By John Oven
Guest Column
One century ago, on Dec. 10, 1925, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Venerable Sister Lucia de Jesus Rosa dos Santos and explained the Five First Saturdays Devotion that she had made reference to eight years earlier at Fatima. Last month, we celebrated the 100 year anniversary of receiving this powerful devotion and enormous responsibility. Sister Lucia herself, one of three Fatima visionaries, emphasized the importance of our individual exercise of the devotion when, in 1939, she said, “Whether the world has war or peace depends on the practice of this devotion, along with the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This is why I desire its propagation so ardently, especially because this is also the will of our dear Mother in Heaven.”
On July 13, 1917, during the third apparition at Fatima, Mary said “I shall come to ask… that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world.” This request was explained in more detail when Mary appeared to Sister Lucia on Dec. 10, 1925 (in Pontevedra, Spain). Mary said, “Look my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me, and announce in my name that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with all graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months, confess, receive holy Communion, recite the rosary and keep me company for 15 minutes meditating on the 15 mysteries of the rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.”
The terrible blasphemies and offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary have existed in various ways for two millennia, but I believe they have increased in modern times. This is especially due to the spread of anti-Marian theological errors that seek to diminish and undermine the great honor bestowed on her by God. There has been a significant loss in belief in Mary’s special role as Mediatrix of All Graces, and therefore, a decrease in the reception of those abundant graces which she earnestly desires to pour out upon her children. That’s why I’ve decided to join a local effort in the Diocese of Davenport to promote this devotion.
Observance of the First Saturday devotion consists of four elements: (1) confession, (2) receiving holy Communion, (3) reciting five decades of the rosary, and (4) spending at least 15 minutes with Mary while meditating on the mysteries of the rosary. Confession can be made during the eight days preceding or following the first Saturday so long as holy Communion is received while in the state of grace. All four elements must be offered in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and this intention should be present, to the best of one’s ability, before and during the completion of Our Lady’s requests. Upon completion of five consecutive First Saturdays, all the faithful are encouraged to continue to practice the devotion in order to obtain mercy for the countless sinners whose eternal salvation hangs in the balance.
Although Our Blessed Mother gave us this simple devotion 100 years ago as a way to access unimaginable graces for the entire world, it has yet to become the practice of the universal Church. The good news is that more and more faithful Catholics are adopting the devotion as part of their spiritual life and effecting a change in the Church and the world from the bottom up. Standing as an example for all are some of the parishes in the southwest corner of our diocese where, just within the last year, First Saturday Mass has been added to the schedule. At St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Bloomfield, the First Saturday schedule is: 8:30 a.m. confession, 8:40 a.m. rosary, and 9 a.m. Mass. Please join us in this devotion. Mary, your loving Mother, desires your eternal happiness and is always ready to receive you with open arms and intercede with her Son on your behalf. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us!
(John Oven is a parishioner at St. Mary Magdalen in Bloomfield.)
(Editor’s Note: The apparitions of Mary at Fatima in 1917 were “declared worthy of belief” by Church authorities in 1930 and are considered a private revelation. While no canonical inquiry was made, the First Saturdays devotion was approved by the bishop of Leiria, Portugal, on Sept. 13, 1939. Private revelations are different from the “public revelations” of Scripture and Tradition which Catholics are bound to believe. A more detailed explanation of Church teaching on the topic of private vs. public revelations can be found in Sections 66 and 67 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.)
