13 MAY
Mary visitied the three children from May 13 May 1917 to October 13 1917.  During each visit,
she spoke of the rosary. Her first response was in answer to Lucia's question - if they would go
to heaven - 'Yes' she said, ' but Francisco will need to say many rosaries first.'
  +
13 JUNE
         "Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and the end of the war."
"I want you to come on the 13th of next month, [July] to pray the Rosary every day, and to
learn to read. Later, I will tell you what I want."
+
13 JULY
         "I want you to come here on the 13th of next month, [August] to continue to pray the Rosary
every day in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world
and the end of the war, because only she can help you."
+
           She also said, "When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery:
'O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those who are most in need.' "
+
13 AUGUST
         "Go again to the Cova da Iria on the 13th and continue to say the Rosary every day.
Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners;  for many souls go to hell, because
there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them."
+
13 SEPTEMBER
         "Continue to pray the Rosary in order to obtain the end of the war."
+
13 OCTOBER
 "I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue always to pray the Rosary every day.
The war is going to end, and the soldiers will soon return to their homes."
+


 

 ~ JACINTA, FRANCISCO, LUCIA ~

 
MATTHEW 18:2
"Unless you change and become like little children
you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven"

  LUCIA SANTOS
 Lucia was born 22 March 1907, the youngest of 7 children, to Antonio and Maria Rosa Santos.   Lucia was a brilliant child and a 'natural leader'. She was able to help her little cousins Francisco and Jacinta through the difficult days following the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  She entered Carmel in 1948 and became Sister Maria Lucia of the Immaculate Heart.
+
  FRANCISCO MARTO
      Francisco was born 11 June 1908 and died at home on 4 April 1919
He was a 'very sensitive and contemplative child' according to those who knew him.
+
  JACINTA MARTO
      Jacinta was born 2 years later in Aljustrel on 11 March 1910.
She died a 'holy death' according those who knew her on 20 February 1920 in Lisbon.
+
to read more on the life of  Lucia, Jacinta and Francesco
http://www.ewtn.com/fatima/children/jacinta.htm
 

 ~ ANGEL of  PORTUGAL ~

PREPARING THE WAY FOR THE VISITATION
The children were born in the village of Aljustrel, parish of Fatima which was a protected world of the catechism and scripture.  The world around them lived in freemasonry, (which was not kind to the church), and political unrest which would stir a war that would effect the whole world. The angel of Portugal prepares the hearts of the children for the coming of the Virgin by teaching them how to pray.  We can gain much from these prayers by praying them with an open heart and  letting them sink deeply into our being.
+
1ST VISIT
Beginning in the spring of 1916, the Angel of Portugal came 3 times to tutor the children, preparing them for the first visitation of the Mother of God. On his 1st visit he said:
+
'Do not be afraid. I am the angel of peace. Pray with me.'
+
Then he knelt down and bending over, touched  his forehead to the ground. The children did the same and then heard the angel say 3 times:
+
 'My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You.
I ask pardon for those who do not believe,
do not adore, do not hope, and do not  love You'.
+
Then he said
'Pray in this way. The hearts of Jesus and Mary are ready to listen to you.'
+
  2nd VISIT
The children are playing and suddenly the angel comes again and says:
'What are you doing? You must pray! Pray! The hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs for you. You must offer your prayers and sacrifices to God, the Most High.'
+
 They asked how they could do this and the angel answered:
+
 'In every way you can offer sacrifice to God in reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for sinners. In this way you will bring peace to our country, for I am its guardian angel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, bear and accept with patience the sufferings God will send you.'
+
  3rd VISIT
The angel leaves the chalice suspended in the air and says:
+
'Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present  in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. And by the infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.'


 

~ ROAD to SAINTHOOD ~

 
~~~{ 1946 } ~~~
      The preliminary process of beatification of Francisco and Jacinta Marto began.
+
~~~{ 1952 - 1979 }~~~
The formal opening of the Canonical Informative Process began at the diocesan level and concluded in 1979 by presenting the documents to the Congregation of Saints.
+
~~~{ 1989 }~~~
They were then declared "venerable" by a Decree of that Sacred Congregation on 13 May.
+
~~~{ 1999 }~~~
A miracle was approved on 28 June.
+
~~~{ 2000 }~~~
On May 13th, the 83rd anniversary of the first apparition, Pope John Paul  II  gave the Declaration of Jacinta and Francisco Marto as 'Blessed'.  This represents the last stage before the Church's official recognition of their holiness or sainthood.
 


 

~ 3 SECRETS of FATIMA ~

   2 of the 3 secrets or prophecies of Fatima, are believed to be WW II (a vision of 'hell') and the rise and fall of Communism and the USSR.  The 3rd secret has been filled with speculation as nothing has ever been revealed about it until recently.  Many believed it had to do with the end of the world. But on May 13, 2000, the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano said in part 'the 3rd secret of Fatima' speaks of a 'bishop clothed in white'  -who-  'falls to the ground, apparently dead, under a burst of gunfire.'
(Sister Lucia, the only living visionary of Fatima, recently confirmed this to be John Paul II.)
+
Sodano also commented that the Holy Father believes the Virgin of Fatima saved his life after he was shot by Ali Agca, a Turkish gunman, in St. Peter’s square on May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first reported vision of the Virgin of Fatima in 1917. When the Pope turned his head to look at a young girl wearing an image of Our Lady of Fatima, the poisoned bullet aimed at his head missed.
(It was recently revealed this was a political attempt of assassination by the Communists to remove the Holy Father who had done much to block the party. This is now a matter of history.)
+
A recent interview with the gunman, Ali Agca revealed that he has desired, if released, to spend 10 days with the Virgin of Fatima.  A perfect example of the reason we must forgive, like John Paul II forgave this attempt on his life.  Forgiveness releases - allowing both sides to heal.
+
The first bullet, which almost killed John Paul II, is now set in the crown of the Virgin in Fatima Portugal. The second was found miraculously 'frozen' in the barrel of Agca's gun.
+
For a clearer understanding of the 3rd Secret - see documents at
EWTN - THE THIRD SECRET OF FATIMA


 

~ THE SKY WAS RED ~

... the night - the entire sky was red ...
I remember well the "lights" at night as foretold at Fatima.  I was about 6 at the time - in first grade. Everyone was outside very late … just looking.  We were all agog ... I mean everyone in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the world!!  Since we had never heard of Fatima, there was no apprehension.  There was no association made at that time with any place except the north-pole.
+
It wasn't until I was an adult that I learned about Fatima.  Communications were so different then, and the second world war occupied everyone's attention, because as you certainly know, everyone one had relatives in the service.  Long after Fatima became a Catholic household word, I heard Mother Angelica telling how she had seen the lights and it brought everything back to me.  Our memories were the same, but I had never made the connection.
+
Soon after, I heard how Hitler went out on his balcony to view the sight and it made my skin crawl to think that we had watched the same thing at the same time and HE was so intimately involved in such an obscene way.  He told his staff members at the meeting, that there was soon going to be much blood shed.  And at the time, no one knew what *he* was talking about.
+
I'll bet there are many people of a certain age who saw the lights also but never put the story together.  Maybe this will help.  The night - the entire sky was red!!    Joan N (FL)
+

 
ROSARY WORKSHOP MISSION STATEMENT
Our vision is to provide the finest handmade rosaries, chaplets and other fine religious art forms for personal worship we can make using the best supplies available.  The Guild believes the work of our hands should give visual Glory to God, therefore for us, the best for you is very, very important.