What did Our Lady of the at Fatima say which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and Lucia, there are 5 kinds of offenses and wanted? there is no one to remove them with an act of against the : “You have seen hell where the of poor reparation.” Mary then said, “My daughter, look at My 1. Against the of Mary sinners go. In order to save them, God wishes to Heart surrounded with the thorns with which 2. Against Mary’s Virginity establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their 3. Against Mary’s Divine Maternity and her Heart. If you do what I tell you, many souls will be blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console Motherhood of all mankind saved, there will be peace…. I shall come to ask for me, and say that I promise to assist at the hour of 4. Turning children against Mary as their heavenly the to my Immaculate death with all the graces necessary for all Mother Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive 5. Against Mary’s Sacred Images first Saturdays. If my requests are fulfilled, Russia months, go to Confession and receive Holy will be converted and there will be peace” (July 13, Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and Why is it important to make reparation to the 1917, emphasis ours). keep me company for a quarter of an hour while Immaculate Heart of Mary? meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the Reparation to the Hearts of and Mary is an What has been done? intention of making reparation to me” (emphasis act of mercy and an act of justice, which helps repair The consecration of Russia and the world was ours). the harm done by sin. As mentioned above, the Child fulfilled on March 25, 1984 by St. John Paul II and Jesus said, “Have compassion on the Heart of your the bishops of the world. What are the two promises made by Our Lady in Most Holy Mother covered with the thorns with regard to the First Saturdays? ― This opened the way for the end of the which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and The 1st promise in regard to the First Saturdays was persecution in Russia as Jesus promised Sr. Lucia in there is no one to remove them with an act of made on July 13, 1917. Our Lady promised the 1930, and also for the return of religious freedom in reparation.” We can try to remove these thorns of sin Russia. Many other countries in Eastern Europe have salvation of souls, and a period of peace, together with with to the Immaculate Heart of the conversion of Russia if we fulfill her two special shared in these blessings as well. Mary, not only for our own sins, but also for the sins st requests. One request remains to be fulfilled, the First ―This was the 1 of 2 phases toward Russia’s of others. Also, this reparation can help remove Saturdays. The first promise requires that we persevere conversion, which is yet to come. obstacles to the grace and mercy poured out by the in making the First Saturdays and is not limited to Very few have fulfilled our Lady’s second and most Holy Spirit. important request for the Communion of reparation making 5 consecutive First Saturdays. This first Also, because Jesus proclaimed Mary to be our promise also requires that a large number of people on the First Saturdays. Mother from the Cross when He said, “Behold your fulfill the First Saturdays. In this way, we may try to ―The fulfillment of this second and most important Mother!” (Jn. 19:27), we can therefore recognize that help repair the sins of the world, and in particular, request will help bring about the conversion of the she is a Gift to us of His love represented by His those against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In this world and a period of peace. . When Jesus’ Gift of Mary is offended, way also, we can remove what prohibits an outpouring Benedict XVI’s Homily at Fatima His Heart is offended. Thus, our reparation for the of graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Thus, “We would be mistaken to think that Fatima’s sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary is in the ongoing practice of the First Saturdays, we can prophetic mission is complete…May the seven years essential to a more complete reparation to the Sacred greatly benefit our neighbor as well as ourselves. which separate us from the centenary of the Heart of Jesus. Pope Pius XI wrote of the importance On December 10, 1925, Our Lady made a 2nd apparitions hasten the fulfillment of the of of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, “And promise of salvation for each one who makes the five the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the truly the spirit of expiation or reparation has always First Saturdays (See the bold print in the previous glory of the Most Holy ” (May 13, 2010). had the first and foremost place in the worship given question.). This 2nd promise presupposes that we are to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus” (Miserentissimus already aware of the 1st promise. In time we should What is the Communion of reparation on the first Redemptor). Saturdays? (also known as the First Saturdays or come to realize that the love of the Hearts of Jesus and ) Mary is our greatest motivation for practicing this What if I start the First Saturdays devotion one month On December 10, 1925, Jesus and Mary came to devotion. and cannot complete it the next month? Lucia. Jesus said, “Have compassion on the Heart of Why are there 5 First Saturdays? You would need to restart in order to make five your Most Holy Mother covered with the thorns with There are 5 First Saturdays because, as Jesus told Sr. consecutive First Saturdays. However, even though

the one month would not count toward the Remember fulfillment of the five consecutive First Saturdays, it In order to fulfill the First Saturdays devotion, on can still be of great value, and can benefit one’s self five consecutive First Saturdays and on a and one’s neighbor. continuing basis, the following 4 separate actions must be completed: What if I forget to do one of the practices of the five First 1. Go to Confession with the intention of making First Saturdays? reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. All the practices are necessary to complete each 2. Receive Holy Communion with the intention of First Saturday. This includes the intention of making making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by each 3. Pray the Rosary (5 decades) with the intention of Saturdays of the four practices. If you forget one practice, you making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. should start again on the next First Saturday for 5 4. Keep Our Lady company for an additional 15 consecutive First Saturdays. Further, hopefully, the minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the faithful will continue to make the First Saturdays, Rosary with the intention of making reparation to the beyond five, for peace and the salvation of souls. Immaculate Heart of Mary. Devotion

How do I keep Our Lady company for a quarter of What is the Communal First Saturdays? an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the The Communal First Saturdays is a monthly Rosary with the intention of making reparation to scheduled parish service in which the faithful can her Immaculate Heart? join together in the four practices requested by Our You can fulfill Our Lady’s request for this Lady in reparation to her Immaculate Heart. meditation any time on the First Saturdays. If Confessions are available before Mass. The recitation possible, a special time to do this is immediately of the Rosary precedes Mass which includes the after Holy Mass in which we can receive Jesus in Communion of reparation. The Mass is followed by Holy Communion. One might read and ponder the keeping Our Lord and Our Lady company while Scriptures or some other reading about the mysteries meditating communally for 15 minutes on the of the Rosary while keeping Our Blessed Mother mysteries of the Rosary. This is done in the form of company. lectio divina and using Scripture related to the Is it all right to meditate on any of the mysteries of mysteries of the Rosary. A book is used by the faithful the Rosary that one wishes? to follow the service. There are no requirements as to which mysteries The Communal First Saturdays makes it easier for one chooses to meditate on in fulfilling the First each person and for a larger number of the faithful Saturdays. It would be helpful to plan on covering all to fulfill the First Saturdays practices. To start the of the mysteries over a period of time. Communal First Saturdays in your parish, please “If you do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, there will be peace.” contact us at [email protected] What if I cannot go to Confession on the First regarding other essential, important information as Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima, July 13, 1917 Saturday? well as time saving materials. For more information, One can go to Confession anytime as long as there please contact: is one Confession for each First Saturday (within Communal First Saturdays Apostolate about 20 days before or after), and as Jesus said, “as www.CommunalFirstSaturdays.org “Christ will conquer through [Mary], because He long as you receive Me in the state of grace and have [email protected] wants the Church’s victories now and in the the intention of making reparation to the Immaculate future to be linked to her.”

Heart of Mary” (Jesus to Sr. Lucia, 1926). St. John Paul II

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