54 days of prayer AND penance for our nation
By Deacon Bob Ellis –

The World Apostolate of Fatima, USA is collaborating with The Holy League on the 54-day Novena for Our Nation, Aug. 15 – Oct. 7, 2018, adding a sacrificial element as was emphasized at Fatima, in addition to the daily Rosary. All are asked to participate in the novena and the nationwide Rosary Coast to Coast on Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Sister Lucia said that the most essential part of the Fatima message is the sanctification of your daily duty according to your state of life. In other words, to offer up all of your sufferings, trials, and tribulations that God permits in your life every day as reparation for sins and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. This was the first request Our Lady posed to the three children on May 13, 1917

Jesus tells us in Scripture that some demons cannot be driven out by prayer alone, but require prayer AND fasting (CF Mk 9:29). The demons that have our nation in their grips are such as these. Therefore, in addition to praying the Rosary each day, participants are asked to:

Fast (on meals, coffee, etc.) each Wednesday and Friday during the novena.
Pray the Fatima “Sacrifice Prayer” each morning with your Morning Offering, and repeat the prayer throughout the day whenever you make some sacrifice to God, as Mary taught:
“O Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

The Fatima emphasis on sacrifice

Angel of Portugal

First apparition: The Pardon Prayer helped the three shepherd children focus on and enhance their ability to live the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity in their lives. “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You. I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You.”

Second apparition: The angel stressed the importance of sacrifice in addition to prayer. “Pray! Pray very much! … Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.” “Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country.” “Above all, accept and bear with submission the suffering which the Lord will send you.”

Apparitions of Our Lady

First apparition: “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners?” “Pray the rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.”

Second apparition: “Pray the rosary every day.”

Third apparition: “Continue to pray the rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you.”

Fourth apparition: “…continue praying the rosary every day.” “Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.”

Fifth apparition: “Continue to pray the rosary in order to obtain the end of the war.”

Sixth apparition: “Continue always to pray the rosary every day.” “Do not offend the Lord our God anymore because He is already so much offended.”

Third Part of the Secret of Fatima

“…we saw an angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand. Pointing to the earth with his right hand, the angel cried out in a loud voice; ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!’”

The 54-Day Novena for Our Nation begins Aug. 15 – Oct. 7, 2018. The National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Washington, NJ, will be hosting a Rosary Rally, Sunday, Oct. 7, at 4 p.m. EST in union with the nationwide U.S. Rosary Coast to Coast.

For more information, contact Deacon Bob Ellis, 920-371-1931, or rellis@bluearmy.com.

Visit rosarycoasttocoast.com