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Vatican Weekend for May 13th, 2017 features highlights from Pope Francis’ 24-hour pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine of Fatima in Portugal and a special program retelling the story of the spectacular solar phenomenon that took place on the day of the final apparition by Our Lady of Fatima.Listen to this program produced and presented by Susy Hodges:
Vatican Weekend for May 13th, 2017 features highlights from Pope Francis’ 24-hour pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine of Fatima in Portugal and a special program retelling the story of the spectacular solar phenomenon that took place on the day of the final apparition by Our Lady of Fatima.
Listen to this program produced and presented by Susy Hodges:
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis concluded his pilgrimage to Fatima on Saturday, with a Mass marking the centenary of the Marian apparitions there, which made the place a famous ad beloved place of pilgrimage to millions of faithful from all around the world and across generations.During the Mass, the Holy Father canonised two of the seers of Fatima, declaring Francisco and Jacinta Marto to be saints in heaven.At the end of Mass, the Holy Father led the faithful in a moment of Eucharistic adoration and offered Eucharistic benediction. He also met briefly with a group of sick people, before heading to lunch with the Bishops of Portugal, after which he headed to the papal plane for his flight back to Rome.Our special envoy, Chris Altieri, was in Fatima from start to finish, and sent this overview of this Apostolic pilgrimage.Listen: *************************************************Pope Francis presided over Mass for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims at the Marian shrine in Fatima ...
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis concluded his pilgrimage to Fatima on Saturday, with a Mass marking the centenary of the Marian apparitions there, which made the place a famous ad beloved place of pilgrimage to millions of faithful from all around the world and across generations.
During the Mass, the Holy Father canonised two of the seers of Fatima, declaring Francisco and Jacinta Marto to be saints in heaven.
At the end of Mass, the Holy Father led the faithful in a moment of Eucharistic adoration and offered Eucharistic benediction. He also met briefly with a group of sick people, before heading to lunch with the Bishops of Portugal, after which he headed to the papal plane for his flight back to Rome.
Our special envoy, Chris Altieri, was in Fatima from start to finish, and sent this overview of this Apostolic pilgrimage.
Listen:
*************************************************
Pope Francis presided over Mass for hundreds of thousands of pilgrims at the Marian shrine in Fatima on Saturday, the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the apparitions of Our Lady there to three small shepherd children.
The children were a brother and sister, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and their cousin, Lucia.
Starting on May 13th, 1917, and running until October 13th of that same year – the story goes – Our Lady would appear and entrust the three children with several messages and three “secrets”.
Those secrets have since been generally understood to regard the conduct of human affairs in the years and decades that followed the bloody middle of 1917, at the beginning of the bloodiest century in world history to date.
During the Mass, Pope Francis canonized two of the children, Francisco and Jacinta, declaring them saints in heaven and ordering that they be honoured throughout the whole Church.
The canonisation ceremony itself was powerfully moving: before a sea of humanity gathered together for the purpose from every corner of the globe, it was conducted in the local language, Portuguese – a departure from the standard procedure, which uses Latin.
About the day, there are a thousand details in which one could get lost: from the glorious and almost constant sunshine that gave the forecasts for the morning the lie - at least for as long as the ceremonies lasted, to the practiced efficiency and cheerfulness of the local people – every May 13th is a big day here – to the patience and even cheerful orderliness of the pilgrims – even and especially the young ones – many of whom had kept their vigil all through the night and into the morning.
One thing in the way of local colour was particularly impressive: the votive candles – thousands of them – lining the short walls enclosing the plaza between the basilicas, and left at the feet of the several statues in the plaza itself, which had pierced the night with their gentle, pertinacious glow, and were gone by morning.
But why?
I mean to ask: details apart, what is the story here?
Not to put too fine a point on it: why should we care?
Francisco and Jacinta would die within three years of the apparitions, while their cousin, Lucia, went on to join the Discalced Carmelite order and lived a long life of prayerful seclusion, dying in 2005 at the age of 97.
So, they never really did anything, at least not as far as the world measures achievement.
Still, people have been coming to this place for a century now, to participate in the witness of those shepherd children – and now we know that two of those children are saints in heaven: Francisco and Jacinta, and Sr. Lucia’s cause is open.
I’ll tell you one thing they did: they told the truth.
Those, who disbelieved the shepherd children in 1917, or sought to protect them from themselves, or simply opposed them, have gone to their reward, and while some of Our Lady’s promises seem arguably to have been kept, and the worst of the consequences against which she warned us seem perhaps to have been averted at least for now, the spectre of war has not ceased, and many nations that once made the Cross of Christ their glory, seem now to have forgotten him and to scoff at His commands.
There have always been scoffers, and there always will be, and there’s nothing any of us can do about that.
Today’s scoffers are not all yesterday’s scoffers though: and many of those who scoffed at the children while they lived, were converted to repentance and belief by the working of more spectacular wonders.
Many more scoffers through the years and decades since, have been converted by the quiet witness of those, who continue to come here.
Even the Church was not quick to accept that Francisco and Lucia could be saints: not that they might not be in heaven, but that they had not the psychological maturity to make an act of faith worthy of imitation – or so the argument ran.
In this day – our own – in which many people scoff at truth itself, and do not really expect anyone to believe anything – the word of a child or the word of a king – the story of three shepherd children, who witnessed a most extraordinary thing, and told of what they saw and heard as best they could according to the lights God gave them, and despite significant consequences and threats of worse things still, stuck to their story: that is a story worth telling, and one the world needs to hear.
It is an appalling choice, and it is one we must make every hour of every day: either we decide that we shall tell the truth, come what may, and expect our fellows to do the same, or there can be no fellowship to speak of.
That is the story to which Pope Francis’s pilgrimage has called our attention, before which is the story of the Queen of Heaven who calls us to prayer for the conversion of hearts and for peace on Earth, and beyond which is a future, the details of which are uncertain, but the outcome of which is foretold: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”
What happens in the space between is up to us.
That’s what we call “a story with legs” in the trade.
In Fatima, I’m Chris Altieri.
IMAGE: CNS photo/Miguel Guitierrez, EPABy Ezra FieserSAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (CNS) --Bishops from across Latin America condemned the ongoing violence in Venezuelaand called for the church to find ways to provide charity to the South Americancountry amid food shortages that have left thousands hungry."We are worried and painedby the deaths, the violence, the lack of the most basic goods, the divisions,the violation of human rights," said Auxiliary Juan Espinoza Jimenez of Morelia, Mexico, secretary general of the LatinAmerica bishops' council, known by its Spanish acronym, CELAM.Bishop Espinoza spoke during CELAM's assembly in SanSalvador, which brought together Catholic representatives from 21 LatinAmerican countries plus delegations from the United States and Canada. Themeeting, which ended May 12 and was themed "A poor church for the poor,"dedicated special attention to the situation in Venezuela.The conference appointed acommission to study the issue and make recommendations. T...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Miguel Guitierrez, EPA
By Ezra Fieser
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (CNS) -- Bishops from across Latin America condemned the ongoing violence in Venezuela and called for the church to find ways to provide charity to the South American country amid food shortages that have left thousands hungry.
"We are worried and pained by the deaths, the violence, the lack of the most basic goods, the divisions, the violation of human rights," said Auxiliary Juan Espinoza Jimenez of Morelia, Mexico, secretary general of the Latin America bishops' council, known by its Spanish acronym, CELAM.
Bishop Espinoza spoke during CELAM's assembly in San Salvador, which brought together Catholic representatives from 21 Latin American countries plus delegations from the United States and Canada. The meeting, which ended May 12 and was themed "A poor church for the poor," dedicated special attention to the situation in Venezuela.
The conference appointed a commission to study the issue and make recommendations. The commission will be headed by Archbishop Diego Padron Sanchez of Cumana, Venezuela, president of the Venezuelan bishops' conference.
"The bishops, presidents and delegates of the episcopal conferences of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have placed our minds and hearts with our brothers and sisters in Venezuela," the bishops said in a letter that was read at the meeting. "We want to express to all citizens, and especially those in the Catholic Church, our closeness, solidarity and support, at the same time that we transmit a voice of hope in Christ, way, truth and life."
The South American country of 31 million has been besieged by a deep political crisis since President Nicolas Maduro moved to expand his power, including taking over the functions of the opposition-controlled congress and, more recently, pushing for the constitution to be reformed.
Weeks of large-scale street demonstrations have led to violent clashes with police, leaving nearly 40 people dead and drawing international condemnation. The country has struggled with a deep economic recession and runaway inflation that has caused shortages of food and medical supplies. A survey by a Venezuelan university found about 75 percent of the population had lost an average of 19 pounds last year because of the lack of food.
Bishops Espinoza urged the church to respond to the crisis by providing supplies. "We call on the diocesan communities of Latin America and the Caribbean to initiate initiatives of charity with our Venezuelan brothers and to think about ways to make them effective, despite obstacles that may arise," he said.
"The Catholic people of Latin America and the Caribbean know well that, in the most difficult moments of their history, we must turn to God with all pity to move forward," the letter said, urging all churches to "pray for this brother and sister country for a prompt and definitive reconciliation and social peace."
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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Junno Arocho EstevesFATIMA, Portugal (CNS) -- Standing before the Basilica ofOur Lady of the Rosary, Pope Francis canonized two shepherd children who sawMary at Fatima, but more importantly, he said, they heeded the call to pray forsinners and trust in the Lord."We declare and define Blessed Francisco Marto andBlessed Jacinta Marto as saints," the pope said May 13 as hundreds ofthousands of pilgrims broke out in applause before he finished speaking.The relics of the young shepherd children, encased in twothin golden crosses, were placed in front of the famed statue of Our Lady ofFatima, the "lady dressed in white" as the siblings and their cousindescribed her.The Marian apparitions began May 13, 1917, when 9-year-oldFrancisco and 7-year-old Jacinta, along with their 10-year-old cousin Lucia dosSantos, reported seeing the Virgin Mary. The apparitions continued once a monthuntil Oct. 13, 1917, and later were declared worthy of belief by the CatholicChurch.Aft...
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring
By Junno Arocho Esteves
FATIMA, Portugal (CNS) -- Standing before the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope Francis canonized two shepherd children who saw Mary at Fatima, but more importantly, he said, they heeded the call to pray for sinners and trust in the Lord.
"We declare and define Blessed Francisco Marto and Blessed Jacinta Marto as saints," the pope said May 13 as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims broke out in applause before he finished speaking.
The relics of the young shepherd children, encased in two thin golden crosses, were placed in front of the famed statue of Our Lady of Fatima, the "lady dressed in white" as the siblings and their cousin described her.
The Marian apparitions began May 13, 1917, when 9-year-old Francisco and 7-year-old Jacinta, along with their 10-year-old cousin Lucia dos Santos, reported seeing the Virgin Mary. The apparitions continued once a month until Oct. 13, 1917, and later were declared worthy of belief by the Catholic Church.
After contracting influenza, Francisco died April 4, 1919, at the age of 10, while Jacinta succumbed to her illness Feb. 20, 1920, at the age of 9.
The children, beatified by St. John Paul II in 2000, are now the youngest non-martyrs to be declared saints by the Catholic Church.
Before his arrival at the shrine, the pope met privately with Portuguese Prime Minster Antonio Costa and then made his way into the sanctuary that houses the tombs of Sts. Francisco and Jacinta and their cousin Lucia, who died in 2005 at the age of 97. The diocesan phase of her sainthood cause concluded in February and now is under study at the Vatican.
Pope Francis stood for several minutes in front of the tombs with his eyes closed and head bowed.
In his homily at the canonization Mass, the pope reflected on the brief lives of the young sibling saints, who are often remembered more for the apparitions rather than for their holy lives.
But it is Mary's message and example, rather than an apparition, is important, he told the crowd, which Portuguese authorities estimated at about 500,000 people.
"The Virgin Mother did not come here so that we could see her. We will have all eternity for that, provided, of course, that we go to heaven," the pope said.
Instead, he continued, Mary's messages to the young children were a warning to all people about leading "a way of life that is godless and indeed profanes God in his creatures."
"Such a life -- frequently proposed and imposed -- risks leading to hell. Mary came to remind us that God's light dwells within us and protects us," the pope said.
The hopeful message of Fatima, he said, is that men and women have a mother and like children clinging to her, "we live in the hope that rests on Jesus."
Pope Francis called on the pilgrims to follow the example of heroic virtue lived by St. Francisco and St. Jacinta, particularly their insistent prayer for sinners and their adoration of "the hidden Jesus" in the tabernacle.
This continual presence of God taught to them by Mary, he said, "was the source of their strength in overcoming opposition and suffering."
By following their example, the pope said, Christians can become "a source of hope for others" and counter "the indifference that chills the heart" and "worsens our myopia."
"We do not want to be a stillborn hope! Life can survive only because of the generosity of other lives," he said.
It is with the light of hope, the pope added, that the church can radiate "the true face of Jesus" and reach out to those in need.
"Thus, may we rediscover the young and beautiful face of the church, which shines forth when she is missionary, welcoming, free, faithful, poor in means and rich in love," he said.
Addressing the sick before concluding the Mass, Pope Francis said that Christ understands the "meaning of sorrow and pain" and, through the church, offers comfort to the afflicted just as it did for Sts. Francisco and Jacinta in their final moments.
"That is the church's ministry: the church asks the Lord to comfort the afflicted like yourselves, and he comforts you, even in ways you cannot see. He comforts you in the depths of your hearts and he comforts you with the gift of strength," the pope said.
The "hidden Jesus" the young shepherds adored in the Eucharist is also present "in the wounds of our brothers and sisters" where Christians can adore, seek and recognize Christ.
Pope Francis encouraged the sick present at Mass to "live their lives as a gift" and to not think of themselves simply "as the recipients of charitable solidarity" but rather "a spiritual resource, an asset to every Christian community."
"Do not be ashamed of being a precious treasure of the church," he said.
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Follow Arocho on Twitter: @arochoju.
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Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
