Thus Mary's call to faith, even after 100 years, "has an extraordinary authority," he said.
"Man today needs faith, to believe in something; to believe in God, who is our common father, to believe in our brothers, we are all children of the same Father, we are all brothers."
Understanding the link between these two aspects is fundamental for the world today, not just for Christians, but for all mankind, he said, adding that man needs to recognize that "one's origin is from God, it is not autonomous."
"There is no world war, (but) there are small wars, as the Pope says, and they are worse than a world war, because a world war has a beginning and an end and then it finishes."
"These small wars, on the other hand, are worse than the world wars because they don't end."
Conversion
Cardinal Martins said there is a second key appeal made by Mary "which is very important, and that is conversion."
"The Madonna spoke many times to the shepherds about the need for man to convert … to increasingly draw nearer to God, and so to always draw nearer to our brothers and sisters," he said, explaining that "the second appeal depends on the first."
Throughout her six appearances Mary encouraged them to pray the rosary daily and to offer sacrifices in reparation for sins.
In her third appearance to the shepherds, Mary told them: "Sacrifice yourself for sinners, and say many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifice: 'O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary'."
Conversion is something still missing from in the world, Cardinal Martins said, noting that in all of her apparitions Mary consistently insisted "on the need for man, especially today, to increasingly draw nearer to his origin, to God."
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Peace
The third "chapter" of Our Lady of Fatima's message is an appeal for peace, Cardinal Martins said.
Mary spoke to the children about peace often and urged them to pray for peace, he said, noting that her request came as the global armies were embroiled in World War I.
Our Lady's message was to "do penance, ask for peace, because otherwise man will disappear," he said, as is evidenced in the vision the children had of hell and the souls who anguishing there.
Perhaps one of the most impressionable aspects of the apparitions, he said, is Mary's insistence "on the absolute, urgent need to have peace, to fight for peace, to ask God for peace."
He stressed the need to continue to pray for peace today, because "man today needs many things, but especially peace, with himself and others."