Archbshp Sheen's Prophetic warning of 50 years ago: Mary and the Moslems; The Significance of Fatima

Moslemism is the only great post-Christian religion of the world. Because it had its origin in the seventh century under Mohammed, it was possible to unite, within it, some elements of Christianity and of Judaism, along with particular customs of Arabia. Moslemism takes the doctrine of the unity of God, His Majesty and His creative power, and uses it, in part, as a basis for the repudiation of Christ, the Son of God.

(The following was written in 1952 and reprinted in the October 2001 Mindszenty Report.)

Misunderstanding the notion of the Trinity, Mohammed made Christ a prophet, announcing Him just as to Christians Isaiah and John the Baptist are prophets announcing Christ.

The Christian European West barely escaped destruction at the hands of the Moslems. At one point they were stopped near Tours and at another point, later on in time, outside the gates of Vienna. The Church throughout northern Africa ws practically destroyed by Moslem power, and at the present hour, the Moslems are beginning to rise again. If Moslemism is a heresy, as Hilaire Belloc believes it to be, it is the only heresy that has never declined. Others have had a moment of vigor, then gone into doctrinal decay at the death of the leader, and finally evaporated in a vague social movement. Moslemism, on the contrary, has only had its first phase. There was never a time in which it declined, either in numbers, or in the devotion of its followers.

The missionary effort of the Church toward this group has been at least on the surface, a failure, for the Moslems are so far almost unconvertible. The reason is that for a follower of Mohammed to become a Christian is much like a Christian becoming a Jew. The Moslems believe that they have the final and definitive revelation of God to the world and that Christ was only a prophet announcing Mohammed, the last of Gods real prophets.

At the present time, the hatred of the Moslem countries against the West is becoming a hatred against Christianity itself. Although the statesmen have not yet taken it into account, there is still grave danger that the temporal power of Islam may return and, with it, the menace that it may shake off a West which has ceased to be Christian, and affirm itself as a great anti-Christian world power. Moslem writers say, When the locust swarms darken countries, they bear on their wings these Arabic words: We are Gods host, each of us has ninety-nine eggs, and if we had a hundred, we should lay waste the world, with all that is in it.

The problem is, how shall we prevent the hatching of the hundredth egg? It is our firm belief that the fears some entertain concerning the Moslems are not to be realized, but that Moslemism, instead, will eventually be converted to Christianity - and in a way that even some of our missionaries never suspect. It is our belief that this will happen not through the direct teachings of Christianity, but through a summoning of the Moslems to a veneration of the Mother of God. This is the line of argument:

Mary, Mother of God
The Koran, which is the Bible of the Moslems, has many passages concerning the Blessed Virgin. First of all, the Koran believes in her Immaculate Conception, and also, in her Virgin Birth. The third chapter of the Koran places the history of Marys family in a genealogy which goes back through Abraham, Noah, and Adam. When one compares the Korans description of the birth of Mary with the aprocryphal Gospel of the birth of Mary, one is tempted to believe tht Mohammed very much depended upon the latter. Both books describe the old age and the definite sterility of the mother of Mary. When, however, she conceives, the mother of Mary is made to say in the Koran: O Lord, I vow and I consecrate to you what is already within me. Accept it from me.

When Mary is born, the mother says: And I consecrate her with all of her posterity under thy protection, O Lord, against Satan! The Koran passes over Joseph in the life of Mary, but the Moslem tradition knows his name and has some familiarity with him. In this tradition, Joseph is made to speak to Mary, who is a virgin. As he inquired how she conceived Jesus without a father, Mary answered: Do you not know that God, when He created the wheat had no need of seed, and that God by His power made the trees grow without the help of rain? All that God had to do was to say, So be it, and it was done. The Koran has also verses on the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity. Angels are pictured as accompanying the Blessed Mother and saying: Oh Mary, God has chosen you and purified you, and elected you above all the women of the earth.

In the nineteenth chapter of the Koran there are 41 verses on Jesus and Mary. There is such a strong defense of the virginity of Mary here that the Koran, in the fourth book, attributed the condemnation of the Jews to their monstrous calumny against the Virgin Mary.

Mary, then, is for the Moslems the true Sayyida, or Lady. The only possible serious rival to her in their creed would be Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed himself. But after the death of Fatima, Mohammed wrote: Thou shalt be the most blessed of all the women in Paradise, after Mary. In a variant of the text, Fatima is made to say, I surpass all the women, except Mary.

This brings us to our second point: namely, why the Blessed Mother, in the 20th century, should have revealed herself in the significant little village of Fatima, so that to all future generations she would be known as Our Lady of Fatima. Since nothing ever happens out of Heaven except with a finesse of all details, I believe that the Blessed Virgin chose to be known as Our Lady of Fatima as a pledge and a sign of hope to the Moslem people, and as an assurance that they, who show her so much respect, will one day accept her divine Son too. Evidence to suport these views is found in the historical fact that the Moslems occupied Portugal for centuries. At the time when they were finally driven out, the last Moslem chief had a beautiful daughter by the name of Fatima. A Catholic boy fell in love with her, and for him she not only stayed behind when the Moslems left, but even embraced the Faith. The young husband was so much in love with her that he changed the name of the town where he live to Fatima. Thus, the very place where our Lady apeared in 1917 bears a historical connection to Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed.

The final evidence of the relationship of Fatima to the Moslems is the enthusiastic reception which the Moslems in Africa and India and elsewhere gave to the Pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima, as mentioned earlier. Moslems attended the church services in honor of our Lady, they allowed religious processions and even prayers before their mosques; and in Mozambique the Moslems who were unconverted, began to be Christian as soon as the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was erected.

A Missionary Strategy
Missionaries in the future will, more and more, see that their apostolate among the Moslems will be successful in the measure that they preach Our Lady of Fatima. Mary is the advent of Christ, bringing Christ to the people before Christ Himself is born. In an apologetic endeavor, it is always best to start with that which people already accept. Because the Moslems have a devotion to Mary, our missionaries should be satisfied merely to expand and to develop that devotion, with the full realization that Our Blessed Lady will carry the Moslems the rest of the way to her divine Son. She is forever a traitor, in the sense that she will not accept any devotion for herself, but will always bring anyone who is devoted to her to her divine Son. As those who lose devotion to her lose belief in the divinity of Christ, so those who intensify devotion to her gradually acquire that belief.

Many of our great missionaries in Africa have already broken down the bitter hatred and prejudices of the Moslems against the Christians through their acts of charity, their schools and hospitals. It now remains to use another approach, namely, that of taking the 41st chapter of the Koran and showing them that it was taken out of the Gospel of Luke, that Mary could not be, even in their own eyes, the most blessed of all the women of Heaven if she had not also borne the Savior of the world. If Judith and Esther of the Old Testament were pre-figures of Mary, then it may very well be that Fatima herself was a post-figure of Mary! The Moslems should be prepared to acknowledge that, if Fatima must give way in honor to the Blessed Mother, it is because she is different from all the other mothers of the world and that without Christ she would be nothing.

(This article courtesy of The Mindzenty Report, published by the Cardinal Mindzenty Foundation.)

I have no idea which agenda you are pursuing and have no interest in Latin Mass cult wars, but "Inside the Vatican" is a "fringe group" in your lexicon?

What has Inside the Vatican said? It cites “sources” and “rumors” but for certain things, but it doesn’t claim to have interviewed St. Lucia. It does not say she said that the Third Secret has not been fully revealed. It also provides the official responses, which deny these rumors. It is reporting that a controversy exists, as it should, but we should evaluate that controversy based on the evidence available. I tried to give it to you so that you could evaluate it without my “agenda.” I’m sorry if that isn’t good enough.

Dominus Vobiscum

patent +AMDG

Bump. Patent has linked you with "fringe groups" in a post.

I happen to like proud2bRC a great deal, and do not think him in the “fringe” of Catholicism. So far as I know, he and I get along quite well. And if I wish to call him “fringe” I will do so directly. I would like to request that you not put words in my mouth insulting someone who’s company I enjoy.

Not sure what is going on here or which orthodoxy group trumps which in this game. I just wanted to know whether the current Sr. Lucy update was verified.

Sr. Lucia has not publicly addressed the issue. To that extent it is not verified either way. I think on the threads you’ve been linked to, and the materials posted above (Remnant, letter, and translation) you have everything I am aware of, not that I matter.

Dominus Vobiscum

patent +AMDG

First of all, the links he [proud2brc]gave originated, as I said, from the fringe groups.

This is true. The Remnant is intricately associated with Fr. Gruner. The whole crowd (The Remnant, Catholic Family News, Fr. Gruner) was responsible for the "We Resist you [John Paul II] to Your Face" manifesto. I do not trust the Remnant nor Catholic Family News nor Fr. Gruner.

I did not post the original Sr. Lucia thread. If I had, I would have placed an editorial comment on the original post regarding my concerns about the source. I first saw the report on The Diocese Report (which is run by a personal friend of mine, who borders on schismatic traditionalist.)

Inside The Vatican is a superb, trustworthy source, not to be confused with the schismatic tending sources noted above.

I first saw the report on The Diocese Report (which is run by a personal friend of mine, who borders on schismatic traditionalist.)

I had wondered if you knew him, geography being what it is; as well as my understanding that he attends the Indult near you. (don’t know that for sure, you obviously know better).

Inside The Vatican is a superb, trustworthy source, not to be confused with the schismatic tending sources noted above.

True. And I find its article a great deal more balanced. My statement was inaccurate so I agree that it should have been worded differently.

patent +AMDG

Bump. Patent has linked you with "fringe groups" in a post. Not sure what is going on here or which orthodoxy group trumps which in this game.

LOL! My own bishop has linked me with fringe groups. He might be right. I hang out with faithful orthodox Catholics. Very frings here, very countercultural.

I attended a big dinner here several years ago, at which my bishop and many priests were present.

The guest speaker, a crusty old Catholic priest from upstate New York, said we were living in hard times.

"Keep one eye on your bishop, and one eye on your Pope. If your bishop goes against your Pope, close that eye!"

The crowd LOVED it. My bishop didn't.

Of course, "close that eye" goes as well for the schismatics, the libs, the prots, the pop cons, the homosexual lobby, the feminists, etc.

Notice Mother Angelica is wearing an eye patch? Wonder if that one is for the entire NCCB?!?

I don't know enough about the controversies which divide orthodox traditionalists from their schismatic rivals to offer any sort of educated opinion, although I see the relevance now. I'll just guess that if Fulton Sheen or Cardinal Mindzenty were alive liberals would call them by some sorts of names.

My curiosity was piqued by the topic. Having seen the text of the Third Secret in the past, the descriptions of the dead bodies of Christians seemed timely and strangely relevant to the unfolding events. Whether this is plausible in the theology of prophecy, I'll leave to the experts. If there are any.

I had wondered if you knew him, geography being what it is; as well as my understanding that he attends the Indult near you.

Yes, he and I have fought over schismatic interpretations of traditionalism for a long time, bitterly at times, but always over a few beers, and always (well...usually) ending as good friends still.

Because he occasionally posts my articles from the Wanderer National Catholic Weekly, another web site, Traditional Catholic Relections and Reports, has now banned my writings because I am "associated with" The Diocese Report, that links to schismatic traditionalists.

Just can't win some days...

I had wondered if you knew him, geography being what it is; as well as my understanding that he attends the Indult near you.

Yes, he and I have fought over schismatic interpretations of traditionalism for a long time, bitterly at times, but always over a few beers, and always (well...usually) ending as good friends still.

Just can't win some days...

Because he occasionally posts my articles from the Wanderer National Catholic Weekly, another web site, Traditional Catholic Relections and Reports, has now banned my writings because I am "associated with" The Diocese Report, that links to schismatic traditionalists.

That’s Stephen Hand’s group right? He seems pretty reactionary, in the sense of reacting away from the Schismatic Traditionalists. The funny thing is that he has written for the Wanderer at times, as do you. One would think the Wanderer was a valid judge of who was on the Remnant side of things and who wasn't.

Wasn’t Hand fully schismatic at one time? I think many people returning from that fold overreact against them.

patent +AMDG

The funny thing is that he has written for the Wanderer at times, as do you. One would think the Wanderer was a valid judge of who was on the Remnant side of things and who wasn't. Wasn’t Hand fully schismatic at one time? I think many people returning from that fold overreact against them.

Yes, he was schismatic, and yes he subsequently wrote for the Wanderer. He turned away from the schismatic traditionalists, and now by and large he does good work with his web site. He tends to judge others too harshly when it comes to what he perceives to be schismatic or hypercritical tendencies. My final falling out with him was over an investigative report I was working on regarding an otherwise good orthodox Catholic university.

Good of you to post this prophetic analysis.

As far as the Third Secret of Fatima or any recent correspondence between Sister and the Holy Father is concerned, we waste time and effort trying to peer behind the veil on this subject.

There are other cities whose prophetic messages involving the Blessed Virgin are clear: Akita, Japan; Betania, Venezuela, and Kibeho, Rwanda. Find out about those if you are frustrated in trying to understand the details of Fatima. God always finds a way to get his message out.

My message -- my purely personal and unofficial message -- is that every Christian should pray against the spirit of murder and the spirit of massacre that is overtaking Islam everywhere. There is coming a great slaughter of Christians the world over -- and the Muslims could care less about the differences between Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants.

Arm yourself with prayer. If you are Catholic, you have daily Mass, Adoration, the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Chaplet of St. Michael. If you are Orthodox you have many rich resources from the Jesus Prayer to the Akathist Hymn with which you can battle Evil. If you are Protestant, pray your Bible -- Psalm 91 on behalf of Christians everywhere, Ephesians whole armor of God for Christians everywhere. Plead the Precious Blood of Jesus for Christians and for America.

After committing yourself to Prayer, if you have responsibility for children or other persons, arm yourself with a weapon. Get well trained in the use of that weapon, and practice absolute security and safety in the storing of such a weapon. If you do not have time for proper training, do not take up a weapon you do not know how to use effectively. Better to keep the money at your disposal for other needs.

Prepare your homes with large supplies of water, food, medicines, food for pets, food for neighbors -- enough to last from three days to three months -- at least. Obtain whatever medicines you might need in a three month period.

Finally, pray against the spirit of betrayal that moves wide and deep through the nations of the world and within certain sectors of the American government -- those sectors are increasingly in plain view. Pray that Saudi does not betray us by using its Air Force against our Armed Forces especially the Navy. Pray that the Chinese are not masquerading in waters nearby as ships of other nations only to launch an assault on America one day.

For some it will sound as if I am saying the sky is falling. But for others this may be the word needed so they will begin taking action.

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