Over the past few centuries, there have been many reported apparitions of the Blessed Mother. Her appearance to Juan Diego at Guadalupe was the beginning of those apparitions. The other famous and approved apparitions have been at Lourdes and Fatima. Most of the apparitions beyond these have not received approval by the Church or have been rejected as false.
This Saturday, May 13, is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, the most famous of all of the apparitions. The first apparition of Mary at Fatima took place on May 13, 1917, outside of the village of Fatima, Portugal, to three young people—Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco.
The children were playing in what is known as the Cove of Peace and suddenly saw a great light, and then a lady in white. Lucia later wrote, “She was more brilliant than the sun and radiated light more intense and clear than a crystal glass filled with sparkling water when the rays of the burning sun shine through it.” She held a rosary which shone like stars. They were told to return to this spot every month on the 13th for six months, and that she would later reveal to them who she was.
Over the next few months, she revealed that she was the Blessed Mother and continued to stress the importance of praying the rosary daily. She also revealed to them some so-called “secrets.” In one of these, she said that the war (World War I) would soon end, but if the world did not turn to God in prayer, an even greater war would follow. Also, she spoke of the “errors of Russia” that would spread throughout the world. “But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will be victorious.”
In this month of Mary, let us listen to our Blessed Mother and pray for ourselves, our families, our Church, our nation and our world. May her Immaculate Heart watch out for us and bring God’s blessings upon us.
–Fr. Mike Comer
