I ask you to please be open hearted when reading this this post. I understand that many may not be a fan of the Latin Mass, or it is not their favorite, but I want to show you my own personal experience and why it is my life. I believe that when one comes to love Mary without limits, one comes to love the very things SHE loves. I still remember when I first started attending the Latin Mass and being so torn. I was in college then and the boy I had a crush on went to the student 5:00 p.m. Novus Ordo Mass. I only wanted to go to that Mass because he was there, I barely tolerated the out of place praise and worship music, which never sounded Catholic. My spiritual director at the time said these profound words that changed my life; words that led me into the Hands of Mary on a journey few would understand. He said:

I think you should go to the Latin Mass, because it’s Our Lady’s favorite Mass.

What profound words – of course I chose my Queen’s option! Is not Mary more important than some “schoolgirl crush”? I knew right then and there, never to compromise what I love most: Mary, and Her favorite Mass, the Traditional Latin Mass. I want to share with all of you the journey Our Dear Lady has had me on regarding the Latin Mass; with the help and guidance of many holy priests and especially the third secret of Fatima. All have taught me to be bold; to stand up for this precious gift of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, which has been celebrated by the great saints who came before us.

Past Popes, including Pope Pius XII and Pope Benedict XVI, both confirmed that the third secret of Fatima contained two envelopes written by Sister Lucia (Fatima Visionary). One contained the vision itself. The other? The words of the Virgin Mary explaining the vision.  In 2000, the Vatican released the envelope containing the vision describing a “bishop dressed in white” and a Holy Father weeping in a half-ruined city surrounded by martyrs of priests, religious and lay faithful. Weeping as he makes his way up a hill, he is shot dead by a band of soldiers. What has yet to have been released are the words of the Virgin explaining this vision. I find it perplexing that Mary would explain a vision as obvious as hell to the three seers of Fatima, but would remain silent on something equally disturbing as a vision of a pope and many of the faithful being martyred in a demolished city. What does that mean? What caused that? And who are the band of soldiers?

These very same popes having read both envelopes, also confirmed the contents of the envelope, but with regards to our Lady’s words and of Her explanation, this was Pope Pius XII’s conclusion:

I am worried by the Blessed Virgin’s messages to Lucy of Fatima. This persistence of Mary about the dangers which menace the Church is a Divine warning against the suicide of altering the Faith, in Her liturgy, Her theology and Her soul. I hear all around me innovators who wish to dismantle the Sacred Chapel, destroy the universal flame of the true Faith of the Church, reject Her ornaments and make Her feel remorse for Her historical past. ~Pope Pius XII~

Liturgy, was first on that list. Although the Vatican released the vision in 2000, our Lady had wanted both envelopes to be released in 1960; the whole world was waiting for it. Not just Catholics, EVERYBODY. When Sister Lucia was asked “why 1960?”, she had two answers:

1.) “The Blessed Virgin wishes it so” ( Which should be more than enough reason to release it).

2.) “Because, then it will become more clear.”

As a former cloistered Discalced Carmelite Nun now pursuing bishop approval as a Carmelite Hermitess (Anchorite, like the Magdalene) under Canon Law 603 for a deeper seclusion, I have often pondered these moving answers by Sister Lucia. In fact, it has become radically clear that the Fatima message is becoming more and more transparent in our times; Mary is counting on us, now. Looking at the era of the 1960’s, we have only to look back at the significant events that unfolded during that time. If it was not “clearer” then, it certainly is now.  Beginning with Pope John XXIII’s Second Vatican Council, followed by Pope Paul VI and the unveiling of his New Mass called the Novus Ordo (translated = New Order).  Also emerging were the ingredients for nuclear weapons and a new form of energy called Electric Magnetic Pulse which can draw energy like a magnet from all things battery-operated. I wonder who has created most of our own battery operated devices? We only have to look around our kitchen and see the words on most of our appliances written “Made in China”. This innovation when put in the wrong hands could shut down whole continents in an instant. That might explain, a “half ruined city” but, again without the words of the Virgin how will we know? I will save that for another blog post…

What is actually most unsettling to me (and should be to all Catholics) is that Pope Paul VI brought in six protestant pastors to help create the New Mass. See photo below:

Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, described the new Novus Ordo Mass,  as:

a striking departure from the Catholic theology of the Mass as it was formulated in Session XXII of the Council of Trent.

Other Cardinals went on to state that the New Mass is no longer the Roman Rite – “it is a new creation”. That sounds absolutely alarming and disconcerting. The Latin Mass stems from 1969 and all the way back to the time of Jesus’ Apostles. As tradition teaches us, Saint Peter (The first pope) helped write the Canon of the Mass, Saint Matthew the apostle was martyred in the middle of celebrating the Extraordinary form of the Mass. The great theologian and Doctor of the Church, Saint Thomas Aquinas said the Mass could never be changed or significantly altered; he battled those heresies in his own time. Was he also warning us?

Many know and love Saint Padre Pio and know him as the saint that bore the wounds of Christ. However, did you know that when it was announced in the mid-1960’s that the changes to the traditional Latin Mass so loved by Pio would commence, he did not hesitate to request permission from the Vatican to continue saying only the Latin Mass? (This was all occurring during the very time Mary had wanted the third secret revealed).  Having the gift of prophecy – among other things – Pio knew of the danger of these liturgical changes. Fortunately for him, his permission was granted in consideration of his advanced old age. By the time Paul VI officially put into effect (on April 3rd, 1969) the New Mass, Padre Pio had been taken up to heaven just six months prior in 1968. Not only did this saint refuse to celebrate the New Mass, he never had to.

Remember those holy priests I mentioned who guided me to the Latin Mass? One of them told me his story in regards to switching over entirely from the Novus Ordo to the Traditional Latin Mass.  He is a very well respected priest who is currently a chaplain for a contemplative branch of Benedictine nuns. Although completely formed and ordained in the New Mass, he said Our Lady’s warnings were enough for him to choose the Mass that has been around for 2,000 years. Holy and humble, he described how :

The cedars of Lebanon tower over the little bushes.

Comparing this to the transformation in his soul from the beginning with the New Mass in his priestly formation, to moving to the Extraordinary form. Like a mighty oak, or as the cedar keeps growing he, too outgrew the Novus Ordo and his soul was transformed in the Traditional Latin Mass – the only language in history consecrated FOR God. I was so deeply moved by his interpretation and there was more! He told me that the great saints were formed in the Latin Mass. Immediately, my favorite saints came to mind: John of the Cross, Isaac Jogues, Therese of the Child Jesus, Teresa of Jesus, Bernadette of Lourdes, Louis de Montfort, the sixteen Carmelite martyrs of Compiègne, Faustina and Maximilian Kolbe. Those whose names I underlined were martyrs; speaking of martyrs, another statement made by a lay faithful in regards to the New Mass was this:

This isn’t the stuff in which martyrs are made.

How true! As I only began to desire red martyrdom for Mary’s sake when I started immersing myself completely, exclusively and wholeheartedly – for Her Divine Son – into the Latin Mass.  A desire to shed my blood for the Prince who shed every last drop of His blood for me; to defend this sacred gift and truth of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. To defend the truth Jesus Christ died for; to shed my blood like the sixteen Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne who were beheaded in their Holy Habits of Carmel by the Guillotine in the bloody French revolution .

That very same priest I previously mentioned said the enemy was brilliant in having no visible martyrs after Vatican II. In fact, Archbishop Vigano said the French Revolution in our times was that of Vatican II. We know Satan’s greatest mistake in his involvement in the French Revolution. The Church simply gained martyrs. What is he going to gain from souls who totally immerse themselves in the Latin Mass? Souls who fall head over heals in love with Jesus Christ, His Mother; they are souls on fire for the truth, souls not willing to compromise and souls longing to sacrifice themselves the same way Our Lord did.

Speaking of sacrifice, the Novus Ordo removed the beautiful altar of sacrifice and instead referenced it to “those gathered here at this table.”  I thought we were Catholic? It is protestants who gather around a table and eat symbolic bread. After six protestants helped with the New Mass, I guess the final outcome only makes sense. We as Catholics, attend a sacrifice and consume the transubstantiated body and blood of the living Jesus. These are the dangers Mary was warning us about: the SUICIDE of altering Church teachings in Her Liturgy, theology and Her Soul. “Many will accept compromise” are the famous words of Our Lady of Akita who appeared to a deaf nun in Japan on October 13, 1973 to once more remind us of Her Fatima warnings. Pope Benedict XVI validated that the messages of Fatima and the messages of Akita are essentially the same; similar words to those found in the envelope of Our Lady’s explanation of the vision. I  recently heard a priest say that those priests who accept and celebrate both forms of the Mass, are the priests who accept compromise.

What has the use of two liturgies created? A division in the Church AND  two calendars.

– A division our Lady warned about at Akita:

In order that the world might know His anger, the Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind. With my Son I have intervened so many times to appease the wrath of the Father. 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 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.

Compromise is accepting division. World War III (spiritually) is happening in the very heart of the Church right now! Obviously, I truly believe a priest who is formed in the New Mass and simply does not know about Our Lady’s warnings are purely giving 100% of their heart and soul, unknowingly – and absolutely, that is pleasing to Our Lord. So, as the very representatives in the Vatican ignore and hide Our Lady’s messages even as I write this – is there something to hide?  Just as myself giving full and complete adoration to the New Mass before knowing the fullness of Fatima, was pleasing to Him. He meets us right where we are at. Archbishop Sample referred to the New Mass as a sort of stepping stone. The tree and the cedars of Lebanon are full grown; having the height and wisdom to see above the other trees to see its’ journey from full view. How did it tower over those little shrubs and bushes? What gave it such wisdom? From the very thing that watered it, the thing that gave it life that flows in its’ very branches: The traditional Latin Mass.

A Fraternity of Saint Peter priest in a homily once said that every faithful Catholic should have a daily Roman Rite Mass Missal. Interesting enough that the help of those six protestant pastors, the  Novus Ordo Mass said had pages and pages torn out of the Roman Rite Missal and the prayers that were kept were reworded to sound more “protestant”. So why even keep the missal, right? The average Novus Ordo Catholic doesn’t even have a missal. Why? Because now you do not need it. The Catholics faithful should not be conforming with other religions not created by God, but to rather stand out from the rest! Jesus did warn us of persecution for it; that following in His footsteps would bring suffering to those given the grace to understand this profound truth concerning Mary’s favorite Liturgy. But if Our Lady’s secret had been revealed in 1960, we wouldn’t now be in this deep hole, so to speak. This falls on the negligence of Christ’s unfaithful representatives. His very own shepherds: the priests. Even the very Cardinals in the Vatican; we must pray daily for priests. This is not solely the role or “job” of a Carmelite nun – it falls to everyone!

Those of us who do know, have a duty to our Dear Queen to spread Her message of Fatima like wild fire, coming directly from the Burning Furnace of Charity in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Something as crucial as our salvation depends on our faithfulness to Her Fatima Message. I think many claim to love Mary, but not the very things She loves. We can’t pick parts of the liturgy that we like and remove other pieces of Christ’s passion. We are not protestant. We take Christ as He is, or not at all! Just like the cross, we pick the whole cross, not just a little splinter we can hardly feel. One of the best truths about loving Mary is that She always leads you to the truth, especially when we are faithfully seeking it. Ask Her, beg Her for the courage to choose the complete and ancient sacrifice of the Mass. All those details taken out: Gregorian chant, incense, an altar, the Latin inscription used over the head of our Lord on Calvary –  these are all the details that help us to pray and help us to think about God. To know God.

Make this Mass your priority, whether that means traveling long distances to get there, or even moving to a town that offers it. You will see how Jesus and Mary will reward you one hundred fold with channels and channels of grace. Be bold! Defend Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, Her Fatima message, do your First Saturday Devotion, pray for the pope and the proper consecration of Russia. Because as Pope Benedict unforgettably said in 2013,  the year he became Pope Emeritus:

He deceives himself, in thinking the prophetic messages of Fatima are over. They are only just beginning.