Our Lady Of Fatima Visits St Ann's
A call to prayer, repentance and trust in the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School marked a significant moment in its spiritual calendar on Friday 12 June, when it welcomed representatives from the World Apostolate of Fatima - England and Wales for a day of reflection, prayer, and learning centred on the message of Fatima. Pupils and staff gathered to hear the story of the 1917 apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, where Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children with a message of peace, prayer, and devotion to God. The representatives shared the history and meaning of these events, emphasising the enduring call to pray the Rosary and to work for peace in the world. A highlight of the visit was the arrival of sacred relics of Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the young visionaries canonised for their lives of deep faith and sacrifice. Their relics offered the school community a rare opportunity for veneration, prompting pupils to reflect on the children’s example of trust in God and commitment to prayer. Staff noted the sense of reverence and curiosity among pupils as they learned about the saints’ lives and their significance to Catholics worldwide. The school also welcomed the National Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, a statue gifted to Great Britain by the Bishop of Fatima in 1968 at the close of the Golden Jubilee of the apparitions. Its presence helped bring the Fatima story vividly to life, encouraging pupils to consider the importance of prayer and the message of peace at the heart of the apparitions. The day concluded with a moving Marian procession around the school grounds. Pupils and staff joined together in prayer and song, creating a peaceful and reflective atmosphere that captured the spirit of the occasion. The procession served as a moment of unity for the school community, leaving a lasting impression on those who took part. The visit was widely regarded as a day of spiritual enrichment, offering pupils a deeper understanding of Marian devotion and the continuing relevance of the Fatima message in today’s world. By: Dr Kerry Ann Macfarlane, Assistant Headteacher Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Bournemouth BH5 2BX
Leading up to the funeral of our beloved National Spiritual Director, Canon Jason Jones, members of the World Apostolate of Fatima for England and Wales united closely in prayer, reciting a rosary novena for the repose of his soul. A novena of Masses was also offered by priests across the Diocese of Cardiff and Menevia. Such was the immense esteem held for Canon Jason—a dedicated, tireless, and faithful man of God. On Thursday, 4th June, Canon Jason’s coffin was received into the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Menevia. The church was full to overflowing, its lights glowing like a beacon in the evening sky as heartbroken parishioners gathered to pay their final respects to the pastor they so deeply loved. Special mention needs to be made of Fr. Rod and the visiting clergy who have been vital in supporting the shell-shocked Morriston parish community and maintaining its active sacramental life.
What is the message behind the three-part Secret told by Our Blessed Virgin Mary in Fátima? What is the real meaning behind them? Is the Secret of Fatima meant to frighten us or lead us to God? During World War I, three children, Lúcia dos Santos (10) and her cousins Francisco (9) and Jacinta Marto (7), reported six apparitions of a lady "brighter than the sun" in Cova da Iria, Fátima. They were young, simple children chosen by God through Our Blessed Virgin Mary for a special mission. In the third apparition on July 13, 1917 , according to venerable Sr. Lúcia, the Blessed Virgin Mary entrusted them with a three-part prophecy. While two of the three-parts Secret were published in 1941, the Vatican kept the final part of the Secret confidential until the turn of the millennium. The Secret- Part 1: The Vision of Hell " …she opened her hands…the light seemed to penetrate the earth and we saw, as it were, a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers... floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke.... amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair …we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us so kindly and so sadly: You have seen hell, where souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace. The war is going to end, but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI " The first part of the Secret was a terrifying glimpse of hell that lasted only a moment but left a permanent mark on the children. One may think that the children were too young to see scary things, such as hell, but it was important for them to know and to learn how bad things could be prevented, even the war could be prevented. Obviously, they wouldn’t be able to see the vision of hell without supernatural power; only by God’s grace were they able to understand the vision. They understood that their prayers and sacrifices could prevent people from going to hell. This first part of the Secret served as a dramatic, urgent call to the world. It framed the entire Fátima message not as a selected theological puzzle, but as a direct warning about the spiritual danger of human action, emphasizing the reality of damnation and the urgent need to save souls. Although sin and suffering are real, our Blessed Mother assures us that the faithful can have hope because victory comes through Jesus when we remain faithful to God's grace. In Catholic theology, this wasn't just a scary tactic. It was presented as a wake-up call to the reality of human free will and the spiritual consequences of actions. The vision served as the method for the children’s message to the world: a desperate plea for prayer and conversion to prevent souls from falling into this state of separation. It is not meant to discourage humanity but to prevent them from perishing. The Secret- Part 2: World War II and the Rise of Russia “ To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be annihilated.” Our Blessed Virgin Mary added a most hopeful message. She said, “ In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world .” Part two of the Secret was a geopolitical prophecy. It accurately predicted the end of World War I but warned of a worse conflict if humanity did not stop offending God. Notice that it moved directly from the spiritual realm into the drama of modern history. What does Our Blessed Mother mean by “ God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart ” and “ In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph ”? Why devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Because the Immaculate Heart of Mary is pure, holy, humble and spotless; her Heart is totally dedicated and open to God’s will. Mary's heart, unlike Jesus' Heart, is fully human. As the most perfect of God's creatures, Mary loved God as completely as possible and shared a uniquely close bond with Jesus through her roles as both mother and disciple. Therefore, her Immaculate Heart is stronger than any weapons and guns of all kinds. She will protect and save the souls from the grasp of the evil ones. Her humility is so great that the devil cannot prevail against her. The message of Our Lady of Fátima has inspired generations by offering hope during times of hardship, war, persecution and personal struggle, and reminding people that God's plan leads to redemption. It also calls us to pray, make sacrifices, and work for the salvation of others. We live in a world of a self-centred culture that prioritises personal comfort and only does what makes us feel good. This mentality is contrary to God’s way of love. Therefore, the message of Our Lady is to help us to focus on a life of love, self-sacrifice, and prayer for the grace to care more deeply for others. The Secret- Part 3: Persecution and the Pope “ …we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: “Penance, Penance, Penance!” And we saw in an immense light that is God: “something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it”, a Bishop dressed in White “we had the impression that it was the Holy Father”. Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of roughhewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross, there were two Angels, each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God. “To save souls” has become the central theme of the first and second sections of the “secret,” while the important expression of the third section is the threefold appeal: “Penance, Penance, Penance!” The third vision emphasizes its call to prayer and penance. By these spiritual exercises, we can overcome the evil one who constantly spreads its poison in the world. In the vision, we see how Our Blessed Mother powerfully protected her spiritual children from the hands of the enemy, …with the splendour that she radiated towards him from her right hand … This vision also foretold how the Militant Church was and still is in constant battle against the Evil One. She is going through a time of violence, destruction and persecution. According to the vision, the last century was a period of martyrdom, hardship, and persecution for the Church, marked by world wars and numerous local conflicts that subjected humanity to previously unseen forms of violence and cruelty. Throughout the centuries, the figure of the Pope has played a special role. We see in this vision the Pope climbing the hill, symbolising different Popes, who constantly strive to march forward amidst the sufferings and persecution of the Church, which leads to the Cross. Besides the image of the Pope, we also see beneath the arms of the Cross two angels gather up the blood of the martyrs , and with it they give life to the souls making their way to God . In the Sacred Scriptures, blood is referred to as belonging to God. Only God has the right to take a human’s life. Sadly, some of those who were and who are in authority continue to shed the blood of innocent people to satiate their power and greed. The deaths of Christian martyrs are seen as spiritually united with the death of Christ. Their suffering and sacrifice are understood as sharing in Christ’s Passion, so the martyrs’ blood is symbolically viewed as flowing from the cross alongside Christ’s blood. In this way, their deaths become part of and connected to his sacrifice. Tertullian says, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christians.” As from the side of Christ, the Church was born; similarly, the martyrs’ deaths bear fruit for the future life of the Church. Although the vision of these three secrets looks rather distressing at first, it concludes with the image of hope; hope that in the end God's love and mercy will triumph, that death has no power over Life. The believers are called to remain faithful and persevere in their faith and hope in God. The purpose of the secret is to prevent humanity from perishing and to live with God in eternity. Throughout the centuries, God chose and continues to choose simple and pure souls as His instruments to silence His enemies. Written by Sr. Mary Goncalves, F.D.C. Daughters of Divine Charity (Filae Divinae Caritatis F.D.C) (An international Congregation, active in the Diocese of East Anglia since missionaries from their Congregation arrived in England from Vienna, Austria, in 1914) Sr. Mary joined the Order in 2014 and made her final vows in August 2023. The Charism of the Congregation is to make God’s Love visible through education, social work, and pastoral care, focusing on fulfilling the needs of the present day.
World Apostolate of Fatima England and Wales
On 23 May 2026, on the eve of Pentecost, the first-ever WAF England & Wales Formation Conference was held at Our Lady of Fatima Church, White City — a historic and grace-filled gathering dedicated to deepening devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and strengthening commitment to the Message of Fatima. ๏ปฟ Guided by the theme, “Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as the Way to Salvation,” the conference brought together 40 members from across southern England and Wales, including Swansea, Northampton, and Portsmouth. Despite the sorrow surrounding the passing of Canon Jason Jones, National Spiritual Director of the Apostolate, the day became a beautiful testimony of faith, unity, and perseverance through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The celebration began with the solemn procession and crowning of the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, together with the relics of Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, followed by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated by Father Richard Nesbitt and Father Ephrem. Through prayer, the Holy Rosary, fellowship, and formation activities, participants were renewed in their mission to live and spread the message of Our Lady of Fatima. A highlight of the conference was the inspiring talk delivered by Jerry Rivera, WAF International Regional Coordinator for Western Europe, who reflected on the mystical and prophetic dimensions of the Fatima message. His reflections reminded everyone that devotion to Our Lady must lead to deeper intimacy with God and active solidarity with humanity through prayer, reparation, consecration, and peace-building. The success of the conference was made possible through the dedication and generosity of many individuals whose service reflected true Christian charity and commitment, these promoters’ sacrifices, time, and unwavering support helped bring this historic event to fruition. The spirit of celebration continued into the evening with the WAF E&W Charity Concert in collaboration with the Sinag Himig Chorale. Supporters from across Greater London gathered for an inspiring evening of sacred music in support of the Apostolate’s mission. Under the direction of choirmaster Mr. Jarom Pinlac, the chorale’s moving performance filled the night with beauty, joy, and thanksgiving. Truly, it was a grace-filled day made possible through the mercy of God, the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and Venerable Sister Lucia. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary be our refuge and the way that leads us to God. Ave Maria!
