THE P RTAL
February 2017 Page 22
The World Apostolate of Fatima
Donal Anthony Foley , Secretary , WAF England and Wales reports on the Westminster Cathedral Visitation on 18th Feb 2017 of the National Pilgrim Virgin statue of the World Apostolate of Fatima , England and Wales
From May to October 1917 , Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children , Jacinta and Francisco
Marto , and Lucia dos Santos , at Fatima in Portugal . In this Centenary year , the World Apostolate of Fatima in England and Wales will be commemorating this by means of Visitations to Cathedrals by the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima , together with Relics of Blessed Jacinta and Francisco . This statue was blessed by Pope Paul VI at Fatima in May 1967 and given to this country by the Bishop of Fatima in 1968 . It was also blessed by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Britain in 1982 .
The Visitation of the Statue and Relics to Westminster Cathedral will be on Saturday 18 February 2017 , from 1:45pm onwards . Cardinal Nichols will bless the statue and crown it with a new Centenary Crown .
At Mass , he will renew the consecration of England and Wales to the Immaculate Heart of Mary made by Cardinal Griffin at Walsingham on 16 July 1948 . After Mass , people may venerate the relics of Blessed Jacinta and Francisco .
The statue and relics will be present in the Cathedral until 2:30pm on Sunday 19 February .
The Cathedral Visitation promises to be a truly joyful occasion , when we can celebrate our holy Queen , the “ Mother of Mercy , our life , our sweetness and our hope ”.
It will also be an occasion to pray for our Church , our bishops and priests , our loved ones , families and friends , through the intercession of Mary ’ s Immaculate Heart and also of Blessed Francisco and Jacinta , whose fidelity and commitment in complying with her requests raised them up to become the first children in the history of the Church to attain heroic virtue in the course of their family life .
At 4pm , a Fatima Symposium will begin in Westminster Cathedral Hall and will include talks and discussion on the Centenary celebrations at Fatima , the crown of Our Lady at the Capelinha , the Fatima Message for the Family and the importance of the Five First Saturdays devotion and the Rosary .
Full details of the day can be seen on the flyer
available here : www . worldfatima-englandwales . org . uk / pdfs / npvs-westminster . pdf or contact Oliver Abasolo on 07782 661 922 or Jerry Rivera on 07919 052 207 . Please help us to publicise this event by asking for flyers to email or post to your friends .
The statue will visit 18 of the Cathedrals in England and Wales between May and October . Pope Francis has imparted his Apostolic Blessing “ to all those persons who participate in the organised celebrations in the Cathedrals and churches gathered around the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima ”.
The Pope is travelling to Fatima on 13th May , for the one hundredth anniversary day and has granted a special Fatima Centenary Plenary indulgence , under the usual conditions , from 27 November 2016 to 26 November 2017 , for those who go on Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Fatima , or visit an image of Our Lady of Fatima which is being publicly venerated on the 13th of each month from May to October 2017 .
Those who cannot travel can fulfil the conditions in front of any image of Our Lady of Fatima .
We invite you to sign up for our Newsletter at : www . worldfatima-englandwales . org . uk / newsletter . html If you can ’ t attend the event in person , please join in spiritually on the day at Mass in your parish church , or at home by praying before an image of Our Lady of Fatima .
Please email us at : www . worldfatima-englandwales . org . uk / contact . html if you would like to obtain one of these , together with the Fatima Prayers .