May 13 2025 - Our Lady of Fatima - Pray, do penance, seek conversion

 

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our Lady, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon.  The Blessed Virgin asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners and for the conversion of atheistic Russia.  

Many have heard of the three secrets of Fatima which Our Lady imparted to the shepherd children, and those secrets have been interpreted in a variety of ways over the last century. Whatever the meaning of these three Fatima secrets, the central meaning of the message of Fatima is no different from what the Church has always taught: as Pope Benedict the XVI put it, the message of Fatima is “the exhortation to prayer as the path of “salvation for souls” and, likewise, the summons to penance and conversion.”

Prayer, penance, and conversion. During the Easter season we consider how each of us are called to engage in the mission of the Church, and no doubt the message of Fatima gives us some insight into what that personal engagement looks like. Prayer, penance, and conversion. We are to pray for the salvation of souls, particularly the rosary. We are to do penance for the salvation of souls—as we do during the season of Lent, all year round there needs to be some penance done by each of us. And conversion—each of us are to seek personal conversion of sin—for a holy soul is a magnetic soul, a soul which draws others to Christ.

Many have felt Fatima to be a sort of wake-up call from our Mother Mary, to recommit to the Gospel in order to avoid unnecessary evil and suffering. Sadly, we’ve seen Our Lady’s message ignored—atheism, hedonism, violence, ignorance of Christ have spread not just in Russia but in our corner of the world, in our neighborhood. 

And yet, we take solace in what is perhaps the most well-known utterance of Fatima, in which Our Lady promised that no matter what, in the end, her “Immaculate Heart will triumph”. Pope Benedict interpreted this utterance as follows: “The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind. The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Savior into the world—because, thanks to her Yes, God could become man in our world and remains so for all time. The Evil One has power in this world, as we see and experience continually; he has power because our freedom continually lets itself be led away from God. But since God himself took a human heart and has thus steered human freedom towards what is good, the freedom to choose evil no longer has the last word.”

With the help of Our Lady may we be faithful, as we prayed in the opening prayer, to persevere in penance and prayer for the salvation of the world, that we may further more effectively each day the reign of Christ.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Trusting in the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and inspired by her call to prayer, penance, and conversion, we bring our prayers before the Lord:

For the holy Church of God, that she may always heed Our Lady’s message of Fatima by proclaiming and living out the call to prayer, penance, and conversion with renewed fervor,

For peace in our world, that through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, hatred may give way to reconciliation, violence to justice, and war to enduring peace,

For the conversion of sinners and the renewal of faith in our world, especially in places darkened by atheism, hedonism, and indifference to Christ,

For those who suffer, especially the poor, the persecuted, and the forgotten, that they may know the comfort of Mary’s maternal heart and the strength of her Son’s redeeming love, 

For the dead, that they may be received into the glory of heaven where Mary reigns as Queen

O God, who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary to bring your Son into the world, hear our prayers and strengthen us in faith, hope, and charity, that we may one day share in the triumph of her Immaculate Heart. Through Christ our Lord.

May 13 2019 - Our Lady of Fatima - Triumph of the Immaculate Heart

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our Lady, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon.  Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners and for the conversion of atheistic Russia. 

Many have heard of the three secrets of Fatima, which have been interpreted in different ways over the last century. Whatever the meaning of these three Fatima secrets, he central meaning of the message of Fatima is no different from what the Church has always taught: as Pope Benedict the XVI put it, the message of Fatima is “the exhortation to prayer as the path of “salvation for souls” and, likewise, the summons to penance and conversion.”

Many have felt Fatima to be a sort of wake-up call from our Mother Mary, to recommit to the Gospel in order to avoid unnecessary evil and suffering. Sadly, we’ve seen the errors of atheism and hedonism spread, violence against Christians has increased, and the falling away from the Church is rampant.

And yet, we take solace in what is perhaps the most well-known utterance of Fatima, in which Our Lady promised that no matter what, in the end, her “Immaculate Heart will triumph”. Pope Benedict interpreted this utterance as follows: “The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind. The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Saviour into the world—because, thanks to her Yes, God could become man in our world and remains so for all time. The Evil One has power in this world, as we see and experience continually; he has power because our freedom continually lets itself be led away from God. But since God himself took a human heart and has thus steered human freedom towards what is good, the freedom to choose evil no longer has the last word.”

With the help of Our Lady may we be faithful, as we prayed in the opening prayer, to persevere in penance and prayer for the salvation of the world, that we may further more effectively each day the reign of Christ.” For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the maternal care of Our Lady may bring protection to the shepherds of the Church and all who preach the Gospel.

That Our Lady’s devotion to the Divine Will of God will move government leaders to work to build a culture of life and peace to further the reign of Christ.

That through the penance and prayers of the Church hardened sinners will return to God.

That the intercession of Our Lady will bring comfort and care to all who suffer disease, violence, and afflictions of any kind.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.

October 24 2017 - St. Anthony Mary Claret - Gird up your loins

Readiness is a constant theme in the preaching of Jesus. The disciples of Jesus are to be ready for action, ready for service, ready for the master’s return, ready to preach the Gospel, and ready in season and out of season, Paul writes to Timothy.

"Gird your loins and light your lamps” the Lord says today. To gird one’s loins was to fasten your robe at your belt so that you had freedom of action to move about with greater agility. The one whose “sleeves are rolled up” is ready to work, the one whose loins are girded is also ready for battle.

In First Peter we read that we are to "Gird up the loins of your mind..."; our minds are to be prepared for action; we are to be ready to explain our faith when we are asked to do so; “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have,” Peter writes.

Readiness certainly assumes a level of preparedness. In order to share our faith we must know our faith and have studied our faith. We show ourselves to be ready for the Master’s return by confessing our sins. We are to keep our minds and hearts awake for Him through daily prayer and meditation.

We honor today St. Anthony Mary Claret who certainly had his loins girded for action. He was a missionary bishop, originally from Spain, and founder of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, known also as the Claretians, after him, their founder.

Upon becoming bishop in Cuba, he began a systematic reconstruction of his Diocese by personally conducting retreats for the clergy, preaching missions for the faithful, devising a system for religious education, establishing cooperative farms, parish credit unions, and institutions for disenfranchised youth.

Since he defended the rights of the working folk, the wealthy landowners launched bitter attacks upon the Holy Bishop, even banishing him from the country. But since his soul was prepared, he bore all in union with the Cross of Christ.

Each of us know doubt has some girding to do, some rolling up of the sleeves, some preparations to make for the work God has for us, for opening our hearts more and more to the life of charity and grace. With the help of the Saints, especially the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to whom St. Anthony Mary Claret was particularly devoted, may we ready ourselves generously and faithfully for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Church leaders may help us to spread the flame of faith and love in all our endeavors.
That we might not be daunted by difficulty in working for the spread of the Gospel.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, and a sanctification of all marriages and single Catholics.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October: That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.

For all those struggling with addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind: that they will be fortified and blessed with God’s special love, favor, and peace.  We pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

5th Sunday of Easter 2017 - Mother's Day and Fatima 100th Anniversary

Happy Mother’s Day.

We celebrate a very special Mother’s Day this weekend. 100 years ago, on May 13, 1917, Our Blessed Mother began appearing to 3 little shepherd children near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon, Portugal. In honor of the centennial anniversary this weekend, Pope Francis has traveled to Fatima to celebrate the canonization of two of those children, Francisco and Jacinta, who after their encounter with the Blessed Mother lived lives of great sanctity. An encounter with the Blessed Mother always changes you, and when you entrust yourself to her, she will help you to be as holy as God made you to be.

At Fatima, Mary tasked the children and all of us to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for the conversion of Russia, and to pray especially for sinners in danger of hell. She urged the children also to offer their lives in reparation for the sins and to make mortifications throughout the day for the conversion sinners.

You may have also heard of the three secrets of Fatima; the Blessed Mother delivered three secret messages to the children, two of which they were allowed to reveal soon after the apparitions.  The first secret was actually a terrifying vision: Mary showed the children a vision of a multitude of souls languishing in hell. They saw blackened souls, surrounded by torturing demons, lakes of fire with souls screaming in torment.

Mothers seek to protect their children from harm. And Our Blessed Mother is concerned not only with the well-being of our bodies, but our souls. And this first vision is a warning, of what happens when souls separate themselves from God through serious sin, when they live godless lives, and persevere in error.

The second secret was a prophecy.  The Blessed Mother told the children that World War One was about to end, but unless Russia converted to Catholicism and was consecrated to her Immaculate Heart, the godless errors of atheistic communism would spread throughout the world and another great war would follow the first; great destruction would be wrought upon earth the human evil and the Church would be persecuted.  But in the end, her immaculate heart would triumph.

The first war did end, shortly after the apparition. And though Russia was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart by Pius XII, Russia did not embrace the Faith and a second war did follow, World War II. Atheism and communism have spread. The 20th century contained more death, destruction, and martyrdom than all of the previous centuries combined.  The Church suffered terribly in the 20th century: 8000 priests in Spain alone were killed in the 1930s; 3000 priests in Mexico, 6000 priests were sent to the concentration camps of the Nazis. Countless souls turned away from the saving faith in the 20th century to the errors of atheism and the grave sins of the sexual revolution.

Our Mother’s promise will come to fulfillment at the end of time: her Immaculate Heart will triumph, when the love of God brings about the ultimate end of evil.

The third secret was made known to the world during the reign of Pope St. John Paul II. The children were shown a a vision of an angel with a flaming sword, who cried out “Penance, Penance, Penance” Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious climbed up a steep mountain and at the top of the mountain, an immense Cross. There they beheld a Bishop, dressed in white, shot by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him. Two angels then gathered the blood of the martyrs in holy water buckets and sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God. A very strange vision.
Pope Benedict believed this vision of the Bishop dressed in white to refer to the Popes of the 20th century collectively, who shared in the suffering of the Church, and how the Church is strengthened by their Holy Witness. The Popes of the 20th Century were very holy men compared to some of the Popes of centuries past.

Pius X, John XXIII, John Paul II have been canonized. Paul VI has been beatified, and Pius XII is on his way to canonization. These holy men gave incredible witness and clarity of teaching, during one of the bloodiest and secular ages the Church has faced. And although the 21st century has seen the incredible leadership of Pope Benedict, who in my opinion is a living saint, and Pope Francis who has so impressively called us to embody the mercy of God, the errors of the 20th century continue to lead souls away from God and put them in danger of hell.

Yet, Our Lady promised, in the end, “Her Immaculate Heart would triumph.” Pope Benedict interpreted these words as well. He said, “The Heart open to God, purified by contemplation of God, is stronger than guns and weapons of every kind. The fiat of Mary, the word of her heart, has changed the history of the world, because it brought the Saviour into the world—because, thanks to her Yes, God could become man in our world and remains so for all time. The Evil One has power in this world, as we see and experience continually; he has power because our freedom continually lets itself be led away from God. But since God himself took a human heart and has thus steered human freedom towards what is good, the freedom to choose evil no longer has the last word.”

Mother’s day! How can we honor our mother’s this day? We honor our mother’s with cards and candy and flowers, taking them to their favorite places, or perhaps visiting the grave of the mother’s who have died. But I think the greatest honor we can show our mothers is by becoming the people God made us to be, people of faith and love, the people our mothers hoped we would be. That goes for our earthly mothers and also our Blessed Mother.

We show great honor to our Mother by taking up the rosary as she taught us, by turning to her example of love, and emulating the resounding Yes she made to God. Take seriously your Mother’s wishes, that her children pray the rosary, do penance for sinners, seek the purification of our own hearts from all resistance to God. Allow her immaculate heart to triumph over the evils that still linger in our world and hearts.

Make your mother smile today. Your earthly mother and the Blessed Mother. And may each of us entrust our fates, our souls to mother Mary, that we, with her “may further more effectively each day the reign of Christ” in the world and in our hearts, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.