Half-Century of Devotion: Marian Festival Shines at Sacred Heart Cathedral

There was standing room only at Sacred Heart Cathedral Bendigo on Sunday 13 October, as Catholics from across the Province gathered for Mass on the day of the 50th annual Marian Festival and the 107th anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions.

The Bendigo Marian Festival, organised by the Bendigo Apostolate of Fatima, is held every October around the Feast Days of Our Lady of the Rosary (7 October) and the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary (12 October). It has become a much-loved event to honour Mary as an intercessor and role model while preserving traditions and fostering community spirit. For many Australian Catholics who were raised in devotional Catholic cultures, where public displays of prayer are more common, the Marian Festival helps them to connect with their faith in a familiar way.

Mary’s status as our intercessor was promulgated by Vatican II in a principal document Lumen Gentium which stated Mary will “shine forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (304*), as a sign of sure hope and solace to the people of God during its sojourn on earth.”                           Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) 68 (1964)

Mary represents a source of inspiration and strength. Her life, characterised by unwavering faith and resilience in the face of adversity, offers a powerful example to those of us facing challenges in our own lives.

Honouring Mary as an intercessor and praying for her to intercede does not distract from the importance and effectiveness of divine Christ, our only true mediator.

In  pdf his address (271 KB) in the afternoon, Bishop Emeritus Leslie Tomlinson, reminded pilgrims that at the heart of the Marian Festival is a call to prayer:

“While the story of these apparitions has garnered attention for its secrets, prophecies and miracles; at its heart, the message of Our Lady of Fatima is a simple one: Pray.”

In a world entrenched in conflict and division, the message of peace associated with Mary, particularly through apparitions such as those at Fatima, remains profoundly relevant. Mary’s calls for prayer and penance in these apparitions resonate with many people today who seek peace in their personal lives and in the broader world.

*304: Cf.2 pt. 3:10