Feb. 20 - Feast of St. Francisco and St. Jacinta of Fatima

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today is the Feast of St. Francisco and his little sister, St. Jacinta - two of the three shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared at Fatima.

…The children were canonised not because they were privileged to see the Blessed Virgin Mary, but because they faithfully lived and witnessed to the message She gave the world through them – a message of personal conversion, prayer, sacrifice willingly offered in reparation for sin, and a great love of the Lord, especially in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

They responded heroically to the universal call to holiness and their lives – short though they were – became a way of sanctity for them, leading them to God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary…

For more see HERE

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
St. Francisco, pray for us.
St. Jacinta pray for us.

 

[petra22]

I came to love those two little children and Sr. Lucia when I read the book, Fatima: In Her Own Words by Sr. Lucia… Those three changed the direction of my life and increased my faith greatly! Thank you, Lord, for the little shepherds!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks dear Petra for your reply.

I too love those little shepherds and have been inspired by their love for Jesus and Mary and their willingness to suffer in reparation for the sake of the Church.

If those little shepherds could be so brave and loving, how can I be cowardly in facing far less suffering? Only by God’s Grace can I turn and become as a little child. May God give me and all of us in the Church today greater Faith, Hope and above all Charity that we may become the saints God has called us to become, through Mary.

 

[petra22]

Sr. Lucia, St. Jacinta and St. Francisco convinced me that the Blessed Mother had really appeared to them mostly because I taught elementary school and I knew it would take something really real to convince the children to pray and make such sacrifices as giving up their lunches… It would take something REAL to cause those children to hold steadfast to their explanations vs. being boiled in oil!!! People should read about them because they are from a time close to our own lifetimes. My father was born in 1917. Newspaper people went to Fatima to poke fun and dissuade believers. I think it was 70,000 people who saw the miracle of the sun dancing in the sky. There are still newspaper reports about it all. The Blessed Mother let everyone see. I thank you for bringing it up!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear adgloriam,

Thanks for your reply. God always provides!!!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Petra,

The Lord told us in His Gospel, ( Mt 18: 1-7) unless we turn and become like children, we will not enter heaven:

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst,
and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives Me.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones* who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

The children of Fatima were humble and open to hear the Truth and do the Truth they heard, by God’s Grace and the intercession of Mary. By His Grace and the intercession of Mary, we are called to do the same. Thanks again petra for your own love for Jesus and Mary and your willingness to respond to God’s Grace in your life.

Please let us continue to pray for one another and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy.