We are at a decisive moment in history, in which God points out two paths: one for those who want to enter the Reign of His Blessed Mother; the other for those who prefer to continue living in the reign of sin.
Among the various apparitions of Our Lady throughout history, those that occurred in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, stand out for their marked prophetic character.
“She came in person,” commented Msgr. João Scognamiglio Clá Dias, founder of the Heralds of the Gospel, “to recall forgotten truths, such as the existence of hell, and to threaten men with terrible punishments if they did not turn back to the path of justice. […] Our Lady wished to speak at the beginning of a century that would be characterized by the silence of those who ought to cry out, or worse still, by the deceit of those who, knowing the truth, would seek to obscure it because their deeds were evil (cf. Jn 3:19).”1
Predictions faithfully fulfilled
If we re-read the predictions contained in this message, we will be struck by the fact that a large part of them have been fulfilled precisely as announced.
Let us analyse, for example, some passages of the text that has become known as the second part of the secret of Fatima, revealed in the apparition of July 13. 2
“The war is going to end” – a reference made by Our Lady to the First World War, which was in progress during the apparitions and which in fact ended in November of the following year – “but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI.” This was fulfilled with the advent of the Second World War, heralded by the annexation of Austria and part of Czechoslovakia in 1938.
The Blessed Virgin not only indicated the temporal context in which the conflict would be unleashed, but also how it would be signalled: “When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes.” This was the aurora borealis that illuminated the skies of Europe on the night of January 25, 1938, considered by Sister Lucia, the only one of the children alive at the time, as the sign promised by the Mother of God.
Finally, She named the characteristics of the chastisement: “by means of war, famine and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.” And She indicated the way to avoid it: “I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.” Then She added: “If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church.”
As her exhortations were not heeded, communism took hold of Russia a few months after this apparition, leading to the death of millions of human beings.
Announcements yet to be fulfilled
Much of what was foretold has already been fulfilled, as we have seen. Other predictions, however, have not yet been fulfilled or have been only partially fulfilled. Let us consider some of these predictions:
“The Holy Father will have much to suffer.” These are mysterious words about which we do not know what to say. They may be the subject of future considerations.
“Various nations will be annihilated.” We have yet to see this. However, the occurrence of so many catastrophes recently in different parts of the globe is troubling: COVID-19 pandemic, earthquakes, floods, heavy snowfalls, fires, hurricanes, plagues of insects, etc. We fear that such phenomena are the beginning of the foretold events.
In January 1944, Sister Lucia beheld a startling vision while praying before the Blessed Sacrament: “Mountains, cities, towns and villages with their inhabitants are buried. The sea, the rivers and the clouds emerge from their limits, overflowing and bringing with them, in a whirlwind, houses and people in numbers that are not possible to count. It is the purification of the world because of the sins in which it is plunged. Hatred and ambition cause the destructive war!”3
“War”: the threat of nuclear war erupting on a worldwide scale is a very real possibility.
“Persecutions of the Church”: there are endless news reports in this regard, and it only seems to be the beginning.
The path of hope amid the catastrophe
The message of Fatima is a prophecy – not an official, but an authentic one – with all its characteristics. If we had to summarize it in a few words, five would suffice: announcement, request, warning, punishment and reward. In other words, it comprises the denunciation of a world dominated by sin; the request that men renounce sin; the prediction of punishment if this state of affairs is not abandoned; the proclamation of a new historical era, which will come only after penance and the conversion of mankind.
In this panorama of threatening warnings, a path of hope opens up on hearing her firm and maternal promise: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph” and “a period of peace will be granted to the world.”
This refers to the great historical era prophesied by so many Saints, above all by St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort: “When will that happy day come when God’s Mother is enthroned in men’s hearts as Queen, subjecting them to the dominion of her great and princely Son? When will souls breathe Mary as the body breathes air? When that time comes, wonderful things will happen on earth.”4
In that blessed era, Heaven will unite with earth, the infernal regions will be defeated, and the Angels will join men in singing, “Glory to Mary in her Reign, for her Immaculate Heart has triumphed!”
“It will be the reign of Our Lady’s clemency, compassion and sweetness […]. Just as in the present day the foul and pestilent breath of the Revolution, characterized by revolt, egalitarianism and sensuality, is inhaled everywhere, during the Reign of Mary, it will be possible to breathe the sweet aroma of the presence and virtues of the heavenly Queen in souls and ambiences, in customs and even in civilizations.”5
Will we choose the Reign of Mary or the reign of sin?
We are at a decisive moment in history, in which God presents us with two paths: one for those who want to enter the Reign of His Blessed Mother; the other for those who prefer to continue living in the reign consisting of sin.
Those who want to be part of the Reign of Mary must listen to the Blessed Virgin’s authentic representatives, and follow their counsels with a renewed heart. These will enter the path of salvation.
A reign of purity and goodness, emanating from the maternal Heart of the Mother of God is prepared for them. It will be a reign of great splendour, in both temporal society and in the Church, owing to the abundance of graces poured out by the Divine Holy Spirit. ◊
Notes
1 CLÁ DIAS, EP, João Scognamiglio. Maria Santíssima! O Paraíso de Deus revelado aos homens. Maria, eixo da História. [Mary Most Holy: God’s Paradise Revealed to Men. Mary, the Pivot of History]. São Paulo: Arautos do Evangelho, 2020, v.III, p.112.
2 The passages from this part of the secret used in the present article are transcribed from: FATIMA in Lucia’s own words. Sister Lucia’s Memoirs. Fatima: Postulation Centre, 1976, p. 162.
3 SISTER LUCIA. O meu caminho, apud CARMELO DE COIMBRA. Um caminho sob o olhar de Maria. Biografia da Ir. Maria Lúcia de Jesus e do Coração Imaculado, OCD. Coimbra: Edições Carmelo, 2013, p.267.
4 ST. LOUIS-MARIE GRIGNION DE MONTFORT. Treatise of True Devotion to Mary, n.217.
5 CLÁ DIAS, op. cit., p.123.
