Economist and professor João César das Neves, author of "The Century of Fátima", considered that the Message of Fátima remains fully relevant in a time marked by wars, insecurity, individualism, and a deep spiritual crisis in the West. In an interview with the Jornal da Madeira, he spoke on Friday afternoon at the fifth and final conference of the cycle dedicated to the Reparation Devotion of First Saturdays, promoted by the Cathedral of Funchal. For the professor, it is precisely in this context that the message transmitted by Our Lady to the Little Shepherds gains new relevance.
João César das Neves warned of the risk of looking at Fátima only in search of prophecies or future events, forgetting what he considers to be essential: prayer, sacrifice, and amendment of life. The professor stated that the central point of the message is not in concrete events such as war, which are part of the secret, but rather in the conversion of life. He also highlighted that during the first years after the apparitions, when practically no one knew anything about the message, there was already a multitude of people going to Fátima simply because Our Lady had appeared there.
The professor considered that Fátima's response to difficult times lies in the conversion of the heart and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with the Rosary and First Saturdays holding a particular place. He argued that praying the Rosary every day, making reparative sacrifice, and proceeding with the amendment of life are the great requests of Our Lady. He emphasized that the promise of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart has already partially manifested itself with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union, but that it refers to all epochs of History and the final consummation of salvation.
For João César das Neves, "Fática is a manifestation of the Gospel for this our time," being a very significant reference for this disoriented era. He stated that the best path to reach Christ is Our Lady, and that, although Fátima is not part of God's revelation, it is highly advisable to follow this message as the safest path to Christ. He argued that the message should not be reduced to a reading of events or the secret, but should lead each person to look at their own life and respond to the request of Our Lady.
