Here in Drogheda, The Dominicans are holding a novena to Our Lady of Fatima.
It began on Saturday evening with Holy Mass at 6.05 and then the 10.30 a.m. mass on Sunday.
The Celebrant is Fr. Maurice Colgan O.P. an honest Dubin Man who is now working in Cork.
Yesterday Fr. Maurice spoke to us about love. In the gospel Jesus calls us to love one another and to remain in His love. Fr. Maurice said that the most common love mentioned today was the love of husband or wife or boyfriend and girlfriend. He went on to speak about sacrifice in love. Real love was not the romantic picture of love but a love that suffers for another. A Mother or father will do without sleep to feed a new born baby. This is love. A daughter of son might stay at home to mind a sick parent this is also real love. Jesus is the prime example of sacraficial love. He was willing to be a sacrifice of love for our salvation by dying on a cross. It is this kind of love that puts others first that we are called to. Parents know this love only too well, having to have money for food for a family, clothes, bills, school, college etc... God's message for yesterday is "Love one another as I have loved you and remain in my love"
Today Fr. Maurice spoke about faith. He told the story of a man who was highly respected by the community and was very learned and he had all sorts of beliefs but despite all his knowledge he could not convince people to believe in what he believed in. His wife, family and friends sought help for him as they all thought he needed it. He then referred to the children of Fatima. They were poor, humble and without knowledge and yet they were able to convince people of what they had seen and believed. Fr. Maurice made reference to the secular world and how it would love to convince us all that we are out of our minds because we believe in something spiritual, something we cannot touch or see. We Catholics go on faith. We are not odd or off our rocker, like others would have us believe.
Our Lady appeared to simple, innocent little children. She knew they would have no problem believing and telling others her message. It is this kind of faith we are all called to today.