Showing posts with label Fatima. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fatima. Show all posts

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

What Happened at Fatima - Leo Madigan - CTS Christian Shrines

What Happened at Fatima?
The First Objective and Comprehensive Retelling of the Story in 50 years
CTS Christian Shrines Series
Leo Madigan
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781860820915
eISBN 9781784692209
ASIN B071RNCN65
CTS Booklet D651

What Happened at Fatima - Leo Madigan - CTS Christian Shrines

This is a great read in a wonderful series. Over the last several years, I have read many books from the Catholic Truth Society, in fact over 450 of them as of the reading of this volume; many read more than once; this all since the spring of 2018. Most were good reads; some were great reads; and a few are exceptional. This was the eighteenth in the CTS Christian Shrines Series that I have read; many of them have been read twice. This is the first I have read by Leo Madigan, and I believe the only one of his published by the CTS. But many of his other titles both fiction and non-fiction caught my attention. This booklet was originally published 2000 and the eBook was released in 2017. The description of this volume is:

“An objective and comprehensive retelling following the history of the events at Fatima, adhering faithfully to the memoirs of the longest surviving seer, Sister Lucia.

Adhering faithfully to the memoirs of Sister Lucia, the longest surviving seer, this book follows the events of Fatima: from the first stirrings of the wings in the appearances of the angels before the six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin herself, the deaths of Francisco and Jacinta Marto, the subsequent apparitions to Sister Lucia in Pontevedra and Tuy, the consecration of the world and Russia to the Immaculate Heart, the dissolution of Soviet Communism, to the beatifications of Francisco and Jacinta and the opening of the third part of the secret that Our Lady confided to the children in 1917.”

The chapters in the book are:

Introduction
What Happened at Fatima
The stirring of wings
The unfolding of the wings
Angel at prayer
The Lady
From May to June
Wednesday, 13th June 1917
From 13th June to 13th July 1917
Friday, 13th July 1917
Monday, 13th August 1917
Sunday, 19th August 1917
From August to September 1917
Thursday, 13th September 1917
Saturday, 13th October 1917
The miracle of the Sun
Francisco, 11th June 1908-4th April 1919
Jacinta, 11th March 1910-20th February 1920
Lucia, 22nd March 1906

I highlighted only few passages while reading this volume, they are:

“But if the choice of peasant children as heaven’s messengers is a paradox, that is in keeping with the Message of Fatima itself because heaven’s values are opposite to ours. If you can accept that, read on. Indeed, read on even if you find believing difficult.”

“That rural community, Aljustrel in the parish of Fatima, could not possibly have known it, but heaven was schooling one of its children, Lucia dos Santos, preparing her for a role it had selected her to play in one of the most public manifestations of Divine Mercy in our world since Christ walked among us.”

“From lunch-time to nightfall! That must have been at least 4-5 hours. 4-5 hours spent in prayer with one’s forehead to the ground would suggest a form of ecstasy in a spiritually mature person. In 7 to 10 year olds it couldn’t be anything else.”

“The Lady had beguiled them; the God they saw themselves in when the rays from the Lady’s hands penetrated their hearts had beguiled them; heaven itself had beguiled them. The supernatural had kidnapped their every thought and affection. They had been promised heaven, had even been given a glimpse of it and now all else was insipid.”

“It doesn’t require much imagination to picture the pressure put on the children, their families and their village, before the October Apparition.”

“When the 13th arrived an estimated 70,000 people turned up in appalling weather conditions in this remote hill country that was barely equipped to sustain its few villages and livestock. 70,000 would be a dream number for a sponsored event nowadays but in 1917, long before television and radio, to say nothing of mass transport, a crowd of 70,000 must have been an awesome sign of man’s hankering for the supernatural.”

“Francisco’s lack of self-interest, together with his secret prayer life are of a piece with the prototypes of the Christian contemplative like Benedict Joseph Labre, Charles de Foucauld and Therésè Martin. The symptoms are the same. The thirst for solitude, the hours hidden camouflaged in prayer, the absorption in the Divine that go unremarked by those around because of the veil of paradox, the veil that enables the contemplative to disappear into prayer, into the very wood of the cross, to contemplate the sun at midnight and to stake all on a virgin with a child.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for the volume. This book is a real focus on the history of the events and the events after. It has a really well balanced mix history and personal accounts. It is cleanly written and easy to engage with. It could benefit anyone from secondary school on. 

This book is another great read and one any Catholic would benefit from reading. The CTS Deeper Christianity Series of books is written in such a way that they can easily be read in any order. Pick and choose the ones that interest you, read them in order, or jump around. I have been blessed by the entire series that I have read and can highly recommend this book and the series.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Christian Shrines series click here.

Other Books in the CTS Christian Shrines Series:
Message of Assisi
Message of Fatima
Message of Guadalupe
Message of Walsingham
Santiago: Santiago de Compostela - The Pilgrim Way of St James

Books and articles about Fatima:
...

Books by Leo Madigan:
Alexandrina da Costa: The Mystical Martyr of Fatima
Armchair Fatima: An Illustrated Tour of the Marian Shrine and Nearby Sites
Exquisite Miniature: Little Nellie of Holy God 1903-1908
Fatima Prayer Book
Fatima: Highway of Hope
Handbook to Fatima: The Altar of the World
Princesses of the Kingdom
Random Jottings for Young Seafarers
Safe or Sorry
The 2nd Catholic Quiz Book
The Catholic Quiz Book
The Children of Fatima
The Devil is a Jackass
The Fatima Guide
The Golden Book of Fatima
The Irish Monstrance
Why Fatima? The True Secret
…

Fiction:
Crystal Ball Cameos
Jackrandy
The Bank of Infinite Reserves
The Five Stones
The Weka-Feather Cloak
Who Told You You Were Naked?
…












Labels: , , , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, 20 July 2024

Prayer of the Day Fatima Prayers

Prayer of the Day Fatima Prayers

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.

Most Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit - I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.

Oh my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Oh My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy.


I have tried to pray these prayers every day since I encountered them in a book many years ago. I believe I started praying them after reading in 2017:

Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto: 
Shepherds of Fatima
Encounter the Saints Series
Anne Eileen Heffernan
Patricia Edward Jablonski
Mari Goering (Illustrator)
Pauline Books and Media
ISBN 9780819890962

Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto: Shepherds of Fatima - Anne Eileen Heffernan and Patricia Edward Jablonski - Encounter the Saints


Books and articles about Fatima:


Labels: , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Friday, 23 February 2024

Our Lady Came to Fatima - Ruth Fox Hume and Christopher J. Pelicano - Vision Book

Our Lady Came to Fatima
Ruth Fox Hume
Christopher J. Pelicano (Illustrator)
ISBN 9781586170370

Our Lady Came to Fatima - Ruth Fox Hume and Christopher J. Pelicano - Vision Book 19

Reading this marks the thirteenth work I have read in the Vision Books for Young Readers Series, 10 in the currently in print books from Ignatius Press and three of the older out of print volumes. This one is book 19 in the original series. A few years back I did some research on the Vision Books for Young Readers and from the books I have read can state that they are great reads for teens, young adults and adults. This was another excellent read and I understand that Ignatius has several other titles in the work to expand the series. But let us return to this specific volume. The description of the book is:

“Who would have thought that the Blessed Mother would choose to come to Fatima, that remote farming village on a rocky slope in Portugal? No one was more surprised than Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, the little shepherds to whom she appeared in 1917. In this 27th volume of the acclaimed Vision Books series for youth, readers will be enthralled by the story of the village and its people, of the scornful neighbors and the puzzled parents. Above all, it is a warm story of three little ones who insisted that Our Lady had indeed come to Fatima, and from whose faith grew one of the greatest spiritual movements of our time. Illustrated. "A series which should be found wherever there are young Catholic readers.”

And the author bio states:

“Ruth Fox Hume was a graduate of Catholic schools, a teacher, and a mother. She is also the author of Great Men of Medicine and Milestones of Medicine.”

The chapters in the book are:

A Guide to Pronunciation
Prologue
1. A Lady from Heaven
2. A Crisis in the Family
3. A Message for Maria Rosa
4. A Case of Mistaken Identity
5. A Queen of Politics
6. A Sentence of Death
7. A Delayed Meeting
8. A New Friend
9. A Sign from Heaven
10. A Promise to Francisco
11. A Journey for Jacinta
12. A New Life for Lucia
13. A Mission Accomplished
14. A Pilgrimage to Fatima
Author’s Note
Afterward

I have read a number of volumes about Fatima, the three visionaries, and in general about Mary’s apparitions. This is an excellent volume on the topic for young readers. It is written in a clear and engaging manner. Once I started reading I had a hard time putting it down.  

It will inspire and challenge readers of all ages. I plan on reading all the books in this series that are in print and as many of the out of print that I can track down. This is another great volume in a wonderful series. My only complaint is that only about a third of the books are available in digital formats, with my dual form of dyslexia and my son’s eye tracking issues eBooks are our preferred format. I have had a physical copy of this for a few years but had not get around to reading it, I decided to take it on a recent trip and read it while travelling. These books are written for Middle Grade Readers, and with Teens and Young Adults in mind, but this one and the others I have read are great for readers of all ages. 

I can easily recommend this book and series for any home, church, or school library. An excellent volume in an amazing series!  

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!   

For all books about Fatima click here.

Books in the Vision Books Saints Biographies:
The Cure of Ars 
Edmund Campion 
Florence Nightingale's Nuns 
Fr. Marquette and the Great Rivers 
Francis and Clare, Saints of Assisi 
Kateri Tekakwitha 
Maria von Trapp and Her Musical Family 
Mother Cabrini, Missionary to the World 
Mother Seton and the Sisters of Charity 
Saint Anthony and the Christ Child 
Saint Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal 
Saint Dominic and the Rosary 
Saint Elizabeth's Three Crowns 
Saint Francis of the Seven Seas 
Saint Helena and the True Cross 
Saint Ignatius and the Company of Jesus 
Saint Isaac and the Indians 
Saint Katherine Drexel 
Saint Louis and the Last Crusade 
Saint Philip of the Joyous Heart 
Saint Therese and the Roses 
Saint Thomas Aquinas and the Preaching Beggars 
Saint Thomas More of London 
Vincent De Paul: Saint of Charity 

Out of Print books in the Series:
Catholic Campuses, Stories of American Catholic Colleges 
Champions in Sports and Spirit 
Children Welcome: Villages for Boys and Girls 
Christmas and the Saints 
Columbus and the New World 
Dear Philippine: Mission of Mother Duchesne 
Edel Quinn: Beneath the Southern Cross 
Frances Warde and the First Sisters of Mercy 
Good Pope John b
Governor Al Smith 
In American Vineyards, Religious Orders in the United States 
John Carroll Bishop and Patriot
John Neumann, The Children's Bishop 
Kit Carson of the Old West 
Lydia Longley, the First American Nun 
Marguerite Bourgeoys, Pioneer Teacher 
Martin de Porres, Saint of the New World 
Modern Crusaders 
More Champions in Sports and Spirit 
Mother Barat's Vineyard 
My Eskimos: A Priest in the Artic 
Peter and Paul: The Rock and the Sword 
Peter Claver, Saint Among Slaves
Pope Pius XII, the World's Shepherd 
Rose Hawthorne: The Pilgramage of Nathaniel's Daughter 
Saints of the Byzantine World 
Sarah Peter: The Dream and the Harvest 
St. Augustine and His Search for Faith 
St. Francis de Sales 
St. Gregory the Great, Consul of God 
St. Jerome and the Bible 
St. Margaret Mary, Apostle of the Sacred Heart 
The Bible Story, The Promised Lord and His Coming 
The Cross in the West 
The Ursulines, Nuns of Adventure 
…
...

Books and articles about Fatima:







An American Little Flower Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich - GinaMarie Tennant - Vision Book

Louise and Zélie The Holy Parents of Saint Thérèse - GinaMarie Tennant - Vision Book
Labels: , , , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Friday, 21 October 2022

Fatima and the Immaculate Heart of Mary - Father Anton Nadrah, O Cist - CTS Devotions

Fatima and the Immaculate Heart of Mary 
Fr Anton Nadrah, O Cist
ISBN 9781784691257
eISBN 9781784692216
ASIN B071RNCN63
CTS Booklet D808


This is the first volume I have encountered by Fr Anton Nadrah and I believe the only one of his books available in an English translation. This volume was originally published in Slovenian as Pet Prvih Sobot by Salve Publishers, Ljubljana, Slovenia 2012. The English edition was published by the CTS in 2016 and the eBook was released in 2017. I have attempted the First Five Saturdays a number of times now, including breaking at 4 in September of 2022, as I was travelling, to help my parents move, and the only Saturday mass I found online was not actually offered when I arrived at the church. But reading this volume after that last failed attempt inspired me to try again. This was a wonderful volume and I am thankful I gave it a read.

The description of this volume is:

“Rediscover the heart of the Message of Fatima, through the Five First Fridays devotion, consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Rosary prayer and scripture.

On the centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, we can personally engage in the heart of its message through reflection and prayer. Fr Nadrah helps us to rediscover consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the devotion of the first five Saturdays and how we can live out this consecration on our daily lives. The riches of the rosary prayer are also uncovered in a new light, aided by accompanying scripture texts.”

The chapters in the book are:

Preface
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
Devotion of the Five First Saturdays
Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
I am the Lady of the Rosary
Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Texts to Accompany the Rosary
Prayers for Consecration

This is a very moving and inspirational volume. It is one that will challenge readers, but also encourage and challenge. I highlighted many passages my first time through it. Here are some of them:

“During his pastoral visit to Portugal, Pope Benedict XVI said that in 1917, when the Virgin Mary appeared to the three simple shepherd children, “heaven opened like a window of hope above Portugal”, and “This window of hope is opened by God when man closes the door to him.” Today, many have closed the door to God. If we, at the centenary of Fatima, want “heaven opened” to us and to others as “the window of hope” we must prepare well for it. We can do that by celebrating the Five First Saturdays and the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as found in the message of Fatima, which is the best way of venerating the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This booklet aims to be a source of support both now and later on, since we always need heaven as an open “window of hope”.”

“For those who might be put off by this notion of the “triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” as appearing to suggest she is taking precedence over God, it might be appropriate to explain the centuries-old understanding in the Church, especially by St Louis de Montfort, that Mary exists only to fulfil the holy will of God and lead souls to Jesus, and hence that this triumph of her Heart is God’s will as the means to introduce the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

“It was this deeper meaning Pope Benedict XVI meant when he visited Fatima in 2010 and said: “May the seven years which separate us from the centenary of the apparitions hasten the fulfilment of the prophecy of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity.””

“One form of co-operating with our Mother Mary is to celebrate the first Saturday of five consecutive months that was revealed in the message of Fatima.”

“The oldest Fatima seer, Lucia dos Santos, was a postulant with the Dorothean Sisters in the Spanish town Pontevedra preparing to enter religious life. On 10th December 1925, she saw Mary with the child Jesus by her side, elevated on a luminous cloud in her cell. Mary asked her to spread the devotion of the first Saturday of five consecutive months, and promised the grace of salvation to those who will practise it. That is the great promise of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

“It is necessary to distinguish between the devotion of the first Saturday and the devotion of the first Saturday of five consecutive months. The great promise of Mary to assist at the moment of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation refers to those who at least once in their life on the first Saturday of five consecutive months fulfil all five listed conditions.”

“Pope Pius X already recommended the first Saturdays devotion before Fatima, where the intention is to fulfil all the conditions in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The first Saturdays devotion had already been an established custom in the Catholic Church. On 1st July 1905, Pope Pius X approved and granted indulgences for the practice of the first Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honour of the Immaculate Conception.”

“The Fatima seer was aware of the fact that this devotion should be spread all over the world. Therefore, on 2nd December 1940, she wrote to Pope Pius XII, asking him: “I ask your Holiness to spread this devotion all over the world.” The devotion of the first Saturday of five consecutive months was accepted in many places in the world, however it did not last everywhere. Now it is being introduced again.”

“To sum up the thoughts of Jesus, Mary and Lucia regarding celebrating the first Saturdays devotion we can say that by this devotion we comply with the desire of Jesus and Mary. We bring consolation to both of them and honour the Immaculate Heart of Mary in an excellent way and make reparation to it. It leads us to a warm childlike relationship with our heavenly Mother and promises us eternal salvation. In this way it gives or imparts a Marian character to our faith as it fully takes into account the mediatory role of Mary. At the same time it is a means of preventing wars and thus for the achievement of world peace. All these fruits, however, depend on our personal co-operation.”

“Whoever loves Jesus and Mary and his neighbours and also himself, will not attend or participate in the first Saturdays devotion only on the Five First Saturdays, but it may become a rule of life for him and an opportunity to prove his love of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and of all people.”

“The events in Fatima are, like every authentic apparition, first proof for the existence of the living God, the Virgin Mary, angels and Saints. The three Fatima shepherds, a nine year-old Lucia, an eight year-old Francisco, and a six year-old Jacinta experienced an encounter with the world of God in a threefold meeting with the angel in 1916, and also the next year when the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times and addressed them.”

“The three theological virtues, faith, hope and charity, and prayer are the basis and the alphabet of every Christian life. We already received these virtues at holy Baptism as the foundation that must be developed throughout our lives by the help of God’s grace. They are like flowers we have to water steadily and by the help of the Holy Spirit live them out.”

“First Saturdays are just one form of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We will understand them better if we connect them with the events in Fatima. It is the Heart of Mary that takes the central place in the message of Fatima.”

“The first Saturdays devotion is above all directed to make reparation for ingratitude to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

“Reciting the Rosary is very much emphasised with the devotion of the first Saturday and is an excellent and proven way that leads to the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We not only pray one part of the Rosary, but we also meditate on one or more of the mysteries for fifteen minutes. So we dedicate a bit more than half an hour to the Rosary.”

“At the beginning we set ourselves a task to co-operate with the preparation of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Reading this booklet we realise what fruits an active co-operation with the Five First Saturdays according to the Fatima apparitions brings to us.”

“The triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will first start in our hearts when we allow our Mother Mary to shape our hearts after the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When we strive for faithfulness in following Christ, our lives will bear fruit. And after death we will come to him and to our Mother in heaven.”

The section at the end of the volume ‘Prayers for Consecration’ has the following prayers:

Prayer in preparation for a personal consecration
Prayer in preparation for the consecration of a parish
Prayer for the personal consecration of individuals and groups
Prayer for the personal consecration of a family
Prayer for the consecration of a parish (1)
Prayer for the consecration of a parish (2)
Prayer after the consecration of individuals
Prayer after the consecration of a family
Prayer after the consecration of a parish

This is an excellent little volume. It is perfect for personal use, use in a small group, or for a parish-wide effort. I see myself returning to this volume again and again. The English version in translation is very moving. Once I started I could hardly put it down. A great resource from the Catholic Truth Society.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.



Books and articles about Fatima:
Labels: , , , ,

Posted by at No comments:

Monday, 10 October 2022

Apparitions of Mary Their Meaning in History - Donal Anthony Foley - CTS Christian Shrines

Apparitions of Mary Their Meaning in History
CTS Christian Shrines Series
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 1860820824 
ISBN 9781860820823 
CTS Booklet Do 662


I read and reviewed a different edition of this book back in 2006. The one I read back then was a reprint from Lifehouse Catholic Media, I believe, and I had picked it up at the back of a church or on retreat, I do not recall. It was a great read and I enjoyed it. But never really returned to it or looking deeper at books from either the CTS or Lighthouse. Since that time I have discovered the books and booklets from the Catholic Truth Society, I have read over 300 in the last few years. And I have read another dozen works from Foley’s masterful pen, both his non-fiction and fiction. I tracked down a newer edition of this book and gave it a reread, and this is a new review based on that reread. You can read the original review here. The description of this volume is:

“Many shrines throughout the world are associated with Mary, the Mother of God. What meaning do her apparently random apparitions have? This booklet sets out the links that exist between the nine major apparitions of Mary, accepted as authentic by the Church, and correspondingly important revolutionary events in modern Western history. Fascinating parallels are also drawn between these apparitions (Guadalupe 1531, Rue du Bac 1830, La Salette 1846, Lourdes 1858, Pontmain 1871, Knock 1879, Fatima 1917, Beauraing 1932 and Banneax 1933) and various biblical figures and events.”

The chapters and sections in this volume are:

Introduction 
Guadalupe, the Reformation. and Secularisation 
     The Reformation 
     The Apparition~ at Guadalupe - 1531 
The Enlightenment, French Revolution, and Catholic Revival 
     The French Revolution 
     The Apparitions at Rue du Bac - 1830 
     Jacob, Joseph and the Miraculous Medal
     La Salette Apparition - September 1846 
     La Salette and Moses 
Lourdes and Darwin's theory of Evolution 
     Bernadette and Lourdes - 1858 
     Moses and Bernadette 
Pontmain and Knock Apparitions 
     The Apparition at Pontmain - 1871 
     The High Priest 
     Knock Apparition - 1879 
     Fatima and the Russian Revolution 
     The Apparitions at Fatima - 1917 
     The Miracle of the Sun · October 1917 
     Fatima and Elijah 
Beauraing, Banneux, and the rise of Nazism 
     The Apparitions at Beauraing, 1932-33 
     The Eastern Gate and Beauraing 
     The Apparitions at Banneux - I 933 
     Beaurning, Banneux, and Nazism 
Conclusion 

I highlighted many passages this time through this book. Some of them are:

“This booklet looks at the nine major Marian apparitions that have occurred during the last five centuries or so, and which the Catholic Church has decided to accept as authentic.”

“It is argued that the major modem apparitions of the Mother of Jesus, as approved by the Catholic Church, and particularly Fatima, are not random or historically inconsequential events, but actually seem to follow a preordained plan.”

“In answer to the threat represented by these successive revolutions. Mary has repeatedly appeared and asked for repentance, a turning away from sin. if the most awful disasters are to be avoided. As the spiritual Mother of mankind she cannot stand idly by and watch humanity destroy itself through sin and selfishness. Her apparitions have played a large part in the major Catholic renewals of recent centuries, and if the message of Fatima is heeded then the Church can again experience a renaissance. As the details of the Fatima message make clear, this is necessary if we are to have true peace in the world.”

“Bernadette’s later years were increasingly marked by sufferings, and thus she lived out the '"hard saying" she had heard from Mary: “I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the next.” She died on 16th April 1879, at the age of thirty-five, at the convent in Nevers, and was finally canonised in December 1933, becoming St Bernadette.”

“Pope Pius IX prophetically condemned communism and socialism in 1864, correctly foreseeing that they were capable of destroying the whole moral basis of society if implemented.”

“All of this seems to indicate that Pontmain has a very clear typological link with this particular biblical account, that of the high priest and the sanctuary in the desert.”

“In terms of biblical typology, Knock seems to be concerned with the urk of the covenant. A number of the Church Fathers have compared Mary with the ark, including St Hippolytus of Rome (d. 235), St Andrew of Crete, and St John Damascene. St Athanasius too compared Mary with the ark in very fulsome terms: "Truly, 0 noble Virgin, you are great above all greatness; who indeed can compare with your greatness; 0 dwelling place of the Word of God? With whom shall I compare you among all creatures? You are evidently greater than all of them. 0 Ark of the covenant surrounded totally and purely on all sides with gold! You are the Ark containing all gold, the receptacle of the true manna, that is human nature wherein the divinity resides.''”

“Fatima should be regarded as the most important Marian apparition of the twentieth century, if not the most important event in its own right, not least because of the tremendous "miracle of the sun" which was seen by a crowd of at least 70,000. Fatima also occurred just as the Russian Revolution was unfolding during World War I, a war that essentially resulted from the desire of Germany to have an empire of its own to match. if not exceed, the British Empire a desire spurred on by fear of being encircled by a newly industrialising Russia.”

“Given all this, it is interesting that there seem to be important links between the rise of Nazism and the apparitions of Mary at Beauraing and Banneux. Beauraing is a small town in the southern, French speaking, part of Belgium, and it was here that the Blessed Virgin appeared to a group of children between late November 1932 and January 1933. The five children came from the nominally Catholic Voisin and Degeimbre families.”

“On the evening of Sunday 15th January 1933, Mariette Beco, an eleven year old girl from Banneux a Belgian village fifty miles north-east of Beauraing, also saw the Blessed Virgin. This was only a few weeks after the events at Beauraing, and so there was some scepticism, but subsequent events were to show that this new set of apparitions would also be accepted by the Church.”

“Banneux was investigated from 1935 until 1937 by an Episcopal commission, after which the evidence collected was submitted to Rome. Meanwhile, growing numbers of pilgrims came to the shrine , and in May 1942 Bishop Kerkhofs of Liege approved the cult of the Virgin of the Poor. In 1947 the apparitions themselves received preliminary approval, with this becoming definite in 1949. Like the children at Beauraing. Mariette married and had a family, being, like them, content to remain in the background.”

“Mary revealed herself at Guadalupe as the new Eve, and at Rue du Bae as the Mediatrix of all Graces and the ladder of Jacob which unites mankind to God. At La Salette she came as a new Moses, warning humanity of the need for repentance. At Lourdes she proclaimed herself to be the Immaculate Conception, while at Pontmain and Knock she came as the new ark of the covenant. At Fatima, like a new Elijah, she again warned mankind of the dangers it faced, particularly the “errors of Russia,” and at Beauraing and Banneux appeared as the new “Eastern Gate,” the Virgin Mother of God, to beg for fervent prayer. These types arc not just pious titles but represent the truth of Mary's intercessory role, which in reality is almost infinitely greater. She is the spiritual mother of mankind, the mother of the mystical body of Christ, and thus she is the mother of every human being in the order of grace.”

I am very thankful I traced down and reread this volume. I have read much on Mary’s appearances in the 16 years since I first read this volume. And I have read most books by Donal Anthony Foley. Now I should note, the older edition of this volume that I originally read is labeled as part of the CTS Christian Shrines Series, which is one of my favourite series from the CTS. And this is an excellent read, either as a standalone volume, or as part of the series. Foley writes in an engaging manner. This volume is well researched and wonderfully put together. I can easily recommend this volume!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

For reviews of other books in the CTS Christian Shrines series click here.

Other Books in the CTS Christian Shrines Series:
Message of Assisi
Message of Fatima
Message of Guadalupe
Message of Walsingham
Santiago: Santiago de Compostela - The Pilgrim Way of St James

Books by Donal Anthony Foley:
Apparitions of Mary (2006 Review)
Christian Living: The Spirituality of the Foyers of Charity
Understanding Medjugorje: Heavenly Visions or Religious Illusion?
Marian Apparitions, the Bible, and the Modern World
Medjugorje Revisited: 30 Years of Visions or Religious Fraud?

Fiction:
















Labels: , , , , , ,

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)