Rose Ann Norman, along with her young children, paused to pray before the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima at St. Philip the Apostle parish May 13.

The world famous International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima visited two Corpus Christi parishes recently: St. Andrew by the Sea on May 10 and St Philip the Apostle on May 13.

The latter visit was the actual anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima 93 years ago in Portugal. She appeared to three small shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, giving them her message of peace, famous secrets and her promises to those who carry out her instructions faithfully.

Pastor Rev. Hanh Van Pham of St Philip the Apostle arranged the visitation with the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue Foundation. Foundation members are responsible for the pilgrim statue and oversee its travels. The statue was in San Antonio and Houston prior to arriving in Corpus Christi, with Foundation members Carl Malburg and Patrick Sabat accompanying the statue.

”I am filled with awe and thanksgiving,” said St. Philip parishioner Janie Gottfredson. ”that she has chosen to come visit on this special day.”

The statue was sculpted in 1947 by Jose Thedim, according to the description of Sister Lucia, one of the children who saw Mary. Blessed to be a pilgrim and traveler, the sculpture was meant to bring the message of Fatima to the world. It has been traveling continuously ever since.

The sculpture has toured the world many times over, visiting more than 100 countries, including Russia and China. Our Lady of Fatima has brought the inspirational message of hope and the peace plan from heaven to millions of people across the globe. Mary miracles and signal graces (signs from God to help us make the right decisions in life) are reported wherever she travels. The peace plan from heaven is a call for prayer and penance, offered in reparation for sin.

Our Lady of Fatima has said: ”War is a punishment for sin.” She asked for Communions of Reparation on the First Saturday of the month, adding that each day, sacrifices are offered up as reparation for sin. Meanwhile, the Rosary is prayed while meditating on its mysteries. The faithful are then consecrated to Mary’s Immaculate Heart and wear the brown scapular as a sign of this consecration.

Pope Benedict XVI recently visited Portugal to celebrate the anniversary of the apparitions in a four-day pilgrimage. In his farewell to the country, he prayed for the world, asking for a future with an ”increase in fraternity and solidarity, greater mutual respect and renewed trust and confidence in God, our heavenly Father.”