The following comes from a November 10 Catholic News Agency article:
In a November 8 feature for National Geographic, “How the Virgin Mary Became the World’s Most Powerful Woman,” Maureen Orth explores the worldwide phenomenon of devotion to the Mother of God in anticipation of the December 13 National Geographic Channel special, “The Cult of Mary.”
In her piece, Orth spoke with Marian scholars and experts and even followed pilgrims to Marian apparition sites to learn more about this “most powerful woman.”
“We see the relationship of Mary with us isn’t just any relationship – it’s sacred,” María Enriqueta García, who did her sacred theology dissertation at the International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton, told Orth.
For her story, Orth accompanied pilgrims around the world to Marian apparition sites including Lourdes, Kibeho, Mexico City, and even Medjugorje – where apparitions are said to still be occurring and the Vatican has not yet ruled on its authenticity.
In Kibeho, Rwanda she met with Anathalie Mukamazimpaka, one of the young women to whom the Virgin Mary appeared from 1981 to 1983 with the message of repentance and foretold the events of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
“The first time she appeared,” Anathalie said, “I was reciting the rosary, and she called me by my name … She never told me why she chose me. She said she appears to anyone she wants, anytime she wants, anywhere she wants,” Anathalie said. “She only asks us to love her as much as she loves us.”
In addition to Christians, Muslims hold the Blessed Mother in high regard, Orth said, noting that her name appears more in the Koran than in the New Testament.
“So the Virgin Mary is not at all strange to Muslims,” Father Johann Roten, director of research and special projects at the University of Dayton’s Marian Library, said.
“In fact, wherever there is a connection between Christians and Muslims – or any two groups that know and love her – there is a common value in the covenant mother.”
In Egypt, Orth spoke with Muslims who were drawn to churches because of their devotion to Mary.
“Her story tells us a lot of things,” a young Muslim woman praying outside the Abu Serga church on Easter said. “She is able to face lots of hardships in her life because of her faith, her belief in God.”
Mama Mary is very special in my life and she is the most powerful woman. Praise Jesus for her!
John 19;27Douay-Rheims Bible
“After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. “
Revelation 12:1
Douay-Rheims Bible
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”
Be sure to click the link for the article and the photos.
Sr Lucia’s 1957 interview (cont):
The devil knows that religious and priests who fall away from their beautiful vocation drag numerous souls to hell… The devil wishes to take possession of consecrated souls. He tries to corrupt them in order to lull to sleep the souls of lay people and thereby lead them to final impenitence…
“Father, the Blessed Virgin did not tell me that we are in the last times of the world, but I understood this for three reasons:
““The first is because she told me that the Devil is engaging in a battle with the Virgin, a decisive battle. It is a final battle where one party will be victorious and the other will suffer defeat. So, from now on, we are either with God or we are with the Devil; there is no middle ground.
“The second reason is because she told me, as well as my cousins, that God is giving two last remedies to the world: the Holy Rosary and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. And, being the last remedies, that is to say, they are the final ones, means that there will be no others.”
”And the third, because in the plans of the Divine Providence, when God is going to chastise the world He always first exhausts all other remedies. When He sees that the world pays no attention whatsoever, then, as we say in our imperfect way of talking, with a certain fear He presents us the last means of salvation, His Blessed Mother.”
“If we despise and reject this last means, Heaven will no longer pardon us, because we will have committed a sin that the Gospel calls a sin against the Holy Spirit.” (–Sr. Lucia to Fr. Agustin Fuentes, 1957 interview)
In an address on May 13, 2000, P. John Paul II explicitly linked the Fatima message to the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) Ch. 12: 1ff :
“The Message of Fatima is a call to conversion, alerting humanity to have nothing to do with the “dragon” whose “tail swept down a third of the stars of Heaven, and cast them to the earth” (Apoc. 12: 4)…. In Her motherly concern, the Blessed Virgin came here to Fatima to ask men and women “to stop offending God, Our Lord, Who is already too much offended.” It is a mother’s sorrow that compels Her to speak; the destiny of Her children is at stake.”
Showing he was looking forward to coming year 2017, Benedict XVI also showed his focus on the conclusion of the 100 years from the 1917 Fatima apparitions, about the fulfillment of the message of “the most powerful woman:”
“May the seven years which separate us from the centenary of the apparitions hasten the fulfilment of the prophecy of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity”. (Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI, Esplanade of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima Thursday, 13 May 2010)
So, indeed, since the title of this article is appropriate, “This is the most powerful woman”; and also the last chance for the fallen world.
During Paul VI’s visit to Fatima in 1967, also again during P. Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage in 2010, each made reference to Rev. 12 (“And a great sign appeared in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars…”); in fact, nearly all the popes from Pius XII on have made Rev.12 a direct reference to Fatima’s message.
The passage, attributed to the Church in its life-death struggle with Satan, is also the reading for many of the votive Masses of the Blessed Virgin in the traditional rite (ex. Epistle for Nov. 27th, “Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal”).
In his last newsletter (Mar. 2015) prior to his death, the late Fr. Nicholas Gruner spoke of his interview at that time (in January, 2015) with Fr. Gabriel Amorth at Fr. Amorth’s office at La Scala Santa in Rome. According to Fr. Gruner,
…
“…Fr. Amorth told me that we have but a short time left before the chastisements predicted by Our Lady of Fatima begin to rip our world apart in ways we can hardly imagine. How long? Less than 8 months. “Fr. Amorth told me that unless the consecration of Russia is performed – as our Lady asked – by the end of October, 2015, the dark prophecies of Fatima may well come to pass any day after that.”
…
At that time in early 2015, the idea of a multi-million man mass Islamic invasion of…
At that time in early 2015, the idea of a multi-million man mass Islamic invasion of the west was only a surreal nightmare of a few. The collapsing of borders and the neutralization of military defenses could not even be conceived. The fall of Europe and its subsequent Islamification is imminent.
The forces of darkness are gathering and the time, the century of patience by Our Lord, is about up, as Sr. Lucy related that Our Lady told her at Rianjo in 1930 (that the King of France would only come to dedicate France after a century of mercy had elapsed, from the time of the promise of the Sacred Heart to S. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1689), but it “would be too late”).
I wonder what the source of the comment in the article: “In addition to Christians, Muslims hold the Blessed Mother in high regard, Orth said, noting that her name appears more in the Koran than in the New Testament.” was? Until I see it, it makes no sense, it is only a deception, and I don’t believe it. How could the muslims that persecute Her Son, our Lord and His Christian followers, the muslims infidels be showing respect for our Blessed Mother? How could a pagan religion that despises women, puts them in a lower cast of their society, hold her to a respectable position? It just doesn’t make sense! Don’t believe everything your told! Trust only in the Blessed Trinity. Allah is only a pagan god.
My final point (I think) is Abeca’s input: Revelation 12:1 Douay-Rheims Bible
“And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”
What is with the symbol, and the moon under her feet? Ever notice in some statues like our Lady of Guadalupe she is standing on a crescent moon? Ever notice and think that the cresecent moon is at the top of the spire of mosques, and that it is a symbol of Islam? Ever notice the words that are quoted in the Holy Bible, Douay-Rheims version that our Lady will crush the head of the serpent? Ever connect the dots that maybe, just maybe Her crushing the head of the serpent and the crescent moon implies the serpent is…
My last 17 November posting was cut off. It ended as: “Ever connect the dots that maybe, just maybe Her crushing the head of the serpent and the crescent moon implies the serpent is . . ” Well my final words were Islam, i.e., Allah and Muhammad! Just one of many serpents out to destroy our souls and those of the muslim followers of course.
Pray the Rosary for world peace. Our Lady said a time would come when the Rosary would be our “sole refuge”. Meaning? Graces should come from the 7 Holy Sacraments, but in the widely accepted V2 Church, they were all changed, they’re diminished if not void of grace. So faithful V2 members haven’t access to grace unless they convert back to the original Roman Catholic Faith and practices,…
Pray the Rosary for world peace. Our Lady said a time would come when the Rosary would be our “sole refuge”. Meaning? Graces should come from the 7 Holy Sacraments, but in the widely accepted V2 Church, they were all changed, they’re diminished if not void of grace. So faithful V2 members haven’t access to grace unless they convert back to the original Roman Catholic Faith and practices, in those parishes practicing the Latin tradition. For those who refuse to convert, their sole refuge of grace is the Rosary. Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.