(Continued
from Above)
The Blessed Mother, in her Fatima apparitions, requested more devotion
to her Immaculate Heart, specifically through the First Saturday devotions
[See page 35 for more on First Saturdays] in reparation for sins, and
she repeatedly noted that through the rosary peace would come to the
world, La Corte said. That’s why, the World Apostolate of Fatima
USA, a lay association dedicated to spreading the message of Fatima,
especially the First Saturday practice, sponsored and coordinated the
Consecration Mass held in the nation’s capital. Bishop David Rickens,
the bishop of Cheyenne, Wyo., led the consecration prayer in the name
of all the U.S. Bishops. The consecration prayer was originally written
by the U.S. bishops in 1959, when they blessed the national basilica
and took that opportunity to consecrate the United States to the Immaculate
Conception. The same prayer was used and the country was reconsecrated
to the Immaculate Conception this month, and two additional invocations
were used to consecrate the nation to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart
of Mary as well. “When a consecration occurs it is to set aside
something for a sacred purpose,” Father Mark Moretti, president
of the World Apostolate of Fatima USA, told the congregation. “Through
the consecration today, our nation has been set aside, and so have each
one of you.” In a special way, he urged the young people to seek
holiness and purity.
“The late Pope John Paul II said Fatima is more important today
than it was in 1917,” said Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Father
Andrew Apostoli, during his homily. Pope John Paul made that proclamation
after his assassination attempt in May 13, 1981, on the feast of Our
Lady of Fatima. He credited the Blessed Mother with saving his life.
As he lay in his hospital bed following the shooting, he asked for all
the documents on Fatima, and thoroughly studied them before making his
prophetic statement. He was even more sure of that after he spoke with
his would-be assassin, who assured the pope that he was a professional
assassin and that he never missed, Father Andrew continued. “Mehmet
Ali Agšca asked whose feast day they were celebrating that day,
because whoever it was saved him,” Father Andrew said. Pope John
Paul made a visit to Fatima a year later, on May 13, 1982 to personally
thank Our Lady of Fatima. He brought with him the bullet that missed
his major internal organs, and placed it in her crown. Pope John Paul
II knew that the message of Fatima holds the answer for peace in the
world today, Father Andrew said. “The times we live in are crucial
to our country, and our Church,” he said. “We have the war
in Iraq, conflict in Afghanistan. … [and] here in the United States,
the sacredness of life is no longer an inalienable right.” Marriage
and family life are under attack; abortion has taken the life of 40
million in this country since 1973; infanticide is legal through partial
birth abortion; medical testing is available to determine whether a
fetus has disabilities so a woman may abort the child; euthanasia, or
assisted suicide, which is legal in Oregon and Texas with other states
in pursuit, is eliminating persons with disabilities and the elderly.
Quoting the late Catholic apologist, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, he
said: “‘If we don’t stop the destruction of life,
we’ll come to midnight. That is nuclear war, in which there will
be a total disregard for life.’” Father Andrew added, “We
can’t stop this. We need the protection of Mary. We need her to
put her mantle around our country.” Add to that the immorality
plaguing the United States — and which the U.S. exports through
its entertainment industry — and it is obvious that the need for
a conversion of heart is crucial.
Divorce, cohabitation, gay pride, pornography, the scandal in the priesthood,
rampant secularism that has even entered the Church, and an indifference
and ignorance of the faith among Catholics, are all hurting the Church
and the world, Father Andrew said. “We are being called to a renewal.”
That renewal will come through Mary and through true conversion, prayer,
fasting and devotion to the rosary, he said. “Mary suffered spiritually
all that Jesus suffered — she bore the stigmata in her heart,”
Father Andrew said. “She is truly sharing in the role of redemption.
That’s why we call her Co-Redemptrist.” Mary assisted in
the role of redemption, he said. Mary’s faith moved Jesus to perform
that first miracle at the wedding at Cana, and by doing so sent Jesus
to the cross. But she also followed. “She continues to obtain
graces for us, and we need grace to do what she last says in Scripture:
‘Do whatever he tells you.’”
Noting the presence of the papal nuncio for the consecration, Father
Andrew said it signified the deep love Pope Benedict XVI has for Fatima
and the United States, recalling the Pope’s own words in closing
his homily: “Learn the message of Fatima, study the message of
Fatima and live the message of Fatima.” The papal nuncio added
his own sentiments, describing his devotion to Mary from the beginning
of his priesthood. “I decided to become a priest under the eyes
of the Blessed Mother called the Lady of All Graces,”
Archbishop Sambi said at the close of the Mass. “I would like
to entrust to you a confidence. Every day of my life, I have felt upon
me the love of the Blessed Mother. Not a single day of my life have
I lost hope in the Blessed Mother.” He recalled his years of service
in the Holy Land, where he spent countless hours in prayer at the Church
of Golgotha, contemplating the Passion of Christ in the very place where
it took place. “I understood that the Blessed Mother belongs to
me, and that I belong to her,” the Italian Archbishop said. “I
say to you, Mary will guide you to Jesus Christ.”
Thousands of people joined Archbishop Sambi and Bishop Rickens in thanking
the Blessed Trinity for the gift of Mary, and placing the country in
her hands. Millions more joined the consecration by viewing a live EWTN
broadcast on television and the Internet. The
Knights of Columbus led the procession, and the basilica’s choir
provided angelic songs of prayer. Pilgrims from all over the country,
including various religious communities and diocesan priests, were in
attendance, and prayed the rosary together before the Mass. Many were
visibly moved by the celebration. Most
U.S. bishops were not present because of prior engagements, including
the scheduled bishops’ conference meeting, but more than two-thirds
signed the consecration prayer with more signatures still arriving.
“There’s
no doubt the consecration is going to bring so many graces,” Father
Andrew said, echoing the sentiments of those present. And
looking at the history of national Marian consecration’s, there
is good reason for such hope.
During World War I, Francis Cardinal Bourne, the Primate of England,
consecrated that country to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
in hopes of bringing peace. He claimed — and many others as well
— that it stopped World War I. The
Armistice for the First World War was signed after the consecration
on Nov. 11. It was, incidentally, the same day the papal nuncio chose
to officiate the Mass for the United States. Portugal was also consecrated
to the Immaculate Heart of Mary before World War II, and it was protected
from the war. “My
prayer is that this consecration opens the door for Our Lady to come
in and change the hearts and minds of people … and bring an era
of peace,” La Corte said. “This
has been one of the most glorious Masses I’ve ever been at in
my life,” Father Moretti said in his closing remarks. “It
makes you be proud to be Catholic.”
CS&T staff
writer Nadia Pozo can be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.
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