Fatima message is call to conversion, says bishop

Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani incenses the images of Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto during a Mass at the UST in Manila, May 12, 2017. The two Fatima visionaries will be canonized by Pope Francis on May 13 the centenary of the Marian apparition, making them the youngest non-martyrs to ever be declared saints. ROY LAGARDE

MANILA— During a Mass to mark the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, a Catholic bishop said the occasion should serve as an opportunity to toss out “egoism” that excludes the need for God.

Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani said that remembering the apparitions means recognizing that the times ahead call for conversion from a life of “selfishness”.
“Admit our mistakes and let’s take the path to conversion, do some penance and make reparation,” Bacani said in his homily at the University of Santo Tomas on Friday, May 12.

“Follow God’s commandments, do some good deeds and accept wholeheartedly all the sacrifices that you need to suffer,” he said.

Hundreds of devotees gathered at the UST for the celebration of the Fatima’s miracle, when three shepherd children— Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta— claimed to having seen the Virgin Mary in 1917.

Devotees hold candles as they take part in a procession to mark the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions inside the UST campus in Manila, May 12, 2017. ROY LAGARDE

In one of the six apparitions, the bishop said that the Blessed Mother appeared as Our Lady of Sorrows.

“And the reason why she is sorrowful is because the world has lost sense of sin… and she wants to take us away from trouble,” Bacani said.

He said the essence of the apparitions is a call to conversion and this 100 year anniversary is an opportunity for people to revisit the devotion and incorporate it into their lives.

“100 years of Fatima… a very important message coming from a special messenger. God will do everything so that we won’t lose Him,” Bacani added. “We must give ourselves to God.”

After the Mass, a candlelight procession of the Our Lady of Fatima statue was held inside the campus and was followed by an “Act of Consecration”.

At the procession, some devotees were seen holding rosaries and statues of the Our Lady of Fatima. CBCPNews

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