Sep
11
2017
By Anonymous (not verified)
One hundred years ago in September, Our Lady prepared the visionaries for October's miracle. Father Robert Fox, a renowned expert on Fatima, explains:
The children's imprisonment in August had helped make Fatima famous. This time, up to 25,000 people gathered. As the visionaries walked along on Sept. 13, people cried out, "For the love of God, ask Our Lady to cure my crippled son!" "And mine who is blind!" "That my husband and my son return from the war!" "That Our Lady convert me, a sinner!" and so on. The children could advance only because some gentleman kept opening a path for them.
The children had been growing in spirituality and the spirit of penance, especially since the vision of hell in July. They'd give their lunches to poor children, abstain from water on hot days, wear rough cords around their waists that cut into them, and bow their heads in adoration while offering the prayers taught them by the angel in 1916.
Amidst the crowd in the Cova da Iria that day was the well-known holy priest, lawyer, and theologian, Dr. (Father) Manuel Nunes Formigao. Father Formigao was devoted to Lourdes, but did not believe the reports coming out of Fatima.
At the time of the apparition, the sun, as always, diminished in intensity, and people witnessed various phenomena. Some saw a star come down to settle on the holmoak tree; others saw a globe move from the east to the tree. The crowd witnessed flowers falling like raindrops; people tried to catch them with their hands or umbrellas, only to have them dissipate in midair. Meanwhile, Our Lady appeared at the holmoak. Lucia, as always, asked, "What do you want of me?" "Continue to say the Rosary," said Our Lady, "in order to obtain the end of the war. In October, our Lord will come, and also Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to sleep with the cord on, only to wear it in the day time." Lucia said, "I was told to ask you many things: for the cure of some sick people ... ." "Yes," Our Lady replied, "I will cure some, but not others. In October, I will perform a miracle so that all will believe." And then she began to ascend, as usual, to the east and disappeared.
When it was over, the renowned theologian Fr. Formigao was in deep prayer on his knees, saying, "It is true. It is true. Our Lady is appearing here." He soon became known as the fourth seer of Fatima. He was named to the diocese's Canonical Commission to study the "happenings" in Fatima. This converted priest, who originally came to the Cova da Iria to expose the "hoax" of Fatima, instead initiated many of the original devotional practices at Fatima that are conducted to this day.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Father Robert J. Fox was founder and director of the International Fatima Family Apostolate.
The children's imprisonment in August had helped make Fatima famous. This time, up to 25,000 people gathered. As the visionaries walked along on Sept. 13, people cried out, "For the love of God, ask Our Lady to cure my crippled son!" "And mine who is blind!" "That my husband and my son return from the war!" "That Our Lady convert me, a sinner!" and so on. The children could advance only because some gentleman kept opening a path for them.
The children had been growing in spirituality and the spirit of penance, especially since the vision of hell in July. They'd give their lunches to poor children, abstain from water on hot days, wear rough cords around their waists that cut into them, and bow their heads in adoration while offering the prayers taught them by the angel in 1916.
Amidst the crowd in the Cova da Iria that day was the well-known holy priest, lawyer, and theologian, Dr. (Father) Manuel Nunes Formigao. Father Formigao was devoted to Lourdes, but did not believe the reports coming out of Fatima.
At the time of the apparition, the sun, as always, diminished in intensity, and people witnessed various phenomena. Some saw a star come down to settle on the holmoak tree; others saw a globe move from the east to the tree. The crowd witnessed flowers falling like raindrops; people tried to catch them with their hands or umbrellas, only to have them dissipate in midair. Meanwhile, Our Lady appeared at the holmoak. Lucia, as always, asked, "What do you want of me?" "Continue to say the Rosary," said Our Lady, "in order to obtain the end of the war. In October, our Lord will come, and also Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Carmel. Saint Joseph will appear with the Child Jesus to bless the world. God is pleased with your sacrifices, but He does not want you to sleep with the cord on, only to wear it in the day time." Lucia said, "I was told to ask you many things: for the cure of some sick people ... ." "Yes," Our Lady replied, "I will cure some, but not others. In October, I will perform a miracle so that all will believe." And then she began to ascend, as usual, to the east and disappeared.
When it was over, the renowned theologian Fr. Formigao was in deep prayer on his knees, saying, "It is true. It is true. Our Lady is appearing here." He soon became known as the fourth seer of Fatima. He was named to the diocese's Canonical Commission to study the "happenings" in Fatima. This converted priest, who originally came to the Cova da Iria to expose the "hoax" of Fatima, instead initiated many of the original devotional practices at Fatima that are conducted to this day.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Father Robert J. Fox was founder and director of the International Fatima Family Apostolate.
FAMPK
