“In his book The Miracle and the Message: 100 Years of Fatima, author John Preiss makes a century-old message relevant for today. Prayer, penance, conversion, and reparation are important and can be practiced and lived not only by individuals but also by societies — indeed by countries — as a whole. What our Blessed Mother revealed to three shepherd children in 1917 echoes throughout the decades as a heavenly battle cry to save the world and all its peoples from self-destruction.”
— Father Wade Menezes, C.P.M., Fathers of Mercy Assistant General and EWTN Series Host
“In The Miracle and the Message: 100 Years of Fatima, John Preiss recounts a number of significant, mostly unknown, details which show that Fatima remains one of the most relevant messages for the world today. He demonstrates that Fatima is not simply a pious tale from the past, but a Message that re-presents the essential elements of the Gospel and motivates us to greater fidelity to God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I recommend The Miracle and the Message to all who want to better live the Gospel.”
— Father Joseph M. Wolfe, M.F.V.A., Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word
“Francisco and Jacinta Marto have been canonized — and the Servant of God Lucia Dos Santos advances toward the honors of the altar, as well — but the miracle and meaning of Fatima are far from over. The Fatima message remains as relevant today as when it was first given to the world one hundred years ago. In this wonderful book, John Preiss does a remarkable job of reminding us of the fundamentals of Fatima. In essence, Jesus and Mary continue to call us to repentance, prayer, and acts of reparation to the Eucharistic Presence of Our Lord and the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady.”
— Father Donald Calloway, M.I.C., S.T.L., author, Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon
The Miracle and the Message
100 Years of Fatima
The Miracle
and the
Message
100 Years of Fatima
John C. Preiss
OurSundayVisitor
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
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Scripture selections taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by license of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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Copyright © 2017 by John C. Preiss. Published 2017.
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ISBN: 978-1-68192-167-9 (Inventory No. T1882)
eISBN: 978-1-68192-168-8
LCCN: 2017944648
Cover design by Tyler Ottinger
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Cover background and photo on page 148: Shutterstock
Photos on pages 141–147 courtesy of Fatima Family Apostolate
Printed in the United States of America
About the Author
John Preiss is President of the Fatima Family Apostolate International, a Public Association of the Faithful, founded in 1986 by the late Father Robert J. Fox. The mission of the Fatima Family Apostolate International is to promote the message of Fatima and the sanctification of family life.
John is also the editor of the quarterly newsletter the Fatima Family Messenger. He has been interviewed on Catholic radio and on Vatican Radio about the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by Pope Francis. John has written several articles on the message of Fatima and the blessings of family life. He is also the author of Our Lady of Fatima: True Devotion and the children’s book The Miracle of the Dancing Sun at Fatima. In the past John hosted a radio show called Family Matters.
John is an adult convert to the Catholic faith. He and his wife, Teresa, currently reside in Hanceville, Alabama, with their eight children (and counting): Mark, Lauren, Brenden, John David, Anna Sophia, Ella, Luke, and Angelica.
Dedication
I dedicate this book to Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Heaven and Earth. Mary’s greatest desire is to bring souls to Her Beloved Son, Jesus.
My hope is that, through the messages of Our Lady and the example of the three humble shepherds, this book will bring you closer to Our Lord and Our Lady. Also, I pray that Fatima will become a part of your daily spiritual life by praying the Rosary, wearing the brown scapular, and making the Five First Saturdays devotion.
Finally, I acknowledge the late Father Robert J. Fox, without whom this book would have never become a reality.
May this book serve in some way to carry out to the world the mission given to us by Our Lady of Fatima.
John C. PreissPresident, Fatima Family Apostolate
Contents
Introduction Fatima: A Message for the World
Chapter 1 Fatima from the Beginning
Chapter 2 Visits from Our Lady (May–September)
Chapter 3 The Miracle of the Sun (October 13, 1917)
Chapter 4 Francisco and the Hidden Jesus
Chapter 5 Jacinta: Prophet and Mystic
Chapter 6 Sister Lucia: Lifetime of Witness