Our Lady of Fatima 94th Anniversary Celebration

Our Lady of the Mountains Parish along with students from All Saints Catholic School celebrated the anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima. It began in church with the ringing of the bells and the angelus and then the full church processed outside through the parking lot to Calle Encina Road and onto Yaqui Street. Parishioners of all ages and nationalites were present: caucasian, korean, filipino, hispanic, nigerian and german. The Knights of Columbus followed behind our pastor and the deacon as they carried the Statue of Our Lady of Fatima in processioin. We had blessed white cloths to wave as we sang Ave, Ave, Ave Maria, as the hispanics played their guitars.

We arrived back in church from our lengthy procession and then the history of Fatima was read followed by the recitation of the rosary led by the children of Fatima and assisted by Fr. Ariel. The Knights of Columbus stood guard by the statue and changed guards at the beginning of each decade. The rosary was recited in English and Spanish.

After the rosary we all recited the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, Memorare, Litany of the Blessed Virgin May, The Divine Praises and ended with the final blessing from Fr.Ariel. I was amazed at the children. They knelt on the hard floor for the whole rosary.

A reception followed afterwards in the church hall.  This parish really celebrates all the traditional rituals of our Faith. Our Lady of the Mountains Parish is truly a witness of the universality of the Catholic Church.

                                           Can you see the sun dancing in the sky as we begin this day?

 .

St.Jacinta leading the Rosary!

All had a part in the celebration!

 As Fr. Ariel said, " It is great to see the children leading us in prayer."