Organization: University of Missouri-Columbia Campus Computing, 314-882-2000
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.catholic
Date:         Tue, 13 Oct 1992 10:15:25 CDT
From:         CCCAMPER@MIZZOU1.BITNET
Subject:      Fatima Story, part 3

Fatima, Part 3

  Since the children would not reveal the secrets told them by the Lady,
only that there was a need for sacrifice and daily rosary, crowds of
curious mobbed the tiny village of Aljustrel and tried to pry the
secrets from the young seers. Lucia's mother continued to beat her for
telling "outrageous lies" that attracted crowds who trampled the family
vegetable patch and disrupted their lives. Fransisco and Jacinta had
the support of their father, Ti Marto, but their mother Olimpia was
still sceptical.
  While the Church was reserved and cautious, already suffering from
persectution, the local Civic Administrator, Arturo Santos, was livid
that such a religious event was occurring where he was trying to squelch
religion. He met with the children and their parents and tried to
learn of the secret, even threatening Lucia with death. Nothing could
sway them and in frustration he sent them all home.
  On the morning of August 13, 1917, Santos insisted on taking the
children to the Cova da Ira himself, hinting that he was perhaps
interested to see for himself, being a "doubting Thomas". Instead,
Santos kidnapped the three and took them to Ourem, 9 miles distant.
Once there, Jacinta, Fransisco and Lucia were all thrown in the
local jail and again he tried to pry the secret from them. Finally,
he promised to boil them in oil if they did not reveal the secret.
Then one by one he led them away to what they believed would be their
death. Each still refused to tell what the Lady  hadasked them
not to share at that time. Fortunately Santos was only
bluffing and that afternoon he delivered the children back to
Aljustrel.
  That morning nearly 15,000 people had gathered at the Cova da Ira
for the 4th visit of "the Lady". Learning that the seers had been
kidnapped the crowd surged with anger. Suddenly there was a violent
"thunderclap" that shook the area, followed by a brilliant flash of
light. A small white cloud visible to all present came to rest at the
top of the small holm oak. The people prayed and sang hymns. After
a few minutes the "cloud" drifted heavenward and everyone noticed
they were coverd in colors of the rainbow. The faces of all around
them glowed with soft hues and the ground was a checkerboard or
rainbow colors. On the trees every single leaf appeared to be a
flower. The Queen of Heaven had manifested herself and God's glory
without Fransisco, Lucia or Jacinta present.
  On Sunday, August 19 she appeared to them as they played in the
field and again urged them to prayer and sacrifice, "for many souls
go to Hell because they have no one to make sacrifices and pray for
them." She told the children that because of their ill-treatment at
the hands of the Administrator the October miracle would be
"less great". While we can only speculate on what "might have been"
it would have undoubtedly been an event more convincing to non-
believers. Therefore, the actions of one evil man may have affected
the lives, and salvation, of millions of people.
  The crowds for the September 13 apparition were greater than ever.
Towards the middle of the day the sun began to lose its brightness
until stars were visible. Then most present witnessed a "globe of
light" glide majestically in from the west, then disappear, and
a small cloud settled over the little holm oak. Suddenly, to the
surpise of the thousands, there was a shower of "rose petals" from
heaven that vanished upon touching the ground. Lucia cried out, "You
must pray" and the multitudes dropped to the ground.
  The Lady said, "Continue to pray the rosary every day in order to
obtain the end of the war. In October Our Lord will also come, and
Our Lady of Sorrows and of Mount Carmel and St. Joseph with the
Child Jesus, to bless the world."
  When Lucia presented her with petitions for others the Lady replied
that some would be cured and again stated that in October there would
be a miracle "so that everyone may believe".
  Over the next few weeks the children were again besieged by the
curious wishing to know the secret, and also by government agents
who threatened their lives and their families should they ever
return to the Cova da Ira. "If they kill us, we will go to Heaven
sooner," was the children's response to such threats.
  By October 12, 1917, tens of thousands of pilgrims were making their
way to the Cova da Ira for the predicted miracle. They fought a furious
wind and rainstorm that seemed to dampen no one's will. Lucia's mother,
still riddled with doubt, suggested her daughter go to confession
because if there was no miracle she thought Lucia would be killed.
"Our Lady will keep her word," she told her mother confidently.
  On the morning of October 13 there was a crowd that has been
estimated at numbers between 50,000 to 100,000. They prayed and sang
hymns and protected themselves from the weather as best they could.
The seers were carried in on the shoulders of some of the men through
soaking rain, mud, and puddles sometimes as deep as two feet. Upon
reaching their place near the oak, Lucia, Fransisco and Jacinta began
to pray the rosary. They suddenly cried out for everyone to put down
their umbrellas, the Lady was coming. They there were enveloped in
a white mist about 15 feet in height. Lucia asked, as usual, "What
do you want of me?"
  The Lady, with her sad, compassionate gaze replied, "I am the
Lady of the Rosary. I would like a chapel built here in my honor.
Continue to pray the rosary every day." She then said the war would
be over soon and the soldiers would be returning home. When Lucia
began to present petitions for others she said that some things
would be granted, others not, and "men must amend their lives and
ask pardon for their sins." Then in one last plea that summarized
her presence she begged, "Do not offend God anymore, for He is
already too greatly offended."
  She then turned and raising her arms towards the sky, the sun
began to dance about throwing shafts of multicolored light
in beautiful rainbow colored squares which covered the sky,
the landscape and everyone present. The sun then began to whirl
like a giant pinwheel throwing colored light in every direction.
After a few minutes it ceased, then began again more colorful than
before. It ceased a second time, then burst forth with even more color
than before casting brilliant hues for nearly twelve minutes.
  Suddenly the sun seemed to break loose in the sky and come hurtling
toward the earth like a tremendous fireball. People fell into the mud
fearing for their lives! At what seemed to be the last moment it
resumed its normal position and appearance in the sky. All the mud,
clothing and people were completely dry.
  While the solar miracle was visible to the crowds,the children saw
the Holy Family in the sky representing the Joyful Mysteries, then Our
Lord carrying His cross and Our Lady of Sorrows to represent the
Sorrowful Mysteries. Finally, Lucia alone saw Our Lady of Mount Carmel
holding the Brown Scapular to represent the Glorious Mysteries.
Perhaps because Lucia alone will be alive to see the promised triumph
of the Immaculate Heart.
  Within the next few years Jacinta and Fransisco both took ill and
died, but not before many, many prayers and sacrifices for sinners,
that they many maybe spared the hell in the vision the Mother of God had
obtained for them. The age of their flesh was young but their spiritual
maturity was profound, as could only be found in ones touched in a
very special way by God.
  Lucia became a Carmelite nun. On June 13, 1929 as she made a Holy
Hour in the chapel she received her greatest vision. As she prayed,
the entire chapel was filled with a supernatural light. On the altar
there appeared a cross of light which arose to the ceiling. As
Sr. Lucia noted " In this very clear light one could see on the upper
part of the cross the figure of a man from the waist upwards and upon
his chest was a dove, also luminous. Nailed to the cross was another
man. A little below his waist, suspended in the air, one could see
drops of blood which flowed upon the cheeks of the crucified one
and from a into the chalice. Under the right arm of the cross was Our Lady (it
was Our Lady of Fatima with her Immaculate Heart in her left hand
without sword or roses but with a crown of thorns and flames) Under
the left arm of the cross, large letters of crystalline water flowed
donw over the altar and formed these words: Grace and Mercy. I under-
stood that the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity had been shown to me
and I received enlightenment upon this mystery which it is not
permitted me to reveal."
  "Our Lady then said to me: 'The moment has come for God to ask the
Holy Father to make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the
consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart. He promises to save
Russia by this means. There are so many souls that the justice of God
condemns for sins committed against me, that I have come to ask for
reparation. Sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray.' I gave
an account of this to my confessor and he asked me to write down what
Our Lord wanted to be done."

(To be continued tomorrow) The resources for these posts are "The Final
Hour" by Michael Brown, "Fatima, the Great Sign" by Francis Johnston,
The Bible, "Our Lady Queen of Peace" newspaper by the Pittsburgh Center
for Peace, winter 1992 edition.
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