{"id":51763,"date":"2022-06-28T10:32:45","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T08:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/?p=51763"},"modified":"2024-07-23T20:00:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T18:00:42","slug":"fatima-english-1628-6-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/?p=51763","title":{"rendered":"Fatima, English.16,FRANCISCO\u2019S CHARACTER"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tweet<\/a><\/p>

    \n
  1. FRANCISCO\u2019S CHARACTER<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

      \n
    1. His Spirituality ..<\/li>\n
    2. Natural Inclinations …<\/li>\n
    3. Francisco Sees the Angel ..<\/li>\n
    4. Impressions of the First Apparition ..<\/li>\n
    5. Impressions of the Second Apparition .<\/li>\n
    6. Francisco Strengthens Lucia\u2019s Courage .<\/li>\n
    7. Impressions of the Third Apparition ..<\/li>\n
    8. Francisco in Prision …<\/li>\n
    9. Impressions of the Last Apparitions ..<\/li>\n
    10. Anecdotes and Popular Songs ..<\/li>\n
    11. Francisco, the Little Moralist ..<\/li>\n
    12. Francisco, Lover of Solitude and Prayer .<\/li>\n
    13. Francisco Sees the Devil …….<\/li>\n
    14. Francisco and His Feathered Friends .<\/li>\n
    15. Francisco\u2019s Love and Zeal ..<\/li>\n
    16. Francisco\u2019s Illness opular Songs ..<\/li>\n
    17. Francisco\u2019s Holy Death .<\/li>\n
    18. Popular Songs …<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. His Spirituality<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

        I am going to begin then, Your Excellency, by writing what God<\/p>\n

        wills to bring to my mind about Francisco. I hope that Our Lord will<\/p>\n

        make him know in Heaven what I am writing about him on earth, so<\/p>\n

        that he may intercede for me with Jesus and Mary, especially during<\/p>\n

        these coming days.<\/p>\n

        The friendship which bound me to Francisco was just one of<\/p>\n

        kinship 4, and which increased with the graces Heaven deigned to<\/p>\n

        grant us.<\/p>\n

        Apart from his features and his practice of virtue, Francisco<\/p>\n

        did not seem at all to be Jacinta\u2019s brother. Unlike her, he was neither<\/p>\n

        capricious nor vivacious. On the contrary, he was quiet and<\/p>\n

        submissive by nature.<\/p>\n

        When we were at play and he won the game, if anyone made<\/p>\n

        a point of denying him his rights as winner, he yielded without<\/p>\n

        more ado and merely said: \u201cYou think you won? That\u2019s alright! I<\/p>\n

        don\u2019t mind!\u201d<\/p>\n

        He showed no love for dancing, as Jacinta did; he much preferred<\/p>\n

        playing the flute while the others danced.<\/p>\n

        In our games he was quite lively; but few of us liked to play<\/p>\n

        with him as he nearly always lost. I must confess that I myself did<\/p>\n

        not always feel too kindly disposed towards him, as his naturally<\/p>\n

        calm temperament exasperated my own excessive vivacity. Sometimes,<\/p>\n

        I caught him by the arm, made him sit down on the ground<\/p>\n

        or on a stone, and told him to keep still; he obeyed me as if I had<\/p>\n

        real authority over him. Afterwards, I felt sorry, and went and took<\/p>\n

        him by the hand, and he would come along with me as good-hu139<\/strong><\/p>\n

        mouredly as though nothing had happened. If one of the other children<\/p>\n

        insisted on taking away something belonging to him, he said:<\/p>\n

        \u201cLet them have it! What do I care?\u201d<\/p>\n

        I recall how, one day, he came to my house and was delighted<\/p>\n

        to show me a handkerchief with a picture of Our Lady of Nazar\u00e9<\/p>\n

        on it, which someone had brought him from the seaside. All the<\/p>\n

        children gathered round him to admire it. The handkerchief was<\/p>\n

        passed from hand to hand, and in a few minutes it disappeared.<\/p>\n

        We looked for it, but it was nowhere to be found. A little later, I<\/p>\n

        found it myself in another small boy\u2019s pocket. I wanted to take it<\/p>\n

        away from him, but he insisted that it was his own, and that someone<\/p>\n

        had brought him one from the beach as well. To put an end to<\/p>\n

        the quarrel, Francisco then went up to him and said: \u201cLet him have<\/p>\n

        it! What does a handkerchief matter to me?\u201d My own opinion is<\/p>\n

        that, if he had lived to manhood, his greatest defect would have<\/p>\n

        been his attitude of \u2018never mind!\u2019<\/p>\n

        When I was seven and began to take our sheep out to pasture,<\/p>\n

        he seemed to be quite indifferent. In the evenings, he waited<\/p>\n

        for me in my parents\u2019 yard, with his little sister, but this was not out<\/p>\n

        of affection for me, but rather to please her. As soon as Jacinta<\/p>\n

        heard the tinkling of the sheep bells, she ran out to meet me;<\/p>\n

        whereas Francisco waited for me, sitting on the stone steps leading<\/p>\n

        up to our front door. Afterwards, he came with us to play on the<\/p>\n

        old threshing floor, while we watched for Our Lady and the Angels<\/p>\n

        to light their lamps. He eagerly counted the stars with us, but nothing<\/p>\n

        enchanted him as much as the beauty of sunrise or sunset. As<\/p>\n

        long as he could still glimpse one last ray of the setting sun, he<\/p>\n

        made no attempt to watch for the first lamp to be lit in the sky.<\/p>\n

        \u201cNo lamp is as beautiful as Our Lord’s,\u201d he used to remark to<\/p>\n

        Jacinta, who much preferred Our Lady\u2019s lamp because, as she<\/p>\n

        explained, \u201cit doesn\u2019t hurt our eyes.\u201d Enraptured, he watched the<\/p>\n

        sun rays glinting on the window panes of the homes in the neighbouring<\/p>\n

        villages, or glistening in the drops of water which spangled<\/p>\n

        the trees and furze bushes of the serra, making them shine like so<\/p>\n

        many stars; in his eyes these were a thousand times more beautiful<\/p>\n

        than the Angels\u2019 lamps.<\/p>\n

        When he persisted in pleading with his mother to let him take<\/p>\n

        care of the flock and therefore come along with me, it was more to<\/p>\n

        please Jacinta than anything else, for she much preferred Francis140<\/strong><\/p>\n

        co\u2019s company to that of her brother John. One day his mother, already<\/p>\n

        quite annoyed, refused this permission, and he answered<\/p>\n

        with his usual tranquility: \u201cMother, it doesn\u2019t matter to me. It\u2019s Jacinta<\/p>\n

        who wants me to go.\u201d He confirmed this on yet another occasion.<\/p>\n

        One of my former companions came to my house to invite me to go<\/p>\n

        with her, as she had a particularly good pasturage in view for that<\/p>\n

        day. As the sky was overcast, I went to my aunt\u2019s house to enquire<\/p>\n

        who was going out that day, Francisco and Jacinta,or their brother<\/p>\n

        John; in case of the latter, I preferred the company of my former<\/p>\n

        companion. My aunt had already decided that, as it looked like<\/p>\n

        rain, John should go. But Francisco went to his mother again, and<\/p>\n

        insisted on going himself. He received a curt and decided \u201cNo\u201d,<\/p>\n

        whereupon he exclaimed:<\/p>\n

        \u201cIt\u2019s all the same with me. It is Jacinta who feels badly about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Natural Inclinations<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

          What Francisco enjoyed most, when we were out on the mountains<\/p>\n

          together, was to perch on the top of the highest rock, and sing<\/p>\n

          or play his flute. If his little sister came down to run races with me,<\/p>\n

          he stayed up there entertaining himself with his music and song.<\/p>\n

          The song he sang most often went like this:<\/p>\n

          CHORUS<\/p>\n

          I love God in Heaven,<\/p>\n

          I love Him, too, on earth,<\/p>\n

          I love the flowers of the fields,<\/p>\n

          I love the sheep on the mountains.<\/p>\n

          I am a poor shepherd girl,<\/p>\n

          I always pray to Mary;<\/p>\n

          In the midst of my flock<\/p>\n

          I am like the sun at noon.<\/p>\n

          Together with my lambkins<\/p>\n

          I learn to skip and jump;<\/p>\n

          I am the joy of the serra<\/p>\n

          And the lily of the vale.<\/p>\n

          141<\/strong><\/p>\n

          He always took part in our games when we invited him, but he<\/p>\n

          seldom waxed enthusiastic, remarking: \u201cI\u2019ll go, but I know I\u2019ll be the<\/p>\n

          loser.\u201d These were the games we knew and found most entertaining:<\/p>\n

          pebbles, forfeits, pass the ring, buttons, hit the mark, quoits,<\/p>\n

          and card games such as the bisca game, turning up the kings,<\/p>\n

          queens and knaves, and so on. We had two packs of cards; I had<\/p>\n

          one and they had the other. Francisco liked best to play cards, and<\/p>\n

          the bisca was his favourite game.<\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Francisco Sees the Angel<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

            During the Apparition of the Angel, he prostrated like his sister<\/p>\n

            and myself, carried away by the same supernatural force that moved<\/p>\n

            us to do so; but he learned the prayer by hearing us repeat it, since,<\/p>\n

            he told us, he heard nothing of what the Angel said.<\/p>\n

            Afterwards, when we prostrated to say that prayer, he was the<\/p>\n

            first to feel the strain of such a posture; but he remained kneeling<\/p>\n

            or sitting, and still praying, until we had finished. Later he said: \u201cI<\/p>\n

            am not able to stay like that for a long time, like you. My back aches<\/p>\n

            so much that I can\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

            At the second Apparition of the Angel, down by the well, Francisco<\/p>\n

            waited a few moments after it was over, then asked:<\/p>\n

            \u201cYou spoke to the Angel. What did he say to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

            \u201cDidn\u2019t you hear?\u201d<\/p>\n

            \u201cNo. I could see that he was talking to you. I heard what you<\/p>\n

            said to him; but what he said to you, I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

            As the supernatural atmosphere in which the Angel left us,<\/p>\n

            had not yet entirely disappeared, I told him to ask Jacinta or myself<\/p>\n

            next day.<\/p>\n

            \u201cJacinta, you tell me what the Angel said.\u201d<\/p>\n

            \u201cI\u2019ll tell you tomorrow. Today I can\u2019t talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

            Next day, as soon as he came up to me, he asked me:<\/p>\n

            \u201cDid you sleep last night? I kept thinking about the Angel, and<\/p>\n

            what he could have said.\u201d<\/p>\n

            I then told him all that the Angel had said at the first and second<\/p>\n

            Apparitions. But it seemed that he had not received an understanding<\/p>\n

            of all that the words meant, for he asked:<\/p>\n

            142<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \u201cWho is the Most High? What is the meaning of: \u2018The Hearts of<\/p>\n

            Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications\u2019?…\u201d<\/p>\n

            Having received an answer, he remained deep in thought for a<\/p>\n

            while, and then broke in with another question. But my mind was<\/p>\n

            not yet free, so I told him to wait until the next day, because at that<\/p>\n

            moment I was unable to speak. He waited quite contentedly, but he<\/p>\n

            did not let slip the very next opportunity of putting more questions.<\/p>\n

            This made Jacinta say to him:<\/p>\n

            \u201cListen! We shouldn\u2019t talk much about these things.\u201d<\/p>\n

            When we spoke about the Angel, I don\u2019t know what it was that<\/p>\n

            we felt.<\/p>\n

            \u201cI don\u2019t know how I feel,\u201d Jacinta said. \u201cI can no longer talk, or<\/p>\n

            sing, or play. I haven\u2019t strength enough for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

            \u201cNeither have I,\u201d replied Francisco, \u201cbut what of it? The Angel<\/p>\n

            is more beautiful than all this. Let\u2019s think about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

            In the third Apparition, the presence of the supernatural made<\/p>\n

            itself felt more intensely still. For several days even Francisco did<\/p>\n

            not venture to speak. Later he said:<\/p>\n

            \u201c I love to see the Angel, but the worst of it is that, afterwards,<\/p>\n

            we are unable to do anything. I couldn\u2019t even walk. I don\u2019t know<\/p>\n

            what was the matter with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

            In spite of that, after the third Apparition of the Angel, it was he<\/p>\n

            who noticed that it was getting dark, and who drew our attention to<\/p>\n

            the fact, and thought we should take our flocks back home.<\/p>\n

            Once the first few days were over and we had returned to normal,<\/p>\n

            Francisco asked:<\/p>\n

            \u201cThe Angel gave you Holy Communion, but what was it that he<\/p>\n

            gave to Jacinta and me?\u201d<\/p>\n

            \u201c It was Holy Communion, too\u201d replied Jacinta, with inexpressible<\/p>\n

            joy. \u201cDidn\u2019t you see that it was the Blood that fell from the<\/p>\n

            Host?\u201d<\/p>\n

            \u201c I felt that God was within me, but I did not know how!\u201d<\/p>\n

            Then, prostrating on the ground, he and his sister remained<\/p>\n

            for a long time, saying over and over again the prayer of the Angel<\/p>\n

            \u201c Most Holy Trinity…\u201d<\/p>\n

            Little by little, the atmosphere of the supernatural faded away,<\/p>\n

            and by the 13th of May, we were playing with almost as much enjoyment<\/p>\n

            and freedom of spirit as we had done before.<\/p>\n

            143<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Impressions of the First Apparition<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

              The Apparition of Our Lady plunged us once more into the<\/p>\n

              atmosphere of the supernatural, but this time more gently. Instead<\/p>\n

              of that annihilation in the Divine Presence, which exhausted us<\/p>\n

              even physically, it left us filled with peace and expansive joy, which<\/p>\n

              did not prevent us from speaking afterwards of what had happened.<\/p>\n

              However, with regard to the light communicated to us when Our<\/p>\n

              Lady opened her hands, and everything connected with this light,<\/p>\n

              we experienced a kind of interior impulse that compelled us to<\/p>\n

              keep silent.<\/p>\n

              Afterwards, we told Francisco all that Our Lady had said. He<\/p>\n

              was overjoyed and expressed the happiness he felt when he heard<\/p>\n

              of the promise that he would go to Heaven. Crossing his hands on<\/p>\n

              his breast, he exclaimed, \u201cOh, my dear Our Lady! I\u2019ll say as many<\/p>\n

              rosaries as you want!\u201d And from then on, he made a habit of moving<\/p>\n

              away from us, as though going for a walk. When we called him<\/p>\n

              and asked him what he was doing, he raised his hand and showed<\/p>\n

              me his rosary. If we told him to come and play, and say the rosary<\/p>\n

              with us afterwards, he replied:<\/p>\n

              \u201cI\u2019ll pray then as well. Don\u2019t you remember that Our Lady said<\/p>\n

              I must pray many rosaries?\u201d<\/p>\n

              He said to me on one occasion: \u201cI loved seeing the Angel, but<\/p>\n

              I loved still more seeing Our Lady. What I loved most of all was to<\/p>\n

              see Our Lord in that light from Our Lady which penetrated our hearts.<\/p>\n

              I love God so much! But He is very sad because of so many sins!<\/p>\n

              We must never commit any sins again.\u201d<\/p>\n

              I have already said, in the second account about Jacinta, how<\/p>\n

              he was the one who gave me the news that she had broken our<\/p>\n

              agreement not to say anything. As he shared my opinion that the<\/p>\n

              matter should be kept secret, he added sadly: \u201cAs for me, when my<\/p>\n

              mother asked me if it were true, I had to say that it was, so as not to<\/p>\n

              tell a lie.\u201d<\/p>\n

              From time to time, he said: \u201cOur Lady told us that we would<\/p>\n

              have much to suffer, but I don\u2019t mind. I\u2019ll suffer all that she wishes!<\/p>\n

              What I want is to go to Heaven!\u201d<\/p>\n

              One day, when I showed how unhappy I was over the persecution<\/p>\n

              now beginning both in my family and outside, Francisco tried<\/p>\n

              to encourage me with these words:<\/p>\n

              144<\/strong><\/p>\n

              \u201cNever mind! Didn\u2019t Our Lady say that we would have much to<\/p>\n

              suffer, to make reparation to Our Lord and to her own Immaculate<\/p>\n

              Heart for all the sins by which They are offended? They are so<\/p>\n

              sad! If we can console them with these sufferings, how happy we<\/p>\n

              shall be!\u201d<\/p>\n

              When we arrived at our pasturage a few days after Our Lady\u2019s<\/p>\n

              first Apparition, he climbed up to the top of a steep rock, and called<\/p>\n

              out to us:<\/p>\n

              \u201cDon\u2019t come up here; let me stay here alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

              \u201cAll right.\u201d And off I went, chasing butterflies with Jacinta. We<\/p>\n

              no sooner caught them than we made the sacrifice of letting them<\/p>\n

              fly away, and we never gave another thought to Francisco. When<\/p>\n

              lunch time came, we missed him and went to call him:<\/p>\n

              \u201cFrancisco, don\u2019t you want to come for your lunch?\u201d<\/p>\n

              \u201cNo, you eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

              \u201cAnd to pray the Rosary?\u201d<\/p>\n

              \u201cThat, yes, later on. Call me again.\u201d<\/p>\n

              When I went to call him again, he said to me:<\/p>\n

              \u201cYou come up here and pray with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

              We climbed up to the peak, where the three of us could scarcely<\/p>\n

              find room to kneel down, and I asked him:<\/p>\n

              \u201cBut what have you been doing all this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

              \u201cI am thinking about God, Who is so sad because of so many<\/p>\n

              sins! If only I could give Him joy!\u201d 5<\/p>\n

              One day, we began to sing in happy chorus about the joys of<\/p>\n

              the serra:<\/p>\n

              CHORUS<\/p>\n

              Ah! tra lala, la la<\/p>\n

              Tra lala, la la<\/p>\n

              La la la!<\/p>\n

              In this life everything sings,<\/p>\n

              And who sings better than I?<\/p>\n

              The shepherdess out on the serra,<\/p>\n

              Or the maid a-washing in the stream!<\/p>\n

              5 It may well be said that Francisco had the gift of highest contemplation.<\/em><\/p>\n

              145<\/strong><\/p>\n

              There\u2019s the merry chirp of the goldfinch<\/p>\n

              That comes to awaken me,<\/p>\n

              As soon as the sun arises,<\/p>\n

              The brambles come alive with his song.<\/p>\n

              The screech owl cries at night<\/p>\n

              Seeking to frighten me,<\/p>\n

              The girl in the moonlight sings<\/p>\n

              As she gaily shucks the corn.<\/p>\n

              The nightingale in the meadow<\/p>\n

              Spends the whole day long in song,<\/p>\n

              The turtle dove sings in the wood,<\/p>\n

              Even the cart squeaks out a song!<\/p>\n

              The serra is a rock-strewn garden<\/p>\n

              Smiling happily all the day long,<\/p>\n

              Sparkling with gleaming dew drops<\/p>\n

              That glisten on the mountain side!<\/p>\n

              We sang it right through once, and were about to repeat it,<\/p>\n

              when Francisco interrupted us: \u201cLet\u2019s not sing any more. Since we<\/p>\n

              saw the Angel and Our Lady, singing doesn\u2019t appeal to me any<\/p>\n

              longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Impressions of the Second Apparition<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                At the second Apparition on June 13th, 1917, Francisco was<\/p>\n

                deeply impressed by the light which, as I related in the second<\/p>\n

                account, Our Lady communicated to us at the moment when she<\/p>\n

                said: \u201cMy Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way which<\/p>\n

                will lead you to God.\u201d At the time, he did not seem to grasp the<\/p>\n

                significance of what was happening, perhaps because it was not<\/p>\n

                given to him to hear the accompanying words. For this reason, he<\/p>\n

                asked later:<\/p>\n

                \u201cWhy did Our Lady have a Heart in her hand, spreading out<\/p>\n

                over the world that great light which is God? You were with Our<\/p>\n

                Lady in the light which went down towards the earth, and Jacinta<\/p>\n

                was with me in the light which rose towards heaven!\u201d<\/p>\n

                146<\/strong><\/p>\n

                \u201cThat is because you and Jacinta will soon go to Heaven,\u201d I<\/p>\n

                replied, \u201cwhile I, with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, will remain for<\/p>\n

                some time longer on earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

                \u201cHow many years longer will you stay here?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

                \u201cI don\u2019t know. Quite a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

                \u201cWas it Our Lady who said so?\u201d<\/p>\n

                \u201cYes, and I saw it in the light that she shone into our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n

                Jacinta confirmed the very same thing, saying:<\/p>\n

                \u201cIt is just like that! That\u2019s exactly how I saw it too!\u201d<\/p>\n

                He remarked sometimes:<\/p>\n

                \u201cThese people are so happy just because you told them that<\/p>\n

                Our Lady wants the Rosary said, and that you are to learn to read!<\/p>\n

                How would they feel if they only knew what she showed to us in<\/p>\n

                God, in her Immaculate Heart, in that great light! But this is a secret;<\/p>\n

                it must not be spoken about. It\u2019s better that no one should<\/p>\n

                know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

                After this Apparition, whenever they asked us if Our Lady had<\/p>\n

                said anything else, we began to give this reply: \u201cYes, she did, but<\/p>\n

                it\u2019s a secret.\u201d If they asked us why it was a secret, we shrugged our<\/p>\n

                shoulders, lowered our heads and kept silent. But, after the 13th of<\/p>\n

                July, we said: \u201cOur Lady told us we were not to tell it to anybody,\u201d<\/p>\n

                thus referring to the secret imposed on us by Our Lady.<\/p>\n

                \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Francisco Strengthens Lucia\u2019s Courage<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                  In the course of this month, the influx of people increased considerably,<\/p>\n

                  and so did the constant questionings and contradictions.<\/p>\n

                  Francisco suffered quite a lot from all this, and complained to his<\/p>\n

                  sister, saying:<\/p>\n

                  \u201cWhat a pity! If you\u2019d only kept quiet, no one would know! If<\/p>\n

                  only it were not a lie, we could tell all the people that we saw nothing,<\/p>\n

                  and that would be the end of it. But this can\u2019t be done!\u201d<\/p>\n

                  When he saw me perplexed and in doubt, he wept, and said:<\/p>\n

                  \u201cBut how can you think that it is the devil? Didn\u2019t you see Our<\/p>\n

                  Lady and God in that great light? How can we go there without you,<\/p>\n

                  when it is you who do the talking?\u201d<\/p>\n

                  That night after supper he came back to my house, called me<\/p>\n

                  out to the old threshing floor, and said:<\/p>\n

                  \u201cLook! Aren\u2019t you going tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

                  147<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  \u201c I\u2019m not going. I\u2019ve already told you I\u2019m not going back there<\/p>\n

                  any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

                  \u201cBut what a shame! Why is it that you now think that way?<\/p>\n

                  Don\u2019t you see that it can\u2019t be the devil? God is already sad enough<\/p>\n

                  on account of so many sins, and now if you don\u2019t go, He\u2019ll be sadder<\/p>\n

                  still! Come on, say you\u2019ll go!\u201d<\/p>\n

                  \u201c I\u2019ve already told you I\u2019m not going. It\u2019s no use asking me.\u201d And<\/p>\n

                  I returned abruptly to the house.<\/p>\n

                  A few days later, he said to me: \u201cYou know, I never slept at all<\/p>\n

                  that night. I spent the whole time crying and praying, begging Our<\/p>\n

                  Lady to make you go!\u201d<\/p>\n

                  \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  1. Impressions of the Third Apparition<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                    In the third Apparition, Francisco seemed to be the one on<\/p>\n

                    whom the vision of hell made the least impression, though it did<\/p>\n

                    indeed have quite a considerable effect on him. What made the<\/p>\n

                    most powerful impression on him and what wholly absorbed him,<\/p>\n

                    was God, the Most Holy Trinity, perceived in that light which penetrated<\/p>\n

                    our inmost souls. Afterwards, he said:<\/p>\n

                    \u201cWe were on fire in that light which is God, and yet we were<\/p>\n

                    not burnt! What is God?… We could never put it into words. Yes,<\/p>\n

                    that is something indeed which we could never express! But what<\/p>\n

                    a pity it is that He is so sad! If only I could console Him!…\u201d<\/p>\n

                    One day, I was asked if Our Lady had told us to pray for sinners,<\/p>\n

                    and I said she had not. At the first opportunity, while the people<\/p>\n

                    were questioning Jacinta, he called me aside and said:<\/p>\n

                    \u201cYou lied just now! How could you say that Our Lady didn\u2019t tell<\/p>\n

                    us to pray for sinners? Didn\u2019t she ask us to pray for sinners, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

                    \u201cFor sinners, no! She told us to pray for peace, for the war to<\/p>\n

                    end. But for sinners, she told us to make sacrifices.\u201d<\/p>\n

                    \u201cAh! That\u2019s true. I was beginning to think you had lied.\u201d<\/p>\n

                     <\/p>\n

                      \n
                    1. Francisco in Prison<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                      I have already described how Francisco spent the day praying<\/p>\n

                      and weeping, perhaps even more upset than I was, when my father<\/p>\n

                      received an order to present me before the Administrator at Vila<\/p>\n

                      148<\/strong><\/p>\n

                      Nova de Our\u00e9m 6. In prison, he was quite courageous, and tried<\/p>\n

                      to cheer up Jacinta when she felt most homesick. While we were<\/p>\n

                      saying the Rosary in prison, he noticed that one of the prisoners<\/p>\n

                      was on his knees with his cap still on his head. Francisco went up to<\/p>\n

                      him and said: \u201cIf you wish to pray, you should take your cap off.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      Right away, the poor man handed it to him and he went over and put<\/p>\n

                      it on the bench on top of his own.<\/p>\n

                      During Jacinta\u2019s interrogation, he confided to me with boundless<\/p>\n

                      joy and peace: \u201cIf they kill us as they say, we\u2019ll soon be in<\/p>\n

                      Heaven! How wonderful! Nothing else matters!\u201d Then after a moment\u2019s<\/p>\n

                      silence he added: \u201cGod grant that Jacinta won\u2019t be afraid.<\/p>\n

                      I\u2019m going to say a Hail Mary for her!\u201d He promptly removed his cap<\/p>\n

                      and prayed. The guard, seeing him praying, asked him:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n

                      \u201cI\u2019m saying a Hail Mary so that Jacinta won\u2019t be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      The guard made a scornful gesture and let him go ahead.<\/p>\n

                      One day, after our return from Vila Nova de Our\u00e9m, we began<\/p>\n

                      to be aware of the presence of the supernatural all around us, and<\/p>\n

                      to feel that we were about to receive some heavenly communication.<\/p>\n

                      Francisco at once showed his concern over Jacinta\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n

                      \u201cWhat a pity it would be,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cif Jacinta did not get<\/p>\n

                      here in time!\u201d<\/p>\n

                      He begged his brother to go quickly and get her, adding:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cTell her to run here.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      After his brother had left us, Francisco said:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cJacinta will be very sad if she doesn\u2019t arrive in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      After the Apparition, his sister wanted to stay there the whole<\/p>\n

                      afternoon, so he said: \u201cNo! You must go home, because Mother<\/p>\n

                      didn\u2019t let you come out with the sheep.\u201d And to encourage her, he<\/p>\n

                      went back to the house with her.<\/p>\n

                      In prison, when we noticed that it was already past midday,<\/p>\n

                      and that they would not let us go to the Cova da Iria, Francisco<\/p>\n

                      said:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cPerhaps Our Lady will come and appear to us here.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      On the following day, he could not hide his distress, and almost<\/p>\n

                      in tears, he said:<\/p>\n

                      \u201c Our Lady must have been very sad because we didn\u2019t go to<\/p>\n

                      the Cova da Iria, and she won\u2019t appear to us again. I would so love<\/p>\n

                      to see her!\u201d<\/p>\n

                      While in prison, Jacinta wept bitterly, for she was so homesick<\/p>\n

                      for her mother and all the family. Francisco tried to cheer her saying:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cEven if we never see our mother again, let\u2019s be patient! We<\/p>\n

                      can offer it for the conversion of sinners. The worst thing would be<\/p>\n

                      if Our Lady never came back again! That is what hurts me most.<\/p>\n

                      But I offer this as well for sinners.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      Afterwards, he asked me:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cTell me! Will Our Lady not come and appear to us any more?\u201d<\/p>\n

                      \u201cI don\u2019t know. I think she will.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      \u201cI miss her so much!\u201d<\/p>\n

                      The Apparition at Valinhos was, therefore, a double joy for him.<\/p>\n

                      He had been tormented by the fear that she would never return. He<\/p>\n

                      told me later:<\/p>\n

                      \u201cMost likely, she didn\u2019t appear on the 13th, so as to avoid<\/p>\n

                      going to the Administrator\u2019s house, maybe because he is such a<\/p>\n

                      bad man.\u201d<\/p>\n

                      \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      1. Impressions of the Last Apparitions<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                        After the 13th of September, when I told Francisco that in October<\/p>\n

                        Our Lord would come as well, he was overwhelmed with joy.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cOh, how wonderful! I\u2019ve only seen Him twice, and I love Him so<\/p>\n

                        much!\u201d 7 From time to time, he asked:<\/p>\n

                        \u201cAre there many days left till the 13th? I\u2019m longing for that day<\/p>\n

                        to come, so that I can see Our Lord again.\u201d Then he thought for a<\/p>\n

                        moment, and added:<\/p>\n

                        \u201cBut listen! Will He still be so sad? I am so sorry to see Him<\/p>\n

                        sad like that! I offer Him all the sacrifices I can think of. Sometimes,<\/p>\n

                        I don\u2019t even run away from all those people, just in order to make<\/p>\n

                        sacrifices!\u201d<\/p>\n

                        After October 13th, he said to me:<\/p>\n

                        \u201cI loved seeing Our Lord, but I loved still more seeing Him in<\/p>\n

                        that light where we were with Him as well. It\u2019s not long now, and<\/p>\n

                        7 He refers to the Apparitions in June and July. They saw Our Lord in the<\/em><\/p>\n

                        mysterious light which Our Lady communicated to them.<\/em><\/p>\n

                        150<\/strong><\/p>\n

                        Our Lord will take me up close to Him, and then I can look at Him<\/p>\n

                        forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

                        One day, I asked him:<\/p>\n

                        \u201cWhen you are questioned, why do you put your head down<\/p>\n

                        and not want to answer?\u201d<\/p>\n

                        \u00abBecause I want you to answer, and Jacinta too. I didn\u2019t hear<\/p>\n

                        anything. I can only say that I saw. Then, supposing I said something<\/p>\n

                        you don\u2019t want me to say?\u201d<\/p>\n

                        Every now and then, he went off and left us without warning.<\/p>\n

                        When we missed him, we went in search of him, calling out his<\/p>\n

                        name. He answered from behind a little wall, or a shrub or a clump<\/p>\n

                        of brambles, and there he was on his knees, praying.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell us so that we could come and pray with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

                        \u201cBecause I prefer to pray alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

                        In my notes on the book called \u2018Jacinta\u2019, I\u2019ve already related<\/p>\n

                        what happened on a piece of land known as Varzea. I don\u2019t think I<\/p>\n

                        need to repeat it here.<\/p>\n

                        On our way to my home one day, we had to pass by my godmother\u2019s<\/p>\n

                        house. She had just been making a mead drink, and called<\/p>\n

                        us in to give us a glass. We went in, and Francisco was the first to<\/p>\n

                        whom she offered a glassful. He took it, and without drinking it, he<\/p>\n

                        passed it on to Jacinta, so that she and I could have a drink first.<\/p>\n

                        Meanwhile, he turned on his heel and disappeared.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cWhere is Francisco?\u201d my godmother asked.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cI don\u2019t know! He was here just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

                        He did not return, so Jacinta and I thanked my godmother for<\/p>\n

                        the drink and went in search of Francisco. We knew beyond a<\/p>\n

                        shadow of a doubt that he would be sitting on the edge of the well<\/p>\n

                        which I have mentioned so often.<\/p>\n

                        \u201cFrancisco, you didn\u2019t drink your glass of mead! My godmother<\/p>\n

                        called you so many times, and you didn\u2019t appear!\u201d<\/p>\n

                        \u201cWhen I took the glass, I suddenly remembered I could offer<\/p>\n

                        that sacrifice to console Our Lord, so while you two were taking a<\/p>\n

                        drink, I ran over here.\u201d<\/p>\n

                         <\/p>\n

                          \n
                        1. Anecdotes and Popular Songs<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                          Between my house and Francisco\u2019s lived my godfather<\/p>\n

                          Anastacio, who was married to an older woman whom God had<\/p>\n

                          151<\/strong><\/p>\n

                          not blessed with children. They were farmers and quite well-off, so<\/p>\n

                          they didn\u2019t need to work. My father was overseer of their farm and<\/p>\n

                          had charge of the day labourers. In gratitude for this, they showed<\/p>\n

                          a special liking for me, particularly my godfather\u2019s wife, whom I<\/p>\n

                          called my godmother Teresa. If I didn\u2019t call in during the day, I had<\/p>\n

                          to go and sleep there at night, because she couldn\u2019t get along<\/p>\n

                          without her little \u00absweetmeat\u00bb, as she called me.<\/p>\n

                          On festive occasions, she delighted in dressing me up with<\/p>\n

                          her gold necklace and heavy earrings which hung down below my<\/p>\n

                          shoulders, and a pretty little hat decorated with immense feathers<\/p>\n

                          of different colours and fastened with an array of gold beads. At the<\/p>\n

                          \u201cfestas\u201d, there was no one better turned out than I, and how my<\/p>\n

                          sisters and my godmother gloried in the fact! The other children<\/p>\n

                          crowded round me to admire the brilliance of my finery. To tell the<\/p>\n

                          truth, I myself greatly enjoyed the \u201cfesta\u201d, and vanity was my worst<\/p>\n

                          adornment. Everybody showed liking and esteem for me, except a<\/p>\n

                          poor orphan girl whom my godmother Teresa had taken into her<\/p>\n

                          home on the death of her mother. She seemed to fear that I would<\/p>\n

                          get part of the inheritance she was hoping for, and indeed she<\/p>\n

                          would not have been mistaken, had not Our Lord destined for me a<\/p>\n

                          far more precious inheritance.<\/p>\n

                          As soon as the news of the Apparitions got around, my godfather<\/p>\n

                          showed unconcern, and my godmother was completely opposed<\/p>\n

                          to it all. She made no secret of her disapproval of such \u201cinventions\u201d,<\/p>\n

                          as she called them. I began, therefore, to keep away<\/p>\n

                          from her house as much as I could. My disappearance was soon<\/p>\n

                          followed by that of the groups of children who so often gathered<\/p>\n

                          there, and whom my godmother loved to watch singing and dancing.<\/p>\n

                          She treated them to dried figs, nuts, almonds, chestnuts, fruit,<\/p>\n

                          and so on.<\/p>\n

                          One Sunday afternoon, I was passing near her house with<\/p>\n

                          Francisco and Jacinta, when she called out to us: \u201cCome in, my<\/p>\n

                          little swindlers, come! You\u2019ve not been here for a long time!\u201d Once<\/p>\n

                          inside, she lavished her usual attentions on us. The other children<\/p>\n

                          seemed to guess we were there, and began to come along as well.<\/p>\n

                          My kind godmother, happy at seeing us all gathered in her house<\/p>\n

                          once again after such a long space of time, heaped delicacies upon<\/p>\n

                          us, and wanted to see us sing and dance.<\/p>\n

                          \u201cCome on,\u201d we said, \u201cwhat will it be, this one, or that?\u201d<\/p>\n

                          152<\/strong><\/p>\n

                          My godmother made the choice herself. It was \u201cCongratulations<\/p>\n

                          without illusions\u201d, a part song for boys and girls:<\/p>\n

                          CHORUS<\/p>\n

                          You are the sun of the sphere,<\/p>\n

                          Do not deny it your rays!<\/p>\n

                          These are the smiles of springtime,<\/p>\n

                          Ah! change them not into sighs!<\/p>\n

                          Congratulations to the maiden,<\/p>\n

                          Fragrant as the dewy dawn,<\/p>\n

                          Smiling, you anticipate<\/p>\n

                          The caressing of another morn.<\/p>\n

                          The year is rich in flowers,<\/p>\n

                          Rich in fruits and every good!<\/p>\n

                          And may the year that dawns<\/p>\n

                          Be rich in hopes for you!<\/p>\n

                          These hopes are the best of gifts,<\/p>\n

                          Our warmest wishes for you!<\/p>\n

                          Place them upon your brow,<\/p>\n

                          They\u2019re the finest crown of all!<\/p>\n

                          If the past was lovely,<\/p>\n

                          The future will be so too!<\/p>\n

                          Greetings for the year now gone,<\/p>\n

                          For the year to come as well!<\/p>\n

                          In this merry banquet of life,<\/p>\n

                          Charming Atlantic flower,<\/p>\n

                          The gardener and the garden fair<\/p>\n

                          Are lauded in gladsome song!<\/p>\n

                          Your heart is yearning for the flowers<\/p>\n

                          That bloom on your native soil,<\/p>\n

                          For your home and its purest loves<\/p>\n

                          That entwine around your heart!<\/p>\n

                          153<\/strong><\/p>\n

                            \n
                          1. CHORUS<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                            Do you think it right, good sir,<\/p>\n

                            When the topsail veers in sight,<\/p>\n

                            That Berlenga and the Carvoeiro 8 \u2013 Ah! \u2013<\/p>\n

                            Extinguish their lighthouse beams?<\/p>\n

                            But the sea is lashed to fury:<\/p>\n

                            An everlasting swirling main!<\/p>\n

                            Each night is a howling turmoil<\/p>\n

                            That leads to a watery grave.<\/p>\n

                            Gloomy sandbanks of Papoa, 8<\/p>\n

                            Estelas and Farilh\u00f5es!<\/p>\n

                            What tragedy ever re-echoes<\/p>\n

                            In the crash of the foaming waves!<\/p>\n

                            Each rugged reef in these waters<\/p>\n

                            Is a grim presage of death!<\/p>\n

                            Every wave chants a doleful dirge<\/p>\n

                            Each cross recalls a wreck!<\/p>\n

                            Then, how can you be so cruel<\/p>\n

                            And put out your light that is life<\/p>\n

                            Way out on the darkened waters<\/p>\n

                            Guiding boats securely ashore.<\/p>\n

                            III. CHORUS<\/p>\n

                            I no longer shed any tears<\/p>\n

                            When I speak of our farewell,<\/p>\n

                            My hesitating took but a moment \u2013 Ah! \u2013<\/p>\n

                            My loss lasts all life through.<\/p>\n

                            8 Dangerous cliffs on the Atlantic coast of Portugal.<\/em><\/p>\n

                            154<\/strong><\/p>\n

                            Go and tell heaven to arrest<\/p>\n

                            The flowing torrent of its grace,<\/p>\n

                            Let the flowers wilt and wither<\/p>\n

                            They no longer bespeak your care<\/p>\n

                            Go, I am too disconsolate<\/p>\n

                            My sanctuary all in mourning,<\/p>\n

                            High up in the towering steeple<\/p>\n

                            The bronze bell tolls out death.<\/p>\n

                            But you leave me sad and lonely<\/p>\n

                            In the churchyard grey and grim,<\/p>\n

                            Carved out on the black of your tombstone<\/p>\n

                            I leave my eternal laments.<\/p>\n

                            This garden today is so bare,<\/p>\n

                            But once all smiling and gay,<\/p>\n

                            No care did it lack before,<\/p>\n

                            \u2019Twas the gardener who left it to die.<\/p>\n

                            I trust in Providence bestowing<\/p>\n

                            Tender caresses to come!<\/p>\n

                            Hopefully prepared for everyone,<\/p>\n

                            All who leave the homely nest.<\/p>\n

                            \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                              \n
                            1. Francisco, the Little Moralist<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                              \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                              The women of the neighbourhood no sooner heard the lively<\/p>\n

                              singing than they came over to join us, and at the end they asked<\/p>\n

                              us to sing it through again. Francisco, however, came up to me and<\/p>\n

                              said: \u201cLet\u2019s not sing that song any more. Our Lord certainly does<\/p>\n

                              not want us to sing things like that now.\u201d We therefore slipped away<\/p>\n

                              among the other children, and ran off to our favourite well.<\/p>\n

                              To tell the truth, now that I have just finished writing out the<\/p>\n

                              song under obedience, I cover my face with shame. But Your Excellency,<\/p>\n

                              at the request of Rev. Dr. Galamba, has seen fit to order<\/p>\n

                              me to write down the popular songs that we knew. Here they are<\/p>\n

                              then! I do not know why they are wanted, but for me it is enough to<\/p>\n

                              know that I am thus fulfilling God\u2019s will.<\/p>\n

                              155<\/strong><\/p>\n

                              Meanwhile, it was getting near Carnival time, in 1918. The boys<\/p>\n

                              and girls met once again that year to prepare the usual festive<\/p>\n

                              meals and fun of those days. Each one brought something from<\/p>\n

                              home \u2013 such as olive oil, flour, meat, and so on \u2013 to one of the<\/p>\n

                              houses, and the girls then did the cooking for a sumptuous banquet.<\/p>\n

                              All those three days, feasting and dancing went on well into<\/p>\n

                              the night, above all on the last day of the Carnival.<\/p>\n

                              The children under fourteen had their own celebration in another<\/p>\n

                              house. Several of the girls came to ask me to help them organize<\/p>\n

                              our \u201cfesta\u201d. At first, I refused. But finally, I gave in like a<\/p>\n

                              coward, especially after hearing the pleading of Jos\u00e9 Carreira\u2019s<\/p>\n

                              sons and daughter, for it was he who had placed his home in Casa<\/p>\n

                              Velha at our disposal. He and his wife insistently asked me to go<\/p>\n

                              there. I yielded then, and went with a crowd of youngsters to see<\/p>\n

                              the place. There was a fine large room, almost as big as a hall,<\/p>\n

                              which was well suited for the amusements, and a spacious yard for<\/p>\n

                              the supper! Everything was arranged, and I came home, outwardly<\/p>\n

                              in a most festive mood, but inwardly with my conscience protesting<\/p>\n

                              loudly. As soon as I met Jacinta and Francisco, I told them what<\/p>\n

                              had happened.<\/p>\n

                              \u201cAre you going back again to those parties and games?\u201d Francisco<\/p>\n

                              asked me sternly. \u201cHave you already forgotten that we promised<\/p>\n

                              never to do that any more?\u201d<\/p>\n

                              \u201c I didn\u2019t want to go at all. But you can see how they never<\/p>\n

                              stopped begging me to go; and now I don\u2019t know what to do!\u201d<\/p>\n

                              There was indeed no end to the entreaties, nor to the number<\/p>\n

                              of girls who came insisting that I play with them. Some even came<\/p>\n

                              from far distant villages \u2013 from Moita came Rosa, Ana Caetano and<\/p>\n

                              Ana Brogueira; from Fatima, the two daughters of Manuel Caracol;<\/p>\n

                              from Boleiros (Montelo<\/em>), the two daughters of Manuel da Ramira,<\/p>\n

                              and two of Joaquim Chapeleta as well; from Amoreira, the two Silva<\/p>\n

                              girls; from Currais, Laura Gato, Josefa Valinho, and several others<\/p>\n

                              whose names I have forgotten; besides those who came from Boleiros<\/p>\n

                              and Lomba da Pederneira, and so on; and this quite apart<\/p>\n

                              from all those who came from Eira da Pedra, Casa Velha, and Aljustrel.<\/p>\n

                              How could I so suddenly let down all those girls, who seemed<\/p>\n

                              not to know how to enjoy themselves without my company, and<\/p>\n

                              make them understand that I had to stop going to these gatherings<\/p>\n

                              once and for all? God inspired Francisco with the answer:<\/p>\n

                              156<\/strong><\/p>\n

                              \u201cDo you know how you could do it? Everybody knows that Our<\/p>\n

                              Lady has appeared to you. Therefore, you can say that you have<\/p>\n

                              promised her not to dance any more, and for this reason you are<\/p>\n

                              not going! Then, on such days, we can run away and hide in the<\/p>\n

                              cave on the Cabe\u00e7o. Up there nobody will find us!\u201d<\/p>\n

                              I accepted his proposal, and once I had made my decision,<\/p>\n

                              nobody else thought of organizing any such gathering. God\u2019s blessing<\/p>\n

                              was with us. Those friends of mine, who until then sought me<\/p>\n

                              out to have me join in their amusements, now followed my example,<\/p>\n

                              and came to my home on Sunday afternoons to ask me to go<\/p>\n

                              with them to pray the Rosary in the Cova da Iria.<\/p>\n

                              \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                \n
                              1. Francisco, Lover of Solitude and Prayer<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

                                \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                                Francisco was a boy of few words. Whenever he prayed or<\/p>\n

                                offered sacrifices, he preferred to go apart and hide, even from<\/p>\n

                                Jacinta and myself. Quite often, we surprised him hidden behind a<\/p>\n

                                wall or a clump of blackberry bushes, whither he had ingeniously<\/p>\n

                                slipped away to kneel and pray, or \u201cthink\u201d, as he said, \u201cof Our Lord,<\/p>\n

                                Who is sad on account of so many sins.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                If I asked him: \u201cFrancisco, why don\u2019t you tell me to pray with<\/p>\n

                                you, and Jacinta too?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201c I prefer praying by myself,\u201d he answered, \u201cso that I can think<\/p>\n

                                and console Our Lord, Who is so sad!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                I asked him one day:<\/p>\n

                                \u201cFrancisco, which do you like better \u2013 to console Our Lord, or<\/p>\n

                                to convert sinners, so that no more souls will go to hell?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201cI would rather console Our Lord. Didn\u2019t you notice how sad<\/p>\n

                                Our Lady was that last month, when she said that people must not<\/p>\n

                                offend Our Lord any more, for He is already much offended? I would<\/p>\n

                                like to console Our Lord, and after that convert sinners so that they<\/p>\n

                                won\u2019t offend Him any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                Sometimes on our way to school, as soon as we reached<\/p>\n

                                Fatima, he would say to me:<\/p>\n

                                \u201cListen! You go to school, and I\u2019ll stay here in the church, close<\/p>\n

                                to the Hidden Jesus. It\u2019s not worth my while learning to read, as I\u2019ll<\/p>\n

                                be going to Heaven very soon. On your way home, come here and<\/p>\n

                                call me.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                157<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                The Blessed Sacrament was kept at that time near the entrance<\/p>\n

                                of the church, on the left side, as the church was undergoing<\/p>\n

                                repairs. Francisco went over there, between the baptismal font and<\/p>\n

                                the altar, and that was where I found him on my retum.<\/p>\n

                                Later, when he fell ill, he often told me, when I called in to see<\/p>\n

                                him on my way to school: \u201cLook! Go to the church and give my love<\/p>\n

                                to the Hidden Jesus. What hurts me most is that I cannot go there<\/p>\n

                                myself and stay awhile with the Hidden Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                When I arrived at his house one day, I said goodbye to a<\/p>\n

                                group of school children who had come with me, and I went in<\/p>\n

                                to pay a visit to him and his sister. As he had heard all the noise,<\/p>\n

                                he asked me:<\/p>\n

                                \u201cDid you come with all that crowd?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201cYes, I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201cDon\u2019t go with them, because you might learn to commit sins.<\/p>\n

                                When you come out of school, go and stay for a little while near the<\/p>\n

                                Hidden Jesus, and afterwards come home by yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                On one occasion, I asked him:<\/p>\n

                                \u201cFrancisco, do you feel very sick?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201cI do, but I\u2019m suffering to console Our Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                When Jacinta and I went into his room one day, he said to us:<\/p>\n

                                \u201cDon\u2019t talk much today, as my head aches so badly.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201cDon\u2019t forget to make the offering for sinners,\u201d Jacinta reminded<\/p>\n

                                him.<\/p>\n

                                \u201cYes. But first I make it to console Our Lord and Our Lady, and<\/p>\n

                                then, afterwards, for sinners and for the Holy Father.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                On another occasion, I found him very happy when I arrived.<\/p>\n

                                \u201cAre you better?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                \u201cNo. I feel worse. It won\u2019t be long now till I go to Heaven. When<\/p>\n

                                I\u2019m there, I\u2019m going to console Our Lord and Our Lady very much.<\/p>\n

                                Jacinta is going to pray a lot for sinners, for the Holy Father and for<\/p>\n

                                you. You will stay here, because Our Lady wants it that way. Listen,<\/p>\n

                                you must do everything that she tells you.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                While Jacinta seemed to be solely concerned with the one<\/p>\n

                                thought of converting sinners and saving souls from going to hell,<\/p>\n

                                Francisco appeared to think only of consoling Our Lord and Our<\/p>\n

                                Lady, who had seemed to him to be so sad.<\/p>\n

                                 <\/p>\n

                                158<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                  \n
                                1. Francisco Sees the Devil<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                  \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                                  How different is the incident that I now call to mind. One day<\/p>\n

                                  we went to a place called Pedreira, and while the sheep were browsing,<\/p>\n

                                  we jumped from rock to rock, making our voices echo down in<\/p>\n

                                  the deep ravines. Francisco withdrew, as was his wont, to a hollow<\/p>\n

                                  among the rocks.<\/p>\n

                                  A considerable time had elapsed, when we heard him shouting<\/p>\n

                                  and crying out to us and to Our Lady. Distressed lest something<\/p>\n

                                  might have happened to him, we ran in search of him, calling<\/p>\n

                                  out his name.<\/p>\n

                                  \u201cWhere are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                  \u201cHere! Here!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                  But it still took us some time before we could locate him. At<\/p>\n

                                  last, we came upon him, trembling with fright, still on his knees,<\/p>\n

                                  and so upset that he was unable to rise to his feet.<\/p>\n

                                  \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong? What happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                  In a voice half smothered with fright, he replied:<\/p>\n

                                  \u201cIt was one of those huge beasts that we saw in hell. He was<\/p>\n

                                  right here breathing out flames!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                  I saw nothing, neither did Jacinta, so I laughed and said to him:<\/p>\n

                                  \u201cYou never want to think about hell, so as not to be afraid; and<\/p>\n

                                  now you\u2019re the first one to be frightened!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                  Indeed, whenever Jacinta appeared particularly moved by the<\/p>\n

                                  remembrance of hell, he used to say to her:<\/p>\n

                                  \u201cDon\u2019t think so much about hell! Think about Our Lord and<\/p>\n

                                  Our Lady instead. I don\u2019t think about hell, so as not to be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                  He was anything but fearful. He\u2019d go anywhere in the dark<\/p>\n

                                  alone at night, without the slightest hesitation. He played with lizards,<\/p>\n

                                  and when he came across any snakes he got them to entwine<\/p>\n

                                  themselves round a stick, and even poured sheep\u2019s milk<\/p>\n

                                  into the holes in the rocks for them to drink. He went hunting for<\/p>\n

                                  foxes\u2019 holes and rabbits\u2019 burrows, for genets, and other creatures<\/p>\n

                                  of the wilds.<\/p>\n

                                   <\/p>\n

                                    \n
                                  1. Francisco and His Feathered Friends<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                    \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                                    Francisco was very fond of birds, and could not bear to see<\/p>\n

                                    anyone robbing their nests. He always kept part of the bread he<\/p>\n

                                    159<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                    had for his lunch, breaking it into crumbs and spreading them out<\/p>\n

                                    on top of the rocks, so that the birds could eat them. Moving away a<\/p>\n

                                    little, he called them, as though he expected them to understand him.<\/p>\n

                                    He didn\u2019t want anyone else to approach, lest they be frightened.<\/p>\n

                                    \u201cPoor wee things! You are hungry,\u201d he said, as though conversing<\/p>\n

                                    with them. \u201cCome, come and eat!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                    And they, keen-eyed as they are, did not wait for the invitation,<\/p>\n

                                    but came flocking around him. It was his delight to see them flying<\/p>\n

                                    back to the tree tops with their little craws full, singing and chirping<\/p>\n

                                    in a deafening chorus, in which Francisco joined with rare skill.<\/p>\n

                                    One day we met a little boy carrying in his hand a small bird<\/p>\n

                                    that he had caught. Full of compassion, Francisco promised him<\/p>\n

                                    two coins, if only he would let the bird fly away. The boy readily agreed.<\/p>\n

                                    But first he wished to see the money in his hand. Francisco ran all<\/p>\n

                                    the way home from the Carreira pond, which lies a little distance<\/p>\n

                                    below the Cova da Iria, to fetch the coins, and so let the little prisoner<\/p>\n

                                    free. Then, as he watched it fly away, he clapped his hands for<\/p>\n

                                    joy, and said: \u201cBe careful! Don\u2019t let yourself be caught again.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                    Thereabouts, lived an old woman called Ti Maria Carreira,<\/p>\n

                                    whose sons sent her out sometimes to take care of their flock of<\/p>\n

                                    goats and sheep. The animals were rather wild, and often strayed<\/p>\n

                                    away in different directions. Whenever we met Ti Maria in these<\/p>\n

                                    straits, Francisco was the first to run to her aid. He helped her to<\/p>\n

                                    lead the flock to pasture, chased after the stray ones and gathered<\/p>\n

                                    them all together again. The poor old woman overwhelmed Francisco<\/p>\n

                                    with her thanks and called him her dear guardian angel.<\/p>\n

                                    When we came across any sick people, he was filled with compassion<\/p>\n

                                    and said: \u201c I can\u2019t bear to see them, as I feel so sorry for<\/p>\n

                                    them! Tell them I\u2019ll pray for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                    One day, they wanted to take us to Montelo to the home of a<\/p>\n

                                    man called Joaquim Chapeleta. Francisco did not want to go. \u201cI\u2019m<\/p>\n

                                    not going, because I can\u2019t bear to see people who want to speak<\/p>\n

                                    and cannot.\u201d (This man\u2019s mother was dumb).<\/p>\n

                                    When Jacinta and I returned home at nightfall, I asked my<\/p>\n

                                    aunt where Francisco was.<\/p>\n

                                    \u201cHow do I know!\u201d she replied. \u201cI\u2019m worn out looking for him all<\/p>\n

                                    afternoon. Some ladies came and wanted to see you. But you two<\/p>\n

                                    were not here. He vanished, and never appeared again. Now you<\/p>\n

                                    go and look for him!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                    160<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                    We sat down for a bit on a bench in the kitchen, thinking that<\/p>\n

                                    we would go later to the Loca do Cabe\u00e7o, certain that we would<\/p>\n

                                    find him there. But no sooner had my aunt left the house, than his<\/p>\n

                                    voice came from the attic through a little hole in the ceiling. He had<\/p>\n

                                    climbed up there when he thought that some people were coming.<\/p>\n

                                    From this vantage point he had observed everything that happened,<\/p>\n

                                    and told us afterwards:<\/p>\n

                                    \u201cThere were so many people! Heaven help me if they had ever<\/p>\n

                                    caught me by myself! What ever would I have said to them?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                    (There was a trap-door in the kitchen, which was easily reached<\/p>\n

                                    by placing a chair on a table, thus affording access to the attic.)<\/p>\n

                                     <\/p>\n

                                      \n
                                    1. Francisco\u2019s Love and Zeal<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                      \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                                      As I have already said, my aunt sold her flock before my mother<\/p>\n

                                      disposed of ours. From then onwards, before I went out in the morning,<\/p>\n

                                      I let Jacinta and Francisco know the place where I was going<\/p>\n

                                      to pasture the sheep that day; as soon as they could get away, they<\/p>\n

                                      came to join me.<\/p>\n

                                      One day, they were waiting for me when I arrived.<\/p>\n

                                      \u201cOh! How did you get here so early?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                      \u201c I came,\u201d answered Francisco, \u201cbecause \u2013 I don\u2019t know why \u2013<\/p>\n

                                      being with you didn\u2019t matter much to me before, and I just came<\/p>\n

                                      because of Jacinta; but now, I can\u2019t sleep in the morning as I\u2019m so<\/p>\n

                                      anxious to be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                      Once the Apparitions on each 13th of the month were over, he<\/p>\n

                                      said to us on the eve of every following 13th:<\/p>\n

                                      \u201cLook! Early tomorrow morning, I\u2019m making my escape out<\/p>\n

                                      through the back garden to the cave on the Cabe\u00e7o. As soon as<\/p>\n

                                      you can, come and join me there.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                      Oh dear! There I was, writing things about his being sick and<\/p>\n

                                      near to death, and now I see that I have gone back to the happy<\/p>\n

                                      times we had on the serra, with the birds chirping merrily all around<\/p>\n

                                        \n
                                      1. I ask your forgiveness. In writing down what I can remember, I<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                        am like a crab that walks backwards and forwards without bothering<\/p>\n

                                        about reaching the end of its journey. I leave my work to Dr.<\/p>\n

                                        Galamba, in case he can make use of anything in it, though I suppose<\/p>\n

                                        he will find little or nothing.<\/p>\n

                                        161<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        I return, therefore, to Francisco\u2019s illness. But, first, I will tell you<\/p>\n

                                        something about his brief schooling. He came out of the house one<\/p>\n

                                        day and met me with my sister Teresa, who was already married<\/p>\n

                                        and living in Lomba. Another woman from a nearby hamlet had<\/p>\n

                                        asked her to come to me about her son who had been accused of<\/p>\n

                                        some crime which I no longer remember, and if he could not prove<\/p>\n

                                        his innocence he was to be condemned, either to exile or to a term<\/p>\n

                                        of some years imprisonment. Teresa asked me insistently, in the<\/p>\n

                                        name of the poor woman for whom she wished to do such a favour,<\/p>\n

                                        to plead for this grace with Our Lady. Having received the message,<\/p>\n

                                        I set out for school, and on the way, I told my cousins all<\/p>\n

                                        about it. When we reached Fatima, Francisco said to me:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cListen! While you go to school, I\u2019ll stay with the Hidden Jesus,<\/p>\n

                                        and I\u2019ll ask Him for that grace.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        When I came out of school, I went to call him and asked:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cDid you pray to Our Lord to grant that grace?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cYes, I did. Tell your Teresa that he\u2019ll be home in a few days\u2019<\/p>\n

                                        time.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        And indeed, a few days later, the poor boy returned home. On<\/p>\n

                                        the 13th, he and his entire family came to thank Our Lady for the<\/p>\n

                                        grace they had received.<\/p>\n

                                        On another occasion I noticed, as we left the house, that Francisco<\/p>\n

                                        was walking very slowly:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d I asked him. \u201cYou seem unable to walk!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cI\u2019ve such a bad headache, and I feel as though I\u2019m going<\/p>\n

                                        to fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThen don\u2019t come. Stay at home!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cl don\u2019t want to. I\u2019d rather stay in the church with the Hidden<\/p>\n

                                        Jesus, while you go to school.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        Francisco was already sick, but could still manage to walk a<\/p>\n

                                        little, so one day I went with him to the cave on the Cabe\u00e7o, and to<\/p>\n

                                        Valinhos. On our return home, we found the house full of people. A<\/p>\n

                                        poor woman was standing near a table, pretending to bless innumerable<\/p>\n

                                        pious objects: rosary beads, medals, crucifixes and so on.<\/p>\n

                                        Jacinta and I were soon surrounded by a crowd of people who<\/p>\n

                                        wanted to question us. Francisco was seized upon by the would-be<\/p>\n

                                        \u2018blesser\u2019, who invited him to help her.<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cl could not give a blessing,\u201d he replied very seriously, \u201cand<\/p>\n

                                        neither should you! Only priests do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        162<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        The little boy\u2019s words went round the crowd like lightning, as<\/p>\n

                                        though spoken by some loud-speaker, and the poor woman had to<\/p>\n

                                        make a quick departure amid a hail of insults from the people, all<\/p>\n

                                        demanding back the objects they had just handed over to her.<\/p>\n

                                        I already related in my account of Jacinta, how he managed to<\/p>\n

                                        go one day to the Cova da Iria; how he wore the rope and then<\/p>\n

                                        handed it back to me; how he was the first, on a day when the heat<\/p>\n

                                        was suffocating, to offer the sacrifice of not taking a drink; and how<\/p>\n

                                        he sometimes reminded his sister about suffering for sinners, and<\/p>\n

                                        so on. I presume, therefore, that it is not necessary to repeat these<\/p>\n

                                        things here.<\/p>\n

                                        One day, I was by his bedside, keeping him company. Jacinta,<\/p>\n

                                        who had got up for a while, was there too. Suddenly, his sister Teresa<\/p>\n

                                        came to warn us that a veritable multitude of people were coming<\/p>\n

                                        down the road, and were obviously looking for us. As soon as she<\/p>\n

                                        had gone out, I said to Francisco: \u201cAIright! You two wait for them<\/p>\n

                                        here. I\u2019m going to hide.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        Jacinta managed to run out behind me, and we both succeeded<\/p>\n

                                        in concealing ourselves inside a barrel which was overturned just<\/p>\n

                                        outside the door leading to the back garden. It was not long before<\/p>\n

                                        we heard the noise of people searching the house, going out through<\/p>\n

                                        the garden and even standing right beside the barrel; but we were<\/p>\n

                                        saved by the fact that its open end was turned in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

                                        When we felt that they had all gone away, we came out of our<\/p>\n

                                        hiding place, and went to rejoin Francisco, who told us all that had<\/p>\n

                                        happened.<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThere were so many people and they wanted me to tell them<\/p>\n

                                        where you were, but I didn\u2019t know myself. They wished to see us<\/p>\n

                                        and ask us lots of things. Besides that, there was a woman from<\/p>\n

                                        Alqueid\u00e3o, who wanted the cure of a sick person and the conversion<\/p>\n

                                        of a sinner. I\u2019ll pray for that woman, and you pray for the others<\/p>\n

                                        \u2013 there\u2019s such a lot of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        Shortly after Francisco\u2019s death, this woman came to see us,<\/p>\n

                                        and asked me to show her his grave. She wished to go there and<\/p>\n

                                        thank him for the two graces for which she had asked him to pray.<\/p>\n

                                        One day, we were just outside Aljustrel, on our way to the Cova<\/p>\n

                                        da Iria, when a group of people came upon us by surprise around<\/p>\n

                                        the bend in the road. In order the better to see and hear us, they set<\/p>\n

                                        163<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        Jacinta and myself on top of a wall. Francisco refused to let himself<\/p>\n

                                        be put there, as though he were afraid of falling. Then, little by little,<\/p>\n

                                        he edged his way out and leaned against a dilapidated wall on the<\/p>\n

                                        opposite side. A poor woman and her son, seeing that they could<\/p>\n

                                        not manage to speak to us personally, as they wished, went and<\/p>\n

                                        knelt down in front of Francisco. They begged him to obtain from<\/p>\n

                                        Our Lady the grace that the father of the family would be cured and<\/p>\n

                                        that he would not have to go to the war. Francisco knelt down also,<\/p>\n

                                        took off his cap and asked if they would like to pray the Rosary with<\/p>\n

                                        him. They said they would, and began to pray. Very soon, all those<\/p>\n

                                        people stopped asking curious questions, and also went down on<\/p>\n

                                        their knees to pray. After that, they went with us to the Cova da Iria,<\/p>\n

                                        reciting a Rosary along the way. Once there, we said another Rosary,<\/p>\n

                                        and then they went away, quite happy.<\/p>\n

                                        The poor woman promised to come back and thank Our Lady<\/p>\n

                                        for the graces she had asked for, if they were granted. She came<\/p>\n

                                        back several times, accompanied not only by her son but also her<\/p>\n

                                        husband, who had by now recovered. They came from the parish<\/p>\n

                                        of S. Mamede, and we called them the Casaleiros.<\/p>\n

                                         <\/p>\n

                                        16.Francisco\u2019s Illness<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        While he was ill, Francisco always appeared joyful and content.<\/p>\n

                                        I asked him sometimes:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cAre you suffering a lot, Francisco?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cQuite a lot, but never mind! l am suffering to console Our<\/p>\n

                                        Lord, and afterwards, within a short time, I am going to Heaven!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cOnce you get there, don\u2019t forget to ask Our Lady to take me<\/p>\n

                                        there soon as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThat, I won\u2019t ask! You know very well that she doesn\u2019t want<\/p>\n

                                        you there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        The day before he died, he said to me:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cLook! I am very ill; it won\u2019t be long now before I go to Heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThen listen to this. When you\u2019re there, don\u2019t forget to pray a<\/p>\n

                                        great deal for sinners, for the Holy Father, for me and for Jacinta.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cYes, I\u2019ll pray. But look, you\u2019d better ask Jacinta to pray for<\/p>\n

                                        these things instead, because I\u2019m afraid I\u2019ll forget when I see Our<\/p>\n

                                        Lord. And then, more than anything else I want to console Him.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        164<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        One day, early in the morning, his sister Teresa came looking<\/p>\n

                                        for me.<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cCome quickly to our house! Francisco is very bad, and says<\/p>\n

                                        he wants to tell you something.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        I dressed as fast as I could and went over there. He asked his<\/p>\n

                                        mother and brothers and sisters to leave the room, saying that he<\/p>\n

                                        wanted to ask me a secret. They went out, and he said to me:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201c I am going to confession so that I can receive Holy Communion,<\/p>\n

                                        and then die. I want you to tell me if you have seen me<\/p>\n

                                        commit any sin, and then go and ask Jacinta if she has seen me<\/p>\n

                                        commit any.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cYou disobeyed your mother a few times,\u2019\u2019 I answered, \u201cwhen<\/p>\n

                                        she told you to stay at home, and you ran off to be with me or to go<\/p>\n

                                        and hide.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThat\u2019s true. I remember that. Now go and ask Jacinta if she<\/p>\n

                                        remembers anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        I went, and Jacinta thought for a while, then answered:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cWell, tell him that, before Our Lady appeared to us, he stole a<\/p>\n

                                        coin from our father to buy a music box from Jos\u00e9 Marto of Casa<\/p>\n

                                        Velha; and when the boys from Aljustrel threw stones at those from<\/p>\n

                                        Boleiros he threw some too!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        When I gave him this message from his sister, he answered:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cI\u2019ve already confessed those, but I\u2019ll do so again. Maybe, it is<\/p>\n

                                        because of these sins that I committed that Our Lord is so sad! But<\/p>\n

                                        even if I don\u2019t die, I\u2019ll never commit them again. I\u2019m heartily sorry for<\/p>\n

                                        them now.\u201d Joining his hands, he recited the prayer: \u201cO my Jesus,<\/p>\n

                                        forgive us, save us from the fire of hell, lead all souls to Heaven,<\/p>\n

                                        especially those who are most in need.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        Then he said: \u201cNow listen, you must also ask Our Lord to forgive<\/p>\n

                                        me my sins.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cI\u2019ll ask that, don\u2019t worry. If Our Lord had not forgiven them<\/p>\n

                                        already, Our Lady would not have told Jacinta the other day that<\/p>\n

                                        she was coming soon to take you to Heaven. Now, I\u2019m going to<\/p>\n

                                        Mass, and there I\u2019ll pray to the Hidden Jesus for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThen, please ask Him to let the parish priest give me Holy<\/p>\n

                                        Communion.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cI certainly will.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        When I returned from the church, Jacinta had already got up<\/p>\n

                                        and was sitting on his bed. As soon as Francisco saw me, he asked:<\/p>\n

                                        165<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                        \u201cDid you ask the Hidden Jesus that the parish priest would<\/p>\n

                                        give me Holy Communion?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThen, in Heaven, I\u2019ll pray for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cYou will? The other day, you said you wouldn\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThat was about taking you there very soon. But if you want<\/p>\n

                                        me to pray for that, I will, and then let Our Lady do as she wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cYes, do. You pray.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cAlright. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll pray.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        Then I left them, and went off to my usual daily tasks of lessons<\/p>\n

                                        and work. When I came home at night, I found him radiant<\/p>\n

                                        with joy. He had made his confession, and the parish priest had<\/p>\n

                                        promised to bring him Holy Communion next day.<\/p>\n

                                        On the following day, after receiving Holy Communion, he said<\/p>\n

                                        to his sister:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201c I am happier than you are, because I have the Hidden Jesus<\/p>\n

                                        within my heart. I\u2019m going to Heaven, but I\u2019m going to pray very<\/p>\n

                                        much to Our Lord and Our Lady for them to bring you both there<\/p>\n

                                        soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        Jacinta and I spent almost the whole of that day at his bedside.<\/p>\n

                                        As he was already unable to pray, he asked us to pray the<\/p>\n

                                        Rosary for him. Then he said to me:<\/p>\n

                                        \u201c I am sure I shall miss you terribly in Heaven. If only Our Lady<\/p>\n

                                        would bring you there soon, also!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cYou won\u2019t miss me! Just imagine! And you right there with<\/p>\n

                                        Our Lord and Our Lady! They are so goodl\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u201cThat\u2019s true! Perhaps, I won\u2019t remember!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        And now I add: \u201cPerhaps he did forget! But never mind!\u201d<\/p>\n

                                        \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                          \n
                                        1. Francisco\u2019s Holy Death<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                          \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                                          That night I said goodbye to him.<\/p>\n

                                          \u201cGoodbye, Francisco! If you go to Heaven tonight, don\u2019t forget<\/p>\n

                                          me when you get there, do you hear me?\u201d<\/p>\n

                                          \u201cNo, I wont forget. Be sure of that.\u201d Then, seizing my right hand,<\/p>\n

                                          he held it tightly for a long time, looking at me with tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n

                                          \u201cDo you want anything more?\u201d I asked him, with tears running<\/p>\n

                                          down my cheeks too.<\/p>\n

                                          166<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                          \u201cNo!\u201d he answered in a low voice, quite overcome.<\/p>\n

                                          As the scene was becoming so moving, my aunt told me to<\/p>\n

                                          leave the room.<\/p>\n

                                          \u201cGoodbye then, Francisco! Till we meet in Heaven, goodbye!…\u201d<\/p>\n

                                          Heaven was drawing near. He took his flight to Heaven the<\/p>\n

                                          following day in the arms of his heavenly Mother 9. I could never<\/p>\n

                                          describe how much I missed him. This grief was a thorn that pierced<\/p>\n

                                          my heart for years to come. It is a memory of the past that echoes<\/p>\n

                                          forever unto eternity.<\/p>\n

                                          \u2019Twas night: I lay peacefully dreaming<\/p>\n

                                          That on this festive longed-for day<\/p>\n

                                          Of heavenly union, the Angels above<\/p>\n

                                          Vied with us here in holy emulation!<\/p>\n

                                          What golden crown beyond all telling,<\/p>\n

                                          What garland of flowers garnered here below<\/p>\n

                                          Could equal the crown heaven was offering<\/p>\n

                                          Angelic beauty, all earthly longing stilled.<\/p>\n

                                          The joy, the smile, of our loving Mother<\/p>\n

                                          In the heavenly realms, he lives in God<\/p>\n

                                          Ravished with love, with joys surpassing,<\/p>\n

                                          Those years on earth were so swift, so fleeting…<\/p>\n

                                          Farewell!<\/p>\n

                                          \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                            \n
                                          1. Popular Songs<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                            \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

                                            As Dr. Galamba has asked for the words of popular songs, I<\/p>\n

                                            have already written some of them in the course of my account of<\/p>\n

                                            Francisco. Before I embark on another subject, I am going to put<\/p>\n

                                            down some more of these songs here, so that His Reverence may<\/p>\n

                                            choose among them, if perchance he may be able to make use of<\/p>\n

                                            them for whatever purpose he has in mind.<\/p>\n

                                            9.<\/em><\/p>\n

                                            167<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                            THE MOUNTAIN MAID<\/p>\n

                                            Mountain maid, mountain maid,<\/p>\n

                                            With eyes of chestnut hue,<\/p>\n

                                            Who gave you, sweet mountain maid<\/p>\n

                                            Such charms beyond compare?<\/p>\n

                                            Such charms beyond compare!<\/p>\n

                                            I\u2019ve never seen the like!<\/p>\n

                                            Mountain maid, mountain maid<\/p>\n

                                            Look kindly on me,<\/p>\n

                                            Look kindly on me,<\/p>\n

                                            Mountain maid, mountain maid,<\/p>\n

                                            Look kindly on me!<\/p>\n

                                            Mountain maid, mountain maid<\/p>\n

                                            With billowing skirt,<\/p>\n

                                            How come, sweet mountain maid,<\/p>\n

                                            So elegant you are?<\/p>\n

                                            So elegant you are,<\/p>\n

                                            I\u2019ve never seen the like!<\/p>\n

                                            (Repeat chorus as above)<\/p>\n

                                            Mountain maid, mountain maid,<\/p>\n

                                            In the rosy flush of youth<\/p>\n

                                            Who gave you, sweet mountain maid<\/p>\n

                                            That bloom beyond compare?<\/p>\n

                                            That bloom beyond compare,<\/p>\n

                                            I\u2019ve never seen the like!<\/p>\n

                                            (Chorus)<\/p>\n

                                            Mountain maid, mountain maid,<\/p>\n

                                            All bedecked in gold,<\/p>\n

                                            Who gave you, sweet mountain maid<\/p>\n

                                            Your gaily twirling skirt?<\/p>\n

                                            Your gaily twirling skirt, I\u2019ve never seen the like!<\/p>\n

                                            (Chorus)<\/p>\n

                                            168<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                            TAKE CARE<\/p>\n

                                            If you go up to the serra,<\/p>\n

                                            Go with easy tread!<\/p>\n

                                            Take care not to lose your foothold<\/p>\n

                                            And fall down a deep ravine,<\/p>\n

                                            And fall down a deep ravine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                            Tweet FRANCISCO\u2019S CHARACTER \u00a0   His Spirituality .. Natural Inclinations … Francisco Sees the Angel .. Impressions of the First Apparition .. Impressions of the Second Apparition . Francisco Strengthens Lucia\u2019s Courage . Impressions of the Third Apparition .. Francisco in Prision … Impressions of the Last Apparitions .. Anecdotes and Popular Songs .. Francisco, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-divulgacion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51763"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58262,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51763\/revisions\/58262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.floracantabrica.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}