With the permission of my superiors, I have the custom of remaining in prayer in the chapel until midnight from Thursday to Friday. In these hours of very great recollection, the Good Lord has the habit of communicating Himself so intensely to my poor soul that I do not doubt His presence in any way. Ordinarily, after having confounded me in my own nothingness and my own misery by making me feel what there is in me that displeases Him, He continues by lamenting other things which, in the poor world, cause Him such pain.

On June 12, 1941, He complained especially about the coldness and laxity of the clergy in Spain, both secular and regular, and the indifference of the sinful life of the Christian people.

And he continued thus: “If the bishops of Spain gathered each year in a house especially chosen to make their retreat, and if, with a common accord, they decided on the course to follow in leading the souls confided to them, they would receive enlightenment and special graces from the Divine Spirit.”

“Make it known to the Archbishop (of Valladolid) that I ardently desire the bishops to meet in a retreat to arrange among themselves and determine with a common accord the means to be employed for the reform of the Christian people and to remedy the laxity of the clergy and a great part of religious. The number of those who serve Me in the practice of sacrifice is very limited. I have need of souls and of priests who serve Me by sacrificing themselves for Me and for souls.”

…the Hearts of Our Good Lord and Our Good Heavenly Mother are sad and grieved. Portugal in its majority does not correspond either to Their graces or love. They (the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary) frequently complain about the sinful life of the majority of the people, even of those who call themselves practising Catholics.

But above all, He complains very much about the lukewarm, indifferent and extremely comfortable life of the majority of the priests and members of religious congregations. The number of souls He meets through sacrifice and the inner life of love is extremely small and limited.

These confidences lacerate my heart mainly because I am one of those unfaithful souls. Our Lord never ceases to show me the mountain of my imperfections, which I recognize with immense confusion…

Nevertheless, Our Lord goes on communicating with my soul. He seems concerned about the destiny of some countries and wishes to save Portugal, but she is guilty too.

Your Eminence Cardinal Patriarch,

… Our Lord is dissatisfied and grieved with the sins of the world and of Portugal. He complains about the lack of correspondence, the sinful life of the people, and especially about the lukewarmness, indifference and extremely comfortable life of the majority of the priests and members of religious organizations. The number of souls He meets through prayer and sacrifice is extremely small.

In reparation for itself and for the other nations, Our Lord wants the profane festivities of carnival to be abolished in Portugal and be substituted by prayers and sacrifices, with public prayers said on the streets. I ask Your Eminence therefore to promote them in union with all the Portuguese bishops.[*]

It would be good at this time not to forget that, when Our Lord promised a special protection over our nation, He said that it was guilty as well, and announced that it too would suffer something. This something will consist of consequences of foreign wars, which could become more or less serious, according to our correspondence to the wishes of Our Lord. Our Lord wants us to attract peace in this way not only over Portugal, but also over other nations.

I ask you with the deepest respect to bless Your Eminence’s most humble servant.