Photo Report of Hindu Ritual at Fatima: Pictures of a Desecration

Catholic Family News Special Report ^ | John Vennari

[Polycarp IV]

Catholic Family News Special Report

Pictures of a Desecration

Photo Report of Hindu Ritual at Fatima

by John Vennari

(article appears below photos)

May 5: Portugal's SIC television announces its
coverage of an "uncommon ecumenical experience".
There will be a Hindu ritual at the Fatima Shrine.
 

Morning prayers in the Radha Krishna temple in Lisbon
 

"All the invocations of the pagans are hateful
to God because all their gods are devils"
- Saint Francis Xavier
 

 A young Hindu woman explains the importance
of their various gods
 

About 60 Hindus travel by bus to Fatima
 

Arrival at the Fatima Shrine
 

The Hindus bring a gift of flowers. For them, Our Lady
of Fatima is a manifestation of one of their gods.
 

SIC broacasting says, "This is a unique event in the
history of the Sanctuary and of devotion itself...
 

...the Hindu priest, the Shastri recites at the (Catholic)
altar the Shanti Pa, the prayer for peace."
 

The Hindu ritual — a ceremony to false gods — desecrates
the Fatima Shrine, making it necessary for the chapel
to be re-consecrated.
 

The "Hindu family of Porgutal" worshipping at the
shrine after the Hindu ceremony.
 

Shrine Rector Guerra speaks approvingly about
the Hindu worship at Fatima
 

Crossing the esplanade to meet the Bishop
and the Shrine Rector
 

Received by the Bishop of Fatima. SIC explains, "the
Hindu pilgrims are received as if they were an embassy,
an unheard of gesture...
 

...which can be understood as an invitation for other visits"
This means that the pagan desecration of Fatima
is likely to happen again.
 

The Bishop of Fatima says,
"We do not want to be fundamentalists"
 

Shrine Rector Guerra receives from the Hindus
a shawl covered with verses of the Baghwad Gita,
a "sacred book" of Hinduism whose basic message
is, all of life is an illusion.
 

The Bishop of Fatima also receives a shawl
laden with verses of pagan mythology.
 

Acknoweldgement to SIC Televisino for video footage from which these photos were extracted.

 

 

Catholic Family News has obtained a video copy of the SIC television broadcast of the Hindu ritual performed at Fatima. As reported last month, the sacrilege took place on May 5 with the blessing of Fatima Shrine Rector Guerra, and the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, D. Sarafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva.

SIC, a national television station in Portugal, reported on the Hindu ritual at Fatima the same day it took place. The announcer called it an “ncommon ecumenical experience.”

The broadcast shows morning prayer at the Radha Krishna temple in Lisbon. “Light and water, energy and nature, mark the rhythm of the Arati, the morning prayer,” the announcer says. “Hinduism is the oldest of the great religions. It is characterized by multiple deities, worshiped through a triple dimension of life and sacredness: the creator god, the preserver god, and the god who has the power to destroy.”

Thus the Hindus spent the morning worshiping their false gods, which are nothing more than demons. Saint Francis Xavier, the apostle to India, said of Hinduism: “All the invocations of the pagans are hateful to God because all their gods are devils.”[1]

A young Hindu woman appears on screen with statues of gods in the background. She explains, “This is god Shiva and his wife Parvati. In the center we can see god Rama, to our right his wife Sita and to our left, his brother and companion Lakshmama. Now we can see Krishna Bhagwan and his consort Radha. The deities are always accompanied by their respective consorts or wives. As a rule, when we address the deities or want to ask for their graces, we address the feminine deity, who is very important to us.”

About 60 Hindus, said the broadcast, “leave Lisbon with the chandam, the sign on their foreheads which shows the wish for good fortune in a noble task. And this is the day dedicated to the greatest of all female deities. She is called the Most Holy Mother, the goddess Devi, the deity of Nature who many Portuguese Hindus also find in Fatima.”

Another young Hindu lady explains, “As a Hindu, who believes the whole world, or rather all human beings, are members of a global family, it would be natural for me to see any manifestation of God, including Our Lady of Fatima, as a manifestation of the same God.”

Here, this young lady speaks as a true Hindu, since Hinduism regards the various false gods they worship as manifestations of “God”. Thus, they are not honoring Our Lady as the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, but worshiping Her as a manifestation of their pagan god.

The newscast then shows the Hindus bringing flowers to the statue of Our Lady inside the Capelinha, the little chapel built over the spot where Our Lady of Fatima appeared. The Hindu priest stands at the Catholic altar and recites a Hindu prayer. Meanwhile, the SIC announcer says, “This is a unique moment in the history of the Sanctuary and of devotion itself. The Hindu priest, the Shastri, recites at the altar the Shanti Pa, the prayer for peace.”

Pope Pius XI, in a liturgical prayer consecrating the human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, prayed for the conversion of all who are not members of the Mystical Body. He invoked Our Lord, “be Thou King of all those who are involved with the darkness of idolatry”. [2] This idolatry is now practiced at the Fatima Shrine, desecrating the sacred site, making it necessary for the chapel to be re-consecrated.

In another clip, the Hindu priest explains that he finds a “divine energy” at Fatima. “It is an energy that permeates the whole place,” he says. “ It has the power to be present here, around us. Whenever I come here, I feel this vibration ...”

SIC then explains that the display of this group of Hindus at Fatima “is not well-accepted by all Catholics”. The camera then shifts to Fatima Shrine Rector Guerra who defends Hindu worship at the Catholic Shrine.

“It is obvious” says Rector Guerra, “that these civilizations and religions are quite different. But I think that there is a common background to all religions. There is a common background that, how can I put it, is born from the common humanity we all possess. And it is very important that we recognize this common background, because, due to the clashes of the differences, we sometimes forget our equality. These meetings give us that occasion.”

The Hindus are then welcomed by the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima in a room containing a large model of the modernistic Fatima Shrine now under construction. “This time,” says the broadcast, “the Hindu pilgrims are received as if they were an embassy; an unheard of gesture which can be understood as an invitation for other visits.” This means that the pagan desecration of the Fatima Shrine is likely to happen again and again.

The Bishop of Leiria- Fatima then says, “We don’t want to be fundamentalist, we don’t want that, but we want to be honest, sincere and want to communicate by osmosis the fruitfulness of our rituals, so that we may produce fruits. I am pleased to meet them.”

At this point, the Hindu priest places on the shoulders of the Bishop of Leiria- Fatima and Shrine Rector Guerra a shawl covered with verse of the Bhagwad Gita, one of Hinduism’s sacred books.

The report ends with a close-up of a guest book that includes the signatures of Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and a Hindu high priest. It goes on to say that Hindus intend to keep Fatima “on the road map of places where they claim they can find vibrations of holiness...”

Catholic Family News has reported on the interfaith orientation at Fatima since it was launched at the interreligious Congress held at Fatima in October 2003.[4] We warned repeatedly that this type of desecration was inevitable if Catholics did not resist the new ecumenical program.

Predictably, the enablers of the “New Fatima” such as Father Robert J. Fox ridiculed our efforts and tried to dissuade Catholics from taking us seriously. Father Fox, on an April 25 EWTN broadcast, claimed that the reports about the interfaith activity at Fatima were nothing but "fabrications,” that he knows Shrine Rector Guerra personally, and that Rector Guerra would never allow such interfaith activities to take place. Less than two weeks after this EWTN broadcast, the Fatima Shrine was desecrated by pagan worship, with the blessing of Rector Guerra and the Bishop of Leiria- Fatima.

Pope Leo XIII, along with his predecessors taught “we are bound absolutely to worship God in the way which He has shown to be His will".[3] Hinduism worships false gods who are demons. It is sacrilegious for Rector Guerra and the Bishop of Fatima to permit these rituals in a Catholic sanctuary.

Pope Pius XI called it “ignominious” to place the true religion of Jesus Christ “on the same level with false religions”.[5] Pope Leo XIII likewise taught “it is contrary to reason that error and truth should have equal rights.”[6]  Thus the “equality” that Msgr. Guerra speaks of, and his notion of various religions coming from a “com mon background,” defies Catholic truth.

Rector Guerra and the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima are also guilty of grave scandal. Their actions tell these poor Hindus, who are in bondage to a heathen religion, that they are pleasing to God as they are. This is contrary to the manifest will of Christ, Who said, “No one comes to the Father but through Me.” “He who believes and is baptized will be saved, He who does not believe will be condemned.” Hindus reject Jesus Christ. They have no interest in baptism or in the truths revealed by God. Rector Guerra and the Bishop of Lierra of Fatima counsel and encourage this apostasy. By their bad example, they scandalize not only the Hindus, but others who observe their actions.

“Scandal” says Saint Thomas Aquinas, “is a word or act which gives occasion to the spiritual ruin of one’s neighbor.” Saint Leo calls the authors of scandal murderers who kill not the body but the soul. Saint Bernard says that, in speaking of sinners in general, the Scriptures hold out hope of amendment and pardon, but the Scriptures speak of those who give scandal, as persons separated from God, of whose salvation there is very little hope.[7]

Perhaps this is why we see a spiritual blindness in these men. They persist in their apostasy despite the outrage from concerned Catholics. Nonetheless, we must pray for them.

And what of the Hindus themselves? The Shastri comes to Fatima because he feels there a “divine energy,” “vibrations of holiness”. Members of all religions worship the same god and are part of the “global family”.

This is the language of paganism, not of our received Catholic tradition. "Holy vibrations” is what Hindus call Shakti, and they go to various places to seek it. They will rush to be in the presence of the Dalai Lama or Pope John Paul II or Ghandi because this gives them Darshan, the good fortune that comes from being in the sight of a holy man. Each and every one of their terms is rooted in heathen superstition, not in the truths revealed by Christ.

In short, the Hindus did not go to the Fatima Shrine to be Catholicized. Rather, they Hinduized the Fatima Shrine, folding their pagan myths and superstitions into one of Catholicism’s most sacred sites.

This is not honoring the Mother of God, but a blasphemy against Her, since there is nothing honorable in placing Our Lady on the same level as one more goddess in their pantheon of demonic deities. “What concord hath Christ with Belial?”, says Saint Paul, “or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:15)

At the end of the visit, the Hindus presented Msgr. Guerra and the Bishop of Fatima with a shawl covered with verse of the Bhagwad Gita. This book contains a story which illustrates a central tenet of Hinduism.

Arjuna, a warrior, is on the eve of a great battle. He dreads the next day, because he knows he will have to kill his friends, relatives, teachers. Arjuna's charioteer, who turns out to be the god Krishna in disguise, tells Arjuna not to fear the coming battle because none of it is real. No one is going to die. All of it, and all of life, is illusion.

Arjuna then thrusts himself into the bloody conflict believing it to be his Dharma, his given path, to hack his friends and relatives to pieces. It is all illusion anyway. No one really dies. This is Hinduism in a nutshell. You are god, everything else is illusion.[8]

Catholics who behold the Fatima Shrine Rector and the Bishop of Fatima draped in shawls laden with verses from a pagan mythology, certainly would wish that the Hindu desecration of Fatima was an illusion, that none of it was real.

But no, it really happened. And Catholics must register their outrage to Rome and to Fatima, as they offer prayers of reparation for Catholic leaders who hand over the chapel of Our Lady of Fatima to a religion whose god is the devil.

Notes:

1. Saint Francis Xavier, James Brodrick, S.J., (New York: Wicklow Press, 1952), p. 135.

2. Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Pius XI, published along with the Encyclical Quas Primas, “On the Kingship of Christ”, 1925.

3. Imortale Dei, 1885.

4. See J. Vennari: “Fatima to Become an Interfaith Shrine? An Account from One Who Was There", (CFN, December, 2003), "More News on the Fatima Interfaith Program",  (CFN, Jan., 2004), "Shrine Rector Confirms New Interfaith Orientation at Fatima", (CFN, Feb., 2004), Hindu Ritual Performed at Fatima Shrine, (CFN, May, 2004).

5. Quas Primas, 1925.

6. Libertas, 1888.

7. Quotes taken from Sermons of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, “On Scandal,” (Rockford: Tan Books, reprinted 1982), pp. 168-181.

8. For more, see “The Dharma of Deception”, Edwin Faust, Catholic Family News, November, 1998.

 

Reprinted from the July, 2004 edition of
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[little jeremiah]

I meant that I would never try to aggressively convert anyone who is happy in their path to God. If someone is searching, not feeling connected to God, then I would be happy to help them understand God and get closer to Him as best I could. And I have spent a lot of time doing just that.

To try to pry someone away from their religious faith would be fanatical. If someone is faithfully practicing the Catholic religion, I'm happy with that. Love for God is the goal, that's all.

[Polycarp IV]

little jeremiah is a practicing Vedic Hindu. She is monotheistic in her beliefs, but is not a fellow Christian by our definition.

However, she is far more "Catholic" in her world view than the vast majority of American Catholic bishops. Her views on morality are almost 100% in accord with Catholic moral theology.

So though we do not consider her a fellow Christian, she is a fellow monotheistic believer and a solid reliable ally in the culture wars. I also consider her a personal friend, and we have had extensive conversations offline about the culture wars and the ability of Catholics to work hand in hand in fighting for morality with practicing Hindus like her. Please treat her with the dignity and repect she deserves for her courageous witness in the culture wars, especially pro-life and homosexuality battles.

[Polycarp IV]

I will post something later today for those who want to see what the basic teachings of Hinduism are.

Good, it will foster better understanding among us all. Thank you for having the charity to respond calmly on this thread, my FRiend.

[ultima ratio]

Look, it doesn't matter what Hindus believe, whether it's a monotheistic or polytheistic faith. The particulars are irrelevant. Our problem is not with them, our problem is with the clergy who have permitted this--and that must include the pontiff.

What is annoying is that already there are those on this site eager to alter their psychologies to accept the abomination. You offer information and they are avid to absorb it--as if it might mitigate what has happened. They want to believe there's some answer to this besides the fact that it is a sacrilege allowed by those at the top.

[Polycarp IV]

This IS a sacrilege that goes to the highest reaches of the Vatican, which has done NOTHING to correct it or reverse the public scandal. It IS an abomination of desolation! That Chapel MUST be purified!

On these things I agree.

However, little jeremiah is on my ping list and is a trusted, reliable friend in the culture wars. Frankly, she does far MORE to fight the secular humanist and homosexualist agendas on THIS FORUM that the majority of self proclaimed trads here.

So take your petty insults and shove them.

[johnb2004]

'The Bishop of Leiria- Fatima then says, “We don’t want to be fundamentalist, we don’t want that, but we want to be honest, sincere and want to communicate by osmosis the fruitfulness of our rituals, so that we may produce fruits. I am pleased to meet them.”'

What a shame. Will no one in charge put a stop to such indifferent-ism?

[Aquinasfan]

However, she is far more "Catholic" in her world view than the vast majority of American Catholic bishops.

8-) From her other posts I would have guessed she was Catholic.

[Aquinasfan]

I'm leaving aside the whole Muslim topic; even though the fanatics claim to believe in God, they are so illusioned and full of hate they obviously are not worshipping God at all. Another whole topic.)

Are you Indian? Regardless, what's your take on the Hindu/Muslim relationship in India?

[old and tired]

Exactly which belief is it that makes me part of the problem - that Indians are good people and make for good neighbors or that the Blessed Mother can lead people to Our Lord?

[Romulus]

Don't you know any other tunes?

[ultima ratio]

First of all, you need to respect the fact that people who post are just names on a screen to some of us. I didn't have the inside knowledge of this person as you have and couldn't know her background nor her intent. I just read words in a post. I didn't even know "Jeremiah" was a she, let alone a Hindu. To me she sounded like another Catholic all too eager to apologize for the Pope.

That said, I apologize if I have offended someone of another faith who was trying to be helpful. But the real issue for Catholics is what this Fatima incident portends, not how we can better understand the Hindu religion. To my mind it portends heresy and sacrilege and illustrates conclusively that people at the top are not true Catholics. That is anger-provoking--and I probably was a little curt with her as a result--but meant no offense.

[PetroniusMaximus]

Ping

[ultima ratio]

The issue is not whether Indians are good people. The issue is what are they doing praying to false gods at our altars in violation of the first commandment? The issue is not how much more we can learn about Hinduism so we can all be good neighbors. The issue is why has a sacrilege been allowed to be perpetrated on our altars? My gripe with you and some others here is you are changing the subject and already buying into the attitude of the Vatican--the let's-all-be-good-neighbors-and-share-our-churches bit. I'm not buying such excuses for heresy--they only stifle appropriate outrage. We can be good neighbors over lunch--not at the altar.

[Polycarp IV]

OK, thanks. I apologize for over reacting.

[old and tired]

You have absolutely no idea what I am buying into. I believe there is only one true Faith, but my experience has told me that there is virtually no chance you will convert someone if you tell him he is currently worshipping demons. I never said it was ok for a sacred space to be desecrated by officially sanctioned pagan prayers.

I don't know why you would be so opposed to learning about Hinduism. I for one don't believe my faith would be challenged by it. I think it's important for us to understand the basics of other faiths so that we will be less likely to fall prey to their errors.

If you don't believe Our Lady can bring people to her Son then perhaps you are not a real Catholic afterall. Our Lady appeared in the town of Fatima, which was named after Mohammed's daughter, who incidentally, became a Catholic. I don't think it's a stretch to hope that Our Lady of Fatima will bring the Muslims back into the fold. I have been praying for their conversion since 9/11. Now, I will also pray that she will lead the Hindus to her son.

[old and tired]

oops. "son" should read Son.

[Tantumergo]

"Predictably, the enablers of the “New Fatima” such as Father Robert J. Fox ridiculed our efforts and tried to dissuade Catholics from taking us seriously. Father Fox, on an April 25 EWTN broadcast, claimed that the reports about the interfaith activity at Fatima were nothing but "fabrications,” that he knows Shrine Rector Guerra personally, and that Rector Guerra would never allow such interfaith activities to take place. Less than two weeks after this EWTN broadcast, the Fatima Shrine was desecrated by pagan worship, with the blessing of Rector Guerra and the Bishop of Leiria- Fatima."

Do you know if Fr. Fox has issued any reaction to these images of abomination at all?

I need a good laugh from time to time.

However, we have no proof that the altar at which they are worshipping their deities is the altar at the Fatima Shrine, and unless you know them personally, how can you be sure that this is the Rector of the Shrine and the local bishop?

As Fr. Fox must know them personally, maybe someone could forward him the photos and ask for his confirmation of the identity of these stupid old men. (sarcasm off)

[Polycarp IV]

Do you know if Fr. Fox has issued any reaction to these images of abomination at all?

I predict a complete mainstream Catholic media blackout on this issue. And I doubt Fr. Fox will issue any retractions based on the work of a Grunerite, even if said Grunerite is 100% correct in this sole instance.

[Tantumergo]

"I predict a complete mainstream Catholic media blackout on this issue."

Unfortunately, your prediction is almost certain to be fulfilled.

Do any of y'all over there phone into the Catholic Answers open forums at all? Maybe someone could ask Karl Keating or Jimmy Akin what their reaction is to these events on a live show.

"And I doubt Fr. Fox will issue any retractions based on the work of a Grunerite, even if said Grunerite is 100% correct in this sole instance."

Well, why let truth interfere with one's prejudices? Though this certainly is a major score in the credibility stakes for the "Grunerites" and the SSPX who protested at the original conference.

[ultima ratio]

Who's trying to convert anybody? Do you think you do it by talking nice on a thread? Get real! Besides, I never mentioned demons--I simply made the point that Hindu priests have no business worshiping their gods at our altars, period! My anger is not directed at Hindus, it's directed at the foolishness of those who chat about being good neighbors when the house is on fire.

Nor am I opposed to learning about Hinduism--but that's not the issue. The issue is what are Hindu priests doing worshiping at our altars? You want to change the subject and deflect people's anger. The absurdity you bring up about the name of Fatima indicates to me you've already been duped by the left who have been spreading that tripe. The truth is that those who permitted this abomination are no more Catholic than the Hindus they have accommodated.