«Men, Be Men»

Director: Fr. Carlos Cabecinhas * Proprietor: Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima (Portugal) * Quarterly publication * Year XI * Nr. 43 * 2014/11/13 Blessed Paul VI, pray for us! «Men, be men» n October 19, in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Paul VI, the firstO pope who, as pilgrim, came to the Sanctuary of Fatima, was beatified. The event was experienced at the Shrine of Fatima in an atmosphere of joy and thanksgiving; and in the prayer precinct re-echoed and sounded again the new Blessed’s words on the occasion of his visit to the Cova da Iria: “Men, be men. Men, be good”. Paul VI was the great architect who went on with the work of the Vatican II and, laboriously, intended and under- took the application of its documents and guidelines to the life of the Church. But, at present, what pleases me most is to stress his connection to Fatima. And on the day he began his journey to Fatima, on May Paul VI came to this Sanctuary in 1967, on the occasion 13, 1967, he issued a Pastoral Exhortation Signum Magnum of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Apparitions. But his rela- on the cult of the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and tionship with Fatima reached back to an earlier period. At the model of all virtues; such Exhortation concludes with the close of the third session of the Council, on November 21, explicit request to all Christians “to personally renew their 1964, pope Paul VI invited the bishops of the most important own consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother Marian shrines to concelebrate with him at St. Peter Basilica. of the Church”, the central aspect of the Fatima message. And on the same day, after having promulgated the Constitu- On April 24, 1970, in a speech at the Shrine of Our Lady of tion on the Church and the decrees on the Eastern Churches Bonaria (Italy), the now Blessed pope Paul VI stated: “It is and ecumenism, the Pope proclaimed Our Lady “Mother of impossible to be a Christian, without being Marian.” And his the Church”. Besides, he announced the offer of the Golden papal teaching was prodigal in displaying a Marian piety that Rose to the Shrine of Fatima, with the following words: “We animated him and also explains his connection to Fatima. decided to send, in the very near future, through a special Blessed Paul VI, pray for us! mission, the Golden Rose to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fati- Carlos Cabecinhas ma, so dearly appreciated by the people of the noble Portu- guese nation ... and also known and revered by the faithful in the Catholic world. Thus, we also intend to entrust the whole human family to the care of our heavenly Mother... “. 2 2014/11/13 Arvo Pärt composes music dedicated to the Little Shepherds of Fatima Arvo Pärt, fa- of the Sanctuary of Fatima. perience of his coming to the Cova da mous and impor- In a press conference held on Octo- Iria, for publication in this latest edito- tant composer in ber 12, the Rector of the Fatima Shrine, rial project of the Sanctuary of Fatima, the field of con- Fr. Carlos Cabecinhas, announced that Arvo Pärt made us a surprise and of- temporary music, the piece will be presented in a concert fered to the Sanctuary the manuscript created a musical on February 20, 2015, in Lisbon Cathe- of a musical composition, dated from piece dedicated to dral. May 19, 2014, dedicated to the Little the Little Shep- At the invitation of the Sanctuary Shepherds and entitled Drei Hirten- herds of Fatima, and in the context of the Centenary kinder aus Fatima [Three Little Shep- whose manuscript Celebration of the Fatima Apparitions, herds of Fatima]. This is a brief piece will be published the Estonian composer visited Fatima for mixed choir a cappella composed in the October is- in May 2012, accompanied by his on the text of a verse from Psalm 8. sue of Fatima XXI wife, Nora. Subsequently challenged to - Cultural Journal present a text-testimony about the ex- L.S. Do something! The international pilgrimage on Sep- this abominable genocide, a true crime tember 12 and 13 was presided over by against humanity “, without forgetting the Bishop of the Armed Forces and “what is happening to the Christians of Security of Portugal, His Excellency Iraq, Syria, Eritrea and elsewhere in the Manuel Rodrigues Linda, who, in his world.” homily at the Mass of the 13th, called The prelate reminded pilgrims of for an end of the “horrible genocide” in the consequences of a world that lives various places of conflict in the world. without God: “A man left to himself, Coming from different countries, thou- without reference to God, has difficulty sands of pilgrims were these days in in dignifying and elevating himself; the Cova da Iria. At the Pilgrim Ser- and he is liable to the basest and most vice Department of the Sanctuary were savage conduct.” registered and announced to take part The bishop of the Military Ordina- in prayer and the pilgrimage program riate also mentioned the lack of atten- 55 groups, from 15 countries. In the tion governments pay to the suffering night celebrations of the 12th partici- of many human groups all over the pated 12 000; and in the morning ce- world: “And the rulers remain impas- lebrations of the 13th the number of sive and undisturbed, as if this extreme participants amounted to 45 000. barbarism did not concern them. No! If The Bishop, speaking from the Sanc- a world allows such atrocities, it is be- tuary of Fatima, made an appeal that cause it consociates with them or even joined many other voices of the Church likes them. But we feel stricken wit and society: “We urge those on power horror and outraged. “ and in a responsible position, particu- larly the UN, to do something to stop L. S. Polish Rectors visiting Fatima On the afternoon of October 13, a group which represents the poly- tober 11 to participate in the II inter- the Rector of the Sanctuary of Fati- technic institutions of Poland. The national forum Coordinating Council ma welcomed at Our Lady of Mount KRPUT delegation consists of 35 el- of Polytechnic Institutes of Portugal Carmel Retreat House a group of ements; it arrived at Portugal on Oc- (CCISP) / KRPUT, in order to dis- Heads of higher education cuss future projects of col- institutions of Poland. In per- laboration between the tech- forming this act of salutation, nological universities and the he told them of the message polytechnic institutes of both of Fatima, and of the grow- countries. After the recep- ing number of Polish pilgrims tion by the Rector, the group, who come to this Sanctuary. through a guided tour, was It was the visit of KRPUT, informed of the main spaces the conference of Heads of of pilgrimage to the Shrine of Polish technical universities, Fatima. 2014/11/13 3 Patriarch of the East Indies in interview Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima is very popular in India His Excellency Filipe Néri great gift India received from it: Chris- Ferrão presided at the interna- tian Faith tional pilgrimage to Fatima on – What kind of reflection do you October 12 and 13. A few days make about today’s world, particu- before the start of the pilgrim- larly about the situation in the Mid- age, the Archbishop of Goa and dle East and Africa, with the perse- Daman, current Patriarch of the cution of religious minorities? It is extremely painful to observe East Indies, Primate of India, the intensity and insanity of violence in a brief interview to the Press that is ravaging entire populations, Room of the Sanctuary of Fati- persecuted and decimated in the name ma, clearly indicated the scope of religion. This passion that drives a of his coming to the Cova da Iria person to eliminate others in the name of God is purely diabolic. No religion and reflected on the actual cir- professes a belief in a God who loves cumstances of his country and of war and violence. And yet, unfortu- the World. nately, these outbursts of collective in- tolerance are spreading and unfolding in our society. Let us pray that mem- – How did you receive the in- bers of all religions open themselves to vitation to preside over the inter- divine inspiration and seek the way of national pilgrimage of October? “Bless each of your sons and peace, the respect for the person and I accepted it with great pleasure! For I daughters, make them firm in the common good, turning themselves saw it as the opportunity to pay, in pub- hope and charity, protect them from all dangers, temporal, moral into agents of dialogue and reconcili- lic, my personal homage and tribute to and spiritual, help them building ation. the Virgin of Fatima I have learned to their nation in a spirit of coopera- venerate in my childhood. This is my tion and brotherhood, and living – How would you describe the second visit to Fatima indeed. The first in peace with each other and with experience of the Christian faith in took place some 12 years ago, when I the family of nations scattered your archdiocese and in your coun- was the Auxiliary Bishop of my Arch- over the face of the whole earth.” try? Do Indian Christians know the diocese. Taking advantage of my visit Archbishop Filipe Néri Ferrão message of Fatima? to Rome, I got the occasion for mak- Fatima, October 12, 2014 I give thanks to God, for the expe- ing a detour to Portugal, with the only rience of the Christian faith, both in purpose of visiting Fatima.

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