8 December 2020 ISSUE 1 Magazine

little work freely out of love since April the DWM team AVE MARIA! for Our Lady. It will be continues to meet three times produced on an as-and-when- a week via Zoom, to pray plan The First Issue of A Day possible basis, at least initially. and improve for the future Why “online”? Because it and is on standby, ready to With Mary Magazine allows us to publish not only resume. The DWM van is kept printed text but also audio fuelled up and ready to go as and video material. It can be soon as the chequered flag is accessed on ipad/tablet as well waved; essential maintenance Welcome to the very first churches and church halls, as smartphone and computer. is carried out on the equipment issue of this humble online hopefully, in the not too It is also easier and cost-free for Our Lady’s “Day”. magazine! It is a new venture distant future. And the Day to distribute and to pass on And finally: the work of grace of this little apostolate. We With Mary will resume! to your friends and contacts, of A Day With Mary could hope that you will enjoy it. We are all part of the Day just send them the link from not be done without you. Your It aims at keeping all in With Mary family of Our your smartphone/computer. prayers and your material help touch, especially while the most Blessed Mother, the You may also print it though are needed to enable the DWM Covid restrictions persist. Mother of our Lord . of course this will not allow to stay afloat while on hold. These restrictions prevent They love us all from Their access to the audio and video Like other organisations the us from meeting together Hearts. A Day With Mary contents. DWM has ongoing expenses in churches, and could not be made to happen It is since mid-March this year even while on hold. Perhaps cathedral and of course on without you. All of us (2020) that the DWM has been you may consider joining DWM pilgrimages. But are the little lovers of the placed suddenly on hold by the those who have graciously these restrictions will not Immaculate. national Covid lockdown and responded already or help last forever, they will come This magazine is not continuing restrictions. We again if you can. Kindly to an end with the end of the produced by “professionals” can’t wait to start again. As see the donation spot in this pandemic and with that will but by unprofessional already published in the 2020 magazine. Thank you! come the reopening of the amateurs (!), who do this Poster’s September-update, Ave Maria!

Fatima Message in the A Day With Mary Is... 2 12 Pandemic of 2020

Bringing ‘A Day With Mary’ When Things go Wrong... 4 to Your Home! 19

The experience of a pilgrim 7 20 Mary, My Mother friend attending DWM for years

8 The Advent Wreath 27 Have you met young Carlo yet?

The Day With Mary Mother Mariana of Jesus Torres 10 Pilgrimage to Bethlehem 29 y Berriochoa an act of consecration to Immaculate and cannot Our Lady, catechetical become “stained” like Eve, instruction, liturgical and an absolute concept of popular hymns, a video on “whiteness” rather than the story of Fatima (where “white” in ’s mind. advertised) and periods of rest with refreshments. “From the very beginning, The Sacrament of Penance and before time began, the is readily available. There eternal Father chose and is a Catholic bookstall prepared for his only- and repository, and the begotten Son a Mother opportunity to enrol in the in whom the Son of GOD Brown of Our would become incarnate Lady of Mount Carmel and from whom, in the and the blessed fullness of time, if so wished. he would be born into this world... The words of the on Our Lady Therefore, far above all the angels and all the saints so The sublime words of the wondrously did God endow Church that decreed the her with the abundance of beautiful Dogma of the all heavenly gifts poured from the treasury of his (a dogma that Catholics divinity that this mother, are expected to believe ever absolutely free of all under pain of mortal stain of sin, all fair and sin). These words also perfect, would possess that reveal to us a glimpse fullness of holy innocence of “Who” Our Lady is and sanctity than which, “in God’s mind”, rather under God, one cannot even than in our own human imagine anything greater, minds. God “conceived” and which, outside of God, Her to be Immaculate no mind can succeed in since before the creation comprehending fully... of the Universe, for “the Church made it clear indeed To her did the Father will to A Day With Mary is... that the conception of give his only-begotten Son - Mary is to be venerated as the Son whom, equal to the something extraordinary, Father and begotten by him, wonderful, eminently the Father loves from his ...a day of instruction, Our Lady. You are welcome holy, and different from heart - and to give this Son devotion and intercession to join the event for a little the conception of all other based on the message given while or for the whole day. in such a way that he would human beings”. Therefore by Our Lady at Fatima in be the one and the same Adam and Eve were not 1917. A Day With Mary was A DAY WITH MARY common Son of God the conceived by God with founded in England in 1986. includes Holy Mass, the Father and of the Blessed the same degree of grace It is a day of prayer held in , meditations on Virgin Mary...”. which He granted to Our a or , the Passion, Eucharistic , Apostolic Lady alone. She is His and open to all. It emphasizes adoration and benediction, Constitution of Pius IX Conception Immaculate, solemnly defining worship of the Blessed processions of the Blessed conceived to remain always the dogma of the Immaculate Sacrament and devotion to Sacrament and of Our Lady, Conception, 8 December 1854.

PODCAST

DOWNLOAD

2 www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/pod1 Divine Maternity of Our Lady by Fr Linus Clovis

www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid1

A Day With Mary (DWM) DWM is the day in which we God and to honour his Queen everything when on this earth? is the exterior expression console our Mother Whose and, thanks to our presence Yes: She had Jesus, God One of our interior life with the Heart is surrounded by thorns together with him, increase and Triune in Her and with Immaculate Heart of Her because of the offenses and this way the glory of God. Her. Now it is allowed to us for Whom God created the against Her. It is This is the highest premium to have one day with Her: A whole of creation to redeem the day when we remove the for our guardian angel. Day With Mary. A small part it through Jesus and Her: thorns from Her Heart. The of that which Jesus Himself the Immaculate Conception. DWM is the day when we To do the DWM is the has had every day for the most The DWM is the exterior rise out of the daily natural best way to honour, and part, the formative part, of His expression of our interior and enter into the divine if necessary, to convert, earthly life. May we too do response to Her love, and it supernatural for which we physically and spiritually the same within our hearts and will be the more fruitful the were created of and which we succour, and give glory to our in the best possible way, every more it will be void of us and lost because of our sin, and of parents and relatives, near and day of our earthly life. full of Her. The DWM is the which we hope one day the far, living and dead. day in which we console our Lord will grace us for eternity. The DWM is the exterior God, so much offended by our Our devotion to Our Lady expression of our interior sins. The DWM is the day in The DWM is the feast-day, is just our poor response to DWM. It is necessary to which we return to God and truly happy and celestial, of the immense devotion that desire and practice a good it is the day in which we find our most sweet little guardian She has towards us. Let us interior life and to have the God even for the first time. angel. We have him, by divine remember that we do exactly wish to become saints in order disposition, accompanying nothing for Her: She is already to make God’s gifts bear fruit. The DWM is the day full of and looking after us always in heaven, crowned by the happiness of our Mother Who and everywhere. For just this Most Holy Trinity as Queen Glory be to the Father keeps us united to Her, close DWM it is us who allow him of the Angels, of the saints and to the Son to Her Son in the sacraments to go no longer to our places and of the whole human race, and to the Holy Spirit, and upon the altar. The DWM of work, of study, shopping Queen of the Universe; what as it was in the beginning is the day when we dry the or other places of the world, could we ever do, us sinners is now, and ever shall be tears of our Mother and make but we bring him with us in and mortals, for Her? Has She world without end. Amen. Her smile out of consolation church to do that which he not got everything already? and laugh out of joy. The truly loves doing: to adore his Did She not already have

3 were available and could help to sing, especially since sisters were needed who Bringing ‘A Day With knew English hymns. One Saturday, in April of 2016, a lady Mary’ to Your Home! approached one of the sisters at the DWM and, like many others, asked if there was a CD of DWM hymns available. When the sister said there We know that many people are greatly help them to raise the £20,000 needed was not, she pursued the matter, asking missing the ‘Days With Mary’ as to help cover the annual fees for the what was needed to make one. The they continue to be suspended due to children, the greatest part of the expenses sister explained that funds were lacking Covid-19. Now, however, we have some are for their schooling fees. Previously and half-jokingly, told her to pray to St. exciting good news that we hope will the government provided assistance Joseph. You can imagine the sister’s bring joy and consolation to many, whilst for the Home but, due to the impact of surprise when, on the following Saturday, we pray that we may soon be able to Covid-19, they have now said they can the same lady returned to speak to her gather together once again to honour Our no longer provide any help, so please be at the DWM, telling her, “Sister, I’ve Lady and Her Son Jesus. generous! The sisters are trying to better found the money”! She proceeded to say the lives of these children, to provide A new CD, recorded by the Franciscan that she and her friend, Josephine, had them with knowledge of God, a sound Sisters of the Immaculate, with a wide put together the money needed! The sum education and, God-willing, a hope-filled selection of many of the best-loved was transferred to the DWM account, future! and most beautiful ‘A Day With Mary’ but unfortunately the project remained hymns is soon to be released and YOU In this article, you will also find out stagnant, as despite various attempts, CAN PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY about the making of this CD, since the necessary help could never be NOW! it was nothing short of a successfully organised. obtained through the intercession of our The CD is currently in its final stages Over the years, the kind lady who had Blessed Mother and the powerful aid of production and will be sent to all donated the money kept asking if we of St. Joseph! Read on to discover the those who pre-order as soon as it had produced the CD and, with some incredible story! becomes available. Order now to avoid embarrassment, we always had to tell disappointment! Place your order online ITE AD JOSEPH her we were still trying – luckily, she via the ‘Holy Cross Bookshop’ by simply “After the Mother of God, St. Joseph is, was understanding and, with great faith, clicking on this link: of all the saints, the one dearest to God. kept praying that we would succeed. He has, therefore, great power with Him Discussions went back and forth, but www.adaywithmary.org/hymns and can obtain graces for His devout nothing ever materialised. We even clients…” - St. Alphonsus Liguori offered to return the money, seeing that By purchasing this CD, you will also The Community of sisters in Catford the project was looking impossible! The be making a difference to the lives of has experienced the paternal assistance lady refused, however, saying, in a spirit the children in the home run by the of St. Joseph in a very special way. For of faith, that we had to get it done no Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate in many years, pilgrims attending the ‘Days matter what. Eventually, in May 2019, Brazil! The sisters there currently care With Mary’ (DWM) had been asking if Mother decided that if we ever wanted for about 20 girls, aged between 5 and 18 there was a CD available with the hymns to get this project completed, we needed years old, most of whom come from the that are often sung, several people also to implore powerful divine help! It was Brazilian ‘Favelas’ and many from truly wanted to bring it back to their native decided to start a novena to St Joseph, heart-breaking family situations such as countries because they were migrating to be recited every day until we received drug or alcohol abuse, general neglect, and wanted to keep re-living the day. the desired grace. We started the novena and a high risk of child prostitution. The The DWM team had looked into the and the weeks and months continued to sisters in England were shocked to hear possibility of producing a CD but the go by… the episodes that Sr. M. Rachele, the cost was too expensive for them, several Then, unexpectedly, in early December visiting missionary, recounted to them discussions with a recording professional it seemed a door began to open when when she came on a break earlier this had fallen through and at the time not permission was given for two sisters year! Half of the CD proceeds will go to enough sisters could be found either who to come from Italy to help with the 4 recording. The months leading up to contacted the Abbot and incredibly, and to have a small electric heater near him. Christmas are always very busy for us in very kindly, he said yes straight away. We sisters were buried (who more and Catford because the Holy Cross religious Amazingly, only afterwards we suddenly who less!) beneath scarves and mantles, bookshop that we volunteer at, has its realised that that very Abbey is England’s and it was quite amusing to see the greatest amount of activity at this time, so official national shrine to St. Joseph! streams of steam coming forth from our we had to work hard to try and organise Clearly, he had desired this recording mouths as we sang! It took longer than the CD recording at the same time! We to be done there, under his patronage. expected to set up all the equipment, were given two weeks’ notice before the There happened to be an organ concert but eventually we began and when we sisters were due to arrive from Italy on at the Abbey on December 14th and Mr. heard the sound produced by the Abbey’s December 18th and had to find music Town went to see what the place was acoustics we truly felt that even that was scores, a sound engineer and a recording like, and despite having spent the evening a grace of St. Joseph because the seven of location! Phew, talk about pressure! completely frozen (all the other people us sounded like a choir of more sisters! After doing some frantic research and brought blankets), he was won over and With the generous effort and cooperation making various phone calls without agreed to the location! We sisters were of all involved, including the great charity success, our faithful DWM organist, absolutely delighted! of the monks who allowed us to use the Andrew Cesana, gave us the contact of a On December 18th, two sisters arrived Abbey though they had all the Christmas friend of his, Mr. Christopher Town, who from one of our communities in Rome, preparations to be put in place for the quickly said he would be happy to help which coincidentally is dedicated to “St. next day, we persevered and finally us. He checked his diary, and the only Joseph, Spouse of Mary”, and the next finished the recording at 11pm. It had date he had available for the recording few days were spent in virtually non-stop been a long day, and we were exhausted, was December 23rd! It was at this song practise! We also tried to enlist but filled with gratitude and wonderment point that one sister in the community some extra help, but after a couple of at St. Joseph. Mr. Christopher Town, the recounted that, during the daily St. Joseph days of practise one of the two sopranos recording artist, never showed any sign novena, she would pray for the realisation was no longer able to help us. It was two of impatience or made any complaint, of the CD but also added that the request days before the recording and we had no despite having to be in that freezing be realised specifically “within this idea where we could find another soprano temperature and constantly on his feet year”, i.e. 2019! We then understood that to replace her. We tried calling various until so late at night – on the contrary, this really was a grace from St Joseph, people we know, and other contacts he showed a great appreciation for the who had even taken notice of this little that they passed on to us, but no one sacred music and appeared very happy detail, and suddenly provided us with was available, so again we turned to St. by the end of it. We later found out that this date for the recording just some days Joseph for help and all of us, including he has done many recordings of a very before the close of the year. It did mean, the two new arrivals, knelt before an altar high standard, including recordings for however, that our little choir would have of St. Joseph to beg him to help us solve the Royal College of Music and several to learn and practise all the songs within the problem. By the afternoon of the next prestigious choirs, and is himself a very merely 4 days!! day, another soprano had been found! It gifted musician and choir director. All of Now, what about a recording venue? was grace after grace and we couldn’t us were extremely struck when we met Eventually we contacted the Benedictine stop thanking St Joseph! him by his great simplicity, goodness and Abbey of Farnborough, located just The 23rd of December arrived and we humility, he even refused the donation outside London, which we knew has both left London straight after a 7:00 Mass, given towards his generous work and, an excellent organ and good acoustics, to make our way to the Abbey, meeting instead, put it towards the cost of the CD but we were unsure as to whether the some of the members of the DWM team production! monastic community would give us there. It was a very cold day, but we We pray that the CD will be enjoyed permission just before Christmas. We found that the Abbey was even colder by many and especially that it will be inside than an aid to people in their prayer, thus to outside! Being an help spread love and devotion to our old building, it has Blessed Mother and, through Her, to Her no heating, and Son Jesus. May Her Immaculate Heart only the organist triumph! Ave Maria! was lucky enough Support the Sisters, order the CD at: www.adaywithmary.org/hymns DWM Westminster Cathedral 2016

the DWM is very informative and The experience of a pilgrim friend searching. In-depth Catholic teachings and beliefs are made available by the very who has been attending Days With impressive talks given both on Saturdays and during the external pilgrimages Mary regularly for many years which are also led by a priest Spiritual Director. It is always a pleasure attending a DWM as the leaders and permanent My first encounter with A Day with Mary the Holy Rosary before the Holy Mass members are always welcoming, was almost twenty years ago. When I after which the first of the four accommodating and always ready to help. completed my studies and was working in usually prayed at DWMs is recited The most amusing and touching my current Parish, I picked up one of the before breaking up for our packed lunch moments I enjoy are especially during DWM annual list of Saturday venues and which you are advised to bring with you. the annual pilgrimage travels which I pilgrimages for the whole year. I decided Biscuits and hot drinks (coffee and tea) will recommend to anyone who has not to attend the next Saturday which was not are provided by the DWM. yet travelled with the DWM apostolate. far from me. You have to be there to experience it. There are also a great variety of religious You visit and go to places which other It was very inspirational to me. I then articles, bibles, statues, rosaries medals organisations do not normally go to and attended the weeks following and I was etc. The best part of attending the DWM you are well looked after spiritually, completely hooked by the calmness I every Saturday is the variety of talks physically, and well fed. You are always experienced. I then decided to devote and all the beautiful hymns sung by the based in Catholic run accommodations my Saturdays to Our Lady. I was also Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate and driven by experienced coach drivers impressed by the opportunity to travel which experience is out of this world. from the time of your arrival to departure. to various Churches in different parts of Everything that is done and produced by England and to pilgrimages abroad to Fatima, Holy Land and Italy. There are also symposiums arranged during the years whenever possible. There is also Sunday travel to Walsingham, National Shrine which I love to attend once a year. I am still enjoying every aspect of it even under this pandemic situation with the Zoom talks. The Saturday programs are very spiritual and also inspirational. The program starts with the procession of the statue of Our Blessed Mother into the Church which is sometimes followed by recitation of DWM Westminster Cathedral 2016 7 sanctifying grace and the preternatural gifts (infused knowledge, immortality The Advent Wreath and integrity of passions), and how their Fall resulted in Original Sin, ignorance, concupiscence and mortality and sickness t is that time of the year. Advent cones of pine which decorate the wreath for all mankind. On the fourth Sunday of I wreaths are everywhere: in shops, in symbolize life and resurrection. The Advent we can contemplate Our Lady’s churches, on the front doors of many prickly leaves of the holly recall the role in history and how She is homes and in churches. It is also a long- crown of thorns worn by Christ. The red our true Mother. Her Fiat restored the standing Catholic tradition dating back to berries call to mind the droplets of the participation of man in the divine life the Middle Ages, but how many people Precious Blood shed by Christ as the through the action of the Holy Spirit really understand the significance of the leather whips with spiky pieces of bone in Her at the . Man is Advent wreath? at the ends tore away His flesh causing a readmitted to the partaking in the divine loss of blood, thus weakening him for His life as Mary is to give birth to Jesus in her The Advent season is a time for us to crucifixion, and the blood vessels in His physical maternity, but in the physical- prepare our hearts and minds for the birth face bleeding profusely making it difficult supernatural order, in generating Jesus of Christ into our world. It should also for him to see. She has generated her “Firstborn”, in be a time of prayer and sacrifice for the “order that he might be the first-born second coming of Christ. The wreath and The candles also have their own special among many brethren” (Rm 8:29) and candles are full of symbolism to help us significance. The four candles represent that we too, the many brethren, form one prepare for the coming of Christ. the four weeks of Advent, and one body in Christ, the Mystical Body. It is candle is lit each Sunday. Three of the The wreath is made of various evergreens through our Baptism that we participate candles are purple because the colour and symbolises the continuity of life. in the Mystical Body of Christ, to become violet is a liturgical colour that signifies It is a circle with no beginning or sons in the Son. Mary has generated a time of prayer, penance, and sacrifice. end signifying the eternity of God, everyone when she generated Jesus as One tradition is that each week a candle the immortality of the soul and the it is inconceivable to give birth to the represents one thousand years, to total the everlasting life we find in Christ, who head only without the body. She has been 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the entered our world becoming true man uniquely entrusted with our physical- Birth of the Saviour. Another tradition and who was victorious over sin and supernatural maternity, the mystical states that the first candle reminds us of death through His own passion, death, maternity. the message of the patriarchs, the second and resurrection. As we contemplate our calls to mind the prophets, the third As the candles are lit each week it wreath, we reflect too on more than 40 symbolizes the call of John the Baptist, heightens the expectation and hope of million unborn aborted this year who will and the fourth represents Mary’s role in Our Lord’s first coming into the world not see life. Salvation history. and also looks forward to His second The laurel signifies victory over coming when he comes to judge the During Advent we can meditate on our persecution and suffering. The cedar living and the dead. The white candle is first parents, Adam and Eve, the gift of signifies strength and healing. The placed in the middle of the wreath and 8 Jesus is Truly God by Fr Linus Clovis Jesus is Truly God by Fr Linus Clovis

www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid2 is lit on Christmas Eve. It represents the centre and the four candles represent the of such noble rivalry Your glory may birth of Christ, the Saviour, the light four corners of the earth. Let us recall increase ever more profoundly, ever more of the world. The colour white is for Our Lady’s message at Fatima to Sr rapidly, ever more intensely, as He who purity—because Christ is our sinless, Lucia on 13 June 1917: “Jesus wishes to has exalted You so indescribably above pure Saviour. According to St John Eudes make use of you to make me known and all other beings Himself desires. - St. Jesus desires us to perfect the mystery loved. He wants to establish in the world Maximilian Mary Kolbe of his incarnation and birth by forming devotion to my Immaculate Heart.” himself in us and being reborn in our Sadly, this has not happened. through the blessed sacraments of May our New Year resolution be to baptism and the . He fulfils his offer prayers and sacrifices for this to hidden life in us, hidden with him in God. be understood and come to fulfilment. Another tradition after the birth of Christ Just as the candle is in the centre may is to then replace the three purple and Our Lady be at the centre of the life of one rose candles with four white candles, the Church, and that the Church may which will continue to be lit throughout establish Devotion to Her Immaculate the Christmas season. The four candles Heart to the four corners of the earth as calls to mind the four corners of the requested at Fatima in 1917. earth and Christ the light in the centre May we truly consecrate ourselves to Our recalls his words at His Ascension, Lady and make St Maximilian Kolbe’s “Go therefore and make disciples of all prayer our own: nations” (Matthew 28:19). We are called to be the light of the world and to let our Allow me to praise You, O most holy light shine before others (Matthew 5: Virgin, with my personal commitment and 14-16). sacrifice. Allow me to live, work, suffer, be consumed and die for You, just for The white candle, a symbol of purity You. Allow me to bring the whole world and sinlessness, also recalls Mary, to You. Allow me to contribute to Your the Immaculate Conception, and Co- greatest possible exaltation. Allow me to redemptrix in the work of the salvation of give You such glory that no one else has souls. The birth of Christ is followed on ever given You up to now. Allow others 1 January by the Solemnity of the Mother to surpass me in zeal for Your exaltation, of God. Let us contemplate on this day and me to surpass them, so that by means Our Lady as also being the candle in the

PODCAST

DOWNLOAD

www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/pod2 9 In this article a member of the Day With Mary team shares his experience of the Day With Mary pilgrimage to the Holy Grotto at Bethlehem

The Arabic word for Bethlehem is Bayt Laḥm. It is also most providential for it Memories of the Day means “House of Meat.” Upon hearing these words, one is immediately drawn to St John’s Gospel, Chapter 6: “Truly, With Mary Pilgrimage truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his to Bethlehem blood, you have no life in you.” The Holy Grotto Prior to the Mass, we entered by the one and only outside door that takes us to the Holy grotto of Bethlehem, to the “But you, O Bethlehem- We, the gentile pilgrims of the Day very spot where Jesus, Our Lord and Ephrathah, who are little to With Mary, had now come 2,000 years Saviour was born! As we descended the later to worship him! We worshiped be among the clans of Judah, stairs towards that most sacred of places, him at our first Mass, which was in the I felt a nervous joy. I knew something from you shall come forth for Catholic church on ground level, not far very special was about to happen, I me one who is to be ruler in from the exit of the sacred crypt where would do what I had seen others doing in Israel, whose origin is from He was born. We also worshipped Him documentaries, I would place my hand on of old, from ancient days.” in the Manger, where Mary laid Him the very spot where Jesus was born and Micah, ch. 5, v. 2 by Herself. It is hard to describe what would kiss it. He Who is Our Lord and it is like to attend the Holy Sacrifice of God, The Alpha and Omega, He Who the Mass at sacred sites associated with is Omnipotent, Almighty, True God, Worshipping Jesus at the House of Jesus! Bethlehem, Nazareth, Calvary and True Man, Our Saviour, Our Redeemer, Bread the Tomb of the Holy Sepulchre, – these He Who died for love of all humanity! One could not help thinking of the were the highlights for me! In this article I would soon kiss, kneel and then place of Micah in the Old Testament I will focus on Bethlehem, in honour of my hand and my Rosary on the spot whilst staying in Bethlehem. Jesus Christmas, which soon awaits us. where He came into the world. That spot became incarnate in the most humble of Pilgrims who attend the Day With Mary where His Mother gave birth to Him in towns, Nazareth. Nine months later He say there is nothing like a Day With the most miraculous manner. Never had would be born in Bethlehem, the town Mary pilgrimage. I know exactly what such an event occurred before, never that is ‘little’ as described in the Bible. they mean. There are excellent priests would it happen again! A multitude of Jesus came in obscurity and humility. and guides on the Day With Mary who thoughts such as these came into my The wise men, who were gentiles prepare the pilgrims with a spiritual mind. Thankfully, the orderly queue and followed the star across hundreds of platter of heavenly delights! They explain its slow pace helped me to hold on to miles, that pointed to the west. To them the Scripture passages about the sites many of these thoughts in an attitude of it was so clearly the sign that the Messiah we see and give us historical and even calm, something to which my nature is had come! When they arrived in the great present-day context as well. They would not always so accustomed as my friends city of Jerusalem, the city of kings, where go over one word and break it down will attest. The whole atmosphere simply David and Solomon, had ruled, they may spiritually. One such word is Bethlehem. imbued peace and calmness. I was at ! or the birthplace of the Prince of Peaceםֶחֶל תיֵּב have thought that this was surely where Bethlehem in Hebrew is spelt the Messiah was to be born. So naturally, in modern lettering: Bet Leḥem. It means “For to us a child is born, to us a son is they went to the Jewish king of their day, House of Bread. How providential! God given; and the government will be upon Herod, and inquired: “Where is he who leaves nothing to chance. He, the Eternal his shoulder, and his name will be called has been born king of the Jews?” They High-Priest, feeds us Himself in the form ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, must have thought that if they, who were of bread as He says so in chapter 6 of St Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ not Jews, could clearly see the star was a John’s Gospel: “I am the living bread And so my awaited turn came; I was portent of the coming of the long-awaited which came down from heaven; if any next. I walked nervously to the very spot Messiah, surely the whole of Israel would one eats of this bread, he will live for where Jesus was born! I concentrated know this too. “For we have seen his star ever; and the bread which I shall give hard. A documentary I once saw said and have come to worship him.” “Where for the life of the world is my flesh.” that when something critical happens is he..” they said, expecting an answer. 10 in our lives, like a firefighter rescuing was in another part of the cave that was angels, as they worship the Christ Child. somebody in a building blazing with partitioned from where Mother Mary We use the Day With Mary hymn books fire, time seems to stand still because our gave birth to Jesus. on our pilgrimages and one popular hymn minds are concentrating so hard. How I that we sing is Sleep, Holy Babe. The The Two Hearts wanted time to stand still as I placed my In the Day With Mary, we learn about third verse is as follows: hand on the Bethlehem Star, the greatest great Catholic saints. As one priest has Sleep, holy babe, while I with Mary gaze of signposts on earth. The sign above told us, all saints were Marian. They had In joy upon that face awhile, this most hallowed spot stated “Hic de a great love for Mary, for no one could Upon the loving infant smile, Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est” love Jesus, without loving Mary. As one Which there divinely plays. (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin great Marian saint, St Jacinta of Fatima, At Bethlehem it seems it is always Mary). Here I was where Jesus was born! said, Jesus wants the Immaculate Heart And with all my training in the Day With Christmas and the year that I went on of Mary venerated alongside His Most the Day With Mary pilgrimage, the Mary, how could my mind not turn to . Jesus’ Sacred Heart comes His Most Holy Mother! In the Day With Masses and readings at Bethlehem were from His Mother’s Immaculate Heart. of the Nativity, even though we were in Mary we are taught that Mary’s mystical One can see that so clearly at Nazareth beauty emanates from the fact that She is the season of . However, even at and Bethlehem. He took all His Flesh Bethlehem the Cross is never far from “Full of grace”, and we are taught that we and Blood from His Mother and that should interiorise this beauty so that the Jesus. Venerable Fulton Sheen says our includes His Sacred Heart. One such mission when we are born is to live. Jesus exterior Day With Mary may reflect She saint that came to mind in that grotto at who is Immaculate! The exterior Day mission was unique; He was born to die! Bethlehem was St Therese, The Little Calvary, where Jesus died, is only six With Mary is such events as the days of Flower, who worshipped the Child Jesus. prayer on Saturday and the pilgrimages. miles away from Bethlehem. Calvary I remembered reading years ago words inspires another kind of holy awe, but a For these to be carried out effectively we attributed to her along the lines of: “How the members must live our interior lives very different kind to that of Bethlehem. can we fear a God Who comes to us in In our hymn book the solemn Christmas through, with, in and for the Immaculate the form of a helpless Babe?” How true Heart of Mary. carols also remind us that this Awesome these words are. When Proverbs says Babe came for a very important mission. Kneeling at the very spot where Jesus that the fear of the Lord is the beginning These are the last two verses of the was born how could one not think of of wisdom, it does not contradict St aforementioned hymn: the ecstatic joy Mary felt at seeing Her Therese. Proverbs means that we must beloved Son. I thought about the Holy fear offending God by sin. As St John Sleep, holy, babe, ah, take thy brief Catholic Church’s teaching that Mary of the Cross said: “In the evening of repose; too quickly will thy slumbers preserved Her virginity before, during life, we will be judged on love alone.” break, and thus to lengthen’d pains and after giving birth to the Christ If we really love God, we will do our awake, that death alone shall close. Child. I thought of the words of two utmost to avoid sin. This is why it was so O lady blest, sweet Virgin, hear my cry; priests connected with the Day With wonderful to see the holy sacrament of Forgive the wrong that I have done Mary – who explained this miraculous confession available on pilgrimage. The To thee, in causing thy dear Son birth of Jesus passing from His Mother priests at the Day With Mary would make Upon the cross to die. into the world like a ray of light that themselves available to hear confession passes through a clear glass. When in the chapel of the hotels that we stayed Sleep hearing this description, sacred scripture in and anywhere else where they could and the teaching of Holy Mother the administer the sacrament. Holy Church makes so much sense. Of course, Bethlehem and Calvary Babe Mother Mary did not suffer the pangs of Bethlehem, with Nazareth, is part of the www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid3 childbirth when giving birth to Jesus, Her beginning of Christ’s life on earth. For Son. She is the Immaculate Conception! now at the Day With Mary pilgrimage This explains how She could wrap Him in Bethlehem there is peace and calm Join us at our DWM Herself in swaddling cloths, and lay Him and one feels that peace and calm at in a manger. She had the strength to do the Grotto. We the pilgrims of the Day Fatima Pilgrimage th so and She was alone at the moment With Mary share the peace and joy of Leave 8 June 2021 of giving birth. St Joseph, as Blessed Mary and we cannot forget St Joseph and Retun 14th June 2021 Catherine Anne Emerich, explains, the Archangel Gabriel and all the holy www.adaywithmary.org/pilgrimages

PODCAST

DOWNLOAD

11 www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/pod3 in Lucia’s memoirs that she contracted the virus, she and her family were deeply The Fatima Message in affected by it. She recounts that her father was “a healthy man, and robust…he had never known what it was to have a the Pandemic of 2020 headache. But, in less than twenty-four hours an attack of double pneumonia carried him off to eternity.” He died on 31st July, 1919, in between the deaths of time of the apparitions of Our Lady of Francisco (4th April 1919) and Jacinta Fatima, we see that another corona virus (20th February 1920). Sister Lucia had a The whole world was spreading around the world – the very strong relationship with her beloved has been affected Spanish flu! It is estimated that this father. She states that her sorrow was global pandemic claimed the lives of 50 so great that she almost died of grief at by the corona virus million people at a time when the global his loss. The following words, written population was approximately 1.6 billon in her memoirs, are particularly moving: pandemic. In this people. At the time of writing, Covid-19 “He was the only one who never failed is estimated to have killed 1.25 million to show himself to be my friend, and article we examine with a global population of 7.8 billion. the only one who defended me when This gives us an idea of the scale of disputes arose at home on account of how the message of the pandemic in 1918, which was first me.” The message of Fatima teaches us Fatima helps us to reported in the US on 4th March 1918, to offer sacrifices and offer up penances only five months after the last apparition for poor sinners. Lucia lived this message deal with the ‘new of Our Lady of Fatima, which occurred to the full and writes about the immense on 13th October 1917. suffering she went through at the loss normal’ and in the There is a very strong link with the of her father, who had been such a help, end how the Regina corona virus of 1918 and the message when others doubted her. of Fatima. In the apparition of 13th June Holy Mother the Church canonized Ss Corona Virtus (The 1917, one of the three seers, Lucia dos Jacinta and Francisco for their heroic acts Santos, asked Our Lady to take the three of virtue. In effect, they taught us how to Queen Crowned children to heaven. The Blessed Virgin live and they taught us how to die! In the Mary, said “Yes. I will take Jacinta and apparition of 13th May 1917 Our Lady with Virtue) will Francisco soon. But you are to stay some asked the three children: “Are you willing time longer.” In the Litany of Loreto to offer yourselves to God and bear all defeat Covid-19. Our Lady is called Queen of Prophets the sufferings He wills to send you, as an and the words just quoted all came true. act of reparation for the sins by which He Lucia died in our century, 13th February is offended, and of supplication for the The link between the corona virus 2005, to be exact. However, Francisco conversion of sinners?” Lucia, on behalf of 1918 and that of 2020 and Jacinta died of the Spanish flu not of all three, said: “Yes, we are willing.” Some people would say that we are long after the apparitions at Fatima, on Our Lady replied: “Then you are going to living in unprecedented times with 4th April 1919 and 20th February 1920 have much to suffer, but the grace of God Covid-19. However, if we look at the respectively. While there is no mention will be your comfort”.

12 allows evil to occur in order to bring work. We cannot go to other peoples’ All three children were greatly affected about a greater good. In answer to the homes. So, one thing we have more of is by these words of Our Lady and began previous question, a more pertinent time! How wisely are we using this time? to undertake quite remarkable penances. question should be: “What is my response Do you know Dear Reader that, of all We will examine how their lives were to this pandemic?” Now that the corona the authorized apparitions of Our Lady examples of virtue for us and try to see virus has so changed the world and our throughout the world, Fatima is unique what we can learn from this in these most way of living in 2020, we should turn in that Our Lady asked us to engage in challenging times. this time into our opportunity to unite our mental prayer? When asking us to do A time for meditation sufferings to those of Jesus on the Cross the Five , one In St Luke’s Gospel we are told twice and His Mother at the foot of the Cross. of the conditions is that we meditate on that Mary “pondered these things in her Earlier we touched upon the suffering the mysteries of the Rosary for fifteen heart.” The first time was at the birth Sister Lucia of Fatima went through minutes. In no other authorized apparition of Our Lord and the second time was when her father died of an illness very did Our Lady ask us to do the same. One after She and St Joseph found him in likely brought on by the Spanish flu. could, of course, argue that at Knock, the temple when they had lost Him for After she had been told the news she Our Lady was exhorting us to mental three days. Who could ever imagine the exclaimed: “My God! My God! I never prayer because She said nothing and the ecstatic contemplation of Our Blessed thought You had so much suffering was so profound, and St John was Mother when She was with Him at in store for me! But I suffer for love holding the Bible (it is believed that it Bethlehem, Nazareth and Egypt. In St of You, in reparation for the sins was open on the Book of the Apocalypse, ’s classic The Secret of committed against the Immaculate Heart which was written by him). However, the Rosary, he says that even demons are of Mary, for the Holy Father and for at Fatima She actually exhorted us to forced to admit that “..one single sigh that the conversion of sinners.” In a very meditate, in her own words. Really, she offers to the Blessed Trinity is worth reflective part of the Day With Mary, every Catholic should be meditating far more than all the prayers, desires, and during the Eucharistic procession, we on the Catholic faith daily, if possible. aspirations of all the saints”. Our Blessed pray the sacrifice prayer that Our Lady St Alphonsus Liguori, the great moral Lady said very little in the Gospels, of Fatima taught the children of Fatima, theologian, wrote: “Without mental yet her innumerable actions had a when on 13th June , 1917, Our Lady prayer the soul is without light.” In the profound effect on the whole of humanity said to the children “Sacrifice yourselves Day With Mary, we try to have a period throughout all time and into all eternity. for sinners, and say this prayer many of approximately 15 minutes of silent, Faithful and loving children follow the times, especially whenever you make mental prayer. It is really striking to see example of their parents. During and after some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love a whole church full of pilgrims focused the apparitions, Francisco was a great of You, for the conversion of sinners, upon Jesus, truly present in the Blessed contemplative. He wanted to console and in reparation for the sins committed Sacrament, silent and still, transfixed Our Lord whom Francisco saw was so against the .” upon Our Lord and Our God. Here we offended by sin. Sister Lucia wrote of Notice that Sister Lucia did not say “I do see the essence of the Day With Mary, him that he was a boy of few words. She not want this suffering! I do not want to which tries to live the Fatima message to said he would ingeniously slip away to make this sacrifice! Why is God allowing the full. Mary brings us to Jesus. As Pope kneel and pray or, as he said: “Think of it?” Rather, she answered the call of St John-Paul II said: “Devotion to Mary Our Lord, Who is sad on account of so our Heavenly Mother Mary: “Sacrifice is Christo-centric.” (Christ-centered). His many sins.” yourselves for sinners…” holiness explained that Mary does not lead us away from Jesus, She leads us to As in past times, when there were Fatima – the only apparition of Jesus. Devotion to Her is Christ-centered calamities or disasters, today we often Our Lady where we have been because She does not keep us for Herself, hear people complaining about God in asked to meditate She brings us to Her Son, Who has no the current pandemic. The sceptics say, Many of us now have more time on our greater Adorer than His own Mother. “If God is so good why does he allow this hands than before. At the time of writing She brings us to adore Her Son With Her. pandemic to happen?” The Catechism we are in a second lockdown. We cannot A Day With Mary is ultimately A Day of the Catholic Church tells us that God go to Mass, many of us cannot go to With Jesus!

What is mental prayer? Fatima teaches us, and the example Mental prayer could One might ask what mental prayer of the children of Fatima show, this is. Really, it is turning one’s mind union with God is accomplished encompass four key and one’s heart to God, in order with, through in and for the parts known as ACTS. to adore Him, who is so worthy of Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our our love. Christian mental prayer Lady of Fatima said the following A is for adoration. C is should not invoke eastern forms of to the children: “He (Jesus) wants for contrition. T is for meditation as St Pope John Paul to establish in the world devotion II reminds us. We are not aiming to my Immaculate Heart. To those thanksgiving and S is for our souls to leave our bodies who accept this, I promise them in some state of emptiness. Rather the salvation of their souls and they for supplication. we are aiming for an intimate will be loved by God like flowers union with God and as Our Lady of placed by me to adorn His throne.”

13 A number of times in the Day With Mary we meditate on the Stations of the Cross by St John Henry Newman. In the fourth station where Jesus and Mary meet each other, St Newman says: “Oh, what a meeting of Son and Mother! … Jesus and Mary – do they forget that Passion- tide through all eternity?” Just one event in the life of Jesus and Mary could be pondered throughout all eternity!

“Listen well to this, my children. When I first came to Ars, there was a man who never passed the church without going in. In the morning on his way to work, and in the evening on his way home, he left his spade and pick-axe in the porch, and he spent a long time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Oh! how I loved to see that! I asked him once what he said to Our Lord during the long visits he made Him. Do you know what he told me? ‘Eh, A is for Adoration Monsieur le Curé I say nothing to Him, I look at Him and He looks at me!’ How beautiful, my children, how beautiful!” “I look at Him and He looks at me!” In adoration we tell God we love Him land of heaven, where the Spirit and His How this reminds us of the words of St with all our being, as we are exhorted to Eternal Bride, Mary, say “Come!” It Louis de Montfort quoted earlier about do this in Deuteronomy. “Hear, O Israel: is truly wonderful to see the pilgrims, the Blessed Virgin Mary: “..one single The Lord our God is one Lord; and you our brothers and sisters in the Day With sigh that she offers to the Blessed Trinity shall love the Lord your God with all Mary, showing such reverence for Our is worth far more than all the prayers, your heart, and with all your soul, and Lord in the Eucharistic procession, as desires, and aspirations of all the saints”. with all your might.” Ejaculatory prayers they pour their hearts and souls to God in If we find it difficult to meditate, a are helpful in mental prayer and Our reverential hymns. We are reminded of really good starting point is to think of Lady and the Angel of Fatima taught us the words of St Augustine of Hippo: “He Mary contemplating Jesus. St Louis some most profound prayers, that we can who sings prays twice.” de Montfort says that Jesus “glorified recite, such as the following: Many people will read in order to His independence and His majesty in • O Most Holy Trinity, I Adore You! help them in their mental prayer. The depending upon this loveable Virgin in My God, my God, I love You in the most obvious prayer tool is the Bible. his conception, his birth, his presentation most Blessed Sacrament. However, one can use some other good in the temple, and in the thirty years of • O Sacrament most holy, O Catholic book, such as by or about the his hidden life.” This gives us an eternity Sacrament divine, all praise and all saints (such as Fatima in Lucia’s own of mysteries to meditate upon! Key thanksgiving be every moment thine. Words and Calls of Fatima) or holy events in the life of Jesus, seen through • My God, I believe, I adore, I hope priests or wonderful papal encyclicals, the eyes of Mary! And what wealth of and I love You! I ask pardon of You such as Ineffabilis Deus. These are read thoughts we could have about Jesus for those who do not believe, do not to help us think about God and direct and Mary for the 30 years of the quiet adore, do not hope and do not love our thoughts to Him. We might find life they had together. Imagine Mother you. a passage that really strikes us and we Mary reading the Scriptures to Her boy These prayers above are sung and recited can put the book down and think about Son Jesus! Imagine the peace, the calm, at the Day With Mary in Eucharistic that passage and ‘speak’ to God and His the pinnacle of love between them! processions, where we express Our love Blessed Mother about it. To the saints Heaven on earth! Then there are the 20 for God not only with our hearts and like Padre Pio, prayer was a conversation mysteries of the Holy Rosary to focus our minds, but also with our voices and with God and Our Lady. The highest on: the key events in the life of Jesus and even in our movements. As we process form of mental prayer is contemplation Mary on earth. We can meditate upon in honour of the Blessed Sacrament, where no book is required. Here one any one of these mysteries and try to see our walking together, following in the simply contemplates God and has reached them through the eyes, in other words, steps of Jesus, Our Eternal High priest, the highest form of meditation. A good The Immaculate Heart, of His Blessed Who is leading the way, is symbolic explanation of what it entails is recounted Mother. of our following Him to the promised by the Cure of Ars, St John Vianney:

14 A number of penitents over the years have told us amazing stories about how C is for Contrition they found the grace and the strength to go to confession at a Day With Mary, despite having avoided this sacrament for even many years. One penitent told Here we think about the sins we have have reached the same heights of prayer one of our members that he had been committed and make an Act of contrition as Saint Mary Magdalene, who was lifted carrying a sin with him for decades and tell God we are heartily sorry for up to heaven by angels each day, and and it was at a Day With Mary where our sins and ask him to forgive us. We who had the privilege of learning at the he finally managed to confess it. In the do well to meditate on the passion and feet of Jesus and his holy Mother. Yet Day With Mary we try to instil a love death of Our Lord. A number of saints one day, when she asked God to show for sinners. One very great teacher on have told us that the best possible subject her a sure way of advancing in his love how to love sinners was Jacinta who to meditate upon is the Passion of Our and arriving at the heights of perfection, went through incredible sacrifices for Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and who he sent the archangel St. to tell them. She would give her lunch to poor better than the example of Our Lady. her, on his behalf, that there was no other children and would eat acorns or olives In the Secret of the Rosary, St Louis way for her to reach perfection than to still growing on trees because they were de Montfort states: “After Our Lord’s meditate on our Lord’s passion. So he more bitter than the ones on the ground. Ascension, Our Blessed Lady spent the placed a cross in the front of her cave and After her brother Francisco died Jacinta rest of her life visiting the places that told her to pray before it, contemplating asked Our Lady if she could stay and had been hallowed by his presence and the sorrowful mysteries which she had suffer on earth considerably longer so by his sufferings. There, she meditated seen take place with her own eyes.” that she could save more poor sinners by on his boundless love and on his terrible Contrition plays an integral part in her sacrifices! Sister Lucia wrote of her: passion.” He also writes the following the Day With Mary. We try to have “Jacinta’s thirst for making sacrifices about St Mary Magdalene: “Few saints confession available throughout the day. seemed insatiable.”

PODCAST

DOWNLOAD

15 www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/pod4 of prayer. In September or October of 1916, the Angel of Portugal, St Michael, T is for Thanksgiving gave Holy Communion to the three children. His words were striking! “Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Possibly one of the saddest events in the prayer the Angel of Fatima taught us, Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful Gospel is when Jesus cured ten lepers and who revealed himself as the Angel of men. Repair their crimes and console only one returned to thank Him. This man Portugal, who is known to be St Michael your God.” How very sad that God is so came back to Jesus and threw himself the Archangel; he is also the Defender of outraged and offended by sacrilegious at the feet of Our Dear Lord, praising Israel: Communions; how many there must be! God. How very sad were the words of “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and During the Eucharistic procession at the Jesus that followed! “Ten were cleansed, Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, Day With Mary we pray the following were they not? Where are the other nine? and I offer You the most precious Body, prayer to make an act of reparation for Has none but this foreigner returned to Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, these sacrilegious Communions. We give thanks to God?” Then he said to present in all the tabernacles of the world, recite this prayer three times because him, “Stand up and go; your faith has in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges the Angel of Portugal repeated the saved you.” We must thank God every and indifference with which He Himself prayer three times with the children, in day for what He has done for us. The is offended. And through the infinite reparation to the Most Holy Trinity: gift of Himself, His Holy Mother, The merits of His most Sacred Heart, and the “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Catholic Church, Grace, Baptism and all Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly, the wonderful sacraments, our husbands, the conversion of poor sinners.” and I offer You the most precious Body, wives, children, life and the list goes on Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, There is an old saying in English: present in all the tabernacles of the ad infinitum. How can we ever thank God “Familiarity breeds contempt”. As enough! world, in reparation for the outrages, we are unable to receive Our Lord in sacrileges and indifference with which In our mental prayer we would do well sacramental communion, it is hoped He Himself is offended. And through the to have spiritual communion. During that our spiritual communion will help infinite merits of His most Sacred Heart, lockdown as one follows the Mass online to foster a greater love for the Blessed and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg one is struck at how many priests recite Sacrament. Could it be that when we of You the conversion of poor sinners.” the Spiritual Communion prayer of St were able to attend the Holy Sacrifice Alphonsus Liguori that we recite at the of the Mass we grew over-familiar with It should be noted that the Code of Canon Day With Mary: Our Lord? An elderly priest was once Law no. 988, §2 states: “My Jesus, I believe that Thou art really asked to cover for a parish priest during “It is recommended to the Christian present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I the weekend. When the parish priest faithful that they also confess venial love Thee above all things, and I desire returned to his parish, the elderly priest, sins.” www.vatican.va We are also to possess Thee within my soul. Since I none too pleased, commended him, reminded at the beginning of the Day cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, saying: “Congratulations! You have a With Mary that if we make a sacramental come at least spiritually into my heart. church of saints. Hardly anybody came confession within eight days, and fulfil - (We should then pause at this point to to confession, but almost everybody some good work, such as half an hour’s adore God in our mind and to make an received Holy Communion!” Holy adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, or intention for our spiritual communion, Mother the Church teaches us that we pray the Rosary in the company of at asking Him for graces etc.) - I embrace may only receive Our Lord in Holy least one other person, or before Our Thee as being already there and unite Communion in a state of grace. If we are Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we may myself wholly to Thee. Never, never in mortal sin we must go to sacramental obtain a plenary indulgence to help permit me to be separated from Thee. confession before we may receive release a soul from purgatory. For the Amen.” Our Lord in Holy Communion and we indulgence to be plenary, we are also must make a firm resolution not to sin required not to have attachment to sin. If As we turn our hearts and minds to any of these conditions are not fulfilled God in mental prayer we can recite the again.” That is why in the Day With Mary confession is so integral to the day the indulgence will be a partial one.

16 In the End My Immaculate Heart will Triumph Dear Reader, are you suffering in these most difficult times? Has the corona virus affected you, as it has so many others? Do not despair, have courage for you are not alone. I refer you back to the words of Our Lady of Fatima, mentioned in the first section of this article, when She appeared to the children for the first time on 13th May 1917: “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?” Lucia, speaking on behalf of all three, said: “Yes, we are willing.” We too must be willing to accept the sufferings that God wills to send us. After all, if we do not, who will? In August 1917, S is for Supplication Our Lady said: “Pray much and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is no one to make sacrifices for them.” How these words In supplication we ask God for the ones. In supplication, we can ask for should strike at the very core of our being! needs of the world and our own needs. our own private intentions as well, Many souls go to hell because there is no At the Day With Mary when we but we ask in humility that they be one to make sacrifices for poor sinners! announce the intentions of the day, secondary to the intentions of Our Will you, in these times of suffering, offer we address Our Lady in the following Lady. up your whole day, all your actions, all the words: “We offer the Holy Rosary and sufferings that come your way, all your the whole day to you, dear Mother, In his classic, The Secret of the daily actions to the Immaculate Mother of for our stated intentions, but above all Rosary, St Louis de Montfort breaks God? If you do, She will do the rest. We for your own intentions, for the glory down the prayers of the Holy Rosary. have her assurance. The corona virus is as of your only son, Jesus, and the most When describing the Our Father, he nothing to Her before Her power, for as Her Holy Trinity.” We go on to say that we says the following, regarding the Son is the Christ The King of the Universe, also offer to Our Heavenly Mother our sentence: Give us this day our daily She is the Queen of the Universe. She has prayers, confession and communion bread - “Our Lord taught us to ask dominion over all creation. We see this in for Her to dispose of as She will, and God for everything that we need chapter 12 of the Book of , where in reparation for the offences and whether in the spiritual or temporal She is described as the woman who has the blasphemies against Her Immaculate order.” (Temporal means our needs moon under feet. The moon is a symbol of Heart. in time, in this world.) He goes on all created things. to say that all temporal goods come When we offer the whole day for from God’s Divine Providence. When In his encyclical on the Queenship of Mary, Our Lady’s intentions we cannot go we ask for our daily bread, we are of , Pope Pius XII said that wrong. She is our Co-Redemptrix, course asking for our spiritual food – The Immaculate and earth and Advocate before God. the Blessed Sacrament. While we are, has been given “the royal right to dispose She knows all our needs. At Fatima at present, unable to partake of this of the treasures of the Divine Redeemer’s She mentioned some very important heavenly food, in lockdown, we can Kingdom”. So yes, She is far greater than intentions: The Conversion of poor keep asking Him to give us a time in anything the corona virus or the world, the sinners, peace and reparation for the future when we may receive Him. flesh and the devil can throw at us, for She the sins committed against Her As Jesus reminds us, those who keep is the Corona Regina Virtus: The Queen Immaculate Heart. Our Blessed knocking at the door of His Sacred Crowned in Virtue. Mother sees and knows the needs of Heart through prayer will have that poor mankind far better than we could door opened to them! When asking Will you respond to Her call, to bring about ever know them. On 13th July 1917 for daily bread, we also ask for our the triumph of Her Immaculate Heart? Our Lady of Fatima said: “I want temporal food, this day, which means, Use this special time wisely and prudently you to come here on the 13th of next according to St Louis de Montfort, that – really it is a time of grace - where we can month, to continue to pray the Rosary we are only concerned for the present, grow to love Our Immaculate Mother more every day in honour of Our Lady of leaving the morrow in the hands of deeply in order to respond to Her call at the Rosary, in order to obtain peace Providence.” In the Day With Mary Fatima, so that in the end the prophecy of for the world and the end of the war, we do all this, with, through in and for the Queen of Prophets, The Queen Crowned because only She can help you.” Our Lady. All our prayers, actions and in Virtue, will come true: Of course, in mental prayer we can thoughts are sealed in Her Immaculate “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will ‘talk’ to Jesus and Mary about our Heart! triumph!” personal needs and those of our loved 17 our time for gaining grace is over. The most sobering thought, if we only aim for Book Review Purgatory we may just end up in Hell. How to Avoid Purgatory by Father Paul O’Sullivan OP -Tan Books and Publishers INC - 41 pages

Before I start this review, let me put and friends, in particular, but in fact this scenario before you. Somebody we every soul in this place of purification, is love and care for is forced to move to a dependent on our prayers and actions so far-off country; a place where food and they can eventually enter Heaven. This clothes are not readily available and is not a theological treatise, and there is their only means of survival depends on no mention of the private to you sending regular supplies. Without the saints about what Purgatory is like. hesitation, our response would be to send Our most loving God does not want us all the food and clothes necessary to keep in Purgatory; he made us for Heaven, them warm and well fed. Supposing we but if we refuse to correct our bad habits then found out that unless we take certain and avoid even venial sins, then this measures, we too would be sent to this will be our lot and we have nobody to desolate land with no guarantee of any blame but ourselves. Each of us is called support. Again, we would do all in our individually and Father O’Sullivan gives power to prevent this from happening. many examples of how the everyday I am sure you can see where I am leading. opportunities which come our way are Now to this beautiful little book on the steppingstones to Heaven. We may avoiding Purgatory. At the moment of not all be called to heroic virtue like the death, we will enter one of three places: canonized saints, but we see in this book Heaven, Hell or Purgatory. Here we find all the ways that almighty God, through Audio E-book in its purest form, and in simple language divine providence and His most Holy Book that speaks to the soul, the Catholic Catholic Church, calls us home. Father teaching on what we must do to enter teaches without compromise, how while FREE Heaven immediately, yes, to become still alive we have every means at our FREE a saint. It is also a desperately needed disposal to prepare our immortal soul for www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/audio eternal life in Heaven, but in Purgatory reminder that those in Purgatory, family, www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/ebook 18 it was decided we would begin the procession lower down in the valley and When Things Go Wrong… process up to the basilica. The meticulous preparations were now complete, so all the pilgrims were led down the mountain to the starting point. Three of us had As with any planned event there are evening after recounting the unfortunate been entrusted with taking Our Lady of always a few mishaps and with the ‘Day incident. Loreto down the mountain to the place With Mary’ now approaching its 35th You might think it was a lesson well where the procession was due to begin; year we have certainly had a few! Some learned except it happened again! This the pilgrims were waiting patiently unfortunate, some laughable. time Mass was being celebrated by with the priest. It was then we suddenly Backfire! another great priest from some years ago. realised that neither statue nor carrier was present! After much scratching I will begin with an enlightening episode The server, deep in prayer and completely of heads in disbelief, we came to one which took place several years ago when unaware that the acolyte candle was conclusion……….unbelievable but true! one of the altar servers unknowingly slowly burning through his cotta and We had somehow forgotten to bring Our managed to set himself on fire! Not smoke was rising. The Celebrant could Lady’s statue with carrier from its resting hidden in the sacristy, but in full view of see what was happening and was making place in the basilica! No time to be the congregation on the main altar! You signals to our server, but with eyes closed embarrassed! We Just had to go and get may remember the priest celebrating at he was totally oblivious. Then once it. Two of us ran back up to the basilica, the time, a much loved Redemptorist who again, a quick-thinking observer took the and though virtually exhausted, we found during the ‘nineties’ preached at many initiative and our singed server lived to the statue and then made our way back Days With Mary. The server had just fight another day! No flames this time, as fast as we could. Safe to say, we got processed on to the altar for Exposition just a burning hole through to his shirt. down the valley in one piece and our of the Blessed Sacrament and placed the It may not come as much surprise, but procession began as planned. The ‘Day’ acolyte candle on the floor just behind following these flammable calamities went beautifully and apart from some where he knelt. Unbeknown to him, the and having recently started a new job, very red organizers faces, nobody was flame from the candle soon caught his our altar server, now with a wealth of too aware of the minor hitch that began white cotta and was quickly spreading up personal experience, was happy to take the day. his back. I was kneeling on a side altar on the new roll of building ‘Fire Officer’! and the first I knew something was wrong Where is Our Lady?! was when a lady came rushing past me in a panic, ran up onto the altar and started The ‘Day With Mary’ has for many dousing the flames with her bare hands! years been organizing group pilgrimages The server, who had been totally unaware to Italy, including a visit to the world- of what was happening, put his hands famous shrine of Our Lady, ‘The Holy behind his back also to douse the flames, House of Loreto’. On our first visit in but feeling the burning sensation quickly the late ‘nineties’, we also had the great withdrew. The Celebrant who saw what privilege of arranging ‘A Day With transpired, thought it miraculous that the Mary’ in the beautiful basilica as we do server had not been burned. Apparently, in England (The Holy House is situated inside the basilica). This was for the our choir in the organ loft at the back of the church saw everything and watched English-speaking pilgrims and we had helplessly as the flames had got bigger now been joined by a large ‘Padre Pio’ and bigger! group also on pilgrimage from the UK. We learnt afterwards that on that very A statue of ‘Our Lady of Loreto’ with morning our server had been asked to flower display, was to be carried during pray for a poor person who was killed the opening outside procession. As the in a fire; he was reminded again that shrine is situated on top of a mountain,

19 at university and in the attitude of my parents there was none of this suspicion Mary, My Mother and hatred. I became increasingly aware that it was minority groups creating this religious divide for political and criminal gain rather than over religious The Early Years clean the church and once a month fill differences. It did have this damaging I suppose it is like a child who is raised the communion cups with wine for the effect, however, of preventing people up by his mother only to discover that evening communion service. I also recall from sharing their faith. when he is grown up that she is not his occasions I filled the pool with water After graduating from university, I came real mother. Then his search begins to when a baptism was due to take place in to London in 1978 and I started work in know his real mother. the evening service. a hospital. I spent thirteen years working Mary, my Mother. I was born in 1952 but So, for the early part of my life I was very in this hospital and it was during my time for thirty-three years of my life I never much involved with church activities there that God’s grace started to work in spoke or thought about these words. They and regularly went to church with my me through the , meant nothing to me. Yes, I knew Mary parents and brothers. I really enjoyed it Mary. as the Mother of Jesus but not as my but I must honestly say that my faith was The time I spent working at this hospital Mother. not very deep in a spiritual sense. So, it brought me much happiness over the was no real surprise that my faith started For thirty-three years of my life I years there. However, for six years to disappear when I started university also knew absolutely nothing about religion continued to play no part in my life in 1971. I studied in Belfast and I no the Catholic Church. I was born in life and very seldom, if ever, I thought longer went to church apart from the odd Northern Ireland of a Protestant family. about God. My life was full and there weekend when I went home and attended I was brought up as a Baptist in a town was always plenty to do and I had lots the local church with my parents. The predominantly Protestant. Schools were of friends to enjoy time with. Gradually, reason why I stopped was partly out of segregated and I never mixed with however, despite all the good times I had, shyness at the thought of having to attend Catholics. It was only in my early teens I began to feel a certain emptiness and a new Baptist Church in Belfast and get that I started to have Catholic friends. restlessness in my life and now and again to know strangers, and partly because I I remember when I visited them I had my thoughts would turn to God. I felt the enjoyed spending my Sundays pursuing an underlying feeling that they were desire in me to pray but it did not come other activities with friends at university. different because they were Catholic and easily to me. there was a sense of suspicion and fear, During my university life I found myself Discovery of the Rosary created subconsciously, I felt, by this more aware of the divide that existed in I think this turning to God was due in segregation. Northern Ireland between Protestantism part to the work I was now doing at the and Catholicism. Bomb scares and In my early years I attended Sunday hospital following a promotion. I was running away from a building before a School each week, enjoyed learning the involved in seeing families of loved ones bomb exploded was part of everyday Catechism and listening enthusiastically who had died in hospital, accompanying life in Belfast during those years. At to the Bible stories, again and again. I them to see their loved ones in the Chapel university I mixed more with Catholics, loved to take part in stage productions of of Rest, and helping them with funeral but no-one really wanted to talk about Bible stories and I still remember with arrangements. Dealing with death each religion and I, for my part, continued to fondness the year I got to play the part day started me pondering on the shortness remain in total ignorance of what being of Moses. With my family I enjoyed of life and its meaning and meeting a Catholic meant. The Protestant culture, the church outings at weekends. My sick patients each day on the wards which I had grown up in, continued grandmother was the caretaker for the brought me face to face with suffering. I to portray Catholics as different and church and every Sunday afternoon became involved in hospital bereavement not to be trusted. Yet among friends with my brothers I would help her counselling and I was introduced to a 20 Macmillan Nurse newly appointed by my Baptist upbringing I had a good learn of the existence of the writings the Health Authority to set up a Terminal knowledge of Scripture and I experienced of the Fathers of the Church and to see Care service in the hospital. In my spare a deep joy in meditating on the mysteries how the Catholic Church honours all the time I helped her with administrative of the rosary. God had answered my saints down through the centuries. None support as she was totally on her own longing to pray by sending His Mother to of this existed in the Baptist Church and trying to set up this service. teach me. there was never any mention of Mary. Our friendship grew and she, being a The nurse had a small cenacle of friends The whole tradition of the Church from devout Catholic, began to share her faith meeting each month to pray the fifteen its early beginnings, all the richness and with me. She invited me to a church decades of the rosary. I joined them wisdom of the Church Fathers and Saints, prayer group where I heard the rosary for and discovered a great spiritual peace was completely overlooked in the Baptist the first time. I am ashamed to say that whenever we prayed together. I was also church. my reaction on that occasion to hearing impressed by their great love for Mary. Each one had in their home an altar As I had now started to pray each day, I the recitation of the rosary was one of felt I must start attending church again. horror and fear. The sound of so many and flowers for Our Lady. All of them belonged to the and in There was a Baptist Church next to the voices praying the rosary was like a hospital where I worked. Again, my machine gun discharging so many bullets their lives bore witness to their love for God, the Catholic Church, for Mary and shyness came to the fore and I found it in quick fashion and it did not sound difficult to go to the church. Again, God’s prayerful to me! for each other. Their faith made a deep impression on me and was one of the grace came to my rescue. The MacMillan However, when she gave me a leaflet reasons for my turning eventually to the nurse asked me one evening to entitled “How to pray the rosary”, Catholic Church. accompany her to a house visit where one together with a set of rosary beads, and of her patients was dying. We arrived to helped me to pray it, my life changed Divine Office and Return to Church find that the patient had already died. We forever. I fell in love with the rosary. It My nurse friend also introduced me stayed for a while with the patient’s wife, was the answer to my longing to pray to the Divine Office. This was another a little elderly lady. She turned out to be to God and it was my first encounter tremendous gift from God: to be able to a devout Baptist who attended the church with the devotion given to Mary in join each day in prayer with the Church next to the hospital. That night I was so the Catholic Church as well as my throughout the world. My friend and I impressed by the strength and conviction first encounter with Catholicism. With often prayed the Divine Office together. of her faith that I resolved there and then Through the Divine Office I came to

Mother of The Mother of The Mystical Body by Fr Linus Clovis Mystical Body by Fr Linus Clovis

www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid4

21 to go the following Sunday to the Baptist founded his Church. During the next places where Our Lady had appeared. Church which she attended. It was my 18 months I found myself reflecting It was really Our Lady herself who was first visit to a church for many years and I on the teaching of the Catholic Church taking me to these shrines and helping then continued to go each Sunday. comparing it with views held by other me to get to know her, to understand At the same time, I continued my Christian Churches. In the early stages I more fully her role in the Church and to voluntary administrative work for the found myself being bombarded with all discover my true Christian roots. types of visions and apparitions by well- MacMillan Sister and I found myself Fatima going to Mass often during the week meaning Catholics. This proved too much I fell in love with Fatima. I experienced with her and praying the evening prayer for me and hindered my progress towards such joy and peace when I first went of the Church and the rosary. I would becoming a Catholic. Once people there. I walked to the village of also go with her in the evenings to see realised this and left me in peace, I was to visit the homes of the children and then patients and their families at home and in able to take my time, and concentrate on to the parish church of Fatima where, like the hospital. I found myself praying the seeking the truth as taught by Jesus. Francisco, I spent several hours on my rosary with families and their loved ones It was during this time that Our Lady own in front of the Blessed Sacrament who were dying and trying to offer them began to take me in hand and guide praying rosaries. A year before my visit support. For me, the nurse epitomised me towards the Catholic Church. At there I had been helping my nurse friend the words of St. James: “a person obtains that time, I remember the view taken put together a script she was preparing holiness by his deeds and not by faith in the Baptist Church over the words for a slide show which she was going alone.” She had a tremendous love for uttered by Jesus on the Cross to Mary to show in church halls. The script was Our Lady and spent what little free time “Woman, behold your Son” and to John, telling the story of Fatima and when I she had with the Blessed Sacrament. “Behold your mother”. It was simply first read it the message did not really She was full of joy and love for Christ, seen as John taking Mary to his own for His Word, for the teachings of the house and looking after her. I found it Catholic Church and bore witness to incredible that the last words of Jesus on that in her work and in her life outside the Cross could be dismissed in such a of work. She helped people struggling facile way. Thanks to my newly found in their faith, she made enemies, but Catholic friends and my Scripture study still she persevered through her many I was beginning to see the teachings of trials always seeking the will of God Christ in a completely new light. I was rather then her own. And most important beginning to see that Jesus had given me of all she did everything through Our His Mother on the Cross. Lady. Her faith and her deeds made a I was like an orphan who had never deep impression on me and provoked known his mother and now after all a response in me to start to live my life these years had found her and wanted to for Christ and to seek to know Our Lady know all about her. As I meditated on the more. rosary each day, I found myself being I was also encouraged to go along to drawn more and more towards her as I Scripture Study at a Catholic Church. reflected on her life and read about her in For the first time in my life I was various Catholic books. Like an orphan experiencing at the same moment two who is reunited with his mother I wanted different ways of interpreting the faith to know everything about her. My friends handed down to us by Jesus when he took me to Lourdes and Fatima and other

22 affect me as I did not know much about notice of what Our Lady had asked and to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. the Catholic faith at the time. Little was I most people had never heard of Fatima. Coming Home to know then that the message of Fatima The sacrifices and sufferings of Jacinta Shortly after this visit to Fatima on and that script was to play a big part in made a deep impression on me. I was 12 July 1988 I informed a priest that I my life before long. beginning to feel the desire in me to help wished to become a Catholic. I chose this It was at this time that I came to know spread devotion to the Immaculate Heart date deliberately as in Northern Ireland about A Day With Mary. It was 1986 through A Day With Mary. there is a great display of Protestantism and the nurse and my friends in our little Within a year I was asked to take over on this date as the Protestants celebrate prayer cenacle had been asked to help presenting the slide show on Fatima at the arrival of William of Orange in 1690 out at a day of prayer and devotion called A Day With Mary. This was the very to disperse the Catholics who had laid A Day With Mary. I was asked to come same slide show my nurse friend had siege to the city of Londonderry. By and help, and I remember enrolling in the been working on when I first came to deciding to become a Catholic on this Brown Scapular wishing to place myself know her. She had joined A Day With date I wanted to show in my own small under the protection of Our Lady. I found Mary and had had been presenting the way that I rejected this political hijacking the day rather disappointing and when slide show but now she had left to try of religion and that I was embracing asked to help out at the next A Day With her vocation with the Benedictine nuns. the Catholic Church because it, and not Mary I declined. I already had enough to Considering my shyness it was a minor Protestantism, contained the true faith do and this apostolate had not appealed miracle in itself that I was able to say yes handed down by Christ. to me. and do the slide show. I have no doubt I then went home to Northern Ireland to Our Lady, however, had other ideas. I that it was Mary who helped me find the tell my parents of this decision. At first, I went along to the next venue with my confidence to work for her in the public found it difficult to approach the subject nurse friend just to pray, but I fell in love eye at different Catholic churches as a as I worried about how my parents would with the whole day. It was so different non-Catholic! Over the years I have come react to their son becoming a Catholic. from the previous venue as the whole day to understand the importance of saying I should have trusted in the Blessed came alive in the singing, the preaching ‘yes’ and trusting Our Lady even when I Mother more as I worried needlessly. My and the prayer and I experienced such have no experience in whatever task I am parents’ reaction was to say that whatever joy. I was happy to offer a helping hand asked to do! made me happy in life would make them again when asked, not realising that I Working for Our Lady in A Day With happy. would still be doing this thirty three years Mary was also helping me to feel more During my stay there I went each day to later. and more drawn towards the Catholic the Catholic church to pray and attend I was beginning to realise that Our Lady Church. I found myself attending the Mass. I had been to this church once had plans for me and that she would not Baptist Church less and less and I previously some years before when one take no for an answer! As A Day With came to realise that more and more I of my brothers had married a Catholic Mary was based on the Fatima message was thinking to become a Catholic. girl there. I never imagined then that I began to understand more deeply the I remember a visit to Fatima and the many years later I would be worshipping message of Fatima and found it incredible last day when early in the morning our at this church as a Catholic. that despite the , the group of pilgrims attended Mass at the Capelinha. Again I was so at peace I also told my nurse friend of my promised appearances of the Blessed decision. She had given up nursing and Virgin Mary and the headlines of the there and I recall at the moment of Holy Communion looking at the statue of Our was now a Benedictine postulant in the events reported in national newspapers enclosed convent at Tyburn. For two at the time, the world was not taking any Lady of Fatima and longing with all my heart at that moment to have been be able years or more she had been praying for 23 my conversion and her efforts had now She showed me how the Church was faithful to the teachings of Christ and was been rewarded. She was my godmother at continuous prayer throughout the the custodian of that Truth. The more I when I was received into the Catholic world as Mass was being offered up pondered Scripture the more I found it Church at Tyburn Convent on 29 October at every moment and the prayer of the hard to deny. 1988. The date was chosen because it Church was being recited continuously Just as Our Lady had pondered things was Our Lady’s month, the month too in monasteries, convents, churches and in her heart she helped me to ponder when Cardinal Newman was received among the laity throughout the world. Scripture in relation to the teachings of into the Catholic Church, and the feast For me it was another gift from Our Lady the Catholic Church and prepared me of the Blessed Martyrs of Douai College. to be able to go into any Catholic church to come to know the greatest gift of all: I was received into the Catholic Church each day to pray and spend time alone Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament, the at Tyburn Convent in the martyrs’ crypt with God, to be a part of that continuous Real Presence. With the help of good because it was the only way the former prayer being offered up to God, to truly Catholic friends and my attendance at nurse, now my godmother, could be feel part of one worldwide Church. Bible study I came to see for the first present. The Mother General had kindly As a Baptist we only went to church time the significance of Christ’s words, given her permission and some of the on a Sunday so there was never the “This is my body….this is my blood”, to nuns were present during my reception opportunity for daily worship. understand the importance of the primacy into the Catholic Church. I who had been searching for ways to of Peter, and the sacraments handed I also felt it was a great honour to be pray to God joyfully prayed the Divine down by Christ to his Church. received into the Catholic Church in Office each day in union with the Church Attending sung Latin Masses, hearing the martyrs’ crypt. They had given their throughout the world. I could not believe the Tantum Ergo sung in Gregorian chant lives to defend the truth and here was I how the Christian world could so easily during Benediction, being present at first acknowledging that truth by turning my cast aside the wealth of teachings of Fridays in honour of the Sacred Heart, the back on Protestantism and embracing the the early Fathers of the Church and celebrations at Christmas and Easter, the Catholic Church. I had finally reached with the Reformation reject all that had of adoration, all left lasting my true home, my true Mother, my been present in the Church until then, impressions on me. It is not possible to true family. The next morning when I especially the Mother of Jesus, destroying put into words the profound effect this was alone at early Sunday Mass I broke many of her images. People had rejected had on me. Never had I experienced down in tears during the Gloria. I was so the Truth to join churches which were anything like this before where so much happy! man made! Through ignorance, I too, love is poured out in thanksgiving for Treasures of the Catholic Church until now, had not appreciated these rich Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary and the As I reflect now 32 years after I was treasures of the faith handed down by the gift of himself, his Real Presence, to be received into the Catholic Church, I earlier Church. received in Holy Communion and to be realise more than ever the presence “Do whatever he tells you.” Mary present always for me in the tabernacle. of Our Lady throughout that time of pondered the word of God continuously From thinking of God only on a Sunday preparation. Through my longing to and, as I became aware of her growing Our Lady was bringing Jesus to me turn back to God, to pray, Our Lady presence in my life, I found myself in such a way that I wanted him to be reached out to me through the rosary and being drawn to the study of Scripture present with me each day. I wanted to answered my immediate needs. Through to discover the real truth of Christ’s put him at the centre of each day and the ensuing months little by little she teaching. I came to realise that this Truth Our Lady, , was revealed to me the riches contained existed within the Catholic Church alone. showing me how. The sacrifice of Jesus within the Catholic Church. Only the Catholic Church had remained was at the centre of each Mass. Yet in my

24 early years as a Baptist it was never like through A Day With Mary to bring this people were willing to be with Jesus and this. Marian and Eucharistic devotion to Mary at the foot of the Cross rather than Another gift from Our Lady was the others. to run away. Stations of the Cross. As a Baptist I I was eternally grateful to Our Lady for I could also see it in the small group who could never recall hearing much about rescuing my soul, from taking me from made up the A Day With Mary Team. Our Lord’s Passion and the meaning of a life of emptiness to a new life within I felt honoured to be a part of that team suffering in life. Through the Stations of the Catholic Church and within this even though I was not a Catholic, to be the Cross I began to see the importance apostolate. In Fatima she had revealed accepted by them and to be encouraged of suffering in the spiritual life and the to the children her heart crowned with by them. importance of Our Lady’s suffering with thorns because of the sins committed ‘Jesus wants to make use of you, to make Christ for the redeeming of souls. For me against God and from seeing so many me known and loved’: the words of Our it was such a beautiful simple devotion souls being lost to hell. She was calling Lady to Sr. Lucia. This too was now my which all the laity could take part in just to us to work with her to save these souls. desire and A Day With Mary fulfilled that like the Rosary. This sort of participation Like Francisco I too wanted to respond to desire. It was very missionary in spirit had been totally alien to me before. Our Lady by saying many rosaries. bringing Jesus and Mary to different Yet another reason for being drawn As I came to accept more and more churches in different parts of England. towards the Catholic Church was the Mary, as my mother, I realised that I In those early years we experienced such Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. Here was changing. I loved her so much that joy travelling together with Our Lady was someone who was an example to all I did not wish to offend her in any way. to different churches. I felt it must have as to how to love Our Lady. Here was I was wanting to do all things well for been like the beginnings of the Church someone who preached the truth of the love of her and not to let her down. I when Mary was in the upper room Gospel in and out of season and who was learning to offer everything to her, with the apostles preparing them for did not give way on any contentious to abandon myself trustingly into her the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. With issue. For me he was a symbol of unity, care and to let myself be used by her for the coming of Pentecost the apostles of authority, of love, of humility and whatever purpose. All this I was learning started their missionary work going out I warmed to him the more I read his through A Day With Mary. to the people. For me Mary was with us writings. For me he was the Rock where I preparing us for our apostolate, to go out wanted to be. For me A Day With Mary was a response to Our Lord’s words on the Cross: to different churches, to spread devotion Our Lady had opened up for me these ‘Behold, your Mother.’ On the sanctuary to her Immaculate Heart and to help save treasures of the Catholic Church and it at each A Day With Mary was Our Lady, souls. was in A Day With Mary that I came to pointing everyone to Jesus, to the Holy It was a divine gift from Mary to be find all these treasures and more besides Sacrifice of the Mass, to the Sacrament of a part of this apostolate. I, a nothing, when I first attended as a non-Catholic. Reconciliation, to . called by her, to help her in her work A Day With Mary She remained there throughout the day as Co-Redemptrix to save souls. She The aim of A Day With Mary is to of prayer next to Jesus. The people was desiring my ‘fiat’, for me to let her spread devotion to Our Lady, to make her remained there too offering their prayers, into my life, so that I might live my known and loved throughout the world, sacraments, penances, sufferings, acts life in her. I realised I needed her help and through her to spread Eucharistic of thanksgiving through Mary. It was to grow in humility. I was like a child devotion to all corners of the earth. I was truly a humbling experience for me to completely happy to place myself in the blessed to be a non-Catholic helping to see many people at each Day With Mary embrace of Mary, letting her take care of achieve this aim but at the same time to kneeling before their Mother, imploring me and show me what to do. In A Day be one of the people A Day With Mary her, thanking her or just being with her. With Mary, Mass, sermons, adoration was aiming to reach. I was learning to Just as with my nurse friend I could see all helped me to know Mary better as love Our Lady more, to adore Our Lord in these people a great love for Mary and my Mother and to prepare me for the in the Blessed Sacrament, and to help a willingness to share that love. These moment when I would embrace my 25 Mother completely by entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. Need for Mary

Often, I have heard criticism that too much devotion to Mary takes one away from Jesus. As a non-Catholic I was experiencing the opposite. I found that in coming to know and love Mary I was thirsting more for the Word of God and for knowledge of the teachings of the Church. I was searching for the Truth and Mary was my teacher. I was seeking the way of perfection and Mary was my model. I discovered also that as I gave myself more and more to Mary I was more at peace and I could face whatever trials came with that inner peace because I trusted in Mary to guide me to do the will of God. Even when there were times I was anxious I did not despair because I just knew that Mary was with me. I remember on one occasion not long after I became a Catholic I was mugged on the way home one evening. I was attacked by six youths who pushed us through Mary. I began see this at sacrament and receive his forgiveness and me to the ground and started kicking the Visitation of Mary to her cousin the grace to persevere was a tremendous me, intent on robbing me. I had been St. Elizabeth when John leapt in his gift from God. Again, in Scripture I could walking along saying my rosary when mother’s womb at the greeting of Mary to see how this sacrament was handed down this happened. I remember as I lay on Elizabeth. He had received God’s grace by Jesus himself to Peter and the apostles. the ground that I said softly, three words, from Jesus through Mary. I felt a great sadness as I came to realise “Mary, help me”. Immediately through Similarly, it was to Mary that the how many Christians had lost this most the darkness someone shouted out and shepherds and the wise men came when beautiful sacrament when they separated the six youths ran away. The voice they wanted to adore Jesus. It was Mary from the Catholic Church. Indeed, as I belonged to a gardener in the park who too who presented Jesus to Simeon in reflect on my own conversion, I realise had just come out of the hut and had seen the temple to adore. I was seeing more that the long-standing traditions and what had happened. He was too far away and more clearly the significance of the devotions in the Catholic Church had to help so he had just yelled. That was child Jesus in the arms of his mother played a significant part. enough. I was so elated that Our Lady in so many statues and paintings in the Mary, my Mother. Yes, she is my had answered my prayer so quickly that I Catholic Church. Mary was important for Mother, she is the Mother of every continued my journey home in this state the salvation of souls. Just how important human being. From the moment I of happiness, forgetting the danger in was revealed at Calvary when from the discovered her through the rosary I which I had found myself. Cross it was now Jesus giving Mary to have been drawn to this Mother and as I recall too in those early days, when us. It was as if to say to us that for us to I continue my pilgrimage through life I was learning about Our Lady, the journey through life with our cross and I find her ever more present in my life. discussions I had with a priest and good to reach salvation we needed Mary. From It is a great comfort to know that the friends in Fatima. They pointed out to the moment of the Annunciation Our Mother of God loves me so much and me that God was showing us that we Lady was working with Jesus to save that I am in my own little way working should come to Jesus through Mary. At souls. If I wanted to pick up my cross and through her for the salvation of souls. the Incarnation Jesus came through Mary follow Jesus, I needed to turn to Mary Yet if it had not been for the witness of to die on the Cross for the salvation of all to help me on my pilgrim journey to the that nurse, I may never have come to mankind. To attain salvation, he wants us Father. know this Mother. Our Lady worked to come to him through his mother. It was in A Day With Mary that I was through that nurse to rescue my soul and The more I pondered on this the more I able to love her more and more as my to help me to become a branch which could find no reason to disagree. I also Mother. In A Day With Mary Our Lady starts to bear fruit. We must show that came to realise that all graces come to was teaching and instructing me through love for Our Blessed Mother to the world, her priests, through the meditations on to be always at Her disposal, to allow her O Holy Night the rosary, through silent adoration and to bring salvation to souls through our www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid5 through Confession. As a non-Catholic humble efforts and thus fulfil the wish to see queues of people throughout of Jesus, dying on the Cross, who gave Silent Night the afternoon seeking Confession was Mary to each one of us as our Mother. a humbling experience. To be able to www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid6 unburden oneself before the Lord in this 26 life he started to have a profound effect on the religious life of his mother. By her own admission she had not been Have you met young a practicing Catholic and could really only remember Church visits for her Carlo yet? Holy Communion, Confirmation and Marriage. Her husband, however, was a more committed Catholic. Carlo became a Catechist and taught young children, and while at school he worked with the homeless and destitute. Seeing God in all people’s suffering. Many would have been surprised at the subject that was this young lad’s ‘gifted’ work. He was a mathematical genius and was inspired by Fr. Giacomo Alberione, who was using the media to Evangelise. Carlo was 9 years old when he started to study computer science. He became a ‘whizz’ with computers and good at hi-tech logic. His understanding allowed him to teach himself computer programming, whilst at the same time he enjoyed sport and football like all other boys. He started to explore, on the internet, the many Catholic Eucharistic that were recorded throughout the world. He was amazed that there were so many and surprised at the lack of documentation for them. So he started to assemble and collate them on the internet. At 11 years of age he started to work on his exhibition that he completed in 2005, some 3 years later. He created this as a free access exhibition for all to use. This work sent out the message to the young who on the internet found these Eucharist Miracles. He said that, “the more we receive the Eucharist the more we will become like Jesus, so that on earth we Many of our Day With Mary pilgrims homily. will have a foretaste of Heaven.” Taking would have been at Arundel Cathedral on Few would have expected to hear such a these messages to so many youngsters in Saturday 13th July 2019 when, like me, lovely homily about someone so young such a short time has been the inspiration they first heard the name of Carlo Acutis. on the way to sainthood for his work. to promote his cause for Sainthood. Pope Many would have seen the exhibition Normally young saints have to suffer Francis has said “Carlo is a model for featuring the young Italian boy, Carlo martyrdom. During his well directed young people to put God first.” that day, and heard the homily about him. homily we heard about young Carlo Whilst travelling around doing this work As a member of the Day With Mary living in Italy, the family had moved he had also acquired a love for apparition team, I had arrived at 8am that morning from London where he had been born on sites of Our Lady. He decided to start to prepare the Cathedral for our event 3rd May1991. He received his 1st Holy similar documentation work. His mother which was due to start at 10am. Communion at St Ambrogio ad Nemus had now become involved with him on The Cathedral had set up an exhibition, Convent in Milan a year early. This this task. His favourite apparition site was which was around the whole interior was to be the event that changed his life at Fatima, the museum there have one of perimeter of the building. I personally dramatically. He committed himself at his Rosaries and a rucksack. had to move some of the exhibits to the age of 7 years to go to regular Mass. It was at this stage in his life that he position our cables and spotlights ready He was a regular at confession making was diagnosed with leukaemia and for the day. Of course you cannot do this a real witness to other youngsters. He unfortunately died after a short period without noticing and reading the contents saw the Eucharist as the fastest way to of suffering. He offered up his sufferings of the notice boards. This gave me some reach Heaven and he loved Adoration of for Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic privileged preparation for the homily that the Blessed Sacrament. He had a Polish Church. He died on 12th October 2006 Canon Tim Madeley would deliver later babysitter and she taught him how to at 6.45am and asked to be buried in in the day. I say privileged because at that pray the Holy Rosary and it became a Assisi. He had not been able to complete stage I had no idea of the subject of his daily event for him. At this stage in his the work he started on the apparitions

27 of Our Lady, but his mother managed our Churches, the name of Carlo Acutis across London to seek his intercession to complete it for him. This also is now was re-echoed. during these suffering times with Church freely available to everyone on his His Beatification took place on 10th closures. Carlo’s intercession graced a website. (www.carloacutis.com) October 2020 in Assisi with Cardinal young Brazilian boy who was suffering In concluding his homily, Canon Tim Agostino Vallini. This time the effect was from pancreatic cancer in 2013, and was a profound one! I was made more aware healed. This was a miracle attested to of the fullness of the life of this truly Carlo. Watch Homily inspirational young man, and in much So now I find I cannot attend my Parish by Canon Tim greater detail. Church without stopping each time at the Baptistery. I also feel that Carlo www.adaywithmary.org/mag1/vid7 He was baptised on 18th May 1991 in London at the Servite Church in Fulham and I were destined to be aware of each other, to my absolute amazement, I have used the very apt expression that sums up Road SW10 ‘Our Lady of Dolours’. Wow! That’s my Church. My Baptism found that we were neighbours. Whilst this amazing young man’s life. He said in London he lived with his family in the that ‘Carlo had used the internet as his certificate was dated some 26 years before that of Carlo. I had my Instruction house 5 doors down from where I lived in motorway to Heaven’. Kensington those years before. Of all the So that was my introduction, and like so and Baptism there when I was received into the Catholic Church as a 20 year thousands of streets in the borough! many, I took away the brief memory with We live in and are all part of God’s plan such admiration. However, related to a old. The very font in the Baptistery that I had walked past so many, many times, for us, and we give thanks for young young man so far away in Italy, it had no Carlo. profound effect on my life. That was until now had such a Saintly appearance for this year, when during the strange Covid me. It now has pilgrimage value to young God bless you Blessed Carlo, please pray experience we were all going through in people. I have seen them kneeling in long for us. periods of prayer. People have travelled Mariana was at the time only nine years old, but one day as she received Holy Mother Mariana of Jesus Communion the Lord again appeared to her and told her that He wished her to leave her father’s house and to embrace Torres y Berriochoa His cross in a far-off land. Mariana understood that she was to go with her aunt as part of the expedition to found the order of the Immaculate Conception OUR LADY OF GOOD SUCCESS, also known as OUR LADY OF GOOD in the Americas. Her parents gave their EVENT (1563-1635) Events of Our Times permission and she travelled with her aunt to Quito, Ecuador. Mariana Francisca was born to love of S.t Beatrix was the Immaculate Don Diego Torres and Dona Maria Conception of the Mother of God. After The voyage proved eventful in a Berriochoa, both noble Spaniards and many sufferings and difficulties, she frightening manner. No sooner had the fervent Catholics. From an early age founded this new order to honor this ship left port than a terrible tempest she developed an ardent devotion for exalted privilege of Mary Most Holy, overtook them. The frightened sailors the Blessed Sacrament. Because of her centuries before it was declared a dogma did not know what to do and thought spiritual maturity, her confessor allowed of the Faith. The new order adopted the all was lost, Mariana screamed and her to receive Communion at nine years Franciscan rule and took Saint Francis of fainted, but Mother Maria prayed to which at the time was considered very Assisi as their mentor and father. God with all her soul, asking that if He truly willed that the foundation be early for first communicants. Some influential and pious ladies in the accomplished, He quell the storm. As So intense was Mariana’s joy at receiving then Spanish colony of Ecuador learned soon as Mother Maria said this prayer, the Blessed Sacrament she fell into a of this recently established order and Mariana opened her eyes and the light deep trance. During this ecstatic “trance” wished to have it established in Quito, of day overcame the darkness of the she saw Our Lord Jesus as a young boy their country’s capital. storm. But a terrible voice was heard: “I of her own age placing a ring on her They submitted their request for this to will not allow this foundation to come finger, claiming her for Himself. Mariana King Philip II of Spain. Granting their about; I will not allow it’s progress; I readily accepted this proposal. The petition he named a nun of great virtue, will not allow it to endure to the end of Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph Mother Maria of Jesus Taboada, to head time; I will persecute it.” witnessed the event and stood as sponsors the foundation of the new convent. This Mother Maria knew that Mariana had to this spiritual engagement. virtuous and holy nun was an aunt of seen something during her faint and, In this same vision the Blessed Virgin Mariana and she was to be accompanied retiring with her to a secluded place, showed her that she was destined to by six other nuns, all women of great asked her to relate all she had been belong to her Order of the Immaculate merit and solid virtue. They were shown. Conception. This order had recently Mothers Francisca of the Angels, Anne been founded by another privileged of the Conception, Lucy of the Cross, “I don’t know where I have been, my soul, St. Beatrix da Silva, a Portuguese Magdalen of Saint John, Catherine of the Mother, but I saw a serpent bigger woman of noble lineage. The great Conception, and Maria of the Incarnation. than the sea, twisting and contorting 29 itself. Then I saw a lady of incomparable beauty, garbed with the sun and crowned with stars and with a babe in her arms. On the lady’s breast I saw a monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament. In one of her hands she held a golden cross having a lance point. Anchoring the lance over the Blessed Sacrament and in the infant’s hand, she struck at the serpent’s head with such force that it was completely split. At that moment the serpent cried out all his horrible threats about not allowing the founding of the Order of the Immaculate Conception.” Mother Maria understood all that this vision signified and was later to have a large medal cast depicting the scene. To this day, the nuns of the Immaculate Conception of Quito wear this medal over their habits. Arriving in Quito on December 30, 1576, the foundresses were received with great joy and housed in a few of the inhabitable buildings of the convent, which was still under construction. When the construction was concluded, the official founding took place on January 13, 1577. Soon, several young girls of Quito began to request admission to the convent of the Immaculate Conception and the conventual life was in full bloom. At fifteen, Mariana entered the novitiate and, a few years later, professed. As she pronounced her vows before Mother Maria Taboada on the day of her nuptials, she was taken up into an ecstasy. While on earth her lips formed the words for the formula of her vows and her body remained supple for the clothing, her soul that she was called to be a victim shall punish heresy”; on the second, “I was in the presence of God Our Lord. for the twentieth century. One of her shall punish ”; and on the Our Lord Jesus presented His own mortifications included wrapping nearly third, “I shall punish impurity.” cross to His spouse and showed her all her whole body in wires with iron points, Then the Blessed Virgin addressed the the enormous sufferings, persecutions, even her ears, leaving only her face and young nun: “My daughter, do you wish to sicknesses, and temptations she would hands free. Thus she lived a penitential, sacrifice yourself for these people?” prayerful life, ever increasing in virtue. undergo for His sake and ours. He “I am ready.” At that, the three swords preserved her only from temptations In the year 1582, as she prayed before plunged into the nun’s heart. against purity. She was never to have a the Blessed Sacrament in the choir of the single thought or inclination against this convent she heard a terrifying rumble Her whole life became one act of angelic virtue. and saw the church enveloped in a suffering for the sins of the world, and she received many visions that include After her profession, Our Lord again thick, smoke-filled darkness. The main altar alone remained illuminated, as if the request for the now famous statue appeared to Mother Mariana and gave her of Our Lady of Good Success, as well the schedule to be observed in the free in broad daylight. There, the tabernacle door swung open and our crucified Lord as revelations about the future state hours of the community and the penances of mankind and what would happen, she should perform during the week. came forth, nailed to a life-size cross. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the the accounts of which are too many to These penances were so severe that Evangelist, and Saint Mary Magdalen include here, but included below are Mother Maria Taboada feared for her stood by, as on Calvary. Our Lord was in some of the most important visions that health. But, in another vision, Our Lord agony. foretell the degredation of the world, placed a drop of crystalline water from and that the 19th and 20th centuries His wounded side on Mariana’s lips and The young nun heard a voice: “This would bring in the greatest evils. Her fortified her for all He asked of her. punishment is for the twentieth century.” visions are also related to the promised Then she saw three swords hanging The extreme penances practised by her ‘Angelic Pontiff’ as Our Lady over Our Lord’s head, each with an requested the faithful to pray for the can only be understood when we consider inscription. On the first was written, “I

30 ‘prelate’ who would restore all. As this WARNINGS FOR THE has not happened yet, we can assume it 20th CENTURY will happen sometime in the 21st century. St. Michael to Sr. Mariana de Torres: On 8 December 1634, the apparition “Through this devotion (to Our Lady of predicted that papal infallibility “will Good Success), Our Lord will grant great be declared a dogma of the Faith by miracles, spiritual as well as temporal, the same Pope chosen to proclaim the first to your (Sr Marianne’s) community, dogma of the Mystery of My Immaculate so that in it He will always find a Conception”. In 1854, Pope Pius IX safeguard (victim souls) and secondly, to defined the dogma of the Immaculate the devout faithful, above all to those at Conception, and in 18 July 1870, he the end of the 19th and 20th Centuries, declared the dogma of papal infallibility for those times will see the chosen ones of with the dogmatic constitution “Pastor His heart, times during which hell would aeternus” as defined by the First Vatican be unleashed and many souls would be Council: lost.” “...We teach and define that it is a dogma Divinely revealed that the Roman pontiff when he speaks ex cathedra, that is when in discharge of the office of pastor and Our Lady of Good Success promised, doctor of all Christians, by virtue of his “The small number of souls, who hidden, supreme Apostolic authority, he defines will preserve the treasures of the Faith a doctrine regarding faith or morals and practise virtue will suffer a cruel, to be held by the universal Church, unspeakable and prolonged martyrdom. by the Divine assistance promised to Many will succumb to death from the him in Blessed Peter, is possessed of violence of their sufferings and those who that infallibility with which the Divine sacrifice themselves for the Church and Redeemer willed that his Church their country will be counted as martyrs. should be endowed in defining doctrine In order to free men from the bondage to regarding faith or morals, and that these heresies, those whom the merciful therefore such definitions of the Roman love of my most Holy Son has designated pontiff are of themselves, and not from to effect the restoration, will need great the consent of the Church, irreformable”. strength of will, constancy, valour and Mother Mariana died on 16 January confidence of the just. There will be 1635, shortly after the last apparition. occasions when all will seem lost and When her tomb was reopened in 1906 paralysed. This then will be the happy her body was found to be incorrupt. The beginning of the complete restoration.” Archdiocese of Quito opened her cause for canonization in 1986. Her visions had January 21, 1610 already been approved as early as 1611 Our Lady of Good Success: Thus, I make during her lifetime by the local bishop. it known to you that from the end of the 19th century and from shortly after the middle of the 20th century, in what is 31 today the Colony and will then be the Republic of Ecuador, the passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of customs, for Satan will reign almost completely by means of the Masonic Sects. They will focus principally on the children in order to sustain this general corruption. Woe to the children of these times! It will be difficult to receive the Sacrament of Baptism and also the Sacrament of Confirmation. They will receive the Sacrament of Confession only if they remain in Catholic schools, for the Devil will make a great effort to destroy it through persons in position of authority. The same thing will happen with the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Alas! How deeply I grieve to manifest to you the many enormous sacrileges – both public as well as secret – that will occur from profanation of the Holy Eucharist. Often, during this epoch the enemies of Jesus Christ, instigated by the Devil, will steal consecrated Hosts from the churches so that they might profane the Eucharistic Species. My Most Holy Son will see Himself cast upon the ground and trampled upon by filthy feet. But in those times you will already be known, as well as the favours that I am bestowing on you. How I love the fortunate inhabitants of this sacred place! And that knowledge will stimulate love and devotion to my Sacred Statue. For this reason, today, I authoritatively order you to have this Statue made: let it be sculptured just as you see Me and placed upon the Abbess’s chair, so that and deeply profaned. Freemasonry, of their vocation and will corrupt many from there I may govern and direct my which will then be in power, will of them. These depraved priests, who daughters and defend my Convent; for enact iniquitous laws with the aim will scandalise the Christian people, will Satan, making use of both the good and of doing away with this Sacrament, make the hatred of bad Catholics and the evil, will engage in a fierce battle to making it easy for everyone to live in the enemies of the Roman Catholic and destroy it. sin and encouraging the procreation Apostolic Church fall upon all priests. of illegitimate children born without This apparent triumph of Satan will bring Since this poor Country will lack the the blessing of the Church. The enormous suffering to the good Pastors of Catholic spirit, the Sacrament of Extreme Catholic spirit will rapidly decay; the the Church, the many good priests, and Unction will be little valued. Many precious light of Faith will gradually the Supreme Pastor and Vicar of Christ people will die without receiving it, be extinguished until there will be an on earth, who, a prisoner in the Vatican, either because of the negligence of their almost total and general corruption of will shed secret and bitter tears in the families or misconceived affection for customs. Added to this will be the effects presence of his God and Lord, beseeching their sick ones. Others, incited by the of secular education, which will be light, sanctity and perfection for all the cursed Devil, will rebel against the spirit one reason for the death of priestly and clergy of the world, of whom he is King of the Catholic Church and will deprive religious vocations. and Father. Further, in these unhappy countless souls of innumerable graces, The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be times, there will be unbridled luxury consolations, and the strength they ridiculed, oppressed, and despised, for which will ensnare the rest into sin and need to make the great leap from time in this Sacrament, the Church of God conquer innumerable frivolous souls who to eternity. But some persons will die and even God Himself is scorned and will be lost. Innocence will almost no without receiving it due to just and secret despised since He is represented in His longer be found in children, nor modesty chastisements of God. priests. The Devil will try to persecute the in women. As for the Sacrament of Matrimony, ministers of the Lord in every possible In this supreme moment of need of the which symbolises the union of Christ way; he will labour with cruel and subtle Church, the one who should speak will with His Church, it will be attacked astuteness to deviate them from the spirit fall silent!

32 You will see this from Heaven, my sacrilege will dominate in this time of The spirit of impurity that will saturate beloved daughter, where you can no depraved desolation, and that one who the atmosphere in those times. Like a long suffer, but your daughters and should speak out will be silent. filthy ocean, it will inundate the streets, successors will suffer, those beloved A simple, humble faith in the truth of my squares and public places with an souls already known to you who will apparitions to you, my favoured child, astonishing liberty. There will be almost placate the Divine Ire. They will have will be reserved for the humble and no virgin souls in the world. recourse to Me under the invocation of fervent who are docile to the inspirations How the Church will suffer on that Our Lady of Good Success, whose Statue of grace, for our Heavenly Father occasion the dark night of the lack of a I ask and command that you have made communicates His secrets to the simple Prelate and Father to watch over them for the consolation and preservation of of heart, and not to those whose hearts with paternal love, gentleness, strength, my Convent and of the faithful souls of are inflated with pride, pretending to and prudence. Many priests will lose their that time, an epoch when there will be know what they do not or infatuated with spirit, placing their souls in great danger. a great devotion to Me, for I am Queen empty science. Pray insistently without tiring and weep of Heaven under many invocations. with bitter tears in the secrecy of your This devotion will be the shield between February 1634, Our Lady: heart, imploring our Celestial Father that, Divine Justice and the prevaricating In order to free men from bondage to for love of the Eucharistic Heart of my world to prevent the release of God’s these heresies, those whom the merciful Most Holy Son and His Precious Blood formidable punishment that this guilty love of My Most Holy Son will destine shed with such generosity and by the earth deserves. for that restoration will need great profound bitterness and sufferings of His February 1610: (Our Lady to Mother strength of will, constancy, valor and cruel Passion and Death, He might take Mariana) As for your request that your confidence in God. To test this faith pity on His Ministers and quickly bring name be hidden, this pleases me, and and confidence of the just, there will to an end those ominous times, sending I will do as you have asked. Tell the be occasions in which everything will to this Church the Prelate that will restore Bishop that it is my will and the will of seem to be lost and paralyzed. This will the spirit of its Priests. (i.e. This must my Most Holy Son that your name be be, then, the happy beginning of the be a request that God send the Angelic hidden at all costs, both within as well as complete restoration. Pontiff of prophecies past.) outside the cloister, for it is not fitting for During this unfortunate epoch, injustice anyone at the present time to know the will even enter here, my closed garden. details or origin of how this Statue came (i.e. Even Mother Mariana’s order will to be made. For this knowledge will only be infiltrated with the errors of the “... for I am Queen of Heaven under become known to the general public in times.) Disguised under the name of false many invocations”. the 20th century. charity, it will wreak havoc in souls. The During that epoch the Church will find spiteful demon will try to sow discord, One of these invocations true to the herself attacked by terrible hordes of the making use of putrid members, who, Queen of our present times surely is: Masonic sect, and this poor Ecuadorian masked by the appearance of virtue, will land will be agonizing because of the be like decaying sepulchers emanating “Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of corruption of customs, unbridled luxury, the pestilence of putrefaction, causing Fatima”. the impious press, and secular education. moral deaths in some and lukewarmness The vices of impurity, blasphemy, and in others. 33 2021 VENUES

Subject to change, due to government guidelines. More venues to be announced Sat 1st May Westminster Cathedral Sat 8th May Our Lady of Fatima, White City Sat 15th May Church of Holy Name, Bow Common Sat 22nd May St Mary’s Catholic Church, Gosport Sat 29th May St Bede, Clapham Park Sat 3rd Jul Arundel Cathedral (Mass 10.30am) Sat 10th Jul Our Lady & St Peter, Wimbledon Common Sat 17th Jul St Anselm, Tooting Bec Sun 25th Jul Our Lady’s Shrine, Walsingham Sat 7th Aug St James, Spanish Place Sat 28th Aug Our Lady, Mother of God, Ponders End Sat 11th Sep The Five Precious Wounds, Stonebridge Sat 2nd Oct St Anselm, Dartford Sat 9th Oct Our Lady of Mt Carmel & St George, Enfield Sat 16th Oct Westminster Cathedral

Support A Day With Mary - Donate If you would like to support the work of A Day With Mary, please go to www.adaywithmary.org/support

For any information on A Day With Mary please enquire at any venue or seewww.adaywithmary.org or write to: A Day With Mary, PO Box 432, Sutton SM1 9LF enclosing a stamped medium S.A.E, or answerphone 020-8641.6418. E-mail: [email protected] All messages left on our answering machine will be returned. Sorry, no callers in person

The contents of this magazine may be reproduced, provided the source and author, in case there is one, are shown.