Immaculate Heart of Mary

At Fatima, the Virgin Mary asked the three children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, to make sacrifices for sinners, and offer this prayer: “O Jesus, this is for love of you, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” 

Later, when Jacinta was sick and slowly dying, she urged Lucia to spread devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary: “Tell everybody that God grants us graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary; that people are to ask her for them … Tell them to pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for peace, since God has entrusted it to her.” 

Think of that! The gift of peace in the world is entrusted to Mary in response to our prayers.  This was the second of the three secrets revealed at Fatima in 1917.  But this secret was also revealed centuries earlier to St. Gertrude the Great in 1281.  Jesus said, “It is through her (Mary) that I will dispense my graces to you.”  And again in 1830 when St. Catherine Laboure received the Miraculous Medal, we were asked to pray, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” 

Let us pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for peace, since God has entrusted it to her.