Day of Recollection to remember message of Our Lady of Fatima set for Trinity Heights

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
May 6, 2004

The Day of Recollection, focusing on Our Lady of Fatima's message of hope, will be held May 13 at Trinity Heights in Sioux City. May 13 is the anniversary of the first apparition in 1917.

"What we are about is to promote Our Lady's message at Fatima to the three children," said Mary Ann Wente, vice-president of the World Apostolate of Fatima and Cathedral parishioner. "Her message is so simple, if we would only listen. We wish that our young people, especially, would hear this message and come forward."

According to Wente, Our Lady of Fatima asked people to go to Mass on the first Saturday of every month and offer it up to the Immaculate Heart, go to confession five days before or after and meditate for 15 minutes on one of the mysteries of the rosary. Our Lady also asked that people "pray the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war."

The event, sponsored by local members of the World Apostolate of Fatima that was formerly known as the Blue Army, will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m.

The first talk, given by Father Craig Collison, will start at about 9:15 a.m. He will be speaking about Jesus and Mary's relationship in "The Passion of the Christ."

At 10 a.m. there will be a chance for people to go to confession and time for meditation such as walking around the Trinity Heights grounds. At 11 a.m. the attendees will say a rosary followed by a Mass led by Father John McGuirk, the spiritual director of the apostolate, Father Collison and Father Raymond Weiling. Father Collison will give the homily.

After their noon lunch, Marge Stanek will present a talk on the Fatima message. Father McGuirk will give a talk on the beatitudes and weather permitting the group will walk around the beatitude stations at Trinity Heights. The day will end between 3 and 3:30 p.m.

The local apostolate held their first Days of Recollection in 2001 as the nation was dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11.

Wente pointed out that a New Jersey priest, Father Harold V. Colgan, started the Blue Army in the 1940s. One morning he told his congregation that they could combat the atheists' Red Army with an army of their own.

He encouraged his people to wear blue as they concentrated their prayer efforts on peace. The priest told them, "We will be the Blue Army of Our Lady against the Red Army of atheism."

With the group's message centered on the message of Our Lady of Fatima, the name eventually changed. Today the apostolate has millions of members. Sioux City has several prayer groups or cells affiliated with the apostolate and there are numerous others throughout the diocese.

"I think if people want to live in world of peace, it is the only way to go," said Wente. "She told us if we want peace, this is what we must do. We need to hear this more often."

Anyone is invited to attend the third Day of Recollection. There is no pre-registration required. If someone plans to attend the entire day, they are asked to bring a sack lunch. Dessert and beverages will be provided.

For more information about the Day of Recollection, contact Wente at (712) 255-8883 or Mary Margaret Sudbeck at (712) 239-9031.