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Answer:
Dr. Alexander Roman
alex@unicorne.org
Fatima is about a series of apparitions of
the Mother of God that occurred in Portugal to three young children, two
of whom have now been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church. The third,
Sister Lucia, remains cloistered in a Carmelite monastery.
Although approved by the RC Church and although a feast-day has also
been established in honour of "Our Lady of Fatima," the events
surrounding Fatima are not required for absolute belief by Catholics. In
other words, a Roman Catholic could reject Fatima and still be a
Catholic in good standing (although I've never met an RC who did reject
Fatima and I don't know how one could, given the Church approvals).
The apparitions and their messages foretold grave consequences for the
world unless it repented and unless Christians prayed and made
sacrifices for the sins of the world.
The messages urged the praying of the Rosary and the wearing of the
Scapular (a form of the Eastern monastic polystavrion or "paraman"
designed for use by laity). In addition, the messages recommended Holy
Communion on the first Saturdays of every month and special prayers that
were written down by the seers.
The central message of Fatima is prayer for the "conversion of Russia."
And it is this aspect of Fatima that has proven controversial ever since
in terms of Catholic-Orthodox relations.
Roman Catholic Fatima groups who promote its Marian spirituality have
tended to emphasize the conversion of the Russian Orthodox Church i.e.
bringing it into union with Rome as an integral part of their message.
I've come across Orthodox priests who accept Fatima, but who say that
the "conversion of Russia" refers ONLY to the reawakening of Orthodox
Christian faith and practice among the members of the Russian Orthodox
Church after years of communist atheistic repression.
And this aspect of the Fatima message, they say, is being fulfilled now
as the Orthodox Churches in Russia are full, people are coming forward
to be baptized, chrismated and otherwise participate in the
liturgical/mystical life of the Church.
Roman Catholic theologians engaged in ecumenical discussions with the
Orthodox have, in the past, censured Fatima groups who have the outright
"conversion" of Orthodox Christians as part of their programs of
"outreach."
Fatima could not be said to be popular with Orthodox Christians owing to
the above issue and also because it occurred among Roman Catholics.
The Russian Greek-Catholics have a great veneration for Our Lady of
Fatima while, at the same time, emphasizing the positive, prayerful and
ecumenical aspects of the spirituality of Fatima.
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