• The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
      Monday, May 13
      On this day in 1917, the Blessed Mother chose to appear to Lúcia Santos, a young Portuguese girl, and her two younger cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, as they were out tending their sheep outside their village in Fatima, Portugal. Lucia, who was 10 but the eldest of the trio would often kneel in the open fields and pray the Rosary.
      History has recorded it was about noon when a flash of light caught the children’s attention. They said they saw a “brilliant” figure over the trees. The vision told them to pray for the conversion of sinners and an end to the war (World War I), and she would come back every month, on the 13th. As foretold apparitions happened again on June 13 and July 13. However, the children were prohibited to return to the Cova da Iria, where the previous appearances were, but when they returned on August 19, again the image appeared. Famously on September 13, the vision requested recitation of the Rosary for an end to the world war. It was on October 13, the “Lady” identified herself as “Our Lady of the Rosary” and again called for prayer and penance.
      Take time to pray the rosary to the Blessed Mother with requests for the world and the conversion of sinners. Whether you are a dedicated soul who prays this beautiful meditative prayer routinely or one who stumbles through it or hesitates for whatever the reason you can pray along with rosary audio and video presentations while sitting in silence or on a prayerful walk.
      Find great resources for how to pray the Rosary, printables, Catholic apps, websites, how to make a Rosary, and more. Check it out at: https://faithinwv.org/resources/
      Editor’s note: The art featured with this article Our Lady of Fatima by Charles Bosseron Chambers.