The story of our lady of fatima
By: Brother Ernest, C.S.C.

Imprimatur
Most Rev. Leo A. Pursley, D.D.
Bishop of Fort Wayne
1957

On a hot May day in 1917, three little shepherds were watching their sheep in a hollow in the mountains of Portugal called Cova da Iria. The sky above them was a clear blue. Not the smallest cloud could be seen anywhere. The sun beat straight down, for it was noon. Then a familiar sound was heard. The bell in the village church was ringing for the Angelus.

Lucia Santos (age 10, pictured in the middle) and her two cousins: Francisco (age 9) and Jacinta Marto (age 7) holding their rosaries. Fatima, Portugual 1917 A.D.

The three children: Jacinta, a girl of seven; Francisco, her brother, a lad of nine; and Lucia, a girl of ten, at once knelt and began to say the rosary together.

But this was such a beautiful day, and the children did not want to take the time to say the rosary as they should. So they simply said: “Our Father, Hail Mary, Hail Mary, Hail Mary, Glory be.” Then they were ready for the first decade. It took them just about two minutes to finish the whole rosary in this new style!

Suddenly, there was a great flash of light, brighter than lightning. The children looked up and all around them.

“Might be a big storm coming. Let’s get the sheep together and go home,” said Francisco. The girls agreed, and soon they and the sheep were scampering down the slope towards home. When they reached the foot of the hill they saw a second great flash. It was brighter than the first. They stopped; very much afraid.

“Look!” said Lucia, pointing toward a little oak tree.

There they saw a beautiful young lady. She was dressed in a white gown, gathered together at the neck by a gold cord. Over her head draped a fine white veil. The children were about to run when they heard a sweet voice say: “Be not afraid! I am not going to hurt you.”
Then the shepherds drew near. They noticed the lovely lady had her hands joined as in prayer, and a pearl rosary fell from her fingers.

“Where did you come from?” Asked Lucia.

“I came from heaven.”

Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary

“And why did you come here?”
“I came to ask you to come here for six successive months, on the thirteenth of each month, at this same time. In October I shall tell you who I am and what it is I wish.”

Lucia then asked the lady if they would go to heaven. They were happy when she told them they would.

“Children, always say the rosary with devotion.” said the lady, and then she left them.

“We must not tell anyone about the lady. No one will believe us.” Said Lucia.

To this the others agreed. Then they got their sheep together and went home, even though it was much too early.

Our Lady's words to Jacinta Marto shortly before the little seer died:

"More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason."

and

"Certain fashions will be introduced that will offend Our Lord very much."

But Jacinta thought her mother would punish her for coming home, so she told about the lady!

“You are lying to me!” Shouted the mother.

Mrs. Marto, Jacinta’s mother, ran at once to Lucia’s home and reported all the children had told her. Lucia had not said a word to her mother, who seemed stunned at the story.

“Tell me, Lucia, are my children lying?”

“No, they are not. It’s all true!”

“Don’t you say another word about this, Lucia,” said her mother as she ran out the door.

Lucia’s mother, Maria, hurried to the pastor and told him the story. He tried to calm her, but the woman insisted her daughter was lying to her. She then hurried home and gave Lucia a sound thrashing. But that did not change Lucia’s mind.

June 13 was a fair day, but the children did not care about that. It was the day the lady promised to come to see them again, and so they went to the appointed spot. There were about sixty other people waiting.

The children knelt down and began to say the rosary. When it was finished, they stood and brushed the dust from their clothes.”The lady is coming!” cried Lucia and ran down the hill to the little oak. The others followed.

Yes, it was the lady. She was dressed just the same, and she seemed pleased to see them.

“What do you want me to do?” begged Lucia.

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