World-traveling statue of Our Lady to inspire diocese
BY LAURA KILGUS, Staff Reporter
3/4/10
PROVIDENCE—The world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima is en route to the Ocean State. On March 5, the statue will arrive at St. Mark Church in Jamestown, bringing along the message of Fatima. The statue’s visit to the diocese will end on the Feast of the Annunciation, Thursday, March 25, with a celebration of Mass with Bishop Thomas J. Tobin at St. Martha Church in East Providence.
The veneration of this Marian statue, much like Our Lady of Guadalupe, is approved and encouraged by the Catholic Church as a way to strengthen the faithful in their prayer-lives and to develop a deeper relationship with God through the mediation of his mother.
“Our Lady is Our Lady no matter where she appears,” said Carol Owens, coordinator of the Office of Life and Family for the Diocese of Providence.
The upcoming visit is sponsored by the Human Life Guild apostolate of prayer. Owens said that she was inspired to invite the statue to the diocese because she has always had a deep devotion to Fatima.
“It’s so important to bring her to our diocese to bring hope in our lives,” said Owens. “People are thirsty and she gives them hope. This has always been a story that I have grown up with. We used to hear these fascinating stories of Fatima all the time.”
There are two statues of Our Lady of Fatima, created around 1947, and designed exactly as she was described to have looked when she appeared to three Portuguese children in the early 1900’s in a field at Fatima, Portugal. One statue is enshrined in the basilica in Fatima and the other travels around the world offering hope to millions of believers.
In 1917, the three shepherd children reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. According to the accounts of the children, Our Lady of Fatima stressed the importance of praying the rosary each day for peace along with requesting reparation and repentance for sins.
Owens explained that guardians from the Pilgrim Virgin Committee, a lay apostolate dedicated to protecting and traveling with the image around the world, maintain the statue and never leave its side.
Owens said that she is eager for the arrival of the Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima and is looking forward to seeing the fruits of this visitation.
“Watching people like they’re on a pilgrimage, walking up to venerate the statue, that’s enough to give people hope. We are bringing her here so that people can go see her and get that message out to the world. Now, more than ever we need this. We need it in our world.”
Opportunities to view the International Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima
Friday, March 5
St. Mark Church, 60 Narragansett Ave., Jamestown 8:30 a.m. Mass; 9:15 a.m. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, presentation, rosary, veneration, 4:45 p.m. Benediction.
Saturday, March 6
St. Rocco Church, Atwood Avenue, Johnston
8:00 a.m. Mass, veneration, 10:00 a.m. presentation, 10:30 a.m. presentation, 11:00 a.m. Rosary, 5:00 p.m. Mass.
Sunday, March 7
St. Joseph Church, 391 High Street, Central Falls
7:30 a.m. Mass & presentation; rosary, Marian hymns, 10:30 a.m. presentation, 11:00 a.m. Mass followed by Marian devotions.
Monday, March 8
Holy Angels Church, 341 Maple Avenue, Barrington
8:00 a.m. Mass, 1:00 p.m. Adoration, veneration, 3:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet, 3:30 p.m. presentation, 4:00 p.m. Benediction.
Tuesday, March 9
Holy Apostles, 800 Pippin Orchard Rd., Cranston
7:30 a.m. Mass, veneration, 12 noon rosary, presentation, 2:00 p.m. Adoration, 4:00 p.m. presentation Religious Education Class, 4:45 p.m. benediction.
Wednesday, March 10
St. Lawrence Church, 624 Woonasquatucket Avenue, North Providence 8:00 a.m. Mass, veneration, 1:00 p.m. presentation, 1:30 p.m. Marian prayers.
Thursday, March 11
St. Vincent de Paul, 6 St. Vincent de Paul Street, Coventry. 8:00 a.m. Mass, adoration, veneration; noon rosary, presentation; 3:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet; 3:45 p.m. benediction.
Friday, March 12
St. Francis of Assisi, 618 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. 8:00 a.m. Mass; noon Mass, veneration all day; 7:00 p.m. presentation, Stations of the Cross.
Saturday, March 13
St. Anthony, 32 Lawn Ave., Pawtucket. 9:00 a.m. Mass - veneration all day; 11:00 a.m. Marian holy hour; 4:00 p.m. presentation; 5.00 p.m. Mass.
Sunday, March 14
Our Lady of the Rosary, 21 Traverse St., Providence. 7:00 a.m. Mass (Portuguese); 8:45 a.m. Mass (English); 11:00 a.m. Mass (Portuguese), veneration; 2:30 p.m. presentation, Marian holy hour.
Monday, March 15
St. Timothy, Warwick Avenue, Warwick. 8:00 a.m. Mass, veneration; 11:30 a.m. rosary; noon Mass, adoration; 7:00 p.m. holy hour, rosary, presentation, Benediction.
Tuesday, March 16
St. Thomas the Apostle, Metacom Avenue, Warren. 9:00 a.m. veneration; 7:00 p.m. Marian holy hour, rosary, presentation, Benediction.
Wednesday, March 17
St. Patrick, 244 Smith Street, Providence. 9:00 a.m. veneration (Chapel) until 6:00 p.m., then Our Lady will be processed to the church; 6:30 p.m. Presentation; 7:00 p.m. Mass (Bilingual).
Thursday, March 18
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 64 Brayton Ave. Providence. 6:30 p.m. rosary, 7:00 p.m. Mass followed by a presentation, Benediction, veneration of relics of Francesco and Jacinta.
Friday, March 19
Jesus Saviour, Broadway, Newport. 8:00 a.m. Mass; 8:30 a.m. presentation, adoration, veneration; 4:00 p.m. rosary; 4:45 p.m., Benediction.
Saturday, March 20
St. Paul, One St. Paul Place, Cranston. 8:00 a.m. all day veneration, confession; noon presentation, 4:15 p.m. Mass.
Sunday, March 21
Sacred Heart, 820 Providence Street, West Warwick. 7:30 a.m. Mass; 9:00 a.m. Mass; 10:15 a.m. presentation; 11:15 Mass.
Monday, March 22
St. Elizabeth, 330 Wood Street, Bristol. 7:30 a.m. Mass, veneration; noon rosary, presentation; 6:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross (bilingual), 7:00 p.m. Marian Holy Hour (bilingual).
Tuesday, March 23
Holy Ghost, Judson St.Tiverton. 7:00 a.m. Mass, rosary, veneration; noon presentation – all day confessions.
Wednesday, March 24
Immaculate Conception, 111 High St. Westerly. 9:00 a.m. Marian Holy Hour, rosary, presentation, veneration; noon rosary; 3:00 p.m. rosary, 5:30 p.m. rosary.
Thursday, March 25
Feast of the Annunciation, Linn Health Care/Winslow Gardens Retirement Ctr., St. Martha, Friendship Chapel, 30 Alexander Street, East Providence, Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence, 1:30 p.m. Holy Hour, Benediction, adoration and presentation. Our Lady will remain in the chapel for veneration until 3:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m. Marian Holy Hour – welcoming Our Lady of Fatima: rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, presentation, Benediction, veneration until 7:00 p.m.; 7:00 p.m. Mass in Celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, main celebrant/homilist, Rev. Douglas Spina, pastor, concelebrant. Following the Mass the annual Gabriel Project baby shower will be held in Msgr. Bracq Hall. Refreshments will be served.
