A new book by southern Indiana author Christopher M. Wathen is now available on Amazon, and it’s already generating quiet buzz among readers of Catholic history, prophecy, and Church tradition.
Titled Vatican Secrets: The Forbidden Third Prophecy of Fatima, the book revisits the events of 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, where three children reported visions of the Virgin Mary and received what became known as the “Three Secrets of Fatima.” While the first two secrets — visions of Hell and warnings about war and the rise of Communist Russia — were revealed decades ago, the Third Secret remained sealed until the year 2000.
But even after the Vatican published what it claimed was the full text, some questions still lingered.
“People aren’t looking to debunk the Church,” Wathen says. “But when you study how the Third Secret was handled — the changes in narrative, the timing, the inconsistencies — it’s reasonable to ask whether something was withheld, or at least softened.”
The book draws from public Vatican documents, the writings of Sister Lucia, and the statements of Church officials over the past 60 years. Wathen walks readers through the known history while also exploring more controversial theories — such as whether there were actually two texts, and if the full content included warnings about internal Church confusion or even apostasy.
Importantly, Vatican Secrets doesn’t claim to solve the mystery once and for all. Instead, it invites readers to consider the evidence, weigh competing accounts, and decide for themselves what to believe.
“This book is for people who take their faith seriously but aren’t afraid to confront uncomfortable questions,” Wathen explains. “Not everything needs to be a conspiracy. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of human decisions made under pressure — and that’s worth understanding.”
Wathen, who lives on a small farm in southern Indiana, studied biology and finance at two Catholic institutions: St. Meinrad College and Marian University. His previous books explore religion, philosophy, and even rural life with a skeptical yet respectful tone.
Available now on Amazon: Vatican Secrets: The Forbidden Third Prophecy of Fatima