OUR LADY OF FATIMA AND HELL.

In the Gospel of Mathew 25:41 we read the terrible words of Jesus "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels"   I remember Monsignor Ronald Knox when he was first appointed an Anglican priest going to a parish and preaching on Hell   He was told in no uncertain terms by the elders to never again raise the subject of hell for it disturbed the congregation.  They came to Church to feel good about God and themselves  I suppose they did not want to live in a religion of fear.  But why should a christian who loves and serves God have any fear of hell.  But on the contrary a Christian who does not love and serve God will be aware of Hell and fear it.   It is about good catechesis.  I remember the retreats of my youth when two priests would arrive in the parish on a Sunday to give a week long retreat.   The people loved the priests and would speculate which one would speak on hell.  One night was laid aside for that topic.   You see in a Church full of devotion to the Sacred Heart, to the Blessed Sacrament, to Our Lady, to the Saints, to helping us lead good lives and returning to Confession, there were so many treasures that the idea of children groaning under threats of hell in school, or being frightened to not go to Mass, lies that the Reformers brought with them in the seventies, is arrogant nonsense.   The best attended night of the Retreat was indeed the hell fire night.  And every night ended with confession with priests who were like Jesus himself in the way they they encouraged the sinners

I suppose what i am trying to say is that those who confess Christ but do not believe in hell are making Christ a liar.   And if Jesus  sent the Devils and his Angels to Hell why should we argue that he will not send human beings.  No, I do not understand it.  No, I would rather have Jesus deny it or someone say he was just joking but the fact is he spoke about Hell and the loss of Heaven many times in the Gospels and if those who keep faithful to Jesus and accept his teachings are to be condemned for doing so then what Christ do they want me to follow. 

Our Lady of Fatima came to the children to teach them about the very basics of the Christian Faith, and Death, Judgement, Hell and Heaven. are at the very heart of the Christian Faith.   She gave the children a representation of Hell and yes, human beings suffering there and told them that many souls were being lost and that they could be saved by the prayer and penance of those who believed.  Fatima does not make faithful Christians fear Hell, for they live in the Grace of God and their Faith in a Loving God removes Hell as an obstacle.  What she wants us to do, and again it is the mission of the Church, is to save  everyone  around us by prayer and Penance.   There are beautiful prayers that theAngel of Fatima taught the children.  There are little things that children can do.  If you want to have a second biscuit then decide not to have it for the love of God.   Adults can do more demanding things like getting up early in the morning and going to Mass, saying the Rosary, and how can anyone be a Catholic without a love of Mary and the Rosary?   I may be disturbed during a favourite TV show by someone needing to talk to me, so give up the TV show with a smile and give the caller your love and attention.   What I am saying is that we can make Sacrifices that join us to the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and increase our love for him.   And save souls.   If you are praying that a child will return to Church then do not just pray, make the sacrifices.  

But why should we believe the apparitions at Fatima?   Because no other apparition has such credibility behind it.   72,000 people on the 13th October, 1917, saw the sun fall from the sky and spin arond in the heavens.  Ground that had been soaked by heavy rain suddenly dried.   72,000 people witnessed this including those who came to scoff, but they never did.

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