Your Excellency, as I already told you in the notes I sent to you after reading the book about Jacinta, some of the things revealed in the secret made a strong impression on her. This was indeed the case. The vision of hell filled her with horror to such a degree, that every penance and mortification was nothing in her eyes, if it could only prevent souls from going there. Well, I am now going to answer the second question, one which has come to me from various quarters.
How is that Jacinta, small as she was, let herself be possessed by such a spirit of mortification and penance, and understood it so well? I think the reason is this: firstly, God willed to bestow on her a special grace, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary; and secondly, it was because she had looked upon hell, and had seen the ruin of souls who fall therein. Some people, even the most devout, refuse to speak to children about hell, in case it would frighten them. Yet God did not hesitate to show hell to three children, one of whom was only six years old, knowing well that they would be horrified to the point of, I would almost dare to say, withering away with fear. Jacinta often sat thoughtfully on the ground or on a rock and exclaimed: “Oh Hell! Hell! How sorry I am for the souls who go to hell! And the people down there burning a live, like wood in the fire!”
Then shuddering, she knelt down with her hands joined and recited the prayer that Our Lady taught us: “Oh my Jesus! Forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.”
Now Your Excellency will understand how my own impression was that the final words of this prayer refer to souls in greatest danger of damnation, or those who are nearest to it. Jacinta remained on her knees like this for long periods of time, saying the same prayer over and over again. From time to time, like someone waking from sleep, she called out to her brother or me:
“Francisco, Francisco! Are you praying with me? We must pray very much, to save souls from hell! So many go there! So many!”
At other times, she asked: Why doesn’t Our Lady show hell to sinners? If they saw it, they would not sin, so as to avoid going there! You must tell Our Lady to show hell to all those people (referring to those who were in Cova da Iria at the time of the Apparition). “You’ll see how they will be converted.” Afterwards, unsatisfied, she asked me: “Why didn’t you tell Our Lady to show hell to all those people?”
“I forgot” I answered.
“I didn’t remember either!” she said, looking very sad.
Sometimes, she also asked: “What are the sins people commit, for which they go to hell?”
“I don’t know! Perhaps the sin of not going to Mass on Sunday, of stealing, of saying ugly words, of cursing and of swearing.”
“So for just one word, then, people can go to hell?”
“Well it’s a sin!”
“It wouldn’t be hard for them to keep quiet and go to Mass! I’m so sorry for sinners! If only I could show then hell.”
Suddenly, she would seize hold of me and say: “I’m going to Heaven, but you are staying here. If Our Lady lets you, tell every- body what hell is like, so that they won’t commit anymore sins and not go to hell.”
To quieten her, I said: Don’t be afraid! You’re going to Heaven.”
“Yes I am”; she said serenely, “but I want all those people to go there too!”
When in a spirit of mortification, she did not want to eat. I said to her: “Listen Jacinta! Come and eat now.”
“No! I’m offering this sacrifice for sinners who eat too much.”
When she was ill, and yet went to Mass on a week day, I urged her: “Jacinta, don’t come! You can’t, you’re not able. Besides today is not Sunday!”
“That doesn’t matter! I’m going for sinners who don’t go on a Sunday.”
If she happened to hear any of those expressions which some people make, a show of uttering, she covered her face with her hands and said: “Oh, my God, don’t these people realize that they can go to hell for saying those things? My Jesus, forgive them and convert them. They certainly don’t know that they are offending God by all this! What a pity, my Jesus! I’ll pray for them.” There and then she repeated the prayer that Our Lady taught us: “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins…”