Question about Fatima

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GraceSofia

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Catholic Friends,

I was just watching a short film about Fatima (today is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun) and felt very disturbed looking at the still photos of the children. The three children look sad and miserable in all of the photos. That doesn’t seem right to me. Children who have seen the Blessed Virgin should look joyful, I think. I am left feeling very doubtful and disturbed. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hyIpE1_qIFM
 
I have seen that too. I put it down to the culture back then and the fact they were very strict. I think they did see the Blessed Virgin but back in those hard times their expressions in photos are probably different to what they would be for someone who saw Mary these days.
 
I think the children were given a hard time back then. Who can know why anyone indeed has a certain expression on their face at the time the camera clicks. I think it could be possible to be overcome with humility not only by the fact that Our Lady had appeared and spoken with them, but also somewhat disturbed by all the fuss be it positive or negative. Also, Our Lady did convey to them some disturbing messages. It was a huge burden for three small children. Albeit Grace was with them all the way, but they remained quite human and only little children.
The fact that The Church has validated their vision of Our Lady is sufficient for me, no matter what the camera may seem to be saying.
 
It was normal back then for someone to make a serious expression when photgraghed.
 
I know if I saw any one of those that are with God without being purged first, I would not be smiling. I would be able to sense that I am not clean and they would know too. These are children that look young enough that I don’t think their “sins” count as sins yet so I’m a little confused but I could be wrong.

Either way the situation is too serious to be all that happy. Even without the problem of sin, it still makes sense that no one is smiling.
 
These kids were threatened with torture and one of them I believe was even persecuted by her own family. They were under tremendous duress over what they knew to be true I would think.
 
GraceSofia said:
Catholic Friends,

I was just watching a short film about Fatima (today is the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun) and felt very disturbed looking at the still photos of the children. The three children look sad and miserable in all of the photos. That doesn’t seem right to me. Children who have seen the Blessed Virgin should look joyful, I think. I am left feeling very doubtful and disturbed. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hyIpE1_qIFM
Click to expand...
I think all the points have been made.

First there was the culture. They didn’t do happy snaps back then, like we do now. Ever seen a Victorian wedding photo? You’d think they’d just realised they’d made a big mistake.

Second they’d been mistreated and ostracised by others, including family in some cases. They were only kids.

Third, not everything they were shown was all beer and skittles. For one thing they’d been shown a vision of Hell, which Sr. Lucia later wrote would have scared them to death if it hadn’t been so brief.

They were also given some other dire warnings.

Moreover, two of them were dead within two years. And I think they may have been told they wouldn’t live long.

It was a big load for three poor, illiterate kids to have to bear.

But it’s also in keeping with Christ’s comment about God revealing things to children -

Matthew 11:25 NIV
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Click to expand...
God didn’t show these things to the world leaders - they were too busy with their own self importance sending millions of young men to die on the Western Front. Instead He sent Mary to three poor, illiterate children. Yet despite their unimportance to the world, the message has remained, and even thrived.
 
Also, in the early days of photography, it took longer to take the picture. The subjects would have to hold the pose for some amount of time.
 
Phaedra777 said:
Also, in the early days of photography, it took longer to take the picture. The subjects would have to hold the pose for some amount of time.
Click to expand...
Correct and also were told not to smile, because they might not be able to hold it long enough for the photo exposure.

Also, they had bad teeth in those days. 😃

Jim
 
Thanks very much, everybody, for your responses. They have been helpful. 🙂
 
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