http://www.yearoftherosary.org/hiroshima_miracle.htm
Feb 2000
Dr. Stephen A. Rinehart & Dr. Richard F. Hubbell
There was a home eight blocks (about 1 kilometer) from where the A-Bomb went off in Hiroshima Japan. This home
had a church attached to it which was completely destroyed, but the home survived, and so did the eight German
Jesuit missionaries who prayed the rosary in that house faithfully every day. These men were missionaries to the
Japanese people, they were non-military, but because Germany and Japan were allies during WWII they were permitted
to live and minister within Japan during the war. Not only did they all survive with (at most) relatively minor
injuries, but they all lived well past that awful day with no radiation sickness, no loss of hearing, or any other
visible long term defects or maladies. Naturally, they were interviewed numerous times (Fr. Schiffer, a survivor,
said over 200 times) by scientists and health care people about their remarkable experience and they say "we
believe that we survived because we were living the message of Fatima. We lived and prayed the rosary daily in
that home." Of course the secular scientists are speechless and incredulous at this explanation - and they
are sure there is some "real" explanation - but at the same time over 55 years later the scientists are
still absolutely bamboozled when it comes to finding a plausible scenario to explain the missionary's unique escape
from the hellish power of that bomb.
FR. SCHIFFER OF HIROSHIMA
by Fr. Paul Ruge, O.F.M.I.
At 2:45 a.m. on August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber took off from the island of Tinian to drop the first atomic bomb
on Japan. At 8:15 a.m. the bomb exploded eight city blocks from the Jesuit Church of Our Lady's Assumption in Hiroshima.
Half a million people were annihilated. However, the church and four Jesuit fathers stationed there survived: Fathers
Hugo Lassalle, Kleinsorge, Cieslik and Schiffer. (RH note - all other accounts state clearly that there were eight
Jesuits stationed in this home not four - and it is well known that all eight survived - the author of this present
article apparently only had the names of four of them, for instance Fr. Arrupe is left out of the list - and at
this writing, I have not been able to find the names of the other three Jesuits. end of note.) According to the
experts they "ought to be dead," being within a one-mile radius of the explosion. Nine days later on
August 15, Feast of Our Lady's Assumption, U.S. forces were ordered to cease fire.
This is the incredible story of the late Fr. Hubert Schiffer, as retold by Fr. Paul Ruge. [1] I met Fr. Schiffer
in the late 70s at the Tri-City Airport in Saginaw, Michigan, as he was going to give a talk for the Blue Army
Novena/Triduum. As I chauffeured him around he told me stories of his life, especially of the atomic explosion
at Hiroshima. On the morning of August 6, 1945, he had just finished Mass, went into the rectory and sat down at
the breakfast table, and had just sliced a grapefruit, and had just put his spoon into the grapefruit when there
was a bright flash of light. His first thought was that it was an explosion in the harbor (this was a major port
where the Japanese refueled their submarines.)
Then, in the words of Fr. Schiffer: "Suddenly, a terrific explosion filled the air with one bursting thunderstroke.
An invisible force lifted me from the chair, hurled me through the air, shook me, battered me, whirled me 'round
and 'round like a leaf in a gust of autumn wind."[2] The next thing he remembered, he opened his eyes and
he was laying on the ground. He looked around and there was NOTHING in any direction: the railroad station and
buildings in all directions were leveled to the ground.
The only physical harm to himself was that he could feel a few pieces of glass in the back of his neck. As far
as he could tell, there was nothing else physically wrong with himself. Many thousands were killed or maimed by
the explosion. After the conquest of the Americans, their army doctors and scientists explained to him that his
body would begin to deteriorate because of the radiation. Many of the Japanese people had blisters and sores from
the radiation. To the doctors amazement, Fr. Schiffer's body contained no radiation or ill-effects from the bomb.
Fr. Schiffer attributes this to devotion to the Blessed Mother, and his daily Fatima Rosary. He feels that he received
a protective shield from the Blessed Mother which protected him from all radiation and ill-effects. (This coincides
with the bombing of Nagasaki where St. Maximilian Kolbe had established a Franciscan Friary which was also unharmed
because of special protection from the Blessed Mother, as the Brothers too prayed the daily Rosary and also had
no effects from the bomb.)
Links (all links were working in May 2002):
From Glenn (pictures of Hiroshima after the A-Bomb):
http://www.lclark.edu/~history/HIROSHIMA/
From Matt (accounts from survivors):
http://www.jimcorley.com/account.htm
From Dr. Stephen Rinehart (info on the US decision to drop the bomb & military issues):
http://www.odci.gov/csi/monograph/4253605299/csi9810001.html
http://www.peak.org/~danneng/decision/usnews.html
http://www.dannen.com/decision/index.html
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What follows is Dr. Stephen Rinehart's commentary - presented in two parts since we corresponded on the subject
of the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast over a few days. You may wonder why I contacted Stephen in the first place.
Within the U.S. Department of Defense (where we both work - albeit at different locations and for different services),
Stephen is widely recognized as international expert in this field. So in order to give you some insight into his
professional background - in addition to his commentary - he has kindly provided us a brief resume - which I have
attached to the conclusion of his commentary. I originally contacted Stephen to see if he would please give us
a description (from physics) of the conditions that exisited at the Jesuit's home, estimated to be one kilometer
from the estimated 15-20 kiloton atomic blast at Hiroshima.
Stephen is also a wonderful Catholic, and is very devoted to Our Lady and the Holy Rosary.
....his comments follow...
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Part 1...
Richard, I will check but quick calculation says at 1 kilometer the bulk temperature was in excess of 20,000 to
30,000 degrees F (transients in microseconds greater than 100,000F perhaps as high as 1,000,000 F within 1 kilometer
- depends on construction details and you are inside the fireball) and the blast wave would have hit at sonic velocity
with pressures on building (at one kiolmeter) greater than 600 psi. and buildings were demolished over a mile from
epicenter. The "fireball diameter" is probably on the order of two to four kilometers (depends on certain
definitions). No way any human could have survived nor should anything have left been standing at one kilometer.
Yet, at about ten to fifteen kilometers I saw the brick walls standing from an elementary school (some phasing
due to bomb's pineapple construction) and I think there were a few badly burned survivors at ten to fifteen kilometers
(all - except the Jesuits - died within fifteen years of some form of cancer). Also, I think they were Jesuits
that were near epicenter and a panorama view from epicenter at Shima Hospital did show some kind of two story house
totally intact (at least from what I could make out and it look to me the windows were in place!?). Also there
was a church with walls still standing but roof gone a few hundred yards away!? DOD never commented officially
on this and I suspect it was classified and never discussed in open literature. I think it is possible the Jesuits
were asked not to say anything either at the time.
Part 2.....
The Hiroshima atomic bomb was an airblast burst (i.e., detonated at altitude between 600 yds. to 1000 yds.) as
opposed to an atomic ground burst (i.e., designed to crater a certain area – possibly against deeply buried targets).
Two of these types of weapons were built and the other was dropped on Nagasaki. The third weapon was larger and
intended for a ground blast [Tokyo Harbor?] but was never used on Japan and no target ever identified. The bombing
order was against cities not specific military targets. The cities selected were Kyoto, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and
Nagasaki.
[See http://www.odci.gov/csi/monograph/4253605299/csi9810001.html]
In reviewing the damage patterns and blast characteristics of the Hiroshima blast, it appears this weapon was detonated
at a height of 0.6 to 1.0 kilometers [Highest probable fireball diameter is about 1.4 kilometers]. This weapon
was detonated at this height to produce the maximum damage area from the fireball (maximum sustained fire/airblast
damage from the propagating temperatures and airblast pressures in the shock wave front). However, the epicenter
was not the area with the greatest damage since the weapon was designed to “spread the fireball effects” over a
wide area. The strongest building [steel reinforced frame] was the Hiroshima Bank building which was gutted inside
by fire 250 meters from hypocenter of bomb but its walls remained standing but the window frames were blown away.
The overriding conclusion from my review of the weapon effects at Hiroshima is that this weapon was intentionally
designed and deployed to kill or maim as many humans as possible in residential housing (or unprotected outside)
over the widest possible area for the weapon’s size (while minimizing radiation effects from contaminated debris
being thrown up into atmosphere). Since much of the Hiroshima industrial capacity was also located in unreinforced
brick structures this type of airblast would also destroy any unreinforced masonry or brick buildings. One of the
most flammable items on a person is their hair and clothing.
Much of the clothing at this time was cotton (or blended cotton) which would be considered highly flammable. I
suddenly came to the realization that the intent of propagating a fireball at this height was to be able to set
fire to a person’s clothing (and all types of fabrics) at relatively long distances from the blast’s epicenter.
The airblast would be felt for miles (blowing out windows and damaging most all structures by cracking the walls)
and terrorize the remaining population. Hence, the description by those who survived of seeing burned bodies everywhere
(or charred skeletons) and skin that was shredded into strips is consistent with the bombing order to hit a populated
city in the center without specific regard to military objectives [See Remarks - located four paragraphs below].
It appears the Jesuits (at one kilometer from the geometric epicenter) had greater than 90% probability of being
outside the atomic bomb’s “plasma” since it was an airburst but they were on the “hairy edge”. Depending on the
actual height of detonation, the Jesuits must have had the edge of the fireball literally outside their window.
Assuming they were just outside of the plasma, their residence should still have been utterly destroyed (temp >
2000 F and airblast pressures > 100 psi). In contrast, unreinforced masonry or brick walls (representative of
commercial construction) are destroyed at 3 psi, which will also cause ear damage and burst windows. At ten psi,
a human will experience severe lung and heart damage, burst eardrums and at 20 psi your limbs can be blown off.
Your head will be blown off by 40 psi and no residential or unreinforced commercial construction would be left
standing. At 80 psi even reinforced concrete is heavily damaged and no human would be alive because your skull
would be crushed All the cotton clothes would be on fire at 350 F (probably at 275F) and your lungs would be inoperative
within a minute breathing air (even for a few seconds) at these temperatures.
Conclusion: There are no physical laws to explain why the Jesuits were untouched in the Hiroshima airblast. There
is no other actual or test data where a structure such as this was not totally destroyed at this standoff distance
by an atomic weapon. All who were at this range from the epicenter should have received enough radiation to be
dead within at most a matter of minutes if nothing else happened to them. There is no known way to design a uranium-235
atomic bomb, which could leave such a large discrete area intact while destroying everything around it immediately
outside the fireball (by shaping the plasma).
From a scientific viewpoint, what happened to those Jesuits at Hiroshima still defies all human logic from the
laws of physics as understood today (or at any time in the future). It must be concluded that some other (external)
force was present whose power and/or capability to transform energy and matter as it relates to humans is beyond
current comprehension. >From the standpoint of the current universal “string” theory in physics (relating atomic
scale effects to macroscopic world)
it suggests that the physical “strings” (i.e., bodies) of the Jesuits and the “energy strings” representing the
house’s physical matter) were either transformed at the moment of the blast into an opposing energy field (to cancel
the weapon effects and then transformed back on a time scale totally imperceptible to humans) or an enormous external
force field was present which precisely cancelled the weapon’s effects over the totally irregular geometry of the
residential house including protecting the occupants. Either way it is a plausibility argument for the existence
of a Creator who left his “calling card” at Hiroshima.
Remarks: In 1921, a group of German optics and mechanical designers were sent from Bausch (in Germany) to Tokyo,
Japan to design the optics from periscopes, bomb sites, binoculars, microscopes, precision machining [aircraft
engines] as well as a new generation of advanced fighters and heavy bombers [Kate]. That’s right, the concept of
the Japanese “Zero” and twin-engine bombers was secretly on the drawing boards in the late 1920s by German designers.
Coincidentally, in 1921 German Jesuits showed up in Japan! In addition, Herbert Smith [famous aircraft designer
for Sopwith] was asked by Mitsubishi to come to Japan in 1921 to design the world’s first carrier fighter. It was
called the Type 10 and was tested at a facility near Hiroshima. The German families (and most of the German designers)
did not know the real agenda of their Governments at the time. In the late 1920s, the concept for large aircraft
carriers [to accommodate the Zero] were also being drawn and work was initiated on Japan’s atomic bomb. In 1923,
a massive earthquake stuck Tokyo causing widespread destruction. I believe this earthquake set the Japanese war
effort back two full years in recovering and much of this design effort was relocated to Hiroshima, Honshu and
Nagasaki. Hiroshima had much heavy shipbuilding/aircraft manufacturing and was a key site in development of Japan’s
aircraft carriers as well as engine/weapons development. In addition, there was a large University for mechanical
engineering. (The speculation being that a full-scale WWII was planned by Japan and Germany and should have started
in 1939). As a possible consequence of this 1923 earthquake, Japan was not yet ready to enter WWII in 1939 (in
a worldwide coordinated attack because it lacked trained aircraft carrier pilots and the Zero’s production was
just starting) when Hitler attacked Poland [Hitler decided not to wait but to sign a peace treaty with Russia,
England and the US to keep them off guard until Japan could finish its aircraft carriers and train carrier pilots].
This however permitted the Allies valuable time in preparing for WWII (especially in the US). By late 1940, naval
intelligence had identified Pearl Harbor as the point of a Japanese “sneak attack” by the Japanese carriers. In
September, 1941 all dependents of the carriers Lexington and Yorktown had been recalled to San Diego and these
carriers were outfitted for war in San Diego (summer 1941) and left in September for Pearl Harbor. Rumor has it
the fighter pilots aboard the Lexington and Yorktown had been told in a “classified” briefing this country was
going to war with Japan soon. The Lexington and Yorktown were ordered out of Pearl Harbor on Thanksgiving Day in
November 1941 and were three hundred miles from Pearl Harbor (out of reach of Japanese fleet) on Dec 07, 1941.
The War Dept has never declassified that briefing.
As previously noted, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were probably not “random” targets for the drop of the atomic bomb
to just demonstrate the bomb as has been stated all these years. These cities may have contained key [relocated]
elements of the German design teams for both Japan’s atomic bomb effort including critical industrial capacity
for making an atomic bomb as well as possibly working on very advanced radar and electronics for submarines and
building naval surface combatants [carriers]. To protect key Japanese personnel [in later stages of war effort],
the Japanese used hospitals to house both military and engineering personnel and relocated the patients to other
small “clinics” [to spread them out]. The military personnel and engineers probably wore white uniforms to make
it look good. Maybe it was no accident, the Shima Hospital was at the epicenter of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. There
are many unanswered questions to this day as to why did German Jesuits come in Japan in 1921, along with so many
other German designers!?
Speculation:
I never thought about it until now but there are a number of striking “coincidences” in 1921. It is not improbable
that they [the German Jesuits] may have furnished key information on Japan’s war-making activities back to the
Vatican [for years] and ultimately to US involving Hiroshima and other cities where a critical part of Japan’s
industry was located in this timeframe. The German Jesuits could easily have interfaced with the families of the
German designers and were technically astute. The Jesuits have long been actively involved in other country’s politics
all over the world and teaching fundamental sciences, mathematics and philosophy at a University gives them access
to a country’s brightest minds for the future!?….and who else would come and go virtually unnoticed?
....that brings us to the end of Dr. Rinehart's fascinating comments.
Dr. Stephen A. Rinehart's professional resume follows....
DR. STEPHEN A. RINEHART
EDUCATION:
Ph.D., Engineering Mechanics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1969 M.S., Engineering Mechanics, Georgia Institute
of Technology, 1966 B.S., Engineering Mechanics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1964 Awards: ASTM (National)
Robert J Painter Award (1968) in Mechanical Engineering for Graduate Students
TITLE: Principal Staff Member, Engineering (TRW)
Corporate Affiliations: TRW Systems Integration Group, 1992-Present UNISYS Defense Systems, 1987-1992 NKF Engineering,
Inc., 1981-1987 Prior to 1981, Dr Rinehart worked with Boeing Vertol Div., Xerox Corp. and Lockheed Missiles/Marine
Systems and has served as a consultant to numerous DoD contractors and Agencies since 1965 including NASA, Office
of Naval Research, Defense Nuclear Agency, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Coast Guard, SPAWAR and the Air
Force’s Space and Missile Command. At Georgia Tech, he was the first graduate student to receive a NASA fellowship
in support of Saturn-Apollo Program.
Years of Related Professional Experience: 34+ in support of DoD Programs
EXPERIENCE:
Dr. Rinehart was the Corporate Technical Director and Vice-President for NKF Engineering, Washington DC in the
1980s. He was responsible for the administrative, marketing, and technical operations for 40 scientists/engineers
as well as two field offices (Annapolis/Philadelphia) and a remote shock test facility (Dynamic Testing Inc.) supporting
NAVSEA located in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has supported conventional and nuclear weapons development for Naval
and Air Force combat weapon systems for over twenty-seven years. This includes programs involving aircraft carriers,
destroyers, missiles, mine countermeasures, VSTOL and fighter aircraft and attack submarines.
Prior to joining TRW, Dr. Rinehart served as the Program Manager for the Acoustics, Shock, Vibration, and Magnetic
Silencing for the Navy's Mine Countermeasures ship (MCM-1) including directing all the explosive testing and acoustic
analysis and classified radiated noise signature testing at PBI Shipbuilders. Also served as the Program Manager
for the prototype design/upgrade for the Navy's SEAL Team's SDV Vehicle as well as the Navy’s Mine Hunter Class
(MHC) and addressed special munitions (shaped-charges, mine neutralization, CADS) requirements. As project engineer
for DTNSRDC directed the shock design of the propulsor and stern section for the Navy SSN-21 submarine as well
as developing torpedo countermeasures. Currently, Dr. Rinehart is supporting the Air Force’s Airborne Laser Program
and AEF (Air Expeditionary Force) passive force protection against air blast and fragmentation. He also recently
served as an advisor to the Joint USAF/Israeli Civil Defense project for passive protection of unprotected structures
against terrorist attacks.
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Interesting correspondence received...... the absolute historical accuracy of all the following comments can not
be guaranteed but all comments were submitted by list readers with the best and highest of intentions - and as
such they are interesting and they are greatly appreciated.
Richard
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1. They were Jesuits.
2. One of them was the future Father General, Arrupe. (Arrupe's vocation came as a result of seeing first hand,
as a medical student, at Lourdes a true, MIRACULOUS healing...)
Fr. Paul
Basque-born Fr. Arrupe joined the Society of Jesus in 1927. Because of the order of expulsion by the Republican
government of Spain at the time, all Jesuits were sent into exile. Accordingly he pursued his philosophical and
theological studies in Belgium and the Netherlands. Ordained a priest in 1936 and sent off for doctoral studies
in medical ethics in the United States, he was unexpectedly sent as a missionary to Japan in 1939.
He was appointed Jesuit superior and the master of novices in Japan in 1942. He was living in suburban Hiroshima
when the atomic bomb fell in August of 1945. He described that event as "a permanent experience outside of
history, engraved on my memory." He utilized his medical skills in the service of the wounded and the dying,
transforming the novitiate into a make-shift hospital for over 200 greviously scarred human remnants. He eventually
was appointed the provincial superior of the Jesuits in the Japanese province.
At the 31st General Congregation of the Society of Jesus in 1965 he was elected to be the order's 28th Superior
General. He served in that position from 1965 to 1981.
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I've seen interviews of survivors on TV and photos of the untouched house
amid rubble. The story is indeed true.
I also heard a story regarding the attack on Pearl Harbor. A local woman at
a Rotary luncheon told one of our instructors: She was a newly wed and
complained to her husband that he was never around to take her to mass on
Sunday mornings. He took leave and accompanied his wife to church.
She questioned all the planes flying overhead and he explained that there
must be a dignitary visiting Pearl Harbor.
Once they were seated in church, the priest announced that Pearl Harbor was
under attack and all military personnel should report to their duty
stations.
The young man rushed to his ship, only to find it sunk with all his
shipmates on board. Going to mass saved his life.
Story to told to LT Frank Flanagan now out of the Navy and practicing law in
Newport, RI.
Ann-Marie
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From Rita (who could not locate the source.)
"During the Second World War an atomic bomb was dropped on two Japanese cities: Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
An extraordinary thing happened at Hiroshima. A small community of Jesuit Fathers lived in a church house near
the parish church, situated only eight blocks from the center of the bomb blast.
This notwithstanding, when Hiroshima was destroyed by the atomic bomb, all eight members of the small Jesuit community
escaped unscathed, while every other person who was within a radius of roughly one and a half kilometers from the
center of the explosion died. The church house where the Jesuits lived was still standing, while the nearby church
was completely destroyed.
Father Hubert Shiffer was one of these. He was 30 when the atomic bomb exploded at Hiroshima and lived another
33 years in good health. He recounted his experiences at Hiroshima during the Eucharistic Congress held in Philadelphia
(USA) in 1976. At that time, all eight members of the Jesuit community were still alive.
Father Shiffer was examined and questioned by more than 200 scientists who were unable to explain how he and his
companions had survived in the midst of thousands of dead. He attributed it to the protection of the Madonna. He
declared: 'I was in the middle of the atomic explosion and I am still here alive and well. I was not struck down
by its destruction.' Furthermore, Father Shiffer maintained that for several years hundreds of experts and investigators
continued to study and investigate the scientific reasons as to why the church house was not affected. He explained
that in that house there was just one thing that was different: in that house the Holy Rosary was recited together
every day."
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I remember that story -- in fact, I heard it again from some fellow in the Philippines a few years ago, who was
kind enough to send a photocopy of an article from his local paper about the event (written in English).
As I recall it, the story had only a few minor changes. One of the priests was peppered with broken glass at the
blast, but his injuries were relatively minor. (I think one of them was elderly and has already passed on.) The
structure was intact but had some damage. They started to care for the injured as best they could after the blast.
They did attribute their safety to praying the rosary. A truly amazing event!
Anita
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Sorry, my computer crashed in Nov/Dec. I had heard the story several times, however. They were Jesuits not Dominicans.
St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit, was the first missionary to Japan - others of his order followed him. I know we don't
picture Jesuits praying the rosary as much as Dominicans because Our Lady first gave the Rosary to St. Dominic.
Marion
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The house was not at ground zero - but everything around that house was smashed flat and burnt to a cinder. If
my memory serves me correctly - the community was Jesuit. The part about the Rosary being said is also true (they
also have daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament).
Desmond
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Also of related interest, a Franciscan Friary was built in Nagasaki by St. Maximillian Kolbe, and was built behind
the crest of a hill - the Lord told him to build it there, and the hill sheltered it from the blast. Maybe the
Immaculate Conception Friars (Fr. Kolbe's order) can help you out at:
http://www.marytown.org/
Anna
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From Victoria - who did a web search and found this relevant page:
http://rosary.virtualave.net/daily2.html
The Church Fathers Speak on the Rosary
St Dominic "After the Divine Office and the Holy Mass, no homage is as agreeable to Jesus and His Divine Mother
as the fervent prayer of the Holy Rosary, since the work of salvation began with the Angelic Salutation (Hail Mary)
the Salvation of each one of us in particular is attached to this prayer."
St Louis De Montfort " The Holy Rosary is not just a conglomeration of our Fathers and Hail Marys, But on
the contrary it is a Divine Summary of the Mysteries of the Life, Passion, Death, and Glory of Jesus and Mary."
Gregory XVI 1831 " We are confident this prayer, so conducive to giving honor to the Blessed Virgin in all
places and at all times, will not only continue to spread more and more everywhere because of its simplicity, but
also because made more powerful by so close a union among those who pray, it will be most favorably accepted by
God. "
Pope Puis IX 1849 "Among the devotion aproved by the Church none have been so Favored by so many miracles
as the Holy Rosary."
St Bernard "The Hail Mary puts the devil to flight and causes Hell to Tremble with terror."
Pope St. Pius X 1903 " There is nothing more excellent, it seems to us, than that numerous voices are uninterruptingly
and from namy parts of the world simultaneously lifting supplications to the Blessed Virgin Mary as they meditate
on the Christian mysteries, so that the blessings of her maternal goodness may not cease to descend upon the Church."
Pope Puis XII "there is no surer means of calling down God's blessing upon the family . .
. than the daily recitation of the Rosary".
St Francis de Sales ( Doctor of Church)
"The best method of prayer is the Holy Rosary if you Say it well."
Pope Leo XIII " A powerful means of rendering our courage will undoubtedly be found in the Holy Rosary".
St Teresa of Avila "Doctor of the Church"
"I would Gladly suffer . . . Just to have the chance to pray even one Hail Mary in order to gain more merits
before our lord."
Pope Benedict "People who pray the Rosary are appealing to the Mother of Mercy and so merciful is She, that
She's inclined to aid spontaneously, those who suffer. She is absolutely incapable of refusing help to those who
invoke Her. The Rosary prayed daily is the most fitting formula for praying and meditating."
St John Neuman 1860 "The Holy Rosary is to me the most beautiful of all devotions, as it contains all in itself."
Pope St Puis V "The Holy Rosary was given to the Faithful in order that they might have spiritual peace and
consolation more easily."
Bishop Hugh boyle "No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary - either he will give
up sin or he will give up the Rosary."
Pope Paul XXIII ". . . Therefore we are sure that Our Children and all their bretheren throughout the world
will turn the Rosary into a school for learning true perfection, as, with a deep spirit of recollection, they contemplate
the teachings that shine forth from the life of Christ and of Mary Most Holy."
Pope John Paul II "It is my favorite prayer."
Facts of the Rosary In 1945 when the Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a small community of eight Jesuit Fathers,
only eight blocks from ground zero remained unharmed (the people and the building itself)
while everyone else in a radius of 1.5 Km from the centre was killed. Father Huber Schiffer one of the eight priests
told the Eucharistic Congress of Philadelphia in 1976, when all eight members were alive and well, that 200 scientists
had carried out investigations for several years in search of scientific explanation. He told them that there was
only one thing that made their house different than the others: They recited the Holy Rosary Prayer every day by
living the message of Our Lady of Fatima.
Alexandre, a girl of noble station who had been converted and enrolled by St. Dominic in the Confraternity of the
Most Holy Rosary. After her death she appeared to him and said that she had been condemned to seven hundred years
in purgatory because of her own sins and those she made others commit by worldly ways. So she implored him to ease
her pains by his prayers and to ask the confraterinty members to pray for the same end. St Domonic did as she asked.
Two weeks later she appeared to him, more radiant than the sun, having been quickly delivered from purgatory through
the prayers that the Confraternity members had said for her. She also told him that the Holy souls in purgatory
had given her a message to beg him to go on preaching the Holy Rosary and to beg their relatives to offer their
rosaries for them, and that they would reward them abundantly when they came into their Glory.
One day in 1460 Blessed Alan de la Roche was saying Mass. Our Lord, who wished to spur him on to preach the Rosary,
spoke to him from the Sacred Host " How can you crucify me again so Soon?" Jesus said. What did you say,
Lord? asked blessed Alan, horrified. " You crucified me once before by your sins" answered Jesus, "and
I would willingly be crucified again rather than have my Father offended by the sins you used to commit. You are
crucifying me again now because you have all the learning and understanding that you need to preach my Mother's
Rosary and you are not doing so. If you only did this you could teach many souls the right path and lead them away
from sin - but you are not doing it and so you, yourself, are guilty of the sins that they commit."
This terrible reproach made Blessed Alan solemnly resolve to preach the Rosary unceasingly. Our Lady too, spoke
to him one day to inspire him to preach the Holy Rosary more and more: "You were a great sinner in your youth,"
she said, "but I obtained the grace of your conversion from my Son. Had such a thing been possible I would
have liked to have gone through all kinds of suffering to save you because converted sinners are a glory to me.
And I would have done this also to make you worthy of preaching my Rosary far and wide." Saint Dominic appeared
to Blessed Alan as well and told him of the great results of his ministry: he had preached the Holy Rosary unceasingly,
his sermons had borne great fruit and many people had been converted during his missions. He said to Blessed Alan:
"See the wonderful results I have had through preaching the Holy Rosary! You and all those who love Our Lady
ought to do the same so that, by means of this holy practice of the Rosary, you may draw all people to the real
science of the virtues." Briefly, then, this is the history of how Saint Dominic established the Holy Rosary
and of how Blessed Alan de la Roche restored it.
During his Pontificate (1566- 1572) Pope Puis V found Europe to be in a destating State as it had been shaken by
the reformation, by corruption, and by the threat of turkish invasion. Seeing that things were only geting worse,
he continued to say daily his Rosary, . Finally at the last minute Pius was able to call the countries of Europe
to unite and pray the Holy Rosary and succeeded in orgainzing an army . He had a Rosary given to each and every
soldier, thus on September the 30th 1571 against all odds, the much smaller European fleet (about 5000 Men)
went into battle against the might of the turkish fleet (about 30,000 Men), and on the October 7th the battle of
Lepanto, off Greece was Won, (by the Divine assistance of Our Lady).
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Lastly - I have included a sampling of reading materials that can be ordered on-line that deal with Fatima - there
are many books/pamphlets on Fatima - these are just a few samples. I do not derive any financial benefit whatsoever,
either directly or indirectly, from the sale of any of these books or pamphlets. My only intent is to promote devotion
to the Holy Rosary and to also promote the message of Our Lady of Fatima, which if we live it with devotion and
zeal, we can greatly help God to save many souls - our souls and the souls of our families included - and we can
also help Our Lady in a very real way to prevent wars and catastrophes in the world.
If you wish, you can also help promote these devotions by distributing this email far and wide - as we may be sure
that Our Lord Jesus and Our Lady of Fatima will bring the graces necessary for it to be a blessing to those who
read it.
May God bless you richly,
Richard
BEST ON FATIMA: FATIMA - THE GREAT SIGN. Francis Johnston. This is undoubtedly the most comprehensive and best
book ever written on Fatima and all that it entails. Our Lady holds out the power to every man, woman and child
in this world, through the practice of her Fatima Message, to bring down miracles of God's grace into their homes,
their towns and their countries, and thus disperse, once and for all, the threatened nightmare of world Communism
and nuclear war. This magnificent work presents a thorough, up-to-date account of the Fatima apparitions of 1916-1929.
The author penetrates deeply into the theology of Fatima, especially that concerning devotion and reparation to
the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For the first time in only one volume are included pronouncements and declarations
of Popes, Cardinals, Bishops and testimony of numerous eye-witnesses. 141pp. PB. Imprimatur.
Also includes an account of the 8 Jesuit priests who survived the searing hurricane of blast and gamma rays during
the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. They were in a rectory only 8 blocks from the blinding
center of the nuclear flash. Although everyone within a mile radius perished, they are still alive today and attribute
their survival to the Rosary and living the Fatima message. After reading this book no Catholic will have any reason
for ignoring Fatima.
FATIMA'S MESSAGE FOR OUR TIMES. Msgr. Joseph A. Cirrincione. Fatima has been called "a summary of the Gospels."
The author of this booklet, Msgr. Joseph A. Cirrincione, one of the most astute students of Fatima alive today,
summarizes the Fatima messages as a return to a life of prayer to the traditional prayer - life of the Catholic
Faith, and especially to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, which really embraces and includes basically all
other forms of Catholic prayer. Taking as his point of departure a letter from Sr. Lucy of Fatima to her priest
nephew, in which she advocates prayer before the Tabernacle, he asks, "Where else," except before the
Blessed Sacrament, "are vocations discovered, discipleship established and missionary zeal fired up?"
But more, in a chapter he calls "The Culture of Death," he shows by contrast in our world today the gruesome
results of the world's having abandoned prayer and the Catholic Faith. Wide-ranging in scope, Fatima's Message
for Our Times is a challenging, thought-provoking booklet that leads one immediately and directly to the heart
of our Holy Religion. 72pp.
THE FORGOTTEN SECRET OF FATIMA, And the Silent Apostolate. Msgr. Joseph A. Cirrincione (with Thomas A. Nelson).
Reveals the real massage of Fatima, a message of overriding significance, a message which has caused the revelations
of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima to be called "a summary of the Gospel" - and that message is the
importance of praying for the salvation of souls. For, as Our Lady revealed at Fatima, "Many souls go to Hell
because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them." This short treatise is an entirely fresh,
new look at Fatima and its meaning and is one that is guaranteed to reward its readers with a deeper understanding
of just what it is the Blessed Mother at Fatima has asked us all to do. 52pp.
THE FATIMA STORY: OUR LADY OF FATIMA'S PEACE PLAN FROM HEAVEN. A Dynamite little booklet covering every aspect
of Fatima - the story, the message, the meaning for today. Over 5 million sold! Covers the appearances, vision
of Hell, prophecies, miracle of the sun, messages, subsequent vision, secrets, Church pproval, evil in America,
etc. 32pp. PB. Imprimatur.
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