The World Apostolate of Fatima England & Wales

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

An invitation from the Immaculate Heart of Mary. A way to happiness and peace through an enriching spiritual journey.

By Webmaster September 8, 2025
The WAF-E&W AGM will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Chessington from Thursday, October 23rd, to Saturday, October 25th. All are welcome to attend! For further details, please see the poster above.
By Webmaster September 5, 2025
The Jubilee of Marian Spirituality is a special event within the larger 2025 Jubilee Year, focusing on deepening devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It will take place in Rome from October 11-12, 2025, with events centered around major basilicas and culminating in a Mass presided over by the Holy Father. The Jubilee aims to inspire reflection, prayer, and celebration of Mary's role in the faith, inviting clergy, religious, and laity to participate. View more here
By Webmaster September 5, 2025
The Promoter on-line formation is proving a great success and many thanks to all involved. Please note the next on-line TEAMS formation sessions will be held on 20th October and 15th December respectfully. Details will be made available nearer the time. New volunteers are always welcome to join us - find out more
By Webmaster September 4, 2025
September is the month traditionally dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, and the feast day for this falls on 15 September, the day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Clearly, it is very appropriate that these two feasts, representing the sorrows of Christ and Our Lady, should be celebrated so close together, given that the Blessed Virgin was the one who stood so steadfastly at the foot of the Cross on Calvary during the awful sufferings of her Son. As Fr Jason indicated, there are also some other notable Marian feast days in September, including the feast of the Nativity of of the Blessed Virgin on 8 September, and the feast of the Holy name of Mary on 12 September. And there is also the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham on 24 September. These feast days are all part of a rich historical tradition. The celebration of the Nativity of Our Lady in the Eastern Church goes back to the seventh century, and it was likewise celebrated during the time of Pope Sergius I (687-701) in Rome, from whence it found it way to other European countries. There is no scriptural record of the birth of Mary, but it is mentioned in the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James , which dates from the second century. The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary expresses the idea that after the name of Jesus, her name represents the highest expression of holiness in the light of her extraordinary sanctity and her role as Mother of God. This feast day was celebrated in Spain originally but was extended to the whole Church by Pope Innocent XI after the defeat of the Ottoman army at Vienna by the forces of the Polish King Sobieski on 12 September 1683. Sobieski attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. Traditionally, the seven sorrows comprised the following incidents from the life of Our Lady: the prophecy of Simeon that a sword should pierce her soul the flight into Egypt, when the Holy Family had to escape the wrath of Herod the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem, an incident which was a cause of such anguish to both Mary and Joseph Our Lady meeting Jesus on the way of the Cross the bloody Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary the piercing of his side by the soldier after his death and the descent of his body from the Cross and finally, his burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea nearby. These seven sorrows show how closely linked the lives of Jesus and Mary were, and that she was present at all those crucial moments of pain and distress, and so shared as fully as possible in his sufferings. And this is relevant to our own time and lives, too, since the theme of suffering is prominent in what Our Lady said to the children at Fatima. During the very first apparition, on 13 May 1917, after telling them that they would go to heaven, she said: “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners?” Lucia replied, “Yes, we are willing,” to which the response was, “Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.” During the August apparition, the sadness and suffering of Our Lady at the plight of mankind in its opposition to God was also apparent. Sr Lucia tells us that at the end of this apparition, “looking very sad” she said, “Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.” And she also records that this same sadness during the final apparition on 13 October 1917, once again saying that the Blessed Virgin was “looking very sad” as she said, “Do not offend the Lord our God any more, because He is already so much offended.” So during this month dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we can certainly think about the historical sorrows of her life, which came about because she was the Mother of Christ, the Man of Sorrows, but it would also be good to remember her continuing sufferings as the Mother of the mystical Body of Christ, of all Christians, and do what we can to alleviate those sufferings through our prayers and sacrifices.

YOUR INVITATION - EMBRACING THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA

The Fatima Message is the Heaven-sent guidance to enable us to change our lives and the world around us

WAF (World Apostolate of Fatima) England and Wales is actively involved in promoting the profound message of Fatima through a series of Visitations to cathedrals and churches, showcasing the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, along with the revered Relics of Saints Jacinta and Francisco.


In order to embrace the Message of Fatima we need to live the devotion to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart given to us at Fatima. We also need to fulfil her requests - to pray the Rosary daily for peace, and to practice the Five First Saturdays devotion of reparation. The fruits of these practices will help us to live a happier and more fulfilling Catholic life, and work for peace in the world.

2025 Five First Saturday Centenary Year - Find your nearest parish location

  • FATIMA PILGRIMAGE

    REGISTER FOR FATIMA NEWS AND UPDATES

    How does our Mother, Mary, see us?

    WITH A MOTHER'S GAZE

    Our Lady is surely concerned by the alarming state of the world, a consequence of the systematic elimination of fundamental values that has lead to ongoing conflicts - and she is saddened by our lack of hope and purpose.


    Mary came to Fatima to restore our hope, establish peace and guide us to the wonders for which God created us.


    At Fatima on 13 June 1917, Our Lady said to the children:


    “Jesus wants to use you to make Me known and loved. He wishes to establish the devotion to My Immaculate Heart throughout the world. I promise salvation to those who embrace it, and those souls will be loved by God like flowers placed by me to adorn His throne. … My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”'

     

    'While the message of Our Lady of Fatima is a motherly one, it is also strong and decisive. It sounds severe...It invites to repentance. It gives a warning. It calls to prayer. It recommends the Rosary.''  (Pope St. Pope John Paul II)


    MARY CAN CHANGE HISTORY

    THROUGH FATIMA, HISTORY HAS BEEN CHANGED

    The story and the message of Fatima demonstrates that our future can be changed for the better through Our Lady. 

    The Fatima message is the Heaven-sent guidance which is meant to change our lives and the world around us.


    For more about the Fatima apparitions from May to October 1917:

    OUR LADY'S  PLAN TO RESTORE HOPE AND ESTABLISH PEACE

    A MESSAGE FOR THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

    Fatima represents a profound invitation to experience true happiness and inner peace. This invitation from Mary is a  call for all of us to open our hearts and respond with faith and devotion to her requests.

    Embracing Fatima's call means accepting Mary’s invitation to transform one’s life through prayer, reflection, and commitment to spiritual growth.


    Our Lady showed the seers the way to heaven, and we too can attain happiness, peace and salvation by responding to the Message of Fatima.


    “To know the message is to know the Gospel, to live the message is to live the Gospel. To accept the message is to accept Revelation as interpreted by the authentic Magisterium of the Church.


    There is almost no article of the Faith of the Church which is not reaffirmed, explicitly or implicitly, in the message of Fatima, understanding this in its widest and deepest sense.”

    The Fatima Message embodies a profound call to holiness, urging the faithful to embrace a new way of life marked by prayer, penance, and a deeper commitment to God.

    This message is not only a means of  individual transformation but also serves as a vital instrument in aiding the New Evangelisation, encouraging believers to spread the gospel in a modern context.

    Furthermore, it wholeheartedly promotes devotion to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, inviting the faithful to seek her intercession and guidance as they follow the path of Mary and the Seers.


    Join us on this exciting mission for our times.

    Pope John Paul II consecrated Russia to Our Lady's Immaculate Heart, 25 March 1984

    WE ARE SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

    Are you interested in dedicating your time and skills to a meaningful cause?

    We invite new volunteers to join us in our mission and lend their support.