Fátima in Tacoma

This past Saturday (July 22), our parish of Holy Rosary was host to the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fátima.

This statue has been on the road worldwide since 1947. The statue is in the middle of a two-year journey across America to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the apparitions at Fátima. It was sculpted according to the precise directions of Sister Lucia, one of the three children who saw the Blessed Mother at Fátima.

Many miracles and graces are attributed to its veneration.

Only six parishes in Western Washington hosted the statue.

She began the day at our neighbouring F.S.S.P. parish of Saint Joseph for their Saturday morning Mass. After some time spent in veneration of the statue and in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, at about Noon Father Stinson and the Saint Joseph congregation processed with the statue to Holy Rosary.

The procession was greeted by torchbearers at the entrance of the Church. To the sounds of a Marian hymn, the procession entered the church and enthroned the statue near to the low altar.

After some moments in prayer and song, Father Stinson graciously exposed the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration. Although the church wasn’t full by any means (it’s a big place!) there were a large number of people present.

And then we prayed, and there were miracles. Francine, in particular, was in tears at one point. She had prayed for healing for her sister. Suddenly, her foot that had given her trouble and pain for more than a year since the first days of our second Camino, stopped hurting.

Like somebody had flipped a switch.

I remained in prayer until Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 4:15. This was followed by our normal Vigil Mass with a guest priest, Rev. Justin McCreedy O.S.B., and then enrollments for the Brown Scapular.

At about 7:00 PM. we carried the statue out of the church on her litter and bid farewell.

This was an amazing, prayerful day – a very Catholic day if I may be so bold. A day full of Grace. Deo gratias!