What Is Going On With Fatima - Weird Stuff?

[Bruce S]

[quote]Quote:John Paul II Blesses First Rock of New Fatima

The following is a translation from the original Portuguese of the article "Primeira Pedra da nova Igreja foi retirada do túmulo de S. Pedro" at

[url="http://www.santuario-fatima.pt/portal/"]http://www.santuario-fatima.pt/portal/[/url]

Foundation Stone of the new Church from the crypt of St Peter's

The Benediction (Blessing) ceremony and the placement of the foundation stone will take place on June 6, precisely coinciding with the date in which the Universal Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.


(program of events/ceremony, see agenda)

The Rector of the Sanctuary of Fatima went to Rome last March and was received in private audience with the Holy Father, for whom he had delivered a message from the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, D. Serafim Ferreira e Silva. The objective of the meeting was the offering of the Holy Father to the Sanctuary of Fatima, of the foundation stone to the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, which started construction in early February and is being built at a speedy pace.

The Foundation Stone, true stone (foundation) in the spiritual sense, consists of a precious (valuable) and historical marble fragment from the crypt of the Apostle St. Peter, housed in the Basilica dedicated to him in the Vatican.

The offering of the Holy Father, whose love for the Sanctuary of Fatima was demonstrated on numerous and various occasions, is one more sign of of the manifestation of his profound faith and indebtedness to Our Lady of Fatima, and for the fact that he was not mortally wounded during the attempt on his life on May 13, 1981. [cf. Apocalypse 13:3 --Novus Ordo Watch editor]

At the same time, this valuable relic will also be cherished by all who will visit the new temple (church), in the sense of cultivating respect for the supreme authority of the Church, which the Secret of Fatima gives creedence to as of the utmost importance.

In the Memorias of Sister Lucia it is clearly shown the importance of the devotion to the Pope that is in the hearts of the three little shepherd children, especially of little Jacinta. This angular stone of the new church will therefore confirm the three great devotions (loves) of the Christians of Portugal: The Eucharist, Mary, and the Pope.

[QUOTE] [url="http://www.traditioninaction.org...8-2004.htm"]http://www.traditioninaction.org...8-2004.htm[/url]

Quote:HINDU CEREMONY IN FATIMA – The May 22 issue of Portugal’s National Weekend Newspaper gave a written account of a news report recently broadcast by SIC Portuguese television. A Hindu religious service was held in the Chapel of the Apparitions at the Fatima Sanctuary. According to Portugal’s National Newspaper, 60 Hindus led by a high priest traveled to Fatima to pay homage to the goddess Devi, their divinity of nature. Standing behind the altar of the Chapel of the Apparitions, a Hindu priest led the prayer sessions. As the scene was broadcasted, the TV reporter commented on this “unprecedented unique moment in the history of the shrine.”

Msgr. Luciano Guerra, the rector of the Sanctuary, also appeared in the newscast and stated: “These meetings give us the opportunity to remind ourselves that we live in community.” Which is, I comment, a hypocritically vague statement meant to legitimate the blasphemous event he permitted.

After worshipping their gods in the Chapel, the Hindus were shown visiting a miniature-model of the new Basilica already under construction. Subsequent to that, each Hindu was greeted by the Bishop of Leiria, Serafim Ferreira e Silva, who bowed deferentially to the Hindu priest. The Hindu priest was then shown vesting both Bishop Ferreira e Silva and Msgr. Guerra with Hindu prayer shawls. The reporter explained to the viewers: “On the shoulders of the highest representatives of the Church in Fatima, the Hindu priest places shawls with inscriptions from the Bhagayad Gita, one of the sacred books of Hinduism.”

The newscast ended with scenes of the Hindu priest lighting a candle at the present day Sanctuary, while his followers danced outside the Chapel of the Apparitions and chanted praises to their gods.

Indisputably this event represents, by the way of facts, the beginning of pan-religious ceremonies in Fatima, taking place even while the syncretistic shrine is being built. It is a confirmation of what has been said: the plan is going ahead led by the Catholic ecclesiastical authorities in Fatima[/quote]

I have been following Fatima for about two years now, almost weekly, and it gets weirder and weider.

Can anyone explain this, or put some context to these odd events?

Edited June 10, 2004 by Bruce S

[dUSt]

Please state the topic of debate and affirm your stance on the topic. I ask that nobody reply to this thread until Bruce's topic and stance are defined.

[Livin_the_MASS]

Look what I found it goes against what you say how can this be come look and see [url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/travels/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20000513_sodano-fatima_en.html"]http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_pau...-fatima_en.html[/url]

[dUSt]

Any other posts in this thread will be deleted until Bruce clearly defines his topic and stance.

[dUSt]

Bruce. I simply asked for the stance that you are debating. Please define that so we have something to debate.

Here's an example of what I'm looking for:

Topic: Fatima Center
Stance: The Fatima Center is __________ because __________.

Without you clearly defining what point you are trying to make, how can we even logically begin to debate it?

Thanks.

[Donna]

There's [i]nothing[/i] weird going on there, Bruce.

Is someone jumping to conclusions?

Edited June 11, 2004 by Donna

[Ellenita]

Bruce, please hurry up and answer dUSt's questions so that we can join in this thread!

Some of us are itching to talk about Fatima.....

[Bruce S]

Bruce. I simply asked for the stance that you are debating. Please define that so we have something to debate.

Here's an example of what I'm looking for:

Topic: Fatima Center
Stance: The Fatima Center is

Bruce - > Has it been hijaacked by Universalists, and why?

__________ because

Bruce - > I personally wonder at the rush to Revelation, and could this be where the Muslims, Buddhists, and others merge? Could this presage a NEW appearance of the Apparition Mary at some later time that would happen at this site?


__________.

Without you clearly defining what point you are trying to make, how can we even logically begin to debate it?

Thanks.

Bruce -> This really WAS not supposed to BE a debate thread, dUST, but a discussion about the Fatima Interfaith Center.

Why so touchy?

[Child of God]

Has it officially become an interfaith center?

What is with the "secrets" that are supposed to be revealed?

[Aloysius]

This is the debate table. If it's not supposedta be a debate post it in open mic.

there's another part of PhatMass?!! lol, 99% of your posts are in the debate table, and i bet the other 1% was sent to the Back Alley

Read Jason's link.

PAX

[jasJis]

[quote name='Bruce S' date='Jun 11 2004, 05:36 AM'] Why so touchy? [/quote]
Bruce S,

You come and post here with a clear bias and prejudice, and with a sarcastic demeanor while claiming to be 'neutral'. You then refuse to engage in a coherent and reasonable dialog when challenged about the nature and message of your posts. To say your actions are disengenuous is an understatement. You are like a kid that keeps tapping the person in front of them for no reason and when the tapped person acts irritated, you question them why they are so touchy, it's not like you gave them a bruise or struck them with a fist.

[dUSt]

Bruce,

Your claim is that the Fatima Center has been hijacked by Universalists. That's all I wanted to know. Now that we know the intent of this post, it should be fairly easy to refute.

[quote]Bruce - > I personally wonder at the rush to Revelation, and could this be where the Muslims, Buddhists, and others merge? Could this presage a NEW appearance of the Apparition Mary at some later time that would happen at this site?[/quote]
No, and no.

[quote]Bruce -> This really WAS not supposed to BE a debate thread, dUST, but a discussion about the Fatima Interfaith Center.[/quote]
This is the Debate Table.

[quote]Why so touchy?[/quote]
Please accept my apologies.

[Budge]

Ive studied this issue and Im very concerned. I used to be a Unitarian-Universalist and today I am a Baptist--see my intro.

Why is this stuff happening?

People have taken photos. I have gone and translated Portugese on Babel to see what is going on and its not pretty.

LEE PENN is A CATHOLIC just so you all know...even though this link is to an Anglican site

[url="http://www.occfgroup.org/tcc/modules/news/article.php?storyid=36"]http://www.occfgroup.org/tcc/modules/news/....php?storyid=36[/url]


[quote]Nonetheless, such ideas appear to be taking hold at Fatima, despite official
denials and claims that hardline traditional Catholics are stirring unfounded
controversy over Fatima. Even more surprising, perhaps, is that the trends do
not appear to be opposed--so far--by Pope John Paul II.

Fatima is the site where the Catholic Church says an Angel of Peace and the
Virgin Mary appeared to three children on several occasions in 1916 and 1917,
giving them messages for the Church and the faithful, and calling all to
conversion, repentance, and prayer. Two of the three Fatima visionaries, who died
soon after the apparitions, have been canonized by Pope John Paul II. One
visionary, Sister Lucy, is still living; she is a cloistered nun.

The controversy surrounding the Roman Catholic shrine at Fatima began in the
fall of 2003, when a Portuguese newspaper reported that the site would be
remade into an interfaith shrine. Catholic officials denied the assertion, saying
that the shrine will retain its Catholic, Marian focus.

But in early May this year, a Hindu priest worshiped his faith's gods at the
altar of Fatima's Chapel of the Appartions, and he clothed the shrine's rector
and the diocesan bishop in Hindu priests' vestments.

Reporting on the Hindu service on May 5, the Portuguese broadcast news
services SIC and SIC Notícias said that the Hindu priest chanted prayers from the
altar, on behalf of 60 Hindu pilgrims who gathered before him, outside the altar
rail. A local television reporter explained, "This is an unprecedented
unique moment in the history of the shrine. The Hindu priest, or Sha Tri, [prayed]
on the altar the Shaniti Pa, the prayer for peace."

Additionally, the news report showed "scenes of the Hindu priest lighting a
candle at the shrine while his followers [danced] outside the Chapel of the
Apparitions chanting praises to their gods."

The TV broadcast showed that after the service, each of the Hindus was
"personally greeted by the [Roman Catholic] Bishop of Leiria-Fátima," who then
"bowed to the Hindu priest repeating his gesture of greeting." [b]The Hindu priest
then clothed the diocesan bishop and Msgr. Luciano Guerra, the rector of the
Fatima shrine, with a Hindu priestly shawl. [/b]The reporter told his viewers, "On
the shoulders of the highest representatives of the Church in Fatima, the Hindu
priest [placed] a shawl with the inscriptions of the Bagavad Gita, one of the
sacred books of Hinduism."

The two Catholic dignitaries explained these events with rhetoric reminiscent
of that used by Frank Griswold, the Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal
Church. Fr. Guerra said during the broadcast that: "These meetings give us the
opportunity to remind ourselves that we live in community." And the diocesan
bishop, D. Serafim Ferreira e Silva, told a local newspaper: "We don't want to
be fundamentalist, but sincere and honest." The only Griswoldian buzzwords
they forgot were "reconciliation" and "inclusive."[/quote]


I can find 20 articles and news links PROVING something is going on over there.

[Hananiah]

Poor Father Pacwa. I wonder why he chose to publicly deny that these events took place.

[cmotherofpirl]

From "In Brief" Lay Witness magazine, p.19

All Religions at Fatima?
see communiqué below
A few months ago, some news sources unsympathetic to the Vatican claimed that they had information about a supposed “interfaith shrine” at Fatima, the site of Our Lady’s 1917 apparitions (see pp. 46-47). The information originally surfaced in the weekly Portugal News, an English-language paper in Algarve, Portugal. The paper published an article that took some of the rector’s statements out of context and painted a questionable picture of the future shrine at Fatima, strongly suggesting that Fatima was compromising its Catholic identity.

Subsequent reports based on this erroneous information claimed that “at the inspiration of delegates from the U.N. and from the Vatican and also according to statements from the Rector of the Shrine, Fatima ‘is to be developed into a center where all the religions of the world will gather to pay homage to their gods.’” CUF’s information specialists received a number of inquiries about this alleged “interfaith shrine” and wrote directly to Fr. Luciano Guerra, the rector of the shrine at Fatima. Fr. Guerra eventually sent a note stating that the rectory in Fatima had published a communiqué on its website that addressed the many inquiries they had received regarding the shrine. Fr. Guerra called the original report “very tendentious” and provided a link to a thorough explanation of the situation.

The communiqué from the shrine answers the erroneous reports and clarifies the plans for the shrine. It states that: “The worship space which, God willing, will soon start to be built—and which the journalist claims will be similar to a stadium—in fact will be a church with capacity to seat 9,000 people and will be marked exclusively for Catholic worship.”


FATIMA, SHRINE OF ALL RELIGIONS?

Communiqué from the Rectory of the Shrine of Fátima

1. The Rectory of the Shrine of Fátima, and certainly other Church authorities, have in these last two months received a considerable amount of mail, such as e-mail, faxes, and so on, following a piece of sensational news that came out in the weekly Portugal News, a newspaper published in English in Algarve, at the time of the International Congress on "The Present of Man and the Future of God", which, as we informed the public, was held in the Shrine this past October.


The news, which provoked strong reactions on the users of the Internet (those who sought us out were approximately one hundred), claims that, at the inspiration of delegates from the U.N. and from the Vatican and also according to statements from the Rector of the Shrine, Fátima "is to be developed into a centre where all the religions of the world will gather to pay homage to their gods". Furthermore: "The future of Fátima, or the adoration of God and His Mother at this holy Shrine, must pass through the creation of a shrine where different religions can mingle". And that's not all, listen: "The Shrine of Fátima is about to undergo a complete reconstruction with a new stadium-like basilica being erected close by the existing one built in 1921”.


2. It is our firm conviction that the great majority, perhaps the totality, of the reactions received is the result of a long orchestration, centred in the United States, by people bitterly opposed to Vatican Council II, specifically to what pertains to a wider opening of the Church, with emphasis on the ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue. During the days of the Congress, there were held in Fátima demonstrations by two more protest organizations, headquartered one in Canada, the other in France. The masterminds of these groups barricaded themselves, many years now, behind a thick argumentation, from where they throw accusations to the authorities of the Church, including the Pope himself, as being heretics, apostates and unfaithful to the responsibilities thrust upon them.


3. So that the readers may compare the content of the news published by Portugal News with the oral presentation of the Rector in the final session of the Congress - only time he spoke - whose entire text we are publishing in "Voz da Fátima"(Voice of Fátima), here are verbatim the pertaining references, taken from the recording of that speech: "It is true that (...) we are all very far from journeying towards the only, or through the only, bridge. We could therefore relax, since, if one's bridge is collapsing, it could happen that the neighbour’s bridge is not. But it is also true that a disease of epidemic proportions seems to have threatened the faith of all religions, of all confessions, of all traditions, during the last decades. That's why we rejoice in the brotherly presence of the representatives of the various spiritual schools and we are sure that their presence here opened the way for a greater future openness of this Shrine; Shrine that seems already vocationed, thanks to divine providence, for contacts and for dialogue (...). This calling is almost explicit, in regard to the oriental, orthodox and catholic churches, in the message of the Angel of Peace; and, in regard to the Islamic religion, in the name itself that God chose for the town where Mary would one day appear: Fátima".


4. From these words one can conclude that we are truly opened to ideas and values that are universal, therefore open to dialogue with other faiths, following an already ancient practice of the Church. But it is evident that we are not open to share the way we worship, the least in what pertains to the sacraments, specifically the Eucharist, which is the ultimate and most perfect expression of Christian unity and that we can’t unfortunately celebrate not even with our closest brothers of the protestant denominations. Therefore the worship space which, God willing, will soon start to be built - and which the journalist claims that it will be similar to a stadium - in fact will be a church with capacity to seat nine thousand people and will be marked exclusively for catholic worship. It will be located not next to the present basilica, but between the "Cruz Alta" (High Cross) and the public road. And, when it seems to us to be opportune, after what already is happening in Fátima and in many other sacred places, this new basilica would be able to receive brothers from other faiths who may want, in a brotherly manner, know how we pray.


The claim of Portugal News that the October Congress was held at the inspiration of the UN and the Vatican and that it was sponsored by the World Conference for Religion and Peace and that it would have been its annual meeting is deprived of any basis in reality. The idea of the Congress was born entirely in the Rectory of the Shrine, having its inspiration in the reading of the message of Fátima, as referred to in the last number of this communiqué, within the spirit of Vatican II.


5. After having given the correct interpretation of the spirit and words of the October Congress, it seems to us to be useful to add some words of reflection on the many controversies that arose from the beginning concerning the apparitions and messages of Fátima. They represent one further example of how farther we have to journey until we are able to dialogue, within and outside the Catholic Church, on the subject of religion as well as on other social relationships.


6. The Rectory of the Shrine has recently published a leaflet titled "Inquérito aos Assinantes do Jornal Fraternizar" (Inquiry made to the subscribers of the Newspaper To Fraternize), where it tries to demonstrate how any "extremist" look on Fátima may be damaging to the point of one not being able to ascertain the true facts, of distorting the texts, of inventing second intentions and of accusing of mental insanity people that are very normal and well-known as very wise.


7. Today another extremism - we would say from the opposite side - forces us to come public to denounce categorical statements that also distort the true facts and are very offensive to the dignity of the people working in this Shrine.


8. It doesn't look to us pretentious to try a journey, even though very rapid, through the history of the Church and of the World, starting in Jesus time and visiting briefly some of the great religious controversies, in order to pick up some lessons. Who does not remember the Sadducees, Essenes, Pharisees and Zealots of the public life of Jesus? We could go on, within Christianity and outside of it, in religion as well as in politics, with the Gnostics, the Manicheans, the Montanists, the Ultra-Montanists, the Rigorists, the Cathars, the Protestants, the Puritans, the Progressives, the Conservatives, the Liberals, the Centrists, the Right Wing, the Left Wing; those who demand and build an image of God as being more near us, more merciful, more condescending with our weaknesses, less threatening, on the side of the poor, and then those from the other side who fight on to keep tradition and order, who defend a transcendental God, who stick to the letter of Sacred scriptures, who take seriously the salvation of the soul because they believe in eternal life, but also in apocalyptic threats, sometimes even of the most controversial revelations. In another words, disparities so significant that religion seems to be a pretext rather than a reason so that some, blindly determined not to lose the course of history, may want to dedicate all their energies to seeking to prove that there is no paradise on earth; while others, neglecting to show love and justice towards the poor, which are the larger part of humanity, may want to engage in stubborn crusades, to the point of entering into conflict with the authorities of the Church for not interpreting the messages of a particular private revelation the same way they do.


9. Behold the extremes and the extremisms! Which, in more crucial causes and circumstances, can lead to fundamentalism, fanaticism and terrorism. The ultimate evil doesn't reside in the faith, not even in the ideas alone, but in the factors that mould our psyche, and here we mention four of the most important ones: temperament, character, culture and education.


10. Jesus, in the famous scene of the Final Judgement, used the image of right and left to separate the just from the evildoers. We are not yet in the Final Judgement; we are still pilgrims journeying towards full brotherhood, have many sinners to our left and to our right, are plagued with weeds in all our fields. On the other hand, we still have time for the dialogue that can unite us. And, if we do not enter into dialogue, our destiny will be that of Cain: he killed Abel to put an end to his annoying company and spent the rest of his life in an agonizing loneliness, with the voice of his brother's blood hammering away in the ears of his conscience.


11. We must admit that, in disputes of religion as in any others, we are always dealing with brothers, which we can't reject as enemies, for, even for the enemies, we have a mandate of forgiveness. How are we to proceed, then, when very often we are faced with extreme positions, some of them occurring because we even have the bad habit of turning into an extremist any moderate person who simply doesn't go along with our opinions? Being more specific: if, amongst those interested in Fátima, some deny everything regarding the apparitions and almost everything regarding Our Lady, and some, on the other hand, love dearly both to the point of demanding miracles that God doesn't want to perform, how are we to proceed? There is only one way out: an immense respect, a great effort to love the good that there is in others, both on the left and on the right, and a determined willingness to maintain the unity of the whole to the point of going the extra mile. So that it never comes, unless in rare cases, to the tragic end which consists in having someone trying to kill our own inner being, our own identity. There we should not allow anyone to get.


12. Since fractures are always a negative thing, we understand the effort of all those with responsibility for the cohesion of institutions and of all those who take position in the centre, so to speak, in order that the extremes may stay relatively quiet and may not decide to secede or may not be forced to do it. In this respect the Church of Christ is really similar to other social bodies, although with the differences inherent to the mysterious presence of Jesus, Who remains faithful to His promise of eternal life, communion and light, as we are reminded, in this time of Christmas, by St. John the Evangelist.


13. Christians know that the Church did rethink thoroughly, since Vatican Council II, its relationship with the various religions, within and outside of Christianism, even its position regarding agnostics and atheists, in order to detect what in all of them one can find of God, given the fact that it is impossible that, even in the most confused man, one may not find some trace of the Creator. We consider this attitude a luminous road.


14. In the message of Fátima, facts and words seem to contain, at least, two implicit calls to the exercise of this spirit of dialogue with people of different convictions. Thus, in the apparitions of the Angel of Peace we find two important clues: the fact that the Angel prostrated himself down on the ground while praying, in the first and third apparitions; and the fact that, in the third, he did give communion, under the species of bread, to the oldest seer, since she had already received her first communion, and, under the species of wine, to Francisco and Jacinta, who had not. Considering the fact that both practices had fallen into disuse, centuries ago, in the Latin Catholicism, and have remained still alive amongst the oriental Christians, it is acceptable - it seems even compulsory - to see in that an invitation to try to link Fátima to the oriental churches, both catholic and orthodox. In other words, the message of the Angel of Peace contains an appeal to the ecumenical dialogue with those churches separated from Rome more than a thousand years ago. Dialogue that, thanks to God, is progressing slowly but determinedly by both parties.


One year after the apparitions of the Angel, Our Lady chose the Cova da Iria (Iria's Hole) as a place where to appear. She knew beforehand that this unknown place would come to be called more easily Fátima, since it was located within the limits of the only parish, the only town, that in Portugal bears the name of the daughter of Mohammed, the founder of Islam. Right next to Fátima there were other towns with Christian names, which Our Lady could have chosen. Well, She knew beforehand that, in such circumstances, Her choice would often remind us of the Muslim religion, which the Arabs certainly practiced here before the Christian reconquest.


Our Lady knew that the human being pays a lot of attention to coincidences and therefore, soon or later, would reflect on this coincidence of Her apparitions with the name of the daughter of Mohammed. That would be the case, even though, as some historians think possible, the name of the village of Fátima may not have anything to do with the daughter of the founder of Islam. That being the case, it seems to us that, in order for us to be faithful to the message of Fátima, we have at least to see in it a little window of opportunity to look into our brothers to the South of us, maybe even a door through which we can leave Fátima to visit them and vice-versa. Nothing of this has been done so far, but all things need time to mature. Unfortunately the urge to go at it slowly has been stronger than the other way around.


As to the faithful of other religions, and even to the many without religion, the message of Fátima may also present a discreet appeal, precisely in the first apparition. Prostrating himself down on the ground and reciting a prayer without any connotation to any specific religion - since it is limited to the concepts of faith, adoration, hope and love - it doesn't seem to us to be pretentious, on the basis that all human beings are created by God and loved by Him, to admit that, basing ourselves in that prayer, we could try earnest contacts with other religions, with agnostics and even with atheists. Being that the thinking of the Church, expressed in many documents and gestures, it will also continue to be the road for us to travel.


Shrine of Fátima, Dec.28, 2003


The Rector, Fr. Luciano Guerra












Return to Articles from Current Issue of Lay Witness

Membership | Information Services | Lay Witness | Faith & Life | Faith Facts | Links | Contact Us

BACK TO HOMEPAGE


International Headquarters
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)


Building Project Raises Eyebrows

By Delia Gallagher

ROME, JAN. 1, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Controversy has broken out over the construction of a new building near the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal.

Several Web sites devoted to news about Fatima have expressed outrage at the possibility that the new building might be used for interreligious purposes.

"Fatima to Become Inter-faith Shrine" headlined the Nov. 1 online dispatch of English-language Portugal News.

In the report, the rector of the shrine, Monsignor Luciano Gomes Paulo Guerra, says, "The future of Fatima, or the adoration of God and his mother at this holy shrine, must pass through the creation of a shrine where different religions can mingle."

The head of the Leiria-Fatima Diocese, Bishop Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva, faxed me a three-page statement written in Portuguese (I had it unofficially translated) by the rector of the shrine, dated Dec. 28.

The letter resumes the news published by Portugal News, including Monsignor Guerra's statement that the shrine would become a place "where different religions can mingle."

According to the letter, the rector has been inundated by correspondence due to this "sensationalist news."

The rector clarifies: "God willing, a religious space, will begin to be constructed very shortly, and though it is the presumption of some journalists that it will resemble a stadium, it will in fact be a church, with seating for 9,000; it will be exclusively destined to be a place of Catholic worship, located not next to the current basilica, but between the Cruz Alta and a national road and, when opportune, ... can receive pilgrims of other convictions who wish to fraternally partake in our way of prayer."

Regarding the controversy surrounding the building, the rector mentions specifically Father Nicholas Gruner, a Canadian priest who runs The Fatima Crusader, a quarterly newsletter.

"It is our conviction," says Monsignor Guerra, "that the article in Portugal News has been guided by some members of the group led by Father Gruner, a priest who finds himself in an irregular canonical situation, who persists in his crusade in favor of the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, according to the secret of Fatima (although it has been said and re-said that this consecration has already occurred) and who distributed pamphlets during our October conference against the realization and intentions of the conference."

Father Gruner was suspended "a divinis" by the Vatican in 1996 -- meaning he is relieved of his priestly functions, primarily administering the sacraments. He continues to take a critical stance toward John Paul II's vision of ecumenism, as evidenced by a 2000 document called, "We Resist You to Your Face" -- the You referring to the Pope.

The conference to which Father Guerra refers was held Oct. 10-12 and sponsored by the Sanctuary of Fatima, entitled, "The Present of Man -- The Future of God: The Place of Sanctuaries in Relation to the Sacred."

Conferees included Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue; Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, patriarch of Lisbon; Bishop Silva; Father Jacques Dupuis, professor of theology at Rome's Gregorian University; and Monsignor Guerra.

On the third day of the conference the floor was opened to representatives of Hindu, Buddhist, Judaic and Islamic religions. Orthodox and Anglican representatives also spoke.

During the conference no mention was made of the construction of a new shrine.

When I recently spoke to Archbishop Fitzgerald in Rome, he said he was surprised that the news of the building had caused such consternation.

"As far as I know, there are no plans that the building is designed specifically for inter-faith purposes," the archbishop said. "We recognize that Fatima is a place of pilgrimage for many religions." But he added that the shrine nonetheless retains its Catholic identity.

"It was the Pope himself who said in Assisi in October 1986 that we are all pilgrims together," continued Archbishop Fitzgerald. "As I said at the conference in Fatima, we must learn to journey together, for if we drift apart we do ourselves harm, but if we walk together we can help one another to reach the goal that God has set for us."

Monsignor Guerra's statement concurs with Archbishop Fitzgerald's sentiments, as most of it is taken up with an explanation of the importance of interreligious dialogue.

The rector of the shrine contends that the Fatima apparitions were exhortations to ecumenical dialogue. His statement says that the Virgin Mary knew that her choice of the site in Portugal would one day be understood as a deliberate association with the daughter of the Islamic prophet Mohammed (whose name was Fatima).

Monsignor Guerra further suggests that in the Fatima apparitions there are "at least two implicit calls to the exercise of the spirit of dialogue with persons of other convictions."

In the first and third apparitions, he said, the Angel of Peace lies prostrate on the ground in prayer. In the third apparition, Communion under the species of bread is given to the oldest seer, while the two younger, Francisco and Jacinta, receive Communion for the first time under the species of the wine.

Since the practice of receiving Communion under both species has fallen out of wide use in the Latin-rite Catholic Church, but not in the Orthodox Churches, "the message of the Angel of Peace contains an exhortation to ecumenical dialogue with those Churches separated from Rome for a thousand years," writes Monsignor Guerra.

The angel's prostration in prayer "has connotations for any religious confession," and recalls that "all human beings are God's creatures and loved by him, and that with such prayer we can maintain serious contact with other religions, such as agnostics and even atheists."

What started out as a debate over a building seems to mask a larger question of the ecumenical work of the Catholic Church as a whole, and Fatima in particular.

Edited June 12, 2004 by cmotherofpirl