GASTONIA — During the weekend of the feast of the Epiphany, St. Michael Church in Gastonia celebrated by blessing a newly received statue of Our Lady of Fatima and a new monstrance.
The statue of Our Lady of Fatima was presented to the parish and blessed at the Saturday morning Mass during the parish’s First Saturday Devotion to our Blessed Mother – which includes Mass, the rosary, a 15-minute meditation on the mysteries, and confession, all in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The statue of Our Lady of Fatima was painted by Portuguese artist Boaventura Pereira de Matos, an apprentice of Jose Ferreira Thedim, creator of the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima that is venerated at the Shrine of Fatima. The Our Lady of Fatima statue was a generous gift to St. Michael Church by the parish chapter of the Legion of Mary.
Also on Epiphany Sunday, Father Lucas Rossi, pastor, blessed a new monstrance that was a gift from an anonymous donor. The monstrance, crafted in Mexico, is as beautiful as it is imposing – standing 49 inches tall and requiring a 7-inch host. Father Rossi said the impressive size of this new monstrance will enhance the experience of worshipers, especially young people, during Eucharistic Adoration. After Holy Communion, Father Rossi led the congregation in a brief period of Adoration using the new monstrance.
Afterward, he said, “It providentially arrived here at St. Michael at a time when the U.S. bishops begin a three-year Eucharistic Revival. I am hopeful that this new monstrance will draw many hearts to begin – or return to – this wonderful devotion. Each one of us is made for Adoration: to be face to face with our Eucharistic Lord in loving trust.”
These two sacred objects come on the heels of the parish receiving a unique ambry containing a first-class relic of St. Bernadette Soubirous.
On Oct. 11, St. Michael Church blessed the ambry and installed it in the sanctuary of the church near the altar and tabernacle. It contains the relic, a picture of St. Bernadette and holy oils.
Mary first appeared to the 14-year-old Bernadette on Feb. 11, 1858, at the grotto of Massabielle near Lourdes, France. Mary appeared to her a total of 18 times. During an apparition on Feb. 25, Our Lady instructed St. Bernadette to “drink the water from the spring, to wash in it, and to eat the herb that grew there.” The next day the muddy waters were clear and fresh water flowed. Since that time, 70 medical cures attributed to these spring waters have been documented by the Lourdes Medical Bureau. On March 25, during her 16th apparition, Our Lady identified herself to St. Bernadette as the Immaculate Conception.
The first-class relic (meaning it is direct remains from St. Bernadette’s body) came into the Gastonia parish’s possession shortly after the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes last year. The reliquary and custom-made ambry were ordered shortly thereafter.
Father Rossi said the ambry with the relic of St. Bernadette is “the perfect place to store the holy oils – especially the oil used for anointing the sick – and will provide a wonderful place for parishioners to pray to St. Bernadette for healing. I will also be able to offer a special blessing for the sick with her relic.”
— Deacon Bill Melton
