Mary Fabyan Windeatt - The Children Of Fatima: And Our Ladys Message to the World

The Children of Fatima

And Our Ladys Message to the World

Mary Fabyan Windeatt

Nihil Obstat: Richard P. Grogan
Censor Deputatus

Imprimatur: Joseph E. Ritter, D.D.
Archbishop of Indianapolis
August 22, 1945
Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Copyright 1945 by St. Meinrads Abbey, Inc., St. Meinrad, Indiana.

The Children of Fatima first appeared in serial form in the pages of The Rosary and The Grail. First published in book form in 1945 by The Grail, St. Meinrad, Indiana, entitled simply The Children of Fatima. Republished in paperbound by Abbey Press, St. Meinrad, Indiana.

The type in this book is the property of TAN Books and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from the Publisher. (This restriction applies only to reproduction of this type, not to quotations from the book.)

Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 90-71828

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.TANBooks.com

2012

To
the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary,
Queen of Peace,
to whom
the children of Fatima
would have dedicated
this book.

BOOKS BY MARY FABYAN WINDEATT

A Series of Twenty Books
Stories of the Saints for Young People ages 10 to 100

THE CHILDREN OF FATIMA

And Our Ladys Message to the World

THE CUR OF ARS

The Story of St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of Parish Priests

THE LITTLE FLOWER

The Story of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

PATRON SAINT OF FIRST COMMUNICANTS

The Story of Blessed Imelda Lambertini

THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

The Story of Our Ladys Appearances to St. Catherine Labour

ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT

The Story of Our Ladys Slave, St. Louis Mary Grignion De Montfort

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS

The Story of The Dumb Ox

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA

The Story of the Girl Who Saw Saints in the Sky

SAINT HYACINTH OF POLAND

The Story of the Apostle of the North

SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES

The Story of the Little Doctor of Lima, Peru

SAINT ROSE OF LIMA

The Story of the First Canonized Saint of the Americas

PAULINE JARICOT

Foundress of the Living Rosary & The Society for the Propagation of the Faith

SAINT DOMINIC

Preacher of the Rosary and Founder of the Dominican Order

SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE

The Story of the Apostle to the Gentiles

SAINT BENEDICT

The Story of the Father of the Western Monks

KING DAVID AND HIS SONGS

A Story of the Psalms

SAINT MARGARET MARY

And the Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

SAINT JOHN MASIAS

Marvelous Dominican Gatekeeper of Lima, Peru

SAINT FRANCIS SOLANO

Wonder-Worker of the New World and Apostle of Argentina and Peru

BLESSED MARIE OF NEW FRANCE

The Story of the First Missionary Sisters in Canada

CONTENTS

.

I T WAS a cool spring morning in the year 1916 in which the three children, natives of the Portuguese village of Fatima, saw nothing unusual. As was their custom, they had arisen before dawn, eaten breakfast, then driven their parents sheep to pasture. There had been the usual chatter along the road, the usual plans for games once the sheep were dispersed. And now it was raining, the chill drizzle that was to be expected in early spring.

We mustnt get too wet, said six-year-old Jacinta. Lucia, maybe we should go to the cave today.

Of course we should! cried her eight-year-old brother Francisco. It would be easy to watch the sheep from there.

Their cousin, aged nine, surveyed the dreary landscape with a critical eye. This pasture where they had brought the sheep belonged to her parents. It was only a small field with a few straggling rows of olive trees at one end, but there was also a little rise of ground nearby, surmounted by a windmill. In the side of this hill was the caveassuredly the best shelter the place offered.

All right, she said finally. You carry the lunch boxes, Francisco, and see that they dont get wet. I guess the sheep will be all right by themselves for a while.

A bit breathless, the three finally reached the cave. It was dark inside, and rather cramped, but the young shepherds gave no thought to this. They were used to the place, for they frequently played here even on sunny days. Besides, the cave was dry and commanded a good view of the pasture. It would be easy to notice if the sheep began to stray.

For a while the children amused themselves with talk. Was it going to rain all day? Or would the sun come out so that they could play the Echo Game outside on the hill?

I do hope the sun comes out, said Jacinta, shivering a little. Its going to be dull if we have to stay in this place all day.

Francisco agreed, although he was not too interested in the Echo Game. Of course it was fun to stand on the hilltop and shout different words into the still country air, then hear them come back from the distance. But it was even better to hunt through the pasture for stones, drag them into place and then build a house.

If it clears up, Ill build a really big house, he told the two girls. Itll be the finest house you ever saw!

Lucia laughed. Francisco was a year younger than she. Since he was a boy, he was a little inclined to think himself skilled at house-building. Yet he knew, and Jacinta knew, that it was really Lucia who was the leader. And why not? Wasnt she the oldest? And the only one of the three children who had made her First Communion?

We can decide what well do later, she said. Right now lets see what we have for lunch.

An hour later the children had finished the bread, fruit and cheese which their mothers had packed for them. Then, seeing that the rain was almost over, Francisco suggested that they go outside to play. But Lucia would not listen. It was noon, wasnt it? And they had finished their lunch? Very well. Now they must say the Rosary, as was the custom of countryfolk for miles around.

Francisco sighed. He had never been very fond of the Rosaryor of going to church. Deep in his heart was the feeling that such things were meant for women and girls. Yet there was no use arguing with Lucia, and so he fumbled in a pocket and brought out a small wooden rosary.

Hurry up, then, he said, and as soon as we finish, Im going to build the stone house. Just wait until you see how big and beautiful it is!

For a few minutes all was peaceful in the cave as the three children told their beads. But a passer by would have been very much surprised at the manner in which the little shepherds honored the Mother of God. To save time, they said only the first two words of the Our Father on the large beads and the first two words of the Hail Mary on the small ones, for long ago they had discovered that in this way an entire Rosary could be recited in the twinkling of an eye!

Presently their prayers were finished, and Francisco looked hopefully at Lucia. Now we can go and play?

No. Its still raining.

But just a little!

Jacinta gave a quick glance outside the cave. Its only a fine mist, Lucia.

That doesnt matter.

But the house! I want to start looking for stones!

You stay with me, Francisco. You, too, Jacinta. We can have a game in here.

Reluctantly the two children sat down again on the dirt floor of the cave. Lucia was the oldest, and long ago they had been told that they must obey her whenever they spent the day away from home. But as they sat, amusing one another with stories, a sudden gust of wind caused them to look up. Before they could worry as to whether or not a fresh storm was brewing, an amazing sight greeted them. Above the straggling olive trees at the far end of the field was a beautiful white light. It shone like the purest snow, the clearest crystal! But it was not still. It was movingacross the tops of the trees, across the open expanse of pasture, toward the cave!