Category: Voice of Fatima

The Future of America is Catholic

Thirteen miles east of the Blue Army Shrine in New Jersey, at the town center of Easton, Pennsylvania, the Declaration of Independence was first read publicly in 1776.  Each year the town commemorates this event on or around July 4th. This year as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation we should remember the emancipation of Catholicism in the United States.  In the British Colonies our Faith was still illegal in 1776, as it had been since the mid-16th Century in England, and it was not until 1829 that the ban was lifted fully over there. We have always heard that our country was founded as a Christian nation, yet what is the foundation of all Christianity? There is no Protestantism without the Catholic Church from which they separated.

Memorial Day: What We Must Never Forget

I began writing this article on Memorial Day, a day that evokes patriotism and gratitude. At least I hope that it does. Not to honor the many who have given their lives for our nation, even if you don’t agree with actions that brought us into a particular conflict, is an insult to those of commitment who questioned little and gave all. The “greatest generation”, as Tom Brokow referred to those who fought in the Second World War, had a simpler vision. My parent’s generation, who grew up during the Great Depression, entered this second attempt at a “war to end all wars” not with great debate but with a sense of service. They knew that many would not return, but they understood the value of duty as they faithfully went forth, imbued with patriotism and the belief that we would triumph against the godless “isms” in the world.

“Where the World’s Headed Nobody Knows…”

Wars and rumors of war. Politics as a blood sport. The deterioration of society and the dismantlement of a culture.

The 1971 song Ball of Confusion by the Temptations summarizes it best. “Round and around and around we go, where the world’s headed nobody knows!” We do know, and we have the power to change the world and bring it back into proper orbit. We must first realize that we have taken it astray.

The Truth Will Set Us Free

The readings during Passiontide are accusatory of those who held positions of authority in the time of Christ. Over the years there have been allegations that these were attacks against the Jewish people. More accurately these statements are aimed at those who held positions of religious authority in that time. The Gospel’s words are not anti-anyone nor is it about stigmatizing any group. Instead, it interrogates our human nature and how we respond when we fear that we will lose our special position.  It calls out the denial of truth and the reality. Even though we follow the ultimate Truth, we must also be vigilant about assuming that only we are the chosen ones in this day. Christ said that He would be with us until the end of time, specifically in the Eucharist, but the question to ask is this: will we remain with Him? Assuming that we are superior because we have been given the gift of Faith is taking a detour from the path Christ sent the disciples on, the same path that as baptized Catholics all of us are commanded to follow. Each of the apostles faced persecution and violence for his beliefs. Indeed, most of the first popes died as martyrs, happy to give their lives for the Faith.

Lent Calls Us to Selfless and Sacrificial Love

On February 14th we celebrated Valentines Day. The greeting card industry has enshrined this as the day when we emphasize romantic affection. It is beautiful to especially acknowledge spouses and those with whom we have a romantic connection.  Love is in the air as they say, but true love can be better found when we explore and remember the saint after whom this day is named. St. Valentine was martyred for the Faith on February 14th, offering an act of pure love, not romantic love. I mean no disrespect to the industry that thrives on the promotion of these secular days. My father owned a gift and hobby shop when I was a child, and Hallmark cards were a big seller for him. Living in a committed marriage, however, brings the selfless love of sacrificial care together with the romantic in a lasting relationship. I find that my love for my wife has grown over the years as long-term care and common experiences define our relationship.

Can the fulfillment of Our Lady’s request for the First Saturdays Devotion in this Extraordinary Marian Jubilee Year bring about a lasting peace?

The call of Fatima is more urgent than ever today. As an apostolate we have been charged with disseminating this call for fidelity in an age of apostasy. Ponder for a moment what the world would look like if Our Lady’s call for adherence to the laws of God and respect for civility had been followed in 1917. The peace and stability that only God can provide would rule the day. Instead, confusion about the very nature of the human person and the dehumanization which always precedes conflict is overbearing. The constant upheaval that defines our world today is a product of our insistence on following our own path and not the lead of God. Today society is in a desperate state as we set on the brink of global war and uncertainty. Suicide rates are on the rise as desperation, the most powerful tool of the devil, is prominent among those who do not see the hope that God shows us. People are judged by a secular vision which sees only their apparent usefulness and not their intrinsic human dignity; thus suicide, abortion and euthanasia are easily rationalized. 

Celebrate This Christmas United to Her Immaculate Heart

In these last days of Advent let us join Our Lady in anticipation of the birth of the Savior. She trusted that the words given to her at the Annunciation would be fulfilled and that the promise made to our fallen first parents would soon become a reality. The O antiphons that mark the final […]

The Promise of Devotions: Not Just Checking a Box

There are many devotions that have promises connected with them. One popular example is the recitation of the prayer of St. Gertrude for the deceased, especially during the month of November.  It is said that 1,000 souls are released from purgatory each time it is prayed. Likewise, whenever we pass a cemetery, we offer this prayer for the holy souls: “Eternal Father, I offer thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son Jesus in union with all the Masses said throughout the world today for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church for those in my home and within my family, Amen”. While we cannot guarantee the release of these suffering souls or the conversion of sinners, we nevertheless continue to pray and to hope.

Seeking God’s Guidance for the United States: An Appeal for Prayers

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, the President has called for a campaign of prayer leading up to this milestone. A call to prayer such as this should be a time of unified vision and good will for the sake of our nation, which has put the need for Divine guidance aside. Let us put our partisan differences aside. Let us put our religious differences aside. Petitioning God to bless our nation should come from all believers.

Pray Every Day for World Peace

At Fatima, Our Lady stated that if her requests were heeded there would be peace in the world. Peace has been illusive in these 108 years since she appeared to the three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria. Why is this? She stated that war was a punishment for sin. How simple this is. Not […]