Members of the St. Joseph community carry a statue of Mary across the train tracks near downtown Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday, May 13. COURTESY OF JAMES KENNEY
On Fatima anniversary, faithful pray in downtown Bowling Green
BY JAMES KENNEY, SPECIAL TO THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
On Saturday, May 13, about 75 of the faithful gathered in front of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bowling Green, Ky., 106 years after the Virgin Mary, recognized in this context as Our Lady of Fatima, made the first of her reported six appearances to three children living in the village of Fatima, Portugal, in the midst of WWI. During one of her visits to the children, on June 13, 1917, Mary told them to pray the Holy Rosary every day for peace and for the end of WWI.
The morning of St. Joseph’s Fatima Rosary walk threatened rain, but it never came. Those participating in the procession received a blessing from Fr. Ryan Harpole, pastor of St. Joseph, before walking the mile to the Bowling Green Downtown Square, publicly professing their faith on the streets of Bowling Green through praying the Rosary and singing songs.
Fr. Corey Bruns, who serves as parochial vicar of St. Joseph, says spiritual events like this are critical to the Catholic community in Bowling Green.
“I think it is important,” he said. “Here in America, we don’t necessarily let faith and culture intersect. We need to share what we believe with others; we can’t just keep it to ourselves. The faith doesn’t really live unless it is taken out; we do that by sharing.”
James Kenney is the coordinator of the photojournalism program at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.