We know it is not true because:
(1) On March
25, 1984, after the consecration of the world, Pope John
Paul II said twice that Our Lady of Fatima's request for
the consecration of Russia was not done.
(2) Soon after the attempted Consecration of 1984, which
did not mention Russia or involve the participation of the
world's bishops, Sister Lucia stated it was insufficient
because it did not meet the requirements specified to her
by Our Lady.
(3) Since 1984 the moral and spiritual state of the world
has obviously grown far worse: In the past 14 years there
have been 600 million abortions, and wars have broken out
all over the world. Mercy killing and homosexual acts have
been "legalized". In Russia itself a new law has just been
passed which discriminates against the Catholic
Church and in favor of Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and the
Orthodox churches, which forcibly occupied Catholic
parishes under the Communists. Thus it is clear Russia is
not converted to the Catholic Faith as Our Lady of Fatima
promised would happen if Her request was done.
(4) There have been very few conversions to Catholicism in
Russia over the past fourteen years. In all of
Russia today there are only 300,000 Catholics--much
less than one percent of the Russian population. By
comparison, after Our Lady appeared at Guadalupe, Mexico
in the 16th Century, more than 7 million Mexicans
converted from paganism to the Catholic Faith within
nine years and Mexico became a Catholic country.
9. WHY IS THE MESSAGE OF
FATIMA IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY
AND ME?
The Message of Fatima is important to you and your family
because it involves the salvation of souls, peace in the
world and, if the requests of Our Lady of Fatima are not
carried out, the consequences are the annihilation of
nations and the enslavement of all mankind under militant
atheists of Russia.
10. BUT ISN'T THE MESSAGE OF
FATIMA
JUST A PRIVATE REVELATION WHICH NO CATHOLIC HAS TO BELIEVE?
No, it is not just a private revelation. It is a public,
prophetic revelation given by the Virgin Mary, the Mother of
God. It is not to be confused with "Revelation" or as it is
also called, the Deposit of the Faith, which ended with the
death of the last Apostle. But public, prophetic revelation
must not be despised. The Virgin Mary's prophecy was
confirmed by a public miracle and authenticated by a whole
line of Popes. Also, its predictions have come true.
So, while belief in the Message of Fatima may not strictly
be required of Catholics as an article of faith, one
would be very foolish to disregard such an obviously
authentic message from Heaven. As St. Paul taught: "Despise
not prophecies, but prove all things; hold fast to
that which is good." (1 Thess. 5:20-21) The prophecy of
Fatima has been proven worthy of belief. We should not
despise it, but rather hold fast to what Our Lady told us at
Fatima.
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