World Apostolate of Fatima England and Wales
Featured this month:
The First Apparition & the Rosary, Reflection on First Saturday, Papal Blessing and Plenary Indulgence for Pontevedra Centenary
Dear Readers,
As we welcome the joyful month of Mary, may we turn with renewed hope to the First Apparition at Fatima and to Mary’s loving call to pray the Rosary; in this Easter season of new life, her message feels especially urgent as our world continues to be wounded by ongoing wars, violence, and the suffering of innocent people. Yet, Mary reminds us that grace can still break through conflict, peace is never beyond God’s reach, and the conversion of hearts remains possible. May our devotion this month draw us more deeply into Christ’s light, trusting that through the gentle guidance of His Mother our prayer may become a source of healing, consolation, and peace for a world longing to be made whole.
MAY - THE FIRST APPARITION & THE ROSARY
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM OUR NATIONAL PRESIDENT๏ปฟ
FATIMA ARTICLES
FROM OUR NATIONAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
NEW / RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
FOCUS ON FIRST SATURDAYS!
IMPORTANT FEAST DAYS & EVENTS
FATIMA NOTICE BOARD
REFLECTIONS ON CATHEDRAL VISITATIONS
FATIMA GLOBAL NEWS FEATURE
EVENTS / VISITATIONS- WAF E&W FORMATION CONFERENCE AND CONCERT
WAF VOLUNTEERS - URGENT APPEAL
DONATIONS
FATIMA ARTICLES
Under the loving command of His Creature – St Joseph, the Worker (1st May)
Ascension (14th May), Pentecost (24th May), and Holy Trinity (31st May):
Three Pillars of the Easter Mystery in the Light of the Messages of Fatima
Servant of God ‘Rhoda Wise’: First Apparition, the Rosary & a chain of Grace
FROM OUR NATIONAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
Dear WAF family,
“Unlucky for some, 13”
As we open the Month of May, the Month of Our Lady, we open the Fatima Season for, from May 13th to Oct 13th 1917, Our Lady appeared at Fatima Portugal to reveal the Peace Plan of Heaven.
As we begin the Fatima season this year, we do so in the centennial year of the Immaculate Heart and specifically the First Saturday Devotion for 5 consecutive months.โฏ
We are used to the expression that many associate the number 13 with bad luck, but for us as devotees of Our Lady of Fatima, 13 becomes the lucky number in that it becomes a day of great hope and promise.โฏ
We are aware that in the Bible and Catholic theology, certain numbers have great significance for us. For example, the number 40, the 40 days that Noah spent in the ark, the 40 years Moses led the people to freedom, the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness etc. Similarly with the number seven, the seven stone water jars in the Wedding feast of Cana, the seven days of the week, the seven Sacraments etc.โฏ
So, it is with the number 13. In the Old Testament, we encounter the story of Queen Esther. Esther was a Jew and she and her people were to be annihilated due to a deceptive plot. However, on the 13th of the Jewish month of Adar, Queen Esther goes uninvited into the presence of the king. she undertakes this life-threatening movement after fasting and prayer. The king sees her beauty and is overwhelmed, especially when Queen Esther faints. The king then discovers the plot to kill the Jewish people and instead orders the proponents of this scheme to be put to death. Esther by her valiant intercession and mediation on behalf of her own people is able to save them from disaster. It is therefore easy to see how the Church interprets this event as a “type” a “prefigurement” of Our Lady and specifically how the apparition of Our Lady at Fatima on the 13th of each month from May to October is a fulfilment of the Queen Esther story as in many cases of significant Old Testament women and events which point to Our Lady.โฏ
Like Esther, Our Lady came to Fatima to save her people from evil by showing them the right path to follow. The name Esther is from the Hebrew meaning “star” and “happiness.” Sister Luciaโฏtold Dominican Father Thomas McGlynn who sculpted the great Immaculate Heart Statue on the old Basilica tower that Our Lady always had a star on her tunic. The star was yellow.โฏ
Esther was a queen. Our Lady is an infinitely greater queen, whom we celebrate on the feast of the Queenship of Mary, Aug. 22nd, and in the 5th Glorious mystery of the Rosary. Our Lady directed us to pray the Rosary at every apparition.
Which brings up another 13.โฏ
It was in the 13th century that Our Lady gave St. Dominic the Rosary. Also, in the 13th century, she gave St. Simon Stock the Brown Scapular. On Oct. 13th at Fatima, Our Lady appeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, silently teaching us about the scapular. Lucia later affirmed, “the Scapular and the Rosary are inseparable. The scapular is a sign of consecration to Our Lady.”
The Fatima message directs us to Jesus, especially in the Holy Eucharist. Mary first appeared on May 13th, the original feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. During that apparition, the children experienced the light of God coming from Mary’s open hands; they fell to their knees and prayed, “O Most Holy Trinity, I adore you! My God, my God, I love you in the Most Blessed Sacrament.” we can therefore see the great connection between the message of Fatima revealed by Our Lady,โฏwhich leads us to closer union with her son Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament. The Fatima apparitions begin with the appearance of the angel who gives the children holy communion, Our Lady appears first on May 13th, the feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and we recall that the final apparition of Our Lady too, sister Lucia in 1929 was on June 13th. This apparition at Tuy, shows Our Lady with her Immaculate Heartโฏstanding at the foot of the cross in which she sees Jesus crucified and the precious blood falling into a chalice, reminding us of the Holy Mass once again.โฏ
As we open this sweet month of May in honour of Our Lady the Queen of May, let us always be aware that when we listen to the appeal of Our Lady, her message of prayer and penance, she comes as the fulfilment and new Queen Esther to save us and especially those of us who are most in need of Mercy.โฏ
For us then who love Our Lady of Fatima, the number 13 becomes the “lucky number” which gives us the opportunity each month of a Marian appointment with Our Lady to put into affect her message and so help bring about the triumph of her Immaculate Heart.โฏ
With the assurance of my prayers for you all as you begin the beautiful month of May.
O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today,โฏ
Queenโฏof the angels and Queen of the May.
Canon Jason Jonesโฏ
National Spiritual Directorโฏ
WAF England and Walesโฏ
NEW / RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Novena to the Our Lady of Fatima by Donal Foley
Donald Foley’s Novena is a devotional guide that introduces Fatima apparitions, explains their spiritual significance, and leads readers through nine days of prayer focused on conversion, penance and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Read more here.
Novena to Our Lady of Fatima by Fr Richard Nesbitt
The second Novena, by Father Richard Nesbitt, (Lady of Fatima in White City and Spiritual Director for the Diocese of Westminster), highlights Mary’s maternal protection, the call to repentance and the power of the Rosary. It keeps the heart of the Novena, while making it easy for families, parishes or individuals to pray.
Read more here.
Fatima's Hidden Call: What Many Catholics Have Overlooked?
FOCUS ON FIRST SATURDAYS
15 Minute Meditations with WAF England & Wales
“KEEP ME COMPANY FOR 15 MINUTES”, said Our Lady to Venerable Sr. Lucia, on the 10th December 1925.
Introduction
Let us make our First Saturday devotion on the 2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of the forty days, He spent in this world after His glorious Resurrection; the Divine Master ascended to heaven to occupy His throne of Majesty at the right of the Father. King of all things visible and invisible, whose kingdom will never end, Jesus will eventually return to Earth to judge the living and the dead.
Read more here.
We hope you were able to participate in the Fatima Five First Saturdays devotion recently. Here are some useful resources to help you understand better this important devotion.
Locations | Leaflets | Meditations| Enquiries
IMPORTANT FEAST DAYS & EVENTS
Upcoming Liturgical Feast Days & Events
01 May St Joseph, The Worker
04 May Start the Novena of Our Lady of Fatima
13 May Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
14 May Ascension Day
23 May WAF-E&W Formation Conference
23 May Charity Concert (evening)
24 May Pentecost Sunday
31 May Holy Trinity Sunday
20 November WAF-E&W AGM, Belmont Abbey. *
21 November Fatima Symposium, Belmont Abbey, Hereford. *
22 November Fatima Symposium, London. *
* More detailed information to follow
FATIMA NOTICE BOARD
03โฏMayโฏ– Sunday 7pm:โฏ WAF-E&W On-Line Rosary
Meeting ID: 86088111745
Passcode: 734012 or by clicking on the poster or scanning the QR code on the poster below
REFLECTIONS ON CATHEDRAL VISITATIONS
NPVS Visitation to the Parish of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Headstone Lane, Harrow
2026 Visitation - Parish of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Adur Valley, Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
WAF Visitation to the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral: A Reflective Account
Reflections, thoughts and insights from members
Do you have something to share? A story or an experience which helped with your journey of faith ...
๏ปฟPlease let us know.
FATIMA GLOBAL NEWS
Vatican Grants Pontevedra Jubilee Year
Special Announcement: Apostolic Penitentiary Grants Papal Blessing and
Plenary indulgence for Pontevedra Centenary
EVENTS / VISITATIONS
‘The Impact of the Resurrection’
Cathedral Visitations
Please visit our webpages to find out when we shall be visiting a Cathedral near you. More information can be found here.
May 2-3 Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George, Aldershot (Portsmouth Diocese)
May 16-17 St. Agatha, Kingston (Southwark Diocese)
May 30 Annual Rosary Procession, London (Southwark Diocese)
May 30-31 St. Ann's Parish, Kingston (Southwark Diocese)
June 13-14 Our Lady of Fatima, Quinton (Birmingham, Diocese)
June 20-21 St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, Morden (Southward Diocese)
June 27-28 St. Joseph, Wembley (Westminster Diocese)
Sept. 5-6 Priory Church of Our Lady and St. Michael, Abergavenny (Cardiff-Menevia Diocese)
Sept. 12 Brentwood Cathedral, Brentwood Diocese
Sept. 19-20 Our Lady and St. Helen, Westcliff (Brentwood Diocese)
Sept. 26-27 Cathedral Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, Bristol (Clifton Diocese)
Oct. 3-4 Holy Rood, Swindon (Clifton Diocese)
Oct. 10-11 Metropolitan Cathedral of St. David, Cardiff (Cardiff-Menevia Diocese)
Oct. 17-18 Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Norwich (East Anglia Diocese)
Oct. 24-25
St. Mary, West Croydon (Southwark Diocese)
Oct. 31 Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, London (Westminster Diocese)
Nov. 7-8 St. Joseph, New Malden (Southwark Diocese)
Nov. 14-15 St. Augustine, Hammersmith (Westminster Diocese)
23rd May – WAF E&W Formation Conference
๏ปฟThe World Apostolate of Fatima England and Wales warmly invites you to its first Formation Conference, taking place on 23 May 2026 at 8:00 AM at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Commonwealth Avenue, White City, W12 7QR.
This special gathering is open to all members of the Apostolate and marks a meaningful milestone in our shared mission. The conference aims to:
- Bring to life the insights gained from our online formation sessions through talks, group activities, and dynamic small-group discussions.
- Inspire members—especially promoters—to embrace a more active and committed role within the Apostolate.
- Foster fellowship and strengthen our bonds as spiritual comrades, united in learning, living, and spreading the Message of Our Lady of Fatima and reflecting on the witness of the three shepherd children.
Conference Theme
“Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as the Way to Salvation (‘Calls’ from the Message of Fatima)”
This theme draws inspiration from Our Lady’s words during the July 1917 apparition:
“To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.”
The day will begin with the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, followed by a rich programme of inspiring talks, engaging workshops, and interactive activities designed to deepen both understanding and commitment.
We are honoured that the conference speakers will include some of the Apostolate’s Spiritual Director/s and the lead/s of our Spiritual Programmes, who will guide us through reflection, formation, and practical application.
Registration Details
- Fee: £15.00 (includes a simple lunch)
- Registration Deadline: 15 April 2026
- How to Register:
- Click this link: https://bit.ly/WAFConference
- Or scan the QR code on the poster below
We warmly and wholeheartedly encourage all members to take part in this landmark event. Let us come together in faith, unity, and renewed zeal to live, learn and spread the message of Our Lady of Fatima!
23rd May - Fundraising Charity Concertโฏ
We warmly invite everyone to lend their generous support as weโฏseekโฏto raise funds forโฏourโฏApostolate’s mission.
AโฏCharity Concertโฏwill be held on the evening ofโฏ23 May 2026, following the WAF England & Wales Formation Conference, at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Commonwealth Avenue, White City, W12 7QR.
This special fundraising event is presented in collaboration with the SinagโฏHimigโฏChorale and will reflect the inspiring theme:โฏ“Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Through music and prayerful reflection, the evening aims not only to uplift hearts but also to strengthen our shared commitment to the Apostolate’s sacred mission. Your presence and support willโฏgreatly contributeโฏto the continued work of spreading Our Lady’s message.
The concert will begin atโฏ7:30 PM, following the celebration of the Vigil Mass. Guests may look forward to an evening of beautiful sacred melodies, thoughtful reflection, and uplifting choral music,โฏrenderedโฏby this world-class ensemble.
Indeed, it promises to be both spiritually enriching and artistically inspiring, abundantly filled with grace and joy. This event is open to the public.
The purpose of the concert is to support the Apostolate’s mission—most especially the forthcoming Cathedral visitation of the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, together with the relics of Saints Francisco and Jacinta, onโฏ31 October 2026โฏat the Westminster Cathedral (Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus).โฏ
Ticket Prices:โฏ
£15.00 – Adultโฏ
£10.00 – Childโฏ
For tickets and reservation kindly contact the official WAF (E&W) mobile number:โฏ07788473210โฏ
Mayโฏ Our Lady’sโฏImmaculate Heart be our refuge and the way that leads us to God!โฏAve Maria!
WAF VOLUNTEERS - URGENT APPEAL
Volunteering for WAF England & Wales:
DONATE TO WAF ENGLAND & WALES
We sincerely appreciate your decision to support the mission of the World Apostolate of Fatima - England and Wales. You have the option to make a one-time or monthly donation by clicking the button below. We embrace various forms of assistance, whether it be financial contributions, heartfelt prayers, or volunteer efforts.
