All women of the parish are invited to come to “Five First Saturdays” beginning Saturday, October 5, 2024 through February 1, 2025. This monthly event will consist of mass with the parish, followed by a Holy Hour of Adoration and Confession. We will conclude at 10am with refreshments in Mercy Hall. More information coming soon!
More information about Fatima
The “Five First Saturdays” is a devotion which many believe was requested by Our Lady at Fatima, in Portugal. Fatima is an approved apparition of the Church. The devotion – to pray for conversion and for reparation – is a wonderful way to begin each month.
To fulfil the devotion, there are four elements which are required:
1. To attend mass
2. To get to confession within 8 days of the First Saturday (before or after)
3. To say the Rosary
4. To ‘keep Our Lady company’ by meditating on a mystery of the rosary for 15 minutes.
We hope the time set aside will allow everyone to do this on Saturday mornings.
Many Catholics believe that Our Lady appeared to three children, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, in 1917, in Fatima, Portugal. The Church investigated the apparitions and gave its approval in 1930. Church Approval means that there is nothing in the messages that contravenes Church teaching, and it is deemed ‘worthy of belief’ although it comes under the category of a private revelation which Catholics are not required to believe.
If you have only heard about Fatima in terms of the controversy over the consecration to Russia, or the secrets that were only told to the Pope – you can read fuller accounts of what happened, and what it might signify for our times, here: https://www.bluearmy.com/the-s...
Don’t be put off by the language and conventions of an earlier age. We hope to get the opportunity to explore more of what the devotion means, and how to understand it, over the course of the five Saturdays.
