With Permission of Archbishop Raymond Burke, June 1-21
Scheduled Itinerary:
Our Lady of Fatima (Florissant) 8 AM- 8 PM, June 1
St. Ferdinand (Florissant) 7 PM Mass, June 2- 7 PM, June 3
Regina Cleri (St. Louis, 63119) 7 AM- 7 PM, June 4
St. Elizabeth of Hungary (Crestwood) 5 PM Mass, June 5- 12 PM, June 6
Immaculate Conception (Arnold) 6PM-10PM, June 6
St. Joseph’s Cottleville (St. Charles) Program 7-9 PM, June 7
St. Vincent de Paul (Perryville) 8 AM, June 8- 8:30 AM, June 9
Immaculata (Richmond Heights) 12 PM, June 9- 12 PM, June 10
St. James (Catawissa) 7 PM, June 10- 7 PM, June 11
St. Louis Basilica (Clayton) 8 AM Mass -5 PM, June 12
St. Raymond’s Maronite Church 8PM –12 PM, June 13
St. Matthias (Mehlville) 2PM-5PM, June 13
St. Anthony of Padua (High Ridge) 8 PM, June 13-7 PM June14
St. Michael the Archangel (Shrewsbury) 8 AM Mass- 7 PM, June 15
Our Lady of Lourdes (Washington) 5 PM- 9 PM Mass, June 16
St. Agnes Home (Kirkwood) 4:30 PM, June 17- 3 PM, June 18
St. Clement (Des Peres) 6 PM, June 18- 3 PM, June 19
Passionist Monastery (Ellisville) 5 PM, June 19- 5 AM, June 20
St. Agatha (St. Louis) 7 AM- 5 PM, June 20, and processing to…
St. Francis de Sales (Soulard) 6 PM, June 20- 8 PM, June 21
HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL PILGRIM VIRGIN STATUE
The history of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue begins in 1946. At that time, after the youth of Portugal attended a Congress in Fatima, they took the Statue from display in the Cova on pilgrimage to Lisbon. As they walked the route they stopped at the towns and people gathered to pray. In Lisbon when they entered the cathedral, the miracle of doves occurred. Many other phenomena also occurred inspiring devotion and inspiring the fervor among the people.
The statue was returned to its place in the Cova de Iria but many people wished for a visit in their own communities. The Bishop asked Sr. Lucia in a letter about sending the statue on tour. Sr. Lucia responded with a letter suggesting that the new statue, just then being made, by the famous sculptor Jose Thedim be used as a pilgrim statue. The Bishop agreed and, on May 13, 1947, this new statue was blessed and named the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima.
Almost before it began its journey, so many places wanted her visit that it was realized a second statue should also be blessed. This second statue made also by Jose Thedim was completed and blessed by the Bishop of Fatima on October 13, 1947 (Exactly 30 years to the day after the great miracle of the sun which was to draw the worlds attention to Mary’s Message.) His Excellency remarked that this would be the Western statue and that the two statues would travel about until finally they could enter Russia.
The Bishop of Fatima entrusted the Western statue to Mr. John Haffert, who later became the cofounder of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima in America. It entered the United States, through Canada at Buffalo, New York, on December 8, 1947. (December 8th being our patronal Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception.) At Buffalo 200,000 people lined the streets and welcomed Our Lady on that occasion. To fulfill the mandate of the Bishop to travel, teach and inspire, Mr. Haffert assigned the first custodian, Fr. McGrath of Canada. The statue has always had a full time custodian and has never stopped traveling in its entire 52 years. Succeeding Fr. McGrath, was Fr. Breault, and others have continued to the present time.
The miracles, favors, and signal graces were so numerous from the very beginning that even the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, reflected on them in his famous radio address to the pilgrims at Fatima, May 13, 1951. He recalled having crowned the Fatima statue in 1946: “In 1946 we crowned Our Lady of Fatima as Queen of the world, and the next year, through her pilgrim image, She set forth as though to claim Her dominion, and the miracles She performs along the way are such that we can scarcely believe our eyes at what we are seeing.”
Physical cures attributed to the presence of the statue have been documented many times. The changes in _expression and coloration, and even the pose of the statue have been reported innumerable times. But, the important miracles are the spiritual cures and gifts Our Lady bestows. The sudden conversion of a stubborn heretic is a good example. Another important miracle is the enlightenment of someone who has resisted the idea of statues or the idea of praying to saints. The spiritual miracles are infinitely more valuable than the things we can see, touch, or measure.
Miracle of Tears, July, 1972, New Orleans, LA
During Her tour of the New Orleans diocese, the statue shed tears on numerous occasions. This was the first time that the press reported widely the miracle of tears from the IPVS. Although it is known that tears had run from Her glass eyes numerous times before, none of those had gained much attention. This time the press began to report it, large crowds flocked around and even Archbishop Hanann was asked to comment by reporters. He took the statue and had it investigated. That was the first time it was discovered that the moisture was human tears and also the first time photos began to circulate. The statue has shed tears very frequently ever since.
We believe these manifestations of 1972 are related to the tragic legalization of abortion. Abortion was being debated and decided at that time, just before the infamous January 22, 1973 Supreme Court decision.
The miracle of tears is something that is often reported. It happens in more than one way. Frequently, an individual sees tears on the statue while others at the same time do not. Perhaps this is mystical and not physical. But other times all present see the same thing and the tears can be wiped away causing dampness on the cloth. This then is a physical miracle. Regarding the number of times it has occurred, most go undocumented, and almost all go without publicity. Therefore, although we know it has shed tears dozens, and probably hundreds of times, only a few have been published. (We have photos of the statue crying July 24, 1995, in Highland, IN)
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