For 38 years, faithful Catholics have been gathering at the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Lewiston for the annual Rosary Crusade for World Peace. This year's crusade will be held on Sunday, Oct. 7, from 2-3:30 p.m. The shrine is located at 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston. "Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, intercedes for all humanity" is this year's chosen theme.
The annual crusade is truly a community event involving various members and organizations from Niagara County and the diocese.
Nicaraguan Missionary Ann Marie Zon will provide this year's reflection. Msgr. J. Thomas Moran, retired pastor of St. Bernard Parish, Youngstown, will serve as moderator of the crusade, and Dolores Laurrie of Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Parish, Niagara Falls, serves as the crusade chairperson.
The rosary crusade will consist of an outdoor rosary procession, coronation of the Blessed Mother, blessing of children, presentation of flowers to Our Lady, apostolic blessing of all present, and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Complimentary rosaries made by the "Our Lady's Rosary Makers" will be distributed to those in attendance.
Students from throughout Niagara County will recite the rosary and the Hoffman family of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Niagara Falls, will crown the statue of Mary. The Knights of Columbus Council 14622 and the bell choir from St. Peter School, Lewiston, will also take part in the crusade as well as the choir from Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Parish.
The rosary crusade is sponsored by the Niagara Council of Catholic Women of the Diocese of Buffalo.