Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is not a novelty in the Church. It is enough to see how during the 19th century, before the apparitions, the Holy Spirit gave rise to religious institutes - such as the Claretians or the Adorers - with this Marian invocation; and also how Leo XIII, in 1889, granted plenary indulgence to the devotion on First Saturdays to the faithful who went to Confession, received Holy Communion and prayed the Rosary.
What is new is that Mary wanted to associate the devotion of the first five Saturdays to that of the Immaculate Heart, with the condition of being a Reparatrix.
Let us remember that in the second apparition at Fatima, that of June 13, the Virgin Mary indicated that Jesus wanted to spread devotion to his Immaculate Heart on earth, and that Lucia would remain alone on earth to carry out this mission. Francisco and Jacinta would soon go to Heaven.
Then the shepherds saw a great manifestation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, surrounded by thorns that seemed to be buried in Him. "We understand - said Lucia- that it was the Immaculate Heart of Mary outraged by the sins of humanity, who wanted reparation".
What does it consist of?
Later, in the Pontevedra apparition of February 10, 1925, the required conditions were indicated to Lucia:
"O my daughter, my Heart surrounded by thorns, which ungrateful men nail to me at every moment with blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, come to console Me and say that all those who for 5 months in a row, on the first Saturday, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, and pray a Rosary and keep Me company for 15 minutes, meditating on the 15 mysteries of the Rosary, in order to atone for Me, I promise to assist them at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for the salvation of those souls".
Five years later, in the apparition of May 29, 1930 in Tuy, Jesus indicated to Lucia why it is 5 and not 8 months.
"My daughter, the reason is simple: there are five kinds of offenses and sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary: blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart; Blasphemies against Her perpetual virginity; blasphemies against Her divine maternity, refusing at the same time to receive Her as Mother of men; blasphemies of those who seek, publicly, to spread in the hearts of children indifference, contempt - and even hatred - for This Immaculate Mother; the offenses of those who outrage Her directly in Her sacred images.
... Here, My daughter, is the reason why the Immaculate Heart of Mary is asking Me for this small reparation.
From these words it follows that what offends Mary are sins against faith in Her person.
Consecration in 1984
Consecration is inseparably linked to devotion. Let us note that, according to Lucia's Memoirs, the specific consecration of Russia is united to devotion to her Immaculate Heart, and will be a grace through this Heart. Years later, in Pontevedra, on December 10, 1925, Our Lady indicated how the consecration should be done, "with express mention of Russia and in communion with all the bishops".
We will not speak of the various consecrations to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by the Popes during the 20th century as the fruit of the message. We simply affirm that the consecration was actually carried out - as Our Lady wished - on March 25, 1984 in the Vatican, by St. John Paul II. Lucia assures this in her letter of November 8, 1989: "It is done as Our Lady requested, as of March 25, 1984."
Graces medianera and correndentora
It is a truth that can be seen in several moments. In the first apparition of the Angel, in the spring of 1916, he affirmed:
"The hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to your supplications." And in the third, from the fall of 1916, in the Angel's PrayerThrough the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we ask for the conversion of poor sinners.
And finally, when Lucia knew that she would remain alone on earth, Our Lady said: "No daughter, (...) Don't be discouraged. I will never leave you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the path that will lead you to God." (13-06-1917).
As already indicated, in the texts of Lucia's Memoirs, Jesus wants to save men through the Immaculate Heart. This is more clearly indicated in the vision of Mary to Lucia in Tuy on June 13, 1929. The visionary understands that the vision represents the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, the redemptive Sacrifice of the Cross, the sacrifice of the Eucharist, and the singular participation of Mary, under the Cross, with her Heart, in all the moments of the Salvation of the world.
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is really a prayer of intercession, and reparation is not generalized, but very specific: for offenses against Her Immaculate Heart or, if you will, against Her love as Mother and Coredemptrix. A century later, we can say that the message of Fatima is alive, because Mary reveals to us what her Immaculate Heart desires for the salvation of her children.
Viseu (Portugal)
