There are few things in the history as world as controversial or as sensational than the Three Secrets of Fatima. They have been the source of much debate over the decades; countless conspiracy theories have sprung up concerning them and someone event hijacked an airplane in the 1980s in an attempt to have the third secret revealed.

But the secrets and the warning that came with them aren’t anything new or outrageous. The first secret given to the three seers was a vision of Hell. The second secret was the Blessed Virgin’s request for consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and for the practice of the 5 First Saturdays devotion as ways to save the world from war and error. The third secret, that source of so much excitement and provocation, was a vision of the persecution of the Church (particularly against priests and religious) and an assassination attempt made against the Holy Father, all things that were proven true in the attacks against the Church around the world during the 20^th century and the multiple assassination attempts against St. John Paul II.

The existence of Hell, the necessity of Marian devotion, the brutal and violent consequences of sin and the hatred of many against the Church are not news things; we’ve known about these things for a long time and indeed, so did the people of 1917. As with many Marian apparitions, new things are not being taught. Instead, Our Lady reminds us of things that we already know but have forgotten. 

Just as the world has forgotten about the existence of hell and sin, it has also forgotten about the need for prayer and penance. After all, if I don’t believe that anything I do is wrong, why would I be sorry? If I don’t believe that there’s something greater in my life than me, why would I pray?

But just as many back then (and now) rejected the warnings and opportunities that Our Lady of Fatima presented, many back then and now have heeded her call and practice lives of prayer, penance and, most importantly, love. The errors of Russia (secularism, atheism, total reliance on the state and hostility to the Church and all things of God, to name a few) have spread. We see that clearly in society around us. Perhaps we even see it in our own families and in our own homes.

With so much emphasis on the “darker” parts of Fatima (Hell, warnings, persecution, suffering, etc.), perhaps we, in turn, forget about the whole message brought by Our Lady: that even in spite of all these terrible, awful things, her Immaculate Heart will triumph! In the end, God always wins.

In the meantime, we pray. Our Lady tells us what to do and in faith, hope and love, we do them! Offering Rosaries and penances, reciting the various prayers taught by the Angel of Fatima, practicing the First 5 Saturdays Devotion, consecrating ourselves and our families to Mary, making time for Adoration or spiritual communions are all powerful and relatively easy ways to live out the call of Our Lady and participate in God’s work of saving souls.

Just as Mary gave the three secrets to the children of Fatima, she gives a secret to us: the way to live out the call of Our Lady of Fatima, the antidote to the poison of indifference and secularism that has invaded our society and world. This secret is the life of prayer and penance that she calls us to, the same life of prayer that she lived and models for us. 

We ask her and the holy children of Fatima to pray for us. May we be lights in the darkness, may we be bringers of truth where there is error and may we live out the message of Fatima well, that through our prayers and penances, souls may be won for God. That, I suppose, it another secret of Fatima.

May God bless you now and always!