In 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal, asking them to pray and devote themselves to the Holy Trinity and to say the Rosary every day.
100 years later, more than 150 Saint Mary Mokena parishioners gathered for a procession and Rosary held to commemorate this miraculous event.
Immediately following the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, October 28th, the Saint Mary choir led the congregation outside for the procession, which lasted roughly 15 minutes. The chilly air was warmed by the energy of prayer and song, echoing into the Autumn night.
Back inside the church, the statue of the Virgin Mary was set at the foot of the altar as the choir sang “Bring Flowers of the Rarest.” Three children, representing the three shepherd children Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, led the congregation in placing flowers before the statue.
After placing the flowers, everyone returned to their seats as Father Raed presided over a multilingual Rosary prayer. The first and fifth Joyful Mysteries were said in English, the second in Tagalog, the third in Arabic and the fourth in Spanish.
All in all, it was a beautiful evening of community and prayer, aimed at reminding everyone that the Fátima message is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. The Rosary is one of our strongest weapons against all the evil in today’s world. Let’s use it daily, as our Blessed Mother instructed.
The Mokena Marian 