Posted on 10/24/2015 9:52:17 AM PDT by Salvation
Msgr. Charles Pope
Question: A friend of mine is forever mentioning Fatima. What am I, as a Catholic convert, to make of this? Am I required to accept it?— Name withheld, Austin, Texas
Answer: There is probably no other prophecy so well attested and verified as that of Our Lady of Fatima. That said, the Church has never required Catholics to believe private revelations as a matter of faith. The Church, however, does hold up for the faithful certain apparitions, devotions and private revelations as worthy of acceptance and pious adherence.
The teachings of our Lady at Fatima in 1917 have proven trustworthy and been verified both by signs and by the simple fact that they all came true. Her warnings of dire consequences if we did not pray and convert have sadly proven to be accurate. She warned of another, more terrible war (World War II). She said Russia would spread errors, and she warned a pope would be struck down.
These messages were verified by two signs predicted by Our Lady. The first was the miracle of the sun, where more than 70,000 people saw the sun dance and move as if falling from the sky. She also spoke of great lights in the sky that would serve as a final warning before the terrible war of which she had warned. Those lights appeared all over Europe just before Hitler invaded Poland in the form of a stunning display of the aurora borealis.
A third secret spoke of a bishop dressed in white garb who would be martyred. Many link this to the assassination attempt on Pope St. John Paul II, wherein he escaped full martyrdom by the prayers Our Lady had asked for.
A final and belated prophecy from Fatima seems to have come in the form of a letter written by Sister Lucia dos Santos to Cardinal Carlo Caffarra. The year was 1981 and, according to the transcript of an interview with Cardinal Caffarra, she wrote the following:
“[T]he final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid, she added, because anyone who operates for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be contended and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. And then she concluded: however, Our Lady has already crushed its head.”
And once again, the prophecy seems accurate, because this is exactly where we are. So, while belief is not required, it does not seem rational to reject these apparitions, either, due to the evidence. Finally, it never hurts to pray for peace and the conversion of sinners, which is the fundamental request of Our Lady of Fatima.
Cathokics pray to Mary. Prayer is a part of worship. Hence, catholics worship Mary.
Much of what was said at Fatima was anticipated by Pope St.Pius X the year before the war. He foresaw its coming and agonized over the rabid nationalism that had so divided Christians in Europe.
Did you read the article?
The Fatima story has actually been provn; there were even pictures of it in the local newspapers.
What Monsignor Pope said is that Catholics do not have to believe it if they don’t want to.
HI
when you were a Catholic, and you were, did you worship Mary??I've been one for 76 years and I don't.
Oops
The Fatima story has actually been proven;
I am a follower of Christ.
Let's recall that Satan can turn himself into an angel of light. He is able to perform signs. Recall, Pharaoh's magicians pulled off some impressive signs as well.
The question is does the message of this vision square away with the Word? It does not.
Would Mary of the Bible ask for a chapel to be built in her honor? No.
Mary asked for a church built in her honor where people go to worship God. Other denominations have churches named after saints. That does not mean they worship the saint there. Neither do Catholics.
Mary brings people to Jesus. A demon/Satan/evil spirit cannot do that. “For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me”
We pray to Mary to ask her for her help in whatever capacity God allows her. She intervenes for us, but nothing she does is by her own power, only that power of God which He allows to flow through her.
God allowed/allows mortal sinners to heal and bless and baptize in His name. Catholics believe God is not limited to giving this power only to souls with living bodies, but that those alive in Heaven with Him can also receive that gift.
It seems that your problem is not with Mary in particular, but with the dead being able to have powers that God has demonstrably given to those on earth. Catholics believe that some souls are in Heaven already with God, and as part of the Body of Christ can be allowed to participate in His power as He sees fit.
I don’t know where you believe your soul goes after you die, but I don’t believe mine is tethered to my physical body and must remain with it until the last day. I believe when my body is resurrected it will be reunited with my soul which will already be elsewhere, preferably someplace cool.
Love,
O2
The apparition did not state that as the purpose. The purpose as stated was to honor her.
Mary brings people to Jesus. A demon/Satan/evil spirit cannot do that. “For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me”
The Holy Spirit does this. Not Mary. Catholics continue to replace the role of the Holy Spirit with Mary.
This will be complete when the Fifth Marian Dogma is proclaimed.
God allowed/allows mortal sinners to heal and bless and baptize in His name. Catholics believe God is not limited to giving this power only to souls with living bodies, but that those alive in Heaven with Him can also receive that gift.
It seems that your problem is not with Mary in particular, but with the dead being able to have powers that God has demonstrably given to those on earth. Catholics believe that some souls are in Heaven already with God, and as part of the Body of Christ can be allowed to participate in His power as He sees fit.
And yet, no NT writer wrote of what you claim.
“The whole vision is a lie as it is a false spirit.”
That’s what I thought you would say. The reason is simple: you either don’t know anything about it or you don’t know anything about it that you could falsely label as a lie. Predictable. Again.
That’s what I thought you would say. The reason is simple: you either don’t know anything about it or you don’t know anything about it that you could falsely label as a lie. Predictable. Again.
You incorrectly make assertions on what I know or don't know regarding Fatima and the other marian apparitions.....again.
I continue to stand by my statement above....the whole vision is a lie as it is a false spirit.
The church does honor Mary, but God is worshiped there. Catholics don’t need an explanation of what a church is for.
Anyone can bring people to Jesus. The apostles did and instructed others to, missionaries do, you try to do it here. That job is certainly not limited to the Holy Spirit.
No NT writer wrote ‘This symbolizes My body”, either.
Love,
O2
I guess you’re walking through a door into a pasture then as noted in John 10?
Oh, I just thought you were Baptized.
Yes. Baptized into the Christian faith as an adopted son. There is a difference.
“I guess you’re walking through a door into a pasture then as noted in John 10?”
Of course, because Jesus is the door, and through Him I will be saved.
Love,
O2
Nope..if you're Baptized, you were welcomed into the Catholic Church....should have stayed, it's the church that Jesus Himself founded....none other for one thousand six hundred more years.
You literally walked through a physical door that was Jesus??
“You incorrectly make assertions on what I know or don’t know regarding Fatima and the other marian apparitions.....again.”
No, you keep proving that my assertion were correct every time you don’t post a single “lie” from Fatima. You’re own posts - starting with your own claim - show enough.
“I continue to stand by my statement above....the whole vision is a lie as it is a false spirit.”
I stand by my assertion that you either don’t know anything about it or you don’t know anything about it that you could falsely label as a lie. Predictable. Again. And you’ll keep showing that to be the case if you keep coming up empty each time you post.
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