Centenary Celebration of Marian Apparition at Fatima
Centenary Celebration of Marian Apparition at Fatima, will be celebrated at the Our Lady of Church-Tannirbavi, Mangaluru. Message in the Apparition: “A call to pray continuously for the war to get over, turn back from sinful life, repentance. Mother Mary also revealed that she is Immaculate Heart of Mary and that they should conduct devotion to the Immaculate Heart and thus glorify God.”
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangalore Press Club, Fr Onil D’Souza- Director, St Anthony’s Charity Institutes said, “It was 1917 time of World War I. On May 13 the three children Lucia (10) Francisco Marto (8) and his sister, Jancintha Marto (7) as they were grazing their sheep Mother Mary appeared to them at Fatima of Portugal. There after consecutively on the 13th of every month Mother Mary appeared to the children. Initially people of the place didn’t believe in what the children said. But slowly the crowd swelled to witness the apparition. On October 13th of that year a crowd of one hundred thousand gathered to witness the miracle. It was around midday amidst the pouring rain the children and the people witnessed the apparition along with the unusual dance of Sun”.
“There afterwards people from every corner of the world flock to Fatima. Many of those who have visited Fatima have experienced physical healing. Many more have gone back home with a change of heart and life. In 1981 when the then Pope John Paul II was going around in an open vehicle in Vatican square to greet the large crowd a young man from Turkey fired bullets at the Pope. Immediately the Pope was rushed to the hospital and he was rescued. One bullet was removed from his intestine. The incident occurred on May 13th. The Pope understood that Our Lady of Fatima had done that miracle for him. Following year on May13 th he went to Fatima and placed the bullet removed from his intestine on the crown of Mother Mary. Every year around five million people visit Fatima and experience the spiritual grace. This year on May 13th Pope Francis will be visiting Fatima and at that time he will also declare Franscico Marto and Jancintha Marto as Saints” added Fr Onil.
Fr Francis D’Souza Convener of the celebration also speaking during the press meet said, “In Mangalore Diocese, preparations have begun a year back for this celebration. The statue of Mother Mary brought from Fatima on the occasion of fiftieth year of apparition and kept in Milagres Church has been taken to all the 117 Churches of the diocese and people have honoured Our Lady of Fatima by conducting prayers. On 13th May the statue will be brought in procession from Bondel Church-Mangaluru to Our Lady of Church Tannirbavi, Mangaluru. Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangaluru will celebrate the Holy Mass at 5 pm . Around seventy five priests and six thousand people are expected to participated in the celebration. The Bishop will also release a documentary film prepared on Our Lady of Fatima by Rev Fr Stany Montiero of Bambil Church.”
Fr Alban Rodrigues, Felix DSouza and Clifford Lobo of Tannirbavi Parish, Vincent Mascarenhas-media person of the Diocese of Mangaluru were present during the press conference.
Our Lady of Fatima has helped Mangalore in so many ways, and the people of Mangalore are always there to place their daily grievances in the hands of our Lady. The famous Fatima Retreat House being in our very neighborhood for more than six decades has rendered to us greater hopes in our Lady of Fatima who has taken good care of us in our daily welfare in life.
We would like to visit Fatima this year, if possible, and thank our Lady for all the continued blessings on us all, and hopefully we shall accomplish our plans sooner or later.