CATHOLICS FILL SAN DIEGO CATHEDRAL AND PROCESS FOR LIFE

CATHOLICS FILL SAN DIEGO CATHEDRAL AND PROCESS FOR LIFE

Thomas McKenna, president of Catholic Action for Faith and Family, organized the event. He called it a “Procession of Reparation” to decry the January 22 anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the United States. McKenna said that the infamous anniversary coincided with the three week tour of the statue he had organized for the diocese in January, so he tied the two together. “In the past 35 years more than 48 million children have been killed in their mother’s womb and the message Our Lady gave at Fatima in 1917 spoke of this type of extreme moral decay,” he said. “At Fatima the Blessed Mother asked for prayer and reparation and that is what we did” he continued.
In the early afternoon people gathered in the cathedral where the Fatima Statue was displayed. As the choir intoned hymns, the faithful filed out onto the street. Some of the participants stayed in the cathedral in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament which was exposed on the main alter after people left.
On Sunday, January 20, more than 700 faithful gathered in San Diego’s St. Joseph’s Cathedral for prayer and a procession to decry 35 years of legalized abortion in the United States. The procession was led by auxiliary bishop, Salvatore Cordileone, and was blessed with the presence of the famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

The procession stretched over three city blocks with the Fatima statue carried aloft by four men. As they walked, the people prayed the rosary in unison and chanted hymns. A police escort stopped traffic at intersections as the faithful walked just over a mile to the Family Planning Associates Abortion Center located across the street from San Diego’s Balboa Park. At the park people gathered on the lawn across the street from the clinic for a brief addresses by Bishop Cordileone and Mr. Kent Peters, the director of the diocesan office of Social Ministry. After the bishop gave his Episcopal Blessing, the procession returned to the cathedral along the same route.

“It is not ever day you see a bishop in beautiful liturgical vestments, with miter and crosier, leading hundreds of the faithful in procession through the streets of a major city in our country,” commented Sue Lopez of Helpers of God’s Precious Infants who leads weekly prayer vigils at the clinic. She said “it was very inspiring, a day to be remembered.” The presence of many religious in their habits added to the solemnity of the day.
Upon arriving at the cathedral people filled the pews and sang the Salve Regina as the beautiful statue entered the church led by the bishop and a color guard escort from the Knights of Columbus. With Our Lady beside the alter and the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the monstrance, the bishop delivered a very inspiring meditation followed by Benediction.
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As the bishop processed out blessing the faithful, the church was filled with voices singing Holy God We Praise Thy Name and tears could be seen in the eyes of many.

For Bishop Cordileone's inspiring meditation, click here.
Copyright 2008 Catholic Action for Faith and Family
All Rights Reserved

International Fatima Pilgrim Statue visits Orange County

Lorena Sills, 3, blows a kiss to the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima at San Antonio Church in Anaheim Hills. She was with her mom, Emma Sills. Sills says the mahogany statue sculpted in 1947, "touches me to the point of tears." It will be in Orange County until May 21 and has traveled to more than 100 countries, including Russia and China, and to the 9/11 crash site in Shanksville, Pa. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER MORE PHOTOS

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Holy statue that believers say has wept visits O.C.

The traveling statue of the Lady of Fatima, said to have performed miracles, is touring Orange County parishes through next week.

By DOUG IRVING and MINDY SCHAUER

The Orange County Register
Comments 58 Recommend 7

A revered statue said to have wept real tears is touring the Catholic churches of Orange County this week as part of a journey of faith that has lasted more than 60 years.
The small statue depicts the Lady of Fatima, who tradition says appeared as an angelic vision to three children in Portugal in 1917. The Lady told the children to pray and to recite the Rosary to bring an end to war, according to the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue Foundation.
The statue itself was created 30 years later, based on a description from one of the Portuguese children. It was blessed in 1947 and has been traveling the world ever since, with stops in more than 100 countries.
People have reported seeing the statue weep and heal the sick, according to the Web site of the Statue Foundation. Its purpose, according to the Web site, is to deliver a message of hope that its custodians describe as the "peace plan from heaven."
The statue arrived in Orange County earlier this month and will be here until May 21. It will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Ana (1322 E. Third St.) on Friday, then moves on to Catholic parishes and other sites around the county.
It attracted a capacity crowd to the morning Mass at San Antonio de Padua in Anaheim Hills today. After the Mass, people approached the statue, knelt and prayed near it.
The statue "touches me to the point of tears," said Emma Sills, who brought her 3-year-old daughter Lorena to see it.
Another visitor, Neda Karam, prayed in front of the statue. She said it helped her get in touch with her spiritual side and "realize what's important in life. It humbles me."

Our Lady goes to Orange County, CA

SCHEDULE OF INTERNATIONAL PILGRIM VIRGIN STATUE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA
DIOCESE OF ORANGE -- MAY 1 - 21 Organizer: Cathy Dicken, nicnat@dslextreme.com

DATE CHURCH TIME
5- 1-2009 La Purisima School & Parish, 11712 N. Newes St., Orange 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
(8:15 a.m. Mass – 7-8:00 p.m. reconciliation)

5- 2-2009 La Purisima, 11712 N. Hewes St., Orange 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
(8:15 a.m. First Saturday Mass Devotion)

5- 2-2009 Santa Clara de Asis Church, 22005 Avenida de la Paz, Yorba Linda-- 7:00 p.m. All Night Adoration

5- 3 -2009 Santa Clara de Asis Church, 22005 Avenida de la Paz, Yorba Linda— 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
(Sunday schedule, 3-3:30 p.m. Flower Offering (4:0 Rosary)

5- 4-2009 Blessed Sacrament Church & School, 14072 Olive Street, Westminster 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

5- 5-2009 Our Lady of Pillar, 1622 W. Sixth St., Santa Ana 6:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
6:30 a.m. Holy Mass & 7:00 p.m. Holy Mass

5- 6-2009 St. Justin Martyr Church & School, 2050 W. Ball Rd., Anaheim 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

5- 7-2009 Perez Family Home, 7 Sky Meadow, Coto de Caza 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
11:00 a.m. Holy Mass – Everyone welcome – 949-858-1408

5- 8-2009 St. Joachim School, 1964 Orange Ave., Costa Mesa 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Magnificat in the evening, location to be determined

5- 9-2009 St. Martin de Porres, 19767 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
May Crowning - 1:00 p.m. – 5 prayer group with Bishop Cerilo Flores

5-10-2009 St. Thomas More, 14010 Remington, Irvine / Sunday Mass Schedule 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

5-11-2009 St. Francis of Assisi School, 5330 Eastside Circle, Yorba Linda 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Veneration / 6:00 p.m. – Family Faith Formation Night

5-12-2009 St. Cecilia, 1301 SE Sycamore Street, Tustin 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

5-13-2009 Holy Spirit Church, 17270 Ward St., Fountain Valley 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
6:30 p.m. - Healing Mass with Bishop Dominic Luong - 92nd Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima

5-14-2009 San Antonio de Padua, 5800 E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Anaheim Hills 10:00 a.m. – 12 Noon
10:00 a.m. – Holy Mass & May Crowning

5-15-2009 Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1322 E. Third St., Santa Ana 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
7:00 a.m. Holy Mass & 7:00 p.m. Holy Mass

5-16-2009 St. Mary’s By the Sea, 321 Tenth St., Huntington Beach 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Catholic Home School Families

5-17-2009 Santiago de Campostella, 21682 Lake Forest Drive, Lake Forest 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Regular Mass Schedule

5-18-2009 St. Polycarp church and School, 8100 Chapman Ave., Stanton 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
8:30 a.m. English Mass, 6:30 p.m. Spanish Mass

5-19-2009 Our Lady Queen of Angels, 2046 Mar Vista Dr., Newport Beach 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - JSerra Catholic High School, 26351 Junipero Serra Rd, SJC

5-20-2009 St. Callistus, 12921 Lewis St., Garden Grove 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Healing Mass

5-21-09 Santa Clara de Asis, 22005 Avenida de la Paz, Yorba Linda 8:00 a..m. – 10:00 p.m.
6:30 p.m. Healing Mass / 10:00 p.m. Good-by procession with candle and hankies.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/communities/hollywood-hallandale/story/935528.html

Thousands flock to Fatima statue at Pompano Beach Catholic church

A miracle nearly a century ago in Portugal is bringing devotional fervor to the faithful of South Florida.

Men of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Pompano Beach are followed by believers during a procession trhrough the church of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The statue represents the image of Jesus's mother Mary who three children of Fatima, Portugal claimed to have appeared before them in 1914 calling for a peace plan that included conversion, prayer and penance. The statue is expected to draw thousands of worshipers during a tour of 22 Miami Archdiocese parishes through March 23.

EILEEN SOLER / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

• Photo

BY EILEEN SOLER

Special to The Miami Herald

Rosemary Dacunha's heart filled with hope as her eyes welled with tears at the very sight of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.

''I feel joyful when I look at her, and I pray to her for peace. She is a miracle,'' said Dacunha, of Pompano Beach.

More than a thousand believers packed the church in Pompano Beach on March 2 for a special service and to view the statue sculpted by a man to deliver a message from heaven.

The statue, one of two made in 1946 and 1947 to tour the world, depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus, whom followers believe appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal, on May 13, 1917, and on the 13th of the following months through October.

On each visit, the children said, Mary revealed what would be called the ``Peace Plan from Heaven.''

Simply, the peace plan is a call for prayer and reparation for sin. If believers do good deeds as penance for sin, then goodness will come.

The punishment is war.

''Penance and reparation are looked upon well by the Lord. . . . In human terms, our prayers can change God's mind. May we be a special instrument through the Lady of Fatima,'' said Archbishop John Favalora, head of the Archdiocese of Miami, who spoke during the service.

The stop at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church on March 1 started a 23-day tour of 22 churches in the Archdiocese of Miami.

By late afternoon the next day, the statue was set before another congregation of followers at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Lighthouse Point. Sunday, the statue is displayed through midafternoon at St. Bernadette in Hollywood, but by 5 p.m. it will be moved to Annunciation Church in West Park through Monday.

A team of apostolates, or lay evangelists, who mostly hail from the statue's North American home in Indiana, escort the statue on church-to-church pilgrimages throughout the United States.

Apostolate Carl Malburg of Munster, Ind., said he began traveling with the statue in 1993 and spends up to 24 days each month for 10 months each year on the religious tour.

''It's full-time work, but can I really call it a job? No,'' Malburg said.

HOLY MISSION

Apostolate Patrick Sabat, who began escorting the statue four years ago, said the job is a mission, an honor and a privilege because he gets to meet ``the best people.''

Believers by the thousands flock to the statue to glimpse what they consider a modern miracle. Some say the statue sometimes weeps or changes expression. But the statue also attracts those whose lives are rocked with challenges that test their faith, such as illness and financial ruin.

Others come seeking compassion and pardon for past transgressions and a new path to redemption.

''The Lady of Fatima is most associated with confession and spiritual conversion,'' Sabat said.

Monsignor James Parappally, pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, said he was 13 when he first saw the statue during a pilgrimage to his home in Kerala, near the southern tip of India.

`A GREAT EXPERIENCE'

''I remember it was a great experience when she was carried through the street,'' Parappally said. He did not know then that someday he would be a Catholic priest.

Decades later, more than 2,000 people stopped into the church Parappally now leads to view the impromptu shrine on the church altar.

The pastor said he prays that people of all races, ethnic backgrounds and religious faiths would visit churches that will host the statue in days to come.

Most churches will include a procession of the statue during a special service and hours of veneration open to the public. The next 14 stops will cross Broward and move south through Miami-Dade and to the Florida Keys.

Malburg called the tour ``remarkable.''

''Not only is it cause for celebration, but it is where everyone finds love. Sometimes people just want to go home to talk to their mama -- Mary,'' Malburg said.

RUSSIAN ARCHBISHOP TADEUSZ KONDRUCHEWICZCROWNS THE IPVS IN FATIMA, PORTUGAL

Among the more than half a million people who gathered at Fatima in October of 2007 for the 90^th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, was Archbishop Tadeusz Kondruchewicz, the first Catholic bishop consecrated in Russia in the post Communist era. He had been consecrated Archbishop of Moscow in 1991.

Also on pilgrimage to Fatima for the commemorations were two directors of the International Pilgrim Virgin Foundation, Carl Malburg and Thomas McKenna. They were accompanying the Pilgrim Virgin Statue. They were excited and honored to meet the illustrious Archbishop and attend an early morning Mass he celebrated in the Chapel of the Apparitions for a group of Russian pilgrims accompanying him. Archbishop Kondruchewicz was pleased with the presence of the famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima which he recalled had visited his diocese in 1992.

When he learned that the statue was present, he asked that the statue be placed on a pillar in front of the altar which is very near where Our Lady had actually appeared in 1917. During his sermon, Archbishop Kondruchewicz spoke of his absolute faith and trust in Mary's promise of the conversion of Russia, and of his own devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. At one point the Archbishop choked up with tears as he spoke fervently about Our Lady's promise for his country.

He had been present in October, 1992 when the statue was brought on pilgrimage to Red square in Moscow. That day more than 1,000 people had gathered in front of the Kremlin together with the Archbishop and the Orthodox Patriarch. In the presence of all, Archbishop Kondruchewicz had crowned Our Lady of Fatima and thanked Her publicly for the freedom in Russia.

Now, sixteen years later, he once again found himself in the presence of the same miraculous statue in the very place where Our Lady had actually made that promise. Upon entering the sanctuary, after the statue was in place, he once again crowned Our Blessed Mother in a moving act of piety.

In October, 2007 Archbishop Kondruchewicz was named Archbishop of Minsk by Pope Benedict XVI. He has entrusted this challenging assignment to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us keep him and the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe in our prayers.

Carl Malburg, Custodian