Houses of Prayer

By ROB HERBST
The Catholic Week
St. Martin of Tours Parish in Troy has begun a new Pilgrim Virgin apostolate and Debi Green can’t imagine the blessings that will come from it.
Pastor Fr. Chris Boutin blessed a three-foot-tall Our Lady of Fatima statue on Oct. 17. The statue will have weeklong stays at families’ homes. Each family is expected to pray the Rosary in front of the statue each day for the week asking for Mary’s intercession before it is taken to the next home.
“Anytime you can get families to pray the Rosary together, only good can come from that,” said Green, custodian of the statue. “We have a good mix of several cultures in our parish … many of whom have never prayed a Rosary, much less as a family. … St. Martin of Tours can make a big difference if we pray for world peace and vocations. Can you imagine the gifts that are going to come from this?”

The Pilgrim Virgin apostolate is new in Troy, but has been a beautiful ministry in Mobile for more than 40 years.

Green said she had been thinking about Pilgrim Virgin for a few years when she talked with Mobile Pilgrim Virgin custodian Colleen McNorton about help in obtaining a statue for Troy.

“My son and his family attend Mass at Christ the King Parish in Daphne and they’ve had Our Lady visit their home several times, and I’ve seen how much their family has grown in love with her and Jesus,” Green said.

McNorton made plenty of phone calls and eventually received a statue. With Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi’s blessing to begin the apostolate in Troy, she brought the statue to Troy and the apostolate began days after the anniversary of the final apparition of Mary at Fatima – Oct. 13, 1917.

“We’ve been emphasizing in our parish the importance of having a Catholic identity in your home and praying together as a family,” Fr. Boutin said. “I think in so many parts of our archdiocese our Catholic identity is lost in the surrounding culture. Catholicism just seems strange and misunderstood. This affects the confidence to boldly live the faith. 

“We want Catholics to reclaim that and reclaim what was modeled by the Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. With the Pilgrim Virgin apostolate, this gives families an opportunity to pray together in their households and establish that beautiful Catholic identity for the entire family, so they can be strengthened in their daily lives.”

The family is also an important part of the apostolate’s history in Alabama. 

What was originally known as the Ambassadors of Mary Apostolate began with one statue in Chicago in 1954 to promote devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. A statue that resembled what the three children saw in Fatima in 1917 was commissioned for traveling and McNorton’s father, Jack Lortie, was one of the original ambassadors. 

There are now hundreds of statues visiting homes throughout the world. 

Lortie sought to start the apostolate in Mobile when his family relocated in 1972. Back then, McNorton said it took six years for the apostolate to be established in Mobile, partially because of difficulty obtaining a statue.

“I told Debi my dad’s story and said he waited six years. She said ‘I’ll wait,” McNorton remarked. 

St. Martin of Tours Parish waited only months, unlike Lortie. After it was established in Mobile in 1979, Lortie served as ambassador until his death in 2009. That’s when his daughter continued the family legacy.

“The year or so before he died he agonized on who in the world is going to take over this ministry for me?” McNorton said. “It never occurred to me that I should do it. This was his thing, not mine. But when he died, it just seemed like the Holy Spirit pushed me into the circle and said ‘it’s your turn now.’ I have never looked back, never regretted. It wasn’t really a decision of mine. It was a calling.”

Dad would be proud the apostolate has families lined up for each week of the year in Mobile, along with substitutes just in case.

McNorton said the apostolate has had a profound effect on her personally.

“It changed my life, I just have to tell you,” she said. 

“My husband was not Catholic when we married in the 1980s. When he saw this commitment I had made to my dad, he became Catholic. I think it got him into Heaven and I think it’s because of this ministry and the commitment I had.”

In Troy, Green said families have already signed up for the first six months. 

“It’s one more way to draw people into the parish and we’re always looking to welcome more people into the Church, not just into the parish,” McNorton said. “It can draw non-Catholics into the Church.”

Added Green: “My hope is that families experience a peace and calming and love from praying the beautiful Rosary and that more and more people start coming back to Mass.”







The custom of the "pilgrim virgin" began in Fatima, Portugal, in 1947 when the bishop ordered two replicas of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima to be sent to circulate in churches in the West and the Far East.
Members escort a statue to a home on a Saturday and lead the family in the rosary. The following Saturday the custodians return to transport the statue to the next home.
The custom began in the Chicago area in 1954. When requests for the sole statue created a waiting list of three years, the group added more and recruited honor guards to accompany them.
Today there are 200 pilgrim virgin statues visiting homes throughout the world, with 50 statues in the Chicago area and 100 statues circulating in other dioceses in the United States.













When he moved to Alabama in 1972, he began the process of getting the statue here to start the ministryhere. It took 6 yars at that point to get the statue. They were being made in Europe. It was not easy.




the anniversary of the of the final apparition of Mary at Fatima with xxxxxx

The parish began its “Pilgrim Virgin” ministry on Oct. 17, days after Oct. 13, 1917.



An apostolate for more than 40 years in Mobile 






The Ambassadors of Mary accompany statues of the Virgin of Fatima to weeklong stays in homes. The custom of the "pilgrim virgin" began in Fatima, Portugal, in 1947 when the bishop ordered two replicas of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima to be sent to circulate in churches in the West and the Far East.






1979 



Fr. Was starting this ministry. Friend of father attorney in the heart of the cityknew fr. Keough. Starting this ministry of traveling with the statue. The attorney gathered 20 or 30 mena nd this is how it began. Every Saturday night 7, 8, and 9 oclock at the local bar. Only men

Dad did this with many of the same group. Moved in 1967. 13 years. Moved to Mississippi first. When he moved to Alabama in 1972, he began the process of getting the statue here to start the ministryhere. It took 6 yars at that point to get the statue. They were being made in Europe. It was not easy. He had to have permission.b ishop john l. may. Was one of our parish priests in Chicago so it was a no-brainer.

Dad started in 1979. Brought in by plane.

Kind of how it got here.

When the statue got here and started the process of getting families. Got msgr mckardle dad could put it up in the back of the church to talk about it. He got a good many family members that way. My mother who had been a marine in ww11, he jack it’s time for women.

That was the end of the all-male thing. 1979.

Did it until his death in 2009. The year or so before he died. He agonized on who in the world is going to take over this ministry for me?

My mother could have done it. But it never occurred for her to stand up. It never occurred to me that I should do it. Just never did. I had a job, 4 kids. I began traveling with him because he got so sick toward the end.

This was his thing, not mine.

When he died, it just seemed like the holy spirit pushed me into the circle and said it’s your turn now. I have never looked back, never regretted. It wasn’t really a decision of mine. It was a calling.

I’ve been doing it since 2009, started with dad’s list of people. My 52 weeks are taken care of. Have  asubstitute list.

When debi called, I said of course. I didn’t know how we’d take care of. I told her my dad’s story and said he waited 6 years to get a statue. 
She said I’ll do it. I’ll wait. Many phone calls. The Chicago office is closed. Probably my dad’s age. 101. When I tried to call the office, looked into the address of where I send. St. john bosco parish. That’s what did the trick. 

I don’t authorize statues. Put me in touch with a man in Chicago. 

Finally he got a statue, sent it to me. Took it out of the box, right statue. That’s it. Preparing debi ever since

Everybody here was on board

Mr taylor Virginia. 
Wasn’t just getting a statue to put in my house.

Mobile 52 weeks 
Anywhere you want.

One direction of this whole program is your family sits in front of the statue once a day. Most say the rosary once a day rosary.

Looking to welcome more people into the church, not just into the parish. Draw non-Catholics into the church. 

One moere way to draw people into he parish.

This is not just a little tiny prayer group. Might or might not hit. This is every Saturday. When I needed a job in 09 or 10 I knew I couldn not have a job on a Saturday. Nope, 

This is a real commitment.

It changed my life, I just have to tell you. On a personal note, my husband was not catholic when we married in the 1980s. when he saw this commitment I had made to my dad, he became catholic. When he died, fr. Saucier gave him last rites. to me, I did my job. It got him into heaven and I think it’s because of this ministry. The commitment I have to keep it going.






Last public apparition of Fatima










"I have always had a devotion to Our Lady, but it has really grown stronger these past few years.  One day I spoke with Colleen, and it’s like everything fell into place!  Colleen started her research and made a LOT of phone calls.  When it became clear that we, St. Martin of Tours, were going to get our own Pilgrim Virgin, I promised Mary that I would not leave her alone in the church; that I was going to get her to parishioners’ homes, praying the rosary everyday as a family.”


new statue of Our Lady of Fatima to St. Martin of Tours Parish on Sunday, October 17, the 104th anniversary of the appearance of Our Lady to the three shepherd children. 


The Ambassadors of Mary Apostolate – now called the Pilgrim Virgin – to promote devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. 

1979. 

How many dioceses 
Pilgrim Virgin Apostolate

Calvin Calhoun

In Chicago, in 1954, Fr. James Mary Keane, O.S.M., started the Ambassadors of Mary Apostolate, which is now called the Pilgrim Virgin, to promote devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. The group got a boost that year when Pope Pius XII declared 1954 to be a Marian Year, and a statue that resembled what the three children saw in Fatima, Portugal in 1917, was commissioned for traveling.
 
My dad, Jack Lortie, was among the original ambassadors who traveled with Fr. Keane. He kept it up every Saturday night until our move South in 1967. At some point, he wanted to get his own statue of Our Lady of Fatima so he could continue this devotion and promote the saying of the rosary in every home, as Our Lady told the three children in Fatima,. Dad eventually was approved to have his own statue here, and in 1979 took possession of the one we have now.
 
When he died in 2009, I took over this apostolate, happily, and changed only the time of day I bring the statue to homes. 
 
Well, a woman in Troy, Alabama, has seen my name and number in The Catholic Week for a while now, and about six weeks ago, called me to see if I could bring the statue to Troy one week out of the year. I told her that the 3-hour ride would be too much, but then, the Holy Spirit moved me to ask her if she thought she had enough interest in her parish to have her own program.
 
The short end to this tale is that she and St. Martin of Tours Parish are getting their own statue! I will be taking possession of it in the next few days, I did my research to secure a statue and crown. Fr. Chris Boutin did his part by contacting Archbishop Rodi for permission. And the woman, Debi Green, did her part by finding families in Troy who would support this ministry.
 
My question to you is, would Rob like to do a story on this wonderful lay apostolate? Calvin Calhoun, my assistant custodian, and I will be bringing the statue to them in the next couple of weeks, when everyone's schedule is open. Fr. Chris will likely bless the statue, and we'll say the rosary to kick off this ministry. 
 
If he doesn't have the time or inclination to cover the story, I would be happy to write something up for the paper and take photos. 
 
This is a great opportunity for the 100 or so families in St. Martin Parish to follow the message Mary brought to the children, to have the rosary said in every household. It's a wonderful start for an area of so few Catholics.







Ambassadors of Mary, a national lay organization based in Chicago, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding in November.
The Ambassadors of Mary accompany statues of the Virgin of Fatima to weeklong stays in homes. The custom of the "pilgrim virgin" began in Fatima, Portugal, in 1947 when the bishop ordered two replicas of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima to be sent to circulate in churches in the West and the Far East.
Members escort a statue to a home on a Saturday and lead the family in the rosary. The following Saturday the custodians return to transport the statue to the next home.
The custom began in the Chicago area in 1954. When requests for the sole statue created a waiting list of three years, the group added more and recruited honor guards to accompany them.
Today there are 200 pilgrim virgin statues visiting homes throughout the world, with 50 statues in the Chicago area and 100 statues circulating in other dioceses in the United States.
The Ambassadors of Mary organization is open to any Catholic, 18 or older. - - -