Nat’l conference emphasizes Fatima message

Marian devotees gathered for the National Fatima Conference on the “Five First Saturday” devotion, which the Blessed Virgin revealed at Fatima.

Around 400 people filled the San Lorenzo Hall of Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) in Valenzuela City on July 27, to heed Our Lady’s call for penance, conversion, consecration and reparation.

Delegates composed of clergy, religious, and lay persons came from different dioceses in the Philippines.

The conference was organized by the World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF) Philippines and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima together with OLFU.

The celebration was led by Bishop Guillermo Afable of Digos and WAF national spiritual director with the team ministry of the Fatima national shrine headed by Fr. Gener Garcia.

Fr. Garcia said the event was aimed “to intensify the campaign in promoting the devotion of the five First Saturdays in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary following the instructions given by Our Lady to Sis. Lucia de los Santos.”

“Perhaps, the greatest challenge for the Shrine now is to further strengthen its effort in spreading this forgotten yet crucial message of Fatima,” he said.

The celebration featured four talks on the devotion: “The Message of Fatima: A Summary of the Gospel of Our Times” by OLFU Hospital Chaplain Fr. Angelito Caliwag; “The Five First Saturday Devotion” by WAF Philippines National President Debra Andales; “The Challenge of Fatima after 100 Years: Consecration” by Iba Bishop and Former Fatima Shrine Rector Bartolome Santos, Jr.; and “The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and its Role in the Fatima Spirituality in the Philippines” by NSOLF Commission on Fatima and Marian Apostolates Chairman Jilson Tio.

The gathering ended with a procession of the National Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Fatima from the university to the national shrine where a Mass was officiated by Bishop Afable. CBCPNEWS