Our Lady brings peace to a trouble world

The World Apostolate of Fatima, custodians of the International Pilgrim Virgin (IPV) statue since 1947, will again bring the statue to several Catholic churches in New Orleans July 11-25. The statue was last in the Archdiocese of New Orleans five years ago.

“When she came in 2016, there were lines around the church for confession and devotion throughout the day,” said Phillip Bellini, director of religious education at Good Shepherd Parish (St. Stephen Church).

Bellini said graces, favors granted and conversions have been reported wherever the statue travels.

History of statue
Pope Pius XII crowned Our Lady of Fatima Queen of the World in 1946. The following year, sculptor José Thedim designed the original image of the International Pilgrim Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima with instructions from Discalced Carmelite Sister Maria Lúcia of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart, one of the original Fatima visionaries, who died in 2005.

The bishop of Fatima entrusted the image to John Haffert, co-founder of the Blue Army. Since 2014, the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA has been entrusted with the statue.

Patrick Sabat, the IPV statue custodian and statue curator since 2008, will speak at each stop, bringing “the message of hope, peace and salvation to a world that needs it.”

Here is the schedule of parishes in the archdiocese where the International Pilgrim Virgin statue will appear. Times vary at each site: 
► July 11, St. Stephen Church, 1025 Napoleon Ave., New Orleans.
► July 12, St. Andrew the Apostle, 3101 Eton St., Algiers.
► July 13, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, 1 Rectory Lane, Hahnville.
► July 14, Our Lady of Lourdes, 400 Westchester Blvd., Slidell.
► July 15, St. Joseph Church and Shrine, 610 Sixth St., Gretna.
► July 16, Mt. Carmel Latin Mass Society, Mandeville. 
► July 17, St. Rita, 2729 Lowerline St., New Orleans.
► July 18, St. Patrick Church, 724 Camp St., New Orleans. 
► July 19, Divine Mercy, 4337 Sal Lentini Pkwy., Kenner.
► July 20, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1908 Short St., Kenner.
►July 21, St. Francis Xavier, 444 Metairie Road, Metairie.
► July 22, Visitation of Our Lady Parish, 3500 Ames Blvd., Marrero. 
► July 23, St. Rita, 7100 Jefferson Hwy., Harahan.
► July 24, St. Louis King of France, 1609 Carrollton Ave., Metairie. 
► July 25, St. Dominic, 775 Harrison Ave., New Orleans. 

“For me it's a connection to Our Lady's appearance at Fatima,” Bellini said. “The statue was blessed by the Bishop of Fatima in 1947; Sister Lucia, one of the seers at Fatima, saw her; and it was commissioned by Pope Pius XII to travel the world. But, most of all, it inspires one with a deeper love of God and the desire to bring hope to a fallen world through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

For details about the statue, visit: https://fatimatourforpeace.com/the-statue.  

cbordelon@clarionherald.org