SAN DIEGO — The San Diego-based apostolate Catholic Action for Faith and Family commemorated the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13 with its fifth annual Fatima Marian Event.
The event, held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Rancho Peñasquitos, included a Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano, and a crowning of Catholic Action’s beautifully sculptured replica of the International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. First-class relics of the two shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared, St. Jacinta and St. Francisco Marto, were present for veneration.
It was the 107th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. Several hundred people attended the event, and many others watched the livestream.
“We have come here to celebrate the Queenship of Mary and to crown her image. Together, we are called to always keep our hope in the Lord, not to lose our hope, because Jesus has conquered the world,” Bishop Bejarano said at the beginning of the Mass.
In his homily, the bishop reiterated that Jesus has indeed conquered the world and that He wants us to have peace.
He also spoke about Our Lady of Fatima’s July 13, 1917, apparition to the three children, during which she showed them a vision of Hell and, at the end of her message, said that her Immaculate Heart would triumph.
Bishop Bejarano later blessed a crown of flowers with holy water. Then, as the “Salve Regina” was sung, a young girl from the parish placed it on the head of the Blessed Mother’s statue. Then the bishop reverenced the statue with incense and said, “May the Immaculate Heart of Our Blessed Mother always conquer the world.”
