by David Carollo –
The New Evangelization called for by St. John Paul II was a call to re-evangelize those who have lost the Faith, primarily through acceptance of a culture of convenience and self-centeredness. Accepting the creed of the world advances the “dictatorship of relativism” referred to by Pope Benedict XVI. We are not of this world; we are of God. It is impossible to stay faithful to our Catholic call with feet in both camps.
Changing the world has always been the call of our organization, of the Fatima message. It is the charge given by Christ with the instruction to go and make disciples of all nations. In 1947, our founders launched this apostolate of prayer and sacrifice to counter the evils of atheistic communism. The Bolshevik revolution, two world wars, the spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe and in Asia, the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, was all predicted by Our Lady at Fatima. “If my requests are not heeded Russia will spread her errors,” she said. This warning has proven true. The eradication of God at the very foundation of life has rooted so deeply in the world that Christian identity is masked by a secular façade, which appeals to hearts that are not properly focused. Even we who claim to be in the light get sidetracked by superficial things and distracted from the real prize of heaven.
Today we tolerate what is intolerable. Politics and religion operate in the same realm. As the Church goes, so goes the culture. Our politics today are reflecting this culture. Politicians, especially those who proclaim their Catholicism, but defy the Church and its long-standing teachings on morality, degenerate us more deeply into a pagan culture, where humanity is no more than a commodity. It comes as no surprise that those who wish to lower the bar of acceptance on the major moral issues facing society today lead the charge against those who hold fast to the foundations of our Faith. Our silence and acquiescence are their greatest weapon. We have the truth, and not proclaiming it with all our might, calls for us to examine our consciences and assess how committed we are to giving all for the glory of God.
To admonish a sinner is a great act of charity; it is a spiritual act of mercy. Acquiescing to those who are institutionalizing an anti-God society or engage in activities that defy His laws is great disservice to them. If these people lose their souls, they will not be thanking us for accommodating their wrong actions. Scripture tells us this:
“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, you shall warn them for me. If I say to the wicked man, You shall surely die; and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his wicked conduct so that he may live: that wicked man shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, on the other hand, you have warned the wicked man, yet he has not turned away from his evil nor from his wicked conduct, then he shall die for his sin, but you shall save your life.” (Ez 3:17-19)
The Fatima message and the work of this apostolate are to bring souls to God through prayer and action – prayer for the grace of conversion and action to let our voices be heard above the cacophony of the secular world. How do we change a world that has accepted a creed opposed to God? So much work needs to be done. Not only do we need to bring the Gospel to all nations that have not yet received it, but we must help to re-evangelize where it has been lost.
As a repentant sinner, I thank those who prayed for me and planted the seeds of faith, so that I could find my way back to truth. No human acceptance of that which opposes God can stand. The children at Fatima were shown hell, so that they could see the consequences of unrepentant sin. They were asked to pray and make sacrifices for sinners so that they could avoid this fate.
Christians have for too long looked at our faith as the preferred way, not the only way. This has led to a climate of tolerance for things not of God. Know your faith. Catechize those who are not catechized. Stand out in the crowd and be noticed. This is not a time to hide our light under cover. We are called to be a straight line on a crooked road. Concern about how people view us or if we will be accepted in certain circles will only give the appearance of acceptance of the unacceptable. We are children of Mary and soldiers of Christ. This is not a time to retreat to the catacombs and practice our faith in secret. It is a time to proclaim more boldly than ever and be a light to the world, which is getting darker each day.
If there is a price to be paid for this, so be it. I am reminded of St. Francisco who said, while imprisoned in Ourem and facing death, “If they kill us as they say, we’ll soon be in heaven! How wonderful! Nothing else matters.”
Looking ahead
The Voice of Fatima is late this month as I have been extremely busy, attending the Napa Institute in California and the Catholic Marketing Network in Chicago. The buzz around both of those conferences was about the state of the world and the Church. I am convinced after attending these events that commitment to the Faith is still strong in many places and that Catholics of good will remain faithful. We are assured of victory in this war for the soul of the world. This is not the end; it is a new beginning.
We are partnering with several organizations in promoting a 54-day Rosary Novena for our nation, beginning next Sunday, on the feast of the Assumption, and ending on October 7, the 450th anniversary of the victory of Lepanto, which saved the Christian world. Please join us in this initiative to save our country from the pagan onslaught set on destroying Christianity. Join us this coming year as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of our work in 1947, with a renewed commitment to countering the culture of death and the secular agenda that is leading many down a path away from God.
Spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament and make reparation for those who do not believe in the Real Presence. Pray the Rosary daily and commit to change the world. Our victory is assured.
God bless you and Mary keep you in her Immaculate Heart.
David M. Carollo is the Executive Director of the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA/National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. He wrote this for his Voice of Fatima e-newsletter.
