Education in Faith
Our Lady of Fatima Pilgrimage
Last week the Parish hosted the Statue of Fatima housed in the church. This statute, which originated in Fatima, has traveled around the world so that believers could pay homage to it by saying the Rosary as Our Mother, Mary, suggested.
Our children went to pay homage with their classes so that they too would be part of the pilgrimage history.
The Story of Our Lady of Fatima.
On May 13, 1917, Lucia and her two cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, were looking after sheep at Cova da Iria, near their hometown village, Fatima in Portugal.
The three children saw what Lúcia described seeing a woman "brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal ball filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun." Our Lady said to the children, "Fear not! I will not harm you." When Lucia asked where she was from, she told them, "I am from Heaven." Lucia then asked, "What do you want from me?" Our Lady responded, "Come for six consecutive months, on the thirteenth day, at this same hour. I will tell you later who I am and what I want you to do."
The children asked her many questions and Our Lady told them, "Say the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and the end of the war." After this she began to elevate and disappeared surrounded by a brilliant light. Amazed, Lucia and her cousins ran back to their village and told everyone what they saw.
October the Month of the Rosary
October has been declared the Month of the Rosary as it was in October that Mary made the last apparition at Fatima.
The Rosary means “Crown of Roses”. Our Lady revealed to several people that each time they say a 'Hail Mary' they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a crown of roses. The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of all devotions and an important one.
The Holy Rosary is considered a perfect prayer because within it lies the story of our salvation. With the Rosary we meditate the mysteries of joy, of sorrow, of glory and of light of Jesus and Mary. It’s a simple prayer, humble so much like Mary. It’s a prayer we can all say together with Her, the Mother of God. With the Hail Mary we invite Her to pray for us. Our Lady always grants our request. She joins Her prayer to ours. Therefore it becomes ever more useful, because what Mary asks She always receives, Jesus can never say no to whatever His Mother asks for.
The praying of the Rosary has been a staple of Catholic life for centuries. The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima brought this devotion into a new light As the month of October continues, we are given a special time for renewing devotion to the Rosary. This will help us to grow in our love for Jesus. And we will find in Mary a mother who is ready to bring to him all of our cares.
The Rosary begins with the Apostles Creed,
followed by one Our Father,
three Hail Mary's (traditionally offered for an increase in faith, hope, and charity for those praying the Rosary), then the Glory Be.
Next come the five decades, each consisting of one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and the brief Fatima Prayer.
Finish with the Hail Holy Queen followed by a prayer for the Pope.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
