Writing the Miracle of Fatima musical began 25 years ago in September of 1998. The very first song I wrote was Beautiful Lady, which sprang from the very first scene written – May 13, 1917 – The First Visit, followed by Jacinta Tells and Francisco Prayer. I was infused with a deep understanding of what our young seers had witnessed, and the words fell onto the page as though coming from another source. After the word spreads the fighting begins among those who believe and those who do not. Sadly, for Lucia, Maria Rosa, her mother did not believe and treats her harshly. Maria Rosa fights with her brother Manuel, father of Jacinta and Francisco, and he tries to explain what he experiences at the Cova da Iria in his aria To Doubt You. However, Olimpia, their mother tries to comfort Maria Rosa by singing Listen With Your Heart. When Lucia is interrogated by the mayor she tries to explain her understanding of the Beautiful Lady in the song What We Saw. And when the mayor demands that the parish priest stop the madness and tells Lucia that it may be the work of Satan, he worries about his own fate if she is telling the truth. This was the how May God Have Mercy came to be. In July of 1917, the children are shown visions of heaven and hell, however, little Jacinta is shown visions of future wars and famine and sings her lament in I Never Knew About War. Note that it is set against the rhythmic beat like that of a carousel. While the children await their fate after being told they would be executed for causing such trouble and refusing to say that it was all a lie they comfort one another in jail with the song I Won’t Be Alone. They believe the Beautiful Lady’s promise that the two little ones would go to heaven soon and first and so they believed the mayor would allow Lucia to live. The mayor’s song Could It Be reflecting his awe at the bravery of the children, as they remained steadfast in their refusal to deny the Beautiful Lady or offend God by doing so. Lastly, Through You He Lives is the theme of the Miracle of Fatima, for it is what is asked of us – Bring the light of my Son to the world, show the love of my Son to the world as brothers and sisters united as one who know that His coming will not be undone. For there is only one humanity, only one family and we my children, are the family of God. Bless you all, Barbara Oleynick