During this season of Lent, I propose that we look at the lives of young saints and blesseds and ask them to help us grow closer to Jesus and His holy mother. Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children, those qualities and characteristics that are innocent, pure, trusting, and loving. The young saints that we will look at the next few weeks not only have the above mentioned qualities, but they are also brave, courageous, forgiving, and persevering in following Jesus. Now this does not mean, they did not have challenges in following Jesus. They had challenges, but they cooperated with God's grace and with His help they became holy at a young age.
The Angel of Peace had visited the children in 1916 three times preparing them for the Blessed Virgin who came in May of 1917. Our Lady asked the children on her first visit to pray the rosary every day for world peace and the end of World War I. Today we are experiencing disturbances on the European continent with Russia invading the Ukraine. We need heaven's intercession.
I chose Francisco and Jacinta as saints to pray to this First Week of Lent because as children they lived heroic virtue and the message of the Blessed Mother at Fatima remains as true today as it has in the past. She has asked that the rosary be prayed daily for world peace.
The Blessed Virgin appeared six times to Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia with the message she wished them to convey to the world: to pray the rosary daily for peace, and to offer sacrifices for sinners. Later the Blessed Mother would appear to Lucia and ask for the world to be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart. Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to her Immaculate Heart on October 31, 1942.
At one point on August 13, 1917, the mayor arrested the children and accused them of lying about the apparitions and threatened to throw them into a vat of boiling oil if they did not recant their story. "Instead of caving to the pressure, the children said: “you can do whatever you want, but we cannot tell a lie. Do whatever you want to us, burn us with oil, but we cannot tell a lie.” “This was the virtue of these children,” Cardinal Martins said, noting that to accept death rather than tell a lie is “more heroic than many adults.” You will find the full text here: https://www.bluearmy.com/jacinta-and-francisco-to-be-canonized-during-pope-francis-visit-to-fatima-may-13/
Francisco and Jacinta died before either was 12 years old. They are the youngest non martyr saints to be canonized. They were recognized as saints for the heroic virtues they lived as children. Their canonization shows that children can attain holiness. It was during Pope John Paul's pontificate that they were beatified, and Pope Francis canonized them on May 13, 2017 at Fatima.
Let us ask these young saints to help our children and grandchildren to grow closer to Jesus and Mary, to be truthful, to pray the rosary daily especially for world peace, and to learn to make small sacrifices for the eternal welfare of others. Here is a link on how to pray the rosary, if you are not familiar with this prayer: https://hallow.com/2019/09/23/how-to-pray-the-rosary/
Below are some books for children and adults on the message of Our Lady of Fatima. Many of them can be purchased or ordered from your favorite Catholic bookstore or amazon.
Angela De Fatima Coelho was the postulator of the process of canonization for Francisco and Jacinta Marto. You will find a wealth of knowledge and understanding in her book on Fatima.
These are two of my favorite priests. They are no longer living but their excellent work lives on in many books, articles, and DVDs.
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| DVD with Fr. Apostoli and Fr. Groeschel |
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Sts. Francisco and Jacinta,
Pray for Us!
Wishing you and your family
a Blessed Lent
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