News Item: : May 13th - Our Lady of Fatima - Day of Reparation in Ireland - Oz Rosary in Australia - Let us Unite in Prayer!
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
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Sunday 13 May 2018 - 13:41:14

Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of the Abandoned Ones

Today is the 101st anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady at Fatima in 1917. One only has to look around at the spiritual warfare being waged in the Church and the world in these times to realize the apocalyptic importance of the Fatima apparitions and to reflect on their true content, requests and implications.

As well as being a grave warning, the apparitions at Fatima can act as a timely consolation to all Catholics who are trying their best to respond to God's graces in the present circumstances in which we all find ourselves.

Right now, we at Torch of The Faith find ourselves in a particularly isolated and worrisome position, due to the state of things in the Church and society. It has been our consistent and remarkable experience over the years, that the more one speaks out to defend Catholic orthodoxy and the Culture of Life, conversely the less welcome one is in the society of even orthodox Catholics and pro-lifers.

Whilst preparing for today's article last night, we found some very comforting words about a devotion to Our Lady of the Abandoned Ones, over at yesterday's update on the Tradition in Action website.

The article had originally been written by the late, great Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira. His conclusion will likely be helpful to many readers.

The professor wrote: ''Someone once told me this saying of St. Bonaventure that is linked to the devotion to Our Lady of the Abandoned Ones: ''When all human help fails, it is imperative that we do not despair. For normally in this extreme situation, the divine help of Mary comes.'' That is, when man is completely abandoned, it is necessary to have hope, because this is the moment that Our Lady will give her assistance.''

These words encouraged us in a bleak hour, we pray that they will be helpful to some people who read this page today.

Day of Reparation and Repentance in Ireland 

The Calvary scene in the grounds of the shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, Co. Mayo. As storm clouds gather over Ireland, we must all join in praying for the protection of Ireland's 8th Amendment.

We've received an important update from the good people at HLI - Ireland about today's Day of Repentance and Reparation for the Protection of the Unborn and in Reparation for the Ways Ireland Has Turned Away from God.

This essential event will be held today, just a couple of weeks before the referendum vote on the 8th Amendment, with Holy Mass and hopefully an opportunity to venerate a Church approved relic associated with the Holy Face at every single one of 7 venues across Ireland.

The locations include: Our Lady of Victories Church, south Dublin; St. Saviour's Dominican Church, Limerick; St. Patrick's Church, Donegal Town; St. Joseph's SMA Fathers Church, Cork City; Shanvaghera Church 3 miles from the Shrine of Knock, Co, Mayo; St. Mary's Chapel Lane, Belfast; and the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford City.

As Patrick McCrystal, the faithful head of HLI - Ireland, writes: ''The abortion crisis may yet be averted. It is never too late! Nineveh repented and God relented!''

Patrick particularly cites the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14 for today's event: ''If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'' 

When you hear of Irish pro-life bill-boards, featuring the majestic Holy Face of Jesus, being plastered over with horrible posters telling people ''not to repent, but to repeal the 8th Amendment,''  then you must realize the absolute gravity of all of this from a spiritual, as well as from a temporal, perspective... 

Therefore: Please join in praying with the good Catholics of Ireland, from wherever you are today.

Oz Rosary # 53

This 101st anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima is also the day on which the Rosary on the Coast will be held all around Australia.

Following the success of similar events around Poland, Ireland and the United Kingdom, Oz Rosary # 53 will gather Catholics from all around Australia to pray the Rosary for Australia's protection, future, youth and for the Church there.

The number 53 represents the number of times the Hail Mary is prayed during the recital of the Holy Rosary. Originally, the leaders were looking for 53 or more locations to act as official venues for prayers. It looks as though they have been blessed with much greater success, because some 200 locations are now planning to host today's event all around Australia.

David Cremin, the retired auxiliary bishop of Sydney has strongly endorsed the initiative, which, as seems to so often be the way in these times of apostasy and disorientation, has largely grown through the prayers and endeavours of lay people and local parish priests.

Nevertheless, this fact itself shows that the Holy Ghost is still protecting, guiding and nurturing the Church. God will always raise up new disciples and will not leave his people as orphans.

America's National Catholic Register had an encouraging interview, about Oz Rosary # 53, with Fr. Stefan Matuszek, assistant priest at St. Augustine's in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.

Father Matuszek has pointed out that, when the European country of Austria found itself under the occupation of the Soviets after World War II, a capuchin priest called Fr. Petrus Pavlicek, managed to mobilise some 70,000 Catholic faithful to pray the Rosary for the exit of the Russians. Three years later, on this very date, the 13th May anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima, the Russians marched out. And as Fr. Matuszek reflects, Fatima is very much connected with Russia.

Through his interview and preparations for today's Rosary initiative, this good Catholic priest has reminded his hearers of the primary importance of prayer.

Recalling that too many of us forget prayer, but instead try and put things right through active initiatives which are more obvious and physical, he explained: ''There is a temptation for all of us in a materialistic world to forget the power of the spiritual.''

In a concluding reflection regarding the ongoing collapse of Church attendance in Australia, in the midst of a cultural context of rampant secularization, Fr. Matuszek told the National Catholic Register: ''The Church has always survived persecution. When Catholics are being arrested, tortured, killed, we just get stronger. Tertullian said the blood of martys is the seed of Christians. The worst thing for the Church is apathy.''

On this 13th May, 101st anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, let us join with all our readers, and Catholics around the world, to be encouraged by the consoling protection of God and of Our Lady, and to pray for these important intentions today.

Keep the Faith!      

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This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.1677 )