Our Lady of Fatima: May 13, light of hope for the world

The Our Lady of Fatima is one of the best known and most venerated Marian invocations in the Catholic Church. Its history begins in a small village in Portugal and has spread throughout the world as a message of hope, conversion and peace. This Marian devotion has touched the hearts of millions of faithful who see in it a manifestation of Mary's maternal love for humanity and an urgent call to conversion.

The origin of the invocation of Fatima

It all began in 1917, in the village of Cova da Iria, near the town of Fátima, in central Portugal. In that year, three young shepherds - 10-year-old Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, aged 9 and 7 respectively - claimed to have seen a "Lady brighter than the sun" during one of their shepherding days. This vision took place on May 13 and was the first of a series of six apparitions that were repeated on the 13th of each month until October of the same year.

The children described Our Lady of Fatima as a woman dressed in white, with a rosary in her hands and a countenance full of gentleness and serenity. Despite the initial skepticism of many, crowds began to flock to the site of the apparitions as rumors spread. The last apparition, on October 13, 1917, was accompanied by what became known as the "miracle of the sun," witnessed by tens of thousands of people, believers and non-believers alike. Many witnesses reported seeing the sun dance, spin around and emit extraordinary colors, before appearing to plunge to Earth and then return to its place in the sky.

A Marian invocation with a profound message

Our Lady of Fatima not only appeared to the three children as an extraordinary gesture, but she came with a very specific message. Her apparition took place in a particularly convulsive historical context: Europe was in the midst of World War I and, in Russia, the communist revolution was brewing. In this context, Mary brought words that, while profoundly spiritual, have concrete implications for the history and life of the people.

In the apparitions, Our Lady of Fatima spoke mainly of three key themes: conversion of heart, penance for sins and prayer - especially of the Holy Rosary - as a means to achieve peace.

The three secrets of Our Lady of Fatima

One of the best known and most debated aspects of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima are the so-called "three secrets". These were revelations that Our Lady confided to the little shepherds, and that would eventually be divulged, each in its own time.

First secret: the vision of hell

In the apparition of July 13, the children received a shocking vision of hell. Lucia described it as a great sea of fire, where there were suffering souls accompanied by horrible demons. This vision was not given to spread fear, but to show the seriousness of sin and the urgent need for prayer and penance for the salvation of souls.

Second secret: devotion to the Immaculate Heart and the conversion of Russia.

In that same apparition, Our Lady prophesied the coming world war (if the world did not convert) and spoke of the need to consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart. She said that if this was done, Russia would convert and there would be peace; otherwise, she would spread her errors throughout the world. This message was interpreted by many as a direct allusion to the atheistic communism that would spread after the Russian Revolution.

Third secret: martyrdom and persecution of the Church

The third secret was kept secret for many years and was only publicly revealed by the Vatican in 2000. It contained a symbolic vision of a "bishop dressed in white" walking among ruins and the bodies of martyrs, and finally falling dead from gunshots. This image was interpreted as a representation of the persecutions suffered by the Church in the 20th century, and in particular it has been linked to the attack against St. John Paul II on May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first apparition.

Our Lady of Fatima and the call to prayer

One of the most repeated elements in the messages of Our Lady of Fatima was the prayer of the Holy Rosary. Mary insisted that the Rosary be prayed every day to bring about peace in the world and an end to war. This insistence underscores the importance the Church attaches to this prayer as a powerful spiritual weapon.

He also asked that sacrifices be offered for the conversion of sinners and that a life of penance be lived. This does not necessarily imply great suffering, but the daily living of difficulties in a spirit of love and self-giving.

The ecclesial and prophetic dimension of Fatima

The message of Fatima is not limited to a personal experience of the three little shepherds, but has a prophetic and ecclesial dimension. The Pope Benedict XVIduring his visit to Fatima in 2010, said that "those who think that the prophetic mission of Fatima is over would be deceived. Our Lady of Fatima continues to challenge the world today, inviting us to a change of life, to a heart that is more humble, prayerful and open to God.

In addition, devotion to Our Lady of Fatima has been especially embraced by the Popes of the 20th and 21st centuries. St. John Paul II, who attributed his salvation from the May 13, 1981 attack to the protection of Our Lady of Fatima, visited the sanctuary on several occasions and consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have also shown a deep devotion to this invocation.

Santuario de la Virgen de Fátima — Sanctuary of the Virgin of Fatima, Portugal.

A current message

More than a century after the apparitions, the message of Fatima remains profoundly relevant today. In a world marked by violence, materialism and relativism, Our Lady continues to ask for the same things: prayer, conversion and reparation. Fatima is not a message of condemnation, but of hope: the hope that, with God's help and Mary's intercession, the human heart can be transformed, history can change and good can triumph over evil.

"In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph," promised Our Lady of Fatima. This phrase resounds as a guiding light for believers in the midst of the darkness of the world. To trust in it is to walk with hope towards the Kingdom of God.

Pope Leo XIV: Welcome Holy Father

To their 69 years oldRobert Francis Prevost, chose the name Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV, and still the current prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, is the first American and the first Augustinian to become Supreme Pontiff in the history of the institution.

Biography of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955 in Chicago (Illinois, USA), is the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church. A member of the Order of St. Augustine (O.S.A.), he entered the novitiate in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981. He studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union from Chicago and later specialized in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

In 1985, he was sent as a missionary to Peru, where he served in various pastoral and academic roles. He has been the bishop of Chiclayo since 2015 and in 2023, the Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. That same year, he was created a cardinal with the diaconia of St. Monica.

On May 8, 2025, he was elected Pope, adopting the name Leo XIV. His election marks a milestone as the first American and Augustinian pontiff in the history of the Church. His career stands out for his commitment to missionary ministry, academic formation and ecclesiastical administration both in Latin America and at the Vatican.

You can read his complete biography on the official Opus Dei website: Biography of Pope Leo XIV.

May 8, 2025, appointment by Pope Leo XIV

At 7:13 p.m. on May 8, 2025, 65 minutes after the white smoke, thousands of faithful and pilgrims saw the curtains of the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica open. The Cardinal Protodeacon, Dominique Mamberti, appeared before the crowd and in a solemn voice pronounced the historic words: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam..."followed by the name of the new Pontiff: Cardinal Prevost, who has taken the name Leo XIV.

The square erupted in jubilation. Hundreds of bells rang throughout Rome as flags waved and many faithful embraced excitedly. Amid shouts of "Long live the Pope!" and the singing of the You are Petrusthe new successor of Peter appeared before the world for the first time. Dressed in white and with a serene gesture, he greeted the crowd with an apostolic blessing, thanking his brother cardinals for their confidence and asking for prayers for his mission.

Thus begins a new stage for the Catholic Church, marked by hope and expectation. In the next few hours Pope Leo XIV will address the faithful once again and will formally begin his pontificate with an inaugural Mass in the coming days.

Robert Francis Prevost, during a homily.

Message from the Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz

On May 8, 2025, Bishop Fernando Ocáriz, Prelate of Opus Dei, issued a message on the occasion of the election of Pope Leo XIV. He expressed his joy and gratitude for the appointment of the new Vicar of Christ, urging the community to unite in prayer for him and for the mission he undertakes at the head of the Church.

In his message, Bishop Ocáriz stressed the importance of unity of hearts and prayers at times like this, underscoring the faith of the Church that shines with particular splendor. He recalled the words of St. Josemaría Escrivá in ForgeThe Pope, who is considered the cornerstone of the Church, is exhorted to love, venerate, pray and mortify oneself for the Roman Pontiff.

The prelate emphasized that Pope Leo XIV, as successor of PeterHe encouraged the faithful to renew their commitment to prayer and support the Holy Father, recognizing the responsibility and service involved in his new ministry. He encouraged the faithful to renew their commitment to pray for and support the Holy Father, recognizing the responsibility and service that his new ministry entails..

Finally, Bishop Ocáriz invited everyone to live this event with faith and hope, seeing in the election of the new Pope an opportunity to strengthen ecclesial communion and the commitment to the Church's evangelizing mission.

You can read the full message on the official website of Opus Dei: Prelate's message on the occasion of the election of Pope Leo XIV.

The priest, psychology of a vocation

A book that raises many questions about happiness and the vocation of the priest: Is the figure of the Catholic priest still attractive? Can a person who renounces marriage be happy? When to advise against the priesthood or other specific paths of dedication? Christian? These and other questions find useful answers, sprinkled with real life and pastoral experience.

The book shows the inner world of the one who responds to God's call

The author of Psychological and spiritual maturity addresses the luminous panorama of the Christian vocation, beginning with the priesthood. The identity and mission of the priest, as of other vocations within the Church, are understood in the light of Jesus Christ, who came to earth to serve and not to be served.

The priest - the book explains - must see the sacred in others, confirming them in their value; and, at the same time, bring the divine, the sacred, to each person. This is the mission that characterizes him and from which comes his dignity and great responsibility before God, before each person and before society as a whole.

It introduces the psychological dynamics, its conflicts and challenges, its sources of peace and harmony. Being a priest implies giving light, comfort and hope.The Church, insofar as it strives to identify itself with Jesus Christ, God made man.

Many of the above ideas apply to other forms of vocation within the Church, especially if they assume the gift of celibacy.

"Life is attained and matures as it is given to give life to others."
Document of Aparecida, 2007, quoted in Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, November 24, 2013, n. 10.

Jesus Christ is the common model for happiness

In the first chapter, the process of maturity is presented, underlining the freedom and the moments of crisis along the development. The notes of a mature personality are defined, in order to welcome and make fruitful the free gift of a divine call.

How to discern that call, with the types of vocationThe examination of the person's aptitudes and intention is the subject of the second chapter. It is also mentioned when it is necessary to have recourse to psychologists, following the guidelines of the Ratio for the formation of priests, of the Congregation for the Clergy: The Gift of the Priestly Vocation, 2016.

Sacerdote — Wencesleao Vial, cars of the book. Photo via Zenit.

Harmony of daily life

The third chapter is entitled Harmony of daily life. Here we distinguish between and explain the concepts of good loneliness and harmful loneliness. The psychological importance of prayer and the need for a healthy balance between activity and rest are discussed in depth. Healthy habits and hobbies form a special section, which shows in its development the unity of the three human dimensions: physical, psychic and spiritual.

A dimension of particular strength in the individual is the sexuality. The fourth chapter explains how it can be a source of joy or tormentdepending on whether it is integrated or not, whether it lives humanely or not.

The theme of human love, the understanding of which is the basis for understanding divine love and self-giving, is addressed. It touches on psychological and behavioral obstacles, in particular pornography and homosexual activity, which hinder a serene advancement in the vocation; and ends with some notes on spiritual paternity and the defense of a charism: the celibacy.

Priest burnout

The fifth chapter analyzes a frequent phenomenon among many service professions or professions on which others depend: burnout, with reference to pastoral practice. The forms of presentation, the persons at risk, and the how to deal with and prevent it. All with the intention of better understanding this picture, similar to depression, which makes many people suffer in different environments, including priests and people engaged in the apostolates of the Church.

The last chapter presents a series of attitudes for the prevention of psychic symptomatology. It deals with the mindfulness or focused awareness and its relationship with Christian meditation and the presence of God. Self-transcendence as an essential characteristic of the human being is related to the apostolic mission and pastoral challenges.

It ends with a reference to the Youth and strength of the spirit, capable of overcoming many difficulties and guiding us along paths of peace and joy. At the end there is a list of recommended books and useful websites.

Where to buy it and in which languages it can be obtained

The book The priest, psychology of a vocation is also published in Italian (The priest, the psychology of a vocationEdusc 2021) and in Portuguese (The Psychology of a VocationQuadrante 2021).

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The X in favor of the Church, a gesture that helps many

Marking the X, a decision that does not cost on the Renta, but does count

When you make your income tax returnYou have the option of marking the X (box 105) to allocate 0.7 % of your full tax liability to the financial support of the Catholic Church. This choice does not imply higher tax payments nor does it reduce the refund you may receive. In addition, it is compatible with box 106, intended for activities of social interest, allowing you to allocate an additional 0.7 % to social projects at no additional cost to you.

Updated data for the 2024 Income Tax Campaign

In the Renta 2024 campaign, corresponding to the 2023 tax year, 208,841 more declarations were registered in favor of the Catholic Church compared to the previous year. This represents a significant increase in taxpayer support.

The total amount allocated to the Church reached 382,437,998 euros, an increase of 23.6 million euros over the previous year. The average contribution per taxpayer who checked the box was 42.5 euros.

Where is the Church box on the tax return?

The box 105The "Tax Allocation to the Catholic Church", is located in the "Tax Allocation to the Catholic Church" section of the page 1 of the Model 100 on your income tax return. If you wish to contribute to the support of the Church, you must check this box. Remember that you can also simultaneously check box 106 to support activities of social interest.

Tax deductions for donations

In addition to the tax allowance, you can collaborate with the Church through donations, which are tax deductible according to Law 49/2002 on Patronage. For example, donations of up to 250 euros have a deduction of 80 %, which means that the Treasury will give you 200 euros back on your income tax return. This tax incentive makes it easier to support the work of the Church and its institutions.

What is the tax allocation?

It is the voluntary option to allocate a percentage of the full membership fee to collaborate with the economic support of the Catholic Church and/or other purposes of social interest.

Marking the X in the box for the Catholic Church in the income tax return does not mean that the taxpayer has to pay more or be refunded less and is fully compatible and independent of the allocation for other purposes of social interest. In both cases, 0.7 % of the total tax liability will be allocated to each option.

On the contrary, do not check any option. It will mean that 0.7 % of the total personal income tax liability will be imputed to the General State Budget for general purposes.

In any case, whatever your decision regarding the tax allocation, does not change the final amount of the tax you pay or the refund to which you are entitled. It does not affect your tax liability.You simply decide where you want a portion of your taxes to go.

marca la x de la iglesia web por tantos y ayuda — **Check the X on the web church for so many, and help.**

Tax deductions: will I pay more taxes?

Another to help the Church is by carrying out a recurring donation or punctual. Collaborating in this way with NGOs that support the work of the Catholic Church. These donations can be tax deductible in the tax return.

The tax deductibility of donations to NGOs is governed by the new Patronage Law 49/2002, which rewards private efforts in activities of general interest.

Tax benefits for donors

Thanks to the new Patronage Law, donations of up to 250 € will have an income tax deduction of 80 %. That is, by donating 20.83 €/month or 250 €/year, the Treasury will refund you 200 € in your income tax return.

For 20 € per month you can help us to our seminarians continue their formation and thus ensure that no vocation is lost.

The importance of checking the box for the Catholic Church on your income tax returns

Since 2007 the Church does not receive money from the General State Budget and renounces to the VAT exemption. That year the 1979 Agreement between Spain and the Holy See on economic matters was modified and the box 105 for the support of the Catholic Church was created.

The amount received from taxpayers who check the Catholic Church box on their income tax returns is distributed in solidarity from the Interdiocesan Common Fund.

This fund, which is made up of direct contributions from the faithful and taxpayers, is distributed among the different dioceses according to their size and needs. It accounts for an average of 25 % of the financing of the dioceses in Spain.

According to the latest available data, nearly 9 million people mark the "X" in favor of the Catholic Church in our country.

A gesture that the Church appreciates and encourages to continue doing so, in order to be able to continue with all the work it does for the benefit of society as a whole.

Photo by Fernando Santander at Unsplash.

How is the Church financed?

The Church in Spain relies on several sources of financing to sustain its activities. The main ones are:

Direct contributions that are made by the faithful (donationssubscriptions, tithes and others),
Collaboration of public administrations (pursuant to Article 16 of the Spanish Constitution),
Management of its own resourcess (equity, provision of services, etc.).

The transparency portal of the Church

The Church in an exercise of transparency, each year reports the amount of taxpayers' tax allocations received each yearand what has been the destination of this amount.

Once this amount is distributed, mainly to the dioceses, it becomes part of their diocesan economy. All this information is reflected each year in the Annual Report of activities of the EEC.

On the website of the Episcopal Conference, each year they report the amount received by checking the box for the Catholic Church on the income tax return.

It has as mission to bring the Church closer to society by promoting measures of transparency and good economic governance in the Episcopal Conference and its works, as well as in the rest of the entities that depend on it.

Destination of funds contributed by checking the church box on the Income Tax Return

The amount from the tax allocation is sent to the 70 dioceses in Spain.. The dioceses integrate it into their diocesan budget to undertake the activities proper to the Church.

More than half of the the expenses of all Spanish dioceses were pastoral and welfare expensesThe cost of the buildings, together with building maintenance and operating expenses.

The Episcopal Conference annually requests information from the dioceses on their consolidated financial accounts, including the parishes, in order to provide transparency to the process and obtain information on the origin of their resources and the applications that have been given each year.

With the action of marking the "X" in the church box on the income tax, we contribute resources for the Church to continue carrying out activities that benefit the whole of Spanish society.

That is why the Church thanks all those Spaniards who contribute with this gesture and with the rest of the campaigns carried out throughout the year to support the religious, spiritual and social work at the service of millions of Spaniards.

This contribution is decisive in sustaining the immense work of the Church, which, in order to continue helping, needs more than ever the collaboration of everyone.

For all these reasons CARF encourages you to check the box for the Catholic Church. in this year's income tax return.

Divine Mercy: the call to God's love and forgiveness

Every year, on the second Sunday of Easter, we celebrate Divine MercyThis is a holiday that highlights God's unconditional love and infinite compassion towards humanity.

St. Faustina Kowalska: Apostle of Mercy

Saint Faustina Kowalskaborn as Helena Kowalska on August 25, 1905, in Głogowiec, Poland, is known as the apostle of the Divine Mercy.

From a very young age he felt an intense call to religious life, and after several obstacles -including the poverty of his family- he finally entered in 1925 to the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Warsaw, where she took the name of Sister Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament.

A life marked by prayer and sacrifice

During her religious life, Faustina performed humble tasks as a cook, gardener and doorkeeper. But behind this outward simplicity, she lived a profoundly mystical life. Her union with Christ was such that, according to her spiritual diary, she received invisible stigmata, mystical ecstasies and visions of Jesus himself. She often offered her physical and spiritual sufferings for the salvation of souls.

Jesus began to communicate with her intensively in 1931. In a key vision, he asked her to paint an image of Him as she saw Him in the apparition: with two rays coming out of His heart - one white, symbolizing the water of Baptism, and the other red, representing the blood of the Eucharist - with the phrase. Jesus, in You I trust. This image became the central symbol of the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

Image of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican during the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska.

The Diary: Divine Mercy in my soul

At the request of her confessor, Blessed Michael Sopoćko, Faustina. wrote his spiritual experiences in a diary which was later published under the title Divine Mercy in my soul. This text, now translated into dozens of languages, is considered a jewel of 20th century Christian spirituality.

In it, Jesus reveals not only the content of his merciful love, but also concrete practices to promote this devotion: the Feast of Mercythe Chaplet of Divine Mercythe prayer to the three in the afternoon (the Hour of Mercy), and the dissemination of the image mentioned above.

Some phrases that stand out from these revelations are:

- "Mankind will not find peace until he turns with confidence to My mercy."

- "I desire to grant unimaginable graces to the souls who trust in My mercy."

- "The fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance on the Cross for all souls. I have excluded no one."

Institution of the feast by St. John Paul II

Pope St. John Paul II, deeply influenced by devotion to Divine Mercy, canonized St. Faustina on April 30, 2000. During the ceremony, he officially proclaimed the second Sunday of Easter to be the feast of St. Faustina. Divine Mercy Sunday for the whole Church.

In 2002, the Pope established that those who participated in this feast could obtain plenary indulgences, even those who, for justified reasons, could not physically attend the celebrations.

The image of the Divine Mercy

One of the most recognized manifestations of this devotion is the image of the Merciful Jesus, based on a vision of St. Faustina Kowalska. In it, Jesus appears with one hand raised as a sign of blessing and the other touching his chest, from which emanate two rays: one red, symbolizing blood, and the other white, representing water. This image bears the inscription: Jesus, in You I trust and has spread all over the planet.

jesus-divina-misericordia-kowalska — Image of the merciful Jesus. Source: Wikipedia

Associated devotional practices

The faithful are encouraged to participate in various practices during this festivity:

a) Confession and CommunionTo prepare oneself spiritually through the sacrament of reconciliation and to receive the Eucharist.

b) Prayer of the Chaplet of Divine MercyA special prayer that is prayed using a common rosary, focused on imploring God's mercy.

c) Meditation at 3 p.m.The Hour of Mercy: known as the Hour of Mercy, it commemorates the hour of Jesus' death on the cross, a propitious moment for prayer and reflection.

d) Novena to the Divine MercyThe prayers are a series of prayers that begin on Good Friday and culminate on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Global impact and current events

Since its institution, Divine Mercy Sunday has gained significant relevance in the life of Catholics around the world. Numerous parishes and religious communities organize special masses, processions and charity activities in honor of this feast.

Pope Francis continued to promote this devotion, stressing the importance of mercy in Christian life and in the mission of the Church. On several occasions, he urged the faithful to be instruments of God's mercy in their communities.

Conclusion

Divine Mercy Sunday is an invitation to all believers to trust fully in God's love and forgiveness.

Through the teachings of St. Faustina Kowalska and the support of the Church, this feast reminds us that, no matter our faults, we can always turn to the infinite mercy of Jesus.

As Jesus said to St. Faustina: "the greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy".

Death of Pope Francis at the age of 88

Pope Francis has died. His death has been confirmed by the Press Office of the Holy SeeThe Pontiff died at 7:30 a.m. on April 21, 2025:

"Recently His Eminence, Cardinal Farrell, announced with sorrow the death of Pope Francis, with these words: 'Dear brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.

At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father's house. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his Church.

He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized.

With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God".

After months of treatment for what began as bronchitis in February, the Holy Father died at Casa Santa Marta, even though he had been discharged from the hospital. The Pontiff made several public appearances in recent days on the occasion of the Holy Week and Easter Sunday celebrations.

Over the next few days, anyone who wishes may come to the Vatican to bid farewell for the last time to the Argentine Pope, whose body will rest after the funeral in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Source: Omnes.