The ^1st Saturdays of Fatima Alliance

The mission and evolution of devotion to the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Biblical origins and early references:
Devotion to the Holy Hearts has its roots in the Gospel, particularly in passages evoking divine love and the role of Mary. Figures such as Saint Simeon, Saint John and Saint Gregory the Great laid the foundations for this veneration by emphasizing the importance of the love of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Saint John Eudes, precursor (17th century):
Saint John Eudes played a key role in unifying the two Hearts in a single devotion. He developed a theology uniting the Hearts of Christ and Mary, and formulated prayers summarizing this teaching.

Milestones of the revelation :

1. Paray-le-Monial (1673-1674):
   Christ appears to Saint Marguerite-Marie to promote devotion to his Sacred Heart. He calls for specific practices (First Friday Communion, Holy Hour) and formulates promises, but the call for the consecration of France goes unheeded.
2. Rue du Bac (1830):
   The Virgin Mary appears to Saint Catherine Labouré, linking her Immaculate Heart to the Sacred Heart through the engraving of a medal. This marked the beginning of an intensification of Marian devotions and the emergence of new events in France (La Salette, Lourdes, etc.).
3. Fatima (1917):
   In the midst of world war, Mary announces devotion to her Immaculate Heart and asks for the consecration of Russia. Fatima is seen as the definitive union of the two Hearts in the work of redemption, with promises of peace and restorative practices.

Conclusion:
Devotion to the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, developed over the centuries, has become a pillar of the Christian faith, uniting personal spirituality and collective hope for world peace and redemption.

The vital importance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary for our times

A divine remedy for modern evils
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart has been given by God as the ultimate means of countering the scourges of our time. Sister Lucia, in 1939, warned that if this devotion is not propagated and practiced, God could withdraw His mercy, leaving the world to sink into unprecedented punishments.

A world in crisis
The current situation is marked by global crises: moral, economic, security and spiritual collapse, accompanied by a growing risk of generalized war. The Church itself is going through a period of trial, as prophesied in the Catechism, confronted by apostasy and the rise of pseudo-Messianism.

The last resort: Marian devotion
Sister Lucia reminds us that the rosary and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are the last remedies offered by God. To reject them is to refuse divine salvation, a grave sin against the Holy Spirit.

Evidence of the effectiveness of this devotion
Miracles illustrate the power of this devotion:

• In Hiroshima, a religious congregation close to the atomic bomb explosion survives without after-effects.
• In Normandy, villages dedicated to the Immaculate Heart were spared the destruction of D-Day.
• Portugal, consecrated before the Second World War, remains unscathed by the conflict.

Call to immediate action
We urgently need to ask forgiveness for our neglect of divine requests, and to put devotions into practice, especially those for the first Saturdays of the month. As Benedict XVI emphasized in 2010, the prophetic mission of Fatima remains relevant, and the Hearts of Jesus and Mary remain the key to salvation for our world.

• Communicate
• Keep Mary company for 15 minutes, meditating on a mystery of the Rosary.
• Recite a rosary.
• Go to confession, if possible the same day or within eight days.
• All these acts must be carried out in a spirit of reparation.

• Reparation for offenses against Mary:
• Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception, her Virginity, and her Divine Maternity.
• Contempt and hatred inculcated towards Mary, and offenses done to her holy images.
• Conversion of sinners:
• Prevent souls from being lost in hell through Our Lady’s intercession.
• Encourage more of the faithful to practice this devotion with faith, in order to merit a pope who will fully fulfill Marian requests, triggering the promised triumph of her Immaculate Heart.
• Ensuring our own salvation:
• If practiced for five consecutive months, with sincere intention, Mary promises to assist us at the hour of death with the graces we need to enter Heaven.

Men’s neglect of the requests of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

1. Refusal in the XVIIIᵉ century: the ignored call to Paray-le-Monial
In 1689, Christ asked Louis XIV to consecrate France to his Sacred Heart. This refusal, followed by a century of inaction, led to the French Revolution and its destructive consequences, symbolizing the spiritual and political fallout of such disobedience.

2. Late response in the XIXᵉ century: renewed fervor
Louis XVI, in prison, vows to comply with the demands of the Sacred Heart, but too late. The Vendée martyrs, however, become the breeding ground for renewed devotion. The XIXᵉ century sees the worldwide rise of devotion to the Sacred Heart, with the erection of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris and the institution of liturgical feasts by the Pope.

3. Marian appeals in the XIXᵉ and XXᵉ centuries: refusal repeated
Marian apparitions (Rue du Bac, Lourdes, Fatima) convey clear messages: consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart and the practice of First Saturdays. These appeals were largely ignored, both by the faithful and the ecclesiastical authorities, leading to world wars and widespread suffering.

4. Consequences in the XXᵉ century: wars and totalitarianism
Although popes such as Pius XII and John Paul II consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart, these acts remained incomplete, delaying the promised graces. While certain improvements were achieved (end of the Second World War, fall of the Berlin Wall), world peace and conversion were not realized.

5. Issues in the XXIᵉ century: obedience still awaited
The demands of Fatima remain topical. Warnings from figures such as Benedict XVI underline the urgency of responding fully to Marian calls, including official recognition of First Saturdays. As the world faces growing threats (wars, totalitarianism, transhumanism), the anniversary of Fatima’s 100th anniversary in 2025 approaches, reminding us of the crucial importance of an immediate response.

Conclusion:
The Hearts of Jesus and Mary still call for conversion and peace. “It is never too late to have recourse to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary”, recalls Saint Jacinta of Fatima.

The devotion of the “First Saturdays of the Month” is a practice requested by Our Lady of Fatima to make reparation for offenses against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, obtain the conversion of sinners, and ensure the salvation of souls. Associated with consecration to the Immaculate Heart, this devotion is a divine means of establishing world peace.

• Coming together as a community to form a “City of First Saturdays”.
• Attend mass together and perform the four acts requested.
• Meditating on a common mystery sent by Salve Corda, strengthening unity in the Church.
• Give a special solemnity to the Mass (statue of the Virgin Mary, hymns, flowers).

“All those who, for 5 months, on the first Saturday, will confess, receive Holy Communion, recite a rosary and keep me company in the spirit of reparation, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with all the graces necessary for the Salvation of their souls.”

(Notre Dame, Pontevedra, December 10, 1925)