On April 17, nearly 300 people gathered at the national headquarters of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) in Spring Grove, Penn. to venerate the International Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The event marked the end of a ten-day visit of this miraculous statue which wept in New Orleans in 1972.
Many members of the TFP’s America Needs Fatima campaign were among those who came to venerate the extraordinary statue. Some traveled as much as five hours to attend the event.
Loyally devoted to Our Lady of Fatima, TFP members have always held a special devotion to the International Pilgrim Statue, and have also sponsored the statue on visits to South America and Europe.
TFP members John Horvat, Thomas Drake, Thomas McKenna and Norman Fulkerson took turns giving a short explanation of the history of the statue and leading rosaries.
Attendees were filled with enthusiasm and joy, upon seeing the statue. “I am so glad that I came,” said one attendee who had traveled four hours from New Jersey to see the statue. “It was well worth the long hours in the car.”
On the morning of the 18th, the TFP members bade farewell to the statue with heavy hearts. As the statue left, despite the sorrow that everyone felt, they were firmly convinced that the day is rapidly approaching in which Our Lady will fulfill her Fatima promise and bring about the reign of her Immaculate Heart.