Ten years ago, it was revealed that Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, made an astonishing remark that the messages of Fatima and Akita “are essentially the same.”[1] It was not the first time that someone in a position to know provided such crucial hints. By examining certain aspects concerning the Fatima and Akita revelations, we will find abundant proof that the entire message of Fatima – especially the Third Secret Message, a text still concealed by the Vatican - is of universal and apocalyptic proportion.
Within the course of the following 12 years, various remarks (of which the following are a mere handful) made by Sr. Lucia and others provide further insights into the Third Secret:
• Sr. Lucia would emphasize, “We must pray a great deal and beg God not to chastise us and save us in time and for eternity.”[15] She would also write “many times to reliable witnesses of a ‘diabolical disorientation’ in the Church and the world of which Our Lady warned her.”[16] (all emphasis mine)
• Pope Paul VI would lament, “Through some crack, the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God." [17]
• Bishop Venancio, the bishop of Leira-Fatima, would issue a pastoral letter for the July 1966 Fatima jubilee, alluding to “a Church…continually threatened by the mystery of iniquity ‘which is already at work’ (II Thess. 2, 7)”[18] (emphasis mine)
“One conclusion does indeed seem to be beyond question: the content of the unpublished part of the Secret does not refer to new wars or political upheavals, but to happenings of a religious and intra-Church character, which of their nature are still more grave.”[19]
After a thorough investigation by Bishop John Shojiro Ito, the Akita apparitions and events, which center around a three-foot high statue of Our Lady placed in the chapel of the Eucharistic Handmaids of the Sacred Heart, were found to be of supernatural origin. In addition to the messages, the statue perspired, wept tears, and issued blood from its right hand – in total 101 times. This same bishop, who authorized the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Akita, later said, “The message of Akita is the message of Fatima.”[22]
Our Lady of Akita’s first message addresses reparation for the sins of men, the True Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and consecration to Jesus through Mary, emphasizing Our Lady’s role as Mediatrix of All Graces.[23]
The second message again asks for reparation and refers to Mary as Mediatrix but also mentions “a great chastisement” from the Heavenly Father:
The Third Message of Akita, given on October 13, 1973 (the 56th anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, Portugal), is tragically compatible with the evidence, already examined, that the last Fatima Secret foretells widespread apostasy throughout the Church and the world, an apostasy centering on “the dogma of the Faith,” consequently evoking material retributions. It also explains why the Vatican refuses to release the text of the Third Secret Message. Even further, Akita’s third message simultaneously corresponds with Sr. Lucia’s warning, “God will chastise the world and this will be in a terrible manner” as well as Fr. Alonso’s thesis, “In the period preceding the great triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, terrible things are going to happen. These form the Content of the third part of the Secret.”
Thus follows the Third Message of Akita:
“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres. Churches and altars will be sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.”
“Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved.” [25] (emphasis added)
The opening lines of the third Akita message directly tie to the oft-overlooked opening of Fatima’s Third Secret Vision, wherein Lucia wrote “at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!'”[26] As can be seen, the Akita message reinforces the Fatima revelations.
In the Third Secret of Fatima Vision and the Third Message of Akita, Our Lady’s right hand plays the predominant role, signifying Her intercessory power. At Akita, the statue’s right hand issued blood. Shortly before, Sister Agnes received a cross-shaped stigmata in her left hand, causing her great pain and suffering. That Sr. Agnes and the chapel statue of the Virgin, now known as Our Lady of Akita, bore similar marks on opposite hands must be a sign of theological implications. Within that context, it must be noted that, in regard to the blood issuing from the Akita statue's right hand, Sr. Agnes was told by an angel, “This flowing of blood is significant. It will be shed for the conversion of men and in reparation for sins.” [27] (emphasis added) That prophecy may be relative to the martyrdoms seen in the Third Secret Vision.
The Hidden Star
• “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations by reason of confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves; Men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved…” [29]
• “And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood: And the third part of those creatures died, which had life in the sea, and the third part of the ships was destroyed. And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” [30]
Too, there exist private prophecies that address a pope’s exile (as seen in the Third Secret Vision) or the onset of a comet (Akita), of which only two shall here be mentioned:
“A powerful wind will rise in the North carrying heavy fog and the densest dust by divine command, and it will fill their throats and eyes so they will cease their savagery and be stricken with great fear… Before the comet comes, many nations, the good excepted, will be scourged by want and famine…By its tremendous pressure, the comet will force much out of the ocean and flood many countries, causing much want and many plagues. All coastal cities will live in fear, and many of them will be destroyed by tidal waves, and most living creatures will be killed, and even those who escape will die from horrible diseases. For in none of those cities does a person live according to the laws of God.”
(St. Hildegard, 12th century) [31]
And the second:
“For seven days, the great star shall be seen,
As if two Suns in the sky should appear.
The big Mastiff (Islamic or Arab powers) shall be howling all night
When the Pontiff shall go into exile.”
(Michel de Nostredame, “Michael of Our Lady”)[32]
Although we cannot be certain, an asteroid or comet of great magnitude seems to be the plausible explanation for these prophecies of a devastating star. In Greek, “aster” or “astro” is etymologically rooted to “ester,” calling to mind the Star of Esther on Our Lady of Fatima’s dress. This star directs us to The Book of Esther, providing “the traces of hidden things”[33] in relation to Fatima and Revelation. The Queen Esther is a great figure type for the Virgin – especially as the Fatima Virgin, as explained in previous articles.[34] However, the main facts bear repeating, since they may indicate another surprising link to the Third Secret.
In the Old Testament of the Hebrew text, Esther’s birth name, Hádássah, referred to myrtle, a star-shaped flower. The word myrtle shares the same etymological root as myrrh (“bitter”). [35] The Hebrew text relates that Esther (in Persian, “star”), who became queen of Persia, changed her name to Hester, which translates to “hidden star” or “hidden [meaning of the] star.” Together, the various philological traces of Esther’s name indicate “bitter star.”
Thus, in addition to all else that it means to the Church, the Star of Esther may also symbolize the “hidden star” which the Apocalypse names as Wormwood. If so, it reinforces the Fatima message that the pope, the bishops and the entire Church must do their duty and heed all of the requests of the Morning Star, who wishes to grant an era of peace to mankind – or soon face the chastisement of God’s avenging star.
“Do not offend the Lord our God any longer. He is already deeply offended." (Our Lady of Fatima)
The article above, "Our Lady of Akita and the Third Secret of Fatima," was published in the September 2008 issue of Catholic Family News. All Rights Reserved by the author.
Footnotes
[1] Catholic World News, October 11, 2001. In 1998, Howard Dee, the former Philippine ambassador to the Vatican, revealed that “Bishop Ito was certain Akita was an extension of Fatima, and Cardinal Ratzinger personally confirmed to me that these two messages are essentially the same.”
[2] Mark Fellows, Fatima in Twilight. [Niagara Falls, U.S. and Canada: Marmion Publications, 2003]: p. 295.
[3] Fr. Joaquin Alonso, La verdad sobre el Secreto de Fatima, pp. 110-112. Cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III. (Buffalo, NY: Immaculate Heart Publications, Revised edition 2001): p. 503.
[4] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III. (Buffalo, NY: Immaculate Heart Publications, Revised edition 2001): p. 508.
[5] Ibid., p. 504.
[6] Ibid., p. 505.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid., pp. 503-505.
[9] Ibid., p. 506
[10] Jesus Magazine, November 11, 1984 issue, p. 79.
[11] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, op. cit., pp. 507-508.
[12] Frederick Holweck, "Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary," The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10. [New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911.] [http://home.newadvent.org/cathen/10600a.htm]
[13] Agencia Nacional de Informacão.
[14] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, op. cit., p. 578.
[15] Ibid.., p. 509
[16] Christopher Ferrara, The Secret Still Hidden [Pound Ridge, NY: Good Counsel Publications, 2008]: p. 35.
[17] Pope Paul VI, June 29, 1972 (Feast of St. Peter and Paul).
[18] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, op. cit., p. 778. Bishop Venancio’s pastoral letter stated, “Fatima has not yet said its last word…Neither has Fatima come to give reason to the prophets of imaginary world catastrophes. Fatima cannot be reduced to sensational prophecies of frightful wars…We affirm that Fatima is something much more serious that all that. Fatima, really, in this too, ‘actualizes’ the whole evangelical meaning of a Church launched eschatologically towards a future which is, to be sure, most assuredly in God’s hands, but which, however, is continually threatened by the mystery of iniquity ‘which is already at work’ (II Thess. 2, 7).”
[19] Alonso, op. cit., p. 70. Cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III, p. 687.
[20] Fr. Joaquin Alonso, The Secret of Fatima: Fact and Legend. Cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III, p. 705.
[21] “Sr. Agnes Sasagawa,” EWTN Online [http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/AKITA.HTM]
[22] “Our Lady of Akita,” Holy Mother Mary website. [http://www.holymothermary.org/apparitions/akita.htm]
[23] Ibid.
[24] “A Terrible Warning: The Message of Our Lady of Akita (1973-1981). Our Lady of the Rosary Library. [http://www.olrl.org/prophecy/akita.shtml]
[25] “Our Lady of Akita,” Ibid. [http://www.holymothermary.org/apparitions/akita.htm]
[26] The Message of Fatima, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, June 26, 2000. Vatican website [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html]
[27] “Our Lady of Akita,” loc. cit.
[28] Stimme Des Glaubin (Voice of Faith), October 1981. Cited in Ferrara, p. 37-38.
[29] Lk. 21:25-26, The Holy Bible: Douay-Rheims Version [Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, 1899 edition photographically reproduced]
[30] Apoc. 8: 8-11
[31] Yves Dupont, Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement [Rockford IL, TAN Books and Publishers, 1973): pp. 16-17.
[32] Ibid., p. 108
[33] Eccl. 42:19
[34] Marianna Bartold, “Hidden Revelations: The Star of Esther and the Secrets of Fatima,” Catholic Family News, May 2008. See also “Fatima: The Signs and the Traces of Hidden Things” by the same author, Catholic Family News, June 2008. These articles are also available on the Net [http://www.keepingitcatholic.blogspot.com/]
Foremost amongst the proofs are the prudent but urgent disclosures of Sr. Lucia. Refusing to disclose the Third Secret on her own authority, in various ways she pointed to an unimaginable crisis for the Church and the world. On two different occasions, Lucia’s response intimated the Third Secret’s connection to Divine Revelation when she stated it was in the Gospel and the Apocalypse – “Read them!”[2]
In another encounter, she was unexpectedly open about the Third Secret’s contents when she specified chapters 7-12 of the Apocalypse. Three years before the Third Secret’s anticipated 1960 release, Lucia was consulted by Father Augustin Fuentes, postulator of the causes for beatification of Francisco and Jacinta, who later published a report of this candid interview with “every guarantee of authenticity and episcopal approval, including that of the Bishop of Fatima.”[3] In this revealing interview, Sister Lucia introduced new concepts that can only be the essence of the Third Secret, even as she recalled “the essence” of the First and Second Secrets.[4]
“This is the third part of the Message of Our Lady, which will remain secret until 1960,” Lucia concluded after frankly remarking, “Father, how much time is there before 1960 arrives? It will be very sad for everyone, not one person will rejoice at all if beforehand the world does not pray and do penance. I am not able to give any other details because it is still a secret.” Lucia also spoke of Our Lady’s sadness “because no one has paid any attention to her Message, neither the good nor the bad. The good continue on their way but without giving any importance to Her Message. The bad, not seeing the punishment of God actually falling upon them, continue their life of sin without even caring about the message. But believe me, Father, God will chastise the world and this will be in a terrible manner. The punishment from Heaven is imminent.”[5]
During the interview, Sr. Lucia addressed worldwide but conditional scourges both spiritual and material due to mankind’s constant offenses against God: the annihilation of nations, a diabolical attack on consecrated souls which also affects the laity, material punishments, and the grave danger of the eternal loss of souls due to obstinate sins. “Tell them, Father,” said Lucia, “that many times the Most Holy Virgin told my cousins Francisco and Jacinta, as well as myself, that many nations will disappear from the face of the earth. She said that Russia will be the instrument of chastisement chosen by Heaven to punish the whole world if we do not beforehand obtain the conversion of that poor nation.”[6](emphasis added)
Lucia also spoke of “the fall of religious and priestly souls,” which so afflict the Hearts of Jesus and Mary: “The devil wishes to take possession of consecrated souls. He tries to corrupt them in order to lull to sleep the souls of laypeople and thereby lead them to final impenitence. He employs all tricks, even going so far as to suggest the delay of entrance into religious life. Resulting from this is the sterility of the interior life, and among the laypeople, coldness regarding the subject of renouncing pleasures and the total dedication of themselves to God.”[7] (emphasis added)
The Cause of Our Lady’s Sadness
Again Lucia mentioned Our Lady’s sadness, which was the reason behind the great sacrifices of her cousins Francisco and Jacinta, “because in all the apparitions of the Most Holy Virgin, they always saw Her very sad. She never smiled at us. This sadness, this anguish which we noted in Her, penetrated our souls. This sadness is caused by the offenses against God and the punishments which menace sinners…The other thing which sanctified these children was to see the vision of hell.”
“Father, that is why my mission is not to indicate to the world the material punishments which are certain to come if the world does not pray and do penance beforehand. No, my mission is to indicate to everyone the imminent danger we are in of losing our souls for all eternity if we remain obstinate in sin.”[8] (emphasis added)
Lucia spoke of the dire need for each soul’s spiritual reform and conversion. She urged that “we should not wait for an appeal to the world to come from Rome” to do penance. We should not wait for a call to penance from the Holy Father, the bishops, or religious congregations because “Our Lord has already very often used these means and the world has not paid attention. That is why now, it is necessary for each one of us to begin to reform himself spiritually. Each person must not only save his own soul but also the souls that God has placed on our path…The devil does all in his power to distract us and to take away from us the love of prayer; we shall be saved together or we shall be damned together." [9] (emphasis added)
Near the end of the interview, Lucia spoke of “the last times of the world,” saying, “Father, the Most Holy Virgin did not tell me that we are in the last times of the world but She made me understand this for three reasons.” As will be seen, these three reasons correspond with certain remarks made 27 years later by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger when he was asked why, in 1984, the Third Secret had still not been made public.
Although he appeared to dismiss its importance, he encapsulated its essence by connecting it to Divine Revelation: “Because, according to the judgment of the Popes, it adds nothing to what a Christian must know from Revelation - i.e., a radical call for conversion; the absolute importance of history; the dangers threatening the faith and the life of the Christian and therefore the world. And also the importance of the last times…But the things contained in this Third Secret correspond to what is announced in Scripture and are confirmed by many other Marian apparitions, beginning with the Fatima apparitions in their known contents. Conversion and penance are essential conditions to salvation.”[10] (emphasis added)
What are the three reasons that made Lucia understand we are in the last times?
“The first reason,” said Lucia, “is because She told me that the devil is in the mood for engaging in a decisive battle against the Virgin. And a decisive battle is the final battle where one side will be victorious and the other side will suffer defeat. Hence from now on we must choose sides. Either we are for God or we are for the devil. There is no other possibility.”
“The second reason is because She said to my cousins as well as to myself that God is giving two last remedies to the world. These are the Holy Rosary and the Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These are the last two remedies which signify that there will be no others.” (emphasis added)
“The third reason is because in the plans of Divine Providence, God always, before He is about to chastise the world, exhausts all other remedies. Now, when He sees that the world pays no attention whatsoever then, as we say in our imperfect manner of speaking, He offers us, with a certain trepidation, the last means of salvation, His Most Holy Mother. It is with a certain trepidation because if you despise and repulse this ultimate means, we will not have any more forgiveness from Heaven because we will have committed a sin which the Gospel calls the sin against the Holy Spirit. This sin consists of openly rejecting, with full knowledge and consent, the salvation which He offers.
"Let us remember that Jesus Christ is a very good Son and that He does not permit that we offend and despise His Most Holy Mother. We have recorded through many centuries of Church history the obvious testimony which demonstrates, by the terrible chastisements which have befallen those who have attacked the honor of His Most Holy Mother, how Our Lord Jesus Christ has always defended the honor of His Mother.”
Finally, Lucia emphasized that “the two means to save the world are prayer and sacrifice,” another reference to the spiritual efforts of individual souls as well as to the prayers and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Implicitly underlining the doctrine of Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces, Lucia stated, “Look, Father, the Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary…There is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. With the Holy Rosary, we will save ourselves. We will sanctify ourselves. We will console Our Lord and obtain the salvation of many souls.”[11]
Further Hints to the Third Secret Message
On February 8, 1960 (coincidentally or not, the date then commemorated the Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary) [12] the Portuguese news agency, A.N.I.[13] at Rome released a communiqué from anonymous Vatican sources who declared “the Secret of Fatima will never be disclosed” and “that it is most likely that the letter will never be opened, in which Sister Lucia wrote down the words which Our Lady confided as a secret to the three little shepherds in the Cova da Iria.”[14] This announcement verifies that the Third Secret is not only a Vision but also includes a Message (“the words which Our Lady confided”). It is also indicative of an internal Church struggle, already existing, since no Vatican source publicly assumed authority for the statement or ever denied it. Still, the Vatican silently confirmed A.N.I.’s announcement because the Secret was not released in 1960.
Within the course of the following 12 years, various remarks (of which the following are a mere handful) made by Sr. Lucia and others provide further insights into the Third Secret:
• Sr. Lucia would emphasize, “We must pray a great deal and beg God not to chastise us and save us in time and for eternity.”[15] She would also write “many times to reliable witnesses of a ‘diabolical disorientation’ in the Church and the world of which Our Lady warned her.”[16] (all emphasis mine)
• Pope Paul VI would lament, “Through some crack, the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God." [17]
• Bishop Venancio, the bishop of Leira-Fatima, would issue a pastoral letter for the July 1966 Fatima jubilee, alluding to “a Church…continually threatened by the mystery of iniquity ‘which is already at work’ (II Thess. 2, 7)”[18] (emphasis mine)
• Providing astute commentary on the Third Secret Message, which opens with Our Lady’s words, “In Portugal, the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved, etc.,” Fr. Joaquin Alonso, official Fatima archivist, would say, “The phrase most clearly implies a critical state of Faith…In the period preceding the great triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, terrible things are going to happen. These form the Content of the third part of the Secret. What are they? ”
“If ‘in Portugal the dogma of the Faith will always be preserved,’” he continued, “…it can be clearly deduced from this that in other parts of the Church these dogmas are going to be obscure or even lost altogether. Thus it is quite possible that in this intermediate period which is in question (after 1960 and before the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary), the text [of the Third Secret Message] makes concrete references to the crisis of the Faith of the Church and to the negligence of the pastors themselves.”
“One conclusion does indeed seem to be beyond question: the content of the unpublished part of the Secret does not refer to new wars or political upheavals, but to happenings of a religious and intra-Church character, which of their nature are still more grave.”[19]
• At yet another time, Fr. Alonso wrote “…Does the unpublished text speak of concrete [e.g., tangible, actual] circumstances? It is very possible that it speaks not only of a real crisis of the faith in the Church during this in-between period, but like the secret of LaSalette, for example, there are more concrete references to the internal struggles of Catholics or to the fall of priests and religious. Perhaps it even refers to the failures of the upper hierarchy of the Church. For that matter, none of this is foreign to other communications Sister Lucia has had on this subject.”[20]
From Fatima to Akita: Part of the Third Secret Revealed
As previously mentioned, Lucia had spoken of the Fatima Virgin’s anguish and sadness “caused by the offenses of God and the punishments which menace sinners.” In 1973, Our Lady would also speak of the cause of Her sadness, this time to a nun long afflicted by various illnesses and almost totally deaf, Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa in Akita, Japan: “The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them."[21]
As previously mentioned, Lucia had spoken of the Fatima Virgin’s anguish and sadness “caused by the offenses of God and the punishments which menace sinners.” In 1973, Our Lady would also speak of the cause of Her sadness, this time to a nun long afflicted by various illnesses and almost totally deaf, Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa in Akita, Japan: “The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them."[21]
After a thorough investigation by Bishop John Shojiro Ito, the Akita apparitions and events, which center around a three-foot high statue of Our Lady placed in the chapel of the Eucharistic Handmaids of the Sacred Heart, were found to be of supernatural origin. In addition to the messages, the statue perspired, wept tears, and issued blood from its right hand – in total 101 times. This same bishop, who authorized the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Akita, later said, “The message of Akita is the message of Fatima.”[22]
What, then, is the message of Akita? Like Fatima, it is comprised of three distinct parts, but at Akita Our Lady did not impart them as secrets. Like Fatima, each sentence and manifestation reveals profound doctrinal or dogmatic depths, especially in regard to the Mystical Body of Christ. Perhaps most incredible is that Akita’s Third Message is either a part of or central to Fatima’s Third Secret Message.
Our Lady of Akita’s first message addresses reparation for the sins of men, the True Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and consecration to Jesus through Mary, emphasizing Our Lady’s role as Mediatrix of All Graces.[23]
The second message again asks for reparation and refers to Mary as Mediatrix but also mentions “a great chastisement” from the Heavenly Father:
"If you love the Lord, listen to what I have to say to you. It is very important; you will convey it to your superior. Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish, with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates. In order that the world might know His anger, the Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind. I have intervened so many times to appease the wrath of the Father. I have prevented the coming of calamities by offering Him the sufferings of the Son on the Cross, His Precious Blood, and beloved souls who console Him forming a cohort of victim souls. Prayer, penance and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father's anger…”[24]
The Third Message of Akita, given on October 13, 1973 (the 56th anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, Portugal), is tragically compatible with the evidence, already examined, that the last Fatima Secret foretells widespread apostasy throughout the Church and the world, an apostasy centering on “the dogma of the Faith,” consequently evoking material retributions. It also explains why the Vatican refuses to release the text of the Third Secret Message. Even further, Akita’s third message simultaneously corresponds with Sr. Lucia’s warning, “God will chastise the world and this will be in a terrible manner” as well as Fr. Alonso’s thesis, “In the period preceding the great triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, terrible things are going to happen. These form the Content of the third part of the Secret.”
Thus follows the Third Message of Akita:
“As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have [been] seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms that will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the Bishops, and the Priests.”
“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres. Churches and altars will be sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.”
“Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved.” [25] (emphasis added)
The opening lines of the third Akita message directly tie to the oft-overlooked opening of Fatima’s Third Secret Vision, wherein Lucia wrote “at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘Penance, Penance, Penance!'”[26] As can be seen, the Akita message reinforces the Fatima revelations.
In the Third Secret of Fatima Vision and the Third Message of Akita, Our Lady’s right hand plays the predominant role, signifying Her intercessory power. At Akita, the statue’s right hand issued blood. Shortly before, Sister Agnes received a cross-shaped stigmata in her left hand, causing her great pain and suffering. That Sr. Agnes and the chapel statue of the Virgin, now known as Our Lady of Akita, bore similar marks on opposite hands must be a sign of theological implications. Within that context, it must be noted that, in regard to the blood issuing from the Akita statue's right hand, Sr. Agnes was told by an angel, “This flowing of blood is significant. It will be shed for the conversion of men and in reparation for sins.” [27] (emphasis added) That prophecy may be relative to the martyrdoms seen in the Third Secret Vision.
The Hidden Star
It cannot be denied that Our Lady of Akita’s description of a fiery, worldwide cataclysm which destroys a large part of humanity literally indicates an apocalyptic chastisement. Further lights on the Third Secret and “the seriousness of the contents” were expressed by the late Pope John Paul II, who pronounced to a select group in Fulda, Germany, “…it should be sufficient for all Christians to know this: if there is a message in which it is written that the oceans will flood whole areas of the earth, and that from one moment to the next millions of people will perish, truly the publication of such a message is no longer something to be desired…”[28]
What could be the temporal cause of worldwide fire and flood? Recalling Lucia’s specificity that the Third Secret can be found in the Gospel and The Apocalypse, consider the following Scriptures:
• “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations by reason of confusion of the roaring of the sea and of the waves; Men withering away for fear, and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world. For the powers of heaven shall be moved…” [29]
• “And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood: And the third part of those creatures died, which had life in the sea, and the third part of the ships was destroyed. And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” [30]
Too, there exist private prophecies that address a pope’s exile (as seen in the Third Secret Vision) or the onset of a comet (Akita), of which only two shall here be mentioned:
“A powerful wind will rise in the North carrying heavy fog and the densest dust by divine command, and it will fill their throats and eyes so they will cease their savagery and be stricken with great fear… Before the comet comes, many nations, the good excepted, will be scourged by want and famine…By its tremendous pressure, the comet will force much out of the ocean and flood many countries, causing much want and many plagues. All coastal cities will live in fear, and many of them will be destroyed by tidal waves, and most living creatures will be killed, and even those who escape will die from horrible diseases. For in none of those cities does a person live according to the laws of God.”
(St. Hildegard, 12th century) [31]
And the second:
“For seven days, the great star shall be seen,
As if two Suns in the sky should appear.
The big Mastiff (Islamic or Arab powers) shall be howling all night
When the Pontiff shall go into exile.”
(Michel de Nostredame, “Michael of Our Lady”)[32]
Although we cannot be certain, an asteroid or comet of great magnitude seems to be the plausible explanation for these prophecies of a devastating star. In Greek, “aster” or “astro” is etymologically rooted to “ester,” calling to mind the Star of Esther on Our Lady of Fatima’s dress. This star directs us to The Book of Esther, providing “the traces of hidden things”[33] in relation to Fatima and Revelation. The Queen Esther is a great figure type for the Virgin – especially as the Fatima Virgin, as explained in previous articles.[34] However, the main facts bear repeating, since they may indicate another surprising link to the Third Secret.
In the Old Testament of the Hebrew text, Esther’s birth name, Hádássah, referred to myrtle, a star-shaped flower. The word myrtle shares the same etymological root as myrrh (“bitter”). [35] The Hebrew text relates that Esther (in Persian, “star”), who became queen of Persia, changed her name to Hester, which translates to “hidden star” or “hidden [meaning of the] star.” Together, the various philological traces of Esther’s name indicate “bitter star.”
Thus, in addition to all else that it means to the Church, the Star of Esther may also symbolize the “hidden star” which the Apocalypse names as Wormwood. If so, it reinforces the Fatima message that the pope, the bishops and the entire Church must do their duty and heed all of the requests of the Morning Star, who wishes to grant an era of peace to mankind – or soon face the chastisement of God’s avenging star.
“Do not offend the Lord our God any longer. He is already deeply offended." (Our Lady of Fatima)
~+~+~+~+~+~
Marianna Bartold, founder of Keeping It Catholic (http://www.keepingitcatholic.org), is the author of "The Age of Mary" Catholic, Internet-Based Study Guides, and "The Return of the King" (The Lord of the Rings) Catholic Study Guide. She is also the author of the Keeping It Catholic Home Education Guide books (Volumes I and II), the original homeschool editor of Sursum Corda Magazine, and the founding publisher of The Catholic Family's Magnificat! Magazine.
Marianna Bartold, founder of Keeping It Catholic (http://www.keepingitcatholic.org), is the author of "The Age of Mary" Catholic, Internet-Based Study Guides, and "The Return of the King" (The Lord of the Rings) Catholic Study Guide. She is also the author of the Keeping It Catholic Home Education Guide books (Volumes I and II), the original homeschool editor of Sursum Corda Magazine, and the founding publisher of The Catholic Family's Magnificat! Magazine.
The article above, "Our Lady of Akita and the Third Secret of Fatima," was published in the September 2008 issue of Catholic Family News. All Rights Reserved by the author.
~+~+~+~+~+~
Footnotes
[1] Catholic World News, October 11, 2001. In 1998, Howard Dee, the former Philippine ambassador to the Vatican, revealed that “Bishop Ito was certain Akita was an extension of Fatima, and Cardinal Ratzinger personally confirmed to me that these two messages are essentially the same.”
[2] Mark Fellows, Fatima in Twilight. [Niagara Falls, U.S. and Canada: Marmion Publications, 2003]: p. 295.
[3] Fr. Joaquin Alonso, La verdad sobre el Secreto de Fatima, pp. 110-112. Cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III. (Buffalo, NY: Immaculate Heart Publications, Revised edition 2001): p. 503.
[4] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III. (Buffalo, NY: Immaculate Heart Publications, Revised edition 2001): p. 508.
[5] Ibid., p. 504.
[6] Ibid., p. 505.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid., pp. 503-505.
[9] Ibid., p. 506
[10] Jesus Magazine, November 11, 1984 issue, p. 79.
[11] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, op. cit., pp. 507-508.
[12] Frederick Holweck, "Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary," The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10. [New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911.] [http://home.newadvent.org/cathen/10600a.htm]
[13] Agencia Nacional de Informacão.
[14] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, op. cit., p. 578.
[15] Ibid.., p. 509
[16] Christopher Ferrara, The Secret Still Hidden [Pound Ridge, NY: Good Counsel Publications, 2008]: p. 35.
[17] Pope Paul VI, June 29, 1972 (Feast of St. Peter and Paul).
[18] Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, op. cit., p. 778. Bishop Venancio’s pastoral letter stated, “Fatima has not yet said its last word…Neither has Fatima come to give reason to the prophets of imaginary world catastrophes. Fatima cannot be reduced to sensational prophecies of frightful wars…We affirm that Fatima is something much more serious that all that. Fatima, really, in this too, ‘actualizes’ the whole evangelical meaning of a Church launched eschatologically towards a future which is, to be sure, most assuredly in God’s hands, but which, however, is continually threatened by the mystery of iniquity ‘which is already at work’ (II Thess. 2, 7).”
[19] Alonso, op. cit., p. 70. Cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III, p. 687.
[20] Fr. Joaquin Alonso, The Secret of Fatima: Fact and Legend. Cited in Frère Michel de la Sainte Trinité, The Whole Truth about Fatima, Vol. III, p. 705.
[21] “Sr. Agnes Sasagawa,” EWTN Online [http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/AKITA.HTM]
[22] “Our Lady of Akita,” Holy Mother Mary website. [http://www.holymothermary.org/apparitions/akita.htm]
[23] Ibid.
[24] “A Terrible Warning: The Message of Our Lady of Akita (1973-1981). Our Lady of the Rosary Library. [http://www.olrl.org/prophecy/akita.shtml]
[25] “Our Lady of Akita,” Ibid. [http://www.holymothermary.org/apparitions/akita.htm]
[26] The Message of Fatima, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, June 26, 2000. Vatican website [http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000626_message-fatima_en.html]
[27] “Our Lady of Akita,” loc. cit.
[28] Stimme Des Glaubin (Voice of Faith), October 1981. Cited in Ferrara, p. 37-38.
[29] Lk. 21:25-26, The Holy Bible: Douay-Rheims Version [Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, 1899 edition photographically reproduced]
[30] Apoc. 8: 8-11
[31] Yves Dupont, Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement [Rockford IL, TAN Books and Publishers, 1973): pp. 16-17.
[32] Ibid., p. 108
[33] Eccl. 42:19
[34] Marianna Bartold, “Hidden Revelations: The Star of Esther and the Secrets of Fatima,” Catholic Family News, May 2008. See also “Fatima: The Signs and the Traces of Hidden Things” by the same author, Catholic Family News, June 2008. These articles are also available on the Net [http://www.keepingitcatholic.blogspot.com/]
[35] Online Etymology Dictionary [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=m&p=26] See Myrrh: O.E. myrre, from L. myrrha, from Gk. myrrha, from a Sem. source (cf. Akkadian murru, Heb. mor, Ar. murr "myrrh"), from a root meaning "was bitter." See also Myrtle: c.1400, from O.Fr. mirtile, from M.L. myrtillus, dim. of myrtus "myrtle tree," from Gk. myrtos, from same Sem. source as Gk. myrrha (see myrrh).
0 comments:
Post a Comment