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A place for Mary at the heart of our Church – Cloverdale Parish commemorates Our Lady of Fatima Centenary

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Archbishop Costelloe led the praying of the Rosary before celebrating Mass at Cloverdale Parish to commemorate the centenary of Our Lady’s apparition in Fatima. Photo: Josh Low.

 

By Josh Low

Parishioners from Cloverdale Parish came together recently to celebrate the centenary of Our Lady's apparition in Fatima with special guest Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe SBD.

A procession of a statue of Our Lady of Fatima was originally planned, but due to a downpour of rain, Archbishop Costelloe instead led the praying of the Rosary before celebrating Mass.

The Archbishop spoke of the relationship between Jesus and St Peter, reflecting on how it parallels both our lives and that of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“For many of us at times in our own lives, when we have difficulties and struggles and wonder whether we will be able to find our way through the storms that are engulfing us, we’re not always tuned in and able to hear Jesus saying to us, ‘Take courage, do not be afraid, I am here, I am with you’.

“But Jesus does say those things to us. That’s what he promised us, that he would always be with us no matter what,” he said.

“We have to learn how to listen. We have to learn how to see him present amidst all the difficulties and struggles of our lives.”

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The Archbishop said that we can’t be the Church that Jesus is calling us to be if we don’t have a place for Mary at the heart of our Church. Photo: Josh Low.

Referencing the Gospel of the day, Archbishop Costelloe said that as soon as Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he started to sink; emphasising the need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord in our everyday lives amid the struggles and difficulties.

He added that the message of the Gospel that day reflected the messages of Our Lady at Fatima.

“It’s very similar to the message Our Lady gives at Fatima, along with her other appearances and even in scriptures.

“In a way, the idea of Peter with his eyes fixed on Jesus is very similar to the image of Mary as the woman who treasured things and pondered them in her heart; in other words that sort of contemplative dimension to life,” the Archbishop said.

“It’s hard to think of Peter battling his way across the waters heading towards Jesus as being in a contemplative situation, but in fact he was because he had his eyes fixed on Jesus.”

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Archbishop Costelloe encouraged those present to remember who to turn to when finding that life, as it inevitably will from time to time, starts becoming too much to handle.

“Don’t rely on yourself. Don’t presume that on your own you have what it takes to deal with everything. Know where to look.

“I think that the decision by Fr Quynh and the parish to mark the Centenary of Fatima by holding a special Rosary and inviting me to come is a sign of the importance of devotion to Mary.

“We can’t be the Church that Jesus is calling us to be if we don’t have a place for Mary at the heart of our Church,” he concluded.