Fatima: Exactly a hundred years ago

I was supposed to write only about the 100th anniversary of the last apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary before Lucia, Jacinta, and Francesco at the Cova di Ira in Fatima, Portugal, because today is a historic occasion for Catholics worldwide. But last night, we heard of the earth-shattering news in this country with the sudden resignation of Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista who wrote a letter of resignation to his co-employees and to Pres. Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte.

Then a bigger breaking news happened when during their Plenary Session the House of Representatives voted to override the decision of the House Committee on Justice that earlier junked Bautista’s impeachment complaint and voted 137-75 to impeach the Comelec Chairman. What we gathered in the news was that Andy Bautista was asked to resign immediately by no less than Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, but the Comelec Chairman issued his resignation letter for Dec. 31, 2017.

So finally the Filipino people know that Andy Baustista resigned because he had been warned that the House Committee on Justice that earlier rejected his impeachment complaint would be overruled in a Plenary Session in the Halls of Congress. Kudos to Rep. Gwen F. Garcia (whose birthday was yesterday) who led the charge to impeach the Comelec Chairman with her fellow members of the House, representatives Harry Roque of Kabayan and Robert Barbers of Surigao del Norte. They have fully restored my trust and confidence in this Congress.

Now it is up to Bautista to revise his earlier resignation from Dec. 31, 2017 to take effect immediately so he can avoid an embarrassing impeachment trial that the whole nation witnessed during the impeachment trial of the late Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona. The ball is now in Bautista’s court.

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Today is the 100th anniversary of the sixth and last apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary before Lucia, Jacinta, and Francesco at the Cova di Ira in Fatima, Portugal, in what was perhaps the greatest apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary because she did the famous Miracle of the Dancing Sun before 70,000 spectators or witnesses. I have written about the Fatima apparitions in numerous columns, but for today’s 100th celebration, I picked up this short story from the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) for brevity.

The Sixth Apparition

Oct. 13, 1917 was marked by heavy rains throughout Western Europe and especially in Fatima, Portugal. Approximately 70,000 persons had gathered to see the promised miracle, even reporters from the secular papers in Lisbon. On this occasion, Our Lady revealed Herself as the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.

She asked the three children to continue to pray the Rosary daily and prophesied the end of the World War. After responding to a request for the conversion and healing of certain persons Our Lady, looking sad, said: “Do not offend the Lord Our God anymore, because He is already so much offended.”

Then Our Lady ascended into the Heavens and the three children were given a vision of St. Joseph holding the Child Jesus and blessing the world, of Jesus Himself blessing the world, and of Herself under Her titles of the Immaculate Conception, Co-Redemptrix, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. While the children beheld these visions a most extraordinary miracle occurred in the heavens.

The sun began to twirl about in the sky and rays of all colors came forth radiating from its disk. It began to move about erratically and then fell suddenly to the earth amid the cries and shouts of more than 70,000 pilgrims and critics who had assembled. Afterwards, it began to ascend to its former place, leaving the entire crowd and ground perfectly dry. This miracle was seen even as far away as 20 miles and was witnessed even by the atheistic reporters who were present.

There is a grand procession at 9 p.m. tonight starting at the grounds of the Provincial Capital and ending at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño. This will be led by Archbishop Jose Palma. Barring the rains, I intend to join this historic procession as Catholics from all over the world celebrate the 100th anniversary of the last apparition in Fatima.

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