Our Lady of Fatima

On May 13, 1917, Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three shepherd children, Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco Marto, and Jacinto Marto. Their first sighting of Our Lady was followed by five other visits, the last occurring on October 13, 1917. Her message about prayer, peace, and penance is known as the “Secret.” The desire to pray the Rosary was the true message of divine grace.

“Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.” This Fatima prayer has been spoken from my lips a hundred times. It is like a loving lyric that is played every Wednesday night. I am a part of a self-proclaimed group of women called #HitTheBeads. No, we aren’t a rock group…but more of a devoted band of mamas moved to pray for others. Our muse was a little girl battling cancer. What we didn’t know was that in return, God was using her as an instrument to gather His daughters together. Our rosary nights find us like the kneeling children at Fatima, beckoning to get a glimpse of Our Mother Mary and receive her message. We always started our rosary nights at 8:30 pm to accommodate putting our kids to bed and ensuring everything at home was settled before we gathered. One night at my dining room table as several of us gathered we began FaceTiming two mama friends who couldn’t be there in person that particular evening. We propped the two phones up and we began to pray. Looking around the room, I thought, “if there was an earthly battle to fight… these are the warrior women I would want with me.” Each of us in sweatpants, hair up in a high ponytail, tired from the full day, but committed to getting out on a Wednesday night to mother one child through prayer.How was that one Wednesday night any different than the 72 Wednesday nights before? For me, it was when I truly realized it wasn’t about healing one little person; it was healing many. We began to hit the beads in 2016 and continued through the years. Even with changes of schedules and the added Zoom calls through the COVID-19 pandemic, Our Lady of Fatima finds us still. She steers us with her prayer, leads all souls to heaven, including those making the time to #HitTheBeads saying the rosary every Wednesday.

Dear Jesus and Mary, you give the tools needed to seek peace, trust, and mercy. As I hold the beads of the rosary, I am reminded that it is a tether to heaven. Continue to keep me on the track to heaven and help me lead my family too. Amen.

Today, find that community of mamas (or one mama) you love and gather them to pray the rosary with you! “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

(excerpt from Mother Mary, Mother Me 40-Day Devotional to Holy Habits Journal, Pages 73 - 74)