ORLANDO | Most Catholics have heard of the apparitions of Our Lady in Fatima, Portugal, to three young cousins — Lucia de los Santos, Jacinta, and Francisco Marto — between May 13 and Oct. 13, 1917.
Few realize the devotion of praying the rosary on first Saturdays for five consecutive months came several years later in 1925. The devotional practice, the request of Our Lady to Sister Lucia, is still prayed 100 years later.
Perhaps the oldest practice of this devotion in the Diocese of Orlando takes place at Queen of Peace Parish in Ocala. Father Patrick O’Doherty said his parishioners already prayed the devotion when he arrived 35 years ago. Leona LaMotte now leads the devotion with her best friend, Linda Olson.
LaMotte said she loves this devotion and finds it important because Our Lady requested it. On Dec. 10, 1925, Our Lady spoke to Lucia, who later became a Discalced Carmelite nun. The Virgin said, “Behold, my daughter, my heart encircled with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Give me consolation, you, at least; and make known on my behalf that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months confess their sins, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the purpose of making reparation to my Immaculate Heart.”
LaMotte said those words mean a lot to her.
“It was a beautiful promise, and I thought, that’s all I need to hear,” she said. “I already had a strong devotion to this, but when I first realized that promise, it made all the difference in the world to me.”
Anywhere from 75 to 150 people gather for the devotion. LaMotte encourages them to “immerse themselves into whatever mystery it is we’re doing. Live it. Be like you’re there experiencing it – a very strong meditation,” she said.
On May 29-30, 1930, Jesus explained to Sister Lucia the reason for the five Saturdays — the five kinds of offenses spoken against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They are blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception, against her virginity, against her Divine Maternity, refusing to receive her as Mother of mankind, and for LaMotte, the worst is that of those who “seek publicly to implant, in the hearts of children, indifference, disrespect, and even hate for the Immaculate Mother,” according to Jesus’s revelation. Jesus further explained his mission was, “to move My mercy to pardon those souls who have had the misfortune to offend her.”
The devotion is dear to Father O’Doherty’s heart as well. “Mary is the woman in my life,” he said jovially recalling a line from My Fair Lady. “Mary was chosen before the universe began, to be the Mother of God in time and history. I learned from Mary by watching her in my own mind, that we have been chosen as well, before the universe began to be holy and blameless in His sight. He called Mary, but God is also calling each one of us,” he explained.
Noting his “primal defect as a Christian” is envy and jealousy, he said he became envious of the saints. “I wanted to be like them,” he said. Then 19 years ago, while sitting in Mass listening to a reading of the Annunciation, he found his mind wandering. Then he heard Our Lady say to him, “What happened to me must happen to you. For me to be holy the Holy Spirit must come upon me like it did Mary. The power of the Most High must overshadow me like He did Mary.” Like Paul, it moved him. He said he understood, “Then I will no longer live, but Christ will live within me.”
Although he quips he is still not holy, he hopes for this transformation into holiness for himself and his parishioners and tells them at least once a month.
Kathleen and Kevin Stancik and others went to Queen of Peace for the devotion until two months ago when their pastor, Father Ramón Bolatete began the Five Saturdays’ devotion at St. John the Baptist in Dunnellon with the support of the Knights of Columbus. Kevin’s family grew up with a devotion to Mary. He and Kathleen have prayed a daily rosary for the past 15 years.
Kathleen said, “(Kevin’s) always big on saying that saying the rosary by yourself is one rosary, but if you say it as a group, it brings more graces and multiplies the graces that you’re going to receive. So, we’re trying to draw people together to ask for guidance from Our Lady of Fatima and trying to get her help and intercession in the crazy world we live in today.”
Although Kevin’s devotion stems from his childhood, he also feels sure Our Lady watches over him. When his colon ruptured in 2017, he heard the Blessed Mother tell him, “It’s not your time. I have more work for you to do.” Since then, he has committed himself to spreading the Five Saturdays’ devotion.
Inspired by his grandmother’s devotion, Michael Zirkle, vice president of financial operations for the diocese, shares his love for the Virgin Mary with everyone he can. As a child, he crafted a rosary for the traveling statue of Our Lady of Fatima, used at his grandmother’s parish to pray for vocations. He said, “It’s given me a greater ability to discern God’s will in my life, a better way to live. If I’m really struggling with something workwise or teamwise, I’ll go pray a rosary and meditate on the mysteries, then often clarity comes.”
His love inspired Michael and Diane Halsema to start a Five Saturdays’ devotion at Epiphany Parish in Port Orange. Joined by parishioners from Our Lady of Hope, they intended to do it once, but at its conclusion were asked to continue. The devotional practice is in its second year.
“I think it’s the Catholic way to pray the rosary, do the devotion, practicing the Sacraments. It’s all part of what we need to get back to. It helps us in how we practice our faith,” said Michael Halsema.
St. Augustine Parish in Casselberry has three Legion of Mary organizations. They gather on the first Saturday of each month to pray a bilingual rosary for the reparation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Carmen Rosado is president of the Fatima Curia. She has been faithful to this practice for more than a decade.
Her grandmother instilled in her a love of Mary as well as her late husband, Julio. Recalling their wedding day in 1965 she said, “The wedding colors were blue and white because those are the colors associated with the Virgin Mary.”
When they moved to Florida 40 years ago, the couple worshipped at St. Augustine Parish. “When you see what is happening around the world, you make a decision to dedicate yourself to pray for those who do not pray,” she said. “As they say, from Mary’s hand many graces will come. It is evangelization.”
She explained, as you develop spiritually this becomes a way of life without your even realizing it. “She’s my constant companion,” Rosado said. “I always try to imitate her virtues and cultivate her patience, humility, silence. When one has patience, one has love. I learned how to listen.”
At 82 years of age, she says she’s always been very active. Mary taught her patience and perseverance. She wants to tell everyone who does not know Our Lady, “Allow the Virgin Mary to touch your lives. It will bring you much peace, tranquility, and joy. She is the best instrument through which to reach the feet of Jesus. It is what we all long for.
By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, May 15, 2025