Friday, May 13, 2011

Thirty Eight Years Ago Today . . . . .

A special message from Brian Birch at CatholicVote.org:

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II.

Mehmet Ali Agca, a trained sniper from Turkey, shot four bullets into the Holy Father's body from point-blank range. One bullet missed the Pope's main abdominal artery by a fraction of an inch.

The Holy Father credited Our Lady of Fatima for re-directing the bullets and saving his life. He would later say: “One hand fired, another guided the bullet.”

Many people were surprised the Pope so easily forgave the man that wanted him dead. Just days after the shooting, he said:

“I pray for that brother of ours who shot me, and whom I have sincerely pardoned. United with Christ, Priest and Victim, I offer my sufferings for the Church and for the world. To you, Mary, I repeat: 'Totus tuus ergo sum.'" (I am all yours).
For John Paul II, it was no coincidence that his life was saved on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

Our Lady had appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal on May 13, 1917. She warned the children about a world at war and asked them to: “Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world!”

Today our world is scarred by abortion, war, terrorism, political unrest and much more.

Our Lady of Fatima's call to pray the Rosary for peace is as urgent today as it was 94 years ago.

She thwarted the plans of John Paul II's assassin. Surely she will come to our aid in redirecting the many bullets aimed at destroying peace in our world.

We hope you will join us in praying the Rosary, today if possible, for peace in our world, peace in our nation, and for peace in the womb.
 

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