FATIMA FANTASY (1951)

It’s only recently that it’s struck me how bizarre the statue of Our Lady of Fatima looks. Just how does that minimal  crown stay there with that awful tilt? It seems to defy gravity. Or could it be Mary heading a goal in World Cup? But I have to admit that, fifty years ago, I got caught up in the great swirl of euphoria, hysteria of the early 1950s when this new devotion of Our Lady of Fatima  crashed into the Australian scene with this diminutive statue beginning a nationwide triumph.

It was a great story. The three children tending sheep in those barren hills in northern Portugal were suddenly stunned to see a beautiful lady hovering above a holm oak tree. This was the first of six apparitions of Mary, the mother of Jesus, to these simple illiterate children. She had a message for them to spread to the world!! It was an appeal for prayer and penance, with specific focus on saying the rosary. Incredible as it seems these children confronted the parish priest and were grilled by other authorities. On the 13th of those five months Mary appeared and the ragged few attracted soon grew into crowds. At one stage they were kidnapped! On the last occasion, in October, there was a huge crowd and apparently a spectacular miracle when the "sun stood still." Mary made a spectacular prediction that "Russia would be converted." Given that this was in 1917 when the Communist revolution was still reverberating and not a sure success, this was indeed bizarre.

This was but one of a string of apparitions in the 19th century in France, Belgium, Ireland and other European countries. Mostly, she appeared to children and with a common message about sin, penance, repentence. For a Marist Brother, like me, it was a rich vein of lessons. If you were directed to give one lesson a week on Mary, it was always a struggle to find material. Stories that you could spin out over the months was a godsend.

In context, we see now how Mariology ( Catholic theology on Mary) reached dizzying heights (or crazy depths) in that era. With the declaration of the dogma of Mary’s Assumption in 1954 astounding our “Separated Brethren.” But worse was to follow when we were on the brink of announcing the ultimate title, Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces and so giving Jesus a nudge from centre stage. (Thankfully, Vatican 2 did restore some  balance and sanity!)

But still there is no denying the strong tradition in the Catholic Church of popular devotion to Mary the mother of Jesus. It can take a wide ranges of expression. From small wayside shrines where folk will pause for a prayer to magnificent  processions and a certain accompanying hysteria that somehow offends more phlegmatic types. And while some might sniff at the 'superstition' and even shades of paganism I'm convinced there is often deep faith that sustains and enriches life, specially of poor people. And can you blame them. Over the centuries, some twisted theology, apparently ignorant of the GOOD News, had morphed Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the story teller of such 'shocking' parables as the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and had challenged the upholders of the Law with "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone", Yes this Jesus had become the stern, forbidding Judge.
(God deliver us from fundamentalists of any strip.) But you cant bottle the Spirit and "she" will find ways to God's mercy, even if it is a mother who can twist the arm of her implacable son!!!

In my early years of teaching, being very much of the culture when were all out to "get souls into heaven." I was sheep- dogging, young souls into heaven and offering an iron clad guarantee. It was all so easy.


Six Class 1958 Parramatta

 all you had to do was : attend Mass on 9 FIRST FRIDAYS( had to be consecutive)  and the 5 FIRST SATURDAYS. (a bargain price entry into eternity.) I still have slides showing sixty sixth class boys adding their stars to the impressive posters at the back of the classroom). And it was a few years before, that the Brothers at Parramatta felt the first hot breeze of high charged devotion, blowing into Sydney.

Around September 1951 Melbourne Catholic Church, under their Irish chieftain. Daniel Mannix scored a coup over its Sydney rivals. With great éclat they welcomed the tilting statue of Fatima, followed by a triumphal, ecstatic procession around the state, something like the Olympic Torch.  There were reverberations in Sydney as the good Catholics had high hopes of a similar triumph. But, our Cardinal Gilroy of the smiling teeth, and deadly rival of Dan, made it be known that we would not be drawn into second place. Little did he know that his own Fifth Column of monsignorial rank was plotting sabotage.

Mary entered by the back door. Through Parramatta. In fact the western approaches were very porous to such an incursion. And we Brothers were thrust into some brief glare. Roused from our beds in near darkness, we stumbled up the road to the mighty bastion of the Parra Mercies to find “She” had arrived and was being escorted to an outdoor shrine. I was press ganged into being a bearer of this bier, decorated with flowers with Mary waving aloft.  Not that I minded at all. What an honour and surely it would mean a photo in the Catholic Weekly. Actually, a press clampdown denied me that little blaze of glory. Br Ethelred with his cultured voice was leading the rosary from a high balcony while we circled the front drive of Our Lady of Mercy College, and onto the makeshift shrine. Crowds had appeared from nowhere and soon we were battling to stand our ground. After a mere thirty minutes, there was some commotion. The next gang of devotees from a neighbouring parish had already arrived and were ready for the swap. A  certain hysteria broke out as the statue moved down the drive. I was shocked at the women who were souveniring some of the drapes! As we handed over the precious statue, I noted a very irascible Monsignor McGovern, obviously one of the conspirators, who had orchestrated this snatch. Little did I know he would be a terror as our parish priest of Parramatta when I returned seven years later.



Parra boys at Canberra War Memorial Canberra

 Strange forces were at work. It seemed there was no stifling of the Spirit. Even our potentate, Cardinal Gilroy was undermined and losing much ground. Graciously, but tardily he announced there would be a special service and procession around St. Mary’s Cathedral in the evening. He knew there would be mayhem if an open invitation was offered. Very cleverly he invited only clergy and religious to the cathedral and subsequent procession around the grounds. The madding mobs could get no closer than Hyde Park. Through a crazy mishap I almost joined the Cardinal as his aide- de- camp that night.

Of course, all the Parra Brothers answered the call. Transport was a real problem as we owned no car. The good Mrs.Goodsell, whose husband ran the local garbage collection….and maybe nightsoil as well…was a fan of Br. Ethelred and so her Humber Super Snipe was at our disposal. That was for the senior Brothers. For us ‘ young guns’ there was a battered ute. I recall six of us crammed in the back, a very tight fit as we were in soutanes and cloaks. We were in high spirits as it was a rare night out as we hurtled down Parramatta road.  I recall parking down a back street and bustling along to the front steps with Cardinal Moran glaring imperiously at those pesky Marists from his high pedestal. After all, with imperial might he had expelled us from St Mary’s after some twenty years and installed his own Irish Christian brothers!



St. Mary's Cathedal in Festival of Lights 2010

 Almost at the door I realised I had left my cloak behind. I needed it as an obligatory wedding garment. I scooted back to fetch it. It must have been further away than I realised. By the time I returned and had raced up that long flight of steps and entered the front door much had happened. Shocked at the near empty cathedral I saw the last section of the royal retinue, with the cardinal way aft, disappearing through the eastern door. Panic grabbed me as I flew down the aisle and without genuflecting dashed out the door. The Cardinal was some twenty paces away. Where were the Brothers?  I pelted down the lawn fringe and stopped almost opposite the top officials to get my bearings. The Cardinal was most gracious. He must have been “moved” by this near distressed young Brother, obviously lost and abandoned. With one of his most dazzling smiles he invited me :”Brother come and join me!”  All I could think of in a split second was “What would the monks say when they saw me in the royal entourage?” In total disarray and utter lack of appreciation I raced on. Past all the surpliced priests, all the De La Salle Brother, Christian Brothers….can’t recall any nuns. Eventually I was among familiar faces and dress. I plunged in, hoping that no one asked questions later. I often chastise myself for being so “boorish” but at that stage I had not developed people skills that would have beguiled even Cardinals.

PS.  Only a few years later, while teaching at Innisfail in North Queensland, a similar event hit the sugar town. The Marian revolution was roaring on. In the USA, a remarkable Fr Peyton was energising Catholic with his Rosary campaign and the catchy motto of THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER. Australia succumbed willingly to this crusade. Maybe, it was the Catholic riposte to Billy Graham’s world crusade which electrified the big cities like Sydney and had thousands moving down the aisles of the huge crowds and MAKING A DECISION FOR CHRIST.

It was a whistle stop tour for the dynamic Fr Peyton. A large catholic crown assembled outside the convent school on the hill as the church would not cope. We sang hymns, joined Fr. Peyton in the rosary and sang more hymns. Then the preacher made his powerful appeal to us. Very emotional, there were tears in his eyes and in his voice. Certainly, we were moved. I’ll bet the families around Goondi, Daradgee, Mundoo, South Johnson, Mourilyan all dug out their beads and made the family rosary a priority. Luckily, TV hadn’t hit the country at that stage and so there was little competition.

I recall meeting this remarkable priest after the event on the hill. In fact the Sisters and Brothers were privileged. It was most unusual and quite moving. He took me by the hands, looked so profoundly with tears in his eyes and encouraged me to carry the message forward. And of course I did, with conviction.

Some 50-60 years later I certainly have a new perspective. Of the many reported apparitions I have serious doubts. There's little doubt that for so many good and devotional people they provided a rich strain of their spirituality. I have serious concerns about the messages passed. There seems so little that is connected with the Good News and Jesus message of hope and resurrection. But one experience stands out. I spent two- three days in Lourdes when Mary appeared to Bernadette. Again, an extraordinary, incredible story. And sure there is always the give about commercialisation of "pious objects" of all kinds being hawked in the town and outside the "sacred prescincts". But what completely bowled me over was the transparent faith of thousands of pilgrims, and the untold love and care for the suffering. Yes, God was here. Yes, Mary as mother moved among the crowds in giving solace and hope!

Over that time too, there has been a revolution in study of Mary and her role in the Church. With the deep study of scripture we can now meet a more authentic Mary. Her life including living under oppression, fleeing as a refugee to Egypt, a mother who witnessed the death of her son as a criminal, all this has made her a symbol for women who struggle around the world.  In countries in Latin America she has become a rallying centre for oppressed women, who have lost sons in the struggle  for social justice, as in El Salvador, Guatamala, Argentina.  It's that strangest of Madonnas, Our Lady of Guadalupe that draws so many. The story of that poor native Mexican peasant, JuanDiego, wy back in 1531, who met a beautiful lady with a message for the bishop is so incredible as to be believable to those open to mystery, has fired generations of people yearning for justice.

 And best of all, it's women theologians who can dispense with so much male-centred and patriarchal overtones and reveal such a marvellous woman with a  mission as mother of Jesus. Why, we are now striving to bring about a Marian Church , whick is less judgmental, legalistic, authoritative, punitive and more compassionate, inclusive, forgiving, welcoming with motherly overtones. Why. even Pope John Paul 2 insisted we needed a more Marian church for today. The journey has barely begun and who  knows how long before there is any kind of  balance in a Church where women still have so little power and who have suffered centuries of being voiceless.