Our Lady of Fatima
-
The sixth apparition at Fatima, on October 13th, 1917, St.
Jo
seph appeared holding the Christ Child in his arms, Our Lady soon accompanied him, she then dissapeared and then reappeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel. When asked how she knew it was Our Lady of Mount Carmel Lucia, the oldest of the three seers, said that she looked the same as the image in their parish church and was carrying a scapular. Lucia later became a Carmelite Sister herself.
In the apparition Our Lady never spoke, she just stood silently with the scapular. However, the message was clear to Sr. Lucia, when asked the meaning she replied: “Our Lady held the Scapular in Her hands because she wants us all to wear it”.
The Brown Scapular is often described as a silent prayer, appropriate as it is given to us from the very hands of Our Lady, she who lived in silent contemplation of her son, who 'pondered all things in her heart', wishes us to use this sacramental to draw closer to her Son through contemplation and prayer.
At Fatima Our Lady repeatedly asked the children to pray the rosary daily. Indeed, many consider the rosary to be the primary message of Our Lady of Fatima. Sr Lucia, when asked why Our Lady placed such emphasis on the rosary, said: “to pray the Rosary is something everybody can do, rich and poor, wise and ignorant, great and small.” She said that outside of the Mass the rosary is: "the most pleasing prayer we can offer to God and one which is most advantageous to our own souls. If such were not the case, Our Lady would not have asked for it so insistently.”
The rosary and the scapular are inseperable, both powerful sacramentals in the Catholic Church. In promoting the Brown Scapular, the Scapular Apostolate also encourages those we encounter to pray the rosary daily.
Our Lady told St. Dominic, in the 12th Century, that one day through the scapular and the rosary she would save the world. The message of Fatima reiterates this hopeful promise, inviting us to join in Our Lady's mission.Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Pray for us!
Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us!