Your mother would like a word about some unfinished business – your Blessed Mother, that is, who in 1925 asked the faithful to fulfill the First Saturdays devotion. Source: OSV News.
It’s a request that – on its December 10 centennial – is often referred to as “forgotten” among the supernatural events surrounding Fatima.
But following the better-known 1917 apparitions, Sr Lúcia de Jesus Rosa dos Santos – one of three Fatima visionaries who later became a Carmelite nun – revealed Mary returned to her twice while she was boarding at a convent in Pontevedra, Spain, and specifically requested the practice.
Catholics worldwide were asked to dedicate the first Saturday of the month – for five consecutive months, thus “Five First Saturdays” – to confession, reception of Holy Communion, and the Rosary and meditation on its mysteries.
“I think 100-year anniversaries are significant because it helps remind a new generation of these devotions that don’t die off,” Barbara Ernster, communications manager and editor for the World Apostolate of Fatima USA, told OSV News.
While no canonical inquiry was made, the First Saturdays devotion was approved by the bishop of Leiria, Portugal in 1939.
“Our Lady asked us to do this, and the Fatima message is timeless,” Ms Ernster said, “because it is the Gospel message. It’s never going to be outdated.”
Speaking from Fatima – where she was participating in a centenary program and conference as part of the World Apostolate – Ms Ernster reinforced the message of peace.
“One of the things that Lúcia had said so often, is that it could help stave off wars and help contribute to the peace of the world. And we see ourselves in situations now where we hear of a third world war – anything could spark it … And so, we do this so that we can help bring about peace – peace to our families, to our nations, to our Church.”
St. Carlo Acutis shared that, in a dream after Sr Lúcia’s death, she told him, “The practice of the five First Saturdays of the month could change the destiny of the world.”
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Faithful urged to return to Fatima message about First Saturdays devotion (By Kimberley Heatherington, OSV News)
