Did you know that the predictions from the 1917 Marian apparitions at Fatima included world-changing events like World War II and the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II?
Join us on the Theory to Action podcast as we unravel the profound spiritual significance of the First Saturday devotions, rooted in these miraculous apparitions. We will do this with the help of our guide, "A Pope and A President ", the wonderful book written by Paul Kengor.
We'll guide you through the history and messages of Our Lady of Fatima, including the awe-inspiring "Miracle of the Sun," and discuss how these revelations have profoundly influenced the Catholic Church and personal spiritual practices. Through prayer, repentance, and the rosary, discover the transformative power these devotions hold.
Key Points from the Episode:
Get ready for a surprising twist as we explore the unexpected interest of President Ronald Reagan in the Fatima story.
Hear the behind-the-scenes tale of how a bold reference to the miracle of Fatima made it into one of his speeches, despite the cautious nature of his advisors.
We'll share the enthusiastic response from Portuguese legislators and the media's take on Reagan's poignant remarks about democracy and human rights.
Furthermore, we'll draw fascinating parallels between Reagan's message and Pope John Paul II's reflections on the challenges posed by communism.
This episode is a compelling blend of faith, history, and political bravery that you won't want to miss.
Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!
Did you know that the predictions from the 1917 Marian apparitions at Fatima included world-changing events like World War II and the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II?
Join us on the Theory to Action podcast as we unravel the profound spiritual significance of the First Saturday devotions, rooted in these miraculous apparitions. We will do this with the help of our guide, "A Pope and A President ", the wonderful book written by Paul Kengor.
We'll guide you through the history and messages of Our Lady of Fatima, including the awe-inspiring "Miracle of the Sun," and discuss how these revelations have profoundly influenced the Catholic Church and personal spiritual practices. Through prayer, repentance, and the rosary, discover the transformative power these devotions hold.
Key Points from the Episode:
Get ready for a surprising twist as we explore the unexpected interest of President Ronald Reagan in the Fatima story.
Hear the behind-the-scenes tale of how a bold reference to the miracle of Fatima made it into one of his speeches, despite the cautious nature of his advisors.
We'll share the enthusiastic response from Portuguese legislators and the media's take on Reagan's poignant remarks about democracy and human rights.
Furthermore, we'll draw fascinating parallels between Reagan's message and Pope John Paul II's reflections on the challenges posed by communism.
This episode is a compelling blend of faith, history, and political bravery that you won't want to miss.
Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!
Welcome to the Theory to Action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time, to help you take action immediately and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now here's your host, David Kaiser.
Speaker 2:
Hello, I am David and welcome back to another Mojo Minute Now. For some time, my men's church group and myself have attended the first Saturday devotions at my local parish, and these first Saturday devotions are at the request of Our Lady of Fatima. Now, if you're not Catholic, you will need some backstory. Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Virgin Mary based on the Marian apparitions, that's sightings reported in 1917. These appearances were seen by three little shepherd children at a place called the Cova de Eria in Fatima, portugal. These children were Lucia Don Santos and her cousins, francisco and Jacinta Marto. The apparitions occurred on the 13th day of each month from May to October of 1917, with, quote, the miracle of the sun on the final day, witnessed by thousands of people. We'll talk more about the miracle of the sun later. We'll talk more about the miracle of the sun later.
Speaker 2:
The messages delivered by the apparition of Mary emphasized prayer, repentance, conversion, with a strong focus on the rosary. Now you might ask what is the rosary? Well, the rosary is a form of prayer used primarily in the Catholic Church. It also refers to a physical string of beads used to count the component prayers. The term rosary comes from the Latin word rosarium, meaning a crown of roses or a garland of roses. The rosary consists of a sequence of prayers including the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, or the Lord's Prayer, as most people know it, the Hail Mary, the Glory Bee, or the Doxology, and the Hail Holy Queen. These prayers are arranged in sets of ten Hail Marys, called decades, each preceded by one Our Father and followed by one Glory Bee, each preceded by one our Father and followed by one Glory Be. And while you say these prayers, you meditate on one of the scenes of the life of Christ and of the Virgin Mary. Here's just a quick sampling of some of the scenes. There's 20 total covering four different sets of mysteries, but here's just a quick sampling of eight of those. One scene is the Annunciation of our Lord to Mary. Number two is the Nativity. Number three is the Agony in the Garden. Number four, the Crucifixion. Number five, the Resurrection of our Lord. Another one's the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Another one's the Baptism, the Holy Spirit. Another one's the baptism of Jesus, and another one is the institution of the Holy Eucharist. Now some Catholics will also include, at the end of the decades the five decades, the five decades the quote oh my Jesus prayer after the glory be prayer, which is one of the seven Fatima prayers that our lady spoke about in 1917. More on that later. But back to our lady of Fatima.
Speaker 2:
During these appearances, the Virgin Mary revealed three secrets to the children. Among other things, these three secrets consisted of visions of hell, the end of World War I and the prediction of a more dangerous, more horrific and more terrible coming war, and that was the prediction of World War II. And then the third secret also had the prediction of the assassination attempt on John Paul II. Now it was shrouded in secrecy for some time. It didn't name the pope, but it said of a quote bishop in white the only bishop that wears white in the Catholic Church is the Holy Father. Now the miracle of sun, which I mentioned earlier, was the culminating event, where the witnesses reported seeing the sun quote dance or zigzag in the sky amid, emit multicolored light and then appeared to move towards the earth. Now this event was declared quote worthy of belief by the Catholic Church, and the site of the apparitions has become a major pilgrimage center. The three little children face skepticism and even imprisonment, but their accounts over the years remained the same and consistent. Now Francisco and Jacinta died early, and they died young, actually, as predicted by the Virgin Mary. They were later canonized as saints by Pope Francis in 2017. The remaining seer of the visions, lucia, became a Carmelite nun and provided written accounts of the apparitions and the messages as she progressed through her life.
Speaker 2:
The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima have had a significant impact on the Catholic Church and on the teachings of Mary. The sanctuary at Our Lady of Fatima, built on the site of the apparitions, attracts millions of pilgrims annually. The devotion of Our Lady of Fatima emphasizes peace, conversion and the importance of the rosary and the spiritual life of its believers. Now, for the better part of the last decade, I have made the rosary a part of my daily spiritual life, saying it, like I said, daily and with devotion, and trying to limit outside distractions while I meditate on the mysteries of Christ and of his mother.
Speaker 2:
So it was with great surprise that, while reading Paul Kengor's book the Pope and the President, I was astonished to hear about how Protestant President Ronald Reagan knew and wanted to know more about Our Lady of Fatima. In fact, let's go to this fantastic book I just concluded reading the other day because it is a fantastic story. Go on to the book. To reiterate a key point if the Polish Pope did pass along a Fatima book to Reagan via Archbishop Balagi, that probably happened after the June 1982 Vatican meeting, which suggests that Reagan and John Paul II might have had a Fatima discussion at that first one-on-one meeting. Whatever the case, we have further evidence to suggest that Reagan knew about Fatima by the time of his 1985 Portugal speech in May, as Tony Dolan insisted. Tony Dolan is the devout Catholic speechwriter for Reagan at the time and actually Reagan showed plainly in a speech before Portugal's assembly that he knew the Fatima story.
Speaker 2:
He made a striking statement as he shared his thoughts on John Paul II. This is in the speech to the Portugal Assembly. Check this out Fascinating stuff. Here's the quote. This belief in human dignity suggests the final truth upon which democracy is based, a belief that human beings are not just another part of the material universe, not just a mere bundle of atoms. We believe in another dimension, a spiritual side to man. We find a transcendent source for our claims to human freedom, our suggestion that inalienable rights come from one greater than ourselves. No one has done more to remind the world of the truth of human dignity, as well as the truth that peace and justice begins with each of us than the special man who came to Portugal a few years ago after a terrible attempt on his life. Let's stop here. Remember John Paul II was shot in 1981. And this is just six weeks after Ronald Reagan is shot.
Speaker 2:
Going back to this speech by Reagan to the Portugal Assembly 1985. Reagan's talking about John Paul II. He came here to Fatima, the site of your great religious shrine, to fulfill his special devotion to Mary sight of your great religious shrine to fulfill his special devotion to Mary, to plead for forgiveness and compassion among men, to pray for peace and recognition of human dignity throughout the world. When I met John Paul II a year ago in Alaska, I thanked him for his life and his apostolate and I dared to suggest to him that in the example of men like himself and in the prayers of simple people everywhere, simple people like the children of Fatima, there resides more power than in all the great armies and statesmen of the world. End quote. Paul Kengor commentates on this yes, ronald Reagan had invoked Fatima For the first and final time publicly, that is, of his presidency. Reagan mentioned Mary and the children of Fatima. He said he had told the Pope that in the prayers of those children there resided more power than all of the world's armies and statesmen. One might read into that passage that Reagan in Alaska had mentioned the Fatima Square. John Paul II had visited Fatima quote that great religious shrine where he fulfilled quote his special devotion to Mary, where he prayed for forgiveness and compassion and peace. But, holy smokes, a Protestant president invoking a Marian apparition. Where was the press? No one reported on this. Let's keep going Back to the book. Clearly Ronald Reagan knew of Fatima.
Speaker 2:
Note that Reagan carefully reviewed each speech ahead of time. Quote that was a daring line, said Tony Dolan. Three decades later, he, reagan, could have passed on it, but he didn't. That speech draft went through a lot of iterations to be proofed. Reagan's staff carefully reviewed every speech as well, which makes it even more remarkable that even an oblique reference to the miracle of Fatima made its way into a presidential address. Reagan's staff included ultra-cautious pragmatists who were aggressive in exercising anything I'm sorry, excising anything that they considered remotely odd, unconventional, potentially controversial. Many lines in Reagan's speeches caused a ruckus among his advisers. Any Reagan speechwriter can recall examples from well-known phrases like quote Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall. And quote evil empire to pro-life statements that Reagan staffers such as James Baker and Richard Darman pounced on. Such lines could tangle up a speech draft for weeks, even months, but this time, somehow, a line concerning three shepherd children and their claims of visits from the mother of Christ slipped through, apparently with no opposition.
Speaker 2:
As President Reagan uttered the word Fatima to the assembly, a pause followed as the Portuguese legislators awaited the translation for confirmation of what they thought they just heard. When the corresponding words came through in their language, vigorous clapping ensued. This was not what they had expected from the head of state addressing them in formal session, especially from an American Protestant president. Saying what he said no doubt gave Reagan joy. He relished these moments when a powerful statement of truth left his lips. I knew he would love it and use it. Dolan said of the line he inserted for his boss. It and use it. Dolan said of the line he inserted for his boss. Just knew it. Very, very daring.
Speaker 2:
Ronald Reagan finished that 3,400 word oration with a quote thank you and God bless you all. A standing ovation followed. The communist had failed to spoil his message. The communist had failed to spoil his message. Now that backstory is absolutely riveting, the fact that Reagan paused to let the translation happen and then got the response he knew he would and that those Portugal legislators would appreciate. And appreciate they did with vigorous, vigorous clapping. In fact I found the full speech at the Reagan Library website in its video archive, so I'll put a link in the show notes because it is worth your time to check it out Now, as usual.
Speaker 2:
You know how did even our liberal media back then in the 1980s cover this speech? They missed the whole point about Fatima. But we do hear from the New York Times let's go to Kangor on this from the book Indeed, the New York Times noted that the boycott and quote walkout appeared to have limited effect on the remaining four. Fifths of the members interrupted. That interrupted Reagan. Mr Reagan speech eight times with applause and stood in ovation at the end. The Times reported that the 74-year-old president was buoyant after the speech quote, skipping up the stairs and swapping grins with Secretary of State George P Schultz.
Speaker 2:
This was the last day of a long European trip, but Reagan seemed as fresh as the instant he had landed in West Germany on May 1st. The New York Times was one of the few American sources to cover Reagan's speech in Portugal. Most Western media had spent their press coverage in Bitburg. The Times piece seized on perhaps the president's most poignant comments of the entire 10-day swing through Europe, well before his words on the children of Fatima and well after his statement on Portugal's journey being, quote the journey of our time, the journey of our century, reagan had stated quote. I have seen in these past days reminders of the tragedy and the grandeur of our time. I heard the voice of the 20th century. It is humanity's voice, heard in every century, every time, and the words are unmistakable. They call out to us in anguish, but also in hope Let the nations live in peace among themselves, let all nations abide in the fellowship that God intends. He spoke of the God-given rights of individuals the right to speak, the right to assemble, the right to publish and to vote, and even to walk out. That is the meaning of democracy. End quote. The Times reporter zeroed in on that message. President Reagan told the Portuguese parliament today that he had heard the voice of the 20th century on his visit to Europe and that communism was losing out to democracy.
Speaker 2:
Though neither Reagan nor, apparently, dolan had intended it as such, this passage is not near the section on Fatima. The section on Fatima. We might read it as an almost unwitting reference to the voice of Fatima, the voice of the 20th century. It is indeed a message for our times and even today Our Lady of Fatima's message is clear, as it was in 1970, 1917. Yes, the apparitions told of future advance and of spreading quote spreading Russia's heirs. But maybe Our Lady still senses in Russia and that Russia is still spreading her heirs. Communism is still alive and well around that country and in fact it's even around the world, most especially in China is where communism flourishes. But here in the United States we are battling a resurgence, a fondness for communism and socialism. Both are daughters of the same atheistic parent. But a more deep and spiritual message is always being invoked by Our Lady in these apparitions that the church has authentically approved.
Speaker 2:
Let's turn to another book that highlights this for us. That book comes to us written, written from a father, andrew Apostoli. He is a priest, and the name of the book is a Fatima for today, the urgent Marian message of hope. Let's go to that book for its first pull quote. When John Paul the second was recovering from the bullet wounds he had suffered during the attempted assassination on May 13, 1981, he made a careful study of the documents related to the Fatima message. He saw himself in the description of the Pope who was shot praying before the large cross on the mountain. Realizing the significance of this message for our present time, he said Fatima is more important now than in 1917.
Speaker 2:
The Holy Father was convinced that the contemporary world is engaged in an enormous struggle between the forces of good and evil, between a living faith in the Supreme being and the absolute rejection of God. He recognized that the consequences of this struggle. There will be either a civilization of love and truth, based on the sanctity of human life and those rights and responsibilities given by the Creator to each human person, or a tyranny of hate and oppression based on the contempt of God, hatred of his church and relativistic values. Let us recall a statement made by Cardinal Carol Watiwa, who would later become Pope John Paul II, but as Cardinal Carol Watiwa, he came to the United States in 1976 on a visit this is two years before he was elected Pope and he said this we are today before the greatest combat that mankind has ever seen. I do not believe that the Christian community has completely understood it. We are today before the final struggle between the church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel.
Speaker 2:
These words of the man who became John Paul II remind us of the underlying theme of St Augustine's fourth century spiritual classic the City of God. Augustine wrote then since the advent of Christ, the world has been divided into two opposite cities the city of God and the city of man. The city of God is made up of all those men and women who love God so much that they're willing to hold themselves in contempt by self-denial, mortification and resistance to the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. City of man is made up of those who love themselves so much that they're willing to hold God in contempt by sinful lives, selfishness and perversion of all that God created. The conflict between the two cities will persist until the end of time when the city of God will triumph, so powerful and so truthful, so powerful and so truthful. So St John Paul II nailed it back in 1976, as a cardinal coming to the United States.
Speaker 2:
Let's in fact let's find that quote again. Here it is. We are today before the greatest combat that mankind has ever seen. I do not believe that the Christian community has completely understood it. We are today before the final struggle between the church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel. So powerful, so truthful.
Speaker 2:
Now, st John Paul II passed away and went on to his heavenly reward in 2005. And so you might ask what has happened since then? Why is Mary and Our Lady of Fatima's apparition still poignant? Still a reason for us to pay attention to them now? Well, pope Benedict continued the message of Fatima, and that message is for our times. Well, here in the early 21st century, let's go back to the book to hear what Pope Benedict said.
Speaker 2:
Pope Benedict XVI, when he was prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, was closely involved with the proclamation and the explanation of the third secret of Fatima and, as the successor of Pope John Paul II, he has continued to be very active in promoting the Fatima message. He raised the world apostolate of Fatima, commonly referred to as the Blue Army, to the level of a pontifical association of the faithful, so that it might have closer ties to the Holy See and a greater prominence in spreading the messages of Our Lady. As we have seen, the Pope made an important visit to Fatima in May of 2010, in which he said this quote we would be mistaken to think that Fatima's prophetic mission is complete. Here there takes on a new life, that the plan of God, which asks humanity from the beginning, quote where is your brother Abel? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground. Genesis 4, 9. Mankind has succeeded in unleashing a cycle of death and terror, but failed in bringing it to an end. In sacred scripture we often find that God seeks righteous men and women in order to save the city of man, and does the same here in Fatima when Our Lady asks and an act of reparation for the sins of which he is offended and of supplication for the conversion of sinners. Perhaps that statement of Pope Benedict best sums up his pastoral advice regarding Fatima, in which he says learn the message of Fatima, live the message of Fatima, spread the message of Fatima. We have hoped that you have learned more about the message of Fatima by reading this book.
Speaker 2:
I highly recommend this book, and there is other literature about Our Lady of Fatima, but here is a quick four sections that we can pay attention to in our life. Number one do we strive to live good Christian lives? We can do this by obeying God's commandments and fulfilling our duties and our station in life. We can also do this by growing in virtue, avoiding sin and being quick to confess our faults. Number two do we pray daily, especially the rosary? For Catholics, we are nothing without God, so we must pray, even if we are to have the strength we need to live as good Christians.
Speaker 2:
In Mary's apparitions, the request was made most frequently by Our Lady to pray the Rosary every day. Do we observe the first five Saturdays? Now? This is especially poignant for Catholics. Our Lady asked for this devotion in order to bring about the complete conversion of Russia, peace in the world and the triumph of her Immaculate Heart. Our Lord asked that we observe the first five Saturdays more than once, because this devotion requires great commitment. It combines prayer with sacrifice into a means of a powerful grace.
Speaker 2:
And finally, do we make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners and do we accept suffering patiently in reparation for our sins and those of others? There is no better way to grow closer to Christ than to unite our sacrifices and sufferings with His. By His passion and death, he has brought man back to God. By uniting our sufferings and sacrifices with his, out of love for God and love for souls who are far from him, we can participate in God's salvation of the world. There is no greater power than the sacrificial love of God and we are called to share in it. Power than the sacrificial love of God and we are called to share in it.
Speaker 2:
So in today's Mojo Minute, from our ladies appearing to the three little shepherd children in 1917, to the vast changing of world events over those 100 years then, to St John Paul II and a Protestant president coming together on a worldview to end good Christian lives, to pray daily, especially the rosary, to observe the first five Saturdays and to make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners and to accept suffering patiently in reparation for our sins and those of others, those four full directions from Pope Benedict can sum up the Christian life from Pope Benedict can sum up the Christian life.
Speaker 2:
Pray daily, live good Christian lives, especially by living the virtues which we hear about often from this microphone. Make sacrifices for others, most especially for your families, because Christ loved his church and is calling us to love our families the same way he gave his life for his bride, the church. And so I said earlier that we would come back to one of those seven prayers Our Lady gave to the three little children shepherd children back in 1917 in Portugal. And that most popular prayer, best known and most widely used prayer, is the oh my Jesus prayer. In fact, we will conclude with that prayer now. Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of your mercy. Amen and God bless you for listening in need of your mercy. Amen and God bless you for listening.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this Theory to Action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at teammojoacademycom, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast, as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on.