September 5, 2022

Thousands flock to Festa for outdoor Mass, procession

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Carolee McGrath

LUDLOW – The threat of rain held off at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Ludlow, as thousands of the faithful from all across the Northeast filled up the grounds in front of the outdoor chapel for the annual Festa Sunday evening Mass and rosary procession, Sunday, Sept. 4. Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne celebrated the Mass in Portuguese.

“Today is a very exciting day. Festa is an important part of our Portuguese community, but also an important part of the whole diocese. People come from all over. I met people from New Jersey, all to come for the rides and music and the food but also to celebrate the Mass of Our Lady of Fatima here,” said Bishop Byrne.

The annual Festa, which kicked off Thursday, Sept. 1 and runs through Monday, Sept. 5, is a fundraiser for the parish and celebrates the message of Our Lady of Fatima. Busloads of people come in for the carnival, food, and live entertainment celebrating Portuguese culture.

“Our Lady appeared then and her message continues through the ages because we haven’t learned our lesson. Like any mother she tells us ‘Turn to Jesus,’” Bishop Byrne said in his homily.

From May to October 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, 10, and her two cousins, Jacinta, 7, and Francisco Marto, 9. The Blessed Mother told the children to pray the rosary daily for peace and to offer up their suffering for the conversion of souls. At the time of her appearances, the flu ravaged Europe and Portugal had entered World War I on the side of the Allies.

In 2017, Pope Francis canonized two of the Fatima children, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Both children died from the flu.

Bishop Byrne said the Blessed Mother’s message of repentance and praying the rosary is still so important today.

“A procession is just about the journey of life. And if we walk with Our Lady to our Lord, then we will know peace and joy and fellowship to each other,” said Bishop Byrne.

After Mass, people lit candles and processed in the neighborhoods surrounding the church on Winsor Street in Ludlow, praying the rosary in five different languages.

“I grew up in the church,” said Gleisse Gomes, who brought her 7-year-old daughter with her from Pawtucket, R.I. Gomes and others from her parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary, attended the Mass.

“Mary is Jesus’ mom. And everything she did for us, she is the one that brought Jesus to the world for us, our Savior. That’s why she is the most important woman in the world,” Gomes said.

The choir sang in both English and Portuguese. Following the procession, people placed candles in the shape of a huge cross in front of the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, just down the hill from the chapel.

Conventual Franciscan Father Pedro de Oliveira is the new pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. Father de Oliveira was born on the island of Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal. He emigrated in childhood with his parents and siblings to Massachusetts.

Many Franciscans were in attendance including Conventual Franciscan Father Gary Johnson, vicar provincial for the Friars Minor Conventual.

“We serve here in St. Stanislaus Basilica. We’ve been here in the past in Holyoke. And now Friar Pedro is the new pastor here at Our Lady of Fatima in Ludlow. So this is our first year serving here in this parish,” said Father Johnson. “We’re so happy to come for the Festa and we have a good number of Franciscan friars, members of our community, to support him and also to celebrate this great day for Our Lady of Fatima.”

Watch for a video version of this story on this Saturday’s edition of “Real to Reel,” the Diocese of Springfield’s weekly TV news magazine that airs Saturday evenings at 7 on WWLP-22News.