There are those who criticize Marian Shrines by saying that they are too centered on Mary, that Christ is shouldered out, as it were, by all the prayers and devotions directed to His mother. But a healthy devotion to Our Blessed Lady can never do this because she herself is so utterly centered on her God that any prayer we direct towards her finds God, indeed, it finds God more readily because she is the mediatrix of grace between God and the soul.

This image of the Sacred Heart, (in the middle of the Sanctuary) central yet unobtrusive, majestic yet familiar, aglow with gold yet curiously hidden, illustrates powerfully that, just as the name of Jesus is in the middle of the Hail Mary, so Christ Himself is the true center of any Marian shrine.

The author lives in Fatima. He has written extensively on the Shrine, its history, significance and message. In Armchair Fatima he presents an entertaining, fascinating and informative book on this Marian jewel based on his researches and his occasional work as a guide. His object is clearly to lure his readers to Fatima, in spirit if not in person. Along with the facts, and abundant photographs, old and new, he uses stories. He has a keen ear for a story and his pages are full of them, not only those associated with the immediate Fatima area, but also those places of religious interest which pilgrims visit on day trips such as:

• The Eucharistic Miracle Church at Santarem
• Coimbra
• Sitio & Nazere
• The Monasteries of Batalha & Alcobaça
• Balasar - Blessed Alexandrina and the earth cross
• The Convents of Tuy and Pontavedra
  

The 316 photographs in this book, drawn both from the archives and from contemporary sources, draw readers into the Fatima experience as effectively as any words might.

Some comments from satisfied readers:

I have just finished Armchair Fatima. I did enjoy it and laughed out loud in several places, where the writer showed his hand in a particularly amusing way. F.P. Wiltshire, England

Armchair arrived yesterday afternoon and I am now up to page 60. A wonderful book. The photos were excellent; what a wonderful way to publish so many in such a compact format. They are a wealth of visual information on Fatima and all that pertains to it. It is chock full of little known Fatima facts, not to mention humorous anecdotes. J.H. USA

Well, I took Armchair to bed last night with the intention of just paging through it, but once I looked at the first page, I started reading. . . and kept reading until the eyelids were drooping. I like it, and (as far as I've read anyway) it does what the writer intended - let the reader visit Fatima from his armchair, and make him want to go there. The "light" approach is just right. And Daniel comes across as he should. ... I suppose it will keep me awake again tonight. P.M. Melbourne, Australia.

Leo's book on Fatima is a real treasure. What a super writer he is! I had no idea he had that kind of talent--didn't even know he was a writer, to tell you the truth. The book is a deceptively easy read. I say 'deceptively', because as Malcolm Muggeridge used to say: "Hard writing makes easy reading." I love his sense of humour, and he has a great 'non-preachy' faith. J. D. Canada.

Review by Francis Phillips:

As the title implies, this is a tour of the Marian shrine and locality from the comfort of one’s sitting-room. The author, who has published many books on Fatima, lives in the town itself and his book, written in a racy style (with several amusing digs at a rogue guide called ‘Daniel’, who invents tall stories as he goes along) brims with details and anecdotes that only a knowledgeable aficionado can command. Reading this book demonstrates that there is much more to a holy site than the apparitions themselves; the whole area, populated for centuries by devout, simple folk, is saturated in the signs and wonders that only simple folk can see. We are treated to the story behind the Church of the Eucharistic Miracle at Santarem, involving a warring couple who stole the host; to the reason why the villagers of Reguengo do Fetal light shells filled with oil – ‘Our Lady’s candles’ - and display them on their windowsills in early October; to an explanation on why there is a section of the Berlin Wall within the precincts of the shrine; even to the tale of a dog who regularly attended Mass on his own. Behind these fascinating yarns (Madigan used to be a merchant seaman) is great devotion to the message of Fatima and its theological significance; for Madigan Fatima is a place “where rosaries don’t turn to gold. They turn into grace”. Not least of the book’s riches are the photographs – over 300 of them – of the personalities, chapels and churches which are associated with the shrine. For me the most poignant of these is the dormitory-like children’s ward in the Estafania hospital in Lisbon with its rows of small beds, where Jacinta died alone as Our Lady foretold. After reading, you will be so intrigued that you will want to leap from your armchair and make a pilgrimage in person.

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