May 2025: Fatima Report

A Mother's Day to Remember

Children who love their mothers show their affection and appreciation, especially on Mother’s Day. It just so happens that Mother’s Day in the United States always falls in the month of the best of all mothers, Our Blessed Mother Mary. By a providential “coincidence,” Mother’s Day also falls very close to May 13, the anniversary of Our Lady’s first apparition in Fatima, Portugal. As we have been doing for many years, America Needs Fatima held its annual Candlelight Procession Banner, Mother’s Day Rose Campaign and presented several other tributes to Our Heavenly Mother in Fatima, Portugal.

Candlelight Procession

On the night of May 12, ANF volunteers participated in the massive candlelight rosary procession that encircles the Cova da Iria, the place where Our Lady appeared to the three shepherd children in 1917. Joining many dozens of banners and flags from associations and countries around the world, ANF’s banner waved prominently.

It was emblazoned with thousands of names of Fatima devotees from the ranks of ANF members. The intermittent rain did not dampen the spirits of the estimated 270,000 people who filled the esplanade. Nor did it extinguish the sea of candle flames that stretched out like a blanket of fire as the pilgrims prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary just as Our Lady requested.

Roses and Intentions

The next day, May 13, pilgrims were amazed by the thousands of multi-colored roses unloaded onto the Cova da Iria for ANF’s Mother’s Day Rose Campaign. There were so many roses that a small flatbed truck had to drive onto the esplanade to present them. ANF volunteers, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bascom, helped present the roses, as well as a wreath made up of thousands of white silk rosettes and a special membership parchment with thousands of ANF member names. These were all presented at the Chapel of the Apparitions. The ANF volunteers also made sure to pray for the intentions of all ANF benefactors and members at the tombs of Saints Jacinta and Francisco of Fatima, as well as at the shrines where the Angel of Peace appeared in 1916.

Many ANF members expressly participated in this year’s Name Banner, Fatima Rose Wreath and Mother’s Day Rose Campaign not only to show Our Blessed Mother their affection, but also to honor Our Lady on behalf of their own mothers, living and deceased. Having lost my own mother recently, the presentation of roses was a moving testament to all Catholic mothers who cared for us both materially and spiritually and taught us to love “Mama Mary” with all our hearts.

Our Blessed Mother is the best of all mothers, and as grateful children, ANF members paid generous tribute to her during this year’s May pilgrimage to Fatima. We are confident that Our Lady smiles on each America Needs Fatima member, and we pray for the grace to have greater devotion to her. For, as the great Saint Maximilian Kolbe once said, “You can never love Mary more than Jesus loved her.”

Thank you

A special thank you to all those America Needs Fatima members and friends who made this pilgrimage and presentation of intentions and roses to Our Lady in Fatima in May 2025 possible.