Spreading the Fatima message in Goulburn

BY JOHN MCLAURIN

GOULBURN Catholics commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions earlier this year by holding the ‘First Saturdays of the month’ devotion at its North Goulburn church beginning on May 13.

Along with the small church at Bigga, North Goulburn is one of only two churches in the Archdiocese bearing the patronage of Our Lady of Fatima.

To commemorate the centenary, the parish in conjunction with the local branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society of divided the First Saturday devotion days into four parts.

Each of the days involved having a guest speaker, Holy Communion, Confession, Rosary and meditation.

The speakers included Fr Leo Coffey CSsR who spoke on the relevance of the message of Fatima and also the role of Our Lady in the Church today.

Fr Laurie Bent in his talk gave a presentation on the Rosary as a meditation rather than a repetition of Ave’s.

Fr Hugh Thomas CSsR provided an insight into the mind and heart of Pope Francis, his devotion to the Mother of God, and how he is shaping the Church, while Sr Noelene Quinane gave the final presentation discussing the role of women in the Church.

During this year a statue of Our Lady of Fatima has been displayed and prayers been offered in a different classroom each week at St Joseph’s Primary School (located next to the North Goulburn church).

There was a ‘crowning moment’ when the school community gathered to “crown and re-dedicate the Our Lady of Fatima statue during Mass”.

This is a special practice for those practicing Marian devotion. The statue was donated by Vera Thomas, her sister Irene and brother-in-law Tony Cochran.