Dear Crusaders of Fatima,
It is hard to believe that it was a year ago I traveled to Fatima on Pilgrimage, how quickly time has gone by. August is another month full of saints and feast days dedicated to the Blessed Mother. St. Alphonsus on the 1st, St. Peter Eymard on the 2nd, the 3rd is First Friday and St. John Vianney falls on the First Saturday. The 5th is Our Lady of the Snows and the Sixth; “The Transfiguration,” the 8th is St. Dominic, 9th St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. St. Clare on the 11th, St. Maximilian Kolbe on the 14th, and the 15th is the Holy Day of “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” St. Bernard on the 20th, the 21st is Pius X and the 22nd is “The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” 24th the Apostle St. Bartholomew, 27th St. Monica, 28th St. Augustine, 29th the Passion of St. John the Baptist.
The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love, virtue, and interior life. Pope Paul VI, on the floor of the Vatican Council at the close of the third session, renewed publicly the consecration of the Church and the world to Mary’s Immaculate Heart, and we honor Mary’s Immaculate Heart on the First Saturday of the month. The construction on the St. Gabriel project continues, and if you plan on visiting the shrine parking is available on Washington St. and in front of the school/rectory, this will apply for the First Saturday as well. You will have to walk around the fencing and enter the shrine from the stairs on Washington St. I have posted updated pictures on our website and Facebook page. If you have any questions write to us, or contact us online at http/www.fatimashrineboston.org, or like
us on Facebook.
The Candlelight Procession on August 13th will be held at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Parish in Brookline because of the construction going on around the shrine; We have decided to have the September candlelight at the Shrine. If you would like to help, we are looking for volunteers, please let us know if you would be willing to help carry the statue or banner or usher at any of our events.
The First Saturday devotions will continue to be held at the Shrine throughout construction, and the Shrine will be opened on a normal daily schedule. We apologize for any inconvenience the construction may have caused while visiting the shrine.
We are always in need of donations and if you would like to help please send it to the PO Box address listed at the bottom of the page, or make a donation through our website by hitting the donate button. The website address is http/www.fatimashrineboston.org.
We thank all of you who have made contributions as we continue to make improvements around the shrine; we continue to look at replacing the seating with new more comfortable soft liturgical seating. This would enhance the circulation and allow us to seat more people at the same time, as well as clear up any clutter. You are all remembered here at the shrine at all our devotional services. We ask your prayers for all past members and benefactors of the Crusaders of Fatima. May they rest in Peace!
The Rev. Jonathan Gaspar will be presiding at our First Saturday devotion in August.
Father Jonathan will officiate at the Candlelight Vigil on the 13th of August as well.
