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Okay, so there are oddities.

But this one might be more than just something odd.

Weeks ago, a lad in Ireland caused a little stampede to the shrine of Knock (where Mary, Joseph, and John the Evangelist appeared on the side of a church in 1879) after this young fellow, who has remained anonymous, claimed the Virgin Mary would manifest there on June 10 [see article]. He said he was told this during visions of her at Fatima in Portugal at the centennial celebrations last May.

Many claimed the Blessed Mother did in fact manifest in June at the Irish site — in the way of a sun “miracle.”

Who knows?

Reported an Irish tabloid, “As crowds duly gathered, their patience was rewarded. By what is open to debate, however. While many present were moved by the ‘vision,’ others are adamant that footage posted online showed nothing more than the sun emerging from behind a cloud.”

We can accept or reject the notion.

However, it is curious that now a second Irish youngster — visiting Portugal — took a photo of the sky, with a cloud that many believe uncannily resembles a map of Ireland [at top] — the sun pulsing through just as occurred at Knock, on June 10 — but this time in Portugal through a “map” of the Irish nation!

Whatever is or is not in a cirrus, in a nimbus, in a cumulonimbus, or in this case a cumulus fractus, if it leads to prayer for a troubled nation, it bears the fruit of significance.

We love “coincidence.”

Even more, we love faith.

Neglect nothing that may be a sign.

You never know. 

It was at Fatima that Mary ended the first two secrets in 1917 with the words: “In Portugal, the dogma of the faith will always be preserved, etc. …” [below, Sister Lucia’s handwriting].   

One wonders — with a raging secular takeover of Ireland, with an abuse crisis, with a dire shortage of priests, with a falling away from Mass attendance, with even a problem of priestly suicide — if the same on the Emerald Isle: if this once most-Catholic of nations (where abortion, praise God, for now, is still illegal) will preserve the dogma of the faith.

–MHB

[see also: thousands rally for life in Ireland]

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