Youth from the Somascan parishes of St Joseph’s Moorebank and St Christopher’s Holsworthy were consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
The consecration, which took place at the end of a Mass in honour of Our Lady at Moorebank parish, was made as preparations for World Youth Day 2023 in the parishes begin.
“In this Solemn Mass, on the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, we consecrate in a special way our Somascan youth, who will be prepared, each month, towards the mission of living the message of Fatima in our ‘Mooreworthy’ parishes and in our Archdiocese,” said Fr Chris De Sousa CRS, Assistant Priest of St Joseph’s Moorebank and St Christopher’s Holsworthy.
“Our youth will go on to represent us in this mission at World Youth Day, which will be held next year in Lisbon, Portugal, with a pilgrimage to Fatima.”
During his homily, Fr Chris emphasised the importance of renewing this consecration daily as it helps us to “become fully a disciple of Christ, of which the Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest example”.
“We ask for Our Lady’s intercession, that we might respond to her summons with prayer, with penance for the conversion of sinners and with consecration of ourselves and the world through the triumphant Immaculate Heart of Mary,” said Fr Chris.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr Chris in both English and Portuguese with visiting Somascan Religious Fr Johnson Malayil CRS from Bangalore, India.
The celebrations continued with a candle-lit procession and the recitation of the Holy Rosary around the grounds of the church.
Following the float of Our Lady, which was adorned with flowers and carried by four members of youth, three young children from the parishes carried a rosary bead of roses in honour of the apparitions while dressed as the three shepherd children of Fatima.
Festivities concluded with a shared meal that included Portuguese inspired dishes and deserts.
The preparation sessions for World Youth Day will take place, once a month, on one of the Somascan Young Adults’ Faith Formation Nights that occurs every Tuesday at St Joseph’s Moorebank.