DEVOTION OF THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS

FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS

During the apparition on July 13th 1917, Our Lady of Fatima showed the three Fatima shepherds a vision of hell.
  Thereafter she told them, "You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. 
  In order to save them, God wishes to establish in the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart...
  I shall come to ask for... the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays."

During a later apparition on December 10, 1925, Our Lady said to Sister Lucia:
"Look, my daughter, my heart is surrounded with thorns that ungrateful men pierce unceasingly with their blasphemies and ingratitude. 
  You at least try to console me and announce that for all those, who for five consecutive Saturdays, confess, receive Holy Communion, pray the holy rosary and accompany me for fifteen minutes by meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary with the intention to do reparation, I promise to assist them at the hour of death with the graces needed for salvation.."

Five First Saturdays
The reason why five first Saturdays of reparation were requested, was in order to atone for the five ways in which people offend the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

1. Attacks upon the Immaculate Conception of Mary
2. Attacks against her Perpetual Virginity
3. Attacks upon her Divine Maternity and the refusal to accept her as the Mother of humanity
4. For those who try to publicly implant in children's hearts indifference, contempt and hatred of the Immaculate Mother
5. For those who insult Mary directly in her sacred images.

Letter of Sister Lucia explaining this devotion
On 1st November 1927, Sister Lucia wrote a letter to her godmother, Dona Maria de Miranda.

Within the letter she wrote:
"I don't know if you already know about the reparatory devotion of the five Saturdays to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As it is still recent, I would like to inspire you to practise it, because it is requested by Our dear Heavenly Mother and Jesus has manifested a desire that it be practised.

  Also, it seems to me that you would be fortunate, dear godmother, not only to know it and to give Jesus the consolation of practising it, but also to make it known and embraced by many other persons.

"It consists in this: During five months on the first Saturday, to receive Jesus in Communion, recite a Rosary, keep Our Lady company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, and make a confession.

  The confession can be made a few days earlier, and if in this previous confession you have forgotten the (required) intention the following intention can be offered, provided that on the first Saturday one receives Holy Communion in a state of grace, with the intention of repairing for offences against the Most Holy Virgin and which afflict Her Immaculate Heart.

"It seems to me, my dear godmother, that we are fortunate to be able to give Our dear Heavenly Mother this proof of love, for we know that She desires it to be offered to Her.

  As for myself, I avow that I am never so happy as when first Saturday arrives. 
  Isn't it true that our greatest happiness is to belong entirely to Jesus and Mary and to love Them and Them alone, without reserve? 
  We see this so clearly in the lives of the saints...They were happy because they loved, and we, my dear godmother, we must seek to love as they did, not only to enjoy Jesus, which is the least important -- because if we do not enjoy Him here below, we will enjoy Him up above -- but to give Jesus and Mary the consolation for being loved...and that in exchange for this love they might be able to save many souls."

First Saturday Devotions
The following First Saturday devotions are helpful in honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
2. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
3. Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
4. Act of Reparation
5. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
6. The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Act of Consecration to Our Lady of Fatima
"Virgin of Fatima, Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and earth, Refuge of Sinners, we consecrate ourselves to your Immaculate Heart. 
  To you we consecrate our hearts and souls, our families and all that we have. 
  And in order that this consecration may be truly effective and lasting, we renew today the promises of our Baptism and Confirmation; and we undertake to live as good Christians, faithful to God, the Church and the Holy Father. 
  We desire to pray the Rosary, partake in the Holy Eucharist, attach special importance to the first Saturday of the month and work for the conversion of sinners. 
  Furthermore we promise, O most holy Virgin, that we zealously spread devotion to you, so that through our consecration to Your Immaculate Heart and through your own intercession, the coming of the Kingdom of Christ in the world may be hastened. Amen.

*You may use any of the traditional forms or your own words in making the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary


Sr Maria Lucia of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart
http://www.piercedhearts.org/hearts_jesus_mary/apparitions/fatima/fatima_lucia_later_apparitions.html 

With thanks to piercedhearts.org