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.
What is true love? The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary reflect true love in its purest form. As we progress through Lent, this 40-day period is a time to reflect on love as it became manifest on Good Friday. “For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.” John 3:16.
What better time is there than Lent to reset our thoughts on the true Catholic version of love as we were taught. Fasting and abstaining are certainly avenues toward sanctification but there is more to it than just the physical experience and a chance to lose a few pounds. Years ago, at my parish in Chicago a group of us participated in “the clash of the titans”. Weighing in on Fat Tuesday after a huge meal, parishioners would pledge donations to the parish for each pound that the “titan” they chose lost by Holy Saturday. It was fun to participate and the pressure to produce kept most of us on the program.
I write this article on Ash Wednesday while travelling to the West Coast. After Mass and breakfast with Dorothy, I made my way to the airport, renewed with a commitment to make this Lent special. In his homily this morning, Father Michael made it clear that if we are the same person 40 days from now, the ashes that we receive are nothing more than a dirty mark on our foreheads. At the airport and on the flight many of us glanced at those in our “family of Catholics” who wear this mark today. We must work hard through prayer and mortification during these days to be worthy of Good Friday. The glory and festiveness of Easter is vain if we fail in this.
We received word that Ven. Bishop Fulton Sheen will be beatified later this year. This is exciting news for those of us who remember his charisma and look to him as having been a trail blazer in evangelization and religious broadcasting. A holy priest and a dynamic speaker, he captivated audiences with his wit and holiness. Once asked who his writers were, he responded, “Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.” He was a strong devotee of Our Lady of Fatima and had a connection with the Blue Army. He wrote the preface to the book Sign of Her Heart written by our co-founder John Haffert about the Brown Scapular: “Mr. Haffert in a masterly way laid bare the solid foundations on which this devotion reposes. In doing so he has satisfied the mood and temper of the modern mind which wants a realistic foundation for its idealism.” This statement should be a directive for our work apostolate wide, to bring a realistic foundation to the idealism of devotions.
In 2015, I was the guest of my friend, the late Fr. Andrew Apostoli CFR, on EWTNs Sunday Night Prime where we discussed Bishop Sheen’s devotion to Fatima. Fr. Andrew was ordained by Bishop Sheen in 1967 and served on the committee for his cause. If you would like to view this show from 11 years ago, please go to: Sunday Night Prime – 5/10/2015 – ARCHBISHOP SHEEN AND OUR LADY OF FATIMA.
Interest for our First Saturday Virtual Pilgrimage and programing during this Extraordinary Marian Jubilee Year grows every day. You can find the details about the Passport, Video Reflections and how to participate on our website at bluearmy.com/first-saturday-pilgrimage. Those who participate join our members worldwide who have embraced this devotion as a sign of their love for Mary. There is a feeling in the air that the fulfillment of Our Lady’s requests made in 1925 for reparation to her Immaculate Heart will bring us to lasting peace. Only if we believe this with our whole hearts can it be achieved.
As we progress through Lent let us all be determined to grow in sanctity every day. The triumph is guaranteed, but we need to participate and help bring it about through unceasing devotion.
God bless you and Mary keep you in her Immaculate Heart.
David M. Carollo
Executive Director
If you would like to contact me, please do so at [email protected].
David M. Carollo is the Executive Director of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA/National Blue Army Shrine. He wrote this for his Voice of Fatima column.
If you would like to comment on this post, please contact him at [email protected].
