This Thursday we begin the novena for the 100th anniversary of Our Lady's appearances at Fatima. The Blessed Virgin chose three illiterate shepherd children to deliver her message to the world. "If people listen to my words, there will be peace." Did those children even realize that there was a war ("the Great War") going on? Mary predicted that if her message was disregarded, there would be
many martyrs,
war would spread, and the
Holy Father would have much to suffer.
It doesn't take much to look at the 20th century (and the first decade and a half of the 21st) to suspect that Mary's plea for penance and prayer did not receive the response she had intended. But with confidence in Mary's motherly love, we can still hope that now, in these final days leading up to the centenary of her visits, we may yet return to God with our whole heart and see the promised triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
Here are some books and resources that can help you receive, live and spread Mary's message of repentance, prayer and peace, which is, after all, the heart of the Gospel her Son came to establish:
The Fatima story:
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| A straightforward telling for general readership. |
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| Picture book for little ones. |
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| Novelized biography for young readers. |
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Movies:
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| The classic film. |
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| Documentary on the children of Fatima. |
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| Documentary with testimonials from Mary's shrines in the Americas. |
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| Documentary pilgrimage around the world. |
Prayer:
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| Practical Rosary guide. |
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| Novena booklet with brief history. |
1 comment:
One of the churches in the town across the river had a summer movie series and we were able to watch The 13th Day (or, something like that) about the Portuguese children who first witnessed the Apparitions at Fatima, as described in the person of the oldest of the three children, a nun.
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