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Journey with Blessed Mother
archived from: 2009-08-17

On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Mother first appeared on a rocky pasture near Fatima, a village in Portugal, to visit three shepherd children. Pilgrims from all over the world travel to that sacred site today, but the faithful in the Pittsburgh region can experience the blessings of a pilgrimage when Our Lady comes to visit them.

A traveling statue of Our Lady of Fatima currently resides in St. Anthony’s Chapel, part of Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood, where it will be stationed until Aug. 17. It’s the latest stop on a journey that began in 1991, when the statue started to make the rounds of Catholic churches and schools throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.

Edward Kempka of Slickville, Pa., was a member of St. Sylvester Parish in the Diocese of Greensburg who had a deep devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. According to his friend, Dolly Fusca, he made the pilgrimage to Fatima 36 times, bringing back thousands of rosaries so he could share the blessings of his journey with as many people as possible.

He gave one of those rosaries to Fusca, a member of Good Shepherd in Braddock, when they met at a church. That simple exchange was the beginning of a journey for Fusca.

“When you meet people through our Blessed Mother, you know it was meant to be,” she said.

They both made a pilgrimage to Fatima in 1988, and Fusca brought home a small statue of Our Lady. She was inspired to take the statue to churches so it would remind people of the message of Fatima. Kempka liked the idea so much that he purchased a much larger statue, approximately 4 feet high, hand-carved from wood and blessed in Fatima.

“At first I wondered, ‘How am I going to do this?’” Fusca recalled. “But the Blessed Mother opened each door.”

Kempka passed away in 2006, and Fusca needed assistance to carry on the work they had begun together. While attending Mass at St. Augustine Church in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood in 2007, she asked of God, “If you want this work to continue, place someone in my life to help me.”

Beverly Bentz, a member of Our Lady of Victory in Harwick, was also at St. Augustine that day, and the two met while lighting prayer candles. Bentz expressed interest in Fusca’s work, and told her she would like to be part of it.

“That was how my journey with the Blessed Mother began,” Bentz said. “Had I not taken that leap of faith and reached out to Dolly, I would not be where I am today.”

With the help of other volunteers, including Michelle Sczcygiel and June Muse, Bentz has booked host locations for the traveling statue well into 2010.

“I just want people to love her,” Bentz said.

Echoing those sentiments, Fusca said, “It’s all about her — the Blessed Mother.”

Paraphrasing Pope John Paul II, she remarked, “The message of Fatima is just as relevant today as it was in 1917.”

Father Al Zapf, Bentz’s pastor, hosted the statue at Our Lady of Victory twice, and he observed a positive impact on the spiritual life of the parish.

“The people who come to pray feel very close to the Blessed Mother,” he said. “The statue reminds the people of Our Lady’s presence, and that she really cares for them.”

Father Larry Smith, pastor of Most Holy Name of Jesus, recalled how the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph became important to him when he lost his own parents at a young age. He is pleased to host the statue at St. Anthony’s Chapel, where the relics of thousands of saints draw visitors from around the world.

“Mary is the saint of saints,” he said, “so this is a very appropriate place for her.”

The regular visiting hours in the chapel are 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Father Smith encourages visitors to celebrate the feast of the Assumption with Our Lady of Fatima at an 8:30 a.m.

Mass Saturday, Aug. 15. For more information, call the rectory at 412-231-2994.

For more information on the traveling statue, call Bentz at 412-889-3608.

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