The message of Fatima spread throughout the world after World War II largely through the Pilgrim Virgin Statue tours which began in 1947.
The purpose of the Pilgrim Virgin Statue tour was and still is to bring the graces of Fatima and Our Lady’s message of hope, peace and salvation to those many millions of people who may never have an opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Fatima itself.
Advance approval of the Local Ordinary or Bishop of the diocese is a prerequisite for all statue tours. We recommend four to six months to adequately prepare for a successful tour.
The Statue
The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is a beautiful hand-carved image of Our Lady of Fatima given to the United States by the bishop of Fatima after being blessed by Pope Paul VI in 1967. She was crowned by Cardinal O’Boyle at the National Basilica in Washington, DC in 1971.
This statue presently travels across the United States under the sponsorship of the WAF USA. She has proven time and again to be the catalyst for renewed interest in the message of Fatima and for exposing new generations of Catholics who are unaware of the important message of conversion and peace brought by Our Lady to the three shepherd children in 1917 at Fatima, Portugal.
Find out if Our Lady is visiting your parish or diocese. Tell your family and friends about this opportunity.
If your diocese/parish would like to participate in the tour, please contact:
Patrick Sabat: psabat@bluearmy.com
Dates are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, and require permission from the bishop to visit your diocese or pastor’s approval from your parish.
The World Apostolate of Fatima, USA, Inc., was founded in 1947 as The Blue Army. The name was changed when the Vatican raised our organization to the status of Public International Association of the Faithful, which was permanently decreed in October 2010. The tagline, “Our Lady’s Blue Army” appears with our name for the sake of continuity. The apostolate is the only Fatima organization in the world which speaks “in the name of the Church” and “with the authority of the Church” on Fatima.
Our mission is to help people learn, live and spread the message of Our Lady of Fatima in communion with the Church and in concert with The New Evangelization.
The Message of Fatima
“Do not be afraid. I am from Heaven.”
On the 13th day of the months of May – October, 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos, and Jacinta and Francisco Marto, at a place called the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal. Her message, imparted through specific requests, has become known as the Peace Plan from Heaven.
“…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.”
Pope Benedict XVI said at Fatima, May 13, 2010 that the prophetic mission of Fatima is not yet complete because
1) our Lady’s message at Fatima, which contains fundamental truths of our faith, is still guiding and encouraging the Church, and
2) we have not yet seen the glorious triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which the Pope prayed would occur by the year 2017.
If we heed our Lady’s call to personal holiness, prayer and reparation for sin, we will see the blessings promised at Fatima poured out abundantly on us! The Pope exhorted, “Learn the message of Fatima! Live the message of Fatima! Spread the message of Fatima!”
The peace plan from heaven
Our Lady came to Fatima, appearing often as a sorrowful Mother concerned for her children on earth. She warned about the coming moral evils that largely unfolded throughout the 20th Century beginning with WWII, if people did not cease offending God. But she gave us a Peace Plan from Heaven that could avoid these evils and bring peace to the world. The story of Fatima is amazingly powerful and for our times because peace has not been achieved.
Our Lady exhorted all her children to become fervent in working for the salvation of souls. Our penances and prayers for others are central to our Lady’s message because she identified the conversion of sinners as the key to peace in the world.
Program Director
Patrick Sabat
Tel. 219.218.8991
MAILING ADDRESS
World Apostolate of Fatima
PO Box 976
Washington, NJ 07882-0976
TEL. 908.689.1700
Executive Director
David Carollo