Bishop says Mass during Our Lady of Fatima pilgrim statue visit

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated the 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass with concelebrating priests on May 13 in St. Mary Parish in Dover, during a visit from the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima from Portugal from May 10–14.

During Mass, Bishop Sweeney censed the pilgrim statue and led the congregation in a consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The ceremony included the blessing of rosaries and religious objects. Priests concelebrating the liturgy with the bishop were Father Lemmuel Camacho, St. Mary’s pastor, and Father Cerilo Javinez, the parish’s parochial vicar.

“Parishioners of various ethnic diversities, cultures and languages recited decades of the rosary in a symbolic gesture of unity and devotion. The bishop spoke about the historical and spiritual privilege St. Mary’s Parish had in having the statue visit,” St. Mary’s posted on social media. “The Mass was well-attended and many parishioners expressed their excitement and gratitude for an opportunity to see the statue in person.”

Catholics believe that more than 100 years ago, the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children, Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, in Fatima. With the war and distress at the time, Mary urged the children to bring forward a message of renewal through her pure heart. She appeared to the children four more times that year with the last vision on Oct. 13, 1917 for the Miracle of the Sun, where crowds had gathered with the children. In 2017, Pope Francis canonized two of the shepherd children as Catholic saints.