September 1, 2025

Thousands attend outdoor Mass, procession at Festa

REGIONAL
By Carolee McGrath

LUDLOW – Thousands of people crowded the lawn in front of the chapel on the grounds of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Ludlow for the 6:30 p.m. Mass, Sunday, Aug. 31. The Mass and procession are held each year on the Sunday evening of Festa. This is the 77^th anniversary of the five-day festival which celebrates Portuguese culture and faith.

“For the last 77 years, our parish has been celebrating the patroness of our community, Our Lady who appeared in Fatima, Portugal,” said Franciscan Friar Pedro de Oliveira, OFM Conventual, the pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish.

“Seventy-seven years ago, we began building this church on Labor Day weekend. Hence every year, we celebrate the founding of our parish, the building and construction of our parish church. Also, we postpone the feast of Our Lady of Fatima to celebrate together on the weekend of Labor Day weekend, rather than on May 13, the actual feast day of Our Lady of Fatima,” he said.

From May to October 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd childen in Fatima, Portugal: 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 the apparitions, the flu ravaged Europe and Portugal had entered World War I on the side of the Allies.

In 2017, Pope Francis canonized Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Both children died from the flue. In 2017, Carmelite Sister Lucia dos Santos was declared venerable by the Church, further advancing her cause of sainthood.

“What is the simple message of Our Lady of Fatima? Threefold: the first prayer, the second conversion, the third peace. God wants a divided world that’s in conflict to return, to place God at the proper place in life. God should be center. When God is center through prayer, through the rosary, through Adoration … it leads us to conversion,” said Friar de Oliveira.

Following Mass, people lit candles and processed through the neighborhoods around the church, praying the rosary. People travel from all over the Northeast to take part.

“Being from this community, I lived her many years ago, always the message here of Fatima, the family gathering, I’m just so grateful,” said Beatrice Pinto, who traveled from Ontario to take part. Pinto grew up in Ludlow.

“We have many challenges in our lives and Festa means just to be so humbled, to be present to the message of Fatima,” she said.

Festa features traditional Portuguese food, rides, and entertainment.

This story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which temporarily airs Sunday mornings at 6:30 a.m.  on WWLP-22NEWS.