Nexus - 1903 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Formigdéo: "The thirteenth, you did not have such Should we draw the conclusion that the Second and doubts as you have today about what the Virgin has said. | Third Secrets as revealed by the Church had nothing to Why do you have such doubts today?" do with the message which the Virgin gave to the three Lucia: "That day | could remember better; it was closer witnesses in Fatima? to the events."* It definitely appears that we should. In fact, seeing Lucia clearly had a rather short-term memory, which hat Lucia was kept a hostage by the Church for several begs the question of how she could possibly correctly | decades, there is no way at all to verify that what the remember decades later what had transpired in 1917, | Church claimed was actually what Lticia was told. We when, six days after the final apparition, she had already — simply have to take the Church's word for it. (Sister forgotten most of what had happened. One might argue Lucia died on 13 February 2005.) that the secrets were nevertheless forcefully imprinted It is no wonder that the official records of these 1917 on her memory, but the evidence suggests otherwise. interrogations were placed under seal by Church officials That same day, 19 October 1917, in front of Father José or several decades, as they completely tear apart any Ferreira de Lacerda, when she was asked "What did the credibility that these "secrets" have. lady say the fifth time?" (i.e, 13 It is clear that in 1917, the secrets September), Lucia replied: "I do not revealed by the Virgin were not tha remember well, but it appears to me important, at least not to the world as that she said..." a whole. What was important—and "It appears to me that she said" remains the case—is that in October doesn't invite confidence, and it again This suggests 1917 a truly supernatural event was begs the question as to whether Lticia witnessed by thousands: the Sun correctly remembered the contents of that the secrets seemed to stop in its tracks—a the Second and Third Secrets, written as given by the phenomenon that convinced down decades later. - hardened sceptics who had travelled Indeed, Father José Rolim would Virgin Mary were to Fatima to be shown how fake it al later conclude: "Because of the quite modest was that something truly magical had interrogations we have submitted » just happened. them to, the visionaries were the first and seem not on But as supernatural events are to hesitate about the words that a par with the unimportant—if not demonic—in the lady had truly used."” But it gets worse. There are clear contradictions between what Lucia said in October 1917 and what she revealed in 1941 and would comment on later. In 917, Ltcia declared to Canon Formigéo: “The Virgin did not speak abou penitence." However, in 1946, to Father Thomas McGlynn, Lucia claimed: "She continued to demand memoirs, written down between sacrifices and penitences."” 1935 and 1941, it is clear that the Worse still, in October 1917, Canon Formigao asked _ "secrets" and their contents at best contain some errors Lucia whether she had been given a secret, which Lucia _—_ but are likely completely erroneous and _ potentially confirmed. Asked whether the Virgin gave it only to raudulent, written by those who were in charge of this e eyes of the Church, the entire event was redefined in a more Christian context. Soon, a political dimension was added to it, too. And so, one of the greatest lies of the 20th century was created: the Third Secret of Fatima. revelations of the Second and Third Secrets several decades later. The Greatest Lie Based on_ Sister Licia's Lucia or to all three children, Lucia replied: "All three." visionary. Most importantly, he asked: “If the people were to know All the first-hand testimony, taken down in 1917, he secret that Our Lady revealed to you, would they be — shows that Lticia was confused about many things, and sad?" Ltcia answered: "I think they would remain as — even though she was given a secret—one secret—she hey are, more or less the same.""* believed it had to do only with the children themselves. This suggests that the secrets as given by the Virgin Specifically asked whether people would take note of the Mary were quite modest, and seem not ona parwiththe — secret if they were told and whether it would have an revelations of the Second and Third Secrets several impact on them, Lucia highly doubted that this might decades later. This is underlined when Lticia went on appen. the record stating that the secret only applied for the Yet, from 1941, that is precisely what we are meant to good and happiness of the three children present, and believe: that there were two other powerful secrets not anyone else. revealed by the Virgin to Lucia, one to do with the need as given by the Virgin Mary were quite modest, and seem not on a par with the revelations of the visionary. All the first-hand testimony, taken down in 1917, shows that Ltcia was confused about many things, and even though she was given a secret—one secret—she believed it had to do only with the children themselves. Specifically asked whether people would take note of the secret if they were told and whether it would have an impact on them, Lucia highly doubted that this might happen. Yet, from 1941, that is precisely what we are meant to believe: that there were two other powerful secrets revealed by the Virgin to Lucia, one to do with the need 62 * NEXUS APRIL - MAY 2012 This suggests that the secrets Second and Third Secrets several decades later. www.nexusmagazine.com