80 years ago, on August 6 and 9, two nuclear bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Estimated death tolls range from 100,000 to 200,000 fatalities. Many of these death were instantaneous, yet others died over successive years as a result of the radiation. Just about everything standing was flattened. Yet in the midst of this horrific destruction, 8 Jesuit missionaries who were in their mission rectory, miraculously survived and did not suffer any bad effects from the hurtful radiation. Doctors who eventually cared for the Jesuits feared that they would suffer serious lesions, illness and even death. Nevertheless, 200 medical exams over the years showed no adverse effects, confusing the doctors who had foreseen grim after-effects. Moreover, the Jesuits’ church, Our Lady of the Assumption lost its stained glass windows, but did not collapse. Among the Jesuits was Pedro Aruppe, who would become Superior General of the Jesuits for several years. Years later, in August of 1976, during the International Eucharistic Congress held in Philadelphia, all 8 priests were still alive and, and one of them Fr Hubert Schiffer recounted his experience of that day, and how they miraculously all survived. When he was asked why they survived, he answered ‘because we lived the message of Fatima. We said the Rosary daily in our home.’
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