The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

When Mary appeared to the two young shepherds at LaSalette in France in 1846, she wept over the sins of the people, particularly because they did not keep Sunday holy. When she appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 at Lourdes, the Blessed Lady urged people to pray the rosary and she left a miraculous spring where people in pain could come to be cured, sometimes physically, more often spiritually. In 1917, Mary appeared again, this time to three little shepherds at Fatima where she urged them with the words: "Penance, penance, penance" and showed them a terrifying vision of hell where souls fell into the flames "like snowflakes."

In 1932 with Europe immersed in sins of the flesh and moving toward another world war she appeared to four young people in Beauraing, Belgium and promised, "I will convert sinners." At Akita Japan in 1973 Our Lady brought a more urgent message:

With my Son 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.

In 1980 Mary appeared in Cuapa, Nicaragua to the church sacristan Bernardo Martinez warning once again that if the people did not change they would experience serious suffering.

Ask for faith in order to have the strength so that each can carry his own cross. The sufferings of this world cannot be removed. Sufferings are the cross which you must carry. That is the way life is. There are problems with the husband, with the wife, with the children, with the brothers. Talk, converse so that problems will be resolved in peace. Do not turn to violence. Never turn to violence. Pray for faith in order that you will have patience.

Always Mary comes like a loving mother warning her children and urging us to repent and reform our lives. She brings us a message from her Son. "Reform your lives." Her message is consistent. "Pray the rosary." As we see our country immersed in the depravity of abortion, pornography, same-sex marriage, greed, class envy, violence and murder...Isn't it time to turn to Our Lady of Sorrows? Stand at the foot of the cross with her. Accept your sufferings and offer them in atonement for the sins of the world.