A Voice from Sabah: Mr. Bernard Wong’s devotion to Fatima and the First Five Saturdays

With his Asian features and modest demeanor, Mr. Bernard Wong could easily blend in among the 1,200 delegates attending the World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF) national convention at Landmark Trinoma in Quezon City.

However, as the lone delegate from Sabah, Malaysia—a region where Islam predominates—Mr. Wong stood out among the predominantly female participants representing Marian organizations from across the Philippines.

The convention, held on December 10, 2024, marked the start of the year-long centennial celebration of the First Five Saturdays Devotion under the theme "The Story Continues: Know, Live, and Spread the Fatima Message." 

The event aimed to deepen the faithful’s understanding of the Fatima message and its relevance today. As part of the celebration, WAF Philippines announced plans to bring the image of Our Lady of Pontevedra to dioceses across the Philippines, a pilgrimage that will continue until the end of the Jubilee Year 2025.

The convention’s keynote speaker, Sr. Angela de Fatima Coelho, shared her profound insights as the postulator for the canonization causes of Saints Francisco and Jacinta and the vice postulator for Venerable Lucia dos Santos.

Sr. Angela, who also serves as the superior general of the Allianca de Santa Maria in Portugal, emphasized the enduring spiritual relevance of the Fatima message.

Joining her were prominent figures like Reverend Father Elias Ayuban, newly installed Bishop of the Diocese of Cubao, and Bishop Guillermo Afable, national spiritual director of WAF Philippines.

The event also featured Bishop Bartolome Santos Jr. of Iba, Zambales, and Ms. Debra Andales, WAF Philippines National Formation Coordinator, who facilitated an open forum.

On the sidelines of the WAF National Convention, Radio Veritas Asia RVA interviewed Mr. Bernard Wong, the lone delegate from Sabah, Malaysia.  He represented a Marian group based in Kota Kinabalu, capital of Sabah. 

Mr. Wong, who is single, runs a store selling Catholic books and religious articles in Kota Kinabalu.  He used to work as a researcher but after reading up on articles about the message of Fatima, he left his job.

“I started to discover more about the message of Fatima 10 years ago.  Since then, I have been reading books about  Sister Lucia, and slowly began to learn more about the Fatima message and shared it with some close friends in the church.”

Eventually, he and his friends organized a group called, “Children of Fatima”.  They belong to the newly established Mary Immaculate Parish of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu under Archbishop John Wong.  The parish priest is Rev. Fr. Paul Lo.

Mr. Wong said that the Marian group eventually developed a devotion to the first five Saturdays.  They would go to confession, prayed the rosary and meditate on the mysteries.  Sometimes they would go to mass together on the first Saturday of the month.

Although Islam is the predominant religion in Malaysia, Catholicism is a thriving religion in Sabah. 

“I don’t think we are considered a minority in Sabah.  Everywhere you go in Sabah, you see big church sign boards directing one’s way to a Catholic church or chapel.”

“The people in Sabah are diverse in culture but we live in harmony.  Freedom of religion is guaranteed by our Constitution,” according to Mr. Wong.

Asked about his takeaways from the national Fatima Convention, Mr. Wong, a first time visitor in the Philippines said, “It was totally beyond my expectation. I didn't expect it to be such a big event with so many participants, and it was so well organized.”

On the spiritual plane, Mr. Wong said he was particularly struck by the way the three shepherds of Fatima (to whom the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared) lived their lives.

“Francisco and Jacinta were transformed by the message of Fatima within such a short period of time.”

Sister Lucia on the other hand, lived a heroic life in silence and in obedience to the Church until the end.

“I believe Fatima has a lot to teach us especially in these challenging times.  It is like a plan for us on how to live out our Catholic life perfectly.”

“The first five Saturdays devotion is meant to draw us back to the Rosary, the sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist in a more serious way,” Mr. Wong stressed.

Asked about plans for the Jubilee Year 2025, the Marian devotee from Kota Kinabalu said he plans to introduce the Message of Fatima and the Five First Saturday Devotion to parishioners. The plan will be discussed with other members of the Marian group.
Mr. Wong said he is moved by the request of the Virgin Mary who asked during her apparition in Pontevedra a century ago to draw people to the Five First Saturdays devotion.

“I hope more people can be attracted by the message of Fatima and join us in doing the devotion”.