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DC_November 12, 2016

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2 NOVEMBER 12-25, 2016 | DENVER CATHOLIC Archbishop's Page Archbishop's Column Most Rev. Samuel J. Aquila PHOTO OF THE WEEK NOV. 14-NOV. 17: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting, Baltimore NOV. 20: Closing Mass for Year of Mercy, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (12:30 p.m.) @ArchbishopDen Mar. 6 A blessed Sunday! #AbbeyofSt Walburga Solemn Profession of Sister Elizabeth. A sign of hope & contra- diction for our times! #ArchDen +sja Published by the Archdiocese of Denver, 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 Denver Catholic (USPS 557-020) is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January. Denver Catholic is printed by Prairie Mountain Publishing, LLC in Boulder. Periodical postage paid in Denver, CO. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $35 a year in Colorado; $42 per year out of state. Foreign countries: $42 surface, all countries, 6-8 weeks for delivery; $135 air, all other countries (average). Mexico, $48 air; Canada, $55 air. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Denver Catholic, Circulation Dept., 1300 S. Steele St., Denver, CO 80210 or email circulation@archden.org. EDITORIAL: 303-715-3230 or denvercatholic@archden.org. ADVERTISING: 303-715-3253 or denvercatholicads@archden.org. CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: 303-715-3230 or circulation@archden.org. General Manager KARNA SWANSON Director ANDREW WRIGHT Business Manager MICHAEL O'NEILL 100 years later, Fatima message rings true O n May 13, 1917, three children named Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta were grazing their family's fl ock of sheep when the Virgin Mary appeared to them atop a small oak tree. She came to them with a message: their prayers and sacrifi ces could help stop World War I and rescue people who were suƒ er- ing because of their own sins. What a beautiful and hopeful message! The apparitions of the Blessed Mother continued for six months, always occurring on the 13th of the month. When Lucia, the oldest of the children, asked Our Lady what she wanted of them, her reply was simple – pray the Rosary every day for peace and an end to the war. From the very fi rst encounter, Our Lady of Fatima's words also had an eternal dimension to them. Lucia, speaking for the other children, asked if each of them would go to Heaven. Mary replied that both Jacinta and Lucia would, and that after many Rosaries, Francisco would too. When Lucia asked about two of her friends who had died, she learned that one had gone to Heaven, but the other was in Purgatory. It was at this point that the Virgin Mary asked, "Will you oƒ er your- selves to God, and bear all the suƒ er- ings he sends you? In atonement for all the sins that oƒ end him? And for the conversion of sinners?" The three shepherd children responded, "Oh, we will, we will!" Taking up this mission is something every believer should do, especially in the month of November, when the Church dedicates itself with a special intensity to praying for the dead and those in need of conversion. This is one of the spiritual works of mercy every Christian can do. We should not naively think that this will be easy, however. When Our Lady heard the children's reply she said, "Then you will have a great deal to suƒ er, but the grace of God will be with you and will strengthen you." At that point, she extended her hands and lights bathed them, fl ooding the small shepherds with an awareness of God's presence and calling forth their love for him. As we approach the 100th anni- versary of Our Lady's appearances at Fatima, there is a fi nal related aspect of her message that I would like to underscore: the revelation that God wants to save people from going to Hell by establishing devotion to Mary's Immaculate Heart throughout the world. In her July 13 apparition, Mary showed the three children a vision of Hell and then appeared to them holding "a heart encircled with thorns which appeared to pierce it." The children understood from that encounter that "it was the Immac- ulate Heart of Mary oƒ ended by the sins of mankind, craving reparation." The message is this: that Mary wishes to assist us, through her Immaculate Heart, in bringing the world back to God. Mary's deepest desire is that the world will come to know the mercy and love of her Son, that every human being may encoun- ter him and put their faith in him. With the attention-grabbing imag- ery and distractions that can fi ll our lives, it's easy to forget this reality. It's easy to lose track of eternity and the ability we have to make an impact upon it, both for ourselves, for others and the world. One needs to look no further for proof of this than Our Lady of Fatima's promise that the consecration of Russia to the Immac- ulate Heart and the oƒ ering of Com- munions received every fi rst Saturday would save the world from Russia spreading her errors and the Church from the ensuing persecution. In 1991, the oš cially atheistic Soviet Union dissolved. With the state of our world and the suƒ ering that we see around us, it might be tempting to think our own small sacrifi ces and prayers won't make a diƒ erence. But we should remember the words of the Angel who visited the shepherd children before Mary appeared: "The hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs for you. You must oƒ er your prayers and sacrifi ces to God, the Most High." We have been blessed in our Arch- diocese to have Our Lady of Fatima Parish designated by Pope Francis as a pilgrimage site during this 100th Anniversary of Fatima. Between Oct. 23, 2016, and Oct. 24, 2017, the faith- ful may visit the parish and receive a plenary indulgence under the con- ditions explained in this edition of the Denver Catholic. I encourage you, too, sometime during the year to pray with the book, 33 Days to Morning Glory, by Father Michael Gaitley. Through praying with the book you will come to a deeper relationship with our Blessed Mother. Let us seek to grow in love and in our relationship with the Trinity and with Mary, and moved by that love oƒ er sacrifi ces and prayers for our families, friends and enemies, both in this month and throughout the coming anniversary year. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us! Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila poses for a photograph with Sister Elizabeth of the Abbey of St. Walburga, who made her fi nal vows as a religious sister on Nov. 6. PHOTO PROVIDED ARCHBISHOP'S SCHEDULE The Rosary is at the heart of the message of Our Lady of Fatima. PHOTO BY ANDREW WRIGHT

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