The Apparition of St. Michael

It was one of our busiest days with the visitation of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Dallas, Texas when something strange happened. We were scheduled to visit Imaculate Conception parish. Prior to my arrival, I was informed that a florist would meet up with me in front of the church, that is by the sanctuary. I decided to arrive earlier than usual at the church to check with this florist to discuss the table arrangements for Our Lady’s statue. 

Upon entering the church, from the vestibule, I immediately saw the florist already standing and waiting at the sanctuary.  He raised his left hand to wave in gesture at me while holding what appeared to me like a candlestick on his right hand and a big “flower vase”. So, I waved back at him and indicated my desire to visit the restroom nearby. He was wearing elaborate flowery clothing. I thought to myself, “Indeed, that must be the florist!” His appearance is now engraved in my mind. Average built, dark complexion, long curly hair and the clothes! They were beautiful! I composed myself to meet this great-looking guy. 

Upon entering the main body of the church, I felt something strange. I cannot describe the feeling of awe. It was very quiet and so peaceful. I felt goosebumps I never had before in my entire life. The florist was gone from where I just saw him a couple of minutes ago. He must be in the sacristy on the side, I thought. But there was no sacristy there. This was my first visit to this church and inspected every corner of it looking for him. It was a small church in the suburbs of Dallas. Maybe it could seat about two hundred people. There was no other way out of this church. I said “hello” maybe two or three times in every direction with nobody in sight.  I stood still facing the sanctuary again, then I walked towards the direction I came, still searching for him when, Lo and behold, he was standing just the way I saw him earlier, but in a framed-painting. I just saw this guy in the sanctuary between the altar and the table for the statue of Our Lady. (See picture below) Now he is in one of the portraits hung on a wall (see picture above). I could not believe what I saw with my own eyes. In this portrait he has a halo around his head and the wings of an angel. The thing he was holding was not a candlestick but a sword. The vase was not a vase but a shield! Clearly this was Saint Michael the Archangel! I am sure of what I saw. I am sure that this was the same “person” I saw. There is no doubt in my mind that this was St. Michael. But the question is, Why would he choose to appear to me? I began my quest to read more about this glorious “spirit”. 

Of the many titles given to him, what is sensible at this point to me is “Servant in the House of the Divine King”. He appeared and waved at me as if affirming his honored title. I carry the image of the Woman in the House of Her Child. St. Michael makes sure no harm comes our way because we all know that the ancient dragon lies in wait for the Woman who shall crush its head.

As I was finishing writing about this story in the back of a church in New Jersey, a gentleman approached me because he said I looked familiar. He said his name is Geoffrey Albano, visiting friends in New Jersey, but he is from Grand Prairie, Texas,  and he wondered if I was in his parish last February. I asked what parish and he replied, “St. Michael the Archangel”. I said, “No, but we visited Immaculate Conception”. Then he corrected me saying that is part of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel! I never knew that. Now I have my answers, and a great way to continue my journey with the Blessed Mother, knowing that “God will give his angels charge of me, to keep me in all my ways. On their hands they will bear me up, lest I dash my foot against a stone” (Ps 91:11-12). This is very important to me, literally and figuratively in this battle, as I travel all over the world carrying the precious  statue of Our Lady under the watch of “He who is like Unto God”.

On Pilgrimage with Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal

On Pilgrimage with Our Lady

The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima traveled to Fatima Portugal once again, to where it all began - at the very spot where the Blessed Mother appeared at the Cova da Iria to the three children in 1917. The Pilgrim Virgin Statue was accompanied on May 22 to 29, 2014, by a group of pilgrims from across the United States. The truly meaningful pilgrimage and retreat had as the chaplain Rev. Fr. Carl Gismondi, FSSP who celebrated Holy Mass daily and led the group in prayers and spiritual meditations. Mr. Thomas McKenna, Director of the IPVS Foundation who organized the program and Mr. Patrick Sabat, custodian of the statue, shared many stories and experiences of their years of traveling the world over with the Pilgrim Virgin

A highlight of the trip was Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Gismondi at the Capelinha in the presence of the two historic statues: the Shrine Statu

e (1920) which is always present and the Pilgrim Statue (1947) which has traveled the world for over 60 years. The group was also blessed to have the privilege of accompanying the statue and assisting Holy Mass in the chapel of the Carmelite convent in Coimbra where Sister Lucia spent almost 60 years of her life as a cloistered nun and where she died.

The trip was organized by the IPVS Foundation in collaboration with Canterbury Tours as preparation for the upcoming Centennial Celebration of Our Lady’s apparitions that will be commemorated in 2017.

The pilgrims rendezvoused in Charlotte, North Carolina to take the inaugural flight of US Airways direct to Lisbon. Upon arrival at the airport in Lisbon the passengers were surprised when the airplane received a warm welcome by a line of Portuguese fire engines that sprayed the plane with a shower from their truck mounted fire hoses celebrating the arrival.

Upon arrival in Lisbon the group visited the birthplace of St. Anthony and Santarem to visit the church of St. Stephen and venerate the Eucharistic miracle that occurred there, all while on the way to Fatima. In Fatima over the days the group visited the Basilica where the three children are buried, the site where the angel appeared, the church where the children were baptized and received their First Holy Communion, the villages and homes of the seers among other places. Each night they were blessed to participate in the international rosary at the site of the apparitions and march in the candle light  procession with the statue of Our Blessed Mother. Several men of the group had the special honor to vest in the traditional garb and carry the litter holding Our Lady. Other places visited included the miracle of Our Lady in the city of Nazare, the medieval town of Batalha and the magnificent church and the Abbey of Alcobaca. At all of the sites prayers were prayed for reparation and that Our Lady’s prophecies will be fulfilled.

The return flight to the US proved to be a very moving and inspiring experience for the pilgrims and passengers as they had the opportunity witness firsthand how Our Lady’s statue touches hearts. Upon boarding the plane and seeing the statue in a seat next to the custodian, the flight crew became overwhelmed with enthusiasm. They all wanted to see the statue and learn about the history. One crew member said  that in her 42 years as a flight attendant she has never had such an important opportunity as this. Throughout the entire flight the custodians and pilgrims were busy sharing pictures and the story of the statue while many passengers and flight crew approached to have their pictures taken with Our Lady. One pilot even came back from the cockpit before takeoff to snap a photo of the memorable event. The custodians were very touched by the service and accommodations provided by the entire crew of the US Airways flight.

 

With a renewed sense of pilgrimage, and an invigorated love of Our Lady of Fatima, the pilgrims understood that this week long retreat pilgrimage would influence their lives forever.