Pilgrim Statue & Holy Relics Visitation: Vargas Residence, 10/11/2014

Because October is the month of the Holy Rosary, my Guadalupe House personal ministry is always particularly busy given that I am an enthusiastic promoter towards devotion to the Blessed Virgin and her special prayer.  One event I always look forward to each year is the annual America Needs Fatima Rosary Rally at the Vargas Residence in Kailua... and today was the date for scheduled rallies throughout the United States.

The Rosary Rally at the Vargas Home always takes places on the driveway, facing

the street so passers-by can see the large

America Needs Fatima sign and perhaps

get the message.

[click on each photo to view larger images]

Each year on the Saturday on, or before October 13th, one of our St. Anthony of Padua Church parishioners - Mrs. Patty Vargas (aka "Auntie Patty") - generously opens her home to family, friends, or anyone who is generally interested... for an afternoon of prayer and hymns, followed by a luncheon. This was my fourth year-in-a-row attending and it was a wonderful event.

My ministry's Fatima
pilgrim statue

With this particular family, I feel especially close to them... so for them my beautiful Fatima statue (left) made a rare pilgrim visit, along with relics from the three seers of the Fatima (Portugal) apparitions: Blesseds Francisco (d. 1919) and Jacinta Marto (d. 1920), and the Servant of God, Sr. Lucia dos Santos (d. 2005).

I was also asked to speak about the 1917 Fatima Events and the relevance of the Rosary Devotion... so I briefly emphasized to the attendees how the Rosary is truly a powerful "weapon" gifted to us by God to combat the enemies of our Faith; I referenced the story of the Battle of Lepanto in October 1571 and how, today, our troubled world is facing a similar crisis of violence... and is more in need of the Rosary Prayer than ever.  I ended the talk by reminding the people of our Blessed Mother's basic requests that she delivered at Fatima: Conversion, Prayer, and Sacrifice.

The luncheon that followed in the home was delicious and it was a great time to get reacquainted with the rest of the Vargas Family, and friends who I only see once a year at this event.  My ALOHA again goes out to Auntie Patty and her family for their hospitality and for sharing their faith with the rest of us.

Food, fun, and fellowship in the Vargas Home.