Page 25 - Michael Journal March 2020

Two points can be made. First, penance. In Fatima I spread the de-
the prescience: this was exactly votion to my Immaculate Heart. In
when sex abuse germinated in the Bonate (a town near Bergamo where
seminaries and rectories — a deadly Mary appeared during World War
sin for certain! And the world and II), I tried to introduce this devo-
the Church were on the cusp of mod- tion into Christian families. Here in
ernism (including the sexual revolu- Montichiari I wish to be venerated
tion) that would deaden its appeal to as the Mystical Rose, as already in-
young men. I might add that nega- dicated so often, together with the
tive prophecies about the Church devotion to my heart which must
tend, at least at first, to be rejected. be especially practiced in religious
The roses she now wore repre- institutes so that they may obtain
sented prayer, sacrifice, and peni- more graces through my motherly
tence. As at Lourdes, Mary identified heart.”
herself as the Immaculate Concep- On December 7th, Mary ap-
tion, and as at Fatima, she requested peared with two children whom she
new devotions in reparation. identified to Pierina as Francisco and
“My Divine Son Jesus has sent Visionary Pierina Gilli Jacinta, the deceased Fatima seers!
“They will help you in your trials
me here to bring a new Marian de- and suffering,” said the Blessed Virgin. “They, too,
votion for all male and female institutes, religious or- suffered. I wish from you the simplicity and good-
ders, and secular priests,” she said during apparitions ness of these two children.”
that continued for the remainder of 1947. “I promise
those religious institutes, orders, and secular priests It was the godly souls who had turned lukewarm
who venerate me in this special way my special pro- who most offended Christ, said Mary — especially
tection, an increase of spiritual vocations, and great those who betrayed their vocation. “By their great of-
sanctity among the servants of God. I wish the 13th fenses, they brought punishment upon the Church
of each month to be celebrated as the Day of Mary. but then the original spirit of their holy founders will
On the twelve preceding days, special prayers of blossom again.”
preparation should be said.” There was no question that the essence of her
enceforth, the 13th of each month was to be message was apocalyptical: “Our Lord cannot any
celebrated as the day of Mary, while the other longer watch the many grievous sins against purity.
Hdevotion was to include attendance at noon He wants to send a flood of punishments. I have
time Mass (or failing that, prayer at home) every year interceded that He may be merciful once more. There u
on December 8th, the Feast of
the Immaculate Conception. She
pledged that whatever was asked
during the hour would be granted
if it was in accordance with God’s
will. As long as people prayed for
sinners, said Mary, Christ would
continue to be merciful. She was
struggling to prolong the period
of Mercy. “My Divine Son, tired
of continued offenses, wanted
to act according to His Justice,
so I placed myself as mediatrix
between Him and the human
race, especially the consecrated
souls.”
The Lord, she said, had de-
layed a great judgment. But for the
Mercy to continue she required a
flock who knew how to pray and
do penance.
“Penance means acceptance
of the little daily crosses and also
doing one’s work in the spirit of Interior of the small chapel dedicated to Our Lady, the Rosa Mystica

www.michaeljournal.org MICHAEL January/February 2020 27