Our Lady of Fatima statue to visit Cedar Rapids area

In 1917, according to Catholic belief, three Portuguese shepherd children saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary near the town of Fatima. The Virgin Mary is said to have visited the children six times, bringing a message about the existence of heaven and hell, and a request for peace. Each time she asked the children to relay a request that the faithful pray the rosary and follow other Catholic rites.

If her requests were followed, peace would be near. Shortly after her appearances, World War I came to an end.

'It really was Mary's message to the children that is believed to have predicted the end of the war,” said Kim Smith, a public relations consultant for Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids.

In honor of the centennial anniversary of Mary's appearance to Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta - the three shepherd children - a statue made in her honor, the International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, is traveling the world, again seeking peace. Immaculate Conception and St. Patrick's Catholic Church, also in Cedar Rapids, are two of the 10 Iowa parishes to be visited by the statue.

Geralyn Ward, director of religious education for St. Patrick's Catholic Church, learned of the tour and wanted to bring the statue to Cedar Rapids.

'Our world is in desperate need of peace. Our Lady of Fatima predicted the end of World War I, but she told the three shepherd children that a worse war would come if people would not amend their ways and turn to God,” Ward said. 'Mary's message still is very much for today since our world is filled with terrorism and war. As a result of worldwide terrorism and the continuous violence in the Middle East, we are witnessing once again a danger not experienced since World War II. We need more than ever to pray for peace.”

Smith saw that Ward had been successful in adding St. Patrick's to the tour and wanted Immaculate Conception added, as well. Though thousands travel to Fatima to visit the statue each year, Smith said it's a trip she may never get to take. She's grateful the statue is coming to Cedar Rapids.

'This is my trip to Fatima,” she said. 'It's an amazing gift.”

The pilgrimage to Fatima to visit the statue helps people find peace, Smith said, and a closer relationship to God. She hopes the same thing happens when the statue is in Iowa.

'We're not worshipping the statue, we're not honoring the statue with praise,” she said. 'We give it reverence and respect.”

'People tell me that one of the greatest effects of the statue is that it brings about great spiritual conversion,” Smith said. 'It brings us together and makes us take a good look at our lives.”

Ward said she, too, is looking forward to the statue's appearance.

'We're very excited to bring the statue to the Cedar Rapids area. We hope the statue's visit brings people a deeper love for Mary and a greater devotion to the messages of Fatima, especially praying the rosary for peace. Mary's messages give us hope that our prayers can stop wars.”

INTERNATIONAL PILGRIM STATUE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

Where and when can you see the statue:

Thursday: St. Patrick's Church, Cedar Rapids

Friday: Immaculate Conception Church, Cedar Rapids

Oct. 29: Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, Dyersville

Oct. 30: Cathedral of Sacred Heart, Davenport

Oct. 31: St. Mary and St. Mathias, Muscatine

Nov. 1: St. John's, Burlington

Nov. 2-3: St. Mary's, Iowa City

Nov. 4: St. Anthony, Des Moines

Nov. 5: St. Augustin, Des Moines

Nov. 6: St. Francis of Assisi, West Des Moines