WAF (World Apostolate of Fatima) Philippines is set to launch a year-long program in 2025 to deepen the faithful's understanding of the Fatima message and the First Five Saturday devotion.
The initiative kicks off on December 10, 2024, with a landmark National Fatima Convention, coinciding with the centenary of the First Five Saturday devotion.
The convention will be held at the Mother of Hope Chapel, located in Landmark, Trinoma Mall, Quezon City.
A highlight of the event is the participation of Sr. Angela de Fátima Coelho, vice postulator of the canonization cause for Venerable Lucia dos Santos and superior general of the Aliança de Santa Maria congregation in Portugal. The theme of the convention is “The Story Continues: Know, Live, and Spread the Fatima Message.”
Following the convention, the program will feature a nationwide pilgrimage of the revered Pilgrim Image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Pontevedra.
According to WAF International Vice President Reynald Andales, the image will visit dioceses across the Philippines, where it will be venerated for four to five days in each diocese.
Formators from WAF Philippines, led by Mrs. Debra Andales, will deliver short talks to deepen understanding of the devotion.
The Marian image will begin its journey in the Manila dioceses in February 2025, with detailed schedules to be announced during the National Fatima Convention.
The First Five Saturday devotion traces its roots to December 10, 1925, when the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Sr. Lucia dos Santos in Pontevedra, Spain.
During the apparition, the Virgin Mary reportedly held a heart encircled by thorns, asking for the practice of the devotion.
The promise accompanying the devotion included special graces at the hour of death for those who fulfill its conditions over five consecutive first Saturdays.
Sr. Lucia, along with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, became globally recognized after their encounters with the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.
Francisco and Jacinta, who died in childhood, were canonized by Pope Francis in 2017. Sr. Lucia lived to the age of 97, dedicating her life to religious service as a Discalced Carmelite. Pope Francis declared her venerable in June 2023.
Reynald Andales emphasized the contemporary relevance of the Fatima message, which calls for conversion and penance.
“The message of Fatima is even more urgent today than it was in 1917,” he said, highlighting its enduring call for spiritual renewal.
The National Fatima Convention will feature notable speakers, including: Bishop Guillermo Afable of Digos and WAF Philippines National Spiritual Director, Bishop Bartolome Santos Jr. of Iba, Zambales and Debra Andales, WAF Philippines National Formation Coordinator.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has endorsed the event, which is expected to draw significant participation from the faithful.
This year-long activity underscores the Church’s dedication to spreading the Fatima message and promoting Marian devotion across the Philippines.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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