Recently we have all been stunned by the increasing persecutions of the Church throughout the world: thousands of Christians either killed or made homeless, the legalistic attacks on Judeo-Christian beliefs including marriage, and the appalling revelations about Planned Parenthood.
One of the subjects I spent a great deal of time studying over the years has been the visitation of Our Blessed Mother at Fatima. There were three great Secrets but with all the speculation over the Third Secret most have forgotten the Second Secret. Two parts of that secret should keep coming to mind: that God the Father was going to punish the world for its crimes and that Russia will “. . . spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions against the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated.”
“To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.”
Saint John Paul II fulfilled the first part with the consecration of Russia to Mary’s Immaculate Heart in 1984. But with the fall of the Soviet Union the rest of the message was forgotten. History teaches us that the Soviet Union was a contributing factor to many of the upheavals we see today. There is also indisputable evidence of unusual and long-lasting famines and major persecutions of the Christian Church. There is also no doubt that if we are suffering, at least mentally from what we see about us, there can be no doubt that the Holy Father is also suffering.
So why the turmoil we see today? The answer is in the second half of Our Lady’s request: “I shall come to ask for . . . the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.” On December 10, 1925, Our Lady, holding the child Jesus, returned to Lucia, the oldest of the three Fatima seers, and said:
Look My daughter, at My Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce Me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console Me, and announce in My Name that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with all graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months, confess, receive Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep Me company for fifteen minutes meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to Me.
At one time many of us have made the first five Saturdays. But how long ago and did we with the intention of making reparation? It really was not supposed to be a one time deal, it should be something we all do on a regular basis. As stated by the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima:
The promise associated with the practice of the devotion on five consecutive First Saturdays has been mistakenly construed by many to mean that, once one has completed a series of five in succession, they have accomplished the practice of the devotion – that they are finished. This was not Our Lady’s intention in making the promise, and has resulted in a far fewer people practicing the devotion’s than are necessary to fulfill her request. This is one reason why wars, famines and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father have increased rather than abated. (emphasis added)
The answer to the reason for the turmoil in the world is that we the faithful have not satisfied Our Lord or Our Lady in making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a very simple request and not hard to do. For many of us it is simply setting aside the time on the First Saturday of each month with the intention of making reparation for offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
- Go to Confession;
- Receive Holy Communion worthily;
- Pray five decades of the Rosary;
- Keep Our Lady company for 15 minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary.
You may download a free copy of a devotional guide at the Blue Army website.
We look for something we can do. We feel helpless before secular powers that seem to have everything on their side. We are troubled as we see the norms of society tuned upside down. We see the plight of the persecuted and the martyred. We wonder what we, as Christians, should do in response to what is going on in the world. It seems our Lady has already told us what Our Lord requires. Our Lady, Help of Christians, helped the Christian world defeat the Muslim invaders at the Battle of Lepanto. Today, perhaps no fleet of ships are needed, just a simple act of reparation.
Second Secret of Fatima
Sr. Maria Lucia (de Santos), last surviving seer at Fatima, bowing before a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
To save them [poor sinners who are on the road to hell], God wishes to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse war will break out during the reign of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions against the Church and against the Holy Father.
To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If My requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions against the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated.”
