PANAJI
The day was also a special one since His Holiness Pope Francis in Rome canonized two of the three children that had been present at the apparition that appeared on May 13, 1917.
Hundreds of devotees flocked to Se Cathedral to take part in the mass that was followed by a solemn act of consecration of the Goa Archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and a procession
to the St Joseph Vaz Retreat Centre.
During the sermon, Belgaum’s Bishop Peter Machado stressed on the need for the three Ps that Our Lady of Fatima had lived by in today’s day. “Today there is no peace in our world. From our own country battling with Pakistan and even outside in the world including Syria and Iraq, the need for peace is needed more today than ever before,” he said.
He said there was a need for prayer and penance and called for devotees to turn to the teachings of Fatima.
This is the first time in the history of the Catholic Church where two children less than ten years old (that were not martyrs) were canonized on Saturday.
Jacinta and Francisco Marto, the children-shepherds of Fatima are now saints venerated all over the world as the Universal Church has declared today that because of their virtues and approved miracle performed by God through their intercession, they participate in the beatific vision of heaven.
Saint Francisco had excelled in his contemplative life, adoring Jesus present in the Tabernacle, consoling for the ungratefulness of so many sinners, as he deepened into the contemplation of the mystery of God. He preferred to make company of Jesus-Eucharist in his solitude for many hours every day in reparation for all the offences committed out of the lack of love for our Savior and Redeemer. Thus, in an unprecedented first time, the Church has put Francisco as model for the religious life of contemplation (Religious Orders, Congregations, Institutes and Religious Communities) living in prayer and penance detached from the active world in reparatory practices and introspection to come closer to God.
On the other hand, Saint Jacinta excelled in her missionary life, preaching the Gospel of Jesus to all, devoting herself to the conversion of poor sinners and the offering of her many sufferings to God to save souls. Her decree of canonization focuses on this ardent love to save “the lost sheep of Israel,” evangelizing all those that came close to her with her life example and profound teachings. Saint Jacinta had a special vocation to pray and offer sacrifices for the welfare of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, and she had special visions about the many sufferings of the successor of Peter in the years to come.
The third child Lucia do Santos who was cousin to Francisco and Jacinta, became a Carmelite nun. She is already in the process of beatification by Church authorities in the Vatican. She was 97 years when she passed away in 2005.
