The words of Sister Lucia, one of the Fatima seers, gives the Cornell Society for a Good Time a great impetus to pray the Rosary and never to cease to draw others to this prayer:

Coimbra, December 4, 1970

Dear Maria Teresa,
Pax Christi,

Our Mother received your letter and I ask forgiveness on her behalf for not responding personally, but that is not possible at the moment with so much to be done with the upcoming foundation of the new Carmel in Braga. For this reason she gave me the letter, that I might respond. This is what I am going to do.

Our Mother is not going to allow what you wish. But then again it is not necessary. I should not, nor am I able to give testimony. I should remain in silence, prayer and penance. This is the best way in which I can and should help. It is necessary that the entire apostolate have this principle as a basis; and this is the part that the Lord chose for me: to pray and sacrifice myself for those who fight and work in the vineyard of the Lord and for the extension of His Kingdom.

It is for this reason that my name should not appear. Instead of that, it is much more efficacious for one to serve in the Name of Our Lady, putting forth the movement as the ‘Fulfilment’ of the Message, presenting as an argument the insistence with which Our Lady requested and recommended that the Rosary be prayed every day, having repeated this in all the Apparitions as if forewarning us that in these times of diabolical disorientation, we must not let ourselves be deceived by false doctrines that diminish the elevation of our soul to God by means of prayer.

For certain, it is not necessary that during the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that one pray the Holy Rosary: besides time set aside for the Holy Mass, we must also put aside time for praying the Holy Rosary. We can and should take part in the one without forsaking the other. The Rosary is, for the majority of souls who live in the world, their daily spiritual bread; and to deprive them or draw them away from this prayer is to decrease in their minds the appreciation and good faith with which they pray, and in the spiritual realm the same or even more, so much more, considering the spiritual realm is superior to the material realm. If I can put it another way, it is as if in the material realm people were to be deprived of the bread necessary to sustain physical life.

Unfortunately, the majority of people are ignorant in religious matters and let themselves be tossed wherever the wave carries them. Therefore the great responsibility lies with those who have the office to lead them; and all of us are each other’s leaders, because we all have the obligation to mutually help one another, and walk the good path.

Beyond what I have said, it would be well if the prayer of the Rosary were given a more real meaning than that which it has been given, until now, of a simple “Marian” prayer. All the prayers that we say in the Rosary are prayers that form part of the Sacred Liturgy; and more than a prayer directed to Mary it is a prayer directed to God: — the Our Father was taught to us by Jesus Christ, Who said: “Pray thus, Our Father Who art in Heaven …” — “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost …” is the hymn that the Angels sang, who were sent by God to announce the birth of His Word, God made man. — The Hail Mary, well understood, is nothing less than a prayer directed to God: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee”. I hail Thee, Mary, because the Lord is with Thee! These words were most certainly dictated by the Father to the Angel, when He sent him to earth, in order that with these words he should greet Mary.

Yes! The Angel came to say to Mary that She was full of Grace, not by Herself but because the Lord was with Her! — “Blessed art Thou amongst women, and Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus”. These words, with which Elizabeth greeted Mary, were dictated to her by the Holy Ghost as the Evangelist tells us: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, … she was filled with the Holy Ghost. Crying out in a loud voice she exclaimed, Blessed art Thou amongst women, and Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb.” Yes! Because that fruit is Jesus, true God and true Man!

So this salutation is an act of praise addressed to God: Blessed art Thou amongst women because Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb; and because Thou art the Mother of God made Man, — in Thee we adore God as in the first Tabernacle in which the Father enclosed His Word; as on the first Altar, Thy lap; as in the first Monstrance, Thy arms, before which the Angels, shepherds and kings knelt to adore the Son of God made Man! And because Thou, O Mary, art the first living Temple of the Most Holy Trinity, wherein live the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, “The Spirit will come over Thee and the power of the Most High will overshadow Thee. Therefore the Holy One, which is to be born, will be called Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Since Thou art a Tabernacle, a Monstrance, a living Temple, permanent home of the Most Holy Trinity, Mother of God and our Mother — “pray for us poor sinners now and at the hour of our death.”

Who could deny that this is a prayer and act of praise addressed to God?! Would it be better for us to direct our praise, adoration and supplications kneeling before inanimate altars of wood, stone or metal, or insensible golden monstrances incapable of praying for us?!

It is certain that Saint Paul said there is only one Mediator with the Father. Yes! As God, there is only one, who is Jesus Christ. But the same Apostle asks that we pray for him and recommends that we pray for each other. Therefore, could the Apostle believe that Mary’s prayer was not as pleasing to God as is our prayer?! It is the diabolical disorientation that is invading the world and deceiving souls! It is necessary to confront it; and for this end what I say here can be of use to you. But as your own thing, without saying my name; as something that comes forth from you, running off your pen. And, in truth, it is yours, because in the quality of members of the Mystical Body of Christ which we are, everything is ours, because everything is from the Head, Christ Jesus.

And I remain in my place, praying for you, and for all those with whom you are going to work, that it may be a battle which gives much glory to God and brings much light and grace to souls, peace to Holy Mother the Church and peace to a world stained by the blood of wars.

Perhaps it would also be well to present the campaign, not only as the fulfillment of the Message, but also as a campaign of prayer and penance for peace in the world, in the Church and in the Portuguese overseas provinces. And may it be that Portugal, so devoted to the Eucharist and to Mary, becomes the first nation to recognize that the prayer of the Rosary is not only a Marian prayer, but also a Eucharistic prayer. And therefore, nothing should prevent one from praying before the Blessed Sacrament. As proof of this, the Holy Father Pope Pius XI had granted a plenary indulgence to those who pray the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament; and recently, His Holiness Pope Paul VI again granted the same indulgence.

Therefore, it is necessary to pray the Rosary in cities, in towns and in villages, in the streets, on the road, while traveling or at home, in churches and in chapels! It is a prayer that is accessible to all, and everyone can and should pray. There are many who do not attend the liturgical prayer of the Holy Mass on a daily basis. If they do not pray the Rosary, what praying do they do?! And without prayer who can be saved?! — “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.”

It is necessary then to pray and pray always. This means that all our activities and labors should be accompanied by a great spirit of prayer, because it is in prayer that the soul meets with God, and in this meeting grace and strength are received, even when one’s prayers are accompanied by distractions. Prayer always brings an increase of Faith to souls, even if it be no more than a momentary remembrance of the mysteries of our Redemption, recalling the Birth, Death and Resurrection of our Savior; and God will dismiss and pardon those distractions attributed to human weakness, ignorance and littleness.

Concerning the repetition of the Hail Mary’s, it is not as they would have you believe, that it is an outdated practice. All the things that exist and were created by God are maintained and preserved by means of repetition, continued always from the same acts. And nobody thinks to call the sun, moon, stars, birds, plants, etc. outdated because they revolve, live and sprout always in the same way! And they are much older than the prayer of the Rosary! For God nothing is old. Saint John says that the Blessed in Heaven sing a new song, repeating always: Holy Holy Holy is the Lord, God of Hosts! And it is new, because in the light of God everything appears with new brilliance.

I embrace you as always in union of prayers.

Sr. Lucia, O.C.D.