Fatima Tour for Peace to visit Northwest suburbs
With peace as its motivation, several area churches are cooperating to host a celebration noting the 101st Fatima Tour for Peace featuring a traveling statue to mark the anniversary of the 1917 Marian apparitions to three illiterate children in Portugal.
Known as the International Pilgrim Virgin, the statue has traveled worldwide for more than 70 years with an aim to alert folks to pray and praise God and to hear the Fatima story. The statue was sculpted by noted artist Jose Thedim in 1947. Thedim used the depiction of Lucia dos Santos, one of the children to whom the Virgin appeared, to give authenticity to the statue's features.
The faithful believe that the Virgin Mary appeared to Lucia dos Santos and her two cousins on May 13, 1917, and instructed them to return on the 13th of each month until October when 50,000 pilgrims assembled to witness "the miracle of the sun."
The Encyclopedia of Catholicism, says, "Although approved by the church the events at Fatima are considered private revelations."
The tour's sponsors made arrangements for stops from Sept. 7 to 16, at several parishes each of which will offer full-day services.
The tour's first stop will be from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7 in Church of the Holy Spirit, 1451 W. Bode Road, Schaumburg. Canon Law lawyer the Rev. Dan Smilanic will celebrate the 9 a.m. Mass followed by a welcome address by Sister Marianne Supan, OP. Various devotions, including the rosary recitation, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction will follow. Holy Spirit Pastor the Rev. John Dearhammer will celebrate a 7 p.m. Mass followed by a presentation by Patrick Sabat, custodian of the famed statue.
St. Hubert will offer another opportunity for area residents at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 10, in the church, 729 Grand Canyon Blvd., Hoffman Estates. The Knights of Columbus will lead a procession from the school to the church to open a prayer service followed by adoration from noon to 6 p.m. The rosary will be recited at the top of each hour in various languages, including Tagalog, Spanish, Polish, Italian and an Indian dialect. Pastor the Rev. Michael Scherschel will celebrate a 7 p.m. Mass followed by refreshments in the narthex.
The tour will also make stops on Sept. 11 at St. Theresa Parish, Palatine; Sept. 12 at St. Thomas Becket, Mount Prospect; Sept. 13 at St. Mary of Vernon, Indian Creek; Sept. 14 at Most Blessed Trinity, Waukegan; Sept. 16 at Santa Maria del Popolo, Mundelein, and Sept 17 at St. Walter, Roselle.