October is traditionally celebrated as the month of the Holy Rosary, so it is fitting that this October 13 we will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the last apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. In 1917, after a series of apparitions in each of which Our Lady urged the children to do penance for the salvation of souls and to pray the Rosary, she appeared to them a last time as the crowd of upwards of 30,000 spectators observed the spectacular Miracle of the Sun.
Celebrating October 13 with Eucharistic Adoration
In honor of this occasion, Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of our Archdiocese of Mobile has called for a day of Eucharistic Adoration: “This anniversary of Fatima gives us a wonderful opportunity to observe a historic moment in which all churches and chapels of the archdiocese are asked to join together in prayer through the Exposition of the Holy Eucharist on the same day.”
“The apparitions of our Mother Mary at Fatima brought, and continues to bring, God’s blessings to the people of God,” the Archbishop said. “Her message or prayer and repentance is as simple as it is profound. We often live our lives without opening our hearts to God’s powerful call to ‘repent and believe!’ (Mk 1:15)”
For What Should We Pray?
Exhorting the people of the archdiocese to participate by spending at least an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, Archbishop Rodi continued:
For what should we pray? The prayer of the Our Father gives us a great starting point. We should ask God for “our daily bread.” In other words, to pray for the needs in our personal lives and in our world. Let us pray for our world, nation, state, communities, families, loved ones and ourselves. This is certainly pleasing to God. As Jesus taught us in the Gospel of John: “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” (Jn 14:13-14)
Let us also remember to pray: “Thy will be done.” So often our prayer is asking for “My will be done, not Thy will be done.” God’s plans are always better than ours. God’s plans are always for our good. God’s plans are always what is best for us. The miracles of prayers are often not that we get what we ask for but that prayer changes us and makes us willing to open ourselves to God’s will. In this way, prayer brings us closer to God and allows us to trust God and lean on Him for strength.
Join Us in Eucharistic Adoration
For us as Dominican nuns dedicated to the perpetual prayer of the Rosary before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration and prayer are a way of life! We invite you to join us in prayer especially on October 13 in response to the Archbishop’s exhortation, either in our chapel, at a church near you, or in spirit from your home.
On Friday, October 13, our normal 7:30 am daily Mass will be in honor of Our Lady of Fatima. Eucharistic Adoration will follow as usual, with the chapel open to the public until 6:00 pm. At 11:25 am we sing Midday Prayer followed by the recitation of the Rosary until noon; at 3:00 pm we sing Midafternoon Prayer. Anyone is welcome to join us for Eucharistic Adoration and silent prayer throughout the day.
As Archbishop Rodi concluded, “May this day of archdiocesan observance honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary by honoring her Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Savior of sinners and the hope of salvation. Let this day remind us of our need to pray, to repent, to do penance and to renew our resolve to live in the dignity of the children of God.”