"The Virgin Mary touched my soul"

"Our family comes from a town near Fatima, Portugal. My great-grandparents were witnesses of the 1917 apparitions. The Miracle of the Sun could be seen dozens of miles away," said Oliver. Since then, Oliver’s family has made the annual pilgrimage to Fatima on foot from their small town.

"My father was the one who especially transmitted the faith to us. Unfortunately, around the age of 33, I rebelled against God. I didn't understand why there was so much misery in the world, why God allowed such great inequalities and why the Cross of Jesus hadn't solved everything... And then one day, at a very precise moment, the Virgin Mary came to me and touched my soul. She made me understand that Christ has opened the way to eternal life for us and that life here on earth is only a stage given to our freedom to choose God. At the same time, I was given the gift to listen to the Scriptures in a new way. I felt the desire to help others, and a longing for prayer, peace and the love that comes from God."

Today, Oliver witnesses to his faith around him, even at work. "I have friends, but my only true friend is Jesus: He gave His life for me, to Him alone can I entrust everything. To Him and to Mary.

Adapted from an interview by Katarina K. in Blogspot