Nolan,
[Re: Siser Lucia Dies at 97, in last week's PCR] Thank you for noting such an important figure in the Catholic Church's more recent history. This has probably been the greatest and most researched miracle and life in the history of the church. More people were affected by this event than all the other Marion events combined. This is true because an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 people were in attendance when the "Miracle of the sun" took place and was witnessed by all in attendance, despite their religious beliefs or lack thereof. Many secular newspapers of the time were in attendance and also witnessed the event.
Many scientists were there to study the event and the effect on the people, only to be astonished themselves by what was occurring. Surprisingly, little notoriety occurred, despite the large number of witnesses, in the world media and many scoffed off the event as being of "mass hypnotic suggestion " or some such thing. Local people from many miles away witnessed the same miracle unknown to them that there was any gathering for this event. So hypnotic suggestion would not have come into play here, as they were unaware of any such event even occurring.
A few points need to be added to Nolan's post, first the apparitions happened on ONE day out of each month for several months, usually on the 13th. I believe there were six total apparitions with the last one ending with the miracle. Lucia continued to be "visited" by Our Lady and Jesus throughout her life and it was Our Lady who confirmed the secret to her and asked that she not reveal it until a given time, which she did and the church decided not to reveal the message to the general public at that time for their own reasons. Just recently, the message was officially revealed in its entirety and Lucia has not gone to her grave with it, like it has been suggested here. The final secret contained that the Catholic church would undergo a great loss of faith by its people and other such events which we have already witnessed in these last several years with the scandals and clergy leaving their ministries and the like.
The other two visionaries, Jacinta and Francisco, have been canonized by the church as saints.
Phil Frank
I heard on a radio program Sister Lucia was never relieved of her vow of silence, even after the the third secret was supposedly revealed. That raises suspicion that there is still something being kept back.
The late Father Malachi Martin, a published author and frequent talk show guest, had access to the secret around 1963. Without being specific, he said it was something so terrible no one could imagine it. Loss of faith and sex scandals in the church, while certainly odious, would hardly qualify as something so dramatic. --Nolan
Will and Nolan,
Appreciate your web page on FL/Tampa acts (Presumably La Floridiana, PCR #123, "Local and National Bands From Tampa, '60s to the '80s". --N). Was wondering if you remember the name of the club the McCarr Brothers played at and any of their songs. I remember seeing a great fusion act at some club during college there but can't remember either (think those brain cells are dead now). Any help would be appreciated.
Scott [no last name]
WILL MORIATY RESPONDS
Hi Scott.
The McCarr Brothers used to perform back in the 1980s at Maestros, way, way up on Nebraska Avenue north of Tampa. They did a lot of cover songs from jazz artists of that era and had a few original numbers thrown into the fray as well. They were a great act. I saw them in the summer of 1985 with one of my best friends, Denis Lebrun.
Denis Lebrun is good friends with Bob McCarr and had the honor of being his roadie down in Key West two weeks ago for a wedding date Bob's band was performing for.
--WILL
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