HISTORIC IPVS REVISITS BUFFALO NY
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| Fatima Shrine in Elba, New York |
After criss-crossing the globe, the International Pilgrim Fatima Statue has returned once again after 64 years to the Elba, New York Fatima Shrine. Both have maintained its good shape. Not much has changed in the church structure itself, and likewise the statue maintained its attributes. Only little details have changed since then; these Knights of Columbus were only children in December of 1947.
Dr. Sally Ross was instrumental in bringing back the statue to Western New York. She coordinated with the parishes in Buffalo Diocese, obtaining permission from His Excellency, Most Rev. Edward Kmiec, then contacting interested pastors. It all started when she, as a member of Our Lady of Fatima, did some research into how her church got its name. She learned three interesting facts about the Elba church:
1. The Pilgrim Statue’s visit in 1947.
2. It is the oldest church in the U.S. to bear the title of Our Lady of Fatima.
3. The knoll in front of the church on which the Fatima Shrine is now located was once used by the Ku Klux Klan as a place to burn crosses.
Fact number three is especially interesting if you think about the Fatima message.
