Thursday, May 13, 2010

Our Lady of Fatima

Well, I earlier opined on the Feast of the Ascension (Ascension Thursday) being transferred by most dioceses to this coming Sunday. That left today, May 13th, opened to fully celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. This feast day was formally declared just about 10 years ago by Pope John Paul II.

Mary began appearing to three young children in the small village of Fatima, Portugal from May 13th thru October 17, 1917. The children, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco were shepherd children and Mary visited with them and revealed certain secrets to them. All three are now deceased with Lucia the last to die just a few years ago. The casue for their sainthood is in varying stages of development.

Much of what was revealed to the children centered on the World War II, the conversion of Russia and even the assasination attempt of a Pope, believed to be the 1981 incident with Pope John Paul II. The visions of Mary at Fatima culminated with the miraculous sighting by hundreds of witnesses of the spinning sun.

Today, on this joyful feast, Pope Benedict XVI is in Fatima. He used his historic visit here this week to give some of his most poignant and sincere comments on the clergy sex abuse scandal.

So we may not have celebrated the Ascension today but this is a beautiful feast day worthy of our attention. And don't worry, Ascension Thursday still happens; only on Sunday!

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