Stand your ground!

My wife Marilyn and I were blessed recently to go on a pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain and France. The trip included visits to Fatima and Lourdes, the sites of Marian apparitions. In 1858, in Lourdes France, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous. Our Lady of Lourdes revealed herself as “the Immaculate Conception” and directed Bernadette to an underground spring. The spring’s water is believed to have healing properties, and Lourdes has become a major pilgrimage site visited by millions each year. Then in 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, the Virgin Mother appeared over a period of six months to three shepherd children and identified herself as “Our Lady of the Rosary.” Our Lady urged the children to pray for the conversion of sinners. The apparitions culminated in the “Miracle of the Sun” on October 13, 1917, witnessed by tens of thousands. Today, millions of pilgrims gather each year in Fatima. 
What struck me about these events was the courage of these children in the face of persecution. Bernadette was a simple, uneducated girl who suffered from poor health. At the age of 14, our Lady of Lourdes appeared to her 18 times! Bernadette’s testimony drew intense scrutiny, disbelief, and ridicule from local authorities, townspeople, and even some clergy. Yet Bernadette remained firm in her account, never altering her story despite relentless questioning and threats. Her courage is a shining example of steadfast faith and humility in the face of doubt and adversity. 
Likewise, the courage of the three shepherd children of Fátima — Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto — stands as one of the most inspiring examples of youthful faith and steadfastness in modern religious history. In 1917, these three humble children, tending their sheep in the fields near Fátima, Portugal, witnessed a series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Despite their young ages — Lucia was ten, Francisco nine, and Jacinta only seven — they faced disbelief, ridicule, and even threats from both civil and religious authorities. Yet, they refused to deny what they had seen. Their bravery was tested when they were imprisoned and threatened with death unless they revealed the “secret” of the apparitions. Even under such pressure, they held firm, trusting in God and the Virgin Mary’s message. 
Can you imagine if Bernadette, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta had caved into the pressure and said “oh no, we lied and made up the story” about seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary? I mean, who would blame them? They’re just kids. Their whole life was ahead of them so why mess it up with some story about seeing the Mother of God?  
I thank Almighty God these four children held their ground! Just think about it, history would have been changed. There would not have been any healing waters in Lourdes. There would not have been more than 7,000 miraculous recoveries attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes. There would not have been 72 medical miracles including one earlier this year which have been recognized by the Catholic Church. There would not have been a devotion to the Rosary or praying for the conversion of sinners called for at Fatima. I truly admire the children’s courage and faith. I think about what I would have done if I faced the same situation when I was their age. I don’t think I would have had the same unwavering spiritual strength.  
Their courage reminds us that faith sometimes requires standing alone, holding firm to what we believe even when others do not understand. Their example inspires us to face challenges with humility and trust. Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta of Fatima, along with Bernadette of Lourdes, were ordinary children chosen for extraordinary missions. Their courage was not loud or defiant—it was quiet, unwavering, and guided by deep trust in God’s will. Their bravery teaches that courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to act rightly in the face of it. From their lives, we learn that courage often comes through faith and simplicity of heart. Their example challenges us to stand firm in truth, to trust God’s plan even when misunderstood, and to live with conviction and hope in a world that often doubts what is sacred.
Saints Bernadette, Francisco, Jacinta and Venerable Lucia – pray for us!