Fatima - A Botched Attempt at being a 'Real Pilgrim'!

Fatima, the 100th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun ~ Our pilgrimage did not go as planned, here's the story!

Many of my loyal followers are aware that I am now a blow-in local of this sacred place. After years of having the grace of living in Fatima and watching all the pilgrims walk in from all over for the major feast days of May and October 13th with blistered feet, coming as far away as the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, my mother and I looked at each other one year and said, “Gee, we only live a few kilometres outside the Sanctuary and right within the parish, and we haven't done “The Walk'? What's the matter with us?” 

Locals do it each May, so a few years ago my mother and I decided to be 'real pilgrims' and walk into Fatima. Getting our sun hats, pilgrim staffs, reflector jackets and getting all geared up, taking our time, not going too slow, or too fast, we started very early in the morning and made it within two hours, in plenty of time for the Rosary Procession and Mass. We did it! And we weren't too tuckered out! We were so chuffed with ourselves walking several miles in! However, when one of the locals heard of our accomplishment they said: “Two hours? From your village? Pfft! We can do it in one!”

What a balloon popper!

Never mind, we were so chuffed Mom wanted to do it again someday....

So of course, this year, the 100th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, she was getting us all motivated to get up early and grab our pilgrim staffs again. The day before was so hot, no clouds in the sky, the vigil night was warm, so, we expected a great day to go walking, when lo and behold...

A wet, foggy morning like an October morning in Cork, Ireland greeted us! It was beautiful to see the mists settling in on the pine, holm oak and eucalyptus groves, blanketing the village and the surrounding hilly countryside, but brrrrr! What a switch from hot to cold! Well, we started out, and the fog got thicker....

“Ooogh! My arthritis, I can't walk! I'll never make it!”

We didn't make it past the village church.

“Oh no! Okay, you sit at the church, I'll walk back and get the car.”

Of course, now I turn 180º and start speed-walking back home...what pilgrims we are!

Our Blessed mother must have a sense of humour because a lady in the village was now at her front door smiled and wished me a 'good morning', but seeing me in my pilgrim gear, reflector jacket and staff in hand, she then looked utterly perplexed and didn't know what to say next. I could hear the wheels turning:

“Where's she off to? She's going the wrong way!”

Sigh! The story of my life! I just had to laugh, but I was so miffed. News travels fast in these little villages, and it would soon spread that the “Two Irlandeses never made it past the village.”

Humble pie. LOL!

I was so bummed out, I was looking forward to the walk, now, I was feeling like a failure as a 'real pilgrim'. I picked Mom up, and of course, she was disappointed too, but ever encouraging in her Unsinkable Molly Brown tone said:

“Nevermind, Our Lady knows our intentions, we got as far as the church, and because we wanted to go through with it, she'll carry us the rest of the way, don't worry.”

Of course, on top of 'Pilgrim Failure Syndrome', after picking Mom up I am getting a bit stressed- the one good thing about 'The Walk', you never have to worry about parking. But now...?

It's still early, almost 9 AM-ish, but not early enough before the parking spaces on such a big day as October 13th are all gone, especially for the 100th anniversary.  Expect them to be snapped up, vanished! 

However, I stepped on it a bit, there was still hope! Oh Angel of Parking, don't leave us down now! Sure enough, I got in just as the cops were getting ready to set up their traffic points, and I got the last space on the Little Shepherds roundabout, FREE parking IN town, and within walking distance Mom could handle. That's a miracle on a day like today!

“See? Our Lady and the Angel of Parking took care of us again.” 

So true, Mom.

Living in Fatima as a local, you would think it's easy to get in for the feast days -- nope. Not always. We learned the hard way one year in June 2007 when the traffic was INSANE and the National Guards had all the roads closed, we just had to turn away from Fatima. That was a sad day. However, since I've been praying to the Angel of Parking, he's never left us down for really important things like today.

 I owe the Angel of Parking so many candles, it's not funny!

(Images: the candles of Fatima.  You have to be careful!  The place gets so hot, the wax can suddenly blaze up and set them all on fire!  Sometimes instead of lighting your votive candle, you end up tossing it into the flames like a votive pyre!)

 

So, we made it it time for the Rosary and Mass, the Sanctuary with the fog as literally thick as potato soup . The TV cameras may have made it look lighter and brighter, but believe me, it must have been digital enhancement because as the statue of Our Lady was carried in procession from the Chapel of Apparitions to the main altar, the other side of the Sanctuary could barely be seen at times, the Holy Rosary basilica was disappearing in and out of a thick misty blanket!

Gradually, the sun came out until all the fog was burned off, by mid-day it was once again clear, bright, getting hot, and not a cloud in the sky. When the day turned out like this, it's hard to imagine the pours of rain the pilgrims walked through 100 years ago, but we've been here through storms like that here, and whew! After living ten years in Ireland we discovered the rain there can't hold a candle to what happens here at times, the Portuguese tropical downpours go sideways, and whirls with the wind, you can get soaked right up to the knees as the rain splashes up and soaks you through and through. Brollys aren't much of a help!

No worries about that today though. Mass was not overpacked like we expected, the plaza was full, but we've seen it more packed than it was today. We had enough space without feeling claustrophobic. However, the 'Cattle Drive for Communion' still took place, people not being reverential when going up to receive Communion, crushing you up against the rails, and then pushing you out of the way. Reverence seems to get tossed to the side, and this in the land where the Angel of Peace taught the Three Shepherd Children a prayer to atone for the sacrileges, outrages and indifference against the Blessed Sacrament! 

Were there any noticeable differences from the May 13th Mass of this year? Only that the pictures of the Two seers, Francisco and Jacinta were now taken down off the Basilica. We also got a live televised message from Pope Francis today, short, sweet, to the point, “Don't be afraid, say your Rosary and stick close to Our Lady!” Sadly, the 'Druid Monstrance' was still used for Benediction, and of course, the 'Brown Black Cube Altar' was still in use with that horrible excuse for a crucifix behind it.  You can read more about the May 13th 2017 celebrations by clicking here, pictures included:

Fatima, May 13th observations

However, it was a blessed thing to be on such sacred ground for the 100th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun. 

Afterwards, we sprinted for lunch, getting in just before the after-Mass rush, another blessing! If you're not booked into a hotel for the feast days, you have to scramble for a place to eat before they get chockablocked!

After a rather noisy lunch, (the Portuguese can get noisy like the Spanish!) we meandered on down the street, and bumped into a colourful pilgrim group from Africa: the ladies had specially printed royal blue dresses with images of Our Lady of Fatima complete with royal blue head dresses to match, they were just eye-catching, so we stopped and talked with them. Mom and I just love the print dresses from Africa, they are so colourful and we told the ladies their country should export these printed cottons! We would love them! The Portuguese seem to dress in dour colours a lot of the time. So, a chat started up, the ladies were from Gambia, and they were taught by good old fashion Irish nuns, and after telling us a little about themselves, they had a blast hearing Mom talk about her school day tales...it's wonderful. You get to meet so many people from all over the world in Fatima, and this is the first time we met a group from Gambia!

And so, out come my leaflets about the approved stigmatist and prophet Marie-Julie Jahenny, now another corner of the world will soon hear of her prophecies. God is good! You can find out more about her here:

Marie-Julie Jahenny, approved mystic since 1875

Of course, we couldn't stay chatting and left the ladies join their pilgrim group while we went off for  coffee and a pastry, and enjoying the rest of the beautiful sunny afternoon, watching all the pilgrims coming to and from the Way of the Cross out in Aljustrel, the guards busy blowing their whistles and directing traffic around the roundabout and trying to keep the hoards of pilgrims from getting mowed down by the buses.

So, our 'true pilgrimage' on foot didn't quite go as planned, but we made it!

Deo Gratias!

Fatima's Gradual Descent into Darkness – the Altar of the World has become a blasphemous mockery

May 13, 2017 marked the 100^th Anniversary of the miraculous apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children of Fatima, Portugal.

On that day, Pope Francis canonised two of the little seers, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, which makes them the youngest non-martyred saints of the Catholic Church.

However, what was supposed to be a joyous celebratory canonisation Mass was filled with sombre omens. (Image: AP Photo/Armando Franca)

The official canonisation pictures of the two children are dark, disturbingly so, and they are holding lamps, a reference to the parable of the wise virgins waiting for the Master to come, who will also “search Jerusalem with lamps” during a time of disbelief. (Sophonias 1:12) It is a passage of the coming Judgement. Is this a sign to be vigilant, a sign of Dark Days ahead when the Master visits the earth unexpected with His Justice? (Right image: more official images unveiled May 8 by the Sanctuary during a news conference for the canonisation 2017, which are even darker than the ones on the basilica.)

The statue of Our Lady above the altar on the Holy Rosary Basilica never gets blackened like the other statues, (since mould is a big problem in Portugal), but at the Mass, it was clear for all to see the top and outer edge of her right hand has turned black, (notice the close up),  while the rest of the statue was perfectly white. All my years in Fatima, I've never seen the statue like this, it always stays white especially as it was cleaned not too long ago for the Anniversary. As she has said to other visionaries and mystics of the Church, she is getting tired of holding up the arm of her Son from visiting the earth with His Justice. (Close up below, thank you to Tigga Wild on Twitter for use of the photo.)

The most shocking element is the new outdoor altar specially built for the occasion of the Anniversary: a huge black /brownish stone block surrounded by six black stone candle holders and black seat for the main celebrants. The candles are set so low it appears as though black candles were burnt for the Mass.  The strange thing: the original plans showed a white altar, white podium and white seats, but this was changed, a 3D model had it in gold, but this switch to a 'Black Cube' altar is startling.  It was as if they were hiding what they planned to do regarding the altar itself and unleashed it on an unsuspecting public at the last minute. we cannot help but see a strange connection with the Illuminati 'Black Cube of Saturn' cult.  Yes, occultists believe in such a thing. (Read more about it here.)

Pope Francis himself also wore a very dark pallium with black crosses, and this for the joyous occasion of the Fatima Anniversary and the canonisation of two children? The whole ceremony was so dark and sombre, compared with the outdoor canonisations that take place in Rome! (Image below: Paulo Novais/Pool Photo via AP)

The 'crucifix' above the altar has an ugly 'floating' modern figure of Christ completely detached from the cross as though He were 'resurrecting' or ascending already. Christ is not crucified on the cross, they have depicted Our Lord levitated in mid air away from the cross,  and as Bishop Fulton J. Sheen so ominously predicted, one of the signs of the last times will be the rise of a 'church without a cross', a false church emptied of all Divine content, Christ's sufferings will be eliminated. (Image below, notice again the black altar and the black candles down the sides. AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Interesting how all the votive Masses at the Chapel of the Apparitions in Fatima contain the 'Woman Clothed with the Sun' reading from the Apocalypse, and so did the Anniversary Mass. Right now, this exact sign is occurring in the sky, which foretells a time of punishment is coming. (Read more about that here in "The Lord Says: Look tot he Sky for the Signs of the Times".)

In all, it looked like a 'Black Mass' was being offered, or at the very least, a 'Death Mass' for the Church as we once knew it.

Other ominous signs in Fatima:

The Trinity 'Church' ~ the 'Bull Ring' as one local disgruntled vandal described it on a poster here in the parish church. You don't need me to tell you this building looks nothing like a Catholic church. It's one huge spiritless community hall without a Tabernacle, complete with blasphemous depictions of a fleshy Christ on the cross inside, and I think a statue of Our Lady, no one seems to know what it is. Outside, there is a huge, featureless 'matchstick Christ', while the traditional Penitential Pathway that pilgrims make on their knees was also cut exactly in half when this 'church' was built, it is half the length it once was.   Remember, Bishop Sheen warned of church without a suffering Cross or penance, a sign of the last days. (Picture of the 'Fleshy' Christ and the 'Match Stick' Christ.)

The Fatima Sanctuary took about 47 million Euros of a grant from the European Commission to build the Trinity Church, so they were 'indebted' to the Socialist Regime: it is no surprise the Trinity Church turned out the way it did. There were plans to include ecumenical chapels in the new building so "All Faiths" could worship there, but that was scrapped.

I bet most people don't know that the Sanctuary Committee had planned to knock down the original Holy Rosary Basilica after the Trinity Church monstrosity was built, but the people complained and that was dropped. They also had planned to move the children's bodies to a modern chapel underground at the Trinity Church, but the people also protested and this too was dropped for now.

The underground chapels connected with the Trinity Church are a scandal, completely devoid of edifying decorations save a tiny modern crucifix, a statue of Our Lady of Fatima (the only pretty holy object there), and a box in the corner for a Tabernacle. The walls are dead plain, these chapels are more clinical than a hospital ward, and let's not get into the horrible monstrance used in the Perpetual Adoration chapel ~ a steel square suspended from the ceiling, while the giant jewelled monstrance donated by the Irish is stuck in a museum along with all the other beautiful chalices and ornaments for the altar donated from around the world. They've all become museum pieces while the most plain insipid chalices I wouldn't stick on my kitchen table are used for all the Masses. (Images: the steel square monstrance in the modern Adoration Chapel.  All the underground chapels look like this, white and clinical.)

 

 And here is the paganish plain silver modern monstrance that was used at the Blessing of the Sick and Benediction during the Canonisation Mass May 13, 2017 compared with the giant solid gold and jewelled Irish Monstrance now in a museum, (image below):

It seems they cannot find enough ways to introduce as much ugly modern art into the Sanctuary as they can, the perpetual Nativity scene is horrific, and so is the one they trot out for Christmas at the Trinity Church. (Image Right: Trinity Church nativity scene. Image below, perpetual Nativity scene in the outdoor Sanctuary).

UPDATE: This is the most recent 'Nativity Scene' in the Holy Rosary basilica (December 2017): giant stick figures carved from tree trunks that look like something out of a primative pagan cult.   On top of that, the basilica was practically left undecorated!  You would never know it was Christmas in there.  Before, they used to do 'something', hang a few curtains over the doors and a large 'photograph nativity' with the baby Jesus that looked slightly more traditional, but this year was a right flop. 

Another shocker, after the Holy Rosary Basilica was restored for the Anniversary, the beautiful mosaic Stations of the Cross were removed from inside, and they have not been returned. We have no idea where they are, or if they will be put back. The marble altar rails were also taken out last year and a red string was put in its place, not even a decent looking 'theatre rope' was used. The modern altar featuring the Last Supper was taken out, now there is nothing but another stone block. At least it's not black, but dark brown, close enough.  UPDATE: Thanks to Catholic Sat on Twitter who reminded me that two original altars of the fifteen dedicated to the Holy Rosary have been removed, also, in order to put new name plaques near the seers' burial places, they have covered over the CHI-RHO of Constantine on the old altars, those extra name plaques were not necessary as the graves already had clear markings right on them.  So yes, another set of traditional crosses removed!   (Images, the Holy Rosary Basilica before and after the restoration process.  The stations of the Cross are now missing. UPDATE. Dec. 2017: they're still missing, see the new nativity scene above.)

 

 

Here is a comparison of the Former versus the New altar inside the Holy Rosary Basillica. Does this look like an 'improvement'?

UPDATE: the most worrying thing I've seen about this brown altar in the Holy Rosary Basilica: Currently there are only three candlesticks shaped out in a triangle pattern around the altar (see the picture above): which looks almost exactly like the arrangement around a Masonic Altar.   Three candles are Masonic symbolic imagery.  Compare with the  pictures of a Masonic Lodges below:

        

 








 What are the bishops thinking?!  When the Holy Rosary Basilica in Fatima begins to look more like a Masonic Lodge than  a Catholic church, you know the chastisements are coming soon. 






 
Elsewhere, the red Sanctuary lamps have been taken away, the red candle outside the Chapel of Apparitions has been gone for several years now. There is one inside where the Tabernacle is closed away, but nobody sees it, so there is no public indication the Blessed Sacrament is present at the Apparition Chapel. In the Holy Rosary Basilica, little white tea light candles are now next to the Tabernacle, but that is not a clear indicator to visitors that the Blessed Sacrament is present.   People wander past and don't genuflect.  Lack of proper Sanctuary lamps leaves the Sanctuary open to more blasphemous disrespect, which was bad enough to begin with. (See the Before and After pictures.)

People are no longer respectful in the Sanctuary grounds like they used to be way back in 1997 when I first visited Fatima. People were quiet once they entered the Sanctuary let alone one of the churches, but that is long gone. As I type this, I have been living here for fourteen years now, and things have steadily become much worse. Talking, yakking, shouting, walking about, even when Mass is going on the the Chapel of Apparitions. People answer a call on their mobile phones during Mass and run out! Others sit and send texts waiting for Mass. Prayer? What is that? I remember seeing a young woman reading the 'Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown during the Blessed Sacrament Procession. Yes. I did.

Apparently, ignorance of the faithful has now also deprived us of the Blessing of the Candles before the nightly Rosary procession.  As the candles are lit, the priest used to bless them before the procession began, but we discovered people were throwing their candles into the garbage when the procession was over!  I don't know how many blessed candles we fished out of trash cans after the night processions.  Now, the last few times we've been to the processions, no blessings were done on the candles. Perhaps that has been removed, or the priests forget, BUT if it was stopped to prevent a sacramental being thrown out, a blessing has been deprived because of indifference to holy objects.

(UPDATE August 15 2018- the priest blessed the candles for the evening Rosary procession, so, it can be hit and miss.  Hopefully enough people compalined and they've started doing it again, but the Shrine shouldn't be managed on a 'hit or miss' basis!)

Still ongoing, in the Holy Rosary Basilica and the Trinity Church, the ignornace on how to act in a church and the complete lack of respect is appalling.

All the code of conduct signs around the Sanctuary are ignored. People dress half naked as though they were at the beach, or wear see-through or skin tight clothes, and no one corrects them or keeps them from entering like they do in Rome.

Rarely any genuflections before the Blessed Sacrament when people enter the church, they troop right on through. No calm or order when receiving Communion, people pile out of pews on top of each other like a cattle drive, which is a complete nightmare in the huge open air Masses, you have to elbow your way for Communion, and then pray you don't get skipped by the priests or that a Host is dropped. (And yes, hosts have been dropped.  No act of reparation done.)

Then, priests might skip you if you were kneeling for Communion in the Apparition Chapel, espeically if you're a lady with your head covered in the traditional lace mantilla.  I've been denied Communion on several occasions, it still happens, which discourages anyone from kneeling for Communion or keeping your head covered.  Once, I even had to flag down the priest and keep him from passing me! This is how they treat Catholics, but have no problems letting Hindus come in that one infamous time May 2004 and dance around right in the Sanctuary of the Apparition Chapel, to 'honour' Our Lady as a manifestation of one of their goddesses. (Read more about that here. Note, I don't know who runs this site, I'm only sharing the news about the Hindu sacrilege / blasphemy.)

Visitors may not be able to see all the changes that have been done gradually bit by bit, but living here and watching as it happened these last fourteen years, it's one heartbreak after another.

The Austrian mystic Maria Simma, who allegedly had visitations from the souls of Purgatory, said they revealed to her that Heaven does not approve of modern images in churches for they are a mockery of what they're supposed to represent.

What an ominous warning. It appears Fatima, the Altar of the World, has become one giant blasphemous mockery, and as we all know, God will not be mocked.  Truly the lack of CATHOLIC celebration displayed for the canonisation and Anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions in Fatima is a frightening revelation of the sign of our times.

UPDATE: For those who think these observations about Fatima are over the top, that I'm making a 'big deal about nothing', I'm including below only PART of a vision Blessed Catherine Emmerich received about Our Lord's terrible Agony in the Garden showing one manner of torment He received from the devil:

“Among the throng of apparitions typical of the outrages offered to Divine Mercy, I saw Satan under various abominable forms, each bearing reference to the guilt then exhibited. (From sin committed.) … At first I saw the serpent but seldom, but towards the last I beheld it in gigantic form, a crown upon its head. With terrible might and leading after it immense legions of humans prepared to attack Jesus. …

Upon this I received an instruction that these multitudes that were thus tearing Jesus to pieces represented the countless number of those that in divers ways ill-treat Him who, in His Divinity and Humanity, Body and Soul, Flesh and Blood under the forms of bread and wine in the Most Blessed Sacrament, dwells ever present in that Mystery as their Redeemer.

Among these enemies of Jesus, I recognized offences of all kinds committed against the Blessed Sacrament, that living Pledge of His uninterrupted presence with the Catholic Church. I saw with horror all the outrages springing from neglect, irreverence, and omission, as also those of abuse and the most awful sacrilege. …

… I notice in particular many badly instructed, badly reared, and irreverent acolytes, (altar servers) who do not honour Christ in the Holy Mass. Their guilt falls partly upon their teachers and the careless sacristans.

But with terror I saw that many of the priests themselves, both of high and low degree – yes, even some that esteem themselves full of faith and piety – contribute their share toward outraging Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 

Of the many whom, to my great sorrow, I thus saw, I shall say a word of warning to one class in particular, and it is this:

I saw numbers that believe, adore, and teach the Presence of the Living God in the Most Blessed Sacrament, yet who do not sufficiently take it to heart. They forget, they neglect, the palace, the throne, the canopy, the seat, the royal adornments of the King of Heaven and Earth, that is, the church, the altar, the tabernacle, with all its vessels, the furniture, the decorations, the festal robes, and all that is used in His worship, or the adornment of His house. All things were ignominiously covered with dust and rust, mouldering away, and through long years of neglect, falling to ruin. The service of the living God was shamefully neglected, and where it was not inwardly profaned, it was outwardly dishonoured. Nor did all this arise from real poverty, but indifference and sloth ... from preoccupation of mind with vain, worldly affairs, and often too from self-seeking and spiritual death. I saw neglect of this kind in rich churches and in other tolerably well off. Yes, I saw many in which a worldly love of splendour and tinselled finery had replaced the magnificent and appropriate adornments of a more devout age. What the rich in ostentatious arrogance do, the poor foolishly aim at in their poverty and simplicity. This recalls to me our poor convent chapel in which the beautiful old stone altar had been covered with wood veined to imitate marble, a fact that always gave me sorrow. (I.e. a real stone altar had been covered with a cheap 'tinselled finery' of fake marble veneer. )

These visions of the outrages offered to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament I saw multiplied by innumerable church wardens who were totally deficient in their sense of equity, who failed to share at least what they had with their Redeemer present upon the altar, although He had delivered Himself to death for them, although He remains

(Extracts from The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations from the Vision of Venerable Ann Catherine Emmerich, Vol 4, Tan Publishers, 1986, pp. 96-99)

Blessed Emmerich does say God does not need riches, but considering she has warned priests in particular to take care to give the best at the Altar, it shows Christ, who died for us and continues to remains on earth for us inthe Blessed Sacrament, demands respect and deserves the very best ~ "magnificent and appropriate adornments of a more devout age" ~ not showy tinsel, the mocking modernity of the world that is an outrage.

***

UPDATE NUMBER TWO:   It seems that in Fatima they know when to bring out the 'good stuff' when it suits them, so it is not alway completely downhill here -- last week at the public Benediction at 5:30 PM in the Chapel of Apparitions (Sept. 24, 2017) they used a gorgeous gold and silver adoration monstrance in the statue-shape of Our Lady of Grace, the Sacred Host placed directly where her heart is, then, the Host was reverently taken out and placed in a proper 'Blessing' monstrance when the time of the public blessing was to occur.  If they have items like this for the service of the altar in such a special place like Fatima, why don't they use them instead of the blasphemous trash we see all the time? Of course, a visiting bishop was present, so this beautiful monstrance may have been a concession for him.  Still, it was good to see this, there's hope yet. 

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UPDATE NUMBER THREE: (November 10, 2017) Then, we have bright moments, like when a Latin Mass Society visits, or a pilgrim group from a society that upholds Roman Catholic orthodoxy arrives, and somehow receive permisson to decorate the modern altars into something befitting the Sacrifice of the Mass, like this, which just happened recently:


BEFORE: 

AFTER:

 
YES! What a difference! I love it when this happens! Too bad they couldn't do something about the ugly crucifix, but the properly decorated altar is a breath of fresh air.  This particular group also did the same with one of the altars in the little ugly bare white underground 'nothing' chapels and it made such a big difference. You can see it on the site at: http://blog.messainlatino.it/2017/11/pellegrinaggio-dellicrss-per-il_23.html

Too bad this doesn't happen more often.

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