By David M. Carollo
Halfway through this Extraordinary Marian Jubilee Year and the 2026 shrine season I am overwhelmed when I think of the incredible gift that we have received in the Church overall and especially at this sanctuary. Being designated as a place of pilgrimage during this special time we take seriously the trust that the Church has placed in us. The World Apostolate of Fatima (Our Lady’s Blue Army) is a Public Association of the Faithful, entrusted with being the official voice for the Church on the message of Fatima.
This is not a calling that we take lightly. On the contrary, not a day goes by when I do not ponder if we are living up to our call. The message given at Fatima 109 years ago is enduring and Our Lady’s requests, many of them unfulfilled, are a clarion call for repentance. They are a call to strive to love God as He loves us. He sends Mary, who loved beyond comprehension to be our example. The continued upheaval in the world shows us that we have much more work ahead of us. The intensified rage by the evil one is also a sign that we are approaching the fulfillment. It is always darkest right before the dawn. It is for this reason that we must continue to promote the Fatima message to the world, to help bring about the promised Triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
Sometimes we take the most important things for granted. As baptized Catholics we risk the danger of believing that we are “inside” and can’t lose the favor of heaven. We also sometimes believe that doing the minimum to stay within the “rules’ of the Faith is enough. The saints never took that position – instead working tirelessly to convert people and bring them to the salvation promised by Christ’s resurrection. Participation in an apostolate such as ours requires the same dedication. When St. Jacinta was dying, she was asked if she wanted to go to heaven then or stay and help save more souls through her suffering. She opted to stay on earth and help more souls get to heaven. This is the charity that we must all embrace.
We must also place private revelation in the proper perspective. Our Lady did not come to Fatima to proclaim that we were on an unalterable course towards destruction. On the contrary she told us that while the present course of society was leading to ruin, she had the remedy, namely a return to adherence to the laws of God as they have been taught to us by the Church for 2,000 years and prior to that through the prophets of the Old Testament. War, she said, was a punishment for sin. Practical thought leads us to the same conclusion. Repentance reaches the ear of God, while defiance has a price both here and in eternity. Our prayer is that more people will see this dichotomy and choose the love of God over the pride of hell.
It is a blessing to be here every day, especially during such a holy time. The possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence each day, if the proper conditions are met, brings great hope. It is not just simply by reciting prayers that we gain favor with God, but by being in the proper mindset. He always knows our true intentions.
In the five months that remain in this Holy Year, there is still time to embrace the First Saturdays devotion, building it into a pious habit for the future. Once the five requested by Our Lady are completed, it is still not a time to rest. It is in fact the time to more fully proclaim what we believe. The promises given regarding this, or any other devotional act are that proper graces will be available to those who choose to accept them. There is never a guarantee of salvation as long as we possess free will and the ability to later reject what we promise today. This is why it is crucial that we also pray for final perseverance.
We have some exciting news! We are currently working with the Hallow Prayer app to feature an exclusive First Saturday program, beginning on the First Saturday of August and continuing throughout the remaining five months of this Extraordinary Marian Jubilee Year. More information will be available soon. The First Saturday Virtual Pilgrimage Passport and video series continues to guide people in this devotion and the Fatima story throughout this special year and beyond. Filmed at the locations where the events took place it walks you through the lives of the seers and the development of the message. It has been well received.
While the world in general continues travelling the course of self-determination, not relying on Divine direction, we are more committed than ever to fulfill the Blessed Mother’s requests. Until the day when humanity realizes the error in its rejection of God our ills will continue to plague us. Perseverance on our part is most important if we hope to bring others to join us. You cannot give what you do not have.
God bless you and Mary keep you in her Immaculate Heart.
If you wish 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].
