The statue, which has traveled the world many times visiting more than 100 countries including Russia and China, was going to be on a tour of various churches in Hamilton County. Once Geri Smith, the business manager at St. Ann’s, heard about the tour she began trying to find a way for the statue to appear at St. Ann’s. When a church had to drop out of the tour, St. Ann’s was able to receive the statue.
“St. Ann is Mary’s mother, after all,” Smith said. “It was like a divine intervention.”
“It’s a big deal to Catholics ... there have been a lot of miracles and message conveyed at Our Lady of Fatima, the touring statue,” said Smith, adding that as a result “tons of people have been calling us from all over” about the statue’s visit.
According to a history of the statue, numerous reports of miracles have centered around the figure of Mary since 1947 when it was in made in Portugal. A second statue also was made in 1947, and this was known as the Western Statue.
A procession will lead the statue into the church at 9 a.m. Friday for students of St. Ann’s and other area Catholic schools invited to attend. There will be a Mass for the children, along with a discussion about the statue. At 1:15 p.m. St. Ann’s students will pray the rosary.
There will be an evening Mass at 7 p.m. along with a benediction service and a procession during the rosary.
“All day there will be things going on and we expect quite a good turnout,” Smith said.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.
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