From EWTN: Fatima, Our Hope

May 16, 2013

WEEKLY FEATURED PROGRAM 'Fatima: Our Hope' – What You Haven't Heard! By Michelle Laque Johnson “Fatima, Our Hope,” a fabulous documentary filmed in Portugal, is a must-see for anyone who seeks to understand the significance of what some believe is the most important Marian apparition of our time – Fatima! (This one-hour documentary airs 2 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 16 and 5 a.m. ET, Saturday, May 18 – exclusively on EWTN.) Many Catholics know the story of the three shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared in a series of apparitions beginning on May 13, 1917 and which continued on the same date for six months thereafter. Many even know about the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred after the last apparition so that everyone would believe the apparitions were authentic. Local newspapers reported that after a torrential rainstorm, the sky became blue, and people could look directly into the sun, which began spinning and shooting off shafts of light. This happened three times and then, after standing still for a moment, the sun appeared to plunge towards the earth. But few remember the warnings associated with the apparitions, warnings that are very applicable today, or the state of Portugal before the apparitions occurred, which is very similar to that of many nations today. Portugal, a formerly Catholic country, had gone down a dark path. First, a new ruler attempted to establish the secularism of the so-called “Enlightenment.” Then, on Oct. 4, 1919, a revolution broke out and Free Masons took over. Their goal was to eradicate Catholicism in two generations. Relations with the Vatican were broken off, almost all Church property was confiscated, Catholic schools were outlawed, and religious instruction was done away with. As the documentary shows: “The degeneration of morals, economic ruin and the disintegration of order went hand in hand. The nation, so successful in its seafaring since the Middle Ages, was now steering herself straight into moral and economic ruin. Cities threatened to collapse into total atheism.” But Our Lady would eventually turn the tide by appearing at Fatima. Will she help us today? Will people remember to live the messages of Fatima; will they offer up the suffering God allows in their lives in reparation for sin and for the conversion of sinners; will they turn to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and encourage others to do the same? This film takes viewers through Our Lady’s requests during the apparitions, examines the global spiritual response to the apparitions (including the inspiring faith of the pilgrims who visit Fatima today), and explains the significance of the visit to Fatima by the late Pope John Paul II. Gather your children and your neighbors. This special film will remind you how special it is to be a Catholic. The account will inspire you to evangelize everyone you know during this Year of Faith and beyond. Pray, say the rosary, join EWTN in its First Saturday Devotions, which were requested by the Blessed Mother at Fatima. Make reparation for poor sinners. Encourage devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Repent and believe. This documentary is a reminder that getting to heaven – and bringing as many of our brothers and sisters with us as possible – is the only goal that really matters. ENCORE OF ‘CONCILIO VATICANO II’ If you missed the first airing of this special on the Second Vatican Council, produced by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, tune in for the encore at 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 18 – exclusively on EWTN! http://www.ewtn.com/