Blessed Be Our Lady of Fatima

Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima. It marks the first of 6 consecutive apparitions that occurred on the 13th of each month in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. This was a time of great conflict in the world as the Great War raged on.

While the Church does have final approval over the validly of an apparition, belief is not a requirement of faith. While it does take faith to believe, no Catholic has ever been required to believe in the apparitions of our Blessed Mother. Just as not all apparitions have a feast day, nor are they necessarily a thing of the past. Our Lady of the Rosary in San Nicolas, Argentina has been witnessed by thousands. She first appeared on September 25, 1983. The Church began its investigation in April 1985; and it was approved by Msgr. Hector Sabatino Cardelli on May 22, 2016 for his diocese. The Vatican has yet to approve for the Universay Church. There is no feast day assigned to Our Lady of the rosary, and reports of her apparances continue.

As a Catholic I have a particular fondness and devotion to Our Blessed Mother. When faced with particular difficult times, often simply the act of holding a Rosary in my hand is comforting. When we pray the Rosary, the Fatima Prayer is recited after each Glory Be before moving on to the next Holy Mystery. Of all the prayers of the Rosary, the Fatima Prayer is by far the most vivid and perhaps to some the most disturbing Rosary Prayer.

O My Jesus
Forgive us our sins
Save us from the fires of hell
Lead all souls into Heaven
Especially those in most need of thy mercy
Amen

Our relationship with Mary tells me just how much God values women. The Lord created us. He instilled in us His Holy image. Men and women each have a role in society and in that role is a reflection of His image. Neither is more important than the other. We were not created to dominate over our wives nor to submit to our husbands like a doormat. To be submissive is not a sign of weakness. It takes great strength to surrender while remaining our own person. I am and will continue to be grateful to God the Father for giving us examples of what it truly means to be a daughter of the Most High in our Blessed Mother.

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This is my own adaptation of another recipe, Chicken Vesuvio. Recently someone asked a question that people were invited to respond to. If you were to bring a dish to share, what would it be? I shared my Chicken Vesuvio. And that got me to thinking, could I create the same sort of dish with Pork instead? The answer is yes.

Pork Vesuvio
6 thin Pork Sirloin Cutlets
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Dried Oregano to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
1/2 cup Flour for dredging
3 large Russet Potatoes
1/2 cup White Wine
1 cup Chicken Stock
12 Garlic Cloves
1 cup frozen Peas
1 cup frozen Pearl Onions

Heat oven to 375-degrees.

Scrub potatoes well. Slice each potato into 8 wedges. Set aside.

Coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with olive oil. Heat over medium heat. Brown half the potatoes wedges at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. Turn wedges as needed until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer wedges once browned to a large casserole.

While the potatoes brown, peel the garlic cloves, set aside. Once the skillet is empty, add garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes or so. Scatter garlic around the potatoes in the pan.

Season pork with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter into the empty skillet. Once butter begins to foam, dredge cutlets in flour, shake off excess. Brown pork in the butter about 5 minutes per side. Drape cutlets over the potatoes in the casserole dish.

Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the empty skillet. Deglaze skillet with wine, whisking into the melted butter. Add chicken stock, simmer for several minutes, then pour wine mixture over the pork and potatoes in the casserole dish. Cover dish with foil; place in the heated oven until potatoes are nearly cooked through, about 40 minutes. Add frozen peas and pear onions, scattering over the pork. Cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes longer, until heated through.

Remove casserole dish from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve pork with vegetables and warm bread to soak in all the juicy flavors.

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My sheep hear My voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow Me.