SHRINE NEWS: I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Let us pray and hope that 2022 will be better than the two previous ones. We have much to be thankful for. The First Saturday this month falls on New Year’s Day, which is also the Feast of the Mother of God, a Holy day of obligation. I hope you can join us for mass and rosary. The Crusaders of Fatima have approached the Oblates of the Virgin Mary to provide us with spiritual direction at the shrine. We thought this would be a good fit because the Oblates oversee two other shrines in Boston. St. Francis shrine at the Prudential Ctr, and St. Clement’s Eucharistic Shrine in the Fenway section of town. They have assigned Rev. James Doran O.M.V to help us at the Fatima Shrine Boston. Father will celebrate the First Saturday Mass, where we will introduce him to the community. A short meeting with Father following coffee with the board members is scheduled.
I would like to ask for prayers for Dick Marques who has suffered a slight stroke a couple weeks ago and is recovering at home. Dick has been the president of the board for the Crusaders for the last 20 years and has served the shrine with great faith and devotion.
We have made arrangements to have the statue of our Lady painted, touched up especially the face where it looks like the paint is faded.
I want to thank all those who made our annual Christmas Party following the First Saturday in December a success, and all the benefactors throughout the year.
Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on the 6th of January and is the time when Christians remember the arrival of the Wise Men. The Church has moved the celebration of Epiphany to the first Sunday after Christmas which places it on the 2nd of January this year. It is also known as little Christmas in some cultures. But it does remind us that Christmas is a season and is more than just one day. It is providential that we begin the year with the joy of Christmas in our hearts. Epiphany is also when we recognized Jesus’ baptism when He began His public ministry. Epiphany means revelation and Christ is revealed to us in both cases first with his birth and the recognition by the Wise Men as a King, and then by the Father through the Holy Spirit at his Baptism. The Church celebrates the baptism of Our Lord on the Sunday following the Epiphany and it is the event that signifies the end of the Christmas season. The First Week in Ordinary time begins right afterwards. In Orthodox churches Epiphany is also known as “The Feast of the Holy Theophany ”, Theophany means the revelation of God and is considered as important as Christmas. In the Spanish culture Epiphany is an important festival known as the “Festival of the Three Magi Kings” – Fiesta de Los tres Reyes Mages” and is when Spanish and some other Catholic children receive their presents- as symbolized as being delivered by the three Kings. Epiphany Eve also known as Twelfth Night marks the end of the traditional Christmas celebrations and is the time when your were expected to take Christmas decorations down, although some people leave them up until Candlemas, which is celebrated on February 2nd known to as the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the temple, as meditated on the 2nd mystery of the Joyful mysteries of the rosary.
FIRST SATURDAY: On Saturday January 1st we will celebrate the First Saturday Mass and devotion; the celebrant will be our new spiritual director for the shrine, Rev. James Doaran O.M.V Not only is this the First Saturday of the month, it is the First Saturday of the year, it is also the feast of the Mother of God, and New Years Day as well. Confessions will be available and coffee/doughnuts/refreshments will be served following the rosary. We will have sanitizer on hand.
MMP PRAYER CENACLE: The next Marian Movement of Priest prayer Cenacle will be held at the shrine on Tuesday January 25 at 10:00 am starting with Holy Mass, rosary, confession, and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
SANTO ROSARIO: Santuario Nuestra Señora de Fátima. The Spanish Community of St. Columbkille’s most Holy Rosary group meets at the shrine at 3pm every First Saturday of the month for song, prayer and fellowship all are welcomed.
SUNDAY ROSARY FOR PEACE: There are more than a handful of us who meet at the shrine every Sunday to come together to pray The Rosary for peace. We begin around 2pm, feel free to stop by.
REMINDER: A Pro-Life Rosary for our nation continues at the Shrine daily around noon all are welcomed; With a special attention given to the devotion of the Holy Face of Christ, and the Flame of Love.
