A statue of "Our Lady of Fatima" is in Rome to be consecrated by the pope. This is a good opportunity for us to update our Fatima information.
Our Lady of Fatima statue in Rome for Papal consecration
(Vatican
Radio) Pope Francis will consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart
of Mary on October 13th as part of Marian Day celebrations that will
involve the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The statue is normally kept
in the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal but will be in Rome this weekend
for the consecration which is one of the highlights of the ongoing
Year of Faith.
Our Lady
of Fatima appeared to three shepherd children in the village of
Fatima in Portugal in 1917. She warned of violent trials in the
twentieth century if the world did not make reparation for sins. She
urged prayer and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. John
Preiss is President of the Fatima Family Apostolate in Alabama, U.S.
and he spoke to Susy Hodges about the significance of this weekend’s
events and the veneration of Our Lady of Fatima.
Jesus
said that in the Last Days there would be many false signs and
wonders, so much so, and so deceptive, that if it were possible even
the Elect would be led astray. The key issue is whether a sign or
wonder is consistent with the Bible. The messages coming from RCC
"signs and wonders", particularly from "Marian
apparitions", are NOT Biblical - they contradict the Bible, and
primarily serve to exalt Mary and diminish Jesus.
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"To
my surprise, I see clearly and distinctly a globe of light advancing
from east to west, gliding slowly and majestically through the
air...Suddenly the globe with its extraordinary light vanished, but
near us a little girl of about ten continues to cry joyfully: 'I
still see it! I still see it! Now it is going down!'
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The
Fatima cult began after the alleged appearance of the Virgin Mary
to three sickly children at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. In St Paul's
day it would have been part of Spain.
When you
know the the origins of "Marian Worship" you realise that
it was not Mary who appeared to those children but Seminaris.
Only the
children were able to see the apparition hear what was said.
The
apparition was accompanied by a strange miracle:
"The
sun became pale, three times it turned speedily on itself, like a
Catherine wheel . . . At the end of these convulsive revolutions it
seemed to jump out of its orbit and come forward towards the people
on a zigzag course, stopped, and returned again to its normal
position. This was seen by a large crowd near the children and
lasted twelve minutes. On that day, witnesses claimed to have seen
the sun dance in the sky.
Even tho
no one else in the world noticed that the sun had just jumped out of
its orbit and started dancing did not concern the Roman Catholic
Church!
The
following is the description of the Miracle of the Sun, provided by
Lucia, one of the three shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared.
After
speaking, Our Lady opened her hands. Sister Lucia writes:
"Then,
opening her hands, she made them reflect on the sun, and as she
ascended, the reflection of her own light continued to be projected
on the sun itself.
Here,
Your excellency, is the reason why I cried out to the people to look
at the sun. My aim was not to call their attention to the sun,
because I was not even aware of their presence. I was moved to do so
under the guidance of an interior impulse.
After
Our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament,
we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white
with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus
appeared to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross
with their hands. When, a little later, this apparitioin disappeared,
I saw Our Lord and Our Lady; it seemed to me that it was Our Lady of
Dolors. Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as
St. Joseph had done. This apparition also vanished, and I saw Our
Lady once more, this time resembling Our Lady of Carmel."
The
above quote was taken from the book, Fatima, In Lucia's Own Words,
written by one of the three shepherd children who saw Our Lady of
Fatima.
Rev 18:23 "for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived".
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Fatima to Become Interfaith Shrine!
The
Shrine's rector, Monsignor Luciano Guerra, told the Congress that
Fátima "will change for the better." Addressing Hindu,
Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, Buddhist and African Pagan representatives
he stated: "The future of Fátima, or the adoration of God and
His mother at this holy Shrine, must pass through the creation of a
shrine where different religions can mingle. The inter-religious
dialogue in Portugal, and in the Catholic Church, is still in an
embryonic phase, but the Shrine of Fátima is not indifferent to this
fact and is already open to being a universalistic place of
vocation."
The
Hindu representative Ansshok Ansraj, described how already in the Far
East millions of Hindus are getting "positive vibrations"
from visiting Marian shrines without endangering their faith.
Monsignor
Guerra pointed out that the very fact that Fátima is the name of a
Muslim and Mohammed's daughter, is indicative that the Shrine must be
open to the co-existence of various faiths and beliefs. According to
the Monsignor: "Therefore we must assume that it was the will of
the Blessed Virgin Mary that this comes about this way."
Traditional Catholics opposed to the Congress were described by the
Monsignor as "old fashioned, narrow minded, fanatic extremists
and provocateurs." From the Portugal News, 11-01-03
Catholic Fatima Shrine Has Developed Into Centre Where All Religions of World Can Pay Homage To Their Various Gods!
The
Portugal News 11/1/03: Delegates attending the Vatican and United
Nations (UN) inspired annual interfaith congress, "The Future of
God," held during October in Fatima, heard how the Shrine is to
be developed into a centre where all the religions of the world will
gather to pay homage to their various gods.
Addressing
Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, Buddhist and African Pagan
representatives, the Shrine’s rector, Roman Catholic Monsignor
Luciano Guerra, stated: "The future of Fatima, or the adoration
of God and His mother at this holy Shrine, must pass through the
creation of a shrine where different religions can mingle...."
The
Hindu representative, Ansshok Ansraj, described how already in the
Far East millions of Hindus are getting "positive vibrations"
from visiting Marian shrines without endangering their faith.
Monsignor
Guerra pointed out that the very fact that Fatima is the name of a
Muslim and Mohammed’s daughter is indicative that the Shrine must
be open to the co-existence of various faiths and beliefs. According
to the Monsignor: "Therefore we must assume that it was the will
of the Blessed Virgin Mary that this comes about this way."
Traditional Catholics opposed to the Congress were described by the
Monsignor as "old-fashioned, narrow-minded, fanatic extremists
and provocateurs."
One of
the principle speakers, the Jesuit theologian Father Jacques Dupuis,
was insistent that the religions of the world must unite. "The
religion of the future will be a general converging of religions in a
universal Christ that will satisfy all," he said.
The
Belgium-born theologian argued: "The other religious traditions
in the world are part of God’s plan for humanity, and the Holy
Spirit is operating and present in Buddhist, Hindu, and other sacred
writings of Christian and non-Christian faiths as well." In an
impassioned plea he said: "The universality of God’s kingdom
permits this, and this is nothing more than a diversified form of
sharing in the same mystery of salvation. In the end, it is hoped
that the Christian will become a better Christian and each Hindu a
better Hindu."
An
official statement put out by the Congress called for a
non-proselytising approach by all religions. "What is needed is
that each religion be true to its faith integrally and treat each
religion on the same footing of equality with no inferior or
superiority complexes." It emphasized that the secret to peace
amongst all religions is admitting that contradictions exist between
creeds but to concentrate on what unites them, as opposed to what
separates them.
