Many think Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fátima fame was a saint. In that, we concur. But she wasn’t a born one, and it wasn’t automatic due to the apparitions of an angel in 1916, the Blessed Mother to her in 1917, and appearances of Mary and Jesus in years after.

No question: she received extraordinary counsel — and predictions — from Heaven. We are releasing a book linking one of her revelations (in 1944) with current predictions and events (Future Events).

But again: that didn’t mean she lived a pitch-pure life in the convent. We all have to work every moment for Heaven, often in “minor” imperfections we rarely consider.

And so it was, as the Blue Army reminds us, and as the well-known chronicler of Fatima, Father Robert Fox, first revealed (in a book entitled  The Intimate Life of Sister Lucia), that the all-but-certain future saint  named Lucia once listed the imperfections she needed to take to the confessional.

The list:

– Resentments which do not allow me to forget the defects of others.
– Faults against charity which these resentments lead me to.
– Egoism which leads me so many times to choose the best for myself.
– Self-love which leads me to have my view prevail.
– Excessive propensity to be grieved with trifles.
– To remain quiet many times in order not to have my opinion rejected with people who I know beforehand have to win the argument, even without good reason.
– Lack of respect and disdain for those who contradict me.
– Sadness and weariness produced by wounded self-love.
– Consenting to complaints of self-love.
– Concentrating on the faults of others without seeing my own.
– Curt replies to the Sisters.
– Not valuing the work of others.
– In my eyes I think my work better than others.
– To want others to esteem my work.
– Resistance to Grace.
– Distractions which diminish insights of faith and touches of grace.
– Curiosities.
– Useless words in moments of silence.
– Uncharitable thoughts and words.
– Omissions of charity.
– Carelessness in the practice of small sacrifices.
– Lack of patience in unforeseen events.
– Lack of an ability with others.
– Lack of respect for the opinion of others.
– Not valuing the others’ opinions.
– The difficulty in allowing others’ opinions to prevail.
– Allowing myself on many occasions to be very happy or very sad.
– Not being punctual enough.
– Not taking correction willingly.
– Unwillingly to assume my own feelings.
– Being rude to those who displease me.
– Failing of devotion in my spiritual duties and visits to the Blessed Sacrament.
– Failing to be diligent in obedience.
– Failing to be pleasant with others.
– Failing to use ejaculatory prayers during the day to maintain my union with God.
– Failing to visit the Blessed Sacrament in my free time.

+

Fascinating! And a great preparation for the Christmas season.

As for Thanksgiving: how many of us thank God through the day, each hour; how many thank Him enough?

+