An elderly nun was sitting in the silence of her cell. Though cloistered, news and reports had reached her about terrible things happening in the Church and the world. A revolt against God had arisen. Raised from her infancy to love and honor God and to obey His commandments, the nun knew the effects this revolt would have in the Church and the world: among them, the destruction of peace; that peace which is part of the purity of heart that is necessary to see God (cf. Matthew 5:8).
Indeed, the nun knew the situation for what it was: As if in the Garden of Gethsemane, Holy Mother Church was suffering the Passion of her Lord. She was traversing a period of darkness, one that was being promoted by the powers of hell itself. Honor and reverence for the sacred was being despised, and those who maintained the holy Faith were ridiculed, persecuted, if not martyred. The nun recalled the Lord’s words, “This is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53).
As if in response to the darkness, faith and love arose within the elderly nun’s heart. Accustomed, as she was for so long now, to suffer for God as a holocaust, she immolated herself for love of God and for the salvation of souls. With these thoughts in her mind, as her head tilted on the windowsill, the nun cried out to God, “Lord, you promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against Your Church. If need be, Lord, accept my life. I would rather die than fail to serve and love You each day at every moment. My life is one of prayer, sacrifice and love, O Lord. Use me to help the Church.”
While praying in the midst of this darkness, lit only by the light of her faith, the nun suddenly felt a gentle hand on her left shoulder….
Hello and welcome to this course on Fátima and Evangelization! My name is Kevin Symonds and I am happy to be your presenter today. I am a devotee of Our Lady of Fátima and have written a critical study of the third part of the Secret of Fátima.
This course introduces the events and message of Fátima. It stresses the importance of having Faith in God and His Revelation, and the benefits, for evangelists, of living the message of Fátima.
That said, let’s jump right into the subject!