The Portuguese Catholic community in Sydney marked a special moment of faith and devotion on 10 May when an image of Our Lady of Fatima was welcomed to St Thomas of Canterbury Parish in Lewisham.
The image was donated by António Carreira, organist for the parish’s Portuguese Mass, and had previously been blessed at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima on 30 December 2025 by Fr Daniel Mendes, national coordinator of the Movement of the Message of Fatima.
Mr Carreira brought the image to Sydney on 19 January, carrying with it a strong spiritual connection to one of the world’s most significant Marian shrines.
The image entered St Thomas of Canterbury Church during the entrance procession of Mass celebrated by Fr Thomas Tee.
As it was carried down the central aisle, Marian hymns filled the church and many members of the congregation were visibly moved.
For many in the Portuguese community, the occasion stirred memories of their homeland and reflected a faith tradition handed down through generations.
During the Mass, mothers were entrusted to the care of Our Lady in a special blessing and consecration marking Mother’s Day.
The community also remembered deceased mothers, praying in gratitude for their lives and witness.
Following the celebration, the image was placed in a specially prepared chapel within the church.
Parishioners expressed their joy at having a visible reminder of Fatima in their local parish, with some commenting that they now felt they had “Fatima next to us”.
The arrival of the image strengthens the spiritual bond between Sydney’s Portuguese Catholic community and the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima while helping preserve Marian devotion and cultural traditions for future generations.
The community expressed its gratitude to Mr Carreira for his generous gift and commitment to fostering devotion to Our Lady among Portuguese Catholics in Sydney.
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